The start of Sunday's game between the Mets and Atlanta Braves has been delayed due to weather.
The game was originally scheduled to start at 12:30 p.m. on NBC/Peacock.
Once the weather clears, Nolan McLean (5-5, 3.78 ERA) will take the mound for New York, while veteran left-hander Martín Pérez (6-5, 3.27 ERA) will start for Atlanta.
The Mets have dropped the first two games of the four-game series against the Braves and are 2-8 in their last 10 games.
After the Nats offense went wild in game one, they were held in check by the Pirates pitching staff in game two. That sets up a crucial rubber match between two teams sitting in the playoff mix. We will see two hard throwing righties square off this afternoon.
The Nats are making a couple changes to their lineup. Jorbit Vivas will be back in the lineup playing second base over Nasim Nunez. Jacob Young is still out of the lineup, meaning the outfield will consist of Daylen Lile, Dylan Crews and James Wood. Keibert Ruiz will be back behind the dish. Cade Cavalli is on the mound after having his start moved up one turn. He is allowed to pitch with his suspension in appeal.
The Pirates are only making one change in personnel. Endy Rodriguez will be back behind the plate replacing Henry Davis. There is some shuffling of positions though. Ryan O’Hearn will be at first, while Tyler Callihan is in left and Bryan Reynolds is at DH. The flame throwing Bubba Chandler will be on the mound.
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Game Info:
Stadium: Nationals Park
Time: 1:00 PM EST
TV: Peacock
Radio: 106.7 The Fan
This is a crucial rubber match for the Nats. They have been good at winning series this season, and this will be a chance to grab another. Hopefully Cavalli can build on his career best start in Boston, just without the drama. Follow along in the comments down below and let’s go Nats!
If you will allow me to put my armchair meteorologist hat on, I read an article somewhere about how this heat dome that’s been causing temperatures to skyrocket in recent days has been collapsing since Thursday. As such, that’s been causing enough of a disruption in the atmosphere to where thunderstorms are even more likely to pop up than usual.
So with that being said, it’s not particularly surprising that the weather is a bit spotty over Truist Park in Cobb County and as of right now, the tarp is reportedly on the field and has been since around noon.
While the starting pitchers did both continue their warmups as if the game would start on time, the forecast worsened a bit and now Mark Bowman is reporting that a delay is possible.
We’ll have more updates as they come in, so stay tuned.
The rumors linking the Pittsburgh Penguins to Dallas Stars superstar left winger Jason Robertson don't seem to be going away anytime soon.
On Jul. 1, The Athletic's Josh Yohe wrote a piece discussing the Robertson rumors, saying that POHO/GM Kyle Dubas and the Penguins "still absolutely want to trade for Jason Robertson."
"I sense that the Penguins have made what they believe to be a fair offer," Yohe wrote. "Dallas seems to be holding up the proceedings because the Stars would prefer to keep Robertson. The money he is demanding, however, is making it more likely that he will be dealt."
Some say that Pittsburgh couldn't possibly execute a trade with Dallas, and others say that Robertson couldn't possibly want to go to Pittsburgh. Maybe that's true. However, it's worth keeping in mind that the idea of him going to the Ottawa Senators, Seattle Kraken, and St. Louis Blues was shut down almost immediately, and despite the Pittsburgh rumor lingering for weeks, it has yet to be rebuked. And, yes, there probably is something to that.
If all of this is true - and the Penguins are still in the running for Robertson - value is a legitimate question. Dubas already admitted during the 2026 NHL Draft that Pittsburgh did not possess some of the assets that teams were looking for going into the draft because they did not possess a top-10 pick.
Well, with the "top-10" pick part of things shelved until next season, perhaps Dubas does believe a fair offer has been made without one of those. However, if other teams bring themselves into the mix, there is a good chance that they can offer more than what the Penguins can, or, are at least, willing to offer.
But, there may be another way for Pittsburgh to execute a trade with Dallas for fair value. And it would, hypothetically, involve a third team.
Well, how about the Detroit Red Wings?
GM Steve Yzerman and the Red Wings are in a tough spot with captain Dylan Larkin, a legitimate first-line center who has scored 30 or more goals in five consecutive seasons but requested a trade this summer. Yzerman wants fair value for Larkin, and he is not budging on whatever his perceived asking price is.
The 29-year-old might be a bit of a downgrade from Robertson's production, but he would fill in the second-line center role nicely for the Stars, or he could flank Wyatt Johnston on the first line. And he would nearly fill the void left by Robertson until 2031, when he becomes an unrestriced free agent.
So, how can the Penguins fit into the picture? Let's dissect a proposed three-way trade for the clubs and how it would benefit each.
Report: Penguins Had 'Some Momentum' In Robertson TalksNHL Insider Elliotte Friedman reported that there were talks between the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Dallas Stars regarding superstar winger Jason Robertson during the NHL Draft over the weekend.To Pittsburgh:
- LW Jason Robertson (from DAL)
- RW Colin Blackwell (from DAL)
- LD Shai Buium (from DET)
To Dallas:
- C Dylan Larkin (from DET)
- C Tommy Novak, 50 percent retained (from PIT)
- RW Rutger McGroarty (from PIT)
- RD Quinn Beauchesne (from PIT)
- 2028, 2029 second-round picks (from PIT)
- 2027 third-round pick (from DET)
To Detroit:
- RW Bryan Rust (from PIT)
- C/LW Will Horcoff (from PIT)
- C Brandon Gorzynski (from DAL)
- 2027 first-round pick (from PIT)
- 2028 conditional first-round pick (from PIT)
- 2028 fourth-round pick (from DAL)
Should The Penguins Follow The Flyers' Offer Sheet Blueprint?The Flyers shocked the NHL on Friday when they sent a lucrative offer sheet to Anaheim Ducks' forward Leo Carlsson, and the Pittsburgh Penguins should take notes. Simply put, Pittsburgh is getting one of the league's elite talents in this scenario. Players like Robertson don't always go to market, especially not in a situation where the other club's money situation makes it difficult to retain such a player.
