Who will win Cubs vs Rangers today: Cubs moneyline (-133 at Polymarket)
The Chicago Cubs are arguably the hottest team in baseball right now, having wonnine straight games. They just swept the Cincinnati Reds, scoring 18 runs in the series.
The Cubbies' offense is firing on all cylinders, ranking in the top five in most categories. Most notably, they're second in runs with 5.5 per game.
Chicago will face Kumar Rocker tonight, who has a 4.71 ERA. He's pitched better at home, but Rocker has been poor lately. Although the righty has never faced the Cubs, the hosts are raking at the moment, and he tends to leave a lot of pitches in the zone.
Also, Ben Brown is on the bump for Chicago, and although this is his first start, he has a 2.10 ERA across 12 relief appearances. Chicago's bullpen also has a 3.90 ERA, and they will likely eat up innings here after Brown is the opener.
COVERS INTEL: Opponents are hitting .278 against Rocker, and he's given up seven earned runs across his last two starts.
Cubs vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 runs (-110)
The Cubbies are rolling, and they've cashed the Over in two of their last three games. I expect them to do damage to Rocker. They have also hit the Over in two of their previous three contests, although both of those games were losses.
Rocker is prone to hard contact, while the Cubbies' bullpen can be vulnerable at times. Globe Life is hitter-friendly when the roof is closed, too.
That being said, I believe most of the offense in the series opener will come from the Cubbies, who cannot be stopped right now.
Chicago is averaging 5.57 runs per game in May, and they've also hit the Over in five of their seven games this month. Texas has also given up 24 runs across its last four games alone.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 9-11, -5.45 units
Over/Under bets: 12-8, +2.35 units
Cubs vs Rangers odds
Moneyline: Cubs -136 | Rangers +116
Run line: Cubs -1.5 (+120) | Rangers +1.5 (-140)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 runs (-110) | Under 8.5 runs (-110)
Cubs vs Rangers trend
The Chicago Cubs have hit the Moneyline in 20 of their last 24 games (+16.75 Units / 52% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Rangers.
How to watch Cubs vs Rangers and game info
Location
Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
Date
Friday, May 8, 2026
First pitch
8:05 p.m. ET
TV
CW33, Marquee
Cubs starting pitcher
Edward Cabrera (3-0, 3.27 ERA)
Rangers starting pitcher
Jack Leiter (1-3, 5.45 ERA)
Cubs vs Rangers latest injuries
Cubs vs Rangers 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.
Coverage of the 2026 NBA playoffs continues this Saturday afternoon on NBC and Peacock when Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons take on Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Live coverage begins at 2:00 PM ET with NBA Showtime. See below for additional information on how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
Don't miss Sunday night's San Antonio Spurs vs Minnesota Timberwolves Game 4 action at 7:30 PM ET on NBC and Peacock.
Detroit Pistons vs Cleveland Cavaliers Game Preview:
The Pistons lead the series 2-0 after defeating the Cavaliers 111-101 on Tuesday and 107-97 on Thursday night. Cunningham had 25 points and 10 assists, while Tobias Harris finished with 21 points and 7 rebounds.
"We never lost composure, we just stayed poised, stuck to our principles, stuck to our system, and just turned up the energy a little bit," said Cunningham after the win.
Cleveland guard James Harden finished with just 10 points, shooting 3-for-13 from the field.
"We won the possession game, we just didn't make shots. We had plenty of chances," said Harden after the loss.
"They came out super aggressive, of course, but it’s the playoffs. Obviously, we haven’t figured that one out. Still back to the drawing board," said Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson.
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
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Boston, MA - May 2: Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid reacts after making a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers played in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
After two losses at Madison Square Garden, the Sixers return home for the first time in over a week facing another two-game deficit in a best-of-seven series against one of their rivals. This time it’s a 2-0 hole against the New York Knicks, a series deficit Philly has never been able to dig out of in a best-of-seven in its history. But don’t let that feel like the Sixers are climbing Mount Everest as they attempt to pick themselves up off the mat.
In case you needed a reminder, Philadelphia’s comeback against Boston in the first round was the first series victory from a 3-1 deficit in franchise history. It was the first time since 1982 that the Sixers eliminated the Celtics in the postseason, having lost seven consecutive series to Boston previously. The Celtics had been 32-0 in best-of-seven series when holding a 3-1 cushion. Whether you needed to read those facts or not, they were worth repeating. The Sixers just had their greatest playoff moment in a quarter century and that ought to earn some positive equity in the minds of its fans.
There are no moral victories in the playoffs, but Wednesday night’s effort in Game 2 should have Sixers fans feeling optimistic that they can fight back against the Knicks. Down Joel Embiid on the road, Philly went toe-to-toe with New York, a team that appears to be firing on all cylinders, for 40-45 minutes of regulation. The Sixers simply ran out of gas down the stretch and the Knicks escaped with a 108-102 victory.
There wasn’t much to nitpick in Game 1 as the Sixers just got steamrolled in a quick turnaround after last Saturday’s Game 7 in Boston in the first round. But by now, we’ve all heard the most common complaints about the Game 2 loss. Some say it was a Daryl Morey loss as the President of Basketball Operations opted to subtract instead of add three months ago at the trade deadline and Philly had a thinner bench as a result in a game it was already without Embiid. Others have pointed the finger at Tyrese Maxey. There’s reason to be upset with Maxey after he had a relatively pedestrian stat line by his standards and if he’s going to be the face of the franchise after Embiid, he’ll have to be better than he was in Game 2. On a lesser note, Nick Nurse not playing Dominick Barlow enough when Barlow clearly looked like the best option at center on a night sans Embiid has also been brought up.
