ATLANTA, GEORGIA - AUGUST 31: Bryce Elder #55 of the Atlanta Braves pitches during the fourth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Truist Park on August 31, 2026 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Todd Kirkland/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Good morning friends!
The Mariners’ bats couldn’t keep up last night in a 10-5 loss to the Rangers, though Lazaro Montes dazzled with his light-tower power. Kade Anderson takes the hill today in the middle match with first pitch set for 1:10pm PT.
Otto Kemp of the Lehigh Valley IronPigs reacts during a Minor League Baseball game at Coca-Cola Park in Allentown, United States, on May 8, 2026. (Photo by Dan Squicciarini/NurPhoto via Getty Images) | NurPhoto via Getty Images
Playoffs have begun for at least one farm team. How did the kids do?
Lehigh Valley 5, Worcester 4
Otto Kemp.
Jack of all trades, master of none.
It was pretty funny that the Phillies thought they could make something out of Kemp when they haven’t properly developed a hitting prospect in years. Thinking that Kemp was more than deserving of the dreaded “Quad-A player” label was a miscalculation on their part, but at least now he’s where he belongs. Kemp homered last night with the IronPigs as they start to wind things down on their own season. The star of the offense though was Carter Kieboom, who had a one out bases loaded single to score two in the bottom of the tenth to walk off the WooSox, giving the IronPigs the dub. Tanner Banks threw 2 1/3 innings of scoreless relief as he continues to make his case to have a role with the Phillies moving forward as a multi innings reliever that can help them deeper into October.
Erie 6, Reading 1
A whole lot of nothing for the Fightin Phils, who begin their final week of the season with a meek showing on offense and a tired pitcher on the mound. Bryan Rincon accounted for the lone run of the game for Reading, homering in the bottom of the third inning, his 24th home run of the season. What a year this young man has had. On the bump, Cody Bowker was roughed up a bit, allowing five runs over five innings. He’s approaching 100 innings on the year and might be hitting a wall a bit, but there is a bright future for him if he can build on this season’s success.
Tampa 2, Clearwater 0
The Threshers began their playoffs with a rehab start from Nestor Cortes where he allowed a run in a long inning of work, Brad Pacheco allowing only one run in his bulk inning role, throwing 5 2/3 innings where he walked four and struck out five…..and a whole lot of nothing at the plate. Maybe the Tampa Tarpons just want it more. Three total hits was all they could gather for themselves, not giving themselves a chance to take the first game of the three game series. Game two is Thursday.
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS - SEPTEMBER 08: Zach Neto #9 of the Los Angeles Angels high-fives Travis D'Arnaud #25 after hitting a two-run home run against the Boston Red Sox during the eighth inning at Fenway Park on September 08, 2026 in Boston, Massachusetts. (Photo by Brian Fluharty/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Yankees got their Captain back on Tuesday, and while Aaron Judge didn’t collect a hit in the contest the good mood around the team was surely felt. Cam Schlittler stepped up and continued adding to his Cy Young case by tossing seven innings of one-run ball with 10 strikeouts, and even though Tim Hill had some misadventures in the ninth they weren’t enough to override the baffling defensive play of the Rockies that gifted the Yankees their lead.
With the win in hand, let’s see what happened around the Junior Circuit as the Yankees continue to chase Tampa Bay for first place in the division while holding off the Red Sox for the top Wild Card spot.
Tampa Bay Rays (86-58) 7, Atlanta Braves (85-60) 1
While the Yankees were dealing with the lowly Rockies, the Rays had the task of taking on the first-place Atlanta Braves in Atlanta. Unfortunately, after the first inning everything skewed Tampa’s way.
Junior Caminero got the scoring started early with a solo shot in the first inning, but Atlanta countered with a rally in the bottom half fueled by singles from Ronald Acuña Jr., Matt Olson, and Drake Baldwin to tie the game right away. That was the only mark against Freddy Peralta’s line, as he went six innings and allowed just a pair of hits the rest of the way — he only struck out two batters, but he was efficient in collecting easy fly ball outs.
Meanwhile, the Rays weren’t satisfied with just one run. They struck for three runs in the third inning, Liam Hicks providing the big blow with a two-run shot before Victor Mesa Jr. singled in Michael Harris II, and after a throwing error gifted them a runner on third to start the fifth inning Yandy Díaz hit a ground ball in the right spot to bring the run in. Díaz flexed his muscles in the eighth inning, lifting a solo shot to make it 6-1 Tampa, and Richie Palacios tacked on the final run with a homer of his own in the ninth.
Boston Red Sox (80-66) 1, Los Angeles Angels (55-90) 6: The Angels may be inept, but they can run into wins every now and then — especially against one of their former pitchers. Patrick Sandoval was an Angel for six seasons before missing all of 2025 after undergoing Tommy John surgery. The Sox signed him before that season to a two-year deal to build him up for this year, and while he’s been mostly OK he’s had trouble keeping runners off the basepaths and that flared up big-time in this outing.
Los Angeles scattered 10 hits across six innings against Sandoval, a big chunk of the 15 hits they’d collect throughout the night, and managed to score four off of their former pitcher starting with a double play that converted a run in the second inning. Jose Siri and Vaughn Grissom singled in runs in the third to extend the lead to 3-0, and another double play ball that brought in a run made it 4-0 in the fifth — if it weren’t for the traded outs, Sandoval’s day could’ve looked a lot uglier.