In a three-way trade scenario, Pittsburgh can work around the fact that they don't really have the asset in the form of a player the level of Larkin, but they have enough to provide a fair return otherwise.
Losing Rust is a blow to the now - and losing the versatile Novak doesn't help, either - but the Penguins are at a stage where they need to start getting value out of some of their aging veterans. Plus, Robertson immediately replaces that. Losing two firsts and two seconds, as well as two of their best prospects in Horcoff and McGroarty, isn't ideal, either, but they may be able to recoup one of those firsts by offloading Rickard Rakell. And they are getting back a close-to-NHL-ready Buium in the process while sacrificing Beauchesne, whose upside is intriguing but who is farther out.
Also, if the Penguins are smart about selling off veterans for draft capital and other assets, they may still be able to acquire a center in addition to Robertson. The Vancouver Canucks have Elias Pettersson on the trade block, and he may be someone worth looking into, especially since the Canucks are a bit limited return-wise because of his $11.6 million contract.
Robertson's brother, Nick, was already dealt to Pittsburgh, and the Robertson camp has yet to shut down Pittsburgh rumors that have been around for weeks despite shutting down other team rumors almost immediately when Robertson wasn't interested in signing. So, there's something to that.
If the Penguins are serious about contending in the short- or long-term, paying up for Robertson is something that makes sense. And it shouldn't entirely deplete their asset pool to the point they can't do anything else impactful.
Penguins Acquire Nick Robertson From Maple LeafsThe Pittsburgh Penguins have acquired Nick Robertson from the Toronto Maple Leafs.Well, in this scenario, Dallas is getting Larkin from Detroit, who is a pretty nice consolation prize for losing Robertson - and he'd also cost about 60 percent as much as Robertson would have. It affords them a bit more flexibility as far as the salary cap this season to put other pieces in place on their roster.
Larkin is a legitimate top-six center and goal-scorer, which would certainly help them down the middle quite a bit. They already have Wyatt Johnston and Roope Hintz, and they'd also be adding Novak in this scenario, who can play the wing or the center position and produce at around a half point-per-game pace. McGroarty could help the NHL roster for cheap, too, as he is due for a breakout of sorts and has the potential to be part of the short- and long-term.
Beauchesne provides another upside prospect option at right defense - something that Dallas needs - and they can use their own first-round pick and the seconds to leverage for something else. Moving out Blackwell to Pittsburgh as a cap dump makes the money work, too, with Novak being retained.
This gives Dallas the perfect mix of win-now and future-oriented moves, as Larkin should be an elite player for the life of his contract, Novak helps now, McGroarty could help both the now and the future, and Beauchesne and the picks helps the future.
'His First Choice is To Stay': Insider Details Jason Robertson's Desire to Remain a Star Amid Contract ChaosElliotte Friedman reveals how a blockbuster Kraken trade collapsed, exposing a massive valuation gap as the Stars superstar navigates high-stakes contract demands and looming offer sheet threats.Yzerman doesn't want to give up Larkin without a nice haul, and in this scenario, there is some nice future-forward intrigue to consider.
Of course, Rust is a veteran who has been coveted by contending teams for a long time. There is no looking back now for Detroit, as they have spent the last decade rebuilding and missing the playoffs and don't want to tear it all down again. He may be 34, but he has scored 20 or more goals for six consecutive seasons, and he's been above or around 30 goals for the last three seasons as well as a notch below the point-per-game mark. So, he helps them get over the hump in the now.
Then, there is Horcoff, who scored at a goal-per-game clip as an 18-year-old for the University of Michigan in the first half of the season last year, and a shoulder injury sustained in December likely inhibited him the rest of the way. He still finished one point below point-per-game and is one of the Penguins' top-two forward prospects.
Gorzynski is a young, 19-year-old center with a lot of upside, as he's been above point-per-game in the WHL for the past two seasons and keeps getting better every year. He is a playmaker and two-way center, and he could still add some size at 6-foot-2, 190 pounds.
And, in addition to the player assets, Detroit would get Pittsburgh's 2027 first, a conditional 2028 first from the Penguins, and a fourth from Dallas, all of which they could leverage for a center if they want to. They can also still flip Rust, who is worth a first-round pick.
This is a futures-oriented trade for them, but there is more than enough intrigue in Horcoff, especially, that it makes the three-way trade viable.
Steve Yzerman Confirms Dylan Larkin's Trade Request, But Says Outcome Is Far From CertainWhile Detroit Red Wings GM Steve Yzerman confirmed Dylan Larkin's trade request, he made it clear that there's no guarantee that the request will ultimately be granted. Bookmark THN - Pittsburgh Penguins on your Google News tab to follow the latest Penguins news, roster moves, player features, and more!
1910
In the seventh game ever played there, Comiskey Park saw its first wild pitch and first extra-inning game. The White Sox lost, 6-5, in 10 innings. Joe Lake of the Browns and Chicago’s Jim Scott both threw wild pitches in the game. A total of 5,200 fans showed up on a Tuesday makeup game (rainout, April 16) to see a frame of free baseball.
