Author: MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

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How Wilyer Abreu is making history with hot start for Red Sox

How Wilyer Abreu is making history with hot start for Red Sox originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox have found their groove at Fenway Park after a tough start to the 2025 MLB season on the road. The American League East club has won five consecutive games, including a weekend sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals.

A lot of players deserve credit for Boston’s resurgence, but Wilyer Abreu has made the largest impact both at the plate and in the field.

Abreu has been one of baseball’s best players so far this season, and his excellent performance started right from the jump when he smashed two home runs in an Opening Day win over the Rangers in Texas.

He’s been red-hot at the plate ever since, leading the American League with a .483 batting average, in addition to hitting three home runs with 12 RBI with a .595 on-base percentage. He ranks top three among AL players in several notable stats.

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Abreu also has made history with his awesome start to the year, joining Hall of Famers Babe Ruth, Ty Cobb and Lou Gehrig as the only left-handed batters in AL history to tally at least 14 hits, three homers, 12 RBI, 10 runs scored and eight walks in the first 10 games of a season.

Abreu didn’t start the first game of Sunday’s doubleheader against the Cardinals, but he ended it with a walk-off single in the 10th inning.

He flashed his defensive brilliance in the second game Sunday. This throw was pretty much perfect:

Abreu was acquired as part of the Christian Vazquez deal with the Houston Astros before the 2022 MLB trade deadline. He made his Red Sox debut in 2023 and played his first full season in Boston last year. Abreu won a 2024 American League Gold Glove Award for his stellar defense in right field.

The expectation for Abreu coming into this season was he that would continue to make strides at the plate, and he’s certainly done that through 10 games. His whiff percentage has been cut in half from 29.5 in 2024 to 14.5 this year, per Baseball Savant. He’s also swinging at fewer bad pitches. His chase percentage is 13.6, far below his career average of 27. He’s batting .667 on breaking balls, compared to a .202 average on the same pitches last season. He’s striking out a lot less often, too.

The real question is whether Abreu can play anywhere near this pace for a full season. A regression is coming. He’s obviously not going to bat over .400, but can he hit over .300 for the first time in his major league career? Can he reach 20-25 homers after hitting a career-high 15 last season? Will his improved plate discipline continue the trend of fewer strikeouts and more walks?

Opponents will start to pitch him differently, and the longer he keeps playing at a high level, the more pressure he’ll be under. But Abreu has improved each season he’s played in Boston, and playing in a very strong lineup should help him.

There have been a lot of positives for the Red Sox this season. Kristian Campbell looks like the top AL Rookie of the Year candidate. Garrett Crochet looks like a real ace. Alex Bregman leads the AL with 15 hits.

But Abreu’s start is the most notable of all. He’s a potential star in the making at just 25 years old.

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Duran reveals suicide attempt amid mental health struggles in 2022

Duran reveals suicide attempt amid mental health struggles in 2022 originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

In a revealing interview for Netflix’s “The Clubhouse: A Year With the Red Sox” docuseries, All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran opened up about the darkest period of his life.

In Episode 4, titled Still Alive, Duran shared his mental health struggles during the early, disappointing stretch of his MLB career. The 28-year-old said the feeling that he had let himself and others down drove him to attempt suicide during the 2022 season.

“I was already hearing it from fans,” Duran said. “And what they said to me, (it was like), ‘I’ve told myself 10 times worse in the mirror.’ That was a really tough time for me. I didn’t even want to be here anymore.

“I got to a point where I was sitting in my room, I had my rifle and I had a bullet and I pulled the trigger and the gun clicked, but nothing happened. So, to this day, I think God just didn’t let me take my own life because I seriously don’t know why it didn’t go off. I took it as a sign of, ‘I might have to be here for a reason’, so that’s when I started to look myself in the mirror after the gun didn’t go off.

“I was like, ‘Do I want to be here, or do I not want to be here?’ That happened for a reason and obviously you’re here for a reason, so let’s be the way you want to be and play (the way) you want to play and live the way you want to live.”

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A former top prospect renowned for his unique combination of power and speed, Duran joined the big-league club with lofty expectations in 2021. He hit just .215 with a .578 OPS over 33 games that season, then hit .221 with a .645 OPS in 2022.

The tumultuous start to his career reached a tipping point in August 2022, when he misplayed two fly balls and argued with fans during a game in Kansas City. He was sent back down to Triple-A later that month.

Since then, Duran has overcome his struggles on and off the field to become one of the game’s most electrifying players. He enjoyed a breakout campaign in 2023 and reached another level in 2024, when he earned All-Star Game MVP honors and finished the year with American League MVP votes. He begins 2025 as someone the club’s younger players can look up to for inspiration as they battle adversity early in their careers.

“Jarren’s decision to share his story is an act of courage that reaches far beyond baseball,” Red Sox president and CEO Sam Kennedy said in a statement. “By opening up, he’s showing others who may be struggling that they’re not alone and that asking for help isn’t just OK, it’s essential.

“Every member of this organization continues to stand with him. He has our deepest admiration, he’s always had our full support and we’re incredibly fortunate to have him as part of our team.”

