Category: Baseball

It's Friday, August 8 and the Rays (57-59) are in Seattle to take on the Mariners (63-53). Drew Rasmussen is slated to take the mound for Tampa Bay against Luis Castillo for Seattle.

The Mariners are warming up with four consecutive wins and six in the last seven games, while the Rays have won the past two. On a larger scale, Tampa Bay is 7-12 in the last 19 games and struggled in the second half.

On a positive note, the Rays do have a rest advantage here with a day off after the Mariners finished its series versus the White Sox yesterday. Seattle swept Chicago and took the finale 4-3 in extras after winning the previous two meetings by three-plus runs each.

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 Rays at Mariners

• Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
• Time: 9:40PM EST
• Site: T-Mobile Park
• City: Seattle, WA
• Network/Streaming: FDSNSUN, RSNW

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 Rays at the Mariners

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Rays (+110), Mariners (-131)
• Spread:  Mariners -1.5
• Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Rays at Mariners

• Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: Drew Rasmussen vs. Luis Castillo
  
  • Rays: Drew Rasmussen, (9-5, 2.81 ERA)
    Last outing: 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
  • Mariners: Luis Castillo, (8-6, 3.22 ERA)
    Last outing: 4.15 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 1 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!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rays 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 Friday’s game between the Rays and the Mariners:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Seattle Mariners on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Tampa Bay Rays 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.

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

• Seattle is 4-0 in the last 4 and 6-1 in the past 7
• Tampa Bay is 7-12 since the All-Star break and 2-0 in the last 2
• Tampa Bay is 3-7 in 10 road games since the All-Star break
• With Luis Castillo toeing the rubber betting the Mariners on the Money Line is showing a profit of 1.45 units
• The Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo has an ERA of 3.23 this season
• Against the Run Line this season the Rays are 3-0 when they hold rest advantage over their opponents

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:

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

Its Friday, August 8 and the Rockies (30-84) are in Phoenix to take on the Diamondbacks (54-61). Austin Gomber is slated to take the mound for Colorado against Zac Gallen for Arizona.

Colorado was dismantled by Toronto in the previous series, losing all three games and being outscored 45-6. The Blue Jays put up 10, 15, and 20 runs in the three games at Colorado.

Arizona had its three-game winning streak snapped with two consecutive losses to the Padres over the past series. The DBacks are 4-2 versus the Rockies this season and have outscored Colorado 41-29 in those six 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.

Game details & how to watch Rockies at Diamondbacks

• Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
• Time: 9:40PM EST
• Site: Chase Field
• City: Phoenix, AZ
• Network/Streaming: COLR, ARID

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 Rockies at the Diamondbacks

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Rockies (+195), Diamondbacks (-239)
• Spread:  Diamondbacks -1.5
• Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Diamondbacks

• Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: Austin Gomber vs. Zac Gallen
  
  • Rockies: Austin Gomber, (0-5, 6.18 ERA)
    Last outing: 5.40 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
  • Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen, (8-12, 5.48 ERA)
    Last outing: 3.00 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 9 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 3 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 Rockies and the Diamondbacks

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday’s game between the Rockies and the Diamondbacks:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Arizona Diamondbacks 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 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 Rockies at Diamondbacks

• Colorado is 0-4 in the last 4 games
• The Over is 6-0 in Colorado's last 6 games
• Colorado has given up 75 runs in the last 6 games
• Arizona is 4-2 against the Rockies this season
• Betting the Diamondbacks on the Money Line is up 1.01 units this season when Zac Gallen has started on the mound against NL West teams
• In the Diamondbacks' home games last season with Zac Gallen on the mound the Over was 9-6 (60%)
• With Zac Gallen as the starter the Diamondbacks have covered in 3 straight NL West matchups

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:

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

It's Friday, August 8 and the Red Sox (64-52) are in San Diego to take on the Padres (64-51). Walker Buehler is slated to take the mound for Boston against Nick Pivetta for San Diego.

Two of the hottest teams in the MLB meet when Boston and San Diego take the field for a three-game series. The Padres are 9-2 in the past 11 games, while Boston is 7-1 over the past eight. This is the first and only series of the season between the two teams.

