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The unique quirks, oddities and head-scratchers of Red Sox' 2026 schedule

The unique quirks, oddities and head-scratchers of Red Sox' 2026 schedule originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The National Football League likes to make a spectacle out of its schedule release date, teasing the moment as must-see TV for months and generating enough hype to actually squeeze some ratings out of the ordeal.

Major League Baseball, meanwhile, just dumps the thing on a random weekday while the current season is still taking place.

It’s a decision. We can say that all right.

In any event, considering that schedule release came on the aforementioned random weekday, it’s possible you didn’t have time to lay out the calendar and analyze everything that made an eyebrow or two rise around Boston. Fortunately, we can fix that.

Opening Day in Cincinnati

In theory, having a historic franchise like the Red Sox open the season in Cincinnati, which marked the location of the first game of the MLB season for 100 years or so, is pretty cool. In actuality? It’s tough to get excited about a Red Sox-Reds game in March.

That season opener — on March 26! — kicks off a six-game road trip to start the season, with the Red Sox heading to Houston after Cincinnati.

(A bonus to this matchup is Terry Francona managing the Reds. Yet the novelty of the Red Sox facing Francona wore off some time during his 1 million games managing Cleveland.)

No Yankees in September

Do you love a good rivalry game in September, when a chill hits the air, the sun sets early, and everybody knows the game just mean a little bit more?

Well, too bad! No soup for you.

The Red Sox and Yankees will wrap up their season series the weekend of Aug. 28-30, leaving the final month without any potential playoff-implication matchups.

The final month of the season is devoid of most AL East competition, too, with only six of 24 games coming against divisional opponents (three in Baltimore, three in Tampa). The Red Sox’ final home series against an AL East opponent will take place July 24-26 against Toronto.

That’s all good for the sake of variety, but it could theoretically make it difficult for the Red Sox to gain ground if there’s a race for the division playing out over the final two months of the season.

Season finale vs. the Cubs

Interleague play has been around for almost 30 years. With pitchers no longer batting in the NL, and with interleague series taking place at all times, it’s become a very normal part of Major League Baseball.

Still. The Red Sox close out their regular season at home against the Cubs. Which means, by necessity, the Cubs are closing out their season on the road against the Red Sox.

It’s weird.

A Red Sox-Cubs series is always a big deal, with fans of both teams dishing out big bucks to make pilgrimages to both Wrigley Field and Fenway Park. They used to be very rare, but next year will mark the fifth straight season with a Cubs-Red Sox matchup.

The oversaturation and the fact that it could be a meaningless series for both teams drains quite a bit of juice out of this one.

Home opener against the Padres

Keeping it with the interleague-is-a-little-strange theme, the Red Sox will open Fenway Park on Friday, April 3, against the … San Diego Padres.

On the one hand, Red Sox fans will (most likely) get to finally say hello to Xander Bogaerts, who’s yet to return to Boston as a vistor.

On the other … there’s something discomforting about an interleague series opening the home slate for the Red Sox, even if it happens quite often. It happened this year, with St. Louis visiting Boston and getting swept by the Red Sox. It also happened in 2017, when the Red Sox swept the Pirates (one game got postponed, but the Red Sox later won that one, too), and in 2015, when the Red Sox took two out of three from the Nationals. But the Brewers swept the Red Sox in their first home series in 2014, so the results haven’t been perfect.

Either way, given the fact that it’s happened quite often, you’d think everybody would be used to an interleague series for the home opener by now. But … we’re not.

(By the way, after the Padres leave Boston, the Brewers will head to town, and then the Red Sox will visit St. Louis. The Red Sox may be honorary National League members in April.)

On the road for the Fourth of July

If you like catching a Red Sox game as the appetizer before your evening of Boston Pops and fireworks, you’ll have to readjust. The Red Sox are in Los Angeles to play the Angels on July 4, in the early part of a nine-game road trip ahead of the All-Star break.

After a series finale against the Nationals on July 1, Fenway won’t host a baseball game again until July 17. Sounds like Concert Season.

Raffy returns

The Rafael Devers trade was a bit messy. Its full impact won’t be judged for years. Yet the early indications are that somehow, the Red Sox have been better off without him, and the Giants are worse with him. That’s an odd early result for a three-time All-Star, two-time Silver Slugger in the prime of his career.

