Category: Baseball

With the advent of live in-game wagering a few years ago, good timing became an even bigger part of sports betting.

But good luck certainly doesn’t hurt, either.

A DraftKings Sportsbook customer learned that in Game 1 of the NBA Eastern Conference finals, turning a long-shot bet into a five-figure payday.

More on that wager, a four-figure MLB bet for a huge six-figure win, an update on the NBA ladder bettor and more, as we recap the week that was in sports betting.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Knicks of Time

Last Tuesday, the Knicks were 5.5-point home favorites vs. the Cavaliers. New York was riding an eight-game playoff win streak, including a second-round sweep of the 76ers.

But Cleveland was having none of it. 

With 7:52 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Cavs led 93-71. It was a total runaway.

Yet at that point, a DraftKings bettor thought: Why not take a $200 shot on the Knicks in-game moneyline, at a hefty +8000?

It seemed like lighting money on fire.

But New York stunningly went on a 30-8 run to tie it at 101 and force overtime. Then the Knicks outscored the Cavs 14-3 in the extra period to win 115-104.

So that $200 flier became $16,000 in profit, in perhaps an hour’s time. 

That’s some outstanding ROI right there.

MLB Money

Also last Tuesday, a Fanatics Sportsbook customer put down far more money than most people should on a six-leg parlay: $5,000 on an MLB moneyline ticket.

As I often remind: Parlays are a bookmaker’s best friend. Sportsbooks enjoy nothing more than seeing customers add more and more legs to their wagers. So just keep that in mind every time.

To the bettor’s credit, the parlay mixed in a couple of short underdogs and four relatively modest favorites. The Dodgers were the biggest favorite, at -165 against the host Padres.

As it turned out, Los Angeles was the biggest sweat, too. 

The Dodgers won 5-4, with Andy Pages’ sacrifice fly scoring Alex Call with the decisive run in the top of the ninth inning.

At healthy odds of +5713 — just beyond 57/1 — the bettor’s five grand turned into a whopping $290,675.89.

Ladder Day Saint

As reported over the past month, one bettor is putting a notable dent in BetMGM’s bottom line, on ladders of straight point-spread bets in NBA games.

A week ago, the customer was up $1.085 million. On Tuesday night, in that aforementioned incredible Knicks comeback, the bettor draped a whopping $775,000 across five bets on New York:

All five of those bets — and more than three-quarters of a million dollars — appeared dead in the water early in the fourth quarter. Then came the stunning rally, with the Knicks not only winning 115-104 in overtime but covering every one of the numbers in that customer’s wagers.

The bettor profited $466,718 (total payout $1,241,718), running the total profit over the past four weeks to $1.55 million.

But wait, there’s more.

On Friday, the high roller dropped $300,000 worth of Thunder bets on Game 3 vs. the Spurs. Oklahoma City proceeded to give up the first 15 points of the game.

But Shai Gilgeous-Alexander & Co. erased that deficit early in the second quarter, going on to a 123-108 victory as 2.5-point road underdogs.

All five bets easily cashed, profiting $167,509 (total payout $467,509), running the bettor’s total profit to $1.72 million.

Then on Saturday night, the whale bettor tossed $350,000 across six Knicks bets, for Game 3 against the Cavs. And as you might’ve guessed by now, the bettor went 6-0 to pocket $217,173 profit (total payout $567,173).

That bumped the customer’s total profit to an eye-popping $1.94 million.

Finally, on Sunday, for just the second time during this incredible run, the bettor had a losing night. And it was sizable.

The high-roller had $350,000 across six spread bets on the Thunder for Game 4 vs. the Spurs. But San Antonio ran away with the game, covering every number in a 103-82 home win.

That noted, the customer is still up $1.59 million in the past month. Further, the big bettor has $200,000 across five wagers on the Knicks for tonight’s Game 4, ranging from Knicks +3.5 to Knicks -2.5.

More NBA Paydays

At Fanatics, a customer dialed in nicely on both Game 1 matchups in the NBA conference finals. The bettor put $175 on a six-leg parlay, with three legs from Spurs-Thunder and three from Cavaliers-Knicks.

The key to that ticket: Dylan Harper +2200 to grab 10 or more rebounds. The Spurs guard finished with 11 rebounds.

At huge odds of +55850 (558.5/1), aided by a 10% profit boost, the bettor bagged nearly six figures, turning $175 into $97,911.72.

In Wednesday’s Spurs-Thunder Game 2, a Fanatics customer rode ostensibly a free play into a five-figure win, banking on Oklahoma City’s Isaiah Hartenstein to have a good night.

The wager was $109 in FanCash on a two-leg parlay:

• Hartenstein +1400 to have 10 or more rebounds
• Hartenstein +700 to score 10 or more points

Add up those odds, and you’ve got +14000 (140/1). Hartenstein finished with exactly 10 points and grabbed 13 boards. And that free bet became $15,260 in real money.

Bad Beat

In Friday’s second round of the CJ Cup Byron Nelson, a Hard Rock Bet customer dabbled in betting on just one grouping: Jordan Spieth, Sungjae Im and Chris Kirk.

The bettor put $400 on Spieth +200 to outshoot his playing partners.

Spieth shot a respectable 2-under 33 on his first nine. Then he went haywire with six straight birdies en route to a 7-under 29 on the second nine, for a 9-under 62 total.

Almost any other day, that would’ve been more than adequate. But over the final three holes, Im shockingly got a hole-in-one, followed by a par, then a closing eagle-3 on a par-5 to shoot 61.

Granted, it was only $200 to profit $400. But that one’s gotta sting.

Here’s Hoping You Had It

It’s not always about making bets for hundreds or thousands of dollars. Sometimes, it’s about finding that long shot or semi-long shot and just getting 10 bucks on it to fatten your wallet a bit.

