While we wait for the Cubs to (hopefully) salvage one game of their series against the Brewers, I thought I’d take another look at how the team and its individual players are doing with ABS challenges.
Through Tuesday’s game, Cubs fielders (almost all catchers) are fourth-best in MLB at successful challenges, getting 68 percent correct (39 of 57). The Tigers (74 percent) lead MLB, then the Reds and Diamondbacks are also ahead of the Cubs. Bringing up the rear of the list are the White Sox hitters (44 percent).
Cubs hitters, though, have not been as successful. They rank in the middle of the pack (14th) at 48 percent success (21 of 44 successful challenges by Cubs batters). The Texas Rangers lead with 63 percent success, and Brewers hitters are last with just a 32 percent success rate. The Brewers are also near the bottom in number of challenges by hitters, with only 32, which ranks 29th. The Padres have had just 29 challenges by hitters.
As for players, Cubs catcher Carson Kelly is the most successful fielder of any who has challenged more than five times (there are five catchers, all at 100 percent, with five or fewer challenges, including former Cub P.J. Higgins, 4 for 4). Kelly has challenged 25 times and was correct 21 times, for an 84 percent success rate. Miguel Amaya has a 62 percent success rate (18 correct of 29) and Moisés Ballesteros is 0-for-3 (after being pretty good at challenging during Spring Training).
Cubs hitters, though — not so much. Only two Cubs hitters has a perfect 100 percent challenge rate — Kelly and Matt Shaw, both 1 for 1.
Nico Hoerner is 2 for 6 challenging, Amaya 1 for 3, Alex Bregman 4 for 9. The best Cubs hitter at challenging is Seiya Suzuki, who is 2 for 4. All of these, of course, are very small sample sizes.
As I’ve written previously, I like the challenge system. It adds some strategy to the game — teams and players are learning, for example, that it’s almost never a good idea to challenge in the first inning, or early in a scoreless game with nobody on base. Fans at the ballparks like it, and it’s definitely getting rid of some of the most egregiously bad calls. I also think it’s making umpires better, because now they have real-time evidence of how they are getting calls wrong — or right.
Will we ever have full ABS? Maybe, but I think that’s years away, if ever. I wrote about that in this article here last month. In the meantime, it appears the ABS system, and perhaps the strike zone itself, might need some tweaking. But in general, I think it’s working as expected — and very well.
LOS ANGELES, CA - MAY 10: Eli White #36 of the Atlanta Braves runs to first base after hitting an RBI single in the second inning during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Los Angeles Dodgers at UNIQLO Field at Dodger Stadium on Sunday, May 10, 2026 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jessie Alcheh/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Most news these days (and, let’s be honest, the past few seasons) feels like it’s been more of the, “You’ll never guess which Brave is going on the Injured List this time!” variety, but this afternoon, I get to make a post with the opposite. Yes, Eli White is back after a brief stay on the concussion IL, which means we bid temporary and possibly permanent (but probably temporary) adieu to Jose Azocar.
The #Braves today reinstated OF Eli White from the injured list and designated OF José Azócar for assignment.
White returns to a pretty disappointing line that features a 76 wRC+ and -0.1 fWAR in 62 PAs. After a nice-ish half-season in 2025 (career high 0.7 fWAR in 271 PAs with a career-high .310 xwOBA that he underhit), he’s struggled on both sides of the ball, including a few costly defensive lapses. Still, he made a great play against the Dodgers that helped secure a win, though it did shake him up enough to warrant the concussion IL stay in the first place. He will return to a platoon-ish situation with Mike Yastrzemski, and will potentially garner additional starts in the outfield to the extent that Mauricio Dubon moves back to the infield for whatever reason.
Jose Azocar has had a romp in White’s absence, getting 16 PAs across nine games and garnering 0.2 fWAR via a .373 wOBA on a .300 xwOBA (heh) along with some nice defensive efforts. This is the sixth time in his career he’s been designated for assignment, and the third time the Braves have done so… so he’ll be back. Maybe. Probably. Despite the nice handful of PAs, Azocar has a 104 wRC+ at Triple-A Gwinnett this season and a 77 wRC+ in the majors for his career.
Trey Yesavage baffled New York Yankees batters in his lone career outing against them in the playoffs last October, and I expect another strikeout-filled outing for the Toronto Blue Jays starter tonight.
Read on to see why with my Blue Jays vs. Yankees predictions and MLB Picks on Wednesday, May 20.
Blue Jays vs Yankees predictions
Blue Jays vs Yankees best bet: Trey Yesavage Over 5.5 strikeouts (-140)
Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Trey Yesavage has picked up right where he left off last postseason, as one of the hardest pitchers to hit in baseball.
He’s got a 1.40 ERA with 21 strikeouts in just four appearances, going Over tonight’s 5.5 posted total in three straight, largely thanks to a 90th-percentile whiff rate.