In any event, most fans stuck with Devers even as he refused to play first or third base after getting moved to DH this year. When he comes back as a visitor, will they cheer for the 2018 champion? Or will they boo him for the ugly and abrupt ending?

We’ll all find out together when the Giants visit Fenway Park from Aug. 21-23.

Unique visitors and potential road trips

For all of the complaining about interleague play, it’s still fun to occasionally see some jerseys inside Fenway Park that you don’t see too often. Likewise, when fans plan out potential road trips, variety is always a good thing.

Teams visiting Fenway that fit that bill:

  • San Diego (April 3-5)
  • Milwaukee (April 6-8)
  • Philadelphia (May 12-14)
  • Atlanta (May 26-28)
  • Washington (June 29-July 1)
  • Arizona (Aug. 17-19)
  • San Francisco (Aug. 21-23)
  • Chicago Cubs (Sept. 25-27)

And the potential NL road trips:

  • Cincinnati (March 26-29)
  • St. Louis (April 10-12)
  • Atlanta (May 15-17)
  • Colorado (June 22-24)
  • New York Mets (July 10-12)
  • Los Angeles Dodgers (July 31-Aug.2)
  • Pittsburgh (Aug. 14-16)
  • Miami (Aug. 24-26)

Scheduled double-header

You don’t see scheduled double-headers too often, but the Red Sox have one in Seattle on June 20.

There’s a hot dog-themed video about it all

The Red Sox announced some of their home series in a video starring hot dogs.

Some of the homages and references make more sense than others.

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Yankees launch six homers, use nine-run third inning to rout Nationals and secure sweep

The Yankees tromped the Washington Nationals 11-2 on Wednesday afternoon in the Bronx. 

New York secured the three-game series sweep and has now won four in a row. 

Here are some takeaways...

- The Yankees took full advantage of this three-game set with the lowly Nationals pitching staff, getting their bats back into a groove. They outplayed them from beginning to end, putting up double-digit runs twice, including in Wednesday afternoon's blowout series finale. 

- Trent Grisham's leadoff homer set the tone in what ended up being a complete shellacking in the Bronx. Grisham turned on a third pitch fastball from Cade Cavalli and lifted it over the short porch to build on his new career-high of 26 long balls on the season.

- The biggest blow, though, came in a monster third inning that lasted a total of 45 minutes. Aaron Judge (two-run) and Cody Bellinger (solo) went back-to-back to get things started, Jasson Dominguez had a pair of run-scoring hits (double, single), Ryan McMahon lifted a three-run shot, and Ben Rice a solo blast.

Rice finished the day 3-for-4 with the homer and two singles, continuing his red hot month of August. 

Judge (41), Grisham (26), and Bellinger (25) are just the second Yankee outfield trio with 25+ HR in a season.

- Austin Wells got in on the fun as well, lifting New York's sixth home run of the game leading off the bottom of the fourth. While the other four were good to see as well, it was certainly encouraging for him and McMahon to be able to snap out of their funks at the plate. 

- After being handed the early cushion, Max Fried was able to build off his success from his last time out facing a familiar opponent. He was extremely efficient, retiring the first 11 Nationals hitters he faced before issuing a two out walk to Riley Adams in the top of the fourth.  

Fried worked around another walk in the fifth, before allowing his first hit of the game in the sixth. Three straight singles from Washington broke up the no-hitter and shutout, but the lefty escaped without further damage thanks to a strikeout and double play. 

Josh Bell lofted a two out single to right, but Fried struck out Brady House looking to end his day on a positive note and close his final line with just the one run allowed on four hits and two walks while punching out six. 

- Paul Blackburn put the finishing touches on this one, only giving up a double and solo homer over the final two innings.

- Anthony Volpe continues to struggle mightily at the plate. His well-struck lineout stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the first. He then made two of the team's three outs in the nine-run third, lining out again with a man in scoring position, and later striking out with the bases loaded to end the inning.

The youngster grounded out to short in the fifth, and struck out swinging in the eighth to finish 0-for-4.

