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The Cubs sit at 34-34 so far in 2026, but the way they’ve gotten to that .500 record is anything but average. While it seems hard to believe here in June, yes, it was 2026 when the Cubs were putting together multiple 10 game winning streaks, not to mention a 15-game home winning streak that had fans giddy and looking up records from decades ago.

Oh, what a difference a month makes:

That’s right, y’all. It was this season when the Cubs were 15-games over .500 and looked like they might just be the team to beat in a tough NL Central. Here on June 11 they are eight games back of the division leading Brewers having just dropped back-to-back games (and therefor the series) against the 26-42 Colorado Rockies. Their offensive woes are so entrenched they’ve managed to score just five runs in two games at Coors Field.

To be clear, baseball isn’t played in a 30-game season for a reason. There are winning streaks and losing streaks. The 2016 World Series Champion Cubs were 1-9 heading into the All Star break. But looking at that 7-22 mark, which is good for merely a .241 winning percentage over a 29-game stretch, had me wondering which Cubs teams had 30-game stretches of sub-.300 winning percentage baseball and how they wound up faring that season.

Luckily, Baseball Reference has precisely the right tool for this query in their span-finder. Unluckily, none of the Cubs teams who have ever gone 8-22 at some stretch during the season since 1920 (the Live Ball Era) have ever made the playoffs. You can peruse this very sad and hapless list below:

A few notes on this list. First, spans don’t happen in neat 30-game intervals and the way Baseball Reference deals with that is to identify multiple spans. I sorted this query by lowest winning percentage and scanned a little over 250 individual spans to identify each year where there was a 30-game span with an 8-22 record or worse. I think I got every season, but I may have missed one or two. Additionally, a lot of the teams who had a 5-25 stretch also had a 6-24 stretch or a 7-23 stretch, you get the gist. They are represented by the worst 30-game stretch they had that season.

The years that don’t have 30 decisions in the list are stretches that had some tie games in pre-lights Wrigley Field.

All of the above notes aside, that table isn’t so much a warning bell as the Titanic hitting an iceberg. The glass isn’t half empty, it somehow evaporated after being overflowing.

No Cubs team that has ever posted a 30-game winning streak with an 8-22 record (or worse) during any stretch of the season has ever made the playoffs. Out of 23 seasons where managers experienced such a stretch, four previous Cubs managers were fired during that season, an additional three resigned.

To be clear, I’ve seen and read nothing that leads me to believe Craig Counsell or any other member of the Cubs coaching staff should be fired. The injury problems to the pitching staff combined with the offensive struggles of well over half of the lineup aren’t going to magically improve because of a new manager. Do not add my voice to the cacophony of fans who think this team will go back to winning 10 in a row with a new skipper. That said, one of the first things that jumped out at me as I scanned these seasons was that 30.4% of the managers who oversaw such a stretch were not managing the Cubs at the end of that season.

It’s bleak, to say the least.

The next team on the list of terrible, horrible, no good, 30-game spans just happens to be the first appearance of the 2026 Cubs. The Cubs entered play tonight with a 9-21 record over their last 30 games. If they can eke out a win today they will be 8-22 over their last 30 games.

We should all take some solace in yesterday being the first appearance of the 2026 Cubs on this list. They’ll have earned themselves a second appearance after tomorrow, even if they win. In an environment with expanded playoffs they may even be able to make the postseason field. But many of the teams on this list appear 5, 10, sometimes 20 or more times, and they certainly didn’t have two 10-game winning streak under their belts earlier in the season. If the Cubs are going to try for another unprecedented feat in 2026, perhaps they will become the first team to make the playoffs in a season where they posted a sub .300 winning percentage for a period of 30 games.

Jordan Romano knows what it feels like to be one of the best relievers in baseball. He has been there.

Two All-Star appearances, 105 saves with the Toronto Blue Jays, and a stretch from 2021 through 2023 where he was, on most nights, simply unhittable. A 6-foot-5 right-hander from Markham, Ontario, with a fastball that backed hitters off the plate and a 2.90 ERA across his six seasons in Toronto, Romano was, for several years, one of the most reliable ninth-inning arms in the American League.

Then the right elbow gave out.

