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It’s Shohei Ohtani Day at Daikin Park as the Los Angeles Dodgers face the Houston Astros on May 5. 

My Dodgers vs. Astros predictions and MLB picks expect Los Angeles to come away with the win in what will be a low-scoring affair.

Who will win Dodgers vs Astros today: Dodgers (-225)

Shohei Ohtani is an early leader for the Cy Young, allowing just two earned runs over his first 30 frames. 

He gives the Los Angeles Dodgers a substantial starting pitching edge over the Houston Astros. Although Peter Lambert has been effective (3.52 ERA), he’ll likely regress toward his 6.12 career ERA given his underwhelming stuff (93 Stuff+).

When it gets to the bullpen, Houston has a league-worst 6.22 ERA in relief. The arms are taxed after essentially throwing two consecutive bullpen games, making this a tough spot.

COVERS INTEL: Houston thrives by hitting for average (.284), but it’ll be difficult to string together hits against Ohtani and his .183 xBA. 

Dodgers vs Astros Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-115)

The Under has hit in four of the five games Ohtani has started, and I’m going to keep riding that trend until it stops reaping profit. 

It works twofold. On the mound, he’s arguably been the sport’s best starting pitcher, suppressing runs at an elite rate. Since Dave Roberts has been removing Ohtani from the lineup on days he starts lately, it deprives the Boys in Blue of their best hitter. 

L.A. has been slumping at the plate lately, averaging 3.2 runs across its last six games. Without Ohtani, Mookie Betts, and Tommy Edman in the lineup, this may not be a “blow-up” offensive spot but more of a low-scoring win instead.

Dodgers vs Astros odds

• Moneyline: Dodgers -220 | Astros +212
• Run line: Dodgers -1.5 (-130) | Astros +1.5 (+110)
• Over/Under: Over  8.5 (-105) | Under 8.5 (-115)

Dodgers vs Astros trend

The Dodgers have hit the Under in five of their last seven away games. Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs. Astros.

How to watch Dodgers vs Astros and game info

Dodgers vs Astros latest injuries

Dodgers vs Astros weather

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The Milwaukee Brewers dropped the series opener to the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 at Busch Stadium.

My Brewers vs. Cardinals predictionssee the road team flipping the script, facing a pitcher they’ve enjoyed plenty of success against.

Let’s dive deeper into my daily MLB picks for Tuesday, May 5.

Who will win Brewers vs Cardinals today: Brewers moneyline (-110)

Brandon Sproat’s xFIP and SIERA are two full runs less than his ERA, suggesting he hasn’t pitched as poorly as it appears on the surface.

He has also improved as the season progressed. Sproat pitched more than 16 innings over his last three starts, allowing four, four, and six hits, respectively. 

If he can keep the ball in the park, the Milwaukee Brewers will be in good shape. 

Andre Pallante has posted some concerning numbers against lefties (47.2% hard-hit rate, 13.2% barrel rate), and the Brewers have plenty of good ones in their lineup.

COVERS INTEL: Pallante has allowed 17 runs over his last four starts against Milwaukee.

Brewers vs Cardinals Over/Under pick: Under 8.0 (-120)

Sproat has done a better job of limiting baserunners of late. Untimely homers have led to bigger run totals, which is less of a concern in 50F weather, where the winds will be blowing in.

If Sproat can hold his own early, the Brewers will turn to an excellent bullpen that ranks fifth in xFIP and is tied for third in homers allowed per nine innings.

Colder weather and Pallante’s high ground-ball rate (50%) should allow the St. Louis Cardinals to limit the long ball. That’ll make it difficult to score runs in bulk, helping keep this game Under the total.

Brewers vs Cardinals odds

• Moneyline: Brewers -110 | Cardinals -110
• Run line: Brewers -1.5 (+160) | Cardinals +1.5 (-190)
• Over/Under: Over 8 (+100) | Under 8 (-120)

Brewers vs Cardinals trend

The Milwaukee Brewers have hit the Game Total Under in 15 of their last 25 away games (+5.25 Units / 19% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Brewers vs. Cardinals.

How to watch Brewers vs Cardinals and game info

Brewers vs Cardinals latest injuries

Brewers vs Cardinals weather

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.

Brock Stewart rejoined the Dodgers in Houston after his three weeks on a minor league rehab assignment. He did not get activated Monday, after pitching on Sunday for Triple-A Oklahoma City, but will likely end his injured-list stint at some point during this series against the Astros.

