Parlays

The Pittsburgh Pirates won their home game against the Rockies on Thursday afternoon by a 7-2 final score, taking the series win against Colorado. They remain home on Friday as Philadelphia comes to town for a 3-game weekend series. The Phillies took 2 of 3 games from Boston on the road, winning their 5th consecutive series. I am very excited to see how this weekend series shakes out.

Braxton Ashcraft is the scheduled starter for Pittsburgh Friday. Ashcraft has been terrific this season, posting a 2.77 ERA through his first 48.1 innings of work. The right-hander is in elite form so far this month after 7.2 shutout innings against the Reds and 7 more innings of 1-run ball against the Giants. His 2.57 xERA and 3.01 FIP support his success and I expect another strong outing from Ashcraft against a Phillies lineup sitting 24th in wOBA against righties.

Pittsburgh enters Friday ranking 3rd in wOBA against right-handed pitching in 2026. They have been most productive in their home park, and now they face off against Aaron Nola who can be picked on. Nola enters Friday with a 5.14 ERA across 42 innings pitched. His 4.30 xERA and 4.25 FIP are more encouraging marks, but he is still sporting a below average batted ball profile. Left-handed batters have also shredded Nola this season with a .915 OPS, and Pittsburgh is a lefty-heavy lineup.

Philadelphia Phillies vs Pittsburgh Pirates prediction: Pirates ML (-130) available at time of publishing. Playable to -140 odds.

The Subways Series gets underway as the New York Yankees and New York Mets both look to build momentum heading into this series. The Yankees have struggled recently, dropping six of their last 10 games, while the Mets enter this matchup having won seven of their last 10, including a three-game sweep over the Detroit Tigers. The Mets will send former Yankee Clay Holmes to the mound who is 4-3 with a 1.86 ERA this season. For the Yankees, they’ll counter with Cam Schlittler who is 5-1 with a 1.35 ERA. 

Offensively, neither team has been dominant lately. The Yankees are averaging 4.3 runs and hitting .212 in their last 10 games while the Mets are averaging 4.8 runs per game and hitting .223. Despite their recent slump, the Yankees still possess one of the more dangerous lineups in baseball overall. One player to watch is Spencer Jones, the Yankees’ top prospect. Jones has had a slow start at the major league level, batting just .083, but this series could be an opportunity for him to break out offensively and establish himself in the lineup. Both starting pitchers have been excellent this season, but with Schlittler continuing to pitch at a high level and the Yankees lineup capable of erupting at any moment, New York has a strong chance to open the Subway Series with a much-needed win. 

Yankees vs Mets prediction: Yankees ML (-160) at the time of publishing. Playable up to – 180.

We’re heading to Chicago as the Chicago Cubs and Chicago White Sox open up a three-game series on the South Side. The Cubs will look to reset offensively after dropping four of their last five games, while the White Sox come into this matchup red hot with five straight wins. The Cubs will hand the ball to Edward Cabrera, who enters with a 3-1 record, 3.88 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and 43 strikeouts across 46.1 innings pitched this season. The White Sox will counter with Sean Burke, who has quietly put together a solid season with a 2-3 record, 3.68 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 44 innings pitched. 

Taking a look at both offenses, the Cubs are averaging 3.5 runs and batting .184 in their last ten games while the White Sox are averaging 4.8 runs per game and hitting .259. With the hotter offense, the White Sox will look to get to Cabrera early in this matchup. Cabrera has given up three runs or more in his last six starts, and that’s a concerning stat heading into this game. While Burke may have given up six runs against the Mariners in his last start, he’s been much more reliable on the mound this season. While many still remember a White Sox team that lost 102 games last year, this group has taken a major step forward and currently sits second in the AL Central. With momentum on their side, look for the White Sox to kick off this series with a win at home, making it six in a row. 

Cubs vs White Sox prediction: White Sox ML (+125) at the time of publishing. Playable up to +105

At this stage, the series has fundamentally shifted. Early on, Detroit’s physicality and defensive intensity created problems for Cleveland, but the Cavaliers have steadily solved the puzzle and now appear firmly in control. Game 5 was the clearest example yet. Cleveland marched into Detroit, weathered a late Pistons rally, and still emerged victorious because the Cavs have finally found offensive balance against Detroit’s pressure.

That’s the key difference now. Earlier in the series, Cleveland looked rushed and overly dependent on difficult shot-making. Over the last 3 games, however, the Cavaliers have consistently generated cleaner offense while matching Detroit’s physical style. Once Cleveland broke through that defensive wall, the complexion of the series changed dramatically.

There is also a strong urgency angle working in Cleveland’s favor. The Cavaliers know allowing this series to drift back to a Game 7 in the Motor City would introduce unnecessary drama, especially against a Detroit team that already rallied from a postseason deficit in the previous round. This is the spot to finish the job. The market may still respect Detroit’s resilience, but Cleveland looks like the better, more complete team now. I expect the Cavaliers to close the door and advance.

Pistons vs Cavaliers Game 6 prediction: Cleveland Cavaliers -4 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to that number.

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The San Antonio Spurs head to Minnesota for Game 6 with a 3-2 series lead over the Minnesota Timberwolves, and at this point, all the momentum appears to belong to San Antonio. The Spurs took complete control in Game 5 with a dominant 126-97 win, showcasing the balance, defensive intensity and composure that has defined their postseason run. Victor Wembanyama once again dictated the game on both ends, finishing with 27 points, 17 rebounds and multiple momentum-shifting defensive plays around the rim. Meanwhile, De’Aaron Fox controlled tempo offensively, helping San Antonio consistently generate quality looks while avoiding long scoring droughts. The Spurs’ depth has also become a major factor in the series, as their bench and secondary contributors continue to outplay Minnesota’s supporting cast in key stretches.

Minnesota, meanwhile, enters Game 6 facing elimination and still searching for offensive consistency outside of Anthony Edwards. Edwards continues to battle lingering knee soreness while carrying an enormous offensive workload, and although the Timberwolves benefited from extra rest before this game, the larger structural issues remain. San Antonio has done an excellent job trapping Edwards, forcing the ball out of his hands and turning Minnesota into a stagnant half-court offense. The Timberwolves have struggled to generate secondary scoring when Edwards is contained, and that issue was glaring again in Game 5 when Minnesota failed to establish rhythm for long stretches. Minnesota’s turnovers, poor spacing and inconsistent perimeter shooting collectively have allowed San Antonio to control the pace and physicality of the series.

Even with the series shifting back to Minnesota, the overall feel of the matchup suggests the Spurs are now the steadier and more complete team. San Antonio has already proven it can win convincingly on the road in this series, and its confidence has clearly grown with each game. Wembanyama’s defensive presence continues to change everything around the basket, while the Spurs’ offensive balance creates matchup problems across the floor. Minnesota should come out with urgency early, fueled by desperation and home court energy, but San Antonio currently looks better equipped to close out the series and provide necessary pressure.

Spurs vs Timberwolves Game 6 prediction: San Antonio Spurs -4.5 (-110) available at time of publishing. Playable to -5.5.

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