Once we have two months of advanced data, we will likely start to weigh 2026 more than 2025. That’s mainly because there have been significant changes in 2026, including injuries, skill changes and luck factors impacting team pitchers. A good example of this involves the Dodgers and Rangers ranking in the top 12 in the average adjusted score. However, the Dodgers and Rangers have single-digit K-BB% and awful WHIPs.

Meanwhile, the Cubs have been unlucky via their BABIP and strand rates. However, the expected ERA and SIERA indicate the Cubs have skilled pitchers, so we should trust the skills more. Like the Cubs, the Padres, Tigers and Mariners have high-end ERA estimators via xERA and SIERA, suggesting they have strong pitching staffs and can be challenging for opposing hitters.

I believe in Chase Dollander (hopefully) being an outlier for the Rockies, as he contributes to the improved K-BB% in 2026, though it’s still low as a team. We targeted the Cardinals, White Sox and Athletics pitching staffs, given their poor adjusted scores and weaker pitching. However, those three teams have shown a better K-BB% and SIERA in 2026. Don’t sleep on the Marlins’ pitching staff, generating one of the biggest improvements in K-BB% in 2026 with strong skills, ERA estimators and favorable luck factors (BABIP and strand rate).

Seven-Game Slates

• Orioles (1 at NYY, 3 at MIA, 3 vs. ATH)

  • The Orioles project to face right-handed starting pitchers in six of seven games in Week 7. It might be a challenging first part of the week, facing Cam Schlittler, Sandy Alcantara, Eury Pérez and Max Meyer before going against the Athletics. This could be a solid week for Dylan Beavers as the most notable strong-side platoon option.

• Red Sox (3 at DET, 4 vs. TB)

  • Be cautious with any right-handed hitters in a platoon for the Red Sox since they face four right-handed starting pitchers in Week 7. In weekly leagues, we might want to sit Jarren Duran and Marcelo Mayer. 

• Cubs (4 vs. CIN, 3 at TEX)

  • Cubs’ hitters project to face six of seven right-handed starting pitchers in Week 7. It could be an explosive week for the Cubs, facing Chase Petty, Andrew Abbott, Brady Singer and Rhett Lowder for the first four games. Then the Cubs face Jack Leiter, Kumar Rocker and Jacob deGrom. Moisés Ballesteros should be a top pickup option and streamer hitter in Week 7.

• Reds (4 at CHC, 3 vs. HOU)

  • Six of seven right-handed starting pitchers will be on the slate in Week 7. It might be more challenging earlier in the week against the Cubs’ pitching staff, and then the Reds face a depleted Astros’ rotation of Mike Burrows, Spencer Arrighetti and Kai-Wei Teng. TJ Friedl should be the biggest beneficiary for volume, though the Reds’ hitters have juicy matchups against the Astros.

• Guardians (4 at KC, 3 vs. MIN)

  • The Guardians project to face four of seven right-handed starting pitchers in Week 7. Besides Cole Ragans, the Royals’ pitching staff could be targeted in Week 7 (Michael Wacha, Noah Cameron and Seth Lugo). Travis Bazzana initially projected as a strong-side platoon option, but played against the only lefty they faced since he was called up. 

• Royals (4 vs. CLE, 3 vs. DET)

  • Royals’ hitters face five of seven right-handed starting pitchers in Week 7. Michael Massey, Jac Caglianone and Kyle Isbel take the biggest hit against lefties. However, Massey started against three out of the past four left-handed starting pitchers since the middle of April. 

• Marlins (1 vs. PHI, 3 vs. BAL, 3 vs. WSH)

  • Miami projects to face right-handed starting pitchers in four of seven games. Besides Jesús Luzardo in the first game, the Marlins will face mostly underwhelming pitchers on the Orioles and Nationals. A reminder that the Orioles and Nationals pitchers were in the bottom five in the adjusted team pitcher scores, meaning that’s hitter-friendly. That makes five of six friendly pitcher matchups for the rest of Week 7 if you’re a believer in Cade Cavalli like me. 

