Yankees Rivalry Roundup: Ninth inning eruption seals Blue Jays victory over Braves

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JUNE 4: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. #27 of the Toronto Blue Jays reacts after scoring during the third inning against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park on June 4, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images

The Yankees managed to salvage a win and avoid a sweep by the Guardians at Yankee Stadium on the back of strong solid pitching from Carlos Rodón, shutdown bullpen work, and some clutch hitting by Ryan McMahon. With the win, the Yankees climb to within a half-game of the Rays, who had the day off. The win came as a much-needed positive boost in an otherwise troubling day in Yankees universe, the team finally confirming that Aaron Judge has been dealing with a stress fracture in his ribcage that will sideline the captain for a minimum of four-to-six weeks.

It was an otherwise quiet day around the league, with only the Blue Jays in action among the Yankees’ AL rivals. They themselves avoided a sweep with a hit parade in the final game against the Braves in Atlanta, Toronto amassing seven runs on 16 hits against the best team in baseball.

Toronto Blue Jays (30-33) 7, Atlanta Braves (42-21) 2

The ageless Chris Sale continues to defy Father Time, but the Blue Jays lineup appeared to be seeing the ball as well as any team that has faced him this season. They put him to the sword early and never let up that constant pressure. Sale was lucky to escape the first two innings unscathed. George Springer doubled and Ernie Clement singled to lead off the first, but Sale got Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to fly out and struck out the next two batters to strand the pair. An inning later, Nathan Lukes drew a leadoff walk and Tyler Heineman singled with one out to put another pair on, but Sale once again stranded the runners in place.

He would not be so fortunate in the third with Toronto continuing to press forward. Vladdy doubled with one out and Kazuma Okamoto reached on an infield single to put runners on first and second for the third straight inning. This time, Charles McAdoo — called up to replace the injured Lenyn Sosa and handed his MLB debut last week — broke through, lining a single up the middle to plate Vladdy and advance Okamoto to second. Sale then hit Lukes with a first-pitch sinker to load the bases for Myles Straw, whose ground ball single up the middle allowed Okamoto and McAdoo to score, though Sale avoided further damage by getting Heineman to ground into the inning ending double play that included Lukes getting thrown out at the plate.

The Blue Jays had to love this early production against Sale considering they countered the Braves ace with a bullpen game. Opener Mason Fluharty recorded the first four outs before handing the ball to bulk man Chad Dallas making his MLB debut, and the 25-year-old righty held the potent Atlanta offense to a run on two hits and two walks in 3.2 innings. He backed himself into a corner in the bottom of the third, yielding a leadoff single to Ronald Acuña Jr., who then stole second and advanced to third on a Mauricio Dubón single. Matt Olson plated Acuña with a sac fly that also advanced Dubón to third, and a two-out walk of Michael Harris Jr. put runners on the corners. However, Dallas made a slick behind-the-back grab on a Dominic Smith grounder up the middle to end the threat.

From there, the game settled into a pitchers’ duel in the middle innings, the Blue Jays continuing to apply pressure without finding the timely hit that would put the game to bed. Sale allowed a pair of singles to Vladdy and Lukes in the fifth but induced a Straw line out to end the frame. A Springer two-out walk followed by a Clement single knocked Sale from the game in the sixth, but reliever Didier Fuentes got Vladdy to ground out to strand another pair of Toronto base runners and wrap up Sale’s final line at three runs on ten hits and two walks with six strikeouts in 5.2 innings.

It looked like these wasted opportunities would come back to haunt the Blue Jays when Dubón crushed a no-doubter solo shot in the eighth off a hanging 1-0 Braydon Fisher slider to pull within one. However, they erupted for four runs in the ninth inning off reliever-turned-starter-turned-reliever Reynaldo López to arrive at a 7-2 scoreline that didn’t flatter them in the slightest. Clement and Vladdy clubbed a pair of singles to leadoff the inning, but López quickly retired the next two hitters and came within a strike of escaping the jam to send his offense to the bottom of the ninth trailing by just a run. However, Lukes kept fouling off pitches until he was able to line a single to right to plate Clement and move Vladdy to second. From there, the floodgates opened, Straw singling Vladdy home and Heineman doubling to score both Lukes and Straw. In the blink of an eye, the Blue Jays turned a one run lead into an insurmountable five run lead to salvage a win from this series despite stranding 12 base runners on the day.

2026 Cubs Heroes and Goats: Pete Crow-Armstrong is the Superhero vs. the A’s!

Two of my all-time favorite announcer calls are “Do you believe in miracles… Yes!” and “I don’t believe what I just saw.” Iconic quotes of iconic moments made by Al Michaels and Jack Buck, two of the all-time greats. With all due respect to both of them, despite the insane improbability of a Cubs team going through what it has the last three weeks, this comeback was actually the least surprising thing in this game to me.

Some thoughts I’ve had on social media tonight for discussion. This felt like a month’s worth of two-out runners in scoring position hits for the Cubs, all in one inning. For those not counting at home, there were three separate two-out runner(s) in scoring position hits for the Cubs in the ninth inning. There was an additional hit with two outs and a runner not in scoring position.

The other thought I had on social media was to wonder if a team can hit rock bottom in a game that they ended up winning? The team had two hits through six innings, four hits through seven (and eight) and then seven hits in the ninth inning. What even is that? I noted before the series that the A’s bullpen has been a bottom 10 bullpen in major league baseball this year. They had represented excellently in the first two games of the series. Your starter getting deep in all three games can make them look so much better. But then the A’s bullpen immolated in the ninth inning. I will say this, for all of the struggles of the Cubs, the Cub defense would not have let all seven of those hits find grass. We take it for granted, but this Cub defense makes a ton of plays others just can’t.

On top of the not hitting, there was a caught stealing in the middle of the rally. I know the conventional wisdom is that you don’t make the first or the third out on the bases in an inning. But I don’t really know how you can get caught stealing down two in the ninth either. I think you take second if they are giving it to you, but the A’s were in no way giving it to you. I love Nico, but I didn’t like the strategy there. I thought sure the rally was doomed there.

