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Brewers at Phillies prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for May 30

Its Friday, May 30 and the Brewers (29-28) are in Philadelphia to take on the Phillies (36-20).

DL Hall is slated to take the mound for Milwaukee against Taijuan Walker for Philadelphia.

The Phillies sit atop the National League East by two games following a split of yesterday's doubleheader against the Braves. Nick Castellanos went 4-4 in the opener to propel the Phils to a 5-4 win. Chris Sale slowed down the Philadelphia attack in the nightcap as the Braves rolled to a 9-3 win to finish the series.

The Brewers arrive in the City of Brotherly Love having won four in a row overall following a three-game sweep of the Red Sox in Milwaukee. Sal Frelick went 4-5 in the series finale, a 6-5 win Wednesday in ten innings.

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 Brewers at Phillies

  • Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
  • Time: 6:45PM EST
  • Site: Citizens Bank Park
  • City: Philadelphia, PA
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNWI, NBCSP, 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 Brewers at the Phillies

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Brewers (+123), Phillies (-146)
  • Spread:  Phillies -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Brewers at Phillies

  • Pitching matchup for May 30, 2025: DL Hall vs. Taijuan Walker
    • Brewers: DL Hall (1-0, 3.86 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/26 vs. Boston - 2.1IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 1K
    • Phillies: Taijuan Walker (2-3, 2.98 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/21 at Colorado - 5IP, 3ER, 6H, 2BB, 2Ks

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 Brewers at Phillies

  • The Phillies have won 4 of their last 5 games at home against National League teams
  • This season Taijuan Walker has an ERA of 2.99
  • The Brewers have failed to cover the Run Line in 7 of their last 9 games with a rest advantage over their opponents
  • Alec Bohm is riding a 10-game hitting streak (14-43)
  • Trea Turner is 4-19 (.211) over his last 5 games

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

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Brewers 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 Friday's game between the Brewers 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 Philadelphia Phillies -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:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Yankees at Dodgers Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for May 30

Its a World Series rematch starting tonight at Chavez Ravine. The New York Yankees (35-20) are in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers (34-22).

Max Fried is slated to take the mound for New York against Tony Gonsolin for Los Angeles.

The Yankees will be looking for some measure of revenge following their loss to the Dodgers in last season's Fall Classic. New York takes the field playing arguably their best baseball of the season having won nine of their last ten to take a commanding 6.5 game lead in the American League East. The Dodgers have been less dominant of late having split their last ten games. They still, however, lead the National League West by two games.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

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

Game details & how to watch Yankees at Dodgers

  • Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
  • Time: 10:10PM EST
  • Site: Dodger Stadium
  • City: Los Angeles, CA
  • 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 Yankees at the Dodgers

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Yankees (-130), Dodgers (+110)
  • Spread:  Yankees -1.5 (+124)
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Yankees at Dodgers

  • Pitching matchup for May 30, 2025: Max Fried vs. Tony Gonsolin
    • Yankees: Max Fried (7-0, 1.29 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/24 at Colorado - 7.1IP, 1ER, 6H, 1BB, 7Ks
    • Dodgers: Tony Gonsolin (2-1, 4.68 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/24 at Mets - 5IP, 4ER, 7H, 3BB, 4Ks

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

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

  • The Yankees have won 4 of their last 5 games against NL West teams
  • With Tony Gonsolin as starting pitcher 7 of the Dodgers' last 9 home games have gone over the Total
  • Max Fried has struck out 34 opposing batters in 32.1 innings pitched in May
  • Aaron Judge saw his 5-game hitting streak (7-18) snapped in Wednesday's 1-0 win over the Angels
  • Anthony Volpe has hit in 5 straight games (7-20) to push his average for the season to .246

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 Yankees 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 Friday's game between the Yankees and the Dodgers:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Los Angeles Dodgers 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)
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Cardinals at Rangers prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for May 30

On Friday, May 30, the Cardinals (32-24) are in Arlington to take on the Rangers (27-30).

Matthew Liberatore is slated to take the mound for St. Louis against Jack Leiter for Texas.

With a 2-0 loss on Wednesday against the Blue Jays, the Rangers have now lost three straight series (Yankees, White Sox, Blue Jays). Tyler Mahle was phenomenal for the Blue Jays. He didn't give up a run in 6.0 innings and struck out five batters. It was the second time in a week that the Rangers were shut out.