There have even been questions about Embiid’s toughness and some have quickly resorted back to the common critiques of Embiid that we hear this time of year. Sixers fans, it’s time to move forward with confidence. Friday night will be the first time the team plays a game at home since completing the 3-1 comeback against Boston. Regardless of how many Knicks fans are in the building, Friday offers a chance for the Sixers fanbase to throw its full support behind a team that has undoubtedly earned it. Don’t let such a great moment from less than a week ago be erased from your memory so quickly. Don’t allow yourself to think that the Sixers only won the series against the Celtics because Boston’s three-point field goals weren’t dropping and Jayson Tatum didn’t play in Game 7.
I get it. It’s easy to think more about the extensive history of postseason disappointments that this franchise has provided us with than a good week-long stretch of basketball against the Celtics. But everyone owes it to the Sixers to get behind them and attempt to will them back into this series with New York. They certainly showed ample grit and fight in Game 2 and we should expect them to bring that same energy for the rest of the series.
Of course, the availability of Embiid looms large. We’ll see if New York wing OG Anunoby suits up on Friday night after suffering a hamstring injury in Game 2. Both Embiid and Anunoby were on their respective rosters two years ago when these two teams met one round earlier in the playoffs. Philadelphia lost the first two games in New York in that series as well. Embiid dropped 50 points in Game 3. The Sixers would go on to extend that series to a Game 6 at home, one that they ended up losing by three points, and the game was tied until Josh Hart buried a triple with 25 seconds remaining for the Knicks.
A strong argument can be made that both the Sixers and Knicks are better teams now than they were two years ago. But the point we’re getting at is, the Sixers were very close to forcing a decisive seventh game back at Madison Square Garden in 2024 after trailing 2-0 and 3-1 in that series. They haven’t bowed out of the playoffs in embarrassing fashion since the Mother’s Day 2023 blowout loss in Boston.
So save me your “same old Sixers” takes and go support your team on Friday night on their home floor. Maybe have a little bit of faith that they can win a basketball game after seeing what they did in the first round. Should they get it done on Friday, a series can’t be any closer than 2-1 after three games. They’d be one home win in Game 4 away from making it a best-of-three at that point. The series isn’t over so don’t act like it is. If you didn’t learn that after watching the Celtics series, you never will.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 03: Greg Weissert #57 of the Boston Red Sox walks to the dugout after pitching during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at Fenway Park on May 03, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We learned after the game on Thursday that Jake Bennett has been sent down to Triple-A. Jack Anderson, who allowed three runs in 8 1/3 innings in his first stint in the majors, will be the corresponding promotion.
Other moves are likely on the horizon. Justin Slaten seemingly threw his final rehab outing for Worcester on Wednesday night, a scoreless inning. I had expected Slaten to be recalled today, with Bennett going down since Sonny Gray’s return brings the Red Sox back to a full rotation. It’s possible that Anderson is only here for one day and will swap with Slaten over the weekend.
It’s also possible that a second, or even a third move is coming. Greg Weissert and Ryan Watson simply haven’t gotten it done thus far out of the pen. Weissert, despite blowing numerous wins for starters a year ago, finished the season with a 2.82 ERA in 72 appearances. This year has been a different story, allowing four home runs in 14 2/3 innings, and Weissert is now sporting a 5.52 ERA.
Ryan Watson, despite having the Rule-5 tag, probably isn’t safe either. His 6.46 ERA in 15 appearances (23 2/3 innings) is equally concerning, and his K-BB% is just 7.2%.
Slaten’s return is imminent, along with the fact that Tommy Kahnle exercised his “assignment clause” last week. If another team offers Kahnle a major league deal, the Red Sox will either have to promote him or let him go. Kahnle has a 2.38 ERA at Worcester and 11 seasons of big league experience. His ERA in the big leagues from 2019-2025 is 3.33.
I could see a full-line change coming soon, with Anderson, Slaten, and Kahnle in and Bennett, Watson, and Weissert out. Of course, if this happened, Weissert would need to be DFA’d, and Watson would be returned to the Giants by the Rule Five rules.
What would you do with the ‘pen over the next few days? Discuss in the comments, and be good to each other.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Joseph Sullivan #19 of the Houston Astros bats during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (17-19) lost 10-3 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got on the board in the 3rd inning on an Alexander 2 run double. Gordon got the start but struggled allowing 7 runs, 6 earned, over 4.2 innings. The offense got one back in the 6th but the Isotopes would get 3 more in the 9th and put the game out of reach as Sugar Land fell 10-3.
Note: Nelson is hitting .302 in Triple-A this season.
The Hooks got on the board in the 4th inning scoring 2 runs on a wild pitch and Whitaker RBI single. Mayer got the start and went 4.2 innings allowing 4 runs, though only one was earned, while striking out 6 batters. The Hooks got a run back in the 6th on a Holy RBI single but that was it as they dropped game one 4-3.
The Hooks got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on a Sullivan 2 run home run. Hicks started for the Hooks and pitched well allowing 2 runs over 6 innings while striking out 6. The offense scored 2 runs in the top of the 7th on a Hernandez sac fly and Holy RBI single. Chirinos tossed a scoreless 7th inning to close out the 4-2 win.
Hertzler started game one but only went 1 innings allowing 4 runs while striking out 3. The offense got on the board in the first on a Nunez solo HR. After the Emperors got two runs in the top of the 2nd, the offense responded with two of their own on a Call solo HR and Walker solo HR. The offense got another run in the 4th on a Walker RBI single and one more in the 5th on a Schiavone solo home run. The Emperors added one more run and the Asheville offense was quiet the rest of the way as they fell 7-5 in game one.
