Its Monday, July 7 and the Guardians (40-48) are in Houston to open a series agaist the Astros (55-35).
Tanner Bibee is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Colton Gordon for Houston.
The Guardians have lost their last ten games. This past weekend they were swept by the Tigers. Cleveland is now 15.5 games behind Detroit and seven games back in the Wildcard race.
The Astros swept the Dodgers at Chavez Ravine over the weekend. They have now won five of their last six to maintain control of the American League West. Sunday, Jose Altuve went yard, and Ryan Gusto allowed just one run over six innings to earn his sixth win of the season.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Guardians at Astros
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025
Time: 8:10PM EST
Site: Minute Maid Park
City: Houston, TX
Network/Streaming: CLEG, SCHN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Guardians at the Astros
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Guardians (+136), Astros (-162)
Spread: Astros -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Astros
Pitching matchup for July 7, 2025: Tanner Bibee vs. Colton Gordon
Guardians: Tanner Bibee (4-9, 4.20 ERA) Last outing: 7/2 at Cubs - 4IP, 5ER, 6H, 4BB, 5Ks
Astros: Colton Gordon (3-1, 4.37 ERA) Last outing: 7/1 at Colorado - 4.2IP, 4ER, 9H, 2BB, 3Ks
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Guardians at Astros
The Astros have won 4 of their last 5 home series against the Guardians
The Under is 4-1 in the Guardians' last 5 road games
The Guardians have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 1.53 units
After hitting .221 in June, Christian Walker is hitting .429 (12-28) through 6 games in July
Jose Altuve has hit in 5 straight games (10-20)
Rookie Cam Smith was 0-5 Sunday but is 11-30 (.367) overall in July
Jose Ramirez is 3-22 (.136) through six games in July
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Guardians and the Astros
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Guardians and the Astros:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Houston Astros on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Houston Astros at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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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It's Monday, July 7 and the Pirates (38-53) are in Kansas City to take on the Royals (43-48). Andrew Heaney is slated to take the mound for Pittsburgh against Noah Cameron for Kansas City.
The Pirates were riding a season-long six-game winning streak then went out and got swept by the Mets, losing by a combined score of 8-0 across three games. After scoring 43 runs in six games — Pittsburgh went scoreless over the last three.
The Royals are coming off a series where they won two out of three against the Diamondbacks. The Royals are 4-2 in the last six games and 5-4 over the past nine after losing six consecutive outings.
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.
Odds for the Pirates at the Royals
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Pirates (+130), Royals (-156)
Spread: Royals -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Game details & how to watch Pirates at Royals
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025
Time: 7:40PM EST
Site: Kauffman Stadium
City: Kansas City, MO
Network/Streaming: SNP, FDSNKC
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.
Probable starting pitchers for Pirates at Royals
Pitching matchup for July 7, 2025: Andrew Heaney vs. Noah Cameron
Pirates: Andrew Heaney, (4-7, 4.16 ERA) Last outing: 6.2 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, 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!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Pirates and the Royals
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Pirates and the Royals:
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 +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Pirates at Royals
Pittsburgh is 6-10 when Heaney pitches this season
Kansas City is 2-8 when Cameron pitches this season and lost six straight
The Pirates are on a 3-game win streak at the Royals
The Under is 5-0 in the Pirates' last 5 games
The Pirates have failed to cover the Run Line in 3 straight matchups against the Royals
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!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
It's Monday, July 7 and the Dodgers (56-35) are in Milwaukee to take on the Brewers (50-40). Yoshinobu Yamamoto is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Freddy Peralta for Milwaukee.
Los Angeles is coming off a three-game reverse sweep against Houston. The Dodgers were outscored 29-6 in the three games to break up Los Angeles' 8-1 stretch they were on.
Milwaukee is 3-3 to start July and coming off a series against Miami where the Brewers took two out of three. The Brewers host the Dodgers and Nationals before the All-Star break.
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.
Odds for the Dodgers at the Brewers
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Dodgers (-142), Brewers (+119)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Brewers
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025
Time: 7:40PM EST
Site: American Family Field
City: Milwaukee, WI
Network/Streaming: SNLA, 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.
Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Brewers
Pitching matchup for July 7, 2025: Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Freddy Peralta
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!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Dodgers 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 Monday’s game between the Dodgers and the Brewers:
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 Milwaukee Brewers 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.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Dodgers at Brewers
Los Angeles is 10-7 when Yamamoto pitches this season and 2-0 in the last two
The Brewers hold a winning record at American Family Field this season with Freddy Peralta as the opener (7-1)
The Brewers' last 3 games have gone over the Total when Freddy Peralta takes the mound
With Freddy Peralta as the starter the Brewers have covered in 3 straight games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
A reminder: This is ONLY players who have Rookie of the Year MLB eligibility, and ONLY a look at potential help for 2025.