I’ll bet on him doing it for a fourth straight game tonight in a matchup that favors him immensely.
The New York Yankees own the seventh-worst strikeout rating in all of baseball, with the fifth-worst against the splitter, specifically.
Additionally, Yesavage has just one career start against the Yankees where he went 5 1/3 innings of hitless baseball with 11 Ks.
I’ll continue to ride with Yesavage for the second leg on my SGP and take Under 2.5 earned runs allowed. He’s been Under that number in all four of his starts this season. He also limits hard contact, respectively ranking in the 88th and 99th percentiles in barrel and hard-hit rates.
For the final leg of my SGP, I’ll take Daulton Varsho to go Over 0.5 hits tonight. He’s heating up with hits in four straight, totaling nine in that stretch. He’s also 1-for-4 lifetime against Cam Schlittler.
Blue Jays vs Yankees SGP
Trey Yesavage Over 5.5 strikeouts
Trey Yesavage Under 2.5 earned runs
Daulton Varsho Over 0.5 hits
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Blue Jays vs Yankees home run pick: Daulton Varsho (+405)
This will be a half-unit wager as Schlittler has only surrendered two home runs this season.
However, he does give up some hard contact, ranking in the 42nd percentile in opponent hard-hit rate.
Varsho owns a 60% hard-hit rate against the four-seam fastball, which Schlittler uses most often against lefties.
Yankee Stadium is a hitters' park, so if Varsho gets hold of one over the plate, he will take it for a ride.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 21-26, +1.55 units
SGPs: 8-39, -5.2 units
HR picks: 8-39, +3.65 units
Blue Jays vs Yankees odds
Moneyline: Toronto +150 | New York -175
Run line: Toronto +1.5 (-140) | New York -1.5 (+120)
Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-110) | Under 7.5 (-110)
Blue Jays vs Yankees trend
The Toronto Blue Jays have hit the Team Total Under in 15 of their last 23 away games (+6.40 Units / 24% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Yankees.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Yankees and game info
Location
Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
Date
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet ONE, Amazon Prime Video
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Trey Yesavage (1-1, 1.40 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcher
Cam Schlittler (6-1, 1.35 ERA)
Blue Jays vs Yankees latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Yankees weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Following a thrilling first-round SEC Tournament victory over Ole Miss, Missouri baseball saw its postseason run come to a bittersweet end in Hoover, Ala. The Tigers were unable to carry their momentum into Wednesday morning’s second-round matchup against the Bulldogs, falling short in a seven inning run-rule loss.
Despite the final score, sophomore left-hander Brady Kehlenbrink provided a memorable performance on the mound for the Tigers. Kehlenbrink racked up eight strikeouts in just 4.1 innings of work, keeping Mizzou within striking distance before the Bulldog’s offense came alive.
Early Fireworks and Strong Pitching Kept Tigers Close
The game started with high hopes and plenty of momentum for Mizzou. Tigers slugger Kam Durnin wasted no time getting Mizzou on the board, launching a two-seamer to center field for an early run. After homering last night, Durnin has now gone deep in back-to-back games.
On the mound, Kehlenbrink started strong for the Tigers in the first, with a strikeout on the board and no runners allowed on base. Kaden Peer added another hit for the Tigers in the second, lining a single after recording one against Ole Miss.
The Bulldogs picked up their first hit of the game on a single from freshman Jacob Parker, but Kehlenbrink answered with another strikeout for the Tigers. Moments later, Mateo Serna nearly threw Parker out at second, though the call was overturned after review.
Chris Patterson then misplayed a ground ball at third for a fielding error before Ryder Woodson launched a three-run homer, making that his sixth of the season and putting the Bulldogs ahead 3-1. Kehlenbrink dealt again with his third strikeout of the day to end the inning.
Middle-Inning Grind
Pierre Seals got the ball rolling again for the Tigers in the third with a single to left. He then tried to steal second, but came off the bag and was called out. Kehlenbrink responded by throwing a groundout and back-to-back strikeouts, giving the Tigers the 1-2-3 inning they needed.
The Bulldogs dealt a 1-2-3 inning for themselves in the fourth. Kehlenbrink then deals his third and fourth strikeout in a row for the Tigers, retiring seven straight with a popout to end the inning.
Peer snagged his second hit of the day on a single up the middle to get the fifth inning started for the Tigers. Patterson then hits a sac-fly to right, bringing Peer home and changing the score to 3-2 Mississippi.
Kehlenbrink threw back-to-back walks before throwing his eighth strikeout of the day. Soon after, the Bulldogs extended their lead to 4-2, with a single up the middle bringing in a run. Kehlenbrink walked another, before Sam Rosand came in as a reliever for the Tigers with the bases loaded. Rosand then threw a strikeout, ending the fifth with a groundout he scooped up and threw to first.
Durnin launched a single to right, his second hit of the game, but the inning ended with no runs added for the Tigers.