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 Red Sox at Padres

• Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
• Time: 9:40PM EST
• Site: Petco Park
• City: San Diego, CA
• Network/Streaming: NESN, SDPA

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 Red Sox at the Padres

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Red Sox (+158), Padres (-190)
• Spread:  Padres -1.5
• Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Padres

• Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: Walker Buehler vs. Nick Pivetta
  
  • Red Sox: Walker Buehler, (6-6, 5.75 ERA)
    Last outing: 6.23 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 9 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 0 Strikeouts
  • Padres: Nick Pivetta, (11-3, 2.73 ERA)
    Last outing: 1.29 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 1 Hits Allowed, 0 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!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Red Sox and the Padres

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday’s game between the Red Sox and the Padres:

• 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 Boston Red Sox 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 Red Sox at Padres

• The Padres are 9-2 in the last 11 games
• The Red Sox are 7-1 in the last 8 games
• The Red Sox have a winning record (21-15) in matchups against National League teams this season
• The Over is 4-1 in the Red Sox's last 5 games
• The Red Sox have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 3.33 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:

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

It's Friday, August 8 and the Cubs (66-48) are in St. Louis to take on the Cardinals (58-58). Matthew Boyd is slated to take the mound for Chicago against Michael McGreevy for St. Louis.

The Cardinals are coming off a series victory against the Dodgers where they took two out of three compared to the Cubs who dropped two of three to the Reds. The Cubs own the season series 4-3 over the Cardinals and are coming in with a better second-half record.

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 the 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 Cubs at Cardinals

• Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
• Time: 8:15PM EST
• Site: Busch Stadium
• City: St. Louis, MO
• Network/Streaming: MARQ, FDSNMW, 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 Cubs at the Cardinals

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Cubs (-153), Cardinals (+128)
• Spread:  Cubs -1.5
• Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Cubs at Cardinals

• Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: Matthew Boyd vs. Michael McGreevy
  
  • Cubs: Matthew Boyd, (11-4, 2.34 ERA)
    Last outing: 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 8 Strikeouts
  • Cardinals: Michael McGreevy, (3-2, 5.08 ERA)
    Last outing: 6.00 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 1 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!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Cubs 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 Friday’s game between the Cubs and the Cardinals:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Chicago Cubs on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the St. Louis Cardinals 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 Cubs at Cardinals

• St. Louis is 7-12 since the All-Star break
• Chicago is 9-9 since the All-Star break
• Chicago is 4-3 versus St. Louis this season
• The Cubs have won five of their last seven road matchups against teams with worse records
• Five of the Cubs' last six road games have gone over the total
• The Cardinals have failed to cover the run line in four of their last five home 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:

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

It's Friday, August 8 and the Mets (63-52) are in Milwaukee to take on the Brewers (70-44). Kodai Senga is slated to take the mound for New York against Brandon Woodruff for Milwaukee.

The Brewers are one of the hottest teams in the MLB with six consecutive wins and are 9-1 in the last 10 contests.

Milwaukee swept Atlanta and Washington in the last two series, while New York was swept by Cleveland last. The Mets are 1-8 in the last nine games and have dropped four straight as they enter this three-game series.

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 the 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 Mets at Brewers

• Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
• Time: 8:10PM EST
• Site: American Family Field
• City: Milwaukee, WI
• Network/Streaming: SNY, 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 Mets at the Brewers

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Mets (+106), Brewers (-126)
• Spread:  Brewers -1.5
• Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Mets at Brewers

• Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: Kodai Senga vs. Brandon Woodruff
  
  • Mets: Kodai Senga, (7-3, 2.31 ERA)
    Last outing: 9.00 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
  • Brewers: Brandon Woodruff, (3-0, 2.22 ERA)
    Last outing: 3.00 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 1 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 8 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 Mets 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 Friday’s game between the Mets 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 New York Mets 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.

