It's Friday, May 16, and the Athletics (22-22) are in San Francisco to take on the Giants (25-19). JP Sears is slated to take the mound for Oakland against Logan Webb for San Francisco.
The Athletics are on a two-game losing streak where they allowed 28 runs to the Dodgers whereas the Giants are 1-5 over the last six games.
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 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.
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Game details & how to watch Athletics at Giants
Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
Time: 10:15 PM EST
Site: Oracle Park
City: San Francisco, CA
Network/Streaming: NBCSCA, NBCSBA, MLBN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Athletics at the Giants
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Athletics (+148), Giants (-177)
Spread: Giants -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Athletics at Giants
Pitching matchup for May 16, 2025: JP Sears vs. Logan Webb
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 Athletics and the Giants
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday’s game between the Athletics and the Giants:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the San Francisco Giants on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Oakland Athletics at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Athletics at Giants
With Logan Webb starting the Giants have won their last 3 head-to-heads against the Athletics
When Logan Webb opened In the Giants' home games last season the Under was 9-6 (60%)
With Logan Webb starting the Giants returned a 1.83-unit profit on the Run Line at home last season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
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It's Friday, May 16 and the Braves (22-22) are in Boston to take on the Red Sox (22-23). Chris Sale is slated to take the mound for Atlanta against Garrett Crochet for Boston.
Boston enters on a three-game losing streak but won four of the past five before the current losing streak. Atlanta is coming off a four-game series with Washington where the Braves won three.
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 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.
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Game details & how to watch Braves at Red Sox
Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
Time: 7:10 PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: FDSNSO, NESN, MLBN
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Odds for the Braves at the Red Sox
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Braves (+104), Red Sox (-124)
Spread: Red Sox 1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Braves at Red Sox
Pitching matchup for May 16, 2025: Chris Sale vs. Garrett Crochet
Braves: Chris Sale, (1-3, 3.97 ERA) Last outing: 5.2 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 8 Strikeouts
Red Sox: Garrett Crochet, (4-2, 1.93 ERA) Last outing: 7.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 9 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 Braves 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 Friday’s game between the Braves and the Red Sox:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Atlanta Braves at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Braves at Red Sox
The Braves have a 9-5 record in series openers this season
The Under is 24-16-4 in Braves' games this season
The Red Sox have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 1.46 units
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
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The Mets open a three-game series against the Yankees in the Bronx on Friday at 7:05 p.m. on PIX11.
Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...
Mets Notes
Juan Soto is slashing .289/.411/.667 with five home runs and two doubles in 56 plate appearances over 12 games this month
Mark Vientos has been on fire for about a month, hitting .309/.352/.526 with five home runs and four doubles in 105 plate appearances over 26 games dating back to April 13
Brett Batyhas smacked four home runs in 19 at-bats since being recalled from Triple-A Syracuse
Edwin Diazhas allowed just one earned run since his appearance on April 11 -- a span of 11.1 innings over 11 appearances
METS
YANKEES
Francisco Lindor, SS
Trent Grisham, CF
Juan Soto, RF
Aaron Judge, RF
Pete Alonso, 1B
Cody Bellinger, LF
Mark Vientos, 3B
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B
Brandon Nimmo, LF
Jasson Domínguez, DH
Starling Marte, DH
Anthony Volpe, SS
Francisco Alvarez, C
Austin Wells, C
Luisangel Acuña, 2B
Oswald Peraza, 3B
Tyrone Taylor, CF
Jorbit Vivas, 2B
How can I watch the game online?
To watch Mets games online via PIX11, you will need a subscription to a TV service provider and live in the New York City metro area. This will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone browser.
Its Friday, May 16 and the Rockies (7-36) are in Phoenix to take on the Diamondbacks (23-21).
Carson Palmquist is slated to take the mound for Colorado against Corbin Burnes for Arizona.
The Rockies were off yesterday after being swept in a three-game set in Arlington against the Rangers. They were outscored 14-5 in the series. Arizona was also off yesterday. Earlier this week they took two of three in San Francisco against the Giants.
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.
