Category: MLB

MINNEAPOLIS — The Minnesota Twins placed pitcher Pablo López on the 15-day injured list Friday with a strained right hamstring.

The move is retroactive to Wednesday, a day after López was removed from his start against Kansas City following 4 2/3 innings because of the injury. López is 1-1 with a 1.62 ERA in three starts this season.

The Twins replaced him on the roster by recalling right-hander David Festa from Triple-A St. Paul. Festa, who will start for Minnesota on Friday night against Detroit, is 1-1 with a 5.40 ERA in two minor league starts this season.

Festa appeared in 14 games for the Twins last season, 13 of them starts, going 2-6 with a 4.90 ERA and 77 strikeouts in 64 1/3 innings.

Let’s open up this week’s Waiver Wire with the oldest guy in the league.

2025 Fantasy Baseball Rankings: Bobby Witt Jr., Shohei Ohtani, Aaron Judge lead Top 300 rest of season ranks

Hunter Greene is on the rise and Rockies call-up Zac Veen enters the Top 300.

• Matthew Pouliot,

• Matthew Pouliot,

Justin Verlander (SP Giants) - Rostered in 31% of Yahoo leagues

Stay the course. Verlander wasn’t very good in his second start of the season against the Mariners, but he was far better last time out versus the Reds, even if he gave up five earned runs along the way. All five of those came in one inning in which the Reds had two hard-hit balls, one a grounder and one a popup. Verlander didn’t even allow a hit over the rest of the outing, and he struck out nine batters while averaging 95.2 mph with his fastball.

Verlander’s velocity is one big reason to be optimistic about his performance in his age-42 campaign. He’s averaging 94.8 mph on the heater right now, putting him right in between the 95.1 mph he was at in 2022, when he won AL Cy Young honors, and 2023, when he was still strong in posting a 3.22 ERA. Last year, he was down to 93.5 mph and largely ineffective in the 17 starts he was able to make while dealing with injuries.

Maybe Verlander’s body will betray him again at some point, but everything besides his ERA is looking good right now. His strikeout rate stands at 26%. His groundball rate is up, too, since he’s throwing about three times as many sliders as curves. He’ll give up homers from time to time, but it helps that his home park suppresses them. That his next two starts are in Philadelphia and Anaheim isn’t ideal -- and benching him should be in play for at least the first of those outings -- but there ought to be some value for the long haul here.

Pavin Smith (1B D-backs) - Rostered in 5% of Yahoo leagues

After starting off in the minors for a second straight season, Smith, who received his most extensive playing time as a 25-year-old rookie in 2021, clawed his way back into Arizona’s plans last summer, particularly in hitting .290/..384/.677 in 73 plate appearances in September. The Diamondbacks penciled him in as Joe Pederson’s replacement in the DH role against right-handers this season, and he’s kept right on hitting, coming in at .400/.486/.667 in 35 plate appearances. He has five barrels, though just one homer, and 11 of his 18 balls in play have been hit hard.

Smith’s fantasy ceiling remains capped by his platoon role, one that will be difficult for him to escape after the D-backs re-signed Randal Grichuk in the offseason. The team could weaken the outfield defense by moving Corbin Carroll to center and playing Grichuk in right against lefties, but it’d probably take quite a sustained run from Smith to get them to consider it. Perhaps an injury will eventually open things up a bit.

For now, though, Smith will sit on average once or twice per week. He’s probably good enough to eke out some mixed-league value anyway, especially since he’s mostly hitting third in a quality lineup. His strikeout rate is up, but that’s a worthy trade for as much hard contact as he’s making.

Zebby Matthews (SP Twins) - Rostered in 18% of Yahoo leagues

Some were left shaking their heads when the Twins opted to promote David Festa with Pablo López hurt, but it might have just been a stopgap measure. Based on spring performance and the events of the first two weeks of the Triple-A season, Zebby Matthews had earned the opportunity to be the first addition to the Twins rotation. There’s a good chance that’s still going to happen next week.

Matthews, an eighth-round pick of Western Carolina in 2022, struggled some last year in his first taste of the majors, mostly because of the home run ball. He gave up 11 of those in amassing a 6.69 ERA in 37 2/3 innings over nine starts. He did have a fine 43/11 K/BB along the way, though. He wound up pitching 9 1/3 scoreless innings with a 12/1 K/BB this spring, and he’s opened up with a 1.80 ERA and a 13/1 K/BB in 10 innings for the Saints. In his minor league career, he’s struck out 29 percent and walked just three percent of the batters he’s faced.

While they’re not overly similar pitchers, Matthews could wind up very much like Bailey Ober for fantasy purposes. He’ll always give up homers, leaving him with unexceptional ERAs, but his slider will lead to a fine strikeout rate and the lack of walks will make him a big asset in terms of WHIP. He should offer some mixed-league value this season.

Waiver Wire Quick Hits

- I wasn’t going to do a full writeup of Nick Kurtz after James Schiano highlighted him Tuesday, but it would be nice to have him stashed. The 2024 first-round pick is already running out of things to prove after just 23 games in the minors, and the A’s aren’t getting much production out of left field. If they’re willing to put Brent Rooker out there most of the time, Kurtz could give the lineup a big lift while alternating with Tyler Soderstom between first base and DH.

- It’s hard to bet on Lance McCullers Jr. staying healthy at this point, but he’s two starts deep into a rehab assignment in his latest attempt to return from elbow problems and he could join the Astros rotation around the end of the month. He’s almost always been effective when he’s been able to pitch (3.48 ERA, 27% strikeout rate in 719 career innings). Maybe that will no longer be the case at age 31, but he’s rostered in only two percent of leagues and he’s (hopefully) quite a bit closer to returning than most of the IL starting pitchers.

Hello and welcome to the second edition of our weekly two-start pitcher article for the 2025 MLB season.

I'll be here every Friday to highlight some of the best two-start pitcher options in fantasy baseball leagues for the upcoming week, as well as some streaming options to keep in mind.

Thinking ahead with your weekly strategy can give you an advantage on the waiver wire and hopefully be a difference-maker in the standings at the end of the season.

This is a living document, so we'll update the options below as the weekend moves along. Without further ado, let's dig into the options for the week of April 14.

Going Twice…

Note: Probable pitchers as of Friday, April 11, and are subject to change.

American League

Strong Plays

Tarik Skubal Tigers, LHP (@ Brewers, vs. Royals)

After struggling through his first two starts of the season, the reigning American League Cy Young award winner got back on track with a gem against the Yankees his last time out. You drafted Skubal to be your ace and you’re starting him every week regardless of matchups, especially when he’s toeing the slab twice. Don’t get cute and overthink it, he should be started in all formats.

Framber Valdez Astros, LHP (@ Cardinals, vs. Padres)

The 31-year-old southpaw has been terrific through his first three starts on the season, registering a 2.50 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and a 21/7 K/BB ratio over 18 innings. He pitches deep into games, rarely has blowups and has been piling up strikeouts. There’s really nothing not to like here. The matchups against the Cardinals is very strong as well and he gets the Padres at a time when their offense is a bit depleted. Valdez makes for an excellent option this week.

Max Fried Yankees, LHP (vs. Royals, @ Rays)

Fried has been the ace that the Yankees have needed through his first three starts, registering a 1.56 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and a 21/3 K/BB ratio over 17 1/3 innings while earning a pair of victories. While he would be started all weeks for single starts anyways, he gets the benefit of having two strong matchups for the upcoming week and winds up as one of the top overall options on the board. As long as he’s healthy, he’s going to produce elite results, so enjoy the production.

Luis Castillo Mariners, RHP (@ Reds, @ Brewers)

The original Luis Castillo in the Mariners’ rotation has typically struggled in his career in the first month of the regular season. So to see him come out of the gate strong with a 2.12 ERA, 1.12 WHIP and a 15/6 K/BB ratio over his first three starts is very encouraging. The Reds’ offense isn’t humming the way that we expect it to yet, so that start in Cincinnati isn’t quite as scary as it probably will be a month from now. There’s potential ratio risk involved in both starts, but the strikeouts should be there and Castillo has a chance to earn a win every time he takes the mound. He should be started in all leagues.

Kevin Gausman Blue Jays, RHP (vs. Braves, vs. Mariners)

I have been really impressed by what I have seen from Gausman through his first three starts this season, compiling a 2.33 ERA, 0.62 WHIP and a 14/3 K/BB ratio over 19 1/3 innings. As fantasy managers, we’ll take the slight decrease in strikeouts if it means he’s able to be more effective and work deeper into ballgames. Both starts will come at home this week, with the second one against the Mariners looking like a particularly juicy spot to earn a victory. As crazy as it may sound, I’m back to having full confidence in the Jays’ right-hander and would be using him in all leagues this week.

Decent Plays

Ryan Pepiot Rays, RHP (vs. Red Sox, vs. Yankees)

I like Pepiot, and in better matchups, he would be an automatic start for me. The two-step against the Red Sox and Yankees at least has me thinking twice about it in shallower formats. He has pitched relatively well through three starts, with a 3.38 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and a 16/7 K/BB ratio over 16 frames. The other concern, aside from the matchups, is that both of these starts will come at his new temporary home, Steinbrenner Field. We have seen the ball fly out of the yard there recently, especially to the opposite field, and both of these opponents seem like they could take advantage of that. You’re probably using him if you have him in 15’s but think twice in 12’s if you have viable alternatives.

Jeffrey Springs Athletics, LHP (@ White Sox, @ Brewers)

Through his first three starts with the Athletics, Springs has been mediocre – registering a 4.20 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and a 16/7 K/BB ratio over 15 innings. The best cure for his ratios comes with his first start of the upcoming week though, getting to take on the cellar-dwelling White Sox. The second start against the Brewers in Milwaukee is a bit tougher, but the first one is strong enough that I think we should be rolling Springs out there in all formats.

Tanner Houck Red Sox, RHP (@ Rays, vs. White Sox)

This placement may be a bit harsh for Tanner Houck, especially on a week where he gets the White Sox, but I just can’t get him up to the strong options. Houck holds a 4.41 ERA, 1.47 WHIP and a 10/7 K/BB ratio over 16 1/3 innings through his first three starts and it’s the lack of strikeouts that really have me the most concerned. He has also served up three homers already, and having to play at Steinbrenner Field has me a bit terrified after seeing what the Angels did there this week. He’s fine to use in 15’s and even some 12’s, I’m just more concerned than I probably should be given that he hasn’t looked like himself just yet.

Seth Lugo Royals, RHP (@ Yankees, @ Tigers)

Lugo has seemingly picked up right where he left off following a strong 2024 campaign, with a 3.24 ERA, 1.26 WHIP and a 12/7 K/BB ratio over 16 2/3 innings through his first three starts in 2025. The only thing holding him back this week is the matchups. He draws not one, but two very strong offenses on the road this week, which should at least give fantasy managers some reason for concern. He’s unlikely to be a favorite for a win in either matchup and the ratio risk will be higher than we normally see from Lugo. In 15’s you probably still have to roll with him, but you may have better down rotation options in 12’s that you might want to slide him onto the bench this week.

Yusei Kikuchi Angels, LHP (@ Rangers, vs. Giants)

Kikuchi’s first three starts with the Angels haven’t quite lived up to expectations, with a troublesome 5.00 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and a 16/8 K/BB ratio across his 18 innings. The ratios may not get better for him this week with a couple of difficult matchups on tap. The one thing that he will provide though, regardless of the opponent, is strikeouts. I’d expect no fewer than 10 strikeouts from him over his two starts on the week, which makes him a start for me in all formats despite the potential risk in ratios.

Carlos Carrasco Yankees, RHP (vs. Royals, @ Rays)

Here’s one where we have to walk the fine line between savvy and crazy. Carlos Carrasco hasn’t been a viable fantasy starter since the 2022 season with the Mets. He’s locked into the Yankees’ rotation though and has an opportunity to generate wins with that powerful offense backing him. He also has struck out 10 batters in 11 2/3 innings on the season and should be able to approach double digit punchouts over two starts for the upcoming week. If the matchups were scary, he’d be an easy fade, but I’m not seeing a whole lot from the Royals or Rays that really scares me at the moment. You’re not going to want to watch either of his starts, and he’s probably far too volatile to trust in 12-team formats, but in 15-teamers, I could see trying to gamble here if you need to make up ground in wins and strikeouts. Full disclosure, I even picked him up cheap last week with the plan to play him for this two-step.

At Your Own Risk

Charlie Morton Orioles, RHP (vs. Guardians, vs. Reds)

I’ve been a Charlie Morton supporter for as long as I can remember, but I don’t love the version that I have seen of the 41-year-old right-hander this season. He holds a troublesome 8.78 ERA, 1.88 WHIP and a 17/8 K/BB ratio over 13 1/3 innings through his first three starts and none of those starts have been worthwhile from a fantasy perspective. While both matchups are at home, Oriole Park at Camden Yards is playing smaller again with the fences moved in and I feel like you’re just asking for ratio damage if you try to start him this week. If you absolutely need the strikeouts in a deeper league, maybe you try it and hope for the best. I’ll be staying away.

Sean Burke White Sox, RHP (vs. Athletics, @ Red Sox)

While there’s upside in Burke’s outlook long-term, nothing that I have seen from him in three starts this season screams someone that you would want to stream for a two-start week. After a dominant first start against the Angels, Burke has been hit extremely hard in each of his last two starts and I expect more of the same to happen during the upcoming week. No fantasy manager has blown up their ratios enough this early in the season to knowingly take on this type of risk.

Logan Allen Guardians, LHP (@ Orioles, @ Pirates)

If you want to take a gamble on someone who has flashed talent in the past but has never quite been able to put it all together, Allen is your man. He has struggled to limit baserunners this season – with a 1.80 WHIP through his first 10 innings – and that could catch up to him in Baltimore, especially with the fences moved in. If you don’t have better options as your eighth or ninth pitcher in 15-team leagues, I could see taking the plunge. I’d probably avoid him in 12’s.

Michael Wacha Royals, RHP (@ Yankees, @ Tigers)

If we’re moving Seth Lugo down into the decent option group given the two difficult matchups, and we trust Lugo more than Wacha, then it only makes sense that Wacha would find himself down here. Wacha is a middling option in even the best matchups, so throwing him out there against two of the better offenses in the league is inviting in plenty of ratio risk. The problem is that he doesn’t provide the win equity or the strikeouts that you would like to see to counteract that. If you feel like gambling, go ahead and roll the dice, I think that I would sit this one out though.

Zack Littell Rays, RHP (vs. Red Sox, vs. Yankees)

I’d have a tough time recommending some of the better pitchers in the league in two matchups against the Red Sox and Yankees at Steinbrenner Field. Zack Littell isn’t one of the better pitchers in the league though. He also hasn’t pitched well this season, registering a 6.88 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and a 14/3 K/BB ratio over 17 innings while serving up five home runs. He’s a full fade for me this week in all leagues.

Patrick Corbin Rangers, LHP (vs. Angels, vs. Dodgers)

The 35-year-old southpaw didn’t pitch well in his first start with the Rangers and it’s been a long time since he was really a viable option for fantasy purposes. The only reason you would ever want to use him would be if he were lined up for a two-start week with a pair of good matchups. Having to take on the Dodgers next weekend is about as bad of a matchup as you can get. It’s possible that he could succeed here, but that’s not a risk that I’m willing to take.

National League

Strong Plays

Jesus Luzardo Phillies, LHP (vs. Giants, vs. Marlins)

To say that Luzardo has pitched well through his first three starts this season would be a massive understatement. He has compiled a brilliant 1.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and a 25/5 K/BB ratio over 18 innings. Now he lines up for a strong two-start week, with both matchups coming at home, and a revenge game against the Marlins on the back end of it. He not only needs to be started in all formats this week, but he might just be the top overall pitching option for the week. My only regret is that I don’t have more exposure to him.

Paul Skenes Pirates, RHP (vs. Nationals, vs. Guardians)

If Luzardo isn’t the top overall pitching option on the week, than it’s probably Skenes. The 22-year-old hurler is going to have extra motivation after getting knocked around his last time out and draws two strong matchups against the Nationals and Guardians – both in the friendly confines of PNC Park in Pittsburgh. Even in a slow start to the season by his standards, he still holds a 3.44 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and a 20/3 K/BB ratio over 18 1/3 innings. He'll improve upon all of those numbers and grab at least one victory this week. He should be 100% started in all leagues every single week this season.

Dustin May Dodgers, RHP (vs. Rockies, @ Rangers)

May was listed as one of our top two-start options for last week, only to see his second start of the week get pushed after the Dodgers gave a spot start to Justin Wrobleski and inserted Landon Knack into their starting rotation. The 27-year-old hurler has looked great through his first two starts and pitchers for perhaps the best team in all of baseball. Combine that with the fact that he gets to take on the Rockies on Monday and it means that he should be started in even the shallowest of leagues next week with complete confidence.

Grant Holmes Braves, RHP (@ Blue Jays, vs. Twins)

Holmes is tentatively lined up for two starts next week, and if he indeed makes both of them he looks like a very strong play in all fantasy formats. There’s at least some risk that he doesn’t go twice though. The Braves are expected to insert Spencer Strider back into their rotation at some point next week, perhaps as early as Tuesday. They could opt to still keep Bryce Elder around to make another start despite Strider’s return, which would mean that no Braves’ hurler winds up with two starts. Or they could stay on schedule and he would get there. If he doubles, I’ll want him in my lineup in all formats. Just continue to read the tea leaves until lineups lock on Monday.

Nick Lodolo Reds, LHP (vs. Mariners, @ Orioles)

Lodolo has pitched like an ace through his first three starts – compiling a minuscule 0.96 ERA, 0.70 WHIP and an 8/1 K/BB ratio over 18 innings. Now he’ll get a terrific matchup against the Mariners to start the week before having to travel to Baltimore for the second half of his two-step. While he has never shown this type of consistency before, you have to ride the hot hand here, especially with a strong matchup against the M’s. Look for Lodolo to snag his third victory of the season this week.

Clay Holmes Mets, RHP (@ Twins, vs. Cardinals)

Holmes’ transition to the starting rotation hasn’t gone quite as swimmingly as many had hoped, with an underwhelming 4.30, 1.70 WHIP and a 20/9 K/BB ratio over 14 2/3 frames through his first three starts. This looks like the perfect week for him to right the ship though, taking on a pair of struggling offenses that don’t provide the type of left-handed thump that could really do damage against him. I’d be surprised if he didn’t earn a victory and improve upon his ratios during this fabulous two-step.

Tylor Megill Mets, RHP (@ Twins, vs. Cardinals)

Megill has been everything that fantasy managers had hoped for through his first three starts, posting a 17/7 K/BB ratio across 14 1/3 innings while compiling a ridiculous 0.63 ERA and 1.26 WHIP. The high WHIP has always been a part of his game and the ERA isn’t going to stay that low obviously, but the strikeouts are real. He also draws a pair of scintillating matchups against the Twins and Cardinals and should be able to take full advantage of both lineups. It’s crazy to say given his inconsistency throughout the years, but I’m rolling him out there with full confidence in all leagues this week.

Max Meyer Marlins, RHP (vs. Diamondbacks, @ Phillies)

Fantasy managers have to be thrilled with what we have seen from Meyer through his first three starts on the season, posting a stellar 2.00 ERA, 1.11 WHIP and a 19/5 K/BB ratio. The only thing holding him back for his upcoming two-start week is the matchups. He’s likely to be an underdog in both spots and will be taking on two of the top offenses in the National League. That’s not to say that he can’t succeed in those spots, it’s just enough to bring him down from a strong to a decent start for me though. I’d still start him in any league where I had him, just anticipate that the ratios won’t be quite as pristine as they were through his first three outings.

Dylan Cease Padres, RHP (vs. Cubs, @ Astros)

Cease was drafted by most fantasy teams to be an ace or an SP2, occasionally a high-end SP3. He’s the type of pitcher that should be started every week, no questions asked, especially when he’s taking the mound twice. The only concern is that he was blasted for nine runs over four innings by the Athletics in Sacramento this past week and now sports a cringe-inducing 7.98 ERA and 1.57 WHIP over 14 2/3 innings on the season. You have to just hope that he got it out of his system. Worst case scenario, he’s still going to deliver the strikeouts.

Landen Roupp Giants, RHP (@ Phillies, @ Angels)

Roupp has looked good through his first two starts since landing the final spot in the Giants’ Opening Day rotation, registering a 3.60 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and a 12/4 K/BB ratio over 10 innings. We love the underlying skills and are onboard with him being a viable fantasy option for the duration of the 2025 season, so it stands to reason that we’d be comfortable using him for his first two-step. The matchup against the Phillies isn’t the greatest, but we’re not scared of using him against the Angels in Anaheim to finish the week. I’d be starting him in all 15 and 12-team leagues. Anything shallower than that, you may have better options.

Decent Plays

Merrill Kelly Diamondbacks, RHP (@ Marlins, @ Cubs)

I’m not going to sugarcoat it. Merrill Kelly has not pitched well through his first three starts this season. He holds a miserable 7.20 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and a cringe-inducing 7/9 K/BB ratio over 15 innings of work. Most of that damage came from one disastrous start against the Yankees though, and he looked much better in a quality start against the Orioles his last time out. The matchups are good, not great, but in 15-teamers Kelly looks like an easy start this week. In 12’s, it’s possible that you have enough quality options that you may not want to take the ratio risk.

Sonny Gray Cardinals, RHP (vs. Astros, @ Mets)

I’ll admit that I faded Sonny Gray when reports came out this spring that he was pitching with diminished velocity. That looks like it may have been a mistake. The veteran right-hander holds a 4.50 ERA, 0.88 WHIP and a 19/2 K/BB ratio across 16 innings through his first three starts and has shown no signs of slowing down. The matchups aren’t great, taking on a pair of strong offenses on good teams, but Gray has shown enough that we should be trusting him in this spot.

Mitch Keller Pirates, RHP (vs. Nationals, vs. Guardians)

While the overall numbers through his first three starts are middling, Keller is coming off of his best start of the season with six strikeouts over 7 1/3 innings of scoreless baseball against the Cardinals his last time out. He now draws two strong matchups at home, making him a worthwhile streaming option in any leagues where he may still be hanging around on the waiver wire. He should have a nice shot to earn a victory with double digit strikeouts and strong ratios over his two starts this week.

Justin Verlander Giants, RHP (@ Phillies, @ Angels)

My love for Justin Verlander isn’t a secret around here, so let me get that out of the way first. He’s on every roster that I drafted this season and I’ll be rolling him out once again this week, despite his struggles through the first three weeks of the season. While he gave up five runs over 6 1/3 innings against the Reds last week, all of that damage was done during one strange inning and he still racked up a season-high nine strikeouts in the process. His propensity to give up the long ball does scare me in that matchup against the Phillies, and if it was a single start week he would be buried on my bench. For two starts though, with the second one coming against the Angels, we’re going back for more pain. If he doesn’t deliver this week, we’ll re-evaluate going forward.

Jameson Taillon Cubs, RHP (@ Padres, vs. Diamondbacks)

While the overall line looks a bit rough through three starts, Taillon was rocked by the Diamondbacks in his first start and has actually been pretty good each of his last two times out. If he had stronger matchups, I could even consider him a strong play, but this is as high as he’ll get with two elite offenses on the docket. He’s fortunate that he’ll be facing a Padres’ squad sans Jackson Merrill but they’re still a strong lineup and we have already seen what the Diamondbacks can do to him. Even in 15’s, I’m not feeling completely confident in the play. He’ll get you 10-12 strikeouts, the rest is up in the air.

Taijuan Walker Phillies, RHP (vs. Giants, vs. Marlins)

Is Taijuan Walker a good pitcher these days? The answer to that is probably no. He has looked good through his first two outings though, with 10 2/3 innings of scoreless baseball to go with a 1.13 WHIP and a 9/4 K/BB ratio. The matchups aren’t bad either, facing a tough Giants team and then getting to battle the Marlins. If he stays healthy through the week (always a concern for him) and makes two starts, I think he’s going to wind up being a viable streaming option in 15 teamers and quite possibly a useful option in 12’s as well. Just beware that he could give up six runs against the Giants on Monday and wind up on the injured list, that’s well within his range of outcomes.

Tyler Alexander Brewers, LHP (vs. Tigers, vs. Athletics)

This one is nothing personal against Tyler Alexander, it’s simply me not trusting that he’s going to start twice and that he’s going to work deep enough into those starts to qualify for victories. The matchups are good. The Tigers struggle against left-handers (not to mention the revenge narrative there) and the A’s aren’t a team that we’re worried about streaming against. I just don’t think he’s going to work deep enough to qualify for wins there, and that’s one of the things I’m looking for when trying to stream starters. He could be a cheap option in 15’s if you absolutely need a ninth pitcher for the week, as he’s unlikely to hurt your ratios and should at least grab a decent amount of strikeouts.

Brad Lord Nationals, RHP (@ Pirates, @ Rockies)

This is an interesting one. Lord actually did a nice job in his first big league start against the Dodgers this past week and has earned the right to take another trip or two through the Nationals’ rotation. The matchups against the Pirates and Rockies are pretty strong, despite the second one coming at Coors Field. The only real concern that I have is that he won’t work deep enough into either game to earn a victory. He thew just 55 pitches over four innings against the Dodgers his last time out and I think you’ll be lucky for him to get through five innings with the lead. I love his backstory and think that he’ll pitch to decent ratios here, it’s the lack of upside in wins that’s holding me back.

At Your Own Risk

Antonio Senzatela Rockies, RHP (@ Dodgers, vs. Nationals)

Senzatela would be a tough recommendation even if he were away from Coors Field twice and was pitching in strong matchups. Unfortunately, his first matchup is about as tough as it gets taking on the Dodgers in Los Angeles, then he has to tango with the hot-hitting Nationals in Colorado. Normally if you’re streaming two-start pitchers, you’re looking for wins and strikeouts. Senzatela doesn’t strike people out and he’s very unlikely to win either of these games. Even in NL-only leagues, I have a hard time seeing the benefits of rolling him out there.

Erick Fedde Cardinals, RHP (vs. Astros, @ Mets)

As much of a fan as I am of Fedde, I simply can’t recommend him in good conscience this week. In better matchups, maybe, but he’s going to be taking on two of the stronger offenses in the league and will be a major underdog to earn a victory in both of those starts. While his ratios have been alright through his first three outings – 4.20 ERA and 1.00 WHIP through 15 innings – he has only recorded five total strikeouts. If he’s not striking guys out and isn’t going to be winning a game, the only thing that you’re inviting in from his two-start week is ratio risk. I think there are better options out there.

Streamer City

Here are a couple of my hand-picked streaming options for the upcoming week that are readily available in most fantasy leagues. I’ll track these results throughout the season so you can see how my recommendations have performed.

American League

Osvaldo Bido Athletics, RHP (@ White Sox - Wednesday 4/16)

It's probably going to be a theme this season that we wind up attacking the White Sox as much as possible, and why not, you want your pitcher to be facing the weakest offense possible. Bido has looked good through his first three starts and should be a solid bet for a victory and at least five strikeouts in this one and he's rostered in only five percent of all Yahoo leagues.

National League

Eduardo Rodriguez Diamondbacks, LHP (vs. Marlins - Thursday 4/17)

The 32-year-old southpaw has an inflated 6.10 ERA through his first two starts, but that comes with a solid 1.16 WHIP and an outstanding 17/4 K/BB ratio over 10 1/3 innings. The best medicine to improve that ERA is a date with the Marlins, and he's rostered in just 20 percent of all Yahoo leagues the moment.

Last Week’s Review

Carlos Carrasco (@ Tigers - Tuesday 4/8)

Another miss, as Carrasco was tagged for four runs over 4 1/3 innings against the Tigers while only striking out three. Not what you're looking for.

Erick Fedde (@ Pirates - Wednesday 4/9)

This one was actually quite good, as Fedde spun six innings of shutout baseball against the Pirates. He only struck out two and had to settle for a no-decision as he didn't get any run support, but this one is absolutely what we were looking for.

Its Friday, April 11 and the Braves (3-9) are in Tampa to begin a series against the Rays (5-7).

Bryce Elder is slated to take the mound for Atlanta against Taj Bradley for Tampa Bay.

The Rays lost two of three to the Angels earlier this week including 11-1 yesterday. Jo Adell homered twice in the fifth inning to pace the Halos. The Braves took two of three in their series against the Phillies thanks to a walk-off three-run home run by Marcell Ozuna yesterday.

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 Braves at Rays

• Date: Friday, April 11, 2025
• Time: 7:05PM EST
• Site: George M. Steinbrenner Field
• City: Tampa, FL
• Network/Streaming: FDSNSO, FDSNSUN

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 Braves at the Rays

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Braves (-102), Rays (-118)
• Spread:  Rays 1.5
• Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Braves at Rays

• Pitching matchup for April 11, 2025: Bryce Elder vs. Taj Bradley
  
  • Braves: Bryce Elder (0-0, 6.75 ERA)
    Last outing: 4/2 at Dodgers - 4IP, 3ER, 3H, 2BB, 3Ks
  • Rays: Taj Bradley (1-0, 4.91 ERA)
    Last outing: 4/5 at Texas - 5IP, 4ER, 2H, 4BB, 7Ks

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 Braves at Rays

• The Rays have won 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with losing records
• The Rays are 3-9 on the Run Line this season
• The Rays have lost 6 of their last 7 games
• The Braves have won 3 of their last 5 games
• The Braves are 5-7 on the Run Line this season

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

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

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 Friday's game between the Braves and the Rays:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Tampa Bay Rays on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Atlanta Braves 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)

Its Friday, April 11 and the Tigers (7-5) are in Minneapolis for three games against the Twins (4-9).

Reese Olson is slated to take the mound for Detroit against David Festa for Minnesota.

Detroit's five-game winning streak was snapped Wednesday when the Yankees topped them 4-3. Zach McKinstry drove in a couple runs in the loss. The Twins lost three of four to the Royals including a 3-2 loss yesterday. Bailey Ober started for Minnesota allowing one run over six innings.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Tigers at Twins

• Date: Friday, April 11, 2025
• Time: 8:10PM EST
• Site: Target Field
• City: Minneapolis, MN
• Network/Streaming: Apple TV+

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

Odds for the Tigers at the Twins

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Tigers (-108), Twins (-108)
• Spread:  Twins 1.5
• Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at Twins

• Pitching matchup for April 11, 2025: Reese Olson vs. David Festa
  
  • Tigers: Reese Olson (1-1, 5.06 ERA)
    Last outing: 4/5 vs. White Sox - 6IP, 2ER, 7H, 3BB, 5Ks
  • Twins: David Festa (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
    2024 - 14GP, 64.1IP, 2-6, 4.90 ERA, 23BB, 77Ks

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 Tigers at Twins

• The Tigers have won 3 straight against AL Central teams
• The Under is 4-0 in the Twins' last 4 games
• In their last 5 games with a rest advantage over their opponents the Tigers are 1-4 on the Run Line
• Detroit is 8-4 on the Run Line this season
  

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

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Tigers and the Twins

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 Friday's game between the Tigers and the Twins:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Detroit Tigers on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Minnesota Twins 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)

Its Friday, April 11 and the Phillies (8-4) are in St. Louis to open a weekend series against the Cardinals (5-7).

Aaron Nola is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Andre Pallante for St. Louis.

The Phils split a four-game series in Atlanta earlier this week. The Braves earned the split with a 4-2 win in eleven innings last night. Philadelphia hurlers had given up just one run and seven hits through ten innings before Joe Ross imploded in the eleventh offering up a walk-off home run to Marcell Ozuna.

St. Louis returns home after losing two of three in Pittsburgh. They lost 2-1 in 13 innings Wednesday to close out the series. Cardinals' pitching was elite...until it wasn't...allowing just three hits through eleven innings.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Phillies at Cardinals

• Date: Friday, April 11, 2025
• Time: 8:15PM EST
• Site: Busch Stadium
• City: St. Louis, MO
• Network/Streaming: NBCSP+, FDSNMW

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 Cardinals

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Phillies (-139), Cardinals (+117)
• Spread:  Phillies -1.5
• Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Cardinals

• Pitching matchup for April 11, 2025: Aaron Nola vs. Andre Pallante
  
  • Phillies: Aaron Nola (0-2, 6.35 ERA)
    Last outing: 4/5 vs. Dodgers - 6IP, 3ER, 7H, 1BB, 2Ks
  • Cardinals: Andre Pallante (1-0, 3.86 ERA)
    Last outing: 4/6 at Boston - 4.1IP, 2ER, 4H, 3BB, 6Ks

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

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

• The Cardinals have lost 4 of their last 5 games against teams with winning records
• Alec Bohm is 1-23 (.043) in his last 5 games
• In their last 5 games with a rest advantage over their opponents the Cardinals are 1-4 against the Run Line
• Willson Contreras is 3-21 (.143) over his last 5 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 Phillies and the Cardinals

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 Friday's game between the Phillies and the Cardinals:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia Phillies 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 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)

Its Friday, April 11 and the Blue Jays (8-6) are in Baltimore to open a series against the Orioles (5-8).

Bowden Francis is slated to take the mound for Toronto against Tomoyuki Sugano for Baltimore.

The O's got smacked Wednesday by the Diamondbacks, 9-0. They picked up just four hits against Brandon Pfaadt and a couple of Arizona relievers. The Jays took three of four from the Red Sox earlier this week. Their one loss was yesterday in ten innings, 4-3. Tyler Heineman tallied three hits in the loss.

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 Orioles

• Date: Friday, April 11, 2025
• Time: 7:05PM EST
• Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
• City: Baltimore, MD
• Network/Streaming: SN1, MASN

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

Odds for the Blue Jays at the Orioles

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Blue Jays (-106), Orioles (-112)
• Spread:  Orioles 1.5
• Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Blue Jays at Orioles

• Pitching matchup for April 11, 2025: Bowden Francis vs. Tomoyuki Sugano
  
  • Blue Jays: Bowden Francis (1-1, 3.18 ERA)
    Last outing: 4/6 at Mets - 5.1IP, 2ER, 6H, 2BB, 6Ks
  • Orioles: Tomoyuki Sugano (1-1, 2.89 ERA)
    Last outing: 4/5 at Kansas City - 5.1IP, 1ER, 5H, 1BB, 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 Orioles

• Betting the Blue Jays on the Money Line in all games this season would have shown a 112% return on investment
• Game Totals in Blue Jays' games have cashed to the OVER in 3 of 14 games.
• The Orioles are 3-7 in their last 10 games
• The Orioles are 6-7 on the Run Line this season

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

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

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

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

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Toronto Blue Jays 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 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)

When Griffin Canning was traded from the Angels to the Braves this past Halloween, there was immediate conversation on Baseball Twitter about whether the Braves would "fix" Canning and turn him into the 2025 version of Reynaldo Lopez. With Canning off to a strong start to begin the 2025 season, it appears there was reason to be optimistic about the 29-year-old; only, he may have found his answers in New York instead of Atlanta.

Less than a month after trading for Canning, the Braves didn't tender him a contract, satisfied in simply saving money by trading Jorge Soler for Canning weeks earlier. That allowed the Mets to swoop in and sign Canning to a one-year, $4.25 million deal. It's a move that has worked wonders for both sides.

"I love it here," smiled Canning earlier this week. "I'm really enjoying my time. Everything is top of the line. I'm enjoying the change in scenery and just kind of experiencing something new."

Canning has spent every season of his professional career with the Los Angeles Angels after being a second-round pick in the 2017 MLB Draft. Canning was also born in Mission Viejo, California, and spent three seasons pitching in college for UCLA, so shipping off to New York may be the biggest change of scenery he's had in his baseball career.

You can't blame him for choosing the Mets either. Since the regime change in New York two seasons ago, the Mets have begun building a reputation as a pitcher-friendly organization that creates smart plans to maximize the skills of their pitchers. Just last season, the Mets coached Luis Severino to a 3.91 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and 21.2% strikeout rate after a season with the Yankees where he seemed totally lost and registered a 6.65 ERA and 19% strikeout rate. They also changed Sean Manea's arm slot and pitch mix to help drive him to a 3.47 ERA and 1.08 WHIP in 181.2 innings, the best season of his career.

Perhaps Canning can be next. After breaking out with a 3.65 ERA and 26.3% strikeout rate in the minors in 2018, and then producing a 3.99 ERA and 23.5% strikeout rate with the Angels in 2020, Canning's progress has halted. Injuries have certainly played a part, as he dealt with elbow irritation last year, a groin strain in 2023, and a lower back stress fracture in 2021 that sidelined him for the whole 2022 season.

The 29-year-old is healthy now and looking for something new. Part of that openness to something new has been changing his approach to pitch backwards, using breaking balls as the foundation of his pitch mix instead of fastballs.

"The conversation this spring was just kind of like, 'Hey, these are your best pitches. Why not lean on these?'" remembered Canning.

It's a simple concept, but one that has worked for many pitchers before and could be working for Canning as well. Heading into his start on Saturday against the Athletics, Canning has allowed three runs on eight hits in 9.2 innings over his first two starts while striking out 10 and walking five. It's not a perfect start, but his swinging strike rate is up, his CSW is the highest it's ever been, and his hard contact allowed is down.

It's too early in the season to call anything a breakout, but the added emphasis on using his best pitches more could have been the simple tweak that Canning needed to build on the promise he has tantalized with. Throughout his five-year MLB career, the best pitch for Canning has always been his slider. Since the 2021 season, he has never used it less than 24% of the time in a season, and it has never posted a swinging strike rate (SwStr%) below 16.7%. For comparison sake, the MLB average SwStr% for starting pitcher sliders is 15.3%, so Canning has always been able to miss bats with the slider, and it has graded out as his best pitch on most pitch grading models for years.

This year, the Mets have asked Canning to go to that slider even more. In his first two starts, he has used his slider 44.3% of the time. While that 20% usage jump from 2024 to this year may seem jarring, it feels almost natural to him. "It's kind of something I've done my whole life, pitch backwards," explained Canning. "I feel like it's more of just getting back to being myself and what my strengths are. So yeah, it's been a pretty easy transition."

Part of making that transition to use the slider more often has been recapturing the feel of the pitch, which seemed to get away from Canning in 2024. "For whatever reason, last year just didn't have as much depth on it," he admitted. "This year, it could be a product of just throwing it a little bit more, just having a little better feel for it, but, yeah, just a little bit more depth [on it]."

The depth Canning is referencing is the vertical break on his slider. In 2024, he had just three inches of vertical break, which was down from 5.1 inches in 2023. Instead of that being connected to a conscious pitch shape change, it seems as if Canning simply lost the feel for his slider. Yet, in 2025, the pitch is back to registering 6.6 inches of vertical break, which has helped improve its performance and grades on the pitch models.

While Canning himself is not obsessive over tracking pitch shape data, he acknowledges that the information can help in situations like his, where you're trying to identify why you may be struggling with a given pitch.

"Pitch shape data is a really good tool to kind of understand when a pitch is starting to get away from you and being able to reel it back in and not let it get too far off track," he said. "But at the end of the day, you just got to get outs, so I probably have more of a focus on that and executing pitches. At the same time, just kind of understanding, like, 'Hey, maybe I need to spend this week working on this pitch a little bit more.'"

That focus on executing his pitches is paying off for Canning early on because, in addition to the added depth on his slider, Canning is commanding it better than he has in years. Through two starts, the zone rate on Canning's slider is the highest it's ever been, as is his 77% strike rate on the pitch, which is 94th percentile in baseball. According to Pitcher List, Canning also has a 29% Early Called Strike rate on his slider, which means that nearly 30% of his sliders thrown in 0-0, 0-1, 1-0, and 1-1 counts are going for called strikes. That's much improved from his career numbers and well above the league average.

So Canning is leaning on his best pitch more, but also regaining comfort with it to help him execute the pitch better than he has in recent years. All of that is cause for optimism, and he's also working to reshape his arsenal around that pitch to set himself up for as much success as possible. Part of that involves bringing back a cutter, which he threw four times during the 2021 season but has not used otherwise.

"I've thrown a couple of cutters this year," confirmed Canning. "I'm just figuring out the right spot and the right guys to use it. It's just kind of to keep my slider and change up open as much as I can. Those are the pitches I'm going to lean on, so just being able to show guys something else where they have to respect it a little bit usually helps."

Even though the cutter itself is unlikely to be a big part of Canning's pitch mix this season, its inclusion could further help his best pitches.

Against right-handed batters, Canning's cutter will create an extra layer of deception to his slider. Of the minimal cutters he's thrown in 2025, the pitch has 6.1 inches of vertical break, which is similar to the slider, but has slightly less horizontal movement and comes in 3.5 mph faster. That means a hitter who is expecting the slider might be late on a cutter or take a longer swing to anticipate the break of the slider and get jammed. Meanwhile, Canning can locate the cutter up and in against a lefty, as he did against Yordan Alvarez, in order to have the hitter look inside, which will open up the outside part of the plate for his changeup, another of his bread-and-butter pitches.

Last year, the changeup was Canning's highest-graded pitch by PLV, which factors location into pitch grades, and was easily his best pitch against lefties. He threw the pitch over 32% of the time to lefties last year, registering a well-above-average 17.8% SwStr% and 66% strike rate overall while allowing a 36% Ideal Contact Rate (ICR), which is right in line with league averages. All of which is to say that Canning's changeup to lefties is often a strike, misses a lot of bats, and gives up a league-average amount of meaningful contact.

That pitch figures to be a weapon for Canning again in 2025, but relying on those two offerings more, plus adding in the changeup, means that some other pitches need to be used less.

"I probably won't throw [the curve] as much as I have in the past," Canning admits. Although that's not necessarily a bad thing. His curveball has graded out fairly average over the years and posted a below-average swinging strike rate, ICR, and CSW last year. Yet, Canning will still have the pitch in his back pocket if the game or season dictates that he mix it in from time to time.

"Teams are going to be constantly adjusting to you," he said. "It could just be a game-to-game thing. Once we make a few more starts, and your percentages are out there a little bit more, then teams are going to make adjustments, and so you've got to be ready to adjust too."

Another change to watch for this season has been the added vertical movement on Canning's four-seam fastball. Through two starts, Canning has had 17 inches of induced vertical break (or rise) on his four-seam fastball, compared to 15.6 inches last season. That has lowered his Vertical Approach Angle, which means his fastball is flatter, or resisting gravity more, which can make it harder to hit if it's used up in the zone. That makes it a good thing that Canning is using the pitch up in the zone nearly 69% of the time in 2025, after doing so just 54% of the time last year.

While getting the fastball up in the zone has been a conscious choice for Canning, the added vertical movement is not something that he spent much time focusing on this off-season. "Feels like something with the game intensity," he admitted. "When the season started, it just kind of clicks in, but, yeah, hopefully it's a trend that sticks around."

The Mets and fantasy managers hope it's a trend that sticks around, too. However, even by simply leaning into a focus on pitching backwards and creating a pitch mix built to support that attack plan, Canning could be emerging as an impactful member of this Mets rotation and another success story for a pitching development team that is beginning to make a habit out of turning careers around for veteran starters.

Its Friday, April 11 and the Cubs (9-6) are in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers (10-4).

Matthew Boyd is slated to take the mound for Chicago against Yoshinobu Yamamoto for Los Angeles.

The Dodgers snapped a three-game losing streak Wednesday with a 6-5 win over the Washington Nationals. Teoscar Hernandez continued his strong start to the season cracking his fifth home run and driving in three runs. The veteran is tied for second in the National League with 16 RBIs.

Chicago comes to Tinseltown following a split of their four-game series against the Texas Rangers. Wednesday, they lost 6-2 to the Rangers. Kyle Tucker went hitless for the first time in five games. It was just the fourth game this season Tucker has failed to get a hit.

These teams met for a pair of games in Tokyo to start the season. The Dodgers won both.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Cubs at Dodgers

• Date: Friday, April 11, 2025
• Time: 10:10PM EST
• Site: Dodger Stadium
• City: Los Angeles, CA
• Network/Streaming: MARQ, SNLA

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

Odds for the Cubs at the Dodgers

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Cubs (+165), Dodgers (-199)
• Spread:  Dodgers -1.5
• Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Cubs at Dodgers

• Pitching matchup for April 11, 2025: Matthew Boyd vs. Yoshinobu Yamamoto
  
  • Cubs: Matthew Boyd (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
    Last outing: 4/5 vs. San Diego - 6IP, 0ER, 5H, 1BB, 5Ks
  • Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (1-1, 1.69 ERA)
    Last outing: 4/4 at Philadelphia - 6IP, 0ER, 3H, 3BB, 5Ks

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

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Cubs at Dodgers

• The Dodgers have won each of their 6 home games this season
• Yoshinobu Yamamoto allowed 1 run in 5 innings in Tokyo against the Cubs on March 18
• The Cubs have won 7 of their last 9 games
• The Dodgers are 7-7 on the Run Line this season

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

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Cubs and the Dodgers

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 Friday's game between the Cubs and the Dodgers:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Los Angeles Dodgers on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Chicago Cubs at +1.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

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

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)