Monday night saw the conclusion of the 2026 North Carolina Tar Heels baseball season. While Carolina made it to the very last game possible, it ended in sadness. A defeat to Oklahoma in Game 3 of the College World Series championship series left the Heels a victory short of the program’s first ever national championship.

Understandably, that’s probably taken up a lot of your sports-watching attention of late, especially when it comes to baseball. However, as that’s been happening, there have been other Tar Heels out there playing baseball: the ones in the professional ranks, especially MLB. Now that the college season has come to a close, let’s check in on how the Carolina alumni in the majors have done while your attention has been elsewhere.

(Note: any stats mentioned are through games played on Monday.)

Michael Busch has been arguably the best UNC alumnus in the majors in recent years, having broken out as a legitimately good player after getting traded to the Cubs in 2024. While he’s a bit off the pace he set in 2025, especially in the home run column, he’s been pretty good for Chicago again this year. He’s put up a .773 OPS with 42 RBI on the season. However that being said, both he and the Cubs have been a bit off where they were expected to be coming into the season.

Busch was joined in Chicago by another Tar Heel this past offseason, when pitcher Trent Thornton signed there. He’s proven to be a very solid middle reliever for the Cubs to this point, posting a 3.15 ERA.

Pitcher Zac Gallen has been an ace for the Arizona Diamondbacks over the years, including helping them to the 2023 World Series. He was a free agent after last season but ultimately re-upped in Arizona. Unfortunately for him, it’s not been the prettiest of years. He’s made 16 starts on the season, but has an ERA over six and has seen his strikeout rate plummet from past years.

Having spent the last couple years with the Red Sox, pitcher Cooper Criswell joined the Mariners this past offseason and has been solid for them. He’s currently on the injured list, but he has a better-than-average 3.52 ERA out of Seattle’s bullpen over his 26 appearances.

Brendon Little appeared in 79 games out of the bullpen last year, helping the Blue Jays to an eventual World Series appearance. This season has not been as kind to him, as he’s given up 14 earned runs in 4.2 innings and is currently in the minors.

Ben Casparius and Nick Raquet are both pitchers who started their college careers at UNC and ended them elsewhere, but we’ll still give them a small check in. Both have been a bit iffy for their respective teams and are no longer on the major league rosters; Casparius on the injured list and Raquet in the minors.

We’ll be sure to keep an eye on the MLB Tar Heels for the rest of this season, so best of luck to them.

We won’t get the results until they are announced on MLB Network on Thursday night at 5:00 p.m. ET, but the first phase of All-Star voting wrapped up at noon today. The leading vote getter from each league will earn a spot in the starting lineup. Currently that is Shohei Ohtani, who had a significant lead over fellow Dodger Max Muncy as of Monday’s last vote count update. Somewhat hilariously, Blue Jays’ utility player Ernie Clement is leading the American League over Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez. As usual, the voting process is being overrun by a particular team or fanbase, this time with the whole nation of Canada behind them.

Of course, this is why the All-Star Game doesn’t really move the needle the way it used to. On the one hand, it’s good engagement for the league to have fans voting on a whole ballot of options. On the other hand, a little pre-selection process wouldn’t hurt to keep fanbase size from dominating who makes the final cut. Of course, with the American League in general looking rough this season, and stars like Aaron Judge and Mike Trout, who are third and fourth in voting at last count, both injured, this was always going to be a wide open field in terms of who actually takes the field.

The top two vote getters at each position in each league, with six outfielder spots per league open, will advance to the second phase of voting. Phase 2 voting for fans will open at noon on Monday, June 29, with 72 hours for voting to be completed. This will be a whole new ballot, with Phase 1 votes not included. We’ll keep you updated on how the Tigers’ top players do, because fans will need to pile into that 72 hour window to get them the rest of the way.

Obviously Dillon Dingler and Kevin McGonigle deserve major consideration. Dingler has been the best all around catcher in the game this season but was last seen third behind the Athletics’ Shea Langeliers and the Blue Jays’ Alejandro Kirk, while McGonigle was third at the shortstop position behind the Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr., and Blue Jays’ shortstop Andrés Giménez at last report. Riley Greene is still in the mix among AL outfielders, and considering that six outfielders will make it to Phase 2, there’s still a chance Greene will make it into the second round of voting as well, although he was in ninth place as of Monday’s last released vote totals.