1914
White Sox legend Ed Walsh made his season debut, having sat out all year with a strained arm. Seven straight years of throwing no fewer than 230 1⁄3 innings — including league-leading totals in four seasons and as many as 464 innings thrown in one year — had taken its toll. In fact, even the 1913 season was truncated by Walsh’s standards, as the 32-year-old could muster just 97 2⁄3 frames.
On this day, however, Walsh threw seven innings of three-hit ball in a 6-3 win over Cleveland. Fellow future Hall-of-Famer Red Faber got the save, his second of 1914.
Walsh would win just four more games in his career, which stretched to age 36. He fell just short of being able to contribute to the best team in White Sox history, the 1917 World Champions.
1947
History was made in front of 14,655 at Comiskey Park, as Cleveland’s Larry Doby broke the color line in the American League, becoming the first active Black player. Doby pinch-hit for pitcher Bryan Stevens, striking out against White Sox reliever Earl Harrist. The next day, Doby started at first base in the nightcap of a doubleheader and went 1-for-4 with an RBI.
Doby’s career would bring him to Chicago in two stints, 1956-57 and 1959, and then back as a White Sox coach and then manager in 1978. Doby was the second Black player (after Jackie Robinson) and manager (after Frank Robinson) in MLB history. He was elected to the Hall of Fame by Veterans’ Committee vote in 1998.
1964
During the 1960s the White Sox were synonymous with outstanding pitching … pitching that was the envy of most of Major League Baseball, excluding only, perhaps, the Dodgers. A great example of this came during two days in Chicago over the Fourth of July holiday: Over a span of roughly 28 hours, the White Sox threw three straight shutouts against Cleveland.
On the Fourth of July itself, Gary Peters blanked the Tribe on three hits, winning 4-0. In the Sunday doubleheader on July 5, it was Juan Pizarro tossing a seven-hitter in the opener, winning, 2-0. Then in the nightcap it was Joe Horlen with a 5-0 blanking, on four hits.
In 27 innings, Cleveland managed no runs on 14 hits. Now that’s pitching!!!
1987
The White Sox tied the franchise mark for the most lopsided shutout, winning 17-0 at Cleveland. Ken Williams and Harold Baines both drove in four runs in the rout, with Ozzie Guillén and Greg Walker knocking in three apiece. Future Hall-of-Famer Phil Niekro was saddled with the loss.
The other 17-0 shutout came in 1925, at Washington. The 17-run margin remains tied for the third-biggest White Sox win ever.
1998
Despite an eight-run outburst in the sixth inning and 14 runs on 12 hits in the game, the White Sox lost at Fenway Park, 15-14. The South Siders fell behind, 10-2, through four, but then rallied to tie the game, 11-11. Jaime Navarro was bailed out by the comeback, as he started and coughed up eight runs (six earned) on nine hits in just two-plus innings. The White Sox fell to 35-51 on the season.
2025
After a season-plus of being on the wrong end of such records, the White Sox put the Colorado Rockies into some infamy. With a 10-3 win in Denver, Chicago dealt the Rockies their 17th consecutive home series loss. That set a National League record and tied the 1916-17 Philadelphia A’s for the longest such streak in MLB history.
It must be fun to be a manager and a pitching coach. Ok, we have Shane Bieber back and ready to go. Three starts in, he has a 9.00 ERA. 7 walks and 9 strikeouts in 13 innings. Batters are hitting .351/.422/.737 against him.
His fastball velocity is at the 15th percentile and average exit velocity is about 5th percentile. And it isn’t like they can remove him from the rotation, they are already going with four starters and a bullpen day. It is just the way a 31-year-old would like to go into free agency.
But the good news is that Max Scherzer had a rehab start and could be back after a couple more rehab starts. Maybe the one guy who has been worse than Bieber, and that’s the good news.
I don’t even know what you do at this point. I think Patrick Corbin is a better choice than either of those two and he was banished to the bullpen.
Jake Bloss? He has a 14.29 ERA in 3 starts for Buffalo. Ricky Tiedemann has pitched 1 inning in a rehab game and then was scratched from his next one with a “neck issue”. I can’t see that SWR would be a poorer choice.
The front office is saying they want a starter at the deadline, but one starter really isn’t enough.
The Jays are second last in the league in runs per game, and yet it looks like starting pitching is going to be the issue from here on out.
They announced the All-Star teams. Vlad has pulled out, which is understandable. Though maybe a couple of days of just fun is what he needs.
