NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 27: TJ Friedl #29 of the Cincinnati Reds bunt single during the second inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on May 27, 2026 in New York City. The Mets defeated the Reds 4-2. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TJ Friedl’s fall from grace with the Cincinnati Reds has been well documented around these parts. From a nearly ~4 WAR guy who received down-ballot MVP votes just a few years back to a guy optioned to the minors on the cusp of his 31st birthday, Friedl’s declining metrics and performance combined with his increased age and salary was enough to wonder if he’d ever be back on the Reds at all.
We asked you about that. You responded overwhelmingly that it did seem likely that his time with the Reds may be done. Blake Dunn, after all, had pretty much usurped him of his CF/leadoff duties, and the Reds had built up other OF depth that made him increasingly expendable.
The Baseball Gods, though, had other plans.
The elbow sprain suffered by Dunn this week was apparently signficant enough for him to need a trip to the injured list, and the Reds recalled Friedl on Sunday morning to take his place.
The #Reds today recalled OF TJ Friedl from Triple-A Louisville and placed OF Blake Dunn (right elbow sprain) on the 10-day Injured List, retro to 6/27. pic.twitter.com/bs4t7k5VnV
Friedl, to his credit, went down to AAA Louisville and found himself a bit across 18 games. He hit .271/.370.471 in 81 PA while there, once again showing his ability to get on base and score runs (13). We know well the offensive environment down there juices some numbers, of course, but it’s at least encouraging to note that what was there to find was at least found by TJ.
Now, he’ll get the chance to show he can cut it again against big league pitching, and he’s in the lineup immediately playing CF on Sunday in the series finale against the Pirates.
You can call it a redemption tour. You can call it anything you like. Fact is, as he nears 31 years old and is playing his way towards a raise on a $3.8 million salary in his arbitration years, the clock is ticking for Friedl to show the Reds he’s worth keeping around beyond 2026. In many ways, Friedl right now is a pretty good metaphor for the last place Cincinnati Reds – down, but not out just yet, and running very, very short on time to prove they can make it work.
Let’s just hope they both have a little magic in them.
The Houston Astros will look to win their four-game series against the Detroit Tigers when they send Hunter Brown to the hill this afternoon.
Brown has been excellent when healthy this season, and my Astros vs. Tigers predictions and MLB picks believe he’ll be the difference for the Astros today.
Who will win Astros vs Tigers today: Astros moneyline (-120)
Hunter Brown has only made four starts this season due to a shoulder injury, but the Houston Astros starter has been dealing when healthy.
The right-hander hasn’t allowed more than one earned run in any of his appearances, thanks to his almost unhittable fastball. Batters are hitting .095 against Brown’s four-seamer, with a .139 xSLG, and that’s a pitch the Detroit Tigers haven’t had success against.
Detroit has the fourth-worst average in the majors against a right-handed four-seamer (.225), and an already weak offense is missing key pieces like Javier Baez and Gleyber Torres.
Give me the Astros up to -130.
COVERS INTEL: Hunter Brown performs better in June than any other month throughout his career, holding a 1.90 ERA and .176 opposing batting average.
Astros vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-120)
Jack Flaherty has largely been able to avoid blowup starts of late, and even if he does get in trouble, he’ll be able to fall back on a decent Tigers bullpen (3.87 ERA; 12th).
Neither team is hitting the ball particularly well this week, with the Astros batting .236 with a .668 OPS, and the Tigers hitting .240/.712.
Another strong start from Brown keeps this game Under 8.5 runs. Play it to -130.
Chris Faria's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 3-1, +1.23 units
Over/Under bets: 1-3, -2.12 units
Astros vs Tigers weather
Astros vs Tigers odds
Moneyline: Astros -122 | Tigers +117
Run line: Astros -1.5 (+138) | Tigers +1.5 (-144)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+108) | Under 8.5 (-144)
Astros vs Tigers trend
The Tigers have cashed the Under in 55.7% of their games this season, the second-highest rate in MLB. Find more MLB betting trends for Astros vs. Tigers.
How to watch Astros vs Tigers and game info
Location
Comerica Park, Detroit, MI
Date
Sunday, June 28, 2026
First pitch
1:40 p.m. ET
TV
SCHN, DSN
Astros starting pitcher
Hunter Brown (1-0, 1.40 ERA)
Tigers starting pitcher
Casey Mize (2-5, 2.95 ERA)
Astros vs Tigers latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 22: Chris Sale #51 of the Atlanta Braves looks on from the dugout before the game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on June 22, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Even with the recent swamp-like weather conditions going on in metro Atlanta, the Braves will be more than ready to hop on the Delta flight back home after a nightmarish week in California. Kudos to all of you who stayed up late for some terrible baseball.
The Braves will turn to their ace to win the rubber match after Rafael Devers owned Bryce Elder last night. Chris Sale (8-5, 2.14 ERA) keeps defying time and hurling quality innings while keeping the offense within striking distance of each of his last three games. But the lack of run support from this struggling offense continues to plague Sale starts. The lefty has enjoyed a couple days of extra rest as the Braves shuffled their rotation, with Reynaldo López and Elder making the starts for Games 1 and 2 respectively.