That means one pitcher will be optioned to the minors to make room on the active roster for Stewart.

Going by the “last in, first out” method, left-hander Jake Eder would be the one on the way out. Eder joined the team on April 20 when closer Edwin Díaz was placed on the injured list. Eder has been fine, allowing one run in his four innings, but he’s appeared at the end of lopsided games, entering while ahead by 10 runs, up eight, down two, and down three runs. His average leverage index is lowest among all Dodgers pitchers in 2026, save for the lone mound appearance by position player Miguel Rojas.

Kyle Hurt began the season in the minors and joined Los Angeles on April 13, when Ben Casparius was placed on the injured list. He’s excelled since, with 11 strikeouts and only one walk in eight innings in his eight appearances, with one run allowed, though he’s pitched in nearly as low-leverage situations on average as Eder.

Edgardo Henriquez has been active all season. After entering in a tie game on March 27 in his first appearance of the season, he’s either come into games when the Dodgers were trailing or up by five or more runs. He has 10 strikeouts in 10 1/3 innings in his 11 games, but also a 5.23 ERA and 4.04 xERA and six walks.

Today’s question is who do you think will get optioned once Brock Stewart is activated?

Liverpool principal owner John Henry has insisted Fenway Sports Group "don't settle for mediocrity" amid disappointing performances from its two biggest assets; the Boston Red Sox and the Premier League holders.

Henry was responding to his sacking of the long-serving Red Sox manager Alex Cora in April after the team won just 10 of their first games of their Major League Baseball campaign.

After Sunday's defeat by rivals Manchester United, Liverpool have now lost 18 times in all competitions - their most in a single campaign since suffering the same amount under Brendan Rodgers in 2014-15.

In an email to the Sports Business Journal, Henry referenced an incident when fans criticised the ownership recently, while emphasising the need for hard work in order to turn fortunes around.

"Fans get frustrated. The Sox looked terrible for (their) first 25 games," he wrote.

"I remember a plane flying overhead when we were beating Manchester United 7-0 that read 'FSG OUT!'.

"It doesn't mean you ignore them, it means you work harder – you don't settle for mediocrity. You have to win."

Some Liverpool fans have recently been protesting against planned ticket price increases over the next three years, while some supporters have called for Arne Slot to become the first Reds title-winning boss to be sacked the following year.

Happy Tuesday! In an exciting and much-needed win, the Mariners scored five runs in the sixth inning last night to secure a 5-4 win at home. Home runs from Luke Raley and J.P. Crawford powered starter Logan Gilbert to his second win of the season in the series opener against the Atlanta Braves. George Kirby takes the mound tonight against RHP Bryce Elder for the 6:40 PM start.

In Mariners news…

• ICYMI: Gabe Speier was placed on the 15-day IL prior to yesterday’s game due to left shoulder inflammation. In a few additional roster moves, LHP Josh Simpson has been recalled from Triple-A Tacoma, RHP Cole Wilcox has been optioned to Triple-A Tacoma, and Jose Suarez has reported to the club.
• The Mariners have been among baseball’s worst defensive teams so far this season according to the Outs Above Average (OAA) and Fielding Run Value metrics.
• Top infield prospect Felnin Celesten has been putting up intriguing numbers for the Everett AquaSox as he earned his second straight Northwest Player of the Week award yesterday.

Around the league…

• A very impressive start to the Chicago White Sox infielder’s MLB career (and shoutout to former Mariner legend Dae-Ho Lee):

• Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal is set to undergo surgery for loose bodies in his left elbow, and is expected to miss two to three months.
• The Houston Astros have placed catcher Yanier Diaz on the 10-day IL with a left oblique injury.
• The Baltimore Orioles have signed free agent RHP Lou Trivino to a major league deal.
• With rotation depth continuing to be a consistent problem for the San Diego Padres, RHP Randy Vasquez has stepped up into a larger role that could be beneficial to the team’s future.
• Veteran LHP Andrew Chafin has opted out of his minor league deal with the Cincinnati Reds and is now a free agent.
• The Chicago White Sox have signed outfielder Randal Grichuk to a major league deal and placed Austin Hays on the 10-day IL with a left calf strain.
• The Atlanta Braves have traded catcher Jonah Heim to the Athletics in exchange for cash considerations.
• The Chicago Cubs were powered to their 12th-straight home win by outfielder Michael Conforto’s walk-off home run last night.
• Legendary New York Yankees radio voice John Sterling has passed away at the age of 87 after 36 seasons with the team.

