Mets closer Edwin Diaz was virtually unhittable in the month of July, and he has now been named NL Reliever of the Month for his efforts.
Diaz appeared in 10 games this past month, pitching 11.0 innings while striking out 18 batters without allowing an earned run. He didn’t allow a hit in six of those outings, and picked up seven saves in the month.
An All-Star this season for the third time, Diaz has been one of the best relievers in the game this year, pitching to a miniscule 1.44 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 43.2 innings. Diaz’s 13.4 strikeouts per nine innings are the most for any NL pitcher who has faced at least 130 batters this season.
Diaz has not allowed an earned run since June 2 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and hasn’t allowed an earned run in 39 of his 43 appearances this season.
The Mets’ closer also took home the NL Reliever of the Month Award in May, when he tossed 11 scoreless appearances, and he’s likely the favorite to take home the Trevor Hoffman Award as NL Reliever of the Year (which he also won in 2022).
Its Monday, August 4 and the Royals (56-56) are in Boston to take on the Red Sox (62-51).
Bailey Falter is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Brayan Bello for Boston.
Both these teams are playing well. The Royals arrive in Beantown having taken two of three over the weekend in Toronto while the Sox swept the Astros in Boston.
Lets dive into the series and specifically tonight's 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 Royals at Red Sox
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: FDSNKC, NESN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Royals at the Red Sox
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Royals (+135), Red Sox (-160)
Spread: Red Sox -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Red Sox
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Bailey Falter vs. Brayan Bello
Royals: Bailey Falter (7-5, 3.73 ERA) Last outing: July 29 at San Francisco - 1.80 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 1 Strikeouts
Red Sox: Brayan Bello (7-5, 3.19 ERA) Last outing: July 30 at Minnesota - 1.29 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Red Sox
The Red Sox have won 16 of their last 20 games at home
Each of the Royals' last 5 road games with the Red Sox have stayed under the Total
The Red Sox have covered the Run Line in 11 of their last 13 games
Brayan Bello has struck out 4 or 5 opposing hitters in each of his last 4 starts
Alex Bregman was 2-11 over the weekend against his former team
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Royals and the 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 Royals 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 Kansas City Royals 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
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Even Athletics veterans walk around the clubhouse wearing “Nick Kurtz goes yard” T-shirts, and they know what he means for the franchise’s future.
Kurtz, who recently had one of the greatest individual performances in big-league history, is the odds-on favorite to be AL Rookie of the Year. He’s hardly the only talented youngster giving A’s fans — wherever they might be — reason to feel optimistic about the team’s on-field direction.
The A’s are in transition in more ways than one. Most notably, the club is playing the first of what’s expected to be three seasons in Sacramento — a temporary, minor league home for the former Oakland franchise until a new stadium is scheduled to be ready in Las Vegas for 2028.
The roster is shaping up to be a dynamic and competitive one when they arrive. Kurtz is the headliner, but teammate Jacob Wilson was the second favorite for top rookie before going on the injured list with a broken left forearm. Lawrence Butler, an electric outfield defender with pop and speed, also looks like a centerpiece for the type of team the A’s want to take to Las Vegas.
The club added 18-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries as part of a multiplayer trade with San Diego that sent out closer Mason Miller and his 101-mph fastball. MLB.com rates De Vries as as baseball’s No. 3 prospect.
Also on the roster — and under contract through at least 2028 — is All-Star designated hitter Brent Rooker. Kurtz, Wilson and catcher Shea Langeliers are among the starters who could be under team control with the planned moved to Las Vegas. That core isn’t translating into wins yet — the team is 49-65 this season, worst in the AL West — largely because the team’s pitching lags behind.
“We certainly want to win in present day and ‘26 and ’27 are important to us, but a lot of our internal conversations are about what the team will look like in 2028 when we get to Las Vegas,” A’s general manager David Forst said. “You can see it some of the contracts we signed, starting obviously with the manager (Mark Kotsay), but also with Rooker and Lawrence, making sure that two of our key guys are locked up into our time in Vegas.”
Whether management keeps the team together is a question. The A’s have a history of trading young players on the verge of landing lucrative contracts and keeping their payroll among the lowest in baseball.
Maybe that changes with the anticipated move to Las Vegas, given owner John Fisher might want to bring a competitive team to the market. The A’s, in fact, opened up the wallet this year and signed Rooker to a five-year, $60 million contract and a seven-year, $65.5 million deal with Butler.