Then there was the missed fly ball. I love Pete Crow-Armstrong. Absolutely, the Cubs don’t win this game without his bat. But boy was that a tough watch. I saw someone say it and I’m not sure I’ve ever seen someone miss one so bad. He had to have picked up something else off of the bat and ran to completely the wrong spot on the field. In those spots, I have trouble getting mad directly at the player. The Cubs have benefitted from so many high flys at Wrigley this year that were lost in some combination of lighting and the elements. It happens. If you ever played much outfield, or probably even infield, I suspect this has happened to you somewhere along the way. But as brutal a play as you’ll ever see.

Shōta Imanaga threw quite well early in this game, but after the missed fly, he seemed to unravel. If things weren’t bad enough, that missed fly looks like a booming homer on his line. The three he allowed that left the park were not cheapies. You had to know that it was pretty dicey seeing Imanaga pitching on a night when the wind is blowing out pretty good. Simply not ideal. If there is any rebound in the Cubs, I have to imagine that in some order Ben Brown, Edward Cabrera and Matthew Boyd are their top three pitchers. You then just have to hope you can pick spots adequately with all of your depth pitchers. But if Imanaga, Colin Rea and Jameson Taillon are starting key games, this team is probably in trouble.

For math purposes, the Cubs had 3.9 percent chance of winning heading to the bottom of the ninth. Happ’s RBI double with one out had it up to 11.5 and Hoerner’s single sent it to 20.9 percent. But it cratered to 4.6 percent with the caught stealing. Seiya Suzuki’s single sent it to 16.7 percent. Dansby Swanson’s single sent it to 63.5 percent. A giant Wheee! And the Cubs walk it off for the seventh time this season. Incredible.

Three Positives:

  • I’ve never singled out a stat for a slot here, but the Cubs were 6-for-10 with runners in scoring position, left just four men in base and had three two-out RBI, all in the ninth inning.
  • Pete Crow-Armstrong had two hits, one a homer, was hit by a pitch, stole a base and delivered the walk-off winner for his first such hit of his MLB career. Kudos to a very alert Clark who located the ball in the outfield and grabbed it for PCA’s souvenir collection and almost fell over trying to scoop it up while holding the W flag.
  • Ian Happ double, homer, three runs driven in, two runs scored. I laughed because one fairly recognizable Cub fan on twitter called the two-run homer a meaningless homer in a losing cause. I’m sure he’s happy to be wrong. You never know. That’s why you keep playing.

An additional hat tip to Trent Thornton and particularly Ryan Rolison. 12 batters between them — Rolison recorded five outs on five hitters, striking out three — and holding the line. Again, it looks like they were just holding the line, but it turned out they kept it just within reach. Though PCA’s single probably scores two with two out.

Game 63, June 4: Cubs 7, A’s 6 (33-30)

Reminder: Heroes and Goats are determined by WPA scores and are in no way subjective.

THREE HEROES:

  • Superhero: Pete Crow-Armstrong (.448). 2-4, HR, HBP, 2 RBI, R, SB
  • Hero: Dansby Swanson (.397). 1-4, RBI
  • Sidekick: Seiya Suzuki (.072). 1-1, R

THREE GOATS:

  • Billy Goat: Shata Imanaga (-.191). 6 IP, 6 H, BB, 6 ER, 5 K
  • Goat: Nico Hoerner (-.152). 1-4, CS
  • Kid: Alex Bregman (-.082). 1-4, 2B, R

WPA Play of the Game: Dansby Swanson’s two-out, game-tying, RBI-single in the ninth inning. (.468)

A’s Play of the Game: Jonah Heim throwing out Nico Hoerner trying to steal second with a nice tag by Alika Williams at second. (.163)

Cubs Player of the Game:

Game 62 Winner: Colin Rea nudged Ian Happ 46-42 (131 votes)

Rizzo Award Standings: (Top 5/Bottom 5)

The award is named for Anthony Rizzo, who finished first in this category three of the first four years it was in existence and four times overall. He also recorded the highest season total ever at +65.5. The point scale is three points for a Superhero down to negative three points for a Billy Goat.

  • Michael Busch +21
  • Nico Hoerner +111
  • Ian Happ +10.5
  • Michael Conforto +10
  • Ben Brown +9.5
  • Ryan Rolison/Phil Maton/Jameson Taillon/Caleb Thielbar -8
  • Matt Shaw -10
  • Dansby Swanson -11
  • Seiya Suzuki -29.5

Win Pace: 84.9

Up Next: The Giants (25-38) come to town fresh off of winning two games in a row in Milwaukee to take that three game series. But they are 3-7 in their last 10. Edward Cabrera (3-2, 4.00, 54 IP) comes off of the injured list after a minimum stay there for blisters on his throwing hand. He was 0-2 with a 5.79 in May. Hopefully, this was exactly the kind of reset he needed.

How about another lefty starter? The Cubs have been struggling to win games started by left-handed starters recently. Robbie Ray is 3-6 with a 4.45 ERA in 62.2 innings. The former 12th-round pick of the Nationals back in 2010 is having a tough season. He had a decent start last time out against the Rockies, allowing just one run on five hits and two walks in four innings. He hasn’t completed five innings since May 8.

The Giants bullpen is 28th in strikeouts, 25th in WHIP, but 16th in ERA. They only have a collective seven losses, tied for second best in baseball. So all of the losing is actually happening while the starter is still in there. Even with the series win in Milwaukee, the Giants are just 13-22 on the road.

I know it is a big ask, but the Cubs need to sweep this team.

Padres search for answers

Over the past week, the San Diego Padres lost five of the six games played. The Philadelphia Phillies just swept the season series 6-0, while the Padres have only won four of their last 15 games; losing five in a row. Some of those losses were by one run, but a loss is a loss. They now sit with a 32-29 record, in third place and 7 games behind the Dodgers.

Roster changes

Bench player Nick Castellanos was designated for assignment while outfielder Ramón Laureano was placed on the injured list with hip inflammation. The two best hitters at Triple-A El Paso were called up to provide some power potential and defensive flexibility, per manager Craig Stammen. 

Jase Bowen, 25, has the potential to exhibit five tools but must show he can hit at the major league level. He can play all three outfield spots. Samad Taylor plays all three outfield spots and can play second base. Taylor has previous MLB experience with two other teams, but his experience is limited to 39 games.