The Red Sox signed Duran to a one-year deal worth $3.85 million to avoid arbitration before the 2025 season. With the darkness behind him, Duran will look to duplicate his 2024 numbers and lead Boston to its first postseason berth since 2021.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call or text 988 for the Suicide and Crisis Lifeline, or contact the Crisis Text Line by texting HOME to 741741.

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Great starting pitching stretches not enough for the White Sox and Reds early this season

The Cincinnati Reds and Chicago White Sox both got brilliant stretches from their starting rotations — and largely wasted them.

Chicago’s starters did not allow an earned run through the first four games of the season, but the White Sox split those games and then lost five in a row once their rotation came back to earth. The Reds lost three straight games 1-0. The only other team in the live ball era to lose 1-0 in three straight games was the 1960 Philadelphia Phillies.

That Philadelphia team finished 36 games under .500, in large part because it batted .239 on the season. Those 1-0 defeats were a better reflection of the Phillies’ batting than their pitching.

The Reds will hope for the opposite. Right-hander Hunter Greene began living up to his potential last year and has allowed three runs over his first two starts of 2025. Brady Singer, acquired from Kansas City in the offseason, threw seven one-hit innings in his Cincinnati debut.

Lefty Nick Lodolo has yielded two earned runs in 12 2/3 innings.

Although the Reds were shut out three straight times by Texas and Milwaukee, that came immediately after Cincinnati’s offense put up 14 runs in a win over the Rangers. The Reds also beat the Brewers 11-7.

For the White Sox, the future looks a lot more challenging. Chicago actually did have a couple bright spots last year on its way to 121 losses, but Erick Fedde was dealt to St. Louis in July and then Garrett Crochet was traded to Boston during the offseason.

Even without Fedde and Crochet, Chicago’s rotation was sharp its first time through, but reality has set in since then. The White Sox have allowed 32 runs in their last five games.

Down lower

Speaking of good pitching numbers in an unexpected spot, Colorado’s starters have posted a 2.61 ERA through 48 1/3 innings so far. That hasn’t been enough for the Rockies, who managed just 18 runs through their first eight games and lost seven of them.

Don’t assume the thin air at Coors Field has suddenly become a non-factor. Colorado began the season with seven straight road games against Tampa Bay and Philadelphia.

But even when the Rockies opened their home schedule against the Athletics, their starters were able to get through five innings in all three games, and Colorado’s offense finally broke out in a 12-5 win.

First impression

The Athletics finally played their first three home games for the fans in the Sacramento area, and it wasn’t pretty. They were swept by the Chicago Cubs, outscored 35-9 over the series,

That was more runs than the A’s allowed in their first three home games the entire time they were in Oakland. In fact, it was a record for the whole franchise history. The Athletics gave up 31 runs in their first three home games in 1922, when the team represented Philadelphia.

Trivia time

Nathan Eovaldi pitched the first complete game in the majors this season when the Rangers beat Cincinnati in one of those 1-0 games. Who is the last Texas pitcher besides Eovaldi to throw a complete game?

Line of the week

Martin Perez threw six hitless innings in his debut for the White Sox, a 9-0 rout of Minnesota. He struck out nine with three walks.

Comeback of the week

The Houston Astros trailed 7-1 in the fifth inning against Minnesota before rallying to tie the game on a two-run homer by Yordan Alvarez in the ninth. Houston eventually won 9-7 in 10 innings.

The Twins had a win probability of 97.9% after taking a six-run lead in the fourth, according to Baseball Savant.

Trivia answer

Jon Gray in 2023.

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Rangers at Cubs Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 7

Its Monday, April 7 and the Rangers (8-2) are in the Windy City to take on the Cubs (7-5).

Nathan Eovaldi is slated to take the mound for Texas against Justin Steele for Chicago

The Cubs took two of three over the weekend from the previously undefeated Padres. Chicago did lose Sunday, though, blowing a 7-3 lead after two innings. Ryan Presley gave up an unearned run in the ninth as the Padres came all the way back to win 8-7. Kyle Tucker went yard for the fifth time this season and drove in three runs to lead the offense in the loss.

The Rangers swept the Rays in Arlington. Sunday, they won 4-3. Jonah Heim picked up a couple of hits including the game-winning single in the bottom of the ninth. Kumar Rocker started for Texas and pitched five innings and allowed one run.

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 Rangers at Cubs

  • Date: Monday, April 7, 2025
  • Time: 7:40PM EST
  • Site: Wrigley Field
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • Network/Streaming: Victory+, Marquee

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 Rangers at the Cubs

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Rangers (+109), Cubs (-129)
  • Spread:  Cubs -1.5
  • Total: 6.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Rangers at Cubs

  • Pitching matchup for April 7, 2025: Nathan Eovaldi vs. Justin Steele
    • Rangers: Nathan Eovaldi (1-0, 1.20 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/1 at Cincinnati - 9IP, 0ER, 4H, 0BB, 8Ks
    • Cubs: Justin Steele (2-1, 6.89 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/1 at Athletics - 6.2IP, 4ER, 7H, 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 Rangers at Cubs

  • The Rangers have won their last 5 games
  • The Rangers are just 5-5 on the Run Line this season
  • 6 of the Cubs' last 7 games have cashed to the OVER
  • The Cubs are 7-5 on the Run Line this season

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 Rangers and the Cubs

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 Monday's game between the Rangers and the Cubs:

  • 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 Texas Rangers at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 6.0.