“I feel like we’re headed in the right direction,” Butler said. “We’ve got a lot of young players. When a team calls up young players, they might not be ready, but I feel like all our guys are ready. They’ve shown that they can compete at this level.”
Butler, 25, is part of a clubhouse filled with promising 20-somethings.
“In this locker room, I am kind of the old man,” the 30-year-old Rooker said. “I don’t know if I take them under my wing. These guys are better players than I am. They don’t need the help.”
Kurtz and Wilson were battling it out for the AL’s top first-year player award, and maybe that competition will continue if and when Wilson — the first fan-elected rookie shortstop to the All-Star Game — returns to the lineup.
Kurtz has done his best to make it a one-man race. He became the first rookie to hit four home runs in a game and tied the major-league record with 19 total bases by going 6 for 6 with eight RBIs on July 25 at Houston.
That performance gave Kurtz consecutive AL player of the week honors. He led the majors in multiple categories in July, including batting average (.395), on-base percentage (.480) and slugging percentage (.953). The 22-year-old already has shown a knack for delivering in key moments with seven game-winning RBIs and five go-ahead homers.
“It’s the moment you dream about as a kid,” Kurtz said. “You’re in a spot where you can end the game with a walk-off or take the lead. Baseball’s so hard. You’re supposed to get out. I come through here, it’s freakin’ awesome. I think I just aim to be calm and I trust my process.”
Kotsay said before the trade deadline that for all the young hitting talent, the A’s could use help with their pitching.
The A’s then added three pitching prospects in the Miller trade and another in right-hander Kenya Huggins when Miguel Andujar was sent to Cincinnati. They have 25-year-old Jack Perkins, called up Luis Morales and have Gage Jump in their minor-league system. The A’s also selected Florida State left-hander Jamie Arnold 11th overall in this year’s draft.
“Where we’ve struggled this year is pitching, both rotation and bullpen,” Forst said. “When we’ve had success on the mound, that’s when we’ve put some good little stretches together.”
Outside of a horrendous stint when the A’s lost 20 of 21 games, they have been largely competitive. That includes a current run of seven wins in 10 games.
“In terms of our vision, in terms of putting a group together that we can win with, I think that talent especially on the players position side is just showing itself,” Kotsay said recently. "(They are) continuing to make improvements and continuing to show what our priorities are, which is playing the game at an elite level and becoming a team that goes out and competes every night.”
The A’s signed Kotsay to an extension in February that takes him through 2028 with an option for 2029. He has had to navigate a club that experienced the fan anger in Oakland toward management for its impending move and now playing in Sacramento.
“I think (Kotsay’s) got one of the tougher jobs in baseball right now in the sense of trying to get the buy-in from the players,” Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “There’s so much uncertainty with the ballpark and where they’re going to be. I think he’s done a fantastic job. He’s a lifelong A, so he understands the culture of the organization. ... He’s the perfect guy for that organization.”
Its Monday, August 4 and the Guardians (56-55) are in Queens to open a series against the Mets (63-49).
Slade Cecconi is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Sean Manaea for New York.
The Mets lost a series at home over the weekend to San Francisco. Rafael Devers and the Giants ripped Frankie Montas and New York Sunday afternoon, 12-4.
The Guardians lost to Minnesota yesterday, 5-4 but did take two of three against the Twins over the weekend.
Lets dive into today's 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 Mets
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Citi Field
City: Queens, NY
Network/Streaming: CLEG, SNY
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Guardians at the Mets
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Guardians (+148), Mets (-179)
Spread: Mets -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Mets
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Slade Cecconi vs. Sean Manaea
Guardians: Slade Cecconi (5-4, 3.77 ERA) Last outing: July 28 vs. Colorado - 3.86 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
Mets: Sean Manaea (1-1, 2.08 ERA) Last outing: July 29 at San Diego - 1.80 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Guardians at Mets
The Mets have won 4 of their last 5 home games against American League teams
Sean Manaea has allowed one run in each of his 4 starts since returning from the disabled list
Francisco Lindor is enjoying a modest 3-game hitting streak (5-11)
The Guardians have covered the Run Line in 3 straight road games against the Mets
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 Mets
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Guardians and the Mets:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Mets on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cleveland Guardians at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
Its Monday, August 4 and the Orioles (51-61) are in Philadelphia to begin a series against the Phillies (63-48).
