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It was a rough first night back after the All-Star break for the Phillies’ affiliates. The Clearwater Threshers were the only team to come away with a win, and even that required extra innings.

Omaha 2, Lehigh Valley 1

The IronPigs’ bats looked like they were still on a break, mustering just one run on two hits. However, one of those hits was a solo home run by Dylan Moore.

On the bright side, it was a solid night for the IronPigs’ pitching staff with starting pitcher Brian Keller giving up a lone run while striking out six in six innings. Tucker Davidson covered two innings in relief and suffered the loss by giving up a home run in the seventh inning.

Altoona 6, Reading 2

The Fightin’ Phils’ offense wasn’t much better as they scored only two runs in their loss to the Altoona Curve. The lone offensive highlight came in the fourth inning when outfielder Raider Tello had an RBI single to tie the game at two runs apiece.

Starting pitcher Luke Russo gave up three runs in his 5.1 innings of work and then Jack Dallas gave up two more in 1.2 inning of relief.

Wilmington 5, Jersey Shore 4

A bad first and ninth innings doomed the BlueClaws in their loss to the Blue Rocks on Friday. Starting pitcher Sam Highfill allowed three hits and a walk in the opening frame to put the ‘Claws in a 0-3 hole. But the relief pitching stabilized things, allowing the ‘Claws to come back. Brandon Lewis and Carter Mathison homered before second baseman Daunte Stewart’s RBI single in the ninth put them up 4-3.

Unfortunately, reliever Titan Kennedy-Hayes gave up two runs in the ninth as the Blue Rocks walked it off.

Clearwater 16, Dunedin 11

The Threshers had a big offensive night, including a six run tenth inning to surge past the Blue Jays in an extra-inning slugfest. The biggest offensive star of the game was Juan Villavicencio who hit two home runs. Matthew Ferrara had four hits and four RBI, and Nolan Beltran added three hits, including a two-run game tying single in the ninth.

It wasn’t a great night for the Threshers’ pitching staff as every pitcher who appeared in the game allowed at least one run. Marty Gair earned the win by allowing just one run over the final two innings.

FCL Blue Jays 9, FCL Phillies 2

FCL Blue Jays 4, FCL Phillies 1

A doubly bad night for the Phillies’ FCL affiliate. First, they lost the resumption of a suspended game and then recorded just a single hit in the second game. At least the hit was a two-run home run by catcher Cesar Mujica.

DSL Twins 10, DSL Phillies 7

The DSL Phillies got off to a 5-0 lead, thanks in part to a first inning home run by first baseman Nelson Prieto. But the pitching staff was unable to hold it. Releiver Filippo Sabatini gave up five runs (three earned) in three innings, and Justin Burgos gave up three runs without recording a single out.

Last night the Nats delivered a beatdown the likes of which I have not seen in many years. Everyone ate in Sacramento, with the Nats putting up an absurd 23 runs. Those 23 runs are tied for the second most in franchise history. Once the Nats got into the A’s bullpen, things just spiraled out of control.

In a season full of dominant offensive performances, this was the best of them all. After struggling to get going in the Yankees series, especially with runners on base, this Nats offense was angry. A bad Athletics pitching staff got to feel the full wrath of an offense that has been chomping at the bit for nearly a week.

The crazy thing is that the offense looked to be in for a long day at first. A’s starter Gage Jump looked electric out of the gates, retiring the first seven hitters, with five of them coming via the strikeout. Jump was consistently in the upper 90’s, and even touched 100 MPH once. However, even when they were struggling to make contact, they were still making Jump work.

It was the third inning when the scoring opened, with Curtis Mead and Andres Chaparro cashing in with two out RBI’s. Mead and Chaparro each had four hit days, and started their second halves in style. Everyone was eating though. There was not a hitter in the lineup who did not get a hit.

While everyone was hitting, nobody was better than Andres Chaparro. He had one of the best games in Nats history. The husky slugger had four hits and a walk, driving in 8 runs and hitting two homers. It was an impressive night, but that first home run was just mind blowing. His 467 foot blast was the fourth longest Nats home run of the statcast era and looked like it went about 600 feet.

Before this game, Chaparro had a .586 OPS and was drawing the ire of fans because he was taking at bats away from Luis Garcia. However, he exited the game with a .776 OPS after his massive night. We need to see Chaparro be consistent, but it is worth noting that he was getting very unlucky before last night. The 27 year old turned around his season in one night though.

