The Yankees announced on Monday afternoon that they have re-signed the first baseman/outfielder to a minor league contract.
Smith, originally a first-round pick by the Mets, played with the Yankees this spring, putting up strong numbers in Grapefruit League action. In 13 games, Smith slashed .297/.289/.568 with three home runs and 12 RBI.
While it seemed like Smith may have a chance to make the team, he ended up exercising the opt out in his contract, hoping another club would sign him to a major league contract.
But Smith is now back with the Yankees organization, and he could be an option to be called up if the Yankees need another left-handed hitting option on the 26-man roster.
In 693 career big league games, Smith has 64 home runs and 259 RBI, posting an OPS of .716.
(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)
These bats boast a distinct design with a bulbous, wider barrel reminiscent of a bowling pin, spurring many fans into debate about their legality and potential benefits. As Mintz explained, “These bats appear larger but within regulation. They redistribute weight and adjust the sweet spot, possibly aiding in better contact.”
The narrative quickly went viral, with some attributing the Yankees’ explosive performance to these torpedo bats. However, Shusterman was quick to point out the context: "Are these bats really magic, or were the Brewers’ pitchers just really bad?”
Aaron Judge, it should be noted, didn't use a torpedo bat, while teammates including Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, Jazz Chisholm Jr., Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt did. "I think my track record speaks for itself," Judge said after his own incredible, four-homer weekend at the plate.
Also, it wasn't just Yankees using these bats over the weekend. As the hosts pointed out, Francisco Lindor of the Mets, Ryan Jeffers of the Twins and Junior Caminero of the Rays all used the bats this weekend.
As Mintz said, "Even though the Yankees were getting all the hype, it does appear that this is more than just a Bronx situation."
Shusterman further speculated on whether these bats might represent a small shift away from pitching dominance in MLB. Pitchers have enjoyed a technological and tactical edge over hitters in recent years, leading to increased strikeouts and fewer balls in play. Could these uniquely designed bats help restore balance? Maybe, but both hosts advised caution.
“If a bat just helps players hit the ball more often and effectively, that’s a good thing for baseball,” Shusterman said. Yet, he added, “These aren’t turning every ball into a home run. It’s not the bat. It’s bigger than that.”
The Yankees might have ignited this latest trend, but Mintz suggested that other teams will likely experiment with such designs, if they aren't doing so already.
"It does sound like around the league this is something that other teams have already been experimenting with. But it seems like the Yankees were the first team to break through and give it a try, in terms of the players that are at the major-league level and willing to give it a shot," he said. “If the Yankees can get players to buy in to these changes, other teams won’t be far behind."
As the league moves forward, fans and analysts will be keenly watching whether these torpedo bats become a standard tool for MLB hitters or remain a quirky sidebar from the Yankees’ early season success.
Atlanta Braves outfielder Jurickson Profar has been suspended for 80 games without pay for performance-enhancing drug use.
Major League Baseball announced Monday that Profar tested positive for Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG) in violation of the league’s joint drug prevention and treatment program.
The suspension of Profar is effective immediately. Barring postponed games, Profar would be eligible to return June 29 against Philadelphia and would lose $5,806,440 of his $12 million salary. He is also ineligible for the postseason.
Profar called it the “most difficult day of my baseball career” and said he would never knowingly cheat.
“This is especially painful for me because anyone who knows me and has seen me play knows I am deeply passionate about the game,” he said in a statement. “There is nothing I love more than competing with my teammates and being a fan favorite. I want to apologize to the entire Braves organization, my teammates and the fans.
“It is because of my deep love and respect for this game that I would never knowingly do anything to cheat it. I have been tested my entire career, including eight times last season alone, and have never tested positive. I would never willingly take a banned substance, but I take full responsibility and accept MLB’s decision.”
The 32-year-old Profar was an All-Star and won a Silver Slugger last season when he batted .280 and set career highs with 24 homers and 85 RBIs for San Diego. He then signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Braves in the offseason.
Profar is the fourth player who has been suspended this year for violating the performance-enhancing substance policy, with the others coming under the minor league program and the program for minor leaguers assigned outside the United States and Canada.
Two players were suspended last year under the major league drug program.
Noelvi Marté, a 22-year-old infielder who was considered Cincinnati’s top prospect, missed the first 80 games following a positive test for boldenone.
Toronto infielder Orelvis Martínez was suspended for 80 games on June 23 following a positive test for the performance-enhancing drug clomiphene, an announcement made two days after his major league debut.