Welcome to Tuesday everyone!

The A’s had their off day yesterday and now it’s time to get ready for game action to resume. The team is on the road and on the East Coast yet again, their third trip to the other side of the country already. Not a fun travel schedule to open the year but on the bright side they’re getting these longer trips out of the way early.

We’re in Philadelphia tonight to take on the Phillies in the first of three. The high-priced Phillies, whose $282 million payroll ranks fifth in all of baseball, came into this year with sky-high expectations after winning the NL East. They unfortunately ran into the eventual champion Los Angeles Dodgers in the first round and got knocked out in four games, but they brought back essentially the same team that won 96 games.

Things have not gone their way this season however. They’re sitting in fourth place in their division entering this series at just 14-20, behind the Nationals ($92 million, 26th) and Marlins ($77 million, 30th). They are 10 1/2 games back of the division-leading Atlanta Braves, and a lot of that has to do with under performance on both sides of the ball.

The Philly offense ranks just 17th in home runs, but more worryingly for them they are near the bottom in batting average (28th), on-base percentage (also 28th), slugging (26th), and total runs scored (27th). They’ve gotten solid production out of players like Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and Brandon Marsh, but the rest of their starting lineup all have an OPS below .700, which should cause panic for Philly fans.

As for their pitching, the team ranks second in all of baseball in strikeouts, but also is just 26th in team ERA. Their pitching staff has given up the most hits in the sport and are tied for fourth in total runs allowed. They’ve certainly missed Zack Wheeler (who only just returned from injury) and Ranger Suarez (FA departure), but veterans Aaron Nola (6.03 ERA), Jesus Luzardo (5.09 ERA), and Taijuan Walker (9.13 ERA) have crippled the Phillies’ starting rotation with poor performances, and top prospect Andrew Painter (5.28 ERA) hasn’t been any better. Meanwhile their bullpen has been middle-of-the-pack as they’ve certainly missed flamethrowing closer Jhoan Duran, who has been on the IL for the past month but is nearing a return, though he’ll likely be activated after the A’s leave town.

Tonight’s series-opening matchup will see right-hander Luis Severino get the ball for the home team. His season to date has certainly seen its peaks and valleys. He has a 4.46 ERA but generally pitches better away from Sacramento. He’s coming off a pair of very strong outings and looks to be on a role entering tonight. He’ll be opposed by Philly ace Cristopher Sanchez, who has kept the Philadelphia rotation afloat with a great 2.90 ERA through his first seven starts.

Wednesday evening’s game will feature left-hander Jeffrey Springs on the mound for the Athletics. The veteran started the year out strong pitching to a 1.46 ERA through his first four starts but he’s been more vulnerable in his past three outings. He actually departed his most recent start with hip tightness but it seems he’s dodged any sort of injury and looks primed for a bounce back against the Phillies, whom he doesn’t have much experience pitching against. He’ll be opposed by Zack Wheeler, Philadelphia’s true ace when healthy. This’ll be his third game since returning from injury and so far he’s looked like he hasn’t skipped a beat. He went five innings of 2-run ball against Atlanta in his first start back, then followed that up with one run allowed over six innings against the Marlins. This could be a tough matchup for the offense if he really is back to his normal self.

And finally the series wraps up on Thursday night with a pitching matchup pitting young right-hander J.T. Ginn against fellow young arm Andrew Painter. Ginn had his first truly bad outing last time out when he allowed five runs in 4 1/3 innings of work against the Guardians, though before that he’d been on a roll so he’ll be looking to bounce back and get back on the right path. Painter on the other hand has given up 11 runs over his previous three starts so the A’s may be getting him at the right time when he’s not quite on his game and still figuring things out. This is, after all, his first big league action of his career.

The A’s sit with a two-game lead in the division entering tonight. It’d be great to extend it with a win over an under performing Phillies squad. We’ll be without one of our biggest bats while in Philly as Shea Langeliers gets some time off to be with his wife and newborn son. Hopefully backup Austin Wynns is ready to take advantage of this opportunity. The A’s made a late night move yesterday evening to give Wynns his backup, trading for Jonah Heim from the Atlanta Braves:

The move reunited Heim and the A’s after the organization traded him to the Texas Rangers in exchange for Elvis Andrus way back in 2021. The catcher would go on to have a successful run in Texas, making the All-Star Team in 2023. He fell off hard after that excellent year however, spending two more years as the Rangers’ primary backup before moving on to Atlanta this past offseason. He’s only made it into 12 games for the Braves so far and now that former Athletic Sean Murphy is back, Heim’s role became redundant. But not for the A’s. He’ll be Wynn’s backup for this Phillies series, and who knows, he could end up sticking around a bit longer even when Langeliers returns.

