It’s Sunday, and the sluggers are out in full force with a jam-packed MLB schedule. My home run props hone in on Willy Adames, Shea Langeliers, and Kyle Schwarber.
Not only does Houston Astros starter Mike Burrows rank in the Bottom 3rd percentile for pitching run value, but he’s also tied for second last in home runs allowed per nine innings (2.0).
The right-hander has surrendered multiple home runs in three of his last four starts and won’t have much support from his bullpen, which has allowed 40 dingers this year — second most among all clubs.
Shea Langeliers has hit six of his team-leading 16 dingers off the four-seamer, while nine of the 15 homers Burrows has allowed came off that pitch.I’ll play this up to +260.
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCS-California, Space City Home Network
Home run pick: Kyle Schwarber (+200)
Kyle Schwarber is in the 100th percentile in barrel rate and 97th percentile in bat speed, so it’s no surprise that the Philadelphia Phillies slugger is up to 23 homers.
Schwarber is seeing the sinker well, batting .364 with four dingers vs. that pitch type. That works out well for him this afternoon against Chicago White Sox starter Tyler Gilbert, who throws his sinker 37% of the time.
The White Sox pen will also be easy pickings for Schwarber, having allowed 34 homers this year — tied for sixth most. I like Schwarber, but I’m not betting this past +190.
Time: 1:35 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCS-Philadelphia, Chicago Sports Network
Home run pick: Willy Adames (+467)
Jameson Taillon has had a disastrous start to his season for the Chicago Cubs, ranking dead last among all starters with 2.7 home runs allowed per nine innings.
Taillon’s barrel rate ranks among the Bottom 2nd percentile in the majors — a big reason why he’s allowed nine dingers in his last four starts.
It’ll be a good matchup for Willy Adames, who feasts on the four-seamer. The San Francisco Giants shortstop has hit seven of his 11 dingers off the four-seamer, and that’s Taillon’s most common pitch (29%).
Play this prop up to +420 tonight.
Time: 8:30 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBC/Peacock
Chris Faria's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 7-19, +4.87 units
Today’s HR parlay
Shea Langeliers
Bet Now +6363
Kyle Schwarber
Willy Adames
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.
The Knicks’ run to the NBA finals has created a feverish atmosphere in New York.Photograph: Timothy A Clary/AFP/Getty Images
The New York Knicks are warning fans to bring as little as possible to Monday night’s Game 3 of the NBA finals at Madison Square Garden, which Donald Trump plans to attend.
The Knicks are encouraging fans to arrive at least two hours before tipoff as part of enhanced security measures due to the president’s attendance. The New York Police Department also announced it will cancel a watch party outside Madison Square Garden as part of the measures. The decision was made after discussion between the Secret Service and the NYPD. There was trouble at the watch party outside the venue on Friday when more than 20 people were arrested as people celebrated the team’s win in Game 2 of the finals.
The Knicks said on Saturday that a strict no-bag policy will be in place and that there will be airport-style “screening procedures” for fans when they enter Madison Square Garden for the game, which is scheduled to start at 8.40pm local time.
Trump confirmed last week that he will attend the game between the Knicks and San Antonio Spurs, the first NBA finals game in New York City since 1999. He has already attended a number of major sporting events in his second term, including the 2025 Super Bowl, Daytona 500 and Ryder Cup.
Trump is not expected to be the only prominent political figure at the Garden. New York City mayor Zohran Mamdani has also said he plans to attend Monday’s game, though he suggested there is little chance he will cross paths with Trump.
“I will be in a very different section,” Mamdani said last week.
The mayor’s office said Mamdani would be paying his own way for a ticket. Trump, meanwhile, said he would be attending as Knicks owner Jim Dolan’s guest, setting up a finals scene that could feature two of New York’s most prominent political figures under one roof.
The game will take place amid a fevered atmosphere in New York as the Knicks attempt to win their first NBA title since 1973. They lead the Spurs 2-0 in the best-of-seven series and are on a 13-game winning streak.
Jun 6, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; St. Louis Cardinals center fielder Lars Nootbaar (21) reacts after hitting a go ahead two run home run against the Cincinnati Reds during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | Jeff Curry-Imagn Images
The St. Louis Cardinals and the fans at Busch Stadium welcomed Lars Nootbaar back into action this weekend as he made his season debut. I, personally, was more ready for his return than I expected this offseason, as I simply hoped for a healthy return and a quick trade out of St. Louis. As this season has progressed in a competitive manner, Noot now means more to the struggling lineup with a chance at a playoff spot than he did for a bottom barrel rebuilding team.
