Apr 17, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Casey Legumina (64) pitches to the Texas Rangers during the seventh inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Steven Bisig-Imagn Images | Steven Bisig-Imagn Images
The Tampa Bay Rays are acquring right-handed pitcher Casey Legumina from the Seattle Mariners in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Ty Cummings.
Legumina, 28, was originally selected in the 8th round of the 2019 draft by the Minnesota Twins; Legumina was actually drafted twice prior to signing with the Twins (25th round in 2016 by Toronto & 35th round in 2018 by Cleveland). After quietly working his way up through Minnesota’s system, the Twins would trade Legumina to the Cincinnati Reds for Kyle Farmer in November, 2022. It was with Cincinnati that Legumina made his big league debut, appearing in 11 games during the 2023 season and compiling a 5.68 ERA | 6.73 FIP with a 18.0 K% & 14.8 BB% over 12.2 IP.
Legumina spent one more season with Cincinnati and then was claimed off of waivers by Seattle in February, 2025. Since joining the Mariners, Legumina compiled a 5.43 ERA | 4.15 FIP with a 23.5 K% & 10.3 BB% over 61.1 IP. The Mariners designated Legumina for assignment April 21st following a string of appearances in which he allowed six runs on 10 hits over 4.1 IP.
The cost to acquire Legumina was minor leaguer Ty Cummings, whom the Rays originally acquired from the Mariners as the Player to be Named Later in the Randy Arozarena trade. The 24-year old was originally a starting pitcher in the Rays system but they recently moved him to the bullpen. Prior to this trade, Cummings had made 3 appearances in Double-A, compiling a 1.69 ERA | 4.57 FIP over 5.1 IP.
Legumina is out of options, so the Rays will need to clear a spot on the active roster as well as on the 40-man roster. Marc Topkin is reporting that the move will be made official over the weeknd or on Monday.
In a move to bolster their bullpen, the Mets are calling up relief pitcher Carl Edwards Jr. and optioning Christian Scott to Triple-A Syracuse, SNY MLB Insider Chelsea Janes confirmed.
Scott made his first start in the big leagues since 2024 on Thursday night, but struggled in a short outing. The 26-year-old walked the bases loaded in the first inning and then walked in a run. He didn't fair better in the second inning, walking the leadoff man and then plunking Byron Buxton.
Overall, Scott finished after 1.1 IP and allowed one run on no hits with five walks and a strikeout.
Edwards, 34, joined the organization in the offseason and has started four games for Syracuse this year in the minors. He's gone 1-2 with a 5.29 ERA and 1.247 WHIP over 17.0 IP.
The veteran hurler has pitched exclusively out of the bullpen in the majors across 11 seasons with eight different teams. In 2025, Edwards owned a 4.50 ERA over 6.0 IP with the Angels and Rangers. His best seasons in the bigs came from 2016-2018 with the Chicago Cubs, posting a 2.60 ERA over 58 appearances in 2018. Overall, Edwards has a career 3.56 ERA and 334 strikeouts over 300 appearances in 286.0 IP.
We’re nearly a month into the MLB season now, and I’m targeting some players whose starts have me expecting big things from them tonight.
I’m looking for Gavin Williams to continue striking out batters at a fast rate, and for Bo Bichette to build off his best game of the year.
Read on to see all my best MLB player props for Friday, April 24.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Gavin Williams
Over 5.5 strikeouts
+104
Bo Bichette
Over 2.5 H/R/R
+125
Kyle Tucker
Over 0.5 RBI
+170
Gavin Williams Over 5.5 strikeouts (+104)
Cleveland Guardians starter Gavin Williams has struck out about a batter per inning throughout his career, but he’s never mowed down hitters like he’s doing in 2026. Not only is he holding batters to 3.9 hits per nine innings, but he’s also striking out 12.1 per nine, by far the highest rate of his career.
The Toronto Blue Jays have been the hardest team to strike out in the majors this year, but in modern baseball, that doesn’t make them immune to strikeouts. The Jays have struck out at least six times in nine of their last ten games. Williams has 7+ strikeouts in four of his first five starts this season, and should be able to hit this very reasonable total tonight.
Time: 7:07 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Peacock, SN1
Bo Bichette Over 2.5 hits + runs + RBIs (+125)
Bo Bichette had been slowly heating up after a terribly slow start, but New York Mets fans finally got the breakout game they were waiting for from their new addition on Thursday. Bichette went 3-for-5 with two runs and three RBIs to help extend the Mets' winning streak to two.
Bichette will have a shot to stay hot tonight as he faces off against Rockies starter Michael Lorenzen, who has a 7.84 ERA and 2.226 WHIP as a starter this year. The entire Mets lineup should be able to build on last night’s outburst around him as well, which makes Bichette an excellent pick to get at least three combined hits, runs, and RBIs tonight.
Time: 7:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Rockies.TV, WPIX-11
Kyle Tucker Over 0.5 RBI (+170)
The vaunted Los Angeles Dodgers offense has gone cold over the last three days, scoring just four runs in a three-game series with the San Francisco Dodgers. But even that’s not enough to cool off their overall numbers: Los Angeles is averaging 5.48 runs per game, and leads the majors with an outstanding .828 OPS.