First pitch is a little earlier than usual for us here on the West Coast. 3:40 start time this evening. Have a great day A’s fans.

A’s Coverage:

• Civale and Soderstrom lead Athletics to a Sunday Victory
• Langeliers HRs twice on wife’s b-day, then welcomes 1st child; taking time off
• A’s Drop Second Straight To Guardians 14-6
• A Walk In The Park Is Nice…To A Point
• A’s Drop Series Opener To Guardians 8-5
• Three Things To Watch For The Athletics In May
• A’s Hold off Royals to Win Series Finale
• A Moment To Appreciate The Awesomeness That Is Carlos Cortes
• A’s defeat the Royals 5-2 behind Severino & Butler
• A’s drop opener 4-1 to Royals in extra innings
• Another hard-luck injury (fractured hand) lands Muncy on IL
• Kurtz ‘starting to get back to himself’ — and that’s a scary prospect
• What the Athletics’ Hot Start Means for Their 2026 Trade Deadline Strategy
• When he Reached the New World, Cortes Burned Opposing Pitchers

MLB News and Interest:

• Skubal to have surgery for loose bodies in elbow; timetable TBD
• John Sterling, beloved longtime Yankees radio voice, passes at 87
• Brewers activate Chourio, Vaughn from IL
• Mets move Soto to leadoff spot for just 3rd time in career
• Orioles sign Lou Trivino to major league contract
• Braves Designate Jonah Heim For Assignment, Activate Sean Murphy
• Giants Designate Jerar Encarnacion For Assignment
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Lin is coming sooner rather than later:

No A’s pitchers on the list, thank god:

Think the A’s would consider sitting Butler for Bolte?

And one more congrats to our starting catcher and his family!

Wow that was ugly. After a four-game sweep at the hands of the Yankees, the Orioles are making like the snowbirds, leaving the Bronx for the sunnier climate of Miami, and frankly, it’s a relief.

The Marlins are a less scary opponent, but they can’t be taken lightly, either. (And these hot-and-cold Orioles have had a way of playing down to the competition, so you can never get too cocky.) At 16-19, they’re holding down second place in the NL East. They, too, have hot-or-cold tendencies: they took two of three from the mighty Dodgers last week, but have also recently dropped series to St. Louis and Milwaukee.

The Marlins, unusually, are a good-hitting team this year. They’re not much in the power department with a fourth-lowest 25 homers, but their collective .252 average outranks all but seven teams. As a team, they’ve been led by three players playing out of their minds: shortstop Otto Lopez (.341 BA and a MLB-leading 45 hits in 33 games), second baseman Xavier Edwards (.336 BA, .896 OPS) and catcher Liam Hicks (.309 BA, .923 OPS). Hicks, in just his second year, has nearly exceeded his WAR from 120 games his rookie season. Former Orioles friends haven’t excelled: Kyle Stowers has missed time due to a hamstring, and infielder Connor Norby has just been just-OK, with a .238 average and 107 OPS+ so far.

Miami’s starting pitching staff has been a weakness over the last two seasons, despite having a guy like Sandy Alcantara fronting it. This year, the rotation is just above average, while the team’s main weakness lies in the bullpen. The team has blown nine games in which they had a lead, which seems like a sizeable number to me. Closer Pete Fairbanks is on the 15-day IL with nerve irritation, and others, like Anthony Bender, Andrew Nardi and Calvin Faucher, have been ineffective.

Following injuries to Trevor Rogers and Dean Kremer, a pitching-strapped O’s will be countering with Chris Bassitt, Brandon Young and Cade Povich. Young and Povich in particular are giving Little Engine That Could vibes: you root hard for them, but frequently view them as outmatched.