More than one problem

The offense, which remains either the worst in baseball or the second worst in all offensive averages, is not the only problem for the Friars. Over the past nine games, in which the Padres lost eight, there have been two quality starts from the pitchers.

Griffin Canning lost 3-0 in the first game of the Phillies series at home despite going 6.2 innings with three runs allowed. Then seven games later, Walker Buehler pitched six innings against the Phillies in Philadelphia with one earned run allowed. Eventually losing 3-2, the Padres saw reliever Jason Adam allow two runs on three hits in 0.2 innings in the seventh inning.

The bullpen has seen some hiccups as well, dropping from its top slot. With a 3.18 ERA, the bullpen now sits fifth in the major league rankings. The only bright side to all the losing is that closer Mason Miller has worked once in the past nine games and should be well-rested.

Another award for Mason Miller

Speaking of Mason Miller, he won Reliever of the Month for May. This is his second time winning the award.

Manny Machado

Despite hitting .174 with a .619 OPS in 214 at-bats, Manny Machado remains on pace for his season norms for home runs and RBI. Machado has hit 11 home runs with 32 RBI despite striking out 58 times in 241 plate appearances (24% K rate). He doesn’t appear to be seeing the ball well and is uncharacteristically watching strikes pass through the center of the zone.

A shortened lineup

The bottom of the Padres lineup features hitters who have been below the Mendoza line (.200) for the season. Before his release, Castellanos was a participant at the bottom of the order and was hitting .191. Catchers Freddy Fermin (.126) and Rodolfo Durán (.083) are practically automatic outs with OBP percentages below .300. 

Catcher Luis Campusano remains on the injured list with a broken toe and hasn’t begun his rehab yet. Catcher Blake Hunt, who has a better bat than either Fermin or Durán, just finished his rehab stint and has rejoined El Paso. There will still be some time before this situation can improve.

Before his injury, second baseman Jake Cronenworth was hitting .144 with a .272 OBP. When he plays, Sung-Mun Song hits in the bottom of the order with his .154 average and .290 OBP. 

The two newly promoted bench players, Bowen and Taylor, will be hitting in the bottom third. The team can hope that they will settle in and improve on some of these numbers.

Fernando Tatis Jr.

OF/2B Fernando Tatis Jr. got his first home run of the season on May 30 against the Washington Nationals. Over the past 15 games, Tatis is hitting .379/.438/.466 with three RBI, five walks and three stolen bases. 

After making almost constant adjustments during his hitting slump, Tatis seems to have found something that has unlocked his swing. He has also resumed his spot as the leadoff hitter, even though his OBP is .321 leading off. He swings at a lot of first pitches and his average as a leadoff hitter is .243.

Injury updates

RHP Germán Márquez began his rehab assignment with Triple-A El Paso on Tuesday. He threw 2.1 innings with a hit and three strikeouts while hitting 96 mph with his fastball. He has a 30-day rehab window.

RHP Nick Pivetta has begun a throwing program by playing catch. There is no timetable for his return.

RHP Joe Musgrove began his throwing program on Wednesday. He is also just playing catch at this point and there is no timetable for his return.

Cronenworth is progressing slowly with his baseball activities. Stammen has reported that Cronenworth is swinging a bat, throwing, doing some light running, and staying under medical care as his concussion symptoms begin to subside. There is no timetable for his return.

Campusano is in Arizona, working through his baseball activities in order to resume his work as a catcher. There has been no announcement on when he will begin his rehab assignment.

Red Sox vs Yankees Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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The New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox will renew a rivalry with a weekend series in the Bronx starting this evening.

The Yankees swept Boston earlier this year already and will look to extend their winning streak over their fierce foe to six tonight. The Bronx Bombers are favorites tonight, and we expect them to show why against a Red Sox arm that’s due for regression.

Read all about it in myYankees vs. Red Sox predictions and MLB picks for Friday, June 5.

Who will win Red Sox vs Yankees today: Yankees moneyline (-140)

Despite their struggles in the wake of AL MVP Aaron Judge's injury, the New York Yankees should take care of business tonight, and I'd play this to -165. 

Sonny Gray is due for negative regression. His 4.39 expected ERA is nearly a full run and a half higher than his actual ERA. Pulling these metrics down the most is a barrel rate that sits in the Bottom 33% of the sport.

Judge's absence is felt, but the Yankees still rank first in baseball in both barrel and hard-hit rate, built to expose Gray's contact profile.

Covers COVERS INTEL: Sonny Gray drops his four-seam usage to 9% against right-handed hitters, forcing him into a cutter-heavy mix against a Yankees lineup that leads the league in barrel rate.

Red Sox vs Yankees Over/Under pick: Over 7.5 (-120)

This is a two-unit play on the Over, my seventh of the season. I made this number 8.3 and would play it to 8. 

We've talked about Gray and why this Yankees lineup can cause him problems, even without Judge. The other side is the Boston Red Sox offense, and I feel good about them in this matchup.

Ryan Weathers' nearly 30% strikeout rate is impressive, but a Bottom-15 percentile barrel rate cannot be trusted with a total this low, especially against a Boston lineup with four starters in the Top 30% of those metrics.

Chris Hatfield's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 27-21, +5.94 units
  • Over/Under bets: 30-18, +14.07 units

Red Sox vs Yankees odds

  • Moneyline: Red Sox +125 | Yankees -150
  • Run line: Red Sox +1.5 (-170) | Yankees -1.5 (+145)
  • Over/Under: Over 8 | Under 8

Red Sox vs Yankees trend

The Yankees have cashed the Over in six of their last eight games for +3.75 units and a 43% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Red Sox vs. Yankees.

How to watch Red Sox vs Yankees and game info

LocationYankee Stadium, Bronx, NY
DateFriday, June 5, 2026
First pitch7:05 p.m. ET
TVPeacock
Red Sox starting pitcherSonny Gray
(6-1, 3.06 ERA)
Yankees starting pitcherRyan Weathers
(2-3, 3.52 ERA)

Red Sox vs Yankees latest injuries

Red Sox vs Yankees weather

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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How will the Red Sox handle the rotation in the wake of Brayan Bello’s demotion?

