Here’s the Guardians’ lineup at the halfway point of the MLB season today, game 81:
Here’s the White Sox lineup:
Let’s go, Guardians!
RAIN DELAY- GUARDIANS AT WHITE SOX: Fedde vs. Bibee, discussion
Opposing Pitchers: Stop Throwing Fastballs to Alec Bohm
I’ve never been a pitcher— unless we count a few Be a Pro save files in various editions of MLB: The Show —, but I have to imagine it’s something of a relief to throw a fastball. You don’t have to torture your arm with some tendon-twisting, movement-generating motion, you don’t have to worry that your offspeed pitch will get sniffed out and given one-way airfare out of the park. You just get to rear back, and throw it as hard as you can. Just like you did when you were first messing around in the backyard.
Pitchers who face the Phillies don’t always have the opportunity to do so. They first have to work their way past Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper, whose faces appear annually on the “WARNING: Do Not Throw These Men a Fastball” list thoughtfully distributed to pitchers league-wide. After that, though, they probably want to toss a bunch of heaters to whoever’s up next. Alec Bohm? He’s got a pretty slow bat. Yes, why not toss him some fastballs? It must be tempting to do so, because he’s seeing a greater percentage of fastballs than any Phillie besides Justin Crawford.
Opposing pitchers reading this, please read the following carefully: do not throw fastballs to Alec Bohm. I know he ranks in the 28th percentile for bat speed. I know he was really bad against fastballs in the first month of the season. He is not bad at hitting them anymore. By telling you this, I have done my due diligence. If you ignore me, I can’t be held responsible.
I really hope they didn’t read that, though. Because I would like pitchers to keep throwing fastballs to Bohm. And so would he, I’d imagine. (All stats prior to Tuesday’s game). His tremendous struggles at the plate in March and April were a result of his dismal performance against fastballs (wOBA of .177) and breaking balls (.191). And so it came as no surprise when he kept seeing a steady diet of the same in May. But as the weather heated up, so did his bat. His performance against both fastballs and breaking balls improved in the fifth month, but much more so for the former: his wOBA against the fastball leapt up to .347, nearly double what it had been. His wOBA against the moving stuff went up from .191 to .260; notable, but comparatively modest. In June, his wOBA against breaking balls dropped, but his performance against fastballs just kept rising: wOBA of .423. And yet, he’s seeing a slightly greater percentage of fastballs in June than he did in May, which in turn was a slightly greater percentage than he saw in April. Hence the warning above.
But how’s Bohm doing it? His BABIP against fastballs just keeps rising: it was a dismal .113 across March and April, more than doubled in May, and now sits at a whopping .395 in June. That only gets us part of the way there, though. What’s behind the change in BABIP? Some luck, surely, both good and bad: he underperformed his expected stats against the fastball in April, and he’s overperforming against them in June. But there’s something real there, too. He’s changed the way he’s attacking against fastballs.
Firstly, he’s swinging at them more. He started out the season with a tremendous reluctance to swing at fastballs: 43% swing rate, the second-lowest in a month across his career. But that changed fast: in May his swing rate against fastballs was 48.9%, and it June it was 52%. And his contact rate has followed the same pattern, having gone from 84.7% in March/April to 92.2% this month. Swinging more isn’t necessarily good, but if you’re pairing it with hitting more of the pitches you swing at, well, that alleviates some of the concerns. And it should be noted that this is fastball-specific—he hasn’t increased his swing rate for breaking pitches to an appreciable degree over the course of the season, and he’s swinging less at offspeed pitches.
He’s not swinging at just any fastballs, though. He’s more selective than that. Here’s his swing rates on fastballs, by month, and by Attack Zone.
| Swing Rate, Attack Zone | March/April | May | June |
|---|---|---|---|
| Heart | 63.6% | 75.4% | 87.9% |
| Shadow | 47.2% | 48.2% | 48.5% |
| Chase | 6.3% | 22.9% | 18.9% |
| Waste | 0% | 0 | 0% |
He’s swinging more at fastballs over the heart of the plate, where he can do the most damage.
And the nature of the hits he’s getting on those fastballs have changed. In March/April, 15.7% of his hits on fastballs were line drives, and 51% are ground balls. In May, the split was 25.5%/41.8%, and in June it’s 32.5%/42.5%. That’ll get you better results.
But opposing pitchers just haven’t taken notice. As mentioned above, they’re throwing him more fastballs now than at the beginning of the season. Maybe they’re not believers in what he’s doing, thinking that he’ll regress to the mean sooner rather than later. Maybe they’re just really itching to throw some fastballs after having to avoid tossing them to Schwarber and Harper. If Bohm keeps this up, eventually pitchers are going to stop throwing him so many heaters. But no rush, enemy hurlers— take your time.
Cubs roster move: Ben Brown to injured list
As if the Cubs didn’t have enough problems, right-hander Ben Brown was placed on the 15-day injured list today with a neck strain. The move is retroactive to Sunday.
Here are all the roster moves made by the Cubs today, per press release from the team:
The Chicago Cubs today selected the contract of right-handed pitcher Vince Velasquez and recalled right-handed pitcher Gavin Hollowell. In corresponding moves, right-handed pitcher Edward Cabrera has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a left hamstring strain, right-handed pitcher Ben Brown has been placed on the 15-day injured list with a neck strain (retroactive to June 21) and right-handed pitcher Eduarniel Nunez was designated for assignment. Additionally, right-handed pitcher Tyler Ferguson was appointed as the 27th man for today’s doubleheader against the New York Mets at Citi Field.
