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MLB Power Rankings: Yankees on the rise, Cal Raleigh leads resurgent Mariners

Featured in this week's MLB Power Rankings: Fernando Tatís Jr. continues to obliterate baseballs, the Braves lose even when they win, Mike Trout is smiling again, Elly De La Cruz is Superman, and the Athletics are getting more interesting by the minute.

Let’s get started!

(Please note these power rankings are a combination of current performance and long-term projected outlook)

MLB: Atlanta Braves at San Diego Padres
2025 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Bobby Witt Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge lead Top 300 rest of season ranks
Chandler Sampson, Caleb Durbin and Luke Keaschall join the rankings.

1) San Diego Padres

Last week: 1

Just named as the National League Player of the Week, Fernando Tatís Jr. has reached base safely in all 21 games for the first-place Padres. He's the early frontrunner for the National League MVP Award.

2) Los Angeles Dodgers

Last week: 2

Yoshinobu Yamamoto ís showing why he got a $325 million contract before even throwing a pitch in MLB. Coming off a 10-strikeout performance against the Rangers on Friday, he hasn’t allowed an earned run in his last 21 innings pitched.

3) New York Mets

Last week: 3

Highlighted by a walk-off blast from Francisco Lindor on Friday night, the Mets just pulled off their first four-game sweep of the Cardinals since 1986. Someone please remind me, did something else happen that year?

4) New York Yankees ⬆️

Last week: 8

While we can quibble about how the no-hitter scoring change was handled (as well as Aaron Judge’s possible home run), Max Fried has stepped up as the new Yankees ace in Gerrit Cole’s absence, posting a 1.42 ERA and 30/7 K/BB ratio across his first five starts with New York.

5) Chicago Cubs ⬆️

Last week: 6

The Cubs’ offense has proven formidable in the early part of the season, with Michael Busch in a starring role. After posting a .775 OPS over 152 games in his first season with the Cubs last year, he’s slashing .316/.386/.608 with five homers through 23 games to begin the 2025 campaign.

6) San Francisco Giants ⬇️

Last week: 5

Even after closer Ryan Walker melted down in Sunday’s loss to the Angels, the Giants’ bullpen is second in the majors with a 2.22 ERA.

7) Philadelphia Phillies ⬇️

Last week: 4

Cristopher Sanchez’s breakout continues. He made a certain kind of history in his 12-strikeout performance against the Giants on Thursday.

8) Arizona Diamondbacks ⬇️

Last week: 12

Josh Naylor homered in three straight games last week and is hitting .333/.406/.548 to start his D-Backs tenure. He delivered a go-ahead RBI single in the 11th inning on Sunday, helping Arizona salvage a game from an entertaining series against the Cubs.

9) Texas Rangers ⬇️

Last week: 7

So much talk about Jacob deGrom and the Rangers’ young pitchers, but Tyler Mahle has been the team’s best pitcher so far, posting a 0.68 ERA through five starts.

10) Detroit Tigers ⬇️

Last week: 9

Former No. 1 overall picks Spencer Torkelson and Casey Mize are helping lead the Tigers at the top of the AL Central, just like they drew it up a few years ago.

11) Boston Red Sox

Last week: 11

Liam Hendriks was back on an MLB mound on Sunday for the first time since June 9, 2023. The results weren’t quite there, as he allowed three hits — including a homer — against the White Sox, his former team. Still, it was great to see him back out there as one of the easiest players to root for in MLB.

12) Seattle Mariners ⬆️

Last week: 18

The Mariners have won eight out of their last 10 games, with Cal Raleigh mashing seven home runs in that timespan. The Blue Jays are surely happy to see him leave town.

13) Toronto Blue Jays ⬇️

Last week: 10

27-year-old Paxton Schultz tied the record for the most strikeouts (eight) by a reliever in his MLB debut Sunday against the Mariners. He induced 17 swinging strikes in his 64 pitches. A cool moment for the 2019 14th round pick.

14) Milwaukee Brewers ⬆️

Last week: 21

The Brewers began the year battered in their rotation, but Jose Quintana and Quinn Priester have been lights out recently and top prospect Logan Henderson fired six innings of one-run ball with nine strikeouts in his MLB debut against the A’s on Sunday.

15) Atlanta Braves ⬇️

Last week: 13

The Braves just swept a series for the first time this season. Everything’s cool, right? Right? Maybe not. In addition to some internal drama with Ronald Acuña/Jarred Kelenic and manager Brian Snitker, the recently-activated Spencer Strider landed on the IL on Monday due to a strained hamstring.

16) Cleveland Guardians ⬆️

Last week: 17

Emmanuel Clase continues to struggle, but the Guardians took care of business with a three-game sweep of the Pirates over the weekend.

17) Houston Astros ⬇️

Last week: 14

It’s been a rough start to Christian Walker’s first season with the Astros, so it was nice to see him go yard as part of a win over the Padres on Saturday.

18) Los Angeles Angels ⬇️

Last week: 16

Who knows if the Angels can keep this going, but it’s fun to see Mike Trout smiling. He deserves a winner.

19) Cincinnati Reds ⬆️

Last week: 22

You remember as a kid when you’d put on a cape and pretend to be Superman? Elly De La Cruz gets to do that every day.