That out of the way, here’s a look at the top prospects who can help your fantasy roster this season.
1. Jordan Lawlar, 2B, Arizona Diamondbacks
2025 stats: 53 G, .319/.410/.583, 10 HR, 18 SB, 30 BB, 60 SO at Triple-A Reno; 8 G .000/.175/.000, 0 SB, 3 BB, 9 SO at Arizona.
Well, now it gets tricky. There’s no prospect who appears to be on the cusp in the minors -- we had a nice run where we got to cheat at the top spot because of an imminent promotion for four straight weeks -- and while Lawlar is the most talented prospect at the Triple-A level, he’s now on the injured list with a hamstring strain. I’m still rolling with Lawlar as my top guy, because if he does get a chance to play sometime after the All-Star break, he’s the prospect who has the best chance to fill five different categories. All that’s been announced so far is that the former sixth-overall pick is going to miss “weeks,” so even if that debut doesn’t come until August, I’ll take him over any prospect right now. Call me crazy.
2. Samuel Basallo, C/1B, Baltimore Orioles
2025 stats: 57 G, .253/.372/.547, 16 HR, 0 SB, 36 BB, 51 SO at Triple-A Norfolk.
Frustrating. Even with the Orioles catching depth dwindling by the minute, Baltimore has decided to roll with Jacob Stallings and Alex Jackson behind the plate rather than call up their top hitting prospect who has put up those numbers in Triple-A. Clearly Baltimore is playing the long game with the backstop/first baseman, and maybe if the Orioles were in playoff contention they’d be singing a different tune. I still have to have Basallo second on this list because there’s no player in Triple-A outside of Lawlar who offers more fantasy upside; especially when you consider his positional value. If Baltimore changes their mind, fantasy managers should rush to add Basallo as well.
3. Harry Ford, C, Seattle Mariners
2025 stats: 66 G, .308/.425/.470, 9 HR, 4 SB, 49 BB, 52 SO at Triple-A Tacoma.
Ford continues to get on base at an impressive rate, and continues to do so while getting plenty of hits and drawing plenty of walks. Meanwhile, Mitch Garver has started to swing the bat better and has been solid behind the plate (note: imagine me telling you Garver was going to become a defense-first backup catcher when the Mariners signed to his two-year, $24 million deal), but it’s hard to imagine that Garver makes the Mariners better than Ford would, and there’d be plenty of ways to get him in the lineup assuming Jorge Polanco starts playing in the field on a more consistent basis. There’s a little more risk with Ford in 2025, but there’s reward because of his catcher-eligibility as well.
4. C.J. Kayfus, OF/1B, Cleveland Guardians
2025 stats: 73, .313/.406/.563, 12 HR, 4 SB, 39 BB, 81 SO at Double-A Akron and Triple-A Columbus.
We got a newbie. Welcome, C.J. Kayfus was a 2023 third-round selection who has done nothing but hit at every level, and that includes the International League where he’s slashing .297/.382/.554 with 11 homers over 55 games with Columbus. He’s a left-handed hitter who can hit for both average and power, and he’s shown the ability to produce against both right and left-handed hurlers. Right now he’s playing mostly at first base, and that’s one position the Guardians seem to not need room. He’s a good enough athlete to handle the corner outfield, however, and it’s pretty easy to see him being a solid fantasy option if/when Cleveland gave him that opportunity. He’s not getting nearly enough attention in keeper leagues as well, so if that’s what you read these articles for, go get him.
5. JJ Wetherholt, INF, St. Louis Cardinals
2025 stats: 62 G, .300/.425/.466, 7 HR, 14 SB, 44 BB, 41 SO at Double-A Springfield.
We are officially deep enough in the season where it becomes “ok” to liste players that have a real chance to not make their debut in 2025. The best of those players, in my relatively humble estimation, is Wetherholt. The seventh pick of last year’s draft out of West Virginia, Wetherholt has plus speed, above-average power in a left-handed bat, and one of the best projected hit tools regardless of level. He’s alternated between playing shortstop and second base as of late, and it’d probably be the latter position if Wetherholt is going to break into the Cardinals’ everyday lineup. There are players with a higher ceiling than he possesses, but not many, and very few who have a higher (perceived) floor.
Around the minors:
I debated a few players for the fourth spot -- Wetherholt is probably going to remain in spot five until he receives a promotion to Triple-A or St. Louis -- and the one that just missed was Cubs outfield prospect Owen Caissie. Caissie went 3-for-5 during Sunday’s game for Triple-A Iowa, and he’s now slashing .280/.388/.556 with 16 homers over 70 games in the Pacific Coast League. The power being there is no surprise, but even with a considerable amount of swing-and-miss as seen in 93 strikeouts over 261 at-bats, his hit tool has a chance to be above-average because there’s so much loud contact. The problem for Caissie in 2025 is there’s just no room at the inn, but if a spot opened up -- or if he was to be traded in a blockbuster deal -- he’d be well worth an add in most fantasy formats.