What we know is that Matthew Boyd is going to be activated from the injured list to start Thursday’s game against the Mets in New York.
Brown would have been on target to start Friday against the Brewers in Milwaukee. That start likely now goes to Colin Rea, who last pitched Saturday against the Blue Jays at Wrigley Field.
Beyond that I have no idea what the Cubs will do for starters for the Saturday and Sunday games in Milwaukee. With both Javier Assad and Shōta Imanaga going in the doubleheader today, neither would be available until at least Monday. That means likely another recall, or a bullpen game, or both.
As always, we await developments.
Dodgers look for sweep against Twins
The Los Angeles Dodgers have taken the first two games from the Minnesota Twins, but will face their best starter in Wednesday night’s game.
Joe Ryan was pushed back from Tuesday’s start to give him a few days to rest after an illness. Ryan threw 97 pitches in his last outing, striking out seven and only walking two batters. However, that outing only lasted 5.0 innings. The Dodgers offense beat up on the Twins bullpen on Tuesday night, so the Twins would like to see him go much deeper into the game.
Over his last seven games, Ryan has only allowed 12 earned runs, walked five, while having a 0.96 WHIP. Overall, he has a 2.99 ERA on the season and could be making one of his last home starts for the Twins, as trade deadline rumors swirl around him.
It’s Wednesday, so of course that means its Shohei Ohtani Day on the mound. Ohtani took a pitch off his pitching hand on Tuesday, is still dealing with knee inflammation, and had a blister develop in his last start. Still, manager Dave Roberts said that he is good to go in both his capacities, as he will be hitting as well as pitching Wednesday.
Ohtani sits at a 1.47 ERA, and his last two outings have been a little rough. He had only allowed seven earned runs across his first 10 starts of the season but has allowed seven total over his last two outings.
The Dodgers offense finally erupted on Tuesday night, with each batter having at least one hit, and scoring 12 runs as a unit, as the Dodgers are still missing a bunch of their roster to assorted injuries.
Kyle Tucker will not be in the lineup on Wednesday, giving him more rest with the off day on Thursday and the hope is he will be ready for the Padres series this weekend. Tucker was removed from Monday’s game when Roberts noticed him wincing when he arrived at second base, and he is dealing with lower back pain. He could resume swinging a bat on Wednesday.
Dalton Rushing could return to the backstop on Wednesday, as he told Roberts he was good to go before Tuesday’s game.
Tuesday game info
- Teams: Dodgers at Twins
- Ballpark: Target Field, Minneapolis
- Time: 4:40 p.m. PT
- TV: SportsNet LA
- Radio: AM 570 (English), KTNQ 1020 AM (Spanish)
Braves Minor League Recap: Cody Miller launches his sixth homer in eight games for Augusta
With six games on the docket there was plenty of action to examine on Wednesday, so let’s dive into it all.
(38-37) Gwinnett Stripers 5, (44-32) Nashville Sounds 12
- Jim Jarvis, SS: 2-4, 2 2B, R, BB
- Brett Wisely, 2B: 4-4, 2B, RBI, 2 R, BB
- Drue Hackenburg, SP: 5 IP, 7 H, 3 ER, 2 BB, 7 K
Despite leading this one 4-2 at one point, the Stripers bullpen faltered late as Gwinnett lost by a staggering 12-5 final on Tuesday.
Drue Hackenburg got the start and while he tossed five innings while striking out seven, Nashville tagged the righty for three runs earned on seven hits in the process. Across two starts at the triple-A level, Hackenburg has spun 10.1 innings while five earned runs and striking out 10 batters in the process.
At the plate, Jim Jarvis led the charge with a pair of doubles and a run scored and a walk to his credit. With his pair of doubles on Tuesday, Jarvis has tallied at least two hits in seven of his previous 11 contests.
Meanwhile the biggest swing of the night for Gwinnett came in the fifth inning as Brett Wisely — who went 4-4 on the night with a double — singled up the middle to plate a run.
Unfortunately, Nashville tagged the Stripers’ bullpen for five runs in the eighth inning to extend their lead to 12-5, which proved to be more than enough to keep Gwinnett at bay and secure the win.
(29-36) Columbus Clingstones 1, (36-33) Rocket City Trash Pandas 4
- J0rdan Groshans, 3B: 1-3, 2B, RBI, BB
- Luke Waddell, SS: 1-4, R
- Herick Hernandez, SP: 4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER, 5 BB, 4 K
It was a rough go of it for Columbus on Tuesday, as the Clingstones didn’t get much production on the mound or at the plate in their 4-1 loss to Rocket City to move to seven games under .500 on the season, thus far.
Herick Hernandez got the start and got roughed up in what was a rare occurrence for the lefty. Across four innings of work, Hernandez was tagged with four earned runs on six hits and five walks in the process in his roughest start at the double-A level this season. Hopefully it’s just a blip on the radar for a guy who has been a welcomed surprise among Atlanta’s arms in the minors through the first few months.
At the plate, Hernandez didn’t exactly get a ton of support as the Clingstones were held to just one run on four hits on the night — with Jordan Groshans, who also tallied the lone RBI for Columbis and the only extra base hit — were limited to just one run in the process.
Groshans RBI in the bottom of the fourth was the only meaningful offense in this one as Columbus was held scoresless for the next five at-bats in the loss.
