The Houston Astros have won six of their last eight and hope to get back in the win column this afternoon against the Milwaukee Brewers.
Brandon Sproat can’t stop issuing walks or surrendering home runs, which is why my Brewers vs. Astros predictions and MLB picks are backing Houston to even the series as +104 underdogs in a high-scoring contest on Saturday, May 30.
Who will win Brewers vs Astros today: Astros (-101)
This is a great spot to fade Brandon Sproat, which is why I’m backing the Houston Astros as long as they are at -115 or better on the moneyline.
The Astros have the league’s fifth-highest HR/FB rate (13.8%) in May, while Sproat’s HR/FB rate (19.1%) is the fifth-highest among pitchers with at least 40 IP.
Daikin Park has a Statcast HR effect of 115 that ranks fourth in the majors. Add in a high walk rate and a fastball run value in the 12th percentile, and I expect the Astros to post some crooked numbers early.
COVERS INTEL: Houston’s soft-contact rate at home vs. RHP in May of 10.4% (the lowest in the league) indicates ample opportunity for the Astros to hammer Sproat before he gets the hook.
Brewers vs Astros Over/Under pick: 8.5 (-115)
Even though I like the Astros in this spot, the Brewers are in a good spot to contribute to the Over, which is 23-12 in Houston’s last 35 home games.
Peter Lambert has been far less effective at home, with a 4.32 ERA driven by rough outings in his last two home starts.
Milwaukee righties have the third-lowest pull rate vs. RHP during May. That will negate his sinker/slider combo, which Lambert utilizes 44% of the time in same-sided matchups.
Add in the ballpark factor, and I’m bullish on this game getting to nine runs, all the way to -130.
Jason Ence's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 7-12, -6.11 units
Over/Under bets: 12-7, +4.28 units
Brewers vs Astros odds
Moneyline: Brewers -108 | Astros +104
Run line: Brewers -1.5 (+150) | Astros +1.5 (-156)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-113) | Under 8.5 (+108)
Brewers vs Astros trend
The Houston Astros have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Team Total Over in 10 of their last 13 games (+7.10 Units / 48% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. Astros.
How to watch Brewers vs Astros and game info
Location
Daikin Park, Houston, TX
Date
Saturday, May 30, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
Brewers.TV, SCHN
Brewers starting pitcher
Brandon Sproat (1-3, 5.84 ERA)
Astros starting pitcher
Peter Lambert (3-4, 3.79 ERA)
Brewers vs Astros latest injuries
Brewers vs Astros 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 been a bit of an up-and-down start to the season for Mets prospect Ryan Clifford, but the lefty has been showing off his power over the past few weeks in Syracuse.
Clifford was able to do so again in Friday night’s extra-inning loss to Rochester.
With Syracuse leading 6-1 in the top of the third, the slugger stepped to the plate and lifted a third-pitch fastball up in the zone to deep right-center for a solo shot.
That accounted for Syracuse’s seventh run of the third inning.
It also marked Clifford's team-leading 12th home run of the season, and his seventh during the month of May.
He's gone deep on back-to-back nights, and five times over his last nine games.
Clifford went hitless across his other four at-bats on the night, but was sure to make his presence felt in the middle of things with the towering blast.
The 22-year-old also has a triple, four doubles, and 17 RBI across 25 May games.
While the power has certainly been there the young slugger still has some holes in his game, hitting just .218 with a .294 OBP and a 35.3 percent strikeout rate through 53 games.
The Mets likely need to see Clifford turn things around in those areas before they decide to give him a shot.
Ever since the Toronto Maple Leafs kicked off their search for a new head coach following Craig Berube's dismissal over two weeks ago, there has been a lack of confirmed names in the running for the position.
However, confirming a report by TheHockeyNews.com about a week ago, NHL insider Elliotte Friedman revealed that the Maple Leafs interviewed multiple interior candidates.
Lalonde and Van Ryn served as assistant coaches beside Berube for the Maple Leafs last season.
Last year marked Lalonde's first season as an assistant coach with the Maple Leafs. He was in charge of Toronto's penalty kill, which was one of the team's few bright spots as they ended the year with an 81.2 penalty kill percentage, finishing in the top 10 of the NHL.
It's also worth noting that before Lalonde was hired by the Leafs to be an assistant coach going into the 2025-26 campaign, he was coming off a two-and-a-half-year stint as the head coach of the Detroit Red Wings.
He led the Red Wings behind the bench for the entirety of the 2022-23 and 2023-24 seasons, but got fired in December of the 2024-25 campaign.
Before Detroit, Lalonde served as an assistant coach with the Tampa Bay Lightning and helped the franchise win a pair of Stanley Cups.
As for Van Ryn, he wrapped up his third season as assistant coach for the Maple Leafs. He was brought in by Sheldon Keefe in 2023-24 and stayed on with Berube's staff, having a history with him with the St. Louis Blues from 2018-19 to 2022-23, also as an assistant coach.
He was in charge of the defense's general system and operation, which didn't pan out so well for Toronto as they allowed the second-most goals in the NHL last season, with 295 and an average of 3.60 goals-against per game.