The AL All-Stars:
AMERICAN LEAGUE
Starters
C: Shea Langeliers (ATH)
1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (TOR)
2B: Ernie Clement (TOR)
3B: Junior Caminero (TB)
SS: Bobby Witt Jr. (KC)
OF: Mike Trout (LAA)
OF: Byron Buxton (MIN)
OF: Aaron Judge (NYY)
DH: Yordan Alvarez (HOU)
Reserves
C: Dillon Dingler (DET)
C: Adley Rutschman (BAL)
INF: Travis Bazzana (CLE)
INF: Nick Kurtz (ATH)
INF: Kevin McGonigle (DET)
INF: Ben Rice (NYY)
INF: Miguel Vargas (CWS)
OF: Randy Arozarena (SEA)
OF: Cody Bellinger (NYY)
OF: Riley Greene (DET)
DH: Yandy Díaz (TB)
Starting pitchers
RHP: Dylan Cease (TOR)
LHP: Parker Messick (CLE)
RHP: Drew Rasmussen (TB)
RHP: Joe Ryan (MIN)
RHP: Cam Schlittler (NYY)
LHP: Ranger Suarez (BOS)
RHP: Michael Wacha (KC)
Relief pitchers
RHP: Bryan Baker (TB)
LHP: Aroldis Chapman (BOS)
LHP: Jacob Latz (TEX)
RHP: Cade Smith (CLE)
RHP: Louis Varland (TOR)
NL
Starters
C: Drake Baldwin (ATL)
1B: Freddie Freeman (LAD)
2B: Ozzie Albies (ATL)
3B: Max Muncy (LAD)
SS: CJ Abrams (WSH)
OF: Brandon Marsh (PHI)
OF: Juan Soto (NYM)
OF: Andy Pages (LAD)
DH: Shohei Ohtani (LAD)
Reserves
C: William Contreras (MIL)
C: Hunter Goodman (COL)
INF: Luis Arraez (SF)
INF: Bryce Harper (PHI)
INF: Otto Lopez (MIA)
INF: Matt Olson (ATL)
INF: Sal Stewart (CIN)
OF: Corbin Carroll (AZ)
OF: Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC)
OF: Jordan Walker (STL)
OF: James Wood (WSH)
DH: Kyle Schwarber (PHI)
Starting pitchers
RHP: Chase Burns (CIN)
RHP: Max Meyer (MIA)
RHP: Jacob Misiorowski (MIL)
LHP: Eduardo Rodriguez (AZ)
LHP: Chris Sale (ATL)
LHP: Cristopher Sánchez (PHI)
RHP: Paul Skenes (PIT)
RHP: Logan Webb (SF)
RHP: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (LAD)
A win this afternoon would be nice. Or, at least, a game that keeps me awake.
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Sunday's MLB card is loaded with star power, and a few of baseball's heaviest hitters find themselves in mouthwatering matchups.
Before locking in your MLB player props, here are the hitters my MLB picks are targeting to leave their mark this afternoon.
| Player | Pick | Odds |
|---|---|---|
 Rafael Devers | Over 1.5 total bases | -144 |
 Tanner Gordon | Over 3.5 earned runs | -105 |
 Javier Assad | Under 3.5 strikeouts | -120 |
No, this is not the sexiest price you've ever seen, but if you're not in the business of laying juice, you can always take his home run and double market instead. Still, with Rafael Devers ranking as one of the top-rated hitters across both Batters-Box datasets, it's hard to pass up this much data backing the San Francisco Giants slugger.
Over his last 60 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, Devers owns a .327 batting average, .837 slugging percentage, and 1.287 OPS, while producing a 55.6% hard-hit rate and 16.7% barrel rate.
He draws Colorado Rockies right-hander Tanner Gordon, whose arsenal Devers owns more than 65% coverage against. This season at home, Gordon has allowed left-handed hitters to bat .359 with a .538 slugging percentage and .408 wOBA. Those hitters have also generated a 59.5% elevation rate and a 54.8% hard-hit rate.
With Devers posting a .638 wOBA, 27.3% barrel rate, and 1.120 slugging percentage over his last 30 at-bats against right-handed pitching, how could I pass this up at Coors?
Is asking for 4+ runs in essentially the first five innings a lot? Of course, but when you're in Coors with five elite-rated hitters and four more carrying strong ratings, it's very tough to ignore that data.
Tanner Gordon draws the highest-rated offense on the slate while carrying the day's worst pitcher rating. He enters this matchup with poor marks in matchup wOBA, ISO, hard contact rate, strikeout rate, and ground ball rate.
At home this season, Gordon owns a 9.70 ERA, 6.00 xERA, and 1.83 WHIP. Opposing hitters are also generating a concerning 51.32% hard-hit rate and 15.79% barrel rate against him.
Over their last six games, the Giants have posted a 111 wRC+, .742 OPS, and .172 ISO. With an entire lineup rated above 0.50 on Batters-Box, the matchup is simply too strong for me to pass up. I am willing to lay the high run total because Gordon has struggled all season, and this profiles as another difficult outing for him.
One thing the St. Louis Cardinals do very well as a team is avoid strikeouts. On the season, they're just a hair over 20% as a team. In their last 21 games, that number is down to 17.8%. Their lineup is peppered with hitters carrying strikeout rates under 17%, six to be exact. Four of them sit at 13.3% or lower.
That lineup draws Chicago Cubs right-hander Javier Assad, who owns the lowest matchup strikeout on the slate, per Batters Box. In 15 default average ratings on Batters Box, Assad stays under four strikeouts 53.33% of the time.
At home this season, his strikeout rate is just 13.10%, and over his last three outings, it has dipped to 12.28%. At -120, this is a sweaty Under worth getting into. Anything much higher than this price, I would pass.
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.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.
Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc won at Silverstone with Mercedes’ George Russell in second and Lewis Hamilton third
Pierre Gasly has dropped three places after a grid penalty for impeding the Aston Martin of Lance Stroll in qualifying.
Gasly will now start 15 on the grid, Audi’s Nico Hulkenberg at 12, Ollie Bearman to 13 and Carlos Sainz’s Williams to P14.
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Freddie Freeman has driven in nine runs over his last eight games against a left-handed starting pitcher.
Freeman draws a struggling southpaw tonight in JP Sears, which is why he headlines my Padres vs. Dodgers props and MLB picks for Sunday Night Baseball.