Sale will be opposed by Robbie Ray (6-6, 3.70 ERA), who absolutely befuddled the Braves when they saw him last week in the resumption of the rain-suspended series opener. When the game picked back up in the bottom of the second inning, Ray entered and spun 6.1 innings of two-run ball. Outside of a Riley double and Olson single, he walked two and struck out eight. He built off that great performance in his last start against the Athletics with another two-hit performance. He went eight strong innings, with one unearned run, four walks, and six strikeouts on his final line.
The Giants did not see Sale when they were in town last week and only six current players have faced him before. Only one has an average >= .200: Matt Chapman. Willy Adames is 1-for-14 against Sale (but that one is a homer), Luis Arraez is 2-for-13, and the aforementioned Chapman is 3-for-15 with the only other homer.
To take the rubber match, the Braves will need to disrupt Ray’s recent success and momentum. Ozzie leads the team in at-bats against him with twelve and is one of two Braves who have homered off him in his career – Michael Harris II is the other.
I think the Braves players and fans alike will be very grateful to see this road trip (and month of June, honestly) in the rearview mirror. Let’s end things on a high note.
We will not have any Sunday scaries today! We have a ton of value to attack this today, so here are my favorite MLB player props for June 28, led by Bobby Witt Jr. and Shea Langeliers.
Link to “MLB player props” and link to MLB picks page below in text.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Bobby Witt Jr.
Over 1.5 Total Bases
-118
Josh Jung
Over 1.5 Total Bases
+119
Shea Langeliers
Over 1.5 Total Bases
-115
Bobby Witt Jr. Over 1.5 Total Bases (-118)
Despite the disaster that has been the Royals' 2026 season, Bobby Witt Jr. remains the one constant bright spot in Kansas City. This afternoon, he draws White Sox left hander Anthony Kay, a matchup that sets up well for him. Witt Jr. owns excellent arsenal coverage against Kay's pitch mix, which is made up almost entirely of offerings that grade below league average on FanGraphs.
Witt Jr. earns an elite rating today on Batters-Box and has cleared this prop in 56% of his road games over the last three seasons. It is only a 25 game sample, but it is still worth noting. He also records at least one hit in 76% of those games and has gone deep in nearly 30%.
Over his last 60 plate appearances against left handed pitching, Witt Jr. sports a .364 BA, .618 SLG with a 1.035 OPS, while generating a 59% hard hit rate and a 13.7% barrel rate. In his most recent 30 plate appearances against southpaws, he owns an outstanding 92.2% contact rate.
Kay has struggled against right handed hitters at home, allowing a .296 BA, .400 SLG, and .345 wOBA. Even more concerning, the last 30 right handed hitters he has faced have produced an elevation rate of nearly 82%, creating plenty of opportunities for damage.
Yeah, I will happily pay a little extra juice for Mr. Witt Jr. this afternoon.
Text – UPDATE PLAYER NAMES IN THE JUMPLINK TAG
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: CHSN, ROYL
Josh Jung Over 1.5 Total Bases (+119)
Texas Rangers third baseman Josh Jung used to be one of my favorite players to back a few years ago, but he has not looked like the same hitter he was during his rookie season. That said, he has started to lock back in at the plate. Over his last 30 plate appearances against right handed pitching, Jung owns a 75% hard hit rate and a 10% barrel rate, despite hitting just .259. The way I see it, with the quality of contact he is generating, he is due for a big hit.
Jung enters today with an elite rating on Batters-Box. His overall trends are not as flashy as you would like, but as mentioned, he has not played at an elite level over the past two seasons. Even so, he owns strong matchup percent changes in ISO, wOBA, hard contact, and fly ball rate against Toronto Blue Jays right hander Shane Bieber. On top of that, he covers Bieber's arsenal extremely well.
Bieber is coming off a rough 2026 debut, and I am not going to pretend one start tells us much. However, it is worth noting that he struggled against right handed hitters last season, allowing a batting average near .300, a slugging percentage approaching .600, and a wOBA close to .400.
At +119, I think this is a great price on a hitter who feels more than due for a big swing.
Text – UPDATE PLAYER NAMES IN THE JUMPLINK TAG
Time: 1: 37 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Sportsnet, RSN
Shea Langeliers Over 1.5 Total Bases (-115)
Athletics star catcher Shea Langeliers finds himself in a mouthwatering matchup against Los Angeles left hander Sam Aldegheri, who has been tormented by right handed hitters this season. Aldegheri has allowed a ton of hard contact and elevated contact, and the underlying metrics are downright ugly. Over the last 30 right handed hitters he has faced, he has allowed a 72% elevation rate and a 16% barrel rate. Those hitters have produced a .370 xBA, .659 xSLG, and .455 xwOBA during that span.
Langeliers matches up extremely well, owning an OPS of at least .806 against 61% of Aldegheri's pitch mix. Left handed pitching has also been his bread and butter this season, as he owns a .337 BA, .651 SLG with a 1.046 OPS and a 183 wRC+. Over his last 30 plate appearances against lefties, he has generated a 48% hard hit rate and a 13% barrel rate, while posting a .963 SLG and a 1.463 OPS.
At -115, I would not pay much more for this prop despite how much I love the matchup. If you are not in the mood to lay juice today, I also like taking his home run and double props individually.