20) Baltimore Orioles ⬇️

Last week: 19

After the 24-2 drubbing at the hands of the Reds on Sunday, Orioles starters now own a 6.11 ERA for the season.

21) Kansas City Royals ⬇️

Last week: 15

The Royals have displayed an alarming lack of power with just 11 home runs through 23 games. Bobby Witt Jr. and Maikel Garcia are the only regulars with an OPS north of .600.

22) St. Louis Cardinals ⬆️

Last week: 24

Only Aaron Judge has more hits than Brendan Donovan so far this season.

23) Athletics ⬆️

Last week: 25

Tyler Soderstrom has arguably been the biggest surprise so far this season, as he’s tied for the MLB lead with nine home runs. The A's are reportedly about to get even more interesting, as top prospect Nick Kurtz is expected to be called up to the majors on Tuesday.

24) Tampa Bay Rays ⬇️

Last week: 20

If you blink, you might miss him. That’s Chandler Simpson, who was called up by the Rays this weekend. He swiped his first base on Sunday and there’s a lot more where that came from. He stole 104 bases last season in the minor leagues.

25) Washington Nationals ⬇️

Last week: 23

It has been a disappointing start to the season for Dylan Crews, but a trip to Colorado was just what the doctor ordered, as he launched a pair of homers on Saturday. Prior to Saturday’s game, he hadn’t driven in a run all season.

26) Minnesota Twins

Last week: 26

Injuries forced the Twins’ hand, but we saw Luke Keaschall make his MLB debut against the Braves over the weekend. The 22-year-old ranked No. 70 on Christopher Crawford’s Top 100 prospect list this past January.

27) Pittsburgh Pirates ⬆️

Last week: 28

The Pirates have stumbled on and off the field this season, but this was a nice gesture by the team.

28) Miami Marlins ⬇️

Last week: 27

The Marlins are Marlins-ing after a nice start to the season, but at least their fans will get a look at Agustin Ramírez for his MLB debut. The 23-year-old was acquired from the Yankees in the Jazz Chisholm deal and boasts legit pop and contact ability from the right side, even though his long-term position is unclear.

29) Chicago White Sox

Last week: 29

Luis Robert Jr. has walked 12 times in 20 games this season, which puts him on pace to blow away his career-high of 30 from 2023. There’s not much incentive for pitchers to challenge him in this unimposing lineup, but to his credit, he’s not chasing pitches like he has in the past. Perhaps there’s something to him working out with Juan Soto during the offseason?

30) Colorado Rockies

Last week: 30

The Rockies are off to their worst start in franchise history and they had to place Kris Bryant on the injured list last week due to lumbar degenerative disc disease. It’s pretty much as bad as it sounds.

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Another rough night at Citi Field to begin Phillies' season series with Mets

Another rough night at Citi Field to begin Phillies' season series with Mets originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK — The fifth pitch of Aaron Nola’s night was a low-and-in curveball to one of Francisco Lindor’s nitro zones, it traveled 376 feet over the wall in right field and so began the Phillies’ 2025 season series with the Mets.

The Phils were sent home last October on this same field in Flushing, and the Mets again looked like the superior team on Monday night. The final score was a 5-4 loss but the Mets entered the ninth with a five-run lead and tried to get middle reliever Max Kranick through a third inning when the Phillies finally came through with a few knocks. It was too little, too late.

Nola served up leadoff home runs in each of the first two innings while Mets right-hander Tylor Megill stifled the Phils’ offense for the sixth consecutive time.

Megill retired eight of nine the first trip through the order, striking out five, before the Phillies put some solid plate appearances on him in the third inning. They loaded the bases on a Bryson Stott single and back-to-back two-out walks from Trea Turner and Bryce Harper. Kyle Schwarber expanded the zone, though, to strike out on a down-and-away changeup.

Not capitalizing on that opportunity hurt because the Phillies’ chances to touch Megill have always been sparse. He’s dominated them in six starts dating back to 2022 with a 1.36 ERA. The Phillies have hit .149 and homered once in 124 plate appearances against him.

The Phillies are 13-10, three games behind the Mets in the NL East. They’re 20-30 in their last 50 games against the Mets, who played them tough even before they started spending freely under owner Steve Cohen. This looks like a much better club than even the one that defeated the Phillies in the 2024 NLDS with the additions of Juan Soto and Clay Holmes, a healthy Kodai Senga and the most productive start of Pete Alonso’s career.

It was obviously just one early-season game and the teams will meet at least 12 more times, but Monday was a continuation of a couple of concerning trends. The Phils are going to need to hit Megill at some point. His career ERA entering the night was 4.39.

Nola was slightly better than he’d been previously and two of the runs he was charged with were inherited by Jose Ruiz, but he continues to struggle with the home run ball, pitch with diminished velocity and put more traffic on the basepaths than usual. Though he’s had trouble in the past keeping the ball in the park, Nola has always maintained low walk rates and low opposing batting averages, which has resulted in many of the home runs being solos.

Nola has been more hittable than ever before, though, with a .301 opponents’ batting average compared to .233 for his career. He’s also walked 10 batters over his last three starts. Nola said after his most recent outing against the Giants that he hasn’t felt like himself from the stretch this season, and he’s spent quite a bit of time in the stretch, putting the leadoff man on base in nine of his last 18 innings. He is 0-5 with a 6.43 ERA.