Volpe was the only Yankee who didn't reach base on the afternoon, stranding seven men. He is now an ugly 1-for-38 over his last 11 games, bring his average down to .204 on the season to go along with a .662 OPS. 

Game MVP: The third inning

I know, I know that isn't a player. 

This was a complete shellacking from the Yanks offense from top-to-bottom, and they put it away for good with the nine-run marathon frame. 

Highlights

What's next

The Yanks start a seven-game road trip with a meeting with the White Sox on Thursday at 7:40 p.m.

Will Warren (7-6, 4.47 ERA) will toe the rubber for the Bombers, and Chicago hasn't announced a starter. 

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Mets are calling up their No. 4 prospect to make MLB debut on Friday

ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 12: Jonah Tong #16 of the New York Mets throws a pitch in the second inning during the 2025 All-Star Futures Game at Truist Park on July 12, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
The Mets' Jonah Tong, delivering a pitch during the 2025 All-Star Futures Game, is scheduled to make his MLB debut on Friday against the Marlins. (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

The New York Mets are calling up pitcher Jonah Tong, their No. 4 prospect and No. 44 overall, who leads the minor leagues in strikeouts and earned-run average.

The 22-year-old right-hander will make a start Friday against the Miami Marlins, according to Mets manager Carlos Mendoza. Tong will join a team that finds itself in the middle of a playoff race. The Mets are behind the Philadelphia Phillies by 5 games in the National League East and hold a 3½ game lead for the last wild card spot.

“This went fast for Jonah,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said during a news conference Tuesday. “But to his credit, he really conquered everything we put in front of him. He exceeded our expectations throughout this year, and he put himself in a position where he deserved to be considered for a day like this.”

The Mets’ seventh-round draft pick in 2022 opened the season in double-A Binghamton, where he made 20 starts. Tong struck out 162 batters and led the league with a 1.59 ERA when he was promoted to triple-A Syracuse in earlier this month.

Tong will make a start with the big league team after pitching 11.2 innings in Syracuse without giving up a run while striking out 17.

The Mets are in the middle of a season-long 16 games in a 16-day stretch and the front office wanted to have a sixth starter to give its starting pitchers an extra day of rest.

“He earned it, man. He earned it,” Mendoza told reporters. “I’m excited. We are all excited.”

Tong and the Mets will face Eury Pérez and the Marlins on Friday at 4:10 p.m. PDT at Citi Field.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Huascar Brazoban being replaced on Mets' active roster by Kevin Herget

Mets reliever Huascar Brazoban is dealing with a side/oblique issue that could require an IL stint, reports Joel Sherman of The New York Post.

With Brazoban's status unclear, reliever Kevin Herget was called up from Triple-A Syracuse ahead of Wednesday's game against the Phillies at Citi Field.

Brazoban has spent a chunk of the season in the minors, and his results at the big league level have been mixed.

He has a 3.91 ERA (4.12 FIP) and 1.32 WHIP in 43.0 innings across 46 appearances.

Brazoban struggled during his inning on Tuesday against the Phillies, allowing one run on three hits.

Herget has pitched 4.1 innings over two games for the Mets this season, allowing two runs (one earned) while walking none and striking out one.

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More changes to outfield as Phillies try to end New York woes against Mets

More changes to outfield as Phillies try to end New York woes against Mets originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

NEW YORK — Whatever this thing is that’s going on at Citi Field, causing the Phillies to lose nine in a row here to the Mets, manager Rob Thomson doesn’t really worry about it.

He doesn’t let negative thoughts enter his mind. Doesn’t think his team is doomed nor unable to compete with the Mets in their ballpark. He is more convincing than others when he states that, and before Wednesday’s series finale, he even had some evidence as to why he’s there.

“It’s tough but you’ve got to grind through it,” Thomson said. “I was looking at some of the Yankees’ stuff from when I was there. So, from ‘05 to ‘09, when we were in California against the Angels, we went 3-13. In ‘08 and ‘09, we were 0-6. Actually, we had lost eight in a row and we beat them in the ALCS. It’s one of those things. You’ve just got to fight through it.”

Maybe the Phillies have just the right person taking the mound in Game 3 against the Mets. Taijuan Walker had a couple of decent seasons for the Mets, so he’s used to their home field. More than that, though, he’s got the makeup that maybe a situation like this calls for, according to his manager.

“I’m happy for him, he put a lot of work in [last] offseason,” Thomson said of Walker. “Came in, velocity jumped up. Now it’s kind of settled in but it’s still more velocity than he had last year. The other stuff moves up just because of the velocity — the split, cutter’s been really good, the slider’s been really good.

“But I’m really happy for him because he went through some rough times last year and he’s fought through it. That’s the sign of a competitor, a grown man.

“It’s tough and he hasn’t complained, he’s done everything we’ve asked. He’s been a true professional while he’s doing it. I love him because you know that he’s going to prepare and you know nothing is going to scare him. He’s going to compete through thick and thin.”

Marsh sits

In the ever-changing world that is the outfield for the Phillies, Brandon Marsh was the odd-man out on Wednesday against the Mets’ right-handed rookie Nolan McLean.

“I’ve liked Casty’s (Nick Castellanos) at-bats the last couple of weeks,” Thomson said. “Marsh is in a little bit of a tailspin and (Harrison) Bader’s been hot, (Max) Kepler’s had good at-bats. Just give him the night. He’ll be back in there tomorrow.”

It’s another part of the continued platooning that has become the norm for Thomson. And changing things doesn’t seem to be in the plan anytime soon.

“A little bit of that (hot player), a little bit of history, a little bit of the pitcher’s stuff versus Casty hits velocity for the most part,” Thomson said. “So, it’s a combination of a lot of things, really. I’d like five guys hot. That’s what I’d like.”

In McLean, the Phillies are facing him for the first time. In his two games, he’s won both and allowed just six hits and two earned runs in 12 1/3 innings.

“He can really spin it,” Thomson said. “He’s got carry to his fastball. It’s heavy, he can spin it. For the most part he can throw strikes, but you still have to be patient with him. Yeah, he’s got good stuff. It’s tough because you can do all the film and all the machine work, you can set up his breaking ball to how it’s going to look in the game. But until you get out there, you really don’t know.”

Romano speaks

It was announced Tuesday that relief pitcher Jordan Romano was being placed on the injured list because of right middle finger inflammation. This came a day after he got tagged for four earned runs in an inning of work in a 13-3 loss Monday.

“This just popped up a few days ago,” Romano said. “It’s my middle finger. When I woke up (Monday) it was numb for a little bit, like four or five hours. We got it going, worked on it to where I felt comfortable throwing at least. Then after the game just feeling a little off a bit the next morning, too. Shut it down, run some tests on it, make sure everything’s good.”

Romano has struggled most of the season, posting an 8.23 ERA in 42 2/3 innings pitched this season. After three stellar seasons with Toronto, in which he made two All-Star teams, Romano made just 15 appearances last season and had arthroscopic surgery on his throwing elbow.

“My last pitch that inning was 97, so it’s kind of frustrating to me, too,” he said. “I know it’s in there. It could be a delivery thing, health thing. So, we’re just kind of running through it and then see how it goes throwing and hopefully be able to be consistent again.

“For sure more motivated to pitch. Just missing time absolutely sucks, I just wanted to be available, at least. Obviously, I wasn’t pitching well, but if there’s one thing I can do is at least be available. A little more motivation to pitch.”

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What Justin Slaten's return could mean for dominant back end of Red Sox' bullpen

What Justin Slaten's return could mean for dominant back end of Red Sox' bullpen originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Justin Slaten is ready to pitch for the Boston Red Sox. As a result, the team may just have the best back end of any bullpen in the American League.

Of course, with closer Aroldis Chapman having the best season of his career, the most important part of that equation has been in place for the whole year. Yet with Garrett Whitlock turning a corner this summer (to the tune of a 0.87 ERA and 0.823 WHIP since June 29), an effective Slaten could give the Red Sox a 1-2-3 punch that will be relied upon to lock down the most important wins of the season.

That may be a lot to put on the (recovering) right arm of Slaten, but the 27-year-old has certainly displayed the stuff that would lead to such proclamations being made.

Slaten will be activated from the injured list on either Wednesday or Thursday in Baltimore, manager Alex Cora told reporters, according to The Boston Globe’s Tim Healey. Slaten spent all of June and July and most of August on the IL due to a nerve issue in his neck and shoulder. He made three rehab appearances with Triple-A Worcester, pitching three innings of relief while allowing just one unearned run on one hit and one walk while striking out five of the 12 batters he faced.

Prior to the injury, Slaten made 24 appearances out of the Boston bullpen this season. Though his 3.47 ERA was higher than his 2.93 ERA from his rookie season, he did have a 0.900 WHIP, having allowed 14 hits and seven walks in his 23.1 innings of work.

Provided Slaten pitches as well as he’s capable of pitching, his value should come through particularly on nights when Whitlock — or Chapman — is unavailable. Slaten, who’s gone more than one inning in 20 of his 68 career appearances, also can be the lone bridge from the starter to Whitlock when needed.

Chapman’s season, his first in Boston, has been well-chronicled. But the absurdity of his numbers has only grown as the season has gone on. He hasn’t allowed a hit or a run since July 23. He’s allowed one earned run since May 28. On Fangraphs, his 2.1 WAR is the second-highest for a reliever in all of baseball, just behind Adrian Morejon at 2.2. Baseball Savant has him in the 100th percentile for xERA and xBA, and in the 99th percentile for whiff rate and K rate.

At 37 years old, Chapman is maintaining a 1.07 ERA. His career-best ERA in any full season was 1.51, all the way back in 2012. He hasn’t posted an ERA under 2.00 since 2016.

Whitlock hasn’t been quite as dominant … but he’s been close. His 1.7 WAR on Fangraphs has him ranked eighth among MLB relievers this year. He’s allowed one earned run since July 6. After blowing four saves between April 30 and May 13, he’s blown zero, picking up 17 holds and a win since June.

Obviously, the eighth and the ninth innings are easy decisions for manager Alex Cora.

In the innings prior, though, Cora has turned to a variety of arms in late-and-close situations — Greg Weissert, Justin Wilson, Jordan Hicks, Brennan Bernardino and deadline addition Steven Matz chief among them — to varying degrees of success.

With the highest-stress games now coming in September and October, Slaten now figures to be Cora’s top option.

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Dodgers’ Alex Vesia sidelined with oblique strain; Blake Snell returns from paternity list

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers reliever Alex Vesia went on the injured list with a right oblique strain.

The move was retroactive to Aug. 23.

Vesia is 3-2 with a 2.75 ERA in 59 appearances this season.

“I felt it a couple days ago,” he said. “There was no pull or grab or anything that like made me concerned.”

Vesia said he’s confident the two-week IL stint will take care of it, as well as give him a breather before the stretch run begins.

“The rest is a good thing,” he said.

The Dodgers reinstated right-hander Blake Snell, who will make his next scheduled start against Arizona. He was on the paternity list after his wife gave birth to their second child. Snell is 3-2 with a 1.97 ERA in six starts this season.

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Struggling reliever Ryan Helsley booed off Citi Field mound after latest meltdown with Mets

NEW YORK — Ryan Helsley is having one heck of a time adjusting to his new role in the big city.

And he’s hearing it from New York fans, too.

Acquired by the Mets in a late July trade to give them a lights-out tandem at the back of the bullpen, Helsley endured his latest meltdown when he coughed up a two-run lead in the eighth inning against rival Philadelphia.

The struggling reliever issued a one-out walk to Nick Castellanos and then served up a two-run homer to former St. Louis teammate Harrison Bader that tied the score at 5. After a walk to pinch-hitter Bryson Stott, the right-hander was booed off the Citi Field mound by a crowd of 41,914.

All-Star closer Edwin Díaz rescued Helsley by retiring the next five Phillies batters — four on strikeouts. New York recovered to win 6-5 on Brandon Nimmo’s game-ending RBI single in the ninth, but Helsley’s troubles are a major concern as the Mets fight for a playoff spot with 30 games remaining this season.

“I’ve been through that,” Díaz said. “My advice to him is just play with your head up. We trust him. We know what (kind of) pitcher he is. He’s one of the best closers in the game. He’s going through some bad moments right now but we trust in him.”