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Game details & how to watch Rockies at Diamondbacks
Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
Time: 9:40PM EST
Site: Chase Field
City: Phoenix, AZ
Network/Streaming: COLR, ARID
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Odds for the Rockies at the Diamondbacks
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Rockies (+315), Diamondbacks (-403)
Spread: Diamondbacks -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Diamondbacks
Pitching matchup for May 16, 2025: Carson Palmquist vs. Corbin Burnes
Rockies: Carson Palmquist Last Outing: This is Palmquist's major league debut
Diamondbacks: Corbin Burnes (2-1, 2.95 ERA) Last outing: 5/10 vs. Dodgers - 7IP, 0ER, 5H, 2BB, 5Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies at Diamondbacks
The Rockies have a losing record (2-11) in NL West games this season
The Rockies' last 5 games against NL teams have gone over the Total
The Diamondbacks have failed to cover the Run Line in 4 straight games
Corbin Carroll is 5-12 over his last 3 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 Rockies and the Diamondbacks
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Rockies and the Diamondbacks:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Arizona Diamondbacks on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Arizona Diamondbacks at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
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It's Friday, May 16 and the Astros (22-21) are in Arlington to take on the Rangers (24-21). Lance McCullers is slated to take the mound for Houston against Nathan Eovaldi for Texas.
The Rangers won the series opener over the Astros yesterday, 1-0, behind a Jake Burger homer and a masterclass from Jacob deGrom who went 8.0 innings with five hits, one walk, and seven strikeouts.
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 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.
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Game details & how to watch Astros at Rangers
Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
Time: 8:05 PM EST
Site: Globe Life Field
City: Arlington, TX
Network/Streaming: Apple TV+
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Astros at the Rangers
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Astros (+154), Rangers (-185)
Spread: Rangers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Astros at Rangers
Pitching matchup for May 16, 2025: Lance McCullers vs. Nathan Eovaldi
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 Astros 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 Astros 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 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
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Astros at Rangers
The Astros have won 14 of 20 games following a defeat
With Nathan Eovaldi starting the Under has cashed in the Rangers' last 3 home games
With Nathan Eovaldi as the opener the Rangers returned a 4.98-unit profit on the Run Line at home last season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
It's Friday, May 16 and the Angels (17-25) are in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers (29-15). Jack Kochanowicz is slated to take the mound for the Angels against Dustin May for the Dodgers.
The Dodgers put up 19 runs en route to a 19-3 win over the Athletics last night in a series where Los Angeles scored 29 runs (28 in the last two). Shohei Ohtani homered twice to tie for the MLB's home run leader.
The Dodgers are 8-5 since May started, while the Angels have gone 5-8. The Angels lost the past two games to the Padres by six combined runs and dropped five of the past seven.
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 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.
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Game details & how to watch Angels at Dodgers
Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
Time: 10:10 PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: FDSNW, SNLA, 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 Angels at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Angels (+242), Dodgers (-302)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Angels at Dodgers
Pitching matchup for May 16, 2025: Jack Kochanowicz vs. Dustin May
Angels: Jack Kochanowicz, (2-5, 5.23 ERA) Last outing: 5.2 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Dodgers: Dustin May, (1-3, 4.08 ERA) Last outing: 6.2 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 5 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Angels 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 Angels 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 Los Angeles Angels at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Angels at Dodgers
The Dodgers have won their last 6 home games with Dustin May as starting pitcher
Dustin May has an ERA of 5.56 in his last 5 starts on the mound
The Dodgers have covered in 4 of their last 5 home games with Dustin May as starting pitcher to return 4.09 units
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
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Its Friday, May 16 and the Twins (24-20) are in Milwaukee to take on the Brewers (21-23).
Joe Ryan is slated to take the mound for Minnesota against Chad Patrick for Milwaukee.
The Twins have won 11 straight. Their most recent victims were the Orioles. Minnesota took three from them in Baltimore before arriving in Milwaukee. They shut out the O's yesterday, 4-0. Chris Paddack and two relievers limited the Orioles to just six hits and seven total baserunners.
