Cardinals vs Brewers Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

NL Central rivals collide this afternoon as the St. Louis Cardinals and Milwaukee Brewers begin a three-game set at American Family Field. First pitch is scheduled for 2:05 p.m. ET. 

With Jacob Misiorowski on the hill, my Cardinals vs. Brewers predictions are targeting Milwaukee to take the series opener. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Monday, May 25. 

Who will win Cardinals vs Brewers today: Brewers moneyline (-210)

The Milwaukee Brewers send their ace to the hill this afternoon in Jacob Misiorowski, who sports an impressive 1.89 ERA and a 4-2 record. He has been absolutely lights out this month, throwing four straight scoreless outings. 

Misiorowski's ERA is 2.04 at home, and he's historically had success against the St. Louis Cardinals, though the sample size is small. Across 33 at-bats, they're hitting just .212 off the right-hander.

On the other side, the Brew Crew will face left-hander Matthew Liberatore, who has given up four earned runs in back-to-back starts. 

Overall, he has a 4.70 ERA, and Liberatore's ERA is above four on the road. Milwaukee has a 16-11 record at American Family Field, and it's won three of its last four meetings with St. Louis at home

Covers COVERS INTEL: Misiorowski has posted a career-best 2.12 FIP this season through 10 appearances. 

Cardinals vs Brewers Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (-105)

While Liberatore has had his struggles lately, there have been a few solid starts for him over the last month as well.

Before surrendering four earned on the road to the Athletics, he only allowed two earned in each of his previous two starts away from St. Louis, and the Brewers aren't exactly coming in hot, scoring four runs against the Dodgers across Saturday and Sunday. 

Misiorowski's case here is clear. He rarely gives up runs, and the Cardinals offense is inconsistent. They're losers of three of four, and St. Louis scored only eight runs combined in those defeats. 

Two of the last four meetings have also cashed the Over.

Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 16-11, +5.54 units
  • Over/Under bets: 15-11, +1.09 units

Cardinals vs Brewers odds

  • Moneyline: Cardinals +122 | Brewers -163
  • Run line: Cardinals +1.5 (-120) | Brewers -1.5 (+120)
  • Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-118) | Under 7.5 (-104)

Cardinals vs Brewers trend

Six of Milwaukee's last 10 games have cashed the Under in total runs. Find more MLB betting trends for Cardinals vs. Brewers.

How to watch Cardinals vs Brewers and game info

LocationAmerican Family Field, Milwaukee, WI
DateMonday, May 25, 2026
First pitch2:10 p.m. ET
TVCardinals.TV, Brewers.TV
Cardinals starting pitcherMatthew Liberatore
(2-2, 4.70 ERA)
Brewers starting pitcherJacob Misiorowski
(4-2, 1.89 ERA)

Cardinals vs Brewers latest injuries

Cardinals vs Brewers 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.

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.

Thoughts on a 2-1 Rangers loss

ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - MAY 24: MacKenzie Gore #1 of the Texas Rangers prepares on the mound during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on May 24, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Angels 2, Rangers 1

  • I will take the blame for this one.
  • You see, on the Yahoo sports app on my phone on Sunday there was a blurb about the Rangers/Angels game that said “Don’t expect a lot of scoring in this duel between two lefty aces.”
  • I screenshotted it and posted it, saying that the two “lefty aces” were MacKenzie Gore and Reid Detmers. Much hilarity, right?
  • And so what happens? Reid Detmers goes out and carves up the Rangers. After a 1-2-3 first, he allows a leadoff homer in the second to Jake Burger, then retires the next 21 batters he faces in a row.
  • Detmers strikes out 14 batters while retiring 24 of 25 batters faced. It is one of teh most dominante performances of the season.
  • And MacKenzie Gore, meanwhile, also allows just one hit and one run. He does it in six innings, though, and only strikes out seven while walking two batters.
  • See what happens? I make jokes, and the universe decides to mock me.
  • Now, you may think that I’m not so important that the universe would go out of its way to make this happen just to mock me. And that is a reasonable point.
  • However, what if I am that important? Or what if my consciousness is breaking off into the particularly strand of universes that involves being mocked? Have you thought of that?
  • The ninth inning also seemed designed to mock Rangers fans in general, should we wish to take a particularly solipsistic view of the universe.
  • Two outs in the ninth, and the Rangers get their second baserunner of the game. They follow it up with their third and fourth baserunners of the game, bringing up Jake Burger, with the bases loaded, the person responsible for their one run of the game. Jake Burger, in position to give the Rangers the lead.
  • And he strikes out.
  • Then the bottom of the ninth, Gavin Collyer…
  • I will say, as an aside, the decision to use Gavin Collyer in that situation was surprising to me. Collyer was just called up, and had pitched the day before for Round Rock.
  • Collyer strikes out a batter, gives up a single, hits a batter…
  • Collyer, I will note, has now hit four batters on the season. That’s a lot for someone who has faced just 57 major league batters. Nathan Eovaldi has hit 5 batters this year, and no one else on the team has hit more than two.
  • Collyer does his job and gets a weak roller right to Justin Foscue. Foscue, who had spoken the day before about feeling bad for getting picked off yet again on Saturday and letting the team down, has an easy 4-3 double play ahead of him.
  • He steps on second, bobbles the transition of the ball from his glove to his throwing hand, then rushing the throw, putting it into the dirt. Jake Burger doesn’t scoop it. Pinch runner Donovan Walton scores from second. The Angels walk it off.
  • How does one, as a fan, even react to a loss like that?
  • I don’t know the answer to that.
  • MacKenzie Gore maxed out at 96.7 mph with his fastball, averaging 95.6 mph. Jakob Junis hit 93.1 mph with his sinker. Gavin Collyer’s fastball touched 97.2 mph.
  • Jake Burger had a 101.9 mph fly out and a 101.1 mph home run. Justin Foscue had a 101.4 mph fly out. Sam Haggerty had a 100.0 mph ground out.
  • Hopefully things will go better at home.