We featured Ryan Johnson last week, but we have to do it again after the top pitching prospect in the Angels system had one of the best starts of any minor-league pitcher in 2025 for High-A Tri City on Saturday. He fired a complete game while allowing just one hit, and he was able to strike out 12 without issuing a walk. Johnson has now gone seven innings in his last four starts -- something you don’t see in the majors very often, much less the minors -- and allowed a total of four runs over 30 innings with a K/BB ratio of 32/4. Yes, Johnson wasn’t ready for the majors, but you see why Los Angeles was so excited about the 22-year-old’s potential. He has a chance to be a good one.
Speaking of players that are too good for their current levels. Dakota Jordan was selected in the fourth-round of the 2024 draft out of Mississippi State, but don’t let that round fool you; he was considered one of the best collegiate athletes in the class and the Giants paid him a bonus just under $2 million to procure his services. He’s spent all year with Low-A San Jose and is now slashing .303/.377/.454 with seven homers and 27 stolen bases over 75 games. It’s a little weird seeing a 22-year-old playing at that level, but it’s nice to see him excelling at it, at least. He’s a tremendous athlete who was a former three-star wide receiver recruit out of high school, and there’s the potential for considerable power in his right-handed bat as he fine tunes some things. Jordan should receive a challenge in High-A soon, but either way, he could be a solid option in fantasy leagues by the end of the decade.
The Rockies probably aren’t going to make the postseason it looks like (hold for laughter), but they do have a solid farm system, and one of the more underrated prospects in that system is left-hander Konner Eaton. Eaton was a sixth-round selection out of George Mason by the Rockies in 2024, and he’s forged a 3.31 ERA and 92/30 K/BB ratio over 84 1/3 innings in his professional season with High-A Spokane. He’s been even better than that lately, as his last two starts have seen him throw 13 shutout innings with 19 strikeouts against three walks. Eaton’s stuff is certainly good enough to play at the highest level with a plus slider and a mid 90s fastball that offers good movement, but the question has been if he can repeat his delivery well enough to throw consistent strikes. If the command is close to average he’s a starter -- potentially a mid-rotation one -- but if not, it’s easy to see Eaton being a potential high-leverage reliever. He’s a name to keep an eye on over the coming seasons.
Its Monday, July 7 and the Phillies (53-37) are in San Francisco to open a series against the Giants (49-42).
Cristopher Sánchez is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Landen Roupp for San Francisco.
The first-place Phillies have won two in a row. Yesterday, Zack Wheeler was all but untouchable throwing a complete game one-hitter in a 3-1 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Austin Hays solo blast in the fifth inning was the lone blemish on the scorecard for Wheeler. Bryson Stott (HR) and Kyle Schwarber (2B) drove in the Philly runs.
San Francisco took two of three over the weekend against the A's. Sunday, Willy Adames went yard and drove in three runs to pace the Giants to a 6-2 win. San Francisco has won four of their last five. They now sit seven games behind the Dodgers in the National League West.
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 Phillies at Giants
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025
Time: 9:45PM EST
Site: Oracle Park
City: San Francisco, CA
Network/Streaming: NBCSP, NBCSBA, 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 Phillies at the Giants
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Phillies (-136), Giants (+116)
Spread: Phillies -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Giants
Pitching matchup for July 7, 2025: Cristopher Sánchez vs. Landen Roupp
Phillies: Cristopher Sánchez (7-2, 2.68 ERA) Last outing: 7/2 vs. San Diego - 7IP, 1ER, 5H, 0BB, 5Ks
Giants: Landen Roupp (6-5, 3.48 ERA) Last outing: 7/2 at Arizona - 4IP, 2ER, 5H, 4BB, 4Ks
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 Phillies at Giants
The Phillies have won 4 of their last 5 games against NL West teams
10 of the Phillies' last 12 road games stayed under the Total
The Giants have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 2.30 units
In 19GP since arriving from Boston, Rafael Devers is hitting .239
Bryson Stott is 2-12 (.167) to start July
Alec Bohm has hit in 8 straight games (9-29)
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 Phillies and the Giants
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Phillies and the Giants:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia Phillies on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the San Francisco Giants at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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:
It's Monday, July 7 and the Marlins (40-48) are in Cincinnati to take on the Reds (46-44). Janson Junk is slated to take the mound for Miami against Brady Singer for Cincinnati.
After going on a season-long eight-game winning streak, the Marlins are 2-3 in the past five games and coming off a series where they lost two out of three to the Brewers. However, Miami travels to Cincinnati where who they beat two out three times earlier this season.
For the Reds, they've dropped two straight series and the past two games losing by a combined 8-2 to the Phillies. Cincinnati is 2-4 over the last six games, but hosts the Marlins in a four-game series before a three-game set with the Rockies before entering the All-Star break, which is an ideal setup.
