WASHINGTON — Washington Nationals pitcher Cade Cavalli’s suspension for his role in a brawl at Boston was reduced on appeal from seven games to five, Major League Baseball announced.
Cavalli struck out Boston’s Willson Contreras looking in the fourth inning of an 8-1 Nationals victory.
Cavalli shouted at Contreras, who threw his helmet and moved toward the mound. After they continued yelling at each other, both benches emptied.
The right-hander began serving the suspension as the Nationals opened a three-game series against the Houston Astros. Barring any postponements, Cavalli would be eligible to return against the New York Yankees in Washington’s final game before the All-Star break.
While Contreras was ejected, Cavalli remained in the game and struck out 13 in seven innings while allowing one run. Cavalli is 5-4 with a 3.88 ERA in 19 starts this season.
Contreras also was suspended seven games, while Washington pitcher Miles Mikolas (five games) and Boston outfielder Nate Eaton (three games) also were disciplined. All three are appealing their penalties.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - MAY 14: Harrison Bader #9 and Matt Chapman #26 of the San Francisco Giants prepare for the game against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on May 14, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Suzanna Mitchell/San Francisco Giants/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On Monday, ahead of their entertaining blowout victory over the Toronto Blue Jays, the San Francisco Giants released a bunch of medical updates for their injured players.
Perhaps most important is that third baseman Matt Chapman, who is dealing with an abdominal strain, was set to re-join the team on Monday, and will be re-evaluated. The Giants aren’t giving a timeline, but it seems likely that his return date will be the first game out of the All-Star break, which is on July 17.
Catcher Daniel Susac, who has a lower back strain, has started his swing progression, and is throwing up to 105 feet. He’ll start running later this week, so he’s still a little ways away, but not too far.
Center fielder Harrison Bader, who has left plantar fasciitis, took batting practice yesterday and will run today. The Giants will take it very carefully with him, but he’s at least trending in the right direction.
Lefty reliever Matt Gage, who left a game over the weekend with an elbow strain, had an MRI yesterday and was set to be re-evaluated. It unfortunately looks likely that Tommy John surgery is in his future.
Righty reliever Joel Peguero, who has been rehabbing his left hamstring strain in Arizona, is set to throw a live batting practice session today. Hopefully he can kick off a rehab assignment soon. Fellow righty reliever José Buttó is throwing four times a week, and up to 75 feet. It seems unlikely that he’ll pitch again this season, though.
The Athletics visit the Detroit Tigers tonight as they look to take advantage of Tarik Skubal's struggles.
My Athletics vs. Tigers predictions and MLB picks are expecting the A's to jump on Skubal as they continue to hit the ball hard.
Who will win A's vs Tigers today: A's moneyline (+158)
Tarik Skubal hasn’t looked like his dominant self lately. The Detroit Tigers lefty owns a 5.04 FIP over the last month while allowing 2.82 HR/9. Although opponents have only a 31.5% hard-hit rate during that span, his 13% barrel rate is concerning.
That could be problematic against an Athletics offense producing a 47.5% hard-hit rate over its last five games while averaging five runs per contest.
J.T. Ginn has been inconsistent, posting a 5.28 FIP over his last two starts, but opponents own just a 33.3% hard-hit rate against him. Ginn doesn’t need to dominate here, but he can keep Detroit within reach.
I'll play this pick down to +110.
COVERS INTEL: Tarik Skubal has been worse at home, posting a 3.89 FIP compared to a 2.65 mark on the road.
A's vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (+109)
This certainly doesn't profile to be a pitcher's duel. We're looking at two offenses swinging it incredibly well, and both starters have also been vulnerable to the long ball lately.
Detroit's lineup has a .212 ISO over the last week while carrying a 41% hard-hit rate. The A's offense, as previously mentioned, is also in good form.
This Tigers bullpen is also a concern when Skubal does exit, posting a 5.99 FIP across their last 16.1 innings. As for the Athletics pen, they've been even worse, compiling a horrible 7.32 FIP over their last 22.1 frames.
We should see runs tonight, and I'd play this pick up to -110.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 33-21, +0.97 units
Over/Under bets: 35-28, +1.41 units
A's vs Tigers weather
Conditions should be favorable at Comerica Park tonight, with clear skies and temperatures hovering in the upper 70s throughout the game. Humidity will sit around 68% to 73%, while winds remain light at roughly 6 to 8 mph. With virtually no chance of rain, delays aren't a concern, and the warm conditions could provide a slight boost to ball carry without creating a major weather edge.