• Yankees (1 vs. BAL, 3 vs. TEX, 3 at MIL)

  • It’s a mixed bag for the Yankees’ hitters. Though the Rangers’ pitching staff hasn’t looked great in the advanced stats, New York will face Jacob deGrom, Nathan Eovaldi and MacKenzie Gore. Then the Yankees will face Kyle Harrison, Chad Patrick and Brandon Sproat. Harrison has been balling out, but fantasy managers can’t sit many regular hitters on the Yankees.

• Phillies (1 at MIA, 3 vs. ATH, 3 vs. COL)

  • Surprisingly, the Phillies’ hitters have been in the bottom five in wRC+ (No. 27). This looks like a week to have the bats heat up unless Janson Junk, Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs and J.T. Ginn shut them down before facing the Rockies’ ace Chase Dollander, Kyle Freeland and Tomoyuki Sugano. That’s five of seven right-handed starting pitchers in Week 7 for the Phillies, which could mean productive weeks for Brandon Marsh, Bryson Stott and Justin Crawford as strong-side platoon options.

• Padres (3 at SF, 4 vs. STL)

  • San Diego has six of seven right-handed starting pitchers on the slate, with Matthew Liberatore as the only lefty projected for Week 7. Logan Webb looks like the best starting pitcher going against the Padres, so stream Padres’ hitters in Week 7. Gavin Sheets and Jake Cronenworth project as strong-side platoon options. However, the playing time for Sheets has been unpredictable, with Cronenworth playing mostly every day in the bottom third of the lineup.

• Cardinals (3 vs. MIL, 4 at SDP)

  • Jacob Misiorowski will be the best pitcher that the Cardinals face, with decent options for the Padres (Michael King, Randy Vasquez, Walker Buehler and Griffin Canning) in Week 7. Matchups aside, the Brewers and Padres have been two of the better pitching staffs over the past two seasons. 

• Rays (3 vs. TOR, 4 at BOS)

  • This might be one of those rare weak-side platoon option weeks for the Rays, facing four left-handed starting pitchers in Week 7. That includes Eric Lauer, Patrick Corbin, Connelly Early and Ranger Suárez. Ben Williamson has played against right- and left-handed starting pitchers as a utility infielder, with Ryan Vilade and Jonny DeLuca as the primary weak-side platoon options. Vilade and DeLuca have little value, even in deep leagues. 

Shallow- to Medium-League Waiver Pickups

Moisés Ballesteros, Cubs (31% Rostered)

With a heavy dose of right-handed starting pitchers, Ballesteros should smash in Week 7. Ballesteros showed strong plate discipline with above-average contact rates (80.2%) and a solid 9.9% swinging-strike rate. That can help Ballesteros be an asset in on-base and points leagues with a career walk rate in the double digits.

Ballesteros boasts strong power skills, evidenced by barrel rate per plate appearance at 8% and 101.1 mph EV50 (No. 88) in 2026. Maybe it’s a small sample, but Ballesteros has improved his launch angle, positively impacting his home run potential. Ballesteros’ groundball rate went from 62.2% in 2025 to 43.1% in 2026. The 2026 groundball and flyball rates were similar to his averages in the minors. 

Ballesteros typically batted in the middle of the Cubs’ lineup, but hit in the two-spot over the past week. If fantasy managers need power, look toward Ballesteros in shallow and medium leagues in most formats, especially points. 

Carlos Cortes, Athletics (26% Rostered)

Cortes projects as the Athletics’ strong-side platoon option in the outfield. The Athletics face five of six right-handed starting pitchers in Week 7. He has been a favorite of fantasy analysts in deeper formats because of playing time and tools. When a hitter like Cortes rocks a better walk than strikeout rate, it usually indicates they’re strong assets in points and OBP formats. Meanwhile, Cortes’ .391 BABIP has been fueling his massive .387 batting average in 2026.

