It's another full slate across the Major Leagues today, and there's no shortage of value in my MLB player props. I'll include Shea Langeliers, Otto Lopez, and Jack Leiter.
Shea Langeliers has served as one of the Athletics' best hitters this year. He's batting .333 with 11 home runs, and Langeliers has already smacked six hits in May. The slugger has cashed the Over in total bases in three of his last five contests. While Langeliers was just 1-for-5 on Friday, he finished 2-for-5 in the finale against the Philadelphia Phillies on Thursday with a long ball.
Langeliers will face Baltimore Orioles righty Shane Baz today, who has a 4.99 ERA. Langeliers is 4-for-10 lifetime against him with a pair of doubles and a home run. Only one of his hits versus the right-hander hasn't been for extra bases. He's also hitting .323 against righties, and Baz is a very inconsistent arm.
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MASN, NBCS-CA
Otto Lopez Over 1.5 hits (+159)
Otto Lopez has emerged as one of the top hitters in the Majors in 2026. He leads the MLB in hits with 50, and the infielder has cashed the Over in hits in back-to-back games. Lopez finished 3-for-4 in the series opener against the Washington Nationals on Friday evening, and he was also 2-for-4 on Thursday against the Baltimore Orioles.
Lopez will be excited for this matchup as the Nats send Zack Littell to the hill, who owns an ERA north of seven. While Lopez is 0-for-3 vs. Littell, it's a small sample size, and Littell has allowed 40 hits in 32.1 innings of work this season. Lopez is batting .341 at home, and he's also hitting .454 in May so far.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marlins.TV, Nationals.TV
Jack Leiter Over 16.5 outs recorded (-120)
Jack Leiter may not have the best ERA early on, but he's pitching deep into games lately. The Texas Rangers starter has hit the Over in outs recorded in back-to-back outings, lasting six innings on April 27, and another 6.2 frames last time out. While he gave up nine earned runs combined in those starts, the Rangers have given him a longer leash.
He's also pitched better at home, compiling a 4.50 ERA compared to a 6.14 ERA on the road. Leiter also has just four free passes across his last three starts, which is a big reason Texas has left him out there longer than usual. Facing the Chicago Cubs won't be easy, but Leiter will battle and keep his team in the game.
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marquee Sports Network, CW33
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
Prop picks: 18-35, -2.62 units
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.
Offense may be in short supply for two losing teams
The New York Mets look to win their third series in a row as they play game two in Arizona. Despite the recent run of success, New York is still tied for the worst record in the National League.
The Arizona Diamondbacks are only 2.5 games better, however.
Neither team has been hitting, but the Mets have the better end of the pitching matchup. That's why my Mets vs. Diamondbacks predictions and MLB picks have the Mets winning as a road favorite.
Who will win Mets vs Diamondbacks today: Mets moneyline (-108)
Both teams have been punchless, but pitching has been the difference. The New York Mets and Arizona Diamondbacks each scored under five runs in seven of 10 games.
But New York is 3-4 as their pitchers matched opposing zeroes, while Arizona lost all of them.
The Mets are in better shape Saturday, with NL ERA leader Clay Holmes on the mound. His walk rate is the lowest in four years, and his hit rate is the lowest in five.
Arizona counters with Merrill Kelly, who has been a disaster so far this year. He's walking 7.1 batters per nine innings and allowing a home run every three innings.
COVERS INTEL:Kelly literally could not be worse so far this season. He's in baseball's bottom 1% in pitching run value, both fastball and offspeed run value, expected ERA, and opposing batting average, as well as opponent barrel percentage.
Mets vs Diamondbacks Over/Under pick: Under 9.5 (-108)
The Mets rank at the bottom of MLB in OPS and second-to-last in runs per game. They've hit slightly better over the last week, but were still 6% below league average over that span.
If Kelly, who missed spring training with an injury, can't figure out what to adjust to regain his old form, the Mets should be able to score. But in that case, Kelly likely won't be around very long.
The D-Backs have been better, but still below league average, at the plate all season, but their bats have abandoned them lately. Arizona is hitting .171 with .548 OPS over the last week, 42% below league average.
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 11-12 -0.48 units
Over/Under bets: 13-14, -1.76 units
Mets vs Diamondbacks odds
Moneyline: Mets -108 | Diamondbacks +104
Run line: Mets -1.5 (+150) | Diamondbacks +1.5 (-156)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+104) | Under 9.5 (-108)
Mets vs Diamondbacks trend
The New York Mets have hit the Game Total Under in 16 of their last 23 away games (+9.30 Units / 37% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Mets vs. Diamondbacks.
How to watch Mets vs Diamondbacks and game info
Location
Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
Date
Saturday, May 9, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
FOX
Mets starting pitcher
Clay Holmes (4-2, 1.69 ERA)
Diamondbacks starting pitcher
Merrill Kelly (1-3, 9.95 ERA)
Mets vs Diamondbacks latest injuries
Mets vs Diamondbacks 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.
PHILADELPHIA, PA - MAY 8: Landry Shamet #44 of the New York Knicks dunks the ball during the game against the Philadelphia 76ers during Round Two Game Three of the 2026 NBA Playoffs on May 8, 2026 at the Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2026 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) | NBAE via Getty Images
Anybody could have had Jalen Brunson in the 2018 NBA Draft. Anybody. The Villanova guard was the 33rd overall choice in that selection process, and has since parlayed his old-man game into four 20 point-per-game seasons and three All-Star appearances.
That same June night, the Sixers did have Mikal Bridges, albeit briefly. (Perhaps you’ve heard.) Landry Shamet, too.
They’re all Knicks now, Brunson via Dallas, Bridges (Brunson’s former teammate on the Main Line) via Phoenix and Brooklyn and Shamet via seemingly half the teams in the league. And on Friday night their play proved pivotal in the Knicks’ 108-94 victory over the Sixers in Game 3 of an Eastern Conference semifinal series.
That the Sixers are down 3-0 is due not only to Joel Embiid’s brittle body, Paul George’s aging body and Tyrese Maxey’s compromised body, but because the team doesn’t have nearly enough bodies.