A's vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: A's +163 | Tigers -170
Run line: A's +1.5 (-127) | Tigers -1.5 (+122)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+113) | Under 8.5 (-117)
A's vs Tigers trend
The Athletics have cashed the moneyline in 22 of their last 40 road games for +7.50 units and a 18% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for A's vs. Tigers.
How to watch A's vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Tuesday, July 7, 2026
First pitch
6:40 p.m. ET
TV
NBCS-California, DSN
A's starting pitcher
J.T. Ginn (7-4, 3.04 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Tarik Skubal (4-4, 3.15 ERA)
A's vs Tigers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Philadelphia Phillies ace Cristopher Sánchez summed up one of the worse outings of his career with one word: crap.
Sánchez could have used much stronger language after giving up a career-worst nine earned runs in just 3 1/3 innings in a 15-1 loss to the Kansas City Royals.
Asked after the game if he could pinpoint something that led to the bad outing, the 29-year-old left-hander was lost for a cause.
“Nothing really,” he said through an interpreter. “I mean, it’s just a game. As I learn from the good things that we have on the field, and the things when we perform well, the same thing when I don’t perform. I just try to learn from it.”
Sanchez, whose previous worst outing for earned runs allowed was seven against the Cubs in April, gave up three of the Royals’ four home runs — all on his changeup, one of his signature pitches. Again, he had no answer as to why.
“I don’t really know,” he said. “Maybe it wasn’t doing as it always does. You gotta get credit to them, because they got me today, They made me pay, and you just have to keep going.”
Sánchez was not helped by his defense. With the Phillies leading 1-0 in the bottom of the first, Sánchez faced runners on first and third with one out. Jac Caglianone hit a grounder to second for a force at the base, but shortstop Trea Turner’s relay throw to first was wild, allowing Bobby Witt Jr. to score the tying run. The Royals went on to score five more runs in the first, and the rout was on.
“You’ve got to make (that play),” Turner said. “Who knows how that game ends up. (If) he gets out of it clean, and then gets on a roll, who knows how it turns out. That was a game-changer.”
Phillies manager Don Mattingly agreed the first inning impacted the whole game. But, it wasn’t the only issue for the Phillies, who lost two of three to the AL Central’s last-place Royals.
“I know you can’t assume a double play, but with Trea, you would think it’s a double play,” the manager said. “You gotta make that throw.
“But after that, we didn’t really stop them either. And we had some chances. In the first couple innings, we get the bases loaded twice, (and) we don’t score. We end up leaving 15. (We had) 10 hits, seven walks and only get one run. We had chances to kind of creep back in it.”
Mattingly is not concerned about Sanchez in the long term, even though he allowed five and four earned runs in his previous two road starts.
“You’re always kind of looking at everything,” Mattingly said. “He doesn’t seem to be as sharp (on the road) as at home. I don’t know if that has necessarily anything to do with it. Obviously, you don’t have the same mound you’re used to, but everybody pitches on the road.”
Sanchez has one more scheduled start — likely at Detroit — prior to the All Star break. He’s going to try to figure it out by then.
“I know that it’s something that’s happened on the road,” he said. “I don’t really have an answer for that. Maybe not being so familiar with the stadiums, but it’s just something that we have to improve.”
ATLANTA — The Atlanta Braves placed left-hander Martín Pérez on the 15-day injured list with a left forearm contusion.
Pérez was hit by Juan Soto’s line drive in a 10-9 loss to the New York Mets and left the game. Afterward, Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said X-rays were negative.
Pérez (6-6) allowed six hits and five runs, four earned, in 4 1/3 innings. He has a 3.54 ERA in 18 games, including 14 starts.
Right-hander Carlos Carrasco was designated for assignment after allowing five runs on five hits in two innings.
The Braves recalled right-hander JR Ritchie from Triple-A Gwinnett and called up right-hander Owen Murphy, who has pitched for Gwinnett and Double-A Columbus this season. Murphy would make his major league debut if used in a game.
Atlanta also recalled outfielder José Azócar from Triple-A Gwinnett. Outfielder Eli White was placed on paternity leave.
Ritchie is 1-2 with a 4.53 ERA in nine games, including seven starts, for Atlanta this season. He was optioned to Gwinnett after he threw three scoreless innings to earn his first save in a 14-3 win over New York.