Mizzou’s Fate Sealed in Sixth
The definitive blow came in the bottom of the sixth inning when a 4-2 deficit unraveled for the Tigers. Trouble came as Vytas Valincius hit a homer for the Bulldogs, extending their lead to 5-2. Mississippi added two more singles, the second one from a fielding error by third baseman Chris Patterson, before the Tigers headed to the bullpen.
Isaiah Salas came in for Rosand with the bases loaded and one out. From there, a batter was hit-by-pitch, extending Mississippi’s lead to 6-2, and another walk drove in another run to make the score 7-2.
Pierre Seals was unable to catch a ball in right, adding another run for Mississippi, and another run was added on a groundout. Finally, Valincius hit a three-run homer, his second home run of the day, extending their lead to a staggering 12-2 before Salas managed a strikeout to end the frame.
Starting pitcher Tomas Valincius for Mississippi ended his day after six innings with eight strikeouts.
The Tigers then started off the seventh with a walk on Donovan Jordon, but Mississippi managed a double play, ending the game for the Tigers on a run-rule loss.
Memorable 2026 Season
Mizzou finished its 24-31 campaign with monumental moments that established a solid foundation for the future of Missouri baseball.
The Tigers managed to win their home series against Vanderbilt, marking their first SEC home series victory since 2024 and their first series win over the Commodores since 2018. Alongside this, they took the series against No.24 Kentucky in Lexington, claiming their first road series win against an SEC opponent since 2021. Although the season is over, these series wins provided plenty of optimism for the program moving forward.
AKRON, OHIO - MAY 03, 2026: Ralphy Velazquez #24 of the Akron RubberDucks bats during the third inning against the Harrisburg Senators at 7 17 Credit Union Park on May 03, 2026 in Akron, Ohio. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Ralphy Velazquez is playing his first Triple-A game as this post is published.
Since 2017, the best hitters with 200 or more plate appearances at Double-A’s Eastern League at 20 years old or younger, are:
Vladimir Guerrero, Jr. – 171 wRC+, 10.2/7.9 K/BB%, 11.6 Swinging Str. %, 38/43 Fly/Pull ball % Kevin McGonigle – 162 wRC+, 12.6/16 K/BB%, 7.9 Swinging Str. %, 35/42 FB/PB % Ezequiel Tovar – 153 wRC+, 21.7/8.5 K/BB%, 15.2 Swinging Str. % 39/39 FB/PB % Rafael Devers – 150 wRC+, 17.2/9.7 K/BB%, 10.6 Swinging Str. % 35/42 FB/PB % Francisco Alvarez – 150 wRC+, 24/12.2 K/BB%, 16.1 Swinging Str. %, 45/53 FB/PB % Riley Greene – 143 wRC+, 27.3/11 K/BB%, 11.7 Swinging Str. %, 30/37 FB/PB %
By comparison, during his time as a 20 year-old at Double-A: Ralphy Velazquez: 171 wRC+, 17/12 K/BB%, 11.9 Swinging Str. %, 34/34 FB/PB %
It’s official. We have 90% of Vladimir Guerrero. Bring him up and let’s ride.
In all seriousness, Velazquez has more to prove, of course, now that he’s been called up to Triple-A. He should work on pulling the ball more than he does and attempt to add some lift, if possible. But, folks, we cannot sell short how exciting of a hitter he is. At the age of 20, he is showing advanced professional skill against the much more advanced pitching of Double-A. IF (big “if”) he can keep some semblance of this up now that he is in Columbus, this should begin to look like a top 20 to top 10 prospect in MLB, even if limited to first base. You can see above that being an excellent hitter at Double-A at 19-20 does not make becoming a major league all-star hitter a sure thing… but it’s about as close as you can get.
Should Ralphy play in Cleveland at some point this summer? That will be entirely determined by whether or not he is able to continue to perform well against Triple-A pitching. If so… then I would guess he is going to force the issue in September when rosters expand. Should (knock on wood) any injuries come into play affecting first base/DH, he could get an earlier opportunity, also. This is an exceptionally talented hitter and Guardians fans should be excited.
The Guardians (28-22) look to make it three in a row against the Tigers (20-29) tonight at Comerica Park.
Cleveland has outscored Detroit 12-5 through the first two games of the series. Last night, the Guardians won 4-3. Rookie Travis Bazzana drove in a pair with his second home run of the season to pace the offense. Steven Kwan and Brayan Rocchio each drove in a run to round out the scoring for Cleveland. Parker Messick allowed a couple earned runs over five innings but did not factor in the decision. Colin Holderman pitched a scoreless sixth to earn his first win of the season. Spencer Torkelson cracked his seventh home run of the season for the Tigers. Tyler Holton took the loss in relief of Keider Montero.