Milwaukee was off yesterday. They have lost four of their last six including two of three earlier this week in Cleveland. They were shut out twice by the Guardians before bouncing back with a 9-5 win, Wednesday. Rhys Hoskins had four hits and drove in five runs in the win.
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.
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Game details & how to watch Twins at Brewers
Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
Time: 8:10PM EST
Site: American Family Field
City: Milwaukee, WI
Network/Streaming: MNNT, FDSNWI
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Twins at the Brewers
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Twins (-113), Brewers (-106)
Spread: Twins -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Twins at Brewers
Pitching matchup for May 16, 2025: Joe Ryan vs. Chad Patrick
Twins: Joe Ryan (3-2, 2.74 ERA) Last outing: 5/10 vs. San Francisco - 6IP, 1ER, 2H, 0BB, 7Ks
Brewers: Chad Patrick (2-3, 3.19 ERA) Last outing: 5/11 at Tampa Bay - 4.1IP, 2ER, 6H, 2BB, 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 Twins at Brewers
The Brewers have won 4 of their last 5 home games against American League teams
8 of the Twins' last 10 games with the Brewers have gone over the Total
In their last 5 games with a rest advantage, the Brewers are 1-4 on the Run Line
Trevor Larnach had his modest 6-game hitting streak snapped on Thursday
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 Brewers
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Twins and the Brewers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Milwaukee Brewers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Milwaukee Brewers at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
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It's Friday, May 16, and the Pirates (15-29) are in Philadelphia to take on the Phillies (25-18). Andrew Heaney is slated to take the mound for Pittsburgh against Ranger Suárez for Philadelphia.
Pittsburgh and Philadelphia are both coming off rest days ahead of this matchup. The Pirates earned a 4-0 win over the Mets to avoid the sweep in their last outing, while the Phillies dropped a 14-7 barnburner to the Cardinals. Pittsburgh is 3-10 since the start of May, while Philly is 8-5.
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 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.
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Game details & how to watch Pirates at Phillies
Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
Time: 6:45 PM EST
Site: Citizens Bank Park
City: Philadelphia, PA
Network/Streaming: SNP, 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 Pirates at the Phillies
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Pirates (+186), Phillies (-225)
Spread: Phillies -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Pirates at Phillies
Pitching matchup for May 16, 2025: Andrew Heaney vs. Ranger Suárez
Pirates: Andrew Heaney, (2-3, 3.15 ERA) Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 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!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Pirates 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 Pirates 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 Pittsburgh Pirates at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Pirates at Phillies
With Ranger Suarez opening the Phillies have won 3 straight home head-to-heads against the Pirates
The Over has cashed in 4 of the Phillies' last 5 home games with Ranger Suarez on the mound
The Phillies returned a 4.25-unit profit on the Run Line last season with Ranger Suarez as the starter
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:
Shohei Ohtani runs the bases after hitting a three-run homer against the Athletics in the third inning. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
As is typically the case when a team wins 19-2 like the Dodgers did against the Athletics on Thursday night, plenty of hitters in the team’s star-studded lineup aligned to have monster nights.
Shohei Ohtani homered twice in a six-RBI performance, tying the major league lead with 15 long balls this season. Max Muncy, Andy Pages and James Outman also went deep, helping the club set a season-high for runs. Hyeseong Kim reached base all five times. Freddie Freeman and Mookie Betts also combined to get aboard five times before being removed after the third inning, the lead at that point already 11 runs.
All of those accomplishments, however, paled in personal significance to what the Dodgers’ starting catcher did.
Making his major league debut after being called up in a major roster move the day prior, top prospect Dalton Rushing walked in his first at-bat, singled in the next and went two-for-four while navigating a pre-determined bullpen game behind the plate — a strong showing for a 24-year-old slugger with so much potential, the Dodgers cut longtime backup catcher Austin Barnes to get him on the roster.
“He’s very comfortable, I think, in a good way,” manager Dave Roberts said of Rushing, a second-round draft pick in 2022 who has blossomed into one of the most highly touted prospects in baseball. “I think he thought he was ready [for the majors] when he signed.”
