Category: Baseball

The San Francisco Giants head to the Windy City today to begin a three-game series against the Chicago Cubs.

Taking the mound for the Giants will be left-hander Robbie Ray, who enters today’s game with a 4.45 ERA, 5.40 FIP, with 59 strikeouts to 31 walks in 62.2 innings pitched. His last start was in the Giants’ 19-6 win over the Colorado Rockies on Sunday, in which he allowed three runs (one earned) on five hits with six strikeouts and two walks in four innings.

He’ll be facing off against Cubs right-hander Edward Cabrera, who enters today’s game with a 4.00 ERA, 4.46 FIP, with 47 strikeouts to 20 walks in 54 innings pitched. His last start was in the Cubs’ 5-0 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on May 20th, in which he allowed four runs (one earned) on four hits with two strikeouts and two walks in three innings.

Game #64

Who: San Francisco Giants (25-38) vs. Milwaukee Brewers (37-22)

Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois

When: 11:20 a.m. PT

Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area

National broadcast: n/a

Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM

The Yankees’ season changed dramatically Thursday evening, when the team announced that Aaron Judge has a stress fracture in his rib and will likely be out until after the All-Star break. Given that speculation around his injury evolved to include thoracic outlet syndrome, a stress fracture that just needs rest qualifies as a relief. But given that Judge is as crucial to his team’s fate as any player in baseball, it also qualifies as a problem.

We all have questions about exactly how the Yanks will cope with losing the best right-handed hitter of his generation. So let’s take a stab at a few of them now...

Cashman at the least has to call the Angels to see if their CFer might be willing to waive his no-trade, right? -- @kenwhitehepflc

I mean, I certainly would. I have long operated under the assumption that if Mike Trout was willing to be dealt, he would have been by now. But after the show Trout put on when the Angels were in town last month, the idea of adding him to the Yankees’ outfield mix is certainly enticing. I don’t think it will happen. I don’t think the Yankees need to go big replacing Judge. 

But I will say, Giancarlo Stanton is only under contract through next year if the Yankees do not pick up his 2028 option, and Trent Grisham is a free agent again this winter. They will have more outfield at-bats to give the next few years than they have in some time. So I think it’s fair to dream.

Have to tread water until he gets back, and the defense, situational ball - imagine? - and bullpen have to be sharp. -- @SMD_LS

Exactly. And the defense and ability to play situational baseball are why I think this team is better equipped to handle life without Judge than teams past. Though the advanced metrics do not reflect this, they are far peskier on the bases than slugging Yankees teams normally are. Only three teams have stolen more bases.

Aaron Boone indicated this week that they will probably be more aggressive on the bases with Judge out in order to create runs. In Jose Caballero, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Cody Bellinger,and others, they have personnel with the speed and know-how to make their running game a difference maker.

The bullpen being sharp is less of a sure thing, though the fact that the Yankees will add to it feels like one. 

And as for treading water, Jasson Dominguez is nearing his return from injury and will likely get some run in the outfield. Based on his play in spring training and during his brief major league stint, he looks like a capable producer. If Stanton continues his progress and can return, say, a week or so from now, that combination should be more than capable of keeping New York afloat until Judge and his power return to help them set sail again.

I think they’re now a 90-92 win team, which should easily be enough to secure a wildcard (perhaps the top WC). Come October, a healthy Judge + elite rotation + upgraded bullpen will definitely be a World Series contender. -- @BartAcocella1

Agreed. This is why I don’t think they need to make a big deal to replace Judge. As is, with that pitching staff and Max Fried on the way back, they are more than capable of surviving two months of less offensive firepower. I still think they will probably pursue an offensive upgrade behind the plate, and maybe now that happens sooner than it would have if Judge were healthy. But bullpen help should – and I’m sure will – be more of a priority than interim offensive help.

This team is built for October. The key is getting there healthy. If that’s as the first Wild Card instead of a division champion, fine. Their pitching is more than good enough to survive a short series if they have to play one. 

Even a few months without Judge do not necessarily change their potential. If they were going to get an injury to their superstar, I think this is one they would sign for: bones heal, soft tissue injuries linger. Stress fractures can be tricky, but I still think that, based on everything we know now, this injury does not ruin what is one of the more promising Yankees seasons of Boone’s tenure.

The Mariners had their eight-game win streak snapped on Wednesday, but they maintained their 2.5 game lead over the Athletics with the series win over the Mets. Now the team embarks on their longest road trip of the season, a 10-day affair that will take them through Detroit, Baltimore, and Washington DC.  Thanks to this extended stretch of play without an off day, Seattle will be reinserting Bryce Miller and Luis Castillo into a six-man rotation.

The Tigers entered the season as the favorite to win the AL Central. With two straight playoff appearances, a competitive showing in the ALDS against the Mariners last year, a bolstered starting rotation, and one of the top prospects in baseball ready to make his debut, it really looked like Detroit was ready to ascend to the top echelon of the AL. Things haven’t exactly gone to plan. Through the end of April, the team was hovering around .500 but battling for the lead in their division. Then, on May 4, Tarik Skubal was placed on the IL with bone spurs in his throwing elbow. Since then, the Tigers have gone 7-21 and have fallen all the way to the bottom of the standings in the AL.

While the injury to Skubal has gotten all the headlines, it’s actually the offense that can be blamed for a lot of the team’s struggles this year. The Tigers scored just 2.89 runs per game in May and scored more than five runs in a game just three times last month. Riley Greene, Dillon Dingler, and Kevin McGonigle have been the lone bright spots. Greene is in the midst of his best offensive season yet, though his BABIP is an unsustainable .439 and his power output has concerningly subsided. Dingler should be getting more attention if it weren’t for Shea Langeliers’ breakout overshadowing Dingler’s big step forward. The young catcher has already blasted 14 home runs and has already accumulated 2.5 fWAR. McGonigle has performed extremely well in his first taste of the majors and is currently the favorite to win the AL Rookie of the Year award. Detroit did just activate Gleyber Torres and Kerry Carpenter off the IL last weekend which means the lineup is pretty close to full strength now.

Probable Pitchers 

Updated Stuff+ Explainer 

• Stuff+ scores for Mariners starters

A familiar foe from his time in Houston, Framber Valdez signed a huge free agent contract with the Tigers this offseason. The idea was that he’d form a formidable one-two punch atop Detroit’s starting rotation with Skubal, though that hasn’t exactly played out as planned. Valdez has struggled a bit to start the year, though a 10-run meltdown against Boston is doing a lot of heavy lifting propping up his high ERA. Still, his strikeout rate and his groundball rate are the lowest they’ve ever been. Those were his two calling cards during his time with the Astros. For whatever reason, he’s allowing a bunch more contact, and the majority of it is in the air.

