A baseball card autographed by Shohei Ohtani and featuring a piece of the pants the Dodgers superstar wore while becoming the first MLB player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in a season has sold for more than $1 million.
The one-of-a-kind Topps Dynasty Black card that features an on-card signature in gold ink by Ohtani and the MLB logo patch from the pants he wore during his record-setting game against the Miami Marlins was sold by Heritage Auctions on Saturday night for $1,067,500. The name of the buyer has not been revealed.
That is by far the most money paid in a public auction for an Ohtani card. The previous record was the $533,140 paid last year for a card from the 2018 Bowman Chrome Rookie Autographs Orange Refractor set. While 25 of those cards exist, that one received a 10 from the Beckett Grading Service.
The record-setting card is one of three different cards from the 50-50 game that Topps used to launch its Dynasty Black series, which features one-of-one autographed cards with pieces of game-used memorabilia from specific, historic moments. One of those Ohtani 50-50 cards — which includes a tag from the batting gloves Ohtani wore while hitting his 50th home run and a laundry tag from the pants he wore during that game — received $173,240 at auction in February.
"Shohei Ohtani is currently the best player in the game, and this 1-of-1 card is tied to a significant historical moment as the first MLB player to join the 50/50 club in 2024," Chris Ivy, director of sports auctions at Heritage, told The Times in an email. "It is also the most desirable of the three 1-of-1 Dynasty black cards because of the logo patch."
Ivy added: "Part of what makes this result remarkable is the fact that it was not a rookie card — they usually are among the most popular in the collecting community — and still set the world record."
Earlier this month, the one-of-one major league rookie debut patch autograph card for Pirates pitcher Paul Skenes sold at auction for $1.11 million.
Ohtani entered the Sept. 19 game at loanDepot Park with 48 home runs and 49 steals. He wasted no time reaching 50 stolen bases, swiping third base in the first inning, then added No. 51 in the second inning. Then came home run No. 49 in the sixth inning, setting the stage for history to be made in the seventh.
After fouling off the first two pitches and laying off one in the dirt, Ohtani sent a hanging curveball by Marlins reliever Mike Baumann 391 feet and over the left-field wall. That ball was auctioned for $4.392 million, an amount that surpassed any sum paid for a baseball, in October.
HOUSTON — Jordan Hicks stepped out of the dugout at 6:30 p.m. on Monday and looked around. He had a glove in one hand, a bag of equipment in the other, and a lifetime of memories flooding back into his head.
Hicks is a Houston native and grew up rooting for Lance Berkman, Craig Biggio and others. He came to about 20 Astros games as a child and has fond memories of experiencing Major League Baseball for the first time at a ballpark that he still refers to by its previous name. As Hicks looked around what is now Daikin Park, he thought back to where he used to sit.
For the rest of the night, it was his childhood team that was caught looking.
Hicks struck out six across six one-hit innings in his first big league appearance in Houston, including three straight strikeouts looking in a dominant second inning that signaled his second year in orange and black might take on a much different tone.
There's striking out the side … and then there's what Jordan Hicks just did to the Astros in the second inning: pic.twitter.com/6bDuNwTbGk
Jeremy Pena, Cam Smith and Mauricio Dubón went down looking in succession, all watching 98 or 99 mph sinkers clip the edge of the zone. Patrick Bailey’s golden framing helped a bit, but for the most part this night was about Hicks, who had his best start as a big leaguer as the Giants beat the Astros 7-2.
“That’s a good one to build off in 2025,” Hicks said. “I’ll just stay right there.”
Hicks got off to a strong start in 2024, too, but this was something different. His fastball averaged 98 mph, nearly a full tick higher than his best average in any single game last season, his first as a starter. He hit 100 mph for the first time as a Giant and threw 13 pitches at 99 mph or above, three more than he had all of last season.
Hicks had more than 80 family members and friends in the seats, and that extra adrenaline certainly helped. But this is the Hicks the Giants have expected for months. President of baseball operations Buster Posey made it clear in the offseason and again at the start of camp that he viewed Hicks as a starter. Posey inherited the right-hander’s four-year contract and could have moved him back to the bullpen, especially with the depth the Giants have, but he felt good about Hicks’ offseason. General manager Zack Minasian and manager Bob Melvin did, too.
The second inning alone validated all those offseason hopes, but Hicks kept it going. He repeatedly hit 99 mph in the sixth as he reached his predetermined pitch count.
“It’s what he did when he was closing, he’s just doing it for a longer period of time now,” Melvin said. “I think that’s one of the things he’s kind of figuring out now. It’s, go as hard as he can for as long as he can. That’s what he’s been successful doing in the past and it’s just [about making] sure you’re conditioned to pitch deeper into games.”
Hicks spent the offseason working out in San Francisco and packed on 15 pounds from the end of last season. The Giants won’t know for several months if that offseason work truly leads to more longevity for a pitcher who slammed into a wall last summer, but they’re confident that Hicks can give the rotation 150 or so innings this time around.
Hicks started with six that were spectacular, leading the Giants to a third win in four games on this trip. He said he’s right where he hoped to be at the start of the season, and he’s eager to build off Monday’s performance.
It was a perfect return to his hometown. Well, almost perfect.
Hicks always imagined himself pitching on this mound, he just thought it would have a different name. For more than two decades, it did.
“I’ve never even thrown out of the bullpen here, so it was really nice to have all of the family come out and for them to experience it,” he said. “I was more excited when it was still Minute Maid Park, but now they changed to Daikin, so I guess we’ve just got to live with it. But I grew up coming here and it was special to be on the field where I used to watch all the old ball games. It was a pretty special moment.”
