Juan Soto now has even more to smile about, as the Mets’ star was named the National League Player of the Month for June.
Soto tore the cover off the ball last month, slashing .322/.474/.722 with 11 home runs, 20 RBI, 25 walks, and 25 runs scored. Soto's 11 home runs tied for the most he’s ever hit in a single month, as he matched that total in August 2020 with the Washington Nationals.
He also joined Darryl Strawberry (May 1987) as the second Met with 10-plus home runs and 20-plus walks in a calendar month.
It’s well documented that Soto’s Mets tenure got off to a slow start, by his own ridiculously high standards, as he hit .241 in March/April and .219 in May, but the superstar has rounded back into form, and is now pushing to make his fifth All-Star team, posting a 157 OPS+ on the season.
Soto and the Mets will look to keep things moving in the right direction on Thursday night, when they go for a series win over the Milwaukee Brewers before welcoming the Yankees to Citi Field this weekend.
They also have an unfortunate habit of playing like Little Leaguers.
The latest example of Boston’s defensive ineptitude came in the eighth inning of their series finale against the Cincinnati Reds on Wednesday night. With the bases loaded and one out, TJ Friedl hit a chopper to Trevor Story, who couldn’t field the ball cleanly. Second baseman Marcelo Mayer tracked down the misplayed ball and threw to third base — where Christian Encarnacion-Strand had already rounded and was headed for home.
Third baseman Abraham Toro received Mayer’s throw and tried to tag a runner who wasn’t there, then threw home too late to nab Encarnacion-Strand — which allowed Santiago Espinal to advance to third base after Connor Wong’s throw didn’t arrive in time.
Watch the play below (at the 10:55 mark) if you’d like your blood pressure to rise:
The botched play was the final nail in the coffin of Boston’s 8-4 loss, which also featured Romy Gonzalez getting thrown out at third base trying to stretch a double to a triple with zero outs in a one-run game. The Red Sox allowed four unearned runs on two errors Wednesday night and currently have nine more errors (72) than the next-closest American League team.
Unfortunately, sloppy fielding isn’t just a 2025 issue for Boston. The Red Sox led the AL in errors in both 2023 and 2024, and their 289 errors since the start of the 2023 campaign are the most in baseball by a wide margin. (The Miami Marlins are second with 257.)
“It’s been a systemic thing for a long time,” Kennedy replied. “And that’s on us. That’s on everybody in the organization.
“It’s not acceptable to be out there at the Major League level and making fundamental mistakes. If you do that in the big leagues, if you give away outs, you’re going to be in trouble. So yes, we need to improve. Full stop.”
The Red Sox appeared to be turning the corner in mid-June after sweeping the New York Yankees to earn their seventh win in eight games. But after their stunning decision to trade Rafael Devers on June 15, they’ve gone just 5-9, including a six-game losing streak highlighted by several costly miscues in the field.
Add it all up, and you have a team that ranks third in the AL in runs scored and eighth in team ERA but enters Thursday three games out of a Wild Card spot at 43-45.
“If you look back at the season, there’s been a lot of those that have slipped through our hands,” manager Alex Cora said after Wednesday’s game. “Honestly, we’re in the position we are because of that.”
Some of Boston’s struggles with “the basics” can be attributed to throwing rookies like Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony into the fire. But the Red Sox’ mistakes aren’t limited to their young players; Story, Alex Bregman, Abraham Toro and Jarren Duran have all been thrown out trying to advance on the bases this season, while 13 different players have committed three errors or more.
How the Red Sox go about solving their “systemic” issue with fundamentals remains to be seen. But if this team misses the playoffs for the fourth consecutive season, don’t be surprised if changes are made on both the minor-league and major-league level this winter.
The Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw follows through on the pitch that struck out Vinny Capra of the Chicago White Sox for Kershaw's 3,000th career strikeout. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
It wasn’t so much the culmination of a career as it was another signpost pointing the way to the Hall of Fame.
It certainly wasn’t the last pitch Clayton Kershaw will ever throw for the Dodgers, but it will likely be among the most memorable.
Because when Chicago White Sox third baseman Vinny Capra took a 1-and-2 slider for a strike to end the sixth inning Wednesday night, Kershaw became just the 20th pitcher in major league history to record 3,000 strikeouts.
More people have flown to the moon than have struck out 3,000 major league hitters. And for Kershaw, who has been chasing history since he threw his first big-league pitch as a skinny 20-year-old, entering such an elite club will be a big piece of his legacy.
Only now he has the wisdom and the grace to realize it was never about him in the first place.
“It's an incredible list. I'm super, super grateful to be a part of it,” Kershaw said. “But if you don't have anybody to celebrate with, it just doesn't matter.”
Kershaw would know since he’s one of the most decorated players in history. Twice a 20-game winner, a five-time ERA champion and two-time world champion, he’s won three Cy Young Awards, was a league MVP and is a 10-time All-Star.
“The individual stuff,” he repeated, “is only as important as the people around you.”
So while Kershaw stood out when he reached the 3K milestone on the 100th and final pitch he threw in the Dodgers’ 5-4 win, he refused to stand apart, pausing on his way off the field to point at his family sitting in their usual seats in the front row of the loge section. He then accepted hugs from teammates Mookie Betts and Kiké Hernández.
But he saved his warmest embrace for manager Dave Roberts, who bounded up the dugout steps to greet him.
“We've been through a lot together,” said Roberts, who has guided Kershaw through doubts and disappointments, through high points and lows in their 10 years together.
“I'm one of the few people in uniform that has been through them,” Roberts said. “That was kind of what the embrace was.”
Kershaw, 37, is just the fourth left-hander to reach 3,000 strikeouts but more important, he said, is the fact he’s just the second in a century, after Bob Gibson, to do it with the same team. No pitcher, in fact, has spent more years in a Dodger uniform that Kershaw.
“I don't know if I put a ton of stock in being with one team early on,” he said. “Over time you get older and appreciate one organization a little bit more. Doc [Roberts] stuck with me, too. It hasn't been all roses, I know that.
“So there's just a lot of mutual respect and I'm super grateful now, looking back, to get to say that I spent my whole career here. And I will spend my whole career here.”
Kershaw struck out the first batter he faced in his Dodgers debut 18 years ago, getting the Cardinals’ Skip Schumaker to wave at a 1-and-2 pitch. It was the first of three strikeouts he would record in his first big-league inning. So even from the start, the K in Kershaw — the scorebook symbol for a strikeout — stood out more than than the rest of the name.
In between Schumaker and Capra, Kershaw fanned nearly 1,000 different hitters, from CJ Abrams and Bobby Abreu to Ryan Zimmerman