Cade Povich is slated to take the mound for Baltimore against Jesús Luzardo for Philadelphia.
The Phillies took two of three over the weekend against the American League Central-leading Detroit Tigers. Last night they won, 2-0, thanks in large part to Kyle Schwarber's 38th home run and eight innings of five-hit ball from Cristopher Sanchez.
Baltimore lost two of three over the weekend to the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Chicago won 5-3 Sunday afternoon. Justin Turner went yard in the bottom of the ninth against Keegan Akin to provide the difference.
Lets dive into tonight's 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 Orioles at Phillies
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Citizens Bank Park
City: Philadelphia, PA
Network/Streaming: MASN, NBCSP
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Orioles at the Phillies
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Orioles (+176), Phillies (-210)
Spread: Phillies -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Orioles at Phillies
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Cade Povich vs. Jesús Luzardo
Orioles: Cade Povich (2-5, 5.15 ERA) Last outing: June 15 vs. Angels - 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Phillies: Jesús Luzardo (9-5, 4.31 ERA) Last outing: July 29 at White Sox - 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 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!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Orioles at Phillies
The Phillies have won 4 of their last 5 home games against the Orioles
In the Orioles' last 5 road games the Under is 4-0-1
The Orioles have covered in 4 of their last 5 on the road, profiting 1.57 units
Kyle Schwarber was 3-11 against Detroit over the weekend
Nick Castellanos has hit safely in 4 straight games (5-14)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Orioles and the Phillies
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 Orioles and the Phillies:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia Phillies on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles 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
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
Its Monday, August 4 and the Giants (56-56) are in Pittsburgh to begin a series against the Pirates (48-64).
Justin Verlander is slated to take the mound for San Francisco against Johan Oviedo for Pittsburgh.
The Giants picked up a much-needed series win over the weekend in New York against the Mets. Rafael Devers went 3-4 with a home run and drove in four runs to lead San Francisco to a 12-4 win Sunday. It was just their third win in their last ten games.
The Pirates won yesterday as well. Spencer Horwitz homered twice and drove in six runs as the Bucs won 9-5 over the Rockies. Colorado took two of three over the weekend to slow down a Pittsburgh team that had won eight of its previous nine games.
The Pirates and Giants met just a handful of days ago at the end of July in San Francisco with the Bucs sweeping the three-game series.
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 Giants at Pirates
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: PNC Park
City: Pittsburgh, PA
Network/Streaming: NBCSBA, SNP
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 Giants at the Pirates
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Giants (-132), Pirates (+112)
Spread: Giants -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Giants at Pirates
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Justin Verlander vs. Johan Oviedo
Giants: Justin Verlander (1-8, 4.53 ERA) Last outing: July 29 vs. Pittsburgh - 1.80 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts
Pirates: Johan Oviedo (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Last outing: Has not pitched in the majors since September 0f 2023
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 Giants at Pirates
The Pirates have won 4 of their last 5 home games against National League teams
6 of the Pirates' last 7 home games stayed under the Total
The Pirates have covered the Run Line in 6 straight home games
Justin Verlander struck out 7 in his last start which happened to be against the Pirates
Justin Verlander has allowed one run over his last 2 starts (10 innings)
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 Giants and the Pirates
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 Giants and the Pirates:
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
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
It's Monday, August 4 and the Yankees (60-52) are in Arlington to take on the Rangers (58-55). Max Fried is slated to take the mound for New York against Patrick Corbin for Texas.
The Yankees are coming off three straight losses to the Marlins where New York was outscored 22-14. Prior to that, New York won three consecutive games, so I'm unsure what version of the Yankees we'll get.
Texas is 1-3 in the last four games and 2-5 over the past seven, which follows up a dominant 8-1 stretch to start the second half of the year (now 10-6 in the second half).
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 Yankees at Rangers
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 8:05PM EST
Site: Globe Life Field
City: Arlington, TX
Network/Streaming: YES, RSN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Yankees at the Rangers
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Yankees (-161), Rangers (+135)
Spread: Yankees -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Yankees at Rangers
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Max Fried vs. Patrick Corbin
Yankees: Max Fried, (12-4, 2.62 ERA) Last outing: 2.70 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 9 Strikeouts
Rangers: Patrick Corbin, (6-7, 3.78 ERA) Last outing: 3.60 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 3 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!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Yankees 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 Monday’s game between the Yankees 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 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 Yankees at Rangers
The Yankees have lost three straight
The Yankees are 1-5 in the last six road games
The Rangers are 2-5 in the last seven games
The Rangers have won 10 of their last 11 home games, while the Yankees have lost 5 in 6 on the road
The Yankees' last 3 versus the Rangers have stayed under the Total
The Yankees have failed to cover the Run Line in 4 straight road games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
The reasoning at the time, which was fair enough, was that they didn't want to use one of their most prized prospects for a spot-start.