The Bronx Bombers now have torpedoes in their arsenal.
The New York Yankees officially launched the “torpedo bat” era over the weekend — with multiple players using a modified baseball bat during the team’s historic offensive onslaught in its opening series of the 2025 season.
The wood of the bat is shifted from the barrel towards the batter’s hands to create a custom sweet spot where contact is most frequently made. The reconfiguration gives the bat the shape of a torpedo — or a bowling pin, which doesn’t sound nearly as menacing or apropos.
Because the Yankees hit bombs with them.
Nine of their MLB record-tying 15 home runs hit in their first three games were used by five players using torpedo bats, including six of a franchise-record nine homers in Saturday’s 20-9 rout over the Milwaukee Brewers.
“I think the advantage is that you’re more likely to make a reasonable contact,” Dave Savage, a physics teacher in Oregon, told NBC Local. “So…you’ve increased your chances. And then the closer you can get to dead center of that sweet spot where the bat is the largest, most massive, that is going to be your largest exchange of momentum.”
It wasn’t the first time torpedo bats were used in the major leagues, but the Yankees’ offensive outburst helped put the torpedoes on baseball’s radar.
Some social media users and baseball purists — and at least one opposing player – then returned fire, saying the bats should be outlawed.
The bats, however, are legal under MLB’s rules. And more teams are now looking to add torpedo bats to their own arsenal.
What is a torpedo bat?
Mike Stobe/Getty Images
The torpedo bat belonging to Jazz Chisholm Jr. of the New York Yankees. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
The torpedo bat is a custom-shaped baseball bat with a modified barrel that’s tailored to maximize the contact tendencies of the batter.
Wood is shifted from the end of the barrel to a location closer to the hands, making the bat widest at the spot where the batter most often makes contact with the ball.
That reshaping and relocation of the sweet spot gives the bat the appearance of a torpedo.
Much of the recent credit for the implementation of the torpedo bat has gone to Aaron Leanhardt, a former Yankees front-office staffer who is now the Miami Marlins’ field coordinator.
Leanhardt, a former physicist at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, said the idea developed in 2022 while he was working with the Yankees’ minor-league hitting department.
Yes, the Yankees have a literal genius MIT Physicist, Lenny (who is the man), on payroll. He invented the “Torpedo” barrel. It brings more wood – and mass – to where you most often make contact as a hitter. The idea is to increase the number of “barrels” and decrease misses. pic.twitter.com/CsC1wkAM9G
The 48-year-old Leanhardt, who holds a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Michigan and a Ph.D. in physics from MIT, previously coached baseball in the Atlantic League and at a Montana community college, per The Athletic. He became the Yankees’ major league analyst in 2024, and players within the organization soon began using torpedo bats in regular-season games.
“Really, it’s just about making the bat as heavy and as fat as possible in the area where you’re trying to do damage on the baseball,” he told The Athletic.
YES Network play-by-play announcer Michael Kay said during Saturday’s broadcast that the Yankees’ analytics department had performed a study on shortstop Anthony Volpe showing he frequently hit the ball on the label of his bat, rather than on the barrel.
So, using Leanhardt’s design, the sweet spot of Volpe’s bat was moved from the barrel to the label.
Michael Kay explains that the Yankees made new bats "where they moved a lot of the wood into the label so the harder part of the bat is going to strike the ball."
The Yankees requested sample models of the torpedo style from some of MLB’s 41 approved bat manufacturers, according to ESPN. The model numbers for the spec bats started with “BP” for bowling pin, a more accurate comp for the bat’s new shape.
“Torpedo sounds kind of cooler,” Leanhardt told ESPN.
Louisville Slugger said four teams have requested torpedo style bats from the company over the past 18 months.
“Teams are analyzing every single at bat by every player, then charting the part of the bat where each player is making contact with the ball,” the company said Monday in a statement. “Based on the location of the majority of a player’s contact on the barrel, teams are asking us to shift the weight of the barrel and sweet spot to accommodate each hitter.”
What is MLB’s bat rule?
The torpedo bats do not violate MLB’s rules, which state under 3.02: “The bat shall be a smooth, round stick not more than 2.61 inches in diameter at the thickest part and not more than 42 inches in length. The bat shall be one piece of solid wood.”
It goes on to state there may be a cupped indentation up to 1 1/4 inches in depth, 2 inches wide and with at least a 1-inch diameter, and experimental models must be approved by MLB.
When was a torpedo bat first used?
Giancarlo Stanton might be remembered as the player who officially launched MLB’s first torpedo.
Multiple players, including Volpe, experimented with the torpedo bat last season. But it was Stanton who used one to hit seven home runs in 14 postseason games during the Yankees’ run to the 2024 World Series, per ESPN.
Following that success, torpedo bat models were made available to members of the Yankees during spring training.
Five members of the Yankees’ lineup adopted torpedo bats during their 2025 opening series, crushing a combined nine home runs: Jazz Chisholm Jr. (three), Volpe (two), Austin Wells (two), Paul Goldschmidt and Cody Bellinger (one), who said he experimented with a torpedo bat during batting practice last season.
Their Yankee teammate and reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge hit four home runs over the first three games of the season, but he did so with a traditional bat.
Which teams use torpedo bats?
The Yankees aren’t the only team using torpedo bats.