Romano underwent arthroscopic surgery in July 2024 to repair an impingement. He made just 15 appearances in 2024, posted a 6.59 ERA, and watched Toronto non-tender him that winter.

He signed with the Philadelphia Phillies for $8.5 million in 2025, trying to recapture his elite form. Romano made 49 appearances, posted an 8.23 ERA across 42.2 innings, and ended the season on the IL with right middle finger inflammation. He then signed with the Los Angeles Angels over the winter on a major league deal and made the Opening Day roster, but lasted 11 appearances before being released on April 27 with a 10.13 ERA across eight innings. The Angels chapter lasted less than a month.

Now, sitting in the Arizona heat at the Rockies’ Scottsdale facility — days before his assignment to Triple-A Albuquerque — Romano was throwing off the mound for the third time in a week and talking about energy transfer.

Choosing Colorado

The reason he chose Colorado, of all the places he could have landed, comes down to one name: Matt Buschmann.

The Rockies bullpen coach was on Romano’s staff in Toronto for several years, and Romano credits him as a significant piece of his success during that run. When the opportunity to sign with Colorado emerged, Romano called Buschmann. He liked what he heard about the people the organization had brought in. He spoke with pitching personnel — Owen Cuffee and Emilio Martinez among them — and came away convinced this was the right environment to do the work.

“I really like the stuff they’re doing, the new guys they hired,” Romano said. “I talked to Owen and Emilio — really smart guys. I decided this is probably the best fit for me to work on my stuff, get better down here, and help contribute up there.”

Rebuilding the delivery

The work, in his telling, is specific. The mechanics of how he transfers energy through his delivery — the sequencing, the timing, the feel of it translating from bullpen session to live game — is where he is spending most of his time. It is unglamorous and incremental, the kind of thing that doesn’t show up in a stat line.

Some days it clicks.

Some days it doesn’t.

“I’m trying to get to the point where my delivery is doing what I’ve been working on without really thinking about it,” he said. “Muscle memory. I feel like we’re almost there. It’s kind of exciting.”

He is also working on a new splitter grip — one he believes gives him better command of the pitch and more movement — and on generating more velocity overall. The combination of a tuned-up delivery and a sharper splitter, in his mind, is the difference between the pitcher he has been recently and the pitcher he knows he can be.

Finding joy in the process

What is striking about Romano, sitting in the ACL clubhouse in early June, is how unbothered he seems by any of it. This is his fourth organization in three years — Toronto, Philadelphia, Los Angeles, and now Colorado. — and he has developed a kind of institutional fluency for the transition.

“The first two weeks, you’re kind of learning everyone’s name,” he said. “And then after two weeks, it’s kind of like — everyone’s been cool here.”

He does not come off as bitter about the way things have gone. He is not performing enthusiasm that he doesn’t feel. He genuinely seems to enjoy the process.

“The thing I like most about baseball is, like, the performing is amazing,” he said, “but the working on stuff — you’re trying to do something, and then you see it kind of click. That’s the best feeling for me.”

He paused. “Get down here, get in the trenches a little bit, work on your stuff.”

The road back to Coors

He has pitched at Coors Field before. He knows what it asks of a pitcher — the way breaking balls behave differently in thin air, the necessary adjustments in pitch locations.

“You’ve got to set your sights a little differently with your breaking balls,” he said. “But I actually enjoy it. It’s a beautiful park.”

He wants to get back there. He is not racing toward it. One step at a time, he said. Get the delivery right first. Let the rest follow.

For a pitcher who was, not long ago, one of the most reliable closers in the American League, the patience required to rebuild something from the ground up in Triple-A in June is not nothing.

But Romano doesn’t frame it as patience.

He frames it as a preference.

The work itself, he says, is that part he loves. The competing and feeling good — that’s what he’s building toward.

“Sometimes it’s not as fun competing when you know you’re a little off, or you don’t feel right,” he said. “Competing and feeling good — that’s going to be fun. That’s honestly one of the better feelings you can have.”

He’s close. He said so himself. From a guy who has had every reason to stop believing it, that counted for something.

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Stop the presses, I hit a home run prop last night! The tide is turning, and now I have a small getaway slate to dig into those MLB player props for another Dinger winner.

The lefties have the hitting edge at Citi Field with winds going to right field and prime hitting conditions, while the bats at Kauffman will get an 18-mph wind boost to center field. I wrap things up with a Dodger bat this evening!

