Category: Baseball

Game Recaps

Merrill Kelly grinds out bounce-back effort as Diamondbacks fall short vs. Cardinals by Payne Moses [Arizona Sports]

Kelly has logged more than one uncharacteristic start this season after re-signing with Arizona, but he didn’t let the latest last week against the Los Angeles Angels (six earned runs on 11 hits) carry over into Monday.

It didn’t look like a bounce-back start was loading in the first, with the first three St. Louis batters reaching on two singles and a walk. But a lineout to Geraldo Perdomo by star right fielder Jordan Walker and 4-6-3 double play hit into by Lars Nootbaar was a huge zero to put on the board.

Diamondbacks Fall Down to the .500 Line After New Loss to Cardinals by Alex D’Agostino [SI]

The Arizona Diamondbacks continue to look like a rudderless team. Once again, they have fallen back to the .500 line after taking another tough loss in their series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals are, admittedly, a tough opponent. But in what has seemed to be an extremely common theme in recent days, the D-backs struggled to take advantage of the numerous opportunities they had on Monday night, losing by a thin margin of 3-2 at Busch Stadium in St. Louis.

Diamondbacks News

Bowden: Zac Gallen an under-the-radar trade target by Tyler Drake [Arizona Sports]

It’s been a rocky 2026 for Arizona Diamondbacks starter Zac Gallen after re-signing with the franchise on a one-year contract this offseason.

His most recent outing on Saturday that ended with a shower of boos at home was a prime example of that.

The reunion hasn’t been what many expected. And with the MLB trade deadline in the not-so-distant future (Aug. 3), The Athletic’s Jim Bowden has Gallen as an under-the-radar trade target to watch.

Arenado reflects on time with Cards in return to St. Louis with Arizona by Jeff Jones [MLB]

Nolan Arenado has been through the spin cycle of returning to a former home ballpark before, so he has the benefit of experiential wisdom when it comes to handling the emotions of four games at Busch Stadium this week.

“Being 35 now [helps],” Arenado joked Monday from the Diamondbacks’ dugout. “I’m a little older now, so I’ll be OK. In ‘21, it was kind of a weird moment, obviously being there [in Colorado] for eight years. I’m gonna take it in. I know I’m coming toward the end. Back then in Colorado, I didn’t really take it in as much. Here I probably will just because it means a little different here. I’m really excited for the game to start.”

Diamondbacks Give Update on Lawlar,Soroka Injury Timelines by Alex D’Agostino [SI]

“It’s gonna be weeks and not days, hopeful for the fastest return possible,” Lovullo said (via Arizona Sports 98.7’s Alex Weiner). “We’re hoping it’s gonna happen before the four to six week period of time, everybody seems to be throwing out, but I’ll keep you guys updated on their progression.

“Just unfortunate news. MRIs confirmed that there was something that was going on in there and they’re gonna have to step away and rest up.”

Around the League

Here’s the latest All-Star Ballot update by Brian Murphy, Shanthi Sepe-Chupuru [MLB]

Phase 1 of the voting concludes Thursday at noon ET. If Ohtani and Clement remain on top in their respective league, they will automatically receive spots in their side’s starting lineup for the 2026 MLB All-Star Game presented by Mastercard at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on July 14.

During Phase 1, you can vote as many as five times per every 24-hour period exclusively at MLB.com, on all 30 MLB club sites and on the MLB app.

Beyond the two leading overall vote-getters, the top two vote-getters at every position, and the top six outfielders, will advance to Phase 2 of the voting, which begins on June 29. If an outfielder is a league’s leading vote-getter, only the next four outfield finalists will move on to Phase 2 to determine who starts at the two remaining spots.

Biggest strength for top current 2026 MLB playoff contenders by David Schoenfield [ESPN]

Arizona Diamondbacks

Week 12 ranking: 12
Record: 39-38 (3rd in NL West)
Biggest strength: Umm … the offense has underperformed

OK, that’s not really a strength, unless you consider that the Diamondbacks are still over .500 even though the offense has underperformed compared with last season. Indeed, it’s a little difficult to figure out how they’re over .500 in the first place considering they’re scoring about a half-run less per game than last year and the rotation is 29th in strikeout rate and has just two pitchers with an ERA under 4.97. And while the bullpen has been good, it’s not like Arizona has cleaned up in one-run games (13-12) or extra-inning games (2-4).

Will it continue? Sorry about the confusion here. This is more complicated than the 2016 Diamondbacks’ uniform scheme. We’re asking: Will the underperforming continue? Which isn’t a strength, since the Diamondbacks need the strength to be “better offense.” Anyway, FanGraphs projects Arizona averaging 4.59 runs per game the rest of the way, which is better than its current 4.28. But it’s probably not enough to get into the playoffs, unless the Diamondbacks start getting better work from the back end of the rotation.

