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Dodgers at Reds prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for July 30

It's Wednesday, July 30 and the Dodgers (63-45) are in Cincinnati to take on the Reds (56-52). Shohei Ohtani is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Nick Martinez for Cincinnati.

The Dodgers go for the sweep over the Reds after taking the second matchup of the series, 5-4 on Tuesday. Los Angeles used a ninth inning rally to win the game and can now sweep an opponent for the first time since July 1-3 (White Sox).

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 first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

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

Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Reds

  • Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2025
  • Time: 7:10PM EST
  • Site: Great American Ball Park
  • City: Cincinnati, OH
  • Network/Streaming: SNLA, FDSNOH, 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 Dodgers at the Reds

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Dodgers (-175), Reds (+147)
  • Spread:  Dodgers -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Reds

  • Pitching matchup for July 30, 2025: Shohei Ohtani vs. Nick Martinez
    • Dodgers: Shohei Ohtani, (0-0, 1.50 ERA)
      Last outing: 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 0 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
    • Reds: Nick Martinez, (9-9, 4.69 ERA)
      Last outing: 3.60 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 5 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 Dodgers and the Reds

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

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

  • 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 Cincinnati Reds at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.

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

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

  • The Dodgers are 4-2 when Ohtani pitches this season
  • Ohtani has yet to pitch more than 3.0 innings
  • The Reds are 7-3 in their last 10 home games
  • In the Dodgers' last 5 road games the Under is 4-0-1
  • The Dodgers are 5-6 since the All-Star break
  • The Reds are 6-5 since the All-Star break

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)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
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Rays at Yankees Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for July 30

It's Wednesday, July 30 and the Rays (54-54) are in Bronx to take on the Yankees (58-49). Zack Littell is slated to take the mound for Tampa Bay against Will Warren for New York.

The Yankees won the second matchup of the series, 7-5. Tampa Bay jumped out to a 3-0 lead on Tuesday before the Yankees surged ahead 7-4 at one point. These opponents have four games remaining against each other on the season, including today's.

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 first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

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

Game details & how to watch Rays at Yankees

  • Date: Wednesday, July 30, 2025
  • Time: 7:05PM EST
  • Site: Yankee Stadium
  • City: Bronx, NY
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNSUN, AmazonPV, 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 Rays at the Yankees

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Rays (+117), Yankees (-140)
  • Spread:  Yankees -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Rays at Yankees

  • Pitching matchup for July 30, 2025: Zack Littell vs. Will Warren
    • Rays: Zack Littell, (8-8, 3.72 ERA)
      Last outing: 7.50 ERA, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 10 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
    • Yankees: Will Warren, (6-5, 4.82 ERA)
      Last outing: 3.18 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts

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

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

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

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

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Tampa Bay Rays at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.

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

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

  • The Yankees have a losing record (12-19) in divisional matchups this season
  • The Under is 29-19-1 in the Rays' road games this season
  • New York is 5-6 since the All-Star break
  • Tampa Bay is 4-7 since the All-Star break

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)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
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Mets' Juan Soto feeling 'better,' could be available off bench Wednesday: 'I think we dodged a bullet'

Mets outfielder Juan Soto is out of the starting lineup for Wednesday’s series-finale against the San Diego Padres after fouling a ball off  his foot on Tuesday night, but manager Carlos Mendoza said the outfielder is feeling better and could be an option off the bench.

“Better, but still sore,” Mendoza said. “Getting treatment. Let’s see where we’re at. He hasn’t done anything; he’s in the training room. Hopefully he gets in the cages and we see if he’s available or not for the game, but a little bit better.”

In the top of the fourth inning of Tuesday’s loss to San Diego, Soto fouled a ball off the top of his left foot. While X-rays were negative, he was diagnosed with a foot contusion.

While Soto’s status for Wednesday is still up in the air, it sounds like, at the very least, the star outfielder will avoid an IL stint, which is obviously great news for a Mets team in the thick of a division race with the Philadelphia Phillies.

“As of right now, talking to Juan, looking at his face and things like that, I think we dodged a bullet here,” Mendoza said.

