Boston acquired Crochet from the Chicago White Sox during the offseason in exchange for a package of prospects, including catcher Kyle Teel. The bold move was made to give the starting rotation a legitimate ace, something it has lacked in recent years. Now that Crochet is locked up long-term, the Red Sox will hope he lives up to the hype as a perennial Cy Young contender.
NBC Sports Boston’s Michael Holley is among those encouraged by the deal. He shared his instant reaction to the extension during Monday’s Boston Sports Tonight.
“I think it’s a great signing,” Holley said. “And it makes sense to me because when they acquired Crochet, there was conversation about, ‘Well, they brought him in, but they’re not gonna sign him.’ I was thinking, ‘OK, why not?’ He’s 25, you gave up one of your top prospects to acquire him, you’re the Boston Red Sox. It makes all the sense in the world. You think he’s an ace, go ahead and sign him to a contract.
“So now that they’ve signed him, there’s more evidence that the Red Sox are getting back to being the Red Sox team that you remember from 2017, 2018, 2019. They went out and they got Alex Bregman. They went out and they acquired Crochet. Now, they’re signing Crochet. Theo Epstein is back with the organization as a consultant but may be even more influential than your typical consultant. They are getting back to the big business Boston Red Sox, and that is my main takeaway from this deal.”
Michael Hurley joined Holley in praising the Red Sox’ move, noting that the risks that come with extending Crochet don’t outweigh the risk of letting him hit free agency.
“I guess if you want to be critical of this one, you might say, ‘There’s the risk, the injuries, he hasn’t done this, he hasn’t done that.'” Hurley said. “All true, but there’s an equal risk in just saying, ‘We don’t need to sign him now, we’ll try again in a couple years when he’s a free agent and he’s gonna be making 45, 50, 55 million dollars. This is actually in a lot of ways safer than that.”
Crochet established himself as one of the game’s most dominant pitchers in 2024, notching a 3.58 ERA with a 1.07 WHIP and 209 strikeouts in 146 innings. He started Boston’s 2025 season opener on Thursday, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings with four strikeouts in a 5-2 win.
Watch the full Boston Sports Tonight segment with Michael Holley and Michael Hurley below or on YouTube:
It’s a long season, but that won’t stop us from overreacting to the Boston Red Sox’ lackluster start to the campaign.
The 2025 Red Sox entered the year with lofty expectations but have stumbled out of the gate with a 1-4 record. After a promising 5-2 win over the Texas Rangers on Opening Day, they have since dropped four straight games.
There have been a few bright spots, such as top prospect Kristian Campbell, but Rafael Devers’ historic struggles and the offense’s inability to hit with runners in scoring position have dominated the early headlines. The question is: Are we overreacting to what we’ve seen over the first five games, or will these developments have a lasting impact on the remaining 157?
Here are the five biggest overreactions to Boston’s 1-4 start, and whether they hold any merit:
Time to panic about Rafael Devers
Rafael Devers’ at-bats have become appointment television for all the wrong reasons. To say the 28-year-old slugger has looked out of sorts at the plate would be a massive understatement.
It was a tumultuous offseason for Devers. He played in only five spring training games after voicing his displeasure about the DH role. He also battled nagging shoulder issues in 2024, though manager Alex Cora insists Devers’ shoulder is fine and isn’t the cause of his alarming dip in bat speed.
For now, we should chalk Devers’ struggles up to poor hitting mechanics that should improve with time. However, if the strikeouts continue to pile up when the Red Sox host the St. Louis Cardinals for their home opener on Friday, then it might be time to start worrying.
Verdict: Overreaction
Kristian Campbell is the real deal
Red Sox No. 2 prospect Kristian Campbell won the starting second baseman job and has looked the part over his first five MLB games. The 22-year-old is 6-for-16 with two doubles and his first career homer, which he belted against the Rangers on Saturday.
It’s a small sample size, but Campbell has fit right in both at the plate and in the field– whether at second base or in left. His meteoric rise through the minor-league ranks was no fluke. He belongs in the majors, and he’s proving it by being one of Boston’s most consistent players so far.