The Cardinals wrapped up a series win over the Orioles with back-to-back wins. Masyn Winn went 4-5 including a pair of doubles to pace the attack in Wednesday's 6-4 win in Baltimore.

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 Cardinals at Rangers

  • Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
  • Time: 8:05PM EST
  • Site: Globe Life Field
  • City: Arlington, TX
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNMW, CW33

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 Rangers

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Cardinals (-130), Rangers (+110)
  • Spread: Cardinals -1.5
  • Total: 9 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Cardinals at Rangers

  • Pitching matchup for May 30, 2025: Matthew Liberatore vs. Jack Leiter
    • Cardinals: Matthew Liberatore (3-3, 2.73 ERA)
      Last outing (Arizona Diamondbacks, 5/24): 7.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
    • Rangers: Jack Leiter (3-2, 4.17 ERA)
      Last outing (Chicago White Sox, 5/24): 5.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 5 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!

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

  • The Rangers have lost 8 of their last 10 games
  • The Under has cashed in the Rangers' last 3 games
  • The Cardinals have won 6 of their last 10 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 Cardinals 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 Cardinals 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 St. Louis Cardinals -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 9.

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)
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Prep talk: As MLB tries to increase Black players, St. John Bosco has positive news

Major League Baseball has been trying for years to increase the number of Black players participating in the sport, creating such programs as the Compton Youth Academy and the DREAM Series. There were 59 Black players on opening day MLB rosters, a slight increase from the previous year but far from the numbers in the 1980s.

St. John Bosco's baseball team, which plays for a Southern Section Division 1 championship on Friday against Santa Margarita at Cal State Fullerton, offers hope for the future with five Black players in the starting lineup.

"Definitely something to be proud of," center fielder Miles Clark said.

The sports of football and basketball have been taking away Black athletes, but St. John Bosco's group of Clark, his twin brother James, Noah Everly, Jaden Jackson and Macade Maxwell have embraced baseball and put themselves in position to pursue college baseball and beyond.

Each player offers speed and athleticism. Maxwell had an RBI single in the semifinals against Seth Hernandez of Corona. James Clark and Everly lead the team in hitting at .394 and .347, respectively. St. John Bosco won its first Trinity League title since 2017 and is 24-5. …

Santa Margarita is much improved after getting players back from injuries, so ignore the fact it has 12 losses. Carter Enoch came back to add hitting to the Eagles' lineup and Brennan Bauer has been the winning pitcher in all four playoff games. Seventeen seniors are graduating at 10 a.m. at the Honda Center.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Posey sends two-word message to Giants fans about Adames' struggles

Posey sends two-word message to Giants fans about Adames' struggles originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

“Be patient.”

That was Buster Posey’s message to fans when asked about Willy Adames’ early-season struggles in his first season with the Giants on KNBR’s “Murph and Markus.”

Adames signed a seven-year, $182 million contract with San Francisco this offseason and has batted just .208 in 56 games this season.

“It’s not uncommon when superstar players sign a big deal and struggle out the gate,” Posey said Thursday.

What also hasn’t helped the cause is that Adames’ defense has struggled this season, too.

Adames currently has a .961 fielding percentage, which is fifth-worst among 30 qualified shortstops this season.

“I’ve gone through it as a player when you struggle,” Posey said. “It’s rough. I mean, I didn’t, you don’t sleep well, it’s on your mind all the time.”

Still, just over a third of the way through the season, Posey isn’t wavering in his belief in the 29-year-old and says that through it all, Adames has shown a positive attitude and been a mentor to the younger players.

“For this guy to show up and be the same each and every day, it’s pretty remarkable,” Posey said. “He’s truly a leader, and I’ve got belief that offensively he’s going to find his groove here. He’s always been a bit of a streaky hitter, so hoping that hot stretch is right around the corner.”

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Birdsong, Harrison impress Posey; Hicks ‘disappointed' by bullpen move

Birdsong, Harrison impress Posey; Hicks ‘disappointed' by bullpen move originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

This season’s Giants pitching rotation has been a bit of a carousel with players shifting from bullpen to starter and vice versa.

Buster Posey, president of baseball operations, spoke with KNBR 680 on Thursday regarding the staff changes and said that through the process, he has enjoyed seeing young players such as Hayden Birdsong and Kyle Harrison find their way as the season has gone on.

“I don’t think that it’s anything earth-shattering, but I do think the health of an organization is largely dependent on your young pitching and to have those guys, 23 years old, pitching with the confidence and stuff that they have is exciting,” said Posey.

