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The Los Angeles Dodgers aim to extend their 14-game lead in the NL West as they begin a three-game home series against the last-place Colorado Rockies.

L.A. is a massive favorite (-213), but my Rockies vs. Dodgers predictions like the price on the run line better. 

See why I'm expecting runs in bunches as well with my MLB picks for Monday, July 6.

Who will win Rockies vs Dodgers today: Dodgers -1.5 (-108)

Two southpaws take the bump, but only one lineup hits them well. 

The Colorado Rockies have a league-worst 81 wRC+ against LHP, whereas the Los Angeles Dodgers have been effective (108 wRC+). The edge at the plate is massive for the Boys in Blue, especially with the lineup back to full strength. 

Kyle Freeland has surrendered an ugly .310/.343/.575 slash line in a large sample size of 200 plate appearances against L.A.'s lineup. Colorado has dropped eight of his last 13 starts against the run line, so I'd play L.A. -1.5 up to -125.

COVERS INTEL: Kyle Freeland leads with his four-seamer (.321 xBA) and curveball (.299 xBA). The Dodgers hit both offerings well, posting 15.7 runs above replacement against four-seamers (third) and 12.6 against curves (first). 

Rockies vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (-104)

Two starting pitchers with profiles screaming "FADE ME!" and winds of 5-9 mph blowing out to dead center? Sign me up for runs. 

Freeland (91 Stuff+) and Eric Lauer (88 Stuff+) both throw lollipops. Freeland's third-percentile xBA (.294) is a major concern against L.A.'s league-best .266 xBA at the dish, and Lauer allows too much loud contact (ninth-percentile barrel rate) in the air (eighth-percentile groundball rate). 

Colorado has a 4.54 SIERA (23rd) out of the pen in the last 14 days, while L.A. hasn't been much better (18th with a 3.98 SIERA).

Rockies vs Dodgers weather

Sunny skies are expected with light winds. A beautiful night for baseball. 

Rockies vs Dodgers odds

• Moneyline: Rockies +154 | Dodgers -170
• Run line: Rockies +1.5 (+110) | Dodgers -1.5 (-110)
• Over/Under: Over 10.5 (-115) | Under 10.5 (-105)

Rockies vs Dodgers trend

The Dodgers have covered the run line in six consecutive home games against the Rockies. Find more MLB betting trends for Rockies vs. Dodgers.

How to watch Rockies vs Dodgers and game info

Rockies vs Dodgers latest injuries

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You may not have had the opportunity to watch what the Cincinnati Reds were up to all weekend given the holiday, heat, and literal thousands of other things more enjoyable to do than watch this club try to play the sport of baseball. Thankfully, we here at Red Reporter are going to wrap up the weekend’s news for you right now!

Will Benson was designated for assignment

The Reds called time on the Will Benson experiment for good. He joins the likes of Christian Encarnacion-Strand and Rece Hinds as former touted cornerstone pieces of this existential rebuild that have now been cast aside.

Cincinnati’s front office has been trying for years to find a left-handed outfield bat that’s worth a dang, and they continue to be forced to admit their swings and misses. Jake Fraley didn’t pan out. Gavin Lux cost them a fortune to acquire and they dumped him with egg on their face almost immediately. JJ Bleday has shown flashes but just hit .161/.288/.323 across the entire month of June. In Benson, the Reds initially thought they had something when the former 1st round pick excelled in 2023, but he was simply never able to replicate that small-sample excellence.

Hunter Greene returned and got smacked

Cincinnati hoped their resident ace would ride to their rescue immediately after missing the first half of the season following elbow surgery. The exact opposite happened on Saturday against Baltimore.

Hunter Greene was lit up for 8 ER in just 3.1 IP, his short stint forcing the bullpen to cover copious innings in an eventual loss in front of a holiday crowd mostly there just for the fireworks show that followed. Now, the Reds are immediately in the mode where they question just how much they lean on Greene when mired in last place and closer to 10 games under .500 than to a Wild Card spot.