How Much Would MLB’s Draft Proposal Cost the Best Players? by Dan Szymborski [FanGraphs]

A year or two is actually quite significant when dealing with an elite free agent or free agent-to-be. When you’re talking to guys that land megadeals, getting a player like Juan Soto or Vladimir Guerrero Jr. a couple years early basically allows you to swap a year in their 40s for a year in their prime. This isn’t just mean math guys and their even meaner projection systems; teams are aware of this, which is why someone like Pete Alonso largely gets shrugs in free agency, certainly relative to how early-30s non-elite sluggers were treated 15 years ago. And yes, I’m fully aware of the irony of my noting how much teams have soured on non-elite free agents in their 30s, since, as I’ve been told both by multiple front office decision makers and multiple agents, I’m one of the people responsible for the spread of that attitude!

ZiPS originally projected Soto to get a 15-year, $719 million contract in free agency after the 2024 season, compared to the $765 million he actually netted. Keeping everything the same and making him two years older drops that projected salary from $719 million to $588 million, a pay cut of $131 million.

Sonny Gray “Open” To Discussing No-Trade Clause If Red Sox Sell by Steve Adams [MLB Trade Rumors]

With the Red Sox’ season continuing to spiral — they’re buried in the AL East cellar and have the American League’s second-worst record — speculation about a potential deadline sale continues to mount. The team hasn’t made any major directional decisions at this juncture, but if they opt to go the seller’s route, veteran right-hander Sonny Gray will be open-minded about waiving his full no-trade protection, he tells Tim Healey of the Boston Globe.

“If someone came to me from the Red Sox and made a decision that that’s the direction that this team was going to go, I would be open for a conversation,” Gray said. The 36-year-old righty declined to indicate whether geography would play any sort of role in his decision process.

In these divided times, there aren’t that many things that we can all agree on. But in Kansas City Royals land, there are at least a few: that Bobby Witt Jr. is the franchise’s best position player since George Brett, that keeping him healthy is important for the short and long term, and that it would not be a good thing if, say, he weren’t in a knee brace. 

Unfortunately for us all, he’s hurt. He’s in a knee brace. And manager Matt Quatraro hopes that he will be available in the next few days after being diagnosed with a grade 1 MCL sprain. 

Witt last played on June 18, where he went down after a defensive play at shortstop. It looked scary, and though he stayed in the game afterwards, he was taken out of the game later.

While we’re on the subject of other things we can all agree on, let’s also talk about Maikel Garcia, who is also an important player for the Royals to succeed. Unfortunately for us all, he has been hurt, too. On May 30, Garcia was removed from the game after seven innings. He was diagnosed with a grade 1 hamstring strain, and though he made an appearance as a pinch hitter and as the designated hitter a few times in the following games, it took eight days for him to be well enough to play in the field again. 

Just a few weeks later, Garcia saw some time off due to injury, this time due to hand soreness which he said first happened in the St. Louis series in mid-May. Garcia left the game on June 16 after six innings and then saw the field five days later at shortstop while Witt was out.

And finally, one thing that we can all agree on, too, is that Salvador Perez is the best defensive catcher on the team. Yet at the beginning of May, Salvy spent eight consecutive games as the designated hitter due to a hip injury (and was on base only five times in 32 plate appearances).

What ties all these events together? You probably guessed, especially if you read the title of this article, but the answer is that the Royals didn’t put any of these players on the injured list at any point. 

Putting a player on the injured list provides the team with a clear benefit: players on the injured list don’t count against the active roster. So, as long as a player is on the injured list, they can call up another player to take their spot. The downside, though, is that injured list stints require a minimum of 10 days for position players (and 15 for pitchers) for non-concussion injuries. 

I don’t want to get into nitpicking whether or not any of these specific situations warranted an injured list trip or not. The fact of the matter is that the team doctors know more than us both about medicine in general and these situations in particular. Plus, players want to play, and more of them are banged up to some degree than not at this point in the year. Teams are better off with their core players playing at less than 100% than they are with Triple-A guys filling in at full strength, and of course there’s a chance that those players are also at less than 100%. 

All the listed injuries I brought up could have easily been injured list material. Salvy went 11 days between games behind the dish with his hip injury. Garcia went eight days between games in the field with his hammy injury. And Witt will, at minimum, be five days between any baseball action at all; he’ll hit the 10-day counter this upcoming Sunday. 

This is clearly a pattern, and it’s one that has actually gone back a few years. The Royals just do not like putting guys on the injured list if they don’t know for sure they’ll be out a minimum of 10 days. And it would be one thing if this were just limited to the player, but there are teamwide consequences, too–with guys on the bench but unable to play, Kansas City is forgoing a roster spot every time they do this.

I think it would also be one thing if the Royals were fighting for a playoff spot, but the 2026 Royals are simply fighting to not be the worst team in the American League. What’s the worst that could happen if Witt or Garcia or Salvy spend a few unnecessary days on the injured list? The team loses 95 games instead of 93 games? Oh, the horror. 

Witt’s injury is particularly worrying to me. Yeah, I’m sure he wants to play. Yeah, I know the Royals want to win, still, regardless of their record. But the Royals are going to look really dumb if that MCL sprain turns into some other, bigger knee damage that affects 2027 if they don’t even put him on the IL and send him back out there to play as soon as he can.

Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across the MLB. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Orioles fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.

