Sports
MLB Best Bets: Friday Picks for Cardinals-Cubs and Red Sox-Angels
Jun 30, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson (7) hits a two-run home run against the San Diego Padres during the fifth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images Happy 250th to all! We’ve got a packed weekend of baseball on tap, let’s celebrate the holiday with some winning MLB picks.
Season Record 40-40-2, -2.68 Units
Cardinals at Cubs
Cards F5 (+102 FanDuel)
We get a nice Rivalry Series here with the added twist that these teams are right in the middle of the NL Wild Card chase. That’s kind of surprising as far as the Cardinals are concerned as they sold off all sorts of pieces in the offseason as they looked to open up playing time for their younger players. Well its worked way better than they could have imagined. Jordan Walker has finally lived up to his prospect hype, and then some as he’s slashing 288/.342/.509 with 18 homers and 59 RBI’s in a shade over half a season. Meanwhile JJ Wetherholt is the current NL ROY favorite as he mans 2B and bats leadoff every day and he’s popped 12 homers with 9 steals and a .259 average. He’s got crazy good control of the strike zone for a rookie with a 10.35 BB% vs, a 15.9% K%.
I mostly love the Cards in this spot thanks to the pitching matchup. St Louis starts Andre Pallante, who’s quietly given them a very solid season. He has a 3.83 ERA and 1.23 WHIP while not missing a start and getting decently deep into games. He’s gone at least 6 IP in his last 4 starts and 8 of his last 11. He doesn’t get the whiffs you’d like as he has just an 18.7% K%, but he does limit contact well. His EV against is just 87 and it’s mostly on the ground with a 6.8 LA. That should prove helpful in hot and possibly windy Wrigley.
The Cubs counter with David Peterson, just imported from the reeling Mets. He pitched well in his first start with Chicago (5.2 IP, 2 ER) but it came with only 2 K’s. It’s been an overall forgettable year though with a 5.86 ERA and 1.59 WHIP. Like Palencia, he doesn’t strike out many (19.2%) and keeps in on the ground (7.7 LA). Unlike Pallante, its 90 EV contact. He’ll be better with the Cubs thanks their infield defense, but its a really tough formula for success. Give me the Cards here.
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Red Sox at Angels
Under 8 (-115 bet365)
It’s two pretty weak teams here but we have a nice matchup of lefties at least. Jake Bennett starts for the Red Sox and he has a 3.27 ERA and 1.06 WHIP in 6 starts. He’s really been lethal in his last 2 outings, limiting the Rockies (at Coors) and the Yankees to just 1 ER total over 12.1 IP. The Angels start Reid Detmers and he’s a rare bright spot in another dismal season in Anaheim with a 3.88 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and 27.8% K%. His xERA of 3.01 suggests he’s been even better than that. The Red Sox have played a bit better recently, but it’s mostly thanks to the their pitching as they still have a lousy lineup. Let’s bank on the arms here.
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Sports
Jessica Pegula avoids upset, advances to quarters at Wimbledon
Jul 1, 2026; London, United Kingdom; Jessica Pegula of the United States serves the ball during her match against Sara Sorribes Tomo of Spain on day three at All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Mandatory Credit: Susan Mullane-Imagn Images Fourth-seeded Jessica Pegula overcame a slow start to record a 4-6, 6-3, 6-1 win over Iva Jovic on Sunday to advance to the quarterfinals at Wimbledon.
Pegula, 32, rebounded after dropping a set for the first time this tournament to dispatch the 16th-seeded Jovic and improve to 8-0 against American women this year.
Reaching the quarterfinal for the second time in four years, Pegula will take on the winner of 11th-seeded Belinda Bencic of Switzerland and seventh-seeded Coco Gauff.
Trailing 4-5 in the first set, Jovic won four straight points before ultimately serving out the set before Pegula stormed back.
Pegula benefited from precise groundstrokes and limiting her unforced errors to change the momentum of the match.
Also on Sunday, 10th-seeded Karolina Muchova recorded a 7-5, 5-7, 6-3 win over fellow Czech Barbora Krejcikova.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Ex-NFL player Marcellus Wiley jailed on domestic battery charge
Feb 8, 2024; Las Vegas, NV, USA; Marcellus Wiley on the red carpet before the NFL Honors show at Resorts World Theatre. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images Former NFL defensive end Marcellus Wiley has been arrested on a domestic battery charge in Orange County, Fla.
He is currently being held in jail on no bond.
Wiley, 51, was taken into custody by Orange County sheriff’s deputies Saturday. No additional details were provided in jail records.
This is the latest in a string of accusations against Wiley. In May, Rolling Stone reported that four people, including a former production assistant at ESPN, had filed a lawsuit in New York that accused him of sexual assault. Three other individuals have sued him, alleging he raped them while a student-athlete at Columbia in 1994, per the article.
Wiley posted a purported court order dismissing three of the claims to his social media account in May.
Wiley played 10 seasons in the NFL. He spent his first four campaigns with the Buffalo Bills after they selected him in the second round of the 1997 NFL Draft. Wiley then played three seasons with the then-San Diego Chargers (2001-03), one with the Dallas Cowboys (2004) and two with the Jacksonville Jaguars (2005-06).
The 6-foot-4, 275-pound Wiley appeared in 147 games (79 starts) and was selected to the 2001 Pro Bowl.
Overall, he made 322 tackles (47 for loss) and had 44 sacks and five fumble recoveries in his career.
After retiring, Wiley held a variety of roles with ESPN and then Fox Sports.
–Field Level Media
Sports
With red card suspension removed, Folarin Balogun to play for U.S. vs. Belgium
July 1, 2026; Santa Clara, California, U.S.; Folarin Balogun of the U.S. is consoled by Giovanni Reyna and Timothy Weah after receiving a red card. Mandatory Credit: Carlos Barria-Reuters via Imagn Images Folarin Balogun of the United States men’s national team is eligible to play in its round of 16 match against Belgium following the suspension of his one-game red card ban, The Athletic reported Sunday.
The 25-year-old forward is the leading scorer for the United States with three goals. He scored what turned out to be the game-winning goal in the 45th minute against Bosnia and Herzegovina on Wednesday. However, he was tagged with a red card later in the 2-0 match, which triggered an automatic one-game suspension under FIFA World Cup rules.
The red card was a controversial one, with former soccer referees and other experts saying the play Balogun made on defender Tarik Muharemovic did not merit the penalty.
A red card or suspension cannot be appealed.
FIFA, however, posted this message to its website Sunday about its use of the rule book in the case: “By operation of Article 27 FDC, the implementation of the automatic match suspension for USA player Folarin Balogun is suspended for a probationary period of one [1] year.”
U.S. Soccer issued its own statement in response to the action: “We accept the decision of the Disciplinary Committee and are pleased that Folarin Balogun is eligible to complete tomorrow.
“Our full attention is focused on the Round of 16 match against Belgium in Seattle,?and we look forward to the continued support of our amazing fans.”
This move is not unprecedented in this World Cup.
Before the start of the tournament last month, Portugal star Cristiano Ronaldo faced a three-match suspension. Instead, he sat one match, with the other two suspended and converted to a one-year probation period.
Balogun scored twice for the Americans in their opener against Paraguay on June 11. He added a goal against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the knockout round Wednesday in Santa Clara, Calif.
The United States will meet Belgium in the round of 16 on Monday in Seattle. The winner advances to the quarterfinals.
The U.S. has not reached that stage since 2002.
–Field Level Media
Jessica Pegula avoids upset, advances to quarters at Wimbledon
Ex-NFL player Marcellus Wiley jailed on domestic battery charge