Tonight, Cleveland hands the ball to Tanner Bibee, who enters the night still searching for his first win of the season. The veteran is 0-6 with a 4.15 ERA.Detroit is turning to reliever Drew Anderson. The right hander is stepping into a Tigers’ rotation that has been ravaged by injuries. While they try to stay afloat until some of their starting pitchers return, the true issues with Detroit have to do with an offense that has scored the third-fewest runs in the American League. Other than Riley Greene and Kevin McGonigle, no one is a threat in that lineup. Meanwhile, Cleveland continues to be led by José Ramírez but he is not alone in that lineup. Youngsters Bazzana and Chase DeLauter have helped shoulder the load. DeLauter has driven in 30 runs this season and Bazzana is hitting .328 in May.
The Tigers sit 7.5 games behind the Guardians in the American League Central and 3.5 back of the final Wild Card spot. Doubtful they can afford to fall much further behind in either race.
Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game Details and How to Watch: Guardians vs. Tigers
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
The Latest Odds: Guardians vs. Tigers
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: Cleveland Guardians (-120), Detroit Tigers (+100)
Tigers: Drew Anderson Season Totals: 27.0 IP, 1-1, 4.67 ERA, 1.33 WHIP, 31K, 12 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Guardians vs. Tigers
Travis Bazzano is enjoying a 6-game hitting streak (12-26)
Steven Kwan is just 3-27 over his last 9 games
Riley Greene has hit safely in 15 of 17 games in May and is hitting .433 for the month
Spencer Torkelson did go yard last night but is hitting just .136 for the month
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Guardians vs. Tigers
The Guardians are 13-12 on the road this season
The Tigers are 13-10 at home this season
The Tigers are 24-25 on the Run Line this season
The Guardians are 28-22 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 26 times in games involving the Guardians this season (26-24)
The OVER has cashed 22 times in Tigers’ games this season (22-25-2)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions: Guardians vs. Tigers
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Guardians and the Tigers:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Guardians on the Moneyline
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line on the Run Line
Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 7.5 runs
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How the Oklahoma City Thunder adjust to their Game 1 loss to the San Antonio Spurs should be the most intriguing part of Game 2. That conversation can start with Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, whose impact is altered by overlapping so many minutes with Victor Wembanyama.
These Spurs vs. Thunder predictions dive into the Shai Gilgeous-Alexander oddsand will not bet on the two-time MVP staggering his minutes entirely away from the Defensive Player of the Year, though that is an adjustment worth pondering for Game 2 tonight.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander prop pick for Game 2
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander best bet: Over 28.5 points (-105 at bet365)
In a game that went to double overtime and saw the Oklahoma City Thunder eventually lose by seven points, Shai Gilgeous-Alexander playing 51 minutes and posting a -15 stands out.
Wembanyama is the best rim deterrent in the NBA, the best rim deterrent since... well, that historical lookback can be pondered another day.
The Thunder are deep. It is one of their greatest assets. They have the personnel to better stagger SGA into the minutes Wembanyama rests, and there should be more minutes without Wembanyama after that double-overtime effort on Monday.
Such a stagger would immediately boost Gilgeous-Alexander’s shooting; his 7-for-23 showing in Game 1 was ugly yet still yielded 24 points. Any improvement in his shooting should set up the MVP to reach 30 points in what is effectively a must-win for OKC.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander same-game parlay
Wemby’s rim presence often turns drives into passes, part of how Shai Gilgeous-Alexander managed 12 assists in Game 1. Just as vitally, the MVP’s teammates showed up. The Thunder shot 17-for-45 (38%) from deep, boosted by Alex Caruso’s 8-for-14 mark.
Even if (when) Caruso’s shooting tails off, SGA’s assist numbers should still be near double digits all series long. Wembanyama’s rim presence demands that.
Simply put, Gilgeous-Alexander needs to do a bit of everything in this series, as he often has to for the Thunder. That is the burden of being a ball-centric MVP.
He will need to find his moments to preserve some energy, and that should come on the glass. Gilgeous-Alexander grabbed only three rebounds in 51 minutes in Game 1. Credit Wembanyama. Credit Stephon Castle. Credit Dylan Harper.
Also realize it is somewhat prudent of SGA to sacrifice some rebounds in the name of playing aggressive defense and dictating OKC’s offense.
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There's a +9.36% EV edge associated with this play. Our system is backing him to stay hot as a visiting player.
"Stephon Castle has tallied 22.8 points per game over the last five games while playing away from home."
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Thunder Game 2 computer picks
Isaiah Hartenstein Over 4.5 rebounds (+105)
Projection: 7.16 rebounds
With our system calling for Isaiah Hartenstein to top his rebounding prop by over two full boards, this a five-star play.
Hartenstein came up short of this number in Game 1, but beat this line in eight of his last nine before that.
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Ajay Mitchell Over 9.5 points (-110)
Projection: 12.98 points
Ajay Mitchell is projected to beat this line by a dramatic margin of 3.5 points, good for a +25.28% EV edge. Our computer values his feverish recent output.