Text – UPDATE PLAYER NAMES IN THE JUMPLINK TAG
Time: 3:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Peacock
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 246-452, -7.8 units
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
WEST PALM BEACH, FL - MARCH 14: Nehomar Ochoa Jr. #45 of the Houston Astros returns to the dugout during the game between the Washington Nationals and the Houston Astros at Cacti Park at the Palm Beaches on Friday, March 14, 2025 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Trevor Gallagher/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (36-43) won 5-2 (BOX SCORE)
The offense got on the board in the first inning thanks to a Spence 3 run home run, his first in Triple-A. Javier got the start and pitched really well tossing 6 scoreless innings with 4 strikeouts. The offense added 2 more runs in the 6th on a Spence RBI single and Ferreras groundout. The pen allowed a couple of runs but held on for the 5-2 win.
Cristian Javier, RHP: 6.0 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (WIN)
Logan VanWey, RHP: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
Roddery Munoz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
Alimber Santa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (33-40) lost 8-2 (BOX SCORE)
Dombroski got the start for the Hooks and was pitched well but ran into trouble in the 5th and ended up allowing 5 runs over 4.2 innings. Leach allowed another 3 runs as the Hooks found themselves down 8-0. The offense got on the board in the 8th inning on a Sisneros solo home run. They got one more run in the 9th on a Holy bases loaded walk but that was it as the Hooks fell 8-2.
Note: Sisneros has 2 home runs in 5 games for the Hooks.
A+: Asheville Tourists (21-52) won 11-9 (BOX SCORE)
Asheville got on the board in the first inning on an Ochoa 2 run home run. They got 2 more runs in the third on an Ochoa RBI single and Brown RBI double. Asheville scored another in the 4th on a Thomas RBI single. DeVos got the start and went 5 innings allowing 3 runs, 2 earned, while striking out 7. Langford struggled in relief allowing 4 runs as the Drive took the lead. Asheville rallied to tie it in the 9th on a Hernandez 2 run home run. In the 10th, the offense scored 4 runs on on a Batista 2 run home run, Walker solo home run and Brown sac fly. Cuevas allowed a couple of runs in the bottom of the inning but the pen held on for the win.
Michael Cuevas, RHP: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (WIN)
Bryce Collins, RHP: 0.2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (SAVE)
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (37-36) lost 8-3 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning on a Neyens solo home run. They got another run in the third inning on a Ramirez RBI single. Gonzalez got the start and allowed 4 runs over 3.1 innings. Carrera struggled in relief allowing 4 runs as the Shorebirds extended their lead. The offense got one run back in the 8th on a Luciano RBI double but that was it as the Woodpeckers fell 8-3.
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - JUNE 27: Foster Griffin #22 of the Washington Nationals pitches in the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on June 27, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Last night, the Nationals desperately needed to stop the bleeding. After four straight losses, with the first three coming in brutal fashion, we needed a hero to rise from the ashes. That is exactly what we got out of Foster Griffin tonight. The Nats ace dug deep to throw 112 pitches in 7 brilliant innings.
The $5.5 million signing from Japan has turned into one of the Nats best investments in a very long time. Right now, Griffin is on pace to throw 189.2 innings of sub-3 ERA ball. In April, there were times where it felt like Griffin was getting lucky. However, in this stretch, Griffin has just been completely dominant.
Foster Griffin's last 4 starts: 26.1 IP | 1.03 ERA | 0.87 WHIP | 29 K | 4 BB
Season Stats: 98.1 IP 98 K 2.93 ERA | 1.04 WHIP | 8.97 K/9
It is clear just how much manager Blake Butera trusts his lefty right now. Having a pitcher throw 112 pitches in 2026 is out of the ordinary. It takes a combination of trust in the starter and a lack of trust in the bullpen. That perfect storm was certainly taking place here. We saw in the 8th why Blake Butera did not trust his bullpen.
Usually when a pitcher is at 98 pitches through 6 innings, they are done. However, we should not assume that anymore with Griffin. Butera brought him out for one batter in the 8th in his last outing, and had him go up to 112 this time. We need to readjust our pitch count expectations in a way we have not had to since the days of Max Scherzer.
Regardless of how this ends up going — I love sticking with Foster Griffin to start the 7th at 98 pitches.
He’s rolling. He’s been using top starter. Your bullpen has been bad. Give him a shot to keep chugging along.
Like Grant said, I love it. This is a good example of Blake Butera using feel, though I think the numbers probably prefer Griffin over this bullpen right now as well. Butera has plans, but he is willing to change them if a player shows him reason to. We have seen Griffin go much deeper into games and Curtis Mead get more AB’s against right handed pitching.
For a while, Griffin’s ERA was way better than his underlying numbers, which were very mediocre. The ERA is still better, but the advanced metrics are starting to like what they are seeing from Griffin. Right now, Griffin has an ERA of 2.93, which is obviously phenomenal. However, his xERA and xFIP have both gotten below 4, which shows his process is becoming more sustainable.
After last night, Griffin has an xFIP of 3.58 and an xERA of 3.89. As much as I love Griffin, those numbers are probably a better representation of who he is as a pitcher compared to his sub-3 ERA. However, I do think Griffin’s 4.21 FIP is a bit misleading. Sure, he allows the occasional home run ball, but he gets strikeouts, groundouts and does not walk people.