Mendoza said the hope for Soto, who was feeling sore just walking on his left foot on Tuesday night, is that he is back in the starting lineup on Friday against San Francisco following a team day off on Thursday.

“That’s the hope, that even if he’s not a player for us today, he could be in the lineup on Friday,” Mendoza said. “But again, he’s day-to-day. Let’s get through today and see what we’ve got.”

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Phillies go big, trading two top prospects for Twins' star closer

Phillies go big, trading two top prospects for Twins' star closer originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CHICAGO – The big arm out of the bullpen that many were clamoring for has been gotten.

A day before Thursday’s 6 p.m. trade deadline, the Phillies are acquiring Minnesota Twins closer Jhoan Duran, a source confirmed to NBC Sports Philadelphia’s John Clark.

Duran is a 27-year-old right-hander who throws close to 100-miles an hour, has 16 saves this season with a 2.01 ERA. In his four seasons in the majors, Duran has 74 saves and has struck out 292 in 233.2 innings pitched.

He will fill a back of the bullpen void that was created when Jose Alvarado was suspended on May 18th. Duran was thought to be one of the premier relievers available at the deadline.

The Phillies sent pitcher Mick Abel and catcher Eduardo Tait to Minnesota.

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Padres reportedly pushing to trade for star Athletics closer Mason Miller

Padres reportedly pushing to trade for star Athletics closer Mason Miller originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The San Diego Padres reportedly have their sights set on lights-out Athletics closer Mason Miller.

As Padres general manager A.J. Preller pursues outfielders Jarren Duran and Steven Kwan ahead of Thursday’s MLB trade deadline, he also is pushing to acquire Miller, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal and Dennis Lin reported Wednesday, citing sources briefed on San Diego’s discussions.

Preller would be willing to at least discuss sending top prospects to the A’s in such a deal, per Rosenthal and Lin, with The Athletic reporters naming shortstop Leo De Vries or catcher Ethan Salas as options.

Miller remains under team control for the next four seasons and is making just $765,000 this season while owning one of MLB’s most dominant fastballs. Despite the A’s 47-63 record and last-place status in the AL West, their flame-throwing closer is tied for 11th in the league with 20 saves.

Whether or not Preller could pull off such a trade with A’s GM David Forst is up in the air. While the team previously viewed Miller as “untouchable,” the A’s might be inclined to move on from the former MLB All-Star if they receive a compelling offer from one of the league’s top contenders, Rosenthal reported on July 21.

“The way the A’s see it, only a few teams are bold enough to propose an offer for Miller worthy of consideration,” Rosenthal wrote. “General manager David Forst might engage those teams as the deadline nears. But for now, he appears willing to let them grow more desperate.”

Per Rosenthal and Lin, San Diego’s ability to land either Duran, Kwan or Miller could hinge on their willingness to surrender De Vries.

For now, A’s fans will have to wait and see just how desperate Preller becomes as the second-place Padres make a playoff push.

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Giants know recent freefall forced front office's hand with Tyler Rogers trade

Giants know recent freefall forced front office's hand with Tyler Rogers trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — For seven seasons, Tyler Rogers stuck to routines. Given that he would go out to the mound every night with the slowest fastball in baseball, perhaps that’s how he felt it had to be. 

Rogers thrived on consistency, and in recent years, other Giants tried to pick up on that. When Ryan Walker broke through, he joined Rogers — and later his twin brother — in preparing for the late innings. Every night at Oracle Park, before the bottom of the third inning, Walker and Rogers would emerge from the dugout and make the long walk out to the bullpen. There they would sit and wait for a chance to help get their teammates to the 27th out. 

“He’s a man of habit,” Walker said of Rogers on Wednesday. “You can see why he’s so consistent on the mound.”

That routine meant that the two right-handers were still in the clubhouse early in Wednesday’s 2-1 loss when word broke that the Giants were shaking things up. They were sitting at their lockers and watching the game when Rogers joked that he had packed more than usual for the upcoming trip to New York and Pittsburgh. 

“You never know …” he said. 

A few moments later, he was pulled into an office. 