Victor Wembanyama’s half-court buzzer beater showcased a master in complete control

Victor Wembanyama celebrates with teammate Kelly Olynyk as the Spurs make their way towards victory in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals. Photograph: Darren Abate/AP

Victor Wembanyama called for the ball. His San Antonio Spurs were up by nine at the tail end of the second quarter, but had led by as many as 16 in the first half. Down 2-1 in the Western Conference Finals to the Oklahoma City Thunder, building the lead in the final seconds of the half felt urgent – in the previous game, the Spurs had exploded into a 15-0 lead, only to lose heavily. In Game 4 on Sunday night, the klaxon was closing in, and so might the Thunder. Wembanyama got in a couple dribbles, but only had time to reach half-court before the clock forced him to shoot. He hoisted the ball into the air from 43ft; the buzzer sounded. The ball slammed cleanly into the basket.

Buoyed up by that shot and the Thunder clanking almost all their three-point attempts off the rim as if in solidarity with one another, the Spurs completed a 21-point annihilation to tie the series.

The buzzer-beater brought to mind the long three Wembanyama hit in Game 1, which forced a second overtime when the Spurs were struggling for offense and on the brink of defeat. (Another point to consider: Three-point shooting is not even the Frenchman’s most potent skill.) That shot was from a mere 32ft, but was executed under more pressure, when other, safer options were available. If you’re not a fan of shots behind the arc, maybe the moment on Sunday when Wembanyama missed a tip-in, then corrected it with a backwards tap over his head was what made your heart sing. Or the most spiteful of his blocks. Or one of the many times when an opposing player streaked to the basket for a layup, spied Wembanyama in the paint, and kept right on dribbling by. He is beginning to stack magical moments atop each other.

Through four games of this postseason matchup, it seems clear that the Thunder are the better and deeper team. San Antonio’s starters have narrowly outplayed Oklahoma City’s, but the Thunder’s bench has proven stronger by about five times that margin. The depths of Wembanyama’s talents have been required just to keep this series competitive.

In Game 1, Wemby produced a 41-24 double-double that had many a podcaster wondering if the Thunder – the defending champions, best-record-in-the-league Thunder! – could do anything to stop him. Thunder’s hulking German center Isaiah Hartenstein has offered the rejoinder, wrapping his 7ft 4in opponent in a buffet of bear hugs that evade referees’ whistles, minimizing the Frenchman’s ability to get into the paint and slam home dunks or snare rebounds. Wembanyama had a milder performance in Game 2. In Game 3, his voice in the paint – only four boards! – felt quiet to the point of silence, given that he’s capable of making more noise there than anybody who’s ever lived.

Related: Knicks are within one win of NBA Finals after Game 3 win over Cavaliers

At that point, the Spurs’ astonishing Game 1 triumph felt like a pyrrhic victory. Their starters played so many minutes. The Thunder felt like they had an endless reserve of second-stringers capable of leaping off the pine and delivering a sweatless 18 points, and with several of them in Game 3 they brutalized San Antonio’s reserves while letting the stars rest. How that problem wouldn’t compound over the rest of the series felt hard to imagine.

But Wembanyama put up 33 of the Spurs’ 103 points in Game 4, supplementing it with his usual defensive impact, and what may be even more encouraging is that he only played 31 minutes. With the Spurs enjoying a healthy lead late in the fourth quarter, he got a head start on his recovery on a stationary bike in the tunnel.

The Spurs have a path to victory here, but it remains precarious: Get herculean performances from Wembanyama, and just enough from everybody else. The Spurs’ crucial offensive creators in De’Aaron Fox and Dylan Harper are compromised, Devin Vassell and Stephon Castle are excellent on both ends of the floor but don’t take over games (not to mention Castle’s copious turnovers this series). Wembanyama knows the deal. It was there in that ridiculous 32-footer to rescue Game 1. He knew his teammates’ ability to generate offense was dying a fast death. As absurd as it sounds, he took that long three-pointer with 19 seconds left on the shot clock out of necessity.