Van Ryn has never been an NHL head coach. However, he was a head coach in the AHL with the Tucson Roadrunners in 2017-18, and the OHL's Kitchener Rangers in 2015-16.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
WASHINGTON, DC - MAY 29: Mason Miller #22 of the San Diego Padres pitches during the game between the San Diego Padres and the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park on Friday, May 29, 2026 in Washington, District of Columbia. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Ty France smacked a game-tying solo home run in the top of the sixth inning and Jackson Merrill hit what would prove to be a game-winning two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to give the San Diego Padres a 7-5 win over the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park in Washington, D.C. on Thursday.
The home runs were the highlights for the Padres at the plate, but the high-wire act by the San Diego bullpen may have been the most critical part of the game. Mason Miller allowed a two-out walk to James Wood to load the bases in the bottom of the eighth inning. Luis Garcia Jr. came to the plate with a chance to tie the game with a hit and put the ball in play with a sharp line drive to left field. Ramon Laureano got twisted around, but was able to recover and make the catch running back toward the wall to end the inning and the Washington scoring threat.
Miller came back out for the ninth inning and issued a leadoff walk to Curtis Mead, who hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning off starter Lucas Giolito. Miller was able to lock in and looked more like the dominant closer the Friar Faithful have come to expect and struck out CJ Abrams, got a flyout from Dylan Crews and ended the game with a strikeout of Daylen Lile to secure the win for the Padres and earn his 17th save of the season.
Giolito was staked to a 1-0 lead after San Diego manufactured a first-inning run on a sacrifice fly from Xander Bogaerts to score Fernando Tatis Jr. Giolito gave up the lead with the two-run home run to Mead, which put Washington ahead, 2-1. The Nationals would push the lead to 3-1 with a solo home run by Keibert Ruiz in the bottom of the second and the Padres answered with and RBI-single from Manny Machado to score Gavin Sheets in the top of the third inning to make the score, 3-2. The single by Machado snapped an 0-for-35 streak with runners in scoring position for San Diego.
Washington regained a two-run advantage in the bottom of the third inning when Crews singled to score Abrams to make the score, 4-2. Giolito was replaced on the mound one batter later after allowing a walk to Jacob Young. Giolito ended his day with four runs allowed on five hits with four walks and one strikeout in just 2.2 innings pitched. The Padres answered back in the top of the fourth inning with an RBI-groundout from Freddy Fermin to pull within a run and then tied the game when Tatis hit an RBI-single to right field, which scored France. The Nationals took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning when Young singled to center field off Jeremiah Estrada to score Abrams to make the score, 5-4. That set the stage for France who tied the game with his solo home run in the top of the sixth before Merrill homered in the top of the seventh to give the Padres their first lead since the top of the first inning.
The back-and-forth game was much different than what San Diego fans have come to expect and the blast from Merrill may have provided a sigh of relief for many. He finished his night 1-for-4 with a walk and two RBI, but that followed a multi-hit performance in the final game of the homestand against the Philadelphia Phillies. Additionally, Tatis finished 3-for-5 with an RBI and a run scored, while Machado went 1-for-4 with a walk and an RBI. The Padres got production from each of their three struggling stars, which might indicate they are breaking out of their offensive slumps. France and Sheets also went 2-for-3 and were part of 10 total hits for San Diego.
The Padres snapped a four-game losing streak with the win and will look to make it two wins in a row today at 1:05 p.m.
Padres News:
Craig Stammen has shown a willingness to do what it takes to help his team win games. He has shuffled the lineup, rotated players in and out of the lineup and has held his team accountable with comments in the media. AJ Cassavell of Padres.com looks at what Padres fans have learned about their first-year, first-time manager two months into his tenure.
ARLINGTON, TX - MAY 29: Brandon Nimmo #24 of the Texas Rangers celebrates with Jake Burger #21 after hitting a two-run home run in the fifth inning during the game between the Kansas City Royals and the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field on Friday, May 29, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Jessica Tobias/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Rangers 9, Royals 1
The Rangers won!
Yeah!
Woo-hoo!
And they won by a lot!
Look, I know that last time they won by scoring a bunch of runs, we thought that things were on the upswing, and then Texas lost their next two. But this time its going to be different.
Let’s “power of positive thinking” them on a win streak!
If we all set our minds to it, I bet we can do it!
MacKenzie Gore recorded a Quality Start, throwing 6.1 shutout innings.
There have been games this season where we have talked about a pitcher pitching better than the results indicated. This was kind of the other way around.
Gore threw strikes for most of the game — he hit one batter and allowed one walk, and those happened with the final two batters he faced.
He wasn’t missing bats, though, putting up just three strikeouts and getting just seven swings and misses. Gore gave up a lot of loud contact to the Royals hitters, and was somewhat fortunate to allow just four hits to the 24 batters he faced.
The only real trouble he got into was in the first, when a two out single was followed up by a double that was too hard hit to bring the runner home from first. A ground out ended the inning.
The first inning could have gone a lot worse — the Starling Marte ground ball for the third out was 102.1 mph off the bat, and was still the softest hit ball of the inning.