Once again, though, it wouldn’t have mattered much if Nola pitched a gem. The Phillies have scored a grand total of five runs for him in his five starts.

They’ll look to even the series Tuesday night behind Cristopher Sanchez, whose last outing was one of the most impressive by a Phillie in recent memory. He’ll need to keep it up.

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What we learned as Flores, Lee deliver in Giants' win vs. Brewers

What we learned as Flores, Lee deliver in Giants' win vs. Brewers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO — The reward for playing 10 games in three cities over 10 days and traveling from the East Coast to Anaheim without a day off, or even a 1 p.m. game on getaway day in Philadelphia? For the Giants, it was another night of baseball.

They returned to San Francisco on Monday night and began a seven-game homestand against two teams — the Milwaukee Brewers and Texas Rangers — with postseason aspirations, and once again, they responded to the challenge. Wilmer Flores hit a go-ahead blast and Hayden Birdsong provided a huge boost to a tired bullpen as the Giants won 5-2 on their first night back at Oracle Park. They’re now 6-5 during this marathon stretch and 15-8 on the 2025 MLB season.

The Giants took the lead in the sixth when Flores crushed a middle-middle sinker from Grant Anderson. An inning later, their best player early on tacked on an insurance run. With Willy Adames on first, Jung Hoo Lee smoked a line drive into the gap in right-center and cruised into third for his second triple of the season.

The Giants trailed early but caught up in the fifth, with a little help from the Brewers. Tyler Fitzgerald reached on his second infield single and moved along to second on a walk of Mike Yastrzemski that ended Quinn Priester’s night. Right-hander Nick Mears entered to face Adames and got a potential double-play ball to third, but Adames beat out the throw to first, which clanked off Rhys Hoskins’ glove. That allowed Fitzgerald to walk home for the tying run.

With Ryan Walker unavailable after going back-to-back games in Anaheim, Giants manager Bob Melvin figured he would have to get creative if he had a lead late in the game. Birdsong ended up providing a relatively smooth path, throwing three dominant innings out of the bullpen to get the ball to Camilo Doval, who went 1-2-3 for his third save. 

Flo Show

It’s been an odd month for Flores. His photo is constantly on graphics representing the league leaders in home runs and RBI, but he entered Monday’s game with an fWAR of 0.0 and a wRC+ that put him 10 points below league-average as a hitter. Flores isn’t drawing walks, is one of the slowest players in baseball, and doesn’t play defense — but the Giants don’t care about the advanced metrics at all right now. 

From a more traditional standpoint, Flores is off to a huge start. The only player in the NL with more homers is Fernando Tatis Jr., and Aaron Judge and Spencer Torkelson are the only other big leaguers with at least seven homers and 20 RBI. With the go-ahead homer, Flores moved into a tie with Pete Alonso for the league lead in runs driven in. 

The Giants talked all spring of the importance of having more “RBI guys.” Nobody is doing it better than Flores right now, and that has made it pretty easy to push all the other numbers to the side. 

Establish It

Robbie Ray has had to grind through his starts this season, and this one was no exception. Ray was at 64 pitches through three innings and had only one clean inning on the night, but he allowed just two runs. They came on a pitch that was pretty predictable by that point of the second inning. 

Of Ray’s first 41 pitches, 37 were four-seamers, including an elevated fastball that No. 9 hitter Caleb Durbin smacked out to left for his first big league homer. Ray mixed in a lot more sliders and changeups the second and third times through the order, but he paid for being fastball-heavy in the first couple of innings. 

Ray ended up getting charged with two earned on five hits and three walks. After throwing four innings in each of his starts on the road trip, he went five on the first night back home. 

Old Friends

Nobody was busier before the game than Adames, who spent four seasons in Milwaukee before signing with the Giants in the offseason. Adames took about 30 minutes in the afternoon to catch up with Brewers reporters, and he made his rounds during BP to chat with old teammates, most notably right-hander Freddy Peralta, a close friend who will start Wednesday’s game. 

The Giants are still waiting for Adames to break out at the plate, and it didn’t come against his old friends. He struck out the first time up and then grounded out three straight times. The night dropped his average to .194. 

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Mets' David Stearns says 'difficult decisions are a good thing' with Francisco Alvarez, Jeff McNeil nearing return

The Mets, coming off a four-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals, now welcome the rival Philadelphia Phillies to Citi Field for an NL East showdown in Queens.

Speaking during his typical once-a-homestand media availability, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns discussed a number of topics, including what happens to the roster when Jeff McNeiland Francisco Alvarez come back, the current frenzied atmosphere at the ballpark, and Pete Alonso's red-hot start.

Here are the key takeaways...

"Difficult decisions are a good thing"

McNeil and Alvarez will continue their rehab assignments over the next few days, but there's a chance both players could be back on the major league roster by the end of the week.

So will Alvarez instantly take over as the starting catcher?

"I think we have two catchers who we feel really good about," Stearns said. "Mendy’s going to decide who plays every day and who gives us the best chance to win, and we certainly think Alvy’s going to be a huge part of that."

Meanwhile, Stearns noted that both Luisangel Acuña and Brett Baty have “done a nice job,” noting it’s not easy to bounce back and forth between second and third base -- which Baty has done -- and saying Acuña has been doing what they expected of him.