More than anything, you can see how vital Wembanyama is to his team when he has to rest and his backup, Luke Kornet, comes in. Kornet is a perfectly good player; he could start on the Lakers. But in this series, at this standard, he borders on unusable. He’s incinerated as soon as he steps on to the court. It raises the question of whether the Spurs could somehow play Wembanyama for all 48 minutes, at a limited intensity. Kornet’s stat line from his 13 minutes of playing time on Sunday sparkles: six points on three-of-four shooting, seven rebounds, two blocks. The Thunder still outscored the Spurs by nine in that time. The Spurs won Wembanyama’s minutes by twenty-nine.

The Spurs are deep enough in this series to believe that Wembanyama’s sorcery will be enough to win it. You feel bad for those who have staked out anti-Wembanyama campsites already. The Spurs are young and dealing with enough injuries – and the Thunder are a special enough team – that Wembanyama is the underdog. His triumphs can still feel unlikely, and are worth cherishing for as long as that’s true. One day he and the Spurs will be so good that we’ll laugh at the memory, or maybe mourn it.

Thanasi Kokkinakis roars back to win trademark five-set classic at French Open

  • Alex de Minaur disposes of qualifier in straight sets

  • Daria Kasatkina also wins in Paris heat

Thanasi Kokkinakis has roared back from the brink of defeat after four-and-a-quarter hours in sweltering Paris heat to launch another trademark five-set comeback at the French Open.

On a manic, mixed Monday for Australia’s elite, with Alex de Minaur and Daria Kasatkina also braving “brutal” conditions to prevail, injury-plagued Kokkinakis, who feared at the Australian Open his career could be finally be sunk by chronic shoulder trouble, again defied all odds to outlast French leftie Terence Atmane.

Continue reading...

The 2026 Boston Red Sox are a chore to watch

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 24: Boston Red Sox players, including Connelly Early #71, second from left, Payton Tolle #70, Roman Anthony #19 and Garrett Crochet #35 stand along the dugout rail during the eighth inning of their 6-5 loss to the Minnesota Twins at Fenway Park on May 24, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo By Winslow Townson/Getty Images) | Getty Images

What do you even want me to say at this point, respectfully?

Before I get on my soap box and complain for however-many words, let me just quickly say that I appreciate the fact that you’re here. It’s a holiday Monday, you could’ve done anything else with your long weekend, and yet you decided to read the upset ramblings of a man who is really pissed off with his shitty baseball team. For that, I thank you. Isn’t that the American Dream, what I’m living out right now?

Tongue-in-cheek comments aside: I’m exhausted, folks. Not with the writing—I’ll be here on OTM until the bitter end—but with the watching. Forgive me for the stream of consciousness this week, but I don’t know what else to do.

The 2026 Boston Red Sox are a chore to watch. I don’t really remember the last time I’ve ever felt that way in my life. I’m not sure I’ve ever felt that way, actually, now that I think about it. I was in high school in 2012; I still had that youthful spunk where I wanted to watch my team. I was still probably riding enough of a high after 2013 to ensure that the following two season weren’t a monotonous watch. Even the non-‘21-and-‘25 teams in the 2020’s weren’t this miserable to sit through at this point in the season, at least for me (your mileage may vary).

After a sweep at the hands of the Minnesota Twins, the Sox are dangerously close to being 10 games under .500, as if avoiding that label would be any fucking consolation prize for a team that was getting AL pennant shouts two months ago (and I’m guilty of that too! I had Seattle winning the pennant over us! Not that the Seattle prediction is going well, but my goodness!). This team is a joke. They are, simply put, pathetic. I’m not sure how in depth I can go with that as my basis right now.

Perhaps this is just my own personal reckoning with the situation, but doesn’t this feel like the right time for it? The unofficial date to begin worrying about your team has always been Memorial Day. We’re there now, and I think the season’s just about over already. There’s no generational prospect coming up through the minors to help us. The coaching staff has already been cleaned out. The money is being allocated by FSG in some capacity, for all the ownership group’s faults, yet here we are. The roster construction is still a mess and it will continue to be a mess for the immediate future.

To quote a wise sheriff…

If there’s a way out of this mess, I can’t personally see it. I try to be as optimistic as possible, but I do not see a path to 270 electoral votes this year. I’d love to eat these words in a few months, but I don’t believe in this group. I’ve seen enough. I’ll keep watching because I’m a sicko. I’ll keep writing about this team because I love writing and I love the Red Sox and I love this lil’ gig I’ve been blessed with getting. But I sure as hell do not love this iteration of the team, man. We’ll have plenty of time to talk about what needs to happen to right the ship (I don’t want to be rash, but I’m becoming more and more of a #BreslowOut guy as the days go on, slowly but surely), but as for right now: I think the prospects we had in late March about this team contending in October are just about done and dusted.

If you’re a consistent reader, you know that I like to dive into the developments that have happened over the course of the week in the MMBB, whether they’re good or bad. That practice will continue for the rest of the season. I’ll try to be as optimistic as possible moving forward in 2026, but just know that I’m probably harboring a sense of dread alongside any positive words I have until I’m given a reason by the team to feel otherwise. Why waste my time by thinking things could be getting better this season when I’m talking about any consistent trends that Jarren Duran might’ve had at the plate this week? The last time I did that, he sucked for another week-and-change. I did the same with Marcelo Mayer before then, and it’s been even worse for him. I could talk until I’m blue in the face about the positive trends being made by a Payton Tolle or a Sonny Gray or a, dare I say, Brayan Bello when he’s being preceded by an opener.