Even the most optimistic of fans, myself included, thought that 10 games over .500 in June was a pipe dream, but with how well the team played to this point, the recent swoon has created a feeling of disappointment among Cardinal Nation. The bottom half of the lineup has underperformed even low expectations and their combined struggles are more of a story for a team still sitting in postseason contention. Had the Cardinals been at the NL Central cellar without an MVP candidate in right field and a Rookie of the Year contender at second, having five batters in a rebuilding lineup hitting less than league-average would be unremarkable. However, with focus shifting from 2028 to this year, fans were looking for a boost to the lineup. Enter Nootbaar.
A healthy Lars Nootbaar is best for everyone, short-term or for the future
The impact was immediate. Nootbaar singled in his first major league at-bat since September 27 and most importantly looked healthy running the bases. He hit in his comfortable lead off spot with JJ Wetherholt nursing some soreness and was a major part of the big sixth inning on Friday. The elder statesman of the offense is back at the best time, and his play could impact more than just his future.
As stated, I hoped for a month of hot-hitting Noot and a tough to swallow trade for some to happen near the deadline. I personally feel it is tougher to value hitters on the trade market, but with Noot looking like a change of scenery candidate a la Nolan Arenado, a trade partner may have been easier to find for Bloom. Now, though, with the Cardinals continuing to convince me every week that this is for real, a hot-hitting, healthy Nootbaar may be more valuable to the team if he sticks around for another season.
Nootbaar received a day off in the afternoon game after the evening contest, as scheduled, but JJ Wetherholt remained out of the lineup. This pushed Masyn Winn to the leadoff spot, so as of this writing on Saturday, we do not yet know how all three of these players will be used in the same lineup. Regardless if Noot slides in the top of the order or in the fifth spot, he will be expected to be a run producer and extend the lineup a bit. For a hitter with a career 110 OPS+ and double-digit homer potential, his return could do a lot for this season in multiple ways. Oh. And he hit a go-ahead homer in the 8th inning after entering off the bench. How freaking fun is that?
If Jordan Walker continues his at minimum All-Star season and Wetherholt stays healthy and consistent for a Rookie of the Year finalist, Nootbaar’s presence could push the lineup into a legitimate postseason contender. The whole roster would likely still be built for a first-round exit, but a healthy Noot is a massive step up for the entire outfield’s production. When Nathan Church returns, there is already going to be a squeeze for playing time with Victor Scott II, Nelson Velazquez, and Jose Fermin, but Nootbaar complicates things further.
He is the oldest position player on the team but unlike most teams, his age still starts with a 2, with Noot checking in at the ripe old age of 28. Like Brendan Donovan two deadlines ago, Noot has an additional season of club control beyond this year, meaning Chaim Bloom does not need to rush to make a deal. However, like with Donovan, Arenado, Goldschmidt, Contreras, Gray, Fedde, and Mikolas, there are others in the organization who may benefit from a clear path to playing time at the big league level.
A Nootbaar hot streak and the Cardinals building on a Wild Card lead theoretically puts Bloom in a spot. However, any time he has spoken, be it to us at Blogger Day or in any of his many media appearances, the message has always been future first. He also did not comment on extensions, which would be another interesting turn in the Nootbaar saga since 28 really is not even baseball old. The major question now will be his heels and his overall health. Eight weeks is plenty of time for really anything to happen.
What I am leaning towards mirrors my thoughts to the entire Donovan trade situation. I was in the camp that we knew what Donovan was/is, which is a great player but not a building block for rebuild and it was unfortunately time to cash in on his value. If Nootbaar can come relatively close to mimicking Donnie’s value to a lineup, it makes sense to me to cash in. Where I flip flop, though, is if the rest of the outfield has some remaining questions.
Rather than become a trade piece, Nootbaar could enter into the same stage as Alec Burleson if center field goes unclaimed by a current player. Burleson is locked into first base for the foreseeable future due to the lack of overall depth at the position in the organization, but also because his 27-year-old self has been a consistent performer in the lineup. Until someone pushes Burly out of St. Louis, it makes little sense to deal him for a complete question mark which could happen in Nootbaar’s case. Along with Burly, the two lefties could be the founding fathers of the next era of Cardinal baseball as they help the new guys come along.
Right now, Joshua Baez is the talk of the town for good reason. The dude hits the ball hard and far. Add on his speed and defense, Baez is as close to knocking down the door as possible. He has moved around the grass, spending recent games in center field which could actually spell problems for VSII or Nathan Church rather than for Noot. Left field has also been seen as a potential landing spot for Ivan Herrera, but any progress here could render those talks unnecessary. Of course, Baez could also fizzle, leaving a black hole in left if Noot were dealt to clear the (ahem) runway.
