The Progress-Index

Aug. 9, 2026, 10:04 a.m. ET The Houston Astros (60-58) and San Diego Padres (61-57) meet Sunday in the finale of their 3-game series. First pitch from Petco Park in San Diego, California, is set for 8:20 p.m. ET (NBC). Let's analyze MLB odds around the Astros vs. Padres odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets. Season series: Tied 1-1 The Astros opened the series up with a 6-3 win Friday, but the Padres bounced back to take the second game 3-2 Saturday.

Aug. 9, 2026, 7:09 a.m. ET The Tampa Bay Rays (70-46) and the Seattle Mariners (56-62) wrap up a 3-game series Sunday at T-Mobile Park in Seattle, Washington. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET. Let's analyze MLB odds around the Rays vs. Mariners odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets. Season series: Rays lead 4-1 After a 2-1 win Friday, the Rays (+126) picked up a 3-2 win in Saturday's game, clinching the series win regardless of Sunday's result.

Aug. 9, 2026, 6:46 a.m. ET The Los Angeles Dodgers (70-47) and the Arizona Diamondbacks (62-56) wrap up a 3-game set at Chase Field in Phoenix, Arizona, Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 4:10 p.m. ET. Let's analyze MLB odds around the Dodgers vs. Diamondbacks odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets. Season series: Tied 6-6 The Dodgers outlasted the Diamondbacks 2-1 in 10 innings, cashing as heavy favorites (-184) as the Under (8.5) hit.

Aug. 9, 2026, 4:31 a.m. ET The Cleveland Guardians (58-60) and the Chicago White Sox (60-56) wrap up a 3-game set at Rate Field in Chicago, Illinois, Sunday. First pitch is scheduled for 2:10 p.m. ET. Let's analyze MLB odds around the Guardians vs. White Sox odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets. Season series: White Sox lead 5-4 The Guardians collected 11 hits Saturday, but the White Sox (+116) posted the 6-3 victory as the Over (7.5) came through.

Aug. 9, 2026, 12:37 a.m. ET The Atlanta Braves (70-47) and New York Yankees (66-51) play the final game Sunday of a 3-game series in New York, New York. First pitch from Yankee Stadium is at 1:35 p.m. ET. Let's analyze MLB odds around the Braves vs. Yankees odds and make our expert MLB picks and predictions for the best bets. Season series: Yankees lead 2-0 The Yankees will go for the sweep Sunday after pulling out a 5-4 victory over the Braves Saturday.

Aug. 9, 2026, 12:00 a.m. ET Mattel is celebrating the iconic Whitney Houston with its newest Barbie. The company has launched a Barbie inspired by the late singer and actress, it announced on Aug. 9. The Houston doll is meant to recognize the star's "record-breaking career, legacy and timeless music that inspired generations of artists and continues to resonate with fans around the world," Mattel said in a news release. The launch coincides with Houston's birthday on Aug. 9.

The Powerball jackpot continues to grow, now reaching $856 million with a cash value of $370.7 million ahead of the Saturday, Aug. 8, drawing. Saturday’s drawing is also the eighth-largest jackpot in the history of the game. The jackpot has continued to grow after remaining unclaimed for more than three months.

Aug. 8, 2026, 5:46 p.m. ET Verizon customers are reporting problems with their wireless service on Saturday, Aug. 8, according to Downdetector, a website that tracks service outages based on user reports. As of about 5:25 p.m. ET, Downdetector showed 12,319 reports of Verizon problems within the last three hours, indicating a significant number of customers were experiencing service disruptions. The vast majority of reported problems involved mobile phone service.

A Minnesota woman who was hospitalized with sepsis after eating a Chipotle burrito bowl is suing the restaurant chain, alleging contaminated jalapeño peppers caused her salmonella infection, as part of a multistate outbreak that has sickened at least 345 people. Kristen Behne ate a chicken burrito bowl at a Chipotle restaurant in Roseville, Minnesota, on June 24, according to a lawsuit filed in U.S. District Court in Minnesota.

Aug. 8, 2026, 1:03 p.m. ET The drawing for this year's largest Powerball jackpot happens Saturday night. At an estimated $856 million, the jackpot is also the eighth-largest in Powerball history. The jackpot has grown over the past three months – the last Powerball jackpot won was on May 2 and valued at $20 million. The drawing is scheduled for 10:59 p.m. ET on Saturday.