The Los Angeles Dodgers (-138) wrap up a six-game road trip with Sunday's series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
The Boys in Blue finally got back in the win column Saturday, breaking a seven-game skid.
I'm betting they get the job done again with my Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks predictions and MLB picks for Sunday, Aug. 9.
Who will win Dodgers vs Diamondbacks today: Dodgers moneyline (-142)
The Arizona Diamondbacks are getting credit for hitting left-handed pitching well (112 wRC+), and they forecast to start eight right-handed bats.
That strength is mitigated by Justin Wrobleski's reverse splits. He limits righties to .220/.262/.354 at the dish, and his four-seamer and slider combination should work against an Arizona lineup with poor results against both offerings.
Eduardo Rodriguez was tattooed for seven runs on 11 hits in his last outing. The Los Angeles Dodgers' lineup has a .986 OPS in 184 previous at-bats against the veteran, so Wrobleski should get a decent amount of run support.
Play L.A. to -150.
COVERS INTEL: Wrobleski throws either his four-seamer or slider 78% of the time. Arizona ranks 23rd in runs above average per 100 four-seamers seen and 20th against sliders.
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-121)
Neither starter's ERA is supported by their underlying metrics. Wrobleski's xERA (4.51) is a full run higher than his actual ERA (3.31), and Rodriguez's is two runs higher (4.88 xERA, 2.71 actual ERA).
Both lineups hit southpaws well, and hitter-friendly Chase Field is a great venue for the regression monster to feast on those ERAs.
L.A.'s bullpen has been in shambles (5.23 FIP in the last 14 days), and Arizona's hasn't been much better (4.71 FIP). The runs could come in bunches at any time during this contest.
JD Yonke's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 29-30, -4.9 units
Over/Under bets: 37-23, +12.6 units
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks weather
The roof will be more than likely be closed at Chase Field, given forecasted triple-digit temperatures.
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks odds
Moneyline: Los Angeles -138 | Arizona +133
Run line: Los Angeles -1.5 (+122) | Arizona +1.5 (-127)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-117) | Under 8.5 (+113)
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks trend
The Dodgers have won 12 of Justin Wrobleski's 18 starts. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks.
How to watch Dodgers vs Diamondbacks and game info
Location
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Date
Sunday, August 9, 2026
First pitch
4:10 p.m. ET
TV
SNLA,DBacks.TV
Dodgers starting pitcher
Justin Wrobleski (11-3, 3.31 ERA)
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Eduardo Rodriguez (10-4, 2.71 ERA)
Dodgers vs Diamondbacks latest injuries
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.
Led by the two favorites for the NL MVP, Shohei Ohtani and Pete Crow-Armstrong, there are plenty of great bats in position to hit for power on Sunday, as my Aug. 9 home run props explain.
Let's take a closer look with my MLB picks and MLB player props.
Best MLB home run props today
Player to hit a HR
Odds
Pete Crow-Armstrong
+230
Alex Burleson
+290
Shohei Ohtani
+275
š²Today's HR parlay
+4726
Home run pick: Pete Crow-Armstrong (+230)
Pete Crow-Armstrong is hammering the baseball right now. He owns a .491 xSLG, 22.9% barrel rate, and 57.1% hard hit rate against right-handed pitching over the last 20 games.
He now finds himself playing in a very hitter-friendly ballpark with scorching hot conditions and high winds blowing out to boot.
The game conditions give a 33% boost to home runs today, which is extremely noteworthy for an elite player consistently hitting the ball hard.
Randy Dobnak has pitched well this season, but it only takes one mistake against PCA. Not to mention, the Kansas City Royals have an atrocious bullpen.
Play to +220.
Time: 2:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MARQ, ROYL
Home run pick: Alec Burleson (+290)
Michael Lorenzen gives up a ton of power, particularly to left-handed bats. He ranks in the 19th percentile or worse in HR/9, xSLG, and average exit velocity.
He has crushed right-handed pitching this season, and consistently taken advantage of similar matchups.
Burleson has left the yard in 29.2% of his games against a right-handed starter ranking in the 30th percentile or lower in HR/9 vs. lefties. That implies +242 odds based on his success rate this season, making +290 an attractive buy.
Iād bet down to +270.
Time: 2:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: COLR, CARD
Home run pick: Shohei Ohtani (+275)
Shohei Ohtani has been as productive as anybody against lefties, hitting .405 with an .811 SLG and 17% barrel rate over the past month.
He has also excelled against the pitch mix of Eduardo Rodriguez. Isolating his five pitches, Ohtani owns a .457 ISO and .504 wOBA against lefties the last 25 games. Incredible numbers across the board.
Eduardo Rogriguez owns a career HR/FB rate of 11.4%, and has only ever dipped beneath 10% in a season once.
His 8% HR/FB is likely to regress down the stretch, and Ohtani is a great target to take advantage.