Game 1: Tuesday, May 5, 6:40 ET

Chris Bassitt (2-2, 5.46, 17 SO) vs. RHP Sandy Alcantara (3-2, 3.04 ERA, 31 SO)

Alcantara opened 2026 with his franchise-record sixth straight Opening Day start, throwing 7 shutout innings against the Rockies. He followed that up with a complete-game shutout of the White Sox on April 1, striking out seven and allowing just three hits in a 10-0 romp. After his rough 2025—a full season back from Tommy John surgery that produced a 5.36 ERA—this looks more like the vintage Alcantara, with a fastball that generally sits around 97 mph and maxes out around 101. His 3.04 ERA comes with a solid 1.16 WHIP.

Signs Chris Bassitt is figuring it out: he’s given up one earned run or fewer in three of his last four starts. Signs he’s not: the Royals tagged him for five runs on eight hits on April 22. The veteran righty has a career 3.68 ERA. I choose to believe.

Game 2: Wednesday, May 6, 6:40 ET

Brandon Young (2-1, 6.14 ERA, 9 SO) vs. RHP Eury Pérez (2-3, 4.46 ERA, 39 SO)

Eury Pérez is 23 years old and already seems to have lived a lifetime in pitcher years. He debuted in 2023 at age 20, posting a nice 3.15 ERA in 19 starts. Then he missed all of 2024 with Tommy John. A 4.25 ERA on his return seemed like a dip, but he had a strong 1.05 WHIP and 3.67 FIP. This season has been his worst so far: his 4.63 FIP suggests he’s getting hit, hard, and so does a 13.9% barrel percentage in the bottom seventh percentile of pitchers. The strikeout stuff is very much present, but he’s also walking more hitters than he ever has. This is the matchup the Orioles need to take advantage of.

Thrust into the rotation by Dean Kremer’s quad injury, the big Texan has had one good start in three tries: a scoreless five innings against the White Sox on April 6. Since, he’s given up three runs in 5 ⅔ innings against Boston and—gulp—ten runs in four innings against Houston. There’s been talk about Young working on his offspeed pitches in the offseason: if so, this would be a good time to see it.

Game 3: Thursday, May 7, 6:40 ET

Cade Povich (1-1, 4.41 ERA, 11 SO) vs. RHP Max Meyer (1-0, 3.30 ERA, 33 SO)

Drafted third overall by the Marlins in 2020, Max Meyer is currently Miami’s best starter in sheer WAR (1.1, edging out Alcantara’s 1.0). Through seven starts he has a 3.30 ERA and 33 strikeouts in 30⅔ innings, averaging 9.9 K/9, with opponents hitting just .207 against him. Length isn’t a strength of his, yet, as he’s averaging just five innings per outing, but he’s been effective. His most recent start saw him throw five scoreless innings against the Giants.

The only southpaw in the rotation right now, Cade Povich is always teetering on the edge of success in the major leagues, it feels like. But inevitably he’ll flash his significant strikeout potential, then lay an egg. This inconsistency works out to a kind of consistency, as he posted nearly identical ERA’s in 2023 and ‘24: 5.20, give or take one hundredths of a point. Like Young, Povich was not supposed to be in the rotation, but that’s where we are. In three starts so far, he’s allowed eight runs in 16.1 innings.

—-

It’s hard to feel massive optimism about the Orioles right now, fresh off a sweep in the Bronx and putting out a starter lineup of Bassitt, Young and Povich heading into Miami. Injuries stink, but this backup plan feels more typical of a rebuilding year than what fans were promised for these next few seasons. Maybe I’m just a grouch. We’ll see if these early May doldrums end up characterizing the season.

So, Birdland faithful, how do you think the Orioles will fare in their trip to the 305? Sound off in the comments.

Monday was a sad day in Yankees universe, as we learned about the passing of the beloved, legendary radio announcer John Sterling. The Yankees honored Sterling in a way he would have loved — with their performance in a 12-1 rout of the Orioles to cap off a four-game sweep of their division foes.

Now that we are almost a week into May (yikes!) we’ve rearranged our coverage to reflect the risers and fallers in the AL. Gone are the last place Astros while the similarly bottom-dwelling Red Sox have been demoted from the main games into our “other games” section, the second-place Rays taking their spot alongside the Blue Jays.

Tampa Bay Rays (22-12) 5, Toronto Blue Jays (16-19) 1

The 35-year-old journeyman swingman Nick Martinez is quite well traveled in his baseball career, plying his trade for the Rangers, Padres, and Reds sandwiched a round a four-year stint overseas in NPB. He found a new home with the Rays this past winter, inking a one-year, $13 million deal, and has quietly been one of the best starters in the league. This was his seventh start of the year and he has yet to give up more than two runs in any of them. His five innings of one-run ball position his season ERA at a sterling 1.71 — sixth-best among all starters in MLB.

