ARLINGTON, Texas — Patrick Corbin’s first home start with the Texas Rangers was no better than a 50-50 possibility when the left-hander hobbled into the clubhouse after an apparent insect bite in his backyard left him with a swollen ankle.
“It was really bad in the morning,” Corbin told reporters. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to throw.”
Said manager Bruce Bochy: “He could hardly walk when he came in. I don’t know if it was a spider or what.”
Corbin said he received treatment and was able to pitch. He pitched 5 1/3 innings, allowing one run on five hits in the Rangers’ 3-1 victory over the Los Angeles Angels.
The 35-year-old Corbin was a late addition to roster, joining Texas in free agency March 18 after spending the past six seasons with the Washington Nationals.
ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) — Kumar Rocker, a first-round pick in both the 2021 and ’22 drafts, won for the first time in the major leagues Thursday night.
Rocker struck out a career-best eight in a career-best seven innings and the Texas Rangers beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-3 to complete a three-game sweep.
Rocker (1-2) threw a career-high 78 pitches and allowed three runs on five hits without a walk. The 25-year-old right-hander was drafted third overall by Texas in 2022, a year after concerns over a physical led to him going unsigned by the New York Mets as the 10th overall pick. He made his big league debut in September and was 0-2 last season.
“It feels great, It felt real good,” Rocker said. “And I’m happy it happened.”
Rocker opened the season in the starting rotation with multiple Texas starters on the injured list and was rocked for six runs in three innings at Cincinnati on March 31. In his most recent outing last Saturday at Seattle, he gave up four runs, three earned, in 3 1/3 innings.
The biggest difference Thursday night was overall command — throwing 58 strikes, allowing no walks – and specifically command of his slider.
“The biggest thing — we talk about it all the time — is location,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “He had really good location tonight.”
Rocker credited catcher Kyle Higashioka with calling a good game. “And I just kept them off balance,” he said.
Most critical was his strikeout of Mike Trout to end the fifth inning with a 4-3 lead leaving runners at first and second after the Angels scored twice in the inning. Rocker threw a 1-2 four-seam fastball, and Trout’s check swing was called a strike by first base umpire Lance Barrett.
It’s possible Rocker was pitching to hold his spot in the rotation. Jack Leiter, Rocker’s former Vanderbilt University teammate, should return from the injured list soon after being sidelined by a blister.
“It shows he can do it. He can do it again,” Bochy said. “That’s a great way to get your first win, seven innings. He’s got the stuff to be a really nice major league pitcher, be a dominant one.”
Now, Rocker has a statement performance to point to – coincidentally Rocker’s first seven-inning outing since his Vandy days.
“As I’m learning and as I’m going week to week, it’s hard to do it at this level,” Rocker said. “Just keep looking at older guys, watching them do their thing and trying to stay positive and trying to stay calm.”
Its Friday, April 18 and the Twins (7-12) are in Atlanta to take on the Braves (5-13).
Chris Paddack is slated to take the mound for Minnesota against Bryce Elder for Atlanta.
Both these clubs were off Thursday. Earlier this week, the Twins took two of three from the Mets while the Braves lost two of three to the Blue Jays.
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 Twins at Braves
Date: Friday, April 18, 2025
Time: 7:15PM EST
Site: Truist Park
City: Atlanta, GA
Network/Streaming: Apple TV+
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Odds for the Twins at the Braves
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Twins (+114), Braves (-135)
Spread: Braves -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Twins at Braves
Pitching matchup for April 18, 2025: Chris Paddack vs. Bryce Elder
Twins: Chris Paddack (0-2, 9.49 ERA) Last outing: 4/12 vs. Detroit - 5IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 5Ks
Braves: Bryce Elder (0-1, 7.20 ERA) Last outing: 4/11 at Tampa Bay - 6IP, 5ER, 9H, 0BB, 4Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Twins at Braves
The Over has cashed in 4 of the Braves' last 5 games
The Under is 10-7-2 in Twins' games this season
The Twins have covered in 4 of their last 5 road games and are profiting 1.33 units
Carlos Correa is 10-49 (.204) in April
Ozzie Albies had an 8-game hitting streak snapped Wednesday in Toronto
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Twins and the Braves
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 Friday's game between the Twins and the Braves:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Atlanta Braves on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Minnesota Twins at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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Its Friday, April 18 and the Padres (15-4) are in Houston to take on the Astros (8-10).