For example, in Game 1 of the NHL’s Western Conference finals, the Golden Knights’ Dylan Coghlan was +7000 to score the first goal. With 7:30 remaining in the second period, Coghlan lit the lamp, and Vegas went on to a 4-2 road upset of the Avalanche.

If you’d put a tenner on Coghlan, then you’d have an extra $700 in your pocket. Heck, even if you’d bet Coghlan as an anytime goalscorer — rather than the first goal — you’d be up $150, as he was +1500 to score at any point in Game 1.

On the PGA Tour, Wyndham Clark was +4800 to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson this past weekend. Clark then fired a ridiculous 10-under 60 in the final round to post a 30-under 254 total and a three-shot victory.

Ten bucks on that would’ve netted you $480 profit. And a DraftKings Sportsbook customer did far better than that, putting $400 on Clark to bank $19,200.

That’s a nice weekend’s worth of work.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

New York Mets star Juan Soto was out of the starting lineup for the second straight day Monday because he was sick.

Manager Carlos Mendoza was unsure whether Soto would be available off the bench against the Cincinnati Reds.

“He developed fever again last night. Still weak,” Mendoza said.

Soto was scratched Sunday, when the Mets lost 4-0 at Miami as the Marlins completed a three-game sweep that dropped New York to 22-31, last in the NL East.

Soto is hitting .294 with 10 homers, 21 RBIs and a .949 OPS is his second season after signing a record $765 million, 15-year contract.

New York’s batting order already was without shortstop Francisco Lindor (strained left calf), catcher Francisco Alvarez (surgery to repair a torn right meniscus in his right knee), designated hitter/first baseman Jorge Polanco (bruised right wrist) and outfielder Luis Robert Jr. (lumbar spine disk herniation).

Lindor, sidelined since April 22, has started running and hitting indoors and will soon start fielding grounders, according to Mendoza.

“It’s hard to put a timetable,” Mendoza said. “He’s still got to go through a lot — he’s got to check a lot boxes still.”

Infielder Jared Young, who last played April 12 because of a torn left meniscus, could be activated Tuesday. He hit .227 with one RBI over 22 at-bats in six minor league games since May 15.

Left-hander A.J. Minter, returning from surgery on May 12 last year to repair his left lat muscle, was to go through a throwing progression Monday and could be activated Tuesday or Wednesday. The 32-year-old has a 1.59 ERA in 12 minor league outings since April 7, striking out seven and walking one in 11 1/3 innings.

“Every time you miss that much time, mentally, it’s a grind,” Mendoza said. “He’s a big part of our bullpen.”

Polanco, who last played April 14, was to work out Monday in Port St. Lucie, Florida, and could start a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment this week.

Alvarez, who got hurt on May 12, could be back sooner than the original six-to-eight-week projection.

“He’s already hitting. He’s already doing catching,” Mendoza said.

Right-hander Kodai Senga, who last pitched for the Mets on April 22 because of lumbar spine inflammation, was to throw a bullpen Monday and will make a second minor league rehab start Thursday. He allowed two runs, four hits and one walk with two strikeouts over 3 1/3 innings for Class A St. Lucie on Friday, throwing 37 of 64 pitches for strikes.

Banged up New York also is missing right-hander Clay Holmes, out until late in the season because of a broken right leg.

Reporting by the Associated Press.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

While Tampa Bay’s starting pitchers continue to excel, Dodgers relievers have now thrown 38 consecutive scoreless innings. Overall, though, it’s still the Braves who boast the lowest overall ERA in MLB. 

Has Atlanta done enough to continue holding onto the top spot in this week’s power rankings? 

Take a look below, along with one stat for each team that helps explain its start to the year. 

They have the worst run differential in MLB (-63) and haven’t won a series in May (6-16 during the month). One of the biggest problems is a 5.75 rotation ERA, by far the worst mark in baseball. Opponents are hitting nearly .300 against Rockies starters. 

Their offense has struck out more than any team in MLB, while their pitchers have allowed the second-most walks in MLB. A 5.41 bullpen ERA hasn’t helped matters. 

They finally snapped an eight-game losing skid, but things are bleak right now in Detroit. Their offense is tied for the worst slugging percentage in the American League, and only three teams have a lower OPS. 

The Royals rank 29th in OPS with runners in scoring position, which has played a role in the team ranking 25th in runs scored. 

They’ve scored the fewest runs and hit the second-fewest home runs in MLB and rank 27th in slugging. Their league-best bullpen ERA (and top-five overall ERA) can’t fix those offensive issues. 

This weekend’s sweep of the Cubs was a step in the right direction, but this is quite the hole they’ve dug themselves. Missing Josh Hader (among many, many others) hurts a lot, but he can’t singlehandedly fix a bullpen that has an MLB-worst 5.60 ERA. The Astros’ diminshed rotation also ranks in the bottom five in ERA, resulting in the worst overall team ERA in the sport (5.17). 

This past week felt like their chance to really gain ground. Instead, they split their four-game series in Washington and then scored a combined two runs over three games while getting swept in Miami. The Mets rank last in MLB in on-base percentage and slugging (and, clearly, OPS). 

They’ve scored the fewest runs in the National League, their starters rank 27th in ERA, and they’ve had the least productive outfield by fWAR. Moves are entertaining out there, though. 

They rank 24th in starters ERA, 25th in bullpen ERA and 26th in overall ERA. 

The Marlins lead the majors with 62 steals but have also allowed the most steals in MLB, and their defense has committed the second-most errors in baseball. 

The Twins are riding high after sweeping the Red Sox at Fenway Park for the first time in 32 years. A year ago, they ranked 21st in on-base percentage and 23rd in runs scored. This year, they rank eighth and seventh, respectively. 

Well, that’s not what you want. The Rangers went just 3-6 on a road trip to Houston, Colorado and Anaheim, including a sweep at the hands of the dismal Angels. They rank 28th in runs scored, but their bullpen has the best ERA in the American League (2.96). 