Verdict: Not an overreaction
Tanner Houck is regressing to the mean
Tanner Houck earned his first All-Star nod after a terrific start to 2024, but we’ve seen him crash back down to earth since. The right-hander’s disappointing second half carried into spring training and his first start of 2025.
Houck allowed four earned runs on seven hits and three walks while surrendering two homers in Friday’s loss to Texas. That followed a brutal final spring training start in which he allowed 10 earned runs on 12 hits in just 3.2 innings.
This isn’t to say Houck’s struggles will last all season, but it’s fair to temper expectations. He may not replicate his All-Star campaign and form a dominant 1-2 punch with ace Garrett Crochet. Instead, Walker Buehler, along with the currently injured Brayan Bello, Lucas Giolito, and Kutter Crawford, will need to step up for a rotation that may have been overhyped entering the year.
Verdict: Not an overreaction
This Red Sox offense can’t score runs…
The Red Sox have been abysmal with runners in scoring position. They are a putrid 9-for-55 (.164 batting average) with 23 strikeouts, a .505 OPS, and only one run scored in those situations.
While that’s disappointing, water will find its level. Boston finished ninth in runs scored and seventh in OPS with a less talented lineup in 2024. We have to assume Devers, Alex Bregman, Triston Casas, and other struggling key contributors will find their groove sooner rather than later.
Verdict: Overreaction
…But the bullpen is nails
The Red Sox bullpen was their weakness throughout 2024, but it’s been a bright spot amid the club’s 1-4 start to 2025. It didn’t allow an earned run before Monday’s loss, when it was forced to enter the game early due to Sean Newcomb’s rough Boston debut.
Garrett Whitlock (4.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 K), Aroldis Chapman (1.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K), Zack Kelly (2.0 IP, 1 H, 0 ER, 1 K), Greg Weissert (3.0 IP, 2 H, 0 ER, 3 K, 1 BB), Brennan Bernardino (1.1 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 0 K), and Justin Wilson (1.2 IP, 0 H, 0 ER, 1 K) have held up their end of the bargain. Last year’s breakout reliever Justin Slaten looked sharp up until Monday’s off day in Baltimore.
Boston’s bullpen should be better than last year’s, but let’s not get carried away just yet. We’re in for a roller-coaster of a year, especially with Chapman attempting to close out games with his concerning walk rate.
During his first start of the season in Triple-A this past Friday, Tidwell fired 5.0 innings of one-hit, one-run ball while walking one and striking out five.
It was a struggle in Triple-A for Tidwell last season in what was his first taste at the level, as he posted a 5.93 ERA and 1.56 WHIP in 85.0 innings. Those difficulties followed what was a dominant showing earlier in the season for Double-A Binghamton, where Tidwell had a 2.41 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 44 strikeouts in 37.1 innings.
If Tidwell is able to find his footing in Triple-A this season, he could emerge as an option for the big league rotation should a need arise.
The hard-throwing 23-year-old's eventual home could be the bullpen, as SNY contributor Joe DeMayo explained in his recent top 30 Mets prospects update, but there's also a chance Tidwell sticks in the rotation. And his first start this season was a good step.
New York Mets starter Brandon Sproat (91) pitches against the Houston Astros at Clover Park. / Jim Rassol-Imagn Images
In 2.0 innings, Sproat was touched up for four runs. He gave up three hits, walked three, and struck out three.
Like Tidwell, it's likely that Sproat will make his big league debut at some point in 2025.
But the expectations are higher for Sproat, who is ranked as the No. 1 prospect on SNY's top 30 and is widely viewed as one of the best pitching prospects in baseball.
Gilbert's 2024 season was disrupted due to a hamstring injury that limited him to 62 games.
He played 21 games in the Arizona Fall League in order to get more reps in, and he did well -- posting a .783 OPS in 21 games.
But Gilbert did not play in any spring training games during camp and has opened the year on Syracuse's 7-day IL, seemingly since he still needs more time to build up fully.
Its Tuesday, April 1 and the Guardians (2-2) are in San Diego to take on the Padres (5-0) in Game 2 of this series.