The Mets also made a move before their game at the Braves, acquiring right-hander Matt Seelinger from the Detroit Tigers for cash. Seelinger, 31, was drafted by Pittsburgh in 2017. He had a 3.89 ERA and one save in 27 games with Triple-A Toledo this season and has never pitched in the majors.
Joe Espada was dealt a rough hand before Monday’s series opener against the Washington Nationals.
He was sending one of Major League Baseball’s worst starting pitchers, Mike Burrows, to the mound against one of the game’s best lineups with only a five-man bullpen at his disposal.
Josh Hader and Bryan King were unavailable after pitching on both Saturday and Sunday. Cristian Javier also wasn’t available after throwing two innings Saturday in his first relief appearance since Game 1 of the 2022 ALDS.
That left Espada with AJ Blubaugh; Steven Okert, whose 43 appearances rank fourth in the majors after pitching in two of three games against the Rays; Enyel De Los Santos, who had allowed runs in five of his previous six outings; the wildly inconsistent Nate Pearson; and someone claiming to be Bryan Abreu.
Espada needed a good outing from Burrows, or at the very least a long outing. He got neither. Burrows allowed five runs in the third inning after being handed a 6-1 lead. He got through the fourth without allowing a run. Desperate to avoid his depleted bullpen, Espada sent Burrows back to the mound in the fifth. He surrendered his 21st home run of the season on his third pitch, then retired just one of the next four hitters before Espada had seen enough.
Burrows owns a 5.99 ERA through his first 18 games (17 starts) as an Astro. Only Arizona’s Zac Gallen has been worse among qualified pitchers. Bad luck and poor defense were legitimate excuses for a rough start to the season, but he has a 6.98 ERA over his last nine starts with a 6.55 FIP, so yes, he’s been that bad.
The Astros hoped Burrows could occupy a top spot in their rotation for five years when they acquired him from the Pirates in December. While it seems unlikely right now, he could still reach that potential. But for the good of everyone involved, the Astros need to send Burrows to Sugar Land—or maybe even West Palm Beach.
It would give Burrows an opportunity to work on things in a low-pressure environment. It would also allow Javier, who looked good on Saturday, to move back to the rotation, which would give Espada a bullpen arm he can use on back-to-back days.
The Astros are just 1 ½ games back of Texas for the American League’s final wild card, and the AL West remains in reach. The team sent Burrows to the bullpen last month for what Espada called “a breather.” It lasted one turn through the rotation. He needs more than a breather right now, and with Javier back and Ronel Blanco and Lance McCullers Jr. on the way, the Astros can afford to do that now.
The Dodgers' (60-32) Dalton Rushing delivered a walk-off winner in the 11th inning versus the Rockies (37-55), winning, 8-7. The Dodgers have now won five straight versus the Rockies.
Colorado is a 0.5 game up over the Los Angeles Angels for the worst record in baseball. The Rockies are 1-2 in the last three games after winning three consecutive prior. To start July, Colorado is hitting .316 (2nd) with the fourth-most home runs (11) and top five ranks in OBP, OPS, and SLG. Colorado has scored a ridiculous 53 runs in the last six games with a 4-2 record.
Los Angeles is 4-1 over the last five games and 15-5 in the previous 20 outings. The Dodgers are 2.5 games up on the Brewers for the best record in baseball. Shohei Ohtani hit his 299th career home run in the win Monday as he improved his batting average versus Colorado to .355 on the season with seven RBI and nine runs scored.
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Rockies at Dodgers
Date: Tuesday, July 7, 2026
Time: 10:10 PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Rockies at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-286), Colorado Rockies (+228)
Spread: Rockies +1.5 (+108), Dodgers -1.5 (-131)
Total: 9.5
Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Dodgers
Tuesday's pitching matchup (July 7): Justin Wrobleski vs. Michael Lorenzen
The Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is hitting .288 with 90 hits, 18 home runs and 51 RBI over 312 at-bats
The Dodgers’ Alex Freeland is hitting .226 with 42 hits and 63 strikeouts over 186 at-bats
The Rockies’ Troy Johnston is hitting .310 with 83 hits, 3 home runs, and 39 RBI over 268 at-bats
The Rockies’ Ezequiel Tovar is hitting .209 with 62 hits and 84 strikeouts over 296 at-bats
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies at Dodgers
The Dodgers are 44-48 ATS
The Rockies are 50-42 ATS, ranking seventh-best
The Dodgers are 49-43 to the Under, ranking ninth-best
The Rockies are 45-44-3 to the Under
The Dodgers are 18-27 ATS at home, ranking fifth-worst
The Rockies are 24-18 ATS on the road, ranking fourth-best
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rockies and the Dodgers
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Rockies and the Dodgers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Dodgers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 9.5
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The Chicago Cubs (50-40) open a three-game series in Baltimore tonight against the Orioles (42-49). Chicago trails Milwaukee by six games in the National League Central while Baltimore sits twelve games behind Tampa in the American League East.