He has elite plate discipline, with a 85.7% contact rate. Strong plate discipline paired with Cortes’ legitimate power makes him a fantasy-friendly hitter. That’s evidenced by a 101.5 mph EV50 (No. 73) and 10.7% barrel rate per plate appearance in 2026. Target Cortes in shallow and medium-sized leagues of all types (batting average, OBP and points). 

Bryson Stott, Phillies (27% Rostered)

We discussed how the Phillies have favorable matchups in Week 7. Unfortunately, the Phillies’ hitters have been below average, with an 85 wRC+ (No. 27). The Phillies project to face five right-handed starting pitchers out of seven games. Stott has been pulling the ball more often (44.7%) in 2026, over 11 percentage points above his career average. That coincides with Stott’s pulled air rate jumping to 19.7% in 2026. 

Though fantasy managers don’t typically target Stott for power, there have been intentional changes of pulling the ball into the air. However, stolen bases have been Stott’s strong suit. It’s early, but Stott has been rocking a 30% stolen base opportunity rate, up from 21% throughout his career. He converted 100% of his stolen base chances with a high career success rate (87%). 

Pick up Stott to stream for stolen bases in Week 7.

Deep-League Waiver Pickups (Around 20% rostered or Lower)

Cole Young, Mariners (20% Rostered)

Many like myself have been clamoring for Colt Emerson. However, Cole Young doesn’t want us to forget about him, playing every day at second base in the bottom third of the Mariners’ lineup. Though Young’s .322 BABIP fuels his .267 batting average, he typically ran higher BABIPs in the minors. 

Young boasts strong plate discipline with a 79.4% contact rate and 9.6% swinging-strike rate. Interestingly, Young has been more aggressive with his swing rates, especially in the zone (67.4%), a four-point jump from 2025.

Travis Bazzana might be a hot waiver add in most leagues at 2B, if he isn’t picked up already, but Young should be better throughout Week 7 and most of the 2026 season.

Brandon Marsh, Phillies (16% Rostered)

Marsh was out of the lineup with an elbow issue on Saturday, but returned to the lineup on Sunday. He has been a source of power and speed, providing strong batting averages and on-base skills. Interestingly, Marsh’s contact rate (81.5%) jumped to a career high, nearly seven points above his career average. Meanwhile, Marsh was more aggressive via his swing (51.4%) and chase rates (38.3%). For context, Marsh’s chase rate increased by over 10 points with a 6-7 point jump in the overall swing rate.

Since the Phillies have hitter-friendly matchups in Week 7, Marsh could be a deep league waiver wire addition. 

Nathaniel Lowe, Reds (4% Rostered)

Since Eugenio Suárez hit the injured list, Nathaniel Lowe’s playing time became more consistent. From April 21 and beyond, Lowe has 5 HR, a .333 BA and a 230 wRC+ across 36 plate appearances. It’s an early, small sample, but Lowe has shown higher bat speed (74.4 mph) and a 9.7% barrel rate per plate appearance, both of which would be career bests.

Lowe should have at least another week or two of production and regular playing time until Suárez returns.

Although this week’s group of two-start pitchers isn’t an exciting cohort, it’s still better than the group that fantasy baseball managers were forced to sort through last week. The good news is that there are plenty of strong one-start options for those who have the flexibility to make lots of roster moves throughout the week.

On the hitting side, managers may want to start the week by streaming players from the Rockies-Mets series.

Two-Start Pitchers (listed in order of preference)

Nick Martinez, Rays, 35% (vs. TOR, @ BOS): Due to poor swing-and-miss skills (career 16.8% strikeout rate), Martinez will always have a low fantasy ceiling. That being said, the 36-year-old has been consistently effective this year, which has led to a 1.70 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. His matchups are reasonable this week, as the Blue Jays and Red Sox have both underachieved and rank among the bottom 10 teams in runs scored.

