Sports
Best MLB Bets Today: Two Plays for Phillies-Blue Jays and Brewers-Athletics
May 3, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Jesus Luzardo (44) is congratulated by teammates in the dugout against the Miami Marlins during the seventh inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Rhona Wise-Imagn Images The World Cup starts tomorrow and the Knicks go for a 3-1 lead tonight so there’s plenty of high profile sporting events on tap.
But hey, it’s wall to wall baseball today so let’s try to get back in the black with some MLB picks.
Season Record 33-30-1, -0.23Units
Phillies at Blue Jays
Jesus Luzardo Under 17.5 Outs Recorded (+140 BetMGM)
Bets are supposed to be about the price, right? Well, that’s exactly my angle here as I’m a fan of Luzardo as a pitcher. Especially when he’s on his game as he’s often an ace and you wonder why he can’t do that every game. Well the fact is he can’t as he’ll toss a gem one outing and then another and then get lit up in the next one. It has produced an uneven season. He has an 18.9% K-BB% which ranks 22nd among 66 qualified pitchers but he has an ERA of 4.56 which ranks 56th. He’s gone 73 IP in his 13 starts, so that’s about 5.5 per outing
The Jays are a modestly subpar offense with a 96 wRC+ on the season, but they’re on the pesky side. They have the 2nd lowest K% in the league at 19.3% so there’s a lot of balls in play. And that does not bode particularly well for Luzardo. He’s a heavy groundball pitcher and at -6 If Fielding Runs saved the Phillies have one of their worst team defenses in MLB.
The Jays absolutely torched Luzardo in their meeting last year with 9 hits and 8 runs in just 2.1 IP. I doubt we see a repeat of that, but they may give him a tough time again today so let’s try the under on his outs prop with a nice plus money cushion.
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Brewers at Athletics*
Under 14.5 Runs (-102 BetMGM)
Again, the asterisk is to remember the game will take place in Vegas. 14.5 is of course a monstrous total, but it’s not unjustified.
The Brewers alone got there on Monday and the A’s just missed as the Crew won 15-14 in extra innings. It was a little tamer last night as the A’s took the game 7-5. It’s a leap of faith here, but it’s still tough to get to 15 runs combined, even in this heat and altitude.
Part of it is thanks to the pitching matchup, which on paper looks very weak. In the Brewers case there’s some truth behind it as there’s not a lot in Brandon Sproat’s data that suggests he’s much better than his 6.17 ERA. But he is actually. His 12.1% BB% is awful, but he also has a 24.1% K%. His 4.45 SIERA is bad, but not 6+ ERA bad.
A’s starter Jack Perkins on the other hand is considerably better than his 6.19 ERA as he’s got a 20.8% K-BB% with elite contact suppression skills. His xERA is just 3.30. Now most of that came as a reliever as he’s in the process of converting to the rotation. But the metrics look encouraging so far as he’s gone 8.1 IP in his two extended outings and he’s got 13 K’s vs. just 2 BB’s. Let’s close our eyes and take the under here.
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Sports
Brendan Sorsby Ruling Shows NCAA Has Lost Control of College Sports
Texas Tech’s Brendan Sorsby looks on during the spring football game, Friday, April 17, 2026, at Jones AT&T Stadium. Texas Tech quarterback Brendan Sorsby shocked everyone this week by winning his injunction, and getting a temporary restraining order against the NCAA allowing him to play for Texas Tech in 2026.
It’s hard to say anything is surprising in college football anymore, but this decision was shocking. Ignoring the morality of betting on your own football team, it also seems illegal to have other people place bets on your behalf, which Sorsby admitted to doing. Sorsby and Texas Tech have continued to claim that the issue at hand was a mental health crisis, but I couldn’t imagine the university going through all this trouble if he was a back up kicker.
The NCAA has lost control of college sports. If you don’t like their decision, you take your case to a favorable judge, and you’re allowed to do whatever you want. I am completely against Sorsby ever getting a second chance like most fans of college football, and I wish there was something the NCAA could do to prevent him from playing in 2026 and beyond.
We’ve seen the governing board of the NCAA doesn’t have a backbone, but other universities are fighting against this injustice.
Per Pete Thamel, the Big Ten will be meeting to discuss whether they will continue to schedule regular season games against Texas Tech. Nebraska’s AD, Troy Dannen, and many other AD’s have announced they will no longer be scheduling games against Tech as well.
I applaud these schools for taking a bold stance, and hoping to keep any integrity left in college sports. Hopefully other universities will follow suit and remove any future matchups against Texas Tech.
However, where I am most intrigued to see the fallout from this decision is in the Big 12. Many schools have already come out to voice their displeasure on this ruling, fighting to keep the game safe from further malfeasance.
At the end of the day, this should have been a cut and dry case. Sorsby bet on his team, he did not play, but had insider information about game plans that can lead to advantage in gambling. He’s not nearly as bad as former Cleveland Guardians pitchers, Emanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, but those athletes will never come near the MLB ever again.
A terrible precedent has been set by the NCAA, and now it’s up to the other universities to stand up against Texas Tech, and prevent something like this from ever happening again.
Sports
White Sox rookie Braden Montgomery will try for encore vs. Braves
Jun 9, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago White Sox right fielder Braden Montgomery (24), reacts after his walk off two run home run during the tenth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Rate Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images Twelve Chicago White Sox players have made their major league debuts this season.
On Wednesday night, the club will look to build on the momentum created by its latest new arrival and take a series from the team with the best record in baseball.
Host Chicago rallied for a 6-5, 10-inning victory against the Atlanta Braves in Tuesday’s opener of a three-game series as right fielder Braden Montgomery punctuated his first major league game with a walk-off, two-run homer.