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.
Odds for the Marlins at the Reds
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Marlins (+117), Reds (-140)
Spread: Reds -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Game details & how to watch Marlins at Reds
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Great American Ball Park
City: Cincinnati, OH
Network/Streaming: FDSNFL, FDSNOH
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.
Probable starting pitchers for Marlins at Reds
Pitching matchup for July 7, 2025: Janson Junk vs. Brady Singer
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!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Marlins and the Reds
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Marlins and the Reds:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cincinnati Reds on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Miami Marlins at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Marlins at Reds
Cincinnati is 9-8 when Singer pitches this season, including 0-3 in the past three
Miami is 4-4 this season when Junk pitches
The Reds have won 4 of their last 5 home games against National League teams
The Under is 30-19-3 in the Reds' matchups against National League teams this season
The Marlins have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 1.63 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!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
It's Monday, July 7 and the Rockies (21-69) are in Boston to take on the Red Sox (46-45). Austin Gomber is slated to take the mound for Colorado against Richard Fitts for Boston.
The Red Sox are coming off a three-game series sweep of the Nationals putting up 27 runs to Washington's 9. Boston is hot as they boast a 5-1 record over the last six games and 6-2 in the past eight.
Colorado is 3-4 over the last seven games, but 3-9 in the past 12, so some would say they have played better recently but a 2-1 series loss to the Chicago White Sox would say otherwise. This is the start of a six-game road trip for the Rockies before entering the All-Star break.
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.
Odds for the Rockies at the Red Sox
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Rockies (+194), Red Sox (-239)
Spread: Red Sox -1.5
Total: 10.0 runs
Game details & how to watch Rockies at Red Sox
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: COLR, NESN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Red Sox
Pitching matchup for July 7, 2025: Austin Gomber vs. Richard Fitts
Red Sox: Richard Fitts, (0-3, 4.50 ERA) Last outing: 3.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 1 Strikeout
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!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rockies and the Red Sox
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Rockies and the Red Sox:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Boston Red Sox on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Colorado Rockies 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.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies at Red Sox
The Red Sox have won 14 of their 24 matchups against National League teams this season
4 of the Rockies' last 5 road games stayed under the Total
Colorado is 1-3 in Gomber's four starts and lost the previous three
Boston is 1-6 when Fitts pitches this season but coming off a 5-3 win over the Reds in his previous outing
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!
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It's Monday, July 7 and the Rays (49-41) are in Detroit to take on the Tigers (57-34). Shane Baz is slated to take the mound for Tampa Bay against Jack Flaherty and Detroit.
Detroit is coming off a three-game sweep of Cleveland where they outscored the Guardians, 10-3. Tampa Bay is coming off a 7-5 extra innings win over Minnesota, but lost the series 2-1 to the Twins, and the last three series for that matter. However, the Rays took two out of three games in Tampa Bay earlier this season versus the Tigers.
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.
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Odds for the Rays at the Tigers
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Rays (-136), Tigers (+116)
Spread: Rays -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Game details & how to watch Rays at Tigers
Date: Monday, July 7, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: Comerica Park
City: Detroit, MI
Network/Streaming: FDSNSUN, FDSNDT, 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.
Probable starting pitchers for Rays at Tigers
Pitching matchup for July 7, 2025: Shane Baz vs. Jack Flaherty
Tigers: Jack Flaherty (5-9, 4.84 ERA) Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 9 Strikeouts
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rays 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 Rays and the Tigers:
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 Detroit Tigers at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rays at Tigers
Tampa Bay is 2-1 versus Detroit this season
Tampa Bay is 8-1 in the last nine starts for Baz
Detroit is 0-4 in Flaherty's last four starts
The Tigers have won 4 of their last 5 home series
Each of the last 3 matchups between the Tigers and the Rays have gone over the Total
The Rays have covered in 4 of their last 5 on the road, profiting 1.03 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!
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Janet Marie Smith, the Dodgers' executive vice president of planning and development, was part of a team that conceived and executed the redesign of the hallway leading to the Dodgers clubhouse. It's an ode to the iconic LAX mosaic murals installed in 1961. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
What would a baseball team in Los Angeles want from a retired artist and designer in New York?
Janet Bennett wasn’t sure.
Generations of Angelenos are familiar with her signature project. You probably have walked right past it. Those colorful tile mosaics that decorate the long corridors toward baggage claim in five terminals at Los Angeles International Airport? She designed them.
You might have memorized the trivia: When you passed the red tiles, you were halfway down the corridor. “Red means halfway” was shorthand for locals in the know, just like “E Ticket” or “the #19 sandwich.”
“It just says L.A. in so many ways,” said Janet Marie Smith, the Dodgers’ executive vice president of planning and development.