Bet to +250.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: SNLA, ARID
Todayās HR combo
Pete Crow-Armstrong
Trade Now +4726
Alec Burleson
Shohei Ohtani
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.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - AUGUST 4: Adley Rutschman #31 of the Boston Red Sox arrives to the home clubhouse before a game against the Chicago White Sox on August 4, 2026 at Fenway Park in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Maddie Malhotra/Boston Red Sox/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Adley Rutschman is playing baseball! Unfortunately heās doing it in Worcester, not Boston. Still, it was nice to see him behind the plate for five innings, during which he went 1-2 for two walks and threw out a runner. It was also nice for him, given that he played in front of both his father and the family that hosted him during his season playing in the Cape league. āHe was great to have. It was exciting, he was coming off being in the College World Series at Oregon State,ā said his former host Bill Matta. āHeād play with my boys ā they played wiffle ball, theyād go for ice cream. And then weād watch him play.ā (Matty Wasserman, Boston Globe)
Speaking of rehab, Marcelo Mayer hopes to finish his rehab soon and make his debut with the Giants. He doesnāt sound too upset about being shipped west. āItās been, like, six months since I had a burger from In-N-Out, so had to go back,ā he said. āThatās usually the first thing I do when I get home in the offseason. So I was able to get one two months early.ā (Andrew Baggarly, The Athletic)
Rutschamn didnāt need to be worried about being booed by the fans in Worcester. But apparently Willson Contreras did need to worry about it at Fenway. In his first game after returning from an illness, Sox fans booed the teamās best player after he didnāt run out a grounder to lead off the eighth. Chad Tracy didnāt take isssue with his play, though. āI know how that looks,ā he said. āBut Iām also aware, more than others, that heās a little beat up and told us before the game, āI donāt have everything today.ā So Iām fine. Especially with a guy that plays the game as hard as he does, and how hard he turns around first base all the time. Iām fine with him.ā (Peter Abraham, Boston Globe)
Contreras returned just in time to anchor the middle of the lineup on a day when Wilyer Abreu wasnāt able to, after he suffered some swelling as a result of hitting a foul ball off his leg on Friday. But heās expected to be back in the lineup this afternoon. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
Someone who wonāt be back, though, is Raymond Burgos. Burgos had the unusual honor of pitching three innings in two consecutive games, as he saved the bullpen during yesterdayās loss. Heās been optioned back to Worcester, with Seth Martinez taking his spot. (Christopher Smith, MassLive)
Burgos played his part in the Red Sox historic streak. Just how historic was it? Hereās a look at the numbers. (Sarah Langs, MLB.com)
But despite the Red Sox playing better than just about any other team in the history of baseball over the past six weeks, they havenāt won over all the skeptics:
It is prudent by starting out with a big thank you to Al for filling in for me for the last week plus while I vacationed with my family. Midseason vacations are never optimal, but with one of my adult children and her significant other both deriving employment from Penn State University, summer was the only time to bring the whole family together for a trip.
Looking back, the last time I wrote was following the Cubsā 7-3 win over the Cardinals. Does that feel like a very long time ago? I was out of the country, did I miss anything? I donāt have a lot of in-season vacation memories, but one of them involves Cole Hamels and a no-hitter. I still sometimes like to mentally pretend that the game happened in an alternate timeline that Iām not a part of.
Iām going to have some things to say about the trade deadline and this 17 straight game stretch that I had circled. Well, I and just about every other even remotely informed Cubs blogger or writer. Sometimes you may pick a certain landmark series or two for looking at a block of games, but this one was easy with them being 17 straight games. Coming into this game with the Royals, the Cubs were 11-4. By any objective measure, this has been a very successful string of games. This hiccup doesnāt make it any less impressive, though obviously after sweeping four games from the Dodgers and Blue Jays, you wanted to get greedy and run a winning streak out to seven. It wasnāt meant to be.
The start of the Clay Holmes era wasnāt a great success. David Peterson had that one terrible start and heās been terrific as Cub, so letās go ahead and not draw any conclusions, all right? There are still a ton of injured Cub pitchers rehabbing from various maladies. So the Cubs are no longer married to any one pitcher or group of pitchers. They have depth. Hopefully, Holmes had an off night and the pitching department will find a workable plan moving forward. If not, they can find another way to use him and give someone else a shot in that rotation spot.
Letās hit a quick perspective check, did you miss me doing this? Four teams have a better record than the Cubs. Iām, of course, disappointed to see that didnāt change, even with a hot stretch of baseball. They are closing in on the Dodgers and Braves now, though that doesnāt have a lot of immediately apparent value. Theyāve created a ton of space with the Phillies and Diamondbacks and are pretty comfortably the first Wild Card now. The Cubs appear to be the long shot in a two-horse race. The Cubs are on a better than 93-win pace and now, I feel there is a real chance to exceed that. This team, right now, is better than the one that set this pace. Though I will always concede that they were fortunate to win as many games as they did. All of the walk-offs and the lack of consistently good pitching might have suggested a few more losses.
Iām back, but Iām going to be a little bit brief here tonight. The standings will return in a day or two as I work backwards through the numbers. I will also have a longer form thought about the trade deadline. I was legitimately not tapped in to the BCB reaction, but I did see it on social media and in the national media. Iāll assume that, save for a little trepidation here or there about a prospect that moved, the feedback was wildly positive.
Three Positives:
I saw that we are trying to vote Ian Happ off the island as a fan base again. Pardon my overall lack of surprise that I return to him having a double and a homer, driving in a run and scoring one. Ian is one of the weirdest players ever. He is remarkably consistent year over year while having long stretches of unproductive offensive play. Never mind that he gets pretty hot between those stretches to maintain that productivity.
Michael Conforto got into the game, had one at bat and doubled. Heās been such an incredibly effective pinch hitter this year.
Carson Kelly had a two-run double.
Game 118, August 8: Royals 6, Cubs 3 (68-50)
Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.
THREE HEROES:
Superhero: Ian Happ (.088). 2-4, HR, 2B, RBI, R
Hero: Carson Kelly (.070). 1-3, 2B, 2 RBI
Sidekick: Michael Conforto (.043). 1-1, 2B
THREE GOATS:
Billy Goat: Clay Holmes (-.211). 4 IP, 18 BF, 6 H, 2 BB, 4 ER, K (L 0-1)
Goat: Seiya Suzuki (-.149). 0-4
Kid: Dansby Swanson (-.119). 0-4
WPA Play of the Game: Jac Caglianoneās second homer of the game off Colin Rea, extending the lead back to two. (.147)
Cubs Play of the Game: Carson Kellyās two-out, two-run double in the fourth inning, cut the lead to two. (.134)
Cubs Player of the Game:
Game 117 Winner: Kevin Gausman received 79 of 98 votes.
Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)
The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.
This spot will return in a day or two.