These are my favorite MLB home run props for Thursday, June 11. 

Best MLB home run props today

Player to hit a HR	Odds
Alec Burleson	+449
Jac Caglianone	+582
Freddie Freeman	+441
💲Today's HR parlay	+15519

Home run pick: Alec Burleson (+449)

Left-handed bats get a boost today with 10-mph winds blowing out to right field at Citi Field, and Alec Burleson is the target. He has already homered in each of the first two games of the series and has gone deep three times over his last five games.

He also owns one of the best flyball rates on the team over the last two weeks, and the lefty has one of the strongest pull rates in the lineup.

The fair price for him to go deep for a third straight game is closer to +370/+380, making him one of the better +EV dingers on the board today.

He'll face Christian Scott, who looks due for some correction in his current HR/FB rate while carrying one of the worst groundball rates in baseball.

• Time: 1:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SNY, Cardinals.TV

Home run pick: Jac Caglianone (+582)

Kauffman Stadium is hot and humid today with 18-mph winds blowing out to center field. The Royals get Kumar Rocker, who appears to be outperforming his underlying numbers. His HR/FB rate is roughly half of what it was last season, despite carrying a worse groundball rate.

He saw Kansas City two starts ago and pitched well, but the familiarity edge shifts to the Royals hitters in today's rematch.

Jac Caglianone is swinging the fastest bat on the Royals over the last two weeks and at a Top-10 rate in all of baseball. The bat speed is turning into production, as he has three home runs over that stretch while slugging a team-best .737.

Only 15 players in baseball have posted a better slugging percentage than Caglianone over the last 14 days.

His price is still longer than some of the bigger-name Royals bats, but based on recent form and the underlying metrics, Caglianone at +450 or better is the best way to take advantage of the wind, heat, and pitching matchup.

• Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Royals.TV, Rangers Sports Network

Home run pick: Freddie Freeman (+441)

Mitch Keller is one of the better home run targets in the late games tonight. He has been especially vulnerable to left-handed hitters, who account for 68% of his home runs allowed since 2024.

The wind is blowing out to left field at 10 mph, which fits Freddie Freeman's profile, as only 12.2% of his balls in play are pulled.

Freeman is 9-for-18 lifetime vs. Keller, with one dinger, has three four-baggers over the last two weeks, and has the Dodgers' third-best slugging rate over that stretch — behind two guys who are 100 and 200 points shorter to go yard today.

There aren't a ton of good HR looks late today, but the righty vs. lefty of Keller vs. Freeman at +400 or better is making the card. 

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SNP, SNLA

Today’s HR parlay

Alec Burleson	Bet Now +15519
Jac Caglianone
Freddie Freeman

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Texas Rangers lineup for June 11, 2026 against the Kansas City Royals: starting pitchers are Kumar Rocker for the Rangers and Michael Wacha for the Royals.

We have an afternoon getaway game in Kansas City today. If the Rangers win, they will win the series and get to .500. If they lose, they will lose the series, drop to two games under .500, and we will all continue to wonder whether they will ever get back to even this year. Joc Pederson gets the day off after leaving yesterday’s game with a hip issue.

The lineup:

Langford — LF

Seager — SS

Jung — 3B

Nimmo — DH

Duran — RF

Burger — 1B

Carter — CF

Diaz — C

Lopez — 2B

1:10 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are +105 underdogs.

The MLB draft is a month away, to be held during All-Star week in Philadelphia beginning on July 11. The Royals benefitted from the draft lottery, moving them up to the #6 overall pick. This is considered a fairly strong draft class with good impact talent, with a terrific class of college hitters at the top and a deep pool of talented high school pitchers.

UCLA shortstop Roch Cholowsky is the consensus best player in this class, likely to go #1 to the White Sox. Prep shortstop Grady Emerson is the top high school player with Georgia Tech catcher Vahn Lackey also likely to go in the first few picks.

ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel writes that the “next grouping after the clear top three players” includes high school shortstop Jacob Lombard, high school outfielder Eric Booth Jr., and college pitcher Jackson Flora. The Royals should be positioned to grab one of these six players, but they also have the sixth-largest bonus pool, which could allow them to be flexible. There is typically a surprise in the first ten picks, and McDaniel thinks it could come with the Royals’ pick. They could cut an under-slot deal with the #6 pick, to grab a first-round talent in later rounds that fell due to high bonus demands.