For the clubhouse walkway, Dodgers executive vice president of planning and development Janet Marie Smith and architect Brenda Levin opted for multiple shades of blue tiles. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers wanted to get in touch with Bennett because they were about to install a similar tile wall at Dodger Stadium. Smith could not find Bennett, but she reached out to someone who had liked an article about Bennett that had been posted on LinkedIn. Same last name, same spelling. Smith crossed her fingers.
Turned out to be a relative of Bennett. The Dodgers sent some sketches of their project and asked Bennett for her thoughts.
“I was a little disappointed I didn’t work the project,” Bennett said over the telephone, chuckling, “but I don’t think I could have done it at this stage.”
"Once we got tile in our head, how could you not think of the LAX walls?" said Janet Marie Smith, the Dodgers' executive vice president of planning and development. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Bennett is 96, happily living one block from Central Park. The LAX project was completed in 1961 — the year before Dodger Stadium opened.
What the Dodgers really were offering was the recognition denied to Bennett six decades ago.
“I realized they just wanted my blessing,” Bennett said. “They wanted the connection. And that was very satisfying.”
And, yes, she had some thoughts for the Dodgers. She wrote them a letter by hand, the old-fashioned way. The letter got lost in the old-fashioned mail, but Bennett’s daughter had thought to take a picture of the letter, and she sent it to the Dodgers via email.
Bennett’s advice for the colors of the tiles?
“Don’t limit it,” she wrote, “to the Dodger blue.”
On game days, Dodgers players take an elevator to the lowest level of Dodger Stadium. As they exit, they look to their right to see the Dodgers’ World Series championship trophies and most valuable player awards, to their left to see the Gold Glove awards.
When they turn toward the clubhouse, they see Cy Young and Silver Slugger and manager of the year awards on the right, rookie of the year awards and then the Dodgers’ retired numbers on the left.
“It’s meant to be uplifting and motivating, and a reminder to everyone — our players included, who take that path — of what a storied franchise this is,” Smith said.
The fans in the fanciest seats, the ones you see on television right behind home plate, can take that path too — but only until they reach the double doors, the ones with “DODGERS CLUBHOUSE” painted above them.
Pass through those doors, and you used to see a gray wall decorated with signage pulled from storage — signs from events held at Dodger Stadium long ago, and others commemorating milestone seasons. As part of the clubhouse renovations last winter, Smith and her team imagined how to freshen up that walkway.
“We wanted to try to get it out of its funk of just being a concrete wall,” she said. “And, once we got tile in our head, how could you not think of the LAX walls?”
Tile mosaic wall designs line departure halls in various LAX terminals. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers’ clubhouse features a tile wall “in the hydrotherapy area,” Smith said. The tiles there are all Dodger blue.
For the clubhouse walkway, Smith and architect Brenda Levin opted for multiple shades of blue tiles, interspersed with white tiles — a decision reinforced when they received Bennett’s suggestion to go beyond Dodger blue. The wall includes more than 714,000 individual tiles, Smith said.
“I think they did an excellent job,” Bennett said. “They got the rhythm of vertical stripes, which has a very athletic look.”
To Smith, a fierce advocate of sports venues reflecting their host cities, the tile wall reflects home.
“In many ways, that is a symbol: not just of L.A., but of ‘Welcome to L.A.’ ” she said. “That felt right to us.
“It’s not screaming at you. But, if you know, you know. We’ve always wanted that area to feel like a ‘Welcome to L.A.’ to our players.”
If you know, you know, but the players may not know. Dave Roberts, the Dodgers’ manager, said he did not know the story behind the wall until Smith explained it to him.
“It’s a great little touch,” Roberts said.
Smith said players and team executives have asked about the wall. Many of them did not know about the LAX walls, but she understood why.
“They don’t fly commercial,” she said.
If you merit an obituary in the newspaper, the first sentence generally includes your claim to fame. In 2007, The Times published an obituary with this first sentence: “Charles D. Kratka, an interior designer and graphic artist whose Modernist projects included the mosaic walls in tunnels at Los Angeles International Airport, has died.”
Said Bennett: “I just about freaked out.”
After Bennett had finished the LAX mosaics, she left town. By the time the airport unveiled them, she said, she was in Latin America. Until she saw that Times obituary, it had not occurred to her that anyone else might have gotten the credit for the LAX project.
In the obituary, the airport historian credited Kratka with the design, and so did the director of volunteers at the airport museum. In 2017, so did an official LAX document: “Completed in 1961, Charles Kratka’s mosaic murals have become iconic symbols of Los Angeles International Airport.”
At the start of the Jet Age, when airplane travel was a glamorous affair and even passengers in the cheaper seats enjoyed in-flight meals served with silverware, Bennett said the murals were designed to evoke the wonder of a cross-country trip: blue for the ocean at each end of the corridor, and in between green for the forests, and yellows, oranges and browns for farmland, prairies and deserts.