(35-33) Rome Emperors 14, (43-37) Greensboro Grasshoppers 5
- Dixon Williams, DH: 2-3, HR, 4 RBI, 3 R, BB
- Eric Hartman, CF: 2-5, 2 RBI, R
- John Gil, 2B: 2-4, 2 RBI, R, BB
- Owen Carey, RF: 2-4, 2 RBI, 2 R, BB
- Cam Caminiti, SP: 4.1 IP, 3 H, 3 ER, 3 BB, 6 K
While Gwinnett and Columbus combined for just six runs, Rome’s offense came out in stellar fashion on Wednesday as the Emperors plate 14 runs on just 10 hits to take the dominant win.
Before we get to the offensive performances, let’s take a look at Cam Caminiti who got the start in this one.
Across 4.1 innings of work, the lefty scattered three runs on three hits and walking three batters. However, he also struck out six across that same span. So far at high-A this year, Caminiti has not exactly been stellar. He has shown the ability to get outs when put into a pinch, but he hasn’t been that dominant either. Hopefully he finds more of his elite stuff that made him a first-round selection in the near future.
At the plate, four Emperors registered at least two hits on the night with Dixon Williams leading the way — more on him late.
Eric Hartman totaled a pair of RBI on the night, as did John Gil who also doubled on Wednesday as well. Owen Carey also had an underrated night as he drove in a pair of runs and scored twice in the process as well for Rome.
The bigges offensive blow of the night — which ultimately sealed the deal in this one — came off the bat of Williams, who took a 1-0 fastball down and in and pulled it over the right field wall for a grand slam in the bottom of the eighth, putting the Emperors up 14-5, which was more than enough to seal the deal.
(38-32) Augusta GreenJackets 2, (40-30) Charleston RiverDogs 9
- Cody Miller, 2B: 1-3, HR, RBI, R, BB
- Luis Guanipa, CF: 2-4, RBI, BB
- Alex Lodise, SS: 1-5, 2B
- Cooper McMurray, 1B: 3-3, 2B, BB
- Carter Holton, SP: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 3 K
Augusta just didn’t have it on Wednesday as the GreenJackets fell by a 9-2 final on the night.
Carter Holton made his third start of the season for Augusta and things went from bad to worse for the lefty. In his second start on June 16, the lefty gave up five earned runs on just four innings pitched in what was hoped to be just a fluke after returning for a rehab stint.
However, Holton followed that outing up with a 4.2 inning performance of six earned runs allowed on eight hits on Wednesday. Hopefully he just needs a bit more time to tune back up following his injury, but it’s not a great sign for the 2024 second round pick.
While they only scored two runs on Wednesday, there were a handful of significant offensive performances from the GreenJackets in the loss.
Luis Guanipa went 2-4 with an RBI and a walk, while Cooper McMurray went 3-3 with a double and a walk to his credit as well.
However, the largest swing of this one for Augusta came courtesy of Cody Miller who launched his sixth homer in eight games for the GreenJackets. With the offensive output, Miller raised his season OPS to .868 on the year for Atlanta’s low-A squad thus far.
(11-27) FCL Braves 7, (20-17) FCL Twins 8
- Diego Tornes, CF: 2-5, 2B, RBI
- Juan Elejandro, 2B: 2-4, 2B, 3 RBI
- Johan Rodriguez, 1B: 2-4, RBI, BB
- Victor Duarte, SP: 3.1 IP, 5 H, 2 BB, 7 K
Victor Duarte somehow spun a decent start in this one.
Despite giving up five runs and two walks in 3.1 innings, Duarte managed to strikeout seven batters in the process for the FCL squad.
At the plate, Diego Tornes went 2-5 with a double and an RBI, while second baseman Juan Elejandro also doubled but drove in three RBI to his credit as well.
The other significant offensice performance came from first baseman Johan Rodriguez who walked and drove in a run in the process as well.
(4-13) DSL Braves 15, (7-10) DSL LAD Bautista 2
- Sherrintley Da Costa Gomez, LF: 2-3, 3 RBI, 2 R, 2 BB
- Jose Manon, 3B: 3-5, 2B, RBI, 4 R, BB
- Starlyn De La Cruz, CF: 2-2, RBI, R
- Edelson Cabral, SS: 2-4, 3B, 3 RBI, 2 BB
- Martires Polanco, SP: 3 IP, 3 H, ER, 5 BB, 4 K
The DSL Braves notched just their fourth win of the season on Wednesday by routing the Los Angeles Dodgers Bautista squad by a 15-2 final.
Starter Martires Polanco gave the team a fighting chance despite giving up five walks in three innings pitched. He also gave up three hits but struck out four as well.
At the plate, Sherrintley Da Costa Gomez continued to impress with his approach as he went 2-3 with three RBI and a pair of runs scored and a pair of walks as well to his credit. With Wednesday’s outing, Da Costa Gomez raised his OPS to 1.191 which leads the entire DSL sqad.
Top international signee Jose Manon tallied three hits in the process while scoring four times in the process as well.
All in all it was an incredibly successful offensive performance from the DSL hitters in this one as the squad registered just their fourth win of the season to this point.
Today in White Sox History: June 24
1914
In a telegram discovered in 2012, White Sox owner Charles Comiskey told scout George Mills that the asking price for pitcher Babe Ruth was too high at $16,000.
At the time, Ruth was playing for the minor league Baltimore Orioles. Comiskey had sent Mills to scout the best Orioles players on June 9. Mills gave Comiskey a list of six players he thought were the best, with Ruth among them. He later revealed that Jack Dunn, the Orioles owner, said Ruth could be had himself for $16,000 cash. In the telegram, Comiskey replied, “Do not need pitchers bad enough to go that high price.”