The Reds lost another home series, this time to a dismal Orioles club

The Orioles are essentially the Reds. Flirting with being 10 games under .500, a dozen games back in their division (and, in Baltimore’s case, a half-game out of last place thanks to beating the Reds in GABP), and figuring out which pieces they’ll be better off selling in the next month.

Still, that Orioles club was good enough to come into an opponent’s ball park and take 2 out of 3, which says just about all you need to know about the Reds at the moment.

Sal Stewart and Chase Burns are All Stars

Sal Stewart and Chase Burns were named to the National League’s All Star roster on Sunday, the two certainly deserving of the honors.

The Cincinnati Reds are in last place with less than a month to the trade deadline

It’s about time we all acknowledged the obivious: this team, this franchise has serious problems. More problems than they have solutions. I’m not suggesting that they go full fire-sale right this minute and deal everyone they can for whatever they can get, but it’s time for them to be strategic sellers.

Nick Lodolo just had his best start of the season. Maybe if he strings together 2-3 more, you think about dealing him. He’ll be a free agent after 2028, and do you really think this club can build itself into a contender for next year?

It’s those types of decisions that will be kicked around the front office in the coming weeks. That, and whether or not Terry Francona and his staff are at all the right fit for the roster as it evolves.

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Monday's MLB card is loaded with star power, and a few of baseball's biggest bats find themselves in favorable matchups.

Before locking in your MLB player props, here are my MLB picks I'm targeting to leave their mark tonight.

Best MLB home run props today

Player to hit a HR	Odds
James Wood	+250
Michael Harris	+436
💲Today's HR parlay	+5875

Home run pick: James Wood (+250)

I think I am still out of breath from running to bet on this prop.

Washington Nationals star James Wood finds himself in the spot of all spots, as he draws Houston Astros right-hander Mike Burrows. Over his last 30 left-handed hitters faced, Burrows is allowing just a 17.4% ground ball rate. 

Yes, that means hitters are elevating the baseball 82.6% of the time. During that span, they are also generating a 43.5% hard-hit rate and an 8.7% barrel rate, while posting a .589 xSLG and a .355 xwOBA.

Wood may only have a .208 BA over his last 30 plate appearances against right-handed pitching, but he also owns a .500 SLG, .867 OPS, and .377 wOBA, while producing an 86.7% hard-hit rate and a 13.3% barrel rate.

Yeah, give me the nuke.

• Time: 6:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: Nationals.TV, Space City Home Network

Home run pick: Michael Harris (+436)

We are backing dad strength in this one, Michael Harris to go yard against New York Mets starter Freddy Peralta.

The Atlanta Braves outfielder has been one of the few bright spots for Atlanta over the last month. The sparkplug is batting .268 with a .464 SLG and .781 OPS, while posting a 53.5% hard-hit rate and a 13.9% barrel rate in his last 60 plate appearances against right-handed pitching.

Harris enters Monday with an elite rating on Batters-Box’s current season metrics, with nearly 90% arsenal coverage against Peralta. The right-hander also owns a poorly rated matchup in ISO, wOBA, and hard contact on Batters-Box.

On the road, Peralta is allowing 69.4% elevation and a 36.1% hard-hit rate to lefties. Those hitters have produced a .571 SLG and .384 wOBA, and over his last 60 faced, he is allowing a 2.84 HR/9 with a .497 xSLG.

The Braves are slowly turning it around, and with Harris leading the way, they can keep building toward the form they showed two months ago.

• Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: BravesVision, SportsNet New York

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Start the week off right with my favorite MLB same-game parlay predictions for Monday's eight-game slate.

My top MLB picks begin with the Mets pulling off a road upset over the favored Braves (-132) and wrap up with the Dodgers pulling away from the Rockies in the nightcap.

Today's best MLB SGP picks

Game	SGP Odds
NYM vs ATL	+410
MIL vs STL	+410
COL vs LAD	+315

Mets vs Braves SGP: New York upsets Atlanta

The Atlanta Braves have dropped to 29th in wOBA and 27th in xwOBA through 21 games without star Ronald Acuna Jr. (hamstring), while the New York Mets comfortably sit 16th and eighth in the two metrics. 