Keider Montero has been pressed into service as a core piece of the Tigers rotation this year. He’s spent most of the last two years bouncing between starting and relieving, but he’s performed admirably as a replacement for the injured Justin Verlander this year. He won’t overpower batters with stuff; instead he utilizes a deep repertoire well enough and manages to induce a lot of weak contact. His changeup is nearly impossible to square up, though it’s not good enough to induce swings and misses. Instead, batters pop it up or mishit it leading to lazy flyballs.

Jack Flaherty lives and dies by the feel for his breaking pitches. His fastball is decent enough, but when he can’t command his curveball or slider, it’s very easy for batters to focus on his heater and do damage. That’s been his issue to start this season. Through his first nine starts of the year, he was walking 15.9% of the batters he faced. Over his last four starts, he’s walked just three total. The other issue is that his breaking pitches just aren’t enticing as many chases out of the zone or as many swings and misses overall. All those issues have combined to balloon his ERA over five.

The Big Picture:

Both the Athletics and the Rangers won their respective series this week to keep pace with the Mariners. The Astros dropped their series against the Pirates and fell to 5.5 games back in the division. The A’s and Astros meet in Houston while the Rangers host the Guardians this weekend.

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All 30 MLB teams take the field today, and there's no better time to lock in some MLB picks!

Headlined by the Washington Nationals taking care of business on the road, our baseball experts have you covered with their favorite predictions for Friday, June 5.

MLB expert picks for today

Prices courtesy of Polymarket.

Jon Metler's expert pick: Nationals moneyline

Price: 45¢ (+122) at Polymarket

If you’re going to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks, it starts with finding a way to slow down Corbin Carroll, who currently leads the National League in fWAR and serves as the engine of their offense.

That’s why I like this matchup for left-hander Foster Griffin and the Washington Nationals. Griffin has been excellent against left-handed hitters this season, holding them to a .178 batting average and a .624 OPS. He also benefits from a familiarity edge, as he has never faced this Diamondbacks lineup before, which is typically an advantage for a starting pitcher.

The Nationals are trading at 45 cents on the moneyline, but I make them much closer to 50 cents in this matchup. With Griffin well-positioned to neutralize Arizona’s biggest offensive threat, I’m willing to back James Wood and the Nationals at this price.

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
• How to watch: Nationals.TV, Dbacks.TV

Neil Parker's expert pick: Guardians/Rangers NRFI

Price: 58¢ (-140) at Polymarket

With Texas Rangers right-hander Kumar Rocker pitching a scoreless first inning in three of his past four starts and holding hitters to an overall .159 batting average, I’m anticipating him taking care of a Cleveland Guardians lineup that ranks 26th in wOBA against righties in the opening frame.

Meanwhile, Cleveland southpaw Parker Messick hasn’t allowed a first-inning run all season, holding opposing hitters to a minuscule .371 OPS.

The Rangers are also 28th in wOBA against lefties, and this NRFI hits the break-even mark at -140.

• Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
• How to watch: Apple TV

Jason Wilson's expert pick: Rays moneyline

Price: 56¢ (-127) at Polymarket

Tampa Bay Rays righty Drew Rasmussen gives enough of an edge over Miami Marlins opener Ryan Gusto that this is an automatic buy at -127.

Gusto threw 40 pitches on Tuesday and is pitching on two days of rest. Even if he finds some success, he won't be long for this game.

While it's tempting to take the Under 7.5 at +113, I'll grab the visitors to win straight up behind Rasmussen.

The Rays rank Top 10 in wRC+ against right-handers, and Gusto's small sample size of work in 2026 doesn't magically make me forget about his 5.67 ERA and 22nd-percentile xERA, 11th-percentile hard-hit rate, or 14th-percentile average exit velocity from 2025 over 101 2/3 innings. 

I'd happily take the Rays all the way to -150 tonight.

• Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
• How to watch: Rays.TV, Marlins.TV

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.

I might be jumping the line here to comment on the farm system review by Brendan Gawlowski posted to FanGraphs this morning, as Brady does such a great job covering the minor leagues for McCovey Chronicles already and friend of the site and former contributor Roger Munter has had the corner covered for years via his There R Giants site, but I’m compelled to offer the prospect skeptic’s perspective.

The San Francisco Giants have traditionally, historically had a bad farm system, with the type of success that’s on par with a broken clock being right twice a day. The “broken clock” bit is my description, but I don’t think it’s only a matter of opinion to say that except for the late-60s, mid-80s and definitely the 2010s, the Giants haven’t done much in player development. Except for those little hiccups, it’s vacillated between afterthought or laughingstock. But even now, I think I have to admit that Randy Winn might be the sort of classy, special sauce the farm system needed. The success this season is undeniable (basically every level has a winning record and, overall, is 151-97).

The idea that the system’s luck (or skill, even!) could be turning is worth investigating. Is the FanGraphs piece more evidence of a turnaround?

Let’s look at the piece itself, which offers 14 players with Future Values of at least 45 (Low End Regular or Platoon Player). Five of these are a cut above that:

5. SP – Keyner Martinez (50 FV — Average Everyday Player)
4. SS – Luis Hernandez (50 FV)
3. 2B – Jhonny Level (50 FV)
2. SS – Josuar Gonzalez (50 FV)
1. 1B – Bryce Eldridge (55 FV)

That’s a fun group, and it’s great to see a young pitcher in the top 5. I know of Hernandez and Gonzalez and obviously Eldridge, but I, personally, haven’t heard of Keyner Martinez because, again, in my lifetime, the Giants have been pretty bad at developing prospect and I’ve stayed focused on the funny-in-its-own-right major league team.

Martinez was the 10th-ranked prospect in the Giants’ system by the McCovey Chronicles community back in November despite missing the 44-player list entirely in the previous season. Brady wrote:

Martinez was a slightly older international signee from Venezuela, as he signed in 2023 but didn’t debut until 2024, his age-19 season. He skipped the DSL and made his debut in the Arizona Complex League, where his results were very mediocre.

But he transformed over the offseason, and took the ACL by storm in 2025, posting a 1.90 ERA and a 2.70 FIP, with a staggering 67 strikeouts against just 10 walks in 47.1 innings. At the end of the ACL season he joined Low-A San Jose’s roster, where he continued to shine, posting a 2.86 ERA and a 3.96 FIP, while striking out 30 batters in 22 innings, with 11 walks.

Just as, if not more importantly, is the way it looked. Martinez earned hype from any and all prospect hounds covering the ACL and Cal League, and even rose up to the No. 6 spot in the recently-released Giants prospect rankings at Baseball America.

Brendan Gawlowski sounds like one of Martinez’s hype men.

He was my favorite pitcher on the Arizona complex last summer, and I’m inclined to stay aggressive on his projection even as he’s battled through a few growing pains in the Cal League. […]

He’s well built, he moves well, the delivery flows, and I think he’ll clean up the control and eventually ascend into a big league rotation. Martinez was a Pick to Click for me in the offseason, and Eric and I have seen enough to bump him into the Top 100. He projects as a mid-rotation starter.