Make sure to also check out our full Padres vs. Dodgers predictions before first pitch at 7:20 p.m. ET!
| Pick | Odds |
|---|---|
 Andy Pages Over 0.5 runs | -145 |
| Freddie Freeman Over 0.5 RBIs | +145 |
 Fernando Tatis Jr. Over 0.5 singles | -115 |
Andy Pages has hit .264 off lefties with a rock-solid .350 OBP. He is consistently getting on base, allowing him to score regularly as part of a loaded Los Angeles Dodgers attack.
Meanwhile, righties have hit .314 against JP Sears with a whopping .399 xwOBA to boot.
Isolating matchups with left-handed pitchers ranking in the 30th percentile or worse in xwOBA vs. righties, Pages has scored in eight of 11 games — and six of seven victories.
I’d back Pages to score up to -155.
Freddie Freeman has been an RBI machine against left-handed pitchers. Thanks to a .409 average with runners in scoring position, he has knocked in at least one run in 13 of 23 starts vs. lefties.
Freeman has done so in seven of the last eight wins when facing a left-handed starter, which is certainly notable with the Dodgers listed as -200 favorites on the moneyline.
A +145 price tag implies a 40.8% probability, which feels low given Freeman has knocked in a run 56.5% of his starts vs. lefties – and 62.5% of victories.
Bet to +117.
Fernando Tatis Jr. has hit righties much better of late, posting a .317 average since June 1. He leads the San Diego Padres by a margin of 14 hits during that span.
Nearly 63% of Tatis' hits against right-handed pitchers were singles, and Dodgers right-hander Emmet Sheehan ranks in the 48th percentile in batting average vs. righties.
Sheehan is not untouchable, and Tatis Jr. is the most likely Padres player to cause problems.
Bet to -125.
| Location | Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA |
| Date | Sunday, July 5, 2026 |
| First pitch | 7:20 p.m. ET |
| TV | NBC/Peacock |
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.
This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.
The Pittsburgh Pirates are finishing off their series in the nation’s capital with a matchup against the Washington Nationals at Nationals Park.
The Pirates will start Bubba Chandler, who struggled in his last start against the Philadelphia Phillies. He pitched 6.1 innings, the longest start of his season, but gave up seven hits and five runs in an 8-0 loss to the Phillies.
The Nats are countering with Miles Mikolas, who is struggling in his first year in the nation’s capital. Mikolas is 2-7 with a 5.44 ERA so far this season for the Nationals. The 37-year-old spent eight seasons with the St. Louis Cardinals and was named to the All-Star team twice, but he isn’t playing at that level this season.
In his last start at Family Park against the Boston Red Sox, Michaelis pitched seven innings, giving up nine hits and six earned runs in a 6-3 loss. Mikolas also pitched 3.1 innings against the Pirates earlier in the season, giving up three hits and three earned runs on April 14 at PNC Park. The Nationals won the game 5-4.
It’s been a unique series for the Pirates against the Nats on the weekend of Independence Day with strange start times, but a win at the end of their time in D.C. will set them up for a strong final push before the All-Star break.
Location: Nationals Park, Washington, D.C.
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Peacock
Pitching Matchup: Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.62 ERA) vs. Miles Mikolas (2-7, 5.44 ERA)
BD community, chime off in the comments section below.
Now 27 years old, Tyler Hardman spent parts of five years with the Somerset Patriots, the New York Yankees’ Double-A affiliate. He debuted there in his second pro season, during the final week of the 2022 campaign and helped them win the Eastern League championship. He ultimately played 313 games there, second-most in franchise history, and he ranks first in hits (254), home runs (67), and RBIs (195).
Throughout his tenure there, he saw many teammates—Austin Wells, Ben Rice, Jasson Domínguez, Spencer Jones, and George Lombard Jr., just to name a few—get promoted while he remained in the Garden State. Yet he persevered, and finally, on May 23rd, he got the call to Triple-A and joined the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders.
“It’s been a lot of fun so far,” Hardman said. “I’ve been able to reconnect with guys I met in spring, same thing with coaches. It’s been a really good change of environment. It’s been fun to learn from guys that have been up higher than Triple-A, been up to the top before.”
Hardman insists he felt no frustration in being at Double-A for so long.
“It’s always my job to force their hand,” he said. “If there was any doubt or something I could have done better, that’s what I wanted to do. I didn’t want there to be a question if I deserved to be somewhere. Everything was in my control to force their hand.”
Still, he certainly had the numbers to mehrit a promotion. The 27-year-old, right-handed slugger ranked among the Eastern League offensive leaders each year and, at the time of his call-up this season, was first in the league in RBIs (40); second in home runs (13) and total bases (92); tied for third in extra-base hits (21); fourth in slugging (.613); fifth in OPS (.984); tied for seventh in hits (45); and 10th in batting average (.300).
“That’s part of who I am. I always just want to control what I can,” Hardman said. “Even if you’re hitting .300, you’re still messing up a lot. So I feel like there’s always something you can do better. I was surrounded by a lot of good groups down there, had a lot of good teammates pass through. It was always a good time.”
One might think it’s not a big deal to hold franchise records at Double-A. But Hardman feels otherwise.
“I think it’s cool,” he said. “Granted, everyone knows you’re not there to set that record. It’s a good reminder that I was at least able to help produce for the team or help the team out. It’s not your first goal there, but once you get something like that, you have that reminder you might have been here a while, but you’re still doing your part to help the team.”
Now, he wants to do his part to help the RailRiders. So far in 37 games, he is batting .238/.340/.415 (31-for-130) with eight doubles, five home runs, six stolen bases, 15 runs, 17 RBI, and a 98 wRC+.
For Hardman, he said he always just tries his best to put the ball in play.
“You can’t be productive if you can’t put the ball in play. That’s been my mantra this year,” Hardman said. “Just do whatever I can to keep it super simple. I’m a big believer that baseball is very much a mental game. The more I can keep it simple and push the ball forward has helped me a lot offensively. And defensively, just keep the confidence up wherever they need me to play.”
Primarily a third baseman, Hardman played first base for much of the 2024 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery in October 2023. He moved back to third in 2025, but still occasionally plays first.
During the RailRiders’ recent road trip in Indianapolis, Hardman had a two-homer game June 25th at Victory Field. The second of those blasts was the 1o0th of his professional career. He said the key to hitting home runs is to try not to hit them.
“There’s a lot of hitters that I’ve played with that are like that. They have that power that if you just put the ball in play, it’s going to be hit fairly hard, if not harder than the average,” Hardman said. “So if I continue to put the ball forward, the chances of those homers go up substantially. A He lot of times when you try too hard, the baseball doesn’t go in your favor. So the more I can keep it simple and just focus on move the ball forward, the longer ones are going to take care of themselves.”
Finally being at Triple-A means being one step closer to the ultimate goal of reaching the major leagues. Hardman said he is working on his consistency in order to make it to the next level.
“It’s a really long year and you’re going to have waves when you go up and down. You want to ride the high waves as long as you can and you want to keep the low ones as short as possible,” Hardman said. “So just being as consistent as possible. You don’t want to be the streaky hitter that’s good for a week and has to find it again. The hardest part of our sport is being consistent. Just as a whole be the same type of person every day.”
A native of Mission Viejo, California, Hardman was originall selected in the no-longer-existent 37th round of the 2017 MLB Draft by the Colorado Rockies out of Temescal Canyon High School in Lake Elsinore. He didn’t sign and instead went to the University of Oklahoma before being taken by the Yankees in the fifth round of the 2021 Draft.
As a former Sooner, he was thrilled to see the outcome of this year’s College World Series, with Oklahoma taking down the University of North Carolina to win its first championship since 1994.
“It was awesome to see them take the championship home and it was good to see skip and them get some good recognition,” Hardman said. “It was really cool to text them and watch the World Series.”
With the Phillies biting at the Braves’ heels, Atlanta needs every win it can get right now.
The Braves have taken care of business against the Mets through two games, celebrating America’s 250th birthday with a 14-3 demolition Saturday night.
Now they give the ball to Martín Pérez Sunday afternoon against New York’s Nolan McLean seeking a series-clinching win ahead of Monday night’s finale.
After Saturday’s game was on Fox, Sunday’s 12:30 p.m. start will be on NBC and Peacock.
Follow along here as the Braves go for their first three-game win streak since June 5-7.
News & Notes
REPORT: Zach Werenski Turns Down Dallas Stars, Prefers To Stay EastAccording to reports late Tuesday night, <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> defenseman Zach Werenski turned down a trade that would've sent the reigning Norris winner to the Dallas Stars.
According to reports late Tuesday night, Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski turned down a trade that would've sent the reigning Norris winner to the Dallas Stars.
Darren Dreger reported that his preference is to stay in the East. No, It's not Werenski's job to get a good return from the other teams, but this isn't a good look.
Elliotte Friedman also confirmed that the team he nixed the trade to was the Dallas Stars, and Thomas Harley was the player to be sent to the CBJ. The trade was agreed to on Monday, but vetoed on Tuesday night.
Columbus Blue Jackets To Hire Former Columbus Chill Head CoachAccording to reports, the <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> will be hiring long-time coach and former Columbus Chill head coach Don Granato. The news first reported Wednesday morning by Aaron Portzline of the Athletic.
According to reports, the Columbus Blue Jackets will be hiring long-time coach and former Columbus Chill head coach Don Granato. The news first reported Wednesday morning by Aaron Portzline of the Athletic.
Granato's last NHL job was with the Buffalo Sabres, where he spent 3+ years as head coach, which ended in 2024. Before that, he was an asst. in Buffalo and Chicago.
Zach Werenski Trade Scenario: Tampa Bay LightningReports are out that Werenski will only accept a trade to the Tampa Bay Lightning.Moser is signed to a 8 year, $54,000,000 contract with a cap hit of $6,750,000 per season, which runs through 2034. He has no trade protection next season, then a full NMC for two years, and then it's modified for the final five years of the deal.
Moser tied his career high with 7 goals and totaled 29 points last season.
Blue Jackets' Mason Marchment Linked To Pacific ClubThis Pacific Division club is continuing to be connected to Mason Marchment with the start of free agency just about here. Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman named the Sharks as a potential favorite to land Marchment due to his late father, Bryan Marchment, playing there.
Marchment signed with the Sharks on July 1st.
Kirill Marchenko Trade Scenario #1: Montréal CanadiensWith Kirill Marchenko unlikely to extend in Columbus, let us take a crack at a trade scenario.The Columbus Blue Jackets find themselves in a familiar situation: Yet another superstar who wants out. This one is a little odd since Marchenko hasn't even reached UFA yet.
That being said, it's time to start looking at possible trade scenarios involving teams that could be interested in Kirill Marchenko.
GM Don Waddell said he was caught off guard by the "news" that ESPN's Kevin Weekes dropped on the world at the NHL Draft. Reports are that the Montréal Canadiens are hot after Marchenko, and have even made an offer already.