Logan Allen is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Michael King for San Diego
The Cleveland Guardians fell to the San Diego Padres 7-2 on Monday night at Petco Park in San Diego. Gavin Sheets led the offense with two pivotal two-run doubles, contributing four RBIs. Starting pitcher Kyle Hart (1-0) earned his first major league win, allowing two runs on five hits over five innings, including home runs by José Ramírez and Austin Hedges.
Lets dive into today's matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Guardians at Padres
Date: Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Time: 9:40PM EST
Site: Petco Park
City: San Diego, CA
Network/Streaming: CLEGuardians.TV, Padres.TV
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Odds for the Guardians at the Padres
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Cleveland Guardians (+137), San Diego Padres (-162)
Spread: Padres -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Padres
Tuesday’s pitching matchup for April 1, 2025: Logan Allen vs. Michael King
Padres: Michael King, (0-0, 10.13 ERA) Last outing: 3/27 vs. Atlanta - 2.2 IP, 3 ER, 4 Hits, 3 Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Guardians at Padres
The Padres have covered the Run Line in 4 of 5 games this season
Last night was the first time this season the Guardians failed to cover the Run Line (3-1)
Jose Ramirez is hitting .300 (3-10) this season
Fernando Tatis, Jr. is 9-20 (.450) through 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 Guardians and the Padres
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 Tuesday'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 Cleveland Guardians at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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Its Tuesday, April 1 and the Tigers (1-3) are in Seattle to take on the Mariners (2-3) in Game 2 of this three-game series.
Casey Mize is slated to take the mound for Detroit against Logan Gilbert for Seattle
The Tigers secured their first win of the 2025 season last night, defeating the Seattle Mariners, 9-6. Riley Greene homered and Javier Báez hit a two-run double in a six-run first inning for Detroit. Randy Arozarena, Luke Raley, and Cal Raleigh each hit home runs for the Mariners but it was not enough to overcome the slow start.
Lets dive into tonight's matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Tigers at Mariners
Date: Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Time: 9:40PM EST
Site: T-Mobile Park
City: Seattle, WA
Network/Streaming: FDS, Root Sports
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Odds for the Tigers at the Mariners
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Detroit Tigers (+137), Seattle Mariners (-163)
Spread: Mariners -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at Mariners
Tuesday’s pitching matchup for April 1, 2025: Casey Mize vs. Logan Gilbert
Mariners: Logan Gilbert (0-0, 1.29 ERA) Last outing: 3/27 vs. Athletics - 7 IP, 1ER, 2 Hits, 8Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Tigers at Mariners
Seattle is just 1-4 on the Run Line this season
Game Totals in Detroit games have cashed every game thus far to the OVER (4-0)
Spencer Torkelson is leading the Tigers with a .429 average
Julio Rodriguez is off to a slow start for Seattle hitting just .235 to date
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Tigers and the Mariners
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 Tuesday's game between the Tigers and the Mariners:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Seattle Mariners on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play ATS on the Mariners -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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NEW YORK — Right-hander reliever Adam Ottavino is returning to the New York Yankees, agreeing to a one-year contract.
A 39-year-old sidearmer, Ottavino agreed to a minor league contract with Boston on Feb. 18 and exercised his right to be released on March 23 after compiling a 10.80 ERA in five spring training appearances.
He was 2-2 with one save and a 4.34 ERA in 60 relief appearances for the New York Mets last year, stranding 15 of 20 inherited runners.
Ottavino pitched for the Yankees in 2019 and 2020, going 8-8 with a 2.76 ERA in 97 relief appearances. He is 41-43 with 46 saves and a 3.49 ERA in 14 big league seasons with St. Louis, Colorado (2012-18), the Yankees (2019-20), Boston (2021) and the Mets (2022-24).
The Yankees transferred right-hander JT Brubaker to the 60-day injured list and placed closer Devin Williams on the paternity list.
The Yankees are making a depth addition to their bullpen, adding Adam Ottavino on a big league deal.
Ottavino, who was released by the Red Sox last week after failing to make the team out of camp, was added to the active roster ahead of Tuesday night's series opener with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
He takes the roster spot of closer Devin Williams, who was placed on the paternity list.
To make room for Ottavino on the 40-man roster, the Yanks have transferred right-hander JT Brubaker to the 60-day IL.