But Jhonny Level? I’ve been hearing about him for at least a year. The prospect hounds and amateur scouts love the kid. I’m glad to see him moving up and up and up the lists.

Gawlowski’s writeup paints a pretty picture for we prospect-averse Giants fans out there:

Level is advanced for his age. On the lighter side, he’s strong for his build and has a mature feel for when he can turn it loose and drive a pitch to the pull side from both sides of the plate. His bat is quick, and while he’ll sometimes expand on spin — particularly with two strikes — he’ll also show you good zone control and pitch recognition on the right day. A lot of guys who chase as youngsters tend to keep chasing as they get older, but in Level’s case, he looks more discerning than the numbers indicate.

AWOOGA. HUMMINA HUMMINA. PANT, PANT. I was trying to avoid getting my hopes up, but now I’m even more excited than when I first heard people talking about him last year.

Of course, let’s focus on the two other big middle infield prospects. The FanGraphs writeup affirms the Giants’ scouting of the plaeyrs. Regarding Hernandez:

Even for a player widely seen as advanced beyond his years, it was still something of a surprise when the Giants had him skip the Dominican complex and sent him straight to Scottsdale for spring training this year.

It was the right call, as Hernández has been awesome on both sides of the ball. 

The Josuar Gonzalez capsule is a little more concerning with the injury aspects, but he maintains:

Gonzalez ultimately has a very strong heuristic profile as a switch-hitting up-the-middle player with power, and he has All-Star ceiling if his hit tool is average or better.

This is all very encouraging to read. At the same time, it’s tough to ignore the echoes of from the past. Your Marco Luciano report here, a Luis Matos capsule there. Indeed, let’s go back a bit in time.

2019

FanGraphs gave 8 Giants at least a 45 FV grade, but two stood out with 55 FVs: Joey Bart and Marco Luciano. Heliot Ramos was right behind them with a 50 FV, and there’s Logan Webb at #5 with a 45+ FV. Hunter Bishop was between Ramos & Webb with a 45+.

2021

Seems only fair to skip the year when the minor league season was canceled. Of course, the Giants’ farm system still managed to produce something just slightly less depressing than a global pandemic: failed prospects. Marco Luciano led FanGraphs’ ranking with a 60 FV. Joey Bart fell to 50, Heliot Ramos stayed at 50 and — oh, what’s this? — Luis Matos cracked the top 5 with a 50 FV. Prodigal pitcher Gregory Santos moved up to #5 and Patrick Bailey and Kyle Harrison were 6th and 8th, respectively, with 45+ FVs.

2022

Their end-of-season updated report for the year gave us 9 Giants with 45 Future Values, Gregory Santos Heliot Ramos’s stars having fallen into this range (6th and 8th on the list). Averson Arteaga was 5th with a Future Value of 45. The top 4 is a splash of cold water: Luciano (55), Matos (50), Harrison (50), Bart (50).

2023

By the time we get to this update, the top prospect is Kyle Harrison (55 FV) and Luciano has fallen even further (50). Rayner Arias is #3 with a 45+ FV and the Giants only have 6 more to crack 45 — though, debuting at #9 is Bryce Eldridge.

2024

The top prospect is Carson Whisenhunt? A 50 Future Value and 78th on FanGraphs’ top 100. Bryce Eldridge is #2 in the system, per FanGraphs, with the same Future Value and 85th in their top 100. Only four other players have Future Values of 45: Rayner Arias, Joe Whitman, Reggie Crawford, and James Tibbs III. Wow, stupendous work, Farhan Zaidi and co. This is a failed farm system.

2025

Bryce Eldridge is the #16 prospect in their top 100, #1 in the Giants’ system and has a 55 Future Value at the updated prospects report on FanGraphs. Josuar Gonzalez is #2 with a 50 FV and Carson Whisenhunt is #3 with a 50 FV, too. Blade Tidwell checks in with a 45+, and the Giants have four more with 45 FVs: Gavin Kilen, Drew Gilbert, Jhonny Level, and Trevor McDonald.

With 14 players carrying Future Values of 45 or more, this is the best prospects list the Giants have had in at least 7 years. But let’s go back as far as the list goes: 2017. I want to see something. Here are all the Giants prospects who’ve made it to the majors (though, not necessarily with the Giants):

• Christian Arroyo (#1 in 2017)
• Tyler Beede (#2 in 2017)
• Bryan Reynolds (#3 in 2017)
• Ty Blach (#4 in 2017)
• Andrew Suarez (#5 in 2017)
• Steven Okert (#6 in 2017)
• Chris Stratton (#9 in 2017)
• Matt Krook (#10 in 2017)
• Chris Shaw (#11 in 2017)
• Steven Duggar (#14 in 2017)
• Dan Slania (#15 in 2017)
• Reyes Moronta (RIP) (#17 in 2017)
• Sam Coonrod (#21 in 2017)
• Joey Bart
• Heliot Ramos
• Marco Luciano
• Shaun Anderson
• Alexander Canario
• Sean Hjelle
• Gregory Santos
• Jake Wong
• Aramis Garcia
• Ray Black
• Logan Webb
• Camilo Doval
• Mauricio Dubon (#7 in 2019)
• Luis Matos
• Joe McCarthy (#13 in 2019)
• Tristan Beck (#20 in 2019)
• Prelander Berroa (#21 in 2019)
• Kai-Wei Teng (#22 in 2019)
• Tyler Fitzgerald (#25 in 2019)
• Mike Gerber (#30 in 2019)
• Grant McCray (#33 in 2019)
• Jaylin Davis (#34 in 2019)
• Jose Marte (#37 in 2019)
• Trevor McDonald (#38 in 2019)
• Caleb Kilian (#40 in 2019)
• Will Wilson (#7 in 2020)
• Casey Schmitt (#21 in 2020)
• Luis Basabe (#29 in 2020)
• Jose Siri (#33 in 2020)
• Caleb Baragar (#35 in 2020)
• Patrick Bailey
• Kervin Castro (#24 in 2021)
• Carson Ragsdale (#28 in 2021)
• Jason Vosler (#44 in 2021)
• Cole Waites (#46 in 2021)
• Dedniel Nunez (#47 in 2021)
• Carson Whisenhunt (#5 in 2022)
• Keaton Winn (#9 in 2022)
• Mason Black (#12 in 2022)
• Ford Proctor (#14 in 2022)
• Landen Roupp (#25 in 2022)
• Tristan Peters (#27 in 2022)
• Thomas Szapucki (#28 in 2022)
• Randy Rodriguez (#29 in 2022)
• Ryan Walker (#47 in 2022)
• Wade Meckler (#7 in 2023)
• Spencer Miles (#17 in 2023)
• Victor Bericoto (#21 in 2023)
• Hayden Birdsong (#22 in 2023)
• Erik Miller (#28 in 2023)
• Bryce Johnson (#44 in 2023)
• Nick Avila (#28 in 2024)
• Bryce Eldridge
• Blade Tidwell (#4 in 2025)
• Drew Gilbert (#6 in 2025)
• Jesus Rodriguez (#13 in 2025)
• Jonah Cox (#15 in 2026)
• Daniel Susac (#21 in 2026)** — does this count? I don’t think so.