Right now, Griffin is pitching at an All-Star level. The National League is stacked with starting pitchers, so I do not know if he gets in. However, it would be really cool and deserved if he did. Whenever the Nats need a win, Griffin is there for them with a masterful outing. There is a reason that the Nats are 13-4 in games that Griffin starts.
This month, Griffin has been outrageously good. He has an ERA of 1.15 in 31.1 innings across 5 starts. That innings total itself is also very impressive. Griffin is averaging about 6.1 innings per start, which is something only frontline starters do.
Despite not having huge velocity, Griffin has 33 strikeouts in June, which is 9.48 K/9. He also only has 4 walks all month. A 27.5% strikeout rate and a 3.3% walk rate is absolutely elite stuff. It is the kind of rates you see from Tarik Skubal or Paul Skenes, but Foster Griffin is doing it while throwing 91.
Unfortunately, Griffin is unlikely to win NL pitcher of the month due to the existence of Jacob Misiorowski. However, he and Logan Webb are battling it out for the best non-alien pitcher of the month. It is truly remarkable to see Foster Griffin do his thing out there.
After watching Griffin this year, it just makes me curious about whether there are more Foster Griffin types out in Japan. It also makes me wonder if more struggling pitchers at a crossroads will or should go to Japan. Clearly, those three years in Japan made Griffin a master at his craft. He added three new pitches and became a command wizard. Here is the ERA leaderboard in Japan for this year in case you are curious.
Finding guys on one-year deals from Asia could be a good way to extract value. Not only do these pitchers learn a lot over there, they also do not have the same level of scouting on them as guys from the big leagues. It takes a while for hitters to pick up on some pitchers’ changes. Even Erick Fedde had success after revamping his arsenal in Korea and then coming back to the MLB.
Foster Griffin has surpassed even the most optimistic expectations. Now the question is what do the Nats do with him? He is only on a one-year deal and will have value on the trade market. However, I also think the Nats should at least talk to him about an extension. This is the best Nats pitching season since Scherzer.
If Foster Griffin is only a National for half a season, boy will he be remembered fondly. I do not want the trade deadline to be the end of the Foster Griffin experience though. However, for Griffin to be a National past August 3rd, the Nats need to get back into the Wild Card mix or extend him. It has been a while since the Nationals have had a true stopper in the rotation, but Foster Griffin is that guy.
Jun 26, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox shortstop Tsung-Che Cheng (39) hits a double during his Boston Red Sox debut in the fourth inning against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Jaiden Tripi-Imagn Images | Jaiden Tripi-Imagn Images
Who is he and where did he come from?
He’s Tsung-Che Cheng. If you’re asking where Cheng geographically calls home, that would be Pingtung County, Taiwan. Cheng, who turns just 25 next month, hit .333, walked 5 times and stole 4 bases without getting caught in the World Baseball Classic while playing for the Taipei team. He then reported back to Worcester where he got the club’s first cycle since the relocation to Worcester in short order and then proceeded to slash .254/.351/.424 with seven home runs, becoming one of the team’s most consistent hitters.
It’s no secret that the Red Sox’ infield depth is in shambles right now, and so Cheng was given the call with just hours to spare to replace Marcelo Mayer as the infielder headed to the IL for some Red Sox-Yankees baseball at Fenway Park this weekend. Cheng wasted little time, getting his first RBI in his first at-bat, a fielder’s choice, and his first hit in the fourth inning.
Is he any good?
He can be. What’s good about Cheng is he can be so many different things. He’s versatile in the field, playing all those middle infield positions but specializing at shortstop, certainly a position of interest since the Red Sox’s injury list is ever-growing. Cheng wasn’t fortunate in his quest to get an MLB hit in stints with the Pirates and Rays, but that speaks more to the amount of time he spent on the roster. He finds balls with the barrel, ranking in the upper echelons of Triple-A in barrel percentage. If you have seen that meme of the couple holding hands and the boyfriend with his back turned towards another woman, the former is Kristian Campbell, who remains in Triple-A, so he’s at least been better than Campbell, and, in my humble opinion, has more upside. He’s also a threat on the basepaths.
That ball looked like it was about to leave the park for his first Major League hit in 9 plate appearances dating back to last season. It was such a great moment. Makes me amped how facing the Yankees can give us these moments.
This really depends on how serious a number of these infield injuries are. Trevor Story won’t be back any time soon. IKF may not be in any rush either. Romy Gonzalez is due back any day, but Marcelo Mayer may need a bit of time with that bone stress reaction, and the timeline isn’t entirely clear with Nick Sogard’s injury, either. Who knows.
In the meantime, Cheng has made contact in Worcester, and the 2026 Red Sox, for all their shortcomings, have a good track record with bringing guys up who appeared to be locked into Triple-A for the year who went hitless in their first Major League stint (the other being Mickey Gasper). It would appear Cheng is up for long enough to either win an every day role as the team hurls towards a trade deadline where they’ll be selling some roster parts off, and one would think a 25-year-old infielder who’s quick on the basepaths and has a contact tool will be left among the rubble come August.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 27: Manager Craig Stammen #14 of the San Diego Padres takes the ball from Randy Vásquez #98 during a pitching change in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Petco Park on June 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
San Diego Padres Manager Craig Stammen employed an opener in Kyle Hart before bringing in his “starter” Randy Vasquez for bulk innings. The strategy seemed to work – until it didn’t. Vasquez came on in the third inning and pitched three scoreless innings. He started the top of the sixth inning but was removed from the game before the inning ended. Vasquez allowed a leadoff double to Freddy Freeman before getting Mookie Betts to ground out. He then allowed seven runs, five of which were earned, and the Padres lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers 15-3 at Petco Park on Saturday night.