"I think difficult decisions are a good thing," Stearns said. "When we have players that we want to keep here as we get healthier, these types of decisions are going to become more and more a part of our thought process. We’re going to continue to talk about it, and when Jeff is ready we’ll certainly make a decision to get him back on the roster.

"And I imagine Jeff’s going to do what he always does: he’s going to bounce around, he’s going to play some second, he’ll fill in for the corner outfielders when needed. We’ll see how the center field thing goes. I think he’s excited about that, so there are plenty of at-bats to go around here, and Jeff will certainly get his share."

Hey Siri, who plays center?

"I don’t think we know," Stearns said candidly on what the center field mix will look like until Jose Siri returns. "I think Tyrone [Taylor] is going to get a lot of it, clearly. He’s a very gifted centerfielder, he can impact the game in a number of different ways, and I think he’s starting to take better at-bats as well.

"Beyond that, we’ll see. Jeff could be a part of it. Brandon [Nimmo] could be a part of it. Luis could be a part of it. I think it’s who’s playing well, what pitchers we're facing, how we want to structure the lineup on any particular day. But we feel confident we have enough people to play there, to cover that position and cover it well."

Controlled chaos in Queens

"I think the fans in general have been outstanding this year," said Stearns. "It’s been fun coming to the ballpark. I get a sneak peek at some of the attendance numbers ahead of a homestand, and some of them I did double takes where it’s like, ‘Wow, that’s really good for April.’

"Not only have the numbers been good on paper, but it has felt like that in the ballpark, and so it’s exciting. Our players have talked about it, I think we all feel it when we’re here… I think we had a fun run last year, our fans believe in this team, and we’ve played pretty well out of the chute here, which probably helps."

"I think we have [a homefield advantage]," Stearns added. "It feels like we have it right now. Good players help as well, but certainly I think we have the ability and our fan base, historically, has shown the ability to make this an uncomfortable place for opposing players. When I was on the fan side of this, it’s fun to come to a ballpark that’s an uncomfortable place for opposing players.

"It’s a whole heck of a lot of fun for our players to see that when it happens. So I think we are getting to that point where our players really enjoy this atmosphere and can take their level of intensity to another notch. And on the flipside, it can get pretty loud and hostile for the opposition, and that’s not a bad thing."   

What's a Polar Bear doing being so hot?

"What Pete’s doing is as good a start as you can imagine for, I think, any human," Stearns said on Alonso's torrid start at the dish. "This is pretty impressive. He’s locked in. His zone control  is incredible right now. He’s hitting everything hard. I’ve been enormously impressed."

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Mets Injury Notes: Francisco Alvarez, Jeff McNeil closer to return; Mark Vientos could be option off bench

The first-place Mets are inching closer to welcoming a pair of injured hitters back into their starting lineup.

Before their series opener against the rival Phillies on Monday, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that catcher Francisco Alvarez (hamate fracture) and veteran Jeff McNeil (oblique strain) will continue their rehab assignments with Triple-A Syracuse this week.

The plan is for both players to complete a full nine innings on Tuesday and Wednesday, and McNeil will receive work at second base and in center field.

"[They're] feeling good," Mendoza said. "I think at this point, it's just more building up volume for them. Getting used to playing the full games, back-to-back, and things like that."

Alvarez, who broke his hand early in spring training, served as the designated hitter for Double-A Binghampton on Sunday, going 1-for-5. As for McNeil, he found much more succcess in the same lineup on Sunday, finishing 4-for-4 with a home run and double. Alvarez has played eight rehab games thus far, while McNeil has played six.

Vientos feeling better

Mark Vientos was unavailable for Sunday's win against the Cardinals due to a groin injury suffered on Saturday, but the third baseman has a chance to see some game action again on Monday. Mendoza isn't ruling him out as a pinch-hitter.

"I saw him take ground balls earlier, he was doing some sprints. He's scheduled to take BP," Mendoza said. "If he comes through batting practice and all that, he could be an option off the bench today."

It's been an uninspiring April for Vientos, who's hitting a measly .167 through 20 games (72 at-bats). But he showed some signs of a turnaround against the Cardinals this past weekend, smacking a pair of solo homers. Brett Baty took over for Vientos at the hot corner on Sunday, and he's once again slated to start there on Monday, this time batting eighth.

Manaea keeps playing catch

Sean Manaea suffered a setback in his recovery from an oblique injury a few weeks ago, but Mendoza said on Monday that the veteran left-hander is doing light toss from 60 feet and expected to move to 75 feet in the coming days.

His return to the Mets' rotation is expected sometime in May, barring another complication. Mendoza noted that they're still "a few weeks away from that."

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Former No. 1 picks Mize and Torkelson are giving the AL-Central-leading Tigers a boost, finally

This is a sight the Tigers probably expected a lot more often by now: Casey Mize pitching seven strong innings, and Spencer Torkelson hitting a three-run homer to lead Detroit to a 3-1 victory.

There’s still time for both of them to make big contributions to the team that drafted them No. 1 overall.

When the Tigers returned to the postseason last year for the first time in a decade, they did it without great production from Mize and Torkelson, who were supposed to be cornerstones of their rebuild. Torkelson hit 31 home runs in 2023 but managed only 10 (with a .219 average) last season. Mize made only two starts total in 2022 and 2023 before going 2-6 with a 4.49 ERA a year ago.