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

• Milwaukee is 6-0 in the last 6 games and 9-1 in the past 10
• New York is 0-4 in the last 4 games and 1-8 in the last 9
• The Brewers have won 4 of their last 5 games at home with Brandon Woodruff starting
• In his last 5 starts on the mound the Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff has an ERA of 1.74
• It has been 6 games since the Brewers last failed to cover the Run Line

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:

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

WASHINGTON — Athletics rookie pitcher Jacob Lopez tries to stick to a decidedly uncomplicated plan when his turn in the rotation comes up.

“I tell myself ‘Don’t be an idiot, just try to throw strikes early,’” Lopez said.

The blueprint was almost flawless Thursday as Lopez set career highs in strikeouts (10) and innings (7 2/3) against the Washington Nationals in a 6-0 victory.

Lopez (5-6) has not allowed a run in his last three outings, reducing his ERA from 4.60 to 3.59 in that span. The left-hander allowed only three hits and didn’t permit a runner past second base.

“That’s the best Jacob has been all year, and the reason I say that is because he didn’t have any walks and he pounded the strike zone,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “He’s deceptive. He’s got life on the heat, and he used his changeup to lefties today, which I thought was a great mix.”

It was evident early that Lopez was comfortable. He breezed through the first inning in eight pitches and needed only 11 more in the second. And after allowing two hits in the third, he set down 15 of the last 16 batters he faced and the final 11 in a row.

He piled up the strikeouts late, collecting six against his last nine batters.

“For righties, the ball is coming kind of in at a weird angle for you,” catcher Willie MacIver said. “Lefties, his slider is coming from behind the lefties. Lefties don’t see a ton of that, so when we saw their lineup had six lefties in it, we’re like ‘All right, we can have a good day today.’ We wouldn’t have had a good day if he didn’t execute, but he did.”

The A’s haven’t thrown a complete game all season. Kotsay said he saw his former player and current Cleveland manager Stephen Vogt allow Gavin Williams to throw 126 pitches Wednesday while coming within two outs of a no-hitter against the New York Mets and figured Lopez could go just as deep when he got through seven innings with 90 pitches.

That plan was foiled when Washington’s Nathaniel Lowe had 11 foul balls during a 17-pitch plate appearance before Lopez got a called third strike on a sinker. Lopez then struck out Daylen Lile and departed after throwing 114 pitches.

“I was back there and was like ‘When is this guy just going to put it in play already, dude,’” MacIver said. “I think it’s a testament to Lopez’s mentality out there. I’ve been part of it, and a lot of guys will be (at) like 10 pitches and throw one out of the zone. Lopez keeps coming after him, keeps coming after him, no matter how many foul balls, no matter what pitch. It was impressive.”

Lopez hadn’t pitched more than five innings since June 25, but did throw a combined 9 1/3 scoreless innings in his last two outings. This was an even more efficient showing for the rookie acquired from Tampa Bay in December.

“I think I’ve had a lot of different outings,” Lopez said. “Early on I was throwing a lot of balls, so I had to learn how to get out of those jams. The past couple outings, I’ve gone back into the groove of throwing strikes. A lot of different ways of pitching. You just have to stay focused and grind out at bats.”

NEW YORK — Jen Pawol was in her hotel room in Nashville, Tennessee, when she got the call she had awaited for a decade.

She was going to make her major league debut this weekend, becoming the first female umpire in a century and a half of big league baseball.

“I was overcome with emotion,” Pawol recalled Thursday, two days before she breaks a gender barrier when she works the bases during Miami’s doubleheader at Atlanta. “It was super emotional to finally be living that phone call that I’d been hoping for and working towards for quite a while, and I just felt super full — I feel like a fully charged battery ready to go.”

Her voice quavering with emotion, Pawol talked about getting the news during a Wednesday conference call with director of umpire development Rich Rieker and vice president of umpire operations Matt McKendry.

Pawol thought back to her long road. In the early 1990s at West Milford High School in New Jersey, she had a summer conversation with Lauren Rissmeyer, the third baseman on the school’s softball team.

“‘Do you want to come umpire with me?’” Pawol remembered being asked. “I didn’t think twice about it. Lauren’s doing it, so I’m going to do it.”

Pawol’s pay was $15 per game.

