Orioles at Mariners Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 5

It's Thursday, June 5 and the Orioles (24-36) are in Seattle to take on the Mariners (32-28). Zach Eflin is slated to take the mound for Baltimore against Bryan Woo for Seattle.

Baltimore is on a five-game winning streak and are 8-2 over the last 10 games. The Orioles go for the sweep over the Mariners today after winning the past two days, 5-1 and 3-2. This is a season-high winning streak for Baltimore, while Seattle is 2-5 over the last seven games.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Orioles at Mariners

  • Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
  • Time: 3:40PM EST
  • Site: T-Mobile Park
  • City: Seattle, WA
  • Network/Streaming: MASN2, RSNW

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Orioles at the Mariners

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Orioles (+144), Mariners (-172)
  • Spread:  Mariners -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Orioles at Mariners

  • Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Zach Eflin vs. Bryan Woo
    • Orioles: Zach Eflin, (4-2, 4.46 ERA)
      Last outing: 7.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 6 Strikeouts
    • Mariners: Bryan Woo, (5-2, 2.82 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.2 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 3 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Orioles and the Mariners

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Orioles and the Mariners:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Seattle Mariners on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Orioles at Mariners

  • The Orioles have lost 12 of 20 games this season following a win
  • 5 of the Orioles' last 7 road matchups against the Mariners have stayed under the Total
  • It has been 7 games since the Mariners last covered the Run Line

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Phillies at Blue Jays Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 5

Its Thursday, June 5 and the Phillies (37-24) are in Toronto to take on the Blue Jays (32-29).

Jesús Luzardo is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Chris Bassitt for Toronto.

The Jays evened the series at one game apiece with a 2-1 win last night. Alejandro Kirk singled to center in the bottom of the ninth and drove in Vlad Guerrero Jr. with the winning run.

Lets dive into today's matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Phillies at Blue Jays

  • Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
  • Time: 3:07PM EST
  • Site: Rogers Centre
  • City: Toronto, ON
  • Network/Streaming: NBCSP, Sportsnet

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Phillies at the Blue Jays

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Phillies (-125), Blue Jays (+105)
  • Spread:  Phillies -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Blue Jays

  • Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Jesús Luzardo vs. Chris Bassitt
    • Phillies: Jesús Luzardo (5-1, 3.58 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/31 vs. Milwaukee - 3.1IP, 12ER, 12H, 3BB, 4Ks
    • Blue Jays: Chris Bassitt (5-3, 3.80 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/30 vs. A's - 5.0IP, 5ER, 7H, 2BB, 6Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Phillies at Blue Jays

  • The Phillies have won 4 of their last 5 games against AL East teams
  • Blue Jays' pitcher Chris Bassitt has an ERA of 3.81 this season
  • The Blue Jays have covered in 4 of their last 5 games with Chris Bassitt as starting pitcher to return 3.31 units
  • George Springer is 1-9 through 3 games in June

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for today’s game between the Phillies and the Blue Jays

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Phillies and the Blue Jays:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia Phillies on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Toronto Blue Jays at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Royals at Cardinals Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for June 5

It's Thursday, June 5, and the Royals (32-29) are in St. Louis to take on the Cardinals (33-27). Cole Ragans is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Matthew Liberatore for St. Louis.

Yesterday's matchup between the two was postponed due to inclement weather in the area. Today will be a doubleheader.

The Royals need to get something going in this series. They are in fourth place in the AL Central and 8.0 games back from the first-place Detroit Tigers. They have lost six of their last 10 and hope to build on their 10-7 Tuesday win.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Royals at Cardinals

  • Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
  • Time: 7:45PM EST
  • Site: Busch Stadium
  • City: St. Louis, MO
  • Network/Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network Midwest, FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Royals at the Cardinals

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Royals (-102), Cardinals (-117)
  • Spread:  Cardinals 1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Cardinals

  • Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Cole Ragans vs. Matthew Liberatore
    • Royals: Cole Ragans, (2-3, 4.53 ERA)
      Last outing (St. Louis Cardinals, 5/16): 5.0 Innings Pitched, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts
    • Cardinals: Matthew Liberatore, (3-4, 3.08 ERA)
      Last outing (Texas Rangers, 5/30): 5.0 Innings Pitched, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Cardinals

  • The Cardinals are 6-4 in their last 10 games
  • Each of the Royals' last 3 games at the Cardinals have gone over the Total
  • The Royals have covered the Run Line in 10 of their last 12 road games against the Cardinals

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Royals and the Cardinals

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread, and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information, and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Royals and the Cardinals:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the St. Louis Cardinals on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Kansas City Royals at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

ICYMI in Mets Land: Juan Soto is shuffling again; Mark Vientos injury update

Here's what happened in Mets Land on Wednesday, in case you missed it...