Doesn’t matter, dude. We suck shit.

All of those positive trends could be true in a vacuum, but I don’t think they’re gonna ultimately matter this year—short of something extraordinary happening. The pitching’s been pretty solid overall, the defense has been stellar, and I’ve tried finding the positives in an underwhelming lineup. All of that together has gotten us eight games below an even .500. We’re a laughing stock in the league; a banter club, if you follow the Premier League. We’ve got Buster Olney saying we’ve got to abort the Caleb Durbin experiment. The question of “What the fuck are we doing in the front office” is a legitimate one at this stage. To get even more existential, another great question is “What is the plan moving forward?”

We’ve got nothing going for us on a consistent basis. Even after a sweep in Kansas City, the team goes and shits their pants yet again at home. The only time I’ve ever given true credence to the idea of momentum not being a thing has been with watching this collection of guys representing the Red Sox, because I haven’t seen an ounce of it this year. What is there to look forward to for the last four months of the year?

I guess I’ve gotta answer that question for myself. Maybe you do as well.

Again: I’ll be here for y’all. I’ll talk about positive and negative trends as I see ‘em, because I like talking ball. I love this team, I love this sport, and I love talking about both the team as well as the sport.

But I suppose this is my official declaration that I’m not gonna be fooled by this specific group going forward. I’ve been patient enough thus far; the patience is gone. I’m not holding any reservations for them for the rest of the year, because they don’t deserve those reservations. We’ve crossed the Rubicon, if the Rubicon was filled with poo. Maybe we’re drowning in that Rubicon instead, come to think of it. Either way: I don’t see a way where we could be going back.

I’ll still watch, I’ll still write, I’ll still support, but I don’t believe in this group as things currently stand. I’d love to be proven wrong, but I don’t think I’m alone in this sentiment. What have they done to prove otherwise? I’ve tried putting a spotlight on positive things (and I’m not trying to sound like the end-all-be-all of Sox analysis here, folks; this is just my personal ramblings) and they haven’t amounted to much of anything. I don’t care how bad the American League is. We’re a prime example of that suckiness. How many times can the boy cry wolf? How many times can the Sox blogger cry positive regression?

I dunno, folks. I’m just exhausted with this team already. I think it’ll be a………………………………………..

Song of the Week: “Cruel Summer” by Taylor Swift

I swear I didn’t go into this aiming for it to be a 1,200+ word set-up to a stupid joke, but if the shoe fits….

Same time and same place next week, folks. Go Sox, I guess. Who gives a fuck anymore?

White Sox Weekly: May 18-24, 2026

May 24, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Chicago White Sox infielder Miguel Vargas (20) walks to the dugout after the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park.
Miguel Vargas ran into some trouble with the sun this past week. | Robert Edwards-Imagn Images

Last week you might recall that the weekly recap touched on the fact that it’s not every week the White Sox hit 15 home runs. There are also going to be weeks where they only hit four — and this week was one of them. The record of the West Coast trip reflects this lack of long ball, at 2-4. For the first time this month, the South Siders have lost back-to-back series.

The good news is that this is the last trip west this season. The bad news is this small skid back to .500 is happening right before three intradivisional series, and the first time this season that there will be an encounter with a team in the AL Central other than the Kansas City Royals.

Funny enough, the pitching staff’s ERA (4.54) was lower this week than it was when we took a series from the Cubs. However, the pitching still allowed a lot of runs, while the offense hit .202.

The two wins that did occur this week were worth noting.

The first was a 2-1 victory in Seattle. Anthony Kay loaded the bases in the first inning with only one out. This allowed Patrick Wisdom to collect his first RBI of 2026 with a ground out. The game would remain at 1-0 until the top of the ninth inning. Munetaka Murakami led the inning off with a walk. Miguel Vargas was hit by a pitch to put the tying run in scoring position. With one out, Chase Meidroth and Andrew Benintendi hit back-to-back RBI singles:

For the first time all game, the White Sox took the lead. Grant Taylor brought the heat and closed the game out to earn the save and give Chicago the opportunity to take the series.

Kay really bounced back after running into trouble the first. He exited the game after 5 1/3 innings, throwing 57 of his 89 pitches for strikes, striking out five and walking three. In the month of May, Kay has not given up more than two runs and his ERA over four starts is just 2.11. (Over five starts in April, that same ERA was 6.64.) Here’s hoping this momentum continues, because his consistent starting presence is something this rotation needs.