A two-time All-Star closer for the Cardinals, Helsley has completely flopped as Díaz’s setup man with the Mets. He is 0-3 with a 10.38 ERA and four blown saves in 11 appearances since coming over from St. Louis in exchange for three minor leaguers on July 30. He has given up 14 runs (10 earned), 13 hits and seven walks in 8 2/3 innings.

Those numbers are difficult to fathom, considering Helsley normally pairs his 100 mph fastball with a sharp slider. But he’s hung his breaking ball too often since arriving in New York, and opposing hitters have made him pay.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza intimated Helsley could be tipping his pitches.

“We’ve just got to get Helsley right. Too good of stuff for them to be taking some really good swings on fastballs, really good takes on the sliders. So we’ve got to look back and see what we’re missing,” Mendoza said. “Because for those teams to have comfortable at-bats like that, something’s going on there and we have to figure it out.”

The 31-year-old Helsley, born in Oklahoma, enters games to “Hells Bells” by AC/DC and can become a free agent after the World Series. He was 3-1 with a 3.00 ERA and 21 saves in 36 outings with the Cardinals this season, racking up 41 strikeouts in 36 innings.

That after he led the majors with 49 saves last year, when he finished 7-4 with a 2.04 ERA and won the Trevor Hoffman National League Reliever of the Year Award.

But since joining the Mets, he’s been a mess on the mound.

“There’s an adjustment period coming to a new team,” Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said before the game.

“We’re asking him to take on a new role. That’s certainly been well documented. When you don’t have results immediately, it’s natural to press a little bit, and what we’re trying to do is help him exhale a little bit, take a deep breath. The stuff is still there. He’s been good in this league for a long time, he’s going to be good again.”

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Reds at Dodgers Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for August 27

It's Wednesday, August 27 and the Reds (68-64) are in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers (75-57). Nick Lodolo is slated to take the mound for Cincinnati against Shohei Ohtani for Los Angeles.

The Dodgers are winners in three straight games, while the Reds are now 1-6 over the past seven games. Los Angeles goes for the sweep after 7-0 and 6-3 victories over Cincy. The Dodgers moved to 4-1 over the Reds this year and continued their climb toward the NL West crown.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Reds at Dodgers

  • Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2025
  • Time: 8:40PM EST
  • Site: Dodger Stadium
  • City: Los Angeles, CA
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNOH, SNLA

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Reds at the Dodgers

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Reds (+174), Dodgers (-207)
  • Spread:  Dodgers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Dodgers

  • Pitching matchup for August 27, 2025: Nick Lodolo vs. Shohei Ohtani
    • Reds: Nick Lodolo, (8-6, 3.05 ERA)
      Last outing: 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 0 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 1 Strikeouts
    • Dodgers: Shohei Ohtani, (0-1, 4.61 ERA)
      Last outing: 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 0 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Reds at Dodgers

  • Los Angeles is 4-1 versus Cincinnati
  • The Dodgers are 3-0 in the last 3 games
  • The Reds are 1-5 in the last 6 games
  • Betting the Dodgers on the Money Line is up 1.51 units with Clayton Kershaw as the home opener
  • In his last 5 starts on the mound the Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw has an ERA of 2.99

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 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 Reds and the Dodgers:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Los Angeles Dodgers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cincinnati Reds 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:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
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Padres at Mariners Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for August 27

It's Wednesday, August 27 and the Padres (74-58) are in Seattle to take on the Mariners (71-61). Yu Darvish is slated to take the mound for San Diego against Bryan Woo for Seattle.

The Padres took a thrilling 7-6 victory over the Mariners with a three-homer game. Seattle is 3-2 over the past five games, while San Diego is 6-2 in the previous eight contests. With San Diego's win, Seattle is now 4-1 versus the Padres this season.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Padres at Mariners

  • Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2025
  • Time: 4:10PM EST
  • Site: T-Mobile Park
  • City: Seattle, WA
  • Network/Streaming: SDPA, RSNW, MLBN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Padres at the Mariners

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Padres (+114), Mariners (-135)
  • Spread:  Mariners -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Mariners

  • Pitching matchup for August 27, 2025: Yu Darvish vs. Bryan Woo
    • Padres: Yu Darvish, (3-3, 5.36 ERA)
      Last outing: 1.50 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 1 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
    • Mariners: Bryan Woo, (11-7, 2.94 ERA)
      Last outing: 1.29 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 1 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Padres at Mariners

  • Seattle is 4-1 versus San Diego this season
  • San Diego is 6-2 in the last 8 games
  • Seattle is 3-7 in the last 10 games
  • The Mariners have lost 4 of their last 5 games against teams with winning records
  • The Over is 12-8 in the Mariners' and the Padres' last 10 games combined
  • The Padres have failed to cover in their last 5 games against the Mariners

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 Mariners

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 Wednesday’s game between the Padres and the Mariners:

  • 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 .
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of .

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:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
Posted on

Royals at White Sox Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for August 27

Its Wednesday, August 27 and the Royals (67-65) are in Chicago to take on the White Sox (48-83). Ryan Bergert is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Aaron Civale for Chicago.

The Royals evened up the series at one apiece after winning 5-4 on Tuesday. Kansas City moved to 8-4 on the season versus Chicago and 8-4 over the last 12 games overall, so they are clearly the warmer team. Chicago had its three-game winning streak snapped with the loss yesterday, but 4-4 in the previous eight contests.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Royals at White Sox

  • Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2025
  • Time: 7:40PM EST
  • Site: Rate Field
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNKC, CHSN

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 Royals at the White Sox

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Royals (-122), White Sox (+102)
  • Spread:  Royals -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Royals at White Sox

  • Pitching matchup for August 27, 2025: Ryan Bergert vs. Aaron Civale
    • Royals: Ryan Bergert, (1-1, 2.78 ERA)
      Last outing: 3.18 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
    • White Sox: Aaron Civale, (3-8, 4.91 ERA)
      Last outing: 7.20 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at White Sox

  • Kansas City is 8-4 versus Chicago this year
  • Kansas City is 8-4 over the last 12 games
  • Chicago is 4-8 over the last 12 games
  • The Royals have won 7 of their last 10 games against teams with losing records
  • The Royals' last 4 versus the White Sox have stayed under the Total
  • The White Sox are up 1.62 units on the Run Line in their last 5 at home

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 Royals and the White 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 Wednesday’s game between the Royals and the White Sox:

  • 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 Kansas City Royals at .
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of .

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:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
Posted on

Pirates at Cardinals Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, stats for August 27

It's Wednesday, August 27 and the Pirates (57-75) are in St. Louis to take on the Cardinals (65-67). Braxton Ashcraft is slated to take the mound for Pittsburgh against Sonny Gray for St. Louis.

The Pirates routed the Cardinals, 8-3, after leading 5-0 in the first inning. Pittsburgh is now 6-5 versus St. Louis this season and an impressive 5-1 over the last six games. The Cardinals on the other hand are 4-9 over the past 13 games and continue to struggle as they dropped below .500 last week.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Pirates at Cardinals

  • Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2025
  • Time: 7:45PM EST
  • Site: Busch Stadium
  • City: St. Louis, MO
  • Network/Streaming: SNP, FDSNMW, FS1

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 Pirates at the Cardinals

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Pirates (+145), Cardinals (-176)
  • Spread:  Cardinals -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Pirates at Cardinals

  • Pitching matchup for August 27, 2025: Braxton Ashcraft vs. Sonny Gray
    • Pirates: Braxton Ashcraft, (4-2, 2.70 ERA)
      Last outing: 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 1 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
    • Cardinals: Sonny Gray, (12-6, 4.34 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.40 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Pirates at Cardinals

  • Pittsburgh is 6-5 versus St. Louis this season
  • Pittsburgh is 5-1 in the last 6 games
  • The Cardinals are 4-9 over the last 13 games
  • The Pirates have won 4 of their last 5 games against teams with losing records
  • The Over is 4-1 in the Cardinals' last 5 matchups against National League teams
  • The Cardinals have failed to cover the Run Line in 4 of their last 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 Pirates and the Cardinals

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 Wednesday’s game between the Pirates and the Cardinals:

  • 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 Pittsburgh Pirates at .
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of .

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:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
Posted on

Diamondbacks at Brewers Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for August 27

It's Wednesday, August 27 and the Diamondbacks (64-68) are in Milwaukee to take on the Brewers (82-50). Ryne Nelson is slated to take the mound for Arizona against Quinn Priester for Milwaukee.

The Brewers have taken the first two games of the series, 7-5 and 9-8, so Milwaukee has the chance to sweep the DBacks. Arizona has dropped three consecutive outings and are 4-7 over the past 11 outings. Milwaukee also took the lead on season series, 3-2, with yesterday's win.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Diamondbacks at Brewers

  • Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2025
  • Time: 7:40PM EST
  • Site: American Family Field
  • City: Milwaukee, WI
  • Network/Streaming: ARID, FDSNWI

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 Diamondbacks at the Brewers

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Diamondbacks (+128), Brewers (-152)
  • Spread:  Brewers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Diamondbacks at Brewers

  • Pitching matchup for August 27, 2025: Ryne Nelson vs. Quinn Priester
    • Diamondbacks: Ryne Nelson, (6-3, 3.63 ERA)
      Last outing: 4.50 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
    • Brewers: Quinn Priester, (11-2, 3.44 ERA)
      Last outing: 2.08 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 5 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Diamondbacks at Brewers

  • Milwaukee is 5-5 in the last 10 games
  • Arizona is 0-3 in the last 3 games
  • The Brewers are 9-2 in their last 10 home games
  • The Diamondbacks have failed to cover the Run Line in 4 straight 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 Diamondbacks and the Brewers

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 Wednesday’s game between the Diamondbacks and the Brewers:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Milwaukee Brewers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Arizona Diamondbacks at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play 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:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
Posted on

Tigers at Athletics Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, stats for August 27

It's Wednesday, August 27 and the Tigers (78-55) are in Sacramento to take on the Athletics (61-72). Casey Mize is slated to take the mound for Detroit against Luis Morales for the A's.

The Athletics won the first two games of the series over the Tigers and go for the sweep on Wednesday. Detroit is 0-3 in the past three games, while the A's are starting to streak with three wins over the previous four contests. The A's are 3-2 versus the Tigers this season.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Tigers at Athletics

  • Date: Wednesday, August 27, 2025
  • Time: 10:05PM EST
  • Site: Sutter Health Park
  • City: Sacramento, CA
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNDT, NBCSCA

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 Tigers at the Athletics

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Tigers (-130), Athletics (+110)
  • Spread:  Tigers -1.5
  • Total: 10.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at Athletics

  • Pitching matchup for August 27, 2025: Casey Mize vs. Luis Morales
    • Tigers: Casey Mize, (12-4, 3.68 ERA)
      Last outing: 4.77 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 9 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 0 Strikeouts
    • Athletics: Luis Morales, (1-0, 1.72 ERA)
      Last outing: 1.50 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Tigers at Athletics

  • The A's are 3-2 versus the Tigers this year
  • Detroit is 0-3 in the last 3 games
  • The Athletics are 3-1 in the past 4 games and 6-2 in the previous 8
  • The Tigers are 9-4 in the last 13 games
  • The Over is 7-3 in the Tigers' and the Athletics' last 5 games combined
  • The Athletics have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 3.11 units

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Tigers and the Athletics

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 Wednesday’s game between the Tigers and the Athletics:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Detroit Tigers 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 under on the Game Total of 10.0.

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:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
Posted on

Mets' Jesse Winker starts rehab assignment with Low-A St. Lucie

Jesse Winker appears to be on the mend. 

The Mets' outfielder/designated hitter is set to kick off a rehab assignment on Wednesday afternoon, batting second and serving as the DH for the Low-A St. Lucie squad. 

Jose Siri is also in the lineup as he starts a rehab assignment of his own, leading off and playing center.

Carlos Mendoza revealed that Siri would be joining the minor league squad earlier this week, but he said that the team was playing things slow with Winker. 

The 32-year-old's presence in the lineup just a few days later is certainly a pleasant surprise. 

Winker originally missed time in early May due to an oblique injury. 

His return lasted just three at-bats before his back became an issue, ultimately landing him back on the IL.

He has now been sidelined for over a month and a half, so he could potentially require a lengthy rehab assignment before making his way back to the big league club. 

When he is ready to return, Winker will slide back into the mix at DH and provide a lefty bat off the bench. 

Prior to his injuries, he had eight extra base-hits and a .709 OPS across 26 at-bats.