Kyle Hart is slated to take the mound for San Diego against Ryan Gusto for Houston.
The white-hot Padres have won six of their last seven including a 4-2 win Wednesday night against the Cubs. Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado each drove in two runs for San Diego. Houston lost two of three in St. Louis including a 4-1 loss Wednesday.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Padres at Astros
Date: Friday, April 18, 2025
Time: 8:10PM EST
Site: Minute Maid Park
City: Houston, TX
Network/Streaming: SDPA, SCHN
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Odds for the Padres at the Astros
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Padres (+115), Astros (-137)
Spread: Astros -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Astros
Pitching matchup for April 18, 2025: Kyle Hart vs. Ryan Gusto
Padres: Kyle Hart (2-0, 5.40 ERA) Last outing: 4/12 vs. Colorado - 6IP, 0ER, 1H, 0BB, 4Ks
Astros: Ryan Gusto (1-1, 3.00 ERA) Last outing: 4/12 vs. Angels - 4IP, 3ER, 4H, 1BB, 6Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Padres at Astros
The Padres have won 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with losing records
It has been 7 games since the Padres last failed to cover the Run Line
Former Astros 1B Yuli Gurriel is 2-21 (.095) in April
Manny Machado has hit in 4 straight games (5-14)
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 Padres 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 Friday's game between the Padres 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 Diego Padres at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.
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Its Friday, April 18 and the Reds (9-10) are in Baltimore to take on the Orioles (8-10).
Andrew Abbott is slated to take the mound for Cincinnati against Cade Povich for Baltimore.
Baltimore took two of three against Cleveland in their previous series. It was their first series win of the year. Tomoyuki Sugano gave up two runs in seven innings for the O’s. The Reds take the field Friday having lost their last two. Thursday, they lost 11-7 in 10 innings to the Mariners. Elly De La Cruz went 2-4 in the loss for Cincinnati.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Reds at Orioles
Date: Friday, April 18, 2025
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
City: Baltimore, MD
Network/Streaming: FDSNOH, MASN2
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Odds for the Reds at the Orioles
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Reds (+132), Orioles (-157)
Spread: Orioles -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Orioles
Pitching matchup for April 18, 2025: Andrew Abbott vs. Cade Povich
Reds: Andrew Abbott (1-0, 1.80 ERA) Last outing: 4/12 vs. Pittsburgh - 5IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 5Ks
Orioles: Cade Povich (0-1, 3.60 ERA) Last outing: 4/13 vs. Toronto - 4.2IP, 2ER, 7H, 1BB, 2Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Reds at Orioles
The Game Totals in Orioles' games are 11-5-2 to the OVER this season
The UNDER is 4-3 in the Reds' 7 road games this season
The Reds are 11-8 on the Run Line this season
Gunnar Henderson is 7-17 over his last 4 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 Reds and the Orioles
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Reds and the Orioles:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Baltimore Orioles on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cincinnati Reds at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.
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PHILADELPHIA — Tyler Fitzgerald finally broke out this week, capping a big series against the Philadelphia Phillies with a solo homer in the ninth inning Thursday. But he wasn’t the only Giants infielder to take advantage of a high-scoring series at Citizens Bank Park.
Matt Chapman hit a two-run homer earlier in Thursday’s loss and picked up three straight multi-hit games for the first time as a Giant. Over four days, Chapman raised his OPS from .687 to .803.
“I was hitting some balls hard (earlier in the season) and not getting any luck. I was taking my walks still, but the biggest thing is being able to find that balance and get a good swing off in the box,” he said. “They pitch everybody tough, obviously, but guys are making good pitches and executing, so being able to take hits and go the other way and then hit the breaking ball for the homer, I think it’s just putting myself in good spots.