Sandoval’s efforts to limit the damage hardly mattered though, because the Sox offense couldn’t solve Reid Detmers. Detmers matched Sandoval with six innings of labor, but he blanked Boston on the scoreboard as he allowed just a single hit and one walk against nine strikeouts. The Sox immediately got something going when Detmers was lifted for José Fermin to start the seventh, Trevor Story leading off with a double before Nick Sogard singled him in, but after Caleb Durbin walked the rally fizzled out and the spark never returned. The Angels added two in the ninth for good measure on a Zach Neto two-run shot, capping off a 4-for-5 day for the shortstop, but the insurance runs weren’t necessary as Boston stranded a leadoff single in the ninth.
Chicago White Sox (75-69) 3, Pittsburgh Pirates (72-73) 9: The Pirates scored all they would need in the very first inning, scoring five of the seven runs they’d get against Sean Burke right out of the gate. Konnor Griffin led off with a double, Brandon Lowe walked, and Bryan Reynolds doubled to start the scoring before Oneil Cruz doubled in both runners. Esmerlyn Valdez kept the double chain going with a ground-rule double that brought in Cruz, and Spencer Horwitz changed things up with a single up the middle to score the fifth run all before Burke could record an out. Horwitz would get up to bat in the second inning with runners on and single in two more to end Burke’s day after just 1.1 innings, and the White Sox never really recovered from there.
Houston Astros (74-71) 6, Philadelphia Phillies (81-64) 5: Don’t look now, but the Astros might be making a run to finally be the AL West team that breaks out of the Rock Fight. They’re a whopping three-games over .500 now after taking a narrow contest over a good Phillies team, fueled by four runs in the second inning as Christian Walker hit a three-run homer. Cam Smith added a solo shot in the fourth to make it 5-0 Houston, but Philadelphia answered back as Trea Turner hit a two-run shot in the sixth to pull within two runs. The Phillies got an RBI double from Edmundo Sosa to close the gap to one run and put the tying run in scoring position in the ninth, but a pair of fly outs and an easy pop up ended the comeback attempt.
Cleveland Guardians (74-72) 9, Baltimore Orioles (70-76) 5: Cleveland is right on Chicago’s trail after Tuesday’s contests, the Guardians winning thanks to an early outburst from their offense. A leadoff double was converted into a 1-0 lead on a Jo Adell RBI single in the first, and the second saw Cleveland plate four after Angel Martínez tripled and scored on a single before Travis Bazzana hit a three-run shot. Petey Halpin singled in one more in the third to make it 6-0, but Baltimore fought back with a run in the fourth before scoring four in the fifth capped off by a Pete Alonso two-run blast to close within a run. A run-scoring error on what would’ve been the second out of the seventh turned into a three-run frame for Cleveland though, putting the game back out of reach.
Toronto Blue Jays (73-73) 4, Athletics (58-88) 2: The Jays collected 11 hits against the A’s, but runs were still at a bit of a premium despite lifting a pair of those hits out of the park. Josh Smith and Kazuma Okamoto hit back-to-back homers in the second to give Toronto an early lead, the A’s cutting into that with a run in the fourth on a Carlos Cortes solo shot. The sixth saw them cash in the remainder of their scoring, Alejandro Kirk singling in one before a double play managed to still bring in another run. Donovan Walton lifted a solo shot in the seventh for the A’s, but the two blasts were all they could convert on.
Texas Rangers (72-73) 10, Seattle Mariners (67-78) 5: In the battle of disappointing teams out West, Texas came out on top thanks to a big five-run fifth inning where Wyatt Langford and Danny Jansen both homered to turn a narrow 4-3 lead into a comfortable 9-3 contest. Cal Quantrill turned in six innings of three-run ball for Texas, and the bullpen was able to limit Seattle to just two more runs over the last three innings to prevent this one from slipping back into the home team’s reach.
Apr 11, 2026; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves city connect hat in the dugout against the Cleveland Guardians in the second inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Davis Polo was a fringe prospect at best heading into this season, but with a blistering end to the year he has turned into one of the surprise breakouts of the second half. Polo marched into his Double-A debut and didn’t allow a hit until the sixth inning, while striking out 17 hitters on the best lineup in the league. Polo was backed up by another great game for John Gil, who is leading the Columbus lineup with an 11-game hitting streak.
Tyler Uberstine, SP: 1.1 IP, 0 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 2 BB, 2 K, 3.22 ERA
Rolddy Munoz, RP: 2 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 0 BB, 3 K, 3.59 ERA
That was more like the Owen Murphy we’ve gotten used to seeing, even if his velocity is staying low to close out the season. Murphy averaged only 91.5mph on his fastball, which dropped to just over 90 mph in his final inning, but it was more important for him that his command was much better than his past couple of games. He was able to get some swing-and-misses, though he still did leave too many pitches in the middle of the plate. He gave up a few solid fly outs that the park managed to hold, but still overall pitched a fine game as evidenced by the scoreboard. Murphy did well with his breaking balls in limited usage, forcing four whiffs on seven swings between the two pitches, and he didn’t make as many over-the-plate mistakes with his changeup. Murphy was unfortunately not backed up by any offensive confidence as the bullpen for the Jumbo Shrimp ran through the Stripers in game one. Rowdy Tellez had two hits by himself, but no one else recorded a hit in the game and there wasn’t much of a case that Gwinnett deserved better. They had only two hard hit balls in the game (one from Tellez) and Tellez was the only player to advance into scoring position where he was stranded twice. He had some moments where he wasn’t at his best with control, but this game felt much more like a comfortable outing.