Ryan Jeffers of the Minnesota Twins and the Rays’ Junior Caminero and Yandy Díaz used them in Spring Training and during the opening weekend of the regular season, per ESPN. Davis Schneider of the Toronto Blue Jays uses one. MLB.com reported that members of the Baltimore Orioles have experimented with them. As did the Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs in spring training, according to the New York Times.
And more torpedos are now on a collision course with the league.
Tons of requests are coming in for the Torpedo Bat, says MC Huntsberry of Marucci Sports, big Torpedo bat supplier. No surprise there!
Some pitchers, however, might view the use of torpedo bats in the same way batters once viewed the pitching mound being elevated.
“I think it’s terrible,” Brewers closer Trevor Megill told the New York Post after watching his team surrender 15 home runs to the Yankees. “We’ll see what the data says. I’ve never seen anything like it before. I feel like it’s something used in slow-pitch softball.
“It’s genius: Put the mass all in one spot. It might be bush (league). It might not be. But it’s the Yankees, so they’ll let it slide.”
HOUSTON — Giants starter Jordan Hicks had to wait seven seasons, 242 appearances and 29 starts to finally appear in his hometown. He pitched in 29 other ballparks before taking the mound at what is now called Daikin Park. It was worth the wait.
In front of nearly 100 family members and friends, the Houston native had the most dominant start of his MLB career, allowing just one hit over six innings and showing eye-popping velocity as the Giants cruised to a 7-2 win over the Houston Astros on Monday. San Francisco is 3-1 and will try to clinch a winning trip on Tuesday behind ace Logan Webb.
The only hit Hicks allowed was a single by Christian Walker in the first inning, but he followed that by retiring 14 straight. Hicks was sharp for about two months last season before running out of gas. He put on 15 pounds in the offseason, and the Giants believe a big season is ahead. The early returns couldn’t have been more encouraging.
Here are three things to know from the Giants’ third win of the 2025 MLB season:
Lighting It Up
It would be easy to attribute Hicks’ velocity bump to the adrenaline that might have come with pitching in his hometown, but this was what the Giants would have expected Monday in any ballpark. Manager Bob Melvin said before the game that the plan for Hicks this year is to “go after it” instead of pacing himself in starts. The Giants don’t mind if he runs into a wall a bit earlier if the results are there, but on Monday they got the best of both worlds.
Hicks was so economical that he needed just 58 pitches to get through five, and despite walking a batter in the sixth, he strolled off at 72 pitches, 73 percent of which were fastballs. He had some dominant starts last April, but this was easily his best velocity as a Giant.
Hicks averaged 98 mph with his sinker, nearly a full tick up from last season’s best of 97.1 mph, which also came in his first start of the year. He topped out at 100 mph and hit 99 mph on 13 pitches after doing it just 10 total times all of 2024.
Small Ball
The Giants stole three bases without being caught, repeatedly taking advantage of the fact that Astros starter Ronel Blanco wasn’t holding runners at first. They had just five three-steal games all of last season, but through four games they’re definitely showing that they might finally be willing to force the issue a bit. They’re a perfect 5-for-5 so far on the bases.
It wasn’t just the steals that stood out. In the fifth, Mike Yastrzemski singled, stole second, went to third on Tyler Fitzgerald’s perfect bunt down the third base line, and scored on a sacrifice fly by LaMonte Wade Jr. It was an aggressive send by Matt Williams, but Yastrzemski got in safely with an athletic slide.
All The Way Back
Wilmer Flores had four homers all of last season, which was cut short by knee discomfort that hampered him all year. He’s healthy once again, and he looks exactly like the player who led the lineup in 2023.
Flores jumped on an elevated slider from Luis Contreras in the sixth and broke the game open with a soaring three-run shot into the Crawford Boxes in left. He’s tied for the league lead with eight RBI and is tied for second in the NL with three homers.
The San Francisco-era franchise record for homers over the first four games is five (by Barry Bonds, of course), and Willie Mays twice had four in his first four games. Flores joined Evan Longoria, Brandon Belt and Kevin Mitchell, all of whom had a season with three homers in their first four games.
The Yankees announced on Monday afternoon that they have re-signed the first baseman/outfielder to a minor league contract.
Smith, originally a first-round pick by the Mets, played with the Yankees this spring, putting up strong numbers in Grapefruit League action. In 13 games, Smith slashed .297/.289/.568 with three home runs and 12 RBI.
While it seemed like Smith may have a chance to make the team, he ended up exercising the opt out in his contract, hoping another club would sign him to a major league contract.
But Smith is now back with the Yankees organization, and he could be an option to be called up if the Yankees need another left-handed hitting option on the 26-man roster.
In 693 career big league games, Smith has 64 home runs and 259 RBI, posting an OPS of .716.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar has been suspended for 80 games without pay for performance-enhancing drug use.
Major League Baseball announced Monday that Profar tested positive for Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG) in violation of the league’s joint drug prevention and treatment program.
The suspension of Profar is effective immediately. Barring postponed games, Profar would be eligible to return June 29 against Philadelphia and would lose $5,806,440 of his $12 million salary. He is also ineligible for the postseason.
Profar called it the “most difficult day of my baseball career” and said he would never knowingly cheat.
“This is especially painful for me because anyone who knows me and has seen me play knows I am deeply passionate about the game,” he said in a statement. “There is nothing I love more than competing with my teammates and being a fan favorite. I want to apologize to the entire Braves organization, my teammates and the fans.