The Cubs won 6-4 Sunday at Wrigley Field against the Cardinals to salvage the final game of an otherwise lost weekend series. Chicago was outscored 20-1 in the series’ first two games. Baltimore arrives home taking two of three against the Reds in Cincinnati. The O’s won the first two games against the Reds, including 3-0 Friday and 8-5 Saturday before dropping Sunday's finale 3-2.
Tuesday's pitching matchup features veteran left-hander Matthew Boyd (3-1, 5.08 ERA) for Chicago against right-hander Shane Baz (4-8, 4.19 ERA) for Baltimore. The Cubs have pieced together innings from Boyd while dealing with injuries elsewhere in the rotation. Boyd's ability to limit free passes and keep the ball in the yard will be keys to his success or lack thereof this evening. Baz has been one of Baltimore's top swing and miss hurlers with 87 strikeouts in 101 innings. Run support, though, has often been an issue for Baz. The Orioles have scored just 57 runs in Baz’s 17 starts (3.35 runs per start).
The hottest hitter in Chicago's lineup is Pete Crow-Armstrong, who enters the series batting .292 with 19 home runs, 49 RBIs, and 98 hits. PCA went 2-for-4 with a steal and a run scored in Sunday's win over St. Louis. After a slow start to his first campaign in Baltimore, Pete Alonso has been the biggest offensive force for the O’s with 19 home runs and 60 RBIs.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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The Latest Odds: Cubs vs. Orioles
The latest odds as of Tuesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Chicago Cubs (-118), Baltimore Orioles (-102)
Spread: Cubs -1.5 (+135), Orioles +1.5 (-163)
Total: 9.5 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers and their Stats: Cubs vs. Orioles for July 7
Cubs: Matthew Boyd Season Totals: 33.2 IP, 3-1, 5.08 ERA, 1.40 WHIP, 37K, 10 BB
Pete Crow-Armstrong has hit safely in 6 consecutive games (9-19)
Alex Bregman is 3-16 in July
Dansby Swanson is 9-22 over his last 6 games
Pete Alonso was 4-11 in the weekend series at Cincinnati
Adley Rutschman has hit safely in 4 straight games (5-18)
Samuel Basallo is 5-15 over his last 6 games
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Top Betting Trends & Insights: Cubs vs. Orioles
The Cubs are 37-53 on the Run Line this season
The Orioles are 45-46 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 50 times in Baltimore’s 91 games this season (50-38-3)
The OVER has cashed 49 times in Chicago’s 90 games this season (49-40-1)
Expert picks & predictions: Cubs vs. Orioles
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Orioles and the Cubs:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Orioles on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Orioles on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total UNDER 9.5
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Of those 13 pitchers, at least three (Cade Horton, Shelby Miller and Porter Hodge) aren’t expected to pitch at all the rest of this season. The status of Hunter Harvey, Riley Martin and Justin Steele to throw any pitches for the 2026 Cubs is still uncertain. We also don’t know when Ben Brown will be back — and if he is this year, he could be limited to relief work.
About the six others:
Jameson Taillon made a rehab start Sunday and might start this weekend in Cincinnati
Edward Cabrera will need a rehab assignment, so he’s likely not back until August
Daniel Palencia could be back by the end of July
Phil Maton, same, perhaps back by the end of this month
Ethan Roberts’ timeline for return is unclear, though he officially began a rehab assignment on Friday
Hoby Milner should return from having his appendix removed sometime in August
So there are pitching reinforcements returning from injury. And the Cubs still could make a deal for a starter, a reliever, or both.
What I wanted to talk about here are the guys replacing all the pitchers listed above.
Jed Hoyer traded for David Peterson, who had his moments in New York but apparently wore out his welcome. He’s had one good start and one bad one for the Cubs so the proverbial verdict is still out on him. Some of the other pitchers who have put up innings for the Cubs this year, woof. Bryse Wilson? Jordan Wicks? Corbin Martin? I mean, yes, each of those guys had at least one good game for the Cubs but my question here is: Why don’t the Cubs have the parade of 98 mile per hour guys that seem to be coming out of every other team’s system? There don’t seem to be relievers like that in the Cubs organization.