The nightmarish inning for Vasquez unraveled quickly after the groundout from Betts. Max Muncy reached on an error and Freeman scored to break a 1-1 tie, giving the Dodgers a one-run lead. Tommy Edman tripled to score Muncy and make the score, 3-1 and Edman scored when Kyle Tucker hit a two-run home run to give Los Angeles a 5-1 lead. Dalton Rushing followed with a solo home run and then Vasquez issued a walk and a single to Alex Freeland and Shohei Ohtani. Ron Marinaccio came on to pitch for the Padres ending the day for Vasquez and walked the first batter he faced to load the bases. Freeman then grounded out to bring home another run to make the score 7-1, but San Diego had two outs in the inning. Betts returned to the plate with two on and two out and hit a three-run home run to center field to give Los Angeles a 10-1 lead. Muncy mercifully flied out to end the inning, but the damage was not done.
Marinaccio returned to the for the seventh and pitched a scoreless inning but opened the top of the eighth with a single, walk and a single to load the bases an end his night. David Morgan was called on to try to prevent or at least limit the potential damage in the inning and he started well getting Betts to strikeout. With one out and the bases still loaded a ground ball would have gotten the Padres out of the inning, but that was not to be the case. Muncy hit a ground ball to third but Will Wagner, who replaced Manny Machado at third base, was unable to make the throw to first in time, allowing Muncy to reach and extended the Dodgers lead to 11-3 after the San Diego added runs in the sixth and seventh innings. Edman hit an RBI-groundout to make the score, 12-3 but Tucker followed with a two-run single to give Los Angeles a 14-3 lead. Morgan brought the inning to an end with a strikeout of Rushing.
The Dodgers tacked on a run in the top of the ninth inning off Rodolfo Duran was brought in to pitch as a position player. The catcher got the first two outs of the inning before Andy Pages hit a double and scored when the following batter, Ryan Ward, singled to bring him home.
Hart allowed one run on two hits and a walk over two innings pitched, but the one run was a result of a missed diving attempt by Fernando Tatis Jr. on a ball to right field by Muncy which allowed him to reach third base on a triple. Edman followed with a double to center field to score Muncy for the first run of the game. Vasquez allowed seven runs, five earned, on eight hits with a walk over 3.1 innings and Marinaccio allowed five runs, three earned, on three hits with three walks over 1.2 innings. Morgan allowed a run on two hits and Duran allowed a run on two hits. The San Diego offense was led by Gavin Sheets who finished 3-for-4 with a home run, two singles, a run scored and two RBI.
The Padres attempt to have a bounce back performance in the rubber game today at 1:10 p.m.
Ty France was hit on the wrist during an at-bat on Friday night, but it was revealed prior to the game on Saturday that the X-rays were negative. France was out of the lineup, but that appeared to be a precautionary measure.
CLEMSON, SC - MAY 07: Louisville Cardinals outfield JT Benson (13) during a college baseball game between the Louisville Cardinals and the Clemson Tigers on May 7, 2023 at Doug Kingsmore Stadium in Clemson, S.C. (Photo by John Byrum/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Syracuse was leading, then gave up 6 runs in the bottom of the eighth. You can really feel the volume of organizational injuries looking at the Triple-A bullpen and it’s reflected in their performance. The rehabbing Jorge Polanco went hitless in three at bats.
A grand slam from JT Benson capped a 9-run outburst from the Cyclones. That backed a very nice pitching performance, including two perfect rehab innings from Robert Stock. Mitch Voit stole his 26th base of the season but continues to be a middling offensive performer overall.
Jun 27, 2026; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates second baseman Brandon Lowe (5) gestures as he circles the bases on a three-run home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the third inning at PNC Park. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images | Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
After Brandon Lowe hit a three-run homer for the Pittsburgh Pirates in yesterday’s game against the Cincinnati Reds, it gave hime a total of 20 dingers for the 2026 MLB season. That mark stands the highest since 2019, when Josh Bell had 27 homers at the break on his way to a 37-home run campaign.
Lowe also had a sac fly RBI later on in the game, giving him 56 RBIs for the year for the Buccos, and he leads the team in both homers and RBIs. Those marks have Lowe at seventh in the league for homers and ninth in the league for RBIs.
Lowe was the pickup of the year when he came over in December from the Tampa Bay Rays along with Jake Mangum and Mason Montogomery, and with Lowe becoming an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, he should be a priority signing for the Bucs. Lowe is making just $11 million this season, and with a career year under his belt provided he stays healthy and keeps producing in 2026, that salary number is going up. Way up.
As for the last Bucs player to hit that many homers by the break, Josh Bell is currently playing for the Minnesota Twins, where he has 9 homers and 51 RBIs at the moment. Last season, for the Washington Nationals, Bell hit 22 homers and 63 RBIs. So he is still producing years after leaving the Buccos.
So what do you think, Bucs fans? Will the team be able to re-sign Lowe in the offseason? If so, what do you think it will take to get a contract done? If not, where do you think he goes in Free Agency? Tell us in the comments section what direction both Lowe and the Bucs go when we get to the offseason.
David Peterson’s first pitch as a Cub was deposited into the seats at American Family Field for a home run.
You could have been forgiven if you thought, “Here we go again,” after seeing that.
But Peterson settled down and had a solid 5.2 inning, two-run outing and the Cubs rode home runs by Seiya Suzuki and Ian Happ to an 8-2 win over the Brewers, evening up this series with their first win over their diviion rivals this year.
About that home run, from BCB’s JohnW53:
David Peterson is the fourth Cubs pitcher this season to surrender a home run in his first game with the team. His was to the first batter he faced. Tyler Ferguson served up a homer to his second batter; Jacob Webb, to his fourth; and Jayden Murray, to his fifth.
Last year, Michael Soroka was victimized by his seventh batter and Cade Horton by his 16th.
Peterson is the 296th pitcher to give up a homer during his first two games as a Cub. (Baseball-reference no longer permits a search for a one-game span!) Hoby Milner this season and Aaron Civale last year allowed homers in their second game.
The 1-0 Milwaukee lead held for the first three innings, as Kyle Harrison set down the first 10 Cubs in order. During those three innings, Peterson had some help from his defense.
Chourio was faked out by Swanson there. Chourio thought the ball had gone through into center field, but Swanson caught it and easily threw Chourio out at third.
This is exactly what many of us were talking about when we said Peterson would be helped out by the Cubs’ elite defense. Right there are good plays by every one of the Cubs infielders. Let’s just say that Peterson didn’t get that sort of defensive help in New York.
Ian Happ’s home run was his 190th as a Cub, tying him for 11th most in team history with Hack Wilson. Wilson’s came in 850 games. This was Happ’s 1,218th.
Hank Sauer is next, with 198 in 862 games.
Twenty-six Cubs have hit at least 100 homers.
Peterson was removed with two out in the sixth. He allowed just the two runs, didn’t walk anyone and threw an efficient 69 pitches. He probably could have gone longer, but I imagine Craig Counsell didn’t want to push him in his first Cub start.
Tyler Ferguson finished off the sixth without incident and then Jacob Webb, Trent Thornton and Vince Velasquez each threw a scoreless inning to wrap things up. For the first time in a while, I can say the Cubs pen really did its job – 3.1 innings, no hits, no runs, one walk, three strikeouts.
Michael Conforto has hit three pinch-hit home runs since May 4. The last Cub with three pinch-hit homers in a season was Julio Zuleta, with three in 2001, between May 1 and June 5. Conforto’s third was the Cubs’ 127th pinch homer since then.
This was a satisfying win in every way. The Cubs bats came alive against a pretty good pitcher. Their new pitching acquisition threw well. The team played solid defense. Here are Craig Counsell’s postgame comments [VIDEO].
The Cubs will go for a series win Sunday afternoon. They’ll have to do it with a bullpen game. Ryan Rolison will be the opener. Rolison last threw on Wednesday, when he threw 18 pitches in the first game of the doubleheader against the Mets. I suppose he might be able to go two innings and after that… who knows? Brandon Woodruff will start for the Brewers. Game time is 1:10 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
Jun 15, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals third baseman Blaze Jordan (33) celebrates with first baseman Alec Burleson (41) after the Cardinals defeated the San Diego Padres at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The second half of June has not been kind to the St. Louis Cardinals and their postseason standings, but there are still personal bright spots to pick from during these tough times. My player to watch this season Blaze Jordan could no longer be ignored and has been the everyday third baseman upon his promotion, while Alec Burleson continues to cement himself among the league’s top-10 first basemen. How long they remain in those spots, however, remains to be seen.
As the offense continue to be… offensive to our eyes, Burleson has not slumped along with everyone else still putting up an OPS nearing .900 but without the run production thanks to the top of the lineup. That RBI lead over the last seven days actually belongs to Jordan who’s five RBIs top the lineup. This could also be a talking point for the team’s overall struggle since the offense has scored less than four runs per game over the last week. With that production coming from the corner infield, it keeps me wondering what the long-term plan Chaim continues to mention has laid out for those spots.
Blaze Jordan and Alec Burleson are either cornerstones or placeholders for the future
After debuting with a blast, Blaze has slowed down outside of his three RBI game. Over the past week, he is hitting .200 with a .478 OPS but he continues to be slotted into the lower-third of the order. To me, Jordan is an “eye test” player as the numbers do not usually tell the whole story, especially for his defense. Right before his promotion, the word on the street was that he was not viewed as a third baseman, and lo and behold, here he is playing the position with some first sprinkled in.
While the average is nothing to be excited about, he has been able to put the ball in play, only striking out three times in 15 at-bats after concerns about his chase rate popped up. He has also performed well at the hot corner, making the routine plays look routine while also making a couple of plus plays in his short time in the bigs. Jordan has one total error in over 120 defensive innings and the advanced statistics are actually bullish on his performance thus far. With light tower power, the ability to make contact, and decent defense, Blaze could have played his way from organizational depth to a long(er) term big league piece.
Jordan finally got his chance thanks to Nolan Gorman’s inability to hit anything and Gorm is just starting his re-development process down in Memphis. With the Cardinals unlikely to rush Gorman back to the majors and ensuring he gets necessary playing time, Jordan’s leash in St. Louis is extending further. This is not just because of Gorm, though, as there is next to nobody in the minor league system with top prospect pedigree at the hot corner. Not that prospect rankings mean everything, but behind Gorman sits the FanGraphs unranked Ramon Mendoza and Deniel Ortiz seeing time at third base.
This leads me to the conclusion that the future of the position is not currently in the organization, even when looking further down to players like Jesus Baez or Yairo Padilla who have third as a fallback if their primary spots don’t work out. With the timeline back to perennial contention unclear, it is hard to determine if this is a position that Chaim will actively target at this year’s deadline or if he will acquire who is deemed the best prospect available regardless of position.
Moving across the diamond sits the sixth-best first baseman in all of baseball according to fWAR. His 1.9 value sits fourth in the NL despite still measuring as a slightly below-average fielder while passing the eye test with flying colors. Second-oldest on the team behind Lars Nootbaar, Burleson has become a steady presence in the middle of the order and now sits tied for fifth in baseball with 57 RBIs. With an .832 OPS and 2.5 seasons of team control remaining, the conversation should be about who to surround Burly with in the order for the future.
The lefty has continued to improve every season since debuting back in 2022 and is well on pace for his most productive season, coming a year after winning the Silver Slugger award as a utility player. While Burleson does not have the same pop as the typical first baseman, his batting average and doubles total is near the top of the leaderboard, putting his OPS in a spot to be in the conversation for the award as a one position player.
This type of profile, and eventual expiring contract, could make Burleson someone who is on the way out rather than here for the long haul a la Brendan Donovan. Burly’s price could arguably be higher than Donnie’s as he has been a more productive hitter but without the defensive versatility of the former Cardinal. The return from Seattle is nothing to scoff at, but Burleson is two years younger and $2.5 million cheaper than the traded utility man, so an acquiring team would have to give up a lot to convince Chaim Bloom to separate from one of the few “sure things” on the major league roster.
Similar to Jordan’s situation, Burleson has little behind him that could fill his major league spot if a trade were to happen. Blaze has played a couple games at first this season when Burly has been out of the lineup with 30-year-old Bligh Madris taking over for Jordan down in Memphis. Catcher Leonardo Bernal has seen some time at first, but with Jimmy Crooks in the bigs, Bernal has been able to spend more time behind the dish. Springfield has had Deniel Ortiz and Trey Paige split time at first, but High-A one bagger Jack Gurevitch has had the most success this year. The 22-year-old has taken a great step forward in his second season of professional baseball and has found a way to improve both his power and average.
Like Donovan, Burleson might just be the best player on the St. Louis Cardinals at the wrong time. With the team going through another summer struggle, it is continuing the be clear that the best strategy for this season is to sell the valuable pieces, which could expand beyond those on expiring deals. I would personally be surprised if Burleson were to be dangled on the trade block this season, but it is always necessary for team’s to do their due diligence, especially with a piece as potentially valuable as Burleson.
Let me know what you think the Cardinals should do with the corner infield. On Cardinals on My Time this week, Royce Lewis was mentioned as a potential target while trading Burleson was deemed “idiotic”. What do you see Burleson’s future is with the organization and is Blaze more than just a placeholder?
Side note: I looked at Doc’s poll results for what the readers want and MILB content was near the top. I plan to get a minor league update pod recorded within the next week, so if you have certain questions about the minors, drop them below as well.
ATLANTA, GA - JULY 19: Tate Southisene meets Walt Weiss #4 and Tim Hyers #80 of the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on July 19, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr./Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The offensive deluge of the first two months of the baseball calendar has been replaced with a dribble in June. Through May, the Braves were second in home runs, third in batting average, slugging, wRC+ and xwOBA. And they were way out in front. In June, they are 27th in batting average, 28th in slugging, 29th in xwOBA, tied for last in home runs and last in wRC+. A team that was attacking pitches in the heart of the plate are taking many of those now.
On the other hand, the number of injuries is more than you can count on one hand. Ronald Acuña Jr is away until the All-Star Break. Michael Harris II has fought back issues. Sean Murphy has played four games. Drake Baldwin hurt his oblique and hasn’t looked the same since. Eli White visited the concussion list. And Ha-Seong Kim’s season has yet to get off the ground after cutting his hand open during the offseason.
I’ve honestly heard worse ideas than adding a new hitting coach. I think it’s interesting that Mauricio Dubon has a 145 wRC+ in June before last night’s game. We know he spent time with Chipper Jones in the offseason. But I don’t know that you can ignore the injuries either. I’m not convinced that Ha-Seong Kim is fully healthy. He has no power right now and I don’t think it’s fully an approach issue.
Does Tim Hyers need to go? I’ve seen that suggested here and various places. Let’s talk about it then.
TORONTO, ON - JUNE 08: Adolis García #53 of the Philadelphia Phillies celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run during a game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre on June 8, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by Vaughn Ridley/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Just over half way through the season, the Phillies are sitting comfortably in second place in the NL East with a shot at still catching the Braves before the All Star break. It’s maybe not the position anyone expected them to be in before the season started, but considering they began the season 9-19, it’s a wonder they’re still in it at all.