“It is because of my deep love and respect for this game that I would never knowingly do anything to cheat it. I have been tested my entire career, including eight times last season alone, and have never tested positive. I would never willingly take a banned substance, but I take full responsibility and accept MLB’s decision.”
The 32-year-old Profar was an All-Star and won a Silver Slugger last season when he batted .280 and set career highs with 24 homers and 85 RBIs for San Diego. He then signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Braves in the offseason.
Profar is the fourth player who has been suspended this year for violating the performance-enhancing substance policy, with the others coming under the minor league program and the program for minor leaguers assigned outside the United States and Canada.
Two players were suspended last year under the major league drug program.
Noelvi Marté, a 22-year-old infielder who was considered Cincinnati’s top prospect, missed the first 80 games following a positive test for boldenone.
Toronto infielder Orelvis Martínez was suspended for 80 games on June 23 following a positive test for the performance-enhancing drug clomiphene, an announcement made two days after his major league debut.
Its Monday, March 31 and the Cleveland Guardians (2-1) are on the West Coast to take on the San Diego Padres (4-0) in Game 1 of this series.
Luis L. Ortiz is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Kyle Hart for San Diego
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.
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Game details & how to watch Guardians at Padres
Date: Monday, March 31, 2025
Time: 9:40PM EST
Site: Petco Park
City: San Diego, CA
Network/Streaming: Guardians.TV, Padres.TV
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 Guardians at the Padres
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Cleveland Guardians (+114), San Diego Padres (-136)
Spread: Padres -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Padres
Pitching matchup for March 31, 2025: Luis L. Ortiz vs. Kyle Hart
Guardians: Luis L. Ortiz (0-0) 2024 - 37 GP, 135.2 IP, 7-6, 3.32 ERA, 107 Ks
Padres: Kyle Hart (0-0) Has not pitched in the majors since back in 2020 while he was a member of the Red Sox
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Guardians at Padres
The Guardians are 3-0 on the Run Line (ATS) this season
The Padres are 3-1 on the Run Line (ATS) this season
These teams met last July and San Diego won 2 of the 3 games in Cleveland.
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 Guardians and the Padres
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Guardians and the Padres:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the San Diego Padres on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the San Diego Padres at -1.5.
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It took two hours from first pitch, but with the weather cooperating and with just under 45,000 fans on hand for the home opener, the Phillies did not disappoint.
They trailed by a run entering the bottom of the seventh inning but again exploded vs. the opponent’s bullpen, scoring four in the seventh and two in the eighth of a 6-1 win.
Rockies starter German Marquez gained strength and confidence as the game progressed but departed after six scoreless innings with three lefties due up in the span of four batters in the seventh. Just like Opening Day, the Phillies quickly made the opposing bullpen pay.
Bryson Stott hit a lefty-on-lefty double off of Scott Alexander with two outs to bring up Brandon Marsh and manager Rob Thomson pinch-hit with Trea Turner. Turner was out of the lineup for a third straight game after feeling his back lock up pregame Saturday but he took grounders Monday afternoon and should return to the lineup Wednesday.
Though he didn’t start the home opener, Turner’s one plate appearance was extremely important, prolonging the seventh inning for Edmundo Sosa to hit a go-ahead two-run double and Kyle Schwarber to hit an absolute bomb off the ivy wall past center field.
In the eighth, Max Kepler and Nick Castellanos went back-to-back.
“It shows the depth of the lineup,” Schwarber said. “We always preach that it’s not gonna be one person, two people, three people. It takes a village to go where we need to go.”
The Phillies have hit .386 with 12 extra-base hits in 57 at-bats against relievers compared to .224 with five extra-base hits in 85 at-bats vs. starters.
“Going into my fourth year here, if we don’t score runs and we get into that bullpen, you feel like you’re one swing away,” Schwarber said.
Thomson’s enjoyed the late offense but quipped that he’d “like to get to a starter here pretty quick, getting a little anxious coming down to the end.”
Schwarber and Sosa are both off to scalding starts. Schwarber is 6-for-17 with three homers and six RBI. Sosa is 6-for-11 with three doubles and has multiple hits in each game he’s played. It certainly wasn’t ideal for Turner to miss a couple games so early, but it also afforded Sosa more at-bats than he would have otherwise received and a chance to find a groove at the plate.
“You saw it last year, too, when Trea went down,” Thomson said. “When Sosa gets a chance to get some consistent at-bats, he shows what he can do.
“He’s extremely important. You’re gonna have injuries over the course of the year and he can fill in almost anywhere. When he gets a chance to play, he plays well.”
Castellanos is also seeing the ball well. He singled and homered Monday after walking four times over the weekend in D.C., his most walks in any series as a Phillie.
The home opener was a pitchers’ duel for five innings with both Cristopher Sanchez and Marquez throwing up zeroes. The run Sanchez allowed came on a solo homer by catcher Hunter Goodman in the top of the sixth. One of Sanchez’ strengths is avoiding homers; the first he allowed last season came vs. the 111th hitter he faced.
Sanchez pitched well aside from that one at-bat and only added to the offseason hype by averaging 96.5 mph with his fastball, two full mph faster than last year. It probably won’t be a one-day fluke, either. He averaged 96.5 in the spring too after adding 20 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-6 frame. It took him a few innings Monday to find his bread-and-butter changeup but he had it working from the third inning-on, striking out five of six batters at one point.
Jose Alvarado, who also had an electric spring, struck out the side in the eighth after the Phillies took their three-run lead. Alvarado threw 16 sinkers and they averaged 100.0 mph on the dot.