Its Monday, March 31 and the Cleveland Guardians (2-1) are on the West Coast to take on the San Diego Padres (4-0) in Game 1 of this series.
Luis L. Ortiz is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Kyle Hart for San Diego
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 Guardians at Padres
Date: Monday, March 31, 2025
Time: 9:40PM EST
Site: Petco Park
City: San Diego, CA
Network/Streaming: Guardians.TV, Padres.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 Guardians at the Padres
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Cleveland Guardians (+114), San Diego Padres (-136)
Spread: Padres -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Padres
Pitching matchup for March 31, 2025: Luis L. Ortiz vs. Kyle Hart
Guardians: Luis L. Ortiz (0-0) 2024 - 37 GP, 135.2 IP, 7-6, 3.32 ERA, 107 Ks
Padres: Kyle Hart (0-0) Has not pitched in the majors since back in 2020 while he was a member of the Red Sox
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 Guardians at Padres
The Guardians are 3-0 on the Run Line (ATS) this season
The Padres are 3-1 on the Run Line (ATS) this season
These teams met last July and San Diego won 2 of the 3 games in Cleveland.
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 Guardians and the Padres
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 Guardians and the Padres:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the San Diego Padres 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.
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It took two hours from first pitch, but with the weather cooperating and with just under 45,000 fans on hand for the home opener, the Phillies did not disappoint.
They trailed by a run entering the bottom of the seventh inning but again exploded vs. the opponent’s bullpen, scoring four in the seventh and two in the eighth of a 6-1 win.
Rockies starter German Marquez gained strength and confidence as the game progressed but departed after six scoreless innings with three lefties due up in the span of four batters in the seventh. Just like Opening Day, the Phillies quickly made the opposing bullpen pay.
Bryson Stott hit a lefty-on-lefty double off of Scott Alexander with two outs to bring up Brandon Marsh and manager Rob Thomson pinch-hit with Trea Turner. Turner was out of the lineup for a third straight game after feeling his back lock up pregame Saturday but he took grounders Monday afternoon and should return to the lineup Wednesday.
Though he didn’t start the home opener, Turner’s one plate appearance was extremely important, prolonging the seventh inning for Edmundo Sosa to hit a go-ahead two-run double and Kyle Schwarber to hit an absolute bomb off the ivy wall past center field.
In the eighth, Max Kepler and Nick Castellanos went back-to-back.
“It shows the depth of the lineup,” Schwarber said. “We always preach that it’s not gonna be one person, two people, three people. It takes a village to go where we need to go.”
The Phillies have hit .386 with 12 extra-base hits in 57 at-bats against relievers compared to .224 with five extra-base hits in 85 at-bats vs. starters.
“Going into my fourth year here, if we don’t score runs and we get into that bullpen, you feel like you’re one swing away,” Schwarber said.
Thomson’s enjoyed the late offense but quipped that he’d “like to get to a starter here pretty quick, getting a little anxious coming down to the end.”
Schwarber and Sosa are both off to scalding starts. Schwarber is 6-for-17 with three homers and six RBI. Sosa is 6-for-11 with three doubles and has multiple hits in each game he’s played. It certainly wasn’t ideal for Turner to miss a couple games so early, but it also afforded Sosa more at-bats than he would have otherwise received and a chance to find a groove at the plate.
“You saw it last year, too, when Trea went down,” Thomson said. “When Sosa gets a chance to get some consistent at-bats, he shows what he can do.
“He’s extremely important. You’re gonna have injuries over the course of the year and he can fill in almost anywhere. When he gets a chance to play, he plays well.”
Castellanos is also seeing the ball well. He singled and homered Monday after walking four times over the weekend in D.C., his most walks in any series as a Phillie.
The home opener was a pitchers’ duel for five innings with both Cristopher Sanchez and Marquez throwing up zeroes. The run Sanchez allowed came on a solo homer by catcher Hunter Goodman in the top of the sixth. One of Sanchez’ strengths is avoiding homers; the first he allowed last season came vs. the 111th hitter he faced.
Sanchez pitched well aside from that one at-bat and only added to the offseason hype by averaging 96.5 mph with his fastball, two full mph faster than last year. It probably won’t be a one-day fluke, either. He averaged 96.5 in the spring too after adding 20 pounds of muscle to his 6-foot-6 frame. It took him a few innings Monday to find his bread-and-butter changeup but he had it working from the third inning-on, striking out five of six batters at one point.