This is not going to be one of those years where the American League All-Star roster is chock full of Orioles. There will probably only be one. The fan voting is not going to bring any Orioles on as starters, nor should it, because there aren’t any guys who are doing so overwhelmingly great to deserve that.

Still, there are a few Orioles with at least interesting cases to make the roster. In this week’s survey, I’d like you to think about who deserves it the most. You can define “deserve” however you like. For me, it’s a player who is among the best at his position in the league so far this year, or at least close enough to it that he’s not likely to end up on the level of an “All-Star Ty Wigginton” kind of embarrassment years down the road.

What do you think? Vote here:

Results will be shared on Friday. I’m curious to see how this one shakes out, because you could make the case for a few of these guys. It might come down to the commissioner’s office decision of who would fit the roster best based on the choices of the fans for starters, the players for reserves, and other “this team must have one All-Star” decisions.

This Week in the Minors is our weekly look at notable performances from all over the system, from big-name prospects and less-heralded guys alike. The mission is to answer this simple question: “Who had a good week?”

Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers (33-41, 13.5 games back)

The Storm Chasers split their series on the road in St. Paul. On the mound, Randy Dobnak, who the Royals traded for, made his first start with the organization. He went 4.1 innings, allowing 6 hits, 3 runs, walking 1 and striking out 5. Génesis Cabrera threw 3.1 innings of 2 run ball, both runs unearned, over 3 relief appearances, striking out 4 batters. Bailey Falter made a start, going 4 innings, allowing 3 hits, 2 runs, walking 3 and striking out 4.

At the plate, Abraham Toro had a great week, going 9-for-23, hitting 2 doubles, 2 triples and 3 homers, while driving in 10 runs. Oh, and he hit for the cycle, the sixth in modern Omaha history. Brandon Drury went 9-for-15, with 3 doubles, 2 homers, driving in 6 runs. Matthew Lugo was 12-for-29, with 3 doubles, 2 homers and 4 runs batted in.

The Storm Chasers return home to take on the Columbus Clippers this week. The series runs from Tuesday through Sunday.

Northwest Arkansas Naturals (29-38, 16 games back)

The Naturals lost 4 of 6 to the Tulsa Drillers, the best team in Double-A. At the plate, outfielder Connor Scott went 6-for-15, with a double and homer, also driving in 3 runs. Scott is a 26-year-old, from the Marlins organization, he was taken 13th overall in 2018. Rudy Martin was 7 for 21, Jack Pineda was 7 for 19 with a double and 5 runs batted in.

On the mound, Drew Beam was fantastic in his only start of the week, going 7.1 innings, allowing 2 hits, 1 run, walking 1 and striking out 5. Beam seems to finally have settled in at Northwest after getting promoted right before the season started from Quad Cities. Frank Mozzicato threw 4 scoreless innings over two relief appearances, allowing 2 hits, walking 5 and striking 5 batters out. Hunter Patteson made two starts, totaling 13 innings, allowing 6 hits, 5 runs, walking 3 and striking out 11. Patteson is a 26-year-old lefty out of Central Florida selected in the 5th round draft pick in 2022 by the Royals. He has a 5.22 ERA over 58.2 innings so far this season.

The Naturals hit the road, to take on the Springfield Cardinals this week. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Quad Cities River Bandits (30-35, 10 games back)

The River Bandits lost 3 of 5 to the Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, with one game being rained out. On the mound, Kendry Chourio made his High-A debut after getting promoted from Columbia. The 18-year-old right hander went 4.2 innings, allowing 7 hits, 7 runs (5 earned), while striking out 10 batters. It was a mixed bag performance against the fourth best team in High-A. Elsewhere, David Shields went 5 innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs, walking 1 and striking out 10 hitters. It’s the second straight start for Shields with 10 strikeouts. Jordan Woods threw for the first time in a couple weeks, going 2 scoreless innings, allowing 1 hit, walking 1 and striking out 2. Emmanuel Reyes threw 6 innings of 2 run ball, allowing 7 hits, while striking out 5.

At the plate, Ramon Ramirez was 7-for-20, with a double and 2 homers, while driving in 5 runs. On the season, Ramirez is hitting .285/.360/.487. The 21-year-old catcher is in his first year at Quad Cities. Derlin Figueroa was just 1-for-16, cooling him down after a good start to June and an overall good month. Figueroa is slashing .277/.366/.564 with 15 homers this season. The first baseman is just 22 years old.

The River Bandits hit the road to take on the South Bend Cubs, one of the best teams in High-A. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Columbia Fireflies (34-35, 5 games back)

The Fireflies lost 4 of 6 to the Hickory Crawdads. On the mound, Jose Gutierrez threw 7 innings, allowing 5 hits, 3 runs, striking out 4. Ryan McDonagh, a 20-year-old right hander from Canada, made his Low-A debut after getting promoted from Rookie Ball. In his start, he went 5 innings, allowing 1 hit, 2 runs, 2 walks, striking out 4.