Except… there were some guys like that, pitchers the Cubs let go for nothing. I’m thinking specifically of Trevor Megill and Jeremiah Estrada, pitchers who can throw 98+ consistently and have had success elsewhere. Megill has been the Brewers closer (mostly, though was briefly demoted this year) for most of the last three seasons and has posted a 2.93 ERA and 1.110 WHIP in 165 games in Milwaukee, with 206 strikeouts in 163 innings. Estrada has made 160 appearances for the Padres over the last three years with a 3.26 ERA and 1.119 WHIP, and 225 strikeouts in 154.2 innings.
Both those pitchers were let go for nothing. So was Jason Adam, who was non-tendered after 2021 because he was reportedly going to get $900,000 in arbitration. Then the Cubs signed Daniel Norris for more than that, and Norris was released after posting a 6.90 ERA in 27 games. Meanwhile, Adam has posted a 2.12 ERA and 0.965 WHIP in 298 games for the Rays and Padres since then, with 317 strikeouts in 289 innings.
Caleb Kilian is another example. The Cubs tried him as a starter and he failed at that. During Spring Training 2025 he was throwing 98 miles per hour and likely would have made the Opening Day bullpen last year if he hadn’t been injured. He pitched in a handful of games at Iowa after returning from the injury and the results weren’t good and he was let go after the season. Now he’s a useful reliever for the Giants, with a four-seamer averaging 97.
I could probably come up with some more examples of this sort of thing, but you get the idea. The Cubs either don’t evaluate pitchers properly, or a perceived money issue gets in the way of keeping a useful pitcher like Adam.
Instead, the Cubs sign retread after retread, trying to get pitchers to re-capture something they had three or five years in the past.
Next up on that list will be Liam Hendriks and Aaron Bummer, both now toiling for Triple-A Iowa. Hendriks, who is 37, was last effective in the big leagues in 2022. Then he missed most of 2023 and all of 2024 with Tommy John surgery, then hip issues shortened his year with the Red Sox last year. He has made three appearances in the Cubs system, one in the Arizona Complex League and two for Triple-A Iowa, all scoreless. Could he be effective? Maybe, but it would have been smarter to keep Hendriks in December 2013, when the Cubs claimed him on waivers from the Twins. Ten days later the Cubs tried to sneak him through waivers and he got claimed by the Orioles, and then, of course, had multiple successful seasons elsewhere.
As for Bummer, he had two pretty good years for the Braves in 2024 and 2025, but a lower K rate, a higher walk rate and a 7.63 ERA in 19 games this year got him released by Atlanta in May. The Cubs signed him and he’s made four appearances in the system, two scoreless ones in the complex league, two others at Iowa with a 4.50 ERA. I suppose we’ll see him in the Cubs bullpen at some point this year.
And at some point, I hope Cubs pitching development will focus more on drafting and developing guys who can throw the 98+ fastballs that are becoming de rigeur in baseball today. Otherwise this beleaguered pitching staff will keep falling behind.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 12: Sebastian Walcott #1 of the Texas Rangers looks on during the 2025 MLB All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park on Saturday, July 12, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Congratulations to Sebastian Walcott, who has been named the #1 prospect in the 2026 LSB Midseason Community Prospect Rankings, receiving almost 90% of the vote.
Moving on…
Because there has been a history of vote-spamming shenanigans in the rankings, I used Google Forms for the last several of community rankings, and it worked out well, so we will use it again. You will need to include your LSB user name when you vote. If you don’t have an LSB user name, you need to use some sort of identifier. While this won’t eliminate the possibility of vote spamming, it will make it harder.
So who is the #2 prospect in the Rangers system right now?
SAN FRANCISCO, CA - JULY 06: Heliot Ramos #17 of the San Francisco Giants get doused with Gatorade after the Giants defeated the Toronto Blue Jays at Oracle Park on Monday, July 6, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Kavin Mistry/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Good morning! The Mariners are back in action tonight against the Miami Marlins at 3:40 PM as they embark on another lengthy road trip.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 10: Michael King #34 of the San Diego Padres reacts after giving up a solo home run to JJ Bleday of the Cincinnati Reds during the seventh inning at Petco Park on June 10, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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Michael King has had a perplexing start to the season for the San Diego Padres. The right-hander had a 3.55 ERA heading into a contest against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium last Friday. That number is not concerning, but the record of 5-7 and the up-and-down nature of his starts has the Friar Faithful wringing their hands.