That’s 70 or 71 players across 10 seasons, and not all of them for the Giants. Many of them not even good, but if we’re to say the jury’s out on Hayden Birdsong, Victor Bericoto, Eldridge, Tidwell, Gilbert, Jesus Rodriguez, Jonah Cox and Daniel Susac (though, he probably shouldn’t be counted as he’s Rule 5), how many “good” players are in this bunch? Well, here are all the ones who’ve had positive fWAR in the majors:

1. Logan Webb, 25.4 fWAR
2. Bryan Reynolds, 20.0
3. Patrick Bailey, 10.2
4. Mauricio Dubon, 7.9
5. Jose Siri, 6.8
6. Chris Stratton, 4.5
7. Camilo Doval, 4.2
8. Joey Bart, 3.3
9. Tyler Fitzgerald, 3.3
10. Heliot Ramos, 3.3
11. Landen Roupp, 3.2
12. Ryan Walker, 2.8
13. Steven Okert, 2.3
14. Tyler Beede, 2.0
15. Ty Blach, 2.0
16. Randy Rodriguez, 2.0
17. Reyes Moronta (RIP), 1.8
18. Casey Schmitt, 1.8
19. Tristan Peters, 1.1
20. Steven Duggar, 1.0
21. Dedniel Nunez, 1.0
22. Trevor McDonald, 0.9
23. Gregory Santos, 0.9
24. Keaton Winn, 0.8
25. Christian Arroyo, 0.6
26. Erik Miller, 0.6
27. Tristan Beck, 0.5
28. Bryce Johnson, 0.5
29. Wade Meckler, 0.5
30. Kai-Wei Teng, 0.5
31. Sean Hjelle, 0.4
32. Spencer Miles, 0.4
33. Andrew Suarez, 0.4
34. Caleb Baragar, 0.3
35. Kervin Castro, 0.2
36. Prelander Berroa, 0.1
37. Hayden Birdsong, 0.1
38. Sam Coonrod, 0.1

And how many of these ought to even be considered Giants prospects — Siri, Dubon, and Susac certainly feel like cheats, and if you wanted to include Bryan Reynolds that’d make sense. Of course, if you were to compare farm systems, maybe the Giants don’t seem so unusual. I’m not sure of that, though, because I can pick apart this list pretty easily, and that’s why I have remained a prospect skeptic where the Giants are concerned for so many years. I just think it’s a bad situation when a young baseball player gets drafted by them.

Reynolds, Dubon, and Siri did their best work away from the Giants. Tyler Fitzgerald’s success is based entirely on a 6-week stretch. Patrick Bailey was traded away. I don’t know what it means that only 2 of the top 10 prospects over the past 10 seasons are still with the Giants and that most had success with other teams. It doesn’t seem like it speaks well of the Giants’ situation.

But what the minor league affiliates’ success and this FanGraphs ranking supposes is that it’s a system on the rise. Maybe we’ve seen some version of this idea before, but this time it does feel a little different. A little pre-2010, if you know what I mean…

Does that mean it’ll all work out and we’ll get a parade out of this? No. Baseball is hard. But maybe the Giants are getting a little bit better at developing players?

Stop me if you’ve heard this before over the course of this excellent season, so far: The Atlanta Braves have won another series. Sure, they were definitely favorites to take another two-out-of-three games against a Toronto Blue Jays squad that had been spinning its wheels in the mud for a bit but the remarkable consistency of this team is truly something to behold. They’ve taken care of business with nearly every opportunity that they’ve had so far this season and the expectations remained the same as Atlanta returned home from another productive road trip.

Still, this could’ve been a tough series for the Braves. The Blue Jays have had some strong pitching and a lineup that was seemingly itching to return to the level of production that helped propel them to the AL pennant in 2025. If any team currently has a target on their back based on current performance, it’s Atlanta. Toronto was surely looking to use this series as a way to get their season on track but as we’ve seen on numerous occasions, the Braves have no intentions of letting off of the proverbial gas pedal. So let’s take a look at how this series turned out.

Tuesday, June 2

Braves 4, Blue Jays 3

As we’ve gotten used to seeing lately, the Braves got off to a quick start in this one as the plated two runs to start things off. Ronald Acuña Jr. didn’t homer this time but his walk did help matters as Michael Harris II immediately followed it up by driving one deep into center field for an RBI double that sent Acuña racing from first to home. Ozzie Albies eventually brought home Money Mike with a sacrifice fly and it was 2-0 Braves to get things going.

Toronto did respond immediately, though. Kazuma Okamoto has hit the ground running since moving over from NPB to MLB and his two-run dinger off of Bryce Elder tied things up in the second. Considering that the Blue Jays had Kevin Gausman going, it sure felt like runs would be at a premium and it was totally feasible to imagine that this thing could’ve stayed 2-2 until both teams dipped into their bullpen.

As it turned out, the Braves weren’t done scoring off of Gausman. Matt Olson and Ozzie Albies got the job done with two outs on the board against Gausman in the third inning as Olson’s double and Albies’ subsequent RBI single put Atlanta back in front. Toronto knotted it back up with a sacrifice fly from Daulton Varsho in the sixth inning but the sixth ended up being the end of the line for Gausman. That was when Matt Olson hit a skyscraper shot out towards the Chop House that just about made it into the grass in home run territory to lead off the sixth in order to put Atlanta back in front by a lone run.

From that point forward, it was on the pitching staff to make sure that that single run from Olson’s blimp shot held up. Elder ended up winning the duel against Gausman by pitching into the seventh before passing the baton to the dynamic back-end duo of Robert Suarez and Raisel Iglesias. The tying run for Toronto did make it into scoring position against Iglesias in the ninth inning but a harmless pop up from the bat of Jesús Sánchez fell into Austin Riley’s glove to end the game and allow the Braves to set the tone in yet another series.

Wednesday, June 3

Braves 7, Blue Jays 3

This time, it was Toronto who got off to a fast start as they plated a run in the first inning to go ahead. It could’ve been a lot worse, though, as they loaded up the bases with nobody out against Grant Holmes. Fortunately, Holmes was able to get out of that jam with just the one run allowed and that ended up being a huge development considering how the rest of the game ended up going. Atlanta responded in the second inning with a bloop RBI single from Ha-Seong Kim (who badly needed something like that to go his way for once) to tie the game up at one run apiece.