What are the top draft observers saying about who the Royals might take? While mock drafts remain an inexact science, many of the game’s top draft writers keep connecting Kansas City to the same handful of names, most notably Lombard, Booth, and left-hander Gio Rojas.

Jacob Lombard is a right-handed bat whose father George was a big leaguer, and whose brother is a top prospect with the Yankees. The Miami-area product is a five-tool player widely lauded for his baseball IQ and coachability. The last time the Royals selected a toolsy, mature high school shortstop whose dad played in the big leagues, it seemed to work out for them. In a mock draft back in early May, Keith Law of the Athletic had the Royals going chalk and grabbing Lombard. Most other mocks also report the Royals prefer Lombard, although they don’t think he will be available when the Royals select at #6.

Eric Booth Jr. is a 70-grade runner with good bat speed that some evaluators think will translate to decent power numbers in the big leagues. MLB Pipeline notes that Booth’s left-handed swing can look choppy at times, but evaluators are encouraged by his excellent exit velocities. He also won the home run derby at the Perfect Game All-American Classic. Joel Reuter at Bleacher Report has the Royals taking Booth, citing his potential as a “20-homer, 40-steal everyday center fielder.” Law reports that the Royals’ plan is to take either Lombard or Booth if one is available. McDaniel and Carlos Collazo at Baseball America each write that the Royals prefer Lombard to Booth.

Gio Rojas could be the option if both Lombard and Booth are off the table. Jim Callis at MLB Pipeline wrote the Royals will “sort through the consensus top six players, at least one of whom will get to them, along with left-hander Gio Rojas, the consensus top prep pitcher.” The Miami-area lefty can run his fastball up to 98 mph and complements it with a sweeping slider and a changeup. MLB Pipeline writes he has the makings of a frontline starter, and with “outstanding presence on the mound” and an ability to “fill up the strike zone.” McDaniel writes that Rojas is the backup option if Lombard and Booth are both off the table, possibly as a “cut-rate option” that could sign underslot. Collazo reports the Royals have heavily scouted Rojas.

Jackson Flora is the top college pitcher on the board, and could be an option if the top prep players are off the board. Peyton Sower at Just Baseball writes that Royals scouting director Brian Bridges has done well with college pitching selection in recent years, so he has the UC-Santa Barbara pitcher going to the Royals. He writes that Flora has a “fascinating arsenal” with “above-average command” including a kick-change he uses against left-handers. Flora had a 1.06 ERA with 133 strikeouts in 102 innings this season for the Gauchos.

Other names that could be possibilities for the Royals include high school pitcher Carson Bolemon, who Keith Law calls one of the top prep arms. He writes that the Royals prefer Lombard or Booth, but pitching could be a “fallback option” with the South Carolina lefty a possibility.

California high schooler Jared Grindlinger is an intriguing two-way player that most teams see as a hitter, but Callis reports the Royals like him better as a pitcher. At 17, he’s one of the youngest players in the draft, but has a fastball that sits 90-93 mph that could tick up as he grows.

Collazo reports there is some buzz about Florida right-hander Liam Peterson, although he might be a reach at #6. The Royals have gone with Gator pitchers before – notably Brady Singer and Jackson Kowar. Peterson stands 6’5” with a mid-90s fastball that could increase in velo in shorter stints. He had a 4.59 ERA with 111 strikeouts in 84.1 innings this year for the Gators.

The Royals could look to college hitters, with McDaniel suggesting Arkansas catcher Ryder Helfrick is an option. A right-handed slugger, Helfrick hit .283/.417/.562 with 18 home runs in 62 games for the Razorbacks and 55 walks. Mark Powell at FanSided has the Royals going with Drew Burress, who hit .358/.473/.657 with 16 home runs and 10 steals in 61 games for Georgia Tech. Burress is a more polished hitter, but standing at 5’9”, he lacks imposing physical tools. Powell writes that Burress has rising stock, and would likely be an underslot signing.

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Happy Friday Junior, folks! Read that again: I did not say "Happy Friday."