Once the pitching staff became whole again, there were still question marks due to Clay Holmes' transition from relief to starting, Sean Manaea's elbow, and Frankie Montas' struggles.
But the Mets didn't add a starting pitcher at the trade deadline.
President of baseball operations David Stearns explained that while they were engaged in the market, most of the impact pitchers who were rumored to be available were not dealt -- a group that included Sandy Alcantara, Dylan Cease, and Edward Cabrera.
So while the Mets certainly could've used a reinforcement for the staff, it's understandable why they didn't pounce -- especially given the fact that Sproat and McLean are so close to contributing.
And speaking in the hours after the deadline passed, Stearns said the team was prepared to turn to Sproat and McLean down the stretch if needed.
"They can help. It’s just a matter of their continued development and when the opportunity does arise, is it the right time," Stearns said. "Both guys have taken very nice steps forward in their development. We’re going to continue to challenge them. We’re going to continue to ask them to get better and work on things. They are doing a good job. If we need someone from Triple-A, we’ve got people down (there) and they are among them who can help us."
Following Montas' disastrous outing on Sunday against the Giants, the time is now to call on Sproat or McLean.
Against San Francisco, Montas was mostly non-competitive, allowing seven runs in 4.0 innings, including a back-breaking three-run homer to Rafael Devers in the third inning. With the game still within reach, Montas was touched up for three more runs in the fourth inning, effectively ending any chance the Mets had to come back.
Montas now has a 6.68 ERA and 1.54 WHIP through seven starts this season. And while there's a chance he turns it around if the Mets keep going to him, they really can't afford to take the risk with a pitcher who has allowed 11.2 hits per nine and whose FIP (5.07) suggests this isn't bad luck.
Aug 3, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Frankie Montas (47) delivers a pitch during the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
A look at Montas' advanced stats shows a pitcher who has done a good job getting batters to chase and who has been a bit above average when it comes to limiting hard contact. But they also show a pitcher whose stuff -- while tantalizing at times -- has graded out near the bottom of the league.
Montas is also among the worst in the league in xERA, xBA, and barrel percentage, and he's simply not missing enough bats -- his strikeout rate is just 7.8 per nine.
During a season where the Mets are scratching and clawing with the Phillies for the NL East title, and following a trade deadline where they were incredibly aggressive while trading for late-inning relievers Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers, and Gregory Soto, decisive action is needed.
That action should be the immediate removal of Montas from the rotation, with the team sliding him to the bullpen to take the revolving door role that has been held by Rico Garcia and Austin Warren in recent days.
Speaking after Sunday's game, manager Carlos Mendoza didn't give a yes or no regarding Montas' future in the rotation.
"I mean we just got done with the game here," Mendoza said. "He's got to be better and he knows that."
The above kind of quote is usually code for a team that is prepared to remove a starter from the rotation or truly doesn't yet know which direction they'll turn.
If Montas' spot in the rotation was safe, Mendoza almost certainly would've said so.
Montas' next start would likely be on Saturday, Aug. 9 against the Brewers in Milwaukee.
Sproat, who has usually been pitching with five-days rest, would likely be lined up to make his next start on Aug. 6 or 7.
McLean, who has also ordinarily been pitching with five-days rest, would likely be lined up to make his next start on Aug. 5 or 6.
Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean participates in the Spring Breakout game against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park. / Jim Rassol - Imagn Images
While the days don't line up perfectly, one thing the Mets could conceivably do is have Sproat or McLean start on Friday, Aug. 8 against the Brewers. That's because Mets off days on Thursday and next Monday mean they can tweak their rotation a bit, maybe doing something like this over the weekend:
Monday against the Guardians: Sean Manaea Tuesday against the Guardians: Clay Holmes Wednesday against the Guardians: David Peterson Friday against the Brewers: Brandon Sproat or Nolan McLean Saturday against the Brewers: Kodai Senga (on six-days rest) Sunday against the Brewers: Manaea (on five-days rest)
The Mets could also simply keep everyone else on their regular turn and give Sproat or McLean even more extra rest.
