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Astros DH Yordan Alvarez Named AL Player of the Week

HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 06: Yordan Alvarez #44 of the Houston Astros hits a grand slam home run against the Athletics during the second inning at Daikin Park on June 06, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Jack Gorman/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Major League Baseball announced today that Astros OF/DH Yordan Alvarez has been named American League Player of the Week for the week of June 1-7. Alvarez hit .476 (10×21) in six games last week, recording six runs, one double, two home runs, nine RBI and five walks while posting a 1.386 OPS.

Alvarez leads the Majors this season in OPS (1.080), slugging percentage (.650) and total bases (154). He also leads the American League in home runs (22) and RBI (48) and is tied for first in extra-base hits (35). Additionally, Alvarez ranks second among AL players in batting average (.316), on-base percentage (.431) and hits (75), while ranking fourth in runs scored (45) and tied for fourth in walks (44).

This marks the fifth career AL Player of the Week Award for Alvarez and his second this season, having also earned the honor for March 30-April 5, the second week of the season. Alvarez has also won three AL Player of the Month Awards in his career, including for March/April earlier this season.

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Report: Astros to Place Allen on IL, Recall Whitcomb

HOUSTON, TEXAS - JUNE 04: Nick Allen #20 of the Houston Astros throws during the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Daikin Park on June 04, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Houston Astros/Getty Images) | Getty Images

According to Brian McTaggart of MLB.com, the Astros are preparing to place IF Nick Allen on the IL.

The slick-fielding Allen is batting .262 this season with a .304 OBP and .648 OPS. He had seen more duty of late with IF Braden Shewmake and 2B Jose Altuve both on IL recently. Altuve rejoined the lineup 3 days ago.

Whitcomb, 27, put up strong seasons at Triple-A Sugar Land the past 2 seasons but has struggled this year, batting just .231 with a .266 OBP and .646 OPS.

Across 331 games at Triple-A, Whitcomb is a .260 hitter with a .337 OBP and .819 OPS with 77 HR and 60 SB.

Whitcomb has never fared well at the MLB level although he has never really been given any kind of consistent opportunity either. Across 3 seasons, Whitcomb only has 90 AB across 54 G with the Astros. Whitcomb has batted .167 with a .219 OBP and .485 OPS with 2 HR and 10 RBI.

Whitcomb will likely serve as emergency insurance, with Brice Matthews filling in at 2B if Altuve should be unavailable or need a day.

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Making sense of the lineup’s last 30 days

Jun 5, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; San Francisco Giants third baseman Matt Chapman (26), right, high fives San Francisco Giants second baseman Luis Arraez (1) and designated hitter Bryce Eldridge (8) after he hits a grand slam against the Chicago Cubs during the fourth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

If the San Francisco Giants have been too much of a bummer for you this season such that you’ve limited the amount of information you’ve taken in about them, then you probably missed how for the past month they’ve been the best offense in Major League Baseball. It’s a shocker for those of us who’ve been watching every game, too, believe it or not, and I’m going to try to make some sense of it.

The easy answer is that a group of guys started hitting to their career averages and 2026 projections and that simple regression to the mean timed out to look like an offensive explosion. Top that off with the franchise’s top hitting prospect in Bryce Eldridge and Orange-o, Black-o you’ve got the best lineup in baseball for a month. Except, looking at the numbers, it sure does seem like the Giants changed their approach in the offseason and needed two months to translate that approach to the regular season.

Overall, this collection of guys is walking well below their career averages. The team will probably wind up with the lowest walk rate in the sport come the end of the season (it currently stands at 5.9%, 1.6% behind the next-lowest team, the Toronto Blue Jays), which is incredibly impressive feat (derogatory) when you consider the offensive environment of the 21st century. Indeed, just seven teams since 2000 have ended a season with a walk rate of 6.5% or lower:

  • 2002 Tigers, 6.1 BB% — record: 66-96
  • 2005 Tigers, 6.3 BB% — record: 71-91
  • 2007 Mariners, 6.3 BB% — record: 88-74
  • 2008 Royals, 6.4 BB% — record: 75-87
  • 2006 Cubs, 6.4 BB% — record: 66-96
  • 2006 Mariners, 6.5 BB% — record: 78-84
  • 2009 Giants, 6.5 BB% — record: 88-74

But I digress! Walks are evil in this new Giants era and earlier in the season the low walk rate was evidence of opposing pitchers gleefully throwing the ball right down the middle (basically) knowing that Giants hitters couldn’t do any damage. Right?

Well… yes. The data only points to this unfortunate fact.

Through May 6th and the first 37 games of the season, the Giants saw the most pitches in the strike zone (43.6%) of any team. The Dodgers, Brewers, and Nationals were 2nd, 3rd, and 4th about a percentage point behind the Giants in this respect. When you look at the other plate discipline statistics, the Giants aren’t such an obvious outlier that it would explain why they had scored the fewest runs and done the least damage except that once Giants made contact it was weak.

TeamZone %Swing%SwStr%O-Swing%O-Contact%Z-Swing%Z-Contact%Contact%
GIANTS43.6%49.2% (4th)10.4% (21st)34.9% (6th)66.1% (5th)67.7% (10th)87.2% (9th)78.8% (7th)
DODGERS42.6%45.8% (18th)9.6% (26th)29.9% (25th)64.9% (8th)67.3% (12th)87.4% (7th)79.0% (5th)
BREWERS42.5%42.9% (12th)8.7% (29th)27.5% (30th)64.1% (11th)63.6% (29th)88.8% (2nd)79.7% (2nd)
NATIONALS42.2%46.8% (30th)10.7% (18th)31.9% (18th)61.9% (21st)67.2% (14th)87.0% (12th)77.1% (14th)

As a reminder, the Nationals were 4th in runs scored (205), the Dodgers 5th (196), and the Brewers 9th (181). The Giants were last (30th — 115) by a good measure (Mets, 29th — 134).

But look at that chart. The Giants were comparable to some of the better lineups in the sport through the first 6 weeks of the season or so in terms of swinging the bat. The only real difference — and it’s significant to be sure — is that the Giants, on top of seeing lots of pitches in the strike zone, were swinging at pitches outside of the strike zone at a really high rate. Given the results, it’s probably a decent enough conclusion that the Giants were making subpar contact on the good pitches and making plenty of the same quality of contact on the bad ones.

I’ll show that here with the expected weighted on base average. According to Statcast, the league average for that figure (the weighted on base average based on the quality of contact) is .320. Through 5/7/2026, only 3 Giants in the top 5 of hitters (and out of 18 who had an at bat) reached that threshold:

  1. Jesus Rodriguez (9 AB), .391
  2. Daniel Susac (23 AB), .386
  3. Casey Schmitt (115 AB), .370
  4. Heliot Ramos (134 AB), .318
  5. Jung Hoo Lee (133 AB), .312

For comparison, 10 of 15 Dodgers were above that .320 mark, 8 of 18 Brewers crossed the threshold, and 6 of 14 Nationals did it, too. What a nightmare! What a disaster!

But you’re reading this a month after that mark and quite a lot has changed. The Giants have scored the most runs in the sport over their last 29 games (since May 8th: 157 runs) ahead of the White Sox (155), Dodgers (149), Brewers (148), Pirates (148) and Nationals (147). But beyond that, they’ve just been a good lineup: a 126 wRC+ that also leads the sport with a triple slash of .277 (1st) / .331 (5th) / .480 (1st). Their 6.5% walk rate is 29th (only Boston is worse at 6.4%), but their 19.9% strikeout rate is tied with the Dodgers for second behind the Diamondbacks (18.2%) and ahead of the Nationals (20.0%). And, by the way, the team’s season-long strikeout rate (21.1%) has kept them top 10 all season long with the Dodgers (20.2%) and Brewers (20.4%) and even Atlanta (20.7%) — the Nats are 11th (21.3%). The mark of a good lineup when the quality of contact is there, which it hasn’t been until right now.

But why has the contact gotten better? Have the players simply improved their timing? Are they jumping at the first pitch more often? Laying off those pitches outside of the zone?

Giants splitZone %Swing%SwStr%O-Swing%O-Contact%Z-Swing%Z-Contact%Contact%
Games 1-3743.6%49.2%10.4%34.9%66.1%67.7%87.2%78.8%
Games 38-6642.9%50.0%10.8%35.9%66.2%68.7%87.0%78.5%

The only real differences here are that the Giants are seeing fewer pitches outside the strike zone but they’re swinging even more and swinging more in the strike zone. That hasn’t changed the amount of contact in the zone, but as I’m about to show you with this other list, the quality of that contact has improved dramatically.

Over their last 29 games, 8 Giants have hit better than the league average in terms of xwOBA:

  1. Jonah Cox (9 AB), .530
  2. Bryce Eldridge (73 AB), .397
  3. Eric Haase (34 AB), .364
  4. Jung Hoo Lee (87 AB), .364
  5. Heliot Ramos (31 AB), .356
  6. Willy Adames (116 AB), .344
  7. Rafael Devers (118 AB), .329
  8. Casey Schmitt (116 AB), .326

And you can play around with the start date a bit if you want, too. If you adjust it to start on the Dodgers series in Dodger Stadium, then Luis Arraez becomes one of the 8. If you start it at the A’s series, then Matt Chapman becomes one of the 8 (Luis Arraez drops down to .315). If you narrow it down to the last 2 weeks then you still get about 8 guys who are hitting at or better than the league average just based on the quality of contact. All they’re doing is swinging slightly more and at pitches in the strike zone.

But it’s pretty clear that they’re getting off better swings. The team’s groundball rate through those first 37 games (44.8%) was the fifth-highest in the sport. Their 10.9% infield flyball percentage was 13th. A 6.6% HR/FB rate (lowest in the sport, of course). 23rd in pulled ball rate (38.7%). I know there’s a deep, unyielding group of baseball fans who can’t accept that the game has changed, but hitting the ball in the air in the modern game is more conducive to scoring runs and being a successful team. Over their last 29 games, their groundball rate has dropped to 38% (26th), their infield flyball percentage is 9.7% (20th), a 12.7% HR/FB rate, and a pulled ball rate of 40.2% (19th).

It probably helps that they’re seeing more fastballs than any other team in the National League (51.2%). That rate has gone down a bit since those first 37 games (52.3%), and even better: the average fastball velocity has dropped to 93.9 mph from 94.7 mph earlier in the season. Save for two notable exceptions, the Giants have gotten better against some average-to-bad pitching. A list of their opponents over these past 29 games with season ERAs:

  • Pirates, 4.06 (15th)
  • Dodgers, 3.17 (1st)
  • Athletics, 4.58 (23rd)
  • Diamondbacks, 4.19 (17th)
  • White Sox, 4.38 (20th)
  • Rockies, 5.60 (30th)
  • Brewers, 3.26 (3rd)
  • Cubs, 4.29 (19th)

This isn’t damning with faint praise! Good lineups are supposed to feast on bad pitching. This isn’t to say that the Giants do have a good lineup, but it’s plausible that they have an average enough lineup that if they could actually get their act together on the pitching side then 2027 could wind up being a really special season. But for this season, despite missing the playoffs, the Giants have actually started to realize the lineup they touted in the offseason. I think it’s sustainable based mainly on the fact that it is a bunch of guys hitting to their projections.

That should make for a summer that’s slightly more fun than the one we were pitched in April. So, if you’re wondering, the tl;dr version is that the Giants have hit better because their good hitters are hitting better. Bryce Eldridge coming in as the top hitting prospect and hitting like it with consistent playing time has not been a replacement for a lacking part, he’s been a huge addition. It’s so obvious but fun to see.

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Where to watch Cincinnati Reds vs. San Diego Padres: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Monday, June 8

The Cincinnati Reds (31-33) face the San Diego Padres (33-31). San Diego has lost 11 of its past 13 games. Scheduled starting pitchers are Andrew Abbott for Cincinnati, with a 4.06 ERA, and Walker Buehler for San Diego, with a 4.53 ERA.

  • Date: Monday, June 8

  • Time: 9:40 p.m. ET / 6:40 p.m. PT

  • Where: PETCO Park, San Diego, CA

  • TV Channels: Padres.TV Presented by UC San Diego Health, Reds.TV, Gray Media, WXIX FOX19

  • Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

  • Cincinnati Reds: 31-33 (No. 5 in NL Central)

  • San Diego Padres: 33-31 (No. 3 in NL West)

  • Spread: San Diego Padres -1.5

  • Moneyline: San Diego Padres -138 (55.5%) / Cincinnati Reds +115 (44.5%)

  • Over/Under: 8.0

Cincinnati Reds: Andrew Abbott (4-3, ERA: 4.06, K: 47, WHIP: 1.44)
San Diego Padres: Walker Buehler (3-3, ERA: 4.53, K: 49, WHIP: 1.28)

Weather: 69°F at first pitch

Ballpark: Capacity: 40,222 | Roof: Open | Surface: Grass

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Nats travel to San Fran for road series against Giants

PHOENIX, ARIZONA - JUNE 07: Daylen Lile #4 of the Washington Nationals catches a fly ball against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field on June 07, 2026 in Phoenix, Arizona. (Photo by Norm Hall/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Nationals came back nicely after getting swept by the Miami Marlins, taking 2 of 3 from the Arizona Diamondbacks in a weekend set. They still find themselves sitting at .500 with an even 33-33 record, looking to get back over the hump to begin the week. Pitching and offense were firing on all cylinders in the first two games in Arizona, before the lineup went silent in a 5-1 loss to narrowly miss a sweep.

San Francisco has been a large disappointment so far, with much of their roster underperforming, leaving them currently 12 games under .500. They are however, coming off a handful of good showings against the Milwaukee Brewers and Chicago Cubs. Washington faces the top of their rotation heading into Monday, making for a series that could go either way.

Game 1 – Monday 9:45 PM EST

WSH: RHP Miles Mikolas (1-5, 6.39 ERA)

SFG: RHP Logan Webb (3-4, 4.25 ERA)

Mikolas was riding a pretty decent streak throughout May, but that came crashing down in his first June outing. He allowed 6 runs with 3 long balls across 6.0 innings against the Miami Marlins as a bulk reliever, with 4 of them coming in a crooked 4th inning. An opener is likely for the veteran righty again on Monday night, where he looks to bounce back and avoid falling into a similar scuffle that plagued the start of his season.

Some blowup outings have tanked the Giants ace’s ERA in 2026, but his most recent outing, a dazzling 7.0 innings of shutout baseball against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 3rd looked much more like the Logan Webb the league is used to seeing. He missed some of May with an injury, and the Nats will try to push him back into the bad habits that has his season ERA almost a full point above his career mark.

Game 2 – Tuesday 9:45 PM EST

WSH: LHP Andrew Alvarez (1-0, 3.54 ERA)

SFG: Adrian Houser (2-5, 5.29 ERA)

The southpaw is lined up to make his second start of the year on Tuesday night, and he produced a solid start his first time out there. His only run across 4.1 innings was a solo shot, and the Miami offense was neutralized even with some prolonged command issues. Length will once again not likely be in the cards for the swing starter, but another decent appearance could give the Nats time to jump on a struggling Adrian Houser.

Houser got torched in April but settled down for a respectable month of May where he posted an ERA just below 4. He’s also not given San Francisco much length and opposing lineups have worked his pitch count early and kept him from being truly effective. The impressive Washington offense could smell blood in the water early, and with the relatively unproven Alvarez on the bump, it’s paramount that they can jump on Houser quickly.

Game 3 – Wednesday 3:45 PM EST

WSH: LHP Foster Griffin (7-2, 3.63 ERA)

SFG: LHP Robbie Ray (4-6, 4.12 ERA)

Not much has seemed to faze Griffin to this point in the season, separating himself as by far the most reliable option in the Washington rotation. His arsenal continues to fool hitters and while the box scores aren’t elite, he’s doing enough for the Nats to stay in games. The goal should be for more of the same out of Griffin, and the Giants’ offense doesn’t pose a particularly elevated threat on paper.

Most of Ray’s outings have been adequate enough, with one 9-run collapse severely hindering his ERA. The veteran has looked decent enough to get outs without completely carving up teams, and Washington needs to put the pressure on him in the first few innings to continue riding Griffin’s hot streak.

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Where to watch Philadelphia Phillies vs. Toronto Blue Jays: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Monday, June 8

The Philadelphia Phillies, second in the NL East at 35-30 record, face the Toronto Blue Jays, who are third in the AL East with a 32-34 record. This is the opener of a three-game series between the teams. The starting pitchers are scheduled to be Cristopher Sánchez for Philadelphia (1.46 ERA) and Patrick Corbin for Toronto (3.98 ERA).

  • Date: Monday, June 8

  • Time: 7:07 p.m. ET / 4:07 p.m. PT

  • Where: Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON

  • TV Channels: Sportsnet, SN1, TVA Sports, NBCSP

  • Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

  • Philadelphia Phillies: 35-30 (No. 2 in NL East)

  • Toronto Blue Jays: 32-34 (No. 3 in AL East)

  • Spread: Toronto Blue Jays +1.5

  • Moneyline: Toronto Blue Jays +154 (37.7%) / Philadelphia Phillies -186 (62.3%)

  • Over/Under: 7.5

Philadelphia Phillies: Cristopher Sánchez (7-2, ERA: 1.46, K: 103, WHIP: 1.09)
Toronto Blue Jays: Patrick Corbin (2-2, ERA: 3.98, K: 37, WHIP: 1.38)

Weather: 65°F at first pitch

Ballpark: Capacity: 49,282 | Roof: Retractable | Surface: Artificial Turf

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Ben Stokes’ future as Test captain in doubt after nightclub incident

  • ECB looking into ‘a breach of team protocols’

  • Atkinson also present at club along with Saracens players

Ben Stokes’ future as England Test captain has been thrown into doubt after the England and Wales Cricket Board launched an investigation into “a breach of team protocol” related to an incident involving Stokes and Gus Atkinson that took place in a ­London nightclub in the early hours of­ ­Monday morning.

Both players have been referred to the Cricket Regulator, an ­independent disciplinary body with the power to impose suspensions and unlimited fines, and a decision is expected imminently over whether they will be allowed to participate in the ­second Test against New Zealand that starts at the Oval on 17 June – a squad without them in it could be named as early as Tuesday.

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MLB Power Rankings: Cardinals have staying power, Padres fading fast

Featured in this week’s MLB Power Rankings, we discuss the unexpected breakouts for Jake Bauers and Jordan Walker, the Padres’ feeble offense, the A’s doing a residency in Las Vegas this week, and Payton Tolle's emergence as one of my favorite players.

As a reminder, this article is a combination of current performance and long-term outlook.

Let’s get started!

Note: Rankings are from the morning of Monday, June 8

▶ Check out this week’s SP streamer recommendations from Eric Samulski

1) Atlanta Braves

Last week: 1

Everything is coming up Braves. They were down 2-0 against the Pirates on Sunday before Michael Harris II delivered a go-ahead three-run double in the seventh. Harris was held out of the lineup in consecutive games due to a back issue, but Sunday’s heroics were a good sign. The Braves have won eight out their last 10.

2) Los Angeles Dodgers

Last week: 2

Shohei Ohtani was hitting .233 on May 11. In 23 games since then, he’s put up an insane .419/.510/.721 batting line. He’s delivered multi-hit games in five out of his last six. His season OPS now sits at .939 and he’s also boasting a 0.74 ERA. We’re getting so used to his brilliance that it’s easy to start to get a bit numb to it, but we’re watching history in motion every time he’s on the field. Try to appreciate.

3) Milwaukee Brewers

Last week: 3

This year’s version of the Brewers have reached 40 wins faster than any team in franchise history, which is a crazy sentence to write. They’ve naturally needed some players to exceed expectations for this to happen and nobody stands out more than Jake Bauers. After making some changes to his batting stance, the 30-year-old leads the Brewers with 11 homers and 40 RBI to go along with a stellar .281/.376/.516 batting line.

4) New York Yankees ⬆️

Last week: 5

The Yankees take a jump even with the brutal news that Aaron Judge will be shut down for the next month or so due to the stress fracture in his right rib. Still, Judge made his presence known on Sunday. Jazz Chisholm Jr. went 0-for-3 before switching to the Captain’s bat. The result was appropriate.

5) Tampa Bay Rays ⬇️

Last week: 4

The Rays have finally hit a bit of a wall, dropping 10 out of their last 13 games. They are hitting just .233 as a team during that time, adding to the skepticism over their staying power in the AL East.

6) St. Louis Cardinals ⬆️

Last week: 9

The Cardinals pulled of a three-game sweep of the fading Reds over the weekend while Jordan Walker went 7-for-14 (.500) with two doubles and a homer. Arguably the season’s biggest surprise, Walker is 12th among qualified hitters with a .922 OPS while also sporting 16 homers and 47 RBI across 62 games. The 24-year-old is almost certainly headed to the All-Star Game, but can he be voted in as a starter?

7) Cleveland Guardians ⬇️

Last week: 6

After taking two out of three against the Yankees in New York last week, now the Guardians will face them at home for three to begin the week. Gavin Williams leads the American League in both wins (nine) and strikeouts (94) going into Monday’s outing.

8) Philadelphia Phillies ⬆️

Last week: 13

MLB is often a copycat game, so how soon before others start dousing their entire heads with water? Brandon Marsh has homered in three straight games for the first time in his career and currently leads the majors with a .338 batting average. Mike Petriello of MLB.com recently did a piece breaking down Marsh’s historic success with BABIP in his career, which you should definitely check out if you haven’t already.

9) Chicago White Sox ⬆️

Last week: 10

The White Sox called up Jacob Gonzalez after Munetaka Murakami landed on the IL and he fittingly unleashed this 428-foot blast for his first MLB homer on Saturday.

The power is legit. Gonzalez bashed 19 home runs in just 52 games in Triple-A to start the year before his recent promotion.

10) Seattle Mariners

Last week: 10

The Mariners have cooled down by losing three out of their last four games and they’ll now head on a seven-game East Coast swing with stops in Baltimore and Washington, D.C. It’s worth highlighting right-hander Bryce Miller, who hasn’t allowed a run in either of his last two starts. He lines up for an interesting test against the most potent lineup in baseball when he faces the Nationals on Friday.

11) Chicago Cubs

Last week: 11

It’s been bleak overall recently, but Pete Crow-Armstrong has been a completely different hitter since being moved near the top of the lineup. He’s slashing .350/.429/.650 with five homers and 10 RBI over his last 15 games.

12) San Diego Padres ⬇️

Last week: 7

The Padres have lost 11 out of their last 13 as their offense continues to struggle. With Jackson Merrill and Manny Machado hovering around the Mendoza Line, no team has scored fewer runs this season. The Padres are dead-last in the majors with a .214 batting average, but it’s been especially bad recently. They are hitting .195 as a team over their last 34 games.

13) Arizona Diamondbacks ⬆️

Last week: 14

The case for the Diamondbacks making a serious run this year probably included Corbin Burnes coming back and making an impact during the second half. That scenario is in serious doubt right now. Burnes, who is coming back from Tommy John surgery, suffered a terse major strain behind his right shoulder and is now unlikely to return until September at the earliest.

14) Pittsburgh Pirates ⬇️

Last week: 12

It was nice to see Brandon Lowe appear as a pinch hitter on Sunday after a scare with his knee during Saturday’s game. Still, it was a tough weekend for the Pirates, as they were swept by the Braves. Also Konnor Griffin doesn’t sound close to returning from his muscle flexor strain.

15) Texas Rangers ⬆️

Last week: 18

The Rangers’ lineup suddenly looks a lot more potent, as Corey Seager and Wyatt Langford made their returns this weekend. Each of them homered, as well.

16) Washington Nationals

Last week: 16

CJ Abrams and James Wood are getting most of the attention nationally, but Luis García Jr. has enjoyed a nice run at the plate in recent weeks. Since returning from a wrist injury, he’s hitting .283 with six homers, 21 RBI, and an .878 OPS over his last 27 games. García homered twice (including a grand slam) and knocked in six runs as the Nats thrashed the Diamondbacks on Friday.

17) Toronto Blue Jays

Last week: 17

The Blue Jays should get Alejandro Kirk back any day now, but Brandon Valenzuela has earned a chance at a role moving forward. He’s homered three times in his last four games and boasts an .822 OPS through 43 games overall.

18) Cincinnati Reds ⬇️

Last week: 15

It’s weird to see a team under .500 in the NL Central. That’s the Reds after they’ve lost eight out of their last 10 games. Elly De La Cruz is missed.

19) Athletics ⬆️

Last week: 20

The Athletics have finally made it to Las Vegas. Okay, not really, but we’ll get a sneak preview this week as the A’s will play six games (hosting the Padres and the Rockies) at Las Vegas Ballpark in Summerlin, the home of the team’s Triple-A affiliate. They will be the first MLB regular season games to take place in Las Vegas since 1996. The A’s are set to move to Las Vegas permanently in 2028.

20) Baltimore Orioles ⬇️

Last week: 19

The Orioles had a chance to reach the .500 mark before dropping the final two games against the Blue Jays over the weekend. To be fair, Sunday’s game was a reminder that there are some weird rules about what is considered running in the base path.

21) Miami Marlins ⬆️

Last week: 25

The Marlins’ lack of rotation depth is being exploited right now, but Max Meyer continues to emerge as a front-of-the-rotation starter. Upping the usage of his sweeper has been a game-changer to complement his slider. His .185 batting average against is third-lowest among qualified starters, with only Chase Burns (.185) and Jacob Misiorowski (.150) ahead of him.

22) Minnesota Twins

Last week: 22

Royce Lewis call the call back to the majors this weekend after a red-hot stretch in Triple-A. However, what I care about is the saga surrounding his promotional giveaways.

By the way, Aaron recently left The Athletic so he could continue to cover the Twins independently. Please check out his work and subscribe for comprehensive coverage and analysis on all-things Twins. I’m not just saying that because he helped hire me at Rotoworld some 17 years ago.

23) Houston Astros ⬇️

Last week: 21

As we sit here on June 8, Yordan Alvarez has a real chance at the first Triple Crown in MLB since Miguel Cabrera in 2012. He currently leads the AL in homers (22) and RBI (48) and only the Rays’ Yandy Diaz has a higher batting average. With Aaron Judge out indefinitely, the only thing that might get in the way is Alvarez’s own health.

24) New York Mets

Last week: 24

It has been a troubling first two months for the Mets, but Carson Benge’s progress has been fun to watch. He became the fourth Mets rookie to have five hits and a homer in the same game, joining John Milner (1972), Alex Ochoa (1996), and Pete Alonso (2019). That game from Ochoa was actually a cycle, which I remember well, because I cut the newspaper clipping from the box score and hung it on the wall in my room, convinced he would be a superstar. Maybe Benge can actually be that guy for the Mets?

25) Boston Red Sox ⬇️

Last week: 23

This has been an exasperating first half for Red Sox fans, but at least they get to watch Payton Tolle pitch every fifth day.

In addition to getting it done on the mound, Tolle is already one of the most interesting characters in MLB.

26) Detroit Tigers ⬆️

Last week: 28

Things are looking up here, as the Tigers have won five out of six. Tarik Skubal fired five scoreless innings in a rehab start with High-A West Michigan on Sunday. He’s on track to return Friday against the Guardians to kick off what’s a legitimately important series against their division rivals. If the Tigers can’t climb the standings in a hurry, Skubal could soon become the focus of the upcoming trade deadline.

27) San Francisco Giants ⬇️

Last week: 26

Kneel before the offensive powerhouse that is the Giants. While San Francisco won a low-scoring game in extra innings on Sunday Night Baseball against the Cubs, they scored 30 runs between Thursday and Friday. That’s the most over a two-game stretch since April 30, 1944. May was mostly a month to forget for Matt Chapman, but he’s been an absolute monster so far this month.

28) Kansas City Royals ⬇️

Last week: 27

The Royals have won five out of their last seven, but Bobby Witt Jr. was forced to exit Sunday’s game due to knee soreness. Jac Caglianone also got banged up over the weekend following a collision with the right-field wall.

29) Los Angeles Angels

Last week: 29

Would you believe that the Angels went 6-0 against the Dodgers last season? The Angels were 0-5 against the Dodgers this season before the bottom of their batting order feasted in a historic fashion yesterday.

30) Colorado Rockies

Last week: 30

It’s not easy to be a pitcher on the Rockies, which is why it’s worth giving some serious props to southpaw Kyle Freeland for passing Aaron Cook for the most innings pitched in franchise history. Freeland is 1,313 1/3 innings after his start against the Brewers on Sunday.

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Where to watch New York Yankees vs. Cleveland Guardians: Live stream, start time, TV channel, odds for Monday, June 8

The New York Yankees (38-26) open a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians (37-30). The game is essentially a pick'em, with Cleveland at -117 and the New York Yankees at -103. Scheduled starting pitchers are Will Warren for the Yankees, with a 3.22 ERA, and Gavin Williams for the Guardians, with a 3.20 ERA.

  • Date: Monday, June 8

  • Time: 6:40 p.m. ET / 3:40 p.m. PT

  • Where: Progressive Field, Cleveland, OH

  • TV Channels: FS1, Guardians.TV Presented by Progressive, YES

  • Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

  • New York Yankees: 38-26 (No. 2 in AL East)

  • Cleveland Guardians: 37-30 (No. 1 in AL Central)

  • Spread: Cleveland Guardians +1.5

  • Moneyline: Cleveland Guardians -117 (51.5%) / New York Yankees -103 (48.5%)

  • Over/Under: 7.5

New York Yankees: Will Warren (7-1, ERA: 3.22, K: 70, WHIP: 1.20)
Cleveland Guardians: Gavin Williams (9-3, ERA: 3.20, K: 94, WHIP: 1.08)

Weather: 80°F at first pitch

Ballpark: Capacity: 34,788 | Roof: Open | Surface: Grass

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Ask Pinstripe Alley: Yankees mailbag questions request

Ask Pinstripe Alley

Oh, how fast a week changes things. Seven days ago I led the mailbag opening with the belief that the Yankees were close to full-strength sans the return date of Max Fried being unclear. Then, we learned that Aaron Judge would be going on the IL for a fractured rib that he’s been playing through since the end of April, and likely will cost him significant time this year. The three-time AL MVP will not be able to defend his crown this year after winning the last two times, but more importantly the Yankees now have to navigate the summer without their captain setting the tone atop the lineup.

That was not the only concern coming out of the team in that span, though thankfully it was the only major one. Cam Schlittler looked a bit out of sorts in a start against Cleveland, losing a few ticks on his fastball velocity, but he rebounded well in his latest outing Sunday against Boston. Despite these worries, they’ve managed to go up in the standings and tie the Rays for first place in the division thanks to Tampa scuffling over this week. Can the team maintain a hold on first for the foreseeable future, or will they fall back into the Wild Card without Judge? Should Spencer Jones get a full-on tryout for the starting spot, or will Jasson Domínguez leap back above the depth chart once he returns? Can Schlittler keep his Cy Young candidacy going, or will he start to face more adversity? If you have questions like these, or anything else on your mind, send ‘em in for a chance to be featured in our Yankees mailbag.

Answers will run on Friday afternoon. All questions received by the night of June 11th will be considered. You can leave your submissions in the comment section below or by e-mail to pinstripealleyblog [at] gmail [dot] com.

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Hawks give Quin Snyder contract extension after being last team to beat Knicks

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder reacting during a game, Image 2 shows Knicks guard Jalen Brunson observes as Atlanta Hawks head coach Quin Snyder disputes a call with a referee
Quin Snyder

Quin Snyder is getting rewarded thanks in part to some moderate playoff success against the Knicks.

The Atlanta Hawks coach, 59, signed a new multiyear contract extension, the team announced Monday, after they were eliminated from the playoffs in a six-game first-round series against the Knicks.

After going 46-36, the Hawks were the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference and once led the Knicks 2-1 in the best-of-seven series before the Knicks won three straight to begin a 13-game winning streak that they’ve ridden to a 2-0 NBA Finals lead over the Spurs.

The Hawks are the last team to beat the Knicks, having held a 2-1 series lead in the first round. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

The Hawks also traded four-time All-Star Trae Young this season, but were able to pry Nickeil Alexander-Walker away from the Minnesota Timberwolves in a sign-and-trade deal that helped change their trajectory and defensive prowess.

Atlanta had the 12th-best total net rating in all of basketball during the regular season, which was actually better than the 53-29 Lakers.

The Hawks hope to continue developing their young players, including Jalen Johnson, who just made the All-NBA third team.

Atlanta made some moves at the trade deadline and competed in the playoffs against the eventual Eastern Conference champions, who haven’t lost a game since.

Quin Snyder received a multiyear contract extension from the Hawks. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post

After the Knicks won three straight against the Hawks, Snyder tipped his metaphorical hat to the Knicks, calling what Mike Brown’s group did to the Hawks the “perfect storm.”

Snyder was hired by the Hawks in February 2023 after they fired Nate McMillan midseason. Snyder resigned from the Jazz at the end of the previous season following an eight-year run. He was a Hawks assistant for one season before becoming Utah’s head coach.

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Reds vs Padres Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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A pair of struggling offenses hit Petco Park on Monday, June 8, with the San Diego Padres hosting the Cincinnati Reds in their series opener.

My top Reds vs. Padres predictions and MLB picks are calling for Cincy to eke out a low-scoring win tonight. 

Who will win Reds vs Padres today: Reds moneyline (+118)

It hasn’t always been pretty, but Cincinnati Reds starter Andrew Abbott has allowed three runs of fewer in each of his past seven starts for a surface 2.25 ERA that hides a 5.07 xFIP. 

I’m confident Abbott can continue his strong stretch despite the poor underlying metrics because the San Diego Padres rank last in baseball in wOBA against lefties, and they also rank last in the overall metric during their active 4-13 skid while averaging just 2.6 runs per game.

Plus, there’s nothing intimidating about Friars righty Walker Buehler’s well-above average 4.63 xERA.

I’d play the Reds moneyline to +100.

Covers COVERS INTEL: The San Diego Padres have the lowest squared up contract rate and runs above average based on wOBA in the majors, which positions the Cincinnati Reds to win and for this total to come in Under the number.

Reds vs Padres Over/Under pick: Under 7.5 (+100)

In addition to the poor offense from the Padres, the Reds are without star Elly De La Cruz (hamstring) and have only scored 3.2 runs per game while ranking fifth-last in xwOBA during the six-game stretch.

Both teams have also trended toward their team totals Unders, with Cincy hitting in eight of the past 10 (+5.85 Units / 48% ROI) and San Diego in 31 of the past 45 (+15.20 Units / 29% ROI).

I’d obviously also play the Under 8.5, and the Under 7.5 to -105.

Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 23-12, +12.68 units
  • Over/Under bets: 13-9, +3.37 units

Reds vs Padres odds

  • Moneyline: Reds +115 | Padres -135
  • Run line: Reds +1.5 (-185) | Padres -1.5 (+155)
  • Over/Under: Over 7.5 (-125) | Under 7.5 (+100)

Reds vs Padres trend

The San Diego Padres have hit the Under in 17 of their last 25 games at home (+8.35 Units / 31% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Reds vs. Padres.

How to watch Reds vs Padres and game info

LocationPetco Park, San Diego, CA
DateMonday, June 8, 2026
First pitch9:40 p.m. ET
TVReds.TV, Padres.TV
Reds starting pitcherAndrew Abbott
(4-3, 4.06 ERA)
Padres starting pitcherWalker Buehler
(3-3, 4.53 ERA)

Reds vs Padres latest injuries

Reds vs Padres weather

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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Orioles place Chris Bassitt on IL with back pain and recall Trey Gibson to start vs. Mariners

BALTIMORE — The Baltimore Orioles placed right-hander Chris Bassitt on the 15-day injured list with low back discomfort and recalled Trey Gibson from Triple-A Norfolk to take Bassitt’s place in the rotation against the Seattle Mariners.

Bassitt, who is 4-4 with a 5.27 ERA in his first season with Baltimore, gave up three runs in three innings in his last start at Boston. Orioles manager Craig Albernaz told reporters afterward that Bassitt had lower back tightness.

The 37-year-old signed a one-year, $18.5 million deal with Baltimore in February and shares the team lead in victories.

Gibson is 1-0 with a 3.65 ERA in three appearances with the Orioles. The rookie right-hander gave up a run in 5 2/3 innings against Tampa Bay on May 27 in his most recent major league outing to earn his first career win and will face Seattle for the first time.

Baltimore also announced the Chicago Cubs had claimed right-hander Eduarniel Núñez. The Orioles had purchased his contract from the Athletics on May 15 and designated him for assignment.

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Victor Wembanyama and the “Big Fundamental” Adjustment

A tectonic shift may be required to change the course of the 2026 NBA Finals

(Photo by Gregory Shamus/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Two Games, Same Story

Twice in this series, San Antonio has built significant leads. Twice, it hasn’t mattered.

Through two games, the Spurs have been good enough to control stretches but not disciplined enough to finish them. That distinction has defined the Finals so far.

The Knicks have reduced the game to its simplest elements and executed them better. Their three-point production comes from three repeatable sources: Karl-Anthony Towns above the break, OG Anunoby and Mikal Bridges mainly in the corners, and Landry Shamet as a rhythm shooter.

Nothing exotic. Just precision.

The Wembanyama Problem

Victor Wembanyama’s Finals performance has, by his standards, been underwhelming, not just in output, but in impact.

I have aggregated the “concussion” and the “flagrant 2” games into one, thus counting 16 games pre-Finals. 

Finals vs. rest of the post season:

Points: 27.5 vs 24.6

  • Rebounds: 10.5 vs 11.4
  • Blocks: 3.8 vs 3.5
  • Assists: 2.0 vs 2.9
  • Steals: 1.5 vs 1.0
  • Turnovers: 5.0 vs 2.9
  • PF: 2.0 vs 2.75
  • FG%: 40.5% vs 50.9%
  • 3PT%: 26.7% vs 37%
  • FT%: 81% vs 87%

Compared to earlier rounds, his efficiency is down, turnovers are up, and his influence has diminished. The eye test confirms it: less force, less inevitability, fewer moments where the game bends around him.

From the Knicks’ perspective, Towns’ shooting (43% from deep) stretches the Spurs’ defense because it is embedded in structure, rhythmic, balanced, with options. KAT’s long threes, top of the key, are in rhythm and he always maintain his triple-threat options, which has led to some impressive drives to the rim leaving Vic behind, or he timely passes the ball (4 assists per game) to his teammates. 

On the other end, Victor’s attempts look like the threes a SG or a PG would take, especially someone like Curry. Wembanyama’s threes are often high difficulty attempts that disconnect possessions when they miss.

<p>Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images</p><br> | Brad Penner-Imagn Images

A Matchup the Knicks Are Winning

Karl-Anthony Towns has contained Wembanyama effectively. He is mobile enough to stay in front, disciplined with fouls, and large enough to contest. KAT has reduced his “silly” fouls to a point where it doesn’t impact him anymore and he can maintain defensive pressure for 48 minutes.

Josh Hart and Mitchell Robinson have limited second chances. Individually small wins, collectively significant. The result is a version of Wembanyama that feels manageable.

Vic’s troubles are not just behind the 3-point line, they can also be found in ISO situations when he faces the basket. Too many dribbles leading to turnovers and difficult shot attempts, especially in Game 1.

The Paradox of His Development

At 15, Wembanyama turned down Barcelona’s academy offer. He explained he did not want to be confined to a traditional center role. He chose development built on versatility, ball-handling, shooting, and freedom. Vic has given his youth coaches at Nanterre a lot of credit for giving him this freedom to experiment and develop skills rarely seen in prospects of his height.

Beyond his unique skillsets, Victor Wembanyama has showed a maturity, a drive to succeed, and work ethics never seen before from such a young person. What die-hard Spurs fans have known for almost 3 years now, is that Vic’s unique abilities come with some downfalls. There have been games where Vic will shoot too many threes or will take too many dribbles in traffic. 

That path created extraordinary upside, but also a tension. His game is built on optionality, not constraint. For three seasons, that balance favoured the upside. In this series, it has shifted.And unfortunately for Vic and the Spurs, the Knicks are clearly banking on this, and it’s working.

His youth coaches and his family’s open-mindedness supported his unique development. It might be time for Victor to demonstrate some open-mindedness of his own and make some changes. 

What once gave him an edge may now require recalibration.

Down 0–2, the Spurs have no margin for error. Their ceiling runs through Wembanyama.

<p>Photo by Dustin Satloff/Getty Images)</p><br> | Getty Images

The “Big Fundamental” Adjustment. Not long-term. Immediate.

Since Victor Wembanyama joined the Spurs organization, many fans have been left wondering what kind of signature move, he could / should add to his arsenal. There are games where he seems unstoppable and others where he looks like a mere mortal rather than an Alien.

With 2 games left to avoid a sweep, there is no time to develop a Kareem Sky Hook or a Timmy Bank Shot. Many fans have been asking for something like this, but it would take hours in the gym to perfect such moves.

Victor’s incremental adjustment that I think is required would already be a Big Fundamental Shift for him. Vic needs to work in the low post, not facing the basket, but playing his back against his defender and the rim. We keep hearing that Vic is not strong enough to gain positioning in the low post. Well, after battling the likes of Clingan, Gobert, Randle, Hartenstein, Holmgren, Dort, KAT and Robinson, I disagree. 

Vic has managed to get the ball in the high post; there is no reason he could not position himself in the low post. He has the will power to do so. Establishing deeper position in the low post is the key here.

Second incremental change, after receiving the ball, he needs to stay tall on the catch. So far, the Finals referees have been better than those he experienced in the Western Conference playoffs, they will protect him to some extent. Otherwise, when he receives the ball, he has a tendency to lower his center of gravity, to avoid to be pushed around, but he immediately loses his height advantage.

Final adjustment, Vic needs to use his Hakeem’s moves. Vic’s mobility and length are better than anybody of his height in the world. 9 times out 10 he would win this battle and would get a chance to score, being so much closer to the rim. 

Down 2-0, only a drastic adjustment can change the course of history, and it must come from Victor Wembanayma. The coaching staff might even consider bringing Mason Plumlee for short sequences to add a banging body in the paint when Victor is establishing position. 

I don’t think the Spurs can now win the Finals without a 40-20 game from Vic. To pull this off, especially at the Madison Square Garden, he needs to demonstrate he can adjust his skillset to the circumstances.

Simple, but critical.

There is still a path. Narrow, but real.

If Wembanyama simplifies, anchors, and imposes himself, the series changes. Until it doesn’t.

Spurs in seven.

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Yankees vs. Guardians prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for June 8

The Yankees (38-26) and the Guardians (37-30) open a three-game set tonight in Cleveland. These teams met just last week in the Bronx with Jose Ramirez and co. taking two of the three games.

 

Over the weekend, the Yankees took two of three from the Red Sox, including a 6-1 win Sunday behind late power from Cody Bellinger, while the Guardians lost two of three in Texas, capped by a 10-0 loss Sunday. New York is now tied for first in the American League East with the Rays while the Guardians lead the AL Central by two games over the White Sox.

 

Aaron Judge remains on the IR for New York, but a few players have stepped up at the plate in his absence. Over the last ten games, Ben Rice (.341) and Trent Grisham (.382) have been the team’s most productive hitters, both providing strong on-base presence and consistent contact. However, not every bat in the lineup has been hot for the Yankees. Paul Goldschmidt (.220) and Anthony Volpe (.189) have struggled for the majority of the last two weeks. As a team, though, the Yankees have hit .276 over their last 10 games and continue to lead the American League in runs scored for the season.

 

Cleveland’s lineup has struggled in comparison to New York’s over the last couple of weeks. They are hitting .245 as a team over their last ten games. Kyle Manzardo has been one of their hotter hitters, going 9-for-32 (.281) including a couple of home runs last week against the Yankees. Steven Kwan has shown flashes as well, picking up hits in recent games, including a multi-hit effort yesterday.

 

Each side is sending one of their more reliable arms to the mound to open this series. The Yankees turn to right-hander Will Warren (7-1, 3.22 ERA), who has been especially effective on the road this season and is coming off a scoreless outing in his last start. Cleveland counters with Gavin Williams (9-3, 3.20 ERA), one of the hotter pitchers in the American League, riding a four-decision including eight scoreless innings with 11 strikeouts in his last appearance.

 

Lets dive into tonight’s matchup and find a sweat or two.

 

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

 

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

 

Game Details and How to Watch: Yankees vs. Guardians

 

  • Date: Monday, June 8, 2026
  • Time: 6:40PM EST
  • Site: Progressive Field
  • City: Cleveland, OH
  • Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, FS1, YES, CLEGuardians.TV

 

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

 

The Latest Odds: Yankees vs. Guardians

The latest odds as of Monday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: New York Yankees (+108), Cleveland Guardians (-131)
  • Spread: Yankees +1.5 (-199), Guardians -1.5 (+163)
  • Total: 8.0 runs

 

Probable Starting Pitchers: Yankees vs. Guardians for June 8

  • Yankees: Will Warren
    Season Totals: 64.1 IP, 7-1, 3.22 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 70K, 19 BB
  • Guardians: Gavin Williams
    Season Totals: 81.2 IP, 9-3, 3.20 ERA, 1.08 WHIP, 94K, 25 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Yankees vs. Guardians

  • Jose Ramirez is 8-24 (.333) in June
  • Steven Kwan is 7-21 (.333) in June
  • Brayan Rocchio is 3-19 (.158) in June
  • Jazz Chisholm Jr. is 3-17 (.176) in June
  • Jose Caballero is 4-20 (.200) over his last 7 games

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top Betting Trends & Insights: Yankees and Guardians

  • The Guardians are 36-31 on the Run Line this season
  • The Yankees are 31-33 on the Run Line this season
  • The OVER has cashed 33 times in Cleveland’s 67 games this season (33-34)
  • The OVER has cashed 28 times in the Yankees’ 64 games this season (28-32-4)

Expert picks & predictions: Yankees vs. Guardians

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

 

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
 

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for tonight’s game between the Yankees and the Guardians:

  • Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Gusrdians on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Run Line.
  • Total: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Game Total OVER 8.0

 
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