The White Sox thus joined the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia A’s in turning down chances to get Ruth, who was eventually was sold to the Red Sox. Comiskey later would try to get Ruth before the start of the 1920 season, offering Joe Jackson and cash to Boston —to no avail, as the Red Sox sold Ruth to the Yankees.
1915
The White Sox outlasted Cleveland, 5-4, in 19 innings. Red Faber pitched 11 innings of three-hit, shutout ball — IN RELIEF — to earn the win. The White Sox took the lead with two outs in the top of the 19th, as Buck Weaver singled and Eddie Collins doubled him home.
After going down, 2-0, in the first and trailing all game, the White Sox had struck for three in the eighth and then invited this extra-innings odyssey when Guy Morton walked Happy Felsch with two outs in the ninth, forcing the tying run home.
This game tied with 19-inning affairs in 1951 and 2006 for fifth-longest in White Sox history. The White Sox have won all three 19-inning games they’ve played, and this was the only such game that didn’t come against the Boston Red Sox.
1956
It was probably the biggest White Sox weekend of the 1950s.
Two days earlier the White Sox had started what was an unheard-of four-game sweep of the Yankees, winning on Friday, 5-4, in 12 innings. On Saturday, the Sox shut out the Bombers, 2-0. Then on Sunday, before almost 48,000 fans, the Sox took a pair, closing to within one game of first place.
Larry Doby would hit a pair of three-run shots in the twin bill, helping to account for the 14-2 and 6-3 wins. He went 5-for-7 with six runs and six RBIs.
Fans by the hundreds poured on to the field during the second game, simply to get the chance to shake players’ hands and run around the outfield. Chicago Mayor Richard J. Daley came out and said that the Sox would be in the World Series that fall. Of course, they weren’t … but the White Sox did finish the season at 85-69, good for third place.
1963
Going 2-for-2, including a solo home run that tied a game the White Sox would end up winning, 5-2, rookie Pete Ward extended his hitting streak to 18 games. It would end up being the longest hitting streak in the American League that season.
Ward kept his string going in front of a packed crowd of 42,748 at Comiskey Park watching the second-place Sox try to catch the AL-leading Yankees. With another win the next game, on June 25, the White Sox did just that in spite of Ward going 0-for-3.
During the streak (from June 7-24, hitting .382), Ward raised his batting average from .277 to .303, as the White Sox won 11 of 18. At the time, the rookie’s hitting streak was tied for the 22nd-longest in team history, and today it still ranks in a tied for 36th.
1969
In the second game of a doubleheader in Seattle, White Sox third baseman Bill Melton slugged three consecutive home runs (in the second, fourth and sixth innings) in a 7-6 win. All were solo blasts. Ed Herrmann’s home run in the top of the ninth was the deciding factor. As a club, the White Sox hit five homers in the game.
The Sox took the first game as well, winning 6-4, with relief pitcher Wilbur Wood picking up wins in both games. Wood allowed only two hits in 5 2⁄3 innings of work between the two games.
Amazingly, this marked the second game (in less than three months) in which the White Sox hit five homers at Seattle’s Sick Stadium, in the only year it was used as a major-league ballpark.
1972
Behind the inspired play of Dick Allen, Wilbur Wood, Stan Bahnsen, Rich Gossage, Terry Forster and Carlos May, the Sox were in the middle of a pennant chase when the bizarre injury curse struck again.
During the previous offseason third baseman Bill Melton had fallen off of a ladder, damaging his back. The defending American League home run champion had been playing in pain ever since, and on this day was put on the injured list and lost for the rest of the year when it was discovered he had a herniated disk. For the season, he only played in 57 games with seven home runs and 30 RBIs.
The reason he was on the ladder? Somehow his young son got up on the garage roof!
The Sox would finish 5 1⁄2 games behind the Oakland A’s, with a record of 87-67.
1973
It almost tied a club record: In the second game of a doubleheader at Comiskey Park, White Sox catcher Ed Herrmann drove in seven runs in a 11-1 win over the A’s. Herrmann went 3-for-4 with a three-run home run, two-run double and two-run single.
1977
It was an embarrassing moment for White Sox outfielder Ralph Garr and, as it turned out, a costly one for the team. In the third inning of a game in Minnesota, Garr hit what appeared to be a three-run home run. However, as he was running the bases, he passed catcher Jim Essian, who waited at first base to make sure the ball was in fact a home run. Garr was watching the ball, and got called out for passing the runner and awarded a two-run single.
The Sox wound up losing the game, 7-6.
1990
In another example of the upstart White Sox not going away any time soon, Dan Pasqua blasted a 10th-inning homer in Oakland off of A’s ace (and chief Chicago agitator) Dave Stewart. The win improved the White Sox to 41-25 and within one game of Oakland in the AL West.
After Bobby Thigpen blew a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the ninth on a Dave Henderson homer with two outs and two strikes to send the game to extras, Pasqua led off the 10th with his blast, going the other way and deep to left field. Stewart would end up going the distance in taking the loss by throwing all 10 innings and using 134 pitches, in case you thought former White Sox skipper Tony La Russa wasn’t taking his former team seriously.
Melido Perez was even more brilliant than Stewart in the game, outpacing him with a 79 game score and eight scoreless innings. The win was a fourth of eight straight for the White Sox, and also completed a full sweep of two West Coast series (needs to be confirmed, but this could be the only full sweep of two or more West Coast series in White Sox history).