Jose Alvarado, who also had an electric spring, struck out the side in the eighth after the Phillies took their three-run lead. Alvarado threw 16 sinkers and they averaged 100.0 mph on the dot.
Jordan Romano pitched a scoreless ninth to rebound from a two-run outing on Opening Day.
The Phillies pick back up on Wednesday against the Rockies, who they’ve beaten in 11 of the last 12 meetings at Citizens Bank Park. Zack Wheeler will be on the mound for that one. Good luck to Bud Black’s bats.
Most teams have only played three or four games at this early point of the 2025 MLB season, so don’t look for any major changes since my MLB Opening Week Power Rankings were released last week. That would be silly.
And so, the Braves and Red Sox are still quite high here and teams like the Cardinals and the Marlins (obviously) have some work to do in order to get out of the bottom-third of the list.
With a full week of games awaiting us, let's get started!
Mookie Betts battled a mystery illness in recent weeks which brought his weight as low as 158 pounds. Fortunately, he’s regained some strength in recent days, as evidenced by his two-homer game including the walk-off blast against the Tigers on Friday night.
Jesús Luzardo might have been the most overlooked impact move of the winter. After being limited to just 12 starts due to injury last year, he ripped off 11 strikeouts in his Phillies debut Saturday against the Nationals. He showed frontline potential before 2024, so the Philly rotation has the chance to be one of the scariest in the majors.
3) Atlanta Braves (0-4)
Last week: 2
The Braves aren’t making my job easy this week. Things should get much better from here, but Atlanta hit just .148 as a team during their season-opening sweep at the hands of the Padres.
4) Boston Red Sox (1-3)
Last week: 4
Coming off a shoulder injury and being moved to the DH spot, Rafael Devers had a series to forget against the Rangers by going 0-for-12 with 11 strikeouts. It’s a concern.
5) Arizona Diamondbacks (2-2)
Last week: 6
Eugenio Suárez looked to have his career at a crossroads during the first half last season, but he’s now amassed 28 home runs in his last 77 games, including four to open the 2025 season.
6) New York Yankees (3-0)
Last week: 7
If you blinked over the past few days, you might have missed another Yankees home run against the Brewers. Armed with their new torpedo bats, they tied an MLB record by hitting 15 homers through their first three games. How much of it was the Yankees (and their bats) and how much of it was the Brewers’ undermanned pitching staff? We’re about to find out.
"They should send a few [torpedo bats] over here if they're gonna be hitting homers like that."
Beautiful home run from Juan Soto aside, the offense was largely non-existent in their series against the Astros, but one positive was that their pitching staff allowed just six runs over three games.
8) Texas Rangers (3-1)
Last week: 8
A great sign for the Rangers? Jacob deGrom looked pretty much like himself in Sunday’s win over the Red Sox, spinning five scoreless innings with six strikeouts and 16 swinging strikes in his 73 pitches.
9) Houston Astros (2-1)
Last week: 9
Framber Valdez, Hunter Brown, and Spencer Arrighetti combined to allow just four runs (three earned) through three games against the Mets.
10) Baltimore Orioles (2-2)
Last week: 10
The Orioles should get Gunnar Henderson back from the injured list this week, but they’ve already lost Colton Cowser due to a fractured left thumb. He's expected to miss around six weeks.
11) San Diego Padres (4-0)
Last week: 12
With Nick Pivetta dominating the Braves on Sunday, the Padres are now 4-0 for the second time in franchise history. The only other time came in 1984, when they won the NL pennant and went on to lose to the Tigers in the World Series.
12) Seattle Mariners (2-2)
Last week: 13
Concern about the Mariners’ offense remains a very real thing, but watching this massive go-ahead two-run home run from Julio Rodríguez on Sunday makes you forget about it for a minute.
Julio Rodríguez BLASTED this ball - the third-hardest hit home run of his career
It’s bad enough to give up eight runs in an inning, which the Cubs’ bullpen did on Sunday, but they also allowed an RBI single to Ryne Nelson (yes, a pitcher) after the Diamondbacks ran out of position players. Oh, the indignity.
Jonathan India is somehow in the lineup for the Royals on Monday after being hit in the head by a 99 mph fastball from Guardians closer Emmanuel Clase on Sunday. Great news for the Royals' key acquisition during the offseason.
15) Minnesota Twins (0-3)
Last week: 14
The mood of Twins’ fans was already on shaky ground, so a three-game sweep at the hands of the Cardinals to start the season isn’t helping matters. After dealing with an illness in recent days, Bailey Ober was blasted for eight runs and didn’t make it out of the third inning on Sunday.