Either way, the time has come to turn to one of them.
Sproat, leaning heavily on a fastball that has reached 100 mph, has allowed just two runs over his last six starts -- a span of 33.0 innings. He has struck out 39 batters during that span.
McLean has been terrific all season and features a dastardly sweeper to go along with a mid-90s fastball. In 104.0 innings this season for Double-A Binghamton and Syracuse, McLean has a 2.94 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 113 strikeouts.
To be clear, the Mets would not be turning to either Sproat or McLean with the expectation that they'll be a savior.
Yes, both pitchers have the ability to eventually pitch near the top of a big league rotation. But that's not what the Mets can expect now. Nor is it what they even need.
What they need is someone who can take the ball every fifth day and give them a better chance to win than Montas is giving them. And it's fair to believe either Sproat or McLean is ready to do that.
It's Monday, August 4 and the Reds (58-54) are in Chicago to take on the Cubs (65-46). Nick Lodolo is slated to take the mound for Cincinnati against Michael Soroka for Chicago.
Chicago and Cincinnati meet for the third series of the season as the Cubs won two out of three both times. Lately, these NL Central squads are trending in different directions.
The Cubs have won three of the past four games, including a ninth inning walkoff in the last contest, while the Reds have dropped four of the last six. Cincinnati is coming off a nine-game home stand where they finished 5-4.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Reds at Cubs
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 8:05PM EST
Site: Wrigley Field
City: Chicago, IL
Network/Streaming: FDSNOH, MARQ
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Reds at the Cubs
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Reds (+120), Cubs (-143)
Spread: Cubs -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Cubs
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Nick Lodolo vs. Michael Soroka
Reds: Nick Lodolo, (8-6, 3.09 ERA) Last outing: 3.38 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 11 Strikeouts
Cubs: Michael Soroka, (3-8, 4.87 ERA) Last outing: 5.40 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 0 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 Reds and the Cubs
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 Reds and the Cubs:
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 Cincinnati Reds 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 Reds at Cubs
Chicago is 4-2 against Cincinnati this season
The Cubs have a 15-4 record in series openers at home this season
The Cubs' last 6 matchups against NL Central teams have gone over the Total
Chicago is 3-1 in the last four games
Cincinnati is 2-4 in the past six 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:
Schaefer has his eyes set on making the Islanders roster out of training camp, and he'll be given that opportunity.
The Islanders community has embraced this kid from the get-go, as they should, and as many know, there are a ton of Islanders fans who are also Mets fans.
So this crossover event on the diamond will be a cool experience for them, and for Schaefer, who always seems to rise to the occasion.
Just remember what happens if he throws it high...
Firt pitch is scheduled for 7:10 ET so you should be in your seats by 6:45 to be safe.
It's Monday, August 4 and the Cardinals (56-57) are in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers (65-47). Sonny Gray is slated to take the mound for St. Louis against Tyler Glasnow for Los Angeles.
The Cardinals continue their west coast road trip after losing two out of three to the Padres. St. Louis is 2-7 in the last nine games and 1-5 over the past six as they enter this matchup with the Dodgers.
St. Louis is 2-1 versus Los Angles this season, but the Dodgers are playing well recently. The Dodgers own a 4-2 record over the past six outings and a 7-5 record after dropping three straight to open the second half of the year.
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 Cardinals at Dodgers
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 10:10PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: FDSNMW, SNLA
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Cardinals at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Cardinals (+156), Dodgers (-188)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Cardinals at Dodgers
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Sonny Gray vs. Tyler Glasnow
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 Cardinals and the Dodgers
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 Cardinals and the Dodgers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Los Angeles Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the St. Louis Cardinals 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 Cardinals at Dodgers
St. Louis is 2-1 versus Los Angeles this season
Los Angeles is 4-2 in the last six games
St. Louis is 1-4 in the last five games
The Dodgers have a 22-15 record in series openers this season
Nine of the Dodgers' last 11 games (82%) have stayed under the Total
The Dodgers have failed to cover the Run Line in nine of their last 11 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:
Its Monday, August 4 and the Twins (52-59) are in Detroit open a series against the Tigers (65-48).
Simeon Woods Richardson is slated to take the mound for Minnesota against Casey Mize for Detroit.