Rushing’s rise wasn’t that quick, requiring the University of Louisville product to climb through the farm system over four minor-league seasons. But after batting .277 with 54 home runs, 185 RBIs and a .931 OPS as a farm hand, the Dodgers decided their minor league player of the year award-winner from last season was finally ready.
As far as first impressions go, Thursday was a good start.
"He just didn't look like a player that was making his debut,” Roberts said.
In the second inning, Rushing got a three-run rally started by drawing a leadoff walk. In the third, he worked a full count before blasting a belt-high sinker through the infield at 110 mph off the bat, the first domino in what became a seven-run outburst. In the eighth, he tacked on another base hit when a ground ball to first was deflected.
“It's been something that obviously I wanted to do at a very young age,” Rushing said. “Never in a million years did I imagine it would come with a team like this. So that just makes it that much more special … And getting here and being able to scratch a couple across like that, get them out of the way, now it takes a little pressure off your shoulders.”
The Dodgers have been contemplating when to bring Rushing to the majors for a while, long ago convinced his bat was ready to handle big-league pitching.
It’s part of the reason why, during the second half of last season, they experimented with him in left field; a position where, at the time, he had a clearer pathway to regular playing time.
This offseason, however, the club decided to rededicate his focus to his duties behind the plate, “challenging him,” as president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman put it, to improve his defensive fundamentals, pitching-calling during games and ability to build rapport with members of the pitching staff.
Dalton Rushing is congratulated by first base coach Chris Woodward after his first major league hit. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
“He’s continued to improve and get better,” Friedman said. “When we drafted him, he was new to catching. So there were a lot of areas to improve upon. But his work ethic is off the charts. And he really cares about being great. Each challenge we’ve given him, he’s met that challenge. And the success he’s had, there’s also an important element of having our finger on the pulse of that with guys, in terms of moving them up.”
And over the last couple weeks, the ways Rushing could potentially impact the club’s MLB roster became increasingly more clear.
Two weeks ago, the Dodgers sorely missed a left-handed bat like his off the bench in a May 4 loss in Atlanta, a game that ended with Barnes and fellow soft-hitting veteran Miguel Rojas recording outs in tough right-on-right matchups against Braves closer Raisel Iglesias.
In Barnes’ final Dodgers start last Saturday in Arizona, his weakened throwing arm was also exposed, the Diamondbacks stealing three bases in a game Barnes one-hopped one throw to second base and airmailed another to the outfield.
Perhaps, if the Dodgers weren’t facing the prospect of a tight division race in this year’s talented National League West, such problems would have been more tolerable. But, with the team’s MLB-best 29-15 record affording them just a one-game division lead so far this year, it’s already become clear that fine margins could matter this season.
So, once the Dodgers returned home from their 10-game trip this week, the front office decided to pull the trigger.
“Rush has obviously been on our radar for a long time in terms of when and how to introduce him to the major league team,” Friedman said. “I think with the improvements we’ve seen year over year, coupled with being in a tight division race … I think it falls in line with our consistent message of doing anything and everything we can to win.”
That didn’t mean cutting Barnes, who was in his 11th season with the Dodgers and won two World Series with the club, wasn’t difficult.
“Obviously Austin has been a huge part of this organization for a long time, he’s been in the middle of a lot of really big moments for us,” Friedman said. “His impact has been significant. So it was one of the harder decisions.”
Barnes’ departure sent ripples around the rest of the clubhouse, as well.
"I think everybody was surprised,” Clayton Kershaw said when asked of Barnes, whose 68 games behind the plate for the future Hall of Famer trails only A.J. Ellis for most in Kershaw’s career.
Max Muncy is greeted at home plate by Freddie Freeman after his two-run homer. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
“It's sad. Barnesy's one of my best friends on or off the field. You won't find a guy that competes better than Austin Barnes. He wants to win more than anybody, and he always found a way, and he came up with some big moments for us throughout the years. I think a lot of people forget he was starting a lot of playoff games and winning a lot of games for us, getting big knocks. It's sad to see someone like that go who's been here that long, and I think we all kind of feel it.”