Up Next: The third and final game of this series, the 17th and final game of this stretch before an off day Monday. Matthew Boyd (7-1, 3.59) starts for the Cubs. Matthew is 5-0 with a 2.66 over his last seven starts, though he did allow four runs to the Dodgers in his last start.
31-year-old righty Randy Dobnak (2-0, 1.16) makes the start for the Royals. Heās made six appearances to date, four of them starts. Heās been in the rotation since the break, recording the two wins and allowing only two runs, both earned, over 21.1 innings as a starter.
Aug 8, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; San Francisco Giants pitcher Landen Roupp (65) talks with San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello (23) before being pulled during the sixth inning against the Detroit Tigers at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
The infield of the 2014 World Series Champions havenāt thrown the ball around the horn in years, but the shadow they cast is a long one. Pablo spread-eagled in foul territory after squeezing Game 7ās final out. Posey wrapping Bumgarner up in his arms. The 4-6-3 double play, the Panik dive and glove flip, the Crawford turn and Belt stretch, is probably the most consequential defensive play in Giants history.
After Saturdayās Wall of Fame pre-game ceremony celebrating the feats of yore, the 2026 Giants honored the inductees by making everyone in attendance pine for those days. Days of winning? Days of championships? Sure, but also just days with familiarity and warmth, chemistry, and some resilience.
An 8-0 loss to the Tigers had none of those things. It was like the 2026 kids were handed a stack of plates and asked to set the table. They got as far as the threshold between the kitchen and dining room before they lost their concentration, got bored or tired or both, and the wobbles started. In Fridayās win, the team regained their balance, they managed the mistakes made and moved forward. On Saturday, the stack of plates teetered, quickly tottered, then crashed to the floorā¦and the kids just sat down amongst the shattered pieces, utterly bewildered.
Landen Roupp and Detroit starter Jackson Jobe traded zeroes through the first five innings. Unlike Fridayās game, baserunners were at a premium. Roupp walked two and allowed just two singles. One of them was a soft dribble that spun back into fair territory in the 2nd that compounded into a bases-loaded situation that Roupp nullified with two shallow flyball outs.
Jobe hadnāt thrown in a Major League game for 14 months and pitched like he was making up for lost time. He allowed just a walk and a single over 5 scoreless innings and needed just 71 pitches to do it. He announced his return with a strike out of Bryce Eldridge. He Kāed righty-mashed Rafael Devers twice and then got him to ground into a double play immediately after Willy Adamesās single (one of two hits the Giants would manage all game). The most convincing knock against Jobe was Drew Gilbertās liner to center in the 2nd. Hard-hit, yes, but the hardest part for centerfield Max Clark was not the quality of contact, but battling the late-afternoon sun.
The game shifted out of the Giants favor when Landen Roupp took the mound in the 6th inning.
Time had passed since he had pitched this deep into a game. He couldnāt stick around through the 4th against the Brewers on July 28th. In his last start against the Padres, he got pulled in the 5th. Walks were a problem in both games, and they scuttled his outing here.
After getting ahead 1-2 on Gleyber Torres, Roup missed big on three of his next four pitches. Bad offerings especially with his curveball that saw his count leverage slip away. He walked Torres. He rifled through his sinker, change-up, curve and sinker again against Dillon Dingler ā all came in uncompetitive and wild. Riley Greene, who had already struck out twice and looked completely lost against Roupp, helped him get some footing in the frame by flailing at three change-ups off the plate. The out was generous, not necessarily earned, and a more disciplined hitter in Colt Keith, who had already walked twice, exposed Rouppās lack of command.
The right-hander disowned the baseball the moment the 3-0 sinker slid from his grasp. A ball all the way, and the pitch sealed the deal. His day was done. He had just generated a rally for the Tigers. Two of those passes were uncompetitive, efficiently handed out on four pitches.
Still, he seemed to huff and puff in visible consternation when Tony Vitello mounted the top step and strode out to the hill. A glare was thrown in the managerās direction, and he shook his head as he aggressively scraped dirt from his studs. He even threw his hands up to his chest and motioned as if to tell Vitello to stay in the dugout. While nothing near the same scale as Deversās infamous finger wag, the gestureās meaning was clear. He wanted to stay in.
Admirable in some instancesā¦myopic, prideful, grace-less in this one.
Words were forced through the webbing of his glove, but Roupp did eventually give up the ball. You walk the bases loaded, you forfeit any legitimate claim to the mound ā Iām sure that truth sank in as he watched the rest of the game from the dugout railing. Hopefully more truths were reckoned with in those lonely and raw moments. Like many of his outings, Roupp was in control and in rhythm, and then suddenly, he wasnāt. The pitch count was in his favor when he started the 6th. He didnāt throw many stressful pitches leading up to it either. So what happened?
Roupp has now pitched one more start than in 2025 and passed his previous career high in innings pitched by 17. Maybe itās the workload. More likely itās the temperament. I can see how losing Torres when he had count advantage served as a penny on the tracks, just thinking about that 2-2 sinker that he yanked, letting it eat away at him ā he couldnāt throw another one for a strike, and Lord knows, he tried.
This was Rouppās fourth game in which he walked 5 or more batters. Heās now tied with Robbie Ray and Trey Yeasavage for most in the Majors. Itās also his ninth start in which the walk total has matched or exceeded the hits total on his final pitching line. The truth is that hasnāt always been a bad thing for him. Heās had success when strutting that fine line, balancing between how much to give and how much to take. Opposing hitters have such a hard time getting quality contact off him that he can sustain and manage inflated BB totals more than most.
After Keaton Winn immediately walked the next batter to plate the Tigersā first run, he fanned both Max Clark and Javier Baez to end the inning and keep Rouppās earned run total at one. It couldāve been a lot worse for the Giantsā starter. It also couldāve been better ā thatās a pill Roupp seems to have swallowed a lot this year.
While Rouppās ERA made out nicely, things did get a lot worse for the team as a whole. The one-run in the 6th broke the freshness seal on the pitching duel and it spoiled fast, devolving into a lopsided and poorly played blowout.
