“Let’s go baby! The most deserving incredible man. I love you!” O’Connor wrote on her Instagram Story, including the MLB breaking news post and a fire flame emoji and a blue heart.
The Post’s Jon Heyman was the first to report the news Thursday.
Spencer Jones’ girlfriend, Ava O’Connor shared a sweet message responding to the 6-foot-7 outfielder getting called up by the Yankees after Jasson Domínguez was injured. Instagram/Ava O'Connor
Jones, the Yankees’ No. 6 prospect on MLB Pipeline, has 11 homers and a Triple-A leading 41 RBIs to start the season.
The 24-year-old slugger will get his chance at the majors after he struggled with strikeouts in the minors this season, tallying 46 through his first 33 games with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.
Yankees outfielder Spencer Jones and his girlfriend, Ava O’Connor in September 2025 while he was in Triple-A. Instagram/Ava O'Connor
Jones was called up after Domínguezcrashed into the outfield wall while making a catch during the first inning of the 9-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Thursday.
An MRI revealed a sprain in the AC joint in his left shoulder, sending him to the injured list.
Ava O’Connor celebrated boyfriend Spencer Jones’ Yankees promotion. Instagram/Ava O'ConnorNew York Yankees center fielder Spencer Jones #78, at bat in the 2nd inning in a game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at LECOM Park in Bradenton, Florida on February 23, 2026. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
Yankees manager Aaron Boone cited consistent at-bats recently when asked about Jones after Thursday’s game.
“Feel like the last three, four weeks, been having a lot of consistent at-bats,” Boone said. “The power’s been there. Less swing and miss. … The signs have been encouraging.”
Jones will suit up Friday for the start of the Yankees’ three-game series against the Brewers in Milwaukee.
Who will win Cubs vs Rangers today: Cubs moneyline (-133 at Polymarket)
The Chicago Cubs are arguably the hottest team in baseball right now, having wonnine straight games. They just swept the Cincinnati Reds, scoring 18 runs in the series.
The Cubbies' offense is firing on all cylinders, ranking in the top five in most categories. Most notably, they're second in runs with 5.5 per game.
Chicago will face Kumar Rocker tonight, who has a 4.71 ERA. He's pitched better at home, but Rocker has been poor lately. Although the righty has never faced the Cubs, the hosts are raking at the moment, and he tends to leave a lot of pitches in the zone.
Also, Ben Brown is on the bump for Chicago, and although this is his first start, he has a 2.10 ERA across 12 relief appearances. Chicago's bullpen also has a 3.90 ERA, and they will likely eat up innings here after Brown is the opener.
COVERS INTEL: Opponents are hitting .278 against Rocker, and he's given up seven earned runs across his last two starts.
Cubs vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 runs (-110)
The Cubbies are rolling, and they've cashed the Over in two of their last three games. I expect them to do damage to Rocker. They have also hit the Over in two of their previous three contests, although both of those games were losses.
Rocker is prone to hard contact, while the Cubbies' bullpen can be vulnerable at times. Globe Life is hitter-friendly when the roof is closed, too.
That being said, I believe most of the offense in the series opener will come from the Cubbies, who cannot be stopped right now.
Chicago is averaging 5.57 runs per game in May, and they've also hit the Over in five of their seven games this month. Texas has also given up 24 runs across its last four games alone.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 9-11, -5.45 units
Over/Under bets: 12-8, +2.35 units
Cubs vs Rangers odds
Moneyline: Cubs -136 | Rangers +116
Run line: Cubs -1.5 (+120) | Rangers +1.5 (-140)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 runs (-110) | Under 8.5 runs (-110)
Cubs vs Rangers trend
The Chicago Cubs have hit the Moneyline in 20 of their last 24 games (+16.75 Units / 52% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Rangers.
How to watch Cubs vs Rangers and game info
Location
Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
Date
Friday, May 8, 2026
First pitch
8:05 p.m. ET
TV
CW33, Marquee
Cubs starting pitcher
Edward Cabrera (3-0, 3.27 ERA)
Rangers starting pitcher
Jack Leiter (1-3, 5.45 ERA)
Cubs vs Rangers latest injuries
Cubs vs Rangers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Coverage of the 2026 NBA playoffs continues this Saturday afternoon on NBC and Peacock when Cade Cunningham and the Detroit Pistons take on Donovan Mitchell and the Cleveland Cavaliers in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Live coverage begins at 2:00 PM ET with NBA Showtime. See below for additional information on how to watch the 2026 NBA Playoffs on NBC and Peacock.
Don't miss Sunday night's San Antonio Spurs vs Minnesota Timberwolves Game 4 action at 7:30 PM ET on NBC and Peacock.
Detroit Pistons vs Cleveland Cavaliers Game Preview:
The Pistons lead the series 2-0 after defeating the Cavaliers 111-101 on Tuesday and 107-97 on Thursday night. Cunningham had 25 points and 10 assists, while Tobias Harris finished with 21 points and 7 rebounds.
"We never lost composure, we just stayed poised, stuck to our principles, stuck to our system, and just turned up the energy a little bit," said Cunningham after the win.
Cleveland guard James Harden finished with just 10 points, shooting 3-for-13 from the field.
"We won the possession game, we just didn't make shots. We had plenty of chances," said Harden after the loss.
"They came out super aggressive, of course, but it’s the playoffs. Obviously, we haven’t figured that one out. Still back to the drawing board," said Cavaliers head coach Kenny Atkinson.