Kyle Tucker sits in the middle of this lineup, and while he’s had a relatively slow start, he’s still been able to pick up 13 RBIs in his first 24 games. I see no reason to believe that Jameson Taillon (1-1, 3.97 ERA) will shut down the Dodgers tonight, and if the top of the lineup gets on base, Tucker will be in a great position to drive in at least one run.
Time: 10:15 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Apple TV
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
On this day 94 years ago, Bill Cissell was shipped east to Cleveland. | (Photo by Transcendental Graphics/Getty Images)
1901 It wasn’t planned this way, but three games in other cities were postponed by rain, putting the White Sox in position to host the first major league game in American League history. Some 9,000 fans at South Side Park — or maybe it was 14,000, reports conflict — saw the home club beat the Cleveland Blues, 8-2. The White Sox scored five times in the first inning, and ran the score to 7-0 in the first two frames. Still, the win took just an hour-and-a-half to complete.
Roy Patterson started, and got the complete-game win. Outfielder Billy Hoy took the first White Sox at-bat. Fred Hartman’s single scored the first two runs in (MLB) American League history.
Hoy was deaf and mute, and referred to himself by his nickname, Dummy — correcting people who called him William. In order for Hoy to understand what the umpires were calling, the arbitrators came up with a series of hand signals indicating safe/out and ball/strike.
The ceremonial first ball, by the way, was supposed to be thrown out by Robert Burke, special counsel to the mayor of Chicago. Burke declined, however, stating that he was afraid the ball might get hit back to him. (True story!)
1932 The White Sox traded infielder Bill Cissell and righty reliever Jim Moore to Cleveland for utilityman Johnny Hodapp and outfielder Bob Seeds. For a four-player deal it was a nothingburger of a trade, but the White Sox probably got the short end of the stick: Moore reported to the minors and never played another MLB game but Cissell was great for the remainder of the season (2.4 WAR, .320/.354/.440), while Seeds slashed .290/.342/.372 for 0.8 WAR in full-time play and Hodapp was terrible (-0.6 WAR despite being just two years removed from leading the AL in hits and doubles.
1946 Ed Walsh, the second-best pitcher by WAR in White Sox history and author of a six-year run in the majors more dominant than anyone, ever, was elected to the Hall of Fame.
1955 In a game at Kansas City just one day after the White Sox set a major league record with 29 runs, White Sox starter Dick Donovan was hit early and often by the Athletics. When manager Marty Marion came out to take the ball from him, Donovan — making his starting debut with the White Sox and showing his competitive spirit by being concerned about a possible return trip to the minors — refused to give it up!
Marion had to reassure Dick that he’d remain in the rotation before Donovanwould turn the ball over and leave the field. That season, he’d win 13 of 17 decisions before an emergency appendectomy felled him in late July.
That injury may have cost the White Sox the pennant, as Donovan wasn’t the same after the surgery and the Sox finished in third place, five games behind the Yankees at 91-63-1.
1994 Still mired in a somewhat slow start for a defending division champion, the White Sox lost to Detroit, 7-6. Chicago blew two leads, and then lost the game itself after rallying to tie in the bottom of the eighth inning.
Why is this loss notable? White Sox No. 4 and 5 hitters, Julio Franco and Robin Ventura, hit back-to-back homers — twice, and in consecutive plate appearances in the game.
In the top of the sixth, tied 3-3, Franco led off with a homer to deep right field, and Ventura repeated the act. In the eighth, down 6-4, Franco again led off with a solo shot, and Ventura tied the game with a homer.
The loss (on a Cecil Fielder single in the ninth) dropped the White Sox to 11-7, tied for first in the AL Central.
2010 With a 7-11 record, it was still far from a magical season. But the White Sox accomplished something that had never happened before in their history: walk-off home runs on back-to-back days. In this game, Alex Ríos clocked a two-out walk-off home run in the bottom of the ninth to beat the Mariners and David Aardsma, 5-4. The Seattle reliever completely melted down in the ninth, entering up 4-2 and giving up a one-out home run to Paul Konerko to move the White Sox closer. An A.J. Pierzynski fly out and Carlos Quentin walk later, the stage was set for Ríos’ record-setter.
On April 23, it was Andruw Jones who achieved the feat, clocking a full-count, two-out pitch out for a 7-6 White Sox win in front of 24,653 happy fans.
Now, this was NOT the first time the White Sox had won consecutive games on walk-off homers, but the previous time, the wins came on the same day. J.C. Martin and Ken Berry upended Cleveland with game-ending homers on July 25, 1967.
The Nationals looked to even the series with the Braves yesterday afternoon at Nationals Park, and were in position to possibly steal the win going into the 7th inning tied 2-2. Unfortunately, the bullpen let them down once again, as Cionel Perez was tagged for 3 runs after getting just one out, bringing his ERA on the season to 8.25.
The Braves brought 2 more across, one against Gus Varland and one against Julian Fernandez, but they wouldn’t need them, as the bats were silent outside of solo shots from James Wood and CJ Abrams, as the Nats lost 7-2 and dropped 3 out of 4 in the series against the first-place Braves.