What this comes down to is another minor question of sell or hold at the deadline. I think Lars Nootbaar becomes the center piece of those discussions, maybe in a more intense way than we heard surrounding JoJo Romero next year. Fans may continue to be 50/50 on his future, even after a decision is made one way or the other and I could be convinced by the day. This is where I want to hear from you all.
How should Noot’s future be handled in St. Louis? If they’re true contenders, should he stick around or is he a sell regardless?
May 24, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies pitcher Andrew Painter (24) against the Cleveland Guardians at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Disappointing is probably the best way to categorize Andrew Painter’s season. No one really expected ace-hood from him straight out of the gate, but he has struggled this year. Like any other pitcher, he’s exchanged good starts with poor ones, but those poor ones are far too often. His last five starts have shown this Jekyll and Hyde act where the first three, he gave up five runs in 17 1/3 innings. These last two, he’s allowed ten runs in eight innings.
The question becomes: should he make his next start? The team doesn’t really have much depth below, so optioning him for a while is probably out. Maybe they could skip his next start, or use a bullpen game instead.
Jun 5, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves shortstop Mauricio Dubon (14) slides safely into third against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the fifth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | Brett Davis-Imagn Images
Yesterday was fun. The Braves won a game that Braxton Ashcraft started. Dom Smith hit a homer. Austin Riley chipped in with a double. Tyler Kinley pitched a scoreless eighth. And Mauricio Dubon stole home plate.
It’s one of those “steal by association” ones, but stealing home can be difficult without doing that. So do you remember the last Braves’ steal of home plate? I’ll show you anyway.
There is a lot going on here. Abraham Almonte was batting cleanup here (which I don’t have any memory of this happening) and struck out. Yadier Molina, who had a career 374.0 run defense adjustment, throws this short hop to second. And Freddie Freeman races home for the first Braves run of the day. Chip Caray called the play, and it sounds weird already (thankfully?) that he’s calling this Cardinals game from a Braves point of view.
Will Jacks is batting at No. 3 for Surrey in his first Championship outing this summer after a period with Mumbai Indians in the IPL. In England’s winter Ashes stumble down the stairs, Jacks collected 363 runs and took six wickets in his four games.
Burns prods obediently forward and the ball skits through the gate and sends the off stump tumbling
The New York Yankees possess one of the league's best offenses against southpaws.
My Red Sox vs. Yankees predictions expect the bats to be on full display against Ranger Suarez. Let's break it all down with my MLB picks for Sunday, June 7.
Who will win Red Sox vs Yankees today: Yankees moneyline (-170)
Ranger Suarez has allowed 13 runs and posted a 6.13 ERA over four games against teams ranking in the Top 10 in OPS vs. left-handed pitching.
The New York Yankeeslead the majors in OPS against lefties. Even without Aaron Judge, they’re well-equipped to do damage today. They have five lefties in their projected lineup — Suarez has struggled against left-handed hitters — as well as lefty masher Paul Goldschmidt.
Cam Schlittler should get plenty of run support, and he probably won't need much. He has allowed nine runs over seven starts against Bottom-15 opponents in OPS vs. righties. Bet the Yankees to -180.
The Yankees rank Top-3 in OPS, ISO, OBP, xWOBA, and hard-hit rate against left-handed pitching.
While Judge is a big part of their dominance, the Yankees still have five batters with ISOs above .200 against lefties this season. A lot of juice remains — and the weather is hot and favorable for power.
Schlittler is a fantastic pitcher, but his xERA is almost a full run higher than his ERA. He's poised for a little bit of regression, and the Red Sox rank ninth in ISO and fourth in batting average against righties the past month. Play the Over 8 to -125.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 24-20, -1.83 units
Over/Under bets: 21-21-2, -2.71 units
Red Sox vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Red Sox +145 | Yankees -170
Run line: Red Sox +1.5 (-140) | Yankees -1.5 (+120)
Over/Under: Over 8 (-115) | Under 8 (-105)
Red Sox vs Yankees trend
The Yankees have cashed the Over in five of their last seven games for +3.9 units and a 52% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Yankees.
How to watch Red Sox vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Sunday, June 7, 2026
First pitch
1:35 p.m. ET
TV
NESN, YES
Red Sox starting pitcher
Ranger Suarez (2-3, 3.38 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Cam Schlittler (7-3, 1.89 ERA)
Red Sox vs Yankees latest injuries
Red Sox vs Yankees weather
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.
ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 2: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches in the third inning during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Truist Park on June 2, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr.Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Mauricio Dubón’s Braves will be looking to end the homestand and first week of June with a 5-2 record with a sweep of the Pittsburgh Pirates this afternoon. After two consecutive games with a final score of 6-3, Atlanta has a chance to beat the “series win hangover / complacent in game 3” allegations. C’mon, boys – do it for the home crowd before you’re off to Chicago.
As we can come to expect every fifth day, Bryce Elder (5-3, 2.63 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Braves. His quality start during Tuesday’s series opener against Toronto, where he gave up six hits, three earned runs, one home run, and struck out six, was a nice and much-needed bounceback from his Fenway implosion. In that outing on May 27, he was tagged for nine hits, six runs (five earned), and one walk before coming out in the fourth inning. Outside of that, Bryce just keeps Getting Away With It and is almost daring MLB to make him an All-Star for a second time (if an old friend doesn’t beat him out for a spot…).
The Pirate with the most ABs against Elder is Bryan Reynolds, who is 2-for-8 with a walk. Jared Triolo’s singular hit in four at-bats is a homer.
To salvage a win before heading to the airport, the Pirates will go to the 23-year-old and Georgia native Bubba Chandler (2-6, 4.89 ERA). Full name Roy Reuben Chandler, his first and only start versus the Braves was September 17, 2025, where he tossed a “dream” start in his home state. He surrendered four hits and only one run in 5.2 innings in a 3-1 win for the Pirates. Drake Baldwin accounted for half of those hits off Chandler, both for extra bases. Drake was driven in after a second inning triple by Chandler’s now-teammate Marcell Ozuna.
(Also on this day: this was the game where Matt Olson was ejected for the first time in his career over interference on a pop up.)
The rest of the Braves lineup couldn’t do much against Chandler or the rest of the Pirates staff, leaving yesterday’s winning pitcher Spencer Strider on the hook for the loss. Only four current Braves have seen him with a maximum of three at-bats. Ronald Acuña Jr., Olson, and Ha-Seong Kim are hitless, and Michael Harris II has a single in two plate appearances.
But if he was so dominant, you ask, then why does his current ERA start with a 4? He just hasn’t worked very efficiently in the 2026 campaign: he usually only goes five innings and reached six innings once in mid-April. The stuff has been as electric as advertised (with a fastball touching 99 mph), but command has been the issue. Carrying a 14.7% walk rate, he has had innings snowball on him. The Braves were able to solve the Pirates’ second-best starter in Braxton Ashcraft yesterday – let’s see if the Braves can be patient enough for some of their patented big innings to get Chandler out early. First pitch of the series finale is at 1:35 pm ET.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Sunday, June 7, 1:35 p.m. ET
Location: Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
TV: BravesVision
Streaming: MLB.tv
Radio: 680 AM / 93.7 FM The Fan, La Mejor 1600/1460/1130 AM
Jun 6, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Lake Bachar (84) throws in the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Jim Rassol-Imagn Images | Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
The Yankees were unintentionally idle yesterday, as the storms opened up in New York and eventually nixed their evening matchup with the Red Sox. They’ll play their 1:35pm ET today as expected and then have a doubleheaders scheduled for August 29th. The other big news of the night was that catcher Austin Wells went on the IL with painful-sounding cervical headaches. J.C. Escarra had been demoted late on Friday night after the loss to Boston with Ali Sánchez coming up to take his spot, but Escarra is now already back due to Wells’ injury. Ya got all that?
Here’s what else was going on around the Junior Circuit on Saturday.
Tampa Bay Rays (37-24) 3, Miami Marlins (30-35) 4
The pitching matchup on Saturday firmly favored the Rays with dangerous southpaw Shane McClanahan set to face what Joe Girardi liked to call Johnny Wholestaff (a bullpen game from Miami). That’s a tough proposition for anyone, and the Fish have a decidedly mediocre ’pen. But as a guy with a great voice once said, “You can’t predict baseball, Suzyn.”
McClanahan held up his end of the bargain through four, allowing only two baserunners. But opener Lake Bachar and first man up Anthony Bender were evidently just as tough, if not better. The Rays didn’t get a man on until Richie Palacios reached on a throwing error by Javier Sanoja to start the fifth. Bender struck out Ben Williamson, left the game, and John King made the situation more dicey by plunking Cedric Mullins. He made the pitch he needed to against Taylor Walls though, inducing a double-play ball to end the inning.
