Category: Sports News

Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said he believes he still has the support of owner Steve Cohen after firing manager Carlos Mendoza on Friday.

On the day the manager was let go with the Mets in last place in the NL East with a 34-47 record, Stearns was short when asked if he believed he still had ownership’s support to continue in his position: "Yes."

When asked what makes him think that, Stearns said it came from the conversations that he has with Cohen.

"Steve and I are talking on a regular basis," he said. "And he’s certainly indicated that I have his support."

As far as the decision to fire Mendoza – with the disappointing start to the season following a terrible collapse in last season’s campaign, when they finished the year 38-55 after having the best record in baseball on June 12 – and install Andy Green as the interim manager for the remainder of the season, Stearns said it was made in consultation with ownership.

"Any decision like this, of this magnitude for an organization, is an organizational decision," he said. "And we were aligned that this was the right thing to do."

Asked if the owner approached the front office about firing the manager or if it was the other way around, Stearns declined to get into specifics. 

"I’m not gonna get into the specifics of Steve and my conversations," Stearns said. "We talk pretty much every day about the performance of our team. 

"And we came to the decision that this was the right move."

Stearns said he took responsibility for his role in the Mets’ poor start to the season, but expressed his confidence in the roster he assembled.

"Clearly we’ve fallen short," he said. "I still have confidence in the talent that’s in our room, and believe in the talent that’s in our room, but belief on its own does not lead to results. And I understand that.

"We need better play, we need better production, and my focus now, and, Andy’s focus right now, is going to be doing everything we can to put our guys in the best position to succeed."

Stearns, who has said he considered his job to be done in partnership with Mendoza, said he had not considered stepping down from his role when asked directly.

"I believe that we are building the foundation of an organization that can deliver what we all want," he said in response to a question about stepping down. "I don’t believe that our record on the field this year is indicative of some of the advances we’ve made in the organization. But clearly our record is nowhere good enough."

While he said that he shared and "understood our fans' frustration and anger" in the way things have turned out, Stearns added that he understands their "skepticism" in his ability to turn things around.

"If I were sitting in the fan seat, I would share that," he said of the skepticism. "From my perspective, what I can do and what I will do, is for as long as I’m sitting in this seat, work as hard as I can with the people around me to do everything we can to push this organization forward. And I think we’re gonna be able to do that."

The Baseball Gods are so often cruel and unrelenting.

The Cincinnati Reds battled the Milwaukee Brewers in a three-game series in Great American Ball Park earlier this week, and they battled them pretty well. Twice they got near perfect starts from starters only for their offense to similarly be stifled, and once they battled back after they once looked buried.

Losses are losses, plain and simple, but they went toe to toe with the best team in the league and lost 2-1 (in extras), 2-0, and 6-5. They were close, but close simply doesn’t count in the sport of baseball.

They’ve fallen 5 games under .500 for the first time all season, and that’s after peaking at 9 games over .500 at the start of May. They’re an abysmal 2-15 vs. NL Central foes so far, too, showing just how far they’ve fallen down the pecking order of baseball’s most competitive division.

You’d think the Gods might throw them a bone here or there. Instead, their next foe on the schedule is none other than NL Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes, who’ll start Friday’s series opener between the Reds and his Pittsburgh Pirates.

Skenes has actually been better in 2026 than he was during his award-winning 2025 in many ways. He’s sporting a 0.93 WHIP that’s better than his 0.95 mark from last season, and his 5.94 K/BB is improved from his 5.14 mark in ’25. So, the Reds have that going for them this evening. You may also recall that in 6 career starts against the Reds, he has held them to an abysmal .474 OPS and 0.53 ERA across 34.0 IP, with an absurd 45/4 K/BB.

Yikes!

The Reds will roll out lefty Andrew Abbott and hope he can keep the team in the game until the point where Skenes hands the ball over to the bullpen (should that ever actually have to occur). First pitch is set for 6:40 PM ET as the Reds try desperately to rescue their season after dropping it into the porta potty.

Here’s the order in which the Reds will be retired by Skenes to start:

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The weekend here here, as is a fresh set of games filled with a ton of nuke missile opportunities!