Against left-handed pitchers, the Mariners rank last in batting average, on-base percentage and OPS. Overall, they’re tied for the lowest batting average in MLB. 

Last year, the Blue Jays led MLB in on-base percentage. This year, they rank 26th. 

The White Sox have the highest whiff rate in MLB but also rank third in home runs, seventh in slugging and 10th in walks. Basically, the team has taken on the identity of new slugger Munetaka Murakami. 

Their offense ranks fourth in slugging percentage, while their pitching staff has surrendered the fourth-highest slugging percentage in MLB. The result is a .500 record, but that’s (shockingly) good enough for second place in the NL East.

By both OPS and wRC+, the A’s have two of the 10 best hitters in baseball this year in Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers. 

A year ago, the Pirates ranked 28th in batting average and 23rd in on-base percentage. This year, they rank fourth and fifth, respectively. They have the highest year-over-year jump in both categories. 

Their offense ranks 24th in batting average and 25th in on-base percentage, but their pitchers lead the National League in strikeouts. 

A year ago, the Reds ranked 21st in home runs and slugging percentage. This year, they rank in the top 10 in both categories. Their offense has the lowest chase rate in MLB and the highest year-over-year jump in expected slugging percentage. 

The Diamondbacks absolutely pummel left-handed pitching. Their .282 batting average against lefties ranks first in MLB, while their .452 slugging percentage and .792 OPS rank second behind only the Yankees. 

This is a team that knows how to win tight contests. The Cardinals’ 10-4 record in one-run games — aided by a 7-2 record in extra innings — is the best mark in the National League. 

The free-fall continues, as the Cubs just got swept by the Astros to lose their eighth straight game. Their depleted rotation ranks 23rd in ERA, but their defense is still elite, and their offense ranks second in on-base percentage. 

The arrow’s pointing up for a Cleveland team that has won 11 of its last 13 games. Guardians pitchers lead MLB in strikeouts, and their offense is striking at the right time. In late/close situations, the Guardians lead the majors in OPS. 

The Yankees’ offense leads MLB in homers, and their rotation — which just got Gerrit Cole back Friday — has the third-best ERA in the sport. 

Padres pitchers have surrendered the lowest hard-hit rate in MLB, while their hitters have the highest year-over-year jump in hard-hit rate. 

Their pitchers rank first in strikeout rate and have allowed the fewest home runs in MLB, while their offense has more hits with runners in scoring position than any team in the sport. That’s a winning combination. 

The Rays have the lowest starters ERA in MLB at 2.88. No other team is under 3.00. Over the last 27 games, a Tampa Bay starter has allowed more than three runs in an outing just once. 

The Dodgers’ bullpen, which has the lowest ERA of any relief unit in MLB despite missing Edwin Díaz for the last month, has set a modern-era franchise record with 38 straight scoreless innings. It’s the longest bullpen scoreless streak since Cleveland (38.2) in 2017. 

When your pitchers have the lowest ERA in MLB and your hitters have the highest batting average and slugging percentage in the sport, wins tend to follow. That nine-game division lead looks awfully comfortable.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to follow themselves.

Don’t worry, we’re here to help you by figuring out what you missed but shouldn’t have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball:

On May 16, the Cubs defeated the White Sox 10-5 in their Rivalry Weekend opener. This win put Chicago at 29-16, up 2.5 games on both the Brewers and Cardinals in the NL Central, and with a +48 run differential that had them fourth in the NL. Things have gone downhill from there for the Cubs. Chicago would lose the next two games and the themed weekend to the White Sox, then the Brewers swept their division rivals at Wrigley, all leading to a series against the Astros. Who, despite their own stumbling around in 2026, just swept the Cubs as well.

They were all close defeats against Houston, but defeats nonetheless. A 4-2 loss on Friday, then Chicago was shut out, 3-0, on Saturday. The offense woke back up on Sunday in the series’ finale, with the Cubs stringing together hits and walks in the bottom of the second to go up 3-1, and another two runs would be added later. The problem is that this was the game where Chicago’s pitching faltered. 

In the top of the fifth, the Astros opened with a double off of starter Shota Imanaga, off the bat of right fielder Cam Smith, and then loaded the bases. While the Cubs would log the second out of the inning before any actual damage was done, they didn’t get the third nearly fast enough. Shortstop Jeremy Peña singled in a pair to give Houston a lead…

…then first baseman Christian Walker sent the rest of them home with a three-run homer. That was Walker’s 14th blast of the year, and the Astros were, all of a sudden, up 7-3 thanks to a five-run fifth.

Chicago would score two more, as said, but the Astros also added another: Imanaga might have been sold enough prior to the five-run outburst, but he allowed three long balls on the day and seven runs from them. When those are solo shots, it’s one thing, but Walker’s homer put the game out of reach.

The sweep has the Astros 4.5 back in the American League West, still possessing a number of problems but in the correct division to have them. The Cubs, meanwhile, are now 2.5 back instead of ahead in the NL Central, their record dropped to a far less impressive 29-24, and their run differential similarly whittled down in a way that suggests their record now reflects their play to this point. It’s far too early for panic, but in a division where every team has a winning record, rattling off eight-straight defeats is the kind of thing that can come back to haunt months from now.

Speaking of haunting. The Mets sat half-a-game ahead of the Marlins in the NL East entering the series between the two this weekend, that extra game played to this point the only thing keeping New York out of the cellar. This was a chance to inch closer to .500, to close the gaps between the Mets and the teams in front of them in the division, but instead, it was the Marlins taking advantage. Miami won the first two games of the series, 2-1 and 4-1, wasting quality pitching from New York by doing an even better job of things, and then took the finale in dramatic fashion.

Both teams had held the other scoreless through eight innings, and reliever Pete Fairbanks kept that going in the top of the ninth by allowing a pair of baserunners but stranding them, just as Miami had stranded the eight before them. New York was not so lucky. Devin Williams relieved Luke Weaver in the bottom of the inning, and things immediately unraveled.