The 39-year-old Ottavino is coming off a season in which he ultimately found himself in more of a mop-up role down the stretch -- pitching to a 4.34 ERA and 1.28 WHIP across 60 appearances.
He played Winter Ball this offseason with hopes of finding more success after working through some flaws in his mechanics and tinkering with his pitch mix, but was knocked around in five spring appearances with Boston.
Ottavino will now look to carve out a role back in the Bronx, where he posted a career-best 1.90 ERA back in 2019.
Brubaker is expected to miss significant time, as he is yet to begin a throwing program after suffering three broken ribs on his left side attempting to avoid a comebacker during a spring training game.
Its Tuesday, April 1 and the Cubs (3-4) are in Sacramento, CA to take on the Athletics (2-3) in Game 2 of this three-game series.
Justin Steele is slated to take the mound for Chicago against Luis Severino for Oakland.
The Cubs' bats exploded last night for 18 runs as Chicago walloped the A's, 18-3. Carson Kelly hit for the cycle and drove in five runs for Chicago. Michael Busch collected three hits and drove in four runs to help the cause.
Lets dive into tonight's matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Cubs at Athletics
Date: Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Time: 10:05PM EST
Site: Sutter Health Park
City: Sacramento, CA
Network/Streaming: Marquee, NBCSN CA
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Odds for the Cubs at the Athletics
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Chicago Cubs (-132), Athletics (+112)
Spread: Cubs -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Cubs at Athletics
Pitching matchup for April 1, 2025: Justin Steele vs. Luis Severino
Cubs: Justin Steele, (1-1, 8.00 ERA) Last outing: 3/19 6-3 Loss vs. LAD, 4 IP, 5 ER, 5 Hits, 5 Ks
Athletics: Luis Severino, (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Last outing: 3/27 4-2 Loss @ SEA, 6 IP, 3H, 0 ER, 6 Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Cubs at Athletics
The Athletics had covered the Run Line in 3 straight prior to last night's loss
Kyle Tucker is hitting .323 with 3 HRs and 10 RBIs to lead the Cubs in all 3 categories
It had been 3 games since the Cubs last covered the Run Line prior to last night's win
Last night marked Chicago's 4th straight win in the Athletics' home ballpark
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 Tuesday'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 Oakland Athletics 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 Tuesday, April 1 and the Rangers (3-2) are in Cincinnati to take on the Reds (2-2) in Game 2 of this three-game series.
Nathan Eovaldi is slated to take the mound for Texas against Carson Spiers for Cincinnati.
The Reds torched the Rangers last night, 14-3. Elly De La Cruz ripped two home runs and drove in seven runs to pace the attack for Cincy...and he stole his first base of the season.
Lets dive into tonight's matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Rangers at Reds
Date: Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: Great American Ball Park
City: Cincinnati, OH
Network/Streaming: Victory+, FDS
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rangers at Reds
Last night was the first Rangers' game of the season that cashed the Game Total OVER
Texas is now 1-4 on the Run Line this season
Kumar Rocker allowed 6 earned runs in just 3 innings last night for Texas
Elly De La Cruz is now hitting .438 this season
Brady Singer pitched 7 innings of 1-hit ball in his first start for the Reds.
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 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 Tuesday'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 Cincinnati Reds 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 Wednesday, April 2 and the Braves (0-5) are at Chavez Ravine to take on the Dodgers (6-0) in Game 3 of this series.
Chris Sale is slated to take the mound for Atlanta against Dustin May for Los Angeles
Tyler Glasnow (1-0) pitched five scoreless innings and Teoscar Hernandez launched his second home run of the season, and the Dodgers remained perfect on the season with a 6-1 win over Atlanta.
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 Braves at Dodgers
Date: Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Time: 8:38PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: FDS, Spectrum SportsNet LA
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 Wednesday:
Moneyline: Atlanta Braves (+118), Los Angeles Dodgers (-145)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5 (+135)
Total: 7.5 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Braves at Dodgers
Pitching matchup for April 2, 2025: Chris Sale vs. Dustin May
Braves: Chris Sale (0-0, 5.40 ERA) Last outing: 3/27 @ San Diego - 5 IP, 0-0, 6 Hits, 3 ER, 7Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Braves at Dodgers
LA is now 5-1 on the Run Line this season
Atlanta is now 1-4 on the Run Line this season
Atlanta has scored 1 run in the last 3 games and 8 through their first 5 games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Braves 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 Wednesday's game between the Braves and the Dodgers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Los Angeles Dodgers -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 7.5.