BOSTON, MA - MAY 23: Brayan Bello #66 of the Boston Red Sox walks to the dugout during the game between the Minnesota Twins and the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park on Saturday, May 23, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Madison McCall/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images

Brayan Bello — the man some once called “Little Pedro” — is headed to Worcester. What a long strange trip it’s been. (Not the trip to Worcester — that’s pretty straightforward, though I don’t envy him making the drive on the Friday of a beautiful summer weekend).

I never really bought into the “mental” explanation of why he performed so much better with an opener this season. It just doesn’t seem to make much sense that someone who has pitched in 112 MLB games in his career would all of a sudden be freaked out by the first inning. But he is human, and the yips are real, and we could be witnessing some kind of fulfilling cycle of first inning doom here. It’s a fascinating thing to watch, really.

So what do the Red Sox do now? Garrett Crochet is not particularly close to returning. The Sox roster isn’t exactly well set-up for bullpen games. And the Sox have 9 games in the next 10 days. Trading Caleb Durbin for Kyle Harrison probably isn’t an option at this point, so is Jake Bennett going to be in the rotation for the foreseeable future, or would you like to see the Sox go another route?

Talk about depth starters, weird mental hangups, and whatever else you want and, as always, be good to one another.

Osorio, Perich win Player of the Month Awards

GLENDALE, AZ - FEBRUARY 27: Rafe Perich of the Texas Rangers bats during a spring training game against the Chicago White Sox at Camelback Ranch on February 27, 2026 in Glendale, Arizona. (Photo by Bailey Orr/Texas Rangers/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Texas Rangers outfielder Hector Osorio and infielder Rafe Perich were named the Player of the Month for the month of May for the Carolina League and the South Atlantic League, respectively.

Osorio — who we did a Q&A with earlier this week — put up a .339/.449/.598 slash line for the Hickory Crawdads in the month of May, with 15 walks against 13 Ks in 87 plate appearances. The 21 year old is slashing .291/.427/.547 in 50 games for Hickory this season, and would seem to be poised to be promoted to high-A Hub City in the not-too-distant future.

Perich, a corner infielder who turned 24 last month, was the Rangers’ 7th round pick out of Lehigh in 2024. Prior to his being promoted to AA Frisco late in the month, Perich had a .345/.448/.747 slash line for Hub City in May in 105 plate appearances, including 10 homers. Overall this year, Perich slashed .303/.394/.606 at high-A before being promoted.

AL All-Star voting: Orioles cases to make the team

BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - SEPTEMBER 09: Samuel Basallo #29 of the Baltimore Orioles celebrate after driving in the game winning run in the eleventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 09, 2025 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Earlier this week, All-Star voting for the 2026 season opened up. Over the next several weeks, fans will have the opportunity to make their choices for the starting lineups for the American and National League teams for this year’s edition of the game, taking place in Philadelphia to coincide with various celebrations for the 250th birthday of the United States of America.

It is, of course, a sacred duty for Orioles fans to vote for all Orioles, going back to the days of when these things were actual punch card ballots that got handed out by ushers in the stadiums. All those Yankees fans and Red Sox fans and whoever else would be voting in their assorted jabronis, so you better try to counter their ballot stuffing.

The punch cards have been gone for quite some time in favor of less-charming digital ballots. This year’s ballot is sponsored by a video game company known for giving the gaming world the ultimate cheat code: up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start. Mike Elias puts in that code and he thinks he’s going to get his choice of waiver wire relievers and one-year contract starting pitchers. It probably won’t help him beat Contra and it hasn’t been great for the AL East lately either.

There have been fun years in recent memory where there was a deserving Oriole at a great number of positions and you didn’t have to be a ridiculous homer to vote for mostly or entirely Orioles ballots. Last year wasn’t one of those years. This year is also not looking like one. Even if several players go on a tear between now and the end of the voting period, people’s minds are largely made up before voting begins. Below is an attempt to carefully consider the case for each Oriole at each position and how they stack up to the competition.

Designated hitter

  • The Oriole: Samuel Basallo
  • Should you vote for him? Yes
  • Are you a total homer for voting for him? Probably

There’s a Yordan Alvarez-sized problem for Basallo getting in as the starter in the American League. The Astros nearly-full-time designated hitter is, going into Thursday’s games, the best hitter so far in all of MLB, dropping a 1.075 OPS on the league. He’s hit 21 home runs already.

Even so, we can all be excited about what Basallo has done so far this season, particularly the way he rebounded after a tough first few weeks of the season to become one of the better young hitters out there. It’s nice that the Orioles have finally noticed and are lately playing him nearly every day, even against lefties. And he definitely deserves to be a reserve over just about anybody else you could name among AL designated hitters.

First base

  • The Oriole: Pete Alonso
  • Should you vote for him? Yes
  • Are you a total homer for voting for him? Unfortunately, yes

Based on reports, the Orioles actually attempted to sign Kyle Schwarber the day before they signed Pete Alonso, but (this is my speculation) Schwarber just used the Orioles to drive up the price to return to the Phillies. I mention this because Schwarber has 23 home runs and Alonso so far only has 12. That’s not going to get anybody into the All-Star Game or probably even back into the Home Run Derby. As of this writing, Alonso is 8th in fWAR among primary first basemen, trailing people like Munetaka Murakami and Jonathan Aranda.

There were a lot of intangibles that the Orioles hoped they were getting in signing Alonso and it seems like they are getting those with veteran leadership and all that jazz. Some more tangibles would be nice too. There are four more years to get Alonso into the All-Star Game as an Oriole. People other than me might find this thought reassuring.

Second base

  • The Oriole: Jeremiah Jackson
  • Should you vote for him? Yes
  • Are you a total homer for voting for him? Yes

Jackson was a fun story last year after arriving with little fanfare and having a good month of August. That feels very far away now. After a fantastic March/April where he had six home runs and drove in 24 runs, Jackson hasn’t homered yet in May or June and he’s OPSing under .500 since April turned to May. It’s too bad, because there’s not an overwhelming AL favorite here; it’s close between four guys, currently led in fWAR by Texas’s Ezequiel Duran. Maybe next year, Jackson Holliday can be a guy who deserves support.