Game two was a boatload more fun for Stripers fans. It was deadlocked at one run each after five innings, but the Stripers showed much more life and were knocking on the door of taking a late lead. In the sixth inning they got down to two outs with no one on after a caught stealing, but then a fire took hold of their bats. A walk was followed by DaShawn Keirsey Jr. digging out a slider for a double, and they found themselves with two runners in scoring position and an opportunity to take the lead. Chuckie Robinson smacked one up the middle that slid just past a diving attempt by the second baseman and rolled into center field where two runs scored to give Gwinnett a huge advantage. The scoring stopped there and it was in the hands of the bullpen, but the pitching staff came to play in game two as well. Rolddy Munoz managed to keep the ball around the strike zone, and the Jumbo Shrimp helped him out with some chases to keep him cruising through the lineup. His slider dived them up and allowed him to throw two easy innings and send the game to Danny Young in the bottom of the seventh. Young had an easy go of it, with nothing even leaving the infield, and the Stripers managed a split of the opening double-header.
Davis Polo, SP: 6 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K, 0.00 ERA
Davis Polo walked into the home of the best second-half offense in the Southern League and he absolutely destroyed them. Polo retired 14 straight hitters to open the game before he lost a batter to a walk in the fifth inning to ruin his streak. He had a run of bad luck in the sixth inning with a leadoff error and a seeing-eye single putting two on with nobody out, but he locked down and forced weak contact from the next three hitters to preserve the shutout. So far, Polo’s trek through the minor league ranks has seen him do nothing but get better at each stop of the journey. His slider being a weapon is no big surprise, but it’s how the rest of his arsenal has rounded out that makes him so dangerous right now. He is in complete command of the bottom of the strike zone with three pitches, and his changeup has gone from solid to arguably his most effective pitch in recent weeks. Polo’s changeup was masterful from the first inning and the lefty bats in this lineup couldn’t find an approach to deal with it, which showed up with his churning out whiffs and ground balls. Polo has opened eyes in the second half of the season and put himself in lofty conversations with the other young arms in this system, and the Braves have no reason not to continue pushing the envelope with him. He is facing Rule 5 eligibility this winter, and that he has solidified himself as a stash candidate and someone who should get significant run at the upper levels next season. He’s still got quite a bit of learning to do in regards to his command and could serve to add some muscle to his frame, but the arrows are streaking upward for Polo as of the end of this season. It’s really just as impressive for him to hold his stuff this well into September given he is coming off of injury and never crossed 60 innings in a season before. To continue making upper level hitters look silly after 110 innings is an accomplishment that can’t be ignored, and one we’re seeing other pitchers in the system struggle to achieve.
John Gil continued his outstanding run with two more hits, including a double. That marks 11 games in a row with a hit for Gil, who is finally starting to see the results catch up to his profile. Gil’s approach and talent has always shown out, but this is the first time we’re seeing an extended run of Gil being as good as he has shown he is capable of being. He still needs to show he isn’t going to suffer through the long slumps he’s been prone to the last couple of season, but this has been a terrific second wind for him to close the season. The rest of the lineup hasn’t managed quite as much excitement for the past two weeks as the strikeout regression for Alex Lodise has set in and Eric Hartman’s good stretch has evaporated into a slump, but it’s not all negative by any means. Owen Carey has been a bit more willing to take walks and work deeper counts, and even if results don’t follow for him that alone is progress headed into next year. Dixon Williams has been solid in his first week and a game with the team as well, and added another big game to his register with two hits. Williams is somewhat keeping the strikeouts at bay, though you’ll have to excuse any skepticism I have that he can maintain that pace over a long period. He hasn’t shown that the hit tool is there yet, but he’s hitting the ball hard and that’s the main draw to Williams’s profile when he is playing well.
The Cleveland Guardians are priced as avery slim 51% favorite tonight against the Baltimore Orioles, with first pitch scheduled for 6:35 p.m. ET at Camden Yards.
Both starters are in good form right now, but my Guardians vs Orioles predictions target the hosts to pull out a victory at home.
Who will win Guardians vs Orioles today: Orioles (50%)
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
Shane Baz is throwing the ball well for the Baltimore Orioles, limiting home-run damage lately while posting a 3.88 xERA over his last two starts.
Baz also owns an impressive 3.20 FIP at home, and despite scoring nine runs Tuesday, the Cleveland Guardians aren’t exactly flourishing offensively, posting an 83 wRC+ over the last week.
Foster Griffin has held his own, too. His underlying metrics suggest he has pitched better than the recent results indicate, but he has still surrendered five earned runs across his previous two outings.
The O’s aren’t swinging it with much authority overall, but they’ve performed respectably against left-handed pitching, producing a 102 wRC+ this season.
I’ll side with Baltimore at home.
Play this pick up to 55%.
COVERS INTEL: Baz is consistently inducing weak contact, allowing just a 26.5% hard-hit rate over the last two weeks. That's a massive improvement from his season average of 41.3%.
Guardians vs Orioles Over/Under pick: Under 8.5 (48%)
I’m leaning to the Under. Neither starter is giving up a boatload of runs right now, and the offensive profiles of both lineups do not exactly scream slugfest, either.
Cleveland is well below the league average in wRC+ lately, and Baltimore is in the same boat. The bullpens are also holding things together late in games.
The Guardians’ relief corps owns a stellar 2.79 xERA over its last 47 frames, while the Orioles’ bullpen has a 2.96 xERA over the last seven days.
While Baltimore’s relievers have been slightly home run prone, neither offense is slugging many homers right now.
The starters should keep tonight low-scoring, and the bullpens should keep things controlled as well.
Play this pick up to 53%.
Guardians vs Orioles home run prediction: Coby Mayo (20%)
Coby Mayo is an intriguing value pick tonight. He has gone deep twice in the last week while posting a .389 ISO and .333 average during that span.