For the first time practically all season, the Nationals will now get to face a subpar roster playing subpar baseball in the Chicago White Sox. While they certainly aren’t a disgrace of a club by any means, and have actually won 5 of their last 10 games, the White Sox are probably the first team the Nationals have played who have limited expectations in 2026, and mostly aren’t surpassing them so far on the year. This is an opportunity for the Nats to finally let their muscles flex a little and come away with two or three wins, which will inch them back closer to .500.
The White Sox bats are led by the scorching hot rookie from Japan, Munetaka Murakami, who has homered in his past 5 games and has an impressive 170 wRC+ on the season. They’ve also received strong starts from their other young bats, as the 24-year-old Colson Montgomery has a 135 wRC+ and the 26-year-old Miguel Vargas has a 116 wRC+. Similar to the Nats, the bottom of their lineup isn’t anything to be afraid of, but the heart of their order has some thump to it for a club without many expectations of winning this season.
The White Sox pitching staff hasn’t been great in 2026, with a club ERA just under 5, but they do have some bright spots, such as their 24-year-old closer Grant Taylor with a 1.15 FIP, or their 22-year-old top prospect left-hander Noah Schultz, who has looked sharp in his first 2 big league starts, and the Nats will get a chance against this weekend.
Game One – 7:40 PM EST
WSH: LHP PJ Poulin (2-0, 4.97 ERA)
CHW: LHP Bryan Hudson (0-0, 1.69 ERA)
In a rare occurrence, we have a double-opener to begin the series tonight in Chicago, as PJ Poulin will start the game for the Nats before handing off the bulk work to Miles Mikolas, and Bryan Hudson will start for the White Sox before former National Erick Fedde is expected to take it from there.
Game Two – 4:10 PM EST
WSH: RHP Jake Irvin (1-3, 6.00 ERA)
CHW: LHP Noah Schultz (1-1, 3.86 ERA)
Irvin’s last start was an improvement over his previous ones, as although he gave up 3 runs over 5 innings of work, he didn’t allow a single free pass, as compared to the 8 combined walks he had issued in his last 2 starts. Schultz looked impressive in his 2nd career start last time out vs the Athletics, striking out 6 and giving up just 1 run across 5 innings of work.
Game Three – Sunday 2:10 PM EST
WSH: LHP Foster Griffin (3-0, 3.38 ERA)
CHW: RHP Sean Burke (1-2, 4.10 ERA)
Griffin further solidified his case as the most effective arm in the Nationals’ rotation last time out, going 6 innings and giving up 3 runs against the Braves, a quality start. Burke also looked sharp in his last outing, going 6 innings and giving up 2 runs against the Diamondbacks.
Can Nats Arms Neutralize Hot White Sox Bats?
The top of the White Sox order has been doing damage recently, and now they get to face one of the weaker pitching staffs in baseball in the Nats. Can Blake Butera get creative in his deployment of the bullpen, which now includes new callup Riley Cornelio, to work around his weak starters this weekend, or will the Sox bats feast once more?
The Chicago Cubs (16-9) begin their three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers (17-8) in a meeting of divisional leaders. The Dodgers are favored with a -160 moneyline compared to the Cubs' +135. Starting pitchers are Jameson Taillon for the Cubs, with a 3.97 ERA, and Emmet Sheehan for the Dodgers, with a 5.85 ERA.
PITTSBURGH, PA - SEPTEMBER 18: Brad Miller #15 of the St. Louis Cardinals in action during the game against the Pittsburgh Pirates at PNC Park on September 18, 2020 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Almost everyone wants to forget the weirdness of the 2020 MLB season. The Dodgers winning a piece of metal after a 60-game season that saw divisions reworked and paper cutouts as fans in the stands was a real clincher to the strange year. Taxi squads and constant COVID tests were the norm, and the St. Louis Cardinals missing a dozen players at a time due to an outbreak is something that only 2020 could provide.
One player who took advantage of what we would now deem a “small sample size” was lefty utility man, Brad Miller. Signed just before the world shut down in 2020, Miller arrived as a bench option and left as a cult hero. From his “old school” refusal to wear batting gloves to his historic 7-RBI night in Cincinnati, we’re breaking down the 48 games where “Miller Time” took over Busch Stadium (even if no one was there to see it).
Brad Miller did not need batting gloves to help lead the Cardinals’ offense in 2020
In this episode, we discuss:
The 2020 Time Capsule: Navigating the strangest season in MLB history—from the 60-game sprint to the arrival of the Universal DH.
Bare-Handed Blast: Why Miller’s no-batting-gloves style resonated with the St. Louis faithful. September 1st, 2020: A deep dive into Miller’s career-high 7-RBI masterclass against the Reds.
The Impact of the DH: How a last-minute rule change turned a $2M utility signing into the team’s co-leader in home runs.
Life After St. Louis: Tracking Brad’s journey to 100 career homers and his recent transition to the broadcast booth.
The Chicago Cubs (16-9) make the West Coast trip to Los Angeles for a three game series with the Dodgers (17-8).