When the Seattle leg of the road trip finished, it was time to head to San Francisco, where the result was exactly the same as it was in Oregon. An off-day on Thursday appeared to be what the doctor ordered when the White Sox exploded for nine runs in the fourth inning, the most runs they’ve scored in a single inning this season and the most without a home run since 2000. The two big scoring plays were doubles by Benintendi and Murakami:

Was it a coincidence the night the White Sox scored their most runs this week was also the night Davis Martin was also pitching? Probably not. The righthander is becoming notorious for winning the day after a South Side loss. Even though Martin would end up giving up a season-high four runs over 5 2/3 innings, he earned his seventh win of the season and help the Pale Hose avoid back-to-back losses:

The rest of the week left something to be desired. The lowlight occurred on Saturday, when the White Sox dropped multiple pop-ups in the sun. Through the top of the fifth, the game was tied … and then the bottom of the inning came around. Instead of me explaining, please enjoy some video evidence:

Later in the inning Mune would lose a Harrison Bader foul ball in the sun. The missed out opened the door for a Rafael Devers grand slam and nail in the coffin. I will not make you suffer through that clip, too. This game also happened to be started by Erik Fedde, who came in after a Bryan Hudson open. The veteran righty lasted just 3 1/3 innings, giving up eight of San Francisco’s 10 runs. Including Fedde, the bullpen had a 6.66 ERA over 25 innings of work this week.

Other poor pitching performances this week came from rookie starter Noah Schultz. The 6´10´´ starter opened the week in Seattle and closed the road trip out in San Francisco. In total, he worked 9 1/3 innings, gave up nine earned runs, struck out seven, and hit four batters. The positive is he has only walked one batter in the last 43 he has faced. The negative is offenses hitting .297 against the Southpaw.

The White Sox are headed back to 35th and Shields and will be back in action against the Minnesota Twins on Memorial Day at 1:10 p.m. CDT. It is a long flight back, and a short turnaround. I truly hope the plane ride home was one of rest.

Como’s ascent to Champions League offers bright note amid Serie A chaos | Nicky Bandini

The battle for the top four in Italy was overshadowed by violence in Turin, where Juve joined Milan in missing out

The stage was set for a grand finale: five games to settle season-long battles at either end of the Serie A table. Top spot was decided – Inter claimed their 21st Scudetto at the start of this month – but there were four teams contesting two Champions League berths, while Lecce and Cremonese fought to escape relegation. All of them would play simultaneously. Or at least, that was the plan.

Among these five games was a derby between Torino and Juventus. As kick-off approached, supporters clashed close to the stadium. One, a 36-year-old Juve fan named Marco Leonardo Basoccu, was rushed to hospital for emergency surgery after suffering a head wound.

Continue reading...

Is the Red Sox season over?

BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 12: A general view of bleacher seats before a game between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Boston Red Sox on May 12, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Hello folks, hope you’re able to enjoy an off day today.

The Red Sox do not play baseball today, thankfully.

Very simple and plain question for you today: is it over? I think it just might be, but I want to hear more from you.

Be good to each other and go Sox.

2026 NL Central Power Rankings: Week 9

Milwaukee Brewers first baseman Andrew Vaughn (28) catches a foul ball during the first inning of their game against the Los Angeles Dodgers Saturday, May 23, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. | Mark Hoffman/Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Welcome to week 9 of our 2026 NL Central Power Rankings — let’s rank some teams!

1. Milwaukee Brewers (30-20); 4-2 this week; 74.6% chance to make postseason (FanGraphs)

The Brewers take over our top spot after a three-game sweep of the Cubs to begin the week. After extending their win streak to four with a series-opening win against the Dodgers on Friday, they dropped the last two games in the series over the weekend.

Jake Bauers, William Contreras, Brice Turang, and Christian Yelich all homered this week, while David Hamilton added a little league homer thanks to an error by Pete Crow-Armstrong. Contreras led the team with 10 hits, followed by Bauers and Jackson Chourio, who had seven each.

Jacob Misiorowski, Kyle Harrison, and Logan Henderson made a trio of scoreless starts for Milwaukee, totaling 18 innings with 26 strikeouts in three wins. Grant Anderson, Trevor Megill, Chad Patrick, Carlos Rodriguez, and Abner Uribe were all scoreless in relief, while Shane Drohan was also solid in cleanup duty, totaling 8 2/3 innings with three runs allowed (two earned) and 12 strikeouts across three relief appearances.

The Brewers now host the Cardinals at home to begin the week before a travel day on Thursday. They’ll head to Houston for the weekend to take on the Astros for three games.

2. St. Louis Cardinals (29-22); 2-3 this week; 31.1% chance to make postseason

The Cardinals went 1-2 as they played host to the Pirates this week before splitting a doubleheader with the Reds on Saturday after Friday night’s game was rained out. They had another rainout on Sunday, giving them just five games this week.

Iván Herrera and Jordan Walker led the offense with a pair of homers each this week, as Walker batted .316/.381/.684 with eight RBIs. Alec Burleson led the squad with eight hits and a .591 OBP, while four others added a homer apiece.

Andre Pallante turned in the best start of the week to pick up a win, going six innings with one run allowed and three strikeouts. Ryan Fernandez, Gordon Graceffo, Matt Pushard, JoJo Romero, George Soriano, and Ryne Stanek all had scoreless weeks for the bullpen, combining for 13 innings with 14 strikeouts.

St. Louis now heads to Milwaukee to take on the Brewers for three games in a series of the top two teams in the division. They then return home to host the Cubs next weekend.