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This early part of the season is the most crucial for waiver wire pick-ups.
First, because adding a player now gives them practically the entire season to accumulate stats and help your team. Also, because we are in a sweet-spot where we have the opportunity to learn a lot about fringey players very quickly.
Important pieces of data like playing time trends, new skill growth, and player adjustments are only just beginning to form and spotting any of them first will give you a huge advantage over the rest of your league.
Here are three players that are under 40% rostered on Yahoo leagues that you should strongly consider adding.
An eternal breakout pick, Nootbaar may finally be turning the corner. He is 6-for-13 through four games with two home runs, five RBI, and five runs scored as the Cardinals’ lead-off hitter. He’s set the table beautifully from that spot too with five walks to just one strikeout.
Possibly most importantly for Nootbaar is the trust his manager has shown in him. In the past, Nootbaar regularly sat against left-handed pitchers as a left-handed hitter despite very marginal platoon splits (.787 career OPS vs. RHP and .751 OPS vs. LHP).
I mentioned he’d been hitting lead-off. It was assumed these platoons would continue to some degree this season either by him sitting against lefties or at least moving down in the order, each of which had happened in the past.
That was not the case on Monday when he hit lead-off against left-hander Tyler Anderson. He quickly rewarded that trust in him with a lead-off home run.
If he’s not being platooned AND hitting lead-off every day there’s no reason his rostership should be this low. Nootbaar has the skill set to hit 25 homers with a decent batting average, huge counting stats from the lead-off spot, and 10 or so stolen bases. That’s a highly useful player in any format.
The one key for Nootbaar that could make him a true breakout and finally cash in on years of being an advanced stats darling is simply swinging more often. He gets a lot of credit for having one of the lowest chase rates in the league. That’s partially due to his discerning eye, but also because few players swing less often than him. Sometimes that approach helps him, sometimes it severely limits his potential production.
So far this season – in a very small sample – he’s swinging more often across the board. So he’s chasing more while also taking more hacks at pitches in the zone. It would probably be good for Nootbaar to be a bit more reckless with his swing decisions since he has legitimate power and often does damage when he makes contact.
There’s too much upside here with too stable of a floor for him to be available in nearly 70% of leagues.
Kris Bubic SP, Royals
(18% Rostered on Yahoo)
Bubic made a triumphant return to the Royals’ rotation Monday after a long recovery from Tommy John surgery and an impressive run towards the end of last season as a reliever. He started his day by striking out Jackson Chourio, Christian Yelich, and William Contreras consecutively and never looked back.
In the end, he worked six innings, struck out eight, and didn’t allow a single run. It was a fantastic start for Bubic and one that looked like it could lead to a great season.
Entering the play, Bubic had a career 4.99 ERA, 1.54 WHIP, and 20.1 K% as a starting pitcher. In that time, opposing hitters had a .282 batting average, .358 on-base percentage, and .463 slugging percentage against him. That’s nearly an identical slash line to what William Contreras did last season.
Those horrific numbers weren’t a surprise either. He mixed a pedestrian fastball that sat in the low 90s with a changeup that didn’t miss any bats and an inconsistent curveball. It was not a good repertoire… at all.
Bubic worked hard during his rehab to improve that fastball though. It always had potential with his low release point and relatively flat release angle as a somewhat sidearming lefty. He also had above average extension. The foundation for a plus fastball was there.
When he returned last season, that fastball had 17 inches of inverted vertical break (aka IVB or ‘rising’ action) which was about two inches better than his career average. By the end of the season, that was up over 18 inches.
On Monday his fastball averaged 19 inches of IVB and touched 95 MPH. That’s firmly an above average fastball for a left-handed starting pitcher based on movement and velocity.
It’s impressive he was able to not only carry those improvements he made pitching in relief to the rotation, but once again improve his fastball characteristics. It resulted in a whopping 11 fastball whiffs and proved that pitch can be the star in what’s quickly become an above average arsenal.