Despite it being a getaway day, there are a few guys I'm in love with to have success at the dish today: Hunter Goodman, Miguel Vargas, and Randal Grichuk.

Here's how I'm targeting their MLB player props on June 11.

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
Hunter Goodman	Over 1.5 total bases	-102
Miguel Vargas	Over 1.5 total bases	+104
Randal Grichuk	Over 1.5 total bases	+117

Hunter Goodman Over 1.5 total bases (-102)

Over at Coors Field, Colorado Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman finds himself in yet another great matchup against Chicago Cubs right-hander Edward Cabrera.

In the default ratings on Batters-Box, Goodman owns a strong rating, with that data dating back to the start of his career. While the sophomore catcher carries an elite rating in the current season timeframe, his trends toward a strong rating are still worth noting. 

Across 30 strong ratings, Goodman has left the yard 26.67% of the time and surpassed this prop in 50% of those games. Not only that, but the Rockies' backstop owns an 87.4% arsenal coverage rating against Cabrera's pitch mix.

The 26-year-old got off to a slow start this season, but he has turned things around over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, batting .304 with a 1.000 SLG and 1.433 OPS while producing a 55.6% hard-hit rate and 33.5% barrel rate.

Since returning from injury, Cabrera has not exactly been a pitcher I'm looking to back.

Against the last 30 right-handed hitters he's faced, he's allowed 47.4% hard contact, a 21.1% barrel rate, and a 52.7% elevation rate. Those hitters have also posted a .311 xBA, .681 xSLG, and .426 xwOBA during that stretch.

At nearly even money for two bases at Coors Field, I'd play this down to -110 if I had to.

• Time: 3:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Marquee, COLR

Miguel Vargas Over 1.5 total bases (+104)

The next two guys I'm going to boast about offer a ton of value this evening. Sure, they might not even play due to the thunderstorms expected to roll through the South Side of Chicago, but I don't look at, nor do I care about, the weather.

14 mph winds blowing out, though. Eyes emoji

With how well Chicago White Sox third baseman Miguel Vargas has been playing this season — especially against southpaws — it's hard to pass up the value on him tonight.

For those worried about the rain, I actually love a hitter even more if there's a delay. Making a starting pitcher go through his routine twice before the first pitch can throw everything out of whack.

Vargas enters today with a favorable matchup rating on Batters-Box in the default ratings dating back three seasons. More importantly, he owns an elite rating in the current season timeframe.

He also carries a 95.3% arsenal coverage rating against Atlanta Braves left-hander Martin Perez's pitch mix.

The soon-to-be All-Star has been torching lefties. Over his last 30 plate appearances against them, Vargas owns a .409 batting average, .682 slugging percentage, and a 1.234 OPS, while producing 60% hard contact and a 10% barrel rate.

Perez has allowed nearly a 60% elevation rate to right-handed hitters on the road while also surrendering 40.6% hard contact.

With the wind blowing out and the way Vargas has been seeing left-handed pitching, I want to be all over him this evening. I wouldn't pay any juice on this prop, so shop around and grab the best plus-money price you can find.

• Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CHSN, BravesVsn

Randal Grichuk Over 1.5 total bases (+117)

The other guy I’m in love with in this matchup is newly added fan favorite Randal Grichuk, who has been a great addition for the White Sox since arriving from the Yankees.

Like Vargas, he has been giving left-handed pitchers hell this season, sporting a .407 BA, .889 SLG, and 1.356 OPS over his last 30 plate appearances against southpaws. During that span, he has also produced a 40.9% hard-hit rate and a 9.1% barrel rate.

The 34-year-old veteran owns the second-highest rating in this matchup over on Batters-Box, marking his 33rd elite home rating. In his previous 32 elite home ratings, he has recorded at least one hit 65.63% of the time and doubled in 37.5% of them.

With Grichuk hitting in the two-hole and two bases sitting at +117, I think this is a great spot for both the No. 2 and No. 3 hitters tonight — assuming the weather cooperates.

For those wondering why I'm backing these props despite the weather concerns, my answer is simple: if they're playing, there's always a chance.

That's how I've always approached it. Others may disagree, but I spend far too much time digging through the data to let the possibility of rain, snow, or even a massive typhoon scare me off a play. If the game is on, it's in consideration.