Considering how things went for the Tigers’ All-Star Game players last summer, it may be for the best if none of them make it. Blue Jays fans are stuffing the ballot box like crazy, and while it’s a nice honor, taking a break for a week wouldn’t hurt the three Tigers, as they’ve been carrying the load for the struggling Tigers in an injury plagued first half of the season.

The AL squad will be managed by the Blue Jays’ John Schneider, as the manager of last year’s World Series contending squad from the junior circuit. He’ll have Twins’ manager Derek Shelton as his backup along with the Blue Jays’ coaching staff. NL manager Dave Roberts has added Cardinals manager Oliver Marmol and Phillies manager Don Mattingly to his staff.

MLB All-Star Week will include the 2026 MLB Draft on July 11-12, the All-Star Futures Game for prospects on July 12, the T-Mobile Home Run Derby on July 13, and the All-Star Game itself on July 14.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The New York Yankees visit the Boston Red Sox on Thursday night at Fenway Park as -142 favorites with the total set at 8 as they open another rivarly series.  

Cam Schlittler leads the American League with a 1.52 ERA and pairs that with the AL's best WHIP at 0.87, while Connelly Early's 3.79 ERA hides a 5.33 xERA and a 14% barrel rate that has not played well at home. 

Here are my Yankees vs. Red Sox predictions and MLB picks for Thursday, June 25.

Who will win Yankees vs Red Sox today: Yankees -1.5 (+115)

Connelly Early's 14% barrel rate sits in the 7th percentile in 2026, and his 5.33 xERA against his 3.79 ERA tells you regression is overdue.

That's always going to be an issue against the New York Yankees. He's been particularly hittable at home with a 6.75 ERA in three Fenway starts, and now he draws a Yankees lineup with four players all carrying double-digit barrel rates.

On the other side, Cam Schlittler is Cam Schlitter and a swing-free team is a not a team I wish to fade him against. Play this to -105.

COVERS INTEL: Connelly Early has posted a 6.75 ERA across three home starts at Fenway Park in 2026. That's unlikey to change in a park that has one of the highest run factors in the sport.

Yankees vs Red Sox Over/Under pick: Under 8 (-105)

You're basically asking here if the Boston Red Sox can score three or more earned runs to push this over the total. I'm not sure they can do that against Schlitter particularly if he works his usual 7 innings. I'd play this to 7.5.

His 88th percentile strikeout rate paired with 0.89 WHIP should suffocate this Boston offense. It's difficult for a team that enters a matchup like this with the 5th highest chase rate in the sport to attack a legitimate Cy Young arm that generates so much swing-and-miss. 

The Yankees will score off Early but four-plus runs from one side and one or two off Schlittler keeps this under the number.

Yankees vs Red Sox weather

Yankees vs Red Sox odds

• Moneyline: New York -142 | Boston +135
• Run line: New York -1.5 | Boston +1.5
• Over/Under: Over 8 | Under 8

Yankees vs Red Sox trend

The New York Yankees have hit the Moneyline in 14 of their last 20 away games (+6.50 Units / 25% ROI). ind more MLB betting trends for Yankees vs. Red Sox.

How to watch Yankees vs Red Sox and game info

Yankees vs Red Sox latest injuries

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 trade deadline will be Dana Brown’s ultimate “ride or die” moment.

Four days ago, Astros GM Dana Brown was reported to be telling other teams they were “wasting their time” calling him about being a seller. The Astros intend to be buyers at the deadline, and specifically are seeking bullpen help and a lefthanded hitting outfielder.

The team is getting healthier, they have won four straight series for the first time all season, and have climbed to within 4 games of .500, 2.5 games of the AL West Division lead, and 1 game of the final Wild Card spot. As of today, the Astros are technically in 2nd place in the AL West behind the Mariners, and closest to the Blue Jays for the final Wild Card spot.

Houston has improved it’s playoff chances from a low of 10.7% May 15 to 33.1% today according to Fangraphs.

Brown has also been reported to be on the hottest of seats this season, with the combination of his being in the final year of his contract without an extension and the team’s dismal start (mostly due to being ravaged by injury for the third straight season). It is expected that for him to have any chance to save his job, he cannot miss the postseason.

Owner Jim Crane is not known for his patience, and missing the postseason in two consecutive seasons would almost definitely result in not getting the opportunity for a third straight shortcoming.