I also expect New York righty Freddy Peralta to pitch well. He’s held opposing hitters to the sixth-lowest barrel percentage among pitchers with at least 75 innings to pave the way for a respectable 3.78 xERA that’s way below his 4.81 ERA. Still, he’s failed to register 6+ strikeouts in seven of his past nine starts with a pedestrian 19.8 strikeout percentage.

The final leg of this SGP turns to Mets star Juan Soto, and with him ranking fourth in the majors in both wOBA and OPS against right-handed pitchers since the beginning of the 2024 campaign, I see value in the SGP down to +375.

• Time: 7:15 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: BravesVsn, SNY

Brewers vs Cardinals SGP: Busch isn't light on runs tonight

The Milwaukee Brewers and St. Louis Cardinals rank first and third in xwOBA across the past 30 days while averaging 5.1 and 5.2 runs per game, so I’m anticipating both offenses putting runs on the board tonight.

Brewers lefty Shane Drohan has allowed an above-average .338 wOBA while pitching to a mediocre 4.09 ERA across 33 innings as a starter this season, and Cards righty Dustin May has surrendered a healthy 46.3% hard-hit rate, after all.

I recommend this SGP down to +390.

• Time: 7:45 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: CARD, BREW

Rockies vs Dodgers SGP: L.A. tees off on Freeland

There’s nothing pretty about Colorado Rockies starter Kyle Freeland’s underlying numbers, with his 18.5 blast-contact percentage and .394 wOBA allowed both sitting among the worst marks in baseball. Additionally, the Los Angeles Dodgers are fifth in wOBA against lefties this season and first in xwOBA across the past 30 days.

I also have confidence in L.A. lefty Eric Lauer. He’s limited opposing bats to a minuscule 25.3 squared-up contact percentage and 9.1 BlastCon% across five starts with the team, and the Rockies have the highest strikeout percentage against southpaws while also ranking below average in wOBA.

Dodgers outfielder Teoscar Hernández rounds out the SGP, and he’s recorded a rock-solid .268 batting average against lefties across the past three years. Hernandez is also ripe for a breakout game after going just 3-for-22 at the plate across six games since returning from a hamstring injury.

This SGP is in play down to +300.

• Time: 10:10 p.m. ET
• Where to watch: SportsNet Los Angeles, COLR

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The Detroit Tigers opened July with three wins in four tries while going 5-1 on their road trip after securing a 6-3 win over the Texas Rangers in Arlington on Sunday afternoon. Riley Greene paced the offense with a three-hit day, falling just a double short of the cycle, while Casey Mize threw his second straight quality start en route to the victory.

This week, the Motor City Kitties return home for a six-game home stand heading into the All-Star break, starting with a trio against the Athletics beginning on Tuesday night. Left-hander Tarik Skubal will get the start in the opener looking to build upon his best outing since returning from the disabled list.

Last time out in the Bronx, the 29-year-old allowed two runs (one earned) on just one hit — a solo home run — and zero walks while striking out nine New York Yankees plus a hit batter over six innings of work en route to his fourth win of the 2026 campaign in a 9-3 triumph for the Tigers.

Up against Skubal for the Athletics will be right-hander J.T. Ginn, who also had a strong outing last time out after experiencing a rough June. The 27-year-old threw six frames of one-run ball on three hits (one home run) and five walks while striking out four Los Angeles Dodgers to earn his seventh win of the season in a 7-1 final.

Here is a look at how the two match up in Tuesday’s evening opener at Comerica Park.

Detroit Tigers (40-50) vs. Athletics (41-49)

Time (ET): 6:40 p.m.
Place: Comerica Park, Detroit, Michigan
SB Nation Site:Athletics Nation
Media: Detroit SportsNet, MLB.TV, Tigers Radio Network

Game 91: LHP Tarik Skubal (4-4, 3.15 ERA) vs. RHP J.T. Ginn (7-4, 3.04 ERA)

SKUBAL

GINN

Another day of minor league baseball is in the books. See the results below. Check out the previous day’s recap here.