Even without forward OG Anunoby (hamstring), and even with foul-plagued Karl-Anthony Towns managing eight points, the Knicks had ample reinforcements. Brunson scored 33. Bridges, amid a playoff heater, had 23, and Shamet surprised with 15 off the bench.
This is a guy who had managed 14 points in New York’s first eight playoff games. A guy who hadn’t cracked double figures since putting up 13 against Memphis in a regular-season game on April 1, and one who had played sparingly during a four-game stretch of the Knicks’ first-round series against Atlanta.
But on Friday he shot 5-for-6 from the floor and was a team-best plus-20 in 26:20.
“You just stay ready,” he said. “When your number’s called, you stay ready. … It felt good. It felt good to be out there with my teammates. Felt good to get a win.”
Bridges called the 29-year-old guard “a true professional.” Coach Mike Brown called him a lifesaver.
“We needed a spark,” he said, “and Landry gave it to us.”
The Knicks’ reserves outscored the Sixers subs 23-0 through the first three quarters, 29-11 overall. (Kudos to Quentin Grimes, minus-17 in 22:28, for a pair of fourth-quarter three-pointers.)
We need not relitigate the Jared McCain trade here, but we all see what he’s doing with Oklahoma City. (The counterpoint is that the Thunder is better able to cover up his defensive deficiencies, which the Knicks would certainly have attempted to exploit in this series, were he still on the roster. Still, the dude can shoot.)
The greater point is that the Sixers’ bench has been hideous all year, whether McCain has been on it or not. And whether because of tired legs or whatever, the team as a whole has run out of gas late in the last two games of this series. They were outscored 19-12 in that period in Game 2, 22–18 Friday.
Also noteworthy – the 36-year-old George was 6-for-9 while scoring 15 points in the first quarter, scoreless on 0-for-9 shooting thereafter. Embiid gave it his best shot, but he’s clearly not even close to being right; he finished with 18 points and six rebounds.
And Maxey, who for weeks has been playing with a pinky injury, managed just 12 shots against a Bridges-led defense. Made eight, mind you, but it was clear the Knicks weren’t gonna let him wreck the game. And he didn’t, finishing with just 17 points.
One other thing: The Sixers, as has been their wont, were outrebounded 49-33, and outscored on second-chance points, 20-11.
Does Game 4 even need to be played on Sunday afternoon? Can’t the Sixers just fax a concession to league headquarters? Can’t the airtime be filled by Ben Simmons summer workout videos or some such thing?
Friday’s game began on a promising note for Philadelphia. Spurred by the crowd and desperate to climb out of an 2-0 series hole, the Sixers raced to a 20-8 lead highlighted by a pair of VJ Edgecombe dunks, off feeds from Maxey. But the Knicks kept coming, due in no small part to two guys with Sixers ties.
Bridges, taken 10th by Philadelphia in that 2018 draft and immediately flipped to Phoenix for another draftee, Zhaire Smith, and a 2021 No. 1, shot 8-for-14 from the floor. After an uneven regular season he is knocking down 64.9 percent of his attempts in the series, 69.4 percent over his last four games, while defending with his usual verve.
Shamet, selected 26th in 2018, spent 54 games with the Sixers before he and the first-rounder in the Bridges trade were sent to the Clippers for Tobias Harris. Shamet has since played for Brooklyn, Phoenix and Washington as well. And when Brunson rested late in Friday’s first quarter, it was Shamet who scored five points, helping the Knicks cut the gap to four by period’s end.
They went ahead for good with 8:20 left in the first half, at 38-35, and fended Philadelphia off the rest of the night. Brunson did his thing at the offensive end, Bridges on D. And everybody else seemed to help out.
When asked afterward about Bridges’ work against Maxey, Brown talked about the multiple efforts required to contain such a dynamic player.
“And Mikal is busting his behind, trying to do that, trying to make it tough on him while giving it to us offensively,” the coach said. “So again, I applaud Mikal. I also applaud our defense behind Mikal.”
Bridges, who made his bones on defense early in his career at ‘Nova before blossoming as a scorer, agreed that defending Maxey is a group project. But certainly it began with him.
“Just trying to do whatever it takes to win,” he said. “The regular season means a lot, but it’s just another season after. Just giving it all.”
Added teammate Josh Hart, yet another Villanovan: “I never worry about (Bridges), because he’s gonna bring it every game. He’s gonna take his matchup personal.”
Brunson pointed out that defending at such a level is a matter of maintaining “that next-play mentality, having short-term memory, just focusing on the next play, next play.”
“So regardless of what’s happening, positive or negative,” he added, “he’s locked in for the next one. That’s just who he is.”
The Sixers closed the gap to 78-76 late in the third quarter, only to see the Knicks reel off the period’s last seven points, capped by Shamet’s right-wing three-pointer with 7.1 seconds left. New York, by that point up nine, then extended its lead to 16 in the fourth. And that was that.
“We’ve got one more, one more in a matter of hours, really,” Shamet said. “So try to get our bodies right, get our minds right, and try to go get one.”
Certainly they all seem to be pulling in the same direction. And it is all of them, too. That is what is most striking, and that is the difference in this series. Numbers. Bodies. Options. In order to fulfill expectations, Daryl Morey and Co. need to fill out the team’s roster. They need to find useful pieces along the lines of, say, Mikal Bridges or Landry Shamet. That is the challenge that awaits this offseason, which now appears to be very close indeed.
It’s been more than 26 years since the Knicks swept an opponent in a playoff series. After a 108-94 victory on Friday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, the Knicks have a chance to accomplish a feat that hasn’t happened since Patrick Ewing was their starting center.
New York has put it all together in the playoffs. After falling behind 2-1 to the Atlanta Hawks in the first round, the Knicks have won six consecutive playoff games. The offense and defense are both humming. With a chance at a 4-0 series sweep on Sunday afternoon, let's walk through some keys to Game 4.
Bridges game
With OG Anunoby unavailable due to a hamstring injury, Mikal Bridges stepped up in an immense way, posting 23 points on 8-for-14 shooting. Bridges led a decisive Knicks run in the second quarter, scoring 10 points in the frame.
We knew Jalen Brunson was going to be productive. The Knicks All-Star guard ended up with 33 points. But New York needed another player to come along for the ride and Bridges was game for the challenge.
With Karl-Anthony Towns limited to just eight points in 26 minutes due to foul trouble, Bridges stepped in for one of his best two-way performances of the season. Bridges has made a near 180-degree transformation from just two weeks ago. He’s been more aggressive in looking for his shot.
Also, he’s done a good job of playing off of New York’s two All-Stars. Brunson is occasionally being blitzed on the pick-and-roll which has opened up some looks for Bridges. Towns’ emergence as a playmaker has allowed Bridges to make more plays as an off ball cutter.
Going forward, the Knicks don’t need the 6-foot-6 wing to get out of character. He’s effective when he’s making quick reads as a play finisher.
Defense to the max
Defense is where Bridges has also helped the Knicks. His main responsibility has been checking 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey throughout this series. New York’s aggressive defensive strategy of blitzing Maxey in the pick-and-roll has largely worked. Maxey was efficient, going 8-for-12. But he only finished with 17 points in 44 minutes in Game 3.
The Knicks have done a good job covering Maxey during this series, holding the All-Star point guard to 18.7 points and five assists through three games. That’s a far cry from 2024, when Maxey torched the Knicks for 29.8 points in six first-round games. Miles McBride and Landry Shamet also deserve some credit for defending Maxey throughout this game.
Heading into Game 4, the Sixers will look to find a few ways to free up Maxey. Philadelphia could take a page out of New York’s playbook and have Maxey come off screens more often à la Brunson. The Sixers could also emphasize getting out and running to create some easy transition looks for the point guard.
Bench mob
A key to this series has been New York’s depth. Over the course of three games, New York’s reserves have an 86-51 scoring edge over Philadelphia. The Knicks bench shined brightest on Friday, outscoring Philadelphia’s subs 28-6 before the benches were emptied late in the game. Specifically, Shamet was a significant difference maker, putting up 15 points on 5-for-6 shooting from the field.
Mitchell Robinson also returned from an illness to have a solid performance. In 16 minutes, he was a plus-16 with six points and six rebounds, including a monster alley-oop over Joel Embiid.
On the Sixers side, head coach Nick Nurse is not utilizing his bench much in this series. Outside of the starting lineup, the 76ers have about two or three reserves playing real rotation minutes. Maxey has sat for just five total minutes in the last two games. Starters Paul George and VJ Edgecombe have both played at least 38 minutes in both Games 2 and 3.
Every playoff series is a war of attrition. If the 76ers are going to lean this heavily on their starters, that gives the Knicks an energy advantage going into Game 4.
New logos on hats are pictured during an Oklahoma City Comets media day and practice at Chickasaw Bricktown Ballpark in Oklahoma City, on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. | NATHAN J. FISH/THE OKLAHOMAN / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
Friday in the Dodgers minors featured two rehabbing major leaguers, a doubleheader split, and a wild comeback for naught.
Player of the day
Tyler Fitzgerald hit his first two home runs since joining the Dodgers organization, including a game-tying grand slam with one out in the ninth inning for Oklahoma City.
Fitzgerald, acquired from the Toronto Blue Jays on April 28, drove in six runs on the night. He started at second base, then shifted over to third base after rehabber Kiké Hernández played his seven innings.
Triple-A Oklahoma City
Given new life by Fitzgerald, the Comets allowed two runs in the 10th inning in a loss to the Salt Lake Bees (Angels). Starter Christian Romero allowed seven runs in his five innings, but was off the hook thanks to the ninth-inning grand slam.
James Tibbs III and Jack Suwinski each had two hits and scored a run.
Rehabbing Dodgers
Mookie Betts singled once in three at-bats and played five innings at shortstop in his first minor league game in 11 years. The plan is for Betts to play once more for the Comets on Saturday, then possibly be activated off the injured list Monday.
Kiké Hernández was 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts in his third rehab game. He played seven innings at third base on Friday, after playing five innings at the hot corner on both Tuesday and Thursday.
Double-A Tulsa
The Drillers split a doubleheader with the Arkansas Travelers (Mariners), dropping the first game then pitching a shutout in the second contest. Payton Martin struck out six in four scoreless innings in the nightcap, working around three singles and two walks to keep Arkansas off the board.
Chris Newell had three hits and drove in a pair in the nightcap. Kole Myers homered.
Tulsa in the first game only had two hits, including a solo home run by catcher Frank Rodriguez in the sixth inning for the Drillers’ only run of the opener.
High-A Great Lakes
The Loons lost a back-and-forth game to the Lake County Captains (Guardians).
Second baseman Nico Perez hit a two-run home run for Great Lakes, his third of the series to go with 10 RBI in the last four games.
This was a planned piggyback outing for Loons ace Christian Zazueta after starting his first five games this season. He entered with two on and two outs in the fourth inning and stranded a pair of runners, then finished out the game. Zazueta struck out seven and walked none but also allowed three runs in his 4 1/3 innings, including a solo home run to take the loss.
The Tower Buzzers managed only four hits in a road loss to the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. Emil Morales had two of them.
Brady Smith struck out nine in his start over 3 1/3 innings and allowed only one run, but got stuck with the tough-luck loss.
Ariona Complex League
Outfielders Brendan Tunink and Landyn Vidourek joined shortstop Kellon Lindsey to rehab in Arizona, giving the ACL Dodgers three position players from Ontario. Vidourek hit a two-run home run on Thursday in his first game since April 18, then homered again on Friday.
Tunink, who strained his hamstring on April 14, had two hits in his first game with Arizona on Thursday, then was 0-for-4 on Friday. Lindsey walked three times and stole a base on Friday and in his five games thus far in Arizona is 4-for-17 with a home run, double, and four walks.
Great Lakes catcher Gio Cueto has been out since early April, but he also joined the ACL Dodgers on rehab. On Friday, Cueto homered.
For the second time in three years, pending free agent Lassi Thomson has parted ways with the Senators and signed with a European team.
HC Lugano announced this week that the Senators' 2019 first-round draft pick has signed a two-year deal to play in Switzerland's National League.
As a 25-year-old who hasn't played at least 80 career NHL games, Thomson was scheduled to become a Group 6 unrestricted free agent on July 1st, and seemed to be working his way back onto the NHL radar, if not in Ottawa, then maybe somewhere else in the league.
THN's Steve Warne talks with Drake Batherson about his contractual status.
With the ridiculous amount of injuries on Ottawa's blue line, Thomson was one of the men who helped backfill during the Senators' impressive run to nail down a playoff spot. He got into 11 regular-season games with the Sens, and when Artem Zub was hurt in Game 1 of the playoffs, it was Thomson who subbed in for Game 2.
Thomson left the organization to play one season for Malmo in the Swedish League in 2024-25, but returned to the Senators last summer, hoping there might be an opportunity. However, he signed back here before the Sens traded for Jordan Spence and before anyone knew that Nick Jensen would recover in time for the 2025-26 season.
So that set Thomson up for another season of playing mostly in Belleville, and rumours popped up back in January that Thomson was planning to move back to Europe again at season's end. Clearly, the late-season NHL work wasn't enough to sway him from his plan.
“Obviously, it is kind of frustrating seeing your teammates from Belleville are getting called up, and you're not getting that chance,” Thomson said last month. “But obviously, you have to try to think about it the other way and try to be positive, rather than worry if (a recall) is going to be coming or if it's not coming.
“So, I tried not to get too frustrated. I will say, I just tried to enjoy the hockey. That was the biggest thing for me this year. Just come here and enjoy the hockey. Whatever is going to happen, it's gonna happen.”
GM Janick Steinmann says his team is thrilled to have him.
"Lassi is an offensive D-man who played on the highest level the past years," said in a translated club statement. "He was one of the best D-men in the SHL during the 2024/25 season. He is very creative, has a great shot and can skate very well.
"He will help us on the power play and driving our game, 5 on 5. He has a lot of natural leadership qualities and is in the prime of his career."
Steinmann had a field day with Ottawa's organizational depth this week. He also signed Belleville forward Olle Lycksell, who started this season in Ottawa and appeared in seven games for the NHL club.
Steve Warne The Hockey News
This article was first published at The Hockey News Ottawa. Check out more great Sens features from The Hockey News at the links below:
There’s a small sliver of hope settling over Lakers fans as the Western Conference semifinal series shifts to Southern California this weekend.
Fans aren’t panicking yet, but make no mistake about it, the walls are closing in on the Lakers’ season.
Down 2-0 to the reigning champion Thunder, the Lakers aren’t just chasing wins, they’re chasing history, they’re chasing the odds, they’re even chasing the officials.
The Lakers’ Austin Reaves (15) needs to carry the team when LeBron James is not on the floor. NBAE via Getty Images
Let’s start with history. Teams that go up 2-0 in a best-of-seven series go on to win that series 93.7% of the time. In the conference semifinals, the odds are roughly the same; teams that take a 2-0 lead are 111-8 all time in the second round.
Lakers fans will always believe in their team, but the better question is whether there’s something tangible to grab onto that provides proof LA can send this series back to OKC.
Let’s dive into it.
Firstly, the Lakers have actually done a credible job guarding Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. The reigning MVP hasn’t had much space to operate, much less be his dominant self. LA has thrown multiple coverages at him the second he crosses half court.
They held him to 18 points in Game 1 and 13 points through the third quarter in Game 2.
And yet, the Thunder are up 2-0.
That’s the problem.
Because while the Lakers have been busy chasing the head of the snake, the body has been striking everywhere else. Chet Holmgren has 46 points and 21 rebounds. Ajay Mitchell has 38. The Thunder aren’t just deep, they’re surgical. They can beat you in so many ways. As soon as the Lakers take away one option, they crush you with three more.
Which leads us to the first thing the Lakers must do to win Games 3 and 4 at home.
The Lakers have done a credible job guarding the Thunder’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, but his teammates have stepped up. NBAE via Getty Images
Right now, they’re getting dominated in those minutes. They are minus-26 across two games when SGA is not on the floor. If you can’t win the non-MVP minutes, you don’t deserve to extend this series.
But that also requires them to win the minutes when their own superstar is not on the floor. Or at the least, survive them. At 41 years old, LeBron James is still the best player on the court in the postseason. But when he sits for two- to three-minute breathers every quarter, the Lakers collapse without him. They’re minus-18 when he’s on the bench in this series.
To survive those minutes, Austin Reaves needs to become the primary scorer on the court. He was a horrendous 3-for-16 shooting the ball in Game 1 but bounced back with a playoff career-high 31 points in Game 2. He helped the Lakers win one stretch without LeBron in the second quarter, but he needs to do that every quarter for the Lakers to win.
Because without Luka Doncic, when LeBron rests, the Lakers’ offense just doesn’t have the firepower necessary to keep up with the Thunder.
The Lakers’ LeBron James has fueled the offense when he’s on the court, but the firepower fizzles when he’s out of the game. Getty Images
Then there’s turnovers and extra possessions.
The Thunder thrive on creating live-ball turnovers and turning defense into offense. The Lakers have committed 37 turnovers in two games, and most of them have been lazy passes, out-of-control dribbling and poor decisions. OKC has turned those into transition baskets and a plus-21 advantage in second-chance points.
If the Lakers can take care of the ball and clean that up, they’re back in the game.
Finally, there’s one stat that’s been following the Lakers all postseason, it’s the great equalizer: the 3-point line.
It’s comically simple. In their eight playoff games, when they outshoot their opponent, they win. When they don’t, they lose. Shoot better than 40% from 3, hold OKC under its average and you’ll win.
And yet, even if the Lakers can check all those boxes … their ceiling in this series still feels low.
The Thunder are the better team. They are the younger, deeper, more athletic and more physical team. Their defense doesn’t just contest shots, it makes the Lakers uncomfortable in everything they do. They manipulate whistles like a master magician. They get to the free-throw line and don’t get called for fouls on the other end of the floor.
It might not be fair, especially with everything else the Lakers have to deal with, but that’s what it takes to win a championship. Which brings us back to reality.
Without Doncic, the Lakers aren’t just trying to climb a mountain, they’re scaling a steep cliff without a rope. They have to play absolutely perfect basketball and pray the officials stop giving the Thunder the benefit of every call. The good news is they are back home. They need two nights of flawless basketball. Two nights where every loose ball bounces their way, every shooter is on a heater and every rotation gets there in time.
Do that and maybe you’ve bought yourself enough time for something miraculous to happen.
Do the Lakers have a chance?
Yes, but it just happens to be about 6%.
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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI - APRIL 20: Bobby Witt Jr. #7 of the Kansas City Royals reacts in the second inning during a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Kauffman Stadium on April 20, 2026 in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Brandon Sloter/IOS/Getty Images) | Getty Images
McLaughlin saw an avenue that could help Lynch. He uncovered that Lynch had his glove positioned lower throughout his throwing motion.
So as Lynch turned to throw the baseball, he wasn’t staying balanced through his delivery. It caused him to be erratic and lose his command.
And ultimately, that led to more walks and fewer strikeouts.
“His back was almost turned to the hitter when he was driving down the mound,” McLaughlin said. “And it would make him spin off and spin open. So we went back to an old move when he was at the University of Virginia where he got his glove higher in the air.”
“When you are getting into Year 3, 4 and 5 in the major leagues, at some point it’s your time,” Picollo said then. “Right now, Bobby, Vinnie, Maikel, it’s your time.”
Not that anyone wants Witt to be anything but himself. Or that it’s suddenly all about his vocal stylings.
It’s just that he’s got so much to offer, especially in terms of the diligence, unwavering process and stress on mental performance that animate his superb talents.
Controlling the controllables, as Witt likes to say.
I will say that this does not make up for the struggles. He answered questions and criticized himself with language that would make Lucas Erceg blush after the game. He still is hitting just .194/.277/.366. He does now have five home runs and 18 RBI, which is getting closer to the sort of pace we saw from him last year, at least on the RBI front. And he’s hitting .302/.380/.628 since April 22, whic his another arbtirary day, but it’s the day he broke out of an 0 for 16 slump. But even in that stretch, he’s hitting .182 without an extra base hit with runners in scoring position. He’s hitting just 263 without an extra base hit with runners on period. He is RAKING with the bases empty.
No, that doesn’t mean he’s a garbage time hitter or anything like that. But he has struggled in the spot that you want your middle-of-the-order bat to succeed.
This Sunday is Mother’s Day, but Perez tries to thank his mom every day for the work she did. Perez’s work ethic and passion are two of his greatest attributes. He has Yilda to thank for that.
“I don’t think you appreciate it until you start to grow up,” Perez said. “When you start to work for yourself or for your family, when things are hard, that’s when you realize that your mom did a pretty good job for you and that she was working hard. I try to thank her every day for the things she did for me. I realize it was hard for her.
“She’s definitely one of my inspirations. I’ve got my kids and my wife, too. But it’s like, ‘If she can do it, why can I not do it?’ She fought as hard as she could, so I can get through a lot, too. When it gets hard, just keep going. She’s one of my inspirations every day.”
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - MAY 08: Ceddanne Rafaela #3 of the Boston Red Sox celebrate his solo home run during the fourth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park on May 08, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by China Wong/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees opened their series with the Brewers on a low-note, getting shutout by Jacob Misiorowski for six innings while Max Fried dropped his worst start of the season on the other side. Unfortunately, Spencer Jones’ MLB debut was overshadowed by the team at large struggling on Friday, collecting just three hits on the night. New York’s misfortune is the rest of the league’s opportunity though, so let’s see how the field fared.
Boston Red Sox (17-22) 2, Tampa Bay Rays (25-13) 0
The Rays were set up to capitalize and claim first place in the division back, but the Red Sox had other ideas. Connelly Early tossed seven innings without allowing a run, striking out eight batters and walking one with just four hits on the day. The Rays did get one chance in the third inning to strike, loading the bases with no outs on a pair of singles and a walk. Early got Ryan Vilade to strike out for the first out, and induced a 5-4-3 double play out of Junior Caminero to escape the jam.
Wilyer Abreu made the missed opportunity sting even more in the bottom half, hitting a solo home run to right field to put Boston on the board. Ceddanne Rafaela followed suit in the fourth, hitting one out to left to make it 2-0. No other Boston batter made it past second base, but they hardly needed to with Early dealing. Garrett Whitlock and Aroldis Chapman combined to make the eighth and ninth innings seamless, securing the win.
Toronto Blue Jays (17-21) 2, Los Angeles Angels (15-24) 0
The Jays got an ace performance of their own on Friday, riding Dylan Cease to seven scoreless as well. Cease one-upped Early, striking out 10 with no walks, though he did allow one more hit. The same couldn’t be said for Reid Detmers, who lasted only 3.2 innings for the Angels and coughed up the lead in the third. A leadoff single and a one-out walk came to bite him as Kazuma Okamoto singled home one run, and then Ernie Clement lifted a sacrifice fly to bring home the second run. The Angels bullpen did yeoman’s work covering 4.1 innings without incident, with just one hit allowed over that span, but there was no hope of cracking the Jays’ pitching staff this time around.
Cleveland Guardians (21-19) 6, Minnesota Twins (16-23) 4: The Guardians put up a four-spot in the first inning to take a commanding lead, benefitting off of an error to score their first run before a sacrifice fly brought in a second and Travis Bazzana hit his first MLB homer to double the lead to 4-0. The game stayed quiet after that for a while until the Twins started a rally, getting on the board in the sixth with a Ryan Jeffers RBI single before scoring two in the seventh on a Byron Buxton two-run homer. Cleveland got some breathing room with runs in the seventh and eighth. The Twins got back-to-back hits to start the ninth, but a double-play cut the rally short despite scoring a run, Josh Bell striking out to end it right after.
Kansas City Royals (18-21) 4, Detroit Tigers (18-21) 3: The Tigers and Royals traded a run each in the second inning, but Detroit jumped ahead with a two-run sixth inning. A leadoff walk was nearly wasted after the next two Tigers made outs, but Wenceel Pérez doubled to center to drive them in and Spencer Torkelson doubled him in right after. Kansas City tied things up in the eighth thanks to a pair of RBI singles from Kyle Isbel and Maikel Garcia, and Isbel walked it off in the ninth with a single to left.
Seattle Mariners (19-20) 12, Chicago White Sox (17-21) 8: A back-and-forth affair saw the Mariners break away late. Munataka Murakami tied Aaron Judge with his 15th home run of the season to start the scoring, but a bases-loaded hit by pitch tied the game in the second inning. Luke Raley put Seattle up with a grand slam in the third, only for Chicago to tie it back up in the bottom of the third with a bases-clearing double from Colson Montgomery doing the heavy lifting.
Julio Rodríguez got the Mariners back on top with a solo shot in the fifth, but it was the seventh inning where they started to pull away as Raley launched another homer, this time a three-run shot. The eighth saw Josh Naylor get in on the action with a three-run blast of his own, making it 12-5, but Chicago got two back in the bottom half on a single from Jarred Kelenic and an RBI double from Tristan Peters before former Yankee Randal Grichuk led off the ninth with a homer. The rest of the White Sox went down in order to end the threat, but it was topsy-turvy from the get-go.
Chicago Cubs (27-12) 7, Texas Rangers (17-21) 1: Ben Brown has been in the bullpen all of 2026 up until he started on Friday, but he made a case to get more starts in the future as he pitched four no-hit innings. Kumar Rocker’s night began with a delay as he had to go change his undershirt thanks to the white sleeves he was showing, and the Cubs made him pay for the delay striking for a run in the first inning before adding two more in the fourth on a Seiya Suzuki homer. The Rangers got their lone run in the fifth on a Justin Foscue single, but the Cubs kept going adding an RBI ground-rule double from Pete Crow-Armstrong in the sixth before Michael Busch lined a bases-clearing double that made it a laugher.
Apr 19, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; New York Mets left fielder Mj Melendez (1) celebrates in the dugout after he hits a home run during the fifth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images
MJ Melendez was thrust into a challenging situation last month. The struggling New York Mets faced the Los Angeles Dodgers on the road, amid what would become a 12-game losing streak. Seeking a spark, Melendez was plugged into the lineup and laced two doubles and notched an RBI against Shohei Ohtani. Though the Mets lost 8-2, Melendez has since been a reliable asset.
Melendez has been contributing in the heart of the order for the Mets, an unexpected development for the preseason playoff favorites. On Wednesday in Colorado, he added a triple, a walk, and a check-swing single. Keith Hernandez remarked after the lucky single, “When you’re hot, you’re hot,” on SNY.
The club lost eight more games after Melendez’s debut, but he has not been at fault. In just 16 games as DH and outfielder, the fifth-year player has blown away his career numbers, posting a 158 wRC+ and .912 OPS to lift a struggling lineup.
The question remains: can he put up numbers anywhere close to that for a sustained period? Injuries and poor offensive consistency have put the Mets in a deep hole in the standings despite an enormous payroll. Asking a reclamation project in Melendez to help carry the lineup is a tough ask, but he says he’s up for the challenge.
“It’s really cool to have that so-called pressure,” he told the media in late April. “I think that it’s something that you either love or you hate. I feel like I love that kind of thing.”
Melendez was drafted by the Royals in 2017 and ranked the No. 42 overall prospect by Baseball America upon his May 2022 debut. He was a league-average hitter as a rookie before declining the next two seasons. He spent most of 2025 in Triple-A before the Royals declined his option.
Getting another shot in the majors, Melendez has been the second luckiest hitter on the Mets so far this season; his .458 BABIP trails just Austin Slater’s .556, whos number is obviously enhanced by his mere 12 plate appearances. Melendez’s wOBA of .398 vs his xwOBA of .271 shows that somehow he keeps finding ways to produce, with the help of a lucky bounce here and there. Meanwhile, 13 of the 17 Mets who have registered at-bats this season have recorded the opposite results. The only other players overperforming their expected metrics are Ronny Mauricio and Jared Young, who are both on the injured list, and Slater in extremely limited playing time.
Melendez will likely regress at some point, but he remains a valuable depth piece for an injury-plagued team. Perhaps if Melendez comes back down to earth, the rest of the lineup will also regress to the mean. New York would gladly take some middle ground, given the deep hole they face.
Even if Melendez cannot sustain his current pace, a change of scenery and his motivation to prove himself after being let go by the Royals may help him remain a valuable and surprising contributor to the Mets roster.
The Chicago Cubs are the hottest team in baseball, having won 10 consecutive games.
They are favored to extend their winning streak in Texas, but my Cubs vs. Rangers predictions see the home team keeping it close.
Let's dive deeper into my MLB picks for Saturday, May 9.
Who will win Cubs vs Rangers today: Rangers +1.5 (-135)
Jack Leiter has posted an xFIP of 3.44 and SIERA of 3.52, putting him in company with Joe Ryan, Landon Roupp, and Braxton Ashcraft among today's starters. Those arms have ERAs comfortably in the threes, yet Leiter sits at 5.44.
It's almost the opposite story for Chicago Cubs pitcher Edward Cabrera. His ERA sits at 3.27 despite a 4.21 xERA. He has allowed plenty of hard contact and ranks in the 11th percentile in barrel rate.
With both starters showing misleading surface stats — and the Cubs riding a 10-game winning streak — there is value in backing the Texas Rangers to keep it close.
COVERS INTEL: Cabrera ranks in the 37th percentile in expected batting average allowed.
Cubs vs Rangers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-105)
Leiter has allowed 20 runs over his last five starts. While I expect him to earn better results moving forward than he has thus far, it's a stretch to suggest he'll completely slow a Cubs offense that leads the league in runs per game and on base percentage.
The Rangers are also a threat to score several runs in this game. Their offense has posted some respectable numbers beneath the surface, ranking seventh in hard hit rate, 10th in fly ball rate, and 13th in wOBA against right-handed pitching over the last month.
They should cause problems for Cabrera.
Todd Cordell's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 15-6, +6.53 units
Over/Under bets: 9-11-1, -3.06 units
Cubs vs Rangers odds
Moneyline: Cubs -140 | Rangers +120
Run line: Cubs -1.5 (+115) | Rangers +1.5 (-135)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-110) | Under 8.5 (-110)
Cubs vs Rangers trend
The Cubs have hit the game total Over in 20 of their last 30 games (+10.05 units, 30% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Rangers.
How to watch Cubs vs Rangers and game info
Location
Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
Date
Saturday, May 9, 2026
First pitch
7:05 p.m. ET
TV
FOX
Cubs starting pitcher
Edward Cabrera (3-0, 3.27 ERA)
Rangers starting pitcher
Jack Leiter (1-3, 5.45 ERA)
Cubs vs Rangers latest injuries
Cubs vs Rangers 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.
Don’t make too much of their recent troubles scoring runs. Or how they have a bunch of old players on their roster. Or how it feels as if you have a better chance of seeing a dinosaur at Dodger Stadium these days than a Shohei Ohtani homer.
Regardless of what happens in the regular season, the Dodgers will be the team to beat in October.
Just as they were last year. And the year before that.
Following Friday’s 3-1 victory over Atlanta, the Dodgers proved they’re still the team to beat in October. AP
You never want to make too much of a regular-season game, particularly one that’s six weeks into a 162-game schedule, but their 3-1 victory over the Braves was more than a win.
The triumph was a reminder of why the Dodgers are the two-time defending World Series champions.
Brighten the lights, raise the stakes, improve the quality of pitching, and the Dodgers will show they have a little something no other team has.
“I don’t know what it is about this team,” shortstop Miguel Rojas said. “When a big series comes up, we always find a way to lock in and play our game.”
And this was as big a series that could be played at this stage of the season.
The Braves came into Los Angeles tied with the Yankees and Cubs for the best record in baseball.
Their scheduled starters for the series resembled a postseason rotation, with reigning Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale on Friday, Spencer Strider on Saturday and Bryce Elder on Sunday. Strider and Elder are former All-Stars.
What unfolded in the series opener was reminiscent of many of the games the Dodgers have played in recent postseasons.
“Tonight was a typical October game in the sense of, you’re going to see really good pitching, on the margins you gotta be able to take advantage of mistakes,” manager Dave Roberts said. “You gotta prevent runs and use the arms in the ‘pen that you got. And we prevented runs tonight and got enough hits. So, yeah, similar to an October game.”
Including the result.
Freddie Freeman’s solo home run was the nail in the coffin during Los Angeles’ 3-1 victory over the Braves. AP
The Dodgers predictably didn’t have many chances against the left-handed Sale, who came into the game with a 6-1 record and 2.14 ERA. But when opportunities presented themselves, the Dodgers capitalized. And when the Braves made mistakes, the Dodgers pounced.
In the second inning, Kyle Tucker pulled a slider beneath the strike zone into the right field corner for a double that drove in Teoscar Hernandez from first base.
The game remained deadlocked at 1-1 until the fifth inning when Rojas reached base and advanced to second on a throwing error by shortstop Jim Jarvis. Rojas scored on a single to right by Ohtani.
An inning later, the Dodgers extended their lead to 3-1 when Freddie Freeman punished Sale for one of his few mistakes, a down-the-middle fastball that he sent over the wall in left-center field.
“The damage all came from our left-handed hitters today,” Rojas said.
Roberts relied on his relievers the way he often does in the postseason. With two outs in the fifth inning and runners on the corners, Roberts removed starter Emmet Sheehan and called on fireman Alex Vesia, who forced Matt Olson to fly out to left field.
“There’s still a lot of time between now and October,” Roberts said. “But I think you can see the energy, sort of how I managed the game tonight. I wanted to win.”
Roberts didn’t mess around, and his bullpen wound up covering the final 4 ⅓ innings.
You never want to make much of a regular-season game in early May, but the Dodgers’ win was proof that this team rises to the occasion when needed. AP
Kyle Hurt pitched the sixth inning, Will Klein the seventh, Brock Stewart the eighth and Tanner Scott the ninth.
“You get a chance to beat Chris Sale,” Roberts said, “you gotta try to do everything you can.”
When reflecting on the relievers’ roles in the victory, Freeman mentioned how the bullpen was also forced to cover the final eight innings of a win in Houston on Wednesday after starter Tyler Glasnow was forced out of the game with back spasms. Glasnow was placed on the injured list Friday.
“You’re playing against the team with the best record,” Freeman said. “They’ve been playing really good baseball. We obviously put together a really quality, quality game.”
The kind of quality game that delivers results in October.
The Dodgers still know how to win a game like that, no matter how much they have looked like a diminished version of themselves over the last six weeks.
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Fading the Angels’ strikeout prone lineup worked last night, and I’m going to do it again with another "K" collector in Trey Yesavage on the mound for Toronto.
Read on to see why with my Angels vs. Blue Jays predictions and MLB picks for Saturday, May 9.
Angels vs Blue Jays predictions
Angels vs Blue Jays best bet: Trey Yesavage Over 5.5 strikeouts (-105)
Trey Yesavage has incredible swing-and-miss stuff, which should match up well today against a swing-happy Los Angeles Angels squad, making the Over on his 5.5 strikeout total extremely tantalizing.
L.A. struck out 11 times in Game 1 of the series, which suggests the Toronto Blue Jays have a pretty good idea of how to attack these Angels batters, who rank dead-last in strikeout-rate.
That’s a juicy combination to pair with a pitcher like Yesavage, who throws a fastball/splitter combo with great deception. It led to immense success last postseason, and we saw it at work in his last start where he racked up six strikeouts in just four innings.
I also expect his pitch count to be higher than his two previous starts, which should allow him to go deeper into the ball game and have more opportunities to hit the Over on his strikeouts.
The sooner we accept Vladimir Guerrero Jr. as one of the best singles hitters in the game, the sooner we can start profiting from it.
He ranks fourth in singles hit this season and is 3-for-6 lifetime against Jack Kochanowicz, with all three hits being for one base.
For the final leg of the SGP, I’m taking Daulton Varsho to go Over 0.5 hits. He’s 4-for-5 against Jack Kochanowicz in his career and has recorded at least one hit in six of his last eight games.
Angels vs Blue Jays SGP
Trey Yesavage Over 5.5 strikeouts
Vladimir Guerrero Jr. Over 0.5 singles
Daulton Varsho Over 0.5 hits
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Angels vs Blue Jays home run pick: Daulton Varsho (+550)
I’m only betting a half unit on this one, as Kochanowicz is a ground-ball pitcher who doesn’t give up much hard contact, surrendering just two home runs all season long.
However, I’ll hitch my wagon to the player who’s had the most success against him throughout his career and that’d be Varsho, who owns a 1.600 OPS against him.