Bobby Witt Jr. crushed a line drive to dead center that Evan Carter made a very nice running catch on for the second out. Let’s give some partial credit to Carter for keeping a 0 on the board in the first.
After the potentially scary first, the Royals banged balls less bangily against Gore, and when they did hit it hard it tended to be at a defender or a ball where a defender could make a quality play, such as Kyle Isbel’s line drive back up the middle in the third that Ezequiel Duran made a great leaping grab of.
So we are glad of that.
Tyler Alexander came in for Gore with one out in the seventh after the HBP-walk sequence and needed just three pitches to get out of the inning, thanks to a 6-4-3 GIDP. Jalen Beeks handled a scoreless eighth before Gavin Collyer pitched the ninth, allowing a run to end the shutout.
We have talked before about Collyer’s ability to pitch in the majors being dependent on his ability to throw strikes. Collyer walked the first two batters he faced in the ninth.
Collyer now has issued 11 unintentional walks and hit four batters this season. He’s struck out 15 batters.
When you are allowing as many batters on base via walk and HBP as you are striking out, that’s a problem.
When you walk the first two batters you face when you have a 9-0 lead, that’s also a problem.
You may recall a couple of weeks ago, the Rangers brought Collyer in to close out a 7-1 game and he walked the first three batters he faced, and ultimately got pulled for Jacob Latz without retiring a batter.
Not throwing strikes when you are closing out a blowout is the type of thing that makes you fall out of a manager’s tree of trust pretty quickly.
Still, Collyer finished things out, and recorded a pair of Ks in the process.
The offense scored a bunch of runs, so that was fun.
Four came in the first inning, and as a general rule, when you score four runs in the first, your chances of winning go up.
Let’s do a compare and contrast. The Royals had a runner on first and two outs in the top of the first inning, had a two out double, held the runner at third base, and then saw the inning end on a groundout.
The Rangers had a runner on first and two outs in the bottom of the first inning, had a two out double, held the runner at third base, then had Ezequiel Duran single home the two runners.
What we can learn from that is that it is better to get a hit with two outs and runners on second and third than to make an out. You might want to right that down.
Clownball from the Royals brought home two more runs, due to an E4 on an Alejandro Osuna grounder that allowed Duran to score, then Salvador Perez throwing the ball into center field on an attempted Osuna steal of second base, which allowed Evan Carter, who had doubled after Duran had singled, to score from third.
Stephen Kolek, the Royals starter, retired 11 of the next 12 batters, reminding us of the 10-7 win against the Astros where the snowman in the first was followed by batters being mowed down until the late innings.
A Josh Jung double and Brandon Nimmo homer in the fifth busted that up, though, and added some additional breathing room.
Continuing our theme of “the Rangers have de-nerfed the Shed,” Nimmo’s homer went 435 feet, per Statcast. It is the farthest that a Ranger has hit a ball this season at the Shed. It is the fifth farthest that anyone has hit a ball this season at the Shed, with the four ahead of the Nimmo homer all coming earlier this week in the Houston series.
Eight of the nine longest balls in play at the Shed this season, and 10 of the 13 longest, have come this week.
Joc Pederson also homered for the Rangers, as did offensive catalyst Nicky Lopez. Lopez’s homer was his first hit for the Rangers. Neither of those homered went super-far, and the Pederson homer was down the line in right field and barely made it over the wall, but they still count.
Pederson is now slashing .244/.356/.437, and has a 136 OPS+. That’s the third best OPS+ on the team, behind Jung and Duran.
MacKenzie Gore hit 96.7 mph with his fastball, averaging 95.0 mph. Tyler Alexander’s fastest pitch was an 85.0 mph changeup. Jalen Beeks hit 94.1 mph on his fastball. Gavin Collyer reached 99.0 mph on his fastball.
Jake Burger had a 108.8 mph double. Brandon Nimmo had a 108.1 mph home run and a 100.7 mph home run. Nicky Lopez had a 101.7 mph home run.
Let us see if the Rangers can keep the vibe going over the weekend.
Gilgeous-Alexander has become one of the most dominant players the NBA has seen in recent memory, as he has averaged at least 30.1 points in each of the last four seasons.
The 27-year-old former first-round draft pick is just the 14th player in NBA history to win back-to-back MVPs.
But as the Thunder’s Western Conference finals series with the San Antonio Spurs has progressed, Gilgeous-Alexander is receiving criticism from national NBA pundits for the amount of fouls he draws and all the times he falls to the court after taking a shot.
That criticism of Gilgeous-Alexander doesn’t sit well with Warriors forward Draymond Green, who went on a long-winded rant about the national storylines on the latest episode of “The Draymond Green Show,” which was published Saturday, hours before Game 7 between the Thunder and Spurs.
“This series has been interesting because the storylines from this series has been, ‘Oh man, they’re pushing [Victor Wembanyama] too much,’ to ‘Oh man, Shai’s flopping too much,’ to ‘Oh man, the referees are calling too many fouls for Shai.’ ‘Oh man, Shai’s falling too much.’ And what has not really been appreciated is the level of play on the floor, the elite level of play that Shai Gilgeous-Alexander brings to the court, the elite level Steph Curry-like play that Victor Wembanyama or Steph Curry-like excitement that Victor Wembanyama brings to the floor, where you’re watching the game and at any moment when you’re not watching that game, you can miss one of the most insane things that you’ve ever seen a player do ala Steph Curry when you’re watching Victor Wembanyama.