Birdsong has found himself in the starting rotation as of late and boasts a more than respectable 2.48 ERA on the year, while Harrison, who just made his first start of the season on May 24 has also really impressed Posey.

“He looks like a different guy to me than what we saw this spring,” Posey said when speaking on Harrison’s conviction in his stuff.

While that pair has nestled themselves into the starting rotation, Jordan Hicks once again has shifted to the bullpen.

It’s a move Posey says Hicks wasn’t thrilled about, but one he says the 28-year-old has been a true pro throughout. 

“He was disappointed,” Posey said. “He’s been very clear that he wants to be a starter, but again, I think between myself, Zach [Minasian], Bob [Melvin] felt like we were putting the team in the best position to have him pitch out of the pen right now.”

Hicks posted a 6.55 ERA as a starter for the club this season but has only given up one run in three appearances out of the bullpen since making the move last week.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Bar-B-Cast preview: 'There’s a strong argument the Yankees are better than the Dodgers'

(This article was written with the assistance of Castmagic, an AI tool, and reviewed by our editorial team to ensure accuracy. Please reach out to us if you notice any mistakes.)

From high-octane lineups to crafty pitching, this Yankees-Dodgers battle is baseball’s main event of this weekend. As Jordan Shusterman and Jake Mintz of the "Baseball Bar-B-Cast" podcast put it: “I don’t think we have to explain why Dodgers-Yankees is compelling … There is some stuff here, people.”

Here is some of the stuff: 

As pointed out in the latest episode of "Baseball Bar-B-Cast," there’s a different energy compared to their last showdown. This isn’t just a rehashing of last year’s World Series vibe. Both the Yankees (35-20) and Dodgers (34-22) are entering the weekend as true contenders, but, if anything, the Yankees look stronger this time around.

Mintz summed it up like this: “Last year it was pretty clear pretty quickly that the Yankees were playing worse baseball than the Dodgers. That’s not the case right now. There’s a strong argument the Yankees are better than the Dodgers.” 

The Yankees' run differential is nearly double that of the Dodgers (+113 to +65), and their recent form has been more consistent across the board.

Shusterman's take: "The Yankees are playing much better, basically, across the board, they’ve been way more consistent. The run differential speaks for itself. They have a lot more of their team clicking.”

The arms on display promise some compelling duels:

Friday — Max Fried vs. Tony Gonsolin
Saturday — Will Warren vs. Landon Knack
Sunday — Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Ryan Yarbrough

Mintz points out the intrigue around pitchers: “Will Warren I’m interested in. He was not a character during the World Series last year. Neither was Max Fried. I’ll take Max Fried against Shohei Ohtani. Thank you very much.” 

It’s also a series full of new faces — like the Yankees' Cody Bellinger, Trent Grisham and Paul Goldschmidt.

As Shusterman jokes, expect the networks to lean heavily into World Series nostalgia. Will we see countless replays of Freddie Freeman’s grand slam in the World Series opener? Probably. The over-under, according to the "Bar-B-Cast" is set at 12.5. But don’t let that distract from the fact that this series is packed with new storylines and fresh drama.

LOS ANGELES, CA - OCTOBER 25: Freddie Freeman #5 of the Los Angeles Dodgers celebrates as he walks to first base after hitting a grand slam home run in the 10th inning during Game 1 of the 2024 World Series presented by Capital One between the New York Yankees and the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Friday, October 25, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Freddie Freeman unlocked legendary status after hitting a walkoff grand slam in the World Series opener last year against the Yankees. (Photo by Rob Tringali/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Rob Tringali via Getty Images

Title favorites: The defending champion Dodgers have the best odds to win the World Series (+240 at BetMGM), and the Yankees aren’t too far behind (+550). 

The Tigers (+900), Mets (+900), Phillies (+950), Cubs (+1500) and Mariners (+1800) are the only other teams with better than 20-1 odds.

MVP favorites: Reigning MVPs Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani are mashing. If the season ended today, they would both be virtual locks to win the awards again, which would be three in four years for Judge and four in five years for Ohtani.

  • Judge leads the AL in every part of the triple-slash (.391/.488/.739), runs (51), hits (81), total bases (153) and WAR (4.2). He’s also second in HRs (18), RBI (47) and walks (38).

  • Ohtani leads the NL in HRs (20), runs (59), slugging (.648) and total bases (140), is second in WAR (2.8) and OPS (1.042) and is top 10 in BA (.292) and steals (11).