At the plate, Josh Hammond went 8-for-18, with a homer and 2 runs driven in. Hammond is slashing .287/.349/.422 on the year. Sean Gamble went 6-for-16 with a pair of doubles and 3 runs batted in. Gamble in the month of June is slashing .292/.444/.438. Raising his season average all the way to .179, it’s good to see the Royals first round draft pick from last season starting to put things together.

The Fireflies stay on the road, taking on the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

As we close in on the 2026 MLB Draft, the focus on who the Atlanta Braves are looking at for the ninth overall pick has come into focus a bit. Names like Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress, Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick, Kentucky shortstop Tyler Bell, and Florida prep lefty Gio Rojas seem to be the names most prominently linked to the club. Massachusetts prep lefty Brody Bumila is also a name that has received some buzz. My goal is to start to break down who these players are and their strengths and weaknesses to prepare you for the newest Braves prospect.

We will continue the series by looking at Florida high school pitcher Gio Rojas, the lone pitcher and prep player being prominently linked to the Braves at #9.

Bio

Name: Gio Rojas

Position: Left-Handed Pitcher

Height: 6’4”

Weight: 195

College Commitment: Miami

High School: Marjory Stoneman Douglas HS (Coral Springs, FL)

Previously Drafted: N/A

Bats/Throws: R/L

Stats

2024: 4-0, 0.66 ERA, 0.47 WHIP, 41 K, 3 BB, 7 H, 21.1 IP, 5 Games

2025: 13-0, 0.72 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 120 K, 16 BB, 35 H, 68 IP, 14 Games

2026: 11-1, 0.58 ERA, 0.66 WHIP, 124 K, 17 BB, 31 H, 72.2 IP, 13 Games

Fastball 60

Rojas has a big fastball up to 98 MPH from the left side, coming in with plenty of life. This is definitely a bat missing pitch that will grade out as a plus offering for him.

Slider 60

As good as his fastball is, the slider is his out pitch and comes in with very high spin rates. It’s just nasty and should be a pitch that will rack up the strikeouts for him as he continues to progress.

Changeup 50

Like many high school pitchers with a powerful arm, Rojas doesn’t use the changeup much in games because it actually gives his competition a better chance at being successful due to him taking something off his premium stuff. He does however have some feel for it and it should be a solid third offering for him – though this does take some projection to get to the average grade.

Command 55

Rojas is a strike thrower who has a chance to get to above average command in the future. He needs to clean up his mechanics a little bit, mostly by being more consistent all the time, but that is a coachable thing for an arm like him. Once that takes place, it’s not hard to see the 55 grade coming into play.

Overall

Rojas is a projectable, athletic young arm who only turns 19 about two weeks ahead of the draft. All of the ingredients are there for him to have top of the rotation potential. That is why he is not only the top ranked prep pitcher in this draft, but may even be the second best arm in this draft, behind only Jackson Flora.

He would almost certainly be an underslot option for the Braves at #9, but at the same time he wouldn’t come extremely cheap either. Even if you took the underslot out of things, he is probably my favorite option among the four most commonly linked players to the Braves – simply because he has the highest ceiling of those options.

Rojas ceiling is a potential ace, but with his stuff and command he also seems like a higher floor option than most prep arms. If the Braves did draft him I would count on him maybe seeing Augusta for a short stint this season, and he might get the chance to earn his way to Augusta in 2027 – similar to Briggs McKenzie from last year. He would potentially be a big league option mid-2029 at the earliest.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers and Minnesota Twins meet once again tonight, with Justin Wrobleski looking to continue his recent dominance. 

My Dodgers vs. Twins predictions are targeting the defending champions to take the second game of this series behind the left-hander. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Tuesday, June 23. 

Who will win Dodgers vs Twins today: Dodgers -1.5 (+101)

Justin Wrobleski has taken advantage of his opportunity in the Los Angeles Dodgers rotation, posting an 8-2 record and 2.72 ERA this season. The left-hander has pitched well lately, compiling a 3.40 FIP over his last four appearances while walking just 0.76 hitters per nine innings.

The Minnesota Twins counter with reliever Kendry Rojas, but the bigger concern is a Twins bullpen that owns a 5.50 FIP and has allowed 2.08 home runs per nine innings over the last two weeks.

The Dodgers are squaring up the baseball, carrying a 42.2% hard-hit rate over the last two weeks, creating a favorable setup to cover the run line.

I'll play this pick up to -120.

COVERS INTEL: Minnesota's bullpen consistently struggles with command, allowing 4.82 BB/9 this season, and 5.21 walks per nine across the last week. 

Dodgers vs Twins Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (+105)

This matchup has the makings of Los Angeles scoring most of the runs while Minnesota struggles offensively.

The Dodgers' bullpen has been lights out lately, posting a 2.71 xERA across its last 26 innings while holding opponents to a 27.3% hard-hit rate.

Wrobleski typically pitches into the sixth or seventh inning, limiting the amount of bullpen work required. While the Twins are batting .320 over their last six games, this is a significantly tougher pitching matchup for them.

Los Angeles should produce some offense against Minnesota's shaky pitching staff, but an offensive eruption feels unlikely. With the Twins potentially struggling to contribute, the Under still offers value.