There have already been significant changes to the makeup of the team – most notably Rob Thomson’s firing in April. They’ve gained an unexpected boon in the early return of Zack Wheeler and have recently benefitted a lot from acquiring Derick Hill from the White Sox. But they’ve also lost Adolis Garcia to a season-ending injury, released Taijuan Walker, optioned both Tanner Banks and Andrew Painter, significantly reduced Justin Crawford’s playing time, and had Jhoan Duran, JT Realmuto, and Brad Keller all miss time due to injury.
In the winter, there were three distinct priorities for off-season moves that the Phillies needed to address: Retaining Kyle Schwarber, stabilizing the outfield, and bolstering the pitching staff. In theory, they did all three by re-signing Schwarber, committing to Crawford, and signing Garcia and Keller. But we’re now half way through the season and only one of those actions has so far been fruitful. The outfield is a rotation based on the opposing pitcher, there’s no clear fifth starter, and as mentioned many times in Friday’s discussion the bullpen after Duran is questionable.
And yet… they’re not only in a playoff position, but still reasonably within striking distance of claiming their third consecutive division title.
So, did the Phillies do enough this off season to be contenders? If not, what more should they have done? What more could they reasonably have done?
Some are born to sweet delight/Some are born to endless night. | (Utha Emerging From the Sea, from 'The Book of Urizen' by William Blake, 1794.)
William Blake probably wasn’t a baseball fan. The Romantic poet of mystical prophecy, of beautiful and terrible visions, died in 1827, well before he could write about a magnificent dinger, and probably couldn’t even in his wildest fire-breathing fantasies conceive of Shohei Ohtani (though given that he believed all of the human species was essentially god, would have understood his power).
Regardless though, I was thinking about baseball while leafing through a collection of his the other night, right after the Sox walloped Kansas City, 22-1. A short early poem titled (almost as a placeholder) “Song,” begins like this:
How sweet I roam’d from field to field And tasted all the summer’s pride ‘Till I the prince of love beheld Who in the sunny beams did glide He shew’d me lilies for my hair And blushing roses for my brow; He led me through his gardens fair, Where all his golden pleasures grow
It’s nice, right? It feels like summer. And this summer feels different. It feels like there are possibilities inherent in the season. That games aren’t lost until they are over. And there are games like the 81st game of the season, the halfway point, where the Sox walked off Kansas City, 2-1. Probably closer than you’d like against Kansas City, but what the hell. Some games are easier than others, and a win is a win. It brought the White Sox record to 43-38, near a season high for over .500.
A win is a win. That would not be the case the last couple of years. In 2025, the Sox won Game 81, a 7-3 victory of Arizona. It was the team’s third win over a 14-game streak, and brought the record up to 26-55. The 81st game in 2024 was a respectable 4-3 loss to the Dodgers, during a mild, four-game losing streak. The record after that was 21-60.
So, if my math is correct, after 162 combined games, the 2024-25 Sox had 47 wins.
The 2026 Sox have 43. After 81 games. This is a beautiful and terrible state of affairs.
It’s beautiful to believe. It’s beautiful to have a summer of hope. It’s beautiful to feel confident that the boys are going to pull out a close game, that the crowd will roar, that they’ll run after each other with youthful exuberance, tongues wagging, excited for whomever is the hero of the moment. It feels like baseball. It feels like summer.
So why is it terrible? Well, as the poem goes on — and I’ll do you a favor and skip the third stanza — the prince of love captures the narrator and puts her in a cage.
He loves to laugh and hear me sing Then, laughing, sports and plays with me; Then stretches out my golden wing And mocks my loss of liberty
And, hell, that’s where we are now, isn’t it? The season is halfway over and the Sox are in first place. We’ve gone through 81 games with ups and downs, but as fans we are locked in. It’s impossible to look away. Every game matters.
That’s how baseball traps your summer and moves you into fall. When the season doesn’t matter — when it is over by the end of April — you pay attention, but don’t care. Now each bad move feels like agony. Now each loss resounds far more than anything during a lengthy losing streak. Even though we know we’re playing with house money, and the season is already a success, it doesn’t feel like it.
It feels important. It feels dangerous. It feels nauseating to think about a losing streak. We’re watching the Cleveland scores. We’re worried about Detroit (note: future column using Blake’s “Tyger, Tyger”). Anything short of the playoffs will feel like a letdown, a sentence that would have been ridiculous at the beginning of the season.
Baseball has its claws in us again. It’s a loss of liberty. We’re hooked, heavy as lead.
There will be slumps and streaks; there will be moves we love and moves we hate. There are important bullpen decisions, as David James deftly analyzed on Saturday. There is the minutiae and the sticky everyday of July and August through which we’ll sweat. But that sweat, as uncomfortable as it may be, matters.
We’re halfway home, and the season fireworks with possibilities. Which way will it go? Well, as Blake said in “Auguries of Innocence”:
Every night and every morn Some to misery are born. Every morn and every night Some are born to sweet delight. Some are born to sweet delight, Some are born to endless night.
Sweet delight? Endless night? It could go anywhere. And after 81 games, not knowing how this season will end is far beyond what anyone prophesied.
COVERS INTEL: Hunter 
Bobby Witt Jr.