Tile mosaic wall designs line departure halls in various LAX terminals. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Bennett freely admits that Kratka was involved in the project. The city hired Pereira and Luckman as architects for the LAX expansion, and Kratka was the firm’s head of interior design.
“He was my boss,” Bennett said.
Bennett said the mosaic design was hers, although she said she did not recall whether she had chosen to use glass for the tiles.
“Everything from that point on was mine,” she said.
Bennett and her family have pushed for LAX to recognize her as the designer. Airport officials acknowledge Bennett’s participation in the project but, amid a search for records from six decades ago and without Kratka to provide his version of events, they believe a conclusive determination would be difficult. And, back in the day, credit was more commonly attributed to a firm rather than to an individual designer.
When I asked for a statement saying whom LAX currently credits with the design, an airport spokeswoman said, “LAX has no official comment.”
At LAX, there is no sign crediting anyone — not Bennett, not Kratka, not Pereira and Luckman, not anyone else — for the murals. However, the Dodgers have given Bennett her due at Dodger Stadium, on a sign directly across from their tile wall.
“This mosaic wall draws inspiration from architect Janet Bennett’s iconic mosaic murals at Los Angeles International Airport,” the text begins, “that transformed a transit space into a work of art.”
Editor’s Note: Alex Pavlovic’s new book “The Franchise: San Francisco Giants: A Curated History of the Orange and Black,” hits bookshelves Tuesday, July 8. The following is an excerpt regarding the team’s pursuit of Bryce Harper during the 2018-19 offseason. You can purchase the book HERE.
For all of the attention that was paid to the Jon Lester chase (in 2014), the Giants never really felt he was coming to San Francisco. Larry Baer, Brian Sabean, Bobby Evans and Bruce Bochy flew to Atlanta to meet with Lester and Buster Posey, who lived a few miles away, but it was pretty apparent that he would choose the Cubs. As they walked out of the meeting, Bochy, as good a judge of body language as anyone in the sport, turned to the others and said Lester wasn’t coming to San Francisco.
Lester was high-profile, but over the years, the Giants had fallen just short on plenty of others, from Pudge Rodriguez to Zack Greinke. The first pursuit of Shohei Ohtani was a long shot, but the Giants did their best to stand out. Trainer Dave Groeschner laid out a plan for the Japanese superstar to pitch every six days and play the outfield. Bochy added a personal touch by learning some Japanese from bullpen catcher Taira Uematsu. But the Giants could tell that Ohtani didn’t love their plan to use him in the outfield, and he chose to play in Anaheim, where he could be a designated hitter.
The other target that offseason, Giancarlo Stanton, was also best suited to DH, but back then, he was an outfielder and the reigning NL MVP. The sides agreed to a deal that would send Stanton to San Francisco in exchange for Denard Span and minor leaguers Jacob Gonzalez and Andrew Suarez, with the Marlins potentially sending about $40 million over the next decade to help offset some of the $295 million left on his deal. But a week after meeting with the Giants at a hotel in Los Angeles, Stanton used his no-trade clause to rebuff them and the Cardinals and land in New York.
Falling short on Ohtani and Stanton helped usher in a new front office, and a few months in, Farhan Zaidi made a run at one of the game’s best players. In just about every way, Bryce Harper was the perfect fit.
He was just 26, making him the rare superstar who could chase another title with the existing core but also be around long enough to lead a future generation. While Harper had some of the worst numbers of his career at Oracle Park, he loved the atmosphere. Sure, he always found it chilly, but he had faced the Giants in the 2014 postseason and never forgot what it was like to play in front of that crowd.
The Giants were a late entrant in the sweepstakes, with Baer, Zaidi and Bochy flying to Las Vegas to meet Harper, his wife and agent Scott Boras at a casino near his home in early February. Years earlier, Harper had played on a travel team called the San Diego Stars that got field passes for a Padres game. He got to meet Bochy, and he remembered how all of his fingers disappeared in the former catcher’s huge hands. When they met again in 2019, Harper told Bochy he would love to play for him, but he needed to know how long they might be together. He knew Bochy was going into the final year of his contract and had not announced his future plans. Harper’s one shot at free agency was too big a decision for any uncertainty.
“We had a great meeting. They’re a great organization and they have been for a long time,” Harper said. “The biggest thing for me was asking Bochy if he was going to be here, and he said no, he had just one year left. I think that was the thing that really scared me the most.”
The question was still bouncing around Harper’s head as he neared a decision a few weeks later. A night before it was announced, he called Brandon Crawford and asked about the team and the organization. He also asked if the shortstop had any insight into what the plan was after Bochy retired.
Nobody did at the time, and the next day, Harper reached a $330 million deal with the Phillies. The Giants had offered him $310 million over 12 years, and while they signaled to Boras that they could stretch higher if needed, there was a lot of ground to be made up because of the difference in state taxes. There was also another problem. “The key thing,” Boras said, “is they were late to the event.” Boras and Harper thought the meetings with the Giants went well, but they were always chasing offers from the Phillies and never caught up.
