Misiorowski's 103.6mph Heater, Snell's Return, and a Cubs-Reds Power Shift: What It All Means for Tonight's Lines

Per MLBTR's Mark Polishuk, Saturday's MLB slate arrives on the back of a wild Friday that featured a historic home run streak, a record-breaking velocity performance, and a long-awaited pitching return in Los Angeles. Any one of those stories would move a line. Together, they reshape how you should be approaching today's card.

Start with Jacob Misiorowski, because what the Brewers right-hander did against the Yankees on Friday night isn't just highlight-reel material — it's a legitimate betting signal going forward. Misiorowski struck out 11, allowed two hits, and threw 10 pitches at or above 103mph. Three of those clocked at 103.6mph, the fastest pitches ever recorded by Statcast since the system launched in 2008. He now owns 11 of the 14 fastest pitches in the Statcast era. The Yankees — a lineup that's supposed to punish power arms — were completely neutralized. Brewers win 6-0. Today's follow-up starts Cam Schlittler (NYY) against Kyle Harrison (MIL), and while neither brings Misiorowski's ceiling, the Brewers' pitching momentum and the Yankees' recent struggles against elite velocity deserve serious weight.

In the NL Central, the Cubs have quietly turned a one-game April deficit against Cincinnati into a full-blown rout. Chicago swept the Reds in four games, then rolled Texas 7-1 for their 10th straight win. The Reds, meanwhile, have lost eight consecutive games, including a 10-0 shellacking at Houston on Friday. Cincinnati is now sitting in last place at 20-19 despite the NL Central being the only division where every team is above .500 — which tells you how fast the Reds have collapsed. This is no longer a close race at the top.

The most consequential pitching news for tonight: Blake Snell makes his 2026 debut for the Dodgers against the Braves, two NL division leaders colliding with enormous stakes. Snell has been sidelined all season with shoulder fatigue, so there's a meaningful workload ceiling to monitor — don't expect six-plus innings in a first activation. Tyler Glasnow landing on the 15-day IL with lower back spasms forced the Dodgers' hand, though Dave Roberts indicated the team was being cautious rather than managing anything structurally serious. Still, Glasnow is out, and Snell is rusty.

For tonight's Dodgers-Braves matchup, Snell's strikeout prop is the most compelling number on the board — but lean toward the under given his layoff and the likelihood that L.A. caps his pitch count somewhere in the 70-80 range. On the Brewers side, if Misiorowski's line carries even half Friday's juice, his next scheduled start becomes an immediate target for strikeout-prop value. As for Munetaka Murakami — his 15th homer in Friday's 12-8 White Sox loss to Seattle made him the first player in history to homer in eight straight series-opening games, breaking Eddie Murray's record of seven. On a team that's being outscored routinely, Murakami's HR prop is one of the few Chicago bets worth entertaining long-term.