Brown has been under pressure for not being able to retain key talent, failure to significantly bolster the starting rotation after the loss of Framber Valdez, and inability to find a proven outfield bat as the young players the team has relied upon have not been nearly as successful as hoped for.

Brown’s best prospects in his minor league system are very young, and years away from being MLB ready.

Therefore, it stands to reason that making the postseason is the only shot Brown has to keep his job. Doing so will require the Astros add pieces by the trade deadline, and not simply fringe pieces.

Brown will have to pick up at least one significant add, possibly two. He doesn’t have a great deal of minor league depth from which to deal.

The Astros are currently 19-12 since May 21, and have won four straight series for the first time this season. The team is giving him the improvement he needs to see in order to be a legitimate buyer and get Crane to be willing to exceed the luxury tax for the third straight season (and eat the penalties that come with it).

Crane has not been afraid of big deadline moves (see Verlander, Justin 2x, and Correa, Carlos) and if he feels the move can be a real difference maker, he has shown he will authorize it.

All of this added together can only come to one conclusion: in order for Dana Brown to keep his job, he must be a buyer and he can’t buy small.

Fringe moves aren’t going to push the Astros over the top. The moves he makes at the deadline have to be able to insulate the Astros from another injury or two, things that given the last three years history of this team are bound to happen.

Crane is aggressive. He is competitive. He wants to win, injuries be damned.

Brown is the same, and thus far it is injuries that have primarily gotten in the way. This year, his offseason moves (Imai, Burrows, Weiss, dealing Dubon) haven’t panned out (certainly not to the degree expected).

This will be Brown’s challenge: succeed at the deadline where he failed in the offseason.

There will be pushback from fans, especially if they have to deal top prospects. Keep in mind, however, their top two prospects are 18 and 19 years old and are at least 4 years from making the majors.

Those two prospects, Kevin Alvarez and Xavier Neyens, will never play with Jose Altuve, Yordan Alvarez or Hunter Brown. If the goal is to win while you still have your all-time franchise icon and arguably the best hitter in the league on your team, those types of prospects may need to be liquidated for an impact player. The key is to maximize their value as much as possible.

That doesn’t mean those prospects need to be traded. With the specter of a lockout coming, perhaps the impact players being acquired are rentals in the final year of their contracts. Rentals would have much lower cost of acquisition. More teams will be reluctant to part with top minor league talent as a protracted lockout would burn a year of a veteran’s career, but minor leaguers could still be playing and developing at very low cost.

Finding the balance within, and acquiring the right kind of talents is the GM’s job at the deadline. It is his final test, the ultimate “ride or die” moment.

Since he cannot fail and keep his job, he may as well swing for the fences.

We are about to see what kind of deadline player Brown can be.

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

Will the trends be our friend yet again?  We have a ton of value to attack this evening, so here are my favorite MLB player props for June 25, led by Yordan Alvarez and Riley Greene.

Best MLB props today

Player/Team	Pick	Odds
Yordan Alvarez	Over 1.5 total bases	-123
Riley Greene	Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI	-118
Cardinals	First five team total o2.5	-115

Yordan Alvarez Over 1.5 total bases (-123)

Elite rated, with nearly 94.5% arsenal coverage, Yordan Alvarez is batting .381 with a .667 SLG, while generating a 56% hard-hit rate and 25% barrel rate over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching. How am I supposed to pass up backing Alvarez today?

Especially with Detroit Tigers right-hander Troy Melton on the mound. Melton has allowed left-handed hitters to produce a 45.5% hard-hit rate and 54.5% fly-ball rate at home this season. Over the last 60 lefties he's faced, he's surrendered a 63.6% elevation rate, along with a .421 xSLG and .457 wOBA.

With the way Alvarez has been seeing the baseball lately and the quality of contact he has been producing, I love this spot for him. For a little extra value, I sprinkled his home run and double props as well.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: DSN, SCHN

Riley Greene Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBI (-118)

Detroit Tigers young slugger Riley Greene enters today in a very intriguing matchup against Houston Astros right-hander Tatsuya Imai, who has had his fair share of struggles against left-handed hitters.