The Nats other big star from this game was just getting his MLB season started. Harry Ford got off to a dreadful start in the minor leagues, but has been getting better and better each month. With Drew Millas going down with injury, it was Ford’s time to shine and he made quite the first impression.

After an inauspicious start where he struck out and blew a challenge, Ford came to life. His second at bat was exactly the kind of thing he has been doing in the minors for about  a half decade now. He worked a walk while spitting on several very close pitches. The athletic catcher also got to second base on a wild pitch that did not get too far away from Shea Langeliers. That helped the Nats manufacture a run.

His biggest swing of the game came in the next inning, when the 23 year old hit his first career big league homer. The former first rounder crushed a ball to left center that left the yard. For a big name prospect who has played over 500 games in the minors, that had to be a special moment. 

Ford had not shown the power he did in previous seasons this year. However, he was starting to find it the last few weeks, as his nagging shoulder injury seems to be getting a lot better. It is no surprise, but I found myself very impressed with the quality of Ford’s at bats. He may not have great power or contact skills, but his elite plate discipline really elevates the entire profile.

The offense was undoubtedly the star of the show last night, as it has been for the whole season. However, I do not want to ignore Cade Cavalli’s performance in a very hitter friendly ballpark. Cavalli went six innings, allowing just two runs while striking out 9 and walking nobody. He didn’t throw his curveball as much as he normally does, but it was devastating when he used it. Cavalli used his curveball as a put away pitch, getting a lot of strikeouts with the hook.

It is easy to forget that this is Cavalli’s first full big league season. With that in mind, what he is doing is very impressive. He has a 3.78 ERA and 3.20 FIP with 119 strikeouts in 104.2 innings. That is rock solid production for a guy who has taken a winding road to get here. Cavalli should be a fixture in the Nats rotation for years to come.

I could go on and on about the offensive performances, but I do not want to be here all day. The Nats ended the first half tied for the league lead in runs scored. Apparently that did not sit well with them because they are now way ahead of the pack again.

I don’t want to jinx anything, but let’s just say that I am excited to see what this offense can do in Sacramento and in Coors Field to start next week. That league lead in runs could get even wider. 

Whenever I resign myself to the Nats selling at the deadline, they do something like this and it makes me want to buy again. I can only imagine the inner struggle Paul Toboni is facing with the deadline looming. This offense is so special, but this team is also very flawed and the plan was for this to be a long term ordeal.

However, the offense has put a wrench in that plan by being so good, so quickly. This road trip will tell us a lot about where the Nats stand. If they can go 4-2 or better, it will put Toboni in a real bind. This offense is just so special, and I can’t wait to see them paired with a better pitching staff in the years to come.

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Miguel Vargas is one of the league's hottest hitters against right-handed pitchers, and he draws a struggling righty this afternoon in Shane Bieber.

With such an advantageous matchup, Vargas headlines my three MLB player props and MLB picks for Saturday, July 18.

Best MLB player props today

Player	Pick	Odds
Miguel Vargas	Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs	-132
Samuel Basallo	Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs	+101
Luis Garcia Jr	Over 1.5 total bases	-107

Miguel Vargas Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs (-132)

Things have not gone well for Shane Bieber. He is sporting a 7.64 ERA and 2.04 WHIP through just under 18 innings of work. He has also allowed a ton of power, conceding seven homers.

He has struggled even more so against right-handed hitters, allowing an absurd .419 average to date.

That puts Miguel Vargas in a very good spot. He has hit .346 vs. righties with a remarkably strong 20.4% barrel rate over his last 20 games.

He’s hitting for contact, he’s hitting for power, and Bieber is consistently giving up both.

Bet to -150.

• Time: 3:07 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CHSN, Sportsnet

Samuel Basallo Over 1.5 hits + runs + RBIs (+101)

Samuel Basallo mashes right-handed pitching. He ranks in the 92nd percentile in xwOBA, the 96th percentile in xSLG, and consistently makes hard contact.

He is going to cause problems for Spencer Arrighetti, whose profile against lefties is littered with red flags – and only getting worse.

Arrighetti has allowed a .321 average, .426 ISO, and .491 wOBA when facing left-handed bats over his last five starts. 

He is in miserable form, and Basallo is a likely candidate to take advantage.

Back the Baltimore Orioles’ slugger to -135.

• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: MASN, SCHN

Luis Garcia Jr. Over 1.5 total bases (-107)

J.T. Ginn has conceded a .268 average against left-handed hitters over his last 10 starts, which is over .100 points higher than what he held righties to during the same stretch. 

Isolating starters who rank in the 45th percentile or worse in xSLG and xwOBA vs. lefties, Luis Garcia Jr. has cleared 1.5 total bases in 68.4% of his games and averaged 3.5 bases along the way.

Garcia also owns ISOs of .320 or higher against three of Ginn’s four most-used pitches. 

This is a great spot to deal damage.

Bet to -125.

• Time: 10:05 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: NATS, NBCSCA

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

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The Chicago Cubs are -145 favorites to get revenge following a 5-2 loss in the series opener.

Given Taj Bradley's incredible recent form, my Twins vs. Cubs predictions and MLB picks see value in backing the road team at a healthy plus-money price on Saturday, July 18.

Who will win Twins vs Cubs today: Twins moneyline (+125)

Matthew Boyd posted a 2.86 ERA over the past month despite a 4.82 xFIP and 5.59 xERA – strong signals his numbers could soon take a turn for the worst.

He has had a more difficult time against right-handed bats and, including switch-hitters, the Minnesota Twins could throw as many as seven at him on Saturday afternoon.

Taj Bradleyowns a 2.32 ERA the past month with much better indicators to boot (2.49 xERA, 3.25 xFIP).

He should keep the Chicago Cubs in check, positioning the Twins to pull off the upset.

Bet to +110.

COVERS INTEL:Taj Bradley ranks in the 93rd percentile in Fastball Run Value, and he throws that pitch more than double anything else.

Twins vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Under 9.0 (-110)

Boyd has his flaws but he limits homers effectively andthe Twins rank 28th in OPS vs. lefties the past two months. They severely quick-strike offense against southpaws.

Bradley is a high strikeout pitcher who has held opponents to a 33% hard hit rate over his last five starts. That has helped him limit the longballs, allowing just 1.16 per nine innings.

We shouldn’t see much power in this game, which will make it difficult for both teams to score in bulk and push this game Over.

I like the Under and would play it to -120.

Twins vs Cubs weather

Temperatures are expected in the mid 80s with winds blowing east. Boost to the offenses.

Twins vs Cubs odds

• Moneyline: Minnesota +125 | Chicago -145
• Run line: Minnesota +1.5 (-160) | Chicago -1.5 (+140)
• Over/Under: Over 9.0 (-110) | Under 9.0 (-110)

Twins vs Cubs trend

Minnesota has hit the moneyline in 11 of the last 15 away games (+9.10 units, 59% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Twins vs. Cubs.

How to watch Twins vs Cubs and game info

Twins vs Cubs latest injuries

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

San Diego Padres closer Mason Miller threw 16 pitches in the bottom of the ninth inning. He opened the inning allowing a single to Isaac Collins and a double to Carter Jensen. Miller issued an intentional walk to Bobby Witt Jr. to load the bases with no outs for the Kansas City Royals. The All-Star reliever then recorded three consecutive strikeouts to end the Kansas City threat and the inning to send the game to extra-innings.

San Diego scored three runs in the top of the 10th inning to take what looked to be a comfortable 6-3 lead. However, instead of Miller returning to the mound for the bottom of the 10th inning, Kyle Hart took the mound for the Padres. The left-hander was looking to secure the win and earn his first MLB save; however he allowed four runs to score on four singles and a groundout, and the Padres opened the second half of the season with a 7-6 extra-inning loss at Kaufman Stadium. It was a heartbreaking result for a team with its season on the line and could have a disastrous effect if San Diego cannot bounce back in the second game of the series today.

The Padres were on an emotional roller coaster throughout the final innings of the game. San Diego was trailing 3-2 with two outs in the top of the ninth inning. It appeared the game was all but over before Ty France hit a solo home run to tie the game at 3-3. After the Houdini act by Miller in the bottom of the ninth and the offense scoring three runs in the top of the 10th it appeared the Padres would push their win streak to three games, but that was not the case.

Michael King started the game on the mound for San Diego and he labored through five innings. He allowed just one run, which came on a solo home run by Lane Thomas, but he used 97 pitches to get through the outing. King limited Kansas City to four hits and issued two walks before turning the game over to the bullpen.

The Padres offense scored six runs with Fernando Tatis Jr. and Miguel Andujar each having three-hit games. Xander Bogaerts and France were the only other players in the San Diego lineup to record hits.

The Padres will try to get back to .500 with a win when they take on the Royals today at 1:10 p.m.

Padres News:

• A lot of questions surrounding the Padres will be answered over the next 16 games. Even more will be answered throughout the second half of the season. Thomas Conroy of Gaslamp Ball gives readers some insight as to what they can expect to see from San Diego as play resumes following the All-Star break.

• Freddy Fermin was activated off the IL and with Luis Campusano back with the big-league club, Rodolfo Duran was sent back to the minors.

• The San Diego farm system benefits from the influx of players after the 2026 MLB Draft.

• Jim Bowden of The Athleticdoes not list the Padres as one of his six teams in position to sell at the trade deadline, but he adds they could become sellers depending on their start to the second half.

Baseball News:

• The Boston Red Sox extended their win streak to 11 games with doubleheader sweep of the Tampa Bay Rays.

• Shohei Ohtani is set to pitch Wednesday for the Los Angeles Dodgers following knee injection. The Dodgers opened the second half of the season with a win over the New York Yankees.

• The Milwaukee Brewers beat the Miami Marlins in 10 innings.

• Five-run second inning propels the Chicago White Sox to a win over the Toronto Blue Jays.

• The Washington Nationals thumped the Athletics, 23-4.

• The St. Louis Cardinals scored a run in the ninth to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks.

• San Francisco shuts out the Seattle Mariners to give Giants 7-0 win.

• Brady Singer throws seven innings to lead the Cincinnati Reds past the Colorado Rockies.

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It's a busy Saturday across the Majors, and there's no shortage of intrigue in my same-game parlay predictions. 

I'm eyeing another gem from Trevor Rogers, while two struggling starters present value in a higher-scoring game at T-Mobile Park in Seattle. 

See more in my MLB picks for Saturday, July 18.

Today's best MLB SGP picks

Game	SGP Odds
BAL vs HOU	+525
STL vs ARI	+420
SFG vs SEA	+360

Orioles at Astros SGP: Rogers Continues to Deal

Trevor Rogers has really turned a corner over the last month. The left-hander owns a 3.02 FIP over his last four outings, and has allowed Under 2.5 earned runs in five straight appearances.

Across his last two starts, the southpaw has given up just one earned run. 

However, one hitter who could have some success against him tonight is Yordan Alvarez. The slugger has a .286 average against left-handed hurlers, and he's cashed the Over in total bases in four of his previous five contests.

Alvarez also owns a .400 ISO over the last two weeks. 

Gunnar Henderson has five hits in his last four games, and Houston Astros starter Spencer Arrighetti is in horrible form, compiling a 9.10 FIP in the last month. 

• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: MASN, SCHN

See full analysis of this game in our Orioles vs. Astros predictions.

Cardinals at Diamondbacks SGP: Pfaadt Carves Up Struggling Cards

Brandon Pfaadt is dominating lately for the Arizona Diamondbacks, compiling a phenomenal 2.50 xERA across his last four outings while allowing just 0.57 BB/9 and HR/9.

Pfaadt hasn't allowed more than two earned runs in a single outing since May 17, and tonight's matchup is a clear opportunity to keep dealing. The St. Louis Cardinals are in horrible offensive shape, posting a 64 wRC+ over their last 11 games. 

Gabriel Moreno is one of Arizona's hottest hitters at the moment, batting .405 over his last 10 contests. The catcher has three multi-hit games in his previous four games, and Dustin May is vulnerable to hard contact right now, allowing a 42.9% hard-hit rate over the last month. 

• Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Cardinals.TV, DBacks.TV

See full analysis of this game in our Cardinals vs. Diamondbacks predictions.

Giants at Mariners SGP: High-Scoring Affair in Seattle

The Over has appeal tonight in Seattle. Logan Webb enters in poor form, posting a 4.82 FIP over his last four outings, and he has allowed 12 earned runs across his previous two starts.

Bryan Woo has a 4.05 xERA over the last month, which is manageable, but he has allowed at least two earned runs in back-to-back outings. With the total sitting at just seven, scoring could build before the bullpens fully factor in.

Bryce Eldridgehas scored six runs in his last 10 contests, including three straight, and San Francisco owns an 119 wRC+ over the last two weeks. Josh Naylor is also riding a nine-game hitting streak.

• Time: 8:08 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: FOX

See full analysis of this game in our Giants vs. Mariners predictions.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

The Detroit Tigers came charging out of the All-Star break with a 2-1 win over the Los Angeles Angels in Anaheim on Saturday night. Troy Melton and Keider Montero combined to hold the opponent to just one run while a ninth-inning rally that saw Hao-Yu Lee plate the two winning runs gave the visitors all they needed to prevail.

On Saturday night, the two teams meet again with left-hander Tarik Skubal taking the mound for AJ Hinch’s squad. The 29-year-old has looked strong over his last three starts heading into the break, posting a 2.25 ERA and 2.79 FIP stretching across 16 innings, recording 23 strikeouts against just three walks.

Meanwhile, the Angels have right-hander Grayson Rodriguez climbing the hill looking to even up the three-game series. The 26-year-old began the season on the injured list with right shoulder inflammation and missed some time with lower back tightness before returning just ahead of the All-Star break.

In that game against the Minnesota Twins in Minneapolis before the break, Rodriguez lasted 5 1/3 frames, surrendering three runs on six hits and a walk, failing to strike out a batter while throwing a wild pitch. He managed to earn his third win of the season for his efforts that day.

The Tigers faced Rodriguez earlier this season on May 28 in Detroit, where he held the Olde English D to just one run on two hits (including a solo home run) and two walks while striking out five over five frames. The Angels prevailed, 7-1, giving him his second win of the 2026 campaign.

Here is a look at how the two pitchers match up on Saturday night.

Detroit Tigers (45-52) vs. Los Angeles Angels (38-60)

Time (ET): 10:07 p.m.
Place: Angel Stadium, Anaheim, California
SB Nation Site: N/A
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 98: LHP Tarik Skubal (5-4, 3.06 ERA) vs. RHP Grayson Rodriguez (3-2, 7.55 ERA)

SKUBAL

RODRIGUEZ

The Mets pick up their three-game series against the Phillies in Philadelphia after the day off on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. on SNY.

Mets Notes

• Francisco Alvarezbelted two home runs in the series-opening win, and in his last eight games has 10 hits in 28 at-bats with a 1.009 OPS. The catcher now has his season slash line up to .259/.325/.448 (113 OPS+, 116 wRC+)
• Sean Manaea climbs the hill after his best start in a long while: 7.0 innings, three runs (two earned) on six hits and one walk with two strikeouts last time out. In his last start in Philly last month, he allowed three runs (two earned) in 5.1 innings of a Mets win
• The Phillies are starting a lefty of their own in Jesus Luzardo, who posted a 3.51 ERA and 1.224 WHIP in 110.1 innings in his All-Star first half. In his start against the Mets in late June, he allowed one run on four hits over 5.0 innings

Today's Lineups

What channel is SNY?

Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.

How can I stream the game?

The way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv.

In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package via MLB or Amazon. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone.

How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB?

To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps:

• Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider.

• Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account.

• Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY.

• Select the SNY Mets game you wish to view from the Multimedia Center.

How can I watch the game on the MLB App?

MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.

• Download the free MLB App.

• Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices.

• Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.” 

• To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available. 

For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.

Triple-A: Syracuse Mets (46-47)

BUFFALO 7, SYRACUSE 5 (BOX)

Never seen this before – Syracuse had three homers and three errors on the night from the same three players. Cool little oddity. Luis Robert also played a full game in center as he nears a major league return (and likely trade). Unfortunately, Joey Gerber gave up two runs in the ninth that proved to be the difference.

• REHAB ALERT: CF Luis Robert Jr.: 1-3, R, 2B, 2 BB
• 1B Ryan Clifford: 0-4, BB, K
• SS Ronny Mauricio: 2-5, R, HR (7), 2 RBI, 2 K, E (4)
• LF Nick Morabito: 0-4
• RF MJ Melendez: 3-4, 2 R, HR (8), RBI, K, E (3
• 3B Christopher Morel: 2-4, R, HR (6), 2 RBI, E (1)
• 2B Ji Hwan Bae: 0-4
• DH Christian Arroyo: 0-4, 2 K
• C Hayden Senger: 0-4, 2 K
• RHP Jack Weisenburger: 3.1 IP, 7 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Jonathan Pintaro: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• RHP Ofreidy Gómez: 0.1 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• LHP Nate Lavender: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Daniel Duarte: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• LHP Jefry Yan: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Joey Gerber: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, L (1-2)

Double-A: Binghamton Rumble Ponies (33-55)

AKRON 11, BINGHAMTON 0 (BOX)

Oof.

• C Chris Suero: 1-4, K
• CF Jose Ramos: 1-3, K, CS (4)
• 3B Nick Lorusso: 0-3, 2 K
• 1B JT Schwartz: 0-2, BB, 2 K
• DH Kevin Parada: 0-3, 2 K
• RF Matt Rudick: 0-2
• SS Wyatt Young: 0-3, 2 K
• LF Nick Lucky: 0-3, 3 K
• 2B Kevin Villavicencio: 0-3, K
• RHP R.J. Gordon: 4.1 IP, 7 H, 6 R, 6 ER, 4 BB, 5 K, L (1-6)
• RHP Douglas Orellana: 0.2 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 1 K
• LHP Felipe De La Cruz: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• RHP Saul Garcia: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 0 K
• RHP Zach Peek: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K

High-A: Brooklyn Cyclones (37-49)

BROOLYN 4, HUDSON VALLEY 0 (BOX)

Mitch Voit’s surge continues. Three more hits, three more steals, and suddenly his OPS is approaching 800. Couple that with a shutout pitching performance from four Cyclones and you get a real nice start to the second half.

• SS Mitch Voit: 3-4, R, RBI, BB, 3 SB (34)
• 3B Yonatan Henriquez: 1-5, K
• CF John Bay: 3-5, 2 R, 3B, RBI, K
• 1B Corey Collins: 2-4, RBI, SB
• DH Ronald Hernandez: 0-3, BB, K, SB (18)
• C Daiverson Gutierrez: 1-3, RBI, E (8)
• RF JT Benson: 0-3, BB, 2 K
• 2B Colin Houck: 0-4, 2 K
• LF Trace Willhoite: 0-3, R, BB, SB (1)
• LHP Luis R. Rodriguez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Noah Hall: 6.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 5 K, W (3-6)
• RHP Juan Arnaud: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• RHP Parker Carlson: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K

Single-A: St. Lucie Mets (40-46)

ST. LUCIE 3, PALM BEACH 2 / 10 (BOX)

Antonio Jimenez’s surge did not continue. But Elian Peña homered and the Mets won in extras. Take the wins you can.

• 3B Antonio Jimenez: 0-3
• SS Elian Peña: 2-4, R, HR (4), RBI, K, E (21)
• CF Trey Snyder: 0-4, K
• RF Randy Guzman: 2-3, R, HR (10), RBI, BB
• DH Julio Zayas: 0-3, BB, K
• 1B AJ Salgado: 1-4, R, K, CS (3)
• LF Branny De Oleo: 0-3, K
• C Chase Meggers: 0-3, RBI, 2 K
• 2B Jeremy Rodriguez: 1-3, BB, CS (4)
• RHP Joel Lara: 4.2 IP, 4 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 3 BB, 5 K
• RHP Zack Mack: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 2 K
• RHP Elwis Mijares: 3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, W (4-4)
• RHP Miguel Mejias: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K, S (2)

Rookie: FCL Mets (23-29)

FCL METS 3, FCL CARDINALS 2 (BOX)

• SS Marco Vargas: 0-4, K
• CF Bohan Adderley: 1-4, K
• DH Yovanny Rodriguez: 1-3, R, HR (7), RBI, BB
• C Josmir Reyes: 1-3, R, BB
• 3B Roybert Herrera: 1-2, BB, K
• 2B Anthony Frobose: 0-3, 2 K, E (9)
• LF Vladi Gomez: 1-3, RBI, 2 K, SB
• 1B Yeider Mindiola: 1-2, 2B, BB, K, E (9)
• RF Adolfo Miranda: 0-3, K
• RHP Jean Brito: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, E (3)
• RHP Jun-Seok Shim: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 0 K
• RHP Yoralbert Cadiz: 1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

Rookie: DSL Mets Orange (17-18)

DSL MARINERS 8, DSL METS ORANGE 2 (BOX)