“She took a field and I took a field,” Pawol said. “It was a one-umpire system. I had no idea what I was doing, but I got to put gear on and call balls and strikes, so I was in.”

A 1995 graduate at West Milford, which inducted her into its Athletic Hall of Fame in 2022, Pawol became a three-time all-conference softball selection pick at Hofstra.

After umpiring NCAA softball from 2010-16, she was approached by then-big league ump Ted Barrett at an umpire camp in Binghamton, New York, in early 2015.

“Moreso than any female that I’d seen, she looked like she could handle the rigors of the job physically,” Barrett said Thursday. “But what impressed me was her willingness to learn. She seemed like a sponge, everything that we were teaching her. I’m proud that I made her aware of the opportunity.”

Barrett invited Pawol to attend a clinic in Atlanta and then a MLB tryout camp at Cincinnati that Aug. 15. He invited her to dinner in Atlanta with fellow big league umps Paul Nauert and Marvin Hudson and their wives.

“I warned her: `Look, this is what you’re up against. It’s going to be 10 years in the minor leagues before you sniff a big big field,’” Barrett said.

Pawol was among 38 hopefuls invited to the Umpire Training Academy at Vero Beach, Florida, and started her pro umpiring career in the Gulf Coast League on June 24, 2016, working the plate when the GCL Tigers West played at the GCL Blue Jays.

She moved up to the New York/Penn League in 2017, the Midwest League after the first two weeks of the 2018 season, then worked the South Atlantic League in 2019, the High-A Midwest League in 2021, the Double-A Eastern League and the Triple-A International and Pacific Coast Leagues in 2023. She was called in for big league spring training in 2024 and ’25.

“This has been over 1,200 minor league games, countless hours of video review trying to get better, and underneath it all has just been this passion and this love for the game of baseball,” she said. “This started in my playing days as a catcher and transformed over into an umpire, and I think it’s gotten even stronger as an umpire. Umpiring is for me, it’s in my DNA. It’s been a long, hard journey.”

Among eight female umpires currently in the minors, she will join Chris Guccione’s crew in Atlanta, where she expects about 30 family and friends. She is to work the bases during Saturday’s doubleheader and call balls and strikes on Sunday.

Pawol was at third base on Wednesday night as Jacksonville beat Nashville in the International League when Sounds third baseman Oliver Dunn congratulated her.

“If I make it to the big leagues,” he told her, “we will have both worked all the levels together.”

Pawol repeatedly thanked her minor league umpiring predecessors, mentioning several who exchanged calls or texts, including Christine Wren, Pam Postema and Ria Cortesio. Just after her promotion to Triple-A, Pawol met with Postema in Las Vegas.

“The last thing she said to me when I saw her was: Get it done!” Powal explained. “So I texted her yesterday and said, `I’m getting it done!’”

Barrett will be watching from Oregon, where he is attending Northwest League games this weekend.

“The hopes of this are that it inspires,” he said. ”Who knows, there’ll be a young lady watching the game on TV and says, `Hey, I’d like to try that.’”

Its Friday, August 8 and Globe Life Field is the site of a matchup between two teams positioned to make a push in October as the Phillies (65-49) are in Arlington for a matchup against the Rangers (60-56).

Cristopher Sánchez is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Merrill Kelly for Texas.

Winners of four of their last six, the Philles are starting to pull away in the National League East leading the Mets by 2.5 games. Fresh off a series win over the Yankees, the Rangers have pulled to within 1.5 games of the New York for the final Wild Card spot and to within 4.5 games of first place Houston in the AMerican 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 the 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 Phillies at Rangers

• Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
• Time: 8:05PM EST
• Site: Globe Life Field
• City: Arlington, TX
• Network/Streaming: NBCSP, CW33, 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 Rangers

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Phillies (-131), Rangers (+110)
• Spread:  Phillies -1.5
• Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Rangers

• Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: Cristopher Sánchez vs. Merrill Kelly
  