The slugger is also consistently getting lift on the baseball, producing a 50% fly-ball rate over his previous six contests.
Griffin doesn’t allow a lot of home runs, but he has been a bit more vulnerable against right-handed hitters this season, surrendering 1.21 HR/9 with a fly-ball rate just under 40%. Cleveland’s bullpen has also allowed 39.3% of its contact in the air over the last week.
With a 42.9% hard-hit rate and 14.3% barrel rate recently, Mayo has enough underlying power support to leave the yard.
Play this pick up to 25%.
Quinn Allen's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 66-76, -19.06 units
Over/Under bets: 78-60, +6.51 units
Guardians vs Orioles weather
Weather looks clean at Camden Yards tonight, with partly cloudy skies and temperatures falling from the mid-80s into the upper 70s. Winds are noticeable around 12 to 14 mph, but rain chances sit at just 1% throughout, so there’s no delay concern and only a modest weather impact.
Guardians vs Orioles odds
Moneyline: Guardians 51% | Orioles 50%
Run line: Guardians -1.5 (39%) | Orioles +1.5 (62%)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (53%) | Under 8.5 (48%)
Guardians vs Orioles trend
The Baltimore Orioles have hit the game total Under in 17 of their last 25 games at home (+9.60 Units / 35% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Guardians vs. Orioles.
How to watch Guardians vs Orioles and game info
Location
Oriole Park at Camden Yards, Baltimore, MD
Date
Wednesday, September 9, 2026
First pitch
6:35 p.m. ET
TV
CleGuardians.TV, MASN
Guardians starting pitcher
Foster Griffin (15-4, 3.26 ERA)
Orioles starting pitcher
Shane Baz (5-15, 3.91 ERA)
Guardians vs Orioles latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
It's NFL opening day, but there's plenty of time to hammer home run and MLB player props this afternoon and build that kickoff bankroll.
Kazuma Okamoto could pummel Sutter Health Park for a third straight day, but don't count out the Athletics vs. the Jays' bullpen.
These are my favorite home run props for Wednesday, September 9.
UPDATE: Added another HR pick + parlay.
MLB home run props for today
For help understanding Polymarket probabilities, see our odds calculator.
Player to hit a HR
Chance
Henry Bolte
11.5%
Kazuma Okamoto
22%
Cody Bellinger
17%
💲Today's HR parlay
173.1x
Home run prediction: Henry Bolte (11.5%)
I'm going long on a leadoff hitter who leads his team in swing speed and home runs while ranking second in HardHit% over the last two weeks. Henry Bolte has great pop for a leadoff guy, and he'll get to see an average Jays middle bullpen that could need six or seven arms today.
He's already 3-for-6 in the series with a homer and three runs scored, while adding four stolen bases. It's almost 100 degrees at Sutter Health Park, which is the best park for runs today, per Ballpark Pal.
I have Zack Gelof as a good look here as well at 5.8x, but getting a similar projection at 8.7x is the move. If you can't get Bolte at 8x, I'd move to Gelof at 5.5x or better. There is a great opportunity for long balls this afternoon in Sacramento.
Time: 3:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSCA, Sportsnet
Home run prediction: Kazuma Okamoto (22%)
If it weren't for rookie Kazuma Okamoto's power, the Jays would have hit just 110 home runs, as he's accounted for 21.4% of the club's total. He's already gone deep twice down the left-field line at Sutter Health Park and is looking to dinger-sweep the series.
Okamoto shouldn't be longer than 3x at this park, especially with near-100-degree temperatures and a plus-plus hitting matchup.
Both clubs will be going with bullpen days, and there are some stat-stuffers on the Athletics' side. Both teams can stack runs today, and I think the A's can be competitive. But with the heat and matchup, I'll take the only trusted Toronto bat at three percentage points above my fair price.
Time: 3:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSCA, Sportsnet
Home run prediction: Cody Bellinger (17%)
I want a left-handed bat in the Bronx today, and Cody Bellinger is answering the call at 17%, with a fair probability of 20%.
He might not be in the best form since coming over, but he's at least hitting .290 and seeing the ball well. It's the matchup and setting that are pushing this into +EV territory.
There will be 14-mph winds blowing out to left-center field at Yankee Stadium. Bellinger also gets a matchup against Tomoyuki Sugano, who has given up 60 home runs over the last two seasons, the second-most in baseball behind Shoto Imanaga (64).
Lefties have taken Sugano deep at a higher rate, with a home run coming every 15.7 plate appearances, which is a huge number. The Rockies' bullpen is also very serviceable, adding to the dinger chances in a Mickey Mouse park.
Time: 7:05 p.m. ET
Where to watch: YES Network, Rockies.TV
Josh Inglis' 2026 Transparency Record
HR picks: 35-175, -15.12 units
Best home run combo for September 9
Henry Bolte
Trade Now 173.1x
Kazuma Okamoto
Cody Bellinger
Want more baseball parlays? Check out our MLB parlay picks page!
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Atlanta Braves are 54% favorites over the visiting Tampa Bay Rays tonight at Truist Park in Atlanta, Ga.
However, my Rays vs. Braves prediction and MLB picks fade the home team, with a returning Reynaldo Lopez slated to take the mound after missing more than a month with a knee injury in his plant leg.
Expect Junior Caminero, Yandy Diaz, and the rest of Tampa's pesky lineup to drive a rusty Lopez mad. First pitch is scheduled for 7:15 p.m. ET.
Who will win Rays vs Braves today: Rays (47%)
For help understanding probabilities, see our odds calculator.