Now both of them are starting to show why they were taken at the top of the draft — Mize in 2018 and Torkelson two years later. The 27-year-old Mize is 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA this season. Torkelson, who is still just 25, already has seven home runs and a .288 average that is well above his career high of .233. On Saturday, Mize got the win and Torkelson accounted for all Detroit’s scoring in a victory over Kansas City.

After relying heavily on Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal in their run to a wild card last year, the Tigers are off to a more balanced start in 2025. Only two AL teams have scored more runs than Detroit, which leads the AL Central by a half-game over Cleveland. Only one AL team, the New York Yankees, has a better run differential than the Tigers.

Wild inning

The Chicago Cubs became the seventh team in the last 125 seasons to allow 10 runs in an inning and still win. Arizona scored 10 in the top of the eighth on Friday, only for Chicago to rally with six in the bottom half and win 13-11.

Remarkably, the Colorado Rockies nearly matched the Diamondbacks’ plight a day later. Colorado scored eight runs in the seventh Saturday but still lost 12-11 to Washington. Also Saturday, Miami scored six in the ninth but lost 11-10 to Philadelphia.

Other big innings from this past week included a nine-run third by Tampa Bay against Boston on Monday, a seven-run first by the Los Angeles Dodgers against Colorado on Wednesday, and a seven-run third by Cincinnati against Baltimore on Sunday. The Rays, Dodgers and Reds all won.

Trivia time

The Milwaukee Brewers broke a franchise record by stealing nine bases in their 14-1 win over the Athletics on Sunday. The Brewers stole eight bases against Toronto on Aug. 29, 1992.

Which Milwaukee player, who went on to win Rookie of the Year honors that year, stole three bases in that 1992 game?

Line of the week

Cincinnati’s Austin Wynns had six hits in the Reds’ 24-2 blowout of Baltimore on Sunday, although the last two of those came against position players pitching. Wynns also drove in six runs.

Wynns had seven hits and two RBIs all of last season for Cincinnati.

Comeback of the week

After entering the game with a four-run lead in the ninth Saturday, struggling Yankees closer Devin Williams managed to retire only one batter before Tampa Bay tied it. Williams allowed five straight hitters to reach, culminating in Brandon Lowe’s tying two-run single. Williams managed to induce a double play to end the inning, but Tampa Bay went on to win 10-8 on Jonathan Aranda’s 10th-inning two-run homer.

The Rays had a win probability of 0.6% in the ninth, according to Baseball Savant.

Williams hasn’t blown a save this season — Saturday’s game wasn’t a save situation — but he’s now allowed eight earned runs in eight innings.

Trivia answer

Pat Listach had three of Milwaukee’s eight steals in that game. He went on to finish the season with 54, second in the American League to Cleveland’s Kenny Lofton.

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Patriots' Day Traffic? No thank you. Red Sox' Walker Buehler spends night at hotel for early start

BOSTON — Walker Buehler wasn’t taking any chances with the early start.

Instead of getting up and figuring out what roads may have been closed along the Boston Marathon route, he took his family to a nearby hotel to get ready for his Monday morning start.

“I stayed at a hotel last night, just so that I kind of didn’t have to worry too much about it,” he said after Boston’s 4-2 victory over the White Sox in its annual Patriots’ Day game.

“My wife and kids stayed with me and everything was kind of normal for us,” he said. “We’re all kind of used to sleeping in hotels, so we’re all good.”

Wearing a white home jersey with red letters spelled out “Boston” across the front — a jersey inspired after the city rallied in the Red Sox’s first game following the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013 — Buehler threw his first pitch at 11:11 a.m. on a chilly morning at Fenway Park.

“I had all my stuff done,” he said of the move from his nearby Newton home. “I took an iPad home and read it last night, where I typically do. I scouted their whole lineup and every guy on the bench.”

Buehler gave up a run in the first inning before going the next six scoreless, holding Chicago to four hits while striking out nine and walking three in his 100-pitch outing.

He said he set his alarm for 6:45 a.m. and got to the park at 7:15. It was the earliest game he’d pitched in since Double-A in 2017, he recalled, when he was in the Los Angeles Dodgers’ farm system.

“Against Jack Flaherty, SpongeBob Squarepants Day, that we faced each other in,” he said, smiling. “I was thinking about that earlier.”

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Cardinals vs Braves Predictions: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, stats for April 21

It’s Monday, April 21 and the Cardinals (9-13) are in Atlanta to take on the Braves (8-13). Spencer Schwellenbach is slated to take the mound for Atlanta against Erick Fedde for St. Louis.

The Cardinals are on a four-game losing streak after being swept by the Mets, while the Braves won the past three games, sweeping the Twins. St. Louis was out-scored by New York 19-9 in their last series, while Atlanta out-scored Minnesota 16-9 in theirs.