Recently called up right-hander, Trent Harris made his Major League debut ā and it didnāt go well. He threw 14 pitches, faced four batters and three of them reached base. Dillon Dinglerās 2-run double chased Harris from the mound, and his replacement, Reiver Sanmartin didnāt fare much better. Both arms bore the brunt of three runs each as Detroit sent ten up to the plate in the inning.
The defense didnāt help much either. Eddys Leonard made a desperate and ill-advised heave home, allowing Kevin McGonigle to advance to second base, taking away the chance of a double-play on the subsequent ground ball off the bat of Torres. Drew Gilbert lost a line-drive in the sunā¦with the exact tool needed for success perched on his hat rather than over his eyes.
WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 08: Andrew Alvarez #54 of the Washington Nationals pitches in the first inning against the Cincinnati Reds at Nationals Park on August 08, 2026 in Washington, DC. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images
These last two wins have been key in stabilizing the Nats season, which looked to be going off the rails. Between selling at the deadline and that miserable road trip, the playoffs are highly unlikely, but the Nats have righted the ship. Surprisingly, their pitching staff has been a big reason for that.
The back end of the bullpen has been particularly impressive lately. We talked about that yesterday, but they looked good again today. Outside of the home run Max Kranick allowed, the bullpen was pretty close to perfect. It really seems like Blake Butera has a steady back of the pen for the first time all year.
A big reason for that is new addition Yovanny Cruz, who has electric stuff. Blake Butera couldnāt believe some of the pitches he threw, saying Cruz threw some āridiculousā sliders. They were 93 MPH with vicious movement. He also said that Cruz will continue to get more comfortable with his splitter as well.
This Yovanny Cruz slider is the kind of weapon banned in the Geneva Convention pic.twitter.com/I1LwjYkQ0g
Last night, the splitter was very helpful for him. Cruz got back to back whiffs on that pitch to strike out Elly De La Cruz to get out of a jam. The strikes are not always there for Cruz, but the stuff is easy to see. Having your worst pitch be a 100 MPH fastball is pretty nuts.
It is not just Cruz who is helping out this pitching staff though. In the bullpen, guys like Beeter, Ribalta and Tom Cosgrove have also done a nice job. They are also getting some quality outings from Brad Lord and Trevor Williams. A massive weakness has now become much less of a problem. It is too soon to call it a strength, but if the Nats have a 3 or 4 run lead, I am not as worried anymore.
Cade Cavalli and Andrew Alvarez also delivered very solid starts these last two nights. Alvarez has been particularly impressive in his last two outings. For most of the season, he has had a habit of nibbling, but lately he has been attacking the zone with intent.
5 scoreless on 66 pitches for Andrew Alvarez, who is doing a nice job attacking the zone instead of nibbling tonight.
This has made his manager Blake Butera very happy. In the post game interview, both he and Alvarez mentioned how getting too deep into counts has been a problem in the past. Butera said that Alvarez continues to gain more belief in how good his stuff is. He added that āA lot of it when you get to the big leagues is believing you can pitch here and have success hereā.
It seems like Alvarez is starting to gain that belief and realize that he does not have to nibble to get outs. He has some really good breaking stuff, which he showed off tonight. If Alvarez can continue to get deeper into games, his stock will really rise.
At the moment, the pitching staff seems to be in a good spot, outside of a couple guys. However, it seems like help should be on the way soon. Spencer Nusbaum put out an article where he said that prospects Luis Perales and Jackson Kent are likely to join the club sometime soon.
That was a rough road trip for the Nats.
Help could be on the way soon.
What to know about the progress and timelines of Luis Perales and Jackson Kent: https://t.co/upxksTO6l1
Those two would make the staff even more exciting. Kent projects to be a sturdy and dependable number 4 starter with a very good changeup. His stuff is not electric, but he has good command and deception while having average raw stuff.
Meanwhile, Perales is pretty much the opposite. He has a fastball that routinely hits triple digits, a nasty cutter and a splitter that falls off the table. However, his command and execution is a work in progress, though it has been improving lately.
Watching this pitching staff has been a chore for most of the season, but it is looking more exciting as we enter the stretch run. As we enter 2027, the pitching staff is in a much better place than it was entering 2026. That is without even mentioning the return of the Nats top 2 pitching prospects in Travis Sykora and Jarlin Susana.
This time next year, we could be talking about the pitching staff as a borderline strength. A lot of it comes down to the work that Paul Toboni has done. It has taken longer and there have been plenty of misses, but it feels like we are finally finding a formula here.
There is plenty of time for things to go sideways and there are still some real weak links. However, the arrow is finally pointing up on the pitching side. Hopefully that continues down the stretch and the Nats can finish this season on a high note.
San Diego, California - August 08: Gavin Sheets #30 and Jackson Merrill #3 of the San Diego Padres celebrate after Merrill's home run against the Houston Astros during the third inning at Petco Park on Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Meg McLaughlin / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
Michael King gave the San Diego Padres exactly what they needed against the Houston Astros on Saturday. The right-hander returned to his ace-like form and gave his team six innings of three-hit baseball. Over that span he allowed one run and one walk and struck out six batters. Jackson Merrill provided the offense driving in two runs, one of which came on a solo home run to center field, and the Padres went on to beat the Astros 3-2 at Petco Park.
King looked locked in throughout his start and used 93 pitches to get through the sixth. He threw 64 pitches for strikes and the one run he allowed came on a solo home run to Taylor Trammell in the top of the second inning. The ball was hit out of the yard to tie the game 1-1 at the time, but it was not a bad pitch, it was just a better piece of hitting by the former San Diego farmhand.
The Padres offense made Astros starter Peter Lambert work. They did not score a ton of runs, but he was under attack throughout his outing, which lasted five innings. He allowed three runs, two earned, on five hits with three walks and three strikeouts. It seemed like almost every at-bat was a seven or eight pitch at-bat and many times it was more than that.