I'll play this pick up to -120. 

Dodgers vs Twins weather

Conditions at Target Field could play a role tonight. Temperatures are expected to be around 71°F with 9.2 mph winds, 68.3% humidity, and an 89% chance of rain. The mild weather is generally favorable for hitters, but the potential for rain could create a slightly less predictable environment.

Dodgers vs Twins odds

• Moneyline: Dodgers -163 | Twins +156
• Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (+104) | Twins +1.5 (-108)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-113) | Under 8.5 (+108)

Dodgers vs Twins trend

The Dodgers have hit the Moneyline in 34 of their last 50 away games (+6.50 Units / 8% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Twins.

How to watch Dodgers vs Twins and game info

Dodgers vs Twins latest injuries

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.

Michael King took the mound for the San Diego Padres who were opening a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves at Petco Park on Monday night. It must have been good to be home because King delivered his best start since May 18 when he completed seven innings without allowing a run to the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco. In that game he allowed four hits and two walks with nine strikeouts. King completed seven innings against the Braves without allowing a run, allowed six hits without issuing a walk and had five strikeouts and led the Padres to a 1-0 win.

The Padres did not do much to support King’s stellar effort on offense, but in the end a solo home run from Manny Machado in the bottom of the fourth inning proved to be all that King would need. He finished seven then gave the ball to Adrian Morejon for the eighth and Mason Miller for the ninth. Miller did allow a single and a walk, which was strange to see, but he got the three outs he needed to seal the win and get his 21st save of the season.

King was the story and Machado provided the lone offensive highlight, he also doubled to open the bottom of the eighth inning but was stranded at second, but the play of centerfielder Jackson Merrill made up for his 0-for-3 with a walk and two strikeouts at the plate. Merrill made multiple highlight reel plays, one running back toward the right-center field wall on a well struck ball that would have been a double, another on a sinking liner that would have been a hit, if not for a last-minute half-dive knee sliding catch. Even the balls Merrill was not able to catch he was able to get to quickly and make strong throws back to the infield that held the batters to singles on what looked like extra bases.

It was not a game that put the Friar Faithful’s minds at ease when it comes to the offensive struggles they have seen from the team all season, but it was a glimpse at what could be when King is pitching like the ace Padres fans know and expect him to be. San Diego will try to win the series tonight at 6:40 p.m.

Padres News:

• The Padres have a tough stretch of games ahead, which started with their series opener against the Braves yesterday. After three games with Atlanta, San Diego hosts the Dodgers, then travels to Chicago to face the Cubs before four more games against the Dodgers in Los Angeles. It will be a critical stretch for the Padres. Cheri Bell of Gaslamp Balltakes a look at what is in store for the team as they get closer to the All-Star break.

• Two Padres minor league pitchers not named Kruz Schoolcraft or Kash Mayfield are making moves and getting noticed by the organization and even some baseball pundits.

• The San Diego bullpen is a big reason, if not the sole reason the Padres have had success in 2026. Tom Krasovic of the San Diego Union-Tribune believes they cannot be expected to carry the team for the remainder of the season.

• Manager Craig Stammen, in his ongoing search to find consistency on offense, put Samad Taylor in the nine spot in the order and for the first game since being called up from Triple-A he went hitless.

Baseball News:

• The Colorado Rockies walked off the Boston Red Sox in what looked to be a brutal loss for the visiting team.

• The Chicago White Sox walked off the Cleveland Guardians to take the top spot in the AL Central.

• The Los Angeles Dodgers got their 50th win of the season with a 2-1 victory over the Minnesota Twins.

• Brandon Woodruff returned from the IL and allowed one hit to the Cincinnati Reds to lead the Milwaukee Brewers to a 2-1 10-inning win.

• Oklahoma Sooners win College World Series for the first time since 1994.

Welcome back to A Pod of Their Own, an all-women led Home Run Applesauce podcast where we talk all things Mets, social justice issues in baseball, and normalize female voices in the sports podcasting space. 

This week, we begin by discussing the Mets’ rotation, which has completely fallen apart, and the impending return of Francisco Lindor and Tyrone Taylor. We also talk about the grim outlook for the trade deadline and potentially beyond.

Next, we cover the latest in the CBA negotiations, as the league has put forth a set of proposals involving the draft, which the union swiftly rejected. We also discuss the latest in the Giants Pride Night scandal, which has escalated all the way to a DOJ investigation.

We also plug a GoFundMe for Adam Bayatti aka TheMetsHomeRunner in order to get him to New York to see a Mets game in person. Throw a few bucks his way if you are able.

Finally, we wrap things up with Walk-off Wins, where each of us talks about what’s making us happy this week, baseball-related or otherwise. 

You can listen or subscribe to all of our wonderful Home Run Applesauce podcasts through Apple Podcasts, where we encourage you to leave a review if you enjoy the show. It really helps! And you can find us on the Stitcher app, Spotify, or listen wherever you get podcasts. You can also support our work by subscribing to our Patreon, which will get you bonus episodes, access to our Discord server, livestream experiences, an exclusive monthly playlist, and more!