Jordan Romano pitched a scoreless ninth to rebound from a two-run outing on Opening Day.
The Phillies pick back up on Wednesday against the Rockies, who they’ve beaten in 11 of the last 12 meetings at Citizens Bank Park. Zack Wheeler will be on the mound for that one. Good luck to Bud Black’s bats.
Most teams have only played three or four games at this early point of the 2025 MLB season, so don’t look for any major changes since my MLB Opening Week Power Rankings were released last week. That would be silly.
And so, the Braves and Red Sox are still quite high here and teams like the Cardinals and the Marlins (obviously) have some work to do in order to get out of the bottom-third of the list.
With a full week of games awaiting us, let's get started!
Mookie Betts battled a mystery illness in recent weeks which brought his weight as low as 158 pounds. Fortunately, he’s regained some strength in recent days, as evidenced by his two-homer game including the walk-off blast against the Tigers on Friday night.
Jesús Luzardo might have been the most overlooked impact move of the winter. After being limited to just 12 starts due to injury last year, he ripped off 11 strikeouts in his Phillies debut Saturday against the Nationals. He showed frontline potential before 2024, so the Philly rotation has the chance to be one of the scariest in the majors.
3) Atlanta Braves (0-4)
Last week: 2
The Braves aren’t making my job easy this week. Things should get much better from here, but Atlanta hit just .148 as a team during their season-opening sweep at the hands of the Padres.
4) Boston Red Sox (1-3)
Last week: 4
Coming off a shoulder injury and being moved to the DH spot, Rafael Devers had a series to forget against the Rangers by going 0-for-12 with 11 strikeouts. It’s a concern.
5) Arizona Diamondbacks (2-2)
Last week: 6
Eugenio Suárez looked to have his career at a crossroads during the first half last season, but he’s now amassed 28 home runs in his last 77 games, including four to open the 2025 season.
6) New York Yankees (3-0)
Last week: 7
If you blinked over the past few days, you might have missed another Yankees home run against the Brewers. Armed with their new torpedo bats, they tied an MLB record by hitting 15 homers through their first three games. How much of it was the Yankees (and their bats) and how much of it was the Brewers’ undermanned pitching staff? We’re about to find out.
"They should send a few [torpedo bats] over here if they're gonna be hitting homers like that."
Beautiful home run from Juan Soto aside, the offense was largely non-existent in their series against the Astros, but one positive was that their pitching staff allowed just six runs over three games.
8) Texas Rangers (3-1)
Last week: 8
A great sign for the Rangers? Jacob deGrom looked pretty much like himself in Sunday’s win over the Red Sox, spinning five scoreless innings with six strikeouts and 16 swinging strikes in his 73 pitches.
9) Houston Astros (2-1)
Last week: 9
Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, and Spencer Arrighetti combined to allow just four runs (three earned) through three games against the Mets.
10) Baltimore Orioles (2-2)
Last week: 10
The Orioles should get Gunnar Henderson back from the injured list this week, but they’ve already lost Colton Cowser due to a fractured left thumb. He's expected to miss around six weeks.
11) San Diego Padres (4-0)
Last week: 12
With Nick Pivetta dominating the Braves on Sunday, the Padres are now 4-0 for the second time in franchise history. The only other time came in 1984, when they won the NL pennant and went on to lose to the Tigers in the World Series.
12) Seattle Mariners (2-2)
Last week: 13
Concern about the Mariners’ offense remains a very real thing, but watching this massive go-ahead two-run home run from Julio Rodríguez on Sunday makes you forget about it for a minute.
Julio Rodríguez BLASTED this ball - the third-hardest hit home run of his career
It’s bad enough to give up eight runs in an inning, which the Cubs’ bullpen did on Sunday, but they also allowed an RBI single to Ryne Nelson (yes, a pitcher) after the Diamondbacks ran out of position players. Oh, the indignity.
Jonathan India is somehow in the lineup for the Royals on Monday after being hit in the head by a 99 mph fastball from Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase on Sunday. Great news for the Royals' key acquisition during the offseason.
15) Minnesota Twins (0-3)
Last week: 14
The mood of Twins’ fans was already on shaky ground, so a three-game sweep at the hands of the Cardinals to start the season isn’t helping matters. After dealing with an illness in recent days, Bailey Ober was blasted for eight runs and didn’t make it out of the third inning on Sunday.
16) Detroit Tigers (0-3)
Last week: 15
A sweep is a sweep, but the Tigers showed a good amount of fight during their series against the Dodgers. Maybe most encouraging was that Spencer Torkelson’s strong spring carried into the opening series.
17) Toronto Blue Jays (2-2)
Last week: 17
The excitement behind Max Scherzer’s season debut didn’t last long. The future Hall of Famer lasted just three innings against the Orioles on Saturday before leaving with lat soreness and landed on the IL on Sunday with right thumb inflammation. The issues are related and cast serious doubt on his outlook moving forward.
18) San Francisco Giants (2-1)
Last week: 19
Camilo Doval lost his closer job last season amid some control issues and even found himself in the minors, but he was called upon Sunday to close out a victory over the Reds with Ryan Walker unavailable due to back pain. It’s unclear if Walker will require a lengthy absence, but Doval rediscovering his All-Star form would be a big deal for this team.
19) Milwaukee Brewers (0-3)
Last week: 18
Woof. In getting swept (and demolished) by the Yankees, the Brewers became the first team since 1901 to allow at least 15 home runs through the first three games of a season. Aaron Civale was forced to exit Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury, which is yet another test for a short-handed rotation.