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)
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Red Sox All-Star Jarren Duran says he attempted suicide during mental health struggles

Jarren Duran hit a career-high 21 home runs last season. Photograph: G Fiume/Getty Images

Boston’s All-Star outfielder Jarren Duran said he tried to take his own life as he struggled with his mental health during the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

In the Netflix docuseries The Clubhouse: A Year With the Red Sox the 28-year-old said struggles with his form during his rookie season in 2021 deeply affect him. His life was saved when he tried to shoot himself but the gun did not go off.

“I was already hearing it from fans,” Duran says in the series, which premieres in the US on Tuesday. “And what they said to me, [it was like], ‘I’ve told myself 10 times worse in the mirror.’ That was a really tough time for me. I didn’t even want to be here anymore.

Related: Blue Jays reportedly sign Vladimir Guerrero Jr to $500m, 14-year contract

“... I got to a point where I was sitting in my room, I had my rifle and I had a bullet and I pulled the trigger and the gun clicked, but nothing happened. So, to this day, I think God just didn’t let me take my own life because I seriously don’t know why it didn’t go off. I took it as a sign of, ‘I might have to be here for a reason’, so that’s when I started to look myself in the mirror after the gun didn’t go off. I was like, ‘Do I want to be here or do I not want to be here?’ That happened for a reason and obviously, you’re here for a reason so let’s be the way you want to be and play [the way] you want to play and live the way you want to live.”

Red Sox CEO Sam Kennedy praised Duran’s honesty. “Jarren’s decision to share his story is an act of courage that reaches far beyond baseball,” Kennedy said in a statement. “By opening up, he’s showing others who may be struggling that they’re not alone and that asking for help isn’t just OK, it’s essential.”

Duran said he now journals to maintain his mental health and writes reminders to help himself focus.

“On [the tape on] my left wrist, I write, ‘Fuck ‘em,’ because it’s me telling my demons, ‘You’re not going to faze me’,” Duran says in the docuseries. “And on my right wrist, I write, ‘Still alive’ because I’m still here and I’m still fighting.”

Duran had the best season of his career in 2024 and was named an All-Star for the first time, recording career highs in home runs (21), runs (111), RBI (75) and stolen bases (34). He was also suspended two games for shouting a homophobic slur at a fan who heckled him. Duran later apologized for using what he called “a truly horrific word” and issued an apology to the LGBTQ community.

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MLB Team Power Rankings: The NL West rules

We have some movement, people. While I was reluctant to make any major changes to our MLB Power Rankings after the opening weekend of the season, you’ll see some dramatic shakeups this week.

The NL West has been the best division in baseball so far, with the Giants off to their best start since 2003. They’ll be tested in short order, though, as San Francisco will soon embark on a 10-game road trip against the Yankees, Phillies, and Angels.

Let's get started!

MLB: Colorado Rockies at Philadelphia Phillies
Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Hunter Goodman surging, opportunity for Heston Kjerstad
Eric Samulski breaks down some of the top waiver wire adds for the upcoming week of fantasy baseball.

1) Los Angeles Dodgers

Last week: 1

The Dodgers are…human? In addition to being handed their first two losses this weekend by the Phillies, they lost Blake Snell due to left shoulder inflammation.

2) Philadelphia Phillies

Last week: 2

After taking two out of three from the Dodgers this weekend, the Phillies will now try to bury the struggling Braves even further in the NL East.

3) San Francisco Giants ⬆️

Last week: 18

Credit to the Giants, who actually have a better winning percentage than the Dodgers at the moment. The club swept the Mariners over the weekend, with Wilmer Flores providing the walk-off hit on Sunday.

On a side note here: Seeing real life buddies Willy Adames and Julio Rodríguez one-up each other during the series was a treat.

4) Texas Rangers ⬆️

Last week: 8

The Rangers have the best record in the American League despite hitting just .192 as a team so far.

5) New York Yankees ⬆️

Last week: 6

Frustrating loss on Sunday notwithstanding, the Yankees’ bats continue to mash. They lead the majors with 25 home runs and nobody has hit more than Aaron Judge, who has six.

Behold, the perfect stat.

6) Boston Red Sox ⬇️

Last week: 4

Rafael Devers is going to be fine. After the brutal start to the season which we mentioned last week, Devers is 10-for-19 (.526) with a homer, three doubles, seven RBI and a 2/5 K/BB ratio over his last five games.

7) New York Mets

Last week: 7

The Mets’ bats haven’t hit their stride just yet, but the pitching staff is picking up the slack with an MLB-best 1.91 ERA through nine games.