Nathan Lukes ended up having a very solid series and you know it was good for him because he smacked his first dinger of the season in the third inning to put Toronto back in front. Fortunately for us Braves fans, that was as good as it got for the Blue Jays in this one as the Braves forged ahead from that point forward. Mauricio Dubón came up to the plate in Atlanta’s half of the third inning with two men on and two outs and Dubón proceeded to make some more two-out magic happen as he sent one out to the home bullpen in right-center for a three-run bomb off of Patrick Corbin that put Atlanta back in front.

Thanks to Grant Holmes throwing six steady innings and Atlanta’s bullpen clamping down on Toronto from that point forward (outside of a ninth inning moonshot from Brandon Valenzuela off of Tyler Kinley), the Braves were able to eventually pull away. Ozzie Albies essentially put the game to bed in the seventh inning as he bopped one out off of the scoreboard below the Hank Aaron Terrace in left field for Atlanta’s second three-run dinger of the night. Two innings later, the Braves were celebrating their 17th series win of the season — it’s still just June, mind you.

Wednesday, June 4

Blue Jays 7, Braves 2

Well, when you consider how the xBA results went for the first two games (Blue Jays lost the first game despite winning the xBA battle .211 to .188 and lost by four runs in the second game while only losing the xBA battle by .11), it kind of felt inevitable that the Blue Jays would eventually see something go their way in a tangible matter during this series. That was the case in this one, as they racked up sixteen hits (10 of which came off of Chris Sale) and never trailed on their way to salvaging the series with a 7-2 win.

A three-run third inning where Sale really had to labor to get out of it was the early pivotal point of this contest and it sure helped Toronto’s chances when the debuting Chad Dallas managed to escape the bottom of the third by only giving up one run on a Matt Olson sacrifice fly. That one run was all the Braves could muster up against Toronto’s pitching staff until the eighth inning, which is when Mauricio Dubón fired up everybody in the ballpark (particularly the large “Tarps Off” contingent in the 400 level) with a solo shot that cut the deficit to just one run.

Any hopes of a fantastic finish were quashed following the ninth inning, though. Reynaldo López made his first appearance since May 31 and reader, it wasn’t a good one. He got dinged for four runs on five hits and a walk and those four runs essentially made it so that Toronto could breathe a bit easier on their way to completely thwarting any hopes the Braves had of pulling off a comeback win for a sweep.

The Atlanta Braves are currently experiencing some real baseball first-world problems. “Oh no, they’ve won 17 out of 20 series but only two of those were sweeps.” “Oh no, the bullpen had a rare off night.” “Oh no, the star offseason signing is struggling, I guess they’ll have to choose between two perfectly capable replacements on any given night.” Basically, if these are the quibbles that your team has to deal with at any given time, then things are going quite alright.

It was especially nice to see the Braves take the two games where Chris Sale didn’t start. It’s certainly a rare occasion to see Sale give up so many hits and have to deal with so many baserunners in any given start so it’s good that this off-night of sorts came when the Braves already had the series in hand. Bryce Elder continues to simply find ways to get the job done and Grant Holmes showed some real resilience in his start to make sure that he didn’t fall victim to the same pratfalls that have tripped him up in recent starts.

Plus, the offense just continues to keep on raking. Mauricio Dubón had a bit of a blip at the plate but he appears to be determined to prove that he can get the job done with the bat as well as his glove. Ronald Acuña Jr. didn’t carry over his supernova form from the road trip but he’s definitely looked a lot more productive as he starts to find some steady form again. Matt Olson continues to be, well, Matt Olson and Ozzie Albies has been continuing to undergo a resurgence of his own. Despite the wobble on Thursday, Atlanta’s entire pitching staff is still rolling along and doing a great job of limiting any damage that they may sustain so that this offense can keep on having opportunities to change the game with any given at-bat.

So yeah, life continues to be good for the Atlanta Braves during the 2026 season. The Pirates will be coming into this weekend’s series playing some pretty good baseball so it’s not like Atlanta’s going to be getting any type of respite when it comes to the competition. Still, when a team is running as hot as the Braves have been, it’s hard to really bet against them slowing down until it actually happens. We’ll see if that’s the case on the weekend or if the Braves will continue to steamroll over anybody who happens to be in their way on the schedule.

Before the season, it was expected that the Chicago White Sox wouldn’t have many save opportunities for their relievers to convert. They were coming off three straight 100+ loss campaigns, including a 41-121 bottoming out in 2024. But the Sox have been one of the biggest surprises this season, checking in at 33-29, good for second place in the American League Central.

As a result, there have been plenty of save opportunities, and the man who has closed out the majority of them is former Phillie Seranthony Dominguez.

You likely remember Dominguez as the rookie who looked electric in his rookie season of 2018, only to lose effectiveness, and then ultimately over two years of his career thanks to a UCL injury. After his return, he showed flashes of his former dominating self, but there was too much inconsistency, and the Phillies ultimately shipped him to Baltimore at the 2024 trade deadline.

He served as the Orioles closer down the stretch and while he converted ten saves, he gave up a decent number of runs. He was used in a setup role for 2025 until the Orioles traded him to the Blue Jays at the deadline.

After serving as a setup reliever for the Jays, he signed a two-year deal with the Sox in the offseason and was established as their closer. Results have been mixed: While he has eleven saves, he’s also blown three chances, and his FIP is at 5.22. Basically, he’s the same guy he was for the Phillies: He can look dominating for much of the time, but there will be games when he looks incapable of retiring a batter.

Hating on the White Sox

There’s not much of a rivalry between the Phillies and the White Sox with only 28 games played between them all time, and I’m having trouble remembering any that were particularly memorable. (Oddly, five of the 28 have gone to extra innings, including all three games in 2013.)

But you know what? Screw the White Sox.

The White Sox used to be cool. They had iconic uniforms, with their hats being worn by famous rappers, and as a result became really popular with suburban white kids.

However, that coolness never really translated to the on-field product, because they rarely make the playoffs (since somehow winning the 2005 World Series, they’ve made the postseason just three times) and will be forever known as Chicago’s “other team.”

The White Sox could have beaten Camden Yards in kicking off the retro trend with their stadium but instead built perhaps the most boring stadium ever. (Though Nationals Park would have a word.) They were “fortunate” enough to find a corporate sponsor that matches the stadium’s vibe, because Rate Field sounds like it should be hosting adult league games, not a Major League Baseball franchise.

You know a franchise is down bad when they start retiring the numbers of players like Paul Konerko and Mark Buerhle. Admittedly, I’m a retired number elitist who thinks the honor should be reserved for iconic, all-time greats, but when you start hanging the numbers of “Hall of Very Good” players, it feels like it cheapens the honor. Frank Thomas should have his number retired; Konerko should be on the Wall of Fame or whatever equivalent they have.