Reynaldo Lopez will slot back into the Atlanta Braves rotation today against the Tampa Bay Rays. The veteran right-hander hasn't pitched in the majors since July 26 and has spent the last month and change on the injured list with left knee inflammation.
Before his injury, he put together a 4-3 record with a 3.64 ERA and 1.34 WHIP. The latter stat is the concerning number, as it helps explain why his expected ERA is 4.63.
No team strikes out less often than the Rays, who have an 18.4% strikeout rate as a unit. The Blue Jays and Diamondbacks are the only other teams that go down on strikes less than 20% of the time.
That will be dangerous terrain for Lopez. His fastball is his most-used pitch, and it's down more than a full mile per hour (95.5 to 94.2) from his last healthy season, 2024.
Coming off injury and already showing less impressive stuff before hitting the shelf, Lopez will be in tough shape against a Rays offense that will pester him repeatedly, especially Yandy Diaz and Junior Caminero, both of whom limit whiffs with the best of them and do damage when challenged.
Tampa is a road underdog, but I'd take the Rays on the moneyline all the way to 53%.
Yes, I expect the Rays will get to Lopez, but that doesn't mean this will be a high-scoring affair.
Griffin Jax is a ground-ball pitcher and will benefit from the weather conditions at Truist Park. While it will be humid, the high barometric pressure and wind blowing in from left field will suppress power. Per Ballpark Pal, this game has the worst hitting conditions on the slate.
This will also help Lopez keep it in the yard after getting burned by gopher-ball before his injury.
The Braves surrendered seven runs in last night's loss, but they only used two relievers, so the bullpen is fairly well-stocked.
I'm surprised the O/U isn't listed at 7.5, so I'll happily take the Under 8.5 and would play it to 58%.
Rays vs Braves home run prediction: Drake Baldwin (16%)
I don't love the hitting conditions and wouldn't go heavy on anyone to clear the fences.
But while Jax trends toward the ground ball, he has been somewhat prone to homers in 2026.
So, I'll take Braves catcher Drake Baldwin. The lefty slugger has hit the bulk of his home runs to right field this season, and with wind moving from left to right, he could get a little boost if he executes.
Baldwin ranks in the 84th percentile in barrel rate, the 86th in average exit velocity, the 88th in bat speed, and the 93rd in hard-hit rate. This is the kind of profile that can overcome sketchy weather.
Jason Wilson's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 9-5, +5.1 units
Over/Under bets: 7-7, -1.08 units
Rays vs Braves weather
It will be a fairly humid night in Atlanta, with temperatures ranging between 83 and 90 degrees, but wind blowing in from left field, capping power potential a bit. The high barometric pressure will also make it difficult to elevate pitches.
Rays vs Braves odds
Moneyline: Rays 47% | Braves 54%
Run line: Rays +1.5 (65%) | Braves -1.5 (37%)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (48%) | Under 8.5 (53%)
Rays vs Braves trend
The Rays have hit the moneyline in 14 of their last 19 away games (+8.15 Units / 33% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rays vs. Braves.
How to watch Rays vs Braves and game info
Location
Truist Park, Atlanta, GA
Date
Wednesday, Sept. 9, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
Rays.TV, BravesVision
Rays starting pitcher
Griffin Jax (6-10, 3.82 ERA)
Braves starting pitcher
Reynaldo Lopez (4-3, 3.64 ERA)
Rays vs Braves latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
San Diego, CA - September 8: Luis Campusano #12 of the San Diego Padres hits a broken bat RBI single in the eighth inning against the Washington Nationals at Petco Park on September 8, 2026 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by K.C. Alfred / The San Diego Union-Tribune via Getty Images)
No Mason Miller, no problem for the San Diego Padres.
Adrian Morejon came in for the third time in as many days having thrown 27 pitches over the previous two outings. San Diego’s All-Star closer was unavailable to close out a 5-4 comeback win for the Padres over the Washington Nationals at Petco Park on Tuesday which set the stage for Morejon. The left-hander needed just seven pitches to get through the top of the ninth inning to save a one-run win over the Nationals. Morejon’s performance was just what San Diego needed after a four-run bottom of the eighth inning gave the Padres the lead.
San Diego trailed throughout the game and did not have a hit against Washington, which employed a bullpen game. Luis Campusano hit a line drive single to left field in the bottom of the fifth inning for the first hit of the game for the Padres and he was responsible for what proved to be the game-winner in the bottom of the eighth inning. Campusano hit a broken bat flare into shallow center field that fell between three Washington fielders. That allowed Manny Machado to score to give the Padres their fourth run of the inning and the first lead of the game.
Machado was at the plate earlier in the inning with San Diego trailing 4-2 with one out in the eighth. Freddy Fermin was on third base and Fernando Tatis Jr. was at second after a walk and a passed ball allowed him to get on base and move into scoring position. Machado battled in his at-bat before he was able to chop a changeup back through the middle of the infield into center field. Fermin scored easily and Tatis was able to score standing up to tie the game at 4-4.
The Padres got their first run of the game in the bottom of the seventh inning when Jackson Merrill hit a sacrifice fly ball to right field, with Machado on third base and Ty France at second. The sacrifice by Merrill allowed Machado to tag up and score to get San Diego on the board, 3-1. Yuki Matsui surrendered a run in the top of the eighth, which put the Padres down 4-1 before the eighth inning heroics gave them the lead and eventually the win.
Casey Mize started for San Diego and had a solid outing. He allowed three runs on four hits over 5.2 innings. Mize allowed one walk and struck out seven batters. He left the game with the Padres trailing 1-0 but had runners at first and second after allowing a double and a walk. Randy Vasquez came on to try to get San Diego out of the inning needing just one more out. He allowed a double to Brady House, which allowed both Washington runners to score, giving Mize three earned runs in the game.