  • Phillies: Cristopher Sánchez (10-3, 2.40 ERA)
    Last outing: August 3 vs. Detroit - 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
  • Rangers: Merrill Kelly (9-6, 3.18 ERA)
    Last outing: August 2 at Seattle - 3.18 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 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 Phillies at Rangers

• The Rangers have won 5 straight home games against the Phillies
• The Under is 70-39-4 for the Phillies' road games and the Rangers' home games combined this season
• The Rangers have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 2.46 units
• Marcus Semien is struggling with just 4 hits in 25 ABs in August
• Wyatt Langford was 2-7 with 6 BBs in the series against the Yankees
• Kyle Schwarber was 4-12 in the Phillies' series against the Orioles

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 Rangers

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Phillies and the Rangers:

• 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 Texas Rangers 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:

• Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
• Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
• Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
• Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Its Friday, August 8 and the Marlins (56-58) are in Atlanta to continue their series against the Braves (48-66).

Edward Cabrera is slated to take the mound for Miami against Bryce Elder.

Last night the Braves took the series opener, 8-6. Atlanta rallied from a 6-3 deficit scoring six runs over the final three innings. Drake Baldwin led the attack with three hits including two home runs and five RBIs. Marcell Ozuna added his 16th home run of the season. Carlos Carrasco allowed all six Miami runs but the Braves' bullpen was perfect in relief of him allowing just one baserunner over the final 3.1 innings.

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 the 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 Marlins at Braves

• Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
• Time: 7:15PM EST
• Site: Truist Park
• City: Atlanta, GA
• Network/Streaming: FDSNFL, FDSNSO

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

Odds for the Marlins at the Braves

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Marlins (-116), Braves (-104)
• Spread:  Marlins -1.5
• Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Marlins at Braves

• Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: Edward Cabrera vs. Bryce Elder
  
  • Marlins: Edward Cabrera (5-5, 3.24 ERA)
    Last outing: August 3 vs. Yankees - 1.50 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts
  • Braves: Bryce Elder (4-8, 6.03 ERA)
    Last outing: August 1 at Cincinnati - 2.70 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 1 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 Marlins at Braves

• The Marlins have won 4 of 5 games at divisional opponents
• The Under is 4-1 in the Marlins' last 5 matchups against divisional opponents
• Edward Cabrera has struck out at least 5 hitters in every appearance but 1 since May 10
• Edward Cabrera has struck out at least 6 hitters in 4 of his last 6 starts
• Marcell Ozuna was 4-8 in his last 2 games

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

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Marlins and the Braves

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Marlins and the Braves:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Miami Marlins on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Atlanta Braves at +1.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

• Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
• Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
• Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
• Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Its Friday, August 8 and the Angels (55-60) are in Detroit to open a series against the Tigers (66-50).

Kyle Hendricks is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Tarik Skubal for Detroit.

Winners of just two of their last six games, the Tigers turn to their ace, Skubal, as they open a series against Mike Trout and co. Despite their recent struggles, Detroit is still up six games in the American League Central and are just two games behind Toronto for the best record in the American League. The Angels have flirted with having a decent season but are teetering again having dropped to six games out in the Wild Card race.

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 the 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 Angels at Tigers

• Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
• Time: 7:10PM EST
• Site: Comerica Park
• City: Detroit, MI
• Network/Streaming: FDSNW, FDSNDT

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 Angels at the Tigers

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Angels (+257), Tigers (-324)
• Spread:  Tigers -1.5
• Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Angels at Tigers

• Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: Kyle Hendricks vs. Tarik Skubal
  
  • Angels: Kyle Hendricks (6-8, 4.59 ERA)
    Last outing: August 2 at White Sox - 1.80 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
  • Tigers: Tarik Skubal (11-3, 2.18 ERA)
    Last outing: August 2 at Philadelphia - 3.86 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 10 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 Angels at Tigers

• At home this season the Tigers have won 13 of 24 games following a defeat
• Each of the Angels' last 4 road games with the Tigers have stayed under the Total
• The Angels have covered the Run Line in 5 of their last 6 road games against the Tigers
• Tarik Skubal has struck out a minimum of 7 hitters in each of his last 3 starts
• Mike Trout is enjoying a modest 6-game hitting streak (7-22)

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 Angels and the Tigers

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Angels and the Tigers:

• 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 Los Angeles Angels 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:

• Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
• Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
• Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
• Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Its Friday, August 8 and the Athletics (51-66) are in Baltimore to open a series against the Orioles (52-63).