20) Cincinnati Reds (1-2)
Last week: 20
The Reds have the talent to make things interesting in the NL Central, but the backend of their bullpen is a pain point. Alexis Díaz was on shaky ground even before his hamstring injury, but piecing it together in his absence will be a process.
21) Cleveland Guardians (2-1)
Last week: 21
Once again, I might be underestimating the Guardians in the AL Central. Tanner Bibee’s Chipotle regimen apparently backfired, with food poisoning pushing back his season debut to Sunday, but he looked strong with 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the Royals.
22) Tampa Bay Rays (2-1)
Last week: 22
How weird is to see the Rays playing outside as the home team? I will hereby refer to the 2025 home Rays as the “outie Rays.” On a serious note, it’s a bummer to see Josh Lowe already hit the injured list with an oblique strain.
23) St. Louis Cardinals (3-0)
Last week: 25
The outlook for the Cardinals might look a little bit different if Victor Scott II’s improvements are real. After a two-hit, two steal-game on Saturday, Scott slugged a three-run homer on Sunday to finish off a sweep against the Twins.
24) Athletics (2-2)
Last week: 24
Aaron Judge, not surprisingly, leads the majors with 20 total bases so far this season, but A’s first baseman Tyler Soderstrom ranks second with 17 through four games.
25) Pittsburgh Pirates (1-3)
Last week: 23
The Pirates made history over the weekend! Oh, it was the bad kind of history.
Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the Pirates are the first team to be walked off for their first three losses in a season since the 1924 Pirates
Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews was the consensus choice of the Rotoworld staff to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award, but great throw notwithstanding on Saturday, he’s had a rough start to the season. The 23-year-old is 0-for-11 and has struck out in each of his last eight at-bats. Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki, the other favorite for the NL ROY, has had his own struggles through his first two MLB starts.
27) Los Angeles Angels (2-1)
Last week: 27
Free agent pickup Kenley Jansen has two saves through the first three games of the season. He’s still getting it done at the age of 37 and finds himself 31 saves away from Lee Smith for third on the all-time list. It’s within reach seeing that he notched 27 saves last year and 29 the year before.
28) Miami Marlins (3-1)
Last week: 29
Three walk-off wins for the Marlins in their season-opening series against the Pirates. Fun! This is still likely where they’ll peak in this year’s rankings.
29) Colorado Rockies (1-2)
Last week: 28
The great thing about baseball is that you regularly see things that haven’t happened in 100 years. Take for instance Antonio Senzatela’s outing against the Rays on Saturday, as he navigated a small village of baserunners through 4 1/3 scoreless innings.
Antonio Senzatela is the first pitcher to allow 9+ hits and record 0 strikeouts but still allow 0 runs since Dave Dravecky on June 25, 1986.
It’s early but the White Sox are leading the league in tarp.
The White Sox grounds crew used every type of tarp that they could get their hands on to cover the field once the big tarp got stuck halfway across the diamond ️
The Yankees’ torpedo bats have been the talk of Major League Baseball over the first weekend of the season, and for good reason.
The Yankees slugged an all-time record-tying 15 home runs in their three-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers, with players like Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe, Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt all going yard while using the newly designed lumber.
But with the Yankees’ early success in using these bats have come detractors, including Brewers’ reliever Trevor Megill, who called the bats “something used in slow-pitch softball.”
On Monday morning, Chisholm, who homered three times in the first three games, fired back via social media.
“Okay explanation the barrel is bigger and within mlb regulation!,” Chisholm posted on X. “For the idiots that say it’s moved to the label you’re an idiot! Nobody is trying to get jammed you just move the wood from the parts you don’t use to the parts you do! You’re welcome no more stress for y’all !”
Like many hitters in the Yankees’ lineup, Chisholm is off to a tremendous start, slashing .417/.500/1.167 through three games with three home runs and six RBI, all while using a torpedo-style bat.
The torpedo bats, designed by Aaron Leanhardt, a former member of the Yankees analytics department who now works for the Miami Marlins, take wood away from parts of the bat, like the handle, to create and elongated barrel with more mass.
The bats came into the national spotlight on Saturday, when the Yankees blasted nine home runs and put 20 runs on the board in a win over the Brewers.
As Chisholm said, the bats have been deemed legal by MLB officials, and we’ve already seen other players around the league, like Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, using them as well.
And with all of the early success the Bombers have had at the dish, it’s fair to expect that a large number of players around baseball will at least test out using these new bats. In fact, Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic reports that "several" Baltimore Orioles players are using them, though none of the bats look "quite as jarring" as the ones Chisholm is using.
Its Monday, March 31 and the San Francisco Giants (2-1) are in Houston, TX to take on the Astros (2-1) in Game 1 of this series.
Jordan Hicks is slated to take the mound for San Francisco against Ronel Blanco for Houston.
The Astros took two of three at home against the Mets to open the season while the Giants took two of three in Cincinnati against the Reds.