"Mitchell has averaged 18.8 points per game over the last five games, 4.7 higher than he's averaged in all games this year."
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Chet Holmgren Over 13.5 points (-125)
Projection: 16.43 points
Our computer is calling Chet Holmgren to top this prop handily, so this is a five-star play with a +24.46% edge.
Holmgren has cleared this line in eight of his last 10, and recent team trends suggest it will happen again.
"The Thunder rank as the 3rd-highest scoring offense in the league over the last 20 games. The San Antonio Spurs have played at the 9th-quickest pace in the NBA over the last 5 games, which ought to boost opportunities for the Thunder."
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How to watch Spurs vs Thunder Game 2
Location
Paycom Center, Oklahoma City, OK
Date
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
Tip-off
8:30 p.m. ET
TV
NBC/Peacock
Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Vegas Golden Knights are in Denver to take on the No. 1-seeded Colorado Avalanche in Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals.
Highlighted by star winger Martin Necas, let's take a look at my three Golden Knights vs. Avalanche goal scorer predictions and NHL picks for May 20.
Golden Knights vs Avalanche goal scorer predictions for Game 1
Player to score a goal
Odds
Martin Necas
+155
Brock Nelson
+285
Jack Eichel
+220
💲Goal scorer parlay
+1500
Goal scorer pick: Martin Necas (+155)
Martin Necas was an elite finisher in the regular season, scoring 38 times on 27 expected goals. Outperforming his xG is nothing new – Necas scored 27 goals on 20.5 expected last year, and 24 on 19.8 the season prior.
He is an exceptional shooter who consistently scores at rates higher than the norm, yet he has one playoff goal despite generating 26 chances and 2.8 expected goals.
Necas has generated plenty of looks. They just haven’t gone for him, and it’s only a matter of time before that changes.
It’s also worth noting that Necas scored three times over three regular-season meetings with the Vegas Golden Knights, with his multi-goal performance coming against Carter Hart.
Expect Necas’ success to continue in this series, starting tonight.
Goal scorer pick: Brock Nelson (+285)
Hart really struggled with high-danger shots during the regular season, posting a .761 save percentage on those looks, ranking 68th among 70 netminders to play at least 700 minutes at 5-on-5.
Brock Nelson is a prime candidate to take advantage. He ranked second on the Colorado Avalanche in high-danger opportunities this season, and the vast majority of his shot volume comes from directly around the net.
Nelson also has a great track record of shot-generation against the Golden Knights and other strong shot-suppression teams.
He generated multiple shots on net in all three regular-season meetings. More noteworthy, Nelson has averaged 2.6 shots on net and recorded multiple SOG in nine of his last 10 against Top-10 shot suppression sides.
Goal scorer pick: Jack Eichel (+220)
Jack Eichel has piled up the assists during the playoffs, but don’t let that fool you: he’s been a very active shooter.
Eichel leads the Golden Knights in shot attempts and shots on goal but has scored just one time due to an unsustainably low 2.86% shooting percentage.
He scored on 10.38% of his shots in the regular season and has converted on at least 10% of his looks in all five seasons with the Golden Knights. He is an obvious regression candidate.
That could come sooner than later against an Avalanche team that is suddenly struggling to get saves.
They posted the worst save percentage of any team in the second round, and it wasn’t just one guy. Scott Wedgewood and Mackenzie Blackwood both struggled at points and were pulled from the net as a result.
Golden Knights vs Avalanche anytime goal parlay
Martin Necas
Brock Nelson
Jack Eichel
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The Chicago Blackhawks made 11 selections in the 2023 NHL Draft. 2 of them were in the first round, 4 were in the top 50, and 8 were in the top 100.
The Chicago Blackhawks also kicked off the draft by taking Connor Bedard of the Regina Pats with the first overall pick.
Three full seasons later, it is clear that this draft has the potential to be an incredible class for the organization. There are already a handful of players who have roles in the NHL ahead of schedule, with more on the way. The class is as follows:
1. - Connor Bedard
19. - Oliver Moore
35. - Adam Gajan
44. - Roman Kantserov
55. - Martin Misiak
67. - Nick Lardis
93. - Jiri Felcman
99. - Alex Pharand
131. - Marcel Marcel
167. - Milton Oscarson
195. - Janne Peltonen
Connor Bedard is the star that the Blackhawks selected him to be. He is also far from being a finished product in his development. He is trending towards being an elite number one center on a contending team. It’s only a matter of time, and maybe a linemate or two, before he becomes known amongst the league’s best.
Oliver Moore was the other first-round pick from 2023. He is arguably the fastest player that the Chicago Blackhawks have in the entire organization, and his skills match his speed. He is a diverse forward who gives an honest effort at even strength, on the power play, and on the penalty kill. Moore’s speed is always going to be the number one thing people bring up, but as soon as his production starts to climb, he has the potential to be a high-end middle-six winger.