Chicago is on a nine-game winning streak that came against the Phillies and the Mets. Outside of playing those two teams, Chicago is 7-8 versus the rest of the schedule. The Cubs are posting the second-best ERA over the last seven days (2.09), while the offense is third in batting average (.303).
Los Angeles is in the midst of their worst stretch of the season at 2-4 over the last six games. In that span, the Dodgers are hitting .254 (13th), while the pitching staff has the ninth-best ERA (3.96). On the season, Los Angels ranks first and third in those two categories.
Let’s dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Cubs at Dodgers
Date: Friday, April 24, 2026
Time: 10:15 PM EST
Site: Dodger Park
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 Cubs at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Los Angeles Dodgers (-168), Chicago Cubs (+139)
Spread: Cubs +1.5 (-143), Dodgers -1.5 (+119)
Total: 8.0
Probable starting pitchers for Cubs at Dodgers
Friday's pitching matchup (April 24): Emmet Sheehan vs. Jameson Taillon
The Cubs’ Moises Ballesteros is hitting .392 with 20 hits and 33 total bases over 51 at-bats
The Cubs’ Michael Busch is hitting .198 with 18 hits and 22 strikeouts over 91 at-bats
The Dodgers’ Andy Pages is hitting .337 with 30 hits and 49 total bases over 89 at-bats
The Dodgers’ Alex Freeland is hitting .213 with 13 hits and 23 strikeouts over 61 at-bats
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 Cubs at Dodgers
The Cubs are 13-12 ATS this season
The Dodgers are 13-12 ATS this season
The Cubs are 15-9-1 to the Over this season
The Dodgers are 13-12 to the Under this 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!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Dodgers and the Cubs
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Dodgers and the Cubs.
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Dodgers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Over on the Game Total of 9.0
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Mar 10, 2026; Clearwater, Florida, USA; New York Yankees shortstop George Lombard Jr. (96) fields a ground ball in the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies during spring training at BayCare Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images | Jonathan Dyer-Imagn Images
The Yankees drafted shortstop George Lombard Jr. in June 2023, back when he was an extremely toolsy but raw 18-year-old prospect. They chose ceiling over floor, something that they don’t always do, and so far, it’s hard to say they regret their choice.
No, Lombard hasn’t made his MLB debut. He isn’t particularly close to doing so, and it might not happen this year at all. However, it’s easy to feel good about the progress he has made going up through the ranks. The Yankees have to be happy with his ability to learn and adjust. So far, Lombard has taken a bit to get used to every level he has played in, but sooner or later, he gets going and excels.
Last year, Lombard completely tore up High-A in 24 games, slashing an incredible .329/.495/.488 with a 194 wRC+ in 111 plate appearances to earn his ticket to Double-A. There, he hit .185 with an 86 wRC+ in his first 24 games, but eventually figured out some things and finished the level with a 111 wRC+ in 469 trips to the plate.
This season, Lombard is off to a scintillating start in Double-A, much like it happened last year in High-A. He is slashing a robust .350/.420/.650 with a 172 wRC+, six doubles, four home runs, and three stolen bases in 69 plate appearances before Thursday’s game.
It’s still too early to say if he really mastered Double-A or if pitchers there will eventually find some holes in his swing, but if Lombard keeps this up for a few more weeks or months, he might find himself in Triple-A. Fifteen games are obviously a tiny sample, but the young infielder is looking excellent in Somerset.
He is doing it aided by a swing change: in 2025, his hand placement was higher and closer to his body, but he decided to lower it this year (h/t Ryan García), and it has apparently helped.
A hitter lowering his hands usually wants to shorten the path to the ball, which can make the swing more compact. It is looking more explosive than ever before.
This doesn’t mean that a longer path and a higher placement don’t work for some prospects, but the idea is to keep things as simple as possible. Sometimes, less is more. And, for Lombard, the lowered hands seem to be working just fine.
It’s important to note that Lombard’s power pace, while impressive, is bound to cool off a bit. He simply won’t continue hitting a home run for every four fly balls. That doesn’t mean there can’t be an improvement there in comparison to the rates he usually runs in that department, between five and eight percent.
He is hitting the ball hard frequently and is showing a very nice batted ball mix, with 31.9 percent line drives, 34 percent ground balls, and 34 percent fly balls. The liners will come down a bit, but as long as he keeps the fly ball percentage up and the ground ball percentage down, he will be fine long-term.
We are talking about a prospect who already has two plus tools: fielding and baserunning/speed. The offensive profile, once very raw, is starting to take shape, and it’s hard not to be excited about Lombard’s ceiling. The floor might not be as high as some top prospects, because he entered the year with a middling .243 batting average and a .376 slugging percentage in the minor leagues. The ceiling, however, is exciting, and it could come with 25 home runs and 40 stolen bases with a high OBP.
Watching him perform and put up huge numbers in Double-A is proof that he belongs in the upper minors. His development has been amazing to watch, and while it is still not finished, it’s easy to imagine him playing games for the Yankees sometime in the next year and a half.
Apr 4, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Atlanta Braves outfielder Michael Harris II (23) at bat during the ninth inning of a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Allan Henry-Imagn Images | Allan Henry-Imagn Images
The situation for the Phillies has gotten beyond the level of ugliness. It’s so dire that I was actually encouraged by them getting to extra innings before losing on Thursday.