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 Giants at Astros
Date: Monday, March 31, 2025
Time: 8:10PM EST
Site: Daikin Park
City: Houston, TX
Network/Streaming: NBCSBA, SCHN
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 Giants at the Astros
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: San Francisco Giants (+105), Houston Astros (-125)
Spread: Astros -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Giants at Astros
Pitching matchup for March 31, 2025: Jordan Hicks vs. Ronel Blanco
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 Giants at Astros
The Giants are hitting just .214 this season
The Astros are hitting just .176 this season
The Giants have clubbed 5 HRs while the Astros have smacked just 1 HR this season
San Francisco's Team ERA is 3.46 in 2025
Houston's Team ERA is 1.33 in 2025
Houston is 1-2 on the Run Line this season
San Francisco is 3-0 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 Giants and the Astros
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 Giants and the Astros:
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 San Francisco Giants at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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Dodgers players, staff and ownership pose for a photo after receiving their World Series rings in a pregame ceremony Friday at Dodger Stadium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
As Evan Phillips stood in front of his locker before the Dodgers’ home opener Thursday, answering questions about the team’s upcoming World Series celebration that night and the gold jersey they would wear to mark the occasion, his new neighbor in the Dodgers clubhouse interjected from one stall over.
“What’d you say to Tanner before the game?” first-year Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott, a longtime personal friend of Phillips’ in the game, implored his new teammate to share with a reporter.
Phillips laughed.
“I was surprised they gave 66 over here a little bit of gold on his jersey,” Phillips joked, referring to Scott’s uniform number — and the fact he wasn't part of the club's title-winning roster last year.
“That’s some bull, right?” Scott responded with a playful shake of his head.
“It’s just foreshadowing," Phillips insisted, "what’s to come for him."
Such was life for new Dodgers players this past weekend, with a group of six offseason acquisitions populating the team’s opening day roster.
All series long, they were present for the nightly pregame ceremonies honoring last year’s World Series. They wore the same gold-accented uniforms, and the same 2024 title sleeve patches, as the rest of their reigning-champion teammates.
But for them, the proceedings provided a different kind of perspective.
They weren’t in any of the scoreboard highlight reels honoring last year’s team. They didn’t have the same emotional attachment to watching a World Series banner get raised in center field. And when the team’s championship rings were presented to players and coaches Friday, they all stayed back in the dugout, serving as mere spectators while being reminded of what their previous teams failed to accomplish last season.
“There’s a lot of people in that room who enjoyed it,” manager Dave Roberts said of his clubhouse’s reaction to the weekend-long celebration. “And also, there’s new guys that didn’t partake. And I want them to want that next year.”
So too, of course, do the new players themselves — almost all of whom offered the same reason for wanting to sign with the Dodgers this offseason.
“I went to a World Series as a rookie. Now I'm almost 10 years removed from that, and I want to go back,” veteran outfielder Michael Conforto, a member of the New York Mets’ 2015 pennant winner, said at the club’s preseason fan fest event after signing a one-year, $17-million deal in December.
“I wanted to go to a team that's going to compete. That was the first thing that I told my agent, that it has to be a team that's competitive. So I think it was a no-brainer when the Dodgers called. … We want to win games and have a chance to get a ring.”
Scott echoed similar sentiments at his introductory press conference in January, fresh off inking a four-year, $72-million contract.
“They’re not a fun team to face,” he said then, just months removed from being eliminated by the Dodgers in the playoffs as a member of the San Diego Padres. “We’re ready to win another one. And I’ll be a part of this one.”
Veteran reliever Kirby Yates, signed to a one-year, $13-million deal a week after Scott, referenced the same championship aspirations when he was introduced at Dodger Stadium for the first time.
“The older you get," said Yates, who has appeared in just one playoff game over his 11-year MLB career, "that starts being more important."
For Yates, a spectacle like this weekend’s was nothing new.
In 2022, he watched the Atlanta Braves receive their World Series rings after signing with the club in the wake of their 2021 championship. Last season, he went through it again as the newly signed closer of the Texas Rangers’ defending-title squad.
"This is my third time signing with the reigning World Series champions," he said. "I'm looking forward to finally trying to make that run and be able to pitch in the postseason."
There was plenty to celebrate last weekend for players who were on the Dodgers in 2024, including, from left, Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Last year's Rangers celebration, Yates recalled this weekend, was a bittersweet experience — the 38-year-old right-hander still reeling at the time from the 104-win Braves’ division series knockout the prior October.
“I think everybody on that Atlanta team felt like we had a really good chance of winning that World Series, and it didn’t happen,” Yates said. “So watching that ring ceremony ... you’re excited for [your new team] and you’re happy for them. But on a personal level, you want your chance to win one, too.”
This weekend, however, Yates had a more auspicious feeling during the Dodgers' World Series festivities.
Here, he saw a team uniquely poised to repeat as champions; one that already had a star-studded core, then aggressively pursued additional depth and talent during a half-billion-dollar offseason spending spree.
Yates’ signing itself, after all, represented one of their most luxurious splurges — likely to effectively cost more than double its $13 million price tag when accounting for luxury tax penalties and the Dodgers’ need to cut former reliever Ryan Brasier and his $4-million salary in a corresponding move.
“The idea was to have as many good pitchers and as many good players as they possibly could have,” Yates said, “to basically help [distribute] the load for the entire season, including October.”
Having been part of two previous failed title defenses, Yates’ hope is that such roster construction will allow the Dodgers to overcome what he believes to be the biggest obstacle for any defending champion: health.
“Playing that long into October, it takes its toll on everybody’s body,” Yates said. “But I think the difference here, and what they’ve done, is how many people they’ve added; the depth that you have to be able to make that run.”
The Dodgers, meanwhile, are hoping the hunger of their new additions will serve as a different kind of catalyst in their 2025 quest.
None of their new players — from Yates to Scott to Conforto to Blake Snell — has won a World Series. And this weekend, they had the feeling of a title dangled in front of them, getting a fleeting preview of how a long-sought championship might taste.