“I think I was getting a little bit anxious and going to get the ball a little bit. Literally the only thing I’ve been doing is just trying to stay back behind the baseball and be a little bit more balanced.”
Chapman went seven straight games without a base hit before the series, but he was still finding ways to keep the line moving. He’s walking in 19 percent of his plate appearances — nearly double his previous average in the big leagues — and is tied with five others for the MLB lead in walks.
Put all that together with his usual defense, and Chapman is already up to 0.9 fWAR, which ranks 12th in the National League and second on the team to Jung Hoo Lee (1.3). He’s tracking to repeat his first season in orange and black, when he was fifth in the league in Wins Above Replacement.
Chapman’s blast Thursday didn’t lead to another comeback win, but the vibes were still high in the clubhouse afterward. Music played as the Giants got dressed and prepared to fly back to California after going 4-3 during what will be one of their toughest schedule stretches of the season.
“Coming from New York and taking a series, coming here and winning two out of four, we’re playing good baseball and we’re right there with opportunities to win more,” Chapman said. “It’s not an easy place to win. Last year, we came here and got swept (in) four games. To come out of here and split with them — that’s a really good team — so we should be happy and we’ve got a lot more baseball to be played. But I think we haven’t even hit our full stride yet and we’re playing good ball.”
The Throwback
Landen Roupp is one of just six pitchers to have thrown at least 100 curveballs this season despite having just three starts under his belt. A whopping 56 of them came Monday night, making Roupp the only pitcher to throw more than 40 curves in a game so far.
It’s Roupp’s best pitch and his natural ability to spin it is what drew the Giants to him in the 2021 draft. This isn’t just about volume, though. Roupp has held opposing hitters to a .115 average and is getting whiffs on 56 percent of the swings against his curveball. With his back against the wall Monday, he threw it to strand two runners in scoring position, and then threw five straight to strike out Bryce Harper in the next inning.
“It’s just a confidence pitch for me,” he said. “Knowing I can get a swing-and-miss or a called strike or weak contact off that pitch is kind of what I’m looking for with guys on second and third there with no outs. Yeah, I threw a lot of curveballs (Monday), but I’m happy with it.”
The pregame plan was to throw a lot of curves, and when Roupp and catcher Patrick Bailey saw the swings they were getting, they went even heavier. Roupp became the first MLB pitcher since Rich Hill to throw more than 55 curveballs in a game and set a new high for a Giants pitcher in the pitch tracking era.
“I don’t know if that’s something to be proud of or not,” he said, laughing.
Right now, it’s certainly working. Roupp has a 4.80 ERA through three starts but a 2.62 FIP. If he keeps throwing like this, much better days will be ahead.
Tale of Two Lefties
Mike Yastrzemski and LaMonte Wade Jr. are both set to be free agents for the first time this offseason, and they’re off to very different starts.
Yastrzemski has a 1.005 OPS and has moved to the top of the lineup, replacing Wade, who is hitting .102 with a .489 OPS through 16 games. Wade is healthy and his walk rate is nearly in line with previous seasons, but he’s striking out in 34 percent of his plate appearances. He has never before been at even 24 percent in the big leagues.
The Giants are going to be patient, and they really have no choice. They want to keep Wilmer Flores at DH to keep him fresh and Casey Schmitt’s numbers are just about exactly in line with Wade’s. Top prospect Bryce Eldridge missed the start of the minor league season with wrist soreness, although he’s very close to joining an affiliate, likely Double-A Richmond. He’s still months from being a real option, though.
During the Phillies series, manager Bob Melvin pushed back on any concerns about Wade, saying “he’s going to be fine” and “it’s going to come.” When asked why he’s so confident, Melvin pointed to Wade’s track record. There’s also the fact that he has a .138 batting average on balls in play, about .150 points below his career average.
“He’s a good hitter, he has got a good eye,” Melvin said. “He’s just off to a slow start.”