Third base

  • The Oriole: Coby Mayo
  • Should you vote for him? Yes
  • Are you a total homer for voting for him? Yes

The last 28 days split for Coby Mayo is .281/.359/.526. That might get him in the conversation for being a starter if he’d been doing that for the whole season. However, he had an OPS under .500 as recently as May 9. That’s not going to do it, particularly against a field that includes seven-time All-Star/likely future Hall of Famer José Ramírez. Might still be a good time to buy some Mayo stock anyway.

Shortstop

  • The Oriole: Gunnar Henderson
  • Should you vote for him? Yes
  • Are you a total homer for voting for him? Yes

Even in the month of April, when he hit nine home runs, Henderson still didn’t manage to get his OBP over .300 or his SLG over .500. He’s only hit four home runs since and he isn’t hitting for average or getting on base while not hitting the homers either. I’m bummed about him, friends. This is the shortest entry because I don’t want to say any more.

Catcher

  • The Oriole: Adley Rutschman
  • Should you vote for him: Yes
  • Are you a total homer for voting for him? Mostly

One aspect of being a sports fan is veering continually between “It is so over” and “We are SO back.” This dynamic may be exemplified most clearly by Rutschman, about whom my Camden Chat colleague Stacey and I are always asking, “Is Adley back?” And the thing is that, often, he is back. But the reason that he’s back is because he went away for a while and that kind of sucks. His most recent status is “not back,” refreshing the cycle yet again while probably not winning him very many neutral votes.

Outfield

  • The Orioles: Leody Taveras, Dylan Beavers, Taylor Ward
  • Should you vote for them? Yes, yes, and yes
  • Are you a total homer for voting for them? Yes, yes, and yes

Confession: If Tyler O’Neill was listed here, I was going to break from the bit and say no, you should not vote for him. The Orioles have saved me that trouble by not even listing him. It is, actually, pretty sad that Beavers, who’s been on the IL for a month, gets a spot here over either O’Neill or Colton Cowser. That’s the way the season’s gone for those other guys. A guy I follow on Bluesky called The Dishwasher has lately pointed out this remarkable fact: O’Neill has batted 27 times in the first two innings of a game this year and he has zero hits in that time. Sheesh.

Taveras carried the Orioles offense, such as it was, through roughly their first 25 games and since that time has returned to hitting like Leody Taveras. This is not complimentary. Other outfielders are bad enough at hitting lately and Taveras is okay enough defensively to still make it worth playing him, but come on, it’s a tough field for the outfield, led by Mike Trout, who may actually be back. That’s a fun story.

Then there’s Taylor Ward. First impressions stick in the mind and my first impression of him was that Opening Day play where he misread a carom about as badly as you can do. He has continued to play poor defense in the field, worse than I think even the Orioles could have reasonably expected based on Ward’s career to date. He had not hit the dingers that we had all expected, instead carving out a strange new niche as a “gets on base a lot and hits a bunch of doubles” guy that has some value, if not quite the value the Orioles were expecting. Grayson Rodriguez has a 10 ERA after four starts with the Angels.

Pitcher

Fans don’t vote for pitchers, either starting pitchers or relievers. That stuff all gets sorted out behind the scenes while trying to juggle between actually deserving players and making sure that at least one player from each team is able to be named to an All-Star roster. We certainly shouldn’t expect any Orioles starting pitchers to make the cut. Although some are trending better lately, that’s going to be no competition against guys who’ve been getting it done all year.

Since the above was largely a bummer, I do want to shout out the one guy on the Orioles who probably deserves to make an All-Star roster, and if things are more or less the same in about a month as they are right now, he probably will be the only Orioles All-Star this year. That’s Rico Garcia. He went 11 straight outings to start the year without allowing a hit and even now, batters are hitting just .083/.172/.155 against him for the season. That’s a 0.68 ERA and 0.608 WHIP. Good stuff.

It won’t be great if Garcia is the only Orioles All-Star. Hopefully June and onward go better for the team, such that by season’s end it looks silly that they only had one All-Star.

Minor league update for 6/4/26

05 June 2026, Baden-Württemberg, Schriesheim: A paraglider soars through the air against a slightly cloudy sky. Photo: Uwe Anspach/dpa (Photo by Uwe Anspach/picture alliance via Getty Images)

Hickory starter Jesus Lafalaise walked five and struck out three in 4.1 IP, allowing three runs.

Paulino Santana homered. Yolfran Castillo was 2 for 5. Josh Springer was 2 for 3 with a double and a walk. Dewar Tovar was 2 for 4 with a homer.

Hickory box score

Kamdyn Perry started for Hub City and struck out two and walked three in 4.2 shutout innings.

Gleider Figuereo and Patton Kling each had a hit.

Hub City box score

Frisco starter Winston Santos allowed three runs in five innings, striking out three and walking one. Bryan Magdaleno walked two and struck out two in an inning of work, allowing one run. Eric Loomis struck out two in a shutout inning, lowering his ERA on the year to 0.60. Ryan Lobus allowed a run in two innings, striking out one and walking one.

Dylan Dreiling was 3 for 4 with a homer and a walk. Arturo Disla and Rafe Perich had a hit apiece.

Frisco box score

For Round Rock, Thomas Ireland struck out out one in 1.1 shutout innings. Joe Ross struck out one in two scoreless inning.

Cam Cauley had a hit, a walk and a stolen base. Jarred Kelenic had a hit. Aaron Zavala had a hit. John Taylor doubled and walked.

Round Rock box score

ACL Rangers box score

DSL Rangers Red box score

DSL Rangers Blue box score

Good Morning San Diego: Padres swept by Phillies… again, extend losing streak to 5 games

PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 4: Miguel Andujar #41 of the San Diego Padres reacts after a swing and miss in the top of the second inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on June 4, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Phillies defeated the Padres 6-4. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images

Jackson Merrill ripped a two-run home run to right field that banged off the advertising on the face of the second deck and ricochetted back down onto the field as he rounded the bases en route to home plate where he completed his trip and pulled the San Diego Padres within two runs of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Padres trailed 6-4, but with no outs and Phillies reliever Jose Alvarado having already allowed two runs, there was a glimmer of hope that San Diego could pull off some late-inning magic and avoid the series sweep. Alvarado would not allow another run, in fact, he did not allow another baserunner, before closing out the game and securing the win for Philadelphia.