16) Detroit Tigers (0-3)
Last week: 15
A sweep is a sweep, but the Tigers showed a good amount of fight during their series against the Dodgers. Maybe most encouraging was that Spencer Torkelson’s strong spring carried into the opening series.
17) Toronto Blue Jays (2-2)
Last week: 17
The excitement behind Max Scherzer’s season debut didn’t last long. The future Hall of Famer lasted just three innings against the Orioles on Saturday before leaving with lat soreness and landed on the IL on Sunday with right thumb inflammation. The issues are related and cast serious doubt on his outlook moving forward.
18) San Francisco Giants (2-1)
Last week: 19
Camilo Doval lost his closer job last season amid some control issues and even found himself in the minors, but he was called upon Sunday to close out a victory over the Reds with Ryan Walker unavailable due to back pain. It’s unclear if Walker will require a lengthy absence, but Doval rediscovering his All-Star form would be a big deal for this team.
19) Milwaukee Brewers (0-3)
Last week: 18
Woof. In getting swept (and demolished) by the Yankees, the Brewers became the first team since 1901 to allow at least 15 home runs through the first three games of a season. Aaron Civale was forced to exit Sunday’s game with a hamstring injury, which is yet another test for a short-handed rotation.
20) Cincinnati Reds (1-2)
Last week: 20
The Reds have the talent to make things interesting in the NL Central, but the backend of their bullpen is a pain point. Alexis Díaz was on shaky ground even before his hamstring injury, but piecing it together in his absence will be a process.
21) Cleveland Guardians (2-1)
Last week: 21
Once again, I might be underestimating the Guardians in the AL Central. Tanner Bibee’s Chipotle regimen apparently backfired, with food poisoning pushing back his season debut to Sunday, but he looked strong with 5 2/3 scoreless innings against the Royals.
22) Tampa Bay Rays (2-1)
Last week: 22
How weird is to see the Rays playing outside as the home team? I will hereby refer to the 2025 home Rays as the “outie Rays.” On a serious note, it’s a bummer to see Josh Lowe already hit the injured list with an oblique strain.
23) St. Louis Cardinals (3-0)
Last week: 25
The outlook for the Cardinals might look a little bit different if Victor Scott II’s improvements are real. After a two-hit, two steal-game on Saturday, Scott slugged a three-run homer on Sunday to finish off a sweep against the Twins.
24) Athletics (2-2)
Last week: 24
Aaron Judge, not surprisingly, leads the majors with 20 total bases so far this season, but A’s first baseman Tyler Soderstrom ranks second with 17 through four games.
25) Pittsburgh Pirates (1-3)
Last week: 23
The Pirates made history over the weekend! Oh, it was the bad kind of history.
Per the Elias Sports Bureau, the Pirates are the first team to be walked off for their first three losses in a season since the 1924 Pirates
Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews was the consensus choice of the Rotoworld staff to win the NL Rookie of the Year Award, but great throw notwithstanding on Saturday, he’s had a rough start to the season. The 23-year-old is 0-for-11 and has struck out in each of his last eight at-bats. Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki, the other favorite for the NL ROY, has had his own struggles through his first two MLB starts.
27) Los Angeles Angels (2-1)
Last week: 27
Free agent pickup Kenley Jansen has two saves through the first three games of the season. He’s still getting it done at the age of 37 and finds himself 31 saves away from Lee Smith for third on the all-time list. It’s within reach seeing that he notched 27 saves last year and 29 the year before.
28) Miami Marlins (3-1)
Last week: 29
Three walk-off wins for the Marlins in their season-opening series against the Pirates. Fun! This is still likely where they’ll peak in this year’s rankings.
29) Colorado Rockies (1-2)
Last week: 28
The great thing about baseball is that you regularly see things that haven’t happened in 100 years. Take for instance Antonio Senzatela’s outing against the Rays on Saturday, as he navigated a small village of baserunners through 4 1/3 scoreless innings.
Antonio Senzatela is the first pitcher to allow 9+ hits and record 0 strikeouts but still allow 0 runs since Dave Dravecky on June 25, 1986.
It’s early but the White Sox are leading the league in tarp.
The White Sox grounds crew used every type of tarp that they could get their hands on to cover the field once the big tarp got stuck halfway across the diamond ️
The Yankees’ torpedo bats have been the talk of Major League Baseball over the first weekend of the season, and for good reason.