At 35th overall, the Blackhawks made a goalie selection. Adam Gajan is a Slovakian net-minder who has really ascended as a young player within the pipeline. Playing for the University of Minnesota, he was one of the best goalies in college hockey during the 2025-26 season. He didn’t dress, but he was even named to be an Olympian with Team Slovakia in Milano Cortina.
Roman Kantserov, whom the Chicago Blackhawks selected 44th overall, may be the biggest steal of the Kyle Davidson era. There is a long way to go, but he put up some incredibly encouraging numbers in the KHL, including leading the league in goals. Kantserov has top-line winger potential, and he may get a crack at it as soon as opening night.
As far as other prospects from 2023 that Chicago is banking on, Nick Lardis is amongst the quickest risers. He went from being a 3rd round pick to scoring a legendary amount of goals in the OHL with 71 and scoring at a 20-goal pace during his rookie NHL season. Lardis could become one of the best pure snipers on the team with his ability to put the puck in the net from close or far.
Most of the rest are still trying to impress their way to NHL contracts, which may or may not come for them. Bedard, Moore, Lardis, and Kantserov are safe bets to play on the opening night roster.
Gajan will start as part of a tandem in the AHL, but it won’t be long before he gets his chance to make his NHL debut. For Misiak, Felcman, Pharand, Marcel, Oscarson, and Peltonen, more time is needed. Roster spots are not as available as they once were, so everything will have to be earned.
If the Blackhawks get four good forwards and a good depth goaltender out of one draft, it’s a big win. That’s especially true when one of them is a borderline generational talent. Early in the rebuild, these selections were consequential, as we are learning in 2026. By 2030, the draft may look even better.
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Youri Tielemans, Emi Buendía and Morgan Rogers were all on target in Istanbul as Unai Emery’s side outclassed their opponents
Villa have form for goalkeeper woes in European finals. Jimmy Rimmer went into the 1982 European Cup final with a sore neck, having taken a whack in training a couple of days before the match. He lasted nine minutes before giving way to 23-year-old substitute goalie Nigel Spink, who went on to have the match of his life. So all won’t be lost should the worst happen to Martinez …
… though our man on the spot, Ben Fisher, has just reported that “the glove is now back on and he’s practising claiming crosses from coaches and the other goalkeepers.” So panic over, for now at least.
Emi Martinez may have an issue here: Villa’s goalkeeping coach, Javi Garcia, has just spent the past couple of minutes taping one of Martinez’s fingers and now the Argentinian World Cup winner is continuing to warm up with his right goalie glove in his left hand. He looks very mobile, but it doesn’t seem ideal.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 29: Luis Severino #40 of the Athletics pitches in the top of the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park on April 29, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Justine Willard/Athletics/Getty Images) | Getty Images
In baseball, rarely does everything unfold as expected. The unpredictability of baseball is one of its gifts as well as one of its most confounding aspects. The Seattle Mariners were widely believed to be the cream of the AL West crop, projected to win well over 90 games. Who thought they would sit 4 games under .500 and that Cal Raleigh, on Memorial Day, would be on the IL sitting on 1/3 of a season batting .161/.243/.317 with 7 HR?
Projection system were not in love with the A’s rotation, ranking it near the bottom going into the season. Here’s how it is shaping up as we fast approach the 1/3 mark — significant because it’s traditionally when front offices take a hard look at their team and make changes if need be.
Health: Let’s not overlook, with relief, how the A’s starting pitchers have stayed healthy. They opened the season with Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs, Aaron Civale, Jacob Lopez, and Luis Morales and none has had to miss a turn, or go to the IL. Morales was replaced by JT Ginn who, despite a brief scare, was able to make his next start and is only getting better.
Now onto performance…
Luis Severino
In a way, Severino has been about as expected: flashing plus stuff, very inconsistent, high pitch/inning counts and high walk totals, prone to giving up runs in flurries, sometimes brilliant.
The A’s may have paid for a front of the rotation SP but what they have is also valuable, just not as valuable, and that is a #4 SP whose 4.45 ERA approximates how he has performed.
Expectations going forward: Probably more of the same as this has been Severino much of his career since his hey days of 2017 and 2018.
Jeffrey Springs
Springs started like gangbusters, hit a rough patch, and then gave the A’s an excellent start against the Giants his last time out. Overall he has pitched like he did in 2025: terrific on the road, less so at home. Springs’ away ERA this season is 3.04 whereas at home, where he has given up 6 of his 8 HRs, it balloons to 4.60.
Expectations going forward: Springs will generally give you a chance to win, but will also require a fair amount of bullpen support as he averages between 5-6 innings/start. Like Severino, Springs is a luxury to have as your #4 SP — and you are pushing your luck to ask him to be more.
He’s also a good one to push back a day if it means starting a road trip instead of finishing a home stand — though unfortunately, Severino’s and Ginn’s struggles at home make it hard to do any clever manipulating.