You can follow A Pod of Their Own on Twitter, Instagram, and Bluesky (@apodoftheirown) and you can follow Home Run Applesauce on Twitter and Instagram (@HRApplesauce). You can also follow our co-hosts on Twitter and Bluesky: Allison McCague (@PetitePhD), Maggie Wiggin (@maggie162), and LindaSurovich (@LindaSurovich). You can also email the show at aa.apodoftheirown@gmail.com. 

Look for A Pod of Their Own in your feeds every week and don’t forget: there’s no crying in podcasting!

Tonight, the Orioles will play their 81st game of the season, marking the mathematical halfway point of the regular season. The best they can do is 39-42. That’s disappointing relative to preseason hopes that this thing would get turned around, but this first half really could have been a lot worse than it was. Whatever else can be said about this year’s Orioles, they have not let themselves crash out of the picture early like last year’s team did.

In this week’s episode of the podcast, I’m looking at what’s been working and what hasn’t over the first three months worth of games, as well as what might actually have a chance of getting better from here on out. Can they do well enough to get Mike Elias to make a real, serious move in July to improve this team in the short-term? There is a lot to be figured out still. They’re going to need to win like they did last night a lot more often to get anywhere good this year.

Also in this episode, a question in the mailbag about who is exciting in the minor league system right now. One answer is obvious to anyone who’s been paying attention to the farm this year. I try to figure out who else is on the cusp of maybe being exciting heading into next season as well.

Listen to this week’s episode here:

If the above player isn’t displaying, view this article in Incognito Mode or check it out on the show’s page.

This is my weekly podcast about whatever is going on lately with the Orioles. If you enjoyed this episode, please make sure to subscribe. You can get the show on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you prefer to access your podcasts.

How are you feeling about the way things are going with the Orioles right now? Answers could make it into the mailbag section of a future episode of the podcast.

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The Chicago White Sox picked up a high-scoring walk-off victory in their series opener against the Cleveland Guardians.

While another competitive game should be expected, my Guardians vs. White Sox predictions and MLB picks believe the wrong team is favored and see value in backing Chicago to take Game 2.

Who will win Guardians vs White Sox today: White Sox (-105)

The Chicago White Sox are one of the league’s best offenses against southpaws, ranking fifth in wOBA, fourth in OPS, and first in ISO.

Parker Messick is very promising, but his level of play has tailed off of late.

Messick owns an xFIP of 4.01 and SIERA of 4.25 over the past 30 days. Both of those outputs are well above the 3.21 ERA he has posted, a sign a dip could be coming.

Without Jose Ramirez and Chase DeLauter, it could be difficult for the Cleveland Guardians to keep up.

Back Chicago to -115.

COVERS INTEL: The White Sox make their fly balls count, leading the majors with a 19.4 HR/FB% against lefties.

Guardians vs White Sox Over/Under pick: Over 7 (-120)

The White Sox have posted high-end metrics across the board against left-handed pitching. They have also hit more homers than anybody.

While Messick generally doesn’t give up much power, it’ll be tough to neutralize such a potent offense.

Even without Ramirez and DeLauter, the Guardians have scored at least three runs in five of their last six games.

Sean Burke ranks in the 52nd percentile in xERA and is a mid-tier arm. Behind him is the 22nd-ranked bullpen in FIP. The Guardians should still chip in.

This total is half a run too low. Play the Over to -130.

Guardians vs White Sox weather

Temperatures in the high 60s are expected, with slight northeast winds. The weather should have little impact on this game.

Guardians vs White Sox odds

• Moneyline: Guardians -115 | White Sox -105
• Run line: Guardians -1.5 (+155) | White Sox +1.5 (-180)
• Over/Under: Over 7 (-115) | Under 7 (-105)

Guardians vs White Sox trend

Chicago has won 20 of its last 24 games at home (+18.10 units, 70% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. White Sox.

How to watch Guardians vs White Sox and game info

Guardians vs White Sox latest injuries

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The end of last night’s Red Sox game was nothing short of a debacle. A fiasco. A disaster. Whatever you want to call it. Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman combined to allow eight hits in the eighth and ninth innings, though the former somehow escaped without allowing a run, while the latter coughed up a two-run lead.

It was probably the worst loss of the season. There have been plenty of other bad losses, but losing to the (2nd?) worst team in baseball in that fashion is downright embarrassing. So, what’s the worst loss you can remember? It doesn’t have to be this season. It could be a massive blowout, a huge blown lead, or a certain Game 6.

Talk about what you want and be good to one another.

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It has been two profitable weeks as I continue to try to dig myself out of an early-season home-run hole.

I've hit a dinger in five of my last six articles, and today's slate is setting up well for four-baggers and MLB player props.

The Mariners are projected to put up some crooked numbers vs. Mitch Keller and the Pirates, while nobody is swinging a better bat than Pete Crow-Armstrong, and that price vs. Kodai Senga is on the right side of expected value. 

Finally, if a Phillie bat is not on your HR card vs. Zack Littell, are you really betting on homers?

These are my favorite home run props for Tuesday, June 23. 

Best MLB home run props today

Player to hit a HR	Odds
Josh Naylor	+660
Pete Crow-Armstrong	+382
Brandon Marsh	+660
💲Today's HR parlay	+22933

Home run pick: Josh Naylor (+660)

Give a bump to the left-handed bats of the Mariners today. Generous winds are blowing out to right field at PNC Park, and the pitching matchup is working in their favor as well. Josh Naylor at +660 is the target.

Mitch Keller has allowed 4+ runs in all but one of his last seven starts, posting a 7.64 ERA over that stretch. At home, he's been even worse, allowing 18 runs in 13+ innings across his last seven starts.

His fly-ball rate is lower than his career average, and his HR/FB rate is starting to normalize after some early-season months of keeping it below 10%. His SIERA and xFIP are both at five-year highs, suggesting these bad times are here to stay. 

Naylor has seen Keller eight times in his career, taking him deep once while hitting .375. I love the Mariners team total Over 4.5 today, and Naylor is one of the better +EV home run props on the board with a fair price closer to +520.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SportsNet Pittsburgh, Mariners.TV

Home run pick: Pete Crow-Armstrong (+382)

Pete Crow-Armstrong is the hottest hitter in baseball right now. He leads MLB in slugging over the last two weeks at .935, and his .500 ISO trails only Shohei Ohtani.

This is a great price in a game that could feature multiple home runs given the pitching matchup.

Kodai Senga owns the 13th-worst HR/FB rate among MLB starters this season, and only three qualified starters have a worse ground-ball rate. He's allowed multiple home runs in three of his last four starts, and this will be just his second outing after missing three weeks with a spine/arm injury.

Senga may be the biggest pitching target on the slate today, and getting a red-hot hitter at +300 or better in a plus-plus home run matchup is an easy way to make the HR card.

• Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SNY, Marquee Sports Network

Home run pick: Brandon Marsh (+660)

I need a left-handed bat against Zack Littell, who continues to be a gift to home run hitters.

Brandon Marsh went deep yesterday and gets another favorable matchup against Littell, who owns the 19th-worst HR/FB rate among MLB starters and pairs it with a poor 31% groundball rate. Only three other starters have a worse Ideal Attack Angle percentage.

Hitters square Littell up consistently, and he's coming off a start where he allowed four home runs. The left-handed bats won't be hitting straight into the wind like the righties today with the wind blowing in from left field.

Littell is also coming off a 99-pitch outing — his second-highest pitch count of the season and well above his usual workload, which sits around 80 pitches.

I love the Phillies to pile on runs today, and Marsh at +550 or better is making the HR card.

• Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCSP, Nationals.TV

Today’s HR parlay

Josh Naylor	Bet Now +22933
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Brandon Marsh

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After tonight’s game with the Angels, the Orioles will officially reach the 81-game mark of their 2026 campaign. Heading into Game 81, it’s safe to say that the first half of the O’s season has largely been disappointing. Seen by most as a strong wild card contender heading into the season, Baltimore currently sits below .500 and is sitting on the outside looking in for the American League wild card spots.

As we’ve seen countless times from Birdland over the last two years, there is again a growing chorus calling for Mike Elias to lose his job due to the Orioles’ underperformance. This renewed consternation for Elias and the front office comes after their most aggressive offseason in the 7+ years since Elias’ hiring — an offseason that saw Elias & Co. make their first major free-agent commitment with Pete Alonso.

It’s undoubtedly true that this Orioles team has failed to coalesce and become the contender many — including Baltimore’s front office —thought they’d be. After all, this team is only 4 games ahead of the pace of last year’s last-place team.

And yet, does that actually mean that the front office’s attempts to improve this team were all failures? As we reach the halfway point of the 2026 season, let’s grade the nine offseason moves that were supposed to transform this team.

The move: Signing OF Leody Taveras to a 1-year/$2M deal

The grade: C+

Taveras was signed to be outfield depth in CF the same way the O’s front office took chances on Ramón Laureano and Dylan Carlson last season. Through the first 30 games of his Oriole career, he looked like a Laureano-esque signing, hitting .277 with a .821 OPS while taking over the starting CF job from Colton Cowser.

Since the beginning of May, however, we’ve seen a noticeable drop-off from the former longtime Texas Ranger. In his last 126 ABs, Taveras is only hitting .238 with a .620 OPS while striking out 31% of the time.

This move still gets a passing grade as Taveras was a plus contributor throughout the first month-plus of the season and has allowed the Orioles to ride out an injury to Dylan Beavers and cold stretches from Cowser and Tyler O’Neill without having to resort to playing Triple-A talent in the Baltimore outfield.

The move: Trading RHP Grayson Rodriguez for OF Taylor Ward

The grade: B

Like Taveras, Ward started off the season incredibly hot and has cooled off as of late. Ward finished the first month of the season with a .304 average and an MLB-leading .438 on-base percentage and a . For an offense that was often struggling to find its rhythm, Ward was a consistent and elite producer at the top of the lineup.

