Winning in the Dugout: MLB Betting Guide

When the Atlanta Braves announced on June 24 that Ronald Acuña Jr. would be suiting up for the 2025 T-Mobile Home Run Derby, fans erupted in joy. It marks his third time participating in this electrifying showcase of raw power and charisma. And this time? Acuña is itching to go all the way.

The Braves, perhaps surprisingly, have never had a Home Run Derby winner. Not since its founding in 1985. Legends like Freddie Freeman, Chipper Jones, Dale Murphy, Andruw Jones – they’ve all competed, but none claimed the crown. At 27, he’s neither youngest nor most seasoned, but he’s one of the rare few to mix elite power with electric speed. His 173 career home runs and blazing stolen base stats underscore a rare blend of speed and strength.

As a kid, Acuña has always been dreaming about winning at least one home run derby in the big league. While it is just one of the mere All-Star festivities, it is expected that he would be the perfect candidate to give Atlanta a shot at greatness. But it is still a few weeks before the action takes place, but Acuña already appreciates and is hyped for the action.

Acuña is the Perfect Contestant

The numbers don’t lie. In the 2025 season up to June 18, Acuña has hit 173 homers in his career and maintains a .421-foot average distance on longballs – placing him among the game’s top sluggers. He averages north of 108 mph exit velocity, making his Der­by profile particularly compelling. Four of his homers this season have sailed at least 440 feet – granting him potential bonus time in Derby format.

Simply put: when forums and analysts talk about players who can hit “no-doubters,” Acuña’s name is always near the top of the list. This isn’t just about brute strength – it’s mental toughness too. Every swing must have players trying to make the ball leave the yard.

For Acuña, however, pacing early in the rounds is not much of a big deal, but he has to innovate and make sure he can find ways to keep his swagger and win big in the competition. In an event designed to thrill and amaze, one thing’s certain: Acuña will make every swing count.

Firepower in the Mix

This year’s lineup is stacked. Defending champion Pete Alonso returns; Juan Soto, Kyle Schwarber, Albert Pujols – each brings unique flair. Competing in Los Angeles' Dodger Stadium on July 18, Acuña will be right where he wants to be: on the brightest stage. If this feels different from his 2019 and 2022 Derby experiences, that’s no accident.

Between rupturing an ACL in 2024 and roaring back with a home run on his first pitch back in May 2025, Acuña has evolved. That comeback likely fuels his fire now. With renewed confidence and validation following a rigorous rehab, this Derby feels like a celebration of everything he’s overcome.

As Braves fans begin planning watch parties for July 18, one thing stands above all: Ronald Acuña Jr. is bringing heart, hustle – and most importantly, history – to the Derby. He’s chasing not only the title, but a chance to write his name as the first Brave to bring home the trophy, and to finally answer that childhood reverie.

At this point, between winning MLB Games, Acuña is also keen to show that he’s able to understand and deliver big hits that would win him the Home Run Derby.

After nearly three months sidelined, veteran ace Max Scherzer is set to reprise his role in the Toronto Blue Jays’ starting rotation — and the excitement is palpable. The 40‑year‑old right‑hander, a future Hall of Famer and three‑time Cy Young Award winner, has been cleared to return, making his first start of the season this Wednesday against the Cleveland Guardians.

When Scherzer inked a one-year, $15.5 million deal with Toronto in February, expectations were high. That optimism was backed by a dominant Spring Training stretch — he posted a very positive ratio over nine innings and entered camp with a sharp, blistering spring performance noted by analysts.

Yet, the thumb had other plans. In late March, during his debut against Baltimore, Scherzer lasted just three innings before exiting due to lat soreness tied to persistent thumb inflammation. This setback triggered his placement on the 15‑day injured list on March 30, later shifting to the 60‑day IL by early May.

A Timely Return

Throughout May, Scherzer’s rehab was methodical. He ramped up from bullpen sessions where he threw live to hitters to rehabilitation starts with Triple‑A Buffalo. On June 13, he threw 56 pitches over 4 1/3 innings, conceding two runs with four strikeouts — then followed it up with another rehab on June 18, notching 12 strikeouts and two earned runs over 8 2/3 innings.

By the time he topped out at 75 pitches in his latest rehab outing, Toronto’s coaching staff was satisfied — he had regained velocity, showed no grip issues with his thumb, and followed with a clean bullpen session.

“That’s Max Scherzer. I’ll take that any day of the week,” said Blue Jays manager John Schneider. “He knows his stuff is where it should be. I’m really, really excited to have him back.”

Toronto currently battles in a crowded AL East, with division leaders such as the Yankees and Rays breathing down their necks. The Blue Jays also aim for a Wild Card berth, having rebounded from a dismal 74‑88 season in 2024. Scherzer’s return adds depth, stability, and playoff experience.

Also on the line is another milestone for Scherzer himself — just 93 strikeouts shy of 3,500 career K’s, which would rank him among MLB’s all‑time greats.

Looking Ahead for Toronto

His return couldn’t come sooner. Scherzer brings not just elite pitching — his career 3.16 ERA, 3,408 K’s across 18 seasons is emblematic — but also invaluable mentorship. Young arms like Bowden Francis have benefited from observing Scherzer’s preparation and approach

If Scherzer’s comeback is smooth, the Blue Jays will ease him into the rotation, possibly skipping starts around off‑days. His first challenge comes Wednesday, followed by a watchful eye on fatigue and grip. A series of successful outings would sound the alarm across the league — Toronto might just have their ace back.

Max Scherzer’s return isn’t just a boost to Toronto’s rotation — it’s a shot of confidence to the entire organization. His veteran savvy, frontline skill, and playoff pedigree elevate the team’s ceiling. As the regular season intensifies, expect Scherzer to anchor big moments and mentor the next wave of Blue Jays arms.

This Wednesday marks more than just a return — it could be the turning point of Toronto’s 2025 campaign. This may set them up for a stronger and even more competitive finish while recharging a promising run in their next set of games for the rest of the season.

The Los Angeles Dodgers managed to come up with a promising finish when they clocked out the San Diego Padres in all three games of their marquee series. However, things seemed to have come up with a lot of heated arguments as emotions were on the rise in this series, leading to fans speculating that this will ever be a fiery matchup to look forward to in the years to come.

Perhaps the most spicy clashes of the season so far, the Dodgers vs Padres series lived up to the hype – all close games, high implications in the standings, and a lot of drama that began right from the first game and was carried all the way to the final game. It was a picture-perfect finish for fans in the MLB, and you can see how it really continues to be a spectacle at this point.

Despite a mature win for the Dodgers, fans were quick to point out that the club wasn’t really much interested in the antics that was stirred up by the Padres. The opponents were clearly trying to get into their heads, and that didn’t work well as Los Angeles remained composed – at least for most parts of the game, but it was manager Dave Roberts who could not handle that well.

Roberts Ejected in Game 2

In just an inning, fans saw both stars Fernando Tatis Jr. and Shohei Ohtani get plunked by pitchers, causing lineup shifts and massive complaints from the Dodgers. Tatis was clocked in the back with a fastball coming from reliever Lou Trivino, while Ohtani’s right leg was struck with another fastball, this time from Randy Vasquez.

Both teams were immediately issued a warning from the umpires – and that perhaps proved to be quite the trigger point as Roberts eventually stepped out of the dugout and barked out loud, saying that Vasquez should have been ejected. His plea was not taken lightly by the umpires, with third-base umpire Tripp Gibson deliberately ejecting him from the game as soon as he made his way from the dugout.

As far as rivalry goes, this is something that fans would’ve loved to see, and the tensions rising says a lot about how it is expected to be for the two clubs when they get a chance to face each other again.

“They got way more superstars over there if we want to hit somebody,” said Manny Machado. “They’ve got some big dogs over there we could hit. This game is crazy, right, this rivalry. It’s back and forth. Playing this competition, things get heated. You want to go out there and compete.”

Rising Emotions

This incident wasn’t the first one, however. Monday night clash that ended up in a Dodgers win also saw outfielder Andy Pages get struck in the left leg after a fastball by Dylan Cease. It led to a staredown from the Los Angeles outfielder – thinking there was intent behind the “accidental” hit. The next day, both superstars on each team ended up being hit as early as the third inning.

Tension mostly cooled off after the Dodgers’ manager was sent out of the game. The series did end in a bang, with emotions settling down. However, fans are expecting to see more from a showdown between the two clubs.

Luckily, there’s still two series of baseball left between these two teams, which comes in August.