Luis Severino, Athletics, 15% (@ PHI, @ BAL): Although most managers will run from a veteran pitcher with a 4.46 ERA and 1.43 WHIP, there is reason to believe that Severino will be helpful this week. Since joining the Athletics at the outset of last season, the right-hander has struggled at his hitter-friendly home park while logging an impressive 3.23 ERA and 1.17 WHIP on the road. And he has recently succeeded, having allowed two runs over 13.2 innings in his past two starts. With two road outings on the docket, Severino has appeal in 12-team leagues.

Jameson Taillon, Cubs, 17% (vs. CIN, @ TEX): Taillon is doing Taillon things this season. The ERA estimators don’t like his propensity for home runs, which leads to fluctuations in his ERA. But his strong control skills and fly-ball heavy approach keep the bases clean, as is evidenced by his career 1.19 WHIP. In a week with two starts againstbottom-10 clubs in runs scored, he’s a reasonable option.

Cade Cavalli, Nationals, 15% (vs. MIN, @ MIA): Trying to value Cavalli gives me a headache. Anyone with a career 1.57 WHIP and 1.66 mark this season needs to stay on waivers. But Cavalli has struck out 10 batters in each of his past two starts and has overcome a .419 BABIP while posting a respectable 3.82 ERA. He has allowed just one homer in seven starts, and his 38:14 K:BB ratio is respectable. The Twins and Marlins have each performed slightly better than expected, but they aren’t intimidating foes. Those in 12-team leagues can give Cavalli a chance.

JR Ritchie, Braves, 31% (@ SEA, @ LAD): Ritchie’s second start was less impressive than his debut outing. The youngster allowed three runs (two earned) over 5.1 innings, as four walks and a home run led to a mediocre stat line. The walks are especially concerning, since poor control was an issue for Ritchie during his time in the minors. He’s a boom-or-bust option this week, as the Dodgers have an imposing lineup and the Mariners offense has started to find its groove after a slow start.

Jansen Junk, Marlins, 6% (vs. PHI, vs. WSH): Junk has some similarities to Martinez in that both pitchers make up for a lack of respectable strikeout skills by limiting walks and keeping the ball in the yard. And the right-hander has been at his best of late, tossing 11 scoreless innings across his past two starts, which include six shutout frames against the imposing Dodgers offense. His matchups are reasonable this week, as the Nats have significantly outperformed expectations and the Phillies have been disappointing to a similar degree. But Junk remains a fringe option in 12-team leagues.

Andre Pallante, Cardinals, 4% (vs. MIL, @ SD): Pallante always gets plenty of ground balls, but his upside is capped by a poor strikeout rate that is at least slightly better than usual this year (18.8%). I would give him a chance in 15-team leagues, but his low ceiling and a difficult matchup against the Brewers are reason enough to leave him on waivers in 12-team formats.

Noah Cameron, Royals, 23% (vs. CLE, vs. DET): After starting the season with a pair of successful starts, Cameron has really struggled of late. The second-year starter has logged a 7.29 ERA and 1.86 WHIP across his past four starts, while allowing nine walks and five homers in those outings. The regression is especially concerning given that many analysts felt that Cameron achieved more success than his skills deserved during his rookie season. Although his matchups are reasonable this week — Detroit and Cleveland both have average offenses — Cameron has not pitched well enough to warrant mixed league use.

One-Start Streamers

In order, here are the best streamers for the week, with their start date and Yahoo roster rate in parentheses.

• Chase Dollander @ PHI (Friday, 47%)

• Max Meyer vs. BAL (Thursday, 28%)

• Logan Henderson vs. NYY (Saturday, 18%)

• Sean Burke vs. SEA (Friday, 16%)

• Spencer Arrighetti @ CIN (Saturday, 50%)

• Carmen Mlodzinski @ SF (Friday, 10%)

• Joey Cantillo @KC (Wednesday, 37%)

• Connor Prielipp @ CLE (Friday, 12%)

• Foster Griffin @ MIA (Friday, 39%)

• Andrew Painter vs. ATH (Thursday, 25%)

• Keider Montero @ KC (Friday, 9%)

• Jack Leiter vs. CHC (Saturday, 34%)

• Elmer Rodriguez vs. TEX (Tuesday, 12%)

• Ryne Nelson vs. NYM (Friday, 48%)

• Bailey Ober @ WSH (Wednesday, 30%)

• Grant Holmes @ SEA (Wednesday, 27%)

• Kumar Rocker vs. CHC (Friday, 9%)

• Brady Singer @ CHC (Wednesday, 18%)

Favorable Monday-Thursday hitting matchups

Rockies vs. Mets: Colorado’s hitters could maximize the value of their hitter-friendly home park when they face an average Mets pitching staff that will miss the pitcher-friendly confines of Citi Field. There are plenty of Rockies to choose from, including Troy Johnston (8%) and TJ Rumfield (7%). Those who need steals are more likely to consider Brenton Doyle (42%) and Jake McCarthy (1%).

Dodgers @ Astros: A deep Dodgers lineup could score early and often against the injury-impacted Astros pitching staff that ranks last in baseball with a 5.75 ERA. Unfortunately for those who seek streamers, most Dodgers are rostered in over 90% of Yahoo leagues. Still, Dalton Rushing (27%) could be a helpful catcher streamer and Hyeseong Kim (10%) has triple-position eligibility, which makes him easy to fit into a lineup.

John Sterling, the legendary New York Yankees radio announcer, has died. He was 87.

Sterling’s death was confirmed Monday by the team, and Sterling’s former station, WFAN in New York.

Sterling, who started as the Yankees’ play-by-play announcer in 1989, quickly became a staple of the team’s radio broadcasts. Over the first 30 years of his career, he never missed a game, once appearing on over 5,000 straight broadcasts until eventually missing a few games in 2019. After that, Sterling started working a slightly reduced schedule during the final years of his career.

Known for his iconic player nicknames, personalized home-run calls and game-winning phrase, Sterling served as the team’s announcer until 2024, when he surprisingly retired that April due to “health concerns.”

The Yankees honored Sterling on Monday night ahead of their game with the Baltimore Orioles with a moment of silence and flowers at home plate.

While Sterling was responsible for a number of catchphrases as the Yankees’ announcer, his most famous including his signature, “The Yankees win. Theeeeeeeee Yankees win” call following team victories. He was also well-known for his home run call, in which he proclaimed, “It is high, it is far, it is gone.”

In addition to that call, Sterling also personalized a number of home-run calls for Yankees players during his 36 years on the job. His most memorable include, “An A-bomb for A-Rod,” for slugger Alex Rodriguez, and “Robbie Cano, don’t ya know,” for second baseman Robinson Cano … and many, many others.

The Yankees experienced unprecedented success over Sterling’s career, leading to him calling eight World Series, five of which were won by the Yankees. Sterling also won 12 Sports Emmys and was nominated for the Ford C. Frick award — which recognizes the game’s best broadcasters — twice.

Longtime New York Mets play-by-play announcer Howie Rose was among the first broadcasters to pay tribute to Sterling on Monday, calling him a “unique character.”

One of Sterling’s long-time broadcasting partners, Suzyn Waldman, also offered thoughts on Sterling, saying he deserves to be celebrated.

Over his career, Sterling called 5,631 total Yankees games, including 211 postseason broadcasts. Sterling became so synonymous with Yankees’ broadcasts over his career that he eventually earned the nickname, “The Voice of the Yankees.”

The 2025-26 NBA regular season reached an exciting conclusion, with playoff and play-in tournament positioning coming down to the final Sunday, and now the playoffs are here.

The Detroit Pistons closed with the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference, while the Boston Celtics had an impressive regular season — most of which was played without Jayson Tatum as he recovered from an Achilles injury suffered in last year’s postseason — and finished with the second seed in the East.

Oklahoma City Thunder are the top seed in the West for the second straight season, finishing two games ahead of Victor Wembanyama’s hard-charging San Antonio Spurs.

The Philadelphia 76ers and Orlando Magic made it to the postseason out of the East play-in tournament, while the Portland Trail Blazers and Phoenix Suns made it out of the West’s play-in tournament. Both the Trail Blazers and Suns were eliminated in the first round.

Here are the current odds for every NBA playoff series.

First round

No. 1 Detroit Pistons (-375) vs. No. 8 Orlando Magic (+290)

Series tied 3-3

No. 2 Boston Celtics (-275) vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers (+225)

76ers win series 4-3

No. 3 New York Knicks vs. No. 6 Atlanta Hawks

Knicks win series 4-2

No. 4 Cleveland Cavaliers (-325) vs. No. 5 Toronto Raptors (+260)

Series tied 3-3

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder vs. No. 8 Phoenix Suns

Thunder win series 4-0

No. 2 San Antonio Spurs vs. No. 7 Portland Trail Blazers

Spurs win series 4-1

No. 3 Denver Nuggets (-150) vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves

Wolves win series 4-2

No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers vs. No. 5 Houston Rockets (+260)

Los Angeles Lakers win 4-2

Second round

No. 1 Oklahoma City Thunder (-2000) vs. No. 4 Los Angeles Lakers (+950)

No. 2 San Antonio Spurs (-2000) vs. No. 6 Minnesota Timberwolves (+950)

No. 3 New York Knicks (-275) vs. No. 7 Philadelphia 76ers (+225)

Diamondbacks infielder Ildemaro Vargas’ hitting streak ended at 27 games after going 0-for-4 in Arizona’s 2-0 loss to the Chicago Cubs on Saturday.

Vargas got a base hit in each of the D-backs’ previous 24 games this season and three more in Arizona’s final three games last year. After hitting 4-for-4 — his best performance during the streak — he came into Saturday’s game with a .404 batting average.

With the hitless game, Vargas still leads MLB with an .388 batting average. His .412 on-base percentage ranks fifth in the National League and he leads the league with a .673 slugging percentage.

In his four plate appearances Saturday, Vargas grounded out to third base in the first inning, flew out to center field in the fourth and grounded out to shortstop in the seventh against Cubs starter Shota Imanaga. In the ninth, Vargas hit a ground ball to shortstop facing reliever Ben Brown.

Arizona managed only four hits against Imanaga and Brown.

Vargas’ streak ends as the second-longest to begin a season in MLB history. Ron LeFlore opened the 1976 campaign with hits in 30 consecutive games for the Detroit Tigers. Vargas had the longest hitting streak in baseball since Trea Turner’s 27 games from 2021-22.

In the Diamondbacks’ record book, Vargas’ 27-game streak ranks second behind Luis Gonzalez’s 30 games in 1999. His 27-game streak to open a season surpassed Tony Womack’s 24-game streak in 2000.

Additionally, Vargas recorded a hit in 20 consecutive road games which set a franchise record. The previous high mark was 18 games by Junior Spivey in 2002 and Stephen Drew in 2010.

Vargas’ 27-game streak is the longest by a Venezuelan player, something he noted with pride after Saturday’s game. Wilson Ramos had a 26-game streak with the New York Mets in 2019.

During his 10 major-league seasons, Vargas, 34, has had three separate stints with the Diamondbacks. He began his MLB career in 2017 before moving on in 2020, then returning to Arizona for the 2021 campaign. The infielder has also played for the Minnesota Twins, Cubs, Pittsburgh Pirates and Washington Nationals.

Have you ever been to a Little League game where some poor kid can’t find the strike zone and the other team knows it? The Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds just gave us the major league version of that.

The Pirates tied an MLB record on Saturday by drawing walks in seven straight plate appearances, turning what was previously a 5-3 lead into a laugher. The two pitchers responsible for the walk streak: starter Rhett Lowder and reliever Connor Phillips.

The Pirates went on to win 17-7.

The strike zone carnage came in the second inning, after the Pirates had already gone through their entire order in a five-run first inning. Leadoff hitter Oneil Cruz struck out looking, then the 2-8 batters in the Pittsburgh lineup all drew walks, with Phillips replacing Lowder after three walks, then walking in four runners himself.

The Pirates pulled Phillips after that and replaced him with Sam Moll, who didn’t walk Henry Davis, but did allow another run in on a fielder’s choice grounder. Cruz then grounded out to end the inning, making him responsible for two of the three outs.

It was 10-3 Pirates at the end of the inning, with five runs scored on zero hits. Please enjoy a supercut of all seven walks, featuring a Pirates broadcast falling further into disbelief with each ball:

And if you’re curious what all of that looks like from a pitch perspective: ball, strike, ball, foul, ball, ball strike, foul, ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, strike, ball, strike, ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, ball, strike, foul, ball, foul, ball, ball, ball.

Only two other teams have yielded seven straight walks in MLB history. The last one to do it is the Pirates, who did it against the Atlanta Braves in 1983 per Dan Zangrilli of 93.7 The Fan. The other team do it was the Chicago White Sox in 1909.

The Pirates went on to post another five-run inning in the fourth, giving them a 15-3 lead. Their offense was so dominant that starting pitcher Carmen Mlodzinski could be seen jumping and running in place in the dugout to stay loose while waiting for his next trip to the mound.

The win improves the Pirates’ record to 18-16, while the Reds are now 20-13.

The Kansas City Royals (13-19) face the Seattle Mariners (16-17) in the second game of their series. The Royals won Friday’s opener 7-6. Starting pitchers are Seth Lugo for Kansas City, with a 2.63 ERA, and Emerson Hancock for Seattle, with a 2.86 ERA.

How to watch Kansas City Royals vs. Seattle Mariners

• Date: Saturday, May 2

• Time: 9:40 p.m. ET / 6:40 p.m. PT

• Where: T-Mobile Park, Seattle, WA

• TV Channels: Mariners.TV, Royals.TV

• Live Stream:ESPN+, MLB.TV | Follow on Yahoo Sports

Team records

• Kansas City Royals: 13-19 (No. 5 in AL Central)

• Seattle Mariners: 16-17 (No. 3 in AL West)

Odds

• Spread: Seattle Mariners -1.5

• Moneyline: Seattle Mariners -147 (57.0%) / Kansas City Royals +123 (43.0%)

• Over/Under: 7.5

Starting pitchers

Kansas City Royals: Seth Lugo (1-1, ERA: 2.63, K: 31, WHIP: 1.17)
Seattle Mariners: Emerson Hancock (2-1, ERA: 2.86, K: 32, WHIP: 0.98)

Weather: 72°F at first pitch

Ballpark: Capacity: 47,929 | Roof: Retractable | Surface: Grass

The Baltimore Orioles will reportedly activate top pitching prospect Trey Gibson to start against the New York Yankees on Sunday.

The move hasn’t been officially announced, but Orioles manager Craig Albernaz said the plan was for Gibson to pitch Sunday, according to the Baltimore Banner’s Andy Kostka. He’ll be opposed by Max Fried pitching for the Yankees.

The 6-foot-5 right-hander was called up from Triple-A to join the Orioles’ taxi squad of minor leaguers that travels with the major-league club on road trips to provide replacements when necessary.

For Baltimore, a starting pitcher is certainly necessary. Trevor Rogers (illness), Dean Kremer (quad) and Zach Eflin (elbow) are on the injured list, among the 12 players who are currently sidelined for the Orioles.

Gibson, 23, is ranked as Baltimore’s No. 3 prospect by MLB.com and Baseball America. He signed with the Orioles as an undrafted free agent in 2023 out of Liberty University and has steadily progressed through the minor-league system.

From MLB.com:

“Gibson has a power-pitcher build and power-pitcher stuff. He’s a 6-foot-5, 240-pound right-hander with a four-seamer that he can rev into the high 90s, a two-seamer to generate ground balls and an array of secondary offerings designed to miss bats in abundance.