Sanoja was put in the perfect position to atone leading off the home half of the fifth, and he did so with a ringing first hit of the ballgame for either side. It was just his second homer of 2026, but the Fish were up 1-0.
McClanahan compounded issues by walking the speedy Esteury Ruiz, and the 2023 AL stolen base leader promptly swiped second, moving to third on an error. That was more than enough for rookie Joe Mack to put a great swing on an Uncle Charlie form McClanahan, doubling in Ruiz to double the Miami lead at 2-0.
Back on the mound, the Marlins continued to breeze past the Rays, even as new reliever Calvin Faucher allowed Tampa Bay’s first hit of the day, a clean single by Victor Mesa Jr. to start the sixth. Faucher fanned Nick Fortes and then worked around a knock by Yandy DĂaz to strike out Jonathan Aranda as well before Junior Caminero grounded out to end the inning. Perhaps bolstered by the escape, Miami tacked on two more off McClanahan in the seventh, as Sanoja capped a run of three-straight singles with an RBI hit, and Liam Hicks lifted a bases-loaded sacrifice fly to make it 4-0, Fish.
The Rays wouldn’t dent home plate until Faucher was gone from the game. They made it hairy for Michael Peterson and their old friend Pete Fairbanks, as Yandy doubled off Peterson to score Mesa in the eighth, and Fairbanks nearly gave away the ballgame while trying to close it. A Williamson walk and a bunt single by Walls brought the tying run to the plate. Mesa’s groundout was a temporary reprieve; Fairbanks uncorked a wild pitch to bring Williamson home, issued a free pass to an ailing Chandler Simpson, surrendered an RBI single to Yandy, and walked Aranda to load the bases in a one-run game.
After 39 pitches, Marlins manager Clayton McCullough had seen enough and called on Tyler Zuber (another former Ray, albeit briefly) to finally slam the door. The righty stared down the tough Caminero and won the battle, jumping ahead 0-2 on a well-placed sweeper and heater, getting a couple fouls on the former, and then getting Caminero to chase a high fastball for the 27th out.
Zuber’s first career save helped the Yankees gain a half-game on the Rays. They’re now one back as we head into play on Sunday.
Other Games
Toronto Blue Jays (31-34) 6, Baltimore Orioles (31-34) 4: The Battle of the .500-ish Birds went back to a stalemate on Saturday following Baltimore’s 13-3 triumph the day before. Toronto rode a four-run third off Kyle Bradish to a win at home, with Ernie Clement cracking the decisive blow on a three-run shot. Like Miami, Toronto got the victory with a bullpen game, though Spencer Miles, Jeff Hoffman, and Mason Fluharty all got touched for long balls (Pete Alonso for a two-run host). The one-two punch of Tyler Rogers and Louie Varland sent the O’s packing. They’re both eight back of the Rays, seven games behnd the Yankees, and tied for a half-game behind the Rangers’ last Wild Card spot.
Seattle Mariners (34-31) 4, Detroit Tigers (26-39) 0: The Tigers’ four-game winning streak is over, as they were blanked by their ALDS conquerers in a two-hit shutout. They can’t afford many more losses before their Tarik Skubal sell/keep decision is made for them; they’re tied with the Angels for the second-worst record in the AL. Bryce Miller dominated through six, striking out nine and lowering his season ERA to 1.33 in 27 innings (an oblique strain delayed the start of his 2026 until mid-May). DH Dominic Canzone brought the pop to support his starter, doubling to the center-field wall to get Seattle on the board in the second against Keider Montero, then taking the righty 451 feet in the fourth. Randy Arozarena plated two on a double in the third for Seattle’s other two runs. The M’s lead the AL West by three games over the Rangers.
The Mets have shut down Jorge Polanco’s rehab assignment, which lasted ten days and saw him make a total of 17 appearances across stops in Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. The team announced that he’s returning to New York City for further evaluation of the Achilles bursitis that’s been affecting him since very early in the season.
Signed to a two-year, $40 million contract to be the Mets’ primary first baseman, Polanco’s early tenure with the team has been nothing short of a disaster. The Achilles issue arose after playing just two regular season games at first base to start the season, and the team attempted to manage the injury by exclusively playing him as a designated hitter. During that stretch, he played relatively sporadically and also picked up a wrist injury, and the team finally put him on the injured list on April 18.
In his limited time at the plate with the Mets during all of that, he also struggled mightily, hitting just .179/.246/.286 with a 53 wRC+ in 61 plate appearances.