1991
Holding a 2-1 lead over Seattle in the eighth inning, the White Sox iced the game with a grand slam from Frank Thomas — the first of 11 he would hit in his career. Thomas added a double in the game, going 2-for-4 with five RBIs.
The White Sox had been lingering around .500 for about a month despite a strong start to the season and expected division title-contention in 1991. This win got the White Sox back on a roll, although they ended the season in second place and at a disappointing 87-75, eight games out.
2017
It was Mark Buehrle Day at Guaranteed Rate Field, as the White Sox honored the lefthander by retiring his No. 56.
Buehrle played 12 seasons with the Sox, winning 161 games including a perfect game against Tampa and a no-hitter against Texas. He also won two postseason games and saved another. He was a three-time All-Star, who won the 2005 contest.
Buehrlealso was a model of consistency, with 11 straight years with the White Sox winning in double figures, starting 30 or more games and throwing at least 200 innings.
In the July 2025 during ceremonies for the 2005 World Series anniversary, a statue of Buehrle to cement him as an all-time team legend would be revealed.
In the game played on that day, three Oakland A’s hit their first career home runs (Franklin Barreto, Matt Olson, Jacob Brugman) — the first time that had happened in MLB since 1914.
MLB trade deadline rumors start with Tarik Skubal intrigue
With 41 days remaining until Major League Baseball’s Aug. 3 trade deadline, the market will remain remarkably fluid, with teams dipping in and out of contention, injuries creating unforeseen needs and player performance greatly affecting market value.
The big prize? There might be no big prize, so long as the Detroit Tigers remain sentient and free-agent-to-be Tarik Skubal remains in Motown. The Tigers crawled within 10 games of the .500 mark this week, making it more than conceivable they’ll be at least treading water come deadline time.
USA TODAY Sports will keep track of the latest rumblings in the market all the way until the buzzer sounds Aug. 3:
Sonny Gray might be best starter available
The starting pitcher pool may be getting a significant upgrade. Boston Red Sox right-hander Sonny Gray confirmed to the Boston Globe that he would be "open to a conversation" if the club approached him to waive his no-trade clause.
It only makes sense: The Red Sox are floundering at 32-45 and Gray is in the final year of his contract, though he does have a 2027 player option. And he’s pitching exceptionally well: He’s 9-1 with a 2.95 ERA and just threw seven innings of one-run ball at Coors Field.
A significant question is whether Boston would be willing to dangle Gray immediately, which could enhance their return in allowing the trading team to enjoy his services an extra six weeks before the deadline.
Trade partners to be in short supply
Clarity will be hard to come by on this market.
Because so many teams are near contention, defining buyers and sellers will remain difficult right up until the deadline. A high-ranking baseball official for a contending team told USA TODAY Sports that teams are currently assessing their place in the market, and the tightly-bunched standings remain the biggest impediment to trade action.
Giants aren’t a teardown
While his accountability session with reporters was largely viewed as a debacle, Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey did set a few parameters for what’s expected to be a significant selloff by the Bay.
Most notably: Logan Webb will not be traded.
Webb has been fantastic of late, completing at least seven innings in four consecutive starts, and he’s signed on a reasonable deal through 2028. But Posey says he won’t be dealing Webb, indicating the Giants aren’t stripping the house down to the studs.
So, good luck with everything else: Rafael Devers is still owed more than $200 million, Posey granted California native Matt Chapman a full no-trade clause and Willy Adames remains below league average at the plate with $140 million due from 2027-31.
So, just how much can a singles hitter like Luis Arraez fetch?
The better news: Robbie Ray made his case as the best lefty available on the market with eight innings and no earned runs given up against the Athletics, lowering his ERA to a fathomable 3.70.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: MLB trade deadline rumors as buyers and sellers remain unclear
Mets vs Cubs Game 1, 6/24/26: McLean vs Assad
Mets lineup
Carson Benge – RF
A.J. Ewing – CF
Bo Bichette – SS
Jared Young – 1B
Francisco Alvarez – DH
Brett Baty – 3B
Marcus Semien – 2B
MJ Melendez – LF
Luis Torrens – C
SP: Nolan McLean – RHP
Cubs lineup
Pete Crow-Armstrong – CF
Michael Conforto – RF
Michael Busch – 1B
Seiya Suzuki – DH
Ian Happ – LF
Nico Hoerner – 2B
Pedro Ramirez – 3B
Miguel Amaya – C
Dansby Swanson – SS
SP: Javier Assad – RHP
Broadcast info
First pitch: 1:10 PM EDT
TV: SNY
Radio: Audacy Mets Radio WHSQ 880AM, Audacy App, 92.3 HD2
Braves vs Padres Prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for June 24
For the second straight game, Manny Machado hit a walk off game-winner for the Padres (41-37) to beat the Braves (48-30). San Diego won 7-6 in the 10th inning behind Machado's effort.
San Diego will go for the sweep at home and attempt to build on its 3-1 record over the last four games. The Padres offense has struggled in June with a .224 batting average (26th) and the fourth-fewest home runs (20). Luckily, the pitching staff has been superb with a 3.73 ERA (3rd) and converted all four save opportunities.
Atlanta has lost three straight games, six of the past eight, and nine of the last 12. The Braves are in their worst stretch of the season and three consecutive losses is tied for a season-high. Atlanta is hitting .225 (25th) in the month of June with the second-fewest home runs (18) and fewest walks (43).