Trivia

Last week’s answer: The Phillies recorded one hit off of Roki Sasaki in the 2025 NLDS. World War II buffs will appreciate the irony that the one hit was off the bat of Max Kepler. 7redseven was correct.

This week’s question: The first ever Phillies vs. White Sox game was played on June 18, 2002 and saw the White Sox prevail 6-3 in 12 innings. What future Phillie delivered the go-ahead hit in the 12th?

Additional thought about the series

Are you sure we can’t get any more games against the Padres?

The schedule makers say no, so the Phillies will see if their recent strong play can be duplicated against a different opponent. The good news is that different opponent is missing its best offensive player.

Much of the Sox’ success has been fueled by rookie Munetake Murakami who is on the IL with a hamstring strain. The Japanese import made a huge early splash, prompting several Phillies fans to ask why the Phillies didn’t pursue him to replace Alec Bohm at third base.

The Phillies reportedly did pursue him, but the biggest problem – aside from Japanese players apparently hating Philadelphia – is that he’s probably not a major league quality defender at third base. The Sox have had him exclusively at first base and designated hitter, and the Phillies have players already entrenched at those positions. There were also questions about how well his Japanese league numbers would translate, but he’s had no problem adjusting to major league pitching so far.

Since he’s on the IL, there will be little opportunity for irate Phillies fans to question why they didn’t sign him. Then again, if Alec Bohm continues to hit into double plays at a prodigious rate, those questions still might get asked.

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It’s a loaded 15-game slate on the diamond Friday, June 5, and I’ve got a trio of NRFI predictions to cover you throughout the action.

My top MLB picks call for a low-scoring first frame between the Seattle Mariners and Detroit Tigers to start the night, with the Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins also blanking the first inning to round out my betting card.

Best NRFI/YRFI predictions today

Pick	Odds
/ - NRFI	-130
/ - NRFI	-130
/ - NRFI	-110

Mariners at Tigers: NRFI (-130)

The Seattle Mariners rank last in wOBA against lefties, and Detroit Tigers southpaw Framber Valdez has pitched a scoreless first in eight of 12 starts despite his 6.75 first-inning ERA checking in way above his 3.60 career mark.

This is a tough matchup for the Tigers, too. Seattle righty Bryan Woo has fired four consecutive scoreless opening frames to improve to 10-2 to the NRFI this season, and Detroit has been held without a first-inning run in seven of its past 10 games while ranking 16th in batting average and 15th in xwOBA during the stretch.

This NRFI is playable to -140.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: DSN, SEAM

Guardians at Rangers: NRFI (-130)

With Texas Rangers righty Kumar Rocker pitching a scoreless first in three of his past four starts and holding hitters to an overall .159 batting average, I’m anticipating him taking care of a Cleveland Guardians lineup ranked 26th in wOBA against righties in the opening frame. The Guardians have only scored in the first in 27% of their games, too.

It’s a similar matchup in the bottom half, too. Cleveland southpaw Parker Messick hasn’t allowed a first-inning run all season while holding opposing hitters to a minuscule .371 OPS. The Rangers rank 28th in wOBA against lefties, too.

This NRFI hits the breakeven mark at -140.

• Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Apple TV

Royals at Twins: NRFI (-110)

The Kansas City Royals and Minnesota Twins both rank below-average in wOBA against right-handed pitchers, and Royals starter Michael Wacha has fired a scoreless first in 10 of 12 starts while holding opposing hitters to a pedestrian .234 on-base percentage.

This is also a soft matchup for Twins righty Zebby Matthews. The Royals have only scored in the first inning in 25% of their games while struggling to a 26th-place wOBA over the past 30 days.

Matthews also sports a smooth 3.01 xERA through four starts, which slides in well below his front-facing 4.63 ERA, so this is a spot for him to sail through the opening frame.

I’d back this NFRI down to -125.

• Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Apple TV

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1919
With the score tied, 1-1, deep into a game at the Polo Grounds facing the Yankees, Eddie Collins belted an inside-the-park grand slam that rolled into the very deep reaches of right-center field. Eddie Cicotte completed the win, improving to 10-1 on the season. The White Sox went three games up in the American League race, at 25-11.

Given that he hit just four homers in his career before 1910, when complete records became available, this was the only grand slam of Collins’ 47-homer career.

1923
While long road trips were not uncommon in the days of train travel and fewer teams, the White Sox set a franchise mark that remains today in embarking on a monthlong road trip. The Pale Hose visited all seven American League clubs on the journey, which lasted 27 games and a full month — not returning home until a July 7 doubleheader. Strangely enough, the long trip did wonders for the club, as the White Sox went 18-9 and improved from last in the league (eighth) at 15-24, 13 games out to third place, at 33-33.

Ultimately the club faltered and fell back to seventh place at a 69-85-2 record by season’s end. The culprit? That awful home cooking! (For the season, the White Sox were 39-40 on the road and 30-45 at home!)

1935
White Sox rookie pitcher John Whitehead saw his eight-game winning streak to start his MLB career snapped, losing to the St. Louis Browns, 2-0. Whitehead would finish 13-13 in his rookie campaign, with 18 complete games and 4.9 WAR, finishing 19th in AL MVP voting.

“Silent John” amassed in impressive 11.6 WAR in 127 games over four-plus seasons on the South Side. Ironically enough, he was dealt to the Browns during the 1939 season.

1960
White Sox pitchers Russ Kemmerer and Frank Baumann both fired shutouts in beating the Kansas City Athletics in a doubleheader. The Sox won both games by the same score: 2-0. The A’s combined for only 10 hits on the Sunday afternoon. 

1967
Eddie Stanky did it again. The White Sox manager let loose a verbal assault on Red Sox All-Star Carl Yastrzemski. Before a three-game set in Comiskey Park, Stanky was quoted as saying, “He may be an All-Star from the neck down, but in my book he’s a moody ballplayer … and I don’t like moody ballplayers.” 

Red Sox fans were incensed, and let Stanky and the Sox have an earful, as well as throwing tomatoes at him whenever he went to the mound when the Sox went to Boston the following week.

2022
With a ground-rule double to drive in the first two runs of a 6-5 win over Tampa Bay in a game the White Sox would never trail, Jake Burger recorded the game-winning RBI in a fourth straight White Sox win — a record that dates back to at least 1974.

Burger’s streak started with a three-run homer on May 25 vs. Boston, the only runs needed for a 3-1 win. Next was a 12th-inning single that won it against the Cubs on May 29. Then came a two-run shot in the eighth inning of a 2-1 game vs. the Rays on June 4, which the White Sox held on to win, 3-2.

You might note the wide range of dates, indeed during this 10-game stretch that Burger established his clutch mark the White Sox went 4-6. This win brought the club to 25-27, in its seemingly endless quest to get past the .500 mark. It would end up exactly there, at 81-81 in the disappointing spin into another rebuild — one that seems like it will last the rest of the 2020s.