• Time: 7:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CHSN, BravesVsn

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Jose Reyes turns 43 today.

In November 2012, Jose Reyes joined the Blue Jays as part of a blockbuster trade with the Marlins. Toronto received Reyes, Josh Johnson, Mark Buehrle, outfielder Emilio Bonifacio, and catcher John Buck, while Yunel Escobar, Adeiny Hechavarria, Henderson Alvarez, Justin Nicolino, Jake Marisnick, Jeff Mathis, and Anthony DeSclafani went to Florida.

This was the first in a series of high-profile moves that supposedly ‘won the off-season’ for Toronto. By all accounts, Reyes was the player then-GM Alex Anthopoulos most coveted, and the deal expanded from there.

The trade ultimately didn’t work out well for the Blue Jays. Johnson made 16 poor starts, was injured, and never pitched in the majors again. Emilio Bonifacio struggled on both offense and defense before being traded mid-season. John Buck was quickly flipped to the Mets, and Mark Buehrle ended up staying with the team the longest.

As for Reyes, he struggled with frequent injuries and didn’t quite meet expectations during his two and a half seasons with the Blue Jays.

In 2013, Reyes hit .296/.353/.427 with 15 steals in 93 games. Unfortunately, he suffered a severe ankle injury on April 12th, causing him to miss over two months. After returning, he struggled to push off that foot, which seemed to impact his defensive range.

2014 was another challenging year. Reyes hit .287/.328/.398 with 30 stolen bases, but defensively, he committed 19 errors and his range was diminished.

2015 brought more of the same challenges. Radio broadcaster Jerry Howarth seemed determined to criticize Reyes, particularly for his errors at crucial moments and his cheerful demeanor on the bench even when the team was losing.

While the criticism was understandable given the team’s disappointing performance in recent seasons, Howarth’s focus on Reyes felt excessive.

Eventually, Reyes was traded along with Miguel Castro, Jeff Hoffman, and Jesus Tinoco to the Rockies in exchange for Troy Tulowitzki and LaTroy Hawkins.

That trade, along with acquisitions of David Price, Mark Lowe, and Ben Revere, plus Marcus Stroman’s return from the IL, energized the Jays, who went 40-18 over the last two months of the season. Perhaps Jerry was right that Reyes was holding the team back; Tulowitzki provided more defensive stability, though he too would struggle with injuries.

Reyes finished 2015 with the Rockies, but off-field issues arose, including a domestic violence incident that led to his suspension and eventual release by Colorado before he played a game in 2016. He later signed with the Mets and played with them from 2016 to 2018.

During his 2.5 seasons with Toronto, Reyes hit .289/.334/.404 with 61 stolen bases over 305 games.

Over his 16-year MLB career, Reyes posted a .283/.334/.427 line with 145 home runs and 517 stolen bases in 1,877 games—a very solid career overall.

Ezequiel Carrera turns 39 today.

Carrera spent the final three years of his seven-year MLB career with the Blue Jays, from 2015 to 2017, primarily playing the corner outfield positions.

I’ll admit I wasn’t a huge fan. In 2015, he hit .273/.321/.372 over 91 games, and in 2016, he posted a .248/.323/.356 line in 110 games.

His saving grace was his strong playoff performance in 2016. Carrera went 2-for-4 in the Wild Card game against the Orioles and then hit .333/.429/.583 with a home run during the Blue Jays’ three-game ALDS win over the Rangers. He didn’t hit much in the ALCS loss to Cleveland, but neither did the rest of the team.

Carrera had his best offensive season in 2017, hitting .282/.356/.408, but his defensive struggles limited him to a -0.1 bWAR. He often took circuitous routes to fly balls and lacked the arm strength to compensate.

After being released by the Blue Jays following the 2017 season, Carrera signed with the Braves, Mets, and Dodgers organizations but never returned to the majors.

Beyond his defensive issues, my lasting memory is of Carrera occasionally getting a home run on a pitch at head level. Then, for the next couple of weeks, he’d swing at anything high.

Carrera was a classic replacement-level player—good enough to fill a roster spot, but ideally not playing as often as he did. For a left-handed hitter, he posted only a modest platoon split (.660 OPS vs. lefties, .698 vs. righties), which limited his value as a platoon option. He wasn’t dependable enough to be used as a late-inning defensive replacement either.