Toronto’s only run came on a Vladimir Guerrero Jr. RBI single in the third. By that point, the Rays had done most of their damage for the night. Chandler Simpson singled and Junior Caminero walked to lead off the first, setting up a no-doubter three run blast from Ryan Vilade on a first-pitch curveball below the zone from Eric Lauer.

Taylor Walls tacked on a pair of insurance runs in the sixth, his two-out single plating Jonathan Aranda and Ben Williamson after the Rays loaded the bases with three singles. The Blue Jays created plenty of opportunities with ten hits and two walks on the night. However, Martinez and a quintet of Rays relievers stranded a pair in the first, third, and sixth. Things got interesting when Casey Legumina surrendered three singles in the ninth, but Bryan Baker slammed the door as the Jays went 1-for-8 with runners in scoring position and stranded ten runners.

Other Games

Boston Red Sox (14-21) 5, Detroit Tigers (18-18) 4

On the day the Tigers learned that two-time defending AL Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal requires surgery to remove loose bodies in his left elbow and will miss three months at minimum, the Detroit outfit suffered a back-breaking loss in a game blown by the bullpen. Boston also received bad news on the injury front, Roman Anthony departing the game in the second after injuring his wrist on an awkward check swing.

Forced into an emergency bullpen game with Skubal getting scratched, the Tigers received essentially a Skubal start in the aggregate. Opener Tyler Holton struck out one in a scoreless first, followed by five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts from bulk guy Ty Madden. That allowed their offense to open the scoring with a pair in the sixth on a hit-by-pitch, walk, throwing error on a pickoff attempt, and a throwing error on a routine ground ball.

That would be all for naught, however, as reliever Ricky Vanasco imploded in the seventh. He walked Carlos Narváez and gave up a single to Andruw Monasterio to open the frame, setting up the go-ahead three-run homer from Jarren Duran. A Masataka Yoshida double knocked Vanasco from the game, but the implosion didn’t stop there. Enmanuel De Jesus gave up three straight singles to Wilyer Abreu, Ceddanne Rafaela, and Marcelo Mayer allowing a further pair of runs to score.

Dillon Dingler brought his team to within one with a two-run double in the eighth, but that is where the comeback would end. Payton Tolle collected his first big league win with eight strikeouts across seven innings allowing the pair of unearned runs.

Kansas City Royals (16-19) 6, Cleveland Guardians (18-18) 2

Michael Wacha gave the Royals seven strong innings, the only blemish a David Fry two-run homer in the second. Kansas City scored the next six runs unanswered, Bobby Witt Jr. and Jac Caglianone weighing in with solo homers. Vinnie Pasquantino and Salvador Perez contributed RBI knocks while Nick Loftin contributed a two-run single in the Royals’ four-run fourth. With the Guardians loss, there is not a single team in the AL Central with a record better than .500, Cleveland and Detroit tied for first at 18-18.

Seattle Mariners (17-19) 5, Atlanta Braves (25-11) 4

The baseball was uncharacteristically flying out of T-Mobile Park, the two teams scoring all nine of their runs via the long ball. Atlanta jumped out to a 4-0 lead with four solo home runs off Logan Gilbert. The first was by Drake Baldwin to lead off the game, while the final three all came in the sixth inning — all blasts of well over 400 feet from Ozzie Albies, Matt Olson (the 300th of his career), and Austin Riley.

The Mariners immediately picked up their starter, exploding for five runs in the bottom of the sixth. Randy Arozarena and Dominic Canzone drew a pair of walks to lead off, setting up a booming three-run rocket from Luke Raley. Mitch Garver was issued a free pass, and with two outs and a full count, J.P. Crawford smacked the go-ahead two run tank off reliever Tyler Kinley.

Astros fans, how are we feeling about Bryan Abreu after this past weekend?

It’s been a rocky start to the season for a pitcher who entered the year with sky-high expectations. Tasked with stepping into a more prominent late-inning role while ace reliever Josh Hader works his way back from injury, Abreu has struggled to find consistency. Instead of being the shutdown arm fans have come to trust, he has too often looked like a fire starter, unable to hold leads, keep runners off base, or slam the door when it matters most.