Looking ahead: There’s still a lot of baseball left, but if the Yankees and Dodgers each make it back to the Fall Classic it will be just the 10th World Series rematch ever, and the first since these same two teams did it nearly 50 years ago (1977-78).

For more of the latest baseball news and debates, tune in to "Baseball-Bar-B-Cast" on Apple, Spotify or YouTube.

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Reds at Cubs Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for May 30

The Reds (28-29) are in Chicago Friday to open a series against the Cubs (35-21).

Andrew Abbott is slated to take the mound for Cincinnati against Colin Rea for Chicago.

Thursday was an off day for each of these clubs. The Cubs are coming off a three-game sweep of the Rockies. Pete Crow-Armstrong homered and Matthew Boyd allowed a single, unearned run over six innings to earn his fifth win of the season in Wednesday's 2-1 win.

The Reds took two of three from the Royals to begin the week. They did lose Wednesday, though, 3-2. Tyler Stephenson and Spencer Steer each picked up three hits in the loss.

Lets dive into the series opener 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 Reds at Cubs

  • Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
  • Time: 2:20PM EST
  • Site: Wrigley Field
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNOH, MARQ, 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 Reds at the Cubs

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Reds (+144), Cubs (-172)
  • Spread:  Cubs -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Cubs

  • Pitching matchup for May 30, 2025: Andrew Abbott vs. Colin Rea
    • Reds: Andrew Abbott (4-0, 1.77 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/24 vs. Cubs - 5.2IP, 1ER, 6H, 2BB, 2Ks
    • Cubs: Colin Rea (3-1, 3.28 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/24 at Cincinnati - 5IP, 6ER, 7H, 3BB, 8Ks

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

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

  • The Cubs have won 4 of their last 5 home games against National League teams
  • Each of the last 3 games between the Cubs and the Reds have gone over the Total
  • Kyle Tucker saw his 7-game hitting streak (13-28) snapped Wednesday
  • Elly De La Cruz is riding a 6-game hitting streak (9-25)

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 Friday’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 Friday'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 Chicago Cubs at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 8.0.

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

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

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Jazz Chisholm Jr. will play third base if Yankees need him: 'I'm a team guy'

With Jazz Chisholm Jr. set to return from his oblique injury soon, the question of which position the young slugger will play has come up. Yankees manager Aaron Boone told the media that they want Chisholm Jr. to give the team flexibility and the infielder started at third base on Thursday night in his first rehab start with Double-A Somerset.

Chisholm Jr. began the 2025 season exclusively as the team's second baseman with the departure of Gleyber Torres but the Yankees didn't anticipate the injuries that would happen. Aside from Chisholm being sidelined for a month, Oswaldo Cabrera, the team's starting third baseman out of spring training, will miss the rest of the season with an ankle injury.

That has left Boone and the organization with some decisions to make and it seems like Chisholm Jr. will be asked to move back to the hot corner.

"[Boone] told me he wanted me at third base. He really wanted me at third base. I'm a team guy. I'm here to win a ring. I'm not here to fight over positions," Chisholm said about playing third base after his rehab game. "We've got some of the best players in the world on our team...I'm just here to help us win."

Prior to the 2024 season, Chisholm Jr. had played third base in a professional game, whether in the majors in minors. When the Yankees acquired him at the trade deadline last year, Torres was not receptive to moving, so Chisholm Jr. was asked and accepted the move to third base. He played 45 regular season games at third base for the Yankees and the entire postseason run in 2024.

“I always wanted to play third. That’s why I liked playing third last year," Chisholm said. "I grew up as an A-Rod fan, wore 13, 3 all the time as a kid... I always thought it was a fun position to try and play. All reaction."

Before being sidelined, Chisholm Jr. was struggling at the plate. He was hitting just .181 but had seven home runs in 30 games. He also had three errors playing second base in 29 games this season -- he had seven playing third in 45 games a year ago. Perhaps this time away can reset his bat when he returns. He had two hits and reached base three times in his game on Thursday.

Chisholm Jr. said he thinks he'll only need one or two more rehab games before he feels ready to be activated. Once he does, the Yankees will need to make room for him. If Chisholm Jr. becomes the everyday third baseman, that leaves second base to DJ LeMahieu and either Oswald Peraza or Jorbit Vivas.

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Angels slugger Mike Trout is expected to be activated off the injured list on Friday, AP source says

CLEVELAND (AP) Mike Trout is expected to be activated off the injured list on Friday before the Los Angeles Angels face the Cleveland Guardians, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press.

The person spoke to the AP on Thursday on condition of anonymity because the move has not been announced.

The Angels have an open roster spot after Matthew Lugo was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on Thursday.

Trout hasn’t played since April 30, when he left the game against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning with soreness in his left knee eventually diagnosed as a bone bruise. The three-time American League MVP had two operations last year on the knee after tearing his meniscus.

The 33-year-old Trout has missed 26 straight games after playing in the Angels' first 29 this season. The Halos (25-30) are beginning a six-game trip and have dropped five straight.

Trout was hitting .179 with nine home runs, 18 RBIs and a .727 OPS before being placed on the injured list. He did some base running and faced a minor league pitcher during the Angels' recent series at home against the New York Yankees.

Trout has missed 404 of the Angels’ 664 games - almost 61% - since May 17, 2021, when he tore his calf muscle and was sidelined for the rest of that season. This is the fifth straight year the slugger has had a stint of at least 25 games on the IL.

He missed five weeks of the 2022 season with a back injury, and all but one game after July 3 in 2023 after he broke a bone in his hand on a foul ball. Trout played in 29 games last season before the meniscus injury.

---

AP MLB: https://apnews.com/MLB

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Report: Angels slugger Mike Trout is expected to be activated off the injured list on Friday

CLEVELAND — Mike Trout is expected to be activated off the injured list on Friday before the Los Angeles Angels face the Cleveland Guardians, a person with knowledge of the move told The Associated Press.

The person spoke to the AP on Thursday on condition of anonymity because the move has not been announced.

The Angels have an open roster spot after Matthew Lugo was optioned to Triple-A Salt Lake on Thursday.

Trout hasn’t played since April 30, when he left the game against the Seattle Mariners during the fourth inning with soreness in his left knee eventually diagnosed as a bone bruise. The three-time American League MVP had two operations last year on the knee after tearing his meniscus.

The 33-year-old Trout has missed 26 straight games after playing in the Angels' first 29 this season. The Halos (25-30) are beginning a six-game trip and have dropped five straight.

Trout was hitting .179 with nine home runs, 18 RBIs and a .727 OPS before being placed on the injured list. He did some base running and faced a minor league pitcher during the Angels' recent series at home against the New York Yankees.

Trout has missed 404 of the Angels’ 664 games - almost 61% - since May 17, 2021, when he tore his calf muscle and was sidelined for the rest of that season. This is the fifth straight year the slugger has had a stint of at least 25 games on the IL.

He missed five weeks of the 2022 season with a back injury, and all but one game after July 3 in 2023 after he broke a bone in his hand on a foul ball. Trout played in 29 games last season before the meniscus injury.

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Mets Prospect Roundup: Blade Tidwell strikes out 11, Jonah Tong has quality start

With the bevy of prospects in the Mets minor league system, here's how they did at the various levels ...

Triple-A Syracuse

It was the Blade Tidwell show. The young right-hander dominated the Iowa Cubs, pitching 5.2 no-hit innings. In the sixth, Tidwell walked two batters before he was pulled for Dedniel Nunez, who allowed the runners to score. Tidwell's night finished throwing 97 pitches (60 strikes) across the 5.2 innings without allowing two runs on no hits and four walks. He struck out 11 batters and lowered his ERA to 3.97.

On the offensive side, Drew Gilbert finished 0-for-4 with a walk and run scored. Ronny Mauricio excelled, going 2-for-4 with his third home run of the season in the eighth inning.

Double-A Binghamton

The Rumble Ponies played two on Thursday and Jonah Tong was on the mound for Game 1. Tong struck out seven batters over six innings (82 pitches/46 strikes) while allowing just one run on three hits. However, Tong's command wasn't as sharp and it led to four walks. Still, Tong came away with his third win after the Rumble Ponies' 2-1 win over the Chesapeake BaySox.

Jett Williams went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run while Ryan Clifford went 1-for-2 with an RBI double and two walks.

In Game 2, Williams went hitless in three at-bats, but did draw a walk and scored a run. While Clifford went 1-for-3 with a walk, his only hit a solo shot the eighth of the season.

High-A Brooklyn

After Frankie Montas finished his second rehab start, Jonathan Santucci piggybacked off the veteran right-hander and had a great game.

Santucci pitched 5.1 scoreless innings while allowing just two hits, and two walks and striking out six batters. Over his last three outings, Santucci is 3-0 with a 0.59 ERA, 0.78 WHIP and 17 strikeouts .

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Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. reaches base three times in first rehab start with Double-A Somerset

Yankees infielder Jazz Chisholm Jr. had his first rehab game with the Somerset Patriots on Thursday night, and it was a successful on at the plate and in the field.

Chisholm started at third base with the Patriots as the Yankees are looking to give him reps at the hot corner to give him and the team versatility in the infield. He played five innings in the field, all at third base.

Chisholm never played third base until he moved there when he was acquired by the Yankees at the trade deadline last season. He began the 2025 season at second base, but with the return of DJ LeMahieu and the season-long injury to Oswaldo Cabrera, the Yankees are giving themselves flexibility with their defensive alignment and lineups.

"[Manager Aaron Boone] told me he wanted me at third base. He really wanted me at third base. I'm a team guy. I'm here to win a ring. I'm not here to fight over positions," Chisholm said about playing third base after the game. "We've got some of the best players in the world on our team...I'm just here to help us win."

At the plate, Chisholm went 2-for-3 with a walk. He singled to right field in his first at-bat before walking in his second. In his third at-bat, Chisholm missed a home run by inches to dead center but had to settle for a double. George Lombard Jr. would drive in Chisholm with a triple.

The top Yankees prospect was 1-for-5.

Another Yankees prospect, Spencer Jones, made his return to the lineup after being sidelined with an intercostal injury he suffered earlier this month. Jones went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

On the mound, JT Brubaker had a great rehab start with the Patriots. Making his third minor league start, second for the Double-A affiliate, Brubaker threw 48 pitches (30 strikes) in four innings, allowing just one hit and striking out three batters. His ERA dropped to 1.35.

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Mets' Frankie Montas shows improvement in second rehab start with High-A Brooklyn

After a tough first rehab start with High-A Brooklyn, Mets right-hander Frankie Montas showed improvement in his second on Thursday night.

Montas pitched three innings (49 pitches/28 strikes), allowing two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out three. The 32-year-old was jumped for those two runs by Aberdeen in the first inning when he walked the leadoff man and allowed a double to put runners on second and third with no outs. Montas would settle in and get the next three batters out, but a groundout and sac fly allowed two runners to score.

From there, Montas would scatter runners over his final two innings.

It was an encouraging sight as Montas couldn't get out of the second inning in his first rehab start this past Saturday. In that start, he pitched just 1.1 innings while allowing two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out one. Montas was on a 30-35 pitch count (he threw 37), but the Mets were confident enough to let him get close to 50 pitches.

Manager Carlos Mendoza will likely give an update on Montas' status and potential next steps before the series opener with the Rockies on Friday.

While the Mets rotation has excelled in 2025 so far, the addition of Montas could give Mendoza an option to go with a six-man rotation. After signing with the Mets this offseason, Montas began the season on the IL with a lat injury during spring training.

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Los Angeles Dodgers acquire former All-Star reliever Alexis Díaz in trade with Cincinnati Reds

LOS ANGELES — The Los Angeles Dodgers acquired former All-Star reliever Alexis Díaz from the Cincinnati Reds on Thursday in a trade for minor league pitcher Mike Villani.

The Dodgers moved right-hander Evan Phillips to the 60-day injured list to make room on the 40-man roster for Díaz, who had a 12.00 ERA in six games for Cincinnati this season.

Díaz finished fifth in voting for NL Rookie of the Year in 2022, and he was chosen for the NL All-Star team in 2023 when he went 9-6 with a 3.07 ERA and 37 saves. He recorded 28 saves in 32 opportunities last season with a 1.30 WHIP, but he also began a decline that continued into this season.

Díaz lost his job as Cincinnati's closer last month, and he was demoted to Triple-A Louisville nearly a month ago despite making $4.5 million this season.

The 28-year-old Díaz is the brother of Mets closer Edwin Díaz.

Villani, a Long Beach State product, was the Dodgers’ 13th-round pick in last year’s amateur draft.

Phillips went on the injured list May 7 with elbow discomfort, and his recovery does not appear to be going well. Manager Dave Roberts said earlier this week that Phillips' inability to begin a throwing program was “a little concerning.”

Phillips is among of 14 Dodgers pitchers on the injured lis, a group making more than $100 million combined this season. The injured arms include starters Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki, and the relievers include Phillips, Kirby Yates, Blake Treinen and Brusdar Graterol.

Phillips was a key component of the eventual World Series champions' bullpen last year, and he earned 42 saves over the past two seasons.