“And it’s ironic that none of the conversation has been about that or the play of Dylan Harper, who’s a rookie and just keep finding a way and yeah, he’s had a couple bad games but he keep finding a way. Or the elite-level defense of Stephon Castle. Elite level defense, I say it again, of Stephon Castle. The ‘Stephon Castle’s turning the ball over too much [storyline]’ to two games in a row of one turnover. Why are we not talking about these things? Because sports media f—ing sucks. It’s awful. No one talks basketball anymore. But no one knows basketball anymore because the s—t is just moving too fast, huh?
“Everything’s moving too fast. And so we want to pinpoint the thing that we can slow down. Shai’s falling. Shai’s at the free-throw line. Everybody’s complaining about Shai getting too many foul calls. And going into Game 6, Shai had shot five more free throws in the series than Wemby. But the whole complaint is Shai’s getting too many foul calls. I don’t understand it.
“‘Ah man, he’s foul baiting.’ Shai, what I will say is, you’ve reached a new level of greatness, my man. Congratulations. Your hard work has paid off. You’ve reached a new level of greatness because you have sports media heads coming out and talking about what they don’t like about your greatness. Imagine that. You got people coming out talking about what they don’t like about your greatness. That’s incredible. As if Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is running up and down the court with the whistle in his mouth calling the foul for himself.
“That’s what we going to act like. We going to act like this man has on a zebra shirt and he’s blowing the whistle for himself. Or we can just act like the the the complete integrity of the NBA is all off and they just calling fouls for Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The NBA ain’t got no integrity. They just calling fouls for one guy. Fortunately, that theory doesn’t work because the main guy on the other side going into Game 6 has shot five less free throws when all the complaint was happen. That’s why I’m saying before Game 6. Imagine that. So that theory don’t work.
“So, maybe we can just appreciate greatness and what Shai is showing and what he’s doing and what he’s capable of. Maybe we can just appreciate the greatness. And if we’re going to appreciate the greatness for what it is, then we got to appreciate what Stephon Castle is showing us. Then we got to really appreciate what that young man is showing us, which is elite-level defense on the back-to-back MVP of the NBA.
“Now, yes, it’s a little bit tougher. [Jalen Williams] ain’t out there. Even Jay Dub was just out there. Jay Dub wasn’t out there. Ajay Mitchell ain’t out there. It makes things a little tougher on Shai. So, give Stephon Castle his credit. Also, let’s sit back and identify what’s not there, what is there, why this isn’t happening, why this is happening.
“Man, when you take your secondary ballhandler like Jalen Williams off the floor against a great team, yes, they’ve been able to do it all regular season. Yes, they’ve been able to do it through the playoffs, but now they are playing the second-best team in the Western Conference, it catches up to them at times. Then you take your third-best ballhandler, Ajay Mitchell, off the floor, catches up to you.
“So now all of a sudden, Jared McCain has to handle a little bit more, right? I don’t know that he’s best suited handling and creating for himself. Yeah, he get to it at times, but I don’t know that he’s best suited, especially not on the road. At home, a little bit more comfortable, little bit you they got they’re going to bump you a little bit less because you get the home whistle. That’s just how things go because referees are human, right? Like so that’s just how things go. You get the home whistle, you’re gonna get a better little better whistle at home, right? So they ain’t going to bump you as much. So it’s easier for a Jared McCain at home. Struggles a little bit more on the road to get to different things, right? So now you take those two secondary ball handlers off and you got more of that. It’s tougher, right? Just a little bit tougher.
“And so, but again, give Stephon Castle his credit. I don’t know why we just can’t appreciate what these guys are doing. Everybody got an opinion, but they ain’t never did it. Everybody. HOV said it. Everybody wants to tell you how to do it. They never did it. Everybody got an opinion, though. I mean, I’ve been baffled watching people talk about Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. Like, he just not him, like he didn’t just win back-to-back MVPs in the NBA, which is the best basketball league in the world by a long shot.
“There’s not a close second basketball league in the world to the NBA. There’s not a close second. That’s no disrespect to anyone. That’s just a fact from a money-value standpoint, talent, just not a close second. And this guy who’s been number one hands down the last two years, we really going to try to discredit him and act like it’s all because he flopped. It’s all because he drew some fouls. That’s what we really going? You all think the NBA is that easy to where this guy just flops and go to the free throw line and he becomes like the back-to-back MVP? In this league? We’re gonna really dumb the NBA down to that. That’s a shame. It’s actually sickening. It’s sickening.
“I have a fond appreciation for the work Shai Gilgeous-Alexander puts in. And I don’t know the work he put in because I don’t see him work every day. But I do know the work he put in because I know to do that again, to be the defending champ, come back, run the MVP back again. I know the work Steph Curry put in. I’ve seen that for 14 years. And the guy that I seen do that, win a championship, and then come back and run it back and win MVP. I know the work I saw him put in.