San Diego and Houston will meet for the final game of the series in the rubber match today at 5:20 p.m.
Padres News:
Ethan Salas cannot stop hitting at Triple-A and David Morgan continues to work back to his big-league return.
The Toronto Blue Jays are +170 underdogs as they look to complete the sweep in Philadelphia today.
My Blue Jays vs. Phillies predictions and MLB picks for Sunday, Aug. 9 expect Toronto to keep things close, with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. factoring in at the plate.
Blue Jays vs Phillies predictions
Blue Jays vs Phillies best bet: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 0.5 singles (-130)
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. historically hits left-handed pitching well, and weāve seen that more over the last month.
Vladdy has hit .333 with a 50% hard hit rate, a number not bested by any member of the Toronto Blue Jays during that span.
His improved play has led to a spike in hits, but the power still lags behind. Only one of his hits went for extra bases, which is a plus when chasing singles.
Jesus Luzardo is excellent at limiting quality contact, forcing opponents to take what they can get. That sets up well for Guerrero Jr. and his current hitting profile.
Alejandro Kirk leads the Blue Jays with a strong .279 average against lefties this season. He hasnāt hit for power (35% hard hit rate, 3% barrel rate), leading to almost all of his hits going for just a base.
Shane Bieber struggled out of the gate but has posted a 4.18 xFIP or lower in three of his last four starts.
He is pitching much better, and should be able to keep this game competitive against a Philadelphia Phillies offense ranking 25th in wOBA vs. right-handed pitching over the last month.
Blue Jays vs Phillies SGP
Alejandro Kirk Over 0.5 singles
Shane Bieber Under 2.5 earned runs
Blue Jays +1.5
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You can sign up and join BET99 ā one of the best Alberta betting apps ā now to get in on the Blue Jays action!
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Blue Jays vs Phillies home run pick: Kazuma Okamoto (+380)
Kazuma Okamoto has been the go-to power source for the Blue Jays all season, and is the most likely candidate to go yard in this game.
It is feast-or-famine for Okamoto, as heās struck out a lot while chasing power. Itās hard to argue with the process given he leads the team in hard hit rate, barrel rate, and homers when facing left-handed pitching.
Run line: Toronto +1.5 (-120) | Philadelphia -1.5 (+100)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (+100) | Under 8.5 (-120)
Blue Jays vs Phillies trend
Toronto has covered the Run Line in 24 of the last 40 away games (+6.20 units, 11% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Blue Jays vs. Phillies.
How to watch Blue Jays vs Phillies and game info
Location
Citizens Bank Park, Philadelphia, PA
Date
Sunday, August 9, 2026
First pitch
1:35 p.m. ET
TV
NBCSP, SN
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Shane Bieber (3-2, 5.11 ERA)
Phillies starting pitcher
Jesus Luzardo (10-5, 3.36 ERA)
Blue Jays vs Phillies latest injuries
Blue Jays vs Phillies 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.
ARLINGTON, TEXAS - AUGUST 08: Jacob deGrom #48 of the Texas Rangers throws a pitch against the Baltimore Orioles during the first inning at Globe Life Field on August 08, 2026 in Arlington, Texas. (Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning, folksā¦
The Texas Rangers beat the Baltimore Orioles last night by a score of 5-1.
The DMNās game story talks about Jacob deGrom coming up big in his first start after saying he wanted to stay with the Rangers, and win with the Rangers, rather than be traded.
Carson Demartini of the Reading Fightin Phils hits the ball during a Minor League Baseball game at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater, United States, on April 16, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Good lord, a clean sweep of the Phillies organization yesterday. Even the kids on the minor league level were getting shelled.
Worcester 19, Lehigh Valley 0
El.
Oh.
El.
The IronPigs were just bad in every which way you can think of. The hitting? Bad ā only three hits on the game, but at least one of them was a double! Thanks Tommy Pham! The pitching? Atrocious ā Steward Berroa got into the game and let in fewer runs than the first, second or third pitcher for the IronPigs. At least Alex McFarlane had a clean inning! You know who didnāt? Chase Shugart at the big league level.
An all around forgettable night.
Richmond 6, Reading 2
Carson DeMartini homered, continuing a solid year for him in something of a bounceback for his prospect status. It was only his fifth home run of the year, but considering how last year, he wasnāt very good, weāll take it. That was pretty much the only offense on the night as the Fightinā Phils were stifled by the Flying Squirrels pitching staff. Brayden Tucker had a rough night pitching, allowing five runs in 3 2/3 innings, but what was nice to see was Mavis Graves pitching two innings of scoreless relief. Since the team converted him to relief, he has had three solid outings in a row in the month of August, a good sign that perhaps the transition is going well for him.
Frederick 3, Jersey Shore 1
Robert Phelps had a three hit night for the BlueClaws, yet the only run they could muster was an RBI single by Devin Saltiban as they ran into a duo of Kyson Witherspoon and Evan Yates that each went four innings for the Keys and kept the Jersey Shore offense in check. Tanner Gresham had a good night pitching for the BlueClaws, going five innings and only giving up one run, striking out eight for his troubles, but Micah Ottenbreit had a rough sequence in the seventh in which he allowed a double, RBI single, wild pitch then another RBI single to give Frederick two more runs that they needed for the win.
Tampa 4, Clearwater 2
Completing the sweep of the organization, the Threshers lost to the Tarpons by only five hits on the night, two from Matthew Ferrera, not nearly enough to back a pitching staff that actually, all things considered, wasnāt too bad. Matthew Fisher was on the mound to start and gave up only a solo home run over four innings, striking out six. A cavalcade of relievers allowed the remaining three runs, but without an offense that wasnāt doing much, it didnāt really matter. The two runs they did score came in the eighth when Romeli Espinosa tripled, scored on a single by Victor Cardoza, who then scored when he made his way to third and came in on a sacrifice fly by Jack Hopko.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - AUGUST 08: The Voice of the Seattle Mariners Rick Rizzs speaks during the Seattle Mariners 50th Season Celebration at T-Mobile Park on August 08, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Jack Compton/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mariners celebrated 50 years of mostly mediocre baseball by playing yet another mediocre baseball game. They will attempt to appear more competent tomorrow at 1:10 PST.
