Yankees at Tigers Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 7

Its Monday, April 7 and the Yankees (6-3) are in Motown to take on the Tigers (5-4). The game has been moved up from its original 6:40P start time due to the weather forecast. It will be chilly at the ballpark tonight.

Carlos Rodón is slated to take the mound for New York against Casey Mize for Detroit

Yesterday the Yankees closed out a weekend series with the Pirates with a 5-4 loss in 11 innings. After scoring three in the nineth to tie it, New York lost in the eleventh on a walk-off single by Tommy Pham off closer Devin Williams. Trent Grisham had two hits and two RBIs to pace the attack.

While the Yankees were winning two of three against the Bucs, the Tigers were feasting on the White Sox. Detroit swept the three-game set capping it off with a 4-3 win Sunday. Detroit scored three in the ninth themselves. Spencer Torkelson drove in the tying and winning runs with a two-out double in the final frame.

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 Yankees at Tigers

  • Date: Monday, April 7, 2025
  • Time: 3:10PM EST
  • Site: Comerica Park
  • City: Detroit, MI
  • Network/Streaming: YES, 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 Yankees at the Tigers

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Yankees (-155), Tigers (+130)
  • Spread:  Yankees -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Yankees at Tigers

  • Pitching matchup for April 7, 2025: Carlos Rodón vs. Casey Mize
    • Yankees: Carlos Rodón (1-1, 3.97 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/2 vs. Arizona - 6IP, 4ER, 3H, 4BB, 5Ks
    • Tigers: Casey Mize (1-0, 0.00 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/1 at Seattle - 5.2IP, 0ER, 1H, 3BB, 6Ks

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 Tigers

  • This is New York's first game against an American League team this season
  • The Yankees are 6-3 on the Run Line this season
  • Yankees' Game Totals are 7-2 to the OVER this season
  • The Tigers covered the run line in 2 of their 3 games against the White Sox
  • Detroit Game Totals have cashed to the OVER in 6 of their 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 today’s game between the Yankees and the Tigers

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 Yankees and the Tigers:

  • 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 Tigers +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the UNDER 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

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Mets vs. Marlins: How to watch on SNY on April 7, 2025

The Mets face the Marlins at Citi Field on Monday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...


Mets Notes

  • Pete Alonso is slashing .290/.421/.645 with three home runs and two doubles in 38 plate appearances over nine games this season
  • The Mets' team ERA of 1.91 is the lowest in baseball
  • Juan Soto has reached base safely in all nine regular season games
  • After going hitless in the Mets' season-opening three-game series against the Astros,Francisco Lindoris on a five-game hitting streak

MARLINS
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What channel is SNY?

Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.

How can I stream the game?

The new way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv. Streaming on the SNY App has been discontinued.

In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone. 

How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB? 

To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps: 

  • Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider. 
  • Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account. 
  • Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY. 

How can I watch the game on the MLB App? 

MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.  

  • Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices. 
  • Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”  
  • To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.  

For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here

Mets vs. Marlins: 5 things to watch and series predictions | April 7-9

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Marlins play a three-game series at Citi Field beginning on Monday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.


Preview

The second base situation

During spring training,Brett Baty was an absolute beast at the plate. That provided some hope that -- although you need to add a shovel-full of salt to any spring training performances -- that Baty could've possibly turned a corner.

And as Baty excelled at the dish in Grapefruit League play while also learning second base on the fly (and looking very good there), it allowed you to dream on the type of impact he could possibly have if he translated his offensive success to the regular season.

It seems it may have been fool's gold, though.

The sample size of Baty in the regular season this year is small, but he has just two hits in 21 at-bats and has struck out eight times.

More concerning than Baty's stats is how he looks at the plate. He's routinely behind in the count, is hammering the ball into the ground, has been swinging and missing at a high clip, and just generally looks uncomfortable.

With Jeff McNeilmaking serious progress toward a return, it's fair to wonder if Luisangel Acuñawill get the bulk of the starts at second base in the interim.

Can Clay Holmes put it all together?

Holmes has hit some speed bumps over his first two starts as he makes his transition from reliever to starter, but he looked a lot better than his line during his last outing.

In 4.2 innings against the Marlins in Miami, Holmes allowed two runs (one earned) on six hits while walking two and striking out six.

If not for poor defense behind him in the third inning, it was easy to see a scenario where Holmes fired 6.0 scoreless frames.