“So, I got an idea the work Shai puts in and we just going to dumb that down to a flop and drawing a foul. Man, stop it. Really? We really not going to act like this dude can’t get a bucket any which way? We really going to do that? We really going to act like the NBA is that easy of a place to succeed that he can just fall or flop and get a foul call and go to the free throw line and he going to be the back-to-back best player in that league two years in a row and we going to act like it’s just that? I’m sick of it. I am sick of it. Why we just can’t appreciate these players, man? They doing it at a high level. I’m enjoying watching it.”
Among the national analysts to criticize Gilgeous-Alexander recently are former NFL player Chris Canty and former NBA player Jay Williams.
While some might be growing tired of how Gilgeous-Alexander plays, Green is not among them, coming to the defense of the two-time NBA MVP.
Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder will have a chance to advance to their second consecutive NBA Finals on Saturday night as they host the Spurs in a winner-take-all Game 7 at Paycom Center.
Green and all of SGA’s detractors will be watching.
With another jam-packed slate today, I've dug deep to find value in my MLB same-game parlay predictions.
I'm expecting Trey Yesavage to run through the Baltimore Orioles, while Bryan Woo should miss some bats as the Seattle Mariners face the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Toronto Blue Jays rookie Trey Yesavage has been impressive since returning from injury. Across six starts, he's compiled a 2.25 ERA, holding opponents to a .207 average. Yesavage has cashed the Under in earned runs allowed in all but one of his outings. He comes up against an inconsistent Baltimore Orioles lineup, and his ERA sits at 1.69 on the road.
Toronto is riding a six-game winning streak against the Orioles, and three of those victories have been on the road. The O's have lost two straight at home. Ernie Clement has cashed the Over in runs in three of his last five games, and his high degree of contact (8.3% strikeout rate) leads to more opportunities to get on base and get driven in by Toronto's bats.
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MASN, Sportsnet
Padres vs Nationals SGP: Tatis Stays Hot
The San Diego Padres are riding a four-game winning streak on the road, and they've captured five victories in the last six meetings with the Washington Nationals. Washington has lost two straight, and starter Foster Griffin has allowed 14 earned runs across his last three starts.
Michael King owns a 2.86 ERA on the road this season, and he's given up Under 2.5 earned runs in three of his last four contests. Fernando Tatis Jr. is finally starting to find a rhythm, with four multi-hit games over the last week. He's cashed the Over in total bases in back-to-back contests, and in four of his last five.
Griffin is shaky at times lately, and Tatis is batting .317 against left-handers.
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Padres.TV, Nationals.TV
Diamondbacks vs Mariners SGP: Whiffs Against Woo
Bryan Woo has been inconsistent at times this season, but he's still missing a lot of bats. The right-hander has 59 Ks in 63.2 innings, and 34 in 31 frames at home.
Woo has cashed the Over in strikeouts in three of his last four appearances, and the Arizona Diamondbacks are striking out a lot more on the road, averaging 8.60 per game. Woo has a 70.7 first pitch strike percentage. He's getting ahead of hitters, which undoubtedly helps him strike out more opponents.
The Seattle Mariners won the series opener by just one run on Friday, but they've now covered the run line in three of their last four contests. Ryne Nelson takes the hill for the D-Backs, who owns a 4.65 ERA. Julio Rodriguez is in the midst of a five-game hitting streak, and he had three hits on Friday.
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Dbacks.TV, Mariners.TV
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
SGP picks: 0-3, -3.00 units
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.
A pitcher's duel between the Minnesota Twins and Pittsburgh Pirates highlights serious value in a scoreless first inning this afternoon.
That matchup headlines my top MLB picks today for the "no run first inning" and "yes run first inning" markets.
Here are my best NRFI predictions and YRFI picks for Saturday, May 30.
Best NRFI/YRFI predictions today
Pick
Odds
/ - NRFI
-108
/ - NRFI
-100
/ - NRFI
-100
Twins at Pirates: NRFI (-109)
It's Mitch Keller vs Bailey Ober on the mound in this matchup, two starters who have had success this season. Keller owns a 3.64 ERA, and he's compiled a 9-2 NRFI/YRFI record this season.
Keller hasn't allowed a run in the first inning in three consecutive appearances. The Minnesota Twins are hitting just .199 in the first stanza, and they've been held scoreless in the opening frame 40 times this year.
As for Ober, he sports a 3.92 ERA and a 10-1 NRFI/YRFI record. In fact, Ober hasn't given up a run in the first inning in nine straight outings. While he has gotten into trouble at times on the road, it's usually later in the game, and the Pittsburgh Pirates haven't scored in the first inning in two of their last three games.
Play this one to -130.
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SportsNet Pittsburgh, Twins.TV
Brewers at Astros: NRFI (-100)
While the matchup on the hill here between the Houston Astros and Milwaukee Brewers isn't elite, it's a pair of guys that rarely get into trouble out of the gates.
Brandon Sproat hasn't surrendered a run in the first inning in five consecutive starts, and Houston hasn't scored in the opening inning in three of their last four games.