NBC Sports will present up to 23 games in the First Round and 11 games in the Conference Semifinals across either NBC and Peacock, or Peacock and NBCSN. Playoff programming concludes with exclusive coverage of the Western Conference Finals on NBC and Peacock
Which playoff rounds will be available on Peacock?
Peacock’s NBA Playoffs coverage spans multiple rounds, including Round 1, the Conference Semifinals, and the Western Conference Finals, with coverage evolving as the postseason progresses.
Will Peacock show both Eastern and Western Conference playoff games?
Yes. During earlier rounds such as Round 1 and the Conference Semifinals, Peacock will carry a mix of Eastern and Western Conference playoff games.
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Boston, MA - May 2: Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid reacts after making a 3-pointer in the fourth quarter. The Boston Celtics and Philadelphia 76ers played in the first round of the NBA Playoffs at TD Garden on May 2, 2026. (Photo by Danielle Parhizkaran/The Boston Globe via Getty Images) | Boston Globe via Getty Images
After two losses at Madison Square Garden, the Sixers return home for the first time in over a week facing another two-game deficit in a best-of-seven series against one of their rivals. This time it’s a 2-0 hole against the New York Knicks, a series deficit Philly has never been able to dig out of in a best-of-seven in its history. But don’t let that feel like the Sixers are climbing Mount Everest as they attempt to pick themselves up off the mat.
In case you needed a reminder, Philadelphia’s comeback against Boston in the first round was the first series victory from a 3-1 deficit in franchise history. It was the first time since 1982 that the Sixers eliminated the Celtics in the postseason, having lost seven consecutive series to Boston previously. The Celtics had been 32-0 in best-of-seven series when holding a 3-1 cushion. Whether you needed to read those facts or not, they were worth repeating. The Sixers just had their greatest playoff moment in a quarter century and that ought to earn some positive equity in the minds of its fans.
There are no moral victories in the playoffs, but Wednesday night’s effort in Game 2 should have Sixers fans feeling optimistic that they can fight back against the Knicks. Down Joel Embiid on the road, Philly went toe-to-toe with New York, a team that appears to be firing on all cylinders, for 40-45 minutes of regulation. The Sixers simply ran out of gas down the stretch and the Knicks escaped with a 108-102 victory.
There wasn’t much to nitpick in Game 1 as the Sixers just got steamrolled in a quick turnaround after last Saturday’s Game 7 in Boston in the first round. But by now, we’ve all heard the most common complaints about the Game 2 loss. Some say it was a Daryl Morey loss as the President of Basketball Operations opted to subtract instead of add three months ago at the trade deadline and Philly had a thinner bench as a result in a game it was already without Embiid. Others have pointed the finger at Tyrese Maxey. There’s reason to be upset with Maxey after he had a relatively pedestrian stat line by his standards and if he’s going to be the face of the franchise after Embiid, he’ll have to be better than he was in Game 2. On a lesser note, Nick Nurse not playing Dominick Barlow enough when Barlow clearly looked like the best option at center on a night sans Embiid has also been brought up.
There have even been questions about Embiid’s toughness and some have quickly resorted back to the common critiques of Embiid that we hear this time of year. Sixers fans, it’s time to move forward with confidence. Friday night will be the first time the team plays a game at home since completing the 3-1 comeback against Boston. Regardless of how many Knicks fans are in the building, Friday offers a chance for the Sixers fanbase to throw its full support behind a team that has undoubtedly earned it. Don’t let such a great moment from less than a week ago be erased from your memory so quickly. Don’t allow yourself to think that the Sixers only won the series against the Celtics because Boston’s three-point field goals weren’t dropping and Jayson Tatum didn’t play in Game 7.
I get it. It’s easy to think more about the extensive history of postseason disappointments that this franchise has provided us with than a good week-long stretch of basketball against the Celtics. But everyone owes it to the Sixers to get behind them and attempt to will them back into this series with New York. They certainly showed ample grit and fight in Game 2 and we should expect them to bring that same energy for the rest of the series.
Of course, the availability of Embiid looms large. We’ll see if New York wing OG Anunoby suits up on Friday night after suffering a hamstring injury in Game 2. Both Embiid and Anunoby were on their respective rosters two years ago when these two teams met one round earlier in the playoffs. Philadelphia lost the first two games in New York in that series as well. Embiid dropped 50 points in Game 3. The Sixers would go on to extend that series to a Game 6 at home, one that they ended up losing by three points, and the game was tied until Josh Hart buried a triple with 25 seconds remaining for the Knicks.
A strong argument can be made that both the Sixers and Knicks are better teams now than they were two years ago. But the point we’re getting at is, the Sixers were very close to forcing a decisive seventh game back at Madison Square Garden in 2024 after trailing 2-0 and 3-1 in that series. They haven’t bowed out of the playoffs in embarrassing fashion since the Mother’s Day 2023 blowout loss in Boston.
So save me your “same old Sixers” takes and go support your team on Friday night on their home floor. Maybe have a little bit of faith that they can win a basketball game after seeing what they did in the first round. Should they get it done on Friday, a series can’t be any closer than 2-1 after three games. They’d be one home win in Game 4 away from making it a best-of-three at that point. The series isn’t over so don’t act like it is. If you didn’t learn that after watching the Celtics series, you never will.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 03: Greg Weissert #57 of the Boston Red Sox walks to the dugout after pitching during the sixth inning against the Houston Astros at Fenway Park on May 03, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We learned after the game on Thursday that Jake Bennett has been sent down to Triple-A. Jack Anderson, who allowed three runs in 8 1/3 innings in his first stint in the majors, will be the corresponding promotion.
Other moves are likely on the horizon. Justin Slaten seemingly threw his final rehab outing for Worcester on Wednesday night, a scoreless inning. I had expected Slaten to be recalled today, with Bennett going down since Sonny Gray’s return brings the Red Sox back to a full rotation. It’s possible that Anderson is only here for one day and will swap with Slaten over the weekend.
It’s also possible that a second, or even a third move is coming. Greg Weissert and Ryan Watson simply haven’t gotten it done thus far out of the pen. Weissert, despite blowing numerous wins for starters a year ago, finished the season with a 2.82 ERA in 72 appearances. This year has been a different story, allowing four home runs in 14 2/3 innings, and Weissert is now sporting a 5.52 ERA.
Ryan Watson, despite having the Rule-5 tag, probably isn’t safe either. His 6.46 ERA in 15 appearances (23 2/3 innings) is equally concerning, and his K-BB% is just 7.2%.
Slaten’s return is imminent, along with the fact that Tommy Kahnle exercised his “assignment clause” last week. If another team offers Kahnle a major league deal, the Red Sox will either have to promote him or let him go. Kahnle has a 2.38 ERA at Worcester and 11 seasons of big league experience. His ERA in the big leagues from 2019-2025 is 3.33.
I could see a full-line change coming soon, with Anderson, Slaten, and Kahnle in and Bennett, Watson, and Weissert out. Of course, if this happened, Weissert would need to be DFA’d, and Watson would be returned to the Giants by the Rule Five rules.
What would you do with the ‘pen over the next few days? Discuss in the comments, and be good to each other.
WEST PALM BEACH, FLORIDA - MARCH 19, 2026: Joseph Sullivan #19 of the Houston Astros bats during the fourth inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Miami Marlins at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches on March 19, 2026 in West Palm Beach, Florida. (Photo by Nick Cammett/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (17-19) lost 10-3 (BOX SCORE)
Sugar Land got on the board in the 3rd inning on an Alexander 2 run double. Gordon got the start but struggled allowing 7 runs, 6 earned, over 4.2 innings. The offense got one back in the 6th but the Isotopes would get 3 more in the 9th and put the game out of reach as Sugar Land fell 10-3.
Note: Nelson is hitting .302 in Triple-A this season.
The Hooks got on the board in the 4th inning scoring 2 runs on a wild pitch and Whitaker RBI single. Mayer got the start and went 4.2 innings allowing 4 runs, though only one was earned, while striking out 6 batters. The Hooks got a run back in the 6th on a Holy RBI single but that was it as they dropped game one 4-3.
The Hooks got on the board in the first inning scoring 2 runs on a Sullivan 2 run home run. Hicks started for the Hooks and pitched well allowing 2 runs over 6 innings while striking out 6. The offense scored 2 runs in the top of the 7th on a Hernandez sac fly and Holy RBI single. Chirinos tossed a scoreless 7th inning to close out the 4-2 win.
Hertzler started game one but only went 1 innings allowing 4 runs while striking out 3. The offense got on the board in the first on a Nunez solo HR. After the Emperors got two runs in the top of the 2nd, the offense responded with two of their own on a Call solo HR and Walker solo HR. The offense got another run in the 4th on a Walker RBI single and one more in the 5th on a Schiavone solo home run. The Emperors added one more run and the Asheville offense was quiet the rest of the way as they fell 7-5 in game one.
Asheville jumped out to a nice lead in the first scoring 3 runs on a Nunez 2 run home run and Call RBI double. They got 2 more in the 3rd on Brutcher and Powell RBI singles. Santos got the start and went 3.2 innings allowing 3 runs. Asheville picked up another run in the 4th on a Thomas RBI double. Ogando allowed 2 runs in relief but Wohlegemuth tossed a scoreless inning to close out the 6-5 win.
Yeriel Santos, RHP: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 5 BB, 3 K
Joan Ogando, RHP: 2.1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K (WIN)
Nate Wohlgemuth, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K (SAVE)
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (12-18) won 3-2 (BOX SCORE)
Perez started for the Woodpeckers and pitched well allowing 2 run over 6 innings while striking out 6. The offense got on the board in the 4th scoring 3 runs on a Ramirez RBI double and Newman 2 run home run. Weber relieved Perez and tossed a scoreless 7th inning. The game went into a rain delay but was called after 7 innings with the Woodpeckers winning 3-2.
Note: Ochoa is hitting .400 over his last 13 games.
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — The Philadelphia 76ers will donate 500 tickets for each remaining home second-round playoff game to area community groups in their latest attempt to keep more of their own fans in the building and avoid a New York takeover.
The Sixers’ previous strategy to ward off Knicks fans in this playoff series was to try through Ticketmaster to geographically restrict sales to fans in the greater Philadelphia area.
The Sixers said 250 frontline medical personnel from Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and Penn Medicine and 250 local educators selected by Learn Fresh, Breakthrough of Greater Philadelphia, the Philadelphia school district and Camden, New Jersey, school district would attend Game 3 on Friday night.
The 76ers will host 500 moms and children selected by Uplift Center for Grieving Children, Boys and Girls Club of Philadelphia, La Liga del Barrio and Apologues for Sunday's Game 4.
The Knicks lead the best-of-seven series 2-0.
When the teams met two years ago in the first round, Knicks fans swarmed Philadelphia, and Sixers All-Star center Joel Embiid pleaded with fans ahead of this series not to let it happen again.
“Last time we played the Knicks it felt like this was Madison Square Garden East. So we’re going to need the support,” Embiid said. “Don’t sell your tickets. This is bigger than you. We need you guys. The atmosphere we’ve had the last couple games in Philly, especially the last one pushing it to Game 7, I mean, we need all of it.”
(Original Caption) 1959-Scene from the film "Pillow Talk" with Doris Day and Rock Hudson outside a door. Written by Stanley Shapiro, Maurice Richlin, Russell Rouse, & Clarence Greene. Directed by Michael Gordan. Universal, 1959.
Hickory starter Kamdyn Perry allowed a solo homer in four innings of work, striking out four and walking one.
Yolfran Castillo went 3 for 5 with a double and two stolen bases. Hector Osorio doubled and stole a base. Marcos Torres was 1 for 4 with a walk and a stolen base. Daniel Flames was 2 for 4 with a double. Dewar Tovar doubled.
In Game One, starter Dalton Pence threw four shutout innings, striking out five and walking three. Joey Danielson struck out three and walked one in a scoreless inning.
Rafe Perich was 2 for 2 with a homer and a walk. Gleider Figuereo was 2 for 2 with a walk. Yeison Morrobel had a pair of hits. Malcolm Moore had a hit.
In Game Two, starter Enrique Segura struck out four and walked three in three innings, allowing four runs. Brock Porter struck out five and walked two in 3.2 shutout innings.
Rafe Perich had a hit and two walks. Yeison Morrobel had a hit.
Frisco starter Winston Santos allowed five runs in 3.2 IP, including a pair of home runs, striking out five and walking two. Bryan Magdaleno struck out three in 1.1 IP. Ryan Lobus allowed three runs in two innings, strking out one. Wilian Bormie struck out three in two scoreless innings.
Dylan Dreiling went 2 for 3 with a homer, three walks and a stolen base. Ian Moller drew two walks.
For Round Rock, Emiliano Teodo allowed a solo homer in an inning of work, striking out two and walking one. Michel Otanez struck out one and walked one in a shutout inning.
Aaron Zavala was 4 for 4 with a double and a stolen base.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - MAY 07: Shea Langeliers #23 of the Athletics celebrates a two-run home run with Nick Kurtz #16 in the first inning during a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on May 07, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Friday A’s fans!
The team came away with a series-salvaging win yesterday in the finale against the Phillies. The Green & Gold got their teeth knocked in on Tuesday, dropped a heart breaker on Wednesday, and finally broke out the bats in a blowout victory on Thursday. Now the team is off to Baltimore to take on the Orioles for a three-game weekend series.
But before we get to the preview, the A’s made a trade yesterday that went a bit under the radar. Just a day after being designated for assignment by the club, right-handed reliever Tyler Ferguson found himself on the move as the Athletics traded him to the Chicago Cubs for cash considerations:
The A’s have traded RHP Tyler Ferguson to the Chicago Cubs in exchange for cash considerations.
The move brings to an end Ferguson’s time with the organization after just over two years. Originally a 6th-round pick by the Texas Rangers in 2015, Ferguson finally made it to the big leagues with the Athletics in 2024 after nine years working his way up the minor league ladder. His rookie season went fairly well as the then-30-year-old pitched to a solid 3.68 ERA in 48 games for that A’s team that finished fourth in the AL West. That quality outing his first time facing big league hitters gave hope that the A’s had found a late-bloomer to help fill out the middle innings.
Unfortunately his second season in the big leagues did not go as smoothly as he regressed to a 4.66 ERA in 56 contests. The struggled were so great that he actually found himself demoted to Triple-A for a month in the middle of the season. Things didn’t improve this year as he struggled during Spring Training and began the year with the Aviators. He was recalled a couple days ago to help a tiring bullpen but got lit up for four runs in his lone appearance with the A’s this year, which led to the DFA. He’ll now head to Chicago and hope to right things with a Cubs squad that looks to be a contender this season.
Anyway, the Baltimore Orioles. Like the A’s they’re a team on the younger side of things led by Gunnar Henderson, Jackson Holliday, Jordan Westburg, Adley Rutschman. And this past offseason they added slugging first baseman Pete Alonso and outfielder Taylor Ward to go with top prospects Samuel Basallo, Dylan Beavers, Colton Cowser and Coby Mayo. Even though they only went 75-87 last year, there were raised expectations this year for this group of high-end talent.
Things have improved a bit for Baltimore here in 2026 but not by a whole lot as of yet. They’ve been bitten by the injury bug multiple times already this year, missing Holliday and Westburg for the entire season to date as well as seeing first baseman Ryan Mountcastle hit the IL after just eight games. Thanks to those injuries, a lineup that has some serious talent is around the middle of the pack in most offensive categories. On the bright side for them they’ve managed to tread water and at 17-21 are only a game out of a Wild Card spot. Once they get Holliday and Westburg back, they could become a bit more dangerous than their record suggests.
On the pitching side of things for Baltimore, the team yet again has problems with their starting rotation. Their top-four starters all have below-average ERA’s as guys like Shane Baz (4.99 ERA), Kyle Bradish (5.03 ERA), Trevor Rogers (4.75 ERA and currently on the IL) and old friend Chris Bassitt (5.91 ERA) have all struggled in the early going. The A’s will be seeing the three B’s this weekend in Bradish, Baz and then Bassitt. The A’s offense needs to feast against these struggling arms, though the Baltimore bullpen hasn’t been much better and is also without closer Ryan Helsley against the A’s.
As for the A’s, they’ll be sending Jacob Lopez to the mound tonight, followed by veterans Aaron Civale and Luis Severino on Saturday and Sunday, respectively. This could be Lopez’s last chance to show he deserves to stick in the rotation as he’s coming off a six-run outing and has struggled all year. Civale and Severino, meanwhile, are both on a roll coming into the weekend, and Severino especially will enjoy getting a start on the road away from Sacramento.
The Green & Gold remain in first place as we begin the weekend, and though they’re seeing a Baltimore squad that is reeling, they can still be dangerous. They lost yesterday but won their series against the Marlins. Think the A’s can tame the Orioles and get a series win this weekend?
Henry Bolte notched his seventh home run tonight. He has 15 stolen bases this season. He’s cut his strikeout rate to 23.5%. Bolte’s time is coming soon. pic.twitter.com/pAAfoRNMnd
Dylan Cease is among the league leaders in strikeouts this season, and my Angels vs. Blue Jays predictions are expecting him to rack up more punch outs in a plus-matchup against strikeout-prone Los Angeles.
Angels vs Blue Jays best bet: Dylan Cease Over 7.5 strikeouts (-130)
It’s a high total at 7.5, but this is a plus-matchup for Toronto Blue Jays starter Dylan Cease, who faces off against the most strikeout-prone lineup in baseball.
Cease K’d 12 Los Angeles Angels batters in just five innings in their April 20 meeting, and owns a 42% career strikeout rate against this current lineup.
He has nasty stuff with the second highest K/9 this season, while ranking in the 98th percentile in whiff rate.
L.A. carries a 25.5% strikeout rate and a 27.6% whiff rate. Those numbers grow to a 38% K-rating with a 42% whiff rate against the slider, which is Cease’s put-away pitch with 47% whiff rate against.
COVERS INTEL: Cease has 13.15 K/9, averaging eight strikeouts per game this season.
Angels vs Blue Jays same-game parlay (SGP)
Kazuma Okamoto has recorded a hit in six straight games, going Over his posted base total in five of those contests.
He also owns a .290 against lefties this season, crushing the fastball, which is LHP Reid Detmers' most utilized pitch.
Myles Straw has been extremely consistent this year, hitting .310 on the season and grabbing hits in each of his last four starts. He also owns a .333 average in 12 at-bats against Detmers in his career.
Angels vs Blue Jays SGP
Dylan Cease Over 7.5 strikeouts
Kazuma Okamoto Over 1.5 total bases
Myles Straw Over 0.5 hits
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Get the best Jays ML odds at BET99 — every game.
Angels vs Blue Jays home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+450)
I’m only betting a half unit on this one.
Detmers has only allowed three home runs this season, and doesn’t allow much hard contact. However, Okamoto has shown a lot of pop in his bat lately, homering in four of his last six games with a 1.506 OPS.
Okamoto has six home runs against the fastball, which is Detmers’ most utilized pitch.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 15-21, -2.25 units
SGPs: 7-29, -0.70 units
HR picks: 8-28, +9.65 units
Angels vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Los Angeles +136 | Toronto -162
Run line: Los Angeles +1.5 | Toronto -1.5
Over/Under: Over 7.5 | Under 7.5
Angels vs Blue Jays trend
The Blue Jays have covered the run line in four of their last five games at home (+4.20 Units / 69% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Angels vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Friday, May 8, 2026
First pitch
7:07 p.m. ET
TV
ABTV, Sportsnet 1
Angels starting pitcher
Reid Detmers (1-2, 4.28 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Dylan Cease (2-1, 3.05 ERA)
Angels vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Angels vs Blue Jays weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
It’s go time for the Montreal Canadiens after losing the series opener to the Buffalo Sabres, and the two Atlantic Division foes go toe-to-toe at the KeyBank Center for Game 2 on Friday, May 8.
My top Canadiens vs. Sabres NHL players props and NHL picks have you covered for the action and are headlined by Montreal winger Ivan Demidov.
Best Canadiens vs Sabres props for Game 2
Player
Pick
Ivan Demidov
Over 0.5 points
-110
Alex Lyon
Over 2.5 goals against
+100
Conor Timmins
Over 1.5 blocked shots
+110
Game 2 Prop #1: Ivan Demidov Over 0.5 points
-110 at BET99
Montreal Canadiens rookie Ivan Demidov was solid in Game 1, and we’re landing a good price on the uber-talented scorer to mark the scoresheet again tonight.
Perhaps, even more importantly, Demidov is a go-to puck distributor on the No. 1 power-play unit and has averaged 4:52 of ice time with the man advantage this postseason.
After all, he posted respective .906 and 0.380 marks across 36 regular-season games.
The Canadiens were also incredibly resilient in Round 1 and bounced back with three or more goals following two of their three losses to the Tampa Bay Lightning. I also value the Habs continuing to push in Game 1 in the third period by posting a 64.7 CF% at 5-on-5 and overall 61.4 xGF%.
Game 2 Prop #3: Conor Timmins Over 1.5 blocked shots
+110 at BET99
Sabres defenseman Conor Timmins’ ice time has increased in five consecutive games, and most importantly, he’s jumping the boards with the No. 1 penalty-kill unit and paces the club in blocked shots while shorthanded.
The Montreal Canadiens are going to have a push back in Game 2, as well, so I’m anticipating the Habs funnelling more pucks to the net.
Montreal has also drawn 44 penalties across eight postseason games while averaging a healthy 6:11 of power-play time per game.
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Don't miss the MLB action this Sunday on NBCSN and Peacock. The excitement begins at 12:00 PM ET with a Sunday Leadoff showdown featuring the Washington Nationals vs Miami Marlins. Then, at 7:00 PM ET, the Detroit Tigers go head-to-head with the Kansas City Royals in this week's Sunday Night Baseball thriller. See below for additional information on how to stream both games.
The Washington Nationals have had six losing seasons since winning the World Series title in 2019. Now, the franchise is looking to the youth to help turn the page.
The Nationals have the second-youngest roster in the league, averaging 27 years, 198 days old.
At 33 years old, Blake Butera, who enters his second full month as the Nationals' skipper, is the youngest MLB manager since the Twins hired Frank Quilici in 1972.
“I think we're making progress,” Butera said. “I think the biggest thing we're going to need to see is consistency still, and that goes into our preparation every day. We all know, this is a young team; there's going to be mistakes. But are we learning from our mistakes? Are we continuing to get better and continuing to grow?"
In his first year at the helm, Marlins' manager Clayton McCullough led the team to a 79-83 finish — a 17-win improvement from the 2024 season. The Marlins look to turn that progress into postseason contention.
How to watch Washington Nationals vs Miami Marlins:
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On Sunday, July 5, all 15 MLB games will be presented nationally across Peacock and NBC as part of a special all-day “Star-Spangled Sunday” showcase.
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BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 07: Junior Caminero #13 of the Tampa Bay Rays is greeted at home plate by Richie Palacios #1 after hitting a two-run home run during the ninth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on May 07, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Jaiden Tripi/Getty Images) | Getty Images
It was a busy day in Yankee land, as the Bombers won an early afternoon game against the Rangers, while also calling up one of the franchise’s more exciting prospects in Spencer Jones. It was an all around good win against Texas, as the Yanks were able to maintain their narrow lead in the East. Despite the action on the home front, there was plenty to take in elsewhere as well. Here’s a look at what went down on Thursday around the American League.
Tampa Bay Rays (25-12) 8, Boston Red Sox (16-22) 4
Despite the final score, the Rays and Red Sox had a tight game going for much of the night on Thursday. After being knotted up for most of the game, late offense from Tampa Bay sealed the deal, as the Rays were able to keep pace with the New York.
The action started in the second inning, when the Rays kicked off scoring with a three piece, coming thanks to an RBI apiece from Ben Williamson, Cedric Mullins, and Yandy Díaz. But, with their backs against the wall early, the Sox countered with three of their own, due in part to some shaky Tampa Bay defense and a single from Caleb Durbin that tied the game. Not an ideal beginning for starters Jake Bennet and Jax Griffin.
Both hurlers, however, settled down in the middle innings, as the score remained knotted at three through the end of the fifth inning. The Rays made their move in the sixth, when the speedy Chandler Simpson poked a single up the middle that scored a pair of runs.
Two innings later, Simpson struck again, this time with a run-scoring triple to give Tampa Bay some insurance in the eighth. Boston countered with a quick run in the bottom half of the inning, but the Rays swung right back. With a runner on in the ninth, Junior Caminero pitched in with a rocket of a homer into center field. His 10th long ball of the season put them up 8-4.
With a four-run lead now in tow, the Rays sent out Cole Sulser to shut things down, and he promptly delivered a perfect ninth inning. With the win in Boston, the Rays keep up with the Yankees in the AL East, as they sit just a half game back.
Other Games
Cleveland Guardians (20-19) 8, Kansas City Royals (17-21) 5: The Guardians jumped out to an early lead and cruised to victory on Thursday. Kyle Manzardo was responsible for a two-run double in the first inning that saw Cleveland go up 3-0. They piled on later in the game, when Bo Naylor belted his second homer of the season in the seventh, a three-run shot. They also benefitted from a gritty start from Gavin Cecconi, who allowed 6 hits and three walks, but just a pair of runs in 5.1 innings.
Miami Marlins (17-21) 4, Baltimore Orioles (17-21) 3: After the O’s came back, they ultimately fell to the Fish in walk-off fashion on Thursday. The Marlins took an early lead thanks to a two-run shot from Liam Hicks, his ninth of the year. Down 3-1 in the middle innings, Baltimore eventually tied things up with an RBI from Tyler O’Neill and a two-run single from Pete Alonso a few innings later. Tied up in the ninth, it was the defense that failed the O’s as a throwing error from third baseman Coby Mayo allowed the walk-off run to score in the ninth.
PHOENIX, AZ - MARCH 21: Mike Sirota #7 of the Los Angeles Dodgers runs to first after hitting a one-run single in the second inning during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Camelback Ranch on Saturday, March 21, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Rob Leiter/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s not often you see a nine-run inning, but that’s exactly the kind of damage the Loons conceded on their way to splitting a doubleheader with Lake County.
Player of the day
Between the two games, Mike Sirota was the undeniable standout player, reaching base safely seven times, including all five in the Loons’ 15-13 defeat. Recently elected the Player of the Week, Sirota, showcased his patience by taking multiple free passes in each of these games, scoring four runs, and also driving in four.
Make it 5 homers in the past 6 games for Mike Sirota with the High-A @greatlakesloons ⚡️
The young outfielder is up to a .344 batting average on the season and an OPS of 1.219, easily putting him as one of, if not the most dangerous hitters in High-A right now, making a case for an early promotion in 2026.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
In a bit of a sloppy game with both sides committing multiple errors, the Comets managed to outlast the Bees by a score of six to five, thanks to a three-run shot by leadoff hitter Ryan Fitzgerald, driving forward what became a five-run rally for the Comets in the fourth.
Scoring in the sixth and eighth, the Bees made this a one-run game late—they had the bases loaded with two outs in the ninth against Wyatt Mills, who had come in trying to fix the mess left by Jerming Rosario. Mills had in his way former Dodger Chris Taylor, who ended up flying out to left field.
Kiké Hernández had another solid performance, going up to the plate three times, securing one hit, and scoring a run, once again playing third base. Speaking of rehabbing big leaguers, Mookie Betts will be joining the Comets this Friday for a couple of games as he returns from injury.
Double-A Tulsa
The 3.1 scoreless innings delivered by the Drillers’ bullpen didn’t particularly matter, as more than enough damage to lose the game had been conceded by starter Patrick Copen, who took his first loss of the year, allowing nine earned runs to come across, a season-high for him.
Despite five different Drillers securing multihit performances, the offense wouldn’t get on the board until the sixth inning. Elijah Hainline’s and Joe Vetrano’s home runs weren’t enough to make this a game, as the Drillers fell 9-5 on the road.
High-A Great Lakes
Despite the nine-run inning the Loons conceded in the first game of this doubleheader, they led that one 13-12 heading into the final frame, but Reynaldo Yean couldn’t shut the door on Lake County—the one hit he allowed was a three-run shot to Jeffrey Mercedes that won the game for the home club. With that, the Loons wasted a marvelous performance from Sirota, who went three for three with a pair of walks, reaching base in all of his five plate appearances.
The second game was quiet in comparison as Logan Tabeling shut down Lake County with nine strikeouts in 5.1 innings as the Loons returned the favor, doing it so wth an unlikely source of power. Ninth-hole hitter Jose Izazza had the biggest knock of the game, hitting a three-run shot to cement a 7-2 win for the visiting club. Sirota didn’t record any hits on that one, but reached safely twice on a pair of walks.
Single-A Ontario
There was little to no offense to show for it as the Tower Buzzers lost 2-1 to the Quakes on the road. The two teams combined for just six hits and three runs. Ching-Hsien Ko, who had been one of the better hitters for the Tower Buzzers as of late, went 0 for 4 with three punchouts.
In a game with so little offense happening on both sides, it’s fitting that the winning run would come from a throwing error by second baseman Mairoshendrick Martinus. Striking out a combined 13 times as a team, the Tower Buzzers delivered one of their worst offensive showings of the year.
Transactions
Outfielders Landyn Vidourek and Brendan Tunink were sent by the Ontario Tower Buzzers to the ACL Dodgers for rehab assignments.
Thursday’s scores
Oklahoma City 6, Salt Lake 5
Arkansas 9, Tulsa 4
Lake County 15, Great Lakes 13
Lake County 2, Great Lakes 7
Rancho Cucamonga 2, Ontario 1
Friday’s schedule
3:05 p.m. PT: Tulsa (Wyatt Crowell) at Lake County (Kade Anderson)
Game 2 of doubleheader: Tulsa (Payton Martin) at Lake County (Nico Tellache)
3:35 p.m. PT: Great Lakes (Zach Root) at Lake County (Franklin Gómez)
5:05 p.m. PT: Oklahoma City (Christian Romero) vs. Salt Lake (TBD)
6:30 p.m. PT: Ontario (TBD) at Rancho Cucamonga (Trey Gregory-Alford)
Aug 9, 2025; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Athletics second baseman Luis Urias (17) scores during the fifth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images
In 2025, the Orioles and the Athletics were largely the same team. They finished within one game of each other (75 vs. 76 wins). They each sported young, promising stars—Gunnar Henderson for the O’s and Nick Kurtz for the A’s. And they were both largely undone by inconsistent pitching, with Baltimore finishing 26th in ERA at 4.60 and the City-less Athletics finishing 27th at 4.70.
Given the offseasons the two teams had, if someone had to guess which team would come into this series in first place, most would’ve guessed the Orioles. Instead, Baltimore comes in sporting a 17-21 record that has them in third in the AL East, while the Athletics are 19-18 and sit a game and a half ahead of the Mariners for first in the AL West.
Neither team has been great of late, with the Orioles going 4-6 in their last 10 and the A’s 5-5. Baltimore comes into Friday’s series opener fresh off a stinging, walk-off loss to the Marlins in Miami, while the A’s demolished the Phillies 12-1 in their series finale Thursday.
Despite the Sacramento residents coming into Baltimore with a winning record, they are largely a similar caliber team to the O’s. Heading into Thursday’s games, they had the 17th-ranked offense at 4.25 runs/game and the 24th-ranked pitching staff with a 4.67 ERA. The Orioles so far have been a better offensive team (11th with 4.62 runs/game) but a significantly worse pitching team (29th with a 4.88 team ERA).
Both the A’s and O’s have outperformed their expected W-L records by one game, and both come into Baltimore with something to prove. The Orioles want to prove they can beat good teams and solidify themselves as playoff hopefuls. The Athletics want to prove that their start isn’t a fluke and that they have staying power in an AL West that’s been largely disappointing.
The Orioles lost their season series to the A’s last year, 4 games to 2, with the Athletics winning both series. If Baltimore wants to avoid the same fate in 2026, they’ll need to slow down A’s catcher Shea Langeliers. The former first-round pick has been the A’s offensive catalyst the first six weeks of the season, slashing .336/.390/.627 while leading the Athletics with 45 hits, 10 home runs and 24 runs scored. Langeliers’ career record against the O’s—.197 average, .672 OPS—isn’t anything special, but he does have five homers in 16 games vs. Baltimore.
The artists formerly based in Oakland will need to try and slow down Oriole sluggers Samuel Basallo and Pete Alonso. Since the start of the Yankees series, the Polar Bear and the big backstop are a combined 17-for-49 (.347) with three homers, six doubles, a triple and 13 RBIs.
Game 1, Friday, May 8th, 7:05pm ET
Where to watch: MASN/MASN+
Probable pitchers: RHP Kyle Bradish (1-4, 5.03 ERA, 35 K) vs. LHP Jacob Lopez (2-2, 6.60 ERA, 23 K)
Bradish has easily been the Orioles’ most disappointing starter this season, with only one quality start in his first seven outings and a complete lack of sharpness in how he’s pitching. Bradish’s 21 walks are the sixth-most of any major league pitcher, and if he had enough innings to qualify, his 1.82 WHIP would be the second-worst mark in the bigs. His last start against the Yankees was his worst of the year, taking the loss after putting up 4 IP, 6 H, 5 ER, 4 BB, 4 K and 2 HR.
Bradish dominated the A’s the only time he faced them, earning the W in a 12-1 Orioles’ win back in 2023. Perhaps better remembered as “the game Gunnar Henderson could’ve hit for the cycle, but decided not to,” Bradish pitched six scoreless innings that afternoon, allowing only two hits and punching out eight.
Opposing Bradish on Friday is one of the only pitchers currently pitching worse than him, A’s left-hander Jacob Lopez. The lefty has had some of the worst command in all of baseball, as his 6.6 BB/9 would be the worst mark in the big leagues if he qualified. Lopez is also coming off his worst start of the year, having surrendered six runs on eight hits over 5.1 IP in a 14-6 loss to the Guardians. Despite starting his career in Tampa, Lopez has faced the O’s only once before, tossing four innings and allowing just one unearned run in a 5-1 A’s win last season.
Saturday afternoon’s matchup seems like a pitching mismatch on paper, as the struggling Shane Baz takes on the surging Aaron Civale in front of the Camden Yards faithful. Like Bradish, Baz was shelled in the Bronx in his last outing. The 26-year-old finished with a line of 5.2 IP, 5 H, 6 R (5 ER), 5 BB, 4 K and 1 HR in a game the Yankees won 12-1. We’ve seen more good from Baz this season than Bradish, but the lows are equally as low, with the former Ray struggling to generate the number of whiffs we expect from good Shane Baz.
Baz faced the A’s twice last year, going seven innings each time, putting up a 4.50 ERA and racking up a combined 18 Ks. The Orioles would love to get that kind of length and strikeout numbers, as they’ll need the Baz we saw against Pittsburgh and Houston if he’s going to out-duel Civale and the A’s.
The Northern California squad counters the Orioles’ former Ray with a former Ray of their own in the cutter-happy Civale. The 30-year-old has perhaps been one of the luckiest pitchers in baseball this season, posting a 2.95 ERA in seven starts, despite an expected ERA of 4.19 and one of the worst hard-hit rates in baseball. In his last start vs. Cleveland, Civale scattered seven hits over six innings, allowing only one run in a 7-1 A’s win.
The Orioles dominated the soft-tossing Civale in his Tampa days, tagging hime for a 5.81 ERA in five starts with eight home runs. The right-hander did have a solid outing the last time he pitched in Camden Yards, scattering six hits over 5.1 innings while limiting the Orioles to just one run. The O’s biggest weakness offensively is their propensity for strikeouts, which shouldn’t be an issue against Civale and his 6.6 K/9 rate.
Game 3, Sunday, May 10th, 1:35pm ET
Where to watch: MASN/MASN+
Probable pitchers: RHP Chris Bassitt (2-2, 5.91 ERA, 20 K) vs. RHP Luis Severino (2-3, 4.15 ERA, 43 K)
The Sunday matinee pits two veteran pitchers against each other, with one trying to rediscover his best form and the other enjoying a recent hot streak. It looked like the Orioles were finally getting good Chris Bassitt when the former All-Star pitched 6.2 innings of one-run ball in a win over Houston eight days ago. However, the 37-year-old followed that up with a 4 IP, 6 H, 4 ER performance against the Marlins, which once again had him looking like the 2026 version of Charlie Morton.
Despite being a former A, Bassitt has faced off against the California club plenty, sporting a 4.20 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 45 career innings vs. the Athletics. The right struggled in his last start vs. the A’s, allowing five runs over five innings last season in Toronto.
Opposing Bassitt will be a familiar foe in former Yankee Luis Severino. The right-hander’s last trip to Camden Yards was a memorable one for Orioles fans, as the O’s tagged Severino for seven runs in the 1st inning, eventually chasing him in the 4th after he gave up 10 hits and nine earned runs. Severino will hope his current hot streak can help him overcome his career 4.89 ERA at Camden Yards. The 32-year-old has allowed only one earned run in each of his last three starts, posting a 1.45 ERA over 18.2 IP while striking out 16.
Can the O’s do what they failed to do in Miami and sweep the A’s out of Baltimore? Or will the City-less Athletics make themselves feel at home in Baltimore and push the O’s further away from .500? Let us know in the comments.
COVERS INTEL: Opponents are hitting 
Kurt Helin
Ivan Demidov
Alex Lyon
Eric Samulski