Williams allowed a leadoff double to designated hitter Christopher Morel, who was replaced by pinch-runner Esteury Ruiz; he was immediately bunted 90 feet closer to home by third baseman Javier Sanoja. Catcher Liam Hicks walked on six pitches, with Williams trying carefully to avoid leaving anything up over the plate, and then second baseman Xavier Edwards was intentionally walked to create a force at every base.

This brought up Heriberto Hernández, who had entered the game as a pinch-hitter earlier and then stuck in left field. The result? His second home run of the year — a game-winning grand slam.

In that one swing, more runs were driven in than the Mets managed the entire weekend. Miami outscored New York, 10-3, over those three games, and now they sit 2.5 games up, in fourth place in the East, while the Mets dwell alone in the basement. Sitting seven games back of the last wild card is not insurmountable on Memorial Day, but that’s the glass half-full view. The half-empty one notes that the Mets are already seven back of the final wild-card spot in the NL on Memorial Day, in a much different and less optimistic tone of voice. There’s a lot of Mets’ season left this summer, which is either a reason to hope or a not-so-veiled threat, depending.

The Mets were not the only New York team to enter the ninth in a scoreless tie on Sunday. The Yankees found themselves in the same position against the Rays, except strong performances from starting pitchers Ryan Weathers for New York and Drew Rasmussen for Tampa Bay powered things instead of a conveyor belt full of relievers. Righty Kevin Kelly, in his second inning of relief, faltered in the ninth against the heart of the Yankees’ lineup, though.

[4 Takeaways: The Divisional Clash Between The Rays And Yankees]

First, center fielder Trent Grisham walked to lead off the inning, and was replaced by a pinch-runner once he got on base. Those extra wheels weren’t necessary, however, not with star slugger Aaron Judge coming to bat. Judge saw one pitch, a 92.5 mph sinker from Kelly on the inside part of the strike zone that didn’t sink nearly enough.

Ballgame, 2-0 Yankees, on Judge’s 17th homer of the year. That put Judge back in a tie with Munetaka Murakami for first in the American League and second in MLB, behind Kyle Schwarber’s 20, but more importantly in the moment gave the Yankees a split with the Rays in a series cut short — temporarily — by the weather, at a time Tampa Bay sits ahead of New York in the AL East. The Yankees are 4.5 back of the Rays as is; even further back isn’t going to help matters.

Diamondbacks’ right fielder Corbin Carroll had himself a game on Sunday against the Rockies. He went 4-for-4 with a run and a pair of RBIs, as well as two triples. That alone would be worth noting — especially in the context of a 9-1 victory against Colorado in the series’ rubber game — but the first of those triples was also special. It was the 50th of Carroll’s young career.

As MLB’s Sarah Langs noted, the only player to get to at least 50 triples and 80 homers faster than Carroll in his 537 games was Yankees’ legend and Hall of Famer, Lou Gehrig, who managed the feat in 461. That’s pretty great in a vacuum, but remember that baseball stadiums used to be built a whole lot more triple-friendly, too, and with outfielders not exactly having the positioning notes and arms they do in the outfield today to stop a Corbin Carroll from happening, either.

Oh, and then Carroll hit another triple later, too, don’t forget about that.

The 25-year-old is now batting .301/.399/.580 while leading the majors in triples with eight, and in OPS at .979. It’s still early, but he’s having his best season yet in a career already full of real good ones.

Not a great weekend for teams trying to reverse their fortunes. Well, sort of: the Marlins and Astros have to appreciate their good fortune, at least, and you can add the Twins to that list, as in another battle of teams facing off to try to get it together, it was Minnesota that came out ahead with yet another weekend sweep.

It was the Twins’ first sweep of the Red Sox at Fenway Park since 1994, so it’s been awhile. And it almost didn’t come to pass, either: Minnesota won by just two runs on Friday and on Saturday, and then Sunday’s contest ended with the Twins up by a single run. A win is a win and a loss is a loss, though, and Boston doesn’t get extra credit for almost winning, nor do the Twins lose credit for outscoring the Sox by a combined five runs in three games.

In the bottom of the fourth, first baseman Willson Contreras launched his 11th home run of the season to tie things up, 3-3, and then shortstop Marcelo Mayer actually put the Red Sox ahead, 4-3, with a single to right later that same inning. The Twins would get those runs back shortly after, with right fielder Austin Martin doubling in the tying run in the top of the sixth before third baseman Brooks Lee put the Twins up 6-4 that scored both Martin and shortstop Ryan Kreidler.

Martin would then make a hell of a catch going back, in the rain, with a runner on and no outs, helping to keep Boston off the board in the eighth.

This would prove important later, because Boston rallied in the ninth. Second baseman Nick Sogard tripled to open the inning, then backstop Carlos Narváez walked before being replaced by pinch-runner Connor Wong. Third baseman Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who had entered into the game earlier as a defensive replacement, would then hit a double to drive in Sogard… but not Wong.

That was a bit of a desperate and unnecessary send there, considering the Sox still had just the one out and the top of the order was coming up. And it got even more obviously unnecessary after seeing how things played out afterward: Yoendrys Gómez balked against the next batter, moving Kiner-Falefa to third, then he hit left fielder Jarren Duran with a pitch. It very well could have been a tie game with the winning run at third and one out at this point; the pitches thrown by new reliever Travis Adams might have been different in a changed scenario, but as is, he allowed a fly ball to right against Ceddanne Rafaela, 250 feet out, that could have brought in the winning run on a sac fly. Instead, it ended the game and the series.

The Twins are now 26-27, in third in the AL Central and back to a positive run differential after facing Boston. The Sox, meanwhile, have dropped to 13 games back in the AL East, and are 3.5 back of the final wild card spot.

Esmerlyn Valdez was called up by the Pirates on Friday, and on Sunday, the rookie right fielder hit his first big-league homer. The reward? Silence.