My MLB player props are backing a couple of smaller names to go deep in my favorite home run predictions for Friday, June 26. 

Best MLB home run props today

Player to hit a HR	Odds
Travis Bazzana	+578
TJ Rumfield	+640
Owen Caissie	+640
💲Today's HR parlay	+35522

Home run pick: Travis Bazzana (+578)

Cleveland Guardians rookie second baseman Travis Bazzana has been one of the few bright spots in this lineup as of late, owning a .769 SLG and a 1.202 OPS, while generating a 45% hard-hit rate and a 15% barrel rate over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching.

The young Aussie draws Seattle Mariners right-hander Luis Castillo, whose entire pitch mix is valued below league average, per FanGraphs. Bazzana owns a 68.5% arsenal coverage against Castillo’s full mix.

Castillo is nearly 50% fastballs, a pitch type the young second baseman has handled well this season, posting a .921 OPS while generating nearly a 42% hard-hit rate.

Beyond the below-average arsenal, Castillo has been getting tagged by left-handed hitters on the road, allowing a 71.4% elevation rate and a 43.7% hard-hit rate. Over his last 60 lefties faced, opponents have produced a 48% hard-hit rate, a 12% barrel rate, a 66% elevation rate, along with a .490 xSLG and .357 xwOBA.

For those who read my MLB player props for today, we are also on Kyle Manzardo to leave the yard as well.

• Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CLEG, SEAM

Home run pick: TJ Rumfield (+640)

Colorado Rockies first baseman TJ Rumfield enters Friday night with not only an elite rating on Batters-Box, but also a 76% arsenal coverage against Twins right hander Taj Bradley.

Rumfield has been on fire lately, posting a .692 SLG, 1.092 OPS, .365 ISO, and just a 13% strikeout rate over his last 60 at bats against right-handed pitching.

The Twins right hander, on the other hand, has been getting torched by left-handed hitters.

Over the last 30 lefties he has faced, opponents are generating a 60% hard-hit rate, 25% barrel rate, and 75% elevation rate.

Even if you zoom out to the last 60 left-handed hitters, the numbers are nearly identical, with opponents owning a .708 xSLG and .418 xwOBA. Looking at his last three starts overall, Bradley owns a 6.19 xERA while allowing a 54% hard-hit rate and 16% barrel rate to opposing hitters.

This should be a fun one. I fully expect Rumfield to produce something above 105 mph off the bat this evening, whether it stays inside the ballpark, leaves it, or ends up in someone's glove.

• Time: 8:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: MNNT, COLR

Home run pick: Owen Caissie (+640)

Miami Marlins outfielder Owen Caissie has been on an absolute tear and tonight, he draws St. Louis Cardinals right hander Michael McGreevy.

The young slugger owns 74% arsenal coverage against McGreevy's entire pitch mix. As of late, Caissie has been eyeing up everything. Over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, Caissie has produced a 55.6% hard-hit rate, 27.8% barrel rate, .430 wOBA, .679 SLG, and a 1.012 OPS.

McGreevy has had some issues against lefties this season, posting a 5.67 xERA and just a 10% strikeout rate over the last 60 left-handed batters he has faced. During that stretch, lefties have posted a .358 xBA, .569 xSLG, and .382 xwOBA against him. 

It is going to be a sweaty one with Caissie hitting toward the bottom of the order, but he has been seeing the ball extremely well, consistently producing loud contact. McGreevy has also been allowing plenty of hard contact, with opponents elevating the baseball against him.

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

Today’s HR parlay

Travis Bazzana	Bet Now +35522
TJ Rumfield
Owen Caissie

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.

In case your head has been under a rock lately, you would know that the Nationals bullpen is god awful. It feels like we are at the point where Paul Toboni needs to just throw stuff at the wall and hope something sticks. Along those lines, I am taking a look at a few even remotely interesting AAA arms.

Carson Palmquist got sent down yesterday, so we can’t see him for a couple weeks, unless there is an injury. However, I would be very surprised if Palmquist is not given a shot very quickly once he is eligible. He was the opener on Wednesday, and did a very nice job. The funky lefty got through 3.1 innings, allowing just one run.