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Its Friday, April 18 and the Marlins (8-10) are in Philadelphia to take on the Phillies (11-8).
Sandy Alcantara is slated to take the mound for Miami against Zack Wheeler for Philadelphia.
Yesterday the Phillies knocked off the Giants, 6-4. Cristopher Sanchez struck out a career-high 12 over seven innings to earn the win and improve to 2-0 on the season. The Marlins were on the short end of a 6-4 score against Arizona. Rob Brantley went 3-3 in the loss for Miami.
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 Marlins at Phillies
Date: Friday, April 18, 2025
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Citizens Bank Park
City: Philadelphia, PA
Network/Streaming: FDSNFL, NBCSP
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Marlins at the Phillies
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Marlins (+178), Phillies (-216)
Spread: Phillies -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Marlins at Phillies
Pitching matchup for April 18, 2025: Sandy Alcantara vs. Zack Wheeler
Marlins: Sandy Alcantara (2-0, 4.70 ERA) Last outing: 4/12 vs. Washington - 5.2IP, 4ER, 5H, 4BB, 1K
Phillies: Zack Wheeler (1-1, 4.07 ERA) Last outing: 4/13 at St. Louis - 6IP, 4ER, 7H, 1BB, 3Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Marlins at Phillies
Phillies' games have cashed the Game Total OVER in 4 straight games
The Over is 5-1 in the Marlins' last 6 games
The Marlins have failed to cover the Run Line in 7 of their last 9 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 Marlins and the Phillies
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 Friday's game between the Marlins and the Phillies:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia Phillies on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Miami Marlins 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 Friday, April 18 and the Guardians (9-9) are in Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates (8-12).
Luis L. Ortiz is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Carmen Mlodzinski for Pittsburgh.
Cleveland has lost two in a row and three of their last four. Last night they lost 6-2 to the Orioles. Tanner Bibee gave up all six runs in 5.2 innings. Meanwhile, the Pirates have won two in a row and three of their last four. Yesterday, Andrew Heaney was spectacular throwing 7.1 shutout innings as the Bucs took down the Nationals, 1-0.
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 Guardians at Pirates
Date: Friday, April 18, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: PNC Park
City: Pittsburgh, PA
Network/Streaming: CLEG, SNP
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Odds for the Guardians at the Pirates
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Guardians (-121), Pirates (+102)
Spread: Guardians -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Pirates
Pitching matchup for April 18, 2025: Luis L. Ortiz vs. Carmen Mlodzinski
Guardians: Luis L. Ortiz (1-2, 6.06 ERA) Last outing: 4/12 vs. Kansas City - 5.2IP, 1ER, 1H, 2BB, 10Ks
Pirates: Carmen Mlodzinski (1-2, 6.23 ERA) Last outing: 4/13 at Cincinnati - 4.1IP, 4ER, 5H, 2BB, 4Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Guardians at Pirates
The Guardians have a 5-1 record in series openers this season
4 of the Pirates' last 5 home games stayed under the Total
The Guardians have failed to cover the Run Line in 7 of their last 9 road 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 Guardians and the Pirates
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 Friday's game between the Guardians and the Pirates:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cleveland Guardians on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Pittsburgh Pirates 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 Friday, April 18 and the Dodgers (14-6) are in Arlington to take on the Rangers (12-7).
Yoshinobu Yamamoto is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Jacob deGrom for Texas.
The Dodgers were off yesterday after sweeping the Rockies earlier in the week. The Rangers completed a sweep of their own yesterday knocking off the Angels, 5-3. Corey Seager went 2-3 including his fourth home run of the season to propel the Texas attack.