AAA: Sugar Land Space Cowboys (40-46) lost 8-2 (BOX SCORE)

Pecko started for Sugar Land but struggled a bit allowing 4 runs over 3 innings. Sugar Land got on the board in the 4th inning on a Salazar 2 run single. Knorr allowed 3 runs in relief as OKC extended their lead. The bullpen allowed one more run and the offense was quiet the rest of the game as they fell 8-2.

Note: Biggio has a .889 OPS this season.

• Cavan Biggio, 1B: 1-for-2, 2B, 2 BB
• Trenton Brooks, LF: 1-for-3, 2B, BB
• Lucas Spence, RF: 1-for-3, R, BB
• Cesar Salazar, C: 1-for-3, 2 RBI

• Ethan Pecko, RHP: 3.0 IP, 4 H, 4 R, 4 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
• Michael Knorr, RHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Bennett Sousa, LHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 0 K
• Brandon McPherson, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K
• Christian Roa, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 0 BB, 1 K

AA: Corpus Christi Hooks (37-43) won 3-2 (BOX SCORE)

Wesneski made a rehab start for the Hooks and pitched well allowing 1 run over 4 innings. The Hooks got on the board in the 5th inning on an Encarnacion 2 run home run. In the 8th, Rosario added a 3 run home run to extend the lead. Gillis went the final 5 innings allowing 1 run as he closed out the 5-2 win.

Note: Gillis has a 3.33 ERA this season.

• Joseph Sullivan, RF: 1-for-3, R
• Yamal Encarnacion, 2B: 1-for-3, R, HR, 2 RBI
• Tyler Whitaker, CF: 1-for-3, BB
• Max Holy, SS: 0-for-3, R, BB
• Jax Biggers, 3B: 1-for-4, R
• Hemmanuel Rosario, DH: 1-for-4, R, HR, 3 RBI, BB

• Hayden Wesneski, RHP: 4.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 3 K
• Brett Gillis, RHP: 5.0 IP, 2 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 1 BB, 2 K (WIN)

A+: Asheville Tourists (27-53) won 11-8 (BOX SCORE)

Howard started for Asheville but struggled allowing 6 runs over 3.2 innings. Asheville got on the board in the 2nd inning on a Call solo home run. The offense rallied in the 3rd scoring 6 runs on an Ochoa 3 run home run, Nunez RBI double and Trujillo 2 run single. They got another run in the 4th on a Moss sac fly and one more in the 6th on a Hernandez RBI single. After Hub City got 2 in the 8th, Asheville responded with a Daudet 2 run double in the bottom of the inning. Wells closed it out with a scoreless 9th inning as Asheville won 11-8.

Note: Ochoa has a .896 OPS in High-A.

• Kyle Walker, SS: 0-for-4, R, BB
• Caden Powell, LF: 1-for-4, 2 R, BB, SB
• Nehomar Ochoa, CF: 3-for-5, 3 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI
• Chase Call, RF: 2-for-4, 2 R, HR, RBI, BB
• Jack Moss, 1B: 0-for-2, RBI, 2 BB
• Cesar Hernandez, DH: 1-for-5, R, RBI
• Zach Daudet, 3B: 2-for-2, R, 2B, 2 RBI, BB, 2 SB
• Alejandro Nunez, 2B: 1-for-3, R, RBI, 2 BB, SB
• Keduar Trujillo, C: 1-for-4, 2 RBI, BB

• Dylan Howard, RHP: 3.2 IP, 6 H, 6 R, 5 ER, 3 BB, 2 K
• Raimy Rodriguez, RHP: 2.1 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 2 BB, 4 K (WIN)
• Anthony Cruz, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 1 K
• Bryce Collins, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 1 BB, 0 K
• Jackson Wells, RHP: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 2 K (SAVE)