Greene enters with an elite rating and nearly 90% arsenal coverage against Imai's pitch mix on Batters-Box. In 32 elite-rated home matchups, Greene has recorded a hit 68.75% of the time, 2+ hits 43.75% of the time, homered in 25% of those games, and cleared this prop nearly 60% of the time. Over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, he owns an .847 OPS, .480 SLG, and a 16.7% barrel rate.

Imai has allowed left-handed hitters to do just about whatever they want this season. On the road, lefties are hitting .281 with a .500 SLG and .415 wOBA against him. Among the last 90 left-handed batters he's faced, opponents have generated a 50% hard-hit rate, 10.3% barrel rate, and 63.8% elevation rate. Those hitters also own a .357 xBA, .578 xSLG, and .379 xwOBA.

I struggle to get on the right side of Greene sometimes, but getting him at -118 to clear his hits + runs + RBI prop as an elite-rated hitter is a great bet in my book. Looking for plus money? Take the total bases prop instead.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: DSN, SCHN

Cardinals first five team total Over 2.5 (-115)

Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Zac Gallen enters today with the second-worst pitcher rating in Batters-Box's current season ratings. The veteran brings poorly rated matchup marks in ISO, hard contact rate, and ground ball rate to the table.

To make matters worse, he draws seven elite-rated Cardinals hitters from an offense that is already averaging more than 2.5 runs per game in the first five innings at home this season.

Over their last 12 games, the Cardinals have been squaring baseballs up all over the yard, posting a 122 wRC+, .782 OPS, .345 wOBA, and .151 ISO. Away from home this season, Gallen owns a 7.68 ERA and 6.00 xERA while allowing 48% hard contact and an 11.5% barrel rate.

There are simply too many Cardinals bats in great spots this evening. This is the easiest way for me to back all seven at once. I would not play this any higher than -125.

• Time: 7:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CARD, ARID

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.

New Rangers signing Ross McCrorie says manager Derek McInnes is a leader players "run through brick walls" for.

The pair have been reunited at Ibrox after previously working together at Aberdeen, with McInnes appointed as manager in Glasgow last week and McCrorie signing from Bristol City on Thursday.

McCrorie was a Rangers academy graduate before joining the Dons in 2020.

"When you speak to the gaffer, he's a man you would run through brick walls [for]," McCrorie told Rangers TV.

"The gaffer's a big influence in my career - he was the one that gave me the belief to go and crack on and unlock the talent I know I had.

"The gaffer is a bit old school as well, but you need that at times, you need that hard side, because it is not easy to be at a club like Rangers and the mentality needs to be there, especially this season.

"I've been frustrated as a fan watching in the last few years because I want to see the club win. That is why I am back, I want to come and help the team win trophies.

"The only way I would've come back to Scotland was for Rangers and it was only going to be Rangers if I was coming back to Scotland.

"It was always something for me - unfinished business. It's great to be back. It's about time I came back. I feel I'm ready now."

With long-serving captain James Tavernier departing this summer, McCrorie is taking over the number two jersey.

"I'm really good friends with Tav," McCrorie said of his former team-mate. "I've got a lot of respect for Tav. He's a legend at this club.

"I've been number two at my previous clubs. When I first broke through at Rangers, I was number 40, and I phoned and asked the gaffer if I could take number two because that is my number, and I've made it my own in the last few years."

The Mets are calling up left-handed pitching Zach Thornton to pitch on Friday against the Philadelphia Phillies, according to Will Sammon of The Athletic. 

While it's unknown if Thornton will start or have an opener go in front of him, the young lefty takes the place of David Peterson, who was traded to the Chicago Cubs on Wednesday night, in the Mets' rotation.

Thornton, 24, made one start for the Mets earlier this season, allowing four earned runs in 4.1 innings against the Washington Nationals on May 20.

With Christian Scott expected to be activated off the IL for his next turn through the rotation this weekend and Kodai Senga now officially in the bullpen, the Mets' five-man rotation consists of Freddy Peralta, Nolan McLean, Sean Manaea, Scott, and Thornton, with the possibility of some openers mixed in. 

Want to get more Covers content? Add us as a preferred source on your Google account here.

The dinger run continues with another +550 in the bag last night, pushing this homer heater to 8-16 SU for 20+ units over the last eight articles.

There's still a hole to climb out of, but with summer here, I'm letting the good times roll with home runs and MLB player props. 

I'm pushing a lot of chips into the middle in this Cubs vs. Mets game and taking a hitter on both sides in a great run environment with two of the hottest sticks in baseball. 