On the other hand, the Phillies’ opponents this weekend have had just about everything go right this season. Is it possible that the Braves somehow stole the Phillies’ mojo like Dr. Evil did in the second Austin Powers movie? At this point, I’m not ruling anything out.
As for things that are going right for the Braves, outfielder Michael Harris II is near the top of the list. In 2022, Harris displayed superb defense in centerfield and recorded an OPS of .853 to earn the National League’s Rookie of the Year award. He pretty much matched those numbers the following season, but his performance at the plate dipped the past two years. He was still good on defense – he’s certainly made his share of highlight plays against the Phillies – but his on-base percentage fell to .268 in 2025, and he had become an offensive liability.
Harris certainly seems to have his mojo back this season, putting up a slash line of .316/.356./.565. He’s still only 25 years of age, and player development is often non-linear. It’s possible that Harris simply needed to re-adjust to how pitchers were attacking him in recent years, and he will be a positive at the plate going forward.
Trivia
By popular demand, trivia has returned! I think I may reserve the song battles for the weekday series and trivia for the weekends.
Remember how it works: Answer in the comments, don’t confirm answers, and try not to look it up.
Who was the first Phillies to hit a home run at Truist Park (opened in 2017)?
Non-Phillies thought
It’s nice to see that the Flyers have broken the brains of Penguins fans.
Also, everybody watching the game can agree on one thing.
Vlader faking two injuries and stopping play with the penguins in prime scoring opportunities is wild. Never have seen that let alone in a Stanley Cup playoff game. Absolute disgrace. Is he gonna dive and fake injuries on…
Sometimes I wish I could be as blissfully un-self-aware as a guy calling himself “Penguins Jesus” calling anything cringy and weird.
Additional thought about the series
I’m at a loss here. I thought the Phillies would take a small step back from last year, and I know several fans thought the step back would be considerable. But I don’t think anyone could have predicted the team look like one of the worst – if not the absolute worst – in baseball.
Say what you will about the offseason, but this group is mostly the same one that won the division with ease in 2025. I never would have suspected that Nick Castellanos, Ranger Suarez, and Matt Strahm were the glue holding it all together. Obviously losing Zack Wheeler has hurt, but the Phillies did go 35-19 in August and September last year when he was either injured or showing reduced effectiveness.
I’m somewhat reminded of the 2023 Eagles where they had a load of talent on the roster, but the situation had gotten so bad by the end of the season that they looked incapable of winning a game.
At this point, I’m not sure if it’s good news or bad news that it’s still only April. Sure, there’s lots of time left to dig out of this hole, but if the team really is as bad as they’ve looked, then we have a lot more bad baseball left to endure.
I’d say it would be great for the Phillies to get their act together and win this series. But Truist Field hasn’t been all that hospitable for the Phillies even when they were playing well. At this point, I think it would be a real accomplishment if they can find a way to win a single game this weekend.
The New York Yankees open a three-game series against the Houston Astros. The New York Yankees are favored with a -145 moneyline compared to the Houston Astros' +120. Starting pitchers are Will Warren for the Yankees, with a 2.49 ERA, and Lance McCullers Jr. for the Astros, with a 6.20 ERA.
The Chicago Cubs are the hottest team in baseball, and they’ll head west to visit the Los Angeles Dodgers in a tape-measuring series beginning tonight.
My Cubs vs. Dodgers predictions and MLB picks call for Chicago to stay hot and outscore Los Angeles in the series opener on Friday, April 24.
Who will win Cubs vs Dodgers tonight: Cubs moneyline (+140)
The Chicago Cubs have averaged 6.5 runs per game while pacing the majors in wOBA during their 12-3 heater, and the Los Angeles Dodgers check in at 4.6 runs per game with a 12th-ranked wOBA over the same stretch.
Chicago right-hander Jameson Taillon has posted a rock-solid 3.48 ERA since the beginning of the 2024 campaign, so he should hold the Dodgers in check just enough for the Cubbies to eke out the win.
Don’t overlook Los Angeles’ promising youngster Emmet Sheehan either, who enters tonight with an underwhelming 5.85 ERA and 4.01 xFIP.
COVERS INTEL: The Chicago Cubs own the second-lowest strikeout rate in the majors during their 12-3 hot streak.
Cubs vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-140)
With the wind forecasted to be blowing out modestly at Dodger Stadium, I expect both the Cubs and Dodgers to have success at the dish.
In addition to Sheehan's noted early-season struggles, the Cubs have eclipsed their team total in 12 of the past 15 games (+9.10 Units / 52% ROI), and the full game Over has hit in 12 of Chicago's last 17 contests (+7.60 Units / 40% ROI).