The Twins salvaged the final game of their three-game weekend series in Cleveland with a 5-4 win over the Guardians. The victory snapped a four-game losing streak. Trevor Larnach led the attack with a hit and a couple of runs batted in.
The Tigers return home following a weekend in Philadelphia that saw them lose two of three to the Phillies including 2-0 last night. Kyle Schwarber went yard for the 38th time this season and Cristopher Sanchez allowed just five hits over eight innings to earn his 10th 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 Twins at Tigers
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: Comerica Park
City: Detroit, MI
Network/Streaming: MNNT, 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 Twins at the Tigers
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Twins (+128), Tigers (-152)
Spread: Tigers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Twins at Tigers
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Simeon Woods Richardson vs. Casey Mize
Twins: Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4, 4.24 ERA) Last outing: July 28 vs. Boston - 5.79 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
Tigers: Casey Mize (9-4, 3.44 ERA) Last outing: July 29 vs. Arizona - 5.40 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Twins at Tigers
The Tigers have won their last 5 games against divisional opponents
The Under is 17-9-1 in the Twins' games against AL Central teams this season
The Tigers are showing a profit of 5.25 units on the Run Line in their last 5 games at Comerica Park
Casey Mize struck out 14 opposing hitters in 15 innings in July but never more than 5 in any start
Riley Greene was 0-13 against the Phillies over the weekend
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Twins and the 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 Monday's game between the Twins 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 Minnesota Twins 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:
Athletics star first baseman Nick Kurtz earned both AL Player of the Month and AL Rookie of the Month for his electric contributions in July. It is his first career AL Player of the Month and second consecutive AL Rookie of the Month.
Kurtz strikes again 😤
Congratulations to Nick Kurtz who has been named Player AND Rookie of the Month! pic.twitter.com/QGu4MlYdKG
Over 23 games in July, Kurtz slashed .395/.480/.953 with a 1.433 OPS. He collected 34 hits and 27 RBI with 11 home runs. The 22-year-old led the AL in on-base percentage (.480), doubles (13), OPS, RBI, extra-base hits (25), total bases (82) and slugging (.953).
Kurtz stamped the stellar month with a six-for-six game in a 15-3 rout of the Houston Astros on July 25, in which he hit four home runs, collected six hits, drove in eight runs and totaled 19 bases at Daikin Park.
“I don’t really know how to describe that one,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay told reporters that night in Houston. “It’s arguably the best game I’ve ever watched from a single player.”
What a night for Nick Kurtz, who put forth one of the greatest single-game performances in MLB history.
Kurtz, the A’s No. 4 overall pick from the 2024 MLB Draft, is the 10th player ever to take home both awards in the same month. He joins Ryan Braun (July 2007), Buster Posey (July 2010), Mike Trout (July 2012), Yasiel Puig (June 2013), Jose Abreu (April and July 2014), Gary Sanchez (Aug. 2016), Aaron Judge (June and Sept. 2017), Aristides Aquino (Aug. 2019) and Wyatt Langford (Sept. 2024).
It seemed that Kurtz’s teammate, Jacob Wilson, was a lock for AL Rookie of the Year for much of the 2025 MLB season, especially after becoming the first fan-elected rookie ever to start an All-Star Game.
Stat leaders among qualified rookies this season:
AVG: Jacob Wilson, .312 HR: Nick Kurtz, 23 H: Jacob Wilson, 115 RBI: Nick Kurtz, 61 OPS: Nick Kurtz, 1.030 SB: Chandler Simpson, 32
ERA: Mike Vasil, 2.54 K: Will Warren, 128 WHIP: Noah Cameron, 1.01
Its Monday, August 4 and the Astros (62-50) are in Miami to take on the Marlins (55-55).
Jason Alexander is slated to take the mound for Houston against Sandy Alcantara for Miami.
The Astros arrive in South Beach reeling having been swept over the weekend in Boston by the Red Sox while the Marlins are riding high following their first-ever sweep of the Yankees in Miami.
Houston is 2-8 in their last 10 games and their lead in the American League West has been whittled down to 2.5 games over Seattle. Miami is playing as well as anyone in baseball. They have won five straight and are 30-14 since June 13 to pull to within six games of a Wild Card berth.