8) San Diego Padres ⬆️

Last week: 11

Not a bad week for Jackson Merrill. Days after securing a nine-year, $135 million extension, Merrill slugged a two-run homer as part of a comeback win over the Cubs on Sunday. In doing so, he became the youngest player in Padres history to reach 100 career RBI, per AJ Cassavell of MLB.com.

9) Chicago Cubs ⬆️

Last week: 13

With Vladimir Guerrero Jr. getting his $500 million extension with the Blue Jays, Kyle Tucker is sitting pretty for a similar if not better payday this winter. The Cubs couldn’t have asked for much more from their prized offseason addition, as he’s hitting .319 with five homers and an NL-best 15 RBI.

10) Arizona Diamondbacks ⬇️

Last week: 5

Corbin Burnes is off to a shaky start this season and Ketel Marte just hit the injured list with a left hamstring strain.

11) Atlanta Braves ⬇️

Last week: 3

No team has ever made the postseason after starting the season 0-7. With expanded playoffs, there’s still a good chance the Braves can be the first, but no question this is pretty ugly.

12) Houston Astros ⬇️

Last week: 9

The Astros came back from six runs down to defeat the Twins on Sunday afternoon. That’s very on brand for Houston-based teams this weekend.

13) Baltimore Orioles ⬇️

Last week: 10

The Orioles’ bats have gone quiet over the past week, but it's likely just a matter of time with Gunnar Henderson back in the fold.

14) Detroit Tigers ⬆️

Last week: 16

The Tigers did what they were supposed to do over the weekend, sweeping the White Sox to climb to the top of the AL Central. Spencer Torkelson provided the walk-off winner on Sunday as his hot start to the season continues.

15) Milwaukee Brewers ⬆️

Last week: 19

The Brewers are hanging tough despite yet another injury in their rotation, this time with Nestor Cortes dealing with a flexor strain in his throwing elbow once again.

16) Toronto Blue Jays ⬆️

Last week: 17

The Blue Jays were swept by the Mets this weekend as their offense continues to struggle, but who cares about that? Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is staying with Toronto for the long haul!

17) Kansas City Royals ⬇️

Last week: 14

Kris Bubic was a popular breakout candidate during spring training and he’s backed up the hype so far this season with a 0.71 ERA through his first two starts.

18) Seattle Mariners ⬇️

Last week: 12

Victor Robles might have made one of the best catches of all-time on Sunday. Unfortunately, he injured his shoulder in the process and could be looking at an extended absence.

19) Los Angeles Angels ⬆️

Last week: 27

Logan O’Hoppe homered again on Sunday, becoming the first player in Angels history to homer in four straight games as a catcher.

20) Tampa Bay Rays ⬆️

Last week: 22

Four straight losses for the Rays, who will now play at Steinbrenner Field for the next two weeks as they try to squeeze in as many home games as possible before the summer months.

21) Cleveland Guardians

Last week: 21

Everyone knows that José Ramírez is great, but he still might be the most underrated superstar in the game. He slugged his way to the second three-homer game of his career on Friday against the Angels.

22) Minnesota Twins ⬇️

Last week: 15

The Twins’ 3-6 record is not a matter of bad luck. Minnesota’s starters have combined for an MLB-worst 6.98 ERA while their offense is hitting just .198 as a team.

23) St. Louis Cardinals

Last week: 23

That hot start feels like a distant memory already. Iván Herrera has been a bright spot so far, including a three-homer game of his own against the Angels on Wednesday, but he’s expected to land on the injured list after leaving Sunday’s game with left knee inflammation.

24) Athletics

Last week: 24

How soon until 2024 first-rounder Nick Kurtz makes his MLB debut? The 22-year-old first baseman is off to a monster start with Triple-A Las Vegas, hitting .412 with four homers and 12 RBI through eight games.

25) Cincinnati Reds ⬇️

Last week: 20

The Reds’ offense finally broke out against the beleaguered Brewers’ pitching staff on Saturday, but it has been some rough sledding so far, including a recent 35-inning scoreless streak.

26) Washington Nationals

Last week: 26

Dylan Crews finally got his first hit of the season on Friday and followed that up with two hits and a stolen base on Sunday. The Nats have won back-to-back games, but get a tough test to begin the week with a series against the Dodgers.

27) Pittsburgh Pirates ⬇️

Last week: 25

The Pirates might have won on Sunday but it was an embarrassing day for the organization.

To be fair, Pirates president Travis Williams owned up to the mistake and the team plans to restore the Clemente tribute. Kudos for the quick response, but it never should have happened in the first place.

28) Miami Marlins

Last week: 28

While it happened as part of a 10-0 loss to the Braves on Friday, Max Meyer struck out a career-high eight batters while allowing three runs over six innings. The 2020 first-rounder has had an encouraging start to the year after a shaky return from Tommy John surgery in 2024.

29) Colorado Rockies

Last week: 29

The Chase Dollander Era is upon us. It’s easy to forget how hyped Jon Gray was when he was first called up, but Chase Dollander might be the best homegrown hope yet from a pitching perspective. Boy, do they need it.