Montgomery went 2-for-5 with three RBIs, saving his best heroics for last as the White Sox secured their fifth walk-off victory this season and moved a half-game behind the first-place Cleveland Guardians in the American League Central.
“Just how we drew it up,” Montgomery said. “That was … I still don’t know what to say. That was unreal.”
Fellow rookie Jacob Gonzalez added two hits and an RBI for the White Sox, and Miguel Vargas hit his 16th home run as Chicago fought back from an early 4-0 deficit.
While Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson delivered his 18th and 19th home runs of the season, and Michael Harris II and Ozzie Albies added three hits apiece, the Braves endured a scare when right fielder Ronald Acuna Jr. left in the fourth inning with left hamstring tightness after attempting to run out a grounder.
Atlanta manager Walt Weiss said Acuna will undergo an MRI on Wednesday and is day-to-day. Weiss said the injury “doesn’t seem as bad” as the left hamstring strain that put Acuna on the injured list from May 3-18.
“This one more recently, I don’t feel any pain,” Acuna said. “I just feel a little bit tight, so let’s see what happens with the MRI (Wednesday).”
Left-hander Chris Sale will start for Atlanta on Wednesday. Sale (8-4, 2.23 ERA) is coming off a 7-2 home loss to the Toronto Blue Jays last Thursday, when he allowed three runs and a season-high 10 hits in 5 2/3 innings.
“You’ve got to chalk it up to just being one of those days, really,” said Sale, who walked two, struck out six and hit a batter. “I just felt like anything that got put in play was a hit. My command was in and out at times. My stuff was pretty good, but it just seemed like they always found holes.”
A first-round draft pick of the White Sox in 2010, Sale went 74-50 with a 3.00 ERA in seven seasons for Chicago, making 148 starts among his 228 appearances. He is 2-2 with a 2.92 ERA in six starts against his former team, with 57 strikeouts in 37 innings.
Right-hander Davis Martin (8-2, 2.61 ERA) is slated to start for the White Sox. Initially set to pitch on Tuesday, he was given an extra day of rest after getting hit hard in a 6-4 loss at Minnesota on June 2.
Martin allowed six runs and 10 hits in 4 2/3 innings, with three walks and two strikeouts.
“We have these off days, and you have the ability to get things lined up to maximize the recovery for guys,” White Sox manager Will Venable said. “And Davis, as much as he’s been pitching, we thought the opportunity to give him extra time, make sure that he is recovered well and at his best, was really important.”
Martin has not faced Atlanta in his career.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Diamondbacks' task: Cool off hot Marlins
Jun 7, 2026; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez (6) hits an RBI triple against the Tampa Bay Rays during the sixth inning at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Shortstop Otto Lopez leads the majors in batting average, rookie catcher Joe Mack is coming off a 4-for-4 game, and Miami has won six of its past seven games.
In other words, this team is hot. And the host Marlins will try to clinch their third straight series on Wednesday night when they take on the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“Joe Mack — what a day,” Marlins manager Clayton McCullough said after Miami defeated Arizona 10-6 on Tuesday in the series opener. “Otto continues to come through.”
As to McCullough’s first point, Mack, 23, became the youngest Marlins catcher ever to have a four-hit game.
“I’m trying to stay short,” Mack said of his swing.
Meanwhile, Lopez is batting .341 after hitting .246 last season, and McCullough said he should be an All-Star.
“He’s making a strong case every day,” McCullough said. “Otto has been a hitting machine since Day 1 of the season, and he’s played high-level defense. It’s hard to find someone at that position having a better year.”
The Marlins, who had 15 hits on Tuesday, will try to provide right-hander Ryan Gusto (0-1, 10.80 ERA) with similar production.
Gusto, 27, has pitched most of this season at Triple-A Jacksonville, going 4-2 with a 3.83 ERA, and he might be limited to roughly 50 pitches on Wednesday. He has never faced Arizona, and this will be just his second MLB start this season.
Meanwhile, the Diamondbacks will start right-hander Ryne Nelson (2-4, 4.60 ERA), who has faced the Marlins just once and has no decisions and a 1.50 ERA. He allowed just one run in six innings in a 3-2 loss on April 15, 2023.
This season, Arizona is 5-8 when starting Nelson, who has been solid with the exception of a disastrous start against Toronto on April 19. He got just one out in that game, allowing eight runs in a 10-4 loss.
Since then, Nelson posted a 2.95 ERA in six May starts. And, in June, he has a 2.57 ERA in one start.
But Nelson promises he won’t let down.
“The moment you get comfortable,” Nelson told MLB.com, “that’s when you can slip.”
Nelson on Wednesday hopes to get support from an Arizona lineup that features two-time All-Star right fielder Corbin Carroll (.930 OPS) and three-time All-Star second baseman Ketel Marte (.755 OPS).
Carroll, the 2023 National League Rookie of the Year, hit his 11th homer of the season on Tuesday.
Gabriel Moreno, considered one of the best all-around catchers in baseball, also homered on Tuesday. He has a .764 OPS and five homers — just four short of his career high. His issue has always been that he is regarded as injury prone.
As for the left side of Arizona’s infield, third baseman Nolan Arenado (.771 OPS) and shortstop Geraldo Perdomo (.702 OPS) have been solid this season.
Perdomo broke out last season with career highs in doubles (33), triples (five), homers (20), RBIs (100), steals (27) and OPS (.851).
–Field Level Media
Brendan Sorsby Ruling Shows NCAA Has Lost Control of College Sports
New safety rules for under-16 Snapchat users
