Athletics star first baseman Nick Kurtz was awarded his first career AL Player of the Week award on Monday after hitting .583 with seven hits, including four doubles and a triple, and four RBI with a home run over three games against the Cleveland Guardians between July 18-20.
Kurtz is the first A’s player to take home the honor since outfielder Lawrence Butler did on Sept. 3, 2024, and the first A’s rookie to do so since Yoenis Céspedes on July 16, 2012. The 22-year-old also became the first rookie to win Player of the Week this season and the first since Detroit Tigers pitcher Keider Montero and Chicago Cubs infielder Michael Busch did on Sept. 15, 2024.
Selected No. 4 overall by the A’s in the 2024 MLB Draft, Kurtz has wasted no time dominating the big leagues. He’s slashing .348/.601/.949 with 60 hits, 48 RBI and 18 homers through his first 61 games with the Green and Gold and is on pace to be a finalist for AL Rookie of the Year alongside A’s teammate and star shortstop Jacob Wilson.
Not only is Kurtz one of the best rookies in baseball, but he simply is one of the game’s top first basemen. And he’s doing it with a mere 33 minor-league games under his belt.
Nick Kurtz since May 20th among first baseman:
HR: 17 (1st) RBI: 42 (1st) ISO: .454 (1st in MLB) AVG: .312 (4th) OBP: .395 (1st) SLG: .766 (1st in MLB) wOBA: .477 (1st in MLB) wRC+: 209 (1st in MLB) fWAR: 2.2 (1st)
— Running From The OPS (@OPS_BASEBALL) July 21, 2025
The sky appears to be the limit for Kurtz. And, despite the A’s — with a 42-59 record — being last in the AL West, Kurtz, along with Wilson, are headlining what has been a fun, young core building by the day in West Sacramento.
Kurtz’s first Player of the Week nod surely won’t be his last.
The Boston Red Sox are expected to be active ahead of the 2025 MLB trade deadline. Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has clearly stated his desire to add “impact starting pitching” before 6 p.m. ET on July 31.
While pitching is undoubtedly the priority, the Red Sox could also look to upgrade at first base and catcher. Breslow should be aggressive in his efforts to improve the roster, with Boston currently in postseason contention and aiming to clinch its first playoff berth since 2021.
As for Alcantara and Bradley, both are in the midst of down seasons to varying degrees. Alcantara, the 2022 National League Cy Young Award winner, has a 7.14 ERA and 1.495 WHIP across 19 starts. Bradley has a 4.35 ERA and 1.24 WHIP over 20 starts.
Alcantara is the more realistic — albeit less enticing — option of the two. The 29-year-old is under team control through 2026 while the 24-year-old Bradley is under contract through 2029.
Breslow has used the phrase “impact starting pitching” multiple times when asked about Boston’s trade deadline priority. That would suggest he is eyeing a true No. 2 starter to slot behind ace Garrett Crochet, in which case Kelly, Bubic, and Keller appear to be the most sensible options on the list.
This upcoming trade deadline will be critical for the Red Sox, and it could ultimately seal Breslow’s fate as Boston’s front-office leader. Last season, his first as Chaim Bloom’s replacement, Breslow traded for catcher Danny Jansen, right-hander Quinn Priester, and relievers Lucas Sims and Luis Garcia. The Red Sox missed the postseason, and none of those four players are still with the team.
Its Monday, July 21 and the Royals (48-52) are in Chicago to open a series against the Cubs (59-40).
Noah Cameron is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Ryan Brasier for Chicago.
The Cubs have now won four of their last six following a weekend series win over the Red Sox. Chicago was denied a sweep of Boston yesterday as the Sox salvaged the series with a 6-1 win at Wrigley. Pete Crow-Armstrong and Dansby Swanson each collected a couple of hits in the loss.