Additionally, Varsho owns a .400 average and a .600 SLG against the sinker, which is Kochanowicz’ most utilized pitch.
2026 Transparency record
Best bets: 16-21, -1.25 units
SGPs: 7-30, -1.70 units
HR picks: 8-29, +9.15 units
Angels vs Blue Jays odds
Moneyline: Los Angeles +150 | Toronto -180
Run line: Los Angeles +1.5 | Toronto -1.5
Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5
Angels vs Blue Jays trend
The Blue Jays have hit the run line in five of their last six games at home (+5.55 Units / 79% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Angels vs. Blue Jays.
How to watch Angels vs Blue Jays and game info
Location
Rogers Centre, Toronto, ON
Date
Saturday, May 9, 2026
First pitch
3:07 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet, FDSN West
Angels starting pitcher
Jack Kochanowicz (2-1, 3.05 ERA)
Blue Jays starting pitcher
Trey Yesavage (1-1, 0.96 ERA)
Angels vs Blue Jays latest injuries
Angels vs Blue Jays 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.
Shea Langeliers has been a power force this season for the Athletics. He's already cracked 11 home runs, which ranks seventh in the Major Leagues. The slugger has gone deep in two of his last three games as well, including a two-homer game last weekend. Tonight's matchup heavily plays in his favor against Baltimore Orioles righty Shane Baz.
Langeliers is 4-for-10 lifetime against Baz with one bomb. Baz owns a 4.99 ERA, and three of the four homers he's allowed this year have been against right-handed hitters. With three long balls across the last week, Langeliers could very well make Baz pay for a mistake in the zone.
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MASN, NBCS-CA
Home run pick: Gunnar Henderson (+390)
We'll shift to the Orioles now, with Gunnar Henderson in a good position to slug his 10th homer of the campaign as the A's send Aaron Civale to the bump. Henderson hasn't left the yard in May yet, but he's 3-for-7 lifetime against Civale with a bomb, who has also surrendered three of his four home runs to left-handed batters.
Civale's troubles with the long ball have been on the road as well, giving up three away from Sacramento. Henderson has five homers at home, and he's swinging the bat better overall at Camden Yards. Civale is prone to mistakes at times, and Henderson's confidence should be high with him on the mound.
Time: 4:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: MASN, NBCS-CA
Home run pick: Liam Hicks (+730)
Liam Hicks has been one of the best stories in the big leagues early on. He leads the MLB in RBI with 34, and the backstop is on the verge of double-digits in homers, smacking nine. Hicks has gone deep twice in his last four contests, with five home runs at home. The Miami Marlins host the Washington Nationals.
Zack Littell takes the hill for the Nats, and he's been horrendous. The right-hander sports an ERA over seven, and he's allowed an astounding 13 bombs in only seven appearances. Littell has given up six long balls in his previous three outings alone. Hicks is 1-for-3 lifetime versus Littell, and he's left the ballpark eight times against right-handed hurlers.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Marlins.TV, Nationals.TV
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 6-30, 1.08 units
Today’s HR parlay
Shea Langeliers
Bet Now +15230
Gunnar Henderson
Liam Hicks
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SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 08: Sung-Mun Song #24 of the San Diego Padres walks to the dugout after striking out during the third inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Petco Park on May 08, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Fernando Tatis Jr. is a two-time Platinum Glove Award-winning right fielder, which is why his error on Friday night was inexplicable. Tatis Jr. misplayed a groundball off the bat of JJ Weatherholt with the bases loaded and it resulted in a Little League grand slam that put the St. Louis Cardinals ahead of the San Diego Padres, 4-0. It was evident Tatis Jr. was trying to field the ball in an effort to make a throw toward the infield in order to limit the number of runs scored on the play. Instead, the ball rolled under his glove and continued to roll until it reached the base of the right field wall. It was not something any fan of the Padres expected to see, and it may be the first sign that his struggles at the plate are affecting his play in the field. San Diego never threatened to get back in the game and lost the second game of the series to St. Louis, 6-0.
As bad as the error was by Tatis Jr. the team performance at the plate was worse. The Padres were held to one hit over nine innings of baseball. A lineup that included Jackson Merrill, Xander Bogaerts, Manny Machado, Gavin Sheets and Tatis Jr. in the top five batters was held to a single hit, which came off the bat of Merrill in the bottom of the fourth inning. That was the only inning San Diego threatened to score. After the leadoff single, Bogaerts and Machado hit back-to-back groundouts. Sheets and Tatis Jr. walked to load the bases, but Miguel Andujar grounded out to end the inning and the St. Louis pitching shutdown the Padres for the remainder of the game.
Griffin Canning was on the receiving end of the Tatis Jr. error and was charged with six runs over 4.1 innings pitched. He allowed seven hits, walked two and struck out five. Yuki Matsui, Wandy Peralta and Ron Marinaccio combined to work the final 4.2 innings and allowed just four hits and no walks, while keeping the Cardinals off the board.
San Diego only drew the two walks in the bottom of the fourth inning but struck out a combined 10 times while being held to one hit. The Padres will try to put the embarrassing loss behind them today in the third game of the series against the Cardinals at Petco Park at 4:15 p.m.
Padres News:
The Padres are just like any other team in MLB and have started to incur injuries to position players. Jake Cronenworth (concussion) and Luis Campusano (fractured toe) were both placed on the injured list this week, which created opportunities for Sung-Mun Song and Rodolfo Duran.
San Diego pitching prospect Humberto Cruz pleaded guilty to transporting undocumented immigrants within the United States and will have his work visa revoked for up to 10 years.
The Chicago Cubs may never lose again – not really. But they did win their 10th game in a row with a 7-1 win over the Texas Rangers.
Munetaka Murakami hit a home run in the first game of the series between the Chicago White Sox and the Seattle Mariners. He has homered in the first game of each series Chicago has played this season. However Seattle won the game, 12-8.
Dylan Cease is adjusting quite well with the Toronto Blue Jays and recorded 10 strikeouts in seven innings to lead his new team to a 2-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels.
Shea Langeliers 
Otto Lopez
Jack Leiter
COVERS INTEL:
Gunnar Henderson