On his rehab assignment, Polanco mostly served as a designated hitter, but the Mets had him play three innings at first base in Binghamton in his third of three games that he played there over the course of a six-game series. He got two full days off after that appearance, after which the team moved his rehab to Syracuse. He served as a DH in his first game there on June 2, played five innings at first base on June 3, got the day off on June 4, played as a DH on June 5, and was unable to play in the team’s game last night. And for what it’s worth, he hit .167/.412/.417 in the 17 plate appearances he accrued in the minors before he was shut down.
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 6: Yoshinobu Yamamoto #18 of the Los Angeles Dodgers delivers to the plate during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Dodger Stadium on June 6, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Dodgers starting pitching has been nearly unhittable this week, and the trend continued on Saturday with Yoshinobu Yamamoto tossing a season-high eight innings against the Angels.
Although Yamamoto couldn’t compare to Roki Sasaki’s 10 strikeouts from the game before, Yamamoto retired 22 hitters in a row and had a comfortable eight-run lead to work with over his final seven innings on Saturday. The strikeouts were once again low, punching out four after he struck out 10 in his previous start against the Philadelphia Phillies, but he has shown remarkable results over his last four starts, posting a 0.99 ERA in that span.
Being able to navigate through the game while not having the strikeout stuff was something that Dave Roberts is expecting of his rotation, and Yamamoto was able to execute that plan on Saturday, per Courtney Hollmon of MLB.com.
Coming into the matchup, manager Dave Roberts had recently emphasized the importance of a pitcher navigating Major League lineups when they do not have their absolute best feel for their pitches, calling it a true indicator of a high-level starter. By adjusting after a challenging opening frame, Yamamoto executed exactly that strategy on Saturday night.
Andy Pages helped ensure that Yamamoto would get a lead to work with, and at the very least some run support, as he launched a go-ahead two-run home run to give the Dodgers a lead that they wouldn’t relinquish.
“We know the caliber of player he is. We know what kind of level he’ll take it to each and every day. He keeps surprising us each time he goes out and takes a turn. It was really nice to see him do what he did tonight.”
Will Smith was a late scratch before Saturday’s game due to neck stiffness, but he is expected to be back in the lineup for the series finale, notes Bill Plunkett of the Orange County Register.
Just a few Myles away
Los Angeles professional sports teams have emerged as the winners of blockbuster trades and signings. The Dodgers did so with the signing of Shohei Ohtani;,the Lakers pulled off a heist for Luka Dončić, and the Rams recently completed a blockbuster trade to land the reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett from the Cleveland Browns off the heals of breaking the single-season sack record.
Garrett was at Dodger Stadium to throw out the first pitch before Saturday’s win over the Angels, and he had a moment to talk with David Vassegh of AM 570 about getting acclimated to Los Angeles.
“There’s a lot of great energy buzzing around. I’m really appreciative because this is an awesome atmosphere for football.”
The Dodgers have set the new standard for winning in the city, and the Rams are hoping to bring back the Lombardi trophy at SoFi Stadium in 2027.
Family members of former Dodgers Billy Bean and Glenn Burke pose in front of an exhibit honoring the LGBTQ+ pioneers that was unveiled at Dodger Stadiun on Friday. (Ronaldo Bolaños/Los Angeles Times)
Let’s go Dodgers. High fives all around.
Because this time, with the newest historical exhibit at Dodger Stadium, the team got it right.
Amid all the historical installations and tributes in the open-air museum that is the Centerfield Plaza, and just a few feet from a Fernando Valenzuela mural, a new display honors Glenn Burke and Billy Bean, two former Dodgers outfielders who were the first and second professional baseball players to come out as gay.
It’s not a fleeting mention on Pride night, it’s a permanent record. A static reminder of progress made — and still to be made. And a much-deserved thank-you.
A wall inside Dodger Stadium honors former Dodgers and LGBTQ+ pioneers Billy Bean and Glenn Burke. (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
“It’ll be here tomorrow, it’ll be here on the weekend and if you come next month, it’ll be here,” said the Dodgers’ team historian Mark Langill, who pointed to a spot just down the hall where in 1976 he was an 11-year-old getting Burke’s autograph.
Baseball is steeped in such history. The personal, the statistical, the societal. And the Dodgers’ is incomplete without their stories — Burke’s and Bean’s.
But the Dodgers have not, of course, always gotten this stuff right.
In 1978, they did Burke wrong, trading him — he believed — after management learned he was gay.
In his three seasons in L.A., Burke had proved himself a capable reserve outfielder who was popular with his teammates.