J.T. Ginn is slated to take the mound for Oakland against Tomoyuki Sugano for Baltimore.

Jacob Lopez struck out 10 and the Athletics took the rubber game of their series against the Nationals, 6-0. The offense showed up as well for the Athletics pounding out 12 hits including Tyler Soderstrom's 21st HR of the season. The Orioles were off yesterday. They were on the road for the previous six games managing a combined two wins in their series against the Cubs and the Phillies.

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 the 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 Athletics at Orioles

• Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
• Time: 7:05PM EST
• Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
• City: Baltimore, MD
• Network/Streaming: NBCSCA, MASN

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 Athletics at the Orioles

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Athletics (-102), Orioles (-117)
• Spread:  Orioles 1.5
• Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Athletics at Orioles

• Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: J.T. Ginn vs. Tomoyuki Sugano
  
  • Athletics: J.T. Ginn (2-3, 4.28 ERA)
    Last outing: August 2 vs. Arizona - 8.31 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 5 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
  • Orioles: Tomoyuki Sugano (8-5, 4.42 ERA)
    Last outing: August 2 at Cubs - 5.40 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 1 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 Athletics at Orioles

• The Athletics have won their last 4 road games against teams with better records
• The Under is 8-2 in the Orioles' last 10 with a rest advantage over their opponents
• The Orioles have covered the Run Line on the last 3 occasions that they've had a rest advantage
• J.T. Ginn has struck out no more than 2 batters in 4 of his last 6 and 6 of his last 10 appearances and has struck out 5 or more just 1 time in those 10 appearances
• Rookie Nick Kurtz is hitless (0-6) in his last 2 games after going 7-15 in his previous 4 games

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

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

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Athletics and the Orioles:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Oakland Athletics on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Oakland Athletics at +1.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.

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)
• Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Its Friday, August 8 and the Astros (64-51) are in Bronx to take on the Yankees (61-54).

Hunter Brown is slated to take the mound for Houston against Cam Schlittler for New York.

These teams enter the series struggling to see the results expected of them by their respective organizations and fanbases. The Yankees are 13-19 since July 1 and as a result have fallen to third in the American League East. They currently sit 6.5 games behind first place Toronto and 2.5 games behind Boston. New York owns the third and final Wild Card spot with a 1.5 game lead over Cleveland and Texas.

Houston is 4-6 in their last 10. Coupled with Seattle's 7-3 record in their last 10, the Astros' lead in the American League West is down to 1.5 games. Offense has been an issue as Houston has scored 497 runs (T13 fewest in baseball). The Astros, however, have pieced it together to this point and are in fact above .500 at home (35-24) as well as on the road (29-27).

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 the 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 Astros at Yankees

• Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
• Time: 7:05PM EST
• Site: Yankee Stadium
• City: Bronx, NY
• Network/Streaming: Apple TV+

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 Astros at the Yankees

The latest odds as of Friday:

• Moneyline: Astros (-121), Yankees (+101)
• Spread:  Astros -1.5
• Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Astros at Yankees

• Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: Hunter Brown vs. Cam Schlittler
  
  • Astros: Hunter Brown (9-5, 2.47 ERA)
    Last outing: August 1 at Boston - 1.29 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
  • Yankees: Cam Schlittler (1-2, 4.58 ERA)
    Last outing: August 2 at Miami - 3.60 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 2 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 Astros at Yankees

• The Yankees have lost 4 of their last 5 games
• The Astros' last 3 games have gone over the Total
• It has been 6 games since the Yankees last covered the Run Line
• After hitting .323 in July, Cody Bellinger is hitting just .136 (3-23) in August
• Jose Altuve is riding a modest 5-game hitting streak (6-23)

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 Astros and the Yankees

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Astros and the Yankees:

• 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 New York Yankees at +1.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

• Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
• Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
• Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
• Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)