Across seven MLB seasons, Carrera hit .262/.324/.365 with 19 home runs and 44 stolen bases in 508 games, including 332 appearances with Toronto.

Happy Birthday, Ezequiel.

As sports fans, what we generally care about is the players on the field. Sure, they come and go over the years, but they would be the ones doing the thing that clinches a World Series title.

However, as sports fans, you still do have to spend some amount of time thinking about ownership. After all, it’s quite hard to actually be a winning franchise if you have an actively bad owner.

From 1945-64 if you were a Yankees’ fan, you did not need to spend a lot of time worrying about the team’s ownership. Under the stewardship of Dan Topping and Del Webb, the Yankees were the cream of the crop in Major League Baseball, winning 10 World Series championships in the span of just two decades.

Today also happens to be the birthday of one of those men, so let’s look back at the life and times of Dan Topping.

Daniel Reid “Dan” Topping
Born: June 11, 1912 (Greenwich, CT)
Died: May 18, 1974 (Miami Beach, FL)
Yankees’ Ownership Tenure: 1945-66

Daniel Topping was born in Connecticut in 1912 to parents Henry and Rhea Topping. The future Yankees’ owner was born into money, as both of his grandfathers had amassed wealth as industrialists. His maternal grandfather — Daniel G. Reid — was known as the “Tinplate King” having been successful in the tin industry.

Like you might expect from people of that part of society, Topping was sent to a fancy boarding school and later attended the University of Pennsylvania. Along the way, he developed an interest in sports, and was pretty decent at them. He played baseball and football at Penn, and was also quite a good golfer, qualifying for the U.S. Amateur Championship on three occasions.

After graduating from college, Topping worked at some fancy jobs initially, but didn’t take to that life. Using the money he came from, he decided to purchase a partial stake and then eventually the majority ownership of the NFL version of the Brooklyn Dodgers. Under his guidance, the NFL Dodgers steadily improved, until they were decimated by the outbreak of World War II. Topping himself also served in the military during the war, joining the Marines.

Topping would later make further attempts at football ownership, but none of them stuck long term. But spending time in that world did lead him to baseball. While owning the NFL Dodgers, Topping became acquainted with Larry MacPhail, who was an executive with the more famous baseball Dodgers. Years later, they ran into each other while Topping was still serving in the military and MacPhail recruited him to join the consortium he was putting together to buy the New York Yankees. The estate of Col. Jacob Ruppert was looking to sell the team, and together, Topping, MacPhail, and developer Del Webb would join forces to take over the team.

The late Ruppert helped mold the Yankees into the titans of the sport with the acquisition of Babe Ruth and by maintaining productive relationships with other stars like Lou Gehrig and Joe DiMaggio. As far as owners go, he was a good one, and the Yankees won seven championships under his watch. Remarkably, under Topping and Webb’s group, they would fare even better.

Initially, MacPhail was mostly in charge of the baseball operations, and that proved fairly successful, culminating with a win in the 1947 World Series. However, his behavior during that time also became increasingly erratic. A drunken outburst in the celebrations following that World Series victory led to MacPhail resigning his post and Topping and Webb purchasing his shares in the team to take full control just between the two of them.

In the aftermath of that, the Topping and Webb duo quickly came to an understanding. Webb was to handle the team’s affairs on the league level, while Topping would head the baseball operations. That partnership proved very fruitful. Farm system director George Weiss was elevated to the team’s general manager and after the team failed to repeat in 1948, a managerial change was made, with Topping and Weiss bringing in Casey Stengel.

Those hires and the moves the baseball staff made in general over the next couple years would lead to arguably the most successful period in Yankees’ history, which is saying something. The team regained the World Series crown in 1949 and they would go on to win a further eight rings over the course of Topping’s time as owner, taking his personal total to 10.

As the 1960s came, Topping had some health scares and began to seriously consider selling the team. Worried that he could no longer effectively run the club, Topping eventually decided to sell, and he and Webb sold the team to CBS in 1964.* Topping retained partial ownership and the title of Yankees’ president initially, but after the Yankees shockingly slid to last place in 1966, Topping decided to sell his remaining shares in the team.

*There will be no glowing essays about how the CBS ownership went.