As far as we know, in 1977, he was the first guy to initiate a high five — spontaneously reaching above his head to slap hands with Dusty Baker after the home run that made Baker the fourth Dodger, along with Ron Cey, Steve Garvey and Reggie Smith, to hit at least 30 home runs that season, a MLB first.
Glenn Burke, left, goes to give a high-five to teammate Dusty Baker after Baker hit a home run in 1977. It is believed to be the first instance a high five was exchanged. (Los Angeles Times)
There’s a fantastic photo of the historic high five included in the tribute to Burke and Bean, which is situated on a hallway wall beneath the left-field bleachers, beside the “Dodger Dugout” augmented reality photo booth.
Burke was also the first guy in that Dodgers clubhouse to crack a joke when the team needed it, his former teammate Rick Monday said.
“When called upon, he could play really well,” Monday said before the Dodgers took the field against the Angels on Friday, when the Dodgers and many of their rainbow-sporting fans celebrated the team’s 13th annual LGBTQ+ Pride Night. “And when we needed a moment of levity, Glenn was not afraid to come forward and put a smile on people’s face.”
But shortly before he died of AIDS in 1995 at 42, Burke published an autobiography, “Out at Home,” in which he described the team’s management being “afraid of my sexual orientation, even though I never flaunted it. To this day, the Dodgers deny trading me because I was gay. But it was painfully obvious.”
“Oh, what he had to deal with and keep it hid,” said Joyce Burke-Henderson, one of Glenn’s sisters at Friday’s pregame unveiling, where family members of both players gasped and cried and cheered the installation’s reveal.
“But as time went on, people did know. And then I think he came to the point where he just didn’t care and he just told it like it was.”
Joyce Henderson, sister of Glenn Burke, speaks about her brother during a ceremony honoring the former Dodger and LGBTQ+ pioneer at Dodger Stadium Friday. (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
Burke came out in 1982, three years after playing his 225th and final big league game, in an Inside Sports article, “The Double Life of a Gay Dodger.”
“We just appreciate that now people are opening their eyes and just trusting in the Lord,” Burke-Henderson said Friday, “that things will go forward and work out and everybody will be loved regardless of their situation.”
The Dodgers first honored Burke in 2022, at their ninth Pride Night.
The next season, they made a mess of the Pride festivities, inviting and uninviting and then reinviting the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, a group known for its work in support of AIDS patients and whose members dress in drag, as nuns.
In 2023, the Dodgers also invited Bean — who was MLB’s senior vice president for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. He appeared in a pregame ceremony on the field while protesters gathered outside the stadium.
Bean died the next year, at 60, 11 months after being diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia.
Greg Baker, husband of the late Billy Bean, wipes away tears during a tribute honor Bean as a LGBTQ+ pioneer at Dodger Stadium on Friday. (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
Once a Northeast Santa Ana Little Leaguer, Bean became valedictorian at Santa Ana High, played for Loyola Marymount and went on to appear in 272 big-league games — including 51 for the Dodgers in 1989 — before abruptly walking away from baseball in 1995.
It got to be too much, he’d explain later, continuing to hustle to keep his baseball career afloat while keeping his sexuality secret, acutely aware of the blowback he’d get if it got out.
“For nine years,” he told the New York Times, “I felt as though I had one foot in the major leagues and one on a banana peel.”
“When he left baseball suddenly, I knew something was wrong,” Bean’s mother, Linda Kovac, said Friday, pausing to wipe away tears. “He was playing very well, it wasn’t like he was kicked out or anything. And it just didn’t make any sense.”
When Bean finally told his family he was gay, in 1996 — three years before clueing in an unsuspecting public via a Miami Herald article — none of his loved ones blinked. That included his stepfather, Ed Kovac, the homicide cop and former Marine who’d had a partner on the force who was gay.
“He worked with someone that he respected, side by side, on criminal cases,” Linda said. “We’re still friends with that guy.”
Linda and Ed Kovac, parents of Billy Bean, hold hands in front of a tribute dedicated to their son at Dodger Stadium on Friday. (Ronaldo Bolanos/Los Angeles Times)
Knowing someone — or of someone — who is gay or lesbian has long tended to dispel falsehoods and quell fears that might exist.
“One of the most important things any one of us can do in our community is be out, to be proud,” said Greg Baker, Bean’s husband. “The fact that someone can be out in a world that typically doesn’t have a lot of role models of the same ilk, it’s a brave thing to stick your neck out. It’s also very important.”
And it’s not a surprise, Baker said, that more athletes aren’t out in sports like baseball. Not with Gallup polling released last week telling us that with public acceptance of same-sex marriage and relationships in the U.S. has flattened after two-plus decades of growing support — down from 71% to about 65%.