In a twist, the succession plan to Bochy ended up being to hire Gabe Kapler, who was Harper’s manager in his first year in Philadelphia. “You never know what’s going to happen, right?” Harper said. “I love Philadelphia. I love where I’m at and I’m very happy with the decision. It came down to Philadelphia or San Francisco, and I just felt that for me and my family, it felt right that we were going to go to Philadelphia.”
It appears Chicago Cubs fans do not want to take Alex Cooper out to the ballgame after her performance in the seventh-inning stretch.
Cooper, the famed host of the “Call Her Daddy” podcast, attended the Cubs-Cardinals game at Wrigley Field Sunday, where she sang “Take Me Out to the Ballgame.”
But her unique rendition and choreographed performance left many fans booing from the stands.
The Cubs had promoted the event as “Big Al’s Takeover.”
“Your Father, Alex Cooper, is taking over the Friendly Confines! Come on down to Wrigley Field Sunday, July 6, and take part in Big Al’s Takeover … You don’t want to miss Alex lead the crowd in ‘Take Me Out to the Ballgame’ during the seventh-inning stretch,” the team wrote ahead of the game.
Video posted to social media shows Cooper starting out the song with an interesting vocal choice as two friends performed choreographed moves behind her.
The boos started shortly after the performance began, but Cooper didn’t appear fazed. She continued through the end of the song, closing with a grand finale as she belted a note from the top of her friend’s shoulders while laughing.
While the seventh-inning stretch has carried many unconventional performances before, it appeared Cubs fans weren’t into this rendition.
“This was so brutal,” one fan wrote on X.
“You know it’s bad when you get booed during the stretch. Most get booed for a bad rendition of the National Anthem, but this is pathetic,” another commented.
A Reddit user reported hearing the boos from their condo four blocks away from the field.
“As a Cards fan, W Cubs fans for booing that horrendous rendition,” another wrote on X.
Cooper did not post any footage of the performance to her own social media channels and has not yet commented on the boos.
The Cubs ultimately gave fans plenty to cheer about Sunday, however, as they shut out the St. Louis Cardinals 11-0.
Just as the Mets appeared close to getting one DH back to full health, another one appears to have sustained an injury.
Starling Marte's right knee "flared up again" during his last at-bat of Sunday's loss to the Yankees and he is undergoing testing to determine the severity of the injury, manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game. The skipper added that this is the "same knee that he had issues with last year, spring training."
When asked about his level of concern, Mendoza exhaled and said, "I gotta wait."
"I was just talking to him and he was like, 'Obviously, I felt it,'" Mendoza said. "But I gotta wait and see what the doctor says, or the trainers."
SNY's Andy Martino reported that a source said the Mets don't expect to have anything on the injury Sunday night and might not have any information on Monday, either, as the testing gets done.
"It doesn't sound like a quick resolution with Marte, don't want to speculate beyond that. But that's the deal, there's gonna be some tests and we're not gonna know for a little while," Martino said.
With Monday's day off, the Mets have time. And Tuesday, which Martino indicated could be when the club knows more, could be when a move is made as they are primed to activate Jesse Winker from the IL.
Mendoza said earlier in the day that Winker, who then went on to hit a long home run in Sunday's game for Triple-A Syracuse, had a chance to be added to the 26-man roster for Tuesday's series opener in Baltimore against the Orioles.
Winker has missed around two months of action with a right oblique strain. He had eight extra-base hits (one home run) with 10 RBI in 78 plate appearances over 24 games with a .239/.321/.418 slash line for a .739 OPS (112 OPS+) before landing on the IL.
The injury to Marte appeared to happen when he took a 1-1 offering from Yankees closer Devin Williams for a ball. After Marte took the pitch above the zone, he grabbed at his left knee and called for time. As the Mets coaching staff and training staff came out, they looked at his right knee, which he began flexing. The veteran remained in the game, swung through a change-up and fouled one off, before grounding out to third.
Marte, who finished 3-for-5 on the day, was only able to jog out of the box and slowly made his way down to first in obvious discomfort and disappointment.
The 36-year-old was making just his fifth start in the outfield on the season and had a busy day out in left field, in addition to running the bases (including grabbing a steal) after three of his five trips to the plate. The veteran made 80 starts in the outfield last season and 82 in 2023.
Marte has 11 extra-base hits (four home runs) and 20 RBI in 58 games and is slashing .270/.353/.387 for a .740 OPS.
Fans and teammates cheer after Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw tosses his 3,000th career strikeout at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
Clayton Kershaw was named to his 11th All-Star Game on Sunday by Commissioner Rob Manfred, who used his “Legend Pick” to select the Dodgers’ left-hander. Kershaw (4-0) is one of just 20 pitchers in baseball history to strike out 3,000 batters.