Unlike so many guys in this bullpen, Palmquist did not look scared out there. Maybe it was because it was early in the game, but I loved how he attacked hitters. Palmquist does not throw hard, but he has a super funky motion and a really low arm slot. The Nats have given him a sinker, and that pitch was very effective for him.

With Palmquist not being available for a few days after he threw 3.1 innings, I get why he got sent down. However, once he is eligible, slotting him into the role they are using Mitchell Parker in feels like a no brainer. Since joining the Nats organization, Palmquist has posted a 3.27 ERA in AAA and had a good big league outing. That already should place him above Parker in the pecking order.

The next guy I want to talk about is Eddy Yean, who is a bit of a wild card, but has good stuff. Yean is not on the 40-man roster, but that should not be a huge issue, since there is no shortage of DFA candidates. What I like about Yean is that he brings much needed velocity to the table. He averages 97 with a heavy sinker that gets a ton of ground balls.

This data is from last year, but the 25 year old has pretty much the same mix. His ERA of 3.50 in AAA is good, not great. However, we are in such a dire situation that it is worth giving him a shot. Yean is striking out 25% of hitters and his 4.50 walks per nine innings is not good, but it is also not a complete disaster. 

Yean is extremely fastball heavy, but he does have a slider and changeup. Those pitches can be nasty, but the heater is his bread and butter. I am not going to sit here and say Eddy Yean is going to be some huge answer, but he has better stuff than the likes of Lovelady and Parker.

There are also a couple relievers down in the minors that have already shown they are not great big league answers, but may get a shot anyway because the situation is so dark. The first one is Zak Kent, who got called up today for Gus Varland. While Kent posted an ERA over 6 with the Nats in his four outings, his WHIP was only 1.06. 

Kent has an interesting 4-seam fastball that moves more like a cutter. Interestingly, his velocity has been up since being sent to the minors. His heater went from 92.2 MPH in the MLB to 93.4 in the minors. Kent also has a slider and curveball which can generate whiffs. I don’t think he has closer stuff or anything, but he has a more interesting and diverse arsenal than Varland.

Another pitcher in this retread category is Cole Henry. Last year, Henry showed a ton of promise, especially in the first half. Coming off of Thoracic Outlet Syndrome surgery, he was a great story. However, he faded down the stretch last year and was rough in the MLB this year.

With the state of this bullpen though, he should get another shot at some point. Since going back to AAA, Henry has been effective, with a 2.45 ERA in 11 outings. He has been pounding the zone, only walking 1 batter in 11 innings. That is a good sign, since control had been an issue for Henry. However, the righty has not been getting a ton of whiffs in AAA, only striking out 7 in 11 innings. If he can find more whiffs, Henry could get back into the mix soon.

The last group of guys I want to talk about are the wild cards. A lot of these guys are unlikely to be up that soon, but could make an impact at some point. One pitcher who could be up soon though is Riley Cornelio. Right now, the Nats are using Cornelio as a multi-inning relief arm. However, I think he should be a one inning pitcher.

This is due to the fact that he is exclusively a 2 pitch guy. Cornelio only throws a fastball and a slider. With a mix that shallow, I want him letting both pitches rip and making them as nasty as possible. That means having him throw in shorter spurts. Cornelio may be up again soon, but I don’t think he is fully maximized as a bulk arm.

If you want to look way down the road, Robert Cranz is a name to watch. Cranz was fantastic in High-A and Double-A, but has had an ugly first 3 outings in Rochester. Despite the abysmal results, he does have good stuff. His fastball is extremely unique, and he has some nice secondary pitches to go with that.

However, he still needs a lot more seasoning in AAA. If he can go on a run in these next couple months, he could be in the show by the end of the season though. Cranz is more of a guy to keep an eye on for 2027 though.

The guys I have already discussed are probably the primary options I like the most. None are very great, but it is worth trying. We truly have nothing to lose here because it cannot get a whole lot worse. 