Asheville jumped out to a nice lead in the first scoring 3 runs on a Nunez 2 run home run and Call RBI double. They got 2 more in the 3rd on Brutcher and Powell RBI singles. Santos got the start and went 3.2 innings allowing 3 runs. Asheville picked up another run in the 4th on a Thomas RBI double. Ogando allowed 2 runs in relief but Wohlegemuth tossed a scoreless inning to close out the 6-5 win.
Yeriel Santos, RHP: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 K
Joan Ogando, RHP: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K (WIN)
Nate Wohlgemuth, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (SAVE)
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (12-18) won 3-2 (BOX SCORE)
Perez started for the Woodpeckers and pitched well allowing 2 run over 6 innings while striking out 6. The offense got on the board in the 4th scoring 3 runs on a Ramirez RBI double and Newman 2 run home run. Weber relieved Perez and tossed a scoreless 7th inning. The game went into a rain delay but was called after 7 innings with the Woodpeckers winning 3-2.
Note: Ochoa is hitting .400 over his last 13 games.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers will donate 500 tickets for each remaining home second-round playoff game to area community groups in their latest attempt to keep more of their own fans in the building and avoid a New York takeover.
The Sixers’ previous strategy to ward off Knicks fans in this playoff series was to try through Ticketmaster to geographically restrict sales to fans in the greater Philadelphia area.
The Sixers said 250 frontline medical personnel from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine and 250 local educators selected by Learn Fresh, Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia, the Philadelphia school district and Camden, New Jersey, school district would attend Game 3 on Friday night.
The 76ers will host 500 moms and children selected by Uplift Center for Grieving Children, Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia, La Liga del Barrio and Apologues for Sunday's Game 4.
The Knicks lead the best-of-seven series 2-0.
When the teams met two years ago in the first round, Knicks fans swarmed Philadelphia, and Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid pleaded with fans ahead of this series not to let it happen again.
“Last time we played the Knicks it felt like this was Madison Square Garden East. So we’re going to need the support,” Embiid said. “Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys. The atmosphere we’ve had the last couple games in Philly, especially the last one pushing it to Game 7, I mean, we need all of it.”
(Original Caption) 1959-Scene from the film "Pillow Talk" with Doris Day and Rock Hudson outside a door. Written by Stanley Shapiro, Maurice Richlin, Russell Rouse, & Clarence Greene. Directed by Michael Gordan. Universal, 1959.
Hickory starter Kamdyn Perry allowed a solo homer in four innings of work, striking out four and walking one.
Yolfran Castillo went 3 for 5 with a double and two stolen bases. Hector Osorio doubled and stole a base. Marcos Torres was 1 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. Daniel Flames was 2 for 4 with a double. Dewar Tovar doubled.
In Game One, starter Dalton Pence threw four shutout innings, striking out five and walking three. Joey Danielson struck out three and walked one in a scoreless inning.
Rafe Perich was 2 for 2 with a homer and a walk. Gleider Figuereo was 2 for 2 with a walk. Yeison Morrobel had a pair of hits. Malcolm Moore had a hit.
In Game Two, starter Enrique Segura struck out four and walked three in three innings, allowing four runs. Brock Porter struck out five and walked two in 3.2 shutout innings.
Rafe Perich had a hit and two walks. Yeison Morrobel had a hit.
Frisco starter Winston Santos allowed five runs in 3.2 IP, including a pair of home runs, striking out five and walking two. Bryan Magdaleno struck out three in 1.1 IP. Ryan Lobus allowed three runs in two innings, strking out one. Wilian Bormie struck out three in two scoreless innings.
Dylan Dreiling went 2 for 3 with a homer, three walks and a stolen base. Ian Moller drew two walks.
For Round Rock, Emiliano Teodo allowed a solo homer in an inning of work, striking out two and walking one. Michel Otanez struck out one and walked one in a shutout inning.
Aaron Zavala was 4 for 4 with a double and a stolen base.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 07: Shea Langeliers #23 of the Athletics celebrates a two-run home run with Nick Kurtz #16 in the first inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on May 07, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Friday A’s fans!
The team came away with a series-salvaging win yesterday in the finale against the Phillies. The Green & Gold got their teeth knocked in on Tuesday, dropped a heart breaker on Wednesday, and finally broke out the bats in a blowout victory on Thursday. Now the team is off to Baltimore to take on the Orioles for a three-game weekend series.
But before we get to the preview, the A’s made a trade yesterday that went a bit under the radar. Just a day after being designated for assignment by the club, right-handed reliever Tyler Ferguson found himself on the move as the Athletics traded him to the Chicago Cubs for cash considerations:
The A’s have traded RHP Tyler Ferguson to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for cash considerations.
The move brings to an end Ferguson’s time with the organization after just over two years. Originally a 6th-round pick by the Texas Rangers in 2015, Ferguson finally made it to the big leagues with the Athletics in 2024 after nine years working his way up the minor league ladder. His rookie season went fairly well as the then-30-year-old pitched to a solid 3.68 ERA in 48 games for that A’s team that finished fourth in the AL West. That quality outing his first time facing big league hitters gave hope that the A’s had found a late-bloomer to help fill out the middle innings.
Unfortunately his second season in the big leagues did not go as smoothly as he regressed to a 4.66 ERA in 56 contests. The struggled were so great that he actually found himself demoted to Triple-A for a month in the middle of the season. Things didn’t improve this year as he struggled during Spring Training and began the year with the Aviators. He was recalled a couple days ago to help a tiring bullpen but got lit up for four runs in his lone appearance with the A’s this year, which led to the DFA. He’ll now head to Chicago and hope to right things with a Cubs squad that looks to be a contender this season.