Away from the field, Topping lived quite the life. He was married six times over the course of his 61 years. There were some high-profile marriages in that list, including actresses Arline Judge and Kay Sutton, as well as Olympic figure skating champion Sonja Henie. Another reason Topping eventually decided to sell the team was to help with some of the financial burdens that multiple divorces and nine children across them brought.

The sixth of those marriages was to Charlotte Lillard in 1957, and that one proved stable. They remained married throughout the end of Topping’s run with the Yankees and they eventually settled down together in Florida. Topping lived there until 1974, when he passed away at the age of 61 from complications of emphysema.

When Topping, Webb, and MacPhail purchased the Yankees in 1945, they did so for $2.8 million. When they sold up to CBS 19 years later, it was for $11.2 million. While both of those figures are a long way away from what the team could theoretically go for today, the guidance of Topping (and Webb) is still partially a reason for that.

See more of the “Yankees Birthday of the Day” series here.

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Detroit split the first two games with Minnesota while combining for double digit runs in both games.

My Twins vs. Tigers predictions expect the home team to take the series in another high-scoring affair Thursday afternoon.

Let's break down my MLB picks for June 11.

Who will win Twins vs Tigers today: Tigers moneyline (-130)

The Detroit Tigers have teed off on right-handed pitching in June, ranking sixth in wOBA, fourth in OPS, and second in ISO.

They also sit second in fly ball rate at nearly 50%, which is bad news for Minnesota Twins starter Zebby Matthews.

He ranks in the ninth percentile in barrel rate allowed and the 24th percentile in ground ball rate. The Tigers profile exceptionally well to take advantage of those red flags.

With a red-hot offense and bullpen advantage, I see value backing the Tigers up to -135.

COVERS INTEL: Minnesota's bullpen has struggled mightily, ranking 28th in xFIP since May 1.

Twins vs Tigers Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (-105)

Matthews is allowing a ton of hard hit balls and fly balls, which the Tigers excel at generating.

Behind him is a fatigued bullpen with no available lefties – and the Tigers are crushing right-handed pitching.

The Minnesota Twins will have to score to keep things interesting, and they have a nice matchup to do that.

Keider Montero has posted a 5.31 xFIP over the last 30 days while allowing fly balls at a higher rate than any of today’s projected starters.

The Twins (seventh in wOBA, fifth in HR/FB in June) should take advantage.

Betable to -115.

Twins vs Tigers odds

• Moneyline: Minnesota +110 | Detroit -130
• Run line: Minnesota +1.5 (-170) | Detroit -1.5 (+145)
• Over/Under: Over 9.5 (-105) | Under 9.5 (-115)

Twins vs Tigers trend

Detroit has hit the moneyline in six of the last eight games (+4.05 units, 44% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Twins vs. Tigers.

How to watch Twins vs Tigers and game info

Twins vs Tigers latest injuries

Twins vs Tigers weather

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Less than six weeks after undergoing elbow surgery, Tarik Skubal will make his return to the Detroit Tigers' rotation.

The reigining two-time Cy Young Award winner will start Saturday's game against the Cleveland Guardians, manager A.J. Hinch told reporters Thursday, June 13. That will cap a whirlwind repair and recovery from surgery to remove loose bodies from his prized left arm.

Skubal, 29, underwent a less invasive NanoScope procedure, which allowed for shorter time off the mound - and consequently, less time to ramp back up. His return couldn't come soon enough for the Tigers.

They lost 16 of their next 18 games after it was announced Skubal would be shelved, sinking to the cellar of the AL Central. The preseason division favorites have played better of late, winning six of their last eight to climb to 28-40 as other injured players such as infielder Gleyber Torres returned.

Yet it's still a long climb: The Tigers are 8 1/2 games behind the first place Chicago White Sox in the Central and would need to vault a half-dozen teams to ease into playoff position. The clock is ticking: Major League Baseball's Aug. 3 trade deadline looms and Skubal is expected to be a significant prize if the Tigers are out of contention.

Yet with their ace back, suddenly it seems like they have a chance.

Skubal made one rehabilitation start, pitching five scoreless innings and striking out six for the Tigers' Class A West Michigan affiliate June 7.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Tarik Skubal injury update: Tigers ace set to make whirlwind return