“It's no disrespect to Dalton,” Kershaw added. “I know he deserves it, and he's going to be a great player. It's just for me, personally, I think for a lot of guys on the team, it was disappointing to see [Barnes] go."
As the door on Barnes’ Dodgers career closes, however, a new one is opening for Rushing.
And one night in, the early results were promising.
“The last mile of his development is helping lead a major league staff,” Friedman said. “We felt like now is the right time to give him that opportunity, and for us to learn some things about him that you can’t know until they’re at the major-league level, and for him to experience the speed of game here, which will be insightful for all of us in terms of the next set of things to work on.”
Jacob deGrom went eight innings to win his fourth consecutive start for the Texas Rangers, who got Jake Burger's solo home run off Hunter Brown in a 1-0 win over the Houston Astros on Thursday night in an anticipated pitchers' duel that certainly lived up to expectations.
Two-time Cy Young Award winner deGrom (4-1) is having quite a comeback after missing most of the last two seasons following Tommy John surgery. The 36-year-old right-hander struck out seven, two of those to end innings with two runners on base, while walking one and giving up five hits.
Brown (6-2), who is 10 years younger that deGrom, struck out nine without a walk while scattering three hits in his first career complete game. The righty was tied for the major league lead in wins and retired the first 12 batters he faced before Adolis García lined a double to left to start the fifth.
Shawn Armstrong worked around a two-out walk in the ninth for his second save.
Burger went deep leading off the sixth, a 394-foot drive into the Texas bullpen in right-center for his fourth homer of the season.
Rangers right fielder García made a sliding catch of a sinking liner by Mauricio Dubón for the final out of the seventh when Houston had a runner at second base. García had several nice plays, including a sliding catch near the line after running a long way to open the fourth.
Bruce Bochy got his 2,195th career win to break a tie with Sparky Anderson for the sixth-most by an MLB manager. Bochy, who turned 70 last month, is in his 28th season as a manager, his third in Texas.
Rangers right-hander Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 1.78 ERA) goes into Friday night having allowed only two earned runs over 25 innings in his last four starts (3-0). Right-hander Lance McCullers Jr. (0-1, 15.75) makes only his third start for Houston since the 2022 World Series.
Bruce Bochy got his 2,195th career win to break a tie with Sparky Anderson for the sixth-most by an MLB manager when the Texas Rangers beat the Houston Astros 1-0 on Thursday night.
Bochy, who turned 70 last month and is in his 28th season as a manager, has a record of 2,195-2,206 in regular-season games with Texas, San Diego and San Francisco. He has won four World Series titles, three with the Giants and the only one ever for the Rangers two years ago in his return to the dugout after a three-season retirement from managing.
The five managers ahead of Bochy on the career wins list, and Anderson, are all in the baseball Hall of Fame. Next ahead of Bochy in fifth place is Joe Torre's 2,326. Connie Mack is the career leader with 3,731 wins, followed by Tony La Russa, John McGraw and Bobby Cox.
Anderson had a 2,194-1,834 record and three World Series titles, two with Cincinnati from 1970-78 and another with Detroit from 1979-95.
Bochy, now in third season in Texas, is 192-177 with the Rangers. He was 951-975 with the Padres from 1995-2006, and had a 1,052-1,054 record from 2007-2019 with the Giants when his three World Series titles there came in a span of five seasons from 2010-14.
The Tigers (29-15) travel north of the border this weekend for a series in Toronto against the Blue Jays (21-22).
Jack Flaherty is slated to take the mound in the series opener Friday for Detroit against Bowden Francis for Toronto.
The Jays lost to the Rays Thursday, 8-3. Kevin Gausman got run over allowing six runs in 5.2 innings. Bo Bichette, though, did collect three hits for Toronto.