Columbus Blue Jackets To Sign Forward Ryan LombergBartlett Hockey, who represents Ryan Lomberg, has stated that the Columbus Blue Jackets are signing the 31-year-old forward. The deal is a 2-year contract with the CBJ carrying a $1.3 million AAV.
Bartlett Hockey, who represents Ryan Lomberg, has stated that the Columbus Blue Jackets are signing the 31-year-old forward. The deal is a 2-year contract with the CBJ carrying a $1.3 million AAV.
Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Goalie Pheonix CopleyCopley was undrafted out of North Pole, Alaska.The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed goalie Pheonix Copley to a one-year deal today. The deal is an $850K cap hit.
Per Don Waddell, “Pheonix is a proven NHL goaltender who brings a strong work ethic, valuable experience and dependable depth to our organization,” said Waddell. “He is a great fit for our club, and we’re pleased to welcome him to the Blue Jackets.”
Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Riley Bezeau To One Year DealBezeau is undrafted out of Mansfield, Massachusetts.The Columbus Blue Jackets have signed forward Riley Bezeau to a one-year, two-way deal for the upcoming season.
Don Waddell says via a press release, “Riley is a physical and hard-working forward that competes every shift,” said Waddell. “He has earned his opportunity, and we look forward to seeing his further growth in the Blue Jackets organization.”
Blue Jackets Lose Boone Jenner To Division RivalElliotte Friedman has reported that Columbus Blue Jackets Captain Boone Jenner has signed with the Washington Capitals. The deal is a four-year, $23 million contract.
Elliotte Friedman has reported that Columbus Blue Jackets Captain Boone Jenner has signed with the Washington Capitals. The deal is a four-year, $23 million contract.
Blue Jackets Sign Owen SillingerThe Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that theyve signed Owen Sillinger to a one-year, two-way NHL/AHL contract for the 2026-27 season.
The Columbus Blue Jackets have announced that theyve signed Owen Sillinger to a one-year, two-way NHL/AHL contract for the 2026-27 season.
Don Waddell said via a press release, “Owen is a smart, dependable, two-way forward who brings a strong work ethic every day,” said Waddell. “We are pleased to bring him back and look forward to him continuing to provide valuable depth and experience to our organization.”
2026 Columbus Blue Jackets Free Agency: Day 1 RecapThe Columbus Blue Jackets made a couple signings on Wednesday.The Columbus Blue Jackets went into Day 1 of NHL Free Agency with a ton of uncertainty. But the black cloud hanging over the franchise revolved around Zach Werenski and Kirill Marchenko and whether they would be traded anytime soon.
Zach Werenski Remains Committed To The Columbus Blue Jackets, Now They Need To Commit To HimWerenski has two years left on his current contract. The saga surrounding Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Zach Werenski is over... For now.
Columbus Blue Jackets Sign Erik GudbransonDon Waddell announced during his presser today that the CBJ are extending defenseman Erik Gudbranson, and will make an official announcement later today.
Don Waddell announced during his presser today that the CBJ are extending defenseman Erik Gudbranson, and will make an official announcement later today.
REPORT: Blue Jackets Forward Tears Achilles TendonA report from an online <a href="https://swedenherald.com/article/swedish-nhl-center-isac-lundestrom-tears-achilles-again-faces-lengthy-rehab">Swedish site</a>, SwedenHerald.com, has disappointing news regarding a <a href="https://thehockeynews.com/nhl/columbus-blue-jackets">Columbus Blue Jackets</a> forward.
A report from an online Swedish site, SwedenHerald.com, has disappointing news regarding a Columbus Blue Jackets forward.
Did The Philadelphia Flyers Just Make Adam Fantilli A Rich Man?The Philadelphia Flyers may have just set the market for the 2023 draft class that includes Adam Fantilli, Connor Bedard, and Leo Carlsson.
The Flyers announced today that they submitted an offer sheet to the Ducks Leo Carlsson. The offer sheet is valued at $18 million per season. If he's worth that much, how much is Connor Bedard worth? Or better yet, what does this mean for Adam Fantilli?
Matīss Kivlenieks Passed Away Five Years Ago Today, And Will Always Be RememberedMatīss Kivlenieks - August 26, 1996-July 4, 2021The Columbus Blue Jackets have lost two players and a fan since 2000, simply tragic for a young franchise. But five years ago, the July 4th holiday in Columbus took a terrible turn when, on July 5th, the worst happened to a promising young goalie named Matiss Kivlenieks
4 Ex-Blue Jackets Are Among The NHL's Top Free Agents LeftThese former Blue Jackets are still free agents at this point in the off-season. NHL free agency may have slowed down now that July 1 has passed, but there are still a good number of unrestricted free agents (UFAs) who have not signed with teams. A decent number of them are former Columbus Blue Jackets players, as Patrik Laine, Nick Blankenburg, James van Riemsdyk, and Danton Heinen have all not landed new deals yet.
Next Up For Columbus: Free Agency continues on.
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The Houston Astros offseason checklist had at the very top: Starting Pitcher, Lefthanded OF Power Bat, Righty Leverage Reliever.
As we approach the trade deadline, those have not changed.
Further adding to this, in his latest Sunday Notebook, longtime MLB reporter and insider Bob Nightengale mentioned the following about the Astros:
The Houston Astros, badly needing an outfielder, are showing strong interest in Mickey Moniak and Jake McCarthy of the Colorado Rockies. They also plan to be in the Tarik Skubal and Sonny Gray sweepstakes.