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Braves at Padres
- Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026
- Time: 8:40 PM EST
- Site: Petco Park
- City: San Diego, CA
- Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Braves at the Padres
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
- Moneyline: Atlanta Braves (-120), San Diego Padres (+100)
- Spread: Padres +1.5 (-166), Braves -1.5 (+137)
- Total: 8.0
Probable starting pitchers for Braves at Padres
- Wednesday's pitching matchup (June 24): JP Sears vs. Martin Perez
- Padres: JP Sears
2026 stats: making season debut
- Braves: Martin Perez
2026 Stats: 68.0 IP, 6-3, 2.78 ERA, 1.07 WHIP, 56 Ks, 23 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not
- The Braves’ Michael Harris II is hitting .310 with 81 hits, 14 home runs and 42 RBI over 261 at-bats
- The Braves’ Austin Riley is hitting .216 with 61 hits and 92 strikeouts over 283 at-bats
- The Padres’ Fernando Tatis Jr. is hitting .286 with 85 hits, 3 home runs, and 28 RBI over 297 at-bats
- The Padres’ Jackson Merrill is hitting .215 with 62 hits and 77 strikeouts over 289 at-bats
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Braves at Padres
- Atlanta is 43-35 ATS, ranking tied for seventh-best
- San Diego is 43-35 ATS, ranking tied for seventh-best
- Atlanta is 38-34-6 to the Over, ranking 10th-best
- San Diego is 43-34-1 to the Under, ranking second-best
- Atlanta is 24-16 ATS on the road, ranking fourth-best
- San Diego is 22-18 ATS at home, ranking 10th-best
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Braves and the Padres
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday's game between the Braves and the Padres:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Braves on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Braves at -1.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Over on the Game Total of 8.0
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
MLB Player Props & Best Bets for Today, June 24
Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.
Will the trends be our friend this evening?
We have a ton of value to attack this evening, so here are my favorite MLB player props for June 24, led by Ketel Marte and Nick Kurtz.
Best MLB player props today
| Player | Pick | Odds |
|---|---|---|
 Ketel Marte | Over 1.5 total bases | -126 |
 Nick Kurtz | Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI | -123 |
 Brice Turang | Over 1.5 total bases | +106 |
Ketel Marte Over 1.5 total bases (-126)
Mr. Ketel Marte was the first bet I locked in this morning. The Arizona Diamondbacks second baseman has been seeing the ball extremely well over his last 60 plate appearances against southpaws, posting a .680 SLG and 1.047 OPS while generating 65% hard hit and a 13% barrel rate.
He also brings a 70% arsenal coverage edge against St. Louis Cardinals left-hander Matthew Liberatore, whose pitch mix grades out 85% below league average.
Liberatore has also been getting tagged by right-handed hitters, with the last 60 he has faced producing a 49% hard hit rate, an 18.6% barrel rate, and a 62.8% elevation rate. Those hitters are sitting at a .357 xBA, a .671 xSLG, and a .427 xwOBA in that span.
When Marte owns an elite rating on Batters-Box, he clears this prop 53.38% of the time across a 133-game sample. I would not want to pay anything above this current number; shop around and look for a boost.
- Time: 7:45 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: CARD, ARID
Nick Kurtz Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-123)
Get ready to drool all over yourself as I lay out some delicious numbers on the Athletics' young star Nick Kurtz.
He checks in with an elite rating on Batters-Box, including 100% arsenal coverage against San Francisco starter Tyler Mahle. In 48 elite road ratings, Kurtz clears this prop nearly 71% of the time, while also leaving the yard 25% of the time in those spots.
Mahle leans heavily on his fastball at nearly 50% usage, a profile that should have hitters salivating. Even more concerning, roughly half of his pitch mix grades below league average.
Left-handed hitters have also given him issues of late, with the last 60 he has faced elevating the ball 60% of the time while posting a .505 expected slugging.
Kurtz has been on a tear all season, and over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, he is sitting at a .346 average, .615 slug, 1.048 OPS, with a 53.3% hard-hit rate and a 13.3% barrel rate.
Get the best number and do not lay anything past -130 on this prop.
- Time: 9:45 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: NBCSBA, NBCSCA
Brice Turang Over 1.5 total bases (+106)
I may just be fading future country singer Rhett Lowder to kickstart that career, or this may just be the right spot to back Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang to go over his bases prop this evening in the small park.
The Cincinnati Reds' starter has been allowing a 60% elevation rate to lefties at home. Over his last 60 left-handed hitters faced, he has allowed a 40% hard hit rate, 15% barrel rate, and 65% elevation rate, while also carrying a .311 xBA, .627 xSLG, and .397 xwOBA in that split.
Turang enters with an elite rating in Batters-Box’s current season dataset, and he also brings 86.2% arsenal coverage against Lowder’s pitch mix, which sits 46% below league average, per FanGraphs.
The 26-year-old has shown strong percentage gains across key underlying metrics in this current stretch, which only sharpens the appeal of this matchup.
Take this down to even money, no need to pay any juice.
- Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
- Where to watch: BREW, CINR
Colby Marchio's 2026 Transparency Record
- Prop picks: 236-436-36, -7.5 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.
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.
Jonathan Pintaro recalled as 27th man for doubleheader
The Mets recalled Jonathan Pintaro to be the 27th man on their roster ahead of Wednesday’s doubleheader against the Cubs at Citi Field.
The right-hander has now been promoted to the majors four times in the past five weeks, but he’s only appeared in four games this season, posting a 2.61 ERA in 10.1 innings pitched with nine strikeouts and one walk. His most recent outing came on June 15, when he ate 3.2 innings of the Mets’ 12-0 blowout loss in Cincinnati before being optioned the following day. Prior to that appearance, Pintaro had allowed just one hit in 6.2 innings of work.