Either way, his second start was a step in the right direction after his first, and Holmes will look to keep stacking more accomplishments as he gets used to his new role.

Juan Soto has been a quiet force

Soto hasn't homered since the second game of the season against the Astros in Houston. And he's been relatively quiet. But his impact has still been huge.

Apr 4, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) follows through on an RBI double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Citi Field.
Apr 4, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) follows through on an RBI double against the Toronto Blue Jays during the sixth inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

Despite not fully breaking out yet, Soto has reached base safely in all nine games this season, has hits in four straight games, and has scored six runs over his last four contests.

Soto's OPS during his "down" early-season stretch is .822.

And there are signs that he's about to break out -- Soto ripped a double and drew a walk during Sunday's win over the Blue Jays.

The Marlins have been decent

Miami is widely expected to finish the season at the bottom of the NL East, but they've been solid so far.

The Marlins enter this series with a 5-4 record and a run differential of -9.

Second baseman Otto Lopez has had a strong season, with two homers and a .774 OPS, and first baseman Matt Mervis cracked two home runs during Saturday's shutout win over the Braves.

Outfielder Kyle Stowers is also shining early, reaching base safely in seven of the eight games he's played.

No Sandy Alcantara this time

Alcantara faced the Mets last Tuesday in Miami, limiting them to two runs on three hits while walking none and striking out four in 5.0 innings.

He was lined up to face the Mets during this series, but the Marlins reworked their rotation because they didn't want Alcantara going up against New York twice in a short span.

That means the Mets will face Valente Bellozo, Connor Gillispie, and Max Meyer during this three-game set.

Bellozo bent but didn't break during his only start against New York last season, allowing two runs on seven hits while walking two and striking out four in 5.1 innings last Aug. 18 in Miami.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Juan Soto

He appears to be on the cusp of a full breakout. Expect it to happen this week.

Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?

Clay Holmes

Holmes, like Soto, seems ready to put it all together. He gets the ball on Tuesday night.

Which Marlins player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?

Xavier Edwards

Edwards went 4-for-6 against the Mets last Wednesday and cracked a double and drew a walk on Saturday against Atlanta.

Some legit early concern over Phillies' top bullpen addition

Some legit early concern over Phillies' top bullpen addition originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Jesus Luzardo has been electric through two starts and Joe Ross has pitched well enough to enter the mix for late-inning leverage situations.

As for the Phillies’ other offseason pitching addition … it’s been ugly thus far.

Jordan Romano blew his second save and made it three poor performances out of his five as a Phillie by allowing three runs in the top of the seventh inning Sunday to turn a two-run lead into a one-run deficit.

Romano has been behind in the count, slow to the plate and pitched with diminished velocity in the early going. He was tasked Sunday with dealing with nine-hole hitter Andy Pages ahead of the top of the Dodgers’ order. It was an ominous sign when Pages singled on a 1-2 count ahead of Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts, who walked and doubled. All three scored and Romano left the mound to boos after failing to retire a hitter.

The Phillies came back to win and have actually won all three times Romano has struggled despite him giving up seven runs in just two innings of those close games.

It wouldn’t be at all surprising to see manager Rob Thomson next use Romano in a lower leverage spot to try to gain him confidence without the game being on the line. Orion Kerkering has already rose ahead of him on the trust tree and the Phillies could use Ross or Jose Ruiz as the second leverage righty for a few days, a week or however long it takes Romano to recapture his velocity.

In 2023, his last healthy season in Toronto, Romano averaged 96.8 mph with his fastball. On Sunday, he was 92-94. And some of the misses have been uncompetitive, particularly early in the count. To make matters worse, his high leg kick affords baserunners ample freedom to run, similar to Craig Kimbrel. That’s a recipe for disaster in the latter innings of close games when one single or walk can be the difference.

“I’m used to being 96, around there the whole time,” Romano said after Sunday’s comeback win. “I don’t know what’s going on right now but I need to figure it out.

“I’ve got to get the velo up because when the velo’s right, it helps the slider too. When the velo’s down, it’s easier to take the slider. I’m going to look at some video, try to dive in and figure this out really quick.”

The Phillies signed the 31-year-old former Blue Jays closer over the winter to replace Jeff Hoffman as either a closer or right-handed setup man. Romano didn’t pitch much in 2024 because of an elbow injury, but the Phillies liked his medicals enough to sign him to a one-year, $8.5 million contract while at the Winter Meetings.

The bullpen picture will be much different if Romano proves to be unreliable. The early returns have not been good, but it’s only five appearances and nine games in total. There’s a lot of time for Romano to turn things around.

“On any team, you want to come in and contribute to wins,” he said. “When you don’t do that, it doesn’t feel good.”

On the bright side for the Phillies, Matt Strahm retired the Dodgers 1-2-3 in the top of the eighth inning Sunday to maintain his team’s momentum, looking more like the elite reliever of the last two seasons. Strahm hasn’t allowed a run in five appearances after missing most of camp with a shoulder injury. 

Red Sox trade recently-acquired pitcher Quinn Priester to Brewers

Red Sox trade recently-acquired pitcher Quinn Priester to Brewers originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Quinn Priester’s tenure with the Boston Red Sox lasted all of about eight months.

The Boston Red Sox have traded the right-handed pitcher to the Milwaukee Brewers for minor league outfielder Yophery Rodriguez, a Competitive Balance Round A pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, a player to be named later and cash considerations, the team announced Monday.

The Red Sox acquired Priester from the Pittsburgh Pirates last July ahead of the 2024 MLB trade deadline, parting with talented infield prospect Nick Yorke in the deal. So, why did they move the 24-year-old right-hander so soon?

It’s worth noting that Priester had yet to pitch for the Red Sox this season despite the team’s lack of rotation depth with Brayan Bello, Kutter Crawford and Lucas Giolito on the injured list. Boston turned to nine-year veteran Sean Newcomb (two starts) and 25-year-old prospect Richard Fitts to make starts over Priester, and even gave right-hander Hunter Dobbins his first MLB start Sunday night against the St. Louis Cardinals.

The fact that Newcomb, Fitts and Dobbins got the ball while Priester remained at Triple-A Worcester hints at where the Red Sox may have had Priester on their pitching pecking order, and could explain why they were willing to part ways with him. Priester also didn’t have the best spring training, posting a 4.82 ERA and a 2.25 WHIP over 9.1 innings in four starts.

In Rodriguez, the Red Sox get Milwaukee’s seventh-ranked prospect, per MLB.com. The 19-year-old spent the majority of last season at Single-A, where he slashed .250/.343/.383 with seven home runs and 60 RBI in 110 games.

Boston also acquires a Competitive Balance Round A pick, which falls between the first and second rounds of the MLB Draft.

President Trump congratulates Dodgers on World Series title in White House visit

President Trump congratulates Dodgers on World Series title in White House visit originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

President Trump congratulated the World Series champion Dodgers and offered his take on the team’s hot start Monday when staff and players visited the White House in a decades-old baseball tradition during the Los Angeles’ East Coast road trip.

After dropping two of three games in Philadelphia over the weekend, the Dodgers’ White House visit coincides with a three-game series against the Washington Nationals as they look to build on a 9-2 start. The team participated in an East Room ceremony in honor of the 2024 World Series victory, entering the room to a rendition of Randy Newman’s “I love LA.”

Pitcher Clayton Kershaw presented the president with a No. 47 Dodgers jersey with “Trump” on the back.

“After seeing how successfully you’ve begun the season, you can plan on being back here. I hope you’re going to be back here next year,” Trump said.

Kershaw, a three-time Cy Young winner, spoke on behalf of the team.

“As a spectator for a championship run, I was in awe of this group,” Kershaw, who was injured during the postseason, said. “Their unwavering confidence coupled with a selfless pursuit for team excellence was an inspiration.

“Moving forward, I hope the 2024 Dodgers can serve as an inspiration to many as they were to me, not just in sports, but in life, remembering to put others before ourselves and move the team and society forward.”

Trump called Kershaw the “heart and soul” of the pitching staff.

“Unbelievable,” Trump said. “I’m glad to meet him.”

The Dodgers confirmed in a social media post lasts month that “in keeping with long-standing baseball tradition,” President Donald Trump invited them to the White House and team accepted. The Dodgers last visited the White House as World Series champions in July 2021 when Joe Biden was president.

“We’re very please to participate in the tradition of bringing champions to the White House,” team Chairman Mark Walter said Monday.

Manager Dave Roberts called the visit an honor that each World Series champion gets to experience. Roberts said the decision to go to the White House was not a formal conversation involving players and coaches.

The White House tradition dates back decades with a visit by the 1925 Washington Senators during the administration of President Calvin Coolidge, according to the nonprofit White House Historical Association. Coolidge and first lady Grace were passionate baseball fans.