3. Chicago Cubs (29-24); 0-6 this week; 54.3% chance to make postseason

The Cubs remain one of the hottest and coldest teams in baseball, as they’ve now lost eight straight and 12 of their last 14 after rattling off a 10-game win streak to begin May. They were swept by both the Brewers and Astros at Wrigley this week, as they were outscored 34-12 in those games. One more week like this and they could slide even further down the rankings.

Michael Busch, Pete Crow-Armstrong, and Dansby Swanson each homered this week, but it was overall a very quiet week for the Cub offense. No player had more than four hits, as Busch led the way with nine total bases via his homer, two doubles, and a single, tacking on four walks for a .400 OBP.

While none of Chicago’s starters had a solid week, the bullpen wasn’t completely terrible. Hoby Milner, Daniel Palencia, Ryan Rolison, Jacob Webb, and Ty Blach (who was promptly DFA’d) combined for 10 scoreless innings and nine strikeouts this week.

Chicago has another big week on deck, as they visit a pair of NL Central foes in the Pirates (four games) and Cardinals (three games) without an off day.

4. Pittsburgh Pirates (27-26); 3-3 this week; 45.2% chance to make postseason

The Pirates took two of three in St. Louis over the Cardinals before dropping two of three in Toronto against the Blue Jays, giving them an even 3-3 road trip.

Spencer Horwitz led the offense with two homers, while Oneil Cruz, Henry Davis, Brandon Lowe, and Esmerlyn Valdez added one each. Lowe led the team with eight hits on the week, while rookie Jhostynxon “The Password” Garcia had five hits over his first 17 career at-bats. Konnor Griffin scored a team-high seven runs, picking up six hits and a pair of steals.

Braxton Ashcraft and Carmen Mlodzinski both turned in solid starts for Pittsburgh this week. Ashcraft went seven innings with one run allowed and nine strikeouts, while Mlodzinski went five scoreless, as both pitchers earned the win. Justin Lawrence and Gregory Soto both tossed a pair of scoreless innings in relief, with Soto collecting the team’s only save and striking out four.

Pittsburgh returns to PNC Park this week, as they’ll host the Cubs for four games before welcoming the Twins to town for three games over the weekend.

5. Cincinnati Reds (27-25); 3-2 this week; 14.3% chance to make postseason

The Reds won two of three in Philadelphia to begin the week before splitting Saturday’s doubleheader with the Cardinals.

Nathaniel Lowe and Sal Stewart each homered twice this week, with Elly De La Cruz adding a homer. Stewart tied with Blake Dunn for the team lead with seven hits on the week, while Lowe led the team with six RBIs.

Chase Burns continues to mow down hitters, with nine strikeouts and one run allowed over six innings in a winning performance this week. Andrew Abbott also earned a win in his start, going 5 1/3 innings with two runs allowed (one earned) with three strikeouts. Tejay Antone, Pierce Johnson, and Sam Moll had scoreless weeks for the ‘pen, with Johnson picking up the team’s other win.

Cincinnati has a quick three-game road trip to New York to face the Mets beginning Monday afternoon. After an off day on Thursday, they return home to host the Braves over the weekend.

New York Yankees vs. Kansas City Royals: Series Preview

KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - JUNE 12: Will Warren #98 of the New York Yankees pitches during the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium on June 12, 2025 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Jay Biggerstaff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Yankees’ weekend series against the Rays had plenty of buildup and ultimately left us with a taste of wanting more, as a postponement on Saturday prevented either team from actually gaining a game on the other in the AL East. All the excitement of Aaron Judge’s walk-off, two-run blast on Sunday would have been so much better had the Yankees gained ground on the Rays, but we’ll take it nonetheless. The turnaround is a fast one as the Yankees travel to the Midwest for a three-game set with the Royals, starting with a Monday afternoon matchup on Memorial Day at Kauffman Stadium.

In the Royals, the Yankees will find a team whose inability to build a competent lineup around Bobby Witt Jr. has been a longstanding issue. This year, the underperformance of the likes of Maikel Garcia, Vinnie Pasquantino, and the aging Salvador Pérez are all contributing to pedestrian numbers from the offense as a whole, despite having the league leader in hits (Witt).

Monday: Will Warren vs. Michael Wacha (3:40 pm ET)

Recovering well from a blow-up against the Rangers earlier this month, Will Warren hasn’t been able to complete six full innings in each of his last two starts, but he has done enough to earn the win in both of them, moving to a fantastic 6-1 record. For as great as Warren has been for the majority of the season, that record can also be traced to the Yankees’ propensity to score a lot of runs when he is on the mound. Through Warren’s first 10 starts of 2026, the Yankees have averaged a whopping 7.8 runs per game, and in order to carry on that trend, they’ll need to go through the veteran Michael Wacha.

Out of all the responsible parties for the Royals’ subpar record in a weak division, Wacha is certainly not involved, easily their best starting pitcher up to this point. In fact, the Yankees’ offense remembers all too well Wacha’s capabilities, as the right-hander tossed six innings of three-hit ball in the Bronx earlier this season. And that’s to say nothing of his history with New York from his days with the Rays and Red Sox. Let down by his offense, Wacha saw the Royals lose that game, 4-2. And while length has been a minor problem for Warren as of late, Wacha has finished at least seven innings four times this year, including a couple of times in May.