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 the Cardinals at Braves

  • Date: Monday, April 21, 2025
  • Time: 7:15PM EST
  • Site: Truist Park
  • City: Atlanta, GA
  • Network/Streaming: DSNMWX, FDSNSO

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 Cardinals at the Braves

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Cardinals (+155), Braves (-186)
  • Spread:  Braves -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for the Cardinals at Braves

  • Pitching matchup for April 21, 2025: Erick Fedde vs. Spencer Schwellenbach
    • Cardinals: Erick Fedde, (1-2, 3.43 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
    • Braves: Spencer Schwellenbach, (1-1, 2.55 ERA)
      Last outing: 4.2 Innings Pitched, 6 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts

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

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

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Cardinals Team Total Under 3.5:

"The Cardinals have lost four straight games and five of the past six contests and scored three or fewer games in three of the last six and four or less in all six. The Braves Spencer Schwellenbach is coming off his worst start of the season, but this is an ideal spot at home for him to put together a quality start and record a win. The Cardinals scored nine total runs in the previous four games, so the offense is certainly not clicking. I like St. Louis to score under four runs again, so give me the Team Total Under 3.5."

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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 Monday's game between the Cardinals and the Braves:

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

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

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

  • The Cardinals are 1-4 in their last 5 games
  • The Under is 7-4-1 in the Braves' matchups against National League teams this season
  • The Braves have failed to cover the Run Line in 3 straight matchups against the Cardinals

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

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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Phillies at Mets prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 21

It’s Monday, April 21 and the Phillies (13-9) are in New York to take on the Mets (15-7). Tylor Megill is slated to take the mound for New York against Aaron Nola for Philadelphia.

The Phillies are coming off a 7-5 extra-inning loss versus the Marlins yesterday, which snapped the chance of a 3-0 sweep over Miami. That 2-1 series win also snapped three-straight seasons tied or loss by Philadelphia. The Mets have won four straight all coming over the Cardinals. The Mets out-scored the Cardinals 19-9 and won three of the four games by three wins. Now 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 Phillies at Mets

  • Date: Monday, April 21, 2025
  • Time: 7:10PM EST
  • Site: Citi Field
  • City: Queens, NY
  • Network/Streaming: NBCSP, SNY

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

Odds for the Phillies at the Mets

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Phillies (+100), Mets (-120)
  • Spread:  Mets 1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for the Phillies at Mets

  • Pitching matchup for April 21, 2025: Aaron Nola vs. Tylor Megill
    • Phillies: Aaron Nola, (0-4, 6.65 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.1 Innings Pitched, 6 Earned Runs Allowed, 9 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 8 Strikeouts
    • Mets: Tylor Megill, (2-2, 1.40 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts

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

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

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Mets to take care of business amid their hot streak:

"Aaron Nola is 0-4 this season and allowed at least two earned runs in every start. Nola started against the Mets twice last year and had a 4.05 ERA with 10 hits allowed and six earned runs over 13.1 innings. Nola did strike out 15 and walk two, but his current form is not reminiscent of that. Nola has walked four hitters in back-to-back games and I don't see a reason why this road start against the Mets, winners of four-straight, would be his get-right spot. It's Mets ML or pass for me with a lean to the New York Team Total Over 3.5."

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

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

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

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

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

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

  • The Mets have won 4 of their last 5 games at home against divisional opponents
  • The Phillies' last 5 road games have stayed under the Total
  • The Mets have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 3.63 units

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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Dodgers believe Shohei Ohtani will get a boost from 'dad strength' as a new father

Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, center, talk with teammates in the dugout before a baseball game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, Sunday, April 20, 2025. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani, center, talks with teammates in the dugout before a game against the Texas Rangers in Arlington, Texas, on Sunday. (Tony Gutierrez / Associated Press)

As a father of two, Dave Roberts is a true believer.

“Dad strength,” he declared Sunday morning, “is real.”

Which, naturally, made the Dodgers manager all the more excited about the return of the team’s newest dad: Shohei Ohtani.

“Now that he is a father,” Roberts joked, “we might see some 120[-mph] exit velos off the bat.”

Indeed, when Ohtani rejoined the Dodgers on Easter morning, after being away for two games for the birth of his first child this weekend, he was met with a wave of congratulations — and also a hint of expectation.

Read more:Bullpen saves Dodgers after Tyler Glasnow exits with leg cramps in win over Rangers

Sure, the so-called theory of dad strength — gains in physical strength and stamina that some new dads seemingly experience upon entering fatherhood — might be more of a playful urban legend than scientifically proven fact.

But when it came to Ohtani, the intrigue was palpable.

“I’m sure if there is someone that is gonna have it,” teammate Mookie Betts said, “it’s Shohei.”

Whatever fatherly forces Ohtani acquired this weekend — when he and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, welcomed a baby girl — weren’t immediately on display in his first game back in the lineup.

In the Dodgers’ 1-0 win on Sunday, Ohtani walked just once and went hitless in three other at-bats. His top exit velocity was only 82 mph. Roberts said after the game that the reigning MVP looked a little unsettled at the plate.

“[He was] overly aggressive,” Roberts said after Ohtani hit two groundouts and a strikeout. “Having two days off, I think today he just came a little anxious.”

Still, it did little to dampen belief in the dad strength phenomenon — one that, well before Ohtani entered the ranks of parenting, has become particularly popular within professional baseball.

Read more:Roki Sasaki shows progress in six innings, but Dodgers fall to Rangers on walk-off

In recent years, several MLB stars have had memorable dad strength surges; perhaps none more notable than when Angels slugger Mike Trout hit six home runs in his first eight games after becoming a father in 2020.