In his last seven games prior to the start against the Dodgers, King had pitched to a 1-5 record with 5.45 ERA. He pitched 38 innings over the seven starts, allowing 37 hits with 15 walks. King lasted just 3.2 innings and allowed four runs on five hits against the Athletics on May 24 and followed that with a six-inning performance against the Washington Nationals on May 30 where he allowed five runs on five hits. Fans would be excused if they were hoping June would bring about some different results for King, but it was more of the same. He made five starts in June and went 1-3 with a no decision. In all but one of those starts, King allowed three runs or more and he also threw arguably his best game of the season against the Atlanta Braves on June 22 when he did not allow a run on six hits with no walks and five strikeouts.
That last line of the above paragraph holds the key to solving the consistency problems for King. He did not allow a walk against the Braves. It should be noted King did not allow a walk to the New York Mets on June 5, but he did allow four runs on six hits, two of which were home runs, and the Padres offense was held without a run. In five of the last seven games, King has allowed at least one walk and that came in the game against the Nationals. He allowed four walks to the Athletics, three to the Cincinnati Reds, three to the St. Louis Cardinals and four to the Dodgers. King also hit three batters in those seven games, so it seems apparent that he has to limit if not eliminate the free passes if he is going to have success.
Whether or not King can re-establish his command and limit the walks and hit batters is something only time can tell. He can say he is working on it, but he has to execute in games. San Diego pitching coach Ruben Niebla can help him work on his control and limiting the walks and hit batters, but again, it will be up to King to execute when he is on the mound and looking to give his team a chance to win a game. King does have a track record of success, which is why Padres fans were happy he re-signed with the team in the offseason, but the confidence in the right-hander seems to be waning and the Friar Faithful are concerned about the rest of the season as we approach the All-Star break.
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SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 06: Kevin Gausman #34 of the Toronto Blue Jays walks back to the dugout after he was taken out of the game against the San Francisco Giants in the bottom of the six inning at Oracle Park on July 06, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
For just the second time in the last week and a half, Yankees fans got to wake up in the morning knowing that their team hadn’t embarrassed them in some grotesque manner the night before. Cam Schlittler was an ace! Ben Rice was an All-Star as well! And of course there was a surprise contributor as well too, with José Caballero delivering a pair of homers despite entering play in an 8-for-50 (.160) slump. They still need to do a little bit more—the three dingers between Caballero and Rice represented their only hits—but every return to form has to start somewhere.
Here’s what else was going on in some of the notable American League action yesterday. Note that since all these teams are classified in “Other Games” for us while the Rays get the most detailed treatment, it’ll be a tidier Rivalry Roundup over the next four days. That’s especially true for this one since the Guardians and Mariners (and White Sox and Rangers) were all off.
Toronto Blue Jays (42-49) 1, San Francisco Giants (38-52) 10: I’ve been pretty persistent about keeping the Jays involved in the Rivalry Roundup all year long since they do remain the defending American League champions and could still well make it to October in an awful AL field. Even now, they’re just 3.5 back in the Wild Card; Texas, Houston, and Minnesota are all ahead of them for the last spot, but would it shock anyone to see those teams falter and bring the Jays back into this? Not really.
But everyone has a breaking point, and I’m almost there with Toronto, at least in terms of expectations. If this continues, it will likely be their last week for the time being. Nothing says “sobering” like getting your teeth kicked in by the disastrous 2026 Giants. Kevin Gausman was OK until faltering badly in the sixth, and the Jays mustered just three hits in eight innings against Landen Roupp. Heliot Ramos went oppo taco into the high right-field seats at Oracle Park and followed it in the eighth with a majestic 434-foot tater.
Houston Astros (45-48) 11, Washington Nationals (47-45) 12: The Astros haven’t been featured in the Rivalry Roundup since early in the season, but we can give them a cameo this morning since they’re in the Wild Card mix and not far off the underwhelming M’s in the AL West. And the Yankees are playing the Nationals after this Rays series, too, so why not?