The Padres continued to struggle at the plate and saw six of nine batters who were in the starting lineup finish their day without a hit. San Diego amassed just four hits in the game with two of those hits accounting for the four runs scored. Manny Machado hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh, which made the score 3-2 before Adrian Morejon took the ball in the bottom of the inning and allowed three runs on three hits with one walk. He was replaced on the mound by Wandy Peralta after 1/3 of an inning and the Phillies enjoyed a 6-2 lead.

Merrill drove in Ty France who walked to open the ninth inning, and the only other hits in the game for San Diego came from the No. 9 hitter, Bryce Johson. He singled in the sixth and singled in the eighth. Johnson moved to second in the eighth inning after a Gavin Sheets walk, but with two on and two out in the inning, Machado grounded to third to end the top half of the frame.

The Padres return to Petco Park to host the New York Mets today at 6:40 p.m. still looking to find some kind of offensive identity. The problem for San Diego now is the bullpen faltered multiple times on the road trip and are showing signs of wearing down and being less affective.

Padres News:

Baseball News:

Yankees vs. Red Sox prediction: Odds, recent stats, trends, and best bets for June 5

The Red Sox (26-35) and the Yankees (37-25) renew one of the more storied rivalries in sports tonight in the Bronx, opening a three-game set at Yankee Stadium. Boston is happy to be on the road after losing yesterday. They were waxed by the Orioles, 8-2, to drop their eighth series of the season at Fenway. Their futility at home is a big reason why they own the cellar in the American League East. The Yankees found out yesterday Aaron Judge (stress fracture of the first rib) will be sidelined for at least the next 6-8 weeks before going out and salvaging the final game of their three-game series against the Guardians. New York sits ½ game behind the Rays in the AL East.

 

Getting runners to cross home plate has been a major issue for Boston. They have scored the third fewest runs in baseball. Of late, they have shown signs of breaking out but the consistency has not been there. For example, take the last six games. In those contests, the Red Sox have scored 3, 9, 9, 2, 8, and 2 runs. They are 3-3 in those six games and there is little question which games were wins and which were losses.

 

Conversely, the Yankees have scored the fifth most runs in baseball. The Bronx Bombers have beaten up the bad teams and played a little over .500 ball against teams above .500 (10-8). Ben Rice has been the primary producer on offense hitting .300 with 17 home runs and 44 RBIs. The issue for New York is the bottom of the order. Austin Wells is hitting .169, Anthony Volpe owns a batting average of .220, and Ryan McMahon is hitting a stout .205. That futility only underlines how good the top of the order has been.

 

On the mound tonight, the Red Sox will turn to right-hander Sonny Gray, who has been one of their few reliable arms. A one-time Yankee, Gray takes the mound with a 6-1 record and a 3.06 ERA, while the Yankees counter with left-hander Ryan Weathers, who brings a 3.52 ERA to the bump.

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Game Details and How to Watch: Yankees vs. Red Sox

 

  • Date: Friday, June 5, 2026
  • Time: 7:05PM EST
  • Site: Yankee Stadium
  • City: New York, NY
  • Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, YES, NESN

 

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

 

The Latest Odds: Yankees vs. Red Sox

The latest odds as of Friday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: New York Yankees (-149), Boston Red Sox (+123)
  • Spread: Yankees -1.5 (+141), Red Sox +1.5 (-171)
  • Total: 8.0 runs

 

Probable Starting Pitchers: Yankees vs. Red Sox for June 5

  • Yankees: Ryan Weathers
    Season Totals: 64.0 IP, 2-3, 3.52 ERA, 1.14 WHIP, 75K, 19 BB
  • Red Sox: Sonny Gray
    Season Totals: 50.0 IP, 6-1, 3.06 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 41K, 14 BB

Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Yankees vs. Red Sox

  • Wilyer Abreu – 3-11 in the series against Baltimore
  • Ceddanne Rafaela – 6-13 in the series against Baltimore
  • Jarren Duran – 2-13 in the series against Baltimore
  • Paul Goldschmidt — 5-12 in the series against Cleveland and has hit in 9 straight games (13-39)
  • Clay Bellinger – 3-10 in the series against Cleveland
  • Jose Caballero – 2-10 in the series against Cleveland

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

 

Top Betting Trends & Insights: Yankees and Red Sox

 

  • The Red Sox are 25-36 on the Run Line this season
  • The Yankees are 30-32 on the Run Line this season
  • The OVER has cashed 28 times in Boston’s 61 games this season (28-31-2)
  • The OVER has cashed 28 times in the Yankees’ 62 games this season (28-31-3)

 

Expert picks & predictions: Yankees vs. Red Sox

 

Rotoworld Bet Best Bet

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

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

 

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

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Yankees promoting Spencer Jones to take Aaron Judge's spot on the roster

The Yankees are calling up prospect Spencer Jonesto takeAaron Judge's spot on the roster, reports Jack Curry of YES.

Judge has been shut down for four-to-six weeks due to a stress fracture of the first rib on his right side. He will be reimaged after the end of the shutdown period to determine his level of healing and appropriate next steps, with the expectation that he'll return this season.

With Judge on the shelf, Jones figures to play nearly every day in the outfield along with Cody Bellinger and Trent Grisham.

Jones, 25, struggled earlier this season in his first taste of the majors, hitting just .167/.259/.167 with 12 strikeouts in 27 plate appearances over 10 games.

Strikeouts have been an issue for Jones throughout his minor league career, overshadowing the prodigious power he possesses.

In 43 games this season for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre, Jones is hitting .269/.378/.571 with 13 homers, but he has struck out 60 times. 

Jones fanned 179 times in 116 games last season as he split time between Triple-A and Double-A Somerset.

How to watch the San Francisco Giants vs Chicago Cubs: Live stream info, schedule, preview for Sunday

This Sunday, June 7, features an exciting day of MLB coverage on NBC and Peacock. First, at 3:00 PM ET, the Washington Nationals take on the Arizona Diamondbacks in an MLBSunday Leadoff matchup. Later, at 8:00 PM ET, the San Francisco Giants face the Chicago Cubs on Sunday Night Baseball. See below for additional information on how to stream both games.

The Giants, under first-year MLB manager Tony Vitello, look to find stability and avoid missing the playoffs for the fifth consecutive season. Meanwhile, the Cubs, who ended their four-year playoff drought last season, look to build off that momentum.

