Sports
Astros brace for tall task in slowing Cedric Mullins, Rays
Jun 27, 2026; St. Petersburg, Florida, USA; Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Cedric Mullins (31) gets ready before the start of a game against Arizona Diamondbacks at Tropicana Field. Mandatory Credit: Pablo Robles-Imagn Images While Junior Caminero had his franchise-record-tying streak of consecutive games with a home run snapped at six on Thursday, the Tampa Bay Rays extended their winning streak to eight.
The Rays capped a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals with a 5-2 victory and will open a three-game set at the Houston Astros on Friday night riding their longest winning streak since a 13-0 start in 2023.
Caminero didn’t continue his streak on Thursday, but Cedric Mullins homered for the third consecutive game and the seventh time since June 3.
“Two months ago, he was missing some pitches that were frustrating him that he normally handles,” Rays manager Kevin Cash said of Mullins. “Subtle adjustments here and there, and then just a lot of work to get that timing. Thrilled for what he’s doing because he’s another guy that can add that power element to our game.”
Right-hander Nick Martinez (7-2, 2.66 ERA) is the probable starter for the Rays in the series opener.
Martinez limited the Arizona Diamondbacks to one run on six hits with three strikeouts over 5 2/3 innings in a 6-1 victory last Friday. He improved to 6-1 with a 2.92 ERA over his last 11 starts.
Martinez is 4-5 with a 3.94 ERA over 15 career appearances (10 starts) against the Astros. In his previous appearance against them on May 9, 2025, Martinez allowed three runs on 10 hits with five strikeouts over six innings in a 3-0 loss with the Cincinnati Reds.
Right-hander Spencer Arrighetti (7-4, 4.00 ERA) has the starting assignment for the Astros on Friday.
Arrighetti allowed a season-worst eight runs on five hits — including three home runs — and five walks with seven strikeouts over a season-low three innings in an 8-0 road loss to the Detroit Tigers last Friday.
Named the American League Pitcher of the Month for April after going 4-1 with an 0.93 ERA, Arrighetti went 0-3 with a 9.00 ERA across five starts in June.
He made his lone career start against the Rays on Aug. 4, 2024, and took a 1-0 loss after allowing one run on five hits and two walks with 12 strikeouts across six innings.
Astros right-hander Cristian Javier will be reinstated from the 60-day injured list on Friday and will work out of the bullpen. Javier (0-1, 12.54 ERA in three outings) was placed on the IL with a Grade 2 shoulder strain on April 9. Of his 127 career appearances, 34 have come in relief.
“We looked into how he’s pitched, our need right now,” Astros manager Joe Espada said. “Our starters, mapping out the next two weeks, just right now using him that way (makes sense). It doesn’t mean that he’s going to remain that way, but for now that’s the decision that we came to.
“All hands on deck. We need all these guys to stay healthy, but we’re also looking for some good performances from some of these guys. Our goal is to go day by day and see where it takes us.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina knocked out at Wimbledon
Jul 2, 2026; London, United Kingdom; Iga Swiatek (POL) hits a forehand against Karolina Pliskova (CZE) (not pictured) on day four of The Championships Wimbledon 2026 at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images Defending champion Iga Swiatek and 2022 winner Elena Rybakina fell in stunning upsets in the third round Saturday at Wimbledon.
Poland’s Swiatek, the No. 3 seed, was ousted 7-6 (9), 6-2 by up-and-comer Alexandra Eala, the No. 29 seed. Belgium’s Elise Mertens shocked No. 2 seed Rybakina, 7-6 (4), 6-1.
Rybakina won the Australian Open in January and hoped to add to her Grand Slam collection this season. She was bounced in the second round of the French Open by Ukraine’s Yuliia Starodubtseva in May.
Mertens, the No. 25 seed, entered the match with a 1-7 record against Kazakhstan’s Rybakina.
“I have no words actually,” Mertens said in her on-court interview. “I’m very happy I won that first set and kept the momentum going. She’s an incredible player. She’s won Wimbledon in the past. A really tough opponent.”
Mertens is a 10-time winner on the WTA Tour. Her best finish in a Grand Slam event came in 2018 in Australia in the quarterfinals.
It was the first top-10 win on grass for Mertens, who will meet No. 21 Marie Bouzkova of the Czech Republic in the next round. Bouzkova rallied for a 4-6, 7-6 (3), 6-4 win against Russia’s Liudmila Samsonova.
The 21-year-old Eala saved two set points in the 84-minute opening set. She improved to 2-1 against Swiatek and is now 7-4 against top-10 opponents. Eala also became the first woman from the Philippines to reach the second week of a Grand Slam.
Eala advanced to a fourth-round clash with No. 13 seed Italian Jasmine Paolini, a 2024 finalist at the All England Club. Paolini cruised to a 6-1, 6-2 defeat of Greece’s Maria Sakkari.
No. 12 Marta Kostyuk of Ukraine held off No. 23 Emma Navarro 6-2, 4-6, 6-1 and Ashlyn Krueger eliminated Ukraine’s Daria Snigur 6-3, 6-2.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Fourth of July Best MLB Betting Picks and Predictions
Jul 3, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Tampa Bay Rays second baseman Ben Williamson (15) tags out Houston Astros right fielder Cam Smith (11) during the fourth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Thomas Shea-Imagn Images The Independence Day MLB card is loaded with plenty of intriguing matchups on a busy Saturday.