As for Peter Lambert, he owns a sub-four ERA and a 6-1 NRFI/YRFI record in 2026. Milwaukee's lineup has had minimal success against Lambert, and they've been held scoreless in the first in three straight. The Brew Crew is also hitting just .205 in the opening inning.
Play this to -125.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Space City Home Network, Brewers.TV
Phillies at Dodgers: NRFI (-100)
The Los Angeles Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies haven't been two teams that score a lot out of the gate this season. They've both compiled 38-19 NRFI/YRFI records, and tonight's clash is expected to be another quiet first.
Jesus Luzardo has historically dominated the Dodgers, holding them to a .168 average across 107 at-bats. He's also allowed a run in the first inning just once this season.
As for Roki Sasaki, he has an 8-1 NRFI/YRFI record in '26, and the Phillies have gone back-to-back games without creating any meaningful offense in the first inning. They're also hitting just .125 against Sasaki, although it's a small sample size of 24 at-bats.
Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBC Sports Philadelphia, Sportsnet Los Angeles
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
NRFI/YRFI picks: 14-27, -3.35 units
What is a NRFI prediction?
NRFI (No Run First Inning) and YRFI (Yes Run First Inning) picks add a thrilling twist to the start of an MLB game. A NRFI pick is a prediction that no runs will be scored in the first inning. You're predicting that the starting pitchers for both teams will get through the first inning without allowing any runs, whether by striking out batters, inducing ground balls, or through solid defensive play.
A YRFI pick is the exact opposite. You're predicting that at least one run will be scored in the first inning. In this case, you’re hoping for an early offensive burst such as a leadoff walk, a timely hit, or even a home run.
NRFI and YRFI picks add excitement to the early part of a game and offer immediate gratification for those looking for a quick resolution.
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.
In a matchup that felt inevitable, the Top 2 seeds in the Western Conference will meet for a winner-take-all matchup at Paycom Center tonight, with a trip to the NBA Finals on the line.
Victor Wembanyama has been limited on the glass by OKC’s bigs, and my Spurs vs. Thunder props expect that trend to continue.
My NBA picks for Saturday, May 30, also dig into Jared McCain’s combo line and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s scoring prop, as both players will be leaned on heavily by the shorthanded Thunder.
Game 7 Prop #1: Shai Gilgeous-Alexander Over 30.5 points
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander has scored 31+ only once in this series, but his aggression and favorable home whistles will get him past his scoring line tonight.
At home, SGA has put up 22 field-goal attempts and 10.7 free throws, compared to just 16.7 FGA and 7.3 FTA on the road.
The reigning MVP has scored 30 points in two straight games following a loss in this series, and after finishing with just 15 points in the Game 6 blowout loss, I expect him to respond with a big game, making this line bettable to 32.5.
Game 7 Prop #2: Victor Wembanyama Under 12.5 rebounds
Victor Wembanyama compiled 41 total and 14 offensive rebounds in Games 1 and 2, but he’s grabbed just 28 with eight offensive boards over his last four.
Since Game 3, Isaiah Hartenstein has done a great job limiting Wembanyama in the paint, and Chet Holmgren has come alive with 31 boards across his last three to lead all players in that span.
Hartenstein leads all players in this series in rebound percentage, and his size and physicality will continue to present problems for the slighter Wembanyama. I’ll bet this one down to 11.5.
Game 7 Prop #3: Jared McCain Over 17.5 points+rebounds+assists
Jared McCain’s impact in the Western Conference Finals shows why he was the best mid-season acquisition in 2025-26.
Over the last five games, McCain has averaged 20 PRA and hit the Over on this combo line four times, including both of his starts. In that span, he ranks second in minutes, usage, and total possessions behind only Gilgeous-Alexander.
With Ajay Mitchell and Jalen Williams out again, I expect McCain to stick with the first unit, leading to plenty of opportunities to score, rebound, and facilitate. This line should be priced closer to 21.5, making it a tremendous value.
Cash your ML bets quicker with bet365's early win payout!
Take advantage of the early win payout at bet365, where any pre-game NBA moneyline bet gets paid out as a winner if your team goes up by 20+ points!
Learn more about this feature, and all of bet365's offerings, with our comprehensive bet365 review!
Sign Up Now atimg src="https://img.covers.com/betting/sportsbooks/2/bet365.svg" alt="bet365" width="100" height="28" style="vertical-align: middle;"
21+. Gambling problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
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.
For the first time since 2006, the Carolina Hurricanes will play in the Stanley Cup Finals.
After three Eastern Conference Finals losses through the past seven post-seasons, Carolina has finally advanced to the Stanley Cup Final, taking down the Montréal Canadiens in five games in order to do so. They have made the post-season in every season since 2019. This year, Carolina will take on the Vegas Golden Knights.
Former Vancouver Canucks defenceman Jalen Chatfield, who spent 18 games with Vancouver in 2020–21 and four total seasons with the organization, is looking to win his first Stanley Cup and the Hurricanes’ first since their victory against the Edmonton Oilers in 2006. The defenceman won the AHL’s Calder Cup Championship with the Chicago Wolves in his first season with the Hurricanes organization.