MLB’s website even tracks what it terms as “dad strength home runs,” listing the 26 players since 2011 who have gone deep in their first game back from paternity leave. Phillies star Bryce Harper, remarkably, has done it twice.

Around the Dodgers’ clubhouse Sunday morning, several players recounted their own dad strength experiences.

Third baseman Max Muncy noted how, after the birth of his daughter, Sophie, in July 2021, he went on to receive MVP votes at the end of what became a career-best season — even if, he added with a laugh, there were plenty of “dad ache” moments that also came along with it.

“Just when your arms start hurting holding the baby, and your back starts hurting,” he said. “I had more of those moments than I had dad strength moments.”

Tommy Edman joked that his own recent power surge, which has seen the once light-hitting utilityman rack up 13 home runs in his last 60 games going back to last season, has come in the wake of son Eli’s arrival two offseasons ago.

“Ever since he’s been born,” Edman said, “my home run rate has gone up.”

Plenty of others detailed changes they noticed away from the field upon becoming fathers.

Evan Phillips said he feels his dad strength whenever he’s carrying groceries or other baby-related products for his 2-year-old son, Beau.

“When the baby stuff at home happens, you just gotta make it happen,” he said.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani's wife gives birth to a girl, the couple's first child

While Phillips was on a rehab assignment with triple-A Oklahoma City last week, he highlighted another benefit not shared by younger prospects in the organization.

“We had an 11 a.m. game … and everyone is walking in all dragging,” Phillips chuckled. “And I’m like, ‘Guys, I woke up at the same time I always do.’”

Veteran pitcher and father of four, Clayton Kershaw, explained a similar dynamic.

“I think you just have more energy,” he said. “You just have to. Like now, I don’t ever feel the need to really sit down. I just am ready to go, all the time.”

“When you don’t have kids, you feel like, ‘Oh gosh, I just need to relax,’ or like, ‘I just need a day,’” Kershaw added. “Now, you don’t have that. But you don’t need it, either.”

Roberts, too, recalled dad strength moments from his playing days, crediting it for a few of the 23 career home runs he hit over 10 years in the majors.

“There's something to the dad strength,” he reiterated. “But [I was] nothing close to Shohei."

Ohtani, of course, isn’t exactly lacking for physical capabilities on the field. Last season, he became the first player in MLB history to have a 50-homer, 50-steal campaign. This year, he already has six long balls, five stolen bases and, according to MLB’s Statcast data system, one of the five hardest swings in the majors.

Read more:Anticipating birth of first child, Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani goes on paternity leave

However, Roberts noted, it’s the renewed perspective fatherhood provides that usually drives the biggest transformation of players.

“Some of the attributes you get from being a dad do translate to the baseball field,” he said. “Not sweating the small stuff. Understanding what’s most important. I have seen our players evolve in how they look at life and baseball.”

And to that end, how Ohtani navigated his first weekend of fatherhood had already made an impression on the manager.

“For him to just make sure the baby was healthy and to get back here, and to be a part of this, certainly shows his ability to balance life and work,” Roberts said. “It’s good to have him back. And most importantly, I'm happy him and Mamiko have a healthy baby girl."

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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Brewers at Giants Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 21

Its Monday, April 21 and the Brewers (12-10) are in San Francisco to take on the Giants (14-8).

Quinn Priester is slated to take the mound for Milwaukee against Robbie Ray for San Francisco.

Milwaukee took two of three this weekend against the Athletics. The Brew Crew won 14-1 yesterday collecting 16 hits. Rhys Hoskins had three hits and four RBIs to pace the attack, and Logan Henderson gave up one run in six innings.

The Giants have lost three of their last four including two of three over the weekend to the Angels. San Francisco fell 5-4 yesterday allowing four runs in the bottom of the ninth.

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 Brewers at Giants

  • Date: Monday, April 21, 2025
  • Time: 9:45PM EST
  • Site: Oracle Park
  • City: San Francisco, CA
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNWI, NBCSBA, MLBN

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

Odds for the Brewers at the Giants

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Brewers (+122), Giants (-144)
  • Spread:  Giants -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Brewers at Giants

  • Pitching matchup for April 21, 2025: Quinn Priester vs. Robbie Ray
    • Brewers: Quinn Priester (1-0, 0.90 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/15 vs. Detroit - 5IP, 0ER, 1H, 3BBs, 4Ks
    • Giants: Robbie Ray (3-0, 4.19 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/16 at Philadelphia - 4IP, 4ER, 6H, 5BB, 8Ks

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

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

  • The Brewers are 10-12 on the Run Line this season
  • William Contreras has hit safely in 12 of his last 13 games (15-45)
  • The Over is 7-3 in Giants' games against National League teams this season
  • The Giants have failed to cover the Run Line in 5 of their last 6 games

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

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

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

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

  • 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 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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Blue Jays at Astros prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 21

Its Monday, April 21 and the Blue Jays (12-10) are in Houston to open a series against the Astros (10-11).

Kevin Gausman is slated to take the mound for Toronto against Hunter Brown for Houston.

The Astros fell short of a weekend sweep of the San Diego Padres yesterday falling 3-2. Jake Meyers picked up a couple hits for Houston in the loss.

Toronto lost both games over the weekend to Seattle. Yesterday the Mariners blasted the Jays 8-3. Cal Raleigh and Rowdy Tellez each went yard for Seattle.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Blue Jays at Astros

  • Date: Monday, April 21, 2025
  • Time: 8:10PM EST
  • Site: Minute Maid Park
  • City: Houston, TX
  • Network/Streaming: SNI, SCHN

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

Odds for the Blue Jays at the Astros

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Blue Jays (+118), Astros (-139)
  • Spread:  Astros -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Blue Jays at Astros

  • Pitching matchup for April 21, 2025: Kevin Gausman vs. Hunter Brown
    • Blue Jays: Kevin Gausman (2-1, 2.49 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/15 vs. Atlanta - 6IP, 2ER, 6H, 0BB, 6Ks
    • Astros: Hunter Brown (2-1, 1.50 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/15 @ St. Louis - 6IP, 0ER, 4H, 2BB, 4Ks

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

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

  • The Astros have won 4 of their last 5 home series against the Blue Jays
  • Jake Meyers is 8 for his last 18 (.444) and is hitting .305 for the season
  • The Astros' last 3 home games with Hunter Brown as the starter have gone under the Total
  • Cam Smith is riding a modest 3-game hitting streak (4-11) to raise his avewrage for the season to .232
  • The Astros have covered the Run Line in their last 5 games against the Blue Jays

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

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

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Padres at Tigers prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 21

Its Monday, April 21 and the Padres (16-6) are in Detroit to begin a series against the Tigers (13-9).

Randy Vásquez is slated to start for San Diego while Keider Montero gets the ball for Detroit.

The Padres salvaged their series against the Astros with a win last night in Houston. Fernando Tatis, Jr. smashed his eighth home run of the season to provide the difference in a 3-2 San Diego win.

Detroit lost yesterday but did take three of four from Kansas City. Yesterday, the Royals escaped Comerica Park with a 4-3 win in ten innings thanks to a Bobby Witt, Jr. sacrifice fly.

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 Padres at Tigers

  • Date: Monday, April 21, 2025
  • Time: 6:40PM EST
  • Site: Comerica Park
  • City: Detroit, MI
  • Network/Streaming: SDPA, FDSNDTX, 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 Padres at the Tigers

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Padres (+111), Tigers (-130)
  • Spread:  Tigers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Tigers

  • Pitching matchup for April 21, 2025: Randy Vásquez vs. Keider Montero
    • Padres: Randy Vásquez (1-1, 1.74 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/15 vs. Cubs - 5IP, 1ER, 7H, 2BB, 2Ks
    • Tigers: Keider Montero (0-1, 9.00 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/16 at Milwaukee - 5IP, 5ER, 8H, 1BB, 8Ks

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

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

  • The Padres are 4-5 on the road this season
  • Fernando Tatis, Jr. is riding a 9-game hitting streak during which he is batting .351 (13-37).
  • The Under is 12-9-1 in Padres' games this season
  • The Tigers are up 3.45 units on the Run Line in their last 5 games at Comerica Park

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 Padres and the Tigers

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Padres 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 San Diego Padres 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)
Posted on

Jets to pick up fifth-year options on Sauce Gardner, Garrett Wilson, Jermaine Johnson II

The Jets had three first-round draft picks in 2022, and they're committing to all three of them at least through 2026.

Jets General Manager Darren Mougey said today that the team will exercise fifth-year options on 2022 fourth overall pick Sauce Gardner, 10th overall pick Garrett Wilson and 26th overall pick Jermaine Johnson II.

That means Gardner gets a guaranteed base salary of $20.1 million in 2026, Wilson gets a guaranteed $16.8 million and Johnson gets a guaranteed $13.4 million.

That's a lot to guarantee three players, but the Jets are lacking in talent, and hitting on their three first-round picks in 2022 was one of the few things they've done right in the personnel department in recent years. So they don't want to let any of those three players go.

The Jets will likely try to negotiate long-term contract extensions with Gardner, Wilson and Johnson, but even without any additional negotiations, they'll all be with the Jets for two more years.

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Report: Athletics promoting top prospect Kurtz to big leagues

Report: Athletics promoting top prospect Kurtz to big leagues originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The time finally has come.

After his scorching-hot start to the 2025 MiLB season, the Athletics are promoting first baseman and No. 1 prospect Nick Kurtz to the big leagues, MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos reported Monday, citing a source.

Kurtz, 22, was selected by the Athletics with the No. 4 pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, and less than one year later, has ascended through the organization’s minor-league system and onto the big-league roster.

In 20 games with Triple-A Las Vegas this season, Kurtz is batting .321/.385/.655 with seven home runs and 24 RBI in 97 plate appearances.

The 6-foot-5, 240-pound first baseman/designated hitter joins an up-and-coming Athletics roster that features homegrown bats such as outfielder Lawrence Butler, first baseman Tyler Soderstrom, catcher Shea Langeliers, shortstop Jacob Wilson, infielder Max Muncy as well as arms like closer Mason Miller and starting pitchers JP Sears and J.T. Ginn.

It remains to be seen exactly what Kurtz’ role will be upon arrival, but he should provide manager Mark Kotsay a powerful left-handed-hitting option.