Anyway, the Baltimore Orioles. Like the A’s they’re a team on the younger side of things led by Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg, Adley Rutschman. And this past offseason they added slugging first baseman Pete Alonso and outfielder Taylor Ward to go with top prospects Samuel Basallo, Dylan Beavers, Colton Cowser and Coby Mayo. Even though they only went 75-87 last year, there were raised expectations this year for this group of high-end talent.
Things have improved a bit for Baltimore here in 2026 but not by a whole lot as of yet. They’ve been bitten by the injury bug multiple times already this year, missing Holliday and Westburg for the entire season to date as well as seeing first baseman Ryan Mountcastle hit the IL after just eight games. Thanks to those injuries, a lineup that has some serious talent is around the middle of the pack in most offensive categories. On the bright side for them they’ve managed to tread water and at 17-21 are only a game out of a Wild Card spot. Once they get Holliday and Westburg back, they could become a bit more dangerous than their record suggests.
On the pitching side of things for Baltimore, the team yet again has problems with their starting rotation. Their top-four starters all have below-average ERA’s as guys like Shane Baz (4.99 ERA), Kyle Bradish (5.03 ERA), Trevor Rogers (4.75 ERA and currently on the IL) and old friend Chris Bassitt (5.91 ERA) have all struggled in the early going. The A’s will be seeing the three B’s this weekend in Bradish, Baz and then Bassitt. The A’s offense needs to feast against these struggling arms, though the Baltimore bullpen hasn’t been much better and is also without closer Ryan Helsley against the A’s.
As for the A’s, they’ll be sending Jacob Lopez to the mound tonight, followed by veterans Aaron Civale and Luis Severino on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. This could be Lopez’s last chance to show he deserves to stick in the rotation as he’s coming off a six-run outing and has struggled all year. Civale and Severino, meanwhile, are both on a roll coming into the weekend, and Severino especially will enjoy getting a start on the road away from Sacramento.
The Green & Gold remain in first place as we begin the weekend, and though they’re seeing a Baltimore squad that is reeling, they can still be dangerous. They lost yesterday but won their series against the Marlins. Think the A’s can tame the Orioles and get a series win this weekend?
Henry Bolte notched his seventh home run tonight. He has 15 stolen bases this season. He’s cut his strikeout rate to 23.5%. Bolte’s time is coming soon. pic.twitter.com/pAAfoRNMnd
Dylan Cease is among the league leaders in strikeouts this season, and my Angels vs. Blue Jays predictions are expecting him to rack up more punch outs in a plus-matchup against strikeout-prone Los Angeles.
Angels vs Blue Jays best bet: Dylan Cease Over 7.5 strikeouts (-130)
It’s a high total at 7.5, but this is a plus-matchup for Toronto Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease, who faces off against the most strikeout-prone lineup in baseball.
Cease K’d 12 Los Angeles Angels batters in just five innings in their April 20 meeting, and owns a 42% career strikeout rate against this current lineup.
He has nasty stuff with the second highest K/9 this season, while ranking in the 98th percentile in whiff rate.
L.A. carries a 25.5% strikeout rate and a 27.6% whiff rate. Those numbers grow to a 38% K-rating with a 42% whiff rate against the slider, which is Cease’s put-away pitch with 47% whiff rate against.
COVERS INTEL: Cease has 13.15 K/9, averaging eight strikeouts per game this season.
Angels vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)
Kazuma Okamoto has recorded a hit in six straight games, going Over his posted base total in five of those contests.
He also owns a .290 against lefties this season, crushing the fastball, which is LHP Reid Detmers' most utilized pitch.
Myles Straw has been extremely consistent this year, hitting .310 on the season and grabbing hits in each of his last four starts. He also owns a .333 average in 12 at-bats against Detmers in his career.
Angels vs Blue Jays SGP
Dylan Cease Over 7.5 strikeouts
Kazuma Okamoto Over 1.5 total bases
Myles Straw Over 0.5 hits
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Angels vs Blue Jays home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+450)
I’m only betting a half unit on this one.
Detmers has only allowed three home runs this season, and doesn’t allow much hard contact. However, Okamoto has shown a lot of pop in his bat lately, homering in four of his last six games with a 1.506 OPS.
Okamoto has six home runs against the fastball, which is Detmers’ most utilized pitch.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 15-21, -2.25 units
SGPs: 7-29, -0.70 units
HR picks: 8-28, +9.65 units
Angels vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Los Angeles +136 | Toronto -162
Run line: Los Angeles +1.5 | Toronto -1.5
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Angels vs Blue Jays trend
The Blue Jays have covered the run line in four of their last five games at home (+4.20 Units / 69% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Angels vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Friday, May 8, 2026
First pitch
7:07 p.m. ET
TV
ABTV, Sportsnet 1
Angels starting pitcher
Reid Detmers (1-2, 4.28 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Dylan Cease (2-1, 3.05 ERA)
Angels vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Angels vs Blue Jays 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.
It’s go time for the Montreal Canadiens after losing the series opener to the Buffalo Sabres, and the two Atlantic Division foes go toe-to-toe at the KeyBank Center for Game 2 on Friday, May 8.
My top Canadiens vs. Sabres NHL players props and NHL picks have you covered for the action and are headlined by Montreal winger Ivan Demidov.
Best Canadiens vs Sabres props for Game 2
Player
Pick
Ivan Demidov
Over 0.5 points
-110
Alex Lyon
Over 2.5 goals against
+100
Conor Timmins
Over 1.5 blocked shots
+110
Game 2 Prop #1: Ivan Demidov Over 0.5 points
-110 at BET99
Montreal Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov was solid in Game 1, and we’re landing a good price on the uber-talented scorer to mark the scoresheet again tonight.
Perhaps, even more importantly, Demidov is a go-to puck distributor on the No. 1 power-play unit and has averaged 4:52 of ice time with the man advantage this postseason.
After all, he posted respective .906 and 0.380 marks across 36 regular-season games.
The Canadiens were also incredibly resilient in Round 1 and bounced back with three or more goals following two of their three losses to the Tampa Bay Lightning. I also value the Habs continuing to push in Game 1 in the third period by posting a 64.7 CF% at 5-on-5 and overall 61.4 xGF%.
Game 2 Prop #3: Conor Timmins Over 1.5 blocked shots
+110 at BET99
Sabres defenseman Conor Timmins’ ice time has increased in five consecutive games, and most importantly, he’s jumping the boards with the No. 1 penalty-kill unit and paces the club in blocked shots while shorthanded.
The Montreal Canadiens are going to have a push back in Game 2, as well, so I’m anticipating the Habs funnelling more pucks to the net.
Montreal has also drawn 44 penalties across eight postseason games while averaging a healthy 6:11 of power-play time per game.
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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.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 07: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays is greeted at home plate by Richie Palacios #1 after hitting a two-run home run during the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 07, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a busy day in Yankee land, as the Bombers won an early afternoon game against the Rangers, while also calling up one of the franchise’s more exciting prospects in Spencer Jones. It was an all around good win against Texas, as the Yanks were able to maintain their narrow lead in the East. Despite the action on the home front, there was plenty to take in elsewhere as well. Here’s a look at what went down on Thursday around the American League.
Tampa Bay Rays (25-12) 8, Boston Red Sox (16-22) 4
Despite the final score, the Rays and Red Sox had a tight game going for much of the night on Thursday. After being knotted up for most of the game, late offense from Tampa Bay sealed the deal, as the Rays were able to keep pace with the New York.
The action started in the second inning, when the Rays kicked off scoring with a three piece, coming thanks to an RBI apiece from Ben Williamson, Cedric Mullins, and Yandy Díaz. But, with their backs against the wall early, the Sox countered with three of their own, due in part to some shaky Tampa Bay defense and a single from Caleb Durbin that tied the game. Not an ideal beginning for starters Jake Bennet and Jax Griffin.
Both hurlers, however, settled down in the middle innings, as the score remained knotted at three through the end of the fifth inning. The Rays made their move in the sixth, when the speedy Chandler Simpson poked a single up the middle that scored a pair of runs.
Two innings later, Simpson struck again, this time with a run-scoring triple to give Tampa Bay some insurance in the eighth. Boston countered with a quick run in the bottom half of the inning, but the Rays swung right back. With a runner on in the ninth, Junior Caminero pitched in with a rocket of a homer into center field. His 10th long ball of the season put them up 8-4.
With a four-run lead now in tow, the Rays sent out Cole Sulser to shut things down, and he promptly delivered a perfect ninth inning. With the win in Boston, the Rays keep up with the Yankees in the AL East, as they sit just a half game back.
Other Games
Cleveland Guardians (20-19) 8, Kansas City Royals (17-21) 5: The Guardians jumped out to an early lead and cruised to victory on Thursday. Kyle Manzardo was responsible for a two-run double in the first inning that saw Cleveland go up 3-0. They piled on later in the game, when Bo Naylor belted his second homer of the season in the seventh, a three-run shot. They also benefitted from a gritty start from Gavin Cecconi, who allowed 6 hits and three walks, but just a pair of runs in 5.1 innings.
Miami Marlins (17-21) 4, Baltimore Orioles (17-21) 3: After the O’s came back, they ultimately fell to the Fish in walk-off fashion on Thursday. The Marlins took an early lead thanks to a two-run shot from Liam Hicks, his ninth of the year. Down 3-1 in the middle innings, Baltimore eventually tied things up with an RBI from Tyler O’Neill and a two-run single from Pete Alonso a few innings later. Tied up in the ninth, it was the defense that failed the O’s as a throwing error from third baseman Coby Mayo allowed the walk-off run to score in the ninth.
Don't miss the MLB action this Sunday on NBCSN and Peacock. The excitement begins at 12:00 PM ET with a Sunday Leadoff showdown featuring the Washington Nationals vs Miami Marlins. Then, at 7:00 PM ET, the Detroit Tigers go head-to-head with the Kansas City Royals in this week's Sunday Night Baseball thriller. See below for additional information on how to stream both games.
The Washington Nationals have had six losing seasons since winning the World Series title in 2019. Now, the franchise is looking to the youth to help turn the page.
The Nationals have the second-youngest roster in the league, averaging 27 years, 198 days old.
At 33 years old, Blake Butera, who enters his second full month as the Nationals' skipper, is the youngest MLB manager since the Twins hired Frank Quilici in 1972.
“I think we're making progress,” Butera said. “I think the biggest thing we're going to need to see is consistency still, and that goes into our preparation every day. We all know, this is a young team; there's going to be mistakes. But are we learning from our mistakes? Are we continuing to get better and continuing to grow?"
In his first year at the helm, Marlins' manager Clayton McCullough led the team to a 79-83 finish — a 17-win improvement from the 2024 season. The Marlins look to turn that progress into postseason contention.
How to watch Washington Nationals vs Miami Marlins:
MLB Sunday Leadoff is a weekly Major League Baseball showcase featuring live Sunday daytime games. It highlights marquee matchups throughout the regular season and streams primarily on Peacock, with some games also airing across NBC Sports and NBC.
MLB Sunday Night Baseball is a weekly primetime Major League Baseball showcase, featuring marquee matchups each Sunday night during the regular season. The games air on NBC and Peacock and anchor NBC Sports’ Sunday night programming lineup.
On Sunday, July 5, all 15 MLB games will be presented nationally across Peacock and NBC as part of a special all-day “Star-Spangled Sunday” showcase.
NBC Sports will also stream one out-of-market game each day of the 2026 MLB season nationally on Peacock. Telemundo Deportes will present all NBCUniversal-produced MLB games in Spanish, with Universo televising all games broadcast on NBC.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC and Bravo hits for whatever suits your mood.
Why are some MLB games unavailable to stream on Peacock?
Due to territorial blackout restrictions, select regular season, special event, and Postseason games may be unavailable on Peacock. Television territory blackout restrictions apply regardless of whether a Club is home or away and regardless of whether a game is televised in that Club's home television territory. For more information visit, Peacock’s Help Center.
MEXICO CITY, MEXICO - APRIL 25: Manager Torey Lovullo #17 of the Arizona Diamondbacks looks on prior the MLB Mexico City Series game between San Diego Padres and Arizona Diamondbacks at Estadio Alfredo Harp Helú on April 25, 2026 in Mexico City, Mexico. (Photo by Hector Vivas/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Gallen drew a season-high 15 whiffs (swings-and-misses), nine with his slider and six with the curveball (none with the fastball), according to Statcast. Gallen’s arsenal has changed this year. His curveball does not drop like it used to, and he has replaced it as his primary breaking ball with a slider that has been more effective.
Coming into Thursday, Gallen’s overall whiff rate on the year was 16.5%, way below his career and the league’s average (both at 25%). The slider has been his best pitch at missing bats.
It looked like an offensive breakthrough had occurred in game one, as the D-backs put together a patient, well-rounded offensive effort against Pirates righty Bubba Chandler in a 9-0 win. It was the largest margin of victory of the year for Arizona. Walks were taken, productive outs were utilized, and Arizona’s approach looked airtight.
But in game two, the approach went out the window. Granted, facing Paul Skenes is no easy task. When the Cy Young-winning Pirates ace is on, there’s often little that can be done to stop him.
But the D-backs employed an early-swinging approach, expecting a wealth of hittable strikes. When that approach was clearly flawed, no adjustment was made, and Arizona gave up quick out after quick out on the way to eight innings of Skenes dominance.
“It’s the idea of getting everybody together and saying, ‘Hey, we’re relying on you,’” Hall said on Bickley & Marotta Mornings. “Our bullpen is doing its job. If you guys don’t get later and deeper into games, we’re going to hurt our bullpen. And our offense is keeping us in games. You guys are not. And get back to what you were doing at the beginning of the season.”
Waldschmidt was out of the lineup Wednesday for Triple-A Reno’s 9-5 loss to Sacramento after he was removed from Tuesday’s series opener when he was hit in the helmet by a pitch in the top of the first inning, Preston Salisbury of AZSnakePit.com reports.
The Chicago Cubs are 26-12 after Thursday’s 8-3 victory against the Reds, a win that capped a four-game sweep of Cincinnati. The Cubs are tied for the best record in MLB. They’ve also won 15 consecutive home games, the second-longest streak since 1935.
It all looks as real as baseball-related things can look in May. Not since the Rizzo-Bryant-Baez curse-breaking heyday have the vibes been this immaculate on the North Side.
We’re still a few months away from Major League Baseball’s trade deadline at the beginning of August, though there seem to be a few obvious names regarding potential trade candidates.
There are some players who need to be moved because their teams aren’t in a position to win anytime in the near future, and others because they don’t make much sense on their current roster.
Below, I’m looking at the five most likely players to be traded at the Major League Baseball trade deadline.
“It’s kind of the minor meniscus surgery so we know he’s going to miss a month, six weeks,” Counsell said ahead of his team’s game against the Cincinnati Reds. “Probably closer to six weeks with getting it ramped back up. That’s what we’re hopeful for. Obviously, we’ll see how it all goes and I think the important thing is how much time do we miss throwing. That’s probably the biggest thing right here. The knee is going to recover pretty quickly, but how much throwing down time do we have to take?”
Ted Turner, the former owner of the Atlanta Braves, Atlanta Hawks and World Championship Wrestling, has died at age 87. His company, Turner Enterprises, announced his death on Wednesday.
Turner shared in 2018 that he had been diagnosed with the progressive brain disorder Lewy Body Dementia, and in 2025, he was hospitalized with pneumonia.
TAMPA, FLORIDA - MARCH 21, 2026: Dixon Williams #63 of the Atlanta Braves runs onto the field during the first inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the New York Yankees at George M. Steinbrenner Field on March 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Thursday night wasn’t a great day to be a pitcher in the Atlanta Braves system. The best team outing was Rome allowing five runs in seven innings, and the worst was a large, large step below that. However, most of the games remained close thanks to big time home runs, including many of the top prospects in the system. Dixon Williams has been on fire for Rome and continued that with a long home run for his fifth of the season, helping lift the Emperors to the only win on the farm. In Augusta Alex Lodise and Luis Guanipa went back-to-back on solo home runs, and the team as a whole had four of them.
Shay Schanaman, SP: 2.1 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 5.74 ERA
Jhancarlos Lara, RP: 1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 11.42 ERA
The Columbus Clingstones charged back in the ninth inning of this game, giving Biloxi a late run for their money in a bid to steal a game, but a breakout performance from Ambioris Tavarez fell tantalizingly short of lifting Columbus to victory. Pitching was a pretty massive problem for Columbus in this game and they weren’t sending out the A-squad to try to shut down the Shuckers, and Shay Schanaman took some lumps that put Columbus in a hole in the early stages of the game. Schanaman lived dangerously for two innings before it all fell to pieces, starting in the third inning with his third hit batter of the day. Schanaman let up three hits and three runs before being pulled with one out, and Samuel Strickland struggled to stanch the bleeding. Strickland let up a back-breaking two-run bomb that capped a chaotic frame, and Biloxi’s 5-0 lead looked to be the stuff of nightmares for a Columbus squad who had yet to find their way the first time through the order. Strickland would continue to let runs bleed in on solo shots in each of the next two innings, though he avoided traffic on the basepaths and that helped to limit the damage to just a couple of extra runs. Meanwhile the offensive attack ramped up with a second look at Manuel Rodriguez.
As the runaway league leader in team home runs it was expected that the Clingstones would make some noise of their own with the long ball, and despite missing the thump of David McCabe they were able to churn out some middle inning runs. Lizandro Espinoza got the first Clingstones hit and run with a line shot out to left field, and with that Espinoza has already reached the five home run mark after just 25 games this season. Espinoza has had a ton of success in the Southern League with seven home runs and a 137 wRC+ in 37 games, and that’s come with a new approach that has filled a big hole in his game. Espinoza is drawing walks at a rate north of 13% in Double-A, and though swing-and-miss remains a question for him a combination of increased on base production and even average power would be a significant shift in the profile of a player who can play up the middle defensively. It’s still too early to judge how much of these changes are sample size fluctuations, but the switch to a pull-heavy, higher effort swing has at least turned Espinoza into a hitter with a respectable power profile. Ambioris Tavarez hit a long home run the next inning to bring home two runs, smoking one into the power alley the opposite way and lifting it where the wind could carry it well into paydirt for him and the Clingstones.
— Columbus Clingstones (@GoClingstones) May 8, 2026
Going into the ninth inning the Clingstones still trailed 7-3, however, and though two runners would get on via a hit batter and a walk they found themselves down to their final out. Drew Compton came through with an RBI single to edge Columbus closer, and then suddenly Tavarez made the game a load more interesting. He ripped a liner that just carried past the right fielder and into the gap for a double, bringing home two more runs and moving himself, the tying run, into scoring position. Ethan Workinger battled a 3-2 count out over a 10-pitch at bat, fighting to keep the game alive for Columbus, but his liner floated right to the second baseman ending the rally for Columbus.
Colin Daniel, SP: 1 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, 5.47 ERA
The Rome Emperors offense has been taking full advantage of the hitter-friendly confines in Asheville, but so too have the Tourists put a lick on the Rome staff early in this series. Cade Kuehler had an other day on the mound where home runs were problematic, as he allowed three of them accounting for all three runs in the first game of this double-header. Kuehler was fortunate that all of those came early in innings and he was able to avoid having a real dent thrown on the start, though it was yet another underwhelming outing for him in a rough start to 2025. Fortunately he never threw a pitch with the team trailing after Dixon Williams gave him a huge lift to start the game. We can often attribute a home run explosion to the conditions in HomeTrust Park, but Williams earned his fifth home run of the season outright with a mammoth shot to center field. His blast to clear the bases put Rome up 3-0 in the first inning.
Rome kept hitting and put up four runs in the first inning, then turned around and put up two more in the second inning to open up a 6-1 lead. Williams again contributed with a sharp single the opposite way to score a run, and since that early season injured list stint Williams has become a wrecking ball for the offense. He has hit safely in six straight games with three home runs in that stretch, and his advanced feel as a hitter has translated well to High-A so far. Williams is above average in every relevant category as a hitter this season, and with the Braves aggression with prospects it wouldn’t be a surprise if his success is rewarded with a relatively quick call to Double-A. Williams’s power numbers are certain to come down to earth somewhat over the next few weeks, but otherwise he has shown the approach, contact, and swing characteristics necessary to sustain most of his success at this level.
While home runs weren’t the culprit of the game two loss for Rome, they still could not get enough outs in the early going and a sustained effort from the offense fell a bit short. Colin Daniel gave up a slew of hard contact in the first inning which turned into four extra base hits and three runs, and the 34 pitches he threw chased him from the game early and left it in the hands of Rome’s bullpen to cover bulk. That’s never something you want to see in a double header, and Jacob Shafer could not reverse the early game trend. While he was able to spread out his hard contact a bit more he still allowed three runs on six hits over three innings, and each time it seemed Rome was inching closer to tying the game up the Tourists got a run to keep some distance between the two sides. Rome did have an early lead after Isaiah Drake and John Gil drew walks to open the game, eventually scoring on a swinging bunt single from Cody Miller. In the third inning the duo sparked another rally with a walk from Drake and a fly ball from Gil that bounced off of the top of the wall for a double. Eric Hartman had a chance to do major damage but struck out, and the only run Rome got was on an infield single by Cody Miller. Miller’s third RBI hit of the game came in the sixth inning when he pushed a liner into shallow center field to bring home Gil, making it a 6-5 ballgame. Miller stole second base cleanly to sit in scoring position, but Rome wasn’t stringing together a ton of loud contact in this game and it came back to bite them. Gil and Drake were on base six times in this game and Miller added another three, but outside of that group there wasn’t much impact to be had and the team went 4-15 with runners in scoring position.
Swing and Misses
Colin Daniel – 5
Trent Buchanan – 4
Jacob Shafer – 4
(15-15) Augusta GreenJackets 7, (19-11) Charleston RiverDogs 13
Landon Beidelschies, SP: 1.2 IP, 7 H, 7 R, 6 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, 12.86 ERA
Luis Arestigueta, RP: 2 IP, 3 H, 4 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 3 K, 7.53 ERA
The season is steadily getting worse for Landon Beidelschies, who had another blowup outing and now has allowed 10 earned runs in his past 2 1/3 innings. Beidelschies is facing a torrent of bad batted ball luck with a BABIP this season of .591, though it’s still fair to contribute much of the struggles he has faced to his own execution. Beidelschies isn’t making good pitches on a regular basis and he doesn’t have the raw stuff to get away with the mistakes he is making over the plate, and hitters have been able to take advantage with lots of contact. Beidelschies had flashes of better execution in his early could of starts this season and should come back down to earth soon, but his inability to keep his breaking balls low is an issue that he cannot afford to keep having. Beidelschies was not the only one to have trouble on the mound, however. Lewis Sifontes managed to avoid the control problems that have plagued him this season, but still wasn’t effective in his time in relief. Sifontes got hit around and allowed runs in the third and fourth innings, though his two runs allowed in 2 1/3 inning actually served to lower his ERA on this season. Luis Arestigueta continued his struggles as well, though he had stretches of play where he flashed some promising pitching. Arestigueta’s command is all over the place and he got knocked around while making a host of bad pitches in the sixth inning, but also had a couple of stretches both in the fifth and sixth where he locked in and seemed to find a groove. When Arestigueta keeps his fastball in the strike zone and his slider off of the middle of the plate he has shown electric movement and a capacity to generate whiffs at a high rate, and these little slices of success keep confidence high in the 20 year old. His issues are primarily with his mechanics, as when he has struggled these past few starts his arm slot has dropped and significantly and his arm has dragged behind. Following that home run home Arestigueta did a much better job of keeping his arm path more compact (though he naturally has a wide arm swing) and releasing a little closer to three-quarters and he was able to avoid having his pitches sail up and arm side. While this particular change came a bit too late in the outing to salvage much good it is still notable that he was able to make that adjustment on the fly, and hopefully that bodes well for him in the future.
Augusta’s offensive attack came in bunches early and fizzled down the stretch after their push to even up the game fell short. The GreenJackets strung together five singles in the second inning to get themselves on the board, and that flipped the lineup over to a waiting Tate Southisene with one out and a huge bases-loaded opportunity. Southisene went after the first pitch but rolled over an inside sinker, and the rally fizzled out as the shortstop turned a clean double play to retire the side. Augusta brought more thump in the third inning, and Alex Lodise brought the hammer with a leadoff bomb. On the following pitch Luis Guanipa got a slider that stayed on the top edge of the zone and he absolutely obliterated it, breaking a span of seven games without an extra base hit.
— Augusta GreenJackets (@GreenJackets) May 8, 2026
While the first week of May has been a bit less impactful from Guanipa he is still on a tear at the plate, and now officially has a career high in home runs and two more this season than in the 87 games he played between 2024 and 2025. Dalton McIntyre made it a third home run in the third inning with an opposite field two-run shot, and the GreenJackets found themselves trailing by just two runs. It seemed like Augusta was poised to make a run at tying the game, but the offense evaporated immediately after that home run. The next 18 GreenJackets in a row were retired until a Yamvier Carrero solo shot in the ninth inning, and it was far too little too late for a comeback by that point. In that ninth inning Tate Southisene was able to work a walk, and though that wouldn’t extend his five game hitting streak it did extend a 17 game on base streak that dates back to April 17th.
The MLB action continues this Sunday on NBCSN and Peacock, starting at 12:00 PM ET, with a Sunday Leadoff showdown featuring the Washington Nationals vs Miami Marlins. Then, at 7:00 PM ET, the Detroit Tigers take on the Kansas City Royals in this week's Sunday Night Baseball thriller. See below for additional information on how to stream both games.
Four-time Gold Glove first baseman Eric Hosmer and former Detroit Tiger outfielder Andy Dirks will join play-by-play voice Jason Benetti on NBC Sports’ Sunday Night Baseball broadcast team this week.
Former relief pitcher Adam Ottavino will serve as an analyst on Sunday night and offer unique “Inside the Pitch” insights. Ahmed Fareed will host the Rangers vs Tigers pregame show alongside 2016 World Series Champion centerfielder Dexter Fowler.
How to watch Detroit Tigers vs Kansas City Royals:
MLB Sunday Leadoff is a weekly Major League Baseball showcase featuring live Sunday daytime games. It highlights marquee matchups throughout the regular season and streams primarily on Peacock, with some games also airing across NBC Sports and NBC.
MLB Sunday Night Baseball is a weekly primetime Major League Baseball showcase, featuring marquee matchups each Sunday night during the regular season. The games air on NBC and Peacock and anchor NBC Sports’ Sunday night programming lineup.
On Sunday, July 5, all 15 MLB games will be presented nationally across Peacock and NBC as part of a special all-day “Star-Spangled Sunday” showcase.
NBC Sports will also stream one out-of-market game each day of the 2026 MLB season nationally on Peacock. Telemundo Deportes will present all NBCUniversal-produced MLB games in Spanish, with Universo televising all games broadcast on NBC.
How to sign up for Peacock:
Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC and Bravo hits for whatever suits your mood.
Why are some MLB games unavailable to stream on Peacock?
Due to territorial blackout restrictions, select regular season, special event, and Postseason games may be unavailable on Peacock. Television territory blackout restrictions apply regardless of whether a Club is home or away and regardless of whether a game is televised in that Club's home television territory. For more information visit, Peacock’s Help Center.
COVERS INTEL: Opponents are hitting .278 against Rocker, and he's given up seven earned runs across his last two starts. 
Kurt Helin
Ivan Demidov
Alex Lyon
Eric Samulski