Some other names worth monitoring are converted position player Erick Mejia, Luke Young, who has good results and stuff, but not great strikeout or walk numbers and Jack Sinclair. Max Kranick is also on the mend from an injury and will step into the bullpen at some point. If the Nats are somehow in a playoff race down the stretch, Jarlin Susana and Luis Perales are two flamethrowers who could be unleashed.

As we go through the internal options, it is clear the situation is not pretty. Maybe a couple of these guys can step up and be upgrades, but there are no easy answers. At some point, Paul Toboni is going to have to make a big splash for a true alpha in the bullpen. The 2027 bullpen simply has to be much better, or else things will start to get real awkward for this new regime.

The Cubs enter this series trailing the Brewers by 6.5 games in the NL Central. With half a season to go, that’s not an insurmountable lead.

And yet, the Cubs were swept by the Brewers last month at Wrigley Field and outscored 19-5 in the three games. They’ll need to make some sort of better statement in this series.

At the end of the weekend, the Cubs will trail by either 3.5, 5.5, 7.5 or 9.5 games. So… winning one or two would be a useful result, and an unlikely Cubs sweep would make the division race really interesting. The Cubs are the hottest team in MLB right now, on a 10-3 run. So… you never know.

For more on the Brewers, here’s Harrison Freuck, manager of our SB Nation Brewers site Brew Crew Ball.

The Milwaukee Brewers have found their groove over the last month-plus. After getting out to a slow, injury-riddled start, they’ve gone 33-15 since the beginning of May to expand their NL Central lead.

Jake Bauers currently leads the small-ball offense with 14 homers and 48 RBI on the year, with Brice Turang at 11 homers and Jackson Chourio at 10. William Contreras, Gary Sánchez, Christian Yelich, Andrew Vaughn, and Garrett Mitchell have also played key roles offensively, with Cooper Pratt, Sal Frelick, David Hamilton, and Joey Ortiz rounding out the position player group. Pratt, whom the Brewers signed to an eight-year extension before he even set foot in the majors, has looked solid in his first week-plus with Milwaukee, as he’s picked up seven hits in nine games and stolen four bases while providing above-average defense. After all, it couldn’t get much worse than the recently released Luis Rengifo (.205/.280/.254 with no homers and below-average defense over 57 games).

On the pitching side, the Brewers have their top three starters in Jacob Misiorowski, Kyle Harrison, and Brandon Woodruff set to pitch this weekend. Miz has been simply incredible, with a 1.45 ERA and 138 strikeouts over 93 innings, while Harrison is also pitching at an All-Star level with a 2.50 ERA and 87 strikeouts over 72 innings. Woodruff missed the last month and a half, but he came back with a great start against the Reds on Monday, allowing just one hit and striking out 10 over six frames. The bullpen is anchored by Aaron Ashby, Trevor Megill, Abner Uribe, and Chad Patrick, with Grant Anderson, Craig Yoho, and Joel Kuhnel rounding things out.

This should be a fun weekend series in Milwaukee. Give me the Brewers to take two of three.

Fun facts

Here we are, halfway through the season and already the Cubs are playing a second series against the division-leading Brewers.

They lost all three when the teams met at Wrigley Field on May 18-20. Those were the third through fifth of the 10 straight losses that saw the Cubs tumble from first place, ahead by 2.5 games, to fourth place, 4.5 behind.

The teams have played 459 games, with the Brewers leading, 233-226. They have outscored the Cubs by just 12 runs, 2,077-2,065.

The Cubs are 107-120 at Milwaukee. They split six games last season, winning two of three in May and losing two of three in July.

They are 2-11-1 in series at Wisconsin since 2021, including being swept in three games the first year. Their last sweep visiting the Brewers was in the final three games of 2015. This will be their 26th series at Milwaukee since then.

(Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)

Probable pitching matchups

Friday: Colin Rea, RHP (5-5, 4.99 ERA, 1.399 WHIP, 4.83 FIP) vs. Jacob Misiorowski, RHP (8-3, 1.45 ERA, 0.753 WHIP, 1.66 FIP)

Saturday: TBD vs. Kyle Harrison, RHP (8-1, 2.50 ERA, 1.056 WHIP, 3.05 FIP)

Sunday: TBD vs. Brandon Woodruff, RHP (2-1, 3.00 ERA, 0.889 WHIP, 3.27 FIP)

NOTE: One of the TBD games is likely to be started by new acquisition David Peterson, though at publication time the team had not announced which one. The other is likely going to be a bullpen game, though perhaps the team will surprise us. As always, we await developments.