Jorge Polanco is going to need a bit longer before re-joining the Mets.

The New York Post's Mike Puma reports that despite the possibility that Polanco could return from his rehab assignment for Friday's series opener against the Padres in San Diego, the veteran will remain in Syracuse.

The 32-year-old has struggled in his brief stint in Triple-A. Polanco is hitless with one walk in two games in Syracuse after going 2-for-5 with a home run in three games in Double-A Binghamton. 

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said earlier in the week that the organization would have conversations with Polanco regarding his availability for the weekend. 

"We got to talk to the player, how he's feeling, and all that. And he's got to get cleared from the medical staff as well," Mendoza said. "It could be in play that he's active on Friday. But again, if he needs more at-bats, and it's not so much like how he's feeling physically, I think there's a combination of a lot of things there."

Polanco's first year in Flushing has been marred by injuries. Polanco played through Achilles bursitis, which relegated him to the DH role, before landing on the IL with a right wrist contusion in mid-April. Mendoza said that the wrist contusion is now a non-issue, but that Polanco will have to play through his Achilles bursitis. That means he'll be mostly a DH when he returns, although the Mets expect him to be available at first base when needed.

Before he landed on the IL, Polanco struggled at the plate. In 14 games, Polanco hit .179 (10-for-56) with one home run and three doubles to go along with two RBI. 

Once the Mets wrap up their weekend series against the Padres, they return home for a three-game set with the Cardinals starting Tuesday. 

Today’s roster move: Here

Friday notes…

• A SERIES STORY: The Cubs have lost seven and split one of their last eight series. They were 2-6 in the first games of those series and have lost the last five. They are 8-12 in all first games but 5-5 at home, 7-4 in first games after having won the last game of the previous series and 3-3 at home after having won the finale of the previous series. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• OUTHITTING THE OTHER GUY: After making only four hits through eight innings last night, the Cubs made seven in the ninth to outhit the Athletics, 11-7. The Cubs are a remarkable 27-2 when they have finished with more hits. The only losses were at home to the Pirates, 2-0, on April 10, and at St. Louis, 6-5, last Friday. They are 2-1 when they and their opponent have had the same number of hits and 4-27 when they have given up more than they have made. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• RISPy BUSINESS: The Cubs made six hits last night with runners in scoring position — five of them in the ninth inning — to match their season high, accomplished four times before. Their 10 at bats last night were their fewest in any of the games. They were had 12 vs. the Mets on April 17, 14 vs. the White Sox on May 15, 16 vs. the Angels on April 1 and 18 vs. the Phillies on April 14. The Cubs won all five games. They are 6-0 with five hits with RISP and 3-2 with four, for a total of 14-2 with at least four. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
• TODAY IN CUBS HISTORY: Carlos Zambrano and Will Ohman combined on a one-hit shutout of the Astros in Houston, the only hit a one-out single by Preston Wilson in the eighth. Zambrano also hit a three-run homer as the Cubs won 8-0. It happened 20 years ago today, Monday, June 5, 2006.

Cubs lineup:

Giants lineup:

Edward Cabrera, RHP vs. Robbie Ray, LHP

Edward Cabrera’s return from the IL, where he sat out two weeks with a blister, comes at a time when the Cubs really need a solid outing from a starting pitcher.

So all we can do is hope the blister issue is behind him and he can do that.

Last year against the Giants, June 25, 2025 in San Francisco, he threw 5.1 innings, allowed three hits and two runs, and struck out six. I think we’d take that today.

Robbie Ray is 34 and will be a free agent at season’s end. As such, he’s been mentioned as someone the Cubs might have trade interest in.

His year, though, hasn’t been very good. He hasn’t gone more than five innings in any of his last five starts and in one of them (May 18 vs. the D-backs) he allowed 10 runs and two homers. (Insert obligatory “He’d fit right in with this staff with the homers” joke here.)

Ray has been particularly bad away from San Francisco (6.23 ERA in six road starts, nine HR in 30.1 innings, 2.83 ERA in six home starts, four HR in 32.1 innings), so a) the Cubs might be able to hit him and b) maybe don’t trade for him?

Here is the weather forecast for the area around Wrigley Field. There is a chance of rain this afternoon so here’s the local radar for you to keep handy.

Today’s game is on Marquee Sports Network. It’s also on MLB Network (outside the Cubs and Giants market territories).

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

MLB.com Gameday

Baseball-reference.com game preview

Please visit our SB Nation Giants site McCovey Chronicles. If you do go there to interact with Giants 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.

As Cade Cavalli put it, when you have 32 outings in a season, you are not going to have your best stuff every time. The key to being a good starting pitcher in this league is to manage the outing when you do not have your A game. This is something Cavalli is learning, and we are already seeing improvements. 

Back in Mid-April, Cavalli had an outing where he could not get out of the second inning against the Pirates. The Nats big right hander just totally lost the zone and could not re-find it. It seemed like Cavalli was destined for a similar outing against the Marlins. He could not find the zone in the first inning, walking three batters, including one with the bases loaded.

However, we got to see the maturation process from Cavalli. He turned his outing around, giving the Nats five solid innings, only allowing two runs. Cavalli also did not walk a batter after that first inning. He told me that he “wanted to make the hitters swing the bat”. With Cavalli’s stuff, good things tend to happen when he is around the zone.

By the third inning, Cavalli really found his good stuff and started to bully the Marlins hitters. There was a neat overlay that showed Cavalli’s fastball and his curveball. It gave you a cool visual of just how nasty his stuff is. Just when you need to gear up for a 98 MPH fastball, he drops in a hammer of a curveball.

One theme that Cavalli kept emphasizing is that he is trying to learn everyday. Cavalli turns 28 in August, and has been in the Nats organization for a long time, but he is still an inexperienced pitcher. He was a two-way player for much of his college career and then lost a lot of reps due to his slow Tommy John recovery. Despite debuting in 2022, Cavalli has only made 24 career starts.

As an inexperienced member of this staff, Cavalli said he has learned a lot from veterans like Zack Littell and Miles Mikolas. He told me that seeing the routines of these older pitchers is helpful, saying “It is not necessarily having conversations with them, it is just being a part of their day. Seeing how they prepare for starts and treat their bodies”. For me, this emphasizes the importance of having veterans around. They don’t even need to be vocal leaders, just having young guys see what it takes to be in this game for a long time matters.

It is not like those veterans are not talking either. Cavalli told me that the starters like to sit in the dugout during games, and just talk about baseball. They discuss “little nuances of the game” as he put it. Whether that is pitch location, what pitch to throw in a specific count, or when to pick off.