In Mariners newsā¦
During last nightās 50 Seasons celebration, John Stanton surprised an emotional Rick Rizzs with the news that he will inducted to the Mariners Hall of Fame next season, joining his old broadcast partner Dave Niehaus.
Last nights 50 Years of Mariners Baseball Celebration was a delight, and you can look at the full list of honored players right here, along with player bios and the beautifully drawn portraits that were up on the jumbotron. Who do you think got snubbed? Hint: itās Mike Zunino.
Kade Anderson, coming to a T-Mobile Park near you, hopefully very soon.
Kade Anderson now has a 1.13 ERA in 87.2 innings this season.
That's the lowest ERA in a minor league season with at least 80 IP since 2017.
Anderson also has a 0.65 WHIP and 37.1% K-BB, neither of which have been done in the last 20 years (Min 80 IP).#TridentsUpā¦
Future Hall of Famer Max Scherzer further solidified his first ballot credentials by tying, and then subsequently passing Walter Johnson to officially become one of the ten best strikeout pitchers ever.
Former Mariner Yimi Garcia was diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome on Friday and will āmost likelyā miss the rest of the season, though Garcia has not decided whether or not he will get surgery to repair it yet.
VENICE, FLORIDA - MARCH 16, 2025: Owen Carey #30 of the Atlanta Braves bats during the second inning of a spring training Spring Breakout game against the Detroit Tigers at CoolToday Park on March 16, 2025 in Venice, Florida. (Photo by George Kubas/Diamond Images via Getty Images) | Diamond Images/Getty Images
Saturday was a busy day in the Atlanta Braves farm system, with a total of six games played, that the Braves affiliates split. The headliner had to be Owen Carey hitting his first Double-A home run just a handful of games into his promotion. However we also got to see JR Ritchie throw five innings of one unearned run baseball, exciting DSL arm Martires Polanco with a big start, and positive performances from Alex Lodise, Eric Hartman, John Gil, Patrick Clohisy, and Carter Beck among the notables.
Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 8, Gwinnett Stripers 4
Patrick Clohisy, CF: 1-4, 2B, .403/.465/.649
Rowdy Tellez, 1B: 2-4, 2B, 2 RBI, .262/.362/.488
Drue Hackenberg, SP: 4.2 IP, 8 H, 6 ER, 2 BB, 7 K, 6.16 ERA
Drue Hackenberg started the first half of the doubleheader and struggled in this one. Hackenberg allowed six runs on eight hits and a pair of walks, though did strike out seven and had 12 whiffs. Hackenberg allowed a run in the first, four in the third, and then the final run came during the fifth inning. Duncan Davitt, the return in the Joey Bart deal at the deadline, made his first appearance with the Braves organization and allowed a run in his inning and a third, but did strike out two with three whiffs. Rolddy Munoz pitched the final inning and also allowed a run to score.
The offense was led by Rowdy Tellez and Cal Conley in the first game. Tellez had a single, double, and two runs batted in during his four plate appearances, while Conley singled twice, stole a base, batted in a run, and scored two runs. Brewer Hicklen was the third Striper to reach base multiple times, as he walked, singled, and batted in a run. Patrick Clohisy was one for four, but that hit was a double.
Gwinnett Stripers 4, Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp 1
Patrick Clohisy, CF: 0-1, 2 BB, R, 2 SB, .397/.472/.641
Rowdy Tellez, DH: 2-2, BB, .268/.369/.492
JR Ritchie, SP: 5 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 6 K, 3.52 ERA
In a second game that was already being shortened to seven innings, JR Ritchie got credit for a complete game when the game was called at five innings. Ritchie allowed a pair of hits and walks with one unearned run, striking out six and getting six swings and misses. It took him 80 pitches to get through five innings, with 47 of them for strikes.
The offense saw seven of the nine guys in the lineup reach base despite this being a five inning game. Patrick Clohisy walked twice, stole two bases, and scored a run to reach base three times between the two games. Rowdy Tellez also continued his strong day by going two for two with a walk, making him four for six on the day. Sandy Leon added a home run, while Brett Wisely had a pair of singles.
Columbus got a dominant pitching effort as three pitchers combined to strike out 15 hitters in a shutout. Starter Garrett Baumann did the bulk of the work, going five innings and giving up just one hit and three walks with nine strikeouts and 22 whiffs. Then two relievers went two scoreless innings apiece. First was Isaac Gallegos, who allowed a hit and a walk as he struck out three to go with six whiffs. Then came Blane Abeyta, who allowed one hit with three strikeouts and eight whiffs. Biloxi hitters managed just three hits and four walks on the day, despite having a strong lineup led by the gameās top prospect in Jesus Made.
The bottom of the order led the way, but the recently promoted trio at the top certainly had their moments in this win. Owen Carey hit his first Double-A home run, going one for three with a walk and batting in three runs, while John Gil walked twice and stole a base, while Eric Hartman singled, walked, stole a base, and scored a run. The leaders at the bottom of the lineup included Will Verdung going three for three with a double, walk, and two runs scored, Kevin Kilpatrick Jr. homering for the second straight day and batting in four on a two-hit night, and Luke Waddell also having a two-hit game that included a double.