The Yankees slugged an all-time record-tying 15 home runs in their three-game sweep of the Milwaukee Brewers, with players like Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe, Cody Bellinger, and Paul Goldschmidt all going yard while using the newly designed lumber.
But with the Yankees’ early success in using these bats have come detractors, including Brewers’ reliever Trevor Megill, who called the bats “something used in slow-pitch softball.”
On Monday morning, Chisholm, who homered three times in the first three games, fired back via social media.
“Okay explanation the barrel is bigger and within mlb regulation!,” Chisholm posted on X. “For the idiots that say it’s moved to the label you’re an idiot! Nobody is trying to get jammed you just move the wood from the parts you don’t use to the parts you do! You’re welcome no more stress for y’all !”
Like many hitters in the Yankees’ lineup, Chisholm is off to a tremendous start, slashing .417/.500/1.167 through three games with three home runs and six RBI, all while using a torpedo-style bat.
The torpedo bats, designed by Aaron Leanhardt, a former member of the Yankees analytics department who now works for the Miami Marlins, take wood away from parts of the bat, like the handle, to create and elongated barrel with more mass.
The bats came into the national spotlight on Saturday, when the Yankees blasted nine home runs and put 20 runs on the board in a win over the Brewers.
As Chisholm said, the bats have been deemed legal by MLB officials, and we’ve already seen other players around the league, like Minnesota Twins catcher Ryan Jeffers, using them as well.
And with all of the early success the Bombers have had at the dish, it’s fair to expect that a large number of players around baseball will at least test out using these new bats. In fact, Britt Ghiroli of The Athletic reports that "several" Baltimore Orioles players are using them, though none of the bats look "quite as jarring" as the ones Chisholm is using.
Its Monday, March 31 and the San Francisco Giants (2-1) are in Houston, TX to take on the Astros (2-1) in Game 1 of this series.
Jordan Hicks is slated to take the mound for San Francisco against Ronel Blanco for Houston.
The Astros took two of three at home against the Mets to open the season while the Giants took two of three in Cincinnati against the Reds.
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 Giants at Astros
Date: Monday, March 31, 2025
Time: 8:10PM EST
Site: Daikin Park
City: Houston, TX
Network/Streaming: NBCSBA, SCHN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Giants at the Astros
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: San Francisco Giants (+105), Houston Astros (-125)
Spread: Astros -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Giants at Astros
Pitching matchup for March 31, 2025: Jordan Hicks vs. Ronel Blanco
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 Giants at Astros
The Giants are hitting just .214 this season
The Astros are hitting just .176 this season
The Giants have clubbed 5 HRs while the Astros have smacked just 1 HR this season
San Francisco's Team ERA is 3.46 in 2025
Houston's Team ERA is 1.33 in 2025
Houston is 1-2 on the Run Line this season
San Francisco is 3-0 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 Giants and the Astros
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 Giants and the Astros:
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 Francisco Giants 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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Dodgers players, staff and ownership pose for a photo after receiving their World Series rings in a pregame ceremony Friday at Dodger Stadium. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
As Evan Phillips stood in front of his locker before the Dodgers’ home opener Thursday, answering questions about the team’s upcoming World Series celebration that night and the gold jersey they would wear to mark the occasion, his new neighbor in the Dodgers clubhouse interjected from one stall over.
“What’d you say to Tanner before the game?” first-year Dodgers reliever Tanner Scott, a longtime personal friend of Phillips’ in the game, implored his new teammate to share with a reporter.
Phillips laughed.
“I was surprised they gave 66 over here a little bit of gold on his jersey,” Phillips joked, referring to Scott’s uniform number — and the fact he wasn't part of the club's title-winning roster last year.
“That’s some bull, right?” Scott responded with a playful shake of his head.
“It’s just foreshadowing," Phillips insisted, "what’s to come for him."
Such was life for new Dodgers players this past weekend, with a group of six offseason acquisitions populating the team’s opening day roster.
All series long, they were present for the nightly pregame ceremonies honoring last year’s World Series. They wore the same gold-accented uniforms, and the same 2024 title sleeve patches, as the rest of their reigning-champion teammates.
But for them, the proceedings provided a different kind of perspective.
They weren’t in any of the scoreboard highlight reels honoring last year’s team. They didn’t have the same emotional attachment to watching a World Series banner get raised in center field. And when the team’s championship rings were presented to players and coaches Friday, they all stayed back in the dugout, serving as mere spectators while being reminded of what their previous teams failed to accomplish last season.