A: Fayetteville Woodpeckers (41-39) won 10-9 (BOX SCORE)

The Woodpeckers got on the board in the first inning on an Alvarez RBI single. They rallied in the 5th for 4 runs on Ramirez sac fly, Wakefield 2 run home run and Luciano RBI double. Smith got the start and was solid tossing 5 no-hit innings, though he walked 5 and allowed a run. Saunier allowed a few runs in relief but in the 7th, Luciano connected on a solo home run to extend the Woodpeckers’ lead. The Howlers took the lead with 4 runs in the 7th, but the Woodpeckers rallied again scoring 4 runs in the 8th on a Wakefield RBI single, Cauro walk, Flores walk and a run scoring on a wild pitch. Cassedy tossed a scoreless inning to close out the 10-9 win.

Note: Luciano has a .844 OPS this season.

• Josh Wakefield, LF: 3-for-5, 3 R, 2B, HR, 3 RBI, BB
• Xavier Neyens, DH: 1-for-3, R, 2B, BB
• Kevin Alvarez, CF: 1-for-6, RBI, SB
• Waner Luciano, 3B: 2-for-3, 2 R, 2B, HR, 2 RBI, 2 BB, SB
• Carlos Cauro, C: 1-for-4, 2B, RBI, BB
• Arturo Flores, 1B: 0-for-4, RBI, BB
• Hector Salas, 2B: 1-for-4, R, 2B, BB
• Kenni Gomez, RF: 0-for-3, 2 R, 2 BB, 2 SB
• German Ramirez, SS: 2-for-4, R, 2B, RBI, BB

• Aubrey Smith, RHP: 5.0 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 5 BB, 1 K
• Grayson Saunier, RHP: 1.0 IP, 3 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 1 K
• Jackson Wells, RHP: 2.0 IP, 3 H, 5 R, 5 ER, 4 BB, 0 K (WIN)
• Brandon Cassedy, RHP: 1.0 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 1 K (SAVE)

Today’s minor league starters:

SL: OFF

CC: OFF

AV: OFF

FV: OFF

The Washington Nationals finally had a reliever that looked good, and they sent him down. Well, that is quite the oversimplification, but I do wish Eddy Yean got to stay with the team after his electric debut. However, he threw 28 pitches, so he was not going to be available for a few days.

Now that he is on the 40-man roster and made that kind of first impression, there is no doubt that Eddy Yean will be back. I just hope it is sooner rather than later. The big right hander made his debut in a tough spot. Cade Cavalli just did not have it today, so Yean had to come in during the third inning with two on. He was able to stop the bleeding in that inning, and things just went from there.

Yean came in the ball game and attacked with his power stuff. That was a breath of fresh air for this bullpen. Yean’s heater averaged 97.8 MPH yesterday. The Nats bullpen just does not have that kind of velocity in it. I take a liking to big fireballers out of the bullpen, and Yean certainly fits that description. Seeing a guy who looks like a defensive tackle flirt with triple digits is pretty awesome if you ask me.

While Yean’s fastball is in the upper 90’s, his primary putaway pitch yesterday was his changeup. All three of his strikeouts came on the change, which has also been his primary whiff pitch in the minors. The pitch looks and moves a lot like his sinker, it just comes in about 8 to 9 MPH slower. That makes things really tough on hitters.

That first strikeout is a really good example of how his changeup plays. It does not have insane movement, but hitters are just out in front of the pitch. That leads to whiffs or ground balls. Those ground balls are a big part of Yean’s game. In the minors, his GB rate was 54.1%. Yesterday, Yean got a couple ground ball outs as well. Despite the big velocity, he projects more as a ground ball artist than a guy who gets a ton of strikeouts.

It was not just Yean’s performance on the mound that endeared him to fans though. The righty made a grand entrance on the bullpen cart to start his big league career. With how hot it was yesterday, I would have done the exact same thing. He is a big boy, and you don’t want him wasting any energy on things that do not involve pitching. It is also very cool and funny when guys take the bullpen cart.