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 Dodgers at Rangers
Date: Friday, April 18, 2025
Time: 8:05PM EST
Site: Globe Life Field
City: Arlington, TX
Network/Streaming: SNLA, CW33, MLBN
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Odds for the Dodgers at the Rangers
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Dodgers (-142), Rangers (+119)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Rangers
Pitching matchup for April 18, 2025: Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Jacob deGrom
Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (2-1, 1.23 ERA) Last outing: 4/11 vs. Cubs - 6IP, 0ER, 2H, 1BB, 9Ks
Rangers: Jacob deGrom (0-0, 4.30 ERA) Last outing: 4/11 at Seattle - 4IP, 3ER, 3H, 4BB, 4Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Dodgers at Rangers
The Dodgers are 10-10 on the Run Line this season
Marcus Semien is 7-48 (.146) this month
In their last 5 games with a rest advantage the Dodgers are 4-1 on the Run Line
In six games since returning to the lineup, Freddie Freeman is 7-18 (.389)
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 Dodgers and the Rangers
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Dodgers and the Rangers:
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 Texas Rangers at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
Its Friday, April 18 and the Yankees (12-7) are in Tampa to take on the Rays (8-11).
Carlos Rodón is slated to take the mound for New York against Drew Rasmussen for Tampa Bay.
Game 1 of this series was won by the Yankees 6-3. Ben Rice went 4-5 and drove in a pair to pace the attack for New York. Five Yankees’ pitchers combined to give up just three runs despite allowing 12 hits. Tim Hill got the win for the Pinstripes.
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 Yankees at Rays
Date: Friday, April 18, 2025
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: George M. Steinbrenner Field
City: Tampa, FL
Network/Streaming: YES, FDSNSUN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Yankees at the Rays
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Yankees (-109), Rays (-110)
Spread: Rays 1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Yankees at Rays
Pitching matchup for April 18, 2025: Carlos Rodón vs. Drew Rasmussen
Yankees: Carlos Rodón (1-3, 5.48 ERA) Last outing: 4/13 vs. San Francisco - 5.2IP, 4ER, 3H, 3BB, 8Ks
Rays: Drew Rasmussen (1-0, 0.60 ERA) Last outing: 4/12 vs. Atlanta - 5IP, 0ER, 4H, 1BB, 7Ks
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Yankees at Rays
The Rays are 6-13 on the Run Line this season
The Yankees have won their last 4 games
The Under is 5-0-2 in the Yankees' games against American League teams this season
Ben Rice has at least one hit in 11 of 14 (16-54) games this month
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 Yankees and the Rays
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Yankees and the Rays:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Yankees 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 Friday, April 18 and the White Sox (4-13) are in Boston to take on the Red Sox (10-10).
Martín Pérez is slated to take the mound for Chicago against Richard Fitts for Boston.
The White Sox have lost three in a row scoring a total of four runs in those three games. Yesterday they were held to four hits and blanked by the A’s 8-0. The Red Sox were off yesterday after taking two of three from the Tampa Bay Rays.
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 White Sox at Red Sox
Date: Friday, April 18, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: CHSN, NESN
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 White Sox at the Red Sox
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: White Sox ({odds.away}), Red Sox ({odds.home})
Spread: Red Sox 0
Total: {game.overunder} runs
Probable starting pitchers for White Sox at Red Sox
Pitching matchup for April 18, 2025: Martín Pérez vs. Richard Fitts
White Sox: Martín Pérez (1-0, 1.59 ERA) Last outing: 4/12 vs. Boston - 4.2IP, 2ER, 5H, 4BB, 5Ks
Red Sox: Richard Fitts (0-2, 3.18 ERA) Last outing: 4/12 at White Sox - 5IP, 0ER, 2H, 1BB, 5Ks
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of White Sox at Red Sox
The White Sox have lost 4 games in a row
The Under is 7-3 in the White Sox's last 10 road games
The White Sox have failed to cover the Run Line in 4 straight 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 White Sox and the Red Sox
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the White Sox and the Red Sox:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Boston Red Sox on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Chicago White Sox at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
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Its Friday, April 18 and the Cardinals (9-10) are in Queens to take on the Mets (12-7).
Miles Mikolas is slated to take the mound for St. Louis against David Peterson for New York.
Game 1 of this weekend series saw the Mets win, 4-1. Francisco Lindor had three hits, MarkVientos went yard for his first home run of the season, and Griffin Canning allowed just one run on three hits over six innings to pick up the win.
