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

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What we learned as Jordan Hicks roughed up early in Giants' loss to Phillies

What we learned as Jordan Hicks roughed up early in Giants' loss to Phillies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

PHILADELPHIA — You have to go back to last August to find the last time the Philadelphia Phillies lost a series at home, so a split for the Giants wasn’t a bad result at all. But it sure wasn’t a comfortable four days at Citizens Bank Park. 

The Giants lost 6-4 in the finale with the Phillies, and for a second straight game, and third time in this series, it seemed early on that the game might end with a position player on the mound. 

Jordan Hicks took the mound with a 1-0 lead and immediately gave five back, but he held it there, and the Giants chipped away with a two-run homer from Matt Chapman in the sixth. That was their only big swing against lefty Cristopher Sanchez, who struck out a career-high 12.

The Giants brought the tying run to the plate in the ninth after Tyler Fitzgerald homered and Jung Hoo Lee got a pinch-hit infield single, but rookie Christian Koss bounced out to short.

The Phillies have the best home record in baseball over the past calendar year and entered the series with eight wins and one tie in their last nine series at Citizens Bank Park. With a chance to end that streak, the Giants dug too big a hole.

Here are three things to know from the final game of a wild back-and-forth series … 

Uncomfortable In The Dugout

On Monday and Wednesday, Bob Melvin was forced to get the bullpen going in the first inning before his starting pitcher got out of a jam. When Hicks allowed the first five Phillies to reach in the bottom of the first, there was no movement in the pen. The Giants really had no choice but to let Hicks try to get out of the inning and get deep.

Spencer Bivens and Lou Trivino pitched two innings each on Wednesday and Hayden Birdsong appeared on Sunday and Tuesday. When Hicks became the latest Giants starter to run into trouble right away, he had to wear it.

Hicks ended up allowing five runs in the inning on five hits and a walk. He threw 33 pitches a few hours after Robbie Ray needed 39 in his first inning. Melvin talked before Wednesday’s game about how often he has had to think about moves early in games recently, and it’s hard to imagine a worse series than this one in terms of getting off to quick starts. 

None of the four Giants starters had a clean first inning and only Justin Verlander threw a scoreless first. The starters combined to allow 10 runs on 10 hits and eight walks in the four first innings at Citizens Bank Park. They all escaped true disaster, but Melvin can’t be happy with how often he has to contemplate pulling a starter early.

The Adventure

Here are some of the things that happened during Hicks’ fourth start of the year: Gave up five runs in the first … responded by throwing six shutout innings … threw a career-high 105 pitches … averaged 99 mph with his sinker … hit triple digits 16 times, topping out at 101.7 mph … drilled Trea Turner with a 101 mph fastball and then had words with the Phillies bench the rest of the game … got yelled at by home plate umpire Phil Cuzzi after the bottom of the seventh.

It was a wild one.

Hicks showed an absurd ability to hold his fastball velocity over 100 pitches, doing something only a handful of pitchers in the world can do. But those five runs count, and he has a 6.04 ERA through four starts. 

Happy Chappy

Chapman has been drawing walks all year, but he came into this series with seven straight games without a hit. He got one in each of the four games, and with the homer on Thursday, his OPS is up to .804, which would be his highest in five years.

Chapman contributed subtly on Thursday, too. He made multiple visits to the mound to calm Hicks. The Giants couldn’t afford to have their starter get knocked out in the first, but they also couldn’t afford to have him get ejected in the middle of the game.

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Yankees at Rays Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 17

It's Thursday, April 17 and the Yankees (11-7) are in Tampa to take on the Rays (8-10). Will Warren is slated to take the mound for New York against Taj Bradley for Tampa Bay.

The Yankees beat the Royals, 4-3 yesterday on an Aaron Judge homer in the bottom of the seventh. The Rays lost 1-0 to the Red Sox yesterday on five hits, 13 strikeouts, and 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position. This is the first meeting of the year between Tampa Bay and New York.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Yankees at Rays

  • Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
  • Time: 7:05PM EST
  • Site: George M. Steinbrenner Field
  • City: Tampa, FL
  • Network/Streaming: Amazon Prime Video, FDSNFL

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 Rays

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Yankees (+102), Rays (-122)
  • Spread:  Rays 1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for the Yankees at Rays

  • The pitching matchup for April 17, 2025: Will Warren vs. Taj Bradley
    • Yankees: Will Warren, (1-0, 5.14 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
    • Rays: Taj Bradley, (2-0, 3.71 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts

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

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Yankees and the Rays

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Yankees -1.5 against the Rays and Taj Bradley’s strikeout prop:

"The Rays followed up a 16-1 win over the Red Sox with back-to-back losses of 7-4 and 1-0. Now they host the Yankees with Will Warren on the mound, who is coming off his best start of the season. For +142 to +152 odds, I think the Yankees run line is enticing, especially since Taj Bradley's strikeout prop is set at 6.5 juiced -120 to the Under.

Bradley has recorded seven strikeouts in each of his first three starts this season and the Rays are 2-1 in those starts. Tampa Bay won 9-1 and lost 2-0 versus New York in Bradley's two starts last season, giving up one total earned run. This will be his third career start versus New York and I think they will figure him out a little more this time around, so I like the Yankees on the run line (-1.5, +152) and Bradley's Under 6.5 strikeouts (-120).

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

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

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

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

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

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

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Yankees at Rays

  • The Yankees have won 4 of their last 5 away games against teams with losing records
  • 4 of the Rays' last 5 matchups with the Yankees have gone over the Total
  • The Yankees have failed to cover the Run Line in 6 of their last 8 road games

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

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

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Royals’ Bobby Witt Jr., Yankees’ Giancarlo Stanton, and the meaning of a simple handshake

How far back does Bobby Witt Jr.’s admiration for Giancarlo Stanton stretch?

And what is the meaning of a simple handshake?

The answer to the first question is: many years. Witt keeps a baseball at home signed by a certain "Mike Stanton," the name under which Stanton played as a prospect and rookie for the then-Florida Marlins until reclaiming his given appellation in 2012, when Witt was 11 years old.

Witt’s brother-in-law, pitcher Zach Neal, played with Stanton in the minor leagues in the early 2010s and obtained the autograph. He gave it to Witt, whose history admiring Stanton began in childhood.

“One of my buddies growing up, [Stanton] was his guy,” Witt said this week at Yankee Stadium. “He loved watching him play. He started hitting like him a little bit in high school. So I thought it was cool to grow up watching him, watching the Home Run Derby and all that, watching him hit home runs here and in Miami, and then play against him.”

At 24 years old, Witt is an emerging generational superstar. The ball zooms off his bat and into the outfield with a special oomph. When he hits a slow ground ball to the shortstop, he shocks crowds with speed that recalls prime Mike Trout, nearly beating out the expected routine 6-3. He would have won the American League Most Valuable Player award last year if not for the astounding Aaron Judge.

And yet Witt allows himself the giddiness of appreciation for sharing a field with those stars, now in their mid-to-late 30s, whom he once admired from the outside.

“It’s still really cool,” Witt said. “Sometimes Judge gets on base and he’s calling me by my first name and it’s like, ‘This is cool.’ Watch those guys — Trout or whoever — it is, well, it’s cool.”

The most personal of these moments came in Kansas City on Oct. 10, 2024. At 9:44 p.m. on that night, the Royals’ Yuli Gurriel lined out to Judge in center field, ending the American League Division Series.

The Yankees poured from the dugout to celebrate near the pitcher’s mound, and the Royals trudged into their clubhouse.

But Witt remained, alone on the top step. He put his arms on the padded railing and forced himself to stare at the jubilant winners.

What ran through his mind during those long minutes?

“That it could be us,” Witt said. “I was going through the whole series in those five minutes right there. What could I have done better? What do I need to do more? It doesn’t even hit you that the season is over. It feels like you’re just waiting for what’s next. Then you’re watching them celebrate and it’s like, it’s over.”

New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) celebrates an RBI single during the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals during game four of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Kauffman Stadium.
New York Yankees designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton (27) celebrates an RBI single during the sixth inning against the Kansas City Royals during game four of the ALDS for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Kauffman Stadium. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images

At 9:49, Stanton, who had doubled twice and driven in a run in the 3-1 Yankees win, glanced over from the party and noticed Witt lost in his feelings.

He walked over to the rival dugout and shook the young man’s hand, patted him on the shoulder and made eye contact. The brief nonverbal interaction, caught by a photographer and quickly passed around the internet, cut deep for Witt. He turned away from the field, feeling ready to face his own clubhouse.

“It was not a premeditated thing,” Stanton said this week. “It was just something in the moment that I chose to do.”

“He didn't have to do that,” Witt said. “I know he’s not doing it for the cameras. He’s just a genuine guy. The stories I hear from guys who have played with him, from [Anthony] Volpe or whoever, are that he’s a person. He’s a guy first.

“You see him walking over there. You see what he did against us that day, and it’s like, he didn’t have to acknowledge me. He could have just walked over to do his interview and go home.”

The admiration is mutual. Stanton, reticent when asked about his own gesture, lit up when prompted about Witt as a player.

“He’s incredible,” Stanton said. “He’s going to be a staple in the league for a long time. He’s fun to watch. Obviously, I don’t want him to beat us, but you see the talent grow and become more refined since he came up, and he’s only going to get better.”

It is not difficult to imagine Witt and Stanton as older men, sitting on a stage in Cooperstown as fellow Hall of Famers at the annual inductions. If that happens, Witt will remember Stanton’s brief but powerful moment of sportsmanship from the 2020s.

For now, though, he remains excited to share a field with greats of his childhood, and the veterans ready to pass a share of the game, with grace, to a new generation.

“Just playing against him, just seeing him on the basepaths,” Witt says. “That is what you reach for.”

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Guardians at Orioles prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 17

Its Thursday, April 17 and the Guardians (9-8) are in Baltimore to take on the Orioles (7-10). Tanner Bibee is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Tomoyuki Sugano for Baltimore.

The Orioles defeated the Guardians 9-1 last night. Gavin Williams pitched 6.2 innings and allowed five runs. Dean Kremer had a nice night on the mound. He went 5.1 innings and only gave up one run on four hits.

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 Guardians at Orioles

  • Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
  • Time: 6:35PM EST
  • Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
  • City: Baltimore, MD
  • Network/Streaming: CLEG, 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 Guardians at the Orioles

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Guardians (-118), Orioles (-101)
  • Spread:  Guardians -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Orioles

  • Pitching matchup for April 17, 2025: Tanner Bibee vs. Tomoyuki Sugano
    • Guardians: Tanner Bibee, (1-1, 4.40 ERA)
      Last outing (4/11): 4.2 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
    • Orioles: Tomoyuki Sugano, (1-1, 3.86 ERA)
      Last outing (4/12) : 4.2 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 0 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 Guardians at Orioles

  • The Guardians have won 4 of their last 5 away games against teams with losing records
  • The Over is 10-5-2 in Orioles' games this season
  • {key_stat_3}

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 Orioles

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

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

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cleveland Guardians on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 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 Rays: 5 things to watch and series predictions | April 17-20

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees hit the road to take on the Tampa Bay Rays in a four-game series starting on Thursday...

Preview

Familiar park

The Yankees and Rays have had plenty of battles at Tropicana Field, but this season will see the teams face off in a different park: George M. Steinbrenner Field.

Yes, the Yankees' spring training field is being used for Rays home games this season after their stadium was damaged by a hurricane during the offseason. How will this play for the Yanks? Their team is used to playing there, especially since the dimensions are identical to Yankee Stadium.

Will Warren, Carlos Carrasco encores?

Both Warren and Carrasco -- who were on the cusp of being replaced when Clarke Schmidt returned -- had their best outings of the season last weekend.

Now, each starter will have another shot to prove they deserve to remain in the rotation when Marcus Stroman (knee) eventually returns from the IL.

Warren will try and set the tone in the series-opener on Thursday. He'll be opposed by impressive right-hander Taj Bradley, so this will be a big test for Warren. Is he able to string quality starts together after picking up his first win in the big leagues his last time out?

As for Carrasco, the veteran's great spring training didn't carry over in the early going, but he pitched five innings of one-run ball in the series-opener with Kansas City, the best of his short Yankees career. New York needs Carrasco to continue his effectiveness if the Bombers want to improve on having one of the worst ERAs from a starting staff this season.

Aaron Judge power surge incoming?

The captain was quietly having a power outage. Entering Wednesday's series finale against the Royals, Judge had not hit a home run in 10 games. Although he was still getting on base and getting hits, that power was not showing. Luckily for the Yanks, the power emerged just when the team needed it most as his seventh-inning blast lifted New York to a series sweep over the Royals.

Now that Judge has finally gone yard, perhaps more are soon to follow. Judge has a habit of hitting his homers in bunches, and going down to the warm climate of Tampa in a familiar park can't hurt.

Apr 13, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodón (55) stands on the mound in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Yankee Stadium
Apr 13, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Carlos Rodón (55) stands on the mound in the sixth inning against the San Francisco Giants at Yankee Stadium / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

Can Carlos Rodon stop giving up homers?

I've been a staunch defender of Rodon this season. Despite not pitching up to the $162 million contract, the potential to be a No. 3 starter is there.

In just his last two starts, he's allowed nine runs, but six of them came on two three-run home runs that completely decimated what otherwise would be quality starts. But the long ball has been Rodon's bugaboo since he donned the pinstripes. He has allowed 51 homers in his first 50 games with the Yanks, which tied him with JA Happ for the most home runs allowed by a Yankees pitcher in his first 50 games with the team. That includes the five jacks he's allowed in his four starts this year.

Rodon will pitch the second game of the series against a Rays team that has hit 19 home runs in their 18 games, which is tied for 15th in the majors. Perhaps this could be a get-right game for the southpaw.

More Martian development

Arguably, the biggest development coming out of the Royals series is how well Jasson Dominguez has played in the outfield and hit at the plate. His bases-clearing double on Tuesday lifted the Yankees to a win and came as a right-handed hitter -- it was only his second hit against a lefty this season.

New York will face a quartet of right-handed starters in this series, so any at-bats hitting right-handed will have to come against relievers, but Dominguez is looking more comfortable at the plate and he's produced. Against the Royals, he went 3-for-8 with two walks and drove in three RBI.

Let's see if he can carry that over into this series.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Ben Rice

The young slugger got a much-needed day off Wednesday and will likely lead off against the aforementioned quartet of righties in this series.

Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?

Max Fried

Until the other starters step up consistently, Fried (1.88 ERA) will always be the odds-on favorite to pitch the best.

Which Rays player will be a thorn in the Yankees' side?

Yandy Diaz

The first baseman enters this series on a six-game hitting streak, and is a career .270 hitter in 81 games against the Yankees.

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Giants at Phillies Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 17

Its Thursday, April 17 and the Giants (13-5) are in Philadelphia to wrap up their four-game series against the Phillies (10-8).

Jordan Hicks is slated to take the mound for San Francisco against Cristopher Sánchez for Philadelphia.

The Giants have taken two of the first three games of the series. San Francisco picked up 13 hits and scored 11 runs last night in an 11-4 win. Phillies' ace Aaron Nola was uncharacteristically bad giving up nine hits and six earned runs in 5.1 innings.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Giants at Phillies

  • Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
  • Time: 4:05PM EST
  • Site: Citizens Bank Park
  • City: Philadelphia, PA
  • Network/Streaming: NBCSBA, NBCSP+

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 Phillies

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Giants (+143), Phillies (-171)
  • Spread:  Phillies -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Giants at Phillies

  • Pitching matchup for April 17, 2025: Jordan Hicks vs. Cristopher Sánchez
    • Giants: Jordan Hicks (1-1, 5.87 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/12 at Yankees - 4IP, 7ER, 8H, 3BB, 3Ks
    • Phillies: Cristopher Sánchez (1-0, 3.12 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/12 at St. Louis - 6.1IP, 1ER, 8H, 2BB, 3Ks

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

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

  • Bryce Harper is riding a 5-game hitting streak (6-19)
  • Jung Hoo Lee has hits in 6 of his last 7 games for the Giants (11-28)
  • The OVER has cashed in the last 3 games for Philly but only 7 times overall 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 today’s game between the Giants and the Phillies

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

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

  • 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.

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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Mets vs. Cardinals: How to watch on SNY on April 17, 2025

The Mets open a four-game series with the Cardinals at Citi Field on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

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

Mets Notes

  • The Mets' team ERA of 2.38 is the lowest in baseball
  • Pete Alonso leads the National League with a .732 slugging percentage, 1.205 OPS, and 245 OPS+
  • Luisangel Acuña has a six-game hitting streak and seven-game on-base streak
  • Mark Vientos has a four-game hitting streak and six-game on-base streak
CARDINALS
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. 

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Athletics at White Sox Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends and stats for April 17

Its Thursday, April 17 and the Athletics (8-10) are in Chicago looking to finish off a three-game sweep of the White Sox (4-13).

JP Sears is slated to take the mound for Oakland against Davis Martin for Chicago.

The A's won last night 3-1. Osvaldo Bido threw 5.2 innings and allowed just one run on five hits to earn his second win of the season.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Athletics at White Sox

  • Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
  • Time: 2:10PM EST
  • Site: Rate Field
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • Network/Streaming: NBCSCA, CHSN

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

Odds for the Athletics at the White Sox

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Athletics (-156), White Sox (+131)
  • Spread:  Athletics -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Athletics at White Sox

  • Pitching matchup for April 17, 2025: JP Sears vs. Davis Martin
    • Athletics: JP Sears (1-2, 4.24 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/11 vs. Mets - 4IP, 3ER, 6H, 1BB, 7Ks
    • White Sox: Davis Martin (1-1, 4.24 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/11 vs. Boston - 6IP, 1ER, 6H, 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 Athletics at White Sox

  • The Athletics have won 3 of their last 5 games
  • The Athletics have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 2.46 units
  • The Under is 7-3 in the White Sox's last 10 games
  • The White Sox have lost three in a row and nine of their last eleven games
  • The White Sox are 9-8 for the season on the Run Line

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

Expert picks & predictions for today’s game between the Athletics and the White Sox

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

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

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Oakland Athletics on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Chicago White Sox at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

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

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

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All 32 teams still have their first-round picks, in an unprecedented lack of trades

A week before the 2025 NFL draft, all 32 teams still have their first-round draft picks. That is unprecedented.

As noted on the Cardinals' website, this was already the first year since the first common draft in 1967 in which every team still had its own first-round pick at the start of the league year.

There also hasn't been a traded first-round pick since the start of the league year, and if there isn't one before the draft starts on Thursday, it will be the first year since 2014 when no first-round picks were traded between the start of the league year and the opening of the draft.

The highest pick that has been traded in this year's draft is No. 39 overall, which the Panthers sent to the Bears in 2023 as part of the trade up to the first overall pick that year, which allowed the Panthers to select Bryce Young first overall.

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Mariners at Reds prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 17

Its Thursday, April 17 and the Mariners (9-9) are in Cincinnati to take on the Reds (9-9).

Emerson Hancock is slated to take the mound for Seattle against Brady Singer for Cincinnati.

The Reds and Mariners have split the first two games of this three-game series. Seattle evened the series with a 5-3 win last night. Cal Raleigh smacked his sixth and seventh home runs and Bryce Miller notched his first win of the season with five shutout innings for the Mariners.

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 Mariners at Reds

  • Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
  • Time: 12:40PM EST
  • Site: Great American Ball Park
  • City: Cincinnati, OH
  • Network/Streaming: RSNW, FDSNOH

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 Mariners at the Reds

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Mariners (-126), Reds (+106)
  • Spread:  Mariners -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Mariners at Reds

  • Pitching matchup for April 17, 2025: Emerson Hancock vs. Brady Singer
    • Mariners: Emerson Hancock (0-1, 81.00 ERA)
      Last outing: 3/31 vs. Detroit - 0.2IP, 6ER, 7H, 1BB, 0Ks
    • Reds: Brady Singer (3-0, 3.18 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/11 vs. Pittsburgh - 5IP, 3ER, 2H, 3BB, 3Ks

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

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

  • The Mariners have won 4 of their last 5 games
  • The Mariners also have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 3.29 units
  • Cincinnati is 11-7 on the Run Line this season
  • Cal Raleigh has 15 hits this season in 69ABs with 7 of the 15 hits home runs

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 Mariners and the Reds

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

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

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Seattle Mariners on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cincinnati Reds at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

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

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

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
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  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Posted on

ICYMI in Mets Land: Roster moves coming; what's next for Francisco Alvarez?

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

Posted on

Nationals at Pirates prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for April 17

Its Thursday, April 17 and the Nationals (7-11) are in Pittsburgh wrapping up a four-game series against the Pirates (7-12).

Trevor Williams is slated to take the mound for Washington against Andrew Heaney for Pittsburgh.

The Pirates have taken two of the first three games including a 6-1 win yesterday. Oneil Cruz paced the attack cracking his first grand slam of his career and Bailey Falter threw seven shutout innings to earn his first win of the season.

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 Nationals at Pirates

  • Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
  • Time: 12:35PM EST
  • Site: PNC Park
  • City: Pittsburgh, PA
  • Network/Streaming: MASN, SNP

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

Odds for the Nationals at the Pirates

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Nationals (+105), Pirates (-124)
  • Spread:  Pirates -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Nationals at Pirates

  • Pitching matchup for April 17, 2025: Trevor Williams vs. Andrew Heaney
    • Nationals: Trevor Williams (1-1, 7.36 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/12 at Miami - 4.2IP, 6ER, 8H, 1BB, 2Ks
    • Pirates: Andrew Heaney (0-1, 3.00 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/12 at Cincinnati - 6IP, 4ER, 3H, 2BB, 6Ks

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

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

  • The Nationals are 9-9 on the Run Line this season
  • The Over is 8-10-1 for the Pirates this season
  • The Nationals have lost 4 of their last 5 games
  • The Pirates are 5-5 in their last 10 games
  • The Pirates are 7-12 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 today’s game between the Nationals and the Pirates

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

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

  • 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 Washington Nationals at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

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

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

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Tanner Scott investment paying off, Robert Suarez leads Padres dominant pen

In this week's Closer Report, Tanner Scott's three saves for the Dodgers solidify his role as the team's primary closer. Robert Suarez leads a Padres bullpen that's been the best in baseball. And Trevor Megill appears to be fine despite some injury speculation.

Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

Tier 1: At the Top

Mason Miller - Athletics
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners

Miller picked up his fourth save on Saturday against the Mets, then struck out the side on 12 pitches Wednesday against the White Sox for his fifth. He's struck out 12 batters with just one walk and three hits allowed over six scoreless innings. The 26-year-old right-hander is just flat-out dominating when on the mound.

Hader pitched a scoreless inning in a non-save situation on Sunday before locking down his fourth save Tuesday against the Cardinals. He's made six scoreless appearances, including a pair of two-inning outings, since giving up one run on Opening Day.

We stay in the AL West to finish out the top tier, with Muñoz pitching lights out in Seattle. He worked three save chances this week and is up to seven saves over nine scoreless innings. The only knock on the 26-year-old right-hander is an elevated walk rate, but it helps to have an 18.5% swinging-strike rate.

Tier 2: The Elite

Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres
Devin Williams - New York Yankees
Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals
Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians
Edwin Díaz - New York Mets
Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays

Suarez picked up his MLB-leading eighth save on Wednesday against the Cubs. He's tossed nine scoreless frames as the leader of a Padres bullpen that leads the majors with the best ERA. The 34-year-old right-hander got off to a similarly impressive start last season. This time around, it's with more strikeouts as he's generated a 17.1% swinging-strike rate behind increased usage of his changeup.

It was a better week for Williams as he made three scoreless appearances, including two saves to bring his total to three. The 30-year-old right-hander isn't getting the whiffs he's accustomed to getting in the early going while struggling with control. He's posted an 8/6 K/BB ratio across six innings of work.

Helsley picked up his second save of the week on Wednesday against the Astros and third on the season. His one outing in which he walked four batters and allowed two runs on April 6 against the Red Sox has skewed his ratios a bit, but he's been otherwise solid.

Clase picked up his second save of the season Tuesday against the Orioles, working just his fourth scoreless appearance in eight games. There's nothing suggesting a decline for the 27-year-old right-hander. His profile indicates he's been more a victim of bad luck to start the season with a bloated .467 BABIP. Clase continues to limit walks and has generated an 18.1% swinging-strike rate. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him go on a dominant stretch as his BABIP normalizes.

Díaz had allowed five runs over his last two outings before striking out two batters in a scoreless inning on Wednesday in a tie game against the Twins. Walking five batters over his last three games hasn't helped, but he also has been hurt by an inflated BABIP. The 31-year-old right-hander's velocity has been down a bit before getting back up to 97 on Wednesday, an encouraging sign.

After working back-to-back two-inning outings, Hoffman closed out Wednesday's game against the Braves with his fourth save of the season. The 32-year-old right-hander is off to an excellent start with Toronto, giving up two runs with a 14/1 K/BB ratio across 10 1/3 innings.

Tier 3: The Solid Options

Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers
Ryan Walker - San Francisco Giants
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins
Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles

Walker picked up his fourth save of the season against the Yankees on Sunday, striking out one batter in a clean inning. While the 29-year-old right-hander has been effective at limiting walks and hard contact, the strikeouts haven't been there yet with his swinging-strike rate down in the early going.

Scott converted the three save chances for the Dodgers this week, giving him three straight and six of the team's nine saves. Blake Treinen has mixed in for two saves, but Scott is solidifying his role as the primary closer despite the early mixing and matching. The 30-year-old left-hander has allowed three runs with a 10/0 K/BB ratio across 10 innings.

Iglesias gave up a solo homer against the Rays in Tampa on Saturday but held on to the lead for his second save. The 35-year-old right-hander has allowed a lot of hard contact so far but holds a strong 7/1 K/BB ratio across six innings.

Tier 4: Only Here for the Saves

Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels
Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Justin Martinez/A.J. Puk - Arizona Diamondbacks
Jose Alvarado/Matt Strahm - Philadelphia Phillies
Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals
Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals
Luke Jackson - Texas Rangers
Emilio Pagan - Cincinnati Reds
Ryan Pressly - Chicago Cubs

Fairbanks added his third save of the season on Friday with a scoreless inning against the Braves. His swinging-strike rate is up to an impressive 20.4% over six outings after seeing a decline all last season. Durability will always remain a concern for the 31-year-old right-hander, but he should otherwise be a solid closing option.

Megill was hit with a blown save after giving up three runs on Saturday against the Diamondbacks. There was some concern following the outing as he reportedly has been pitching through a lingering knee issue. An MRI revealed no structural damage and he bounced back with a scoreless inning in a non-save situation on Wednesday against the Tigers. Abner Uribe has pitched well and figures to be next in line for saves if Megill is unavailable.

Jansen picked up a save on Saturday with a scoreless inning against the Astros. He's yet to allow a run over six innings while posting a 7/2 K/BB ratio. While not as dominant as he once was, Jansen is as safe a bet for saves as they came when healthy

Chapman took a loss on Saturday, giving up one run against the White Sox. He bounced back with saves on Monday and Tuesday, giving him four with a 1.23 ERA and a 40% strikeout rate across 7 1/3 innings. With Chapman unavailable Wednesday, Justin Slaten picked up the save against the Rays. Liam Hendriks appears set to come off the injured list in the next week and could factor into the late-inning mix. However, I wouldn't expect him to step in to save chances right away.

The Diamondbacks continue to play the matchup game in the late innings. After Martinez converted a pair of saves last week, Puk got the save chance against the Brewers on Sunday and converted his third of the season.

Not to the same extent, but the Phillies will mix and match the high-leverage situations. Alvarado picked up his third save on Saturday against the Cardinals, then faced the top of the Giants' lineup on Tuesday before Matt Strahm picked up the save in the ninth.

As usual, Finnegan works through trouble to get the job done. The 33-year-old right-hander made a pair of scoreless appearances to convert two saves, giving him six with one run allowed and an 8/4 K/BB ratio across 7 2/3 innings.

Estévez is up to five saves after picking up two this week against the Twins and Guardians. He had his most impressive outing Sunday in Cleveland as he struck out the side. Lucas Erceg is pitching well in a setup role, but Estévez is locked in as the closer.

Jackson worked around a hit and struck out one batter in a scoreless inning to finish out the game against the Angels with a four-run lead on Tuesday. He then pitched a clean ninth on Wednesday for his sixth save.

Pagán has pitched well as he's settled into the closer role in Cincinnati. The 33-year-old right-hander worked three perfect outings this week, picking up two saves to bring his total to four. Manager Terry Francona has stated that Pagán will continue to work as the team's primary closer despite Alexis Díaz returning from the injured list.

Pressly has his best week as a Cub. The 36-year-old right-hander had not worked a clean inning through seven outings until tossing two perfect frames this week to pick up a save and a win.

Tier 5: Bottom of the Barrel

Dennis Santana - Pittsburgh Pirates
Tommy Kahnle - Detroit Tigers
Seth Halvorsen - Colorado Rockies
Anthony Bender/Calvin Faucher - Miami Marlins
Jordan Leasure - Chicago White Sox

The Pirates have not converted a save since sending David Bednar to Triple-A. Still, Santana's usage suggests he should be getting the save chances, at least until Bednar is back in the majors.

Kahnle gave up a run against the Twins on Friday but was able to hold on for his second save. Meanwhile, Jason Foley has not allowed a run over 6 2/3 innings with Triple-A Toledo.

Halvorsen pitched a scoreless inning against the Brewers last Thursday, then gave up a run against the Dodgers on Tuesday. Both outings were in non-save situations as the Rockies have won just three games all season.

Bender was charged with a blown save after giving up one run in the eighth inning against the Nationals on Friday. Calvin Faucher got the save chance the following day and converted his first.

Another week with no save chances in Chicago for the White Sox. The team did designate Mike Clevinger for assignment after he allowed five runs with a 3/8 K/BB ratio over 5 2/3 innings. It's not much use speculating here, but Leasure seems likely to be in line for any save chances.

Relievers On The Rise/Stash Candidates

The Angels placed right-handed setup man Ben Joyce on the 15-day injured list with right shoulder inflammation after seeing a dip in velocity during his last outing. With Joyce sidelined, Ryan Zeferjahn is in line to step into more high-leverage work behind closer Kenley Jansen. Zeferjahn has collected strikeouts over his last few outings and owns a 47.4% strikeout rate behind a 22.1% swinging-strike rate, albeit over a small sample so far. The 27-year-old right-hander has closer stuff with a 98 mph fastball and wipeout slider. Zeferjahn should be next in line to close on days Jansen is unavailable, at least until Joyce returns. He's a solid option to roster in holds leagues, especially if he can maintain the strikeouts. Staying in Southern California, Dodgers long reliever Jack Dreyer is another reliever gaining some value in deeper roto leagues. The team has leaned on the 26-year-old southpaw to give them some length in the middle innings and he's come through with one run allowed and a 16/1 K/BB ratio across 12 innings. He's also falling in line to pick up two wins, which could be invaluable in those 15-plus team roto/category formats.

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Bobby Miller struggles, but Dodgers complete sweep of Rockies

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Bobby Miller
Bobby Miller had a tough outing against the Rockies on Wednesday. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)

One year and three weeks ago, Bobby Miller was at the peak of his young major league career.

After a promising rookie campaign in 2023, the hard-throwing right-hander had made the Dodgers’ 2024 opening-day rotation. In his season debut, he dominated the St. Louis Cardinals with 11 strikeouts over six scoreless innings. And as a former top prospect in the organization’s pitching-rich farm system, his ascent in the big leagues seemed to be just beginning.

One year and three weeks later, he faces a long climb back.

Called up from triple-A Oklahoma City for a spot start Wednesday, Miller’s first MLB start of 2025 mirrored the struggles that plagued him over the rest of 2024.

Over a woeful three-inning outing, the 26-year-old gave up six runs to the middling Colorado Rockies. Despite striking out seven batters, he was knocked around for a five-spot in the third, punctuated by a hanging curveball Michael Toglia hit for a grand slam.

The Dodgers still won, riding a seven-run first inning to an 8-7 victory that completed a three-game series sweep at Dodger Stadium this week.

But Miller’s implosion was another troubling sign for the Dodgers’ young depth options on the mound.

Read more:Dodgers legend Manny Mota suffers stroke: 'We hope he can recover all his functions'

Like Justin Wrobleski and Landon Knack before him, his return to the majors inspired little confidence.

In a rare opportunity to make an impression on the Dodgers’ big-league roster, he instead faltered in a frustratingly familiar script.

Two innings into Wednesday’s start, Miller appeared to be in full control.

He had limited damage in a three-hit first inning, striking out the other three batters he faced to give up just one run. He breezed through the second, stranding a two-out single with two more strikeouts.

And in between, he waited in the dugout for the 25 minutes while the Dodgers launched an assault on Rockies starter Germán Márquez.

Shohei Ohtani blasted a 448-foot leadoff home run to the top of the right-field pavilion. Freddie Freeman also found the right-field seats for a solo blast two batters later. From there, the Dodgers just kept coming, with Andy Pages driving two runs home with the bases loaded, Austin Barnes tacking on two more with a double that marked his first hit of the season, and Ohtani collecting another RBI in his second at-bat of the inning with a base hit.

All told, the Dodgers scored seven times, had nine batters reach base and chased Márquez from the game after 37 dismal pitches.

It seemingly set Miller up to cruise through the rest of his night.

Instead, it all came unglued in the top of the third.

After responding to a leadoff single with his sixth strikeout of the game, Miller lost his feel for, what up to that point, had been an effective curveball. He hung one to Kyle Farmer for a single. He missed with two to Hunter Goodman to walk the bases loaded.

Then, in a 1-and-2 count to Toglia, he fired another that stayed over the heart of the plate. Toglia unloaded for a grand slam. Miller hid his frustration behind a stoic face.

So often last year, Miller endured starts like this, unable to build upon his early-season momentum in what became a forgettable campaign.

Following that dazzling debut against the Cardinals, he yielded seven runs over 5 ⅔ innings in his next two starts. Shoulder inflammation landed him on the injured list for two months after that. And once he returned, he never looked the same, stumbling to a 9.34 ERA over his final 10 outings.

Read more:Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw throws three scoreless innings in rehab start

During that second-half stretch, Miller was dogged by a nagging knee issue. But wild command (he walked 30 batters in 56 innings on the season) and lack of execution with his breaking pitches (highlighted by a .357 batting average against his curveball) were equally troublesome problems.

On Wednesday, they resurfaced again.

An at-bat after Toglia’s grand slam, Miller fell behind Mickey Moniak by throwing two changeups that bounced to the backstop. Then, with Barnes holding his catcher’s mitt low in the zone, Miller fired a fastball that stayed up and over the plate. Moniak hit it the other way for a solo home run. What had once been a 7-1 lead was trimmed to 7-6.

Luckily for Miller, the bullpen picked up the slack against the woebegone Rockies (3-15) — including three innings of one-run relief from swingman Ben Casparius, who provided a bridge to Alex Vesia and Tanner Scott to close it out.

The Dodgers’ offense, meanwhile, provided just enough breathing room with a fifth-inning RBI single from Pages.

The question now: What will the Dodgers do next Wednesday, when there will once again be a hole in their rotation?

Tony Gonsolin is still expected to make one more triple-A rehab start before returning from his back injury. Knack (who had a 7.27 ERA in three outings this year) and Wrobleski (who yielded eight runs in his lone start last week) have already been optioned.

Given Wednesday’s results, Miller might be facing the same fate.

Before the game, manager Dave Roberts had remained bullish on his long-term potential, reflecting back at where he was one year and three weeks earlier.

“He was just really thriving,” Roberts recalled. “As far as the upside potential, absolutely [it’s still there]."

Wednesday, however, was a reminder of how far he's slipped trying to reach it.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Yankees Notes: Clarke Schmidt supplying pitching reinforcements, Aaron Judge 'locked in'

The Yankees finished a three-game sweep of the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday night, thanks in part to Clarke Schmidt's first start of the year and capped by Aaron Judge's seventh-inning home run that proved to be the difference in the game.

Making his season debut, an amped-up Schmidt had to shake off some rust in the first inning, where he threw 21 pitches, but after allowing an early run, the right-hander settled down and managed to complete 5.2 innings on just 72 pitches in his first start off the IL.

"Definitely a little amped up and rightfully so," Schmidt said. "… The fans got me juiced up a little bit, so I was really happy I was able to settle it down."

Manager Aaron Boone thought his starter pitched great and was impressed by the length Schmidt ended up giving the team after throwing so many pitches in the first.

"In the first he's up over 20 [pitches] so you kind of go into the night, hopefully you get four [innings], couple times through [the lineup] maybe," Boone said. "For him to almost get through six, to be that efficient, keep us right there, I thought it was a good night for him and another good step to being all the way back for him. Really excited he's back in the rotation."

Without Gerrit Cole for the entire season and a starting rotation that has ranked near the bottom of the league in ERA (4.96) so far, Schmidt supplies the Yankees with much-needed pitching reinforcements and couldn't come at a better time.

With that in consideration, the 29-year-old understands how his role is amplified this season.

"Obviously, I always have high expectations for myself, but given the circumstances, I know that it’s a little bit more important right now," Schmidt said. "... I definitely have to step up. The whole rotation has to step up and I know that my job is to go out there and be consistent as possible every five days and give my team a chance to win, so I definitely know that I have to step up."

Wednesday's outing was a start in the right direction and helped New York secure the win as Schmidt dropped it off to Mark Leiter Jr. and Fernando Cruz, who recorded his first career save by getting the last six outs of the game with closer Devin Williams unavailable due to a heavy workload recently.

The pitchers did their part, which set up Judge to do his.

Stuck in a power outage over his last 10 games but still tearing the cover off the ball during that time, Judge stepped up to the plate to lead off the seventh inning and broke a 3-3 tie with a blast to center field for his first home run since April 4. He finished a triple shy of the cycle and looks as "locked in" as his skipper has seen him.

"Honestly, tonight was the most locked in [he was] I felt like at-bat wise where he was just like on everything," Boone said. [Royals starter Kris] Bubic is tough and I just felt like he was seeing it well and on everything and then all the way to the homer."

For Judge, it wasn't about hitting a home run in that situation, but just trying to get on base for the players behind him to drive him in, like Anthony Volpe did in the third inning.

"I want to get on base, I think that’s the biggest thing," he said. "Especially hitting in the middle of the order and especially if I’m gonna be hitting second a lot, I got to touch first base. That’s my job. Touch first base, let the guys behind me do their thing.

"When you’re hitting at the top of the order, you gotta know what your job is and my job is to get on first base and get on for the guys behind me."

And even though his manager seems to think he's as locked in as ever, when asked how he feels, Judge smiled and said, "We're getting there."