Kansas City took Sunday's game against the Marlins, 7-4, to prevent a sweep at the hands of Miami. It was just their second win in their last six games. Kris Bubic pitched five shutout innings to earn his eighth win of the campaign and Salvador Perez went yard for the 15th time this season to pace the attack in yesterday's win. The veteran catcher is now 12 home runs shy of 300 for his career.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Royals at Cubs
Date: Monday, July 21, 2025
Time: 8:05PM EST
Site: Wrigley Field
City: Chicago, IL
Network/Streaming: FDSNKC, MARQ, MLBN
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Odds for the Royals at the Cubs
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Royals (+116), Cubs (-138)
Spread: Cubs -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Cubs
Pitching matchup for July 21, 2025: Noah Cameron vs. Ryan Brasier
Royals: Noah Cameron (3-4, 2.31 ERA) Last outing: 7/13 vs. Mets - 6.2IP, 0ER, 7H, 2BB, 8Ks
Cubs: Ryan Brasier (0-0, 1.04 ERA) Last outing: 7/19 vs. Boston - 1IP, 0ER, 1H, 0BB, 2Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Cubs
The Cubs have won 4 of their last 5 games against the Royals
The Under is 7-3 in the Cubs' last 10 games
The Cubs have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 3.01 units
Pete Crow-Armstrong is riding a modest 5-game hitting streak (7-17)
Kyle Tucker was 2-9 in the series against the Red Sox
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Royals and the Cubs
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Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Royals and the Cubs:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Chicago Cubs on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Kansas City Royals at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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Its Monday, July 21 and the Brewers (59-40) have traveled up the coast following a weekend sweep of the Dodgers for a series this week in Seattle against the Mariners (53-46).
Brandon Woodruff is slated to take the mound for Milwaukee against George Kirby for Seattle.
As mentioned, Milwaukee took three straight over the weekend at Chavez Ravine against Los Angeles. The Brew Crew have now won ten in a row to pull into a tie atop the National League Central with the Chicago Cubs. Sunday, Isaac Collins drove in a pair for Milwaukee in their 6-5 win over the Dodgers.
Seattle saw their four-game winning streak snapped yesterday in an 11-3 loss to Houston. Bryan Woo was uncharacteristically bad allowing four earned runs in six innings. Jorge Polanco drove in two of the three runs for the Mariners in the loss.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Brewers at Mariners
Date: Monday, July 21, 2025
Time: 9:40PM EST
Site: T-Mobile Park
City: Seattle, WA
Network/Streaming: FDSNWI, RSNW
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Odds for the Brewers at the Mariners
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Brewers (-102), Mariners (-117)
Spread: Mariners -1.5
Total: 6.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Brewers at Mariners
Pitching matchup for July 21, 2025: Brandon Woodruff vs. George Kirby
Brewers: Brandon Woodruff (1-0, 2.61 ERA) Last outing: 7/12 vs. Washington - 4.1IP, 2ER, 5H, 0BB, 10Ks
Mariners: George Kirby (4-4, 4.50 ERA) Last outing: 7/12 at Detroit - 5IP, 4ER, 5H, 3BB, 6Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Brewers at Mariners
The Brewers are on a 3-game win streak at Seattle
In his last 5 home starts the Mariners' George Kirby has an ERA of 3.65
The Brewers have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 1.84 units
Jackson Chourio is enjoying a 14-game hitting streak (20-55)
Cal Raleigh has just 7 hits in 52 ABs in July but 5 of the 7 are HRs
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Brewers and the Mariners
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Brewers and the Mariners:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Milwaukee Brewers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Milwaukee Brewers at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 6.0.
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As the trade deadline looms, the Marlins could have a serious impact on the league market, especially with attractive pitchers such as right-hander Edward Cabrera potentially available.
Cabrera, a "stuff" monster who has enchanted prospect hypers for years, offers a tantalizing five-pitch mix, including a dazzling, hard changeup.
If talent were the only quality involved, it’d be an easy call to urge the Mets to pursue a deal. But, of course, Cabrera is more complicated -- aren’t we all? -- and the idea of trading for him requires a deeper dive.
We’ll start with the givens: Cabrera has massive ability. The Mets have massive pitching needs, even though the early body of work they’ve banked left them with a 3.41 starters ERA entering Sunday, fifth-best in MLB. Only four teams were getting fewer innings per start than the Mets, which is increasing bullpen stress in Queens.
Even with their rotation seemingly whole now, the Mets need arms to navigate the rest of the regular season schedule and, they hope, well beyond. Is Cabrera an answer?
Let’s look at the pros and cons...
Pros
Despite his enormous promise, Cabrera, 27, has struggled to find consistency or even pitch consistently. This year, however, he might be blossoming. Entering play Sunday, Cabrera had a 3.61 ERA in 16 starts.
His overall ERA would be much more attractive (2.78) if you drop two April duds, in which he gave up a total of 10 earned runs in eight innings in starts against the Diamondbacks and Dodgers. In an 11-start span from May 4 to July 6, Cabrera had a 2.11 ERA.
His walk rate of 3.3 per nine innings would be the lowest of his career over a full season, and he’s already delivered 82.1 innings. He has never reached 100 innings in the majors before, but he will this year -- assuming he does not miss time because of an injury.
His changeup, which he throws the most, averages 93.8 mph. It’s the fourth-hardest changeup in MLB. He’s also increased the use of his 83 mph curve ball and that’s helped him -- opponents have a batting average of .129 on at-bats that end on the curve.
Cabrera also has a fastball that averages nearly 97 mph -- though, at times, he has trouble commanding it. That may explain why he throws it the least of any of his five pitches, including a sinker and slider.
Another pro: Cabrera, who's making $1.95 million this season, comes with club control for three seasons beyond this one. This means he isn't a free agent until after the 2028 season. He’s no rental.
Jul 6, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; Miami Marlins pitcher Edward Cabrera (27) throws a pitch in the second inning against the Milwaukee Brewers at loanDepot Park. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
Cons
What do you believe about his season? Breakout or mirage? And what about his injury history, which is part of the reason he hasn’t reached triple digits in innings pitched in any big league season?
A shoulder injury limited him in both 2023 and 2024, and he left his last start before the All-Star break this season with discomfort in his right elbow. He went for an MRI and it came back clean. He is scheduled to start Tuesday when the Marlins play the Padres.
Because he has so much club control remaining through arbitration, he’s much more valuable than a free-agent-to-be. But that also makes him more expensive in terms of trade chips, especially in a market that could be thin in available starting pitchers. Cabrera appears to have a lofty ceiling, too.
Yes, the club control is both a pro and a con. Weird, right? It is what it is.
And there’s also this: the Marlins entered play on Sunday only five games out of a playoff spot, sitting at 46-51 and in third place in the NL East.
They perhaps don’t profile as everybody’s most likely playoff team this season, but their lot in baseball life doesn’t exactly demand that they trade a pitcher like Cabrera right now, either. He’s not a pending free agent.
If the Marlins trade away controllable young studs, who’s going to fuel their ongoing rebuild? Then again, if they do trade a player with this much control -- who they presumably know better than anyone else -- what, exactly, does that mean?
Verdict
The Mets could use Cabrera -- who couldn’t, really? -- but this feels like a price tag that will soar quickly, unless the Diamondbacks and Twins flood the market with starters, too. Teams might be reluctant to part with top prospects because of his injury history, but the talent is there.
If Cabrera costs one premium prospect, it’s worth thinking about because of his age, the remaining control -- four pennant races total! -- and because he’s shown ability against big league beasts. Cabrera isn’t just a hopeful on a prospect list thriving in a league made up of generally-lesser players.
The Diamondbacks found themselves out of a playoff spot at the All-Star break, and while that could change, it's looking more and more likely that Arizona will be sellers at the trade deadline.
Arizona has some talented players on expiring contracts that teams like the Yankees could use for their own World Series pursuits.Eugenio Suarez and Zac Gallen are two such names, and so is Merrill Kelly.
The veteran right-hander revitalized his career a few years back and has become one of the more reliable arms in the Diamondbacks' rotation.
With the Yankees in need of a starter to help their injury-riddled rotation, should they look to bring in Kelly?
Pros
Kelly may have begun his big league career late, but time has been kind to the 36-year-old. Since making his debut in 2019, Kelly has made at least 27 starts in four of those seasons, with the two outliers being the 2020 shortened year and in 2024 when he dealt with numerous injuries. He's also already made 20 starts this year and is on pace to reach 30 starts barring an injury. That shows how reliable Kelly has been for Arizona, which is a great ability to have -- especially for the Yankees, who have seen starters drop all year.
Not only has Kelly been durable, but he's been effective. He's never finished a season with an ERA above 4.44, and his WHIP has never reached 1.30 since his rookie year.
Kelly's numbers aren't flashy, as he doesn't strike out a lot of batters and his average fastball sits in the low 90s, but he doesn't get into too much trouble. This season, batters are hitting .207 against him -- a career-best -- and his 1.05 WHIP is the lowest since 2020. Batters are also chasing at a 31.3 percent clip, which is in the 82nd percentile in MLB, and whiff at a 25.6 percent rate -- which is in the 56th percentile.
Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly (29) throws in the third inning against the Chicago Cubs at Chase Field. / Matt Kartozian - Imagn Images
Kelly is also in the final year of his deal, which, while making him a rental, allows the Yankees to fill the holes left by missing starters like Gerrit Cole and Clarke Schmidt, who are lost for the season.
Cons
There's very little risk to acquiring Kelly considering his contract, but it depends on what Arizona will ask for. The Diamondbacks can't possibly ask for top prospects, but who knows how the market can play out.
And then there's Kelly's age. Yes, he's been durable for the majority of his career but he's coming off a season where he had a shoulder injury that cost him three months. The potential for any pitcher to go down with an injury is there, but Kelly could be at risk because of his age.
As for Kelly's stuff, he's very good but this season has seen hitters square him up regularly. Batters have an average exit velocity of 90.8. Last season, they had an average of 90.5, which ranked in the bottom nine percent of MLB. So while he's getting plenty of whiffs and chases, if he misses with his location, he's at risk of getting hit hard.
Verdict
Between Zac Gallen and Kelly, the Yankees should go for Kelly. Gallen's ceiling is higher, but Kelly's floor is. And for a rental the Yanks could use Kelly as a stop-gap instead of a potential long-term answer in the rotation.
He can slide behind Max Fried and Carlos Rodon as the team's No. 3 starter to give New York a potent rotation for any postseason series.
Its Monday, July 21 and the Twins (48-51) are in Los Angeles to take on the scuffling Dodgers (58-42).
David Festa is slated to take the mound for Minnesota against Shohei Ohtani for Los Angeles.
The Dodgers continue their homestand after a weekend that saw them lose three straight to the Brewers. It was the second time in two weeks they were swept by Milwaukee. Sunday, Shohei Ohtani went yard for the 34th time this season but it was not enough as the Brew Crew held on for a 6-5 win.
The Twins hardly fared better losing two of three to the Rockies in Colorado. Sunday, Joe Ryan struck out 11 and allowed just one run over seven innings to earn his tenth win of the season as Minnesota salvaged the final game of the series with a 7-1 win.
Lets dive into tonight's matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Twins at Dodgers
Date: Monday, July 21, 2025
Time: 10:10PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: MNNT, SNLA
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Odds for the Twins at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Twins (+174), Dodgers (-212)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Twins at Dodgers
Pitching matchup for July 21, 2025: David Festa vs. Shohei Ohtani
Twins: David Festa (3-3, 5.25 ERA) Last outing: 7/9 vs. Cubs - 5.1IP, 2ER, 3H, 2BB, 3Ks
Dodgers: Shohei Ohtani (0-0, 1.00 ERA) Last outing: 7/12 at San Francisco - 3IP, 0ER, 1H, 1BB, 4Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Twins at Dodgers
The Dodgers have won 4 of their last 5 games against teams with losing records but have lost 7 of their last 9 games overall
The Under is 7-3 in the Twins' last 10 road games
The Dodgers have failed to cover the Run Line in 7 of their last 8 home games
Shohei Ohtani's last outing - 3 innings - was his longest of his 5 since returning to the bump
Mookie Betts was 1-9 against the Brewers over the weekend and is just 3-25 over his last 6 games.
Shohei Ohtani was 3-12 over the weekend against Milwaukee
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 Twins and the Dodgers
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Twins 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 Minnesota Twins at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.
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After spending a month with Triple-A Syracuse, Alvarez is returning to the Mets ahead of Monday's series-opener.
When David Stearns discussed Alvarez's demotion, he said the things they wanted to see from him were "not statistical." Reading between the lines, that meant one of the things they wanted him to improve was his defense -- something that was giving him serious trouble before he was sent down.
Meanwhile, Alvarez -- who homered in his final game with New York before being sent to Syracuse -- carried that with him to the minors, going on an eye-popping power tear.
While in Triple-A, Alvarez smashed 11 home runs, including one he cracked over the batter's eye in center field on Sunday.
As was the case when Alvarez was sent down, the Mets' bottom of the order has been struggling to produce. But if the 23-year-old catcher can start putting together consistent at-bats and be a serious power threat, it can change the dynamic of the lineup.
The center field situation
The Mets continue to patch center field together by using Tyrone Taylor and Jeff McNeil. But the case can be made that McNeil should be getting nearly every start.
While center isn't McNeil's natural spot, he's done an admirable job there. He also has an .813 OPS.
As far as Taylor, he's been mired in a deep slump and is hitting just .211/.264/.309 with a .572 OPS and 66 OPS+. He provides elite defense, but his bat is hurting the Mets badly.
It's expected that New York will trade for a center fielder ahead of the July 31 deadline. But until then, it should be McNeil who's out there.
Can the starting rotation provide length?
The only Mets starter who has been providing serious length is David Peterson, who tossed 6.0 strong innings during Sunday's win over the Reds.
Sean Manaea just came back from the IL and is being eased back in, while Clay Holmes is having his innings managed in what is his first season since transitioning from the bullpen.
New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) delivers a pitch against the Kansas City Royals during the first inning at Kauffman Stadium. / Denny Medley-Imagn Images
The inability of the starters to go deep has put undue stress on the bullpen, which started to wilt late in the first half.
Against the Angels, New York will be sending Kodai Senga, Frankie Montas, and Manaea to the mound.
Senga, like Manaea, is still getting fully stretched out after returning from the IL. He went 4.0 innings in his first start back while tossing 67 pitches, so he should conceivably be good throw around 80 pitches this time around.
The same pitch number could be a target for Manaea, who was limited to 69 pitches over 4.0 innings during his start this past Friday.
The Angels have serious punch
Los Angeles is 49-50 and likely headed for another finish that has them missing the postseason. But their offense can be dangerous.
With Mike Trout (17 homers, .834 OPS), Jo Adell (21 homers, .805 OPS), Taylor Ward (23 homers, .795 OPS), Zach Neto (15 homers, .816 OPS), and Logan O'Hoppe (17 homers, .703 OPS), the Angels' lineup is formidable.
That potential hasn't always translated, with the Angels in the middle of the pack in the AL as far as runs scored.
But Los Angeles has been hot lately, scoring 36 runs over the last six games, which included them talking two of three from the Phillies over the weekend.
Los Angeles' pitching leaves a lot to be desired
The Mets won't be facing the Angels' two best starters during this series, with Yusei Kikuchi (3.13 ERA) and Jose Soriano (3.83 ERA) not lined up to pitch.
Los Angeles will be sending out Tyler Anderson (4.34 ERA) and Kyle Hendricks (4.88 ERA) in the first two games in New York, and haven't yet named a starter for Wednesday's series finale.
Overall this season, the Angels have surrendered 496 runs -- the third-most in the AL and fifth-most in baseball.
The only teams that have allowed more runs than the Angels are the Rockies, Athletics, Nationals, and Orioles.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Juan Soto
Despite his homer on Friday, Soto has been relatively cold to start the second half. That ends here.
Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?
Sean Manaea
Manaea has allowed just two runs in 7.1 innings while striking out 13 in his first two appearances of the season.
Which Angels player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?
Jo Adell
Adell launched two homers over the weekend in Philadelphia.
The Green and Gold might be inclined to move on from the MLB All-Star closer if they receive a compelling offer from one of the league’s top contenders, The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal reported Monday.
“A year ago, Athletics closer Mason Miller was untouchable,” Rosenthal wrote. “To this point, the A’s messaging this season – we’re not talking about him – is pretty much the same. But according to sources briefed on the team’s plans, that stance is subject to change.
“The way the A’s see it, only a few teams are bold enough to propose an offer for Miller worthy of consideration. General manager David Forst might engage those teams as the deadline nears. But for now, he appears willing to let them grow more desperate.”
Miller, 26, would be a grand addition to any club.
The righty has collected 47 saves since becoming the Athletics’ closer to start the 2024 campaign and holds a 3.22 ERA for his career. Known for his dynamite fastball, Miller has earned 57 strikeouts in 35 2/3 innings during the 2025 MLB season and 199 strikeouts over 100 career appearances.
Rosenthal expects some top teams to be in play for Miller.
“The Philadelphia Phillies, who reached agreement Sunday with free-agent reliever David Robertson, probably would be No. 1 on the list,” Rosenthal wrote. “The Los Angeles Dodgers, with free agents Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates performing below expectations, almost certainly would be in the mix. So would the New York Yankees, who face the losses of Devin Williams and Luke Weaver to free agency.
“The San Diego Padres just sent three relievers to the All-Star Game, but general manager A.J. Preller can never be ruled out on top talent. Nor, for that matter, can Seattle Mariners president of baseball operations Jerry Dipoto.”
Miller would cost a pretty penny, as his contract is one of the biggest bargains in baseball. Under team control through 2029 through salary arbitration, Miller is making $765,000 in 2025.
Rosenthal doesn’t consider Miller to be a shoo-in to be traded, as many analysts do with A’s ace Luis Severino. Though, if a team makes an enticing deal that meets the A’s “exorbitant” price tag, then serious conversations likely will proceed regarding Miller.
It wasn’t a great weekend for Justin Verlander and the Giants.
San Francisco was swept by the Toronto Blue Jays in three games at Rogers Centre, one of which the veteran pitcher toed the rubber for and surrendered four earned runs in just 2 2/3 innings on Friday.
The 42-year-old then was ejected in the top of the sixth inning of Sunday’s 8-6 loss after he had choice words for home plate umpire Chad Whitson from the dugout.
Whitson, after ejecting Verlander from the game, appeared to fire a jab back at the Giants starting pitcher.
"How about you worry about getting out of the third inning, huh?"
Umpire Chad Whitson with a wayyyyy out of bounds shot at Justin Verlander when he ejected the future Hall of Famer on Sunday🥴 pic.twitter.com/ebenZX5CB0
The Giants ultimately have nobody but themselves to blame for their current five-game losing streak, and will turn to rookie Hayden Birdsong on Monday as they begin a three-game series against the Atlanta Braves at Truist Park.
The Boston Red Sox badly needed a win Sunday to avoid being swept by the Chicago Cubs in their first series after the MLB All-Star break, and Garrett Crochet stepped up and delivered.
The Cubs scored four runs Friday and six on Saturday in wins over the Red Sox, but they couldn’t muster much offense versus Crochet in the series finale.
Boston’s ace allowed only one earned run on eight hits while striking out five and walking two over six innings. The Red Sox won 6-1, improving Crochet’s record to 11-4.
He now leads, or is tied for the lead, among American League pitchers in wins (11), ERA (2.19), strikeouts (165), games started (21) and innings pitched (135 1/3).
The Red Sox went into the All-Star break with a 10-game win streak. But after two losses at Wrigley Field, it was fair to wonder if Boston’s hot streak was merely the result of an easy schedule, and that the momentum would grind to a halt now that the schedule is getting much tougher.
Crochet righted the ship, at least temporarily, for the Red Sox. That’s what great pitchers do, and his teammates took notice.
“When you need a stopper, he’s a stopper. When you need somebody to keep it going, he keeps it going. When you need someone to set the tone and be the ace of the staff, that’s what he’s done,” Red Sox third baseman Alex Bregman said after Sunday’s victory, per MLB.com’s Ian Browne.
“He’s delivered time and time again all year long and we feel very confident every time he takes the hill that we have a really good chance to win.”
Crochet has easily been the MVP of the Red Sox this season, but he cannot drag the team to its first playoff appearance since 2021 by himself.
The Red Sox need other starters, such as Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello, to step up and provide the team with quality outings on a consistent basis. Giolito and Bello did this before the All-Star break, but now the competition is more intense.
Next up for the Red Sox is a three-game series versus a very talented and experienced Philadelphia Phillies squad. After that, they host the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers for three games. The following two series are against a pesky Minnesota Twins team on the road and then a home series versus the AL West-leading Houston Astros.
Its Monday, July 21 and the Angels (49-50) are in Queens to take on the Mets (56-44). Tyler Anderson is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Kodai Senga for New York.
Los Angeles won two out of three against Philadelphia to start the second half of the season off with a series victory whereas the Mets lost two of three to the Reds, but won the finale to avoid the sweep, 3-2. This is the first meeting of the season between the two teams.
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.
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Game details & how to watch Angels at Mets
Date: Monday, July 21, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Citi Field
City: Queens, NY
Network/Streaming: FDSNW, SNY
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Odds for the Angels at the Mets
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Angels (+162), Mets (-196)
Spread: Mets -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Angels at Mets
Pitching matchup for July 21, 2025: Tyler Anderson vs. Kodai Senga
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 Angels and the Mets
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Angels and the Mets:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Mets on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Los Angeles Angels at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Angels at Mets
New York is 10-4 when Senga pitches this season
Los Angeles is 12-7 when Anderson pitches this season
The Angels have lost 4 of their last 5 games against teams with winning records
The Over is 4-1 in the Mets' last 5 home games
The Angels have covered in 4 of their last 5 on the road, profiting 2.10 units
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
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Its Monday, July 21 and the Reds (52-48) are in Washington to take on the Nationals (39-60). Brady Singer is slated to take the mound for Cincinnati against Jake Irvin for Washington.
The Reds narrowly swept the Mets to start the second-half but dropped Sunday's outing, 3-2. The Nationals lost its series to the Padres, dropping two out of three games and being outscored 17-7.
This is the second meeting of the season between the two teams. Washington won the first series, 2-1, losing the first game then winning the next two. The Nationals outscored the Reds, 16-13 over the three games.
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.
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Game details & how to watch Reds at Nationals
Date: Monday, July 21, 2025
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Nationals Park
City: Washington, DC
Network/Streaming: FDSNOH, 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 Reds at the Nationals
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Reds (-135), Nationals (+114)
Spread: Reds -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Nationals
Pitching matchup for July 21, 2025: Brady Singer vs. Jake Irvin
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 Reds and the Nationals
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Reds and the Nationals:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cincinnati Reds on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Washington Nationals at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 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 Reds at Nationals
Washington is 10-10 when Irvin pitches this season
Cincinnati is 10-8 when Singer pitches this season
The Reds have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against NL East teams
The Over is 4-1 in the Nationals' last 5 matchups against National League teams
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!
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It's Monday, July 21 and the Padres (54-45) are in Miami to take on the Marlins (46-52). Randy Vásquez is slated to take the mound for San Diego against Eury Pérez for Miami.
San Diego and Miami opened the second-half of the season with winning two out of three against their opponents. The Padres beat the Nationals outscoring them 17-7 over three games whereas the Marlins and Royals tied at 15 runs apiece.
This is the second series of the season between the two as they met in San Diego for a three-game series already. The Padres won two out three games, but the Marlins took the finale, 10-8. San Diego edged out Miami, 20-19 in runs scored over that series.
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.
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Game details & how to watch Padres at Marlins
Date: Monday, July 21, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: LoanDepot Park
City: Miami, FL
Network/Streaming: SDPA, FDSNFL
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Padres at the Marlins
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Padres (+112), Marlins (-133)
Spread: Marlins -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Marlins
Pitching matchup for July 21, 2025: Randy Vásquez vs. Eury Pérez
Padres: Randy Vásquez, (3-4, 3.80 ERA) Last outing: Innings Pitched, Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, Walks, and 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 Padres and the Marlins
Rotoworld Best Bet Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Padres to be in the postseason mix:
"Looking at the second half of the year per Tankathon, San Diego has the 4th-easiest strength of schedule remaining
The Padres open the second-half with three games at the Nationals, three more at the Marlins, then to St. Louis for three more road games as part of a nine-game East Coast road trip. However, we have to admit, those are decent matchups to have a winning record across for a 9-game road trip — in other words, it could be much worse.
After that nine-game road trip, the next 27 games will be on the West Coast for San Diego, whether they are in California, Arizona or Washington (the state). San Diego will be in a prime position to make a run at the playoffs, but I still haven’t gotten to the best part.
The final month of the season is a great opportunity for the Padres to gain ground too -- in the final 28 games -- 13 of those are against the Orioles, White Sox, and Rockies!
I love the Padres to make the postseason as a second-half futures bet."
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Padres and the Marlins:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the San Diego Padres at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Padres at Marlins
San Diego is 12-7 when Vasquez pitches this season
Miami is 5-2 when Perez pitches this season
The Padres have won 13 of their last 20 games against teams with losing records
5 of the Marlins' last 7 matchups with the Padres have gone over the Total
The Marlins have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 1.42 units
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
It's Monday, July 21 and the Red Sox (54-47) are in Philadelphia to take on the Phillies (56-43). Walker Buehler is slated to take the mound for Boston against Zack Wheeler for Philadelphia.
This is the first meeting of the season between Philly and Boston as both are coming off series losses out of the All-Star break.
The Phillies dropped two out of three to the Angels, while the Red Sox did the same versus the Cubs. Boston won on Sunday to avoid the sweep, 6-1 compared to Philly who lost yesterday, 8-2, to drop the series.
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 Red Sox at Phillies
Date: Monday, July 21, 2025
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Citizens Bank Park
City: Philadelphia, PA
Network/Streaming: NESN, NBCSP
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Red Sox at the Phillies
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Red Sox (+172), Phillies (-207)
Spread: Phillies -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Phillies
Pitching matchup for July 21, 2025: Walker Buehler vs. Zack Wheeler
Red Sox: Walker Buehler, (6-6, 6.12 ERA) Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 2 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 Red Sox and the Phillies
Rotoworld Best Bet
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the value on Boston to miss the postseason:
"Boston has the third-toughest remaining strength of schedule (.516 winning %). Let’s look at the first 15 games of the second half for Boston:
3 road games at the Cubs (1-2 record) 3 road games at the Phillies 3 home games vs the Dodgers 3 road games at the Twins 3 home games vs the Astros
That schedule alone could put them behind and make a +105 to -115 bet became -200 to -300 quickly. During the All-Star break, I played Boston at plus-money to miss the postseason and think it's still a good bet after losing two of three to the Cubs."
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Red Sox and the Phillies:
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 Boston Red Sox at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Red Sox at Phillies
The Phillies have an 18-14 record in series openers this season
The Under is 4-0-1 in the Red Sox's last 5 games
Philadelphia is 13-6 when Wheeler starts this season
Boston is 9-7 when Buehler pitches 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!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