Honestly, Eddy Yean was giving off a lot of Fernando Rodney energy yesterday. Between the Dominican heritage, the beefy build, the nasty changeup and big velocity, there are a lot of similarities there. Yean even had a flat-billed cap like Rodney, but it was not sideways.

Yean really seems like a charismatic presence, and could become a fan favorite with a few more good outings. I understand the process of sending him down, but I wish they rewarded good performances more than they do. It is also not like Yean threw 50 pitches like Carson Palmquist did in his Nats debut. 

This is really just a nit pick though because Yean is almost certainly going to be back soon. The bullpen is simply not good enough to have a guy with an upper 90’s heater and nasty changeup just sitting in the minors. Frankly, Yean should have been given a shot sooner than he was. You need velocity and stuff in the bullpen, and that is what Yean can provide.

Sometimes finding bullpen help can be simple. Just call on the big Dominican right hander who throws 99. Eddy Yean did not look scared or overwhelmed at all in his big league debut. Why would he feel scared, even in the big leagues, his velocity and stuff plays. I can’t wait to see more of the 25 year old righty.

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The San Diego Padres snapped an eight-game losing streak against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday Night Baseball.

They are -115 favorites to follow it up and win their series opener against Arizona, and my Diamondbacks vs. Padres predictions and MLB picks expect them to do just that.

Who will win Diamondbacks vs Padres today: Padres moneyline (-115)

Walker Buehler was blown up in his most recent start. Otherwise, it’s been smooth sailing for him with the San Diego Padres.

He's allowed two runs or fewer in eight of his past 10, and he’s been lights out at home all season — posting a 3.13 ERA and strong 50.4 GB%.

The Arizona Diamondbacksrank dead last in OPS against righties. They’re not a team that should give Buehler much trouble.

Look for the Padres, who are up to 16th in wOBA vs. RHP over the last month, to provide run support against Brandon Pfaadt. Bet this to -125.

COVERS INTEL:Brandon Pfaadt ranks in the 20th percentile in pitcher run value and allowed four runs over three innings against San Diego back in April.

Diamondbacks vs Padres Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (-110)

This total is a little high. Buehler hasn’t allowed more than three runs at home all year, and he has held Bottom-15 opponents in OPS to two runs or fewer in all four starts in San Diego.

The Diamondbacks are hitting .209 with a .285 wOBA against right-handed pitching over the past month. It’s tough to envision them doing much damage against Buehler in a pitcher’s park.

Although the Padres have improved offensively of late, it’s important to remember they rank dead last in runs, batting average, and OPS. They’re not a team that runs it up.

I'd play this to -120.

Diamondbacks vs Padres weather

Temperatures in the low 70s are expected with winds blowing southeast. Boost to the pitchers.

Diamondbacks vs Padres odds

• Moneyline: Diamondbacks -105 | Padres -115
• Run line: Diamondbacks -1.5 (+160) | Padres +1.5 (-190)
• Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-115) | Under 8.5 (-105)

Diamondbacks vs Padres trend

The Padres have cashed the Under in 16 of their last 25 home games for +6.15 units and a 23% ROI. Find more MLB betting trends for Diamondbacks vs. Padres.

How to watch Diamondbacks vs Padres and game info

Diamondbacks vs Padres latest injuries

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Pitching is the currency of baseball, and if you’re drafting, college pitchers tend to be a safer bet than high school pitchers. The Royals have had some recent success drafting college arms like Brady Singer, Kris Bubic, Daniel Lynch IV, and in the later rounds, Noah Cameron. If the Royals are looking for a college pitcher with the ceiling of a frontline starter, few prospects can match Jackson Flora. The UC-Santa Barbara right-hander has emerged as the consensus top college arm in a draft class considered light on pitching, combining premium velocity with one of the deepest repertoires available.