It’s a classic for a reason, people. Luckily, the Pirates knew how important this was to him, and so Valdez got the ball back. But it cost him, thanks to a shrewd — but not overly demanding — young fan.

Alright, maybe you could be a little more demanding, kid, jerseys aren’t cheap and all.

It’s been a tough season for Tigers’ closer Kenley Jansen to this point. Yes, he moved up the all-time saves leaderboard, but overall he now has a 5.02 ERA and is 1-3 on the year already, despite being deployed regularly with Detroit in the lead. The latest of those Ls came on Sunday, as the Orioles walked off Detroit, courtesy a Colton Cowser home run.

Baltimore’s left fielder — who had entered earlier in the game as a pinch-hitter in the nine spot — hit his second homer of the year, a three-run shot to give the O’s the win in the first game of a doubleheader against Detroit.

The second game didn’t go nearly so well for Baltimore — the makeup of Saturday’s postponed game was a 4-1 loss — but that just highlights the importance of this swing all the more.

The Angels walked it off, as well, but their way was not as standard as that of the Yankees or Orioles or anyone from Sunday. Gavin Collyer came on in relief for the Rangers to pitch the bottom of the ninth in a 1-1 game, and he found success out of the gate by striking out first baseman and three-hitter Vaughn Grissom. DH Jorge Soler then hit a single, though, and was replaced with pinch-runner Donovan Walton on second after the next batter, right fielder Jo Adell, was hit on a pitch to put Soler in scoring position.

And that’s when the weird began. Third baseman Oswaldo Perez grounded into a force out, the second of the inning, but… well, you should watch to see for yourself. 

Second baseman Justin Foscue bobbled the ball after stepping on second, and then his throw was not caught by first baseman Jake Burger, but it was Foscue charged with the error. The ball instead ricocheted away, toward the base coach’s box, and Burger lost sight of it. Long enough for Walton to decide to take off for home and score the walk-off run. Not only did this give Los Angeles the win, but also the sweep; there sure were some strong, repeated themes in this weekend of baseball.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Christian Walker homered twice with three RBIs, and the Houston Astros beat Chicago 3-0 Saturday to extend the Cubs’ losing streak to seven, their longest skid in four years.

Kai-Wei Teng (3-3) allowed two hits in six innings, struck out six and walked three as the Astros won their second straight and third in four games. Three relievers followed, with Bryan King working around a ninth-inning single to finish a three-hitter for his sixth save.

Chicago’s losing streak is its longest since a nine-game slide from July 7-16, 2022. The Cubs, who have lost 11 of 13, also had a pair of 10-game winning streaks this season.

The Cubs are just the fifth team in the expansion era that started in 1961 with a pair of winning streaks of at least 10 games and a losing streak of at least seven games in the same season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. They joined the 1969 and 2019 Houston Astros, 1978 Pittsburgh Pirates and 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers.

Astros slugger Yordan Alveraz left the game in the middle of an at-bat in the sixth inning with a back spasm.

Walker hit a two-run homer in the first and added his 13th homer in the fourth, both against Colin Rea (4-3).

Cubs second baseman Nico Hoerner made a between-the-legs flip to first baseman Michael Busch to retire Cesar Salazar on a fifth-inning drag bunt. The two-time Gold Glove winner made a bare-hand pickup before tossing to Busch, who reached high to his left.

Chicago benched Ian Harpp in a 1-for-24 slide, and started Michael Conforto, who went 0 for 2.

Up next

Houston RHP Peter Lambert (2-4, 3.57 ERA) faced Chicago LHP Shota Imanaga (4-4, 3.38) on Sunday.

Reporting by The Associated Press. 

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Stephen Kolek’s complete-game shutout and Carter Jensen’s two RBI’s powered the Kansas City Royals to a 5-0 win over the Seattle Mariners, ending their four-game losing streak. 

Kolek (3-0) allowed a walk, four hits and struck out two. He only needed 108 pitches to go all nine innings in a game that lasted only 2:06. The 108 pitches were four more than his previous career high.

It was Kolek’s second career shutout in 23 starts and the seventh complete game and fourth shutout in the major leagues this season. Kolek’s other shutout was a five-hitter in a 21-0 win at Colorado on May 10 of last season while pitching for San Diego.

Kolek joined Chris Archer and Mike Montgomery as the only pitchers to debut since 2010 with two shutouts in their first 23 career starts.

The Royals took a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Maikel Garcia led off with a double and scored on a fielder’s choice grounder by Vinnie Pasquantino. Jensen had an RBI grounder and Pasquantino later scored on Jac Caglianone single.

Jensen added a sacrifice fly in the third inning that scored Bobby Witt Jr., who went 2 for 4 and scored twice.

Kansas City added a run in the sixth on Isaac Collins’ RBI single that scored Jensen.

George Kirby (5-4) went six innings and gave up all five runs, three earned, and nine hits and struck out three.

Up next

The Mariners will send RHP Bryan Woo (4-2, 3.51 ERA) to the mound and the Royals will start RHP Seth Lugo (1-4, 3.68) in the series finale on Sunday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to follow themselves.

Don’t worry, we’re here to help you by figuring out what you missed but shouldn’t have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball:

The Milwaukee Brewers, who were swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers in last season’s National League Championship Series, won their first game against the defending, back-to-back champions.

The damage came in the opening inning, as Brewers catcher William Contreras — who had a game-high three hits — launched a three-run home run to left field off Dodgers left-hander Justin Wrobleski. Later in the inning, right fielder Sal Frelick drove in a run on a sacrifice fly. Milwaukee got a fifth run in the bottom of the second on a double from first baseman Andrew Vaughn in what was a 5-1 win.

Contreras leads the Brewers in hits (56), RBIs (30) and batting average (.304); through 39 at-bats, Vaughn has driven in seven runs and sports a .333/.447/.513 slash line.