“There’s a lot of people in that room who enjoyed it,” manager Dave Roberts said of his clubhouse’s reaction to the weekend-long celebration. “And also, there’s new guys that didn’t partake. And I want them to want that next year.”
So too, of course, do the new players themselves — almost all of whom offered the same reason for wanting to sign with the Dodgers this offseason.
“I went to a World Series as a rookie. Now I'm almost 10 years removed from that, and I want to go back,” veteran outfielder Michael Conforto, a member of the New York Mets’ 2015 pennant winner, said at the club’s preseason fan fest event after signing a one-year, $17-million deal in December.
“I wanted to go to a team that's going to compete. That was the first thing that I told my agent, that it has to be a team that's competitive. So I think it was a no-brainer when the Dodgers called. … We want to win games and have a chance to get a ring.”
Scott echoed similar sentiments at his introductory press conference in January, fresh off inking a four-year, $72-million contract.
“They’re not a fun team to face,” he said then, just months removed from being eliminated by the Dodgers in the playoffs as a member of the San Diego Padres. “We’re ready to win another one. And I’ll be a part of this one.”
Veteran reliever Kirby Yates, signed to a one-year, $13-million deal a week after Scott, referenced the same championship aspirations when he was introduced at Dodger Stadium for the first time.
“The older you get," said Yates, who has appeared in just one playoff game over his 11-year MLB career, "that starts being more important."
For Yates, a spectacle like this weekend’s was nothing new.
In 2022, he watched the Atlanta Braves receive their World Series rings after signing with the club in the wake of their 2021 championship. Last season, he went through it again as the newly signed closer of the Texas Rangers’ defending-title squad.
"This is my third time signing with the reigning World Series champions," he said. "I'm looking forward to finally trying to make that run and be able to pitch in the postseason."
There was plenty to celebrate last weekend for players who were on the Dodgers in 2024, including, from left, Freddie Freeman, Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Last year's Rangers celebration, Yates recalled this weekend, was a bittersweet experience — the 38-year-old right-hander still reeling at the time from the 104-win Braves’ division series knockout the prior October.
“I think everybody on that Atlanta team felt like we had a really good chance of winning that World Series, and it didn’t happen,” Yates said. “So watching that ring ceremony ... you’re excited for [your new team] and you’re happy for them. But on a personal level, you want your chance to win one, too.”
This weekend, however, Yates had a more auspicious feeling during the Dodgers' World Series festivities.
Here, he saw a team uniquely poised to repeat as champions; one that already had a star-studded core, then aggressively pursued additional depth and talent during a half-billion-dollar offseason spending spree.
Yates’ signing itself, after all, represented one of their most luxurious splurges — likely to effectively cost more than double its $13 million price tag when accounting for luxury tax penalties and the Dodgers’ need to cut former reliever Ryan Brasier and his $4-million salary in a corresponding move.
“The idea was to have as many good pitchers and as many good players as they possibly could have,” Yates said, “to basically help [distribute] the load for the entire season, including October.”
Having been part of two previous failed title defenses, Yates’ hope is that such roster construction will allow the Dodgers to overcome what he believes to be the biggest obstacle for any defending champion: health.
“Playing that long into October, it takes its toll on everybody’s body,” Yates said. “But I think the difference here, and what they’ve done, is how many people they’ve added; the depth that you have to be able to make that run.”
The Dodgers, meanwhile, are hoping the hunger of their new additions will serve as a different kind of catalyst in their 2025 quest.
None of their new players — from Yates to Scott to Conforto to Blake Snell — has won a World Series. And this weekend, they had the feeling of a title dangled in front of them, getting a fleeting preview of how a long-sought championship might taste.
“I don’t think any of the new guys really need any more motivation to go out and win,” Yates said. “But watching how cool that is, watching everybody go get their rings, yeah, you definitely want your chance to be a part of that.”
BALTIMORE — Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser is expected to miss at least six weeks with a broken left thumb.
Baltimore put Cowser on the 10-day injured list before its home opener against Boston. The Orioles recalled outfielder Dylan Carlson from Triple-A Norfolk.
Cowser wasn’t able to hit in the ninth inning of a loss at Toronto after he slid headfirst into first base in the seventh. He finished a close second in last year’s Rookie of the Year vote after hitting 24 home runs.
“It’s probably six to eight weeks minimum,” manager Brandon Hyde said. “It’s not going to be the last injury we have this season. We’re going to have things pop up. That’s why you create depth, and it gives other guys opportunities, but it’s a blow.”