Trump shook hands with several players, including superstar Shohei Ohtani after praising the National League MVP, who became the first player to hit 50 home runs and steal 50 bases in the same season.

“He looks like a movie star,” Trump said. “An accomplishment unparalleled.”

Trump asked if Ohtani was that good, and Roberts responded, “He’s only getting better.”

Roberts said Friday he expected 100% participation at the ceremony and that it was “good we have full representation.”

Shortstop Mookie Betts told reporters Friday he would join the team on the visit. Betts declined to join the Boston Red Sox on their visit in 2018 during President Trump’s first term.

Betts was among several Dodgers, including NL MVP Shohei Ohtani, who shook hands with Trump during the ceremony.

“I’m happy he’s going,” Roberts said. “I’m happy we’re all going to go together just to celebrate our 2024 championship.”

Betts told reporters in Philadelphia that his choice to go was not political, but rather because of his desire to be there for the team. Betts said he regrets not joining the Red Sox in 2018. Boston manager Alex Cora and pitcher David Price also skipped the Red Sox visit. Betts said he felt like his absence distracted from that team’s accomplishment.

“No matter what I say or what I do, people are gonna take it as political,” Betts said. “But that’s definitely not what it is. This is about what the Dodgers were able to accomplish last year.”

The NHL’s reigning Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers became the first team to visit Trump in his second term when they were honored during a ceremony in the East Room in early February.

The White House also said recently the NFL’s Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles accepted their invitation for April 28.

“It’s a baseball thing for us,” Roberts said. “It’s tradition and we’re doing it unified. So I’m excited about it.”

How Mike Yastrzemski fulfilled promise to daughter in Giants' win over Mariners

How Mike Yastrzemski fulfilled promise to daughter in Giants' win over Mariners originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski channeled his “dad strength” to make good on a promise to his young daughter, Quinley, in Sunday’s win over the Seattle Mariners.

Yastrzemski hit his first home run of the season Sunday, giving the Giants a 4-2 lead with a three-run opposite field shot in the bottom of the fourth.

Following San Francisco’s eventual 5-4 walk-off victory, which pushed their record to an MLB-best 8-1, Yastrzemski joined “Giants Postgame Live,” where he credited Quinley for the long ball.

“Today I got to give a shout-out to my daughter Quinley, honestly, because she asked for a home run and so I promised her I’d get her a home run,” Yastrzemski told Laura Britt and Rich Aurilia. “So Quinny, I love you and miss you.”

Yastrzemski is off to a solid start this season, collecting eight hits in 24 at-bats, with one homer and four RBI. He has a .942 OPS through eight games.

And if Yastrzemski keeps fulfilling Quinley’s pregame wishes, he might be headed for the best season of his MLB career.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Report: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Blue Jays agree to 14-year, $500 million deal that starts in 2026

NEW YORK — Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a 14-year, $500 million contract that starts in 2026, according to a person familiar with the negotiations, a deal that removes what would have been the biggest star from next offseason’s free-agent market.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity early Monday because the agreement had not been announced.

Guerrero’s deal does not include any deferred money, the person said.

Guerrero agreed in January to a one-year, $28.5 million contract that avoided arbitration and the four-time All-Star first baseman had said he wouldn’t negotiate after he reported to spring training in mid-February. Still, talks with his agent continued well into the regular season.

Guerrero got the third-largest contract in total dollars behind outfielder Juan Soto’s 15-year, $765 million contract with the New York Mets that started this season and two-way star Shohei Ohtani’s 10-year, $700 million agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers that began last year and is heavily deferred.

Guerrero’s $35.71 million average annual value under the new deal ranks eighth among current contracts behind the agreements of Ohtani ($70 million), Soto ($51 million), Philadelphia pitcher Zack Wheeler ($42 million), Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge ($40 million), Texas pitcher Jacob deGrom ($37 million), Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell ($36.4 million) and Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole ($36 million).

A son of Hall of Famer Vladimir Guerrero, the Blue Jays star turned 26 last month and would have been a free agent this fall at a relatively young age.

Guerrero is a .277 career hitter with 160 homers and 511 RBIs. He’s batting .256 with no homers and four RBIs in the first 10 games this season.

Seeking its first World Series title since winning championships in 1992 and 1993, Toronto notably failed to land Ohtani, Soto and Roki Sasaki. The Blue Jays agreed to a five-year, $92.5 million contract with outfielder Anthony Santander, a one-year, $15.5 million contract with right-hander Max Scherzer and a three-year, $33 million contract with reliever Jeff Hoffman.

Toronto shortstop Bo Bichette, a two-time All-Star, remains eligible for free agency after this year’s World Series.

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. signing 14-year extension with Blue Jays, closing door on potential Mets pursuit

Well Mets fans, you can officially close the door on a potential Vladimir Guerrero Jr. pursuit. 

According to numerous reports, the four-time All-Star first baseman reached an agreement with the Blue Jays on a 14-year, $500 million contract extension on Monday night.

Despite reports of a spring training deadline for negotiations, the two sides continued talking into this week, and now they’ve officially come to terms on a pact that will keep the slugger in Toronto for the remainder of his career.

The contract doesn't include any deferrals, according to Ken Rosenthal of the Athletic, giving Guerrero in present value the second-largest guarantee in major-league history, only behind Juan Soto's historic pact with the Mets.

The Mets, of course, engaged with the Blue Jays this offseason in talks for the 26-year-old before they decided to bring back Pete Alonso on a two-year deal with an opt-out after the 2025 season.

While those discussions went nowhere, there had been some buzz about New York giving Guerrero a look over the winter if he were to reach free agency and Alonso were to exercise that opt-out.

However, that route is no longer on the board.

Guerrero has gotten off to a bit of a slow start in the power department this season, but he's coming off one of the best years of his career in which he popped 30 homers and drove in 103 runs in the middle of Toronto's lineup.

New York's pitching staff did well to keep him in check this weekend, limiting him to just four hits and one RBI.

Manfred says torpedo bats are ‘good for baseball’ and he hopes to see robot umps in MLB by 2026

Torpedo bats are all the rage this season, and Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred believes all that chatter is positive for the sport.

“They’re absolutely good for baseball,” Manfred said in a Q&A published by The New York Times on Sunday. “I believe that issues like the torpedo bat and the debate around it demonstrate the fact that baseball still occupies a unique place in our culture, because people get into a complete frenzy over something that’s really nothing at the end of the day.”

The interview covered multiple topics and included Manfred praising the testing of robot umpires during spring training. He said he’d like to see their use expanded to the regular season soon.

“I hope that we bring it to the big leagues in short order,” Manfred said. “It won’t be in 2025. It’d be in 2026.”

Torpedo bats drew attention recently when the New York Yankees hit a team-record nine homers in one game. With several players using a strikingly different model in which wood is moved lower down the barrel toward the label, shaping the end a little like a bowling pin, the bat has become baseball’s latest fad.

It’s caused All-Star and even amateur players to want to take their swings with the unusual-looking bat, creating a rush of orders for Victus Sports. The company is the official bat maker of MLB and has seen sales and interest spike in the torpedo bats.

Manfred highlighted that the bat has been used for a few years now, with players such as Giancarlo Stanton and Francisco Lindor using torpedoes last season.

The odd shape of the bat — like making a sausage, the meat is simply pushed down the casing — has little to no effect at Victus on the dynamics of making a baseball bat. The cost is the same as a standard bat, with a sticker price starting at around $200. Only the slogan is punched up: Get your hands on the most talked-about bat in the game.

“Players have actually been moving the sweet spot around in bats for years,” Manfred told the Times. “But it just demonstrates that something about the game is more important than is captured by television ratings or revenue or any of those things, when you have the discussions and debates about it.”

Mets Prospect Notes: Nolan McLean shines in season debut, Matt Allan's strong return

Here's how some of the Mets' top prospects fared on the mound Sunday afternoon...


Former top prospect back on mound

Matt Allan’s pro career hasn’t quite gone as planned thus far. 

The young right-hander was once viewed as the Mets’ top pitching prospect -- but he’s been plagued by numerous different arm issues over the past couple of seasons and hasn’t taken the mound since 2019. 

But after working his way back this offseason, Allan is finally healthy and ready to roll. 

He made his first appearance in nearly six years on Sunday afternoon with the Single-A St. Lucie Mets and fared extremely well -- allowing just two hits while walking one and striking out five across 2.2 innings of work. 

The 23-year-old threw 28 of his 44 pitches for strikes and touched 97 mph. 

The biggest thing will be for Allan to stay healthy -- but if he can continue putting together strong performances like this one, he might be able to work his way through the system relatively quickly given his age. 

Nolan McLean picks up where he left off

McLean is one of the more intriguing Mets prospects to keep an eye on. 

He came into the organization as a two-way player out of Oklahoma State, but opted to transition into a full-time pitcher last season, and pitched to a strong 2.36 ERA over his final seven starts.

After working all offseason many believe that 2025 will be a breakout year for the 23-year-old, and Sunday's outing was certainly a strong start.

McLean was phenomenal across four scoreless innings of work with Double-A Binghamton, allowing just three hits while striking out eight and generating 15 swing-and-misses. 

He threw 54 of his 70 pitches for strikes, and his 70-grade sweeper was on full display.

McLean is the Mets' third-ranked prospect on Joe DeMayo's updated Top 30 list heading into this season, and he could quickly find himself in Triple-A if he's able to build off his stellar season debut.

How Dedniel Núñez fared in Syracuse

Núñez has looked good with Syracuse since being sent down at the end of spring training -- but he finally put together his first rough outing on Sunday afternoon.

The right-hander entered in relief of Luis Moreno in the top of the seventh and immediately allowed the next two batters to reach as Ismael Mungia singled and stole second before scoring on an Everson Pereira two-run homer to right-center.

He bounced back to retire the next batter, bringing his outing to an end.

Núñez has now pitched to a 7.36 ERA across three minor league outings, but manager Carlos Mendoza said earlier in the day that they weren't too concerned about the results.

“We just want him to continue to take the baseball. We’re not looking at results right now,” Mendoza explained. “I think it’s just more building him up. I think it’s twice that he’s gone multiple innings, and that’s what we want to see, his ability to recovery.

“I think it’s just the recovery. Are you going to be able to take the baseball two days after you throw two innings? Are you going to be able to bounce back, you throw one inning, and not necessarily back-to-back, but what about two out of three? That’s what we’re preparing him for.”

Yankees DFA Adam Ottavino for the second time in a week

The Yankees have designated Adam Ottavino for assignment for the second time in the last week.

The move was made in order to make room for reliever Ian Hamilton on the active roster following his return from the IL.

Ottavino was first DFA'd last week when closer Devin Williams was reinstated from the paternity list, but re-signed with the Yanks on Sunday.

The 39-year-old made two appearances prior to being cut loose from the Yanks for the first time, walking two and striking out two across 1.1 scoreless innings of work.

Following his initial signing, Aaron Boone told reporters he thought there's still "a lot left" in the tank for Ottavino.

“He’s kinda been on our board a little bit," the skipper said. "I know the front office [has] been talking about him the last couple weeks as a potential. Felt like what he was doing back end of spring training was in line with who Otto is."

Guerrero, Blue Jays agree to a $500 million, 14-year deal that starts in 2026, AP source says

Guerrero, Blue Jays agree to a $500 million, 14-year deal that starts in 2026, AP source says originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays agreed to a $500 million, 14-year contract that starts in 2026, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press, a deal that removes what would have been the biggest star from next offseason’s free-agent market.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity early Monday because the agreement had not been announced.

Guerrero’s deal does not include any deferred money, the person said.

Guerrero agreed in January to a $28.5 million, one-year contract that avoided arbitration and the four-time All-Star first baseman had said he wouldn’t negotiate after he reported to spring training in mid-February. Still, talks continued well into the regular season.

Guerrero got the third-largest contract in total dollars behind outfielder Juan Soto’s $765 million, 15-year contract with the New York Mets that started this season and two-way star Shohei Ohtani’s $700 million, 10-year agreement with the Los Angeles Dodgers that began last year and is heavily deferred.

Guerrero’s $35.71 million average annual value under the new deal ranks eighth among current contracts behind the agreements of Ohtani ($70 million), Soto ($51 million), Philadelphia pitcher Zack Wheeler ($42 million), Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge ($40 million), Texas pitcher Jacob deGrom ($37 million), Dodgers pitcher Blake Snell ($36.4 million) and Yankees pitcher Gerrit Cole ($36 million).

Mets Notes: David Peterson ‘physically fine’ after leaving start, A.J. Minter's stuff trending in right direction

Here are some key notes following the Mets' win over the Toronto Blue Jays on Sunday afternoon...


Peterson’s fine after leaving early 

Not everything went as planned for the Mets on Sunday. 

They did have a bit of a scare during the top of the fifth when left-hander David Peterson was forced to leave the game after appearing to have injured himself during an at-bat against Vladimir Guerrero Jr. earlier in the inning. 

While there was some speculation that Peterson may’ve potentially tweaked something, manager Carlos Mendoza clarified postgame that that was not the case. 

“Physically fine, he was just feeling nauseous there,” the skipper said. “He went out and said he felt like he got punched in the stomach and got a little bit of blurry vision but that was it -- physically he is fine.”

The southpaw was checked out by team doctors and felt fine afterwards. 

Peterson fell into trouble when the blurry vision developed during that inning, but prior to that he was cruising, as he worked around three hits and a two walks across four scoreless innings of work.

“I felt good up until that point,” he said. “It felt like [Hayden] Senger and I were on the same page — we had a good gameplan and I feel like we were attacking those guys, getting a lot of groundballs and the defense was amazing behind me.”

New York Mets relief pitcher A.J. Minter (33) pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning at Citi Field
New York Mets relief pitcher A.J. Minter (33) pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the seventh inning at Citi Field / Brad Penner - Imagn Images

Minter’s up and throwing

With Peterson forced to leave, the Mets had to lean heavily on their bullpen again.

While the group was a bit shorthanded, they were tremendous -- and one of the arms who helped bridge the gap to Edwin Diaz was A.J. Minter, who put together arguably one of his best appearances of the young season. 

After his slow buildup in spring training, Minter has looked stronger each time he’s taken the mound -- striking out five over his last two showings -- but he still feels there’s some room to improve moving forward. 

“Fastball felt pretty good today,” he said. “Still feel like I’ve got something more in the tank -- not quite where I want to be, but I’m definitely trending in the right direction and it was encouraging to see some of the stuff today for sure.”

Most importantly, Minter feels healthy and he’s confident he’ll get to where he wants to be. 

The 31-year-old has taken the Citi Field mound plenty in his big-league career, but this weekend presented his first opportunity to do so in the orange and blue rather than for the division-rival Braves. 

“It lived up to the hype for sure,” he said. “Super pumped to get out in front of these fans -- it’s good to be on this side of the fans now. It was definitely really exciting and I can’t wait for more.”

Mets’ dominant bullpen continues to be ‘huge reason’ behind early-season success

The Mets’ bullpen continues to be a weapon early on this season. 

With the starting rotation failing to work deep into games they’ve stepped up tremendously -- and that was again the case during Sunday’s series finale with the Blue Jays, in which David Peterson was forced to leave in the top of the fifth. 

While there was some concern around the southpaw at the time, manager Carlos Mendoza clarified postgame that there was no physical issue and he was simply dealing with some stomach problems. 

But with him sidelined, the bullpen was required to take on another big workload to help secure the series sweep and they did a tremendous job kicked off by Max Kranick, who is quickly developing himself into a long-relief weapon. 

The starter turned reliever was tossed into a bases loaded jam for the second time over the first two weeks of the season, and he showed no fear yet again — as he fell behind in the count but got Alejandro Kirk to pop out to end the threat.

After putting together a perfect top of the seventh, the 27-year-old has now retired 21 of the 22 batters he’s faced across seven scoreless innings of work to begin the year. 

“Max has come up really big,” Brandon Nimmo said.

“I know he’s had a long road dealing with injuries,” Pete Alonso added. “For him to come back and have the electric stuff that he’s had it’s really awesome and we’re super stoked for him. The way he’s throwing the ball right now is awesome.”

And it wasn’t just Kranick on Sunday -- as Reed Garrett put together his fourth consecutive scoreless appearance, A.J. Minter had arguably his best outing to this point, and then Edwin Diaz worked around a pair of HBP’s to lock up his second save of the season. 

As a group, they combined to allow one hit while striking out five in 4.1 scoreless innings of work.

That continued a terrific weekend on the mound -- as the bullpen allowed just one earned run (Jose Butto on Saturday night) during the three-game sweep of Toronto to help lower their ERA on the year to a league-leading mark of 1.29.

“They’ve been a huge reason behind our success,” Nimmo said. “They have amazing stuff. We have a few different weapons that can matchup well with the other side -- it’s not just one guy, we have different guys in different positions in order to get it to Diaz. 

"That's what you want," Minter added. "The hitters are going to go through streaks, they'll come up big and it's just one of those games where you really need the bullpen to step up. That's what really matters and the pitching staff did an amazing job this weekend."