On the mound, the Brewers got five scoreless innings from Logan Henderson, with Shane Drohan, Aaron Ashby and Chad Patrick each pitching 1 ⅓ innings of relief and combining to give up just one hit. In all, the Dodgers had three hits. Granted, they drew six walks. 

Milwaukee (30-18) has won 12 of its last 14 games and has a 2.5-game lead on the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs for first place in the NL Central.

New York Yankees ace Gerrit Cole was spectacular in his first start since Game 5 of the 2024 World Series (Tommy John surgery), pitching six scoreless innings on just 72 pitches. The problem? New York supported him with just one run (a solo home run from catcher Austin Wells in the bottom of the fifth), and Tampa Bay broke through in the top of the eighth.

In said inning, the first five batters reached base, with a double from Jonathan Aranda tying the game at 1-all and giving the first baseman his American League-high 38th RBI and a two-run single by second baseman Richie Palacios giving Tampa Bay the lead. The Rays would score a fourth run in the inning on a sacrifice fly from pinch hitter Ryan Vilade.

New York scored a run in the bottom of the eighth on an RBI triple from second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr., but Tampa Bay would win, 4-2, improving to 4-0 over its division rival this season. The Rays (34-15) now have a 5.5-game lead on the Yankees for first place in the AL East.

Despite giving up 10 baserunners (nine hits and one walk), Rays starter Nick Martinez — who owns a remarkable 1.51 ERA and 277 ERA+ — surrendered just one run through six innings.

Zach Neto — who hit a walk-off, two-run home run against the Athletics on Monday — was a menace on Friday night.

The Los Angeles Angels shortstop sent the first pitch he saw from Texas Rangers ace Jacob deGrom into the Angels’ bullpen to lead off the bottom half of the first.

Later in the inning, left fielder Wade Meckler hit a three-run homer, with a two-run single from catcher Logan O’Hoppe giving the Angels a 6-0 lead in the third. Texas gradually got back in the game, though, as it got three runs in the top of the fourth on a solo home run from right fielder Brandon Nimmo and a two-run triple from center fielder Evan Carter.

Then, second baseman Justin Foscue singled in a run in the sixth and Nimmo doubled home a run in the seventh, pulling the Rangers within one run. That said, second baseman Oswald Peraza — who had a game-high three hits — blasted a solo home run in the bottom half of the seventh for the Angels and Neto struck again in the eighth with a solo homer, which was followed by an RBI single from first baseman Nolan Schanuel later in the inning. Los Angeles won, 9-6.

Neto is batting a career-low .221 and leads the AL with 73 strikeouts, but he has also hit 10 home runs and sports a 115 OPS+; Peraza has totaled six home runs and 12 RBIs, while boasting a .477 slugging percentage.

No runs were put on the board through eight innings between the Cleveland Guardians and Philadelphia Phillies, but Kyle Manzardo grabbed a bat and changed that.

Pinch hitting for the Guardians with one out in the top of the ninth, Manzardo hit the first pitch he saw from Phillies star reliever Jhoan Duran over the left-center field wall, which would help the Guardians get a 1-0 road victory.

Both teams’ starters were spectacular, as Phillies left-hander Cristopher Sánchez extended his scoreless innings streak to 34 ⅔ innings with eight more shutout innings, while Guardians right-hander Gavin Williams — who now leads the AL with 84 strikeouts and 69 ⅓ innings pitched — tossed eight shutout innings, recording 11 strikeouts and giving up just four baserunners (four hits).

Manzardo, who hit 27 home runs in what was his first full season at the big-league level in 2025, is off to a slow start this year (he has a .228/.307/.382 slash line), but he has hit three home runs and posted a .389/.450/1.000 slash line over his last six games.

The Guardians (31-22) have won seven consecutive games and 10 of their last 11.

It wasn’t pretty, but the Atlanta Braves got their fourth consecutive win.

Trailing the Washington Nationals 1-0 in the bottom of the seventh, the Braves took the lead on back-to-back RBI singles by designated hitter Dominic Smith and shortstop Ha-Seong Kim. Granted, an eighth-inning solo home run by Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams tied the game at 2-all, which would ultimately send the game to extra innings, where Abrams would drive in two runs on a triple in the top of the 10th — but the Braves would rally once again.

Chadwick Tromp singled home a run to lead off the bottom of the 10th for the Braves, with Mauricio Dubón later driving in a game-tying run on an infield single. Washington failed to plate a run in the top of the 11th, and Tromp hit a walk-off, RBI single for Atlanta in the bottom half of the inning, giving it a 5-4 win.

Tromp is 4 for 7 at the plate this season, while Abrams leads the NL with 45 RBIs and a 169 OPS+, while sporting a .299/.391/.556 slash line.

The Braves are now 4-1 against the Nationals and own the best record in the NL at 36-16. 

The Chicago White Sox scored nine runs in a 9-4 road victory over the San Francisco Giants; each of their nine runs came in the same inning.

Chicago loaded the bases in the top of the fourth with one out, which began with the first two batters getting hit. Second baseman Chase Meidroth then walked in a run, designated hitter Andrew Benintendi hit a two-run double and catcher Edgar Quero grounded in a run before a Tristan Peters strikeout. Then, right fielder Derek Hill singled in a run, first baseman Munetaka Murakami — who leads the AL with 17 home runs — hit a three-run double and third baseman Miguel Vargas — who has an .848 OPS — later drove in a run on a single, capping off a nine-run inning.

“That’ll do, Donkey. That’ll do.”

Remarkably, the White Sox had just five hits in the game altogether, while the Giants — who scored three runs in the bottom of the fifth and a fourth run in the sixth — finished with seven hits. Ace Davis Martin pitched through 5 ⅔ innings for the White Sox, who got 3 ⅓ combined scoreless innings of relief from Tyler Davis, Brandon Eisert and Trevor Richards.

Chicago (26-24) is in possession of the No. 2 AL wild-card seed.

Juan Soto looks like Juan Soto.