Neil Parker's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 9-7, +2.64 units
Over/Under bets: 4-5, -1.64 units
Cubs vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Cubs +140 | Dodgers -170
Run line: Cubs +1.5 (-150) | Dodgers -1.5 (+125)
Over/Under: Over 8.5 (-140) | Under 8.5 (+120)
Cubs vs Dodgers trend
Chicago has won its last nine games (+9.40 Units / 83% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Cubs vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Cubs vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Friday, April 24, 2026
First pitch
10:15 p.m. ET
TV
Apple TV+
Cubs starting pitcher
Jameson Taillon (1-1, 3.97 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Emmet Sheehan (2-0, 5.85 ERA)
Cubs vs Dodgers latest injuries
Cubs vs Dodgers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
The Atlanta Braves return home to open a series against the Philadelphia Phillies in a series that matches the teams with the best and worst run differentials in baseball.
Philadelphia has lost nine straight, its longest slump in eight years. The Braves have won eight of their last nine and have a 5.5 game advantage in what was supposed to be a competitive division.
Our Phillies vs. Braves predictions and MLB picks look for the teams to continue on their current trajectories as Atlanta wins.
Who will win Phillies vs Braves today: Braves run line -1.5 (+144)
The Atlanta Braves swept three from the Philadelphia Phillies on the road last week.Atlanta has covered the run line in each of their last seven wins.The Braves’ run differential is seven better than the Dodgers. Their run line record is 17-9, just one worse than their straight-up mark.
The Phillies could finish Friday with their first double-digit losing streak of the 21stcentury. Their run differential is 16 runs worse than the team directly ahead of them, and their record is tied for worst in MLB.
Philly has covered just four games all season and none against the NL East.
COVERS INTEL:Michael Harris has an RBI in five straight games and is hitting .565 with four homers over the last seven. He’s expected to play after leaving with quad tightness Thursday.
Phillies vs Braves Over/Under pick: Over 9.5 (-101)
The Braves saw rookie Andrew Painter five days ago, when Philly got a look at Grant Holmes. The familiarity should lead to offense from two pitchers that combined to give up six runs in half of Sunday’s game.
The bullpens aren’t likely to shut things down like they did Sunday. Four Philadelphia relievers have thrown more than 20 pitches in the last three games, and three are over 30. The Braves have three relievers at 19 or more.
The Braves have had a game total of 10+ runs in three of the last four—and the fourth had a total of nine.
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets:7-8 ,-1.38 units
Over/Under bets:9-10, -1.31 units
Phillies vs Braves odds
Moneyline: Philadelphia +133 | Atlanta -138
Run line: Philadelphia +1.5 (-156) | Atlanta -1.5 (+144)
Over/Under: Over 9.5 (+108) | Under 9.5 (-113)
Phillies vs Braves trend
The Philadelphia Phillies have only covered the Run Line in 3 of their last 24 games (-20.45 Units / -75% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Phillies vs. Braves.
How to watch Phillies vs Braves and game info
Location
Truist Park, Cumberland, GA
Date
Friday, April 24, 2026
First pitch
7:15 p.m. ET
TV
Apple TV+
Phillies starting pitcher
Andrew Painter (1-1, 4.42 ERA)
Braves starting pitcher
Grant Holmes (1-1, 3.42 ERA)
Phillies vs Braves latest injuries
Phillies vs Braves weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
DETROIT, MI - JUNE 15: Elly De La Cruz #44 of the Cincinnati Reds rounds the bases after hitting a two-run home run in the ninth inning during the game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Detroit Tigers at Comerica Park on Sunday, June 15, 2025 in Detroit, Michigan. (Photo by Monica Bradburn/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Cincinnati Reds lefty Andrew Abbott went toe to toe with Boston Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet on Opening Day in Great American Ball Park, and did so admirably. Abbott fired 6.0 IP of scoreless ball for the Reds, scattering 7 hits and a walk while striking out 4 in an 83 pitch effort that kept the Reds otherwise inept offense within striking distance of a comeback (even though that didn’t pan out).
In the four starts since then, however, Abbott has looked a shell of his All-Star self. He’s only managed to clear 18.2 IP in that span, and has been tagged with 17 runs (16 earned) with a near equal 11/10 K/BB.
Next up for Abbott is the lineup of the Detroit Tigers, as that’s who is in town this weekend as the Reds celebrate their newest inductees into their team Hall of Fame. Detroit, to date, owns a .308 wOBA and 93 wRC+ against left-handed pitching so far in the early going of 2026, marks that both rank 18th in the league in their respective categories. They have, however, swatted only 3 dingers off southpaws this season, and only two teams can claim fewer homers in said category (the Marlins with 2 and Padres with 0, somehow).
The Reds, for the record, rank 4th in Major League Baseball with 12 homers off LHP – thanks, Elly!
Cincinnati will be up against an All-Star lefty themselves in the series opener on Friday as veteran Framber Valdez gets the start. He was mauled by the Minnesota Twins for 8 ER in 5.0 IP in his start against them on April 8th, yet in his other four starts combined he’s yielded 1 ER or fewer in each (3 ER total in 25.0 IP), so odds are the Reds are going to be up against it a bit.
Fortunately for the Reds, all-world ace Tarik Skubal pitched yesterday in the series finale between the Tigers and Milwaukee Brewers. So, he won’t feature in this particular series.
First pitch on Friday is set for 6:40 PM ET. Brady Singer will toe the rubber on Saturday at 7:15 PM ET (after the team’s big HoF induction ceremony), while Rhett Lowder will start on Sunday in the series finale at 1:40 PM ET.