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 Cardinals at Mets
Date: Friday, April 18, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Citi Field
City: Queens, NY
Network/Streaming: FDSNMW, SNY
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 Cardinals at the Mets
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Cardinals (+140), Mets (-166)
Spread: Mets -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Cardinals at Mets
Pitching matchup for April 18, 2025: Miles Mikolas vs. David Peterson
Cardinals: Miles Mikolas (0-2, 9.00 ERA) Last outing: 4/12 vs. Philadelphia - 5IP, 3ER, 3H, 2BB, 6Ks
Mets: David Peterson (1-1, 2.70 ERA) Last outing: 4/12 @ Athletics - 6IP, 2ER, 7H, 0BB, 5Ks
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Cardinals at Mets
The Mets are 10-9 on the Run Line this season
Wilson Contreras is hitless over his last 3 games (0-11)
Francisco Lindor has hit safely in 6 straight games (9-25)
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 Cardinals and the Mets
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Cardinals and the Mets:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Mets on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the St. Louis Cardinals at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards 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:
The estimated price for a family of four to see a game at Dodger Stadium this season — four of the cheapest tickets, parking, four hot dogs, two beers and two sodas — was a league-high $399.68, according to a study. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Four days after the Dodgers won the World Series, and two days before he won the presidential election, Donald Trump was the guest on a sports podcast.
America’s major sports leagues, he said, were pricing out their most loyal customers.
“The leagues are not taking care of their fans,” Trump said on the “Let’s Go!” podcast. “They really aren’t. They’re making it impossible.”
If tickets to sporting events have gotten too expensive for the average fan — and 86% of sports fans say they have, according to an Ipsos poll released last month — then Dodger Stadium is a flash point in the debate over whether teams should pursue every dollar they can or sacrifice a few bucks so they can better nurture a new generation of fans.
Baseball, after all, is touted as America’s last great affordable sport.
Fans are more likely to develop a lifelong baseball habit if they attend a game as a kid, according to research cited by the commissioner's office. Can a family of four afford hundreds of dollars to enjoy a day at the ballpark?
“That inability to have that family experience is an incredible negative if you’re just going for the green,” said Andy Dolich, who has run marketing operations for teams in all the major North American sports leagues. “That’s where you are building your fan bases of the future.”
In an interview with The Times, Commissioner Rob Manfred challenged the notion that baseball tickets have become too expensive. The 30 major league teams sold a combined 71 million tickets last year, the most in seven years, and attendance has increased every year since the pandemic.
“If we had an affordability problem, I think you would see it in terms of those numbers,” Manfred said. “Those numbers tell you the opposite.”
According to the league, tickets for $20 or less were available for 70% of MLB games last season. No Dodgers game this season is currently on sale at that price.
Fans line up to buy food at a concession stand before a game earlier this month at Dodger Stadium. (Kevork Djansezian / For The Times)
“If you want to sit next to Mary Hart, it’s expensive,” Manfred said. “I think it’s really important to think about that from an access perspective.”
Many studies about fan costs use the average price of a resale ticket, but a study released this month used the cheapest ticket price on official sale sites, as sampled on a variety of dates this season.
The estimated price for a family of four to see a game at Dodger Stadium this season — four of those cheap tickets, parking, four hot dogs, two beers and two sodas — was a league-high $399.68. The league average, according to that study: $208.
Ticket prices can rise and fall daily, based on supply and demand. On the day before the Dodgers’ home opener, The Times checked the prices for every game on the Dodgers’ website.
The cheapest ticket all season, available only for a Wednesday afternoon game against the Miami Marlins, before school lets out: $38. For four seats that day, parking, four hot dogs, and four sodas, the price would be $249.96.
In Los Angeles County, the median family income is $101,800, according to Elly Schoen, assistant director of the Neighborhood Data for Social Change program at the USC Lusk Center. If both parents work, and if they subtract costs for housing, food, child care, health care and transportation, the amount left over each month would be $530.
“I don’t know if you can spend half your discretionary income on a baseball game,” Schoen said.