Jason Benetti will call Sunday's Giants vs Cubs game, alongside 12-year MLB pitcher Jim Deshaies and four-time All-Star outfielder Hunter Pence.

Bob Costas will host the pregame show alongside Anthony Rizzo, who will also provide “Inside the Pitch” commentary from the batter’s perspective during the game.

Click here to sign up for Peacock!

How to watch the San Francisco Giants vs Chicago Cubs:

  • Where: Wrigley Field, Chicago, Illinois
  • When: Sunday, June 7
  • Time: 8:00 PM ET
  • TV Channel: NBC
  • Live Stream:Peacock
colepowerranks_720.jpg
The future is now for the White Sox, who went 18-10 in May.

What other MLB games are on Peacock this Sunday?

Washington Nationals vs Arizona Diamondbacks- 3:00 PM ET on Peacock

How to watch MLB on NBC and Peacock:

MLB Sunday Leadoff is a weekly Major League Baseball showcase featuring live Sunday daytime games. It highlights marquee matchups throughout the regular season and streams primarily on Peacock, with some games also airing across NBC Sports and NBC.

MLB Sunday Night Baseball is a weekly primetime Major League Baseball showcase, featuring marquee matchups each Sunday night during the regular season. The games air on NBC and Peacock and anchor NBC Sports’ Sunday night programming lineup.

On Sunday, July 5, all 15 MLB games will be presented nationally across Peacock and NBC as part of a special all-day “Star-Spangled Sunday” showcase.

NBC Sports will also stream one out-of-market game each day of the 2026 MLB season nationally on Peacock. Telemundo Deportes will present all NBCUniversal-produced MLB games in Spanish, with Universo televising all games broadcast on NBC.

How to sign up for Peacock:

Sign up here to watch all of our LIVE sports, sports shows, documentaries, classic matches, and more. You’ll also get tons of hit movies and TV shows, Originals, news, 24/7 channels, and current NBC and Bravo hits for whatever suits your mood.

MLB on NBC 2026 schedule:

Click here to see the full list of MLB games that will air on NBC and Peacock this season.

Why are some MLB games unavailable to stream on Peacock?

Due to territorial blackout restrictions, select regular season, special event, and Postseason games may be unavailable on Peacock. Television territory blackout restrictions apply regardless of whether a Club is home or away and regardless of whether a game is televised in that Club's home television territory. For more information visit, Peacock’s Help Center.

What devices does Peacock support?

You can enjoy Peacock on a variety of devices. View the full list of supported devices here.

Is it over for the Mets, Giants this season?

Check out the latest MLB player news here!

Giants vs Cubs Prediction, Picks & Odds for Today's MLB Game

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The San Francisco Giants have dominated the Chicago Cubs in recent memory, but the hosts will grab a victory in today's series opener at Wrigley Field. 

My Giants vs Cubs predictions will explain why Chicago, which is a -156 favorite today, is in a prime position to take this contest, with Robbie Ray on the mound for San Francisco. 

Read more in my MLB picks for Friday, June 5. 

Who will win Giants vs Cubs today: Cubs -1.5 (+120)

The Chicago Cubs will face San Francisco Giants left-hander Robbie Ray this afternoon. He's struggled lately, compiling a 5.85 FIP across his last two starts, and he also owns a 6.24 SIERA during that span.

Ray has completely lost his command (10.13 BB/9), forcing him to serve his offerings on a silver platter over the heart of the plate.

Additionally, 47.6% of his contact over the last 14 days has come through the air, with 10% of those fly balls leaving the yard. That's concerning against a Cubs offense that ranks 12th in home runs, setting him up for a rough day at the office against Chicago's 43.1% hard-hit rate over the last week, while carrying a 107 wRC+ against left-handed pitching.

The real edge is Edward Cabrera's pitch mix returning to Wrigley Field, where he has a 3.89 FIP this season while limiting contact in the air to just 34%.

I'll play this pick to +100.

Covers COVERS INTEL: The Cubs can pull away late against a Giants' bullpen boasting a 5.23 xFIP over the last two weeks. 

Giants vs Cubs Over/Under pick: Under 10.5 runs (+100)

My secondary lean is the Under. While I expect the Cubs to generate offense against Ray, Chicago's pitching staff should be capable of limiting the damage on the other side. With Cabrera returning from the IL, he will likely be on a short leash, and he's failed to pitch more than 4 2/3 innings in either of his last two outings.

That means the Cubs bullpen will play a significant role, and that's hardly a concern. Chicago's relievers own a 3.20 FIP over the last seven days while holding opponents to a .169 ISO and just 0.43 home runs per nine innings.

The Giants haven't shown much power on the road either, carrying a .157 ISO away from home in 2026. If Chicago's bullpen continues its recent form, San Francisco will struggle to generate enough offense to push this game beyond the total.

I'll play this pick to -110. 

Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
  • ML/RL bets: 21-16, +3.92 units
  • Over/Under bets: 22-14, +4.25 units

Giants vs Cubs odds

  • Moneyline: Giants +150 | Cubs -156
  • Run line: Giants +1.5 (-127) | Cubs -1.5 (+122)
  • Over/Under: Over 10.5 (-113) | Under 10.5 (+108)

Giants vs Cubs trend

The San Francisco Giants have hit the Team Total Under in 28 of their last 45 away games (+9.00 Units / 17% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Giants vs. Cubs.

How to watch Giants vs Cubs and game info

LocationWrigley Field, Chicago, IL
DateFriday, June 5, 2026
First pitch2:20 p.m. ET
TVNBCSBA, MARQ
Giants starting pitcherRobbie Ray
(3-6, 4.45 ERA)
Cubs starting pitcherEdward Cabrera
(3-2, 4.00 ERA)

Giants vs Cubs latest injuries

Giants vs Cubs weather

Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
Not intended for use in MA.
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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.

How Jalen Brunson became 'Captain Clutch' − one of the NBA's best players

They call him "Captain Clutch" for a reason.

After Knicks All-Star Jalen Brunson erupted in the fourth quarter Wednesday, June 3 to propel New York to steal Game 1 of the NBA Finals over the San Antonio Spurs, his reputation as one of the premier clutch players of this generation is only growing.