According to the 27th-man doubleheader rule, Pintaro will be optioned following Wednesday night’s game. Typically, a pitcher can’t be recalled for 15 days after being optioned, but that 15-day window doesn’t apply in this case – so Pintaro could still be eligible to return to the major league roster at any point in the coming weeks.
Pintaro last pitched in Syracuse on Saturday, so he should be able to provide multiple innings for a Mets bullpen forced to cover 5.1 innings in Tuesday night’s loss. Nolan McLean will start Game 1 at 1:10 p.m. ET, while Sean Manaea will start Game 2 at 7:10 p.m. ET.
Francisco Lindor to be activated
Francisco Lindor will be activate for Game 2 of today’s doubleheader against the Cubs, per Steve Gelbs. The team has been insistent that Lindor would be back in major league action this month and it seems that time table has come to fruition.
Lindor has been out since April 22nd with a calf strain of unspecified severity (with Lindor oddly claiming he’d prefer not to know the grade). He first got into rehab games last Friday (6/19) and went a cumulative 3-for-13 with three singles, a walk, a strikeout, and one steal. That was apparently all Lindor felt he needed to get ready for major league action, though the lingering concern will of course be his tendency to push to play when not at 100%.
At 34-44 and in the midst of a 4-game losing streak, Lindor’s return is quite possible the Mets’ last, best hope to salvage their 2026 season. Despite being 10 games under .500, the Mets are somehow only 7 games back of a wild card spot, though there are six teams between them and the Cubs in the 3rd wild card spot. Replacing Zack Short and some of Brett Baty’s playing time with Lindor will certainly help, though Lindor was batting only .226/.314/.355 (93 wRC+) at the time of his injury and showing some troubling markers of decline. Hopefully he can stave off father time a bit longer and help propel the Mets on a little run heading into the All Star break.
Cubs manager Craig Counsell perplexed by rainout and irked by ‘terrible rule’
NEW YORK — After his team got rained out two days in a row, Chicago Cubs manager Craig Counsell sounded a little miffed about the second one.
Hours later, he was criticizing a major league rule that led to his ejection following an unusual play.
Chicago’s series opener against the Mets in New York was postponed because of poor weather and rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader at Citi Field.
Counsell and the Cubs also got washed out back home at Wrigley Field when they were supposed to wrap up a series against the Toronto Blue Jays. That game will be made up Aug. 6.
“Look, consecutive rainouts are, they’re troublesome for pitching, for sure. And frankly, yesterday’s game did not need to be rained out. It didn’t rain, and for some reason we didn’t play,” Counsell said in the dugout, with a tarp covering the infield on another drizzly day in Queens.
There were a couple of heavy thunderstorms around Citi Field in the late afternoon and after 11 p.m. It was a wet day throughout with light showers and mist — but the rain mostly stopped between about 7 p.m. and 10:30 p.m.
First pitch had been scheduled for 7:10 p.m., but the game was called approximately 40 minutes before that. In their news release, the Mets announced the game was “postponed due to weather.”
It was the first time the Cubs had back-to-back games postponed because of weather since April 2018 — and the first time in different cities since early October 1986.
Counsell was asked if he sought any sort of explanation.
“Major League Baseball tells you the game’s canceled, and that’s it. Especially on the road. That’s all you get,” he said.
Shota Imanaga had been scheduled to start for Chicago against Japanese countryman Kodai Senga, but with all the uncertainty during the evening about whether the game would be played, the Cubs ended up having Imanaga throw a bullpen and pushed his turn back.
“Just to give him a chance to touch the mound and be a little more in routine,” Counsell said.
Edward Cabrera started against Senga in the opener of a four-game series, which began following an 11-minute rain delay. Cabrera hurt his left leg in a 9-6 victory and is headed to the injured list.
“You stack a doubleheader, which affects — you’re not going to have enough starters available, so we’re either going to end up with a bullpen game or we’re going to call up (someone) later in the week,” Counsell said before the game.
Getting heated
In the seventh inning, Michael Busch drew a one-out walk for the Cubs that appeared to advance Pete Crow-Armstrong from first base to second.
Crow-Armstrong was running on the full-count pitch, however, and slid headfirst into second as Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez threw down. New York manager Carlos Mendoza challenged the play, and a replay review determined Crow-Armstrong was tagged out when he lost contact with second base at one point.
So even though Busch walked, his teammate was out at second.
“No comment. Pretty confusing stuff,” said Crow-Armstrong, who was ushered away from umpires when he attempted to argue.
Counsell got an explanation from the umps about what Mendoza was challenging. But when the call was overturned, Counsell came back onto the field and argued, waving his hand dismissively.
That’s when he got ejected.
“Umpires interpret rules correctly. They don’t get that stuff wrong,” Counsell said. “It’s a bad rule. It’s a terrible rule. I mean, I don’t know what else to say. Like, not a good rule.”
New arm in the ‘pen
Jayden Murray reported to the Cubs and was added to their bullpen after the right-hander was acquired from the Houston Astros in a trade for minor league first baseman Cameron Sisneros.
“This is a guy that’s had a lot of success in the minor leagues. He’s pitched really well in the minor leagues. In the big leagues, he’s gotten just a limited opportunity,” Counsell said. “We’ve got options, obviously, so there’s going to be some flexibility, but we like his performance right now in the minor leagues and think he’s ready to pitch big league innings.”