Also, Bubic worked in a tight, gyro slider or cutter type pitch. He has never thrown anything in his career with characteristics similar to it before and it forced plenty of soft contact. That plus his sweeper and changeup will be great compliments to what’s now a plus fastball and has me adding Bubic anywhere he’s available.
Tylor Megill SP, Mets
(12% Rostered on Yahoo)
Hello darkness, my old friend. I've come to talk with you again. Because a vision’s softly creeping. Left its seeds while I was sleeping. And the vision that was planted in my brain. Still remains.
Leave it to Simon & Garfunkel to perfectly encapsulate how I am feeling about Megill right now despite that song being released 32 years before I was born. Alas, another strong spring for the big right-hander gave way to an impressive start last Friday against the Astros and has me believing in his potential once again.
In his season debut, Megill allowed three hits, one walk, one earned run, and struck out six batters over five-plus innings. That’s a fine start against a good lineup in a difficult park to pitch in. Yet, my confidence comes more from how he looked than how his line wound up.
Megill has always leaned on his explosive fastball. It can get up near triple digits with solid life and provides a valuable foundation for the rest of his repertoire. The only problem, he’s never been able to develop the rest of that repertoire.
He’s experimented with a handful of different slider shapes, changeups, a cutter, some curveballs, and even tried to learn Kodai Senga’s patented ghost fork ahead of last season. It all amounted to a big nothing.
Then, last season in triple-A, Megill got the hang of a sinker. It stretched to the upper 90s and had a plus movement profile, just like his fastball.
That set him up for a nice six-start run down the stretch where he had a 2.32 ERA and 28.1 K% over 30 innings as the Mets were scratching and clawing their way into the playoffs. They wouldn’t have gotten there without Megill’s strong September.
It was still a very fastball/sinker heavy approach though. Those two pitches accounted for nearly two thirds of Megill’s offerings during that run. It worked for a little while, but he still needed to figure out a consistent breaking ball in order to take the next step
On Friday, against the Astros, he showed a new slider variant that finally looks like it could stick. He took a tick off it compared to last season and it had five more inches of vertical drop on average.
That added depth with very little horizontal movement makes it likely this pitch will be effective against hitters from both sides of the plate. The Astros swung and missed at it five times and often looked silly doing it.
He was confident and imposing on the mound too. I mean, he is six feet, seven inches tall and pushing 240 pounds with a blazing fastball. Would it really be shocking if it all came together for him a little bit later than most?
This is a starting pitcher with above average stuff who plays for a great team with a great defense and great home park to pitch in. That’s a far sturdier foundation than his low rostership would indicate. Now, it’s just about consistency and execution for Megill to become a true top-50 type pitcher.
Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow had his first scoreless outing since last June on Monday against the Braves. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
In the span of just eight months, so much had seemingly changed.
Last August, the Dodgers were not yet defending champions, more than two months out from their unlikely run to a World Series title. Veteran pitcher Tyler Glasnow, meanwhile, was in the midst of one of his best seasons, not yet sidelined by the elbow injury that would end his campaign early and rule him out of the playoffs.
Back then, Glasnow was still confident in his health, believing his career-long elbow problems were finally behind him. He was still assured of his abilities, even while battling a prolonged second-half slump. He was still seen as the most dependable name in the team’s starting pitching rotation, too, the potential missing piece in their pursuit of a championship.
Instead, of course, Glasnow became one of the biggest pieces the Dodgers wound up missing last October, after getting shut down in mid-August with elbow tendinitis. His absence from the mound was among the most daunting obstacles of the team’s postseason, leaving an already shorthanded pitching staff in an (almost) impossible spot.
That’s why, even though the Dodgers won the World Series, earning Glasnow his first world championship ring, the 31-year-old right-hander embarked on something of a reinvention this offseason — altering everything from his throwing program, to his pitching grips, to his mental approach before and during starts.
"I feel really comfortable with what I worked on,” he said. “I've kind of changed a ton of stuff.”
And on Monday night, in his return to a big-league mound eight months after his 2024 season ended prematurely, it all culminated in an auspicious start to his 2025 — as Glasnow pitched five scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and only two hits allowed during the Dodgers’ 6-1 win over the Atlanta Braves.