Aaron Civale
Civale has been great. Using a wide variety of pitches and mixing them up to keep hitters off balance, he has been everything the A’s could have asked for and more. Civale’s 2.70 ERA would rank 7th in the AL if he had enough innings to qualify (he barely misses but will qualify after tonight’s start assuming he lasts at least 2.1 IP).
However, Civale’s success does come with a caveat: all the underlying metrics suggest he is due for a big regression. His xERA is 4.38, his xFIP 4.66, his K rate just 6.75/9 IP. Civale needs to be very fine with his location and he has mostly been so far. He has also been unsustainably terrific with runners on base, stranding 90.3%, far above his career rate of 74.5%.
Expectations going forward: Take nothing away from what Civale has done, but you have to expect some rougher times ahead just naturally from a pitcher whose results so far have greatly exceeded the predicted outcomes.
Jacob Lopez
Ruh roh. What to do with Lopez. Has he pitched his way out of the rotation after failing to complete the 4th inning when staked to a 6-0 lead? As good as Lopez was in 2025 he has been bad in 2026.
The stats which pop out, besides his unsightly 6.14 ERA, are 30 BB in 44 IP and a K rate that has plummeted from 10.97 last season 6.55 this season. Lopez is a mess and while he was given more rope than Morales you have to wonder if the A’s will continue to trot him out every 5th day.
Expectations going forward: With the dreaded 1/3 mark upon us, figure the A’s will shake things up in some way either moving Lopez to the bullpen, where he can compete with Jose Suarez for “lefty who scares you, not opponents, when he is summoned, or to AAA (Lopez has one remaining option). Maybe the A’s just ”stay the course” a while longer with Lopez in the rotation, but don’t count on it as he’s been über-shaky for a long stretch now.
Luis Morales
Morales was terrible in spring training, worse to start the season, and was quickly demoted to AAA — where if it’s even possible, he pitched even worse yet.
Only in his last 3 appearances (out of the bullpen) has Morales started to right the ship a bit, and it’s really more “he hasn’t been terrible”: 4 IP, 4 hits, 2 ER, 2 BB, 4 K. It has brought his AAA season ERA down to 9.72 with 24 hits in 16.2 IP, 6 of them HRs, along with 13 BB.
Expectations going forward: Morales is still in the A’s future plans, but 2026 might wind up being a “get right” season. I wouldn’t look for a call up to Sacramento any time soon.
JT Ginn
We all know what Ginn did his last start. What’s less obvious is how solid he has been in aggregate, posting a 2.97 ERA. Is it for real? It may just be.
The key is that Ginn has finally figured out how to get LH batters out. Here’s the comparison between 2025 and 2026:
LH batters in 2025: .340/.416/.630, 10 HR in 38 IP
LH batters in 2026: .233/.331/.398, 4 HR in 27.1 IP
That’s worth a “Fosse wow” right there. What hasn’t shifted as much is the huge home/away splits where Ginn, after his no-hit bid, holds a 1.67 ERA on the road but a 5.21 ERA at home.
Expectations going forward: Ginn has historically had trouble staying healthy, but if the arm holds up the A’s might have themselves a gem who has figured out how to leverage his stuff — and with that you can expect that so long as LH batters don’t pose a huge issue for him, the home performance will improve and the home/away splits will move closer to one another.
Overall: The A’s don’t have a lot of SPs who get deep into games — only Ginn has really shown that strength — and there really aren’t front of the rotation arms there unless you buy into Ginn as an emerging staff leader. It’s kind of a “5.1 IP, 2 or 3 ER” group waiting for the arrival of an exciting young arm attached to Gage Jump or Wei-En Lin.
What would you like to see the A’s do, at the 1/3 mark, with this rotation, given who they have in MLB, who they have at AAA, and what the trade market looks like as we head towards trading season? No easy answers here, just an AL West that currently would require only 81 wins to get fitted for a crown.
The Milwaukee Brewers can complete a sweep of the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night and we like their chances to do so.
Here are my Brewers vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks for May 20.
Who will win Brewers vs Cubs today: Brewers ML (+104)
The matchup screams Milwaukee Brewers again. They now have the lowest whiff rate in the sport and a 26% chase rate, also bottom of the league, and that contact-first profile is a problem for Edward Cabrera.
Cabrera's chase rate is elite, but Brewers hitters don't expand, which forces his game plan into the zone where his stuff plays down. When that happens, his bottom-40 % barrel rate and poor expected ERA come into play.
On the other side, Kyle Harrison has more than enough stuff to slow the Chicago Cubs. I’d play the Brewers to -120.
It's a small number, but Wrigley winds loom large again. Gusts could reach up to 25 mph, along with temperatures in the 50s. Thus, before you even get to the handicap, this is the biggest story.
Now, when you think about Kyle Harrison, it gets clearer. His hard hits will suppress ball carry even further, as they sit in the 94th percentile of the sport.