Greensboro Grasshoppers 3, Rome Emperors 2
Alex Lodise, SS: 2-4, 2B, BB, RBI, .282/.383/.487
Dixon Williams, 2B: 0-3, 2 BB, SB, .219/.326/.410
Conor Essenburg, RF: 0-4, BB, R, .200/.304/.250
Cade Kuehler, SP: 4.2 IP, 0 H, 1 ER, 7 BB, 1 K, 5.76 ERA
Rome lost this one in the 11th inning after blowing a lead in the ninth inning. Cade Kuehler got the start and it was a bit of a weird one for him. On one hand he pitched four and two thirds no-hit innings, and allowed one run. However he also walked seven and struck out only one with three whiffs on his 81 pitches. Mathieu Curtis followed with two scoreless innings. Tyler Schoff went the next two and a third, and he was the pitcher who gave up that run in the top of the ninth. The 10th and 11th went to Jarret Whorff, who allowed only the inherited ghost runner to score in the 11th.
Alex Lodise put together another solid game, going two for four with a double, walk, and run batted in. That gives him an .870 OPS with four walks and only five strikeouts over 47 plate appearances through his first 10 games since being promoted. Dixon Williams was hitless in three at bats, but drew a pair of walks and stole a base, while Conor Essenburg walked and scored a run during his five plate appearances. Archer Brookman added a double and walk, while Dallas Macias had a single and a walk. Luis Guanipa was hitless in five at bats, while Cody Miller went one for five.
Hickory Crawdads 10, Augusta GreenJackets 1
Carter Beck, CF: 2-4, .471/.526/.471
Juan Mateo, SS: 1-4, 2B, RBI, .253/.332/.349
Caden Merritt, LF: 1-3, BB, SB, .200/.348/.273
Carter Lovasz, RP: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 2 K, 3.26 ERA
This game didnāt start until almost 8:30 due to rain, and Iām guessing Augusta came away wishing this one never started as they lost 10-1. Luis Arestigueta got the start in what was a bullpen game, and went one inning allowing a pair of runs. Yander Pinero came in for the next inning and also gave up two runs. The next two and a third innings went to Lewis Sifontes, who allowed three runs (two earned). Then came Cristobal Abreu for an inning and a third, and he allowed three unearned runs. The only Augusta pitcher not to allow any runs to score was Carter Lovasz, who went the final two and a third innings in this loss.
The Augusta offense struggled to get anything going in this one, scoring just one run on five hits and four walks. Two of those five hits came from Carter Beck, who continues to be red hot to start out his professional career. Two more were doubles, from the bats of Juan Mateo and Cooper McMurray. The other came from Caden Merritt, who singled, walked, and stole a base, having him join Beck as players to reach base multiple times. Itās also worth noting that due to the recent promotions and sudden rash of injuries (Patrick Engskov and Manuel Campos this week alone), Juan Mateo played in just his third game of the season at shortstop defensively.
Martires Polanco continued his excellent season in the first year of his professional career with another strong outing on Saturday. Polanco allowed just one unearned run on three hits and two walks over five innings, striking out eight. Diego Ramirez allowed a run over an inning and two thirds of relief, with Darren Pereira coming on to pick up the save by getting the final out of the game.
Catcher Jose Nelo was the leader today, playing first base and going one for two with a walk and double as he accounted for all four runs via one run scored and three batted in. Edelson Cabral was hitless in his two at bats, but walked twice, stole a base, and scored a run. Joan Hernandez also stood one as he singled in his only official at bat and also walked twice to reach base in all three plate appearances. The only other hit was a Luis Fortunato single.
SURPRISE, AZ - OCTOBER 24: Joey Mancini #39 of the Surprise Saguaros pitches during the game between the Peoria Javelinas and the Surprise Saguaros at Surprise Stadium on Thursday, October 24, 2024 in Surprise, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous dayās recap here.
AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (59-53) lost 10-1 (BOX SCORE)
Mayer made his Triple-A debut but got roughed up a bit allowing 6 runs over 3 innings of work. The pen allowed another four runs as the Isotopes opened up a big lead. The offense got on the board in the 8th on an Alexander RBI double but that was it as Sugar Land fell 10-1.
AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (51-56) won 3-1 (BOX SCORE)
Taylor made his Double-A debut and was solid allowing 1 run over 4 innings while striking out 5. The Hooks got on the board in the third inning on a Holy solo home run, and another in the 4th inning on a Schiavone RBI double. In the 6th, the offense added another run on a wild pitch. The bullpen was great tossing 5 scoreless innings as they closed out the 3-1 win.
Note: Encarnacion has 48 stolen bases this season.
Joey Mancini, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (SAVE)
A+: Asheville Tourists (34-69) SUSPENDED
A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (53-52) lost 6-2 (BOX SCORE)
The Woodpeckers got on the board in the 2nd inning scoring on a wild pitch. Pichardo got the start for the Woodpeckers and allowed 5 runs over 3 innings of work. The Woodpeckers got one back in the 5th on a Ramirez RBI single. Carrera went the final 5 innings allowing just one unearned run with 8 strikeouts but the offense was unable to score again as they fell 6-2.
New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon delivers a pitch during his rehab start Saturday, Aug. 8, 2026, against the Rochester Red Wings at PNC Field in Moosic, Pa. | Kirsten Peters / SWB RailRiders
MOOSIC, Pa. ā It wasnāt about the results. What mattered was how Carlos Rodón felt after making a rehab start Saturday night for the Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders against the Rochester Red Wings at PNC Field.
Since he felt good, the New York Yankeesā left-hander was satisfied with the outing despite allowing three runs and three hits ā including a home run ā in 2.2 innings.
āIām happy with how I feel healthwise,ā Rodón said. āBarring the results, I just feel good about how I came out of the game.
āIt was good to get back on the mound and compete. The goal was to get out there and get 48 pitches in. So Iām happy with how I feel.ā
RailRiders manager Shelley Duncan said that Rodón may not have had his best stuff, but did show some good glimpses.