Nightengale has proven to be very clued in on the Astros throughout their Golden Age, so his reporting on them should be considered very in tune with the club’s thinking and processes.
Moniak, 28, is a former 1st round pick in 2016 drafted out of high school by the Philadelphia Phillies. He was brought up at age 22 the first time, and again at age 23 for a brief time as well, and struggled badly. He was traded to the Los Angeles Angels at the deadline in 2022 for Noah Syndergaard.
2023 finally led to a breakthrough season for Moniak, who hit .280 with 14 HR and 45 RBI after being called up May 12. He posted an .802 OPS, but only a .307 OBP because he walked just 9 times in 323 PA.
In 2024 he would regress, batting just .214 with a .266 OBP and .686 OPS. The Angels released him March 25, 2025.
The next day, he signed a 1 year, $1.25M deal with the Colorado Rockies. His first year in Denver, Moniak hit .270 with a career-best 24 HR and 68 RBI. He again posted a strong OPS (.824) despite a weak OBP (.306).
So far this season, Moniak is batting .282 with a .333 OBP and .945 OPS with 15 HR and 37 RBI in 55 games.
Moniak is not known as a strong defender, with limited range and a weaker arm. He would likely be a left fielder on the Astros.
Moniak is signed to a 1 year, $4M contract and still has one more season of arbitration eligibility.
McCarthy, 28, is another former 1st round pick, chosen 39th overall by the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2018 out of University of Virginia. McCarthy is a name that has previously been connected with the Astros, a lefthanded hitter with terrific speed.
McCarthy is in his first season in Colorado, having been acquired from the DBacks in trade on January 10 this year. He’s responded with arguably his best season, batting .307 with a .344 OBP and .862 OPS with 9 HR and 47 RBI. He also has 16 doubles, 5 triples, and 14 stolen bases.
McCarthy first broke through in 2022 in Arizona when he finished 4th in NL ROY voting after batting .283 with a .342 OBP and .769 OPS. In 99 games (354 PA), McCarthy finished with 8 HR, 43 RBI, and 23 SB. His 30.1 ft/sec sprint speed was clocked as the fastest in the majors among right fielders for that season.
His career has been up and down, as the following year his batting regressed to .243 AVG, .318 OBP, .644 OPS, but then he rebounded in 2024 to .285 AVG, .349 OBP, .749 OPS.
He began 2025 in a terrible slump, starting 3×41 before being optioned to Triple-A Reno on April 19. He hit .314 in 49 games for Reno, and was recalled by the big league team again on June 24. He would appear in just 67 games last season, hitting a career-worst .204, leading to his offseason trade to the Rockies.
McCarthy is signed to a 1 year, $1.525M contract, and has 2 more years of arbitration eligibility.
Most Astros fans probably believe that Tarik Skubal will be out of the Astros price range, and that may be true, but the team is still keeping tabs on him. It should be noted that once upon a time, Justin Verlander was considered to be out of the Astros price range, but team owner Jim Crane led the charge for the deal (in fact, he’s led the charge for a Verlander trade twice). So while it would seem unlikely, it shouldn’t be considered impossible.
Skubal, 29, is the 2x reigning AL Cy Young Award winner. He has led the AL in WAR (among pitchers), ERA, ERA+ and FIP each of the past 2 years. He was a Triple Crown winner in 2024.
Skubal underwent surgery May 4 to remove loose bodies from his elbow with a new procedure called the NanoNeedle Scope 2.0. Whereas the nromal return to play time for arthroscopic surgery is 2-3 months, Skubal was able to return in under 6 weeks. He made his final start before surgery on April 29, and returned to the rotation on June 13. In his most recent start against the New York Yankees, he went 6 innings, allowing only 1 ER on 1 hit, struck out 9 and did not walk a batter.
For the season, Skubal is 4-4 with a 3.15 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. He has maintained his usual elite command, with a 75/8 K/BB ratio in 65.2 IP.
Skubal is signed to a 1 year, $32M contract, and is a free agent at the end of the season.
Gray, 36, was an offseason target of the Astros that they were unable to acquire when the Boston Red Sox offered top starting pitching prospects Richard Fitts and Brandon Clarke to secure the deal from the St. Louis Cardinals.
Gray is having a tremendous season for the underachieving Red Sox, leading the AL with 10 wins against only 1 loss. His .909 win percentage is also tops in the AL. Sporting a 2.61 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 89.2 IP, Gray’s command continues to be excellent with an 82/23 K/BB rate.
Gray’s contract situation is a little more complicated than the others, but not necessarily in a bad way. As part of the trade to Boston, the Cardinals agreed to pick up $20M of the $31M Gray was owed for this season, making Gray’s effective cost for this season only $11M. He also has a mutual option for next season for $30M. As part of that mutual option, the team can opt out with a $10M buyout. If the player opts out, he gets no buyout.
Texas Rangers lineup for July 5, 2026 against the Detroit Tigers: starting pitchers are Kumar Rocker for the Rangers and Casey Mize for the Tigers.
Texas is looking to win their third straight series and stay above .500. The offense is looking to rebound from yesterday’s unpleasantness. Alejandro Osuna is getting the day off.
The lineup:
Pederson — DH
Jung — 3B
Nimmo — RF
Burger — 1B
Duran — SS
Carter — CF
Smith — LF
Diaz — C
Lopez — 2B
2:30 p.m. Central start time. Rangers are +105 underdogs.