“I want to thank the Dodgers organization,” Baker said. “It’s brave of them in this day and age to spotlight someone in our community when other organizations are trying to erase us.”
The Dodgers have done the opposite, putting up a permanent marker. A long time coming, a tribute to last.
SARASOTA, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 18: Creed Willems #97 of the Baltimore Orioles poses for a photo during Spring Training photo day at Ed Smith Stadium on February 18, 2026 in Sarasota, Florida. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Christian Herberholz pitched four innings and allowed six runs, though just three were earned. The Tides made three errors in the game, including two in the three-run fifth inning. Once and future Oriole Dietrich Enns pitched 2.1 scoreless innings. They were winning until that inning.
Through four innings, Juaron Watts-Brown allowed three walks and a hit. He allowed one run in the third, but held his own. Then things fell apart in the fifth when he allowed three hits, all for extra bases. That includes a two-run homer and three runs total.
The offense also struggled, waiting until the bottom of the ninth to score the team’s only run. That run came on a single by Frederick Bencosme followed by an Aron Estrada double. Bencosme and Estrada had two hits. combining for four of the team’s six hits.
High-A: Frederick Keys 8, Hudson Valley Renegades (NYY) 6
The Keys fell behind early, came back with a five-run third inning, blew the lead in the sixth, then went ahead for good in the seventh. A real back-and-forth affair!
Starter Yeiber Cartaya gave up three runs, one earned, in five innings. He struck out seven and didn’t walk a batter. He gave up a solo home run in the second, then allowed two more in third after an error by Leandro Arias.
It was a good day for Victor Figueroa, who homered, doubled, and five RBI. Rehabbing Enrique Bradfield singled thrice and walked as the leadoff batter. Vance Honeycutt walked twice and didn’t strike out at all.
Low-A: Delmarva Shorebirds 7, Augusta GreenJackets (ATL) 3
Christian Rodriguez pitched six innings and allowed just two runs. He did allow eight hits but didn’t walk a batter.
The game was tied 3-3 until a four-inning eighth. Stiven Martinez, Braylon Whitaker, and Juan Ortega doubled in the game. It was a two-hit game for Ortega and Whitaker. Elvin Garcia walked four times! Edwin Amparo reached twice with a single and a walk.
MILWAUKEE, WISCONSIN - JUNE 04: Eric Haase #18 of the San Francisco Giants rounds first base after hitting a grand slam in the seventh inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on June 04, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, baseball fans!
Another week of San Francisco Giants baseball draws to a close today, so it’s time to pick our favorite highlights of the week!
If you know me, you know what I’m picking. I love a grand slam, if there’s a grand slam in the week I’m picking it. This week, Eric Haase did the honors in Thursday’s 12-9 win over the Milwaukee Brewers.
What was your favorite highlight of the week?
What time do the Giants play today?
The Giants wrap up this series against the Chicago Cubs tonight at 5:30 p.m. PT.
LAWRENCE, KANSAS - JANUARY 31: Darryn Peterson #22 of the Kansas Jayhawks and forward AJ Dybantsa #3 of the BYU Cougars chase down a loose ball in the first half at Allen Fieldhouse on January 31, 2026 in Lawrence, Kansas. (Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Washington Wizards entered 2026 with a projected $80 million in cap space for the 2026-27 season.
But after acquiring four players before the February deadline — including Trae Young and Anthony Davis — and winning the No. 1 pick in the 2026 NBA draft, the Wizards sit just $11 million below the luxury tax.
Here’s a breakdown of what the No. 1 pick means for Washington’s long-term cap sheet.
2026-27 Active Roster Cap
The maximum rookie-scale contract for the No. 1 pick is a four-year, $69,003,336 deal.
The contract represents 120% of the rookie scale, which is the most a first-round pick can sign for. The lowest a first-round pick can sign for is 80% of the rookie scale.
For reference, the Wizards signed Tre Johnson — last year’s No. 6 pick — to a four-year, $37,439,131 contract, which was 120% of the rookie scale. They did the same with Alex Sarr, Bub Carrington and Kyshawn George in 2024.
So, based on previous transactions, expect the Wizards to do the same with this year’s top pick and pay 120% of the rookie scale ($15,208,260) to the No. 1 selection.
Should Washington pay the No. 1 at 120% of the rookie scale, that contract looks as follows:
Shea Langeliers
Kyle Schwarber
Willy Adames
COVERS INTEL: Ranger Suarez ranks in the 