Hyde did say he’s hopeful right-hander Albert Suarez (shoulder inflammation) won’t have to miss much time after going on the IL over the weekend.
In the spirit of this year’s NCAA basketball tournaments — where Goliath has defeated David at almost every opportunity — the baseball season began with its own version of chalk supremacy.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees, last year’s pennant winners, are a combined 8-0. The Dodgers followed up their two-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs in Japan by taking three in a row from Detroit. The Yankees bashed their way to three straight wins over Milwaukee, scoring 36 runs and hitting 15 homers against the defending NL Central champs.
New York’s start was particularly encouraging after the Yankees lost Juan Soto in the offseason and then had Gerrit Cole go down to a season-ending arm problem. So far their offense has looked so good, the torpedo-shaped bats — with wood lower down the barrel — has become a significant story.
Four Yankees already have multiple home runs — Aaron Judge with four, Jazz Chisholm with three, and Austin Wells and Anthony Volpe with two apiece.
It’s been a similar power show for the Dodgers, who are hitting just .224 as a team but have 12 homers — three in each of the past four games.
BetMGM is offering 5-1 odds on the Dodgers to break the major league record by winning at least 117 games in the regular season.
Top challengers?
Two teams that could push Los Angeles at the top of the National League — Atlanta and San Diego — played a four-game series, and the Padres swept it. The Braves went 1 for 22 with runners in scoring position, and they didn’t have a single opportunity with RISP in the finale, managing just one hit against Nick Pivetta and two relievers.
Fernando Tatis Jr. went 7 for 15 with a homer and three stolen bases for the Padres in the series.
Welcome back
Mike Trout returned for the Los Angeles Angels after his 2024 season ended early because of a knee injury. Trout singled for his first hit of the season.
Orioles closer Felix Bautista threw a scoreless inning after he missed all of last year because of Tommy John surgery. Miami ace Sandy Alcantara also missed all of 2024 thanks to Tommy John surgery. He threw 4 2/3 innings in a 5-4 win over Pittsburgh.
Jacob deGrom actually came back from his Tommy John surgery late last season, but any time he’s on the mound it feels like a moment to savor given his health issues. He threw five scoreless frames for Texas in a 3-2 win over Boston.
It was deGrom’s 10th start since the beginning of the 2023 season, and he hasn’t thrown more than 92 innings since 2019, his second straight Cy Young campaign for the New York Mets.
Trivia time
Baltimore beat Toronto 12-2, scoring double-digit runs on opening day for a third straight year. Who were the winning pitchers in those games?
Line of the week
Judge hit three of New York’s nine home runs in a 20-9 win over the Brewers. One of his homers was a grand slam, and he finished with eight RBIs. The Yankees’ power display — which included homers on Milwaukee starter Nestor Cortes’ first three pitches — helped overshadow five New York errors in the field.
The Yankees fell just short of the major league record for homers in a game. The Toronto Blue Jays hit 10 in an 18-3 win over Baltimore in 1987.
Comeback of the week
Down by four, the Arizona Diamondbacks scored eight runs on their way to a 10-6 win over the Cubs. Arizona’s win probability was down to 3.3% in the eighth, according to Baseball Savant.
The decisive rally included an RBI single by pitcher Ryne Nelson, who was batting because designated hitter Ketel Marte had moved to second base, forcing Arizona’s lineup to include the pitcher’s spot. With no full-time hitters left on the bench, the Diamondbacks sent Nelson up to pinch-hit for reliever Justin Martinez.
Its Monday, March 31 and the Chicago Cubs (2-4) are in Sacramento, CA to take on the Oakland Athletics (2-2) in Game 1 of their series.
Ben Brown is slated to take the mound for Chicago against Joey Estes for Oakland.
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.
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Game details & how to watch Cubs at Athletics
Date: Monday, March 31, 2025
Time: 10:05PM EST
Site: Sutter Health Park
City: Sacramento, CA
Network/Streaming: FDSN, NBCSCA
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Odds for the Cubs at the Athletics
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Chicago Cubs (-128), Oakland Athletics (+109)
Spread: Cubs -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Cubs at Athletics
Pitching matchup for March 31, 2025: Ben Brown vs. Joey Estes
Cubs: Ben Brown (0-1) Last Start: 3/18 vs. LA Dodgers (LOST 4-1), 2.2 IP, 4 Hits, 2 earned runs, 5 Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Cubs at Athletics
The A's are 3-1 on the Run Line this season (ATS)
Athletics' Game Totals are 0-3-1 (O/U) this season
The Cubs are 2-4 on the Run Line (ATS) 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 Athletics
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 Cubs and the Athletics:
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 Cubs 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, March 31 and the Rangers (3-1) are in Cincinnati, OH to take on the Reds (1-2) in Game 1 of their series. Kumar Rocker is slated to take the mound for Texas against Brady Singer for Cincinnati.