The New York Mets’ star outfielder hit a solo home run in the top of the first inning of the team’s Friday night road matchup against the Miami Marlins; he also singled in the fourth. Over his last 11 games, Soto has posted six home runs, 11 RBIs, four stolen bases and a .381/.458/.810 slash line. And through 36 games, he has totaled 10 home runs, 21 RBIs, five stolen bases, a 174 OPS+ and 1.5 wins above replacement, while having a .301/.394/.571 slash line.

The problem? Soto’s home run was the only run the Mets scored in a 2-1 loss, with his two hits accounting for half of New York’s total baserunners (the Mets had three hits and one walk).

Marlins right-hander Eury Pérez surrendered just one run over 6 ⅓ innings, while right fielder Owen Caissie drove in a run on a ground out in the bottom of the second and later singled home a run in the fourth, which would be enough offense for Miami to take Game 1 of the three-game series.

The Mets (22-29) are now back in last place in the NL East, with the Marlins (23-29) a half-game ahead of them in fourth.

The Arizona Diamondbacks were on a five-game winning streak, but the Colorado Rockies had seen enough.

With the game tied at two apiece and one out in the top of the ninth, Rockies designated hitter Sterlin Thompson doubled to center field, which infielder Chad Stevens followed up with a go-ahead, RBI single to right field in what was his first hit of the season, putting Colorado up 3-2, and that would be the final score. Antonio Senzatela, who owns a 1.13 ERA and an 0.78 WHIP over 32.0 innings of relief, pitched the final 1⅔ innings for the Rockies.

Earlier in the game, Rockies center fielder Jake McCarthy drove in a run on a sacrifice fly in the top of the fifth and rookie first baseman TJ Rumfield — who sports a .788 OPS — hit a game-tying RBI double in the eighth. Arizona got its two runs on a second-inning sacrifice fly from left fielder Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and an RBI single from Gurriel in the fourth.

Meanwhile, Colorado starter Tomoyuki Sugano gave up just two runs over 6 ⅔ innings. Through 10 starts, the 36-year-old Sugano owns a 3.86 ERA and a 1.23 WHIP across 53 ⅔ innings pitched.

The Boston Red Sox got out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning and later led 6-3 in the seventh, but the Minnesota Twins fought back both times.

Following the aforementioned first inning that saw right fielder Wilyer Abreu double in a run, first baseman Willson Contreras triple in a run, designated hitter Andruw Monasterio single in a run and second baseman Marcelo Mayer hit a sacrifice fly for the Red Sox, the Twins had a three-run second inning, with shortstop Ryan Kreidler hitting an RBI double and second baseman Luke Keaschall and designated hitter Byron Buxton each singling home a run.

Boston got two runs back in the bottom of the fourth on a sacrifice bunt and an RBI ground out, but Minnesota turned the tide in the seventh with a pair of two-run home runs from Buxton and outfielder Austin Martin to go up 7-6; the Twins got an eighth run in the ninth and won 8-6.

Martin, Buxton, Kreidler and Keaschall each had two hits for the Twins, who got five scoreless innings from their bullpen after the Red Sox scored six runs off Connor Prielipp over four innings. On the season, Buxton has hit 16 home runs, which is tied for third in MLB; Martin sports a .297/.413/.398 slash line; Kreidler has recorded three home runs, eight RBIs and a .313/.405/.656 slash line over 11 games.

Minnesota has won four of its last five games.

The ball was flying out of Petco Park.

Following the Athletics scoring two runs in the top of the first, San Diego Padres third baseman Manny Machado made it 2-all with a two-run home run in the bottom half of the inning. Later, trailing 3-2 in the fifth, right fielder Nick Castellanos unloaded on a solo home run to left field to get the Padres even once again. Then, in the seventh, left fielder Ramón Laureano put San Diego up for good with a solo homer.

The Padres tallied three more runs in the bottom of the eighth, as first baseman Gavin Sheets — who leads the Padres with nine home runs, while sporting a .522 slugging percentage — hit a two-run single and shortstop Xander Bogaerts hit a sacrifice fly en route to a 7-3 win.

Right-hander Walker Buehler pitched through the fifth inning for San Diego, whose bullpen proceeded to pitch four scoreless innings. The A’s scored their three runs on a double from first baseman Nick Kurtz and an RBI ground out from designated hitter Brent Rooker in the first and an RBI single from center fielder Henry Bolte in the fourth. 

San Diego (30-20) is the No. 1 NL wild-card seed.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

NEW YORK — Gerrit Cole walked into the Yankees clubhouse on Friday afternoon wearing a dark brown polo shirt with a matching Tom Ford belt and sharp white dress pants. This was a statement game, and even before suiting up in the Yankees pinstripes, Cole was dressed for the occasion. He was locked in, ready to dominate. The fit was part of the mentality. 

Just like the iconic character Proposition Joe said on HBO’s hit show, “The Wire”: “Look the part, be the part.” Cole did just that in his season debut. The Yankees were thrilled to see their longtime ace and the unanimous 2023 Cy Young award winner return to the mound on Friday night in the Bronx against the Tampa Bay Rays. 

Cole held the division rivals to only two hits over six scoreless innings. He permitted three walks and struck out two batters, not seeing as much swing-and-miss likely because the Rays have the lowest strikeout rate in the major leagues. He dialed up his four-seam fastball to 99 mph in the first inning, proving his arm was all the way back. He was efficient, throwing just three pitches in the fourth inning. He pounded the strike zone and picked a runner off second base, hyper-alert and quick on his feet for, as Yankees manager Aaron Boone put it, “The game within the game.” 

He did all that against a feisty Rays offense that owns the highest batting average and on-base percentage in the American League. Reminding everyone in the ballpark that Cole was making this look easier than it actually was, Boone pulled him after 72 pitches. That was the plan all along. It was just a tease. 

“It was almost like a second debut kind of situation,” Cole said, unable to stop grinning. “It was an enjoyable moment. It was nice to get back in the fire.”

Cole was Cole. It was the Yankees offense that let him down in front of 41,358 fans who were living and dying on every pitch. New York’s bats failed to cash in when they created traffic on the basepaths. The Yankees went 2-for-11 with runners in scoring position and left nine men on base en route to a 4-2 loss to Tampa Bay. It was their third consecutive loss and 10th in their last 14 games.

“With what we’re going through, you hate losing a game,” Boone said. “Hopefully the silver lining is that I felt like the guys had good at-bats tonight and were on stuff. We need to carry that forward now and have the ability to break through.”

The other silver living was how seamlessly Cole picked up where he left off. 

It was hard to believe it was his first start in 569 days. Cole agreed, saying: “At some point tonight, it was almost like I never left.” His last start was in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series against the Dodgers; he threw six innings in a no-decision. After spending one year and two months rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, Cole is 35 years old now. Aside from his age and surgically-repaired right elbow, things have changed since the last time Cole pitched.

For one, he debuted his new windup on Friday — a different, over-the-head motion similar to Max Scherzer and other old-school veterans in the game — that he adopted during his extensive rehab process. The right-hander was also sporting a beard for the first time in his seven-year Yankee career. Cole was on the injured list when Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner nixed their 49-year no-facial hair policy last year. So, Friday was the start of a new era in more ways than one for New York’s ace. 

For another, Cole’s season debut against the Rays was the first time he pitched under Major League Baseball’s new Automated Balls and Strikes (ABS) system that launched this year. 

“My mindset going into it was not to worry about it,” Cole said. “And just assume everything’s a ball.”

Towards the end of his rehab, Cole emphasized throwing in the zone so that he could be better prepared for ABS. It was one of several final boxes he checked off for himself before receiving the green light to wear the pinstripes again. Some of the other variables included his recovery, pitch quality, sequencing, conditioning, and good stamina overall. 

“It’s funny, it’s like you almost take an extra day here early, an extra week here early, and then you think, ‘Oh, this is never gonna end,’” Cole said of his rehab progression. “But then you end up showing up right on time. So it’s funny how it works out that way, because it didn’t feel very quick, yet it’s been very efficient and optimal.”

The Yankees actually moved Cole’s season debut up to Friday after initially believing he would need at least one more rehab start before rejoining the team. But after his pitch count reached the 80-plus range and he touched 99 mph in his final rehab outing on May 16, plans changed. Cole told the team that he was ready to take the next step, and the Yankees said welcome back.

“I expected to do well,” Cole said of how he managed the immense Tommy John rehab workload. “I didn’t really hit any significant snags, so you put a lot of hard work in and execute along the way, and this is where it takes you.”

It just so happened that the Yankees also needed Cole to return as quickly as possible after southpaw Max Fried hit the injured list with a bone bruise in his left elbow last week. That was a huge blow to the Yankees rotation, a strong staff that ranked top five in the majors with a 3.22 ERA even before Cole’s return. As much as the Yankees hope Cole’s dominance in his first outing back from Tommy John means their starting pitching won’t miss a step without Fried, the team will also be extremely careful with his build-up in the early goings. 

“I feel like that was a smart play,” Cole said of exiting Friday’s season debut after six scoreless innings. “It may seem easy, but it was a high-pressure, tough game.”

Which is why it wasn’t all that surprising that Boone pulled Cole when he was in a groove on Friday night. The packed house at Yankee Stadium was let down when fans saw the bullpen doors swing open in the seventh inning, rather than No. 45 jogging out to the mound for one more frame. But just imagine if Cole’s excellent outing was wasted on another rehab start with Triple-A Scranton? The way the Yankees ace pitched on Friday night, every fifth game is going to be must-see television for the remainder of the season, and if the worst is behind him, for the remainder of his career.

Before his debut, Cole said he was most looking forward to pitching in games that matter again. Asked to describe what it felt like to settle in and once again be the conductor of that intense and competitive environment, Cole had just one word to describe his night.

“Lovely,” he said, smiling ear to ear.

Deesha Thosar covers Major League Baseball as a reporter and columnist for FOX Sports. She previously covered the Mets as a beat reporter for the New York Daily News. The daughter of Indian immigrants, Deesha grew up on Long Island and now lives in Queens. Follow her on Twitter at @DeeshaThosar.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Gerrit Cole has been out of baseball for closer to two years than one. 

It’s been 569 days, to be exact.

The Yankees ace last pitched in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series, back on Oct. 30, 2024. He then underwent Tommy John surgery in March of last year, and missed the entire 2025 season.

Now, nearly two months into the 2026 season, he will finally return to the mound, starting against the Rays on Friday. 

It will be no easy task for Cole to return against Tampa Bay, which has the second-best record in baseball and the best record in the American League.

Let’s check out the odds for Cole’s comeback season as of May 22 at DraftKings Sportsbook. 

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Regular-season strikeouts

Over 118.5: -115 (bet $10 to win $18.70 total)
Under 118.5: -115 (bet $10 to win $18.70 total)

What to know: Cole pitched 12 seasons before missing last season due to surgery, and he spent many of those years in the conversation for the game’s best pitcher. He had eight seasons with over 118 strikeouts, including 202 in 2015, 276 in 2018, an MLB-leading 326 in 2019, 243 in 2021, an MLB-leading 257 in 2022 and 222 in 2023. He won the AL Cy Young in 2023, and is a six-time All-Star. Two other times he finished second in the Cy Young voting.

Regular-season ERA

Over 3.85: -105 (bet $10 to win $19.52 total)
Under 3.85: -125 (bet $10 to win $18 total)

What to know: Twice Cole has led the majors in ERA — in 2019 (2.50) and in 2023 (2.63). Outside those two seasons, he’s had eight other seasons with an ERA below 3.85, and in total, he’s had five seasons with an ERA under 3.0.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports