Major League Baseball had a busy week. The new substance rules regarding pitchers has become a big headache. Not only that, but trade rumors are flying. Check out what happened in MLB this past week so you can keep betting against their MLB odds. 

Latest 2021 MLB Betting News & Rumors June 23rd Edition

2021 MLB Season

• When: Thursday, April 1 – Friday, October 1
• Where: Various

2021 World Series Odds

• Los Angeles Dodgers +360

• New York Yankees +1400

• San Diego Padres +850

• Tampa Bay Rays +700

• Atlanta Braves +3000

• Minnesota Twins +15000

• Chicago White Sox +600

• Oakland Athletics +950

• Houston Astros +1200

• Cleveland Indians +3500

• Cincinnati Reds +3300

• Chicago Cubs +3000

• New York Mets +800

• Washington Nationals +9000

• St. Louis Cardinals +3500

• Toronto Blue Jays +2500

• Philadelphia Phillies +4000

• L.A. Angels +4500

• Milwaukee Brewers +1300

• Boston Red Sox +1800

• Miami Marlins +12500

• San Francisco Giants +1800

• Arizona Diamondbacks +250000

• Colorado Rockies +200000

• Seattle Mariners +10000

• Baltimore Orioles +175000

• Detroit Tigers +75000

• Kansas City Royals +17500

• Texas Rangers +80000

• Pittsburgh Pirates +100000

So far, Major League Baseball’s substance crackdown is a disaster

There’s no other way to describe it. MLB’s crackdown on pitchers using sticky substances to grip the baseball has become an unmitigated disaster.

On Tuesday night, Phillies’ manager Joe Girardi animatedly pointed to Washington Nationals’ pitcher Max Scherzer after Scherzer ran his fingers through his sweat-soaked hair. The umpire called time to check to see if Scherzer was using any sticky substances.

Scherzer, in a moment of absolute hilarity, began to unbuckle his pants. The ump crew told him to stop. They looked at Girardi then looked at Scherzer. It was a mess.

This whole idea is a mess. Pitchers have been using sticky stuff to grip the ball pretty much since the dawn of America’s Pastime. To change rules in the middle of the season isn’t fair to pitchers or to teams.

Also, it hurts the game. On Tuesday, the umps inspected Scherzer three times. 

But as bad as that is, the real problem is that by not allowing pitchers to use sticky stuff, MLB could be causing injuries. Per Scherzer:

“If you watch the Bohm at-bat, I almost put a 95 mph fastball in his head because the ball slipped out of my hand. The whole night, I was sick of licking my fingers and tasting rosin. I couldn’t even get sweat from the back of my head, because it really wasn’t a warm night. So the only part that was sweaty on me was actually my hair, so I had to take off my hat to get any kind of moisture on my hand, to try and mix with the rosin. For me, that’s the confusing part, because I’m just trying to get a grip of the ball.”

There’s a difference between scuffing the ball, with something like a nail file and using sticky stuff to get a grip on the ball. What would have happened if Scherzer had beaned Bohm? Both dugouts would have emptied and we would have had a brawl.

It looks like Tyler Glasnow was right about the substances ban causing injuries

A couple of weeks ago, Rays’ ace pitcher Tyler Glasnow said he’s convinced not using his normal grip enhancer is the reason he got injured. It appears as if Glasnow may have been correct in thinking that. 

Two starters, including major league winning leader and Cleveland pitcher Aaron Civale, are on the IL due to injuries. Civale has soreness in the middle finger on his pitching hand.

Atlanta’s Max Fried developed a blister on his left index finger. Fried’s injury is particularly telling.

When your shoes aren’t tight enough, you can develop blisters on your feet. We must assume that when Fried threw the baseball it slipped from his grip, which caused the blister to develop. 

Ah, okay. So that’s why Ben Zobrist left MLB

For the past two years almost every MLB fan has wondered why well-regarded Ben Zobrist hasn’t signed with a team. Now, we may know.

Zobrist is suing his pastor. Per the lawsuit, Zobrist’s former wife, singer Juliana Zobrist, had an affair with his former pastor. 

The former MLB player is seeking $6 million. Per the documents, Zobrist claims the pastor slept with his wife multiple times while Zobrist worked for the pastor’s charity.  

Trade rumors surround Padres and White Sox

Two top World Series contenders could be on the verge of making big trades. 

The White Sox are looking to trade for Arizona Diamondbacks’ player Eduardo Escobar to play in place of injured Nick Madrigal. The Padres may be hoping to acquire Texas Rangers’ slugger Joey Gallo.

Of the two moves, San Diego’s would help the most. The White Sox are in charge in the AL Central. The Padres are in a battle for first place in the NL West. 

Adding Gallo to a lineup that already has power could take San Diego over the edge. Keep your eyes peeled and ears open to see if either the White Sox or Padres are able to make their rumored trades before the deadline. 

MLB Baseball Betting News

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