Detroit had Thursday off after sweeping the Red Sox in a three-game series in Motown. The Tigers' offense was on overdrive in the series scoring 30 runs over the three games.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Tigers at Blue Jays
Date: Friday, May 16, 2025
Time: 7:07PM EST
Site: Rogers Centre
City: Toronto, ON
Network/Streaming: FDSNDT, SN1, MLBN
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Odds for the Tigers at the Blue Jays
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Tigers (-133), Blue Jays (+113)
Spread: Tigers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at Blue Jays
Pitching matchup for May 16, 2025: Jack Flaherty vs. Bowden Francis
Tigers: Jack Flaherty (1-5, 4.61 ERA) Last outing: 5/10 vs. Texas - 3.0IP, 5ER, 4H, 2BB, 4Ks
Blue Jays: Bowden Francis (2-5, 5.40 ERA) Last outing: 5/10 at Seattle - 6.2IP, 3ER, 6H, 1BB, 5Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Tigers at Blue Jays
The Tigers have won 4 of their last 5 on the road against American League teams
The Tigers' last 3 road games in Toronto have gone over the Total
Gleyber Torres has 6 hits in his last 19 ABs (.316)
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Expert picks & predictions for Friday’s game between the Tigers and the Blue Jays
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Tigers and the Blue Jays:
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 Detroit Tigers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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The Mets have acquired left-handed pitcher Jose Castillo from the Arizona Diamondbacks for cash considerations, the team announced Thursday night.
Castillo, 29, had appeared in five games for the Diamondbacks this season, pitching to an 11.37 ERA across 6.1 innings. His last appearance came on May 11 against the Dodgers, where he allowed three runs over two innings. Castillo was designated for assignment the next day.
The Venezuela native has 45 major league games under his belt across five seasons and two different teams. Prior to this year, Castillo made one appearance each season for the Padres from 2019-23, largely due to various injuries. He missed all of 2024 as he recovered from an ACL injury.
His best season came in 2018, his first, with the Padres. In 37 games, Castillo pitched to a 3.29 ERA and a 0.91 WHIP.
In a corresponding move, the Mets designated RHP Kevin Herget for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.
Herget made one appearance this season for the Mets back on April 29 against the Diamondbacks. He allowed one run on three hits across two innings.
The Mets have a deep roster of pitching prospects in their system, including Nolan McLean.
McLean, 23, had a successful Triple-A debut last week and was on the bump again for the Syracuse Mets on Thursday night, but it was a different story this time.
In his first Triple-A start, McLean pitched seven scoreless innings, but he could only get through five against the Lehigh Valley IronPigs. In those five innings, McLean allowed four runs on five hits while striking out four. The biggest issue for McLean on Thursday was his command. He walked six batters and allowed two home runs. The first came in the third on an 82 mph curveball that had too much plate, and the second came in the fourth on a 75 mph curveball that was down and in on left-handed Justin Crawford, the Phillies' No. 3 prospect and son of former major league player Carl Crawford.
McLean retired the final four batters he faced, so there's something to build upon for his next start with Syracuse.
The right-hander took the loss as the IronPigs defeated the Syracuse Mets, 7-3.
Offensively, Syracuse picked up eight hits and Drew Gilbert was in the mix on Thursday. The outfielder went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. The 24-year-old is now slashing .244/.384/.372 with an .848 OPS this season. He also has four home runs and six doubles across Low-A and Triple-A this season.
— Binghamton Rumble Ponies (@RumblePoniesBB) May 16, 2025
Jett, Ronny drive in runs for Double-A
Down with the Binghamton Rumble Ponies, Jett Williams had another solid day at the plate. The shortstop went 1-for-3 with walk and an RBI double to help Binghamton win 5-3 over the Hartford Yard Goats.
After Thursday's performance, Williams is now slashing .280/.374/.490 with an .864 OPS in 29 games with Binghamton. He's also smashed three homers, eight doubles and stolen seven bases in nine tries.
Ronny Mauricio continued his rehab with Double-A on Thursday, playing seven innings at third base while going 1-for-4 with an RBI double. The double came in the eighth on a pitch running up and away from him that the infielder hit over the center fielder's head. Mauricio's double was his second hit (both doubles) with Binghamton in four games since being transferred from St. Lucie.
Ryan Clifford did not have that same success at the plate. Playing as the DH, Clifford went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts.