"He's one of the best pitchers in the game. We're fortunate to have him,” catcher Will Smith said afterward. “When he needed to make a pitch, he executed it.”
Glasnow was in vintage personal form in his season debut, holding the Braves without a hit until the fifth inning.
He attacked the strike zone with a heavy fastball, touching 98 mph on the radar gun. He snapped off a flurry of swing-and-miss curveballs and sliders, inducing 13 whiffs on just a 79-pitch night. Most important, he integrated the myriad of changes he made this offseason — from alterations in his throwing program, to tweaks on his pitch grips, to a more “external” mindset he wants to maintain during starts — and offered a promising initial preview of what he hopes is to come over the next six months.
“He was just kind of getting hitters and staying aggressive and trusting his stuff,” manager Dave Roberts said afterward. “You can see the conviction of the breaking ball today. There's a lot of bad swings with that pitch. And then the fastball played. So, yeah, I think tonight was a good stepping stone going forward.”
Last year, sustaining such dominance was a challenge for Glasnow, especially as he reached career-high totals in starts (22) and innings pitched (134).
After cruising through the first half of the season with an 8-5 record and 2.88 ERA — helping him earn his first career All-Star selection — the team’s $136.5 million offseason acquisition looked out of sync in the weeks leading up to his elbow injury, stumbling to a 5.29 ERA over his final six starts.
Part of the problem was physical, with Glasnow missing two weeks in July because of back tightness before going down for good in mid-August with elbow tendinitis.
But Glasnow’s mental approach, both he and Dodgers coaches concurred, also seemed to contribute to the problem. Too often, he acknowledged, he became preoccupied with his mechanics during his late-season struggles. Whenever his delivery felt off, he reverted to an “internal” focus on the way his body moved rather than an “external” focus on the execution of each throw.
“It’s like, if I’m trying to bury a slider, I need to go bury a slider — as opposed to [thinking], ‘Well, that last throw felt a little too rotational,’ and then trying to align everything correctly,” Glasnow explained last week, sounding almost like a golfer trying not to over-analyze their swing.
“As long as I can have an external focus in the zone, as opposed to thinking about all my body parts [and how they are moving], it usually goes a lot better for me,” he added.
That’s why, once Glasnow returned to health in November and began seeking ways to improve in 2025, Dodgers pitching coaches Mark Prior and Connor McGuiness presented a wide range of ideas, suggesting changes to everything from his throwing program to his training methods to his in-game thought process.
Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow reacts after striking out the Braves' Austin Riley in the fifth inning. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
“I think we all know that he leans toward the mechanical side,” Roberts said. “But we’re trying to free him up more. And to his credit, he's bought into that.”
One prime example: Glasnow has cut drills involving weighted and plyometric balls out of his training routine, opting for a more traditional long-toss program to build strength in his arm and fluidity in his throwing motion.
“I used to just throw a bunch of weighted balls,” Glasnow said Monday, something he believes helped increase his pitching velocities but also coincided with when his elbow started “not feeling great.”
Now, however, he is stretching his long-toss distances out to around 250 feet, more than double what he used to. And already, it is helping him create a more efficient and repeatable throw, one in which more power is being generated from his legs and smoothly flowing through the rest of his body.
“I've just been able to transfer my energy a lot smoother, [where] it's not so stiff and inconsistent,” he said. “It just seems like I can use a lot less effort and get the same stuff.”
Glasnow cited similar effects from changes he made in the weight room under the guidance of athletic development coordinator Eric Yavarone, saying his “body just feels a lot better” and is “moving more fluid.”
He also noted a series of pitch grip tweaks he has worked on with McGuiness — especially to a curveball that had gotten too “slurvy” in recent years, with an increasing amount of horizontal movement; but is back to featuring a hard-diving vertical drop that he can use to bury it in the dirt.
“I think having that curveball has helped me out,” Glasnow said. “I think all of it has kind of come together.”
There are still kinks to work out in the process, stretches where Glasnow’s old bothersome feelings will inevitably still arise.