The Chicago Cubs (49-39) look to bounce back from Friday’s 17-1 home loss to the St. Louis Cardinals (46-39). The two NL Central rivals hook up at 8:05 p.m. ET from Wrigley Field.
Later on, the Los Angeles Dodgers (58-31) seek their third consecutive victory over the San Diego Padres (43-44) after rallying from multi-run deficits in each of the first two wins. These two teams close the night at Dodger Stadium at 10:10 p.m. ET.
We’ll break down two plays for the Saturday action. Remember to monitor the odds throughout the day, as the sides and totals market is constantly changing.
Here are the free MLB picks for Saturday, July 4. Odds Courtesy of DraftKings.
Best MLB plays today
- Astros (-110) vs. Rays
- Orioles/Reds Over 9 Runs
Astros (-110) vs. Rays – 7:10 p.m. ET
Tampa Bay (52-33) is riding a nine-game winning streak after holding off Houston (43-47) last night, 3-1. The Astros suffered back-to-back losses for the first time since mid-June as they try to rebound tonight with ace Hunter Brown on the mound.
Since returning from injury, Brown has allowed a total of four earned runs in three starts. The Astros have won two of three outings, capped off by an extra-innings victory at Detroit on June 28. Brown has held current Tampa Bay hitters to a .129 batting average in 31 plate appearances.
Tampa Bay’s pitching has carried them during this hot stretch, limiting opponents to three or fewer runs eight times. The Rays are 3-4 in Drew Rasmussen’s seven starts when priced at lower than -110 or in the underdog role. Let’s back the Astros to end Tampa Bay’s winning streak.
Our Current Best Offers
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Orioles/Reds Over 9 Runs – 7:10 p.m. ET
Baltimore blanked Cincinnati last night, 3-0 as the Reds were held to four hits. Cincinnati has seen the under hit in three of its past four home games, but look to turn things around tonight in Hunter Greene’s season debut on the mound.
The hard-throwing right-hander returns from an elbow injury, making his first start since last September. He faces a Baltimore team that cashed the over in five of its previous six games against right-handed starting pitchers prior to Friday’s low-scoring affair.
Baltimore’s Brandon Young has given up six earned runs in his past four outings, but his xERA (4.24) is over a run higher than his ERA (3.11). The Orioles own the highest hard-hit rate in MLB at 42.6, while Greene closed last season at 45% in this category, ranking in the 15th percentile.
Look for runs to be scored tonight at Great American Ballpark between the Reds and Orioles.
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Sports
France ready to deal with heat in match vs. Paraguay
France forward Kylian Mbappé (10) and France defender Dayot Upamecano (4) high-five after drafting Sweden 3-0 during a 2026 FIFA World Cup round of 32 match between France and Sweden at New York New Jersey Stadium on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, in East Rutherford, NJ. PHILADELPHIA — France manager Didier Deschamps believes he knows what to expect from the extreme heat forecast for Saturday’s World Cup round of 16 clash with Paraguay after attending matches at last year’s Club World Cup.
Highs are forecast around 100 degrees Fahrenheit with significant humidity, with the peak temperatures expected an hour or two before the 5 p.m. ET kickoff.
Similar heat impacted numerous matches at last year’s club tournament also hosted in the United States.
“I was with (assistant coach) Guy Stéphan at the final and semi-final of the Club World Cup,” Deshcamps said on Friday through an interpreter. “We were in the stadium. We could discuss. We saw that it was quite hot, and we could discuss. And it did have an impact.
“Now, is this good for the players’ health as soon as there are extreme conditions, whether it’s heat or cold or hard pitch? It’s not ideal.
“But we didn’t choose, so we adapt and we anticipate.”
Deschamps also reflected on the last time these sides met in a competitive fixture, when he played all 120 minutes of a 1-0 win over Paraguay in the round of 16 on France’s march to the 1998 World Cup title.
He suggested Saturday’s task could be as tough as that match, decided by Laurent Blanc’s 114th-minute winner.
“It was a very good time for France. It was a very tough game. This is part of the history of football and the World Cup,” he said.
“This match tomorrow is different. It is a different team. It is a Paraguayan team who really wants to do it and they have quality.
“(Julio) Enciso, for example, has had a very good season with Strasbourg in France. He is a player with lots of influence in his team. Him and (Miguel) Almiron are players with great technical quality.”
With oddsmakers heavily backing the two-time World Champions from the start of the tournament, midfielder Desire Doue insisted Les Bleus won’t change their approach nor overlook an Albirroja side most expected to lose to Germany in the previous round.
“We have no pressure,” he said through an interpreter. “We’re playing games after games. We are focused on ourselves. There are a lot of qualities.
“We have been the favorite before the competition started. We will be the favorite for tomorrow. But I do not believe that these (statuses) will help us win a game.
“It’s not that that will help us win. We will need to be perfect from the first to the last minute. We’ll have to be there.”
Doue admitted he expected heat to impact performance.
“Well, yes, we are wasting a lot of energy,” he said. “We are sweating more, wasting more water. We might lose some lucidity on the pitch. We arrived in the US. It was hot. Today, it’s hotter. And so be it tomorrow.
“Both teams will experience the same conditions, and we are fully ready for this game.”
–Ian Nicholas Qullen, Field Level Media
Iga Swiatek, Elena Rybakina knocked out at Wimbledon
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