āYouāre not going to see his best in the process of building up to where he wants to be and thatās understandable,ā Duncan said. āItās a journey when you come back from anything and develop a pitch count. But he was attacking the zone, his slider looked good, his fastball looked good.ā
On the injured list retroactive to June 30th with left elbow inflammation, Rodón threw 48 pitches Saturday, 29 for strikes. He walked two, struck out four and topped out at 93.8 mph on a pitch to Seaver King in the top of the third inning.
Rodón was fine with his velocity.
āI think it will tick up when I get on the mound at Yankee Stadium,ā he said.
āI had a good mix. Obviously, I was working on fastball command mostly. Mixing some sliders and changeups, a couple of sinkers. Just normal work.ā
Things got off to an inauspicious start when King whacked Rodónās third pitch past the 408-foot mark in center field to the grassy area beyond the fence for a home run, giving the Red Wings a quick 1-0 lead.
āIt was just a fastball middle down and he put a good swing on it,ā Rodón said. āTip of the cap, thatās good for him.ā
He retired the next seven batters after yielding the home run. He got Phillip Glasser and Yohandy Morales on groundouts and Trey Lipscomb on a strikeout to end the first inning. In the top of the second, he threw just nine pitches and got Riley Adams on a flyout, caught Sam Petersen looking at strike three and Cayden Wallace on a groundout.
After whiffing Maxwell Romero Jr. on three pitches to start the top of the third, things soured for Rodón. Leandro Pineda dunked a double inside the right-field foul line. After King walked, Glasser punched a triple into the right-field corner to score both Pineda and King and give Rochester a 3-0 lead on its way to an 8-0 victory.
āSinkers in, Iām not upset with the pitches,ā Rodón said. āI think the exit velo on both of them was pretty low. One was 78, the other was 80-something. Obviously, the results for them were good. If Iām nitpicky, Iām probably a little more down with the sinker. But they were three balls inside. I think I broke one bat.
āIām not too caught up in the results. Thereās more important games to be pitched.ā
Morales walked and Lipscomb struck out for the second out of the inning. With the count 1-1 to Adams, Rodón reached his 48-pitch limit and Duncan came out of the RailRiders dugout to get him.
āItās not like you can say he got shelled. He didnāt,ā Duncan said. āThe only really well-hit ball was the home run. It was right into the guyās bat path.
āIt was good. He got his work in, got what he needed to get done. Just keep moving forward. Looking forward to him getting healthy and helping that big-league team.ā
When that is remains uncertain. Rodón doesnāt know what his next step is. It could be another rehab start. He could also rejoin the Yankees and āpiggybackā in starts with another pitcherā-like Ryan Weathers or Will Warrenāwhile he builds up his pitch count.
āItās beyond my control,ā Rodón said. āJust looking forward to getting back on the mound whether itās here or Double-A, maybe in the big leagues I donāt know. Iām assuming it will be one more rehab start, but Iām not sure. Itās not up to me.
āIt might be a pitch-count thing. Obviously I need to get the pitch count up. If itās another rehab start, weāll work on a couple more things and Iāll be happy with it.ā
Whatever the case, Rodón is eager to get back to pitching for the Yankees.
āItās pretty frustrating having to be in this situation once again, not being able to compete and trying to help the team win,ā he said. āWeāve struggled as of late, but I feel like weāve played some pretty good baseball considering a lot of close games ā 2-1, 2-0 ā that weāve had to learn how to win. I think that will make us better down the stretch.ā
In his second game with the RailRiders since being sent down by the Yankees, Anthony Volpe started at second base Saturday night. It was just the third time he played the position in the minors and the first since 2021 when he did it twice: once with Low-A Tampa and once with High-A Hudson Valley.
With a runner on first in the top of the eighth inning, Volpe made a nice play going to his right to field a ball hit by Glasser. He shoveled it with his glove to shortstop Oswaldo Cabrera for the force at second. Cabrera then threw to first to complete the 4-6-3 double play.
Volpe finished with three assists and two putouts, including applying the tag when left fielder Jasson DomĆnguez threw out Glasser trying to stretch a single into a double leading off the top of the fifth.
āHeās so athletic and quick,ā Duncan said of Volpe. āHe can be good anywhere. Throw him anywhere and I expect him to be good, no matter what the position is.ā
Offensively, Volpe was 1-for-4 with two strikeouts. He ripped a two-out double into the left-field corner in the third inning, but unfortunately Tyler Hardman was thrown out at the plate trying to score from first base.
One night earlier, in his first game back with the RailRiders, Volpe was 1-for-5 with three strikeouts. However, the hit was a two-run home run.
PHOENIX, AZ - MAY 05: Alek Thomas #5 of the Arizona Diamondbacks looks on during the game between the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on Tuesday, May 5, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Julia Jacome/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
All four Dodgers affiliates lost on Saturday.
Player of the day
Alek Thomas drove in four runs on Friday, then plated another four runs on Saturday for Oklahoma City. He tripled, doubled, and had two singles against Salt Lake.
The Comets were on the wrong end of an offensive battle, falling 14-13 to the Salt Lake Bees (Angels). Each team had one five-run inning, one three-run frame, and two two-run innings. Salt Lake had two one-run innings to Oklahoma Cityās one to come out on top.
This was the highest-scoring game of the series that has thus far seen a combined 82 runs through five games.
Ryan Ward had three more hits and a walk. Eliezer Alfonzo had two hits, a walk, and drove in three runs.
Emmet Sheehanās first start back in Triple-A was a planned short outing, as Jerming Rosario was already warming up to follow Sheehan when Sheehan was pulled after two outs, 22 innings, and two runs in.
Jackson Ferris started pitching in the second inning and allowed nine runs in 4 2/3 innings.
Double-A Tulsa
The Drillers scored just once in a close loss to the Corpus Christi Hooks (Astros).
Shortstop Elijah Hainline had two of Tulsaās four hits. Josue De Paula singled and walked.
Left-hander Luke Fox returned after nearly 16 weeks on the injured list to strike out two in his three innings. He allowed a run on a solo home run, his only hit given up, and also walked a batter.