Brandon Young flirted with a no-hitter into the eighth, only to have Ramón Urías break it up with an infield hit that turned into a throwing error, ending the bid and leaving Houston silent at Daikin Park as Baltimore rolled to a 7-0 win.

Young, in his 11th big-league start, rode a fastball up to 95 mph and a cutter, mixing in a curve, splitter and change to navigate a righty-heavy Houston lineup. He exited after eight innings with 93 pitches, six punch-outs and a 83.7 mph average exit velocity against 19 balls in play. Offensively, the Orioles rewarded him with 14 first-half balls in play that yielded timely hits, including Coby Mayo’s two-out homer in the fourth. The Astros’ bats were quiet, with minimal hard contact through six innings, and Valdez yielded four runs, keeping the door open briefly but Baltimore closed it late. Lance McCullers Jr. showed progress on a Sugar Land rehab, signaling depth moves for Houston as the series opened with a notable pitching duel turned one-sided in the Orioles’ favor.

Houston holds a 1.5-game edge atop the AL West as they open a three-game set against Baltimore at Daikin Park. Framber Valdez anchors the mound for Houston, while Brandon Young starts for Baltimore in a matchup that tilts heavily toward the Astros. The odds lean Houston on the Run Line at -1.5, with a juicy total around 7.5. A notable daily prop bets Carlos Correa to homer, leveraging Young’s season struggles and Correa’s post-deadline power surge. BetMGM promos add extra incentive for new players.

Three MLB home-run picks lead Friday’s slate: Bryce Harper at +400, Carlos Correa at +575, and Kerry Carpenter at +285. Harper faces lefty MacKenzie Gore, a matchup that amplifies Harper’s power upside given his strong left-handed splits. Correa targets Brandon Young, a struggling starter for Baltimore, while Carpenter tees off on Pierson Ohl, who’s yielded multiple homers this season. The bets come with BetMGM bonuses and a reminder that odds refresh and promos vary by state.

Harper’s lefty fever and Gore’s HR trend create a high-ceiling play for Friday’s game in D.C. Correa’s late-season heater adds upside for the Astros angle, especially with two homers since rejoining Houston. Carpenter holds Tigers’ best slugging mark and projects to see favorable power against Detroit’s opposing arm. Readers are advised to monitor the BetMGM SI1500 promo code and state limits as they build night-to-night DFS and betting lineups.

The Pohlad family will keep ownership of the Minnesota Twins, selling only minority stakes to two new groups and ending the long-sale saga without surrendering controlling power. Executive Chair Joe Pohlad emphasized alignment with the new partners and a shared belief in Minnesota baseball’s future, signaling continuity more than upheaval.

The news comes as the Twins navigate payroll realities and a rebuilding window. Balancing financial flexibility with on-field success remains the focus, and two minority investors are expected to unlock some of the team’s hidden profits while preserving main ownership for the Pohlad clan. Rocco Baldelli expressed surprise but reiterated a field-first mindset, while Byron Buxton and other players signaled that business changes won’t derail daily work toward a championship.

Fans reacted with mixed emotions as attendance trends and roster moves dominate conversations. The next steps include possible offseason payroll decisions and front-office levers, all under scrutiny from a skeptical yet passionate fan base. The overarching takeaway: ownership stability could pave the way for targeted, meaningful upgrades and a clearer path back to contention.