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 Astros at Marlins
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: loanDepot Park
City: Miami, FL
Network/Streaming:
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 Marlins
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Astros (-106), Marlins (-113)
Spread: Marlins 1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Astros at Marlins
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Jason Alexander vs. Sandy Alcantara
Astros: Jason Alexander (1-1, 18.00 ERA) Last outing: July 29 vs. Washington - 3.86 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
Marlins: Sandy Alcantara (6-9, 6.36 ERA) Last outing: July 29 at St. Louis - 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Astros at Marlins
The Marlins have won their last 3 games with Sandy Alcantara on the mound
This season Sandy Alcantara has an ERA of 6.36 and a WHIP of 1.46
The Marlins have covered in 7 of their last 9 games with Sandy Alcantara on the mound
Carlos Correa is 3-12 with 1 HR and 1 RBI in 3 games since returning to Houston
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 Marlins
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 Astros and the Marlins:
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 Houston Astros 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:
Concession workers at Fenway Park may go back on strike—potentially indefinitely—if food and beverage vendor Aramark doesn’t offer a new labor contract.
On Wednesday, ahead of the Boston Red Sox’s series finale against the Kansas City Royals, Unite Here Local 26 will give Aramark a formal notice of a potential strike. It comes over a week after the unionized concession workers walked off the job on July 25 for three days during the series against the World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Aramark hired replacement workers for the series, some of whom were involved in a confrontation with picketing union members outside the stadium after Saturday’s game, according to NBC Boston.
The union employees returned to the job for this past weekend’s series against the Houston Astros without incident; the Red Sox host the Royals for three games starting Monday.
The two sides have been at odds since Dec. 31, 2024, when the previous contract expired. On June 15, while the Red Sox hosted the rival New York Yankees, Local 26 authorized a strike that could take place at any point during the regular season, with 95% of its members voting in favor. A few weeks later on July 23, the union gave Aramark 48 hours to offer a new contract before walking off the job; the company let the deadline pass, leading to the three-day strike.
Peter Dankens, a beer server who began working at the ballpark in 1976 as a 14-year-old porter, is the longest-tenured vendor at Fenway and a member of the union’s bargaining committee. In the last talks between the two sides prior to the July strike, Dankens said that he was taken aback by a comment from one of Aramark’s negotiators.
“I wasn’t that hyped up about the whole thing until I went to the bargaining meeting,” he said, “and the person who represented Aramark said, ‘Well, you people make enough money.’ I couldn’t believe someone said that. I make at the top very good money, sure, but my money doesn’t come from Aramark. My money comes from the fans.”
Dankens said he walked off the job in support of the people in the back of the house who deliver, stock and cook the food. “They’re unrecognized. I don’t think anybody in management, other than the floor supervisors, know their names individually. I don’t think it’s not the way they used to be. It really used to be family, and it’s not that way anymore.”
Last Thursday, the bargaining committee discussed next steps, thinking that negotiations towards a new deal could go into the 2026 MLB regular season. Neither side has spoken to one another since the strike during the Red Sox/Dodgers series, though the union continues to say that it’s up to Aramark to offer what it believes to be a fair proposal.
Another point of contention, according to Dankens, was about Juneteenth, which was declared a federal holiday in 2021. The committee said it asked Aramark to make that a paid holiday for its employees, but that request was denied.
“That’s a slap in the face to every person of color that works there, saying ‘we’ll discuss it with you in 2030,’” Dankens said. “Who discusses a national holiday in honor of people of color in 2030? It’s a national holiday.”
Aramark didn’t reply to a request for comment.
The negotiations could play out the same way as it did in Philadelphia when that city’s union chapter representing concession workers across the three venues of the stadium complex went on strike in late September 2024, long after its own contract expired. Some concession workers picketed as the Phillies played their final regular-season series before the playoffs. Though the strike lasted four days, Aramark and the union did not come to terms on a new contract until this past April.
While there has been little common ground at the negotiating table, there was a moment when both sides put their hostilities aside. One of the union members who worked at the ballpark passed away in June after a battle with esophageal cancer. At the funeral, Dankens said he saw two members of Aramark’s senior management team among the attendees.
“I think they thought I was going to say something about this strike,” he said. “And I said to them, you know, it meant a lot to see you coming to [the] funeral. And believe me, it was not unnoticed.
“I think they were kind of taken aback that I said that to them, but it did mean something to see them there. It was almost like we went back to the olden days.”
(This story has been updated in the first paragraph to accurately reflect the union’s intentions around the strike. This story has been corrected in the second paragraph to note the Red Sox will play the Royals on Wednesday, and in the fifth paragraph to clarify who is speaking.)