Rogers and Walker will be back on the same field Friday night, but in different bullpens. The Giants traded their longest-tenured reliever to the New York Mets at the start of Wednesday’s game in exchange for reliever Jose Butto and prospects Blade Tidwell and Drew Gilbert. It was Buster Posey’s first big move since he did the complete opposite and swung for the fences with Rafael Devers, and it signaled that a full sale may be on the way. 

“It sucks. We lost the last six in a row and haven’t given Buster and the front office any reason to add,” third baseman Matt Chapman said. “We kind of did it to ourselves. It sucks. Obviously you can tell that everybody is pretty upset. It’s not how we saw this thing going.”

The Giants imagined Rogers, who is tied with Sergio Romo for the most holds in franchise history, pitching the eighth in a postseason game. Even in late June and early July, as they struggled, that was the goal. 

But they came home last week and lost all six on a homestand for the first time since 1896. They have dropped 12 of 14 and they are under .500 for the first time all season. The latest loss left them six games out of an MLB playoff spot. 

It has been a stunning fall. In a quiet clubhouse Wednesday, players felt they had left Posey with no choice.

“It’s not the position you want to be in, but I don’t blame Buster for doing something like that,” right-hander Logan Webb said. 

Webb and Rogers live near each other in Arizona and are close friends. They are two of the three Giants remaining from Bruce Bochy’s final year, and they have developed into leaders of the rotation and bullpen, respectively. Webb smiled Wednesday and said he always teases Rogers for being 10 days behind him in service time.

Webb didn’t know about the big trade until after he finished his 5 2/3 innings. He got back to the clubhouse and saw weird looks on the faces of Robbie Ray and Justin Verlander and wondered what they were about to tell him. He soon found out that a key piece was leaving.

“He saved me a lot of times,” Webb said. “He has saved the Giants a lot of times. He has been one of the best relievers in baseball for seven seasons now. The Mets got a good one.”

They followed that up by trading for St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley, the kind of all-in move the Giants hoped to make. Instead, they will spend Wednesday night and Thursday morning trying to see how well they can do in what has become a market very friendly to sellers.

Dealing Ray would be the biggest potential move, but there have been no hints that’s coming. Verlander, though, is on an expiring deal, along with others like Mike Yastrzemski and Wilmer Flores. Dealing a few veterans would clear some payroll, bring in a few lottery ticket prospects, and open up opportunities for players who are more likely to contribute to San Francisco’s 2026 roster. 

As they informed teams that Rogers was available, the Giants also did the same with closer Camilo Doval, who struck out three in what might end up being his final appearance in orange and black. They have set the bar high in negotiations, but given how crazy the reliever market has gotten this week, they might get what they’re seeking. The Rogers deal was an example of that, and the industry consensus was that Posey and the front office did very well.  

As players packed up in a somber clubhouse, some expressed hope that this was not the start of something bigger, but it was hard to believe that would end up being the case. 

“I don’t know what to expect,” Chapman said. “But when you trade one of your best arms in the bullpen, I think that kind of shows where we’re headed.”

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Cubs’ Ian Happ says he won’t need IL stint after fouling a ball off his shin

MILWAUKEE — Chicago Cubs outfielder Ian Happ won’t require a stint on the injured list after fouling a ball off his shin against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Happ wasn’t in the lineup for Wednesday’s series finale but said he could be available if necessary. X-rays taken on Happ’s shin were negative.

“Nothing serious,” Happ said before the game, adding that he did feel “a little sore and stiff.”

The incident occurred Tuesday during the eighth inning of the Cubs’ 9-3 loss to the Brewers and caused him to exit the game. Happ also had said Tuesday he felt lightheaded as a result of the pain coming from his shin.

“It was something like, if you feel like you’re going to pass out or throw up on the field, you probably shouldn’t continue the at bat,” Happ said before Wednesday’s game.

Happ said he generally doesn’t wear shin guards when he’s at the plate. That likely will change for at least a little bit.

“I don’t love the way they feel,” Happ said. “I don’t like the bulkiness of them, so I try not to (wear them). But when I hit right-handed now for a week or two, I’ll have one on. And then once it goes away, we’ll do it again.”

Although Happ avoided a stint on the injured list, the Cubs did make a move Wednesday by calling up catcher Moisés Ballesteros from Triple-A Iowa and designating utilityman Vidal Bruján for assignment. Ballesteros was batting seventh as a designated hitter in the Cubs’ lineup Wednesday.

“It was basically just trying to put the best lineup out there today, essentially,” Cubs manager Craig Counsell said. “In moving on from Bruján, moving forward, we’re probably going to have to make some other changes to the roster just to get more outfield depth. But for today, it made sense.”

Ballesteros, 21, has batted .332 with a .393 on-base percentage, .496 slugging percentage, nine homers, 57 RBIs and four steals in 86 games with Iowa. He went 3 for 18 with three RBIs in five games with Chicago earlier this season.

He said that earlier stint in the big leagues taught him to be more patient.

“As much as we want to get out there and do things too perfect, we’ve just got to stick to what you do and just try not to do too much,” Ballesteros said through an interpreter.

Bruján, 27, hit .222 with a .234 on-bae percentage, no homers, three RBIs and two steals in 36 games.

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Braves acquire reliever Tyler Kinley from Rockies for minor league pitcher Austin Smith

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Atlanta Braves acquired veteran reliever Tyler Kinley from the Colorado Rockies for minor league pitcher Austin Smith on Wednesday, one day before the non-waiver trade deadline.

To make room on the 40-man roster, the Braves designated right-hander Enyel De Los Santos for assignment.

The 34-year-old Kinley has spent the past six seasons in Colorado, where he had a spectacular 2022 season in which he went 1-1 with a 0.75 ERA in 25 appearances. But the right-hander has struggled much of the past three years, and Kinley is just 1-3 with a 5.66 ERA with three saves in 49 appearances this season.

Kinley is in the last year of a $6.25 million, three-year deal that includes a club option for next season.

The 26-year-old Smith is 0-1 with a 2.38 ERA this season at Class-A Rome in the Braves’ farm system.

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Mets, Yankees among teams talking trade for Jhoan Duran: report

Twins closer Jhoan Duran could be the most impactful reliever moved ahead of Thursday's MLB trade deadline, and the Mets and Yankees are among the teams in the mix, reports Jon Heyman of the New York Post.

According to Heyman, the Phillies, Red Sox, and Mariners are also interested in obtaining Duran.

The Dodgers are also involved in the Duran sweepstakes, reports Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

Duran, 27, is earning just $4.125 million this season and is under club control and arbitration-eligible in 2026 and 2027 -- meaning the cost to acquire him will likely be relatively massive.

This season for the Twins, Duran has a 2.01 ERA (2.49 FIP) and 1.17 WHIP with 43 strikeouts in 49.1 innings over 49 appearances.

In his first four MLB seasons, all with Minnesota, he has a 2.47 ERA (2.77 FIP) and 1.10 WHIP with 11.2 strikeouts per nine in 233.2 innings (223 games).

Duran features a four-seam fastball that has averaged 100.2 mph this season and also utilizes a high-octane splitter along with a curve and lesser-used sweeper.

For the Mets, Duran would give them potentially the best 1-2 late-inning punch in baseball and a hedge in the event Edwin Diaz opts out after the season and signs elsewhere.

For the Yankees, Duran would be a lockdown ninth-inning answer during a season where Devin Williams lost his closer job early on.

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Fantasy Baseball Steals Report: Josh Naylor shows speed in Seattle, Mets unstoppable on bases

As stolen bases continue to rise league wide, I’m here every Wednesday to help you track important stolen base trends so you can find more speed for your fantasy teams.

Stealing a base is as much about the opposing pitcher and catcher as it is the actual base runner themself. So, being able to spot which teams and pitchers specifically are being run on most frequently will help you to figure out who can swipe some bags over the next week.

Last week, I talked about Juan Soto’s incredible, newfound efficiency as a base stealer and he took two more this week. The Mets as a team are remarkably efficient on the bases, but more on that later.

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Before we get to this week’s important trends, here is the stolen base leaderboard over the past seven days.

Player
SB
CS
CJ Abrams
6
1
Josh Naylor
4
0
Randy Arozarena
4
0
Victor Scott II
4
0
Oneil Cruz
3
0
Gustavo Campero
3
1
Wenceel Pérez
3
0
Elly De La Cruz
3
0
Zach Neto
3
0

CJ Abrams turned on the jets with seven stolen base attempts, at least three more than every other player in the league. The key to stealing a base is first attempting to do so.

The Mariners stole 13 bases this week to lead all teams and were only caught once. Josh Naylor and Randy Arozarena were at the center of that with eight combined.

It would be a huge addition to Naylor’s fantasy arsenal if he can get himself over 20 steals this season.

Now, here is the overall stolen base leaderboard on the season.

Player
SB
CS
Oneil Cruz
34
4
José Caballero
33
8
Chandler Simpson
32
7
José Ramírez
31
7
Elly De La Cruz
29
6
Pete Crow-Armstrong
29
5
Bobby Witt Jr.
27
7
Victor Scott II
27
2
Luis Robert Jr.
26
6
Trea Turner
25
6

Oneil Cruz has stormed back ahead of José Caballero for the league-lead.

Still, Cruz has barely been a top-50 hitter according to FanGraphs’ Player Rater because that .219 batting average is tearing down his whole profile. If he can get that back to the near-.260 mark from last season with this speed, he’ll return first-round value.

Next, here are some players that we’d hoped would be more aggressive or efficient on the base paths.

Player
SB
CS
Jonathan India
0
4
Agustín Ramírez
2
2
Jackson Merrill
1
2
Luis Rengifo
3
6
Tommy Edman
3
1
Bryan Reynolds
3
2
Willy Adames
4
2
Bo Bichette
4
3
Masyn Winn
6
5
Jose Altuve
6
6
Jackson Holliday
9
8
Anthony Volpe
11
7
Jacob Young
10
9
Jordan Beck
11
7
Shohei Ohtani
13
4
Brice Turang
19
8
Zach Neto
19
8
Maikel Garcia
19
9

So much inefficiency from players we expected to rely on for stolen bases.

Bruce Turang has already been caught stealing more times than he was all of last season with over 30 fewer successful tries.

Stealing three bases this week without being caught has helped Zach Neto salvage his efficiency some. At least we’re seeing the aggressiveness. There’s almost no doubt he puts up a 30-30 season at some point in his career.

Now, let’s go over the most important stolen base trends over the past week.

Fantasy Baseball Stolen Base Targets

The Minnesota Twins allowed a jaw-dropping 13 stolen bases in just six games over the past week. Up until that point, they’d only given up 74 all season. That means nearly 18% of all the stolen bases against them have come in just their last six games.

Eight of those 13 steals came in two games: one against the Nationals and one against the Red Sox. CJ Abrams took three as part of his six-steal week, but the rest were dispersed fairly evenly among opponents.

Among the Twins’ pitchers, Jhoan Duran was on the mound for most – three – of these stolen bases. That isn’t anything we can use to help us stream stolen bases though because while Duran has never been excellent at holding runners on, practically none reach base against him anyway so there are few chances to steal a bag. Strangely, all but two of these stolen bases came with Twins’ relievers on the mound.

If there was any trend to spot from this disastrous week, Christian Vázquez was behind the plate for 10 of the 13 stolen bases. Yet, oddly enough, this has never been a pronounced issue for Vázquez before.

The league-wide caught stealing rate is 23%. Even after this cataclysmic week where he caught one runner and 10 were successful, Vázquez has caught 28% of would-be base stealers this season. His pop time is better than league average and he has years worth of a good defensive reputation, besides last season.

Perhaps someone spotted something in Vázquez or this Twins’ bullpen to exploit. It will be a fun trend to keep track of this coming week to figure out whether we can attack it moving forward.

Mets Efficiency Unmatched

Somehow, the Mets continue to steal bases without being caught. They took six more this week (without being caught) to push their season total up to 87, ninth-most in the league.

That’s come with being caught just 10 times. That’s tied with the Tigers for fewest times caught in the league and Detroit has stolen 40 fewer bases.

With that, the Mets’ nearly 90% success rate is by far the best of any team. Interestingly enough, they’re also the second-slowest team by average spring speed according to Baseball Savant.

They’ve stolen 29 consecutive bases successfully since the last time someone was caught. That was all the way back on June 17th, six full weeks ago, against the Atlanta Braves. Funny enough, that ‘caught stealing’ was by Juan Soto when he took one of his patented walking leads and was picked off.

Many players on the team have heaped praise onto first base coach and former speedy outfielder Antoan Richardson for their success. He’s apparently a savant when it comes to pick-off moves and pitcher tells. The data supports this, since the Mets base runners have taken the largest secondary leads in the league.

The results do too. Heading into a matchup against the Mets this past Friday, opposing base stealers were 4-for-7 with Logan Webb on the mound this season. The Mets took three in that game alone and executed another successful hit-and-run. They made it look easy.

Francisco Lindor is pacing for another nearly 30-steal season. Soto has already set a career-high with 15. Brandon Nimmo is just three bags off his career high with 12. Luisangel Acuña and Tyrone Taylor have chipped in 12 and 11 respectively in part-time roles. Brett Baty has even managed five. Players are running up and down this roster without being caught.

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How Giants' bullpen will move forward after losing Tyler Rogers in trade to Mets

How Giants' bullpen will move forward after losing Tyler Rogers in trade to Mets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – For the past few days, Giants manager Bob Melvin had been pushing for hopes of adding at the MLB trade deadline during an ugly losing streak that had his team looking more like sellers than buyers — all just six weeks after turning the baseball world on its head with the acquisition of star slugger Rafael Devers. 

Before the Giants (54-55) eventually dropped their sixth straight game Wednesday, putting them below .500 for the first time this season, those hopes were crushed. Melvin lost his most reliable reliever early in the Giants’ 2-1 extra-innings loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates when Tyler Rogers was traded to the New York Mets. 

“We put the front office in a tough spot, too, and they have to look at the future and the now,” Melvin said after the game. “I think this might be a combination where we have some depth in the bullpen, and got something back that obviously they liked.” 

The three players the Giants received in return for Rogers were prospects Drew Gilbert and Blade Tidwell, as well as reliever José Butto. Gilbert, an outfielder and former first-round draft pick, was playing for Triple-A Syracuse, as was Tidwell, a right-handed pitcher who made his MLB debut earlier this season. 

Instant help should come from Butto, possibly as soon as Friday when the Giants ironically travel to New York for a three-game series against the Mets. Wednesday’s loss was an example of how much Butto could be needed right away. 

Rogers wasn’t an option, nor was 2025 MLB All-Star Randy Rodriguez, who didn’t pitch all series after throwing back-to-back games against the Mets on Saturday and Sunday. The three pitchers Melvin went to after a stellar outing from Logan Webb were Spencer Bivens, Matt Gage and Tristan Beck in high-leverage situations often reserved for Rogers and Rodriguez.

By the time Melvin met with the media, he hadn’t spoken to the front office yet. He admitted he needs to do more research on Butto, saying “he’s a good arm.” 

“I know he was in their bullpen, and we replace a guy in our bullpen with somebody we brought back,” Melvin said.

Butto, 27, is a right-handed reliever who has enjoyed a strong season thus far. He has appeared in a career-high 34 games and has a 3.64 ERA with one save in 47 innings. His 7.9 strikeouts per nine innings are a career low, making his money in the infield. Butto has a career-high 49.6 ground ball percentage this season. 

The Mets used Butto against right-handed hitters and lefties alike. He has faced 28 more righties than lefties in 2025, with 28 strikeouts and nine walks against them. Butto has struck out 13 lefties this season, but also walked 13 as well. 

Losing Rogers hurts in the clubhouse and in the bullpen. Even though the Giants added a reliever in his departure, his absence should affect multiple arms. 

“We just back it up a little bit,” Melvin says. “Randy’s probably a little bit later in the game, depending on where it gets leveraged. [Ryan Walker] has obviously pitched late in games. We’ll get Erik [Miller] back at some point. Both lefties have done a good job for us. We have some depth there.” 

Other bullpen arms could be on the move ahead of Thursday’s deadline, too. The Giants have made closer Camilo Doval available on the trade market, league sources told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic. 

“Everything’s possible, but we just deal with whatever is given to us,” Melvin said. 

The business side of baseball reared its ugly head Wednesday a little more than a month after rolling out the red carpet for a major addition. Rogers has been in the Giants organization since 2013 and made his debut at nearly 29 years old in 2019. Only two other pitchers in the majors have made more appearances than him since then.

He arguably should have been an All-Star this season, currently leading the bigs in games pitched (53) and has a 1.80 ERA.

Whenever Rogers wound up, he almost touched the dirt with his submarine delivery and consistently made baseball’s best hitters look like fools of themselves in the batter’s box. He’ll be missed in more ways than one, and the Giants have to brace for more hurt while doing everything in their power to right the ship starting Friday, possibly even against their friend and now former teammate.

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Giants' winless six-game homestand amplified by stunning 19th-century MLB stat

Giants' winless six-game homestand amplified by stunning 19th-century MLB stat originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants continue burrowing beyond rock bottom, but that’s not the only excavating being done.

You’d have to dig deep into the annals of 19th century MLB history to find the last time San Francisco had a worse homestand than the one that concluded with the Giants’ 2-1 loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wedensday.

San Francisco went 0-6 against the New York Mets and Pittsburgh Pirates, marking only the second time in franchise history the Giants have gone winless on a homestand of at least six games.

The only other time it happened was in April 1896.

Over the course of the last 129 years of baseball, the Giants never managed to stoop to this level of dispair, but San Francisco’s recent woes snowballed into two-series disaster that now forever lives on in infamy.

The Giants have been in a freefall over the last six weeks, posting MLB’s worst record (13-24) since June 17 — the day San Francisco acquired star slugger Rafael Devers.

Horrendous offensive production has been the common denominator during the Giants’ pitiful slide in recent weeks and the team’s latest homestand followed suit as San Francisco only has mustered 12 total runs during its six-game losing streak.

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MLB trade deadline: Eugenio Suárez, Mitch Keller, Merrill Kelly among prized players who could move

PHOENIX — The Arizona Diamondbacks got the trade deadline party started when they dealt 2024 All-Star Josh Naylor to the Seattle Mariners for two pitching prospects.

That probably won’t be the last time the D-backs make news before the July 31 deadline.

Arizona has had a disappointing season with a 51-57 record and now appears to be one of the most active sellers on the MLB market, dangling third baseman Eugenio Suárez and starting pitchers Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly.

The potential buyers include teams like the New York Yankees, New York Mets, Detroit Tigers, Philadelphia Phillies, Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers, who are all trying to beef up their rosters in hopes of a deep playoff run.

The market is heating up quickly: The Yankees acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from the Rockies, while the Orioles traded left-handed reliever Gregory Soto to the Mets and right-hander Seranthony Dominguez to the Blue Jays.

The Royals are among the teams who look like they’ve decided to keep possible trade chips. Right-hander Seth Lugo was expected to be a prized addition at the deadline, but Kansas City decided to extend the veteran on a two-year, $46 million deal that goes until 2027.

The D-backs have been one of the most intriguing teams in baseball over the past few weeks because management has had to make a tough decision whether to buy or sell. Arizona had a 50-50 record after sweeping the St. Louis Cardinals following the All-Star break but were then swept by the Houston Astros, lost two of three to the Pittsburgh Pirates and two more to the Tigers.

Naylor’s already gone and he’ll help a Seattle lineup that could use a little more punch. Suárez is having one of the best seasons of his career, slugging 36 homers over 104 games, and arguably is the best bat on the market.

Here’s a look at some of the top players who could be available as teams try to upgrade for the stretch run:

Eugenio Suárez, 3B, Arizona Diamondbacks

Suarez is just an average defensive third baseman these days, but that’s not why teams want to acquire him. He’s got the kind of bat that can carry a team for weeks at a time, major pop from the right side of the plate. He has 312 career homers, is well-liked in the locker room and has been productive in limited postseason at-bats with a .300 average.

Mitch Keller, SP, Pittsburgh Pirates

The 29-year-old Keller has been overshadowed in the Pirates’ rotation thanks to the emergence of young star Paul Skenes, but the right-hander has been a reliable starter for the past four seasons and was an All-Star in 2023. The one catch is it’ll take a sizable haul for the Pirates to make a deal: He’s under contract through 2028 as part of a relatively reasonable five-year, $77 million deal.

Zac Gallen, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

Gallen is having the worst full season of his career with a 7-12 record and 5.60 ERA but could still be an attractive add for a team that needs a starter. The 29-year-old right-hander has been one of the top pitchers in the National League over the past five years, finishing in the top 10 of the Cy Young Award voting in 2020, 2022 and 2023. His stuff is still good and he’s had a handful of dominant starts this season.

Merrill Kelly, SP, Arizona Diamondbacks

The 36-year-old righty quietly has been one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball with a 9-6 record and 3.22 ERA. He was also excellent during the D-backs’ postseason run in 2023 with a 3-1 record, 2.25 ERA and 28 strikeouts over 24 innings. Kelly doesn’t have an overpowering fastball but has a five-pitch mix that has consistently delivered results.

Sandy Alcantara, SP, Miami Marlins

The 29-year-old Alcantara isn’t the same pitcher he was when he won the 2022 NL Cy Young Award, but the right-hander still has quite a bit of upside. He’s allowed just one unearned run over 12 innings in his last two starts, which might help his value. His rotation partner Edward Cabrera — another right-hander — also could garner attention with a 3.35 ERA over 18 starts.

Ryan O’Hearn, 1B/DH, Baltimore Orioles

The 31-year-old is having a career year with a .284 average, .375 on-base percentage and 12 homers, helping him earn All-Star honors for the first time in his career. His left-handed bat would be useful in a contender’s lineup.

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Yankees bolster outfield, acquire veteran Austin Slater from the White Sox

CHICAGO — Austin Slater is heading to the New York Yankees.

The Yankees acquired the veteran outfielder from the Chicago White Sox in exchange for minor league pitching prospect Gage Ziehl.

The Yankees have a pressing need to bolster their outfield ranks with star Aaron Judge out indefinitely while dealing with a flexor strain in his right elbow.

The 32-year-old Slater hit .236 with five home runs and 11 RBIs in 51 games with the White Sox this season. The well-traveled Slater can play all three outfield positions. He spent the first seven-plus seasons of his career with San Francisco before being traded to Cincinnati last summer. New York will be Slater’s fifth team in just over a year.

The Yankees will assume $564,516 of Slater’s remaining $1.75 million salary, which also will increase their luxury tax by about $621,000.

The trade is the latest in what has been a busy run-up to the deadline by New York. The Yankees acquired third baseman Ryan McMahon from Colorado and infielder Amed Rosario from Washington.

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José Butto emotionally exits Mets bullpen after hearing news of Giants trade

José Butto emotionally exits Mets bullpen after hearing news of Giants trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The MLB trade deadline can be tough on players who are dealt, and new Giants reliever José Butto showcased that perfectly after the New York Mets sent him to San Francisco during Wednesday’s game at Petco Park.

Butto was traded to the Giants, along with top-12 prospects Blade Tidwell and Drew Gilbert, in exchange for Tyler Rogers in the middle of New York’s game against the San Diego Padres. The emotions of his forthcoming departure were written all over his face, as the reliever took some time away from the dugout before returning later in the inning.

Butto signed with the Mets as an international free agent in 2017 and made his MLB debut with the team in 2022. Since then, the right-hander has posted an 11-9 record and 3.45 ERA with 163 strikeouts in 74 appearances.

In 2025, Butto has a 3.64 ERA with 41 strikeouts. He now goes from the second-place Mets, who are 62-47 and currently hold the second NL wild-card spot, to the Giants, who dropped below .500 for the first time this season after Wednesday’s loss to the Pittsburgh Pirates and are six games out of the wild-card race.

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