Times & TV channels

Friday: 6:45 p.m. CT, Apple TV (how to watch). Announcers: Alex Faust (play-by-play), Ryan Spilborghs (analyst), and Tricia Whitaker (reporter).

Saturday: 6:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Sunday: 1:10 p.m. CT, Marquee Sports Network

Prediction

Don’t get swept.

Seriously, though, despite pitching matchups that appear to favor the Brewers, I do think the Cubs should be able to win at least one of these games.

Up next

The Cubs return to Wrigley Field for a three-game series against the San Diego Padres beginning Monday evening.

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My MLB moneyline picks for June 26 contain all of my favorite looks and leans for tonight’s full slate.

See why my free MLB picks are topped by the Angels.

MLB moneyline picks for June 26

Matchup	Pick
Astros vs Tigers	-106
Reds vs Pirates	-174
Nationals vs Orioles	-127
Rangers vs Blue Jays	-104
Mariners vs Guardians	-12
Diamondbacks vs Rays	-130
Phillies vs Mets	+150
Yankees vs Red Sox	+106
Royals vs White Sox	-126
Cubs vs Brewers	-223
Rockies vs Twins	+153
Marlins vs Cardinals	-100
Athletics vs Angels	+115
Dodgers vs Padres	-133
Braves vs Giants	-117

Expert MLB moneyline picks for June 26

Astros vs Tigers: Tigers (-106)

Tigers win probability: 52%

Neither team has been killing it offensively, both sitting under a 100 wRC+ over their last 12 games. However, for the Tigers, Keider Montero has been very serviceable over his last five outings.

The right hander owns a 2.81 ERA, a 0.86 WHIP, and just a 2% walk rate during that stretch.

On the other side, Spencer Arrighetti has been struggling, posting a 5.79 ERA over his last five starts.

With both offenses looking pretty lifeless, I will ride with the Tigers.

Reds vs Pirates: Pirates (-174)

Pirates win probability: 64%

Real simple, Paul Skenes versus a Reds offense that has been frozen solid. Over their last 21 games, Cincinnati owns just an 86 wRC+, a .298 wOBA, and a .666 OPS. Yikes.

Meanwhile, the Pirates play their best ball at home and the offense has been humming. Parlay it with something else or take the run line. It is the Pirates.

Nationals vs Orioles: Orioles (-127)

Orioles win probability: 56%

Despite the Nationals’ hot offense, Trevor Rogers has hit his stride over his last five outings, posting a sub 3.00 ERA, a sub 1.00 WHIP, and a sub 6% walk rate. He has been much more in control lately and pitching with confidence.

On the other side, Andrew Alvarez has been allowing a lot of hard contact over his last few outings, and with the Orioles’ bats starting to heat up, this could get ugly.

Rangers vs Blue Jays: Rangers (-104)

Rangers win probability: 51%

I have a hard time trusting the Rangers offense, but they have been on fire as of late.

Over their last 21 games, they own a 112 wRC+, a .330 wOBA, and a .747 OPS. They draw Patrick Corbin, who is back to his old form, posting a 6.64 ERA, 5.21 xERA, and a 1.75 WHIP over his last five outings.

I expect Joc Pederson and Jake Burger to lead the way for the Rangers tonight.

Mariners vs Guardians: Guardians (-102)

Guardians win probability: 50%

I already like a lot of Guardians bats this evening against Luis Castillo, who has been inconsistent all season long.

Both offenses have been ice cold recently, but the few bright spots in that Cleveland lineup, namely Travis Bazzana and Kyle Manzardo, should be enough to swing this spot against a struggling right hander.

Castillo has really struggled with left-handed hitters, and over his last 60 lefties faced, opponents have posted a 48% hard-hit rate, a 12% barrel rate, and a 66% fly ball rate.