While not often known for his offensive prowess, Chatfield had himself an impressive series against the Canadiens. The defenceman put up two assists in Game 2 against Montréal, also adding one more in Carolina’s Game 4 win. As it stands, Chatfield currently has one goal and four assists in 13 playoff games this year.
The win for Carolina means that, including Chatfield, a total of four former Canucks — three players, one coach — will take part in the 2026 Stanley Cup Final. For Vegas, Nic Dowd, Ben Hutton, and head coach John Tortorella will compete for this year’s championship.
May 29, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes players celebrate a goal scored by left wing Eric Robinson (50) against the Montreal Canadiens in game five of the Eastern Conference Final of the 2026 Stanley Cup Playoffs during the first period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images
2026 Stanley Cup Final Schedule:
Game 1: June 2, 5:00 pm PT
Game 2: June 4, 5:00 pm PT
Game 3: June 6, 5:00 pm PT
Game 4: June 9, 5:00 pm PT
*Game 5: June 11, 5:00 pm PT
*Game 6: June 14, 5:00 pm PT
*Game 7: June 17, 5:00 pm PT
Make sure you bookmark THN's Vancouver Canucks site and add us to your favourites on Google News for the latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more. Also, don't forget to leave a comment at the bottom of the page and engage with other passionate fans through our forum. This article originally appeared on The Hockey News.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
First up is 30-year-old Eric Robinson of Bellmawr, New Jersey. Robinson was undrafted and signed with the Blue Jackets in 2018 after spending four years at Princeton.
After playing 266 games and recording 82 points for Columbus, he was traded to Buffalo by Columbus for a conditional pick in the 2025 NHL Draft, December 6, 2023. He then signed with Carolina as a free agent on July 1, 2024.
In this year's playoffs, he's played 13 games and has 6 points. In his two seasons with the Hurricanes, he's played in 38 games and has 10 points.
Former CBJ draft pick in 2011, Mike Reilly will also be on the Canes roster for Cup Final. He has played in 2 games and has 2 points.
Reilly famously refused to sign with the Blue Jackets in 2015, instead choosing free agency. He signed with Minnesota; the team his father was a minority owner of at the time.
Reilly has now played for 7 NHL teams since 2015.
Robinson and Reilly will be going up against Brandon Saad, William Karlsson, Keegan Kolesar, and John Tortorella, who are all ex-Blue Jackets.
Next Up For Columbus: The NHL Draft is on June 26 and 27 in Buffalo, where the CBJ will own pick #14.
Stay updated with the most interesting Blue Jackets stories, analysis, breaking news, and more!
Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News and never miss a story.
Let us know what you think below.
For action-packed issues, access to the entire magazine archive and a free issue, subscribe to The Hockey News at THN.com/free. Get the latest news and trending stories by subscribing to our newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com or creating your own post in our community forum.
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 27: Bryson Stott #5 of the Philadelphia Phillies bats during the ninth inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park on May 27, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
There have been some subtle changes in the things Don Mattingly has done different than Rob Thomson this season. There had to be since whatever the team was doing prior to Thomson’s firing was clearly not effective any longer.
One of, if not the, biggest changes has been the usage of Bryson Stott and Brandon Marsh. Lately, they have been in the lineup not matter who is on the mound, left or right handed pitcher. They have responded by hitting much better against southpaws, their weaker side. A lot of that was out of necessity since the team really doesn’t have that much in the way of right handed alternatives for either, but it is nice to see nonetheless.
So far, what has been your favorite thing Mattingly has done that has been different than that of what Thomson did? Maybe it’s the idea of letting Marsh and Stott play more, maybe its in his handling of Andrew Painter or some other reason.
Cubs left-hander Shōta Imanaga was off to such a good start this season. Over his first nine starts he posted a 2.32 ERA and allowed just five home runs in 54.1 innings. Maybe, just maybe, he had put the home-run issue from last year in the past?
Well, nope, or so it now seems. Over his last three starts Imanaga has an 11.49 (!) ERA and eight (!) home runs served up in just 15.2 innings. Perhaps needless to say, the Cubs have dropped all three of those games, including Friday’s 6-5 loss to the Cardinals.
Still, the Cubs might have had a chance to win this game if not for yet another bad outing from Phil Maton, who gave St. Louis the insurance run they needed in the eighth. Do the Cubs still score in the ninth if it’s 5-4 instead of 6-4? Pitch sequencing might have been different. Still, Maton dug the hole deeper and that’s exactly what the Cubs did not need.
More on that later. Let’s start at the beginning, which was actually good.
After the first two Cubs grounded out, Michael Busch and Alex Bregman singled.
This is classic Happ — cold streaks followed by hot streaks. Here’s hoping the hot streak lasts a while.
What did not last was that lead, as Imanaga gave up the first of the three home runs in the bottom of the first, to, of all people, former Cub Nelson Velázquez. Velázquez was playing his first MLB game since 2024. More on that three-run homer from BCB’s JohnW53:
Shota Imanaga also gave up a three-run homer that wiped out a 3-0 lead last season, on Sept. 25 at home against the Mets.
Of the last 10 three-run shots that came with the Cubs up by three, seven have been with the score 3-0.