Texas took three of four from the Red Sox to open the season. The biggest story from the weekend is the return of Jacob deGrom. The veteran hurler pitched five scoreless innings of two-hit ball with six strikeouts in his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery last season.
Matt McClain drilled his second home run of the season yesterday, but it was not enough for the Reds in their series' finale against San Francisco.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Rangers at Reds
Date: Monday, March 31, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: Great American Ball Park
City: Cincinnati, OH
Network/Streaming: Victory+, FDSN
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rangers at Reds
The Rangers have covered the Run Line in 3 straight games
Rangers' Game Totals are 0-4 (O/U) this season
The Reds are 0-3 on the Run Line this season
Reds' Game Totals are 2-1 (O/U) this season
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rangers and the Reds
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 Rangers and the Reds:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Texas Rangers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Rangers -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 9.0.
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The old saying goes, “If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em.” One Phillies hitter is employing those words of wisdom, with the possibility of more to come.
The hottest new thing in baseball in the opening few days of the 2025 season is “torpedo” bats, which move the barrel of the bat slightly closer to the bat handle to help the batter.
A quintet of Yankees hitters – Anthony Volpe, Jazz Chisholm, Paul Goldschmidt, Austin Wells, and Cody Bellinger – used torpedo bats for Saturday’s and yesterday’s games against the Brewers. The early returns were… strong. All five players hit at least one home run over those two games, as the Yankees posted 32 runs and 27 hits in a pair of wins.
The Yankees’ offensive explosion so inspired third baseman Alec Bohm that he got his hands on a torpedo bat from Victus in advance of today’s home opener. He had a line-drive single to left field using the bat in the fourth inning.
“It’s not a thing you can just go and order,” said shortstop Bryson Stott, who said he has been in contact with the bat company he uses, Victus, about possibly working the torpedo into his arsenal. “You swing a thousand bats [in Victus’ “Hit Lab”] and they kind of tell you where [on the bat] you’re hitting the ball mostly. If you’re a guy that uses the whole bat… it’s not for you.”
Stott said he has already been to the aforementioned “Hit Lab,” so they already have the date they would need to outfit him with a custom bat.
Phillies manager Rob Thomson, who worked in the Yankees organization for a decade before joining the Phillies in 2018, says all this torpedo chatter is news to him.
“I just heard about it mid [last] week,” Thomson said. “I really wasn’t sure if it was a thing or not, if it was real, but I guess it is real.”
“We’re looking into it, I know K-Long [Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long] has made a couple of calls, we’re going to look at it, see what it’s about.”
Stott and Bohm aren’t the only Phillies intrigued by the torpedo bats. A handful of teammates, who also use Victus bats, could start using them as well.
It may or may not help the offense. But based on what the Yankees have been able to do, it seems foolish not to give it a chance.
Its Monday, March 31 and the Atlanta Braves (0-4) are in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers (5-0). Grant Holmes is expected to start for the Braves with Tyler Glasnow getting the ball for the Dodgers.
As noted, the Braves are winless through their first four games having been swept by the Padres. Atlanta was shut out in their last two games of the series. They collected just one hit in Saturday’s 5-0 loss. Marcel Ozuna is the team’s leading hitter batting .222 thus far.
Meanwhile, the Dodgers just keep winning. They swept the Tigers in their most recent series taking the finale 7-3 despite Roki Sasaki’s rough outing. The rookie allowed two runs in just 1.2 innings of work. Shohei Ohtani has picked up at least one hit in four straight games for LA.
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 Dodgers
Date: Monday, March 31, 2025
Time: 10:10PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: FDSN, 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 Braves at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Atlanta Braves (+168), Los Angeles Dodgers (-202)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Braves at Dodgers
Pitching matchup for March 31, 2025: Grant Holmes vs. Tyler Glasnow
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 Dodgers
The last 4 games between these teams have seen at least 8 total runs scored
The Braves are 1-3 against the spread this season
Dodgers' Game Totals have cashed to the OVER in their last 4 games
The Dodgers have covered the Run Line in 4 of their 5 games 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 Dodgers
NBC Sports Bet 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 Braves 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 Dodgers -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:
Eric Samulski