On Monday night, it happened in the top of the second inning, when Glasnow briefly lost his rhythm and walked consecutive batters to begin the frame.
“I don't know why, but I just felt out of sync,” he said.
But with his refined mechanics and externally-focused mindset, he immediately settled back down, retired his next three batters in order and went on to complete his first scoreless outing since last June 16.
“I think it's the least I've thought mechanically in a long time,” he said afterward. “I feel athletic and free and good."
Its Tuesday, April 1 and the Mets (2-2) are in Miami to take on the Marlins (3-2) in Game 2 of their three-game series.
Kodai Senga is slated to take the mound for New York against Sandy Alcantara for Miami.
Last night, Pete Alonso's grand slam in the top of the fifth inning propelled the Mets to a 10-4 win. David Peterson (1-0) pitched six innings allowing five hits and two runs to grab the victory for New York. Cal Quantrill (0-1) gave up six runs over five innings to take the loss.
Lets dive into today's matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Mets at Marlins
Date: Tuesday, April 1, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: loanDepot Park
City: Miami, FL
Network/Streaming: SNY, FDS
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 Mets at the Marlins
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: New York Mets (-157), Miami Marlins (+133)
Spread: Mets -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Mets at Marlins
Tuesday’s pitching matchup for April 1, 2025: Kodai Senga vs. Sandy Alcantara
Marlins: Sandy Alcantara, (0-0, 3.86 ERA) Last outing: 3/27 vs. Pittsburgh - 4.2 IP, 2 ER, 7 Ks, 4BB
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Mets at Marlins
Mets are 3-1 on the Run Line this season
Yesterday's game was the first involving the Mets that cashed the OVER
Miami is now 3-2 on the Run Line this season
Miami Game Totals are now 3-2 (O/U) for the season
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Mets and the Marlins
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Mets and the Marlins:
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 Miami Marlins at +1.5.
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Ace left-hander Garrett Crochet has agreed to a record-breaking $170 million, six-year contract with the Boston Red Sox, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on Monday night on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced. ESPN was the first to report on the agreement.
The contract kicks in next year, and Crochet can opt out after the 2030 season. It is the largest deal ever for a pitcher with four-plus years of major league service time.
The 25-year-old Crochet was acquired by Boston in a trade with the Chicago White Sox during the winter meetings in December.
He made his Red Sox debut on opening day, pitching five innings of two-run ball and departing with a no-decision in the team’s 5-2 victory at Texas. He takes the mound again on Wednesday night at Baltimore.
Crochet went 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA in 32 starts last year for a White Sox team that went 41-121. He was picked for the AL All-Star team in his first season as a starter.
Selected 11th overall by Chicago in the 2020 amateur draft, Crochet made his big league debut that September. He had a 2.82 ERA in 2021 while striking out 65 in 54 1/3 innings, then had Tommy John surgery on April 5, 2022. He didn’t return to the major leagues until May 18, 2023.
Crochet’s sinker averaged 97.9 mph last season and his four-seam fastball 97.2. He also throws a cutter, sweeper and changeup.
Ace left-hander Garrett Crochet has agreed to a record-breaking six-year, $170 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, according to a person familiar with the negotiations.
The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been announced.
The contract kicks in next year, and Crochet can opt out after the 2030 season. It is the largest deal ever for a pitcher with four-plus years of major league service time.
The 25-year-old Crochet was acquired by Boston in a trade with the Chicago White Sox during the winter meetings in December.
He made his Red Sox debut on opening day, pitching five innings of two-run ball and departing with a no-decision in the team’s 5-2 victory at Texas. He next takes the mound at Baltimore.
Crochet went 6-12 with a 3.58 ERA in 32 starts last year for a White Sox team that went 41-121. He was picked for the AL All-Star team in his first season as a starter.
Selected 11th overall by Chicago in the 2020 amateur draft, Crochet made his big league debut that September. He had a 2.82 ERA in 2021 while striking out 65 in 54 1/3 innings, then had Tommy John surgery on April 5, 2022. He didn’t return to the major leagues until May 18, 2023.
Crochet’s sinker averaged 97.9 mph last season and his four-seam fastball 97.2. He also throws a cutter, sweeper and changeup.
Matthew Pouliot