What’s made his early-season performance even more frustrating is how uncharacteristic it has been. Abreu has built a reputation as a dependable, high-leverage arm, but lately he’s been allowing too many baserunners, both via hits and walks, and, more often than not, those runners have come around to score. On top of all that, his velocity has been down a few miles per hour.

This weekend, however, offered a glimpse of hope.

Abreu delivered two innings of much-needed relief, including a strong eighth inning that resembled the pitcher Astros fans have grown accustomed to. But the ninth inning told a different story. What should have been a clean finish quickly turned into a nerve-wracking escape act. Whether you call it luck or skill, the ground-ball double play that ended the game and secured the save came at a moment when it felt like things were about to unravel once again.

If the outing had ended after the eighth, the takeaway would have been overwhelmingly positive. Instead, the ninth inning left room for continued concern. For now, it’s a reminder that while progress may be underway, trust still needs to be rebuilt.

The bigger picture for Houston only raises the stakes.

If both Abreu and Hader can return to form, it would provide a massive boost to a bullpen that has been overworked and underwhelming. The Astros’ pitching staff as a whole has struggled this season, and their issues with control, evident in a troubling rate of walks, have only compounded the problem. That’s put added pressure on a team whose offense ranks among the top in the American League, but can’t carry the load alone.

There are also financial implications looming. With Abreu approaching a contract year, his performance down the stretch could significantly impact his market value. The Astros, meanwhile, must be cautious about committing long-term money to relievers, a lesson learned the hard way in the past.

Still, there were encouraging signs in his outing against Boston. His velocity ticked up slightly after being down for much of the season, and his slider showed improved location, key factors in limiting hard contact and keeping the ball in the park.

For now, Astros fans will take any step forward they can get. A save is a save, and a win is a win. But until Abreu strings together consistent, clean outings in high-leverage situations, questions about his role, and the bullpen as a whole, will continue to linger.

This Week in the Minors is our weekly look at notable performances from all over the system, from big-name prospects and less-heralded guys alike. The mission is to answer this simple question: “Who had a good week?”

Triple-A Omaha Storm Chasers (14-18, 7.5 games back)

It was another rough week for the Storm Chasers; they lost 4 of 6 at home to the Louisville Bats. We will start on the mound, Stephen Kolek went 4.1 innings, allowing 8 hits, 3 runs, 1 of those being earned, while striking out 4. Kolek is going to start the game tonight for Noah Cameron, who has lower back tightness. In total on his rehab assignments, Kolek made 4 starts, totaling 16.1 innings, giving up 19 hits, 7 runs, 5 earned, walking 4 and striking out 14.

Bailey Falter gave up a run in 2.1 innings. Steven Cruz continues to struggle; he gave up five runs in 3 innings. Helcris Olivarez and Ethan Bosacker each had multiple scoreless appearances.

Carlos Estevez is expected to begin his rehab assignment with the club tomorrow, so that’ll be something to monitor.

At the dish, John Rave was 8—for-23 with a pair of homers. Abraham Toro was 6-for-21 with a pair of homers. Luke Maile, who just got transferred to Omaha was 1-9 at the plate. Luca Tresh however was 10-for-20 with a homer, four doubles and nine runs batted in. Tresh is a 26-year-old catcher who the Royals drafted in the 17th round in 2021.

The Storm Chasers hit the road to take on the Indianapolis Indians. The series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Here are the Storm Chasers players of the month for April.

Northwest Arkansas Naturals (15-12, 3 games back)

The Naturals had a great week, taking 5 of 6 from the Springfield Cardinals. At the plate, Carson Roccaforte was 7-for-21 with a homer. On the season, Roccaforte is hitting .260, with 6 homers and 8 stolen bases. Local product Spencer Nivens out of Columbia, Missouri and Missouri State in 2023 went 4-for-11 at the plate. Nivens just returned from the IL after beginning the season on there. He is someone to keep an eye on.

On the mound, Drew Beam threw 6 innings of 2 hit ball, allowing just 1 run. It’s the second straight good start in Double-A for Beam, who got the early season promotion, and then struggled to find his footing. Henry Williams threw 6 innings of 2 run ball on 6 hits in his one start. Felix Arronde, a 23-year-old out of Cuba threw 5 hitless innings in his start. Arronde has steadily worked his way through the system, and is in his first year in Double-A.

The Naturals are on the road in Frisco; the series runs from Tuesday to Sunday.