Across May and June, his average has dipped to .223 and his OPS is down to .660, though he’s still maintained a strong .363 OBP amidst his struggles. We’ve yet to see anywhere close to the power output that Ward showed last year with the Angels, as he’s on pace for 40-45 extra-base hits after producing 69 for the Halos last season.

And yet, his on-base ability at the top of the lineup has been extremely valuable for Baltimore, and the front office will be faced with the tough decision of potentially trading his expiring contract at the deadline if the team’s play doesn’t improve. Given that the cost of acquiring Ward was only the perpetually injured G-Rod, this move has so far earned a solid, if not outstanding, grade.

The move: Signing 1B Pete Alonso to a 5-year/$155mdeal

The grade: A-

The Alonso signing was the biggest move the Orioles made this past offseason and his first three months in black and orange have been exactly what the O’s paid for. The five-time All-Star leads the Orioles in hits (74) and home runs (18), while his 52 RBIs are not only best on the team but good enough for fifth in the American League. The Polar Bear is also playing the best defense of his career in Baltimore. Alonso was paid to be the best player on this Orioles’ offense, and through the first half of the season, he’s been just that.

The only reason this signing doesn’t earn a higher grade is that Alonso started the season off cold. Through the first month of the season, the star 1B was slashing .198/.306/.362 with only four homers. Since then, he’s been blazing hot, slashing .282/.357/.547 with 14 long balls in his last 181 ABs. If not for that slow start, the Polar Bear is likely challenging Yordan Alvarez and Nick Kurtz for the status of best hitter in the AL.

The move: Trading RHP Kade Strowd and prospects for INF Blaze Alexander

The grade: B+

Our Tyler Young went into great detail yesterday about how Alexander has significantly outperformed the expectations placed on him when he was acquired to be a super utility player. On analytics alone, he might be the best hitter on this year’s team. His grade doesn’t surpass Alonso’s because his overall offensive impact has been much smaller. But it was still undoubtedly a strong move by the front office to acquire the 27-year-old from Arizona.

The moves: Trading for RHP Shane Baz, signing RHP Chris Bassitt and re-signing RHP Zach Eflin

The grade: C–

Elias & Co. made three moves to supplement the existing rotation options of Trevor Rogers, Kyle Bradish, Dean Kremer, Brandon Young and Cade Povich. The Baz trade (and subsequent extension) has been the most impactful acquisition. While his season ERA of 4.04 doesn’t jump off the page, he leads the Orioles with 89 IP and has put up a 2.62 ERA with a .223 BAA over his last seven starts. The former Ray is clearly a foundational piece that the O’s can build their rotation with going forward.

The other two veterans are what sink this grade. Perhaps including Efflin in this calculation is unfair because he only pitched 3.2 strong innings before blowing out his elbow and being lost for the season. Bassitt hasn’t been much better, posting a 5.27 ERA and 0.0 bWAR in 56.1 IP before landing on the IL with back discomfort two weeks ago.

Getting essentially zero positive impact from the $26.5M they invested in Eflin and Bassitt is far from ideal and may be enough to justify a lower grade. But the biggest swing was Baz, and that move looks better and better with each start, earning the front office a grade just above failing.

The moves: Re-acquiring RHP Andrew Kittredge and signing RHP Ryan Helsley to a 2-year/$28M deal

The grade: D-

The Orioles had a bad bullpen in 2025, with their relief corps ranking 25th in ERA at 4.57. The O’s went into this most recent offseason not only trying to patch the hole in their patchwork ‘pen, but also to find a new closer after another injury to Félix Bautista. The front office responded by reacquiring 36-year-old Andrew Kittredge and bringing in former All-Star closer Ryan Helsley.

Through the first half of the season, both have been plain bad. Kittredge is currently sporting a 6.11 and has more hits allowed (21) than strikeouts (16). Helsley is only slightly better with his 5.11 ERA in 12.1 IP, having missed most of the season due to right elbow inflammation.

The O’s currently sit 21st in bullpen ERA this season with most of that improvement coming via the strong seasons by Rico Garcia and Yennier Cano. And while the relative weakness of the bullpen isn’t this team’s biggest problem, it is certainly the place the front office failed to strengthen the most.

Good morning.

Evan Grant writes that the Texas Rangers were buoyed by the Tartan Army for the second time in a couple of weeks as Scottish soccer fans took in Texas’ 4-3 win from last evening.

Kennedi Landry writes that the World Cup visitors were treated to a unique and dominant and uniquely dominant appearance from Kumar Rocker in the victory.

Grant writes that the Rangers are dealing with a lack of pitching depth during one of their more grueling stretches, exacerbated by Jack Leiter hitting the IL.

MLB dot com’s Brian Murphy and Shanthi Sepe-Chepuru check out the latest All-Star vote update where Ezequiel Duran remains second in the AL second baseman vote.

Grant has the daily Corey Seager concussion recovery update where, like the rest of us, Seager remains day-to-day.

And, at FanGraphs, Dan Szymborski looks into the changes that MLB owners proposed for the draft and how much the changes would cost players (Spoilers: a lot).

Have a nice day!