Tuesday: Cam Schlittler vs. TBA (7:40 pm ET)

The Royals currently have just four true starters working their schedule, with this fifth slot last most recently used for a combination of Bailey Falter and Luinder Avila, the former as an opener and the latter as the bulk option. These two last pitched on May 19th as the Royals lost at home to the Red Sox. Despite the defeat, they did alright, particularly Avila, who tossed three scoreless innings before Kansas City’s bullpen faltered late, no pun intended. As much as the lack of depth behind Wacha, that bullpen is also a weakness for the Yankees to explore, with KC ranking 23rd and 26th in bullpen ERA and WHIP, respectively. We don’t yet know for sure if this will be manager Matt Quatraro’s plan for tomorrow as he yet to announce a starter, but it’s a distinct possibility.

Machine-like over the course of the season, the league leader in ERA at 1.50, Cam Schlittler, will face a repeat opponent for the first time in 2026, having been on the winning end of that matchup against Wacha last month. The Yankees seem to be cutting him loose a bit, setting a season-high 106 pitches in each of his previous two starts. One note of interest about Schlittler’s campaign is that five of his six wins have come on the road. During his most recent start away from home, he set a new high for 2026 with nine strikeouts across his 6.2 innings of one-run ball in Queens.

Wednesday: Gerrit Cole vs. Noah Cameron (7:40 pm ET)

There is always a sense of nervousness when a pitcher of Gerrit Cole’s caliber returns from such a lengthy absence. Undergoing a meticulous process for his return with several rehab outings, Cole was ready to go in his return, and apart from the lack of strikeouts as the Rays showed up with an aggressive game plan, the veteran former Cy Young winner did about as great a job as anyone could’ve hoped. Cole’s fastball sat in the 96+ mph range from the first through his last inning, and he’ll look to get a better feel for the secondaries against the Royals.

One of the pleasant surprises of this Royals team a year ago when he finished fourth in AL Rookie of the Year voting, Noah Cameron has not yet been able to replicate his 2025 numbers, currently boasting an ERA closer to 5.00 than his 2025 mark. Cameron’s last start was his best of the year, holding the Mariners to six scoreless, but with no support from an offense that, outside of Bobby Witt Jr., has had minimal action, Cameron still saw his team lose that one by a score of two to nothing.

Mets Morning News: Back To Basement

May 24, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Christian Scott (45) sits on the mound against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images | Rhona Wise-Imagn Images

Meet the Mets

Offensively hopeless, the Mets were swept by the Marlins via walkoff grand slam in a series where the only saving grace was the lack of playoff implications.

Choose your recap: Amazin’ Avenue, Faith and Fear in Flushing, MLB.com, Newsday, New York Daily News, New York Post

Just because there couldn’t be one good thing about the Mets, Juan Soto was scratched prior to Sunday’s loss with flu-like symptoms.

In another modern miracle, the Mets offense has continued to find ways to be disappointing and lackluster, even with lowered expectations.

Around the National League East

Left with few answers for the Guardians pitching this weekend, the Phillies dipped back below .500 once again following a 3-1 loss to Parker Messick and Cleveland.

Playing a nice and dry game for the first time in what feels like forever, the Nationals and Forest Griffin handed the Braves a 2-1 loss.

Around Major League Baseball

Things have gone pretty terribly for Toronto since the bottom of the ninth inning started in Game Seven of last year’s World Series and losing Dylan Cease and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to injury in the same inning might make this the second worst day in that span.

Following his retirement and unretirement, former Dodger Chris Taylor has once again announced his retirement from Major League Baseball. Officially this time…probably.

Corbin Carroll hit a pair of triples and continued to paint baseball’s list of leaders and accolades with his name alongside Lou Gehrig.

In what seems to be a bi-yearly tradition at this point, Reid Detmers had a start that made him look like one of the best pitchers in the entire world.

Charlie Moore, the pennant-winning right fielder for the 1982 Brewers team died over the weekend at 72.

It won’t fix anything here in New York, but Pete Alonso isn’t having the most fun time in Baltimore either.

Esmerlyn Valdez hit the first home run of his career into the stands in Toronto and got the ball back after an intense negotiation between the Pirates bullpen and the child who caught the ball.

This Date in Mets History

Happy birthday to Mets Legends Eric Young Jr., Tall Chris Young, and Scott Hairston.

Atlanta Braves News: Spencer Swhellenbach Making Progress, Weekend Woes Offensively, More

The Braves offense just could not find its usual groove over the weekend. After an exciting win on Friday. the Braves were shut out Saturday and did not score a run till the ninth on a rainy 2-1 Sunday loss to the Nationals. It was only the Braves second series loss of the season, but is the latest sign that the Braves offense as whole is going through a bit of a tough stretch. Hopefully, Monday’s off-day will be a nice reset before the week ahead.