Give me the Guardians.

Diamondbacks vs Rays: Rays (-130)

Rays win probability: 56%

I do not care that the Rays hung two touchdowns on the Royals Thursday afternoon, they now draw Zac Gallen, who has been nothing short of rough all season. The right hander enters today with a 7.68 road ERA, 6.00 xERA, and a 1.84 WHIP, while allowing nearly a 48% hard hit rate and a 12% barrel rate.

Those are loud contact issues showing up consistently, not noise.

Give me the hot Rays in this spot.

Phillies vs Mets: Mets (+150)

Mets win probability: 40%

This is an interesting spot with the Mets, who recently made a coaching change, putting the classic “fired coach bump” into play. Getting +150 here adds to the appeal.

"Vibes" play of the day.

Yankees vs Red Sox: Red Sox (+106)

Red Sox win probability: 48%

Some would say there is no way the Yankees go into Fenway and lose to this Red Sox team, but they did last night. Now Payton Tolle takes the mound for Boston, a pitcher who brings real grit and tenacity to the mound.

This is the type of spot a guy like Tolle tends to show up for.

The Yankees offense has gone cold, posting an 80 wRC+, a 30% K rate, a .644 OPS, and a .143 ISO over their last six games. Meanwhile, Boston has been just a bit better on the other side.

Royals vs White Sox: White Sox (-125)

White Sox win probability: 56%

I am not a big narrative guy when it comes to baseball, but a lot of White Sox players have been snubbed for the All-Star Game. I think the team gets some frustration out against Royals’ Mitch Spence, who has already been a punching bag this season.

Plus, the White Sox have just been playing far better at home than anywhere else. Get your revenge, fellas.

Bonus: Colson Montgomery Over 1.5 H+R+RBI (EVEN), and sprinkle the HR

Cubs vs Brewers: Brewers (-223)

Brewers win probability: 69%

If you want value on a hot team, take the Cubs, but Jacob Misiorowski is the truth.

The Cubs come in with four poorly-rated hitters in this matchup, and this feels like a spot where their hot streak cools off. Minimal thoughts here, just based on how dominant Misiorowski has been.

Colin Rea is on the bump for Chicago, carrying a 7.19 road ERA and a 1.60 road WHIP.

Give me the Brew Crew.

Rockies vs Twins: Rockies (+153)

Rockies win probability: 40%

I get it, Tomoyuki Sugano is on the mound for Colorado, but Taj Bradley has been just as inconsistent. Both offenses have been swinging it well lately, and neither pitcher has shown much stability.

You are essentially getting two hot lineups against two arms you cannot fully trust right now, which opens the door for value. At this price, I will take a shot on the Rockies.

Marlins vs Cardinals: Marlins (-100)

Marlin win probability: 50%

I am already riding Owen Caissie in this matchup, so why not ride the entire Fighting Fish train?

Michael McGreevy for the Cardinals has been abysmal over his last five outings, posting a 5.33 ERA and a 1.48 WHIP. Meanwhile, the Marlins have been the hottest team in baseball this month.

At near even money, I will take a shot on the Fish.

Athletics vs Angels: Angels (+113)

Angels win probability: 46%

The Athletics offense has cooled off this week, while the Angels have started to heat back up. Over their last six games, the A’s sit below a 100 wRC+, while the Angels have posted a 129 wRC+, along with a .353 wOBA and .811 OPS.

I also like what I have seen from Walbert Urena in recent outings, carrying a 2.41 ERA on the year while not allowing much hard contact. 

Dodgers vs Padres: Dodgers (-133)

Dodgers win probability: 57%

Braves vs Giants: Braves (-117)

Braves win probability: 54%

This is the game the Atlanta Braves bats wake up.

With Trevor McDonald on the mound for San Francisco, this sets up as a prime rebound spot for an ice cold Braves lineup. McDonald over his last three outings owns a 6.17 ERA, 5.59 xERA, a 1.89 WHIP, and nearly a 15% walk rate.

The Giants offense has not exactly been scorching either, but I am willing to trust the better lineup in a spot where the opposing arm has been consistently shaky. Give me Atlanta here.

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