Cavalli was named the Opening Day starter in Spring Training, but now it feels like he is truly settling into that role of being a frontline starter. In his last 7 starts, Cavalli has a 3.38 ERA with 46 strikeouts in 40 innings. For me, the inning pitched number is what truly stands out. At the beginning of the season, Cavalli was struggling to get through five innings. However, in these 7 starts, he is averaging 5.7 innings per outing. 

Getting deeper into games is what will make Cavalli a top of the rotation starter. Hopefully, he can get that average to 6 innings as he enters his prime. I think Cavalli has the ability to go deep into games, but he needs to be more efficient. He has the ability to hold his velocity, but he has a tendency to have one really long inning.

When you watch Cavalli, you always get the sense that there is more in the tank. The combination of his fastball and curveball is a special foundation. His heater has been sitting at 97 MPH since the start of May, and the curveball is one of the best in the sport. Cavalli could be one of those pitchers who peaks in their early to mid 30’s.

Starting pitchers peaking in their 30’s is not too uncommon, especially for guys who do not have a lot of mileage on their arms. Zack Wheeler and Max Scherzer are two good examples of pitchers who truly hit their peak after 30. Cavalli is not going to be that caliber of arm, but I think the same idea applies for him. Due to his injuries and the fact he was not a full time pitcher in college, there are not a whole lot of innings in that arm, which is a good thing.

Cavalli also has some clear areas where he can improve as well. His command and control can both be hit or miss at times. He has outings where he is pounding the zone, but he can lose it very quickly. As he gets more experienced, Cavalli will learn how to settle in. We are seeing growth in that area, as shown by his last start.  

Another area that Cavalli could explore is his changeup. I think Cavalli has the bones of a great changeup. However, he only uses it 9% of the time, and it feels like he does not trust it enough. When that pitch is working, it can be a devastating offering, especially to lefties. It has so much movement, and I think it could unlock a new element of his game.

While Cavalli is doing a good job keeping the ball in the yard, he has allowed a lot of hits this year. A pitcher with his stuff should not be allowing a .269 average against. His WHIP of 1.42 is also simply too high for a pitcher of his caliber. A part of that high WHIP is the 10 batters he has hit, most of them coming on breaking balls that hit batters in the foot.

There is so much for Cade Cavalli to learn and improve, yet he is already a good starting pitcher. He has a 3.62 ERA, a 3.00 FIP and a 3.76 xFIP. Imagine what Cavalli could be if he irons out some of the warts in his profile. I am not sure he has the command to be a true ace, but I think he has the ability to be a rock solid number two starter. Even in his current form, Cavalli is a number 3 starter in a good rotation, and he is just settling in right now. The sky remains the limit for the Nats big righty.

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We've got a full slate in front of us, and there are plenty of enticing hitter spots to attack. A few names immediately jumped off the page while digging through today's matchups, and I keep finding myself drawn back to the same trio for our MLB player props. 

Jac Caglianone, James Wood, and Alec Burleson all find themselves in favorable spots against pitchers allowing plenty of hard contact and elevated batted balls.

If things break right, these are the types of matchups that can turn into a very profitable evening as we get into the top MLB picks for Friday, June 5.

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
Jac Caglianone	Over 1.5 Hits, Runs, RBI	+104
James Wood	Over 1.5 Total Bases	-105
Alec Burleson	Over 1.5 Total Bases	-104

Jac Caglianone Over 1.5 Hits, Runs, RBI (+104)

There is a first time for everything, and this will be the first time I have ever backed future Kansas City Royals star slugger Jac Caglianone.

The former highly touted prospect finds himself in a great spot against Minnesota Twins right-hander Zebby Matthews, who owns some of the worst pitcher ratings in Batters Box. Matthews also carries poorly rated marks in matchup wOBA, ISO, hard contact allowed, and ground ball rate. We love pitchers who allow plenty of hard contact and elevated balls.

Matthews has struggled against left-handed hitters this season. Over the last 60 batters faced, lefties have generated a 61.3% elevation rate and 9.7% barrel rate against him, while posting a .451 xSLG and .468 wOBA.

Caglianone owns 70% arsenal coverage against Matthews' entire pitch mix. On top of that, over his last 60 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, he has produced an 80.6% hard-hit rate, a 16.7% barrel rate, and nearly a 40% line-drive rate. During that stretch, his batting average is hovering around .280, but if he continues making this much hard contact, the rest of his numbers should begin to explode.

If you are unable to find his hits, runs, and RBI prop at plus money, I would look toward the over 1.5 total bases. I also think his home run prop is worth a sprinkle. The kid feels overdue for a massive breakout performance at the plate.

• Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Apple TV

James Wood Over 1.5 Total Bases (-105)

Yes, we are all over James Wood once again. Before you get sick of seeing some of my favorite names, let me explain why the Washington Nationals star is due for another big outing.

The big fella draws Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly, who brings a poorly rated matchup ISO to the table this evening. On top of that, Kelly has been getting hammered by left-handed hitters at home. He owns just a 17.1% ground-ball rate against lefties, meaning they're elevating the baseball 82.8% of the time, while they are also making 57.1% hard contact.

Over his last 30 at-bats against right-handed pitching, Wood sports a .463 wOBA and 203 wRC+, while producing 64.3% hard contact and a 28.6% barrel rate. Not to mention, the Nationals star owns the third-highest arsenal coverage among elite-rated hitters tonight. Wood is crushing nearly 87% of Kelly's pitch mix.

Snagging the Nationals' leadoff hitter to record a stolen base at nearly plus money always feels like a gift. That said, I would not pay too much juice for it. Play this up 

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ARID, NATS

Alec Burleson Over 1.5 Total Bases (-104)

Another hitter I found extremely hard to pass up tonight is Alec Burleson, especially when you look at how much hard contact and elevation Cincinnati Reds starter Brady Singer is allowing. We are all over the St. Louis Cardinals stud this evening.

Singer has not been able to find success against left-handed hitters this season, allowing a 45% hard-hit rate, 13.8% barrel rate, and nearly a 60% elevation rate. Those lefties own a .292 xBA, .531 xSLG, and .380 xwOBA against him. If we zoom in even further, the last 60 left-handed batters he's faced have posted a .406 xBA, .851 xSLG, and .428 xwOBA.

The Cardinals first baseman carries the only elite rating in this matchup over on Batters-Box, boasting an 85.6% arsenal coverage score against Singer's pitch mix. His overall and expected numbers by pitch type are marvelous. Over his last 90 at-bats against right-handed pitching, Burleson owns a .524 SLG while making hard contact at a rate north of 50%.

With how well Burleson matches up against Singer's offerings, coupled with the Reds right-hander allowing lefties to hit above .360 with a .649 SLG on the road, I have to be all over this prop.

As always, sprinkle the home run. I would play this prop up to -110. If you'd rather avoid laying juice, the double and home run markets are worth a look as well.

• Time: 8:15 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CARD, CINR

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