Braves News

Spencer Schwellenbach has received good news in his injury recover, feels good, and is throwing.

Cade Kuehler continues to impress down on the farm.

Mark Bowman writes on Austin Riley continuing to try and find his usual level of offense.

MLB News

The Braves remain number 1 in the latest mlb.com power rankings.

The Marlins beat the Mets thanks to a clutch Grand Slam.

Both Dylan Cease and Vlad Guerrero Jr. left the Blue Jays game on Sunday, though initial reports are a bit encouraging.

Dodgers Week 9: Two series wins against National League playoff hopefuls

MILWAUKEE, WI - MAY 24: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (18) of the Los Angeles Dodgers delivers a pitch in the fourth inning during an MLB game against the Milwaukee Brewers on May 24, 2026 at American Family Field in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

The Dodgers took care of business on the road last week, against two National League playoff contenders. They lost the first game of each series, in San Diego and Milwaukee, but then won the next two over the Padres and Brewers to a 4-2 week and a 7-2 road trip.

Batter of the week

Freddie Freeman did not have any singles this week, but he made up for it with two home runs, three doubles, and 10 walks, and a tidy 1,379 OPS.

Pitcher of the week

Yoshinobu Yamamoto pitched seven innings and allowed one run not once, but twice to bookend the week, making this an easy call.

Week 9 results

4-2 record
26 runs scored (4.33 per game)
14 runs allowed (2.33 per game)
.756 pythagorean win percentage

Year to date

33-20 record
274 runs scored (5.17 per game)
168 runs allowed (3.17 per game)
.710 pythagorean win percentage (38-15)

Transactions

Monday: After opting out of his minor league deal with the Philadelphia Phillies, Jonathan Hernándezsigned with the Dodgers and joined their bullpen. Chayce McDermott was optioned after his one day on the roster.

Tuesday: New trade acquisition Eric Lauer was activated, and Wyatt Mills was optioned.

Game results

PlayerPARH2BHRRBIBBBA/OBP/SLG
Freeman276532310.294/.556/.824
Ohtani29382147.381/.517/.619
Hernández24671283.350/.417/.700
Espinal5011011.250/.400/.500
Tucker26341035.190/.346/.429
Rushing8020001.286/.375/.286
Muncy16121002.154/.313/.231
Pages25331142.136/.200/.318
Betts28141002.154/.214/.192
Kim16020001.133/.188/.133
Smith17120011.125/.176/.125
Rojas11100011.000/.200/.000
Call0100000did not bat
Offense23226401162536.211/.338/.384
Tucker also tripled twice & stole a base. Freeman stole a base
PitcherRecordIPHRBBSOERAWHIP
Ohtani1-05.030240.001.000
Yamamoto1-114.01023111.290.929
Sasaki1-05.043243.601.200
Wrobleski0-15.085249.002.000
Sheehan0-04.054129.001.500
Starters3-233.0301410253.551.212
Scott1-03.310170.000.600
Klein0-0, Sv3.000040.000.000
Hurt0-03.030220.001.667
Henriquez0-02.300120.000.429
Hernández0-02.000010.000.000
Gervase0-02.010100.001.000
Vesia0-01.700120.000.600
Treinen0-01.710110.001.200
Bullpen1-0, Sv19.0607190.000.684
Totals4-252.0361417442.251.019

Previous reviews: Week 1 | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8

Up next

The Dodgers are back home, running the Kenny Roberts gauntlet while hosting the Colorado Rockies and Philadelphia Phillies, the latter now helmed by old friend Don Mattingly.

Mon, 5/25Tue, 5/26Wed, 5/27Thu, 5/28Fri, 5/29Sat, 5/30Sun, 5/31
vs. Rockiesvs. Rockiesvs. Rockiesvs. Philliesvs. Philliesvs. Phillies
6:107:107:107:157:101:10
SheehanLauerOhtaniWrobleskiSasakiYamamoto
GordonFreeland*TBAWheelerPainterLuzardo*
SNLA/MLBSNLA/MLBSNLA/MLBApple TVSNLA/MLBSNLA
*left-handed starting pitcher

Which series are Giants fans most interested in this week?

SAN FRANCISCO, CA - MAY 08: A general view of Oracle Park during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the San Francisco Giants on Friday, May 8, 2026 in San Francisco, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Good morning, and Happy Memorial Day baseball fans!

We’re going to be doing a combined BP for today and tomorrow, due to the holiday. And it is a new week of San Francisco Giants baseball, which means that it’s time to take a look at the week ahead and see what’s on deck.

This week will be a full week of NL West play. The Giants will welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks to Oracle Park this afternoon to begin a three-game series. After an off-day on Thursday, they will head to the hellmouth Coors Field for a three-game weekend series.

Normally, a mid-week series against the Diamondbacks would not get my vote two weeks in a row. But I will never, ever, in good conscience, pick a series at Coors Field. So I guess that’s my pick this week.

Which series are you most interested in this week?

What time do the Giants play today?

If you’re reading this on Monday, the Giants play game one of this series at 2:05 p.m. PT. And if you’re reading this on Tuesday, they play game two at 6:45 p.m. PT.