“He throws two different sliders and an above-average curveball, both in the low-to-mid 80s, as well as a cutter and developing changeup. He’s added velocity and proven durable since entering pro ball, cutting his walk rate as he’s climbed to the upper levels.”

In starts for Triple-A Norfolk this season, Gibson has a 4.01 ERA in six starts with 25 strikeouts and 12 walks in 24 2/3 innings. He was already scheduled to start on Sunday, so he will be on his normal turn in the rotation.

The Orioles went into Saturday’s matchup versus the Yankees (21-11) with a 15-17 record, six games out of first place in the AL East.

There’s a reckoning due in Denver after a stunning first-round playoff loss to a Minnesota Timberwolves team that played two-plus games without Anthony Edwards and Donte Divincenzo.

Per multiple reports, it won’t come on the sideline. Head coach David Adelman is expected to return next season according to the Denver Post’s Bennett Durando and ESPN’s Shams Charania. But anybody not named Nikola Jokić on the roster is expected to be expendable.

Would Nuggets part with Jamal Murray?

Per Charania, the Nuggets are expected to field calls this offseason for any player but Jokić. This includes Jamal Murray, Jokić’s two-man partner who helped lead the Nuggets to their first and only NBA championship in 2023.

Jokić’, meanwhile, is expected to sign a four-year, roughly $290 million extension this summer, according to Charania. On the heels of the disappointing playoff loss, the Nuggets are under pressure to rebuild a contender around their three-time MVP for the remainder of his prime.

Denver attempted to do so last offseason after a seven-game loss to the eventual champion Oklahoma City Thunder in the second round of the playoffs. They traded away Michael Porter Jr. in a move that triggered an effort to build needed depth around Denver’s talented starting five.

But that depth frequently failed to surface in Denver’s playoff loss to Minnesota and was further tested by injuries to Peyton Watson and Aaron Gordon. Watson missed the entire series with a hamstring injury, and Gordon missed Games 3, 5 and 6 with a calf strain, exacerbating an injury-plagued season that limited him to 36 regular season games.

Can Nuggets fix depth, rim protection issues?

As Minnesota took control of the series from Game 2 on, the Nuggets ran an inconsistent cast of bench players that failed to find reliable production the bench and their role players.

By the end of games against the Timberwolves, Jokić and Murray frequently looked gassed. Each played arguably the worst playoff series of his career against a swarming Minnesota defense.

The Timberwolves, meanwhile, exposed Denver’s lack of rim protection throughout the series. Ayo Donsumu had a career game with 43 points off the bench in Game 4 highlighted by frequent attacks of an unprotected basket.

Terrance Shannon Jr. repeatedly scored uncontested buckets at the rim in a 24-point effort in Minnesota’s closeout win in Game 6. There’s a defensive hole at the basket that won’t be plugged by a healthy Gordon.

Nuggets don’t have much room to maneuver

Fixing Denver’s roster construction issues will require some creativity. The Nuggets have an expensive roster don’t have a lot to offer in return to a team looking to build for the future.

Their 2026 first-round pick is the 26th in the draft. They’ve traded their first-round pick in 2027 to the Thunder, barring top-5 protection kicking in.

Christian Braun is likely untradeable after a down season and playoffs (8.3 ppg, 41.7% from the field) and five-year, $125 million extension set to kick in.

And the Nuggets as constructed project to have roughly $203 million to $214 million in salary next season, well over the projected $165 million salary cap and flirting with the projected $209 million first apron. That’s before any effort to re-sign free agents Spencer Jones, Bruce Brown, Watson and Tim Hardaway Jr.

Murray’s due roughly $111 million on the remaining two years of his four-year, $208 million contract. For a team seeking cap relief, parting with his contract could be an appealing if painful prospect if there’s another team interested in taking his contract on coming off a likely All-NBA season.

Whatever the Nuggets decide to do to maximize the remaining of Jokić’s prime, it won’t come easy.