• SS Wandy Asigen: 0-4, K
• DH Cleiner Ramirez: 1-4, K, SB (11)
• 1B Cesar Acosta: 2-4, 2B, 2 K
• 3B Sebastian Toro: 0-4, K
• LF Jhonael Cuello: 1-4, R
• C Yadier Fuentes: 0-3, K
• C Adrian La Rosa: 1-1, SB (4)
• RF Ryan Rudas: 1-3, RBI, K, SB (12)
• 2B Oscar Pena: 0-4, R, 2 K, SB (3), 2 E (2)
• CF Aiberson Blanco: 1-3, 2B, RBI, 2 K
• RHP Oscar Montero: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
• LHP Mauricio Nunez: 0.0 IP, 0 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 5 BB, 0 K, L (0-2)
• RHP Wranigher Navas: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 2 K
• RHP Alvaro Carrillo: 2.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 3 BB, 4 K
• RHP Olmedo Barria: 3.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K

Rookie: DSL Mets Blue (14-20)

DSL COLORADO 8, DSL METS BLUE (BOX)

• SS Johnderis Sanchez: 2-3, 2 R, HR (1), 3 RBI, 2 BB, K, 2 SB (21)
• RF Jonnhan Sanchez: 1-4, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, K
• 1B Frank Moreno: 0-4, K
• 2B Dayron Oramas: 0-4, K
• CF Henry Manrique: 1-2, R
• LF Emerson Estevez: 0-2
• DH Royner Bravo: 0-4, 3 K
• 3B Michalle Mercedes: 1-4, R, 2B, 2 K, 3 E (13)
• LF-CF Elvis Teran: 0-4, R, 2 K, SB (7)
• C Adrian Silva: 0-2, 2 R, 2 BB, K
• RHP Anderson Ozuna: 2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• LHP Cesar Morales: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K
• LHP Cristopher Hernandez: 0.2 IP, 1 H, 4 R, 2 ER, 2 BB, 1 K, BS (1)
• RHP Yunior Canario: 1.1 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• RHP Enmanuel Feliz: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, E (2), L (1-2)
• RHP Edgardo Rodriguez: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 0 K

STAR OF THE NIGHT

Mitch Voit

GOAT OF THE NIGHT

The Rumble Ponies

Braves 15, Rangers 1

• Starting off the second half with a big ol’ trash can game is not a great omen.
• Is it better or worse than ending the first half with a trash can game, though?
• Starting the second half this way is a big let down, but then you have another game the next day. We move on.
• Ending the first half with this sort of clunker would leave the funk lingering for the four days where the Rangers don’t play. It would mean a miasma of disaster hanging over everyone during the break.
• The good news is that the Mariners and Astros both lost.
• The Mariners got shut out by the San Francisco Giants, 7-0, and only had two hits.
• The Giants are one of the worst teams in baseball. They’ve been terrible all season. The hiring of Tony Vitello, a college coach who had never worked for a professional franchise before, has not worked out at all.
• So at least the Rangers got stomped by an actual good team, a first place team with the third best record in the majors right now.
• And at least the Rangers are still 1.5 games up in the American League West.
• Houston lost 3-2 to the Orioles, which means that they are still 3 games back in the division.
• Now that I look at it, every American League West team lost.
• The Angels, who currently have the worst record in baseball, lost in especially dispiriting fashion. Reid Detmers gave them six shutout innings. They took a 1-0 lead into the ninth.
• And their closer, our old friend Kirby Yates, hit a batter in the ninth, walked a batter in the ninth, and gave up a two run double to Hao-Yu Lee. It ended up being a 2-1 loss for Anaheim.
• The Northern California A’s, meanwhile, got curbstomped by the Washington Nationals, 23-4.
• Someone named Yunior Tur made his major league debut for the A’s and gave up 6 runs and seven hits. Someone else named Brady Basso threw a scoreless inning and lowered his ERA on the season to 10.13.
• Carlos Cortes, that dude who beat up on the Rangers pitching earlier this year, pitched the ninth and gave up five runs. At least Kyle Higashioka, the Rangers’ position player who pitched, only gave up three runs.
• The Nationals also used a position player to pitch the ninth, in the rare instance of a team bringing in a position player with a lead. Jorbit Vivas allowed just two runs, meaning he did better than Higashioka, I guess.
• And only one of Vivas’s two runs allowed was earned, because Nasim Nunez made an error behind him that put a runner on who ended up scoring.
• Nasim Nunez is leading the majors in stolen bases, with 35. He’s only been thrown out 4 times.
• Nunez has a fascinating .247/.330/.295 slash line on the year. He has 59 singles, four doubles, three triples and a homer.
• The paltry number of extra base hits is kind of remarkable because you’d think, as fast as he is, he’d leg out more than four doubles by this point in the season.
• You are probably thinking to yourself, Blogamemnon, while I acknowledge that these are thoughts that you are expressing, they are not on this 15-1 Rangers loss, or, really, any 15-1 Rangers loss.
• And I would have to concede that point. But is that really a bad thing?
• This is only the fourth 15-1 loss in team history. The last time the Rangers lost 15-1 was in September 2021, a terrible season, and we were actively trying to avoid paying attention to the team by that point in the very bad season.
• Here’s who pitched for the Rangers in that game: Spencer Howard, Wes Benjamin, A.J. ALexy, Hyeon-jong Yang, and Charlie Culberson.
• I had completely forgotten about Hyeon-jong Yang.
• The Rangers also lost 15-1 in 1973, to the White Sox, and in 1993, to the Red Sox.
• That 1993 game against Boston is actually an important historical footnote. Jose Canseco pitched the ninth inning for the Rangers, allowed three runs, and tore his UCL. He missed a stretch of games, returned and tried to play for a couple of weeks, but then ultimately was shut down for the year due to Tommy John surgery.
• It was also the next to last game that Robb Nen pitched for the Rangers. He gave up five runs. Not long after he was traded to the Marlins, along with Kurt Miller, for Cris Carpenter, in one of the all time bad trades in Rangers history.
• At least Emiliano Teodo got to make his major league debut in this game.
• He wasn’t good, and isn’t ready to be in the majors right now, but he’s got a major league line now, even if it features an 18.00 ERA.
• Elias Diaz had a 106.0 mph single. Nicky Lopez had a 101.0 mph single. Josh Jung had a 100.0 mph fly out.
• Cal Quantrill hit 95.6 mph with his sinker, averaging 93.8 mph. Emiliano Teodo’s sinker touched 101.9 mph. Gavin Collyer topped out at 97.7 mph with his fastball. Ben Peoples reached 96.9 mph with his fastball. Kyle Higashioka threw 20 eephuses and two fastballs, with the fastball topping out at 61.9 mph.
• Let’s bin this one and move on.