Kyle Hendricks and Jameson Taillon did it in 2024, three days apart; Jeremiah Estrada and Justin Steele in 2023; and Adbert Alzolay in 202.
Last night’s was just the third of 88 total three-run homers with a 3-0 lead that came in the bottom of the first. The first was off Kerry Wood, at San Francisco in 2000, and the second off Steve Smyth, at Houston, in 2002.
Smyth’s was the 60th of the 88 such homers.
The Cubs took a 4-3 lead in the second. With one out, Dansby Swanson singled. One out later, he stole second and Nico Hoerner walked.
That’s where the game stayed until the fourth, when St. Louis’ Thomas Saggese homered off Imanaga to make it 4-4. And in the next inning, the Cardinals took a 5-4 lead on the third homer off Imanaga, that one by Ivan Herrera.
Cubs pitchers have allowed 82 home runs, most in MLB (Nationals are second-worst with 79). For individual pitchers, Jameson Taillon has served up 19, four more than anyone else (Zack Littell of the Nats, 15). Third is Brady Singer of the Reds with 14, then Imanaga with 13 (tied with five others, including, of all people, Jacob deGrom). None of this is any good for the Cubs, who rank 18th in fewest runs allowed.
More on all the home runs given up by Cubs pitchers this year from John:
This is the eighth game of the season in which the Cubs have surrendered at least three home runs.
Through the first 58 games of previous seasons, they gave up three or more nine or more times in 10 years and eight in seven, including a year ago.
The most were 11, in 1956, 2000 and 2022.
They did it 10 times in 1999 and 2020, and nine in 1959, 1960, 1966, 1994 and 2017.
After the Cardinals took that fifth-inning lead, the Cubs went down meekly in the sixth and seventh, and also in order after a leadoff single by Seiya Suzuki in the eighth.
Ethan Roberts, who relieved Imanaga with two out in the sixth, retired five of the six Cardinals he faced, two by strikeout. Roberts got helped out by this nice defensive play by Busch [VIDEO].
Roberts has been very effective recently and the Cubs can really use another trustworthy reliever.
That’s in part because Maton has become the opposite of “trustworthy.” What’s a good word for that? Don’t answer that question.
Maton allowed a one-out single to Velázquez, then struck out Alec Burleson. Okay so far, but… two more line-drive singles scored the sixth Cardinals run. Craig Counsell had to call on Hoby Milner to bail out Maton, which he did with an infield popup.
Maton, who Jed Hoyer signed after he had a solid year in 2025 split between the Cardinals and Rangers, has been just awful in 2026. He has a 7.64 ERA (5.10 FIP) in 20 appearances, his walk rate is way up (11.6 percent compared to 9.5 percent last year) and he’s already allowed as many home runs (three) in 17.2 innings as he did all of 2025 in 61.1 innings.
This kind of feels like the relief pitching version of the Trey Mancini signing in 2023 — a two-year deal for a guy who didn’t really rate that sort of contract. The Cubs simply cannot use Maton in any more high-leverage situations and if they do and he does this again, they might have to think about just eating the rest of the deal and letting him go.
Now, does that ninth inning go exactly like that if Maton doesn’t give up the run in the eighth? Obviously we’ll never know, but it sure would have been better to go into the ninth down one run instead of two.
The Cubs will look to even up the series Saturday evening in St. Louis. Ben Brown will start for the Cubs and Kyle Leahy goes for the Cardinals. Game time is 6:15 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Fox-TV (regional — coverage map, scroll down to the bottom of that link). A reminder that if you subscribe to MLB.TV or MLB Extra Innings, you can watch this game via those services even if it’s not on the Fox affiliate in your market. Announcers: Eric Collins, John Smoltz and Ken Rosenthal.
May 29, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Ronald Acuna Jr. (13) high fives teammates after hitting a solo home run in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images
It’s only been two hits. Two hits over two days. Can you declare someone back from the dead after two hits, especially in such venues as Fenway Park and Great American Ball Park? But did you see the hits though? Let me help you with that. Here’s Thursday in Boston:
As someone who witnessed the home run last night, this ball was crushed loud and far. You can’t really hear it from the audio here. But along the third base side was a flock of loud Braves fans. Acuña’s home run and the robbed Harris II home run lit up the left side of the stadium.
Here is Ronald’s rolling xwOBA. Where this chart starts to dip is May 19th, the day that Ronald returned from the Injured List with a Grade 1 hamstring strain. Is he feeling better now? Is a month a good recovery time for a guy with some other lower body injuries? During Thursday’s game he acquired a .684 xwOBA. I’m guessing last night would be in that neighborhood as well. Even the grounders were loud, especially the one that De La Cruz required a spin and throw to get Ronald.
So is Ronald Acuña Jr. back now? It sure sounds like it. Literally.
COVERS INTEL: Houston’s soft-contact rate at home vs. RHP in May of 10.4% (the lowest in the league) indicates ample opportunity for the Astros to hammer Sproat before he gets the hook.
TOR vs 
BAL
SD vs 
WAS
ARI vs 
SEA
/
- NRFI
/
- NRFI
/
- NRFI
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
Victor Wembanyama