San Diego will go for the series sweep today at 1:10 p.m. If the Padres can complete the sweep, they will finish their home stand with a 5-1 record before hitting the road for three games in San Francisco and four games in Colorado.
Reid Detmers allowed one hit and struck out nine over six innings to lead the Angels to a 6-1 win in Game 2 of their three-game series against the Red Sox last night. Zach Neto went collected four of the Angels 15 hits including his 24th home run to pace the Halos’ attack that jumped Patrick Sandoval and sent him to the showers after allowing ten hits and four runs over just six innings. Boston managed just four hits in the game. The loss for the Sox snapped their five-game winning streak and dropped them to seven back in the AL East and saw their hold on a Wild Card spot drop to seven games as well. The win pulled the Angels to within 2.5 games of the Athletics and fourth in the AL West.
Ryan Johnson (3-8, 5.17 ERA) takes the ball for the Angels in the series finale today. The rookie has enjoyed a strong second half of the season. In his last six starts covering 32.1 innings, the righthander has allowed six runs and has not allowed even two runs in but one of the six starts. In his most recent start last Friday, Johnson allowed one run over six innings in Pittsburgh. Jake Bennett (9-6, 3.34 ERA) has been consistent all season and special at times. Last Thursday, the southpaw allowed three runs over six innings in Baltimore.
Lets dive further into today’s game and find a sweat or two.
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Game Details and How to Watch: Angels vs. Red Sox
Date: Wednesday, September 9, 2026
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: MLB.TV, Angels.TV, NESN
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The Latest Odds: Angels vs. Red Sox
The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:
Moneyline: LA Angels (+177), Boston Red Sox (-217)
Spread: Angels +1.5 (-110), Red Sox -1.5 (-110)
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable Starting Pitchers – Angels vs. Red Sox for September 9
Red Sox: Jake Bennett Season Totals: 99.2 IP, 9-6, 3.34 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, 81K, 18 BB
Angels: Ryan Johnson Season Totals: 78.1 IP, 3-8, 5.17 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, 58K, 38 BB
Who’s Hot? Who’s Not! Angels vs. Red Sox
Jose Siri has homered once in 3 career ABs against Jake Bennett
Zach Neto is 2-4 in his career against Bennett
Jake Bennett has struck out 7 in each of his last 2 starts and 6 in the two prior to those
Jarren Duran has homered in 2 career ABs against Ryan Johnson
Ryan Johnson has allowed just 6 earned runs in his last 32.1 innings
Trevor Story is 9-29 (.310) in September
Mike Trout has hit in 6 straight games (8-24)
Jo Adell has not homered since August 22 (17 Games)
Wilyer Abreu is 1-6 in this series
Top Betting Trends & Insights: Angels vs. Red Sox
The Angels are 73-72 on the Run Line this season
The Red Sox are 70-76 on the Run Line this season
The OVER has cashed 58 times in the Angels’ 145 games this season (58-85-2)
The OVER has cashed 68 times in Boston’s 146 games this season (68-74-4)
Expert picks & predictions: Angels vs. Red Sox for September 9
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 Angels and the Red Sox:
Moneyline: Rotoworld Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: Rotoworld Bet is leaning towards a play on the Red Sox on the Run Line.
Total: Rotoworld Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total UNDER 9.0
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The Cubs were one strike away from a stirring, ninth-inning rally win over the rival Brewers.
Then: Single, two-run homer smashed halfway to the moon off Jacob Webb, and eventually a 10-inning loss, 4-3 to Milwaukee.
For those of you of a certain age, you were likely reminded of this game, almost exactly 57 years ago to the day, that helped kill the 1969 Cubs.
Fortunately for the 2026 Cubs, there are more postseason spots available now than back then, and the Cubs are still likely headed for a wild card series. Maybe. Possibly. Hopefully.
Sigh. Let’s recap, shall we?
The Cubs jumped on Jacob Misiorowski for a run in the first inning. Seiya Suzuki hit a one-out double and one out later, Michael Busch singled him in [VIDEO].
The Brewers came back to tie the game in the bottom of the inning on a double by Jackson Chourio and single by Brice Turang.
And that is where the score stayed until the ninth inning. David Peterson settled down, but had to be removed in the fifth at 83 pitches, only 47 of which were strikes. About that, from BCB’s JohnW53:
David Peterson became the 11th different Cubs starter this year to complete four innings but not five. Javier Assad and Jameson Taillon did it four times; Matthew Boyd, Shota Imanaga and Colin Rea, three; Ben Brown, Edward Cabrera, Kevin Gausman and Clay Holmes, two; and Peterson and Jordan Wicks, one.
That adds up to 27 starts, one of every 5.4 total starts.
In the fifth, the Brewers had runners on first and second when Peterson was removed with one out. Trent Thornton relieved Peterson and struck out pinch-hitter Jake Bauers.
That was just a fantastic throw from Suzuki and great tag by Miguel Amaya.
But the Cubs got only one runner past first base from the second through the eighth. That was Pete Crow-Armstrong, who singled with two out in the fifth and stole second, his 36th [VIDEO].
That was also PCA’s 100th career stolen base. More on that from John:
Pete Crow-Armstrong’s stolen base was his 100th. He is the 34th Cub to reach triple digits but only the ninth who played after 1947. Of those, Ryne Sandberg stole 344; Sammy Sosa, 181; Shawon Dunston, 175; Ivan de Jesus, 154; Nico Hoerner, 153; Jose Cardenal, 129; Bob Dernier, 119; and Ryan Theriot, 100.