30) Chicago White Sox

Last week: 30

Five straight losses for the White Sox after a nice start to the season. They are who we thought they were.

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Marlins at Mets Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 7

Its Monday, April 7 and the Marlins (5-4) open a series in New York against the Mets (6-3).

Valente Bellozo is slated to take the mound for Miami against Kodai Senga for New York

Miami and Atlanta were rained out yesterday after splitting the first two games of their series. Cal Quantrill and four Marlins' relievers combines to shut out the Braves Saturday, 4-0.

The Mets swept their three-game series against Toronto. Sunday, they ended up on the right side of a 2-1 contest. Pete Alonso collected his eleventh RBI of the season in the win.

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 Marlins at Mets

  • Date: Monday, April 7, 2025
  • Time: 7:10PM EST
  • Site: Citi Field
  • City: New York, NY
  • Network/Streaming: FDS, SNY

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 Marlins at the Mets

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Marlins (+222), Mets (-275)
  • Spread:  Mets -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Marlins at Mets

  • Pitching matchup for April 7, 2025: Valente Bellozo vs. Kodai Senga
    • Marlins: Valente Bellozo (0-0, 2.08 ERA)
      Last outing: 3/29 vs. Pittsburgh - 4.1IP, 1ER, 4H, 2BBs, 4Ks
    • Mets: Kodai Senga (0-1, 3.60 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/1 at Miami - 5IP, 2ER, 3H, 1BB, 8Ks

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 Marlins at Mets

  • The Mets are 4-5 on the Run Line this season
  • New York Mets' Game Totals have cashed to the UNDER in 7 of their 9 games
  • The Marlins are 6-3 on the Run Line this season

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 Marlins and the Mets

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 Monday's game between the Marlins and the Mets:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Mets on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Mets -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 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)
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Blue Jays at Red Sox prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 7

Its Monday, April 7 and the Blue Jays (5-5) are in Boston to take on the Red Sox (6-4).

Easton Lucas is slated to take the mound for Toronto against Richard Fitts for Boston.

Boston’s offense was rolling in a three-game sweep of the Cardinals over the weekend. Alex Bregman had four hits and six RBIs and Rafael Devers had four hits to pace the attack in Sunday’s 18-7 win.

Toronto limps into Boston after being swept by the Mets. Sunday, Jays’ pitchers gave up just two runs, but it was not good enough as the Jays fell 2-1. Toronto managed just four hits on the afternoon.

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 Blue Jays at Red Sox

  • Date: Monday, April 7, 2025
  • Time: 6:45PM EST
  • Site: Fenway Park
  • City: Boston, MA
  • Network/Streaming: SportsNet Now, NESN

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 Blue Jays at the Red Sox

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Blue Jays (+113), Red Sox (-133)
  • Spread:  Red Sox -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Blue Jays at Red Sox

  • Pitching matchup for April 7, 2025: Easton Lucas vs. Richard Fitts
    • Blue Jays: Easton Lucas (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/2 vs. Washington - 5IP, 1H, 0ER, 2BB, 3Ks
    • Red Sox: Richard Fitts (0-1, 4.50 ERA)
      Last outing: 3/30 at Texas - 6IP, 3ER, 6H, 0BB, 4Ks

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 Blue Jays at Red Sox

  • The Red Sox have won 5 straight games
  • The Blue Jays' last 7 games have stayed UNDER the Game Total
  • Toronto is 7-3 on the Run Line this season
  • After seeing their Game Totals cash to the UNDER in their first four games, the Red Sox games have gone 4-1-1 to the OVER.

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 Blue Jays and the Red 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 Monday's game between the Blue Jays and the Red Sox:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Boston Red Sox on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Red Sox at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under 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

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)
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Dodgers at Nationals Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 7

Its Monday, April 7 and the Dodgers (9-2) are in Washington, DC to take on the Nationals (3 6).

Dustin May is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against MacKenzie Gore for Washington.

Over the weekend, Los Angeles dropped two of three in Philadelphia. Yesterday, Nick Castellanos smacked a grand slam to lead the Phillies’ offense to an 8-7 win over the Dodgers. Teoscar Hernandez continued his hot start for LA with two more home runs (4) and five more RBIs (13). Tyler Glasnow gave up five runs in just two innings for the Dodgers.

The Nationals took two of three in their series against Arizona. Yesterday they handed Corbin Burnes his first loss as a Diamondback. Corbin Carroll collected three hits in a 5-4 win for Washington.