CORAL GABLES, FL - APRIL 05: Virginia Tech pitcher Luke Craytor (19) pitches in relief in the seventh inning as the Miami Hurricanes faced the Virginia Tech Hokies on April 5, 2026, at Mark Light Field at Alex Rodriguez Park in Coral Gables, Florida. (Photo by Samuel Lewis/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Who’s the Pack playing?
Opponent: Virginia Tech
Mascot: Thanksgiving Dinner | School Location: Metallica, VA | Conference: ACC
John Szefc is a hell of a good coach, but this Virginia Tech job may be getting the better of him. Szefc led Marist to four Regional appearances in seven years during his first go as a head coach from 1996-2002. The Red Foxes have been to just three Regionals since. After a four-year detour to the middle of the country for assistant gigs at both Kansas and Kansas State, he took over as the head man at Maryland and led the Terrapins to three Regionals – advancing to the Super Regionals in two of those – during a five year run there. Prior to Szefc’s arrival in College Park, Maryland hadn’t been to the NCAA postseason since 1971. They’ve made three Regionals in the eight postseasons since Szfec left.
That leads us to Szfec’s current gig, entering his 9th season as the Hokies head man. It started out slow, as you’d expect for a program rebuilding from Pat Mason’s four-year ditch driving run. Year five, though, saw Virginia Tech go 45-14 with a 19-9 ACC mark, hosting a Regional and Super Regional in Blacksburg with a team that had an RPI ranking of 5th in the country. It really looked like Szefc might turn the Hokies into a power, but since then it’s been a program stuck on average. Three winning seasons since, but no winning conference marks, with RPI’s between 49 and 68.
This year’s squad doesn’t look like they’re going to break that trend. The Hokies started off the year 7-1, but that included a 4-0 mark in one-run games. They went 1-8 in their next nine games, although that run included games against Texas A&M, Mississippi State, Georgia Tech, and Virginia, all potential NCAA Regional hosts this year. Things got a little better, winning the last game of the Virginia series, topping VCU in a midweek game, and then winning their series over Duke.
Unfortunately, a 4-8 run followed, including midweek losses to East Tennessee State and Liberty, as well as a series loss at home to Stanford. That series with the Cardinal was one the Hokies had to win, but dropped it in an extra-innings loss in the rubber match. NC State will catch the Hokies back on a bit of a heater, winning four of their last five after topping Pittsburgh last weekend.
That early season luck in close games has evened back out, with Virginia Tech going 3-3 in games either decided by a single run or that went extra innings. It’s not hard to find the culprit for the Hokies woes this year: the pitching staff.
Hokies hurlers are sporting a combined 7.21 ERA over 336.0 innings this year, with a walk rate of 12.6% and a strikeout rate of 23.1%. They do have two solid starters in JR RHP Brett Renfrow and rJR RHP Griffin Stieg and that group strikeout rate will play, but once you get past Renfrow and Stieg, only one of the next nine pitchers who have tossed more than 10.0 IP this year have a sub-10.0 walk rate. That’s an issue, and will obviously lead to giving up more runs.
The lineup hasn’t been great, but it hasn’t been bad with a collective .267/.379/.440, 78 2B, 44 HR, 12.6 BB%, 22.6 K%, 43-56 SB. The issue is there’s not a player who does any one thing exceptionally well, so it’s hard to construct an offensive identity. It is a strong defensive team, though, although the lack of errors combined with the high ERA of the pitching staff does make you wonder what kind of range the team has in the field, and some of the advanced metrics tell that story. Only four VT position players have a DRS (Defensive Runs Saved) total over 1.00 this year. Compare that to NC State that has 11 players over that mark.
Barring the Hokies going 6-3 or better down the stretch in ACC play and then making some noise at the ACC Tournament, it’ll be four straight missed Regionals for Virginia Tech.
Pitching Matchups
Friday: TBD vs TBD
Saturday: TBD vs TBD
Sunday: TBD vs TBD
Key Players:
Offense
C Henry Cooke (SR) – .252/.369/.409, 7 2B, 3 HR, 13.4 BB%, 28.2 K%, 3-3 SB. Hitting .361/.467/.623, 5 2B, 3 HR, 17. BB%, 26.7 K%, 1-1 SB in ACC play. Has also thrown out 23.7% of base stealers, with an almost identical 23.1% mark in ACC play. Multiple hits in 4 of his last 7 games.
1B Hudson Lutterman (SO) – .291/.357/.545, 6 2B, 8 HR, 7.0 BB%, 17.1 K%, 0-0 SB. Undersized first baseman (5’10, 180 lbs) is having a big sophomore jump after hitting just .208/.291/.392 over 34 starts in 2025. Hit 2 HR last weekend at Pitt, including a walk-off in the series finale.
SS Ethan Gibson (JR) – .319/.385/.511, 6 2B, 4 HR, 10.9 BB%, 20.9 K%, 1-1 SB. Mostly used as a defensive sub over his first two years with the program, making 28 starts over 73 games across 2024-2025 with just a .193 batting average over that time. Has been fantastic with the glove, committing just 3 errors on the year with a .979 fielding percentage. Current 10-game hitting streak.
2B Ethan Ball (FR) – .299/.387/.565, 13 2B, 8 HR, 7.7 BB%, 33.3 K%, 3-3 SB. Started off his college career with a 10-game hitting streak before being more spotty over the last month. Only has four hits over his last six games, but they’ve all been doubles, including two in VT’s win over VCU on Tuesday.
Pitching
RHP Brett Renfrow (JR) – 2-4, 6.41 ERA, 46.1 IP, 7.8 BB%, 30.1 K%. Two-time 3rd Team All-ACC selection, he was listed by some as a Top 100 prospect entering this year, but has had a rough go of it. The 6’3, 220 lbs righty has some nice tools, with a mid-90’s fastball that will touch 97, a upper-80’s cutter, mid-80’s slider, low-80’s curve, and mid-80’s changeup. It’s a nice arsenal of pitches, and the peripherals show what he’s capable of with them. Got beaten up by GT, UVA, Miami, and BC, but shut down Duke, Stanford, and Pitt, so it’s been a mixed bag.
RHP Griffin Stieg (rJR) – 2-2, 5.87 ERA, 46.0 IP, 8.8 BB%, 17.6 K%. Started 13 games for the Hokies in 2024 (3-2, 4.70 ERA, 51.2 IP, 5.7 BB%, 21.1 K%), but then needed elbow surgery at the end of that year that wiped out his 2025 season. Despite that, was drafted in the 18th round by the Mariners last year, but turned down the Mariners – as well as his transfer portal commitment to Alabama – to return to the Hokies. He’s a low-90’s arm who will touch the mid-90s, adding in a slider and changeup.
RHP Preston Crowl (JR) – 1-2, 4 SV, 6.42 ERA, 33.2 IP, 12.0 BB%, 22.7 K%. Has 55 career appearances with the Hokies. Hasn’t had the success he did last year (2-0, 1 SV, 3.90 ERA, 32.1 IP, 16.3 BB%, 26.9 K%) in terms of ERA or strikeout rate, but his control has been better and he’s been counted on in bigger spots. He’s heavily relied upon, making multiple appearances in a single ACC series three times this year and has topped 30 pitches in each of his last 7 appearances, including a 74-pitch relief outing at Boston College two weekends ago.
LHP Brendan Yagesh (SR) – 2-2, 1 SV, 7.47 ERA, 31.1 IP, 12.7 BB%, 20.4 K%. Former transfer from Mount St. Mary’s, originally hailing from Urbana, Virginia. Started 16 games over two seasons for the Mountaineers, but has mostly been a reliever for the Hokies, although he did start three ACC games earlier this year, including tossing 7.0 shutout innings against Duke (he then gave up 13 ER over 7.0 IP in his next two starts). Outside of those two negative starts and one bad turn at Virginia, he’s been solid.
LHP ChaseSwift (SO) – 1-1, 4.00 ERA, 18.0 IP, 9.7 BB%, 45.8 K%. The mustachioed redhead is aptly named for a guy who ranks 12th in the country in whiff rate. Those peripherals say the guy needs more innings. He won’t blow the ball by anybody with a heater that only tops in the low-90’s, but he has a four-pitch mix (cutter, slider, changeup) that generate a lot of swings and misses.
Quick! Fun Facts!
The Hokies have four alums in the MLB this year: 1B T.J. Rumfield (Rockies), LHP Ian Seymour (Rays), OF Kerry Carpenter (Tigers), and LHP Joe Mantiply (Blue Jays). They had three other alums appear at the MLB level in 2025: RHP Nic Enright (Guardians; will miss 2025 with TJS), RHP Zach Brzykcy (Nationals; now with Marlins), RHP Jesse Hahn (Mariners; now with Blue Jays).
The seven former Hokies at the MLB level over the last two years is impressive for the program, given that there were only 11 former Virginia Tech players to make it to that level over the previous 25 seasons.
Virginia Tech doesn’t have a single player from the state of North Carolina. That’s wild.
The Hokies roster isn’t very deep on All-Name Team candidates, but FR INF Willie Hurt (.407/.619/.444, 1 2B, 0 HR, 27.9 BB%, 14.0 K%, 1-3 SB) is a no-doubt 1st Teamer. The lefty swinging DH currently has a 7-game hitting streak.
The Key To A Series Win For State
With Ryan Marohn unavailable for a second straight weekend, the Wolfpack bats are going to have to come alive against this Hokies pitching staff. The Hokies have been one of the best defensive teams in the conference, so State will need to also play clean to support the pitching staff and not supply any extra help to VTs lineup.
Prediction
There’s not a lot of confidence to be had for the Wolfpack after last weekend’s showing in Winston-Salem. With another road trip starting – and doing so without Jacob Dudan and Ryan Marohn – it’s hard to predict an NC State series win. Couple that with the Hokies coming off a series win of their own, it’s easy to see Virginia Tech coming out on top here in what should be a close, high-scoring three-game series.
Gavin Williams
Bo Bichette 
Kyle Tucker 
COVERS INTEL: The Chicago Cubs own the second-lowest strikeout rate in the majors during their 12-3 hot streak.