But he was stranded.
The Cubs got some excellent relief work from Aaron Civale, who has been a revelation in the pen. He retired all six batters he faced, four by strikeout, and for an outing with that many K’s, it was efficient: Just 26 pitches, 19 of which were strikes. Ryan Rolison threw a scoreless eighth on just 13 pitches (nine strikes).
Then the Cubs took the lead in the ninth. Nico Hoerner and Pedro Ramirez led off with singles. Matt Shaw was called out on strikes, but Michael Conforto then walked to load the bases.
Craig Counsell sent Carson Kelly up to bat for Amaya. Kelly had an excellent at-bat, fouling off a whole bunch of pitches before hitting this two-run double [VIDEO].
As you can see, that didn’t miss being a grand slam by much, and, well, that would have helped.
In any case, the Cubs led 3-1 going to the bottom of the ninth. Webb retired the first two Brewers on just seven pitches. Webb ran an 0-2 count on pinch-hitter Christian Yelich.
One. Strike. Away.
Yelich ran the count full and then singled. Chourio, who had been 3-for-4 coming into this at-bat, slammed Webb’s second pitch out of the yard at 110 miles per hour to tie the game.
A fly out ended the inning and on to extras it went.
Thus the Cubs did not score in the 10th, and that gave them a near-impossible situation in the bottom of the inning. Caleb Thielbar entered to pitch and struck out Bauers, and then William Contreras was given an intentional pass. A single by Sal Frelick loaded the bases, and Luis Lara singled in the game-winner.
This was the 11th game of the season in which the Cubs blew multiple leads. They are 5-6 in such games.
They have blown 63 leads, 24 of them in the next half-inning after going ahead, including both Wednesday night. In all games in which they have blown leads, the Cubs are 23-29. They have lost nine in a row starting on Aug. 21. They had won five straight before then.
As bad as this feels, this is not the end of the world. The Cubs still trail the Phillies for the top wild card spot by just half a game, as the Phillies also lost Tuesday. The Cubs lead the Diamondbacks by three games and the Padres by 3.5 in the wild card race. As you know, the Cubs have the tiebreaker over all three of those teams. That might become very, very important.
The Cubs will try to salvage the final regular season game against the Brewers Wednesday evening in Milwaukee. It’ll be the third straight pitching rematch from last week: Kevin Gausman vs. Logan Henderson. Gausman had a really good game last week; here’s hoping for another just like that. Game time is 6:40 p.m. CT and TV coverage will be via Marquee Sports Network.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA - SEPTEMBER 6: Ronald Acuña Jr. #13 of the Atlanta Braves reacts after hitting a three run home run in the top of the eighth inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on September 6, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The Braves defeated the Phillies 5-4. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A throwaway today, but I can at least provide some interesting-ish context.
The Braves were third in homers through April, and pushed up to second in May. Then June happened and June was June, and the Braves fell all the way down to 12th. Their July homer binge, driven in part by so many pulled flies down the line, kicked them back up to fourth. They dropped to seventh by the end of August, which is where they sit right now.
There are about three weeks left in the season. Four teams (Mets, Athletics, Dodgers, Orioles) are less than ten behind the Braves. The White Sox and Astros are less than ten ahead of the Braves. The overall spread of homers-per-game in the league goes from 1.4 (Cubs) to 0.9 (Brewers); with 18 games left, it seems unlikely that the Braves will catch the currently-fourth Yankees (13 more homers right now) or fall as far back as the 12th-ranked Phillies (12 fewer homers right now). But, they’re also not quite on a homer binge right now (the opposite really) so that tilts the calculus a bit.
I’ll say they finish tenth, which will end up being a veiled reference to the fact that they have easily top-ten homer skill but faltered in execution pretty badly for long stretches over the course of the season.
BALTIMORE, MD - SEPTEMBER 05: Jackson Holliday #7 of the Baltimore Orioles at bat against the Boston Red Sox during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards on September 5, 2026 in Baltimore, Maryland. (Photo by Scott Taetsch/Getty Images) | Getty Images
A team doesn’t fall this short of expectations without at least a few players failing to meet their expected level of production. The Orioles are no exception. Gunnar Henderson has been in the spotlight all season for his lack of superstar production, but this rings true for several players. Colton Cowser has failed to make an impact on the offensive side of the ball. Andrew Kittredge has disappointed as a high-leverage reliever. Carlos Narvaez has not resembled a major league hitter since coming over in the Rutschman deal.
At the same time, a few players have punched above their weight class. Blaze Alexander emerged as one of Baltimore’s best hitters. Christian Encarnacion-Strand took full advantage when given an opportunity. Brandon Young grabbed onto a rotation spot and never let go.
The next three guys do not fit into either category. Dylan Beavers, Jackson Holliday, and Coby Mayo all have the potential to be above-average hitters but have yet to carve out consistent everyday roles with the team.
Mayo has made headlines as a lefty masher. His superhuman numbers against left-handers have elevated his OPS+ to an above-average 110. At the same time, only five of his 21 home runs have come against right-handed pitching. His .323/.384/.752 line against southpaws is certainly something to marvel at, but his struggles against righties remain a mystery. Mayo did not exhibit anything close to these platoon splits in the minors, and he still feels like a guy that can figure it out with time. The numbers against lefties are destined to decrease, but a 110 OPS+ feels repeatable with heavy power numbers.
The Orioles made the decision to roll with Mayo out of necessity when Jordan Westburg went down. The team could have deployed a glove-first option at the hot corner, but the team gave Mayo an extended window to work out his defensive kinks. Things were not pretty early in the year, but Mayo rewarded the Orioles for sticking with him early in the season.
Mayo’s defense was a story all spring, but all three of these guys have significant room to improve. Beavers entered last night’s game with a -7 Fielding Run Value. Holliday started the game at -4. Mayo actually checked in as the “best” of the three with only a -2 FRV.
Holliday missed the beginning of the season after having his hamate bone removed. Players often struggle to regain their power after the procedure, and Holliday followed suit. He’s tallied only seven home runs over 92 games and has struggled to get going outside of a red-hot July.
The Orioles believed in Beavers enough to hold him back last summer until the deadline for PPI players had passed. Did the organization really view Beavers as a candidate for rookie of the year? The 25-year-old has failed to meet that expectation, but he continues to show an ability to get on base. Beavers currently holds a 101 OPS+ despite a rocky season that saw him miss well over a month with an oblique strain.
Mayo received an early opportunity and eventually clawed his way into the heart of the order. Holliday struggled before catching fire in July. An injury to Blaze Alexander cemented Holliday as an everyday player and eventually created an opportunity at the top of the lineup. Beavers fell back into a timeshare with a mediocre outfield, but he remains a long term option.
All three of these guys have room to grow on defense, and they’ve all been inconsistent at the plate, but the thing that really brings them together is a need for daily reps. With this season all but lost, will these guys be guaranteed the opportunity in 2027?
The early years of the Mike Elias tenure were brutal, but at least fans knew what to expect. Developing talent was the most strategically relevant goal, and the team could afford to give players an extended leash. The Orioles have tried (and failed) to put together a winning team over the last two seasons, and they will enter the offseason looking to win in 2027. How will they value this trio moving forward?
The team isn’t going to cut bait with any of these guys. Holliday is a former number one pick that should benefit from a healthy offseason and another year of quality instruction from his father. Mayo has all the power in the world, but will the team look to unlock his bat against righties? Does the team view Beavers as a starter or an extra outfielder?
The product on the field has been bleak over the last week. Pete Alonso has been great, but some of these guys have played brutal baseball. Beavers, Holliday and Mayo haven’t been the problem, but they’ll finish this season with a lot of meat left on the bone. Can the Orioles find a way to unlock that potential moving forward?
DETROIT, MI - MAY 12: Tanner Houck #89 of the Boston Red Sox pitches against the Detroit Tigers during the first inning at Comerica Park on May 12, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Wednesday, folks. Last night, Tanner Houck completed his first rehab assignment since undergoing Tommy John Surgery in August 2025. He threw 20 pitches, 8 for strikes, and allowed a run in 0.2 innings. Regardless of the results, getting back on the mound for the first time in two years is a step in the right direction. Assuming he recovers well, he’ll throw in another game later this week, ramping up to closer to 40 pitches. If all goes well, Houck could be in the mix for the playoff pitching staff.
Do you trust him, though? His best season was back in 2024, and there was little track record before that. At the same time, one of his biggest issues is getting through lineups multiple times. In a bullpen role, that becomes irrelevant. Lefties are another question, but pitching as a reliever allows Chad Tracy to pick his spots to deploy the righty. Despite these “solutions” to his weaknesses, will the rust be too tough to shake off? Strike-throwing and the lack of a third pitch are also questions.
I’m personally skeptical, but what do you think? Is his major league experience enough to displace Wyatt Olds or Greg Weissert on the staff, or should Houck be left on the shelf until 2027? USe this space to talk about what you want and be good to one another.
As the NHL inches closer to the regular season with training camps and preseason action just around the corner, there is still meat on the bone when it comes to the trade saga surrounding the Winnipeg Jets and superstar goaltender Connor Hellebuyck. However, the end may finally be in sight, according to new reports.
According to TSN's Chris Johnston, the Jets have re-engaged to some degree in trade talks with the Buffalo Sabres around a potential deal for the three-time Vezina Trophy winner.
Johnston noted the two clubs were linked heavily on a deal that might have happened around draft day, tied to some of the first-round picks involved, and that both sides have since had to reimagine what that package might look like.
This comes after the two clubs nearly struck a deal around the time of the draft that would've seen the Jets add the fourth overall pick and top-six forward Jack Quinn among other pieces in a returning package. However, the deal fell through when Winnipeg wasn't willing to move off its own first-round pick at ninth overall.
NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported on NHL Tonight this past Friday that he's heard there are "big challenges" when it comes to getting a deal done, which may be part of the reason Winnipeg is returning to the table with Buffalo.
"Some of the things that were available at the beginning of the summer or at the draft are no longer available," Friedman explained, noting that no-trade lists reset on July 1, meaning players like Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen who might've been available to Winnipeg earlier in the summer could now be off the table.
That means the Jets may not get the same return package they were offered around draft time. Still, with the storyline dragging into training camp, Winnipeg may simply look to move on from the situation and finalize a deal, even at a reduced price.
Hellebuyck is coming off a down season by his standards, finishing 2025-26 with a 23-23-11 record, a 2.86 goals-against average and a .895 save percentage, a steep drop from his back-to-back Vezina campaigns, when he combined for an 84-31-7 record, a 2.19 goals-against average and a .923 save percentage.
It will be a blockbuster deal whatever comes to pass, and with both sides reportedly reigniting talks, something may get done sooner rather than later.
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Pakistan slumped to 100-7 at lunch on the opening day of the third Test at Edgbaston on Wednesday after yet another dramatic collapse during their sorry tour of England.
COVERS INTEL: Baz is consistently inducing weak contact, allowing just a 
Henry Bolte
Kazuma Okamoto
Cody Bellinger