He’ll be joined on the N.L. team by right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who leads the Dodgers in wins (8), strikeouts (109), innings (96 2/3) and ERA (2.51). The Dodgers declined to make either Kershaw or Yamamoto available to the media after their selections.
First baseman Freddie Freeman, catcher Will Smith and designated hitter Shohei Ohtani were chosen as NL starters last week. The All-Star Game will be played July 15 in Atlanta.
The Dodgers’ injury-battered pitching staff could soon be getting healthier. Right-hander Tyler Glasnow threw a bullpen Sunday in preparation for what Roberts will be a return to the rotation during the Dodgers’ six-game roadtrip. Glasnow has been out sine April 28 with shoulder discomfort. He had a 4.50 ERA in five starts before going on the IL.
Left-hander Blake Snell and reliever Blake Treinen are both scheduled to make minor-league rehab assignments this week in advance for their return to the roster. Snell, a two-time Cy Young winner, as been sidelined since April 2 with a shoulder injury, is expected to pitch for Class A Rancho Cucamonga. Treinen, who last pitched in mid-April, is expected to make a one-inning outing with Triple A Oklahoma City. He is recovering from a right forearm strain.
Dodgers starting pitcher Emmet Sheehan gave up one run during five innings against the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium on Sunday. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
When the Dodgers left Los Angeles for their final road trip before the All-Star break last summer, they had a 55-36 record and a 7 1/2-game lead in the National League West.
When this year’s Dodgers land in Milwaukee on Sunday night to begin the last road trip before the All-Star break, their record will be a game better and their division lead about the same, pending the results of San Diego’s game Sunday night.
But if you take a good look under the hood, there are obvious — and worrying — differences between this year and last year.
Dodgers second baseman Hyeseong Kim strikes out in the seventh inning against the Houston Astros at Dodger Stadium Sunday. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
In 2024, the Dodgers had one of the best records in baseball against teams with a winning record. After Sunday’s 5-1 loss to the Houston Astros, this year’s team is just a game over .500 — 20-19 — against teams over .500. Those are the only kind of teams the Dodgers will face in the playoffs.
And it’s not just that they lose, it’s how they lose that’s troubling.
In losing three in a row for the first time since mid-May, the Dodgers were outscored 29-6 by the Astros. The sweep was Houston’s first in a three-game series at Dodger Stadium since 2008, when the team played in the National League.
Manager Dave Roberts, however, pronounced himself unconcerned.
“I know we're a good team,” he said. “The point is to win as many games in the regular season as possible. I really don't care who we beat, I just want to win more games than anyone.
“So right now, or even going forward, I don't pay too much attention to that.”
Look a little deeper, though, and there are other concerns. The Dodgers’ injured list, already as crowded as a Beyoncé concert — it swelled to 12 players with Max Muncy’s addition Thursday — could get even larger this week depending on the health of outfielder Teoscar Hernández and utility player Tommy Edman.
Teoscar Hernández, who fouled a ball off his left foot Saturday, spent 13 days on the IL with a groin problem in May and has been troubled by that injury and a nagging hip-flexor issue that could be behind a slump that has seen him hit .188/.240/.321 over his last 30 games. Edman didn’t play Sunday after a ball off the small toe on his right foot over the weekend. Both players had MRI scans Sunday with Edman’s showing a fracture of the toe.
Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani is called out by umpire Paul Clemons during the eighth inning of a loss to the Astros at Dodger Stadium Sunday. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Kiké Hernández has been battling a sore left elbow that affects his swing for about a month. He may have to be shut down to let it heal.
“There is talk about one of those guys potentially going on the IL,” Roberts said. “I don't see it being Tommy but we're still kind of trying to figure that out. And then who would we bring [up]?”
With those three unavailable, the only player Roberts had on the bench Sunday was catcher Will Smith. And with the rotation still missing four starters to injury, he gave the ball to right-hander Emmet Sheehan, who had thrown just four big-innings all season.
That left manager Dave Roberts with a short bench. And with the rotation still missing four starters to injury, he gave the ball to right-hander Emmet Sheehan, who had thrown just four big-league innings all season.
Sheehan went one better Sunday, yielding just a run on five hits over five innings. But his teammates did little against Houston starter Ryan Gusto (6-3), who gave up four hits — including a run-scoring double to Dalton Rushing — over a season-high six innings.
Will Klein came on in favor of Sheehan to start the sixth and after two quick outs, the Astros loaded the bases on a double, a hit batter and an infield single. Klein (1-1) then walked Zack Short on a 3-2 pitch to force in the go-ahead run.
The Astros padded their lead with back-to-back homers from Christian Walker and Yainer Díaz to start the seventh off reliever Tanner Scott.
Jose Altuve closed the scoring with another solo homer off Anthony Banda in the ninth.