Jackson Flora, RHP, UC-Santa Barbara

Bats: Right

Throws: Right

Draft rankings:

• The Athletic: #3
• Baseball America: #4
• ESPN: #4
• MLB Pipeline: #5
• Perfect Game: #4

Flora broke out in 2026 after serving as the #2 starter for the Gauchos the previous season. The 6’5”, 205-pound right-hander dominated opposing hitters, posting a 1.05 ERA, striking out 133 hitters in 102 innings. He features a blazing fastball that a sits comfortably in the mid-to-upper 90s, generally working at 94-98 mph and frequently touching 100. Scouts praise its carry, riding life, flat approach angle, elite spin characteristics and above-average extension, all traits that make it a nightmare for hitters to square up. Baseball America grades it as a 65 on the 20-80 scouting scale, while Keith Law believes it has true 70-grade velocity and life. Flora does have trouble locating the pitch consistently, and will need to refine it to reach his full potential.

What separates Flora from most college pitchers is that he is no longer simply a hard thrower. After relying primarily on a fastball-slider combination during his first two collegiate seasons, he spent the offseason refining his secondary pitches, giving him a much more complete arsenal. Law calls Flora’s changeup a 70-grade offering and describes it as one of the best in the draft. Thrown at 86-90 mph, it mirrors his fastball out of the hand before fading away from left-handed hitters. The deception is exceptional, producing whiffs on nearly half the swings against it this season. Baseball America notes that the pitch became his primary weapon against lefties after significant offseason development, giving him an answer for opposite-handed hitters and eliminating concerns about platoon splits.

Flora also gives hitters multiple breaking-ball looks. He features both a harder, upper-80s slider with cutter-like characteristics and a sweeping slider in the low 80s with significant horizontal movement. MLB Pipeline notes both versions can flash plus, while Law particularly likes the sharper slider with late downward break that generates empty swings. Flora also throws a slower curveball, although both Law and Baseball America view it as his least effective secondary pitch and more of a change-of-pace offering than a true weapon.

Scouts generally agree Flora projects comfortably as a major league starter, though opinions differ slightly on his ultimate ceiling. Baseball America see him as a mid-rotation starter, noting that while Flora possesses premium stuff and solid control, he remains somewhat raw for a top college arm. MLB Pipeline similarly praises his combination of size, power stuff and durability.

Law is the most bullish evaluator. While acknowledging some effort in the delivery and occasional inconsistencies with his release point, Law writes that Flora has “no worse than mid-rotation” potential and could eventually develop into a true ace if he sharpens his fastball command or adds a two-seam fastball.

Royals scouting director Brian Bridges took a pair of college arms early in last year’s draft, selecting Justin Lamkin out of Texas A&M and Michael Lombardi out of Tulane. Jim Callis at MLB Pipeline reports the Royals are “most likely to not take a top six player”, although he notes he has also heard they like Flora.

Baseball America writes that the college pitching depth isn’t great after Flora, so this could be the opportunity to grab a high-ceiling, high-floor arm. There is a decent chance Flora is off the board by the time the Royals select at #6, but if he somehow falls, they may have little choice but to grab him as a potential steal.

America’s Ace is headed back to the Midsummer Classic.

For the third time in his young Major League career, former LSU star Paul Skenes is headed to the MLB All-Star Game as a member of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the National League.

The 2023 Dick Howser Award winner has a 3.62 ERA and 1.01 WHIP so far in 18 starts in 2026, along with 119 total strikeouts.

Skenes is the 14th Tiger to make an All-Star Game, and the Tigers have now been represented 13 times in the Midsummer Classic since 2015.

For his career, Skenes has a 2.35 career ERA in three MLB seasons with 505 strikeouts in 417.2 innings.

While with the Purple and Gold, he helped lead the Tigers to the 2023 National Championship while being the best pitcher in baseball with 209 strikeouts and a 1.69 ERA in 19 starts. He was charged with only 23 earned runs and 20 walks in that magical season, leading him to be selected 1st overall by the Pirates. His teammate, Dyland Crews, was selected second by the Washington Nationals, the first time the top two picks have come from the same program.

The All-Star Game is set for Tuesday, July 14 at 7:00 on Fox.