The one thing missing from his résumé in the clutch, however, is an NBA title. And with the Knicks now just three wins away from that, presuming more close games are coming, a championship would instantly catapult Brunson to the top of the list of his contemporaries. Whether it’s alongside two-time consecutive Most Valuable Player Shai Gilgeous-Alexander or in line with aging stars like Stephen Curry or even compared to some of the game’s icons like Michael Jordan, Brunson, 29, would reach a new level if the Knicks win their first title in 53 years.

Since the 2023 NBA playoffs, Brunson has scored 144 clutch points. The next closest player is Gilgeous-Alexander, with 84. After those two, it’s three-time Nuggets MVP Nikola Jokić, arguably the best player in the world.

This presumes a couple of things: New York has both been in the postseason and has made deep runs, and Brunson has been healthy and available. Given the grind of the modern NBA, that’s no small feat.

But what is it, exactly, that makes Brunson so good late in tight games?

For one, he’s deliberate and efficient, and he does not waste movement in getting to his spots.

Brunson scored 13 of his 30 points Wednesday night in the fourth quarter, on 5-of-9 shooting in the period. In fact, once the game reached the clutch, which the NBA defines as a game that’s within five points or fewer and in the final five minutes of regulation, Brunson scored 5 points, including the go-ahead, corner 3-pointer with 1:50 to play that sparked an 11-0 New York run to close out the game.

Although he’s just 6-foot-2 and is nowhere near the most athletic player on the floor, Brunson wields an uncanny ability to use his leverage to bait and unsettle defenders, manipulating them into compromised positions.

“And Jalen, he was the MVP in the second half,” Knicks coach Mike Brown said Wednesday night after the game. “He was huge for us. He did what MVP candidates are supposed to do: he carried us home.

“We put the ball in his hands and he got it done for us down the stretch.”

Brunson has also mastered the angles of hoops, especially late in games. And this is where his shorter stature helps him.

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson reacts in the second half of Game 1 of the 2026 NBA Finals at Frost Bank Center.

Brunson doesn’t attack in straight lines; he weaves into the tight cracks in the paint, wiggling into his preferred spot on the floor, the right elbow. He’ll deploy crossovers and spins, will tease his shoulders (while maintaining his pivot foot), and, then, once a defender recovers, he’ll get him airborne with timely pump fakes.

“He’s going to get to his spots regardless,” Spurs rookie guard Dylan Harper said after the game. “It’s kind of how he picks his angles, gets to his spots. He probably does it beyond the best.”

Yet, what separates Brunson from the rest of his contemporaries is truly elite shot-making. It’s not just that Brunson is hitting shots, it’s the degree of difficulty with which he’s lacing them.

Wednesday night, in a pivotal possession inside the final minute with the Knicks carrying a four-point lead and the shot clock winding down, Brunson spun, stepped back, pump faked and then had to alter the angle of his rainbow shot to drain it past Spurs guard Devin Vassell.

Last season, in New York’s closeout game in the first round against the Pistons, with the game tied at 113 in the fourth quarter, Brunson worked Detroit’s all-world stopper, Ausar Thompson, on a step-back and swished a 3-pointer with 4.3 seconds left to win the game.

There are countless others just like this. Likely, there will be many more.

And if he can deliver a Finals to New York, a blue chip fan base with a massive reach, a city starved for a title, Brunson would etch his name among the game’s greatest.

“It starts with my confidence,” Brunson said Wednesday night. “It comes with my work ethic. I think, most importantly, knowing we’re on the road, and knowing my teammates have my back, I think that’s the biggest thing in an environment like this.

“The trust they have in me and the trust I have in them, it has got us to this point. I’m very thankful for them every single night we go out there together.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Why is Jalen Brunson called Captain Clutch? Because Knicks star is

Will someone BABIP .500+ against the Braves this year?

ATLANTA, GA - JUNE 04: Mauricio Dubón #14 of the Atlanta Braves reaches for a groud ball in the ninth inning during the game against the Toronto Blue Jays at Truist Park on June 4, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Matthew Grimes Jr.Atlanta Braves/Getty Images) | Getty Images

This question is very clearly prompted by last night’s loss, where the Blue Jays (surprisingly?) did not BABIP over .500… but they got pretty close.

There was a game the Braves lost to the Red Sox recently — the 8-0 shellacking, where the Red Sox had a .400 BABIP, and the Braves had a .208 BABIP. Not quite double, but yeah, that’ll do it in terms of the 8-0 score. To be more sophisticated about it, the Braves didn’t really “get screwed” in that one, as the Red Sox had a .400+ xwOBA and actually slightly underhit it… though it is worth noting that the Braves had a .213 wOBA on a .359 xwOBA — their second-biggest underperformance of the season so far.

So, when yesterday’s game against the Blue Jays transpired, even before the Reynaldo Lopez “implosion” in the ninth, it was reminiscent of something from the prior week. With the dust settled, here’s what we got:

  • Blue Jays BABIP (i.e., Braves BABIP-against): .485, a season-high BABIP-against for Atlanta
  • Braves BABIP: .125, third-lowest.

That’s a ratio of nearly 4.00! That’s tough to overcome. What about outputs versus inputs?

  • Blue Jays: .398 wOBA on a .319 xwOBA, the third-highest gap the Braves have allowed this year.
  • Braves: .213 wOBA on a .259 xwOBA.

So, in some ways, the result wasn’t surprising. But the Blue Jays still got some very unjust deserts, and the Braves’ luck went the other way.

Still, that .485 BABIP is very high. It made me curious: how often do the Braves suffer the indignity of a .500+ BABIP-against?

The answer is “a few times a season, except 2023 where they didn’t have any, and 2024, where they somehow had six against them.” Weirdly, there was only one such game in the misery that was last season; you’d think will the stuff the team had to deal with, it would’ve been way higher in 2025 than, say, 2024.

They haven’t had one in 2026 yet. Will they? If they do, and “patterns” are meaningful (they aren’t), it might come soon. Three of the Braves’ six highest BABIP-against games have come in the last week-ish, and are in fact the team’s only losses in that span. There was the aforementioned game in Boston, then there was the Ronald Acuña Jr. defensive issues crammed into nine innings game in Cincinnati, and then last night’s game. But, will they have another that actually comes when the opponent BABIPs .500+? If so, when?