Murray made his Cubs debut in the ninth and gave up three runs, including Bo Bichette’s homer, before getting the final out.
To open a roster spot, Chicago optioned right-hander Gavin Hollowell to Triple-A Iowa.
Mets moving Kodai Senga to bullpen following string of disastrous starts
The morning after Kodai Senga's latest nightmare outing, when he allowed seven runs on three hits (including two homers) while walking five in 3.2 innings against the Cubs, the right-hander was moved to the Mets' bullpen.
Senga, who is meticulous about his routines and has never pitched in the bullpen during the regular season, will now be asked to adapt to a new role amid a season where he has a 10.08 ERA and 1.91 WHIP and has walked 7.2 batters per nine innings.
"Just like some of the other guys, he could be pitching multi innings," manager Carlos Mendoza said about Senga's potential usage in relief. "He could be pitching high-leverage situations if we need him to. The game will dictate. We saw what he's capable of doing -- we've seen flashes of it.
"You see that first inning yesterday, he comes out throwing 98, 99, just throwing that fastball by people. I think it's just keeping it simple out of that role. We told him: you pitch an inning, you gotta be ready to go the next day. I know there's gonna be an adjustment here. We'll take care of him, obviously. But he's one of those guys now in the bullpen."
It has been disaster after disaster for Senga after he began the season with strong starts on March 31 and April 5.
In five starts since then, with a lengthy injury and minor league rehab assignment in between the first three and the last two, Senga has a 15.19 ERA (11.73 FIP) in 16.0 innings while allowing 22 hits (including nine homers) and walking 17 batters.
Senga has had repeated injury issues since his terrific rookie season in 2023, and his struggles this year are a continuation of his late-season performance in 2025 -- when he had a 6.56 ERA in 8 starts from July 11 through Aug. 31.
He accepted a minor league assignment last September, but could not get to a place where he was comfortable returning to the majors.
Senga now joins a bullpen that includes late-inning options Devin Williams, Luke Weaver, Huascar Brazoban, Brooks Raley, and A.J. Minter, as well as Austin Warren, Cionel Perez, and Tobias Myers.
Senga's only big league relief appearance came during the 2024 NLCS against the Dodgers, when he was being eased back in after a lengthy injury.
As far as Senga's long-term future in New York, it's unclear.
Through an interpreter, Senga told Will Sammon of The Athletic on Wednesday that it's his preference to not go to the minors. That complicates things, since the Mets need his consent in order to option him.
He has one guaranteed year left on the contract he signed before the 2023 season, and is owed $15 million in 2027. There is a conditional club option for 2028 that will be available to the Mets if Senga has Tommy John surgery or a right elbow injury that keeps him on the IL for 130 or more days.
Phillies vs Nationals Prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for June 24
The Phillies had an eight-run outburst in the top of the ninth inning to pull ahead and beat the Nationals, 14-9. The series is split one apiece as Aaron Nola and Miles Mikolas highlight the series finale.
Philadelphia recorded 17 hits yesterday and scored 14 runs with 12 strikeouts to three walks. The Phillies offense now has scored 36 runs in the last four games and rank top five in batting average, OBP, OPS, and SLG in that span. The Phillies are up 3-2 versus Washington on the season.
Washington is now 2-4 in the last six games and scored four or fewer runs in five straight until last night. The Nationals pitching staff is struggling recently as they attempt to stay above .500 for the season. Washington owns a 5.65 ERA (25th) over the past week and a 4.91 ERA (23rd) in June. The Nationals are back to even on the month with a 10-10 record after blowing the lead yesterday.
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Phillies at Nationals
- Date: Wednesday, June 24, 2026
- Time: 6:45 PM EST
- Site: Nationals Park
- City: Washington, DC
- Network/Streaming: MLB TV
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Phillies at the Nationals
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
- Moneyline: Philadelphia Phillies (-132), Washington Nationals (+109)
- Spread: Phillies -1.5 (+119), Nationals +1.5 (-143)
- Total: 9.5
Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Nationals
- Wednesday's pitching matchup (June 24): Aaron Nola vs. Miles Mikolas
- Phillies: Aaron Nola
2026 stats: 75.2 IP, 3-4, 5.71 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 77 K, 25 BB
- Nationals: Miles Mikolas
2026 Stats: 74.0 IP, 2-6, 5.47 ERA, 1.28 WHIP, 43 Ks, 17 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not
- The Phillies’ Kyle Schwarber is hitting .252 with 72 hits, 29 home runs and 52 RBI over 286 at-bats
- The Phillies’ Adolis Garcia is hitting .195 with 45 hits and 84 strikeouts over 231 at-bats
- The Nationals’ James Wood is hitting .269 with 82 hits, 20 home runs, and 49 RBI over 305 at-bats
- The Nationals’ Jacob Young is hitting .225 with 54 hits and 49 strikeouts over 240 at-bats
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Phillies at Nationals
- Philadelphia is an MLB-worst 30-49 ATS
- Washington is an MLB-best 49-31 ATS
- Philadelphia is 40-34-5 to the Under, ranking seventh-best
- Washington is 48-29-3 to the Over, ranking second-best
- Philadelphia is 15-22 ATS on the road, ranking second-worst
- Washington is 20-20 ATS at home
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Nationals and the Phillies
Rotoworld Bet Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday's game between the Nationals and the Phillies:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Nationals on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Nationals at +1.5.
- Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Under on the Game Total of 9.5
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)