Here are the Naturals players of the month for April.

Quad Cities River Bandits (14-10, 0.5 game back)

The River Bandits won 4 of 6 from the Timber Rattlers. On the mound, David Shields threw 5 scoreless innings, allowing just 2 hits, while striking out 6. The 19-year-old lefty continues to impress. Kamden Edge threw 2.1 scoreless innings, lowering his season ERA to 2.53 over 10.2 innings of work. Edge is a 21-year-old righty out of Northern Oklahoma JC. Edge was drafted by the Royals in the 20th round last season.

At the plate, Blake Mitchell was 5-for-16 at the plate with a homer, he also struck out 6 times but walked 1o times in the series. Mitchell continues to have a fascinating season, with three true outcomes, homer, walk or strikeout. Austin Charles continues to have a fantastic season. The 22-year-old shortstop is hitting .364 on the season with three homers and 8 stolen bases. Charles was 7-22 in the series.

The River Bandits are home this week for Cedar Rapids. The series starts Tuesday and runs through Sunday.

Here are the River Bandits players of the month for April.

Columbia Fireflies (13-14, 4 games back)

The Fireflies dropped 4 of 6 to the Pelicans in Myrtle Beach. At the plate, Josh Hammond was 5-22 with 3 doubles. The 19-year-old is hitting .298 on the season, with 2 homers and 5 stolen bases. Roni Cabrera was 4-for-17, and is hitting .261 on the season. The Fireflies have a good batch of talented hitters, but former first-round pick Sean Gamble has yet to get going.

On the bump, Kendry Chourio made another start, after some concern from him not making an appearance last week. He went 3.2 innings allowing 1 run on 3 hits, while striking out 4. Chourio’s season ERA is now at 1.65 through 16.1 innings. Jordan Woods is off to a great start. The 22-year-old lefty from Canada has a 2.25 ERA through 20 innings, while striking out 29 batters. He has made a couple starts and came out of the bullpen, even getting a save. He has been the Swiss army knife of the pitching staff.

The Fireflies are on the road this week to take on the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers, the series runs Tuesday through Sunday.

Here are the Fireflies players of the month for April.

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It’s a loaded slate of baseball with all 30 teams hitting the field Tuesday, May 5, and I’ve got a trio of NRFI/YRFI bets to cover you throughout the night.

My favorite MLB picks begin with the Baltimore Orioles-Miami Marlins bout in the early window and wrap up with tonight’s matchup between the Chicago White Sox and Los Angeles Angels.

Best NRFI/YRFI bets today

Pick	Odds
/ - NRFI	-107
/ - NRFI	-103
/ - NRFI	-102

Orioles at Marlins: NRFI (-107)

Baltimore Orioles veteran Chris Bassitt has spun a blemish-free opening inning in three of his past four starts, and he’s coming off a strong outing with just a single run allowed and seven strikeouts across 6 2/3 frames. He’s catching the Miami Marlins at the right time, too. They’ve posted a 28th-ranked wOBA while striking out at the third-highest clip in baseball and averaging just 2.8 runs per game during a 3-6 slump.

Turning to Miami righty Sandy Alcantara, he has pitched a scoreless first inning in six of his seven starts, and the Orioles are tied for last in the majors in percentage of games with a run in the opening frame.

• Time: 6:40 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Marlins.TV, MASN

Twins at Nationals: NRFI (-103)

Both Minnesota Twins righty Taj Bradley and Washington Nationals starter Cade Cavalli have been strong in the opening frame with matching 2.57 first-inning ERAs, and I also value their respective 25.3% and 26.6% strikeout rates. 

We’re also landing an excellent number because the Nationals have scored in the first inning at the third-highest clip in the league while sporting an unsustainably high .388 BABIP, so statistical correction is set to kick in.

• Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NATS, MNNT

White Sox at Angels: NRFI (-102)

Chicago White Sox starter Erick Fedde has held opposing hitters to a minuscule .385 OPS in the opening frame and pitched a scoreless first in three of his four starts, including last time out against the Los Angeles Angels. 

Los Angeles counters with lefty Sam Aldegheri, and he’ll have the benefit of the Chicago lineup seeing him for the first time. So, while Aldegheri’s MLB and Triple A numbers are nothing to write home about, the Pale Hose sport a .231 batting average in the first frame and score in the first inning at a league-average rate of just 28.57%.

• Time: 9:38 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: ABTV, CHSN

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