“I don’t think any of the new guys really need any more motivation to go out and win,” Yates said. “But watching how cool that is, watching everybody go get their rings, yeah, you definitely want your chance to be a part of that.”
BALTIMORE — Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser is expected to miss at least six weeks with a broken left thumb.
Baltimore put Cowser on the 10-day injured list before its home opener against Boston. The Orioles recalled outfielder Dylan Carlson from Triple-A Norfolk.
Cowser wasn’t able to hit in the ninth inning of a loss at Toronto after he slid headfirst into first base in the seventh. He finished a close second in last year’s Rookie of the Year vote after hitting 24 home runs.
“It’s probably six to eight weeks minimum,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “It’s not going to be the last injury we have this season. We’re going to have things pop up. That’s why you create depth, and it gives other guys opportunities, but it’s a blow.”
Hyde did say he’s hopeful right-hander Albert Suarez (shoulder inflammation) won’t have to miss much time after going on the IL over the weekend.
In the spirit of this year’s NCAA basketball tournaments — where Goliath has defeated David at almost every opportunity — the baseball season began with its own version of chalk supremacy.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, last year’s pennant winners, are a combined 8-0. The Dodgers followed up their two-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs in Japan by taking three in a row from Detroit. The Yankees bashed their way to three straight wins over Milwaukee, scoring 36 runs and hitting 15 homers against the defending NL Central champs.
New York’s start was particularly encouraging after the Yankees lost Juan Soto in the offseason and then had Gerrit Cole go down to a season-ending arm problem. So far their offense has looked so good, the torpedo-shaped bats — with wood lower down the barrel — has become a significant story.
Four Yankees already have multiple home runs — Aaron Judge with four, Jazz Chisholm with three, and Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe with two apiece.
It’s been a similar power show for the Dodgers, who are hitting just .224 as a team but have 12 homers — three in each of the past four games.
BetMGM is offering 5-1 odds on the Dodgers to break the major league record by winning at least 117 games in the regular season.
Top challengers?
Two teams that could push Los Angeles at the top of the National League — Atlanta and San Diego — played a four-game series, and the Padres swept it. The Braves went 1 for 22 with runners in scoring position, and they didn’t have a single opportunity with RISP in the finale, managing just one hit against Nick Pivetta and two relievers.
Fernando Tatis Jr. went 7 for 15 with a homer and three stolen bases for the Padres in the series.
Welcome back
Mike Trout returned for the Los Angeles Angels after his 2024 season ended early because of a knee injury. Trout singled for his first hit of the season.
Orioles closer Felix Bautista threw a scoreless inning after he missed all of last year because of Tommy John surgery. Miami ace Sandy Alcantara also missed all of 2024 thanks to Tommy John surgery. He threw 4 2/3 innings in a 5-4 win over Pittsburgh.
Jacob deGrom actually came back from his Tommy John surgery late last season, but any time he’s on the mound it feels like a moment to savor given his health issues. He threw five scoreless frames for Texas in a 3-2 win over Boston.
It was deGrom’s 10th start since the beginning of the 2023 season, and he hasn’t thrown more than 92 innings since 2019, his second straight Cy Young campaign for the New York Mets.
Trivia time
Baltimore beat Toronto 12-2, scoring double-digit runs on opening day for a third straight year. Who were the winning pitchers in those games?
Line of the week
Judge hit three of New York’s nine home runs in a 20-9 win over the Brewers. One of his homers was a grand slam, and he finished with eight RBIs. The Yankees’ power display — which included homers on Milwaukee starter Nestor Cortes’ first three pitches — helped overshadow five New York errors in the field.
The Yankees fell just short of the major league record for homers in a game. The Toronto Blue Jays hit 10 in an 18-3 win over Baltimore in 1987.
Comeback of the week
Down by four, the Arizona Diamondbacks scored eight runs on their way to a 10-6 win over the Cubs. Arizona’s win probability was down to 3.3% in the eighth, according to Baseball Savant.
The decisive rally included an RBI single by pitcher Ryne Nelson, who was batting because designated hitter Ketel Marte had moved to second base, forcing Arizona’s lineup to include the pitcher’s spot. With no full-time hitters left on the bench, the Diamondbacks sent Nelson up to pinch-hit for reliever Justin Martinez.
Its Monday, March 31 and the Chicago Cubs (2-4) are in Sacramento, CA to take on the Oakland Athletics (2-2) in Game 1 of their series.
Ben Brown is slated to take the mound for Chicago against Joey Estes for Oakland.
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 Cubs at Athletics
Date: Monday, March 31, 2025
Time: 10:05PM EST
Site: Sutter Health Park
City: Sacramento, CA
Network/Streaming: FDSN, NBCSCA
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 Cubs at the Athletics
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Chicago Cubs (-128), Oakland Athletics (+109)
Spread: Cubs -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Cubs at Athletics
Pitching matchup for March 31, 2025: Ben Brown vs. Joey Estes
Cubs: Ben Brown (0-1) Last Start: 3/18 vs. LA Dodgers (LOST 4-1), 2.2 IP, 4 Hits, 2 earned runs, 5 Ks
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 Cubs at Athletics
The A's are 3-1 on the Run Line this season (ATS)
Athletics' Game Totals are 0-3-1 (O/U) this season
The Cubs are 2-4 on the Run Line (ATS) 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 Cubs and the Athletics
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 Cubs and the Athletics:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Chicago Cubs on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cubs 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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Mike Stobe/Getty Images
Eric Samulski