Let's also add friend of the show, Brandon Marsh, back to the card. He's been killing it in the Washington series and has a great setting to hit his third homer vs. the Nationals this week.

These are my favorite home run props for Thursday, June 25. 

Best MLB home run props today

Player to hit a HR	Odds
Pete Crow-Armstrong	+335
Bo Bichette	+504
Brandon Marsh	+670
💲Today's HR parlay	+16840

Home run pick: Pete Crow-Armstrong (+335)

This is a little outside my usual price range, but we're talking about the hottest hitter in baseball, Pete Crow-Armstrong.

He leads the league in both slugging and wRC+ over the last two weeks, has crushed a league-best six home runs during that span, and paces all hitters with 10 bombs in June.

Citi Field is set up for offense tonight with 14-mph winds blowing out to center field, two taxed bullpens, and a pair of starters who have been generous lately.

Freddy Peralta has allowed 26 runs over his last 31 innings, and is coming off a start where he surrendered 10 runs and two homers. He may also be asked to wear some innings with the Mets missing several high-leverage bullpen arms.

The first three games of this series have already produced 43 runs, and I'm expecting the offenses to keep rolling Thursday night. I'm buying PCA at +300 or better. 

• Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SNY, Marquee Sports Network

Home run pick: Bo Bichette (+504)

Bo Bichette is not the punching bag he was last month.

Over the last two weeks, he's been a Top-5 hitter in wRC+, slugging, and wOBA. He hit his 10th homer of the season last night and owns a 1.135 OPS over his last four series with eight multi-hit games in 12 contests.

The winds are blowing out to center field at 14 mph tonight, and this series has been nothing but runs through three games in two days.

Bichette lost Juan Soto, but Francisco Lindor is back and provides more punch to the lineup. The former Jay also gets a great matchup against left-hander Matthew Boyd.

Boyd is returning from injury, was pitching to a 6.00 ERA before going down, threw just 58 pitches in his last rehab start, and is backed by a bullpen that could be down four arms after yesterday's doubleheader.

Bichette has seen the lefty five times and taken him deep once. I am all-in on runs in this game, and this is my favorite home run prop on the home side. I'd play it down to +425.

• Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SNY, Marquee Sports Network

Home run pick: Brandon Marsh (+670)

Oh look, it's me betting a Brandon Marsh home run again for the third straight day.

He cashed at +660 on Tuesday, and although he didn't go deep yesterday, he followed it up with a three-hit game — his second straight.

Over the first three games of this series against Washington, Marsh is 7-for-13 with two homers, and gets another great opportunity today to leave the yard for a third time in the series.

There are double-digit winds blowing out to left field, Marsh has already seen plenty of this bullpen (including a homer off closer Brad Lord), and Cade Cavalli is still pitching above his underlying numbers. Over the last month, he ranks among the bottom 40 starters in baseball in xERA.

Left-handed hitters are batting .303 against him this season with an .807 OPS, and the warmer weather appears to be catching up to him. Opponents own an .840 OPS against Cavalli in June, compared to an OPS below .700 earlier in the season.

I'm once again playing Marsh at any number that starts with +600.

• Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NBCSP, Nationals.TV

Today’s HR parlay

Pete Crow-Armstrong	Bet Now +16840
Bo Bichette
Brandon Marsh

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 St. Louis Cardinals announced a change in the chain of command yesterday, but the majority of us believe this is how things were mostly run anyway. With the shift, though, my personal hope is that Bill DeWitt III and Anuk Karunaratne will defer all baseball related decisions to Chaim Bloom and his staff.

The press conference touched on some of those ideas, with Bloom mentioning that this team could play its way into a slight deviation from the plan but DeWitt Jr. also stating that rentals are off the table. Changing the plan would be a big shift after hearing that the long-term has always been the focus. The team’s recent play, though, may call for a pause on any of those additions and it appears more likely we will see players traded away.

Chaim Bloom could still buy and sell at this year’s deadline as the Cardinals sit in a postseason spot

On the latest episode of Cardinals on My Time, I had a trio of content creators break down seemingly all angles of what the Cardinals could do during this trade deadline. We touched on the typical trade pieces, but there was also some disagreement for who we think stays or goes. Let me know where you agree or disagree with what we said!

Thanks as always!

YouTube:

Apple:

Spotify: