Up 5 runs, Blue Jays let AL Division Series sweep of Yankees slip out of their gloves

NEW YORK — Up five runs, the Toronto Blue Jays were headed to a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees and their first trip to the AL Championship Series in nine years.

And then it slipped out of their gloves.

A pair of errors by Isiah Kiner-Falefa and Addison Barger revived the Yankees, who then rode home runs by Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. off Louis Varland to a 9-6 victory.

“Sloppy brand of baseball,” Kiner-Falefa said.

Instead of preparing to host Seattle or Detroit at Rogers Centre this weekend, the Blue Jays’ lead in the best-of-five series was cut to 2-1 heading into Game 4 at Yankee Stadium.

“You’re talking about giving a really good team extra outs.” Blue Jays manager John Schneider said. “Walks and errors will kill you against this team.”

Varland gave up a homer to Judge while making his major league debut for Minnesota on Sept. 7, 2022. This one was a three-run drive that tied the score 6-6 in the fourth.

Judge’s homer was the first on a 99 mph or faster pitch 1.2 feet inside from the center of the strike zone since pitch tracking started in 2008, according to MLB Statcast.

“He made a really good pitch look really bad,” said Varland, who will start Game 4 as an opener.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. hit a two-run, first-inning homer off Carlos Rodón and is batting .693 (8 for 13) with three homers and eight RBIs in the series. The Blue Jays lost after leading by five runs for the first time since Sept. 3, 2024, against Philadelphia, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

“Flush it tonight. That’s all you can do, and bounce back tomorrow and come out and win a series,” said Toronto starter Shane Bieber, who lasted just 2 2/3 innings.

Kiner-Falefa, a 2020 Gold Glove winner at third, allowed Ben Rice’s two-out grounder in the bottom of the first to kick off the heel of his glove. The ball bounced off his chest and fell to the dirt, and Kiner-Falefa inadvertently kicked it as Rice reached. Giancarlo Stanton followed with an RBI single that cut the lead in half.

“Big error by me right there,” Kiner-Falefa said. “It just took a high hop. I was expecting a lower-hit ball. I felt like I did a good job knocking it down, just wasn’t able to stop the spin on the ground.”

With the Blue Jays ahead 6-3 in the fourth, one out and no one on, Austin Wells lofted a pop to left. Third baseman Barger, who had entered as a pinch hitter in the third, settled under the ball in short left only for the wind to blow the ball toward the seats. The ball hit off his glove and bounced into foul territory as Wells reached second.

“The wind was kind of weird all night. You could see early on that it was kind of swirling up top,” Barger said. “I thought I was camped under it.”

Trent Grisham walked, and Varland relieved and got ahead of Judge 0-2. The 27-year-old right-hander, acquired from the Twins at the trade deadline, threw a 99.7 mph fastball that the two-time AL MVP drove high down the left-field line.

Varland craned his neck, tried to wish the ball foul and watched it clang high off the foul pole. Judge made a rare bat flip.

“I guess a couple ghosts out there helped kind of keep that fair,” Judge said.

Then in the fifth, Varland left a 99.4 mph fastball low and inside for Chisholm, rarely a good pitch to a left-handed hitter in Yankee Stadium. Varland crouched and bowed his head even before Chisholm’s no-doubt drive bounced out of the second deck in right for a 7-6 lead.

Anthony Santander, in an image fitting of Toronto’s night, was prone in right, face in the grass, after he failed to come up with a backhand catch on Cody Bellinger’s liner in the sixth, which bounced to the warning track for a double.

In a quiet Blue Jays clubhouse after midnight, players looked ahead to Game 4 and another chance to close out the series and avoid a Game 5 in Toronto.

“Hopefully do what we did the first two games,” Kiner-Falefa said, “and if it doesn’t work out, we get to go home.”

Tigers need to find offense before time runs out in the AL Division Series

DETROIT — The Detroit Tigers have less than 24 hours to find an offense that can save their season.

Unfortunately for their chances in the American League Division Series, the Tigers have been looking for the last month without any success.

Detroit only managed one run on five hits in the first eight innings of their 8-4 loss to the Seattle Mariners, leaving them down 2-1 in the series and facing elimination.

“Tonight wasn’t easy,” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. “Especially with what (Logan) Gilbert was throwing up there. Not many fastballs and a lot of sliders and splits. We were swinging more and more as the game went on, and we had trouble putting together back-to-back at-bats that were productive.”

Gilbert allowed one run on four hits in six innings, striking out seven without issuing a walk.

“That was vintage Logan,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “He attacked the zone, he got into good counts and he let the split and the slider do his work for him.”

The Tigers scored three runs off Caleb Ferguson in the ninth to narrow the margin to four runs, but Wilson brought in closer Andrés Muñoz. He only needed to face two batters, getting a flyout and a game-ending double play.

“We’re facing really good arms and we haven’t strung together as many great at-bats as we would like,” Tigers leadoff hitter Kerry Carpenter said. “We have to tip our hat to some great pitching. We’ve got at least one more game to turn it around.”

That’s easier said than done for a team that is averaging fewer than three runs a game in the last four weeks.

The problems started with 16 games left in the regular season. On Sept. 11, having outscored the Yankees 23-3 in the previous two days, the Tigers lost 9-3.

They went 3-13 down the stretch, blowing what seemed like a safe AL Central lead to the Cleveland Guardians and only getting the final wild-card berth on a tiebreaker over the Houston Astros.

Things haven’t changed in October. The Tigers hit .218 in the AL Wild Card Series against the Guardians, scoring nine runs in three games but getting out of the series when Cleveland hit .178.

They only scored six runs in the first 28 innings against the Mariners before the meaningless late rally in Game 3.

“This is the hardest time of the year to hit,” Hinch said. “When you are facing high-end pitching in October, it is a grind. Obviously, their guys are talented and are exposing a little bit of the zone control we talk about all the time.”

The Tigers have struck out 68 times in six postseason games, and eight of their nine everyday hitters are averaging at least one strikeout a game.

That’s been a problem all year, though.

Riley Greene and Spencer Torkelson, Detroit’s most dangerous hitters, have struck out 385 times between the regular season and playoffs. In the regular season, they combined for 67 homers and 189 RBIs, but they haven’t homered in the postseason and Torkelson has six of their seven RBIs.

The Tigers are starting to look timid at the plate. In the eighth inning, desperately needing a rally, Javier Báez and Carpenter took five straight strikes from Eduard Bazardo before Carpenter weakly waved at a third strike.

Bryce Miller, who went 4-6 with a 5.68 ERA in 18 starts, will be on the mound for Seattle. If the Tigers can’t take advantage of him, a once-promising season might be over.

Reporting on Yankees and Blue Jays ALDS Game 4 strategies

The Yankees were prepared for the possibility that a reliever like Louis Varland would serve as an opener for Toronto in Game 4 of the Division Series. That much was obvious in advance of a bullpen game.

In the wee hours on Wednesday, the Jays indeed named Varland -- who throws 100 mph gas but allowed home runs Tuesday night to Aaron Judge and Jazz Chisholm Jr. --  their starter.

The Yankees are also aware that starter Kevin Gausman has not yet thrown his standard between-starts bullpen session. That means that he is still fresh to provide bulk innings on three days rest on Wednesday, rather than start a potential Game 5 on Friday with an extra day rest.

Gausman has experience as a reliever earlier in his career, but has lately said that an extra day’s rest makes him more effective. The Jays might not be eager to burn him on Wednesday, but by holding him back from his bullpen, they have at least created the option for him.

It is also worth nothing that Wednesday would probably be Trey Yesavage’s throw day.

“Everyone is available tomorrow,” Jays manager John Schneider said after Game 3.

With or without Gausman pitching Wednesday night, manager Aaron Boone will counter the pen game strategy with lefty/righty balance.

“I'll probably lean towards a little more true balance in the order … [to] try and make them make some tough decisions throughout,” Boone said after Game 3.

More concretely, this means that the Yanks will use a lineup of five left-handed hitters and four righties, in alternating order, I’m told. That will make it more challenging for Schneider to stick with a given reliever for long stretches.

Phillies’ Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber in postseason slump as team faces elimination against Dodgers

LOS ANGELES — Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber are mired in the same kind of postseason slump that wrecked the Los Angeles Dodgers two years ago.

Back then, Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts were a combined 1 for 21 as the Dodgers were swept by the Arizona Diamondbacks in the 2023 NL Division Series. Their lone hit was an infield single by Freeman.

Harper and Schwarber are 1 for 15 with eight strikeouts, putting the Philadelphia Phillies on the brink of elimination. They trail 2-0 in the best-of-five NLDS with Game 3 at Dodger Stadium.

“I think the postseason you’ve got to flush as quick as possible because any at-bat can change the course of a game or change the course of a series,” Harper said.

Betts remembers the frustration he felt knowing how much the Dodgers were counting on him and Freeman, but nothing they tried made a difference.

“When you get in that rut and it seems like it’s quicksand, it’s tough,” Betts said. “Hell, I didn’t get out of it, so I have no advice or anything. Good luck to those guys and we’ll see if they have the answer.”

Only two teams have ever come back from a 2-0 deficit in the NLDS.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson was bench coach for the New York Yankees in 2017, when they rallied from a 2-0 deficit against the Cleveland Guardians in the ALDS to win and advance to the AL Championship Series.

“You’ve got to slow things down — one inning at a time, really, and come out and relax and be yourselves,” Thomson said. “Don’t try to do too much.”

Betts is not discounting the Phillies.

“They got on the plane with full intentions of going back for a Game 5,” he said. “We’ve got to be able to withstand the punches that they’re going to throw and be able to throw some back.”

Wheel play

The Dodgers successfully executed a defensive wheel play in the bottom of the ninth in Game 2.

With Nick Castellanos on second, third baseman Max Muncy rushed home plate to field a bunt by Bryson Stott, turned and perfectly threw to shortstop Betts, who was covering third. Betts got the out while being upended by a sliding Castellanos.

“It’s such a basic play,” Betts said. “It would be like the Lakers. They won the NBA championship running the 2-3 zone. That’s how I view it. It’s just we ran it in a big spot and we were able to do it right. We executed it really perfectly myself, just the timing of it.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts wasn’t surprised at Betts’ execution of the play named for the wheel-like rotation of the infielders.

“I think that especially as an outfielder for the most part of his career to then come into the infield, he’s got a lot of feel,” the manager said. “He’s got a lot of belief in his ability. He made a great play, a really, really great play.”

Even Thomson had to concede the Dodgers’ aggression paid off.

“Mookie Betts did a heck of a job by breaking very late so the hitter can’t adjust to the slash,” he said. “It’s tough for Nick to get a proper secondary or bigger secondary because Betts is sitting right behind him. It was a good play.”

Injury updates

Phillies center fielder Harrison Bader will be a game-time decision.

He left Game 1 early with a groin injury and came off the bench in Game 2 to deliver a pinch-hit single during the Phillies’ ninth-inning rally.

“He said he feels a little bit better today,” Thomson said.

Dodgers catcher Will Smith also is a game-time decision, although Roberts said he feels “more confident” that Smith will be able to start. Smith came off the bench in Game 2 and hit a crucial two-run single in the seventh. He’s been nursing a hand injury since last month.

Dodgers backup shortstop Miguel Rojas left Game 2 with hamstring tightness, aggravating an injury that had been bothering him recently. He won’t be in the lineup.

Bryce Harper understands boos from Phillies fans as NL Division Series moves to LA

LOS ANGELES — The loud booing by angry Philadelphia Phillies fans at their home ballpark likely drowned out similar noise Bryce Harper was making.

The Phillies slugger has a single and three strikeouts in the NL Division Series, which Philadelphia trails 2-0 against the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers.

“I love our fans. I boo myself when I get out,” Harper said.

Game 3 is at Dodger Stadium, with the Phillies facing elimination in the best-of-five series.

“I will probably get booed tomorrow night, too,” Harper said.

He didn’t agree that a change of venue — away from their frustrated fan base — is a good thing for the slumping Phillies.

“We’ve got some of the best fans in baseball and they make me play better, so I enjoy it,” Harper said. “They show up for us every day. They spend their hard-earned dollar to come watch us play; they expect greatness out of us and I expect greatness out of myself and my teammates as well.”

Third baseman Nick Castellanos came up big in a wild ninth inning that nearly saw the Phillies steal a win. The fan reaction whipsawed between huge cheers and deafening boos in the 4-3 loss.

“I think that the stadium is alive on both sides, right?” Castellanos said. “When the game is going good, it’s wind at our back, but when the game is not going good, it’s wind in our face. The environment can be with us, and the environment can be against us.”

Harper was glad to be in sunny Los Angeles, not far from his hometown of Las Vegas where he was a Dodgers fan.

He became a father for the fourth time when his wife, Kayla, gave birth to a son.

“I’ve got an incredible wife, man. She pushed that thing out in three pushes and 30 seconds,” Harper said. “She’s an absolute monster doing it. Women. Man, what a breed. I’m serious, it’s an incredible thing. Being able to hold your son for the first time is something. It’s one of the greatest moments of my life.”

The couple now has two boys, Krew and Hayes, and two girls, Brooklyn and Kamryn, all of whom are age 6 and under.

Harper said he loves baseball but his family means the most.

“I definitely miss them right now,” he said.

Brewers at Cubs – NLDS Game 3 prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats

The Milwaukee Brewers have clearly been the superior team through the first two games of their National League Division series against the Chicago Cubs. Jackson Chourio and co. have outscored the Cubbies 16-6. After a day off for travel, the scene shifts today to Wrigley Field as Chicago looks to stay alive and keep their championship hopes alive. Quinn Priester is slated to take the mound for Milwaukee against Jameson Taillon for Chicago.

Offense has not been a problem for the Brew Crew. The aforementioned Chourio is hitting .714 through the first two games of the series going 5-7 with nine total bases. Christian Yelich is batting .500 (4-8) and William Contreras is 4-9 (.444).

While Milwaukee seems to be hitting everything thrown at them, the Cubs are struggling to make contact at the plate. Through five playoff games, Chicago has struck out 58 times. Pete Crow-Armstrong is hitting .222 and Kyle Tucker just .176 in the postseason.

Perhaps the friendly confines of Wrigley Field will wake up the bats for the hometown team but lets dive into Game 3 and see what the numbers forecast.

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 the first pitch, 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 Brewers at Cubs - NLDS Game 3

  • Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
  • Time: 5:08PM EST
  • Site: Wrigley Field
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • Network/Streaming: TBS

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Odds for the Brewers at the Cubs - NLDS Game 3

The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Milwaukee Brewers (-102), Chicago Cubs (-119)
  • Spread: Brewers -1.5 (+172)
  • Total: 6.5 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Brewers at Cubs - NLDS Game 3

  • Pitching matchup for October 8, 2025: Quinn Priester vs. Jameson Taillon
    • Brewers: Quinn Priester (Regular Season: 13-3, 3.32 ERA)
      Last outing: 9/26 vs. Cincinnati - 5IP, 3 ER, 9H, 1BB, and 4Ks
    • Cubs: Jameson Taillon (Regular Season: 11-7, 3.68 ERA)
      Last outing: 10/2 vs. San Diego - 4IP, 0 ER, 2H, 0BB, and 4Ks

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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Brewers at Cubs - NLDS Game 3

  • Jackson Chourio is 7-13 (.538) in his career against Jameson Taillon
  • Christian Yelich is 13-37 (.351) in his career against Taillon
  • Nico Hoerner is 4-10 (.400) in his career against Quinn Priester
  • Michael Busch is 2-8 with 4 RBIs in his career against Priester

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 NLDS Game 3 between the Brewers and the Cubs

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday’s game between the Brewers and the Cubs:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Milwaukee Brewers at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 6.5.

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Cubs once again turn to Jameson Taillon to avoid postseason elimination

CHICAGO — For the second time in a week, the Chicago Cubs play a win-or-go-home game, this time against the Milwaukee Brewers in Game 3 in their best-of-five NL Division Series.

Once again, the Cubs will turn to Jameson Taillon.

Taillon tossed four scoreless, two-hit innings against the San Diego Padres and Chicago went on to take the deciding Game 3 of their Wild Card Series 3-1. The right-hander was focused, striking out four and walking none before five relievers wrapped it up.

This time, the Cubs need to prevail in three straight elimination contests to keep their season alive. The Brewers have a 2-0 lead in the series following 9-3 and 7-3 wins in Milwaukee when they ambushed Chicago’s thinned pitching staff and limited the Cubs to 10 total hits.

“I mean, look, we’ve had experience with it,” manager Craig Counsell said. “We just did it on Thursday. And now we’re going to have to do it three times.”

Teams falling behind 2-0 in a best-of-five postseason series have won just 10 out of 90 times. Any Cubs recovery starts with the 6-foot-5, 230-pound Taillon.

“It starts tomorrow, and obviously being a starting pitcher, hopefully I can do my job and set the tone and see where that can take us,” Taillon said.

“So how that pertains to me is just doing my job, going out there and setting the tone, preparing the right way, taking notes, watching video, going about my process the right way, and making sure I’m buttoned up and ready to go. “

Taillon was 11-7 with a 3.68 ERA in the regular season, his ninth in the majors. He was on the injured list twice, in July with a right calf strain and in August with a groin strain.

The 33-year-old must hold Milwaukee in check early. The Brewers scored nine runs the first two innings in Game 1 and seven on three homers in the first four innings of Game 2.

Taillon hopes to channel energy from Wrigley Field fans, even if he won’t show it on the mound.

“I think it’s a good lesson to myself when the crowd is that electric and the moment is that big and the pressure is that big and important, an executed pitch is still the best pitch,” he said. “I don’t need to be out there pounding my chest.

“If I gain a mile an hour from adrenaline, that is not really going to matter. What is going to matter is whether I sequence right and execute pitches the right way. I kind of plan on just doubling down with that again.”

Counsell is banking on it.

“I think what you want from all your players is just the best version of themselves and to, as much as you can, be yourself and kind of let the moment elevate you,” Counsell said. “I think that’s what (Taillon) did. He pitched like he pitches, didn’t try to do something different than he’s good at.

“I think he did let, kind of, the moment take him to another place and that’s exactly what you want.”

Meanwhile, Cubs hitters have to bust out of their funk.

At the All-Star break, Chicago was 57-39 and second in the majors in runs scored with 512. In the second half, the Cubs went 35-31 and scored 281 times as marquee players — most notably All-Stars Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker — slumped for long stretches. Tucker still seems to be dealing with a left calf strain that sidelined him most of September.

But Chicago has no more room for error.

“But part of being great at this is responding to the bad stuff and running towards it, man,” Counsell said. “That’s part of this. You can’t be afraid of it. We put ourselves in a hole this series; no question about it. We get to decide how the story ends.”

Mariners at Tigers – ALDS Game 4 prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats

Wednesday afternoon the Seattle Mariners will look to advance to the American League Championship series when they take the field in Motown against the Detroit Tigers. Bryce Miller is slated to take the mound for Seattle against Casey Mize for Detroit.

Last night, Eugenio Suarez went yard against Jack Flaherty for the fourth time in just 28 career plate appearances and the Seattle Mariners doubled up the Tigers, 8-4, to take a two games to one lead in the series.

The home run by Suarez was one of three smacked by the Mariners in the game. Cal Raleigh and J.P. Crawford also went deep. Logan Gilbert allowed just one run over six innings to earn the win for Seattle.

Lets dive into Game 4 and see what the numbers tell us.

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 the first pitch, 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 Mariners at Tigers - ALDS Game 3

  • Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
  • Time: 3:08PM EST
  • Site: Comerica Park
  • City: Detroit, MI
  • Network/Streaming: FS1

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Odds for the Mariners at the Tigers

The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Seattle Mariners (-106), Detroit Tigers (-115)
  • Spread: Mariners -1.5 (+154)
  • Total: 8.5 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Mariners at Tigers - ALDS Game 4

  • Pitching matchup for October 8, 2025: Bryce Miller vs. Casey Mize
    • Mariners: Bryce Miller (Regular Season: 4-6, 5.68 ERA)
      Last outing: 9/28 vs. Dodgers - 4IP, 4 ER, 5H, 2BBs, and 2 Ks
    • Tigers: Casey Mize (Regular Season: 14-6, 3.87 ERA)
      Last outing: 10/1 at Cleveland - 3IP, 1ER, 1H, 2 BB, and 1K

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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Mariners at Tigers - Game 4 ALDS

  • Jorge Polanco is 6-16 (.375) with 2 HRs in his career against Casey Mize
  • Cal Raleigh has struck out in his 2 ABs in his career against Mize
  • Riley Greene is 2-6 (.333) in his career against Bryce Miller
  • Javier Baez is 2-7 (.286) in his career against Miller

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 4 between the Mariners and the Tigers

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

  • 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 Seattle Mariners at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.5.

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Phillies at Dodgers – NLDS Game 3 prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats

Thanks to wins in the first two games of their series in Philadelphia, the Los Angeles Dodgers are on the brink of sweeping the Phillies as the National League Division series moves to Chavez Ravine for Game 3. Aaron Nola is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Yoshinobu Yamamoto for Los Angeles.

Through two games, each team has 13 hits - six each in Game 1 and seven each in Game 2. The Dodgers have hit in the clutch, and the Phillies have not. It is not that simple but maybe it is. The top four hitters in Philadelphia's lineup are a combined 3-27 through two games. LA's top four in the lineup are a combined 7-32. Kyle Schwarber and Bryce Harper have one hit between them. That needs to change if Philly is going to climb back in this series.

Finding offense will not be easy tonight as the Phillies face one of the stingiest pitchers of late. Yoshinobu Yamamoto has not allowed an earned run in his last three starts spanning 17 innings. Aaron Nola was excellent in his last start (one earned run over eight innings with nine strikeouts) but that was back on September 26. How will he respond to nearly two weeks removed from that outing?

Lets dive into the numbers of Game 3 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 the first pitch, 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 Phillies at Dodgers - NLDS Game 3

  • Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
  • Time: 9:08PM EST
  • Site: Dodger Stadium
  • City: Los Angeles, CA
  • Network/Streaming: TBS

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

Odds for the Phillies at the Dodgers - NLDS Game 3

The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Philadelphia Phillies (+152), Los Angeles Dodgers (-187)
  • Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (+113)
  • Total: 7.5 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Dodgers - NLDS Game 3

  • Pitching matchup for October 8, 2025: Aaron Nola vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
    • Phillies: Aaron Nola (Regular Season: 5-10, 6.01 ERA)
      Last outing: 9/26 vs. Minnesota - 8.0 IP 1 ER, 2H, 0 BB, 9 Ks
    • Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Regular Season: 12-8, 2.49 ERA)
      Last outing: 10/1 vs. Cincinnati - 6.2IP, 0 ER, 4H, 2 BBs, and 9 Ks

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

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Phillies at Dodgers - NLDS Game 3

  • Philadelphia is a combined 7-26 (.269) against Yoshinobu Yamamoto in his career
  • Harrison Bader is 4-7 in his career against Yamamoto
  • Mookie Betts is 9-23 including 2 HRs against Aaron Nola in his career
  • Enrique Hernandez is 4-11 including 3 HRs in his career against Nola
  • The Dodgers are a combined 54-246 (.220) against Nola in his career

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 3 between the Phillies and the Dodgers

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Philadelphia Phillies 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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Ferdinand backs Gerrard for Rangers return

Rio Ferdinand has tipped his former England teammate Steven Gerrard to return to Rangers for a second spell as manager.

Gerrard left Ibrox for Aston Villa in 2021 after delivering the Scottish Premiership title in 2020-21.

The former Liverpool captain spent 11 months with Villa before a spell at Saudi Arabian club Al-Ettifaq.

Rangers are in the market for a new manager after Russell Martin was sacked on Sunday after just 123 days in charge.

Gerrard has been out of work since leaving Al-Ettifaq in January, and speaking on the 'Rio Ferdinand Presents' podcast, he revealed he had "a bit of unfinished business" in management.

The interview was conducted before Martin's dismissal, but Ferdinand believes Gerrard would be open to re-joining the Glasgow club, four years on from his departure.

"I have to say when I interviewed him, he left me in no uncertain terms that he wants to be a manager and he's got full confidence in doing that," Ferdinand told talkSPORT.

"He's itching to get back in now. He never said this to me, but I personally think just the energy that I felt in that room, that if Rangers came calling he'd go or at least have that conversation.

"What I felt, if I was an owner of a football club and Steven Gerrard was sat in front of me and I felt that energy in the room when I was interviewing him, he's getting the job.

"Forget what's gone on before, but also his time before at Rangers, he did great there. I've never had so many Rangers fans flood the comments of my social media or the podcast.

"They're all desperate for him to go up and at least have the conversation, so I wouldn't be surprised if Steven Gerrard is managing again very soon and Rangers would be probably one of my big bets."

Stay or Go: Should the Mets trade Jeff McNeil?

Jeff McNeilhas been a constant for the Mets since bursting onto the scene as a 26-year-old rookie in 2018 and hitting .329 with an .852 OPS -- giving New York a cog who has been a lineup mainstay ever since.

Since 2019, McNeil has played at least 120 games in every full season (he appeared in 52 of 60 during the COVID-shortened campaign in 2020).

Along the way, he's won a batting title and made two All-Star teams.

McNeil, who signed a four-year, $50 million extension before the 2023 season, has also been versatile.

A natural second baseman, he has gotten a solid amount of time at both corner outfield spots and third base. This past season, McNeil even played 34 games in center field -- including 28 starts. And he performed admirably in center. 

There have been ebbs and flow for McNeil along the way, which included down campaigns in 2023 and 2024.

But as he prepares to enter his age-34 season in what is the final guaranteed year of his contract (the Mets hold a club option for 2027), McNeil is coming off a campaign where he was an above average offensive performer while continuing to provide the aforementioned versatility. 

Should McNeil be in the Mets' plans for 2026, or is it time for them to move on?

Aug 23, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (1) hits a three run home run against the Atlanta Braves during the third inning at Truist Park.
Aug 23, 2025; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (1) hits a three run home run against the Atlanta Braves during the third inning at Truist Park. / Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO TRADE MCNEIL

While McNeil's 2025 season was above average when compared to the rest of the league -- he slashed .243/.355/.411 with an OPS+ of 111 -- it's now been three full seasons since he was a high-average, high-on-base percentage player.

Over his first five seasons in the majors, McNeil slashed .307/.370/.458.

Over his last three seasons, McNeil has hit .253/.326/.389.

Meanwhile, McNeil has never really hit for power -- excluding 2019, when he smacked a career-high 23 homers. He also doesn't walk a lot, though he did draw a career-high 49 walks this past season.

Beyond McNeil's recent shortcomings at the plate is the fact that the Mets have a glut of infielders on the 40-man roster and more coming. Additionally, they're set at both corner outfield positions (Juan Sotoin right, Brandon Nimmo in left) and will almost certainly go defense-first in center field to start the 2026 season. 

When it comes to the infield situation, second base and third base are technically open, but Brett Baty is coming off a season where he started to produce at the plate -- posting a .748 OPS while smacking 18 homers in 130 games. Baty was a solid defender, too, and showed that he can handle second base in addition to the hot corner. 

There's also the presence of Ronny Mauricio. The 24-year-old still has way too much chase at the plate, but he has tantalizing power and the ability to be Francisco Lindor's backup at shortstop along with being an option at second and third. 

Then there's Jett Williams, who had an .828 OPS in 130 games last season across Double-A Binghamton and Triple-A Syracuse. The 21-year-old is the Mets' top prospect and is expected to debut this coming season -- possibly at some point in the first half. And it's likely that his position once in the bigs will be second base or center field. 

New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (1) reacts to hitting an RBI single against the Philadelphia Phillies during the fourth inning at Citi Field
New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (1) reacts to hitting an RBI single against the Philadelphia Phillies during the fourth inning at Citi Field / Gregory Fisher - Imagn Images

WHY IT COULD MAKE SENSE TO KEEP MCNEIL

Even though the Mets have numerous options for second base and third base, they're all unproven.

And while it's also possible to envision a scenario where the Mets find a third baseman externally if Pete Alonsoleaves via free agency (which would create a domino effect that gives them four possible second base options), that hasn't happened yet.

There's also the fact that none of the other options on the Mets' 40-man roster offer the kind of versatility that McNeil does.

Baty has played a grand total of 1.0 inning in the outfield during his big league career, and that came in 2023.

Mauricio played 26 games in left field in the minors in 2023, but hasn't left the infield dirt since suffering the knee injury that cost him the entire 2024 season. 

Even in a world where McNeil isn't being viewed as someone who will start the majority of the time, it's easy to make an argument that he would be valuable in a super utility role where he gets time at four or five different spots in the field.

The main question for the Mets in that scenario would be whether they think it makes sense to have a $15.75 million bench player who -- while able to play all over the field -- isn't a true plus defender at any position and doesn't hit for power. 

Jun 8, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (1) rounds the bases on a solo home run in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field
Jun 8, 2025; Denver, Colorado, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (1) rounds the bases on a solo home run in the second inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field / Isaiah J. Downing-Imagn Images

VERDICT

The day after the season ended, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns stressed the need to improve the team's defense.

Stearns also did not reject that idea that the offensive core of the team could be shaken up.

And if Alonsore-signs, the easiest way to shake up the core while improving the defense could be to move on from McNeil (and Starling Marte, a free agent who is no longer able to play the outfield much).

In the case of McNeil, it's possible the Mets would have to eat a bit of his salary in order to help facilitate a deal.

But he could be an intriguing option for infield-needy teams in need of a versatile player who won't require a commitment beyond 2026.

Thomson trusts Nola with start, Suárez to follow in must-win Game 3

Thomson trusts Nola with start, Suárez to follow in must-win Game 3 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies are taking an unconventional approach to an elimination game.

Rob Thomson will hand the ball to Aaron Nola. The 11-year veteran had a forgettable 2025 regular season, posting a 6.01 ERA in 17 starts.

This will be just the third time in major-league history that a team has turned to a starter with a 6-plus ERA (minimum 50 regular-season innings) in a postseason elimination game.

The Phillies’ skipper will lean on the trust factor.

“He’s more comfortable starting,” Thomson said Tuesday. “Nola’s pitched some really big games for us over the last couple of years.”

It’s a gutsy move. Many believe it should be Ranger Suárez for Game 3. The southpaw has made eight starts and two relief outings in the postseason and has been stellar — a 1.43 ERA in 37 ⅔ innings with 40 strikeouts.

“I trust them both, don’t get me wrong,” Thomson said.

After starting lefties Cristopher Sánchez and Jesús Luzardo in Games 1 and 2, the Phils will likely force Dodgers manager Dave Roberts to construct a different lineup against the right-hander Nola.

Contrary to popular belief, the numbers do justify Nola getting the start over Suárez.

Against all the hitters on L.A.’s NLDS roster, Nola has been the far more effective pitcher in his career. Dodgers batters are slashing just .220/.267/.378 in 246 at-bats. That line jumps to .326/.375/.535 against Suárez.

Even with the favorable lefty-vs.-righty matchups (including switch-hitter Tommy Edman), lefties are just 24-for-127 (.189) against Nola. In the less favorable lefty-lefty matchups against Suárez (excluding Edman), they’re hitting .308 (8-for-28).

And Nola did, in fact, finish his injury-riddled season on a high note. In his final start, he fired a season-high eight innings, allowing just two hits and one earned run while striking out nine — an encouraging sign ahead of his biggest outing of the year.

“His last start was phenomenal,” Thomson said. “That’s the Nola we’ve seen before, and I’m banking on that’s what we’re going to get.”

Tonight, it’s not necessarily one or the other, because Thomson has already committed to bringing Suárez in out of the bullpen.

“You’re going to see Ranger,” Thomson said. “I’d be shocked if you don’t. I’d regret having either one of those guys not pitching in this series.”

And Suárez is no stranger to pitching in that role. He’s made 70 appearances in his career (regular season and postseason), pitching to a 2.87 ERA. His last outing in the bullpen, though? The 2022 World Series.

This move could also help the Phillies bridge the gap and avoid their struggling middle relief. From innings six through eight in the regular season, Phillies relievers posted a 4.50 ERA — the fourth-highest mark in the National League. Suárez seems to be a much safer option.

When the Phillies looked to have extreme rotation depth earlier this season, moving Suárez to the bullpen was already a conversation.

Back in June, the lefty emphasized that he was “open to do whatever it takes to help this team win.”

Now, the Phillies are desperate for a victory. A 96-win ballclub with the second-highest payroll in the National League getting swept in the opening round of the playoffs would be a tough pill to swallow — especially with their longest-tenured player making the start.

Every game on the same channel? How might MLB sway Dodgers to go along?

MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, right, is seen on the field before Game 2 of the American League Wild Card baseball playoff series between the Cleveland Guardians and the Detroit Tigers in Cleveland, Wednesday, Oct. 1, 2025. (AP Photo/Sue Ogrocki)
MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, right, on the field before Game 2 of the AL wild-card series between Cleveland and Detroit. (Sue Ogrocki / Associated Press)

If you want to watch every Dodgers game in 2026, you’ll likely need access to all of these outlets: SportsNet LA, Fox, ESPN, NBC, Peacock and Apple TV.

That is not, shall we say, fan-friendly.

Baseball’s holy grail is this: One place to watch your team, and every team, wherever you are. One price. No blackouts. No need to decide whether to pay up for a subscription to an outlet you may never watch after the game ends.

Rob Manfred, baseball’s commissioner, does not need to persuade fans about this. He does need to persuade the owners of all 30 teams about this.

Since Manfred would like to have this “All the Teams, All The Time” outlet up and running in 2029, he needs to start lining up votes among the owners. Manfred has talked about this goal for years, and I asked him if he can say this is really going to happen.

“I think that there is a lot of acceptance within the industry that, given what’s happened within the media environment, we need to be more national,” Manfred told me before the Dodgers and Philadelphia Phillies met Monday at Citizens Bank Park.

“The idea of centralizing, and getting more games available on national platforms, is really appealing to people. Now, we’ve got some cards to play, still. But I remain optimistic that it can happen.”

So does Stan Kasten, the president of the Dodgers.

Read more:Shaikin: Inside the Mookie Betts play call that won NLDS Game 2 for the Dodgers

“We are supportive of the notion of all fans anywhere being able to watch any game, and doing away with blackouts,” Kasten said. “That takes a lot of steps, and every team has a different situation.

“We have a long way to go, but the goal is an admirable one, one I think all fans will benefit from, and that is what is most important.”

This all sounds lovely so far. But the Dodgers are not about to unconditionally surrender what fans outside Los Angeles consider their greatest competitive advantage: money, and lots of it.

The Dodgers and Milwaukee Brewers are on course to meet in the National League Championship Series. The Brewers make about $35 million in local television revenue this year, according to Sports Business Journal.

The Dodgers make about 10 times that much in rights fees this year from Charter Communications, the parent company of Spectrum — and that annual rights fee will top $500 million by the end of the Charter contract in 2038. And there’s more: the Dodgers also own SportsNet LA.

If the 30 teams pooled their broadcast rights, Manfred believes they could generate interest not only from traditional outlets but from streamers such as Apple, Peacock, Paramount and Netflix. League officials believe the exclusivity of one package would generate more collective revenue than the combination of 30 individual team deals.

In theory, then, the Brewers would get significantly more than $35 million per year if the teams split the pot evenly. The Dodgers would get less, and probably much less. So would Manfred just lean on the Dodgers to go along for the good of the game?

Read more:Hernández: The Phillies are done, and the Dodgers' path to the World Series looks clear

“I don’t think you can make a change like this based on people saying this is for the good of the game,” Manfred said. “I think you make a change like this by people realizing who the buyers are, what they want to buy, and by packaging up a set of changes that make it kind of closer to an economic wash.”

Meaning cash-neutral for teams like the Dodgers — and the New York teams, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs — still reeling in big bucks amid the collapse of regional sports networks outside large markets?

“Yeah, and there are a whole lot of ways to get there,” Manfred said.

He did not lay out his menu of options, but the first one is clear. Collective bargaining negotiations are scheduled to start next year, with the growing likelihood of a lockout after the 2026 season.

If owners can push through a salary cap — a cap that the players’ union insists will remain — then small-market owners could be guaranteed a certain percentage of league revenue. That cost certainty, coupled with the potential of increased revenue from a 30-team broadcast package, probably would win over small-market owners.

And that could be critical, because those owners currently make a fair amount of money from revenue sharing, under which teams are assessed a percentage of such money as ticket sales, concession sales and local media revenue. That money is pooled and shared equally for now, but Manfred could offer the Dodgers and other financial behemoths a chance to keep more of — or all of — that money for themselves.

The league also could offer to buy out SportsNet LA and other such channels, meaning more money for the Dodgers. And, although the Dodgers under current ownership do not appear interested in a salary cap, a cap would decrease player spending and thus increase team profits.

A wild card: With Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Roki Sasaki and Hyeseong Kim on their roster, the Dodgers could ask for greater revenue from international broadcast rights, which are now shared equally among teams.

Those are a lot of balls for Manfred to juggle. Kasten adamantly declined to say what might work for the Dodgers.

“You’re delving into areas that are way too premature for me to discuss, other than for me to tell you we agree with the goal,” he said. “The goal is a good one, and we hope baseball can get there.”

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Blue Jays at Yankees – ALDS Game 4 prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats

After years of unlimited moments in the regular season, the defending and multi-time American League MVP finally had a moment in the postseason. Tuesday night, Aaron Judge homered to resuscitate the Yankees’ season rallying New York from a 6-1 deficit to win Game 3 of their American League Division series, 9-6. Judge went 3-4 with three runs scored and drove in four to propel the Yankees back into their series with the Jays.

After Judge homered to tie the game at 6 in the 4th off Luis Varland, Jazz Chisholm Jr. went yard against Varland in the bottom of the fifth to give the Yankees a lead and they would roll to a 9-6 win to set up today’s Game 4.

That same Luis Varland whom the Yankees smacked around in Game 3 gets the ball to start Game 4 for the Blue Jays. New York’s Wild Card series hero, Cam Schlittler, gets the ball for New York.

Grab your popcorn. This is now a series.
 
Lets dive into Game 4 and see if we can 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 the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
 
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
 

Game details & how to watch Blue Jays at Yankees – ALDS Game 4

  • Date: Wednesday, October 8, 2025
  • Time: 7:08PM EST
  • Site: Yankee Stadium
  • City: Bronx, NY
  • Network/Streaming: FS1

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

Odds for the Blue Jays at the Yankees – ALDS Game 4

The latest odds as of Wednesday courtesy of DraftKings:

  • Moneyline: Toronto Blue Jays (+149), New York Yankees (-182)
  • Spread: Yankees -1.5 (+112)
  • Total: 8.5 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Blue Jays at Yankees - ALDS Game 4

  • Pitching matchup for October 8, 2025: Louis Varland vs. Cam Schlittler
    • Blue Jays: Luis Varland (Regular Season: 0-0,2.97 ERA)
      Last outing: 10/7 at Yankees – 1IP, 3.60 ERA, 2 ER, 5H, 2 BBs, 3 Ks
    • Yankees: Cam Schlittler (Regular Season: 4-3, 2.96 ERA)
      Last outing: 10/2 vs. Boston – 8 IP, 0.00 ERA, 0 ER, 5H, 0 BBs, 12 Ks

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

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Blue Jays at Yankees - ALDS Game 4

  • Aaron Judge is 3-6 with 3 HRs in his career against Luis Varland
  • Jazz Chiholm Jr. is 2-3 with 1 HR in his career against Luis Varland
  • The Yankees as a team are batting .394 (13-33) including 6 HRs all-time against Luis Varland
  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr. is 4-5 in his career against Cam Schlittler
  • Vladimir Guererro Jr. is 8-13 (.615) with 3 HRs in this series
  • In 23 ABs all-time the Toronto Blue Jays as a team are hitting .435 (10-23) against Cam Schlittler

 
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 4 between the Blue Jays and the Yankees

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 Wednesday’s game between the Blue Jays and the Yankees:

  • 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 -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total OVER 8.5.

 
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)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)

Zach LaVine hails Dodgers starter Blake Snell as most ‘electrifying' MLB pitcher

Zach LaVine hails Dodgers starter Blake Snell as most ‘electrifying' MLB pitcher originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Zach LaVine is gearing up for his first full season with the Kings, but he’s keeping a close eye on the 2025 MLB playoffs. And for good reason.

LaVine’s brother-in-law and good friend, Blake Snell, has been pitching lights out for the Los Angeles Dodgers as the team aims for back-to-back World Series wins, and Snell’s first of his 10-year MLB career.

Snell helped those chances with another dominant start in Game 2 of the NLDS against the Philadelphia Phillies on Monday, tossing six scoreless innings with nine strikeouts in the Dodgers’ 4-3 win. Snell didn’t allow a hit until the fifth inning with two outs — and he never allowed another.

“Shoutout my boy Blake, man,” LaVine told reporters in Sacramento after Kings practice Tuesday. “He’s probably the most electrifying pitcher in baseball. I’m really excited for him. I wish I was able to go to a couple games. Hopefully, we have an off day and [I can] slide down there. We’ll see. We’ll figure it out.

“But Blake Snell right now is my MVP of the playoffs.”

Now through 13 innings pitched in his first two Dodgers playoff starts, Snell has a 1.38 ERA and 0.77 WHIP.

He now has four playoff outings with nine or more strikeouts and no more than two hits allowed, which is the most by any pitcher in MLB postseason history.

After one season with the Giants, Snell signed a five-year, $182 million free-agent contract with the Dodgers. And thus far, he’s proven to be worth every penny for Los Angeles.

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