This 2019 World Series rematch turned into a fun one at Nats Park, perfectly fitting two clubs that have struggled on the mound in 2026. Homers by Jose Altuve and Yainer Diaz off Miles Mikolas helped give Houston an early 6-1 lead, but the Nats came storming back because Houston starter Mike Burrows wasn’t any good either. NL All-Star starting shortstop CJ Abrams proved his bona fides with a three-run missile to right in the third, capping a five-run frame that suddenly tied the game. Curtis Mead delivered his third run-scoring hit of the day on a go-ahead solo shot in the fifth, an inning that would not end for the Astros until James Wood delivered a towering, 445-foot grand slam against AJ Blubaugh.
The Nats’ lousy bullpen made this one close again, Houston creeping back into it on the strength of a three-run jack from Brice Matthews in the eighth. It was a one-run game, so rookie skipper Blake Butera called on Clayton Beeter for the four-out save. The erstwhile Yankees prospect obliged, retiring the next four batters in order impressively including the ever-scorching Yordan Alvarez on a strikeout as the potential tying run. The Astros are now three games behind the Mariners in the AL West, in third place with the Rangers a game and a half up in second (Texas also presently holds the last Wild Card(.
Jul 6, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Drey Jameson (99) high fives third baseman Nolan Arenado (28) after their win over the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Chadd Cady-Imagn Images | Chadd Cady-Imagn Images
Outfielder Max Kepler hit his first home run in a Diamondbacks uniform and racked up four RBIs in Arizona’s 8-0 win over the San Diego Padres on Monday night.
After bringing in Geraldo Perdomo on an RBI single in the first inning, Kepler took Padres starter Walker Buehler deep with a three-run homer in the third.
The Diamondbacks optioned Pfaadt to Triple-A Reno to both get his pitch count built back up as a starter, but also to try and locate the form that just a year ago had the organization looking at him as a foundational piece.
Pfaadt dominated the Padres’ lineup, tossing five scoreless innings while allowing just four hits and did not walk a batter. He struck out six as the Diamondbacks rolled to an 8-0 win at Petco Park.
In two starts since returning from Reno, Pfaadt has allowed one earned run over 10 1/3 innings pitched.
Contreras, meanwhile, has been one of Boston’s most productive hitters, batting .284 with 20 home runs, 59 RBIs and a .920 OPS. His combination of power, patience and postseason experience would strengthen Arizona’s lineup.
Adding Contreras would give Arizona another middle-of-the-order power bat to complement the contact and speed throughout the rest of the lineup.
The Brewers are not an easy team to beat, and the Diamondbacks certainly held their own, but they weren’t able to execute quite enough to make it happen. And the road is not getting much easier.
The Diamondbacks will have to head out on the road, without an off day Monday, to face the San Diego Padres and Los Angeles Dodgers in six straight divisional matchups.
Though the Padres have not been hitting well, they have a strong bullpen (despite some recent injury news), and games between Arizona and San Diego tend to be hard-fought games, regardless of either team’s record.
The Snakes have leaned hard into lefty-hitting high school position players in the past with Kayson Cunningham (last year’s first-rounder), Slade Caldwell (2024 first-rounder), J.D. Dix (switch-hitter; 2024 compensation-rounder), Ivan Luciano (2024 second-rounder), along with other historic picks such as Corbin Carroll and Alek Thomas. If he gets to No. 15, I could see Arizona being a floor for Jared Grindlinger, but the other potential fits for the Diamondbacks either don’t appear to be a target of theirs or will go about 10 picks later. LSU outfielder Derek Curiel fits here, but he might not make it to this pick; the board is making it easier to take a pitcher here, even if that isn’t normally what Arizona tends to do with high picks.
The Dodgers announced a few roster moves before tonight’s series opener against the Rockies. As skipper Dave Roberts said last night, Evan Phillips is officially back from last year’s Tommy John surgery. Los Angeles also added reliever Carlos Durán to their 40-man roster, though he’ll remain at Triple-A Oklahoma City on an optional assignment.
L.A. optioned righty Paul Gervase to OKC to open a spot in the bullpen for Phillips. They needed to clear a pair of 40-man roster spots, so they released lefty Jake Eder and designated catcher Chuckie Robinson for assignment.
CHICAGO, ILLINOIS - JUNE 30: Matthew Boyd #16 of the Chicago Cubs pitches during the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Wrigley Field on June 30, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Geoff Stellfox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It’s been impossible for the Orioles to sustain genuine momentum this season, and … I’m not sure this series, involving three home games against the Chicago Cubs, is going to be the one that does it.
The Cubs come to Camden Yards in second place in the NL Central, six games back of a red-hot Brewers club, and considering their genuinely bad rotation health luck, to be still in second is pretty gritty of them. At 50-40, Chicago has actually won 7 of its last 10, but that’s despite a starting five that’s been held together with duct tape most of the year. (The Orioles, at 42-49 and buried in fourth in the AL East, 12 games back, don’t have the injury excuse in quite the same way.)
The Cubs bring real thump. As a team they’ve got one of the top two offenses in the game, per Fangraphs, with a .244/.338/.409 slash line with 112 home runs. Pete Crow-Armstrong has been the engine of it, with his .910 OPS with 19 homers and 23 steals, almost an unfair line to be getting from your centerfielder. Dansby Swanson has been so-so for most of the year (.716 OPS) but has caught fire over his last month (.981 OPS). Seiya Suzuki (13 HR, .795 OPS) and Ian Happ (17 HR, .768 OPS) round out a lineup that can change a game with one swing.
On the Baltimore side, the story is uneven as always. Gunnar Henderson has 16 homers but only a .701 OPS. Pete Alonso has quietly been Baltimore’s best hitter (.810 OPS, 19 HR), and Samuel Basallo has shown real thump too, at age 21 (.789 OPS, 14 HR). Coby Mayo, on the other hand, is still searching—a .628 OPS overall, though he’s shown flashes in shorter stretches this year.
Here’s how these two teams match up in each game of the series.
Game 1, Tuesday: 6:35pm Eastern
RHP Shane Baz (4-8, 4.19 ERA, 87 K) v. LHP Matthew Boyd (3-1, 5.08 ERA, 37 K)
Baz has settled in as a legitimate mid-rotation piece since coming over from Tampa, and his recent form has been solid—a sub-.700 OPS against over his last 28 days of work. The one soft spot is the platoon split: he’s been much tougher on right-handed hitters (.667 OPS against) than lefties (.802), and the Cubs lineup has real left-handed power in Busch, Suzuki, and Happ.
Boyd is the wild card of the series. He was an All-Star a year ago, but a biceps strain and then knee surgery have limited him to just five starts in 2026. So far, the numbers (6.00 ERA, 1.29 WHIP) reflect a pitcher still finding his rhythm. If the old Boyd shows up, this is a real problem for Baltimore. If not, the Orioles’ lineup should have chances.
Game 2, Wednesday: 6:35pm Eastern
RHP DeanKremer (1-1, 3.18 ERA, 20 K) v. RHP Colin Rea (6-5, 4.74 ERA, 68 K)
Kremer’s return has been one of the few unambiguous bright spots for Baltimore lately. In three starts since returning from a quad strain, he’s flashing a strikeout rate well above his career norm (10.6 K/9), and the results to match. Whether that holds up over a longer look remains the question, but for now he’s given the rotation exactly the lift it needed.
Rea has been a steadying presence for a Cubs staff that’s had arm after arm hit the injured list (Cabrera, Brown, Taillon, Boyd have all missed time this year) and he’s pitched well in his last three starts specifically, with just three earned runs in 15.1 IP. With one of the worst fastballs in the game by expected run average, he’s not going to overpower anyone, but he’ll compete, and given how thin Chicago’s depth has been, that’s valuable.
Game 3, Thursday: 6:35pm Eastern
LHP Trevor Rogers (6-7, 4.70 ERA, 65 K) v. LHP David Peterson (4-7, 4.28 ERA, 68 K)
Rogers has been the definition of matchup-dependent this year: brutal against right-handers (.779 OPS against) but nearly unhittable against lefties (.526 OPS against). The Cubs lineup skews right-handed outside of Busch, Conforto, and Crow-Armstrong, which doesn’t play to Rogers’s strength the way a lefty-heavy lineup would.
David Peterson has one good thing going for this season: he’s a lefty. Traded from the Mets, the team that drafted him in the first round in 2017, at the end of June, Peterson was struggling in Citi Field and continues to struggle at Wrigley, allowing 12 runs in 9.1 innings so far. Maybe the O’s lately-producing righties—Rutschman, Alonso, Mayo and O’Neill recently—can give the struggling lefty more problems.
The Cubs have a strong lineup, but an injury-riddled rotation. These are winnable games, on paper, for a team that badly needs some. Will the Orioles find enough offense to make it count? What do you think, Birdland?
COVERS INTEL: Tarik Skubal has been worse at home, posting a 