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The Los Angeles Dodgers are slight road favorites against the New York Yankees, and I’m laying the short moneyline price.

Ryan Weathers’ fastball issues are a difficult fit against the best offense in baseball.

Here are my Dodgers vs Yankees predictions and MLB picks for July 18.

Who will win Dodgers vs Yankees today: Dodgers moneyline (-112)

I’m backing the Los Angeles Dodgers because Ryan Weathers’ biggest weakness runs directly into this lineup’s strength.

I thought yesterday was the New York Yankees' best chance to get a win in this series, and without it, I see them at risk of being swept.

Weathers, who allows a 55.6% hard hit rate that ranks in the bottom 30 percent of baseball, is a real issue against the best offense in baseball.

LA hurler Emmet Sheehan is not risk-free, but his 30% whiff rate gives them a pretty direct route against a Yankees lineup that has the third-highest rate of such stats in the sport.

In a game that's a near pick'em, I'd play the Dodgers down to -133. 
 

COVERS INTEL:Sheehan’s slider is his separator, holding hitters to a .317 xSLG with a 39.1% whiff rate

Dodgers vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Over 9

I’m playing the Over because both starters have pitch-shape issues that can turn into home-run damage. Weathers’ fastball has been a big issue, and "he's facing the Dodgers" is simply enough analysis to tell you why that presents troubles here.

Sheehan also gives New York a path. His heater has also had some issues. It's allowed a .550 xSLG, and his 65.0% air-ball rate, which makes him vulnerable against teams that can get the ball elevated.

The Yankees are inconsistent without their full lineup, but they still carry enough barrel power at Yankee Stadium to help clear nine.

Dodgers vs Yankees weather

Thunderstorms are expected at the start of tonight's ballgame. It will be hot and humid, with winds blowing out to center field. 

Dodgers vs Yankees odds

• Moneyline: Dodgers -110 | Yankees -110
• Run line: Dodgers -1.5 | Yankees +1.5
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 | Under 8.5

Dodgers vs Yankees trend

The Los Angeles Dodgers have hit the 1st Five Innings (F5) Moneyline in 31 of their last 50 away games (+9.50 Units / 11% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Dodgers vs Yankees

How to watch Dodgers vs Yankees and game info

Dodgers vs Yankees latest injuries

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