Tigers at White Sox Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 5

Its Thursday, June 5 and the Tigers (41-22) are in Chicago to take on the White Sox (19-43).

Casey Mize is slated to take the mound for Detroit against Sean Burke for Chicago.

The Tigers have won two of the first three games of this series following last night's 5-4 win. Riley Greene went 3-5 and drove in two runs as Detroit won their 41st game of the season. Chase Meidroth went 3-4 in the loss for the Sox.

Lets dive into this afternoon's matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Tigers at White Sox

  • Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
  • Time: 2:10PM EST
  • Site: Rate Field
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNDT, CHSN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Tigers at the White Sox

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Tigers (-218), White Sox (+180)
  • Spread:  Tigers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at White Sox

  • Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Casey Mize vs. Sean Burke
    • Tigers: Casey Mize (6-1, 2.82 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/30 at Kansas City - 3.1IP, 3ER, 8H, 2BB, 4Ks
    • White Sox: Sean Burke (3-6, 4.20 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/30 at Baltimore - 6IP, 2ER, 5H, 1BB, 6Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Tigers at White Sox

  • The Tigers have won 4 of their last 5 series
  • Each of the White Sox's last 3 home games against the Tigers have gone over the Total
  • The White Sox are showing a profit of 2.22 units on the Run Line in their last 5 games at Rate Field
  • Riley Greene is enjoying a modest 4-game hitting streak with 8 hits in 16ABs (.500) in June

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Tigers and the White Sox

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Tigers and the White Sox:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Detroit Tigers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Padres at Giants prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for June 5

It's Thursday, June 5 and the Padres (35-25) are in San Francisco to take on the Giants (34-28). Dylan Cease is slated to take the mound for San Diego against Robbie Ray for San Francisco.

The Padres had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 6-5 loss to the Giants yesterday. San Diego took the first meeting, so this will be the rubber match between the two featuring two of the best pitchers they have to offer.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Padres at Giants

  • Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
  • Time: 3:45PM EST
  • Site: Oracle Park
  • City: San Francisco, CA
  • Network/Streaming: SDPA, NBCSBA

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Padres at the Giants

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Padres (+106), Giants (-126)
  • Spread:  Giants -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Giants

  • Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Dylan Cease vs. Robbie Ray
    • Padres: Dylan Cease, (1-4, 4.67 ERA)
      Last outing: 4.2 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 6 Strikeouts
    • Giants: Robbie Ray, (7-1, 2.43 ERA)
      Last outing: 7.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 9 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Padres and the Giants

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Padres and the Giants:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the San Francisco Giants on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the San Diego Padres at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Padres at Giants

  • The Giants have won 12 of their last 20 home games
  • The Under is 4-1 in the Giants' last 5 games
  • The Giants are 10-2 in Ray's 12 starts, but 1-2 in the last three games

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Royals at Cardinals Game 2 prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for June 5

Its Thursday, June 5 and the Royals (32-29) are in St. Louis to take on the Cardinals (33-27) for a doubleheader following last night's rainout.

Cole Ragans is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Matthew Liberatore for St. Louis in Game 2.

The series opened Tuesday with a 10-7 Royals' win. Bobby Witt Jr. drove in four to pace the offense which overcame an awful start from Michael Lorenzen who allowed seven runs in just 2.2 innings.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Royals at Cardinals - Game 2

  • Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
  • Time: 7:45PM EST
  • Site: Busch Stadium
  • City: St. Louis, MO
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNKC, FDSNMW

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Royals at the Cardinals - Game 2

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Royals (-102), Cardinals (-117)
  • Spread:  Cardinals 1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Cardinals - Game 2

  • Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Cole Ragans vs. Matthew Liberatore
    • Royals: Cole Ragans (2-3, 4.53 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/16 vs. St. Louis - 5IP, 4ER, 5H, 0BB, 7Ks
    • Cardinals: Matthew Liberatore (3-4, 3.08 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/30 at Texas - 5IP, 4ER, 7H, 1BB, 5Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Cardinals - Game 2

  • The Cardinals are showing a 129% return on investment at home on the Money Line
  • Each of the Royals' last 3 games in St. Louis have gone over the Total
  • The Royals have covered the Run Line in 10 of their last 12 road games against the Cardinals
  • Bobby Witt Jr. is 3-8 to open June after closing May with just 2 hits in his final 18 ABs

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Royals and the Cardinals

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's Game 2 between the Royals and the Cardinals:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the St. Louis Cardinals on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Kansas City Royals at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Mets at Dodgers Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 5

It's Thursday, June 5 and the Mets (39-23) are in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers (37-25). David Peterson is slated to take the mound for New York against Landon Knack for Los Angeles.

The Mets earned another victory over the Dodgers yesterday, 6-1, giving New York the season edge 4-2 with today being the final matchup. New York is 5-1 over the last six games and 9-2 in the past 11 outings.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Mets at Dodgers

  • Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
  • Time: 4:10PM EST
  • Site: Dodger Stadium
  • City: Los Angeles, CA
  • Network/Streaming: SNY, SNLA, MLBN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Mets at the Dodgers

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Mets (+106), Dodgers (-124)
  • Spread:  Dodgers -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Mets at Dodgers

  • Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: David Peterson vs. Landon Knack
    • Mets: David Peterson, (4-2, 2.69 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.2 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 5 Strikeouts
    • Dodgers: Landon Knack, (3-2, 4.59 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Mets and the Dodgers

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Mets and the Dodgers:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Mets at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Mets at Dodgers

  • The Mets have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against NL West teams
  • The Under is 4-1 in the Dodgers' last 5 matchups against National League teams
  • The Dodgers have failed to cover the Run Line in 5 of their last 7 games

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Royals at Cardinals Game 1 prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for June 5

Its Thursday, June 5 and the Royals (32-29) are in St. Louis to take on the Cardinals (33-27) in a day/night doubleheader following yesterday's rainout.

Let's talk about Game 1. Noah Cameron is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Miles Mikolas for St. Louis.

The Royals opened the series with a 10-7 win. The ten runs were the most KC scored since a 10-0 win on May 8. Savor the moment Royals' fans as this is a team that is the third-worst in baseball producing only 204 runs on the season. Only Colorado and Pittsburgh have scored fewer runs.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Royals at Cardinals - Game 1

  • Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
  • Time: 1:45PM EST
  • Site: Busch Stadium
  • City: St. Louis, MO
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNKC, FDSNMW

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Royals at the Cardinals - Game 1

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Royals (+110), Cardinals (-131)
  • Spread:  Cardinals -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Cardinals - Game 1

  • Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Noah Cameron vs. Miles Mikolas
    • Royals: Noah Cameron (2-1, 1.05 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/28 vs. Cincinnati - 6.1IP, 1ER, 6H, 2BB, 2Ks
    • Cardinals: Miles Mikolas (4-2, 3.90 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/28 at Baltimore - 4IP, 4ER, 9H, 0BB, 3Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Cardinals - Game 1

  • Willson Contreras is riding a modest 4-game hitting streak (4-15)
  • Salvador Perez is 4-9 to open June
  • St. Louis is 6-4 over their last 10 games to keep pace in the NL Central sitting 4.5 games behind the Cubs
  • Kansas City is 4-6 over their last 10 games to drop 8 games behind Detroit in the AL Central

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for today’s Game 1 between the Royals and the Cardinals

Rotoworld Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Royals and the Cardinals:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the St. Louis Cardinals on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the St. Louis Cardinals at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

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  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
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Astros at Pirates Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for June 5

It's Thursday, June 5 and the Astros (33-28) are in Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates (23-39). Framber Valdez is slated to take the mound for Houston against Mitch Keller for Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh took Game 2, 3-0 yesterday, a day after Houston won 3-0 in Game 1, so the series is split. The Pirates are going for the seventh two-game winning steak of the season today (tied for longest of the season).

Houston has won five straight starts with Valdez on the mound. He is coming off a complete game performance that earned him the win over the Rays (3 hits, 1 ER).

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Astros at Pirates

  • Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
  • Time: 6:40PM EST
  • Site: PNC Park
  • City: Pittsburgh, PA
  • Network/Streaming: SCHN, SNP

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Astros at the Pirates

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Astros (-161), Pirates (+135)
  • Spread:  Astros -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Astros at Pirates

  • Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Framber Valdez vs. Mitch Keller
    • Astros: Framber Valdez, (5-4, 3.12 ERA)
      Last outing: 9.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 9 Strikeouts
    • Pirates: Mitch Keller, (1-7, 3.73 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 1 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Astros and the Pirates

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Astros and the Pirates:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Houston Astros on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Pittsburgh Pirates at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Astros at Pirates

  • The Astros have won 7 of their last 10 games
  • With Mitch Keller as the opener 4 of the Pirates' last 5 games have gone under the Total
  • The Astros are 5-0 in the last five Valdez starts

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

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  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Diamondbacks at Braves Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 5

Its Thursday, June 5 and the Diamondbacks (30-31) are in Atlanta to take on the Braves (27-33).

Brandon Pfaadt is slated to take the mound for Arizona against Grant Holmes for Atlanta.

Arizona made it two in a row over Atlanta with a 2-1 win last night. Merrill Kelly won his sixth game of the season with seven shutout innings. Ketel Marte and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. accounted for the Diamondbacks' offense with an RBI each.

Lets dive into today's series finale and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Diamondbacks at Braves

  • Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
  • Time: 12:15PM EST
  • Site: Truist Park
  • City: Atlanta, GA
  • Network/Streaming: ARID, FDSNSO, MLBN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Diamondbacks at the Braves

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Diamondbacks (+117), Braves (-138)
  • Spread:  Braves -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Diamondbacks at Braves

  • Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Brandon Pfaadt vs. Grant Holmes
    • Diamondbacks: Brandon Pfaadt (7-4, 5.05 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/31 vs. Washington - 0IP, 8ER, 6H, 0BB, 0Ks
    • Braves: Grant Holmes (3-4, 3.78 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/30 vs. Boston - 5.2IP, 3ER, 6H, 1BB, 9Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Diamondbacks at Braves

  • NL West teams have won 5 of their last 6 matchups against NL East sides
  • Yesterday's game went under the Game Total snapping a streak of 4-straight overs in games between the Braves and the Diamondbacks
  • The Diamondbacks have covered the Run Line in 4 straight road games
  • Austin Riley has at least 1 hit in 8 of his last 10GP (10-39)
  • Josh Naylor is 0-11 to open June after closing May on a 9-game hitting streak (13-37)

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for today’s game between the Diamondbacks and the Braves

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Diamondbacks and the Braves:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Arizona Diamondbacks at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total under 9.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Will Dodgers' pitching get healthy? Why team remains confident amid familiar uncertainties

LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 4, 2025: Los Angeles Dodgers Shohei Ohtani (17) pitches in the bullpen before the game against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium on June 4, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani pitches in the bullpen before Wednesday's game against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani has continued to build up his arm strength with weekly live batting practices. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The Dodgers’ biggest question this season is an eerily familiar one.

Will their pitching ever get back to full (or at least, significantly improved) health? And will it be as productive as expected if or when that happens?

To this point, the team remains confident on both fronts.

Injured starters Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki are all in throwing progressions. Two-way star Shohei Ohtani is continuing to build up his arm through weekly live batting practices, and Emmet Sheehan is on a rehab assignment with triple-A Oklahoma City. And a whole litany of relievers are also expected back at some point, with Kirby Yates and Michael Kopech likely to return this weekend, and Blake Treinen and Brusdar Graterol possibilities over the coming couple of months.

Read more:Hernández: Can Clayton Kershaw contribute to Dodgers' title chase? 'I'm gonna bet on him'

Still, as this last week has epitomized, there is an ever-present lack of certainty hanging over the state of the staff as well, with the recovery of any injured pitcher seemingly liable to shift at any moment.

“I’m very confident we’re going to get them all back,” manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday. “I just don’t know when.”

This week, Glasnow became the latest example of that unpredictable dynamic.

On Monday, Roberts offered a seemingly troublesome update on the oft-injured right-hander. After Glasnow had thrown one bullpen session a week and a half earlier, a bout of back tightness had kept him from throwing off a mound again since.

“There was one ‘pen and, then [his] body didn't respond,” Roberts said. “So we're trying to figure out when we can ramp him back up.”

On Tuesday, however, Glasnow presented a more optimistic version of events. Yes, his back became “a little tight” after his initial bullpen session, he said. But he described the resulting pause in his throwing progression as nothing more than a “precaution,” adding that he plans to resume throwing bullpens in the coming week.

“I feel totally fine, totally normal,” said Glasnow, who initially went on the injured list in April because of shoulder inflammation. “My shoulder’s totally fine. That issue, I haven’t felt since I started throwing. It was fine. [The back tightness] really was just, I think, a precaution. I felt totally fine. I’m good to go.”

During his time on the IL, Glasnow believes he found a middle ground between the pitching mechanics he had last year (when his season ended early with elbow tendinitis) and the changes he made over the winter (which he felt contributed to his more recent shoulder issue).

Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki watches a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks from the dugout at Dodger Stadium.
Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki watches a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks from the dugout at Dodger Stadium on May 21. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

“Trying to meld a best-of-both worlds situation,” he said. “But right now, I feel really, really good mechanics-wise, to just be athletic and throw. It’s enabled me to just be myself more now.”

And though he is still weeks, if not a month or more, away from being activated, Glasnow said he’s confident about having enough time over the second half of the season to rediscover a rhythm ahead of the playoffs.

“I’m trying to get back as soon as I can,” Glasnow said. “But we’re on the same wavelength of, ‘Let’s get you back out as healthy as possible as soon as possible, in a healthy way.’”

Snell, who has also been out since early April because of shoulder trouble, has endured his own stop-and-start recovery process.

After first going on the injured list two starts into the season — because of shoulder pain that he later said had been bothering him since spring training — Snell started to ramp up a few weeks later, progressing to a bullpen session on April 19.

His shoulder, however, didn’t respond well in the days following that step. Thus, he was shut down from throwing again, and received an injection to help alleviate his lingering discomfort.

Since then, Snell has been on a more methodical throwing plan. Recently, his shoulder has finally started to feel normal. And, like Glasnow, he is hoping to begin throwing bullpens once more over the next week.

“I can’t wait [to get back],” Snell told AM 570 last weekend. “Having to wait, it sucks. It’s a long process. But I’m gonna go slow. I’m gonna make sure I’m ready. So when I start pitching, I can get going and do my thing.”

This remains the Dodgers’ company line with most of their injured arms — the team wanting to purposely take their progressions slowly in the short term, to ensure they are available in the long run later this year.

“As far as return to play, there’s certainly a cautiousness to it,” Roberts said. “Because as you start getting into the middle of the year, then any setback could be detrimental for the rest of the season.”

In the meantime, uncertainty on the mound — where the Dodgers currently rank 22nd in the majors with a 4.10 team ERA — will continue to loom.

There is always the threat of setbacks; like what happened with Evan Phillips, who underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery Wednesday for an injury that was initially expected to sideline him for only two weeks.

And even once pitchers do come back, their levels of performance are subject to variance. That’s been the case recently with Kopech, who struggled so much during a rehab stint in Oklahoma City (where he gave up 11 runs and 11 walks in 6 ⅓ innings) that the Dodgers had him throw a live batting practice session in front of their big league coaching staff Wednesday to help him work through some mechanical adjustments.

“The stuff was good,” Roberts said of Kopech, out since the start of the year because of a shoulder impingement. “Just curious to see what the pitching guys and the training staff feel, and what he thinks of how he felt today. And we’ll kind of move forward after that.”

Yates, who has not required a rehab stint recovering from a hamstring strain, also threw live BP on Wednesday.

“We’ll see how they feel tomorrow,” Roberts said. “And then I think we’ll have a much better decision on this weekend for both guys.”

The good news for the Dodgers is that they do have depth. They don’t need every one of their injured pitchers to return to health and previous form. Even if only half of the arms currently on the IL get back to where they were before, they could still have a pitching staff capable of contending for another World Series title.

Read more:Max Muncy, Tanner Scott get some redemption in Dodgers' win over Mets

Because of that, it seems unlikely they’ll make overly aggressive moves on the trade market leading up to the July 31 deadline. They could use another right-handed reliever to replace Phillips but might be wary of a high-cost splash for a front-line starter (especially after doling out more than half a billion dollars the last two winters to Glasnow, Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto).

For now, they continue to trust that pitchers such as Snell, Glasnow and Ohtani will be impact contributors for the stretch run of the season. They are confident that Sasaki (who has continued regular catch play while battling his own shoulder issue), Sheehan and Graterol will give them more pitching coverage as well.

But until then, they will nonetheless face a precariously familiar situation: hoping enough injured pitchers are able to regain health over the course of the season, and that more unforeseen setbacks won’t continue to leave them shorthanded on the mound.

“I think we’re very confident that we’re going to get the guys we’re talking about back,” Roberts said. “Then once we get them back, we got to make sure we keep them back too.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Yankees Build a Better Team After Losing Out on Juan Soto

Sometimes, as the saying goes, the best deals are the ones you don’t make.

It’s a small sample size and very early in the process, but so far, the New York Yankees are fortunate to have not signed Juan Soto. Soto chose the New York Mets for a 15-year, $765 million contract, shunning an offer to return to the Yankees for 16 years, $760 million.

No question the Yanks wanted to keep Soto. They went to the World Series last fall for the first time since 2009 with Soto hitting ahead of Aaron Judge in the lineup, but lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. When Soto then became a free agent and signed with Mets, the Yankees pivoted and spent a portion of that money elsewhere, signing Max Fried and Paul Goldschmidt as free agents and trading for Cody Bellinger and Devin Williams for a projected outlay of $283 million.

The team they built is running away with the American League East at a fraction of the long-term cost of a deal with Soto. They lead the fourth-place Boston Red Sox by nine games already and are playing them for the first time in 2025 this weekend at Yankee Stadium.

Soto is batting .232 with 11 homers, 31 RBIs and an .802 OPS so far this season; he will get better and is doing so already with three homers in his last five games through Wednesday night. Judge, playing without him, is having another monster season as the Mets have been jockeying for first place in the National League East with the Philadelphia Phillies. Judge’s OPS: 1.237.

Thus far, advantage Yankees.

“It seems that way now,” David Cone, the former Yankees pitcher and currently ESPN and Yes Network color analyst, said in an interview this past weekend at Dodger Stadium. “Ten years from now we’ll make that judgment, but this year, the first half of the season? Absolutely.”

For the Yanks, of course, this is a very short-term snapshot. Fried is signed for eight years, $218 million. But he has his own history of left arm problems, including Tommy John ligament replacement surgery that caused him to miss 2015 as a prospect with the San Diego Padres and a forearm issue that cost a month last season with the Atlanta Braves.

Bellinger ($26.7 million), Goldschmidt ($12.5 million) and Williams ($8.6 million) can all walk away after this season. Goldschmidt and Williams are unrestricted free agents on one-year deals. Bellinger has the second of two player options his agent Scott Boras threaded into the three-year, $80 million deal he signed in 2024 with the Chicago Cubs. Bellinger is the fourth highest-paid player this season on the team behind Judge ($40 million), Fried ($27.3 million) and Carlos Rodon ($27 million).

Those potential departures give the Yankees some maneuverability next offseason in the free agent market and financial room this year to upgrade at the July 31 trade deadline.

The Yankees have the third-highest payroll in Major League Baseball for luxury tax purposes at $310.9 million, according to Spotrac, and the team is putting on a master class in short-term roster construction under today’s collectively-bargained system. The Yanks spent $74.6 million on Fried, Bellinger, Goldschmidt and Williams, while Soto is earning $61.2 million alone from the Mets for luxury tax purposes.

“They’ve done very well with the money they spent this year, no question about it,” Cone said. “The Yankees are much more well-rounded defensively. [Former Yanks, Mets and current A’s pitcher] Luis Severino said the Yankees last year were a team with only two hitters: Judge and Soto. They’ve caught up with the Dodgers offensively and depth-wise.”

Fried wouldn’t be in New York had Soto chosen the Yankees.

At the time, the contract conversations with both players were occurring on concurrent tracks. Fried was New York’s second choice. It was universally considered that Fried wanted to play where he grew up, in the Los Angeles area. But he also let it be known to the Yanks he was very much in favor of playing in the Bronx.

“Mostly I had a bunch of meetings, but before making a decision, I was just waiting for Soto to sign,” Fried said this past weekend at Dodger Stadium.

Soto announced his decision on Dec. 8 at the Winter Meetings in Dallas and two days later Fried signed with the Yankees. The dominoes then started to fall. On Dec. 13 Williams was obtained in a trade with Milwaukee and Bellinger came over from the Cubs four days later. Goldschmidt was the last to sign on Dec. 30.

With that the Yankees closed shop for the offseason.

While Williams has struggled at times in his back of the bullpen role, the other three have exceeded expectations. Fried, for one, replaced the injured Gerrit Cole and opened 7-0 with a 1.28 ERA before losing to the Dodgers this past Friday.

His experience pitching at Yankee Stadium has exceeded his expectations.

“I love it,” Fried said. “I’m very happy with where I’m at. Everything happened for a reason. I’m just happy I’m here with the Yankees.”

The Yankees are happy to have him. In this case, sometimes the best deals are the ones you make.

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Posey learning patience is key for Giants as he eyes trade deadline

Posey learning patience is key for Giants as he eyes trade deadline originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — During his playing days, Buster Posey always found himself fascinated by the action leading up to the MLB trade deadline, and it’s easy to see why that was the case. Posey’s first few seasons were marked by flurries of activity at the end of July.

In 2011, his first full Giants season, Brian Sabean tried to fill the void left by Posey’s leg injury by dealing Zack Wheeler for Carlos Beltran. A year later, Posey won a title because Sabean went out and got Hunter Pence and Marco “Blockbuster” Scutaro at the deadline. The 2013 deadline might have been the most interesting of all; Sabean stubbornly stood pat, holding pending free agents Pence, Tim Lincecum and Javier Lopez because he found the offers to be insulting and thought all three could help the Giants win again in 2014. They did.

A couple years later, Posey watched the clubhouse try and make sense of the Matt Duffy-Matt Moore swap. In his final big league season, Kris Bryant arrived to try and lead an aging group to one more title. 

Posey experienced just about every type of approach over his 12 big league seasons, but he’s now the man in charge, and that brings a different set of emotions. He smiled this week and said this trade deadline will be a lot more stressful, but he’s also excited to tackle it. He cannot guarantee that he’ll be able to make a splash, but that’s the goal, at least, in large part because the Giants have the type of pitching that can carry you through October. 

“I think there’s pressure to put this team in a position to win ball games, because, as you mentioned, the pitching staff is really good and I believe that that’s going to continue through the year,” he said on Thursday’s “Giants Talk” podcast. “Yeah, I think there’s urgency from everybody to provide these guys with run support.”

There’s just one problem right now: It’s June 5. 

In 2012, Pence arrived from Philadelphia on deadline day. Scutaro was picked up four days earlier, on July 27. The Moore trade happened just minutes before the deadline in 2016, and the Bryant deal was such a last-minute scramble that a team official raced around the ballpark at one point to try and find Joey Bart and let him know he wasn’t in it. 

As he chatted with beat writers on Tuesday, a day before making three roster moves, Posey said he has found in recent weeks that “we’re at a strange point of the season as far as other teams’ willingness to make trades.”

With the addition of the third wild-card spot, executives generally aren’t ready to make moves in June. And if they do have a big piece to sell, they know they might do better by waiting until the deadline when they can get a true bidding war going.

This year’s market is complicated by the fact that the upcoming free-agent class is considered weak. In a deadline preview for ESPN, Jeff Passan wrote that there “is no obvious best player available” and executives believe there won’t be a lot of top-end talent changing teams. 

The available pool always changes the closer you get to July 31. But there’s nothing Posey can do about the calendar. 