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 Dodgers at Nationals

  • Date: Monday, April 7, 2025
  • Time: 6:45PM EST
  • Site: Nationals Park
  • City: Washington, DC
  • Network/Streaming: Spectrum SportsNet LA, MASN

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 Dodgers at the Nationals

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Dodgers (-169), Nationals (+142)
  • Spread:  Dodgers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Nationals

  • Pitching matchup for April 7, 2025: Dustin May vs. MacKenzie Gore
    • Dodgers: Dustin May (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
      Last outing: Innings Pitched, Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, Walks, and Strikeouts
    • Nationals: MacKenzie Gore (0-1, 2.46 ERA)
      Last outing: Innings Pitched, Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, Walks, and 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 Dodgers at Nationals

  • The Dodgers are 7-4 on the Run Line this season
  • Washington is 3-6 on the Run Line this season
  • The Dodgers lost a road series this weekend after sweeping the Cubs in Japan and after winning 14 of their 26 road series last season

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 Dodgers and the Nationals

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 Monday's game between the Dodgers and the Nationals:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Los Angeles Dodgers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Dodgers -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)
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Yankees at Tigers Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 7

Its Monday, April 7 and the Yankees (6-3) are in Motown to take on the Tigers (5-4). The game has been moved up from its original 6:40P start time due to the weather forecast. It will be chilly at the ballpark tonight.

Carlos Rodón is slated to take the mound for New York against Casey Mize for Detroit

Yesterday the Yankees closed out a weekend series with the Pirates with a 5-4 loss in 11 innings. After scoring three in the nineth to tie it, New York lost in the eleventh on a walk-off single by Tommy Pham off closer Devin Williams. Trent Grisham had two hits and two RBIs to pace the attack.

While the Yankees were winning two of three against the Bucs, the Tigers were feasting on the White Sox. Detroit swept the three-game set capping it off with a 4-3 win Sunday. Detroit scored three in the ninth themselves. Spencer Torkelson drove in the tying and winning runs with a two-out double in the final frame.

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 Yankees at Tigers

  • Date: Monday, April 7, 2025
  • Time: 3:10PM EST
  • Site: Comerica Park
  • City: Detroit, MI
  • Network/Streaming: YES, FDS

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 Yankees at the Tigers

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Yankees (-155), Tigers (+130)
  • Spread:  Yankees -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Yankees at Tigers

  • Pitching matchup for April 7, 2025: Carlos Rodón vs. Casey Mize
    • Yankees: Carlos Rodón (1-1, 3.97 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/2 vs. Arizona - 6IP, 4ER, 3H, 4BB, 5Ks
    • Tigers: Casey Mize (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/1 at Seattle - 5.2IP, 0ER, 1H, 3BB, 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 Yankees at Tigers

  • This is New York's first game against an American League team this season
  • The Yankees are 6-3 on the Run Line this season
  • Yankees' Game Totals are 7-2 to the OVER this season
  • The Tigers covered the run line in 2 of their 3 games against the White Sox
  • Detroit Game Totals have cashed to the OVER in 6 of their 9 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!

Expert picks & predictions for today’s game between the Yankees and the Tigers

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 Monday's game between the Yankees and the Tigers:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Tigers +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the UNDER 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)

Posted on

Mets vs. Marlins: How to watch on SNY on April 7, 2025

The Mets face the Marlins at Citi Field on Monday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

Mets Notes

  • Pete Alonso is slashing .290/.421/.645 with three home runs and two doubles in 38 plate appearances over nine games this season
  • The Mets' team ERA of 1.91 is the lowest in baseball
  • Juan Soto has reached base safely in all nine regular season games
  • After going hitless in the Mets' season-opening three-game series against the Astros,Francisco Lindoris on a five-game hitting streak
MARLINS
METS

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What channel is SNY?

Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.

How can I stream the game?

The new way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv. Streaming on the SNY App has been discontinued.

In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone. 

How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB? 

To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps: 

  • Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider. 
  • Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account. 
  • Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY. 

How can I watch the game on the MLB App? 

MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.  

  • Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices. 
  • Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”  
  • To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.  

For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here. 

Posted on

Mets vs. Marlins: 5 things to watch and series predictions | April 7-9

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Marlins play a three-game series at Citi Field beginning on Monday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Preview

The second base situation

During spring training,Brett Baty was an absolute beast at the plate. That provided some hope that -- although you need to add a shovel-full of salt to any spring training performances -- that Baty could've possibly turned a corner.

And as Baty excelled at the dish in Grapefruit League play while also learning second base on the fly (and looking very good there), it allowed you to dream on the type of impact he could possibly have if he translated his offensive success to the regular season.

It seems it may have been fool's gold, though.

The sample size of Baty in the regular season this year is small, but he has just two hits in 21 at-bats and has struck out eight times.

More concerning than Baty's stats is how he looks at the plate. He's routinely behind in the count, is hammering the ball into the ground, has been swinging and missing at a high clip, and just generally looks uncomfortable.

With Jeff McNeilmaking serious progress toward a return, it's fair to wonder if Luisangel Acuñawill get the bulk of the starts at second base in the interim.

Can Clay Holmes put it all together?

Holmes has hit some speed bumps over his first two starts as he makes his transition from reliever to starter, but he looked a lot better than his line during his last outing.

In 4.2 innings against the Marlins in Miami, Holmes allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits while walking two and striking out six.

If not for poor defense behind him in the third inning, it was easy to see a scenario where Holmes fired 6.0 scoreless frames.

Either way, his second start was a step in the right direction after his first, and Holmes will look to keep stacking more accomplishments as he gets used to his new role.

Juan Soto has been a quiet force

Soto hasn't homered since the second game of the season against the Astros in Houston. And he's been relatively quiet. But his impact has still been huge.

Apr 4, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) follows through on an RBI double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Citi Field.
Apr 4, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) follows through on an RBI double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Despite not fully breaking out yet, Soto has reached base safely in all nine games this season, has hits in four straight games, and has scored six runs over his last four contests.

Soto's OPS during his "down" early-season stretch is .822.

And there are signs that he's about to break out -- Soto ripped a double and drew a walk during Sunday's win over the Blue Jays.

The Marlins have been decent

Miami is widely expected to finish the season at the bottom of the NL East, but they've been solid so far.

The Marlins enter this series with a 5-4 record and a run differential of -9.

Second baseman Otto Lopez has had a strong season, with two homers and a .774 OPS, and first baseman Matt Mervis cracked two home runs during Saturday's shutout win over the Braves.

Outfielder Kyle Stowers is also shining early, reaching base safely in seven of the eight games he's played.

No Sandy Alcantara this time

Alcantara faced the Mets last Tuesday in Miami, limiting them to two runs on three hits while walking none and striking out four in 5.0 innings.

He was lined up to face the Mets during this series, but the Marlins reworked their rotation because they didn't want Alcantara going up against New York twice in a short span.

That means the Mets will face Valente Bellozo, Connor Gillispie, and Max Meyer during this three-game set.

Bellozo bent but didn't break during his only start against New York last season, allowing two runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out four in 5.1 innings last Aug. 18 in Miami.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Juan Soto

He appears to be on the cusp of a full breakout. Expect it to happen this week.

Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?

Clay Holmes

Holmes, like Soto, seems ready to put it all together. He gets the ball on Tuesday night.

Which Marlins player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?

Xavier Edwards

Edwards went 4-for-6 against the Mets last Wednesday and cracked a double and drew a walk on Saturday against Atlanta.

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Some legit early concern over Phillies' top bullpen addition

Some legit early concern over Phillies' top bullpen addition originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Jesus Luzardo has been electric through two starts and Joe Ross has pitched well enough to enter the mix for late-inning leverage situations.

As for the Phillies’ other offseason pitching addition … it’s been ugly thus far.

Jordan Romano blew his second save and made it three poor performances out of his five as a Phillie by allowing three runs in the top of the seventh inning Sunday to turn a two-run lead into a one-run deficit.

Romano has been behind in the count, slow to the plate and pitched with diminished velocity in the early going. He was tasked Sunday with dealing with nine-hole hitter Andy Pages ahead of the top of the Dodgers’ order. It was an ominous sign when Pages singled on a 1-2 count ahead of Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts, who walked and doubled. All three scored and Romano left the mound to boos after failing to retire a hitter.

The Phillies came back to win and have actually won all three times Romano has struggled despite him giving up seven runs in just two innings of those close games.

It wouldn’t be at all surprising to see manager Rob Thomson next use Romano in a lower leverage spot to try to gain him confidence without the game being on the line. Orion Kerkering has already rose ahead of him on the trust tree and the Phillies could use Ross or Jose Ruiz as the second leverage righty for a few days, a week or however long it takes Romano to recapture his velocity.

In 2023, his last healthy season in Toronto, Romano averaged 96.8 mph with his fastball. On Sunday, he was 92-94. And some of the misses have been uncompetitive, particularly early in the count. To make matters worse, his high leg kick affords baserunners ample freedom to run, similar to Craig Kimbrel. That’s a recipe for disaster in the latter innings of close games when one single or walk can be the difference.

“I’m used to being 96, around there the whole time,” Romano said after Sunday’s comeback win. “I don’t know what’s going on right now but I need to figure it out.

“I’ve got to get the velo up because when the velo’s right, it helps the slider too. When the velo’s down, it’s easier to take the slider. I’m going to look at some video, try to dive in and figure this out really quick.”

The Phillies signed the 31-year-old former Blue Jays closer over the winter to replace Jeff Hoffman as either a closer or right-handed setup man. Romano didn’t pitch much in 2024 because of an elbow injury, but the Phillies liked his medicals enough to sign him to a one-year, $8.5 million contract while at the Winter Meetings.

The bullpen picture will be much different if Romano proves to be unreliable. The early returns have not been good, but it’s only five appearances and nine games in total. There’s a lot of time for Romano to turn things around.

“On any team, you want to come in and contribute to wins,” he said. “When you don’t do that, it doesn’t feel good.”

On the bright side for the Phillies, Matt Strahm retired the Dodgers 1-2-3 in the top of the eighth inning Sunday to maintain his team’s momentum, looking more like the elite reliever of the last two seasons. Strahm hasn’t allowed a run in five appearances after missing most of camp with a shoulder injury. 

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Red Sox trade recently-acquired pitcher Quinn Priester to Brewers

Red Sox trade recently-acquired pitcher Quinn Priester to Brewers originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Quinn Priester’s tenure with the Boston Red Sox lasted all of about eight months.

The Boston Red Sox have traded the right-handed pitcher to the Milwaukee Brewers for minor league outfielder Yophery Rodriguez, a Competitive Balance Round A pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, a player to be named later and cash considerations, the team announced Monday.

The Red Sox acquired Priester from the Pittsburgh Pirates last July ahead of the 2024 MLB trade deadline, parting with talented infield prospect Nick Yorke in the deal. So, why did they move the 24-year-old right-hander so soon?

It’s worth noting that Priester had yet to pitch for the Red Sox this season despite the team’s lack of rotation depth with Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford and Lucas Giolito on the injured list. Boston turned to nine-year veteran Sean Newcomb (two starts) and 25-year-old prospect Richard Fitts to make starts over Priester, and even gave right-hander Hunter Dobbins his first MLB start Sunday night against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The fact that Newcomb, Fitts and Dobbins got the ball while Priester remained at Triple-A Worcester hints at where the Red Sox may have had Priester on their pitching pecking order, and could explain why they were willing to part ways with him. Priester also didn’t have the best spring training, posting a 4.82 ERA and a 2.25 WHIP over 9.1 innings in four starts.

In Rodriguez, the Red Sox get Milwaukee’s seventh-ranked prospect, per MLB.com. The 19-year-old spent the majority of last season at Single-A, where he slashed .250/.343/.383 with seven home runs and 60 RBI in 110 games.

Boston also acquires a Competitive Balance Round A pick, which falls between the first and second rounds of the MLB Draft.

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President Trump congratulates Dodgers on World Series title in White House visit

President Trump congratulates Dodgers on World Series title in White House visit originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

President Trump congratulated the World Series champion Dodgers and offered his take on the team’s hot start Monday when staff and players visited the White House in a decades-old baseball tradition during the Los Angeles’ East Coast road trip.

After dropping two of three games in Philadelphia over the weekend, the Dodgers’ White House visit coincides with a three-game series against the Washington Nationals as they look to build on a 9-2 start. The team participated in an East Room ceremony in honor of the 2024 World Series victory, entering the room to a rendition of Randy Newman’s “I love LA.”

Pitcher Clayton Kershaw presented the president with a No. 47 Dodgers jersey with “Trump” on the back.

“After seeing how successfully you’ve begun the season, you can plan on being back here. I hope you’re going to be back here next year,” Trump said.

Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young winner, spoke on behalf of the team.

“As a spectator for a championship run, I was in awe of this group,” Kershaw, who was injured during the postseason, said. “Their unwavering confidence coupled with a selfless pursuit for team excellence was an inspiration.

“Moving forward, I hope the 2024 Dodgers can serve as an inspiration to many as they were to me, not just in sports, but in life, remembering to put others before ourselves and move the team and society forward.”

Trump called Kershaw the “heart and soul” of the pitching staff.

“Unbelievable,” Trump said. “I’m glad to meet him.”

The Dodgers confirmed in a social media post lasts month that “in keeping with long-standing baseball tradition,” President Donald Trump invited them to the White House and team accepted. The Dodgers last visited the White House as World Series champions in July 2021 when Joe Biden was president.

“We’re very please to participate in the tradition of bringing champions to the White House,” team Chairman Mark Walter said Monday.

Manager Dave Roberts called the visit an honor that each World Series champion gets to experience. Roberts said the decision to go to the White House was not a formal conversation involving players and coaches.

The White House tradition dates back decades with a visit by the 1925 Washington Senators during the administration of President Calvin Coolidge, according to the nonprofit White House Historical Association. Coolidge and first lady Grace were passionate baseball fans.

Trump shook hands with several players, including superstar Shohei Ohtani after praising the National League MVP, who became the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season.

“He looks like a movie star,” Trump said. “An accomplishment unparalleled.”

Trump asked if Ohtani was that good, and Roberts responded, “He’s only getting better.”

Roberts said Friday he expected 100% participation at the ceremony and that it was “good we have full representation.”

Shortstop Mookie Betts told reporters Friday he would join the team on the visit. Betts declined to join the Boston Red Sox on their visit in 2018 during President Trump’s first term.

Betts was among several Dodgers, including NL MVP Shohei Ohtani, who shook hands with Trump during the ceremony.

“I’m happy he’s going,” Roberts said. “I’m happy we’re all going to go together just to celebrate our 2024 championship.”

Betts told reporters in Philadelphia that his choice to go was not political, but rather because of his desire to be there for the team. Betts said he regrets not joining the Red Sox in 2018. Boston manager Alex Cora and pitcher David Price also skipped the Red Sox visit. Betts said he felt like his absence distracted from that team’s accomplishment.

“No matter what I say or what I do, people are gonna take it as political,” Betts said. “But that’s definitely not what it is. This is about what the Dodgers were able to accomplish last year.”

The NHL’s reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers became the first team to visit Trump in his second term when they were honored during a ceremony in the East Room in early February.

The White House also said recently the NFL’s Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles accepted their invitation for April 28.

“It’s a baseball thing for us,” Roberts said. “It’s tradition and we’re doing it unified. So I’m excited about it.”