In addition, Cabrera, despite his hard-contact issues, owns a 93rd percentile offspeed run value that helps mitigate damage when the changeup is working. I wouldn't play this past 6.5, but it's good to -125.
Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 19-18, +0.16 units
Over/Under bets: 23-14, +11.54 units
Brewers vs Cubs odds
Moneyline: Brewers +100 | Cubs -120
Run line: Brewers -1.5 | Cubs +1.5
Over/Under: Over 6.5 | Under 6.5
Brewers vs Cubs trend
The Milwaukee Brewers have hit the Moneyline in 15 of their last 20 games (+8.50 Units / 33% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. Cubs.
How to watch Brewers vs Cubs and game info
Location
Wrigley Field, Chicago, IL
Date
Wednesday, May 20, 2026
First pitch
7:40 p.m. ET
TV
Brewers.TV, Marquee
Brewers starting pitcher
Kyle Harrison (4-1, 2.09 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcher
Edward Cabrera (3-1, 4.06 ERA)
Brewers vs Cubs latest injuries
Brewers vs Cubs 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.
May 19, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners starting pitcher Bryce Miller (50) throws against the Chicago White Sox during the first inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images | Joe Nicholson-Imagn Images
Well, Mariners fans, I’d be lying if I told you this season was off to an ideal start, or even a good start, or even an average start. At least then they’d be above .500. The team has struggled in all aspects with performance and injuries including, but not limited to, Brendan Donovan, Cal Raleigh, Gabe Speier, Matt Brash, Victor Robles, Carlos Vargas, and Logan Evans. This has led to a variety of patchwork lineups and stopgap fixes in the hopes that they will all return sooner rather than later, and the Mariners’ record has suffered for it.
Despite these issues, the Mariners have had quite a bright spot this year in the form of longtime organization Quad-A player Emerson Hancock. Hancock has had his fair share of pots of coffee, but this most recent one seems to have stuck. Hancock has dominated teams throughout the AL to start the season, posting an impressive 3.02/3.64 ERA/FIP alongside a very solid WHIP of 1.01. It’s come thanks to the absence of poor old Bryce Miller, who has been suffering at the hands of repeated elbow issues since last season. But Miller is now back and healthy, and everyone looks around awkwardly, as it seems Hancock has displaced him. The Mariners reacted with a temporary six-man rotation to test things out, resisting the urge to displace Luis Castillo or Emerson Hancock right away.
Now the Mariners have run this rotation for a week and, with more feedback, have progressed to “piggybacking” Bryce Miller and Luis Castillo together on Tuesday night. While the Mariners ended up walking out with the loss, Miller looked pretty good in his 5 innings, and Castillo seemed serviceable in his two and a third. Jerry Dipoto has already expressed resistance to moving either to the bullpen full-time, as he told reporters recently:
“If you go to the bullpen, you don’t maintain your pitch volume for very long. And that’s the worst thing that could happen to the depth of our starting rotation is taking one of our top six starting pitchers, send them to the bullpen, and then 10 days later, their pitch volume is no longer a factor.”
It’s looking unlikely that either will have an extended stay in the bullpen, so now we have to ask ourselves: should the Mariners run a six-man rotation for the rest of the year? Let us know what you think via the poll and comments below.
Of course, they don’t have to run six men, but if they don’t, then who is the odd man out? Presumably, barring sudden injury (knock on wood), it could be any one of Hancock, Castillo, or Miller. Personally, I think it’s extremely likely that Castillo is moved to mostly long relief/piggyback starts, with the hope they can trade him later this season. Obviously, if they switch him to a full-time reliever, he loses value, as much value as a starter with a 6 ERA can have anyway, so the idea would be to keep him stretched out and available for spot starts and the like until such a time as he can be moved on. But let us know what you think, answer the poll, and leave comments below on your thoughts!
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Mississippi State outfielder Vytas Valincius lived that dream Wednesday in Hoover, as the Bulldogs rolled in their 2026 SEC Tournament debut 12-2 over Missouri, advancing to tomorrow’s Quarterfinals against top-seeded Georgia.
And Valincius did his damage to break open what was a two-run game.
The Mississippi State outfielder came to the plate to leadoff the bottom of the sixth inning, with the Bulldogs leading 4-2. He attacked the first pitch he saw, a 91-mph fastball over the heart of the plate, and quickly deposited that fastball over both walls in left field:
— Mississippi State Baseball (@HailStateBB) May 20, 2026
By the time the inning ended, Mississippi State had a 12-2 inning thanks to an eight-run sixth, and the Bulldogs recorded three outs in the seventh to complete the win via the run rule.
Now the Bulldogs face … the Bulldogs on Thursday, with a spot in the SEC baseball tournament Semifinals on the line.
We’ll see what Valincius has up his sleeves tomorrow.
COVERS INTEL: Yesavage ranks in 
Spurs
Thunder
Martin Necas 
Jack Eichel