“I think it’s a real thing. It’s the nature of markets, right?” he said. “There’s going to be more of an urgency the closer you get to whatever the deadline is. I was talking to the coaches today — and they’ve done such a great job with the group and just relaying the message, and it’s one that they do already, but we’ve got to go with what we’ve got here.

“There’s never any certainty. I do know this, even though this is my first year doing this, there’s never any certainty that you’re going to be able to improve even if you wanted to. We can’t sit around and wait for somebody to come in via trade. We’ve got to go out and get the job done with this group.”

Posey mixed things up Wednesday by adding Dominic Smith, Andrew Knizner and Daniel Johnson to the roster, but all three are veterans who were in Triple-A. The Giants will have to wait until much closer to the July 31 deadline to gain true traction in trade talks, but they should at least be in a good position to negotiate with any team ready to sell.

There are few things more valuable than controllable starting pitching, and the Giants have plenty of it. They have three young starters in their rotation right now, and top prospect Carson Whisenhunt leads a talented Triple-A rotation. The Giants also have more than enough bullpen depth to deal a reliever or two and not take a step backwards.

This year’s deadline is July 31, giving Posey, general manager Zack Minasian and the rest of the front office two months to keep surveying the market. It’s not even close to the time when the calls really pick up, but Posey said the front office continues to explore all options. 

“I believe in consistency. I think that that’s a positive, to have a consistent roster,” he said. “But it’s almost negligence if you’re not at least looking.”

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Mets' Pete Alonso recapturing early-season success after two-homer game vs. Dodgers

Remember when Pete Alonso had a 16-game, career-long 65 at-bat, homerless streak?

Since he recovered from his power outage in the Mets' series finale against the Dodgers at Citi Field on May 25, the slugging first baseman has hit four more bombs over his next nine games, including two in Wednesday's 6-1 win over these same Dodgers in Los Angeles.

"Two good shots. Two-run homer in the first inning to set the tone, added on late to put the game away," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game. "Was good to see."

After a tough extra-inning loss on Tuesday, Alonso got things going with a 392-foot blast off of Tony Gonsolin that gave the Mets a 3-0 lead. While that was more than enough for Griffin Canning and the Mets bullpen, Alonso's 447-foot three-run shot in the eighth put away any doubts of the eventual result.

"It was a great team win," Alonso said of the win. "Griffin executed all his pitches, sequenced well, [Jose] Castillo did a great job, [Ryne Stanek] did a good job holding it down. Pitching staff was nasty tonight and gave us a chance to put up runs on the board as an offense. Big time from those guys. Glad to get this one, but we’ve got a big one tomorrow." 

Alonso's two jacks put him at 240 for his career, 12 behind Darryl Strawberry's all-time Mets record. Alonso also tied Strawberry for 22 multi-homer games in his Mets career with his performance on Wednesday.

And while the slugger continues to move up Mets history books, Alonso is only worried about what it meant to the team and the win.

"Felt good, but for me, I was more excited to grab some insurance runs," Alonso said of his homers. "That’s a very high-octane offense over there. Those insurance runs are big for us, and gives our pitching staff a breather. From the circumstances of the game and the series, we’re just happy to come through as a team."

While Alonso came through for the team on Wednesday, there was that stretch where he wasn't. After getting out to a scorching start, slashing .358/.483/.684 with seven home runs in March/April, Alonso had a rough May. He hit just .234 in May and smashed just four homers but since that series against the Dodgers at the end of the month, Alonso has turned his offensive game around.

He's had just one hitless game over his last 11 games and has driven in 15 runs over that span.

“I just feel consistent. I feel like myself," Alonso said. "I've felt like myself the entire year so far. Pitch to pitch and AB to AB. That's all I'm trying to do. Trying to be the same guy every day."

Mendoza said that up-and-down output is just a part of the long baseball season but is encouraged by what he's seeing from Alonso.

"Part of the grind. When you’re playing 162 you’re going to go through stretches where they are going to make you chase and you have to make adjustment and that’s what he did," Mendoza said. "That’s what makes him a great hitter, his ability to adjust. Earlier in the season, he wasn’t missing pitches, he wasn't chasing and then he went through a stretch where they made him chase. And now he’s back to that hitter we saw in the beginning and when he’s doing that, he’s pretty dangerous."