Dodgers team president Stan Kasten, right with Shohei Ohtani following the team's World Series win over the Yankees, said the team and its corporate sponsors work to provide free and discount tickets. Even so, the range of of cheapest available prices per game ranged from $38 to $156. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Dodgers president Stan Kasten said the team and its corporate sponsors work to provide free and discount tickets. The Dodgers’ foundation said it distributed 64,000 tickets last year through the Commissioner’s Community Initiative, described by the league as a program that “provides $2.5 million in ticket distributions to deserving communities league-wide.”
Said Kasten: “We’ve had a lot of success maintaining and even starting to grow our youth fan base. We’re very proud of that, and we work hard at it.”
In 2015, the Dodgers’ average ticket price was $29, according to Team Marketing Report. A decade later — after winning the World Series twice and signing Shohei Ohtani as the crown jewel of a superstar-studded roster — the range of cheapest available prices per game ranged from $38 to $156.
“You can’t have it all ways, right?” Manfred said. “The Dodgers have made a massive financial commitment in terms of players, and they have to run a business that supports that massive financial commitment.”
Notwithstanding Manfred’s belief that MLB does not have an affordability problem, a popup survey on the league website last week asked fans whether they strongly agreed, somewhat agreed, somewhat disagreed, or strongly disagreed with this statement: “Attending a Major League Baseball game is affordable.”
If local fans consider the Dodgers’ prices too high, Manfred suggested where they could find a cost-effective alternative.
“One of the leaders in terms of thinking about affordability has been the other Los Angeles team,” Manfred said.
Soon after Arte Moreno bought the Angels in 2003 — and with the team coming off a World Series championship — the team introduced $3 tickets for kids and teenagers one night per week. The Angels now offer a $44 family pack — four tickets, four hot dogs and four drinks — at more than half their home games. They also feature a "Junior Angels" kids' club, with a $20 membership that includes four game tickets.
Arte Moreno, who has owned the Angels since 2003, on affordability in baseball: "We want everybody to have access to the stadium. We've worked really hard to keep tickets low and have families come in." (Ashley Landis / Associated Press)
Parking is $20 at Angel Stadium and $40 at Dodger Stadium.
“I just really believe there should be affordability,” Moreno said. “We want everybody to have access to the stadium. We’ve worked really hard to keep tickets low and have families come in.”
The Angels last appeared in the playoffs 11 years ago, the longest postseason drought in the majors. Moreno did not discount the notion that prices might rise if the team returns to contention, but he did not guarantee it either.
“If the demand exceeds the supply, prices go up,” he said. “But, for us, you have 45,000 seats.”
The New York Yankees sold more tickets than any team besides the Dodgers in each of the past three seasons. The Yankees sell $10 tickets for every game: sometimes a few dozen, sometimes a few hundred, sometimes a couple thousand, based on overall demand for each game. As part of a corporate promotion, they also sell tickets under $10 or at 50% off for a handful of games.
The league maintains a fan value page, where the vast majority of teams display a variety of ticket discounts, concession deals and family packs. The Dodgers’ entry on that page features its promotional schedule, highlighted by bobblehead dolls so coveted that they drive ticket prices ever higher.
On that November podcast, Trump said he knew how to address high ticket prices.
“I think there are things that have to be done,” Trump said.
Manfred declined to comment about whether he had heard from Trump or whether he would work with him on the issue.
The Times asked the White House press office what ideas Trump had to lower ticket prices and what timeline he might have for pursuing any such actions. White House spokeswoman Liz Huston packed six sports phrases into a 48-word statement — “stepping up to the plate” and “home run economy” included — that did not provide a response to the questions.
Trump did not say he would make the Dodgers affordable again. In Los Angeles, some fans have stuck with their team through the lean years — the Fox and McCourt years, as we call them — only to be priced out when the team returned to glory.
On the podcast, without reference to any particular team, Trump said middle-class fans are “your biggest sports fans.”
Said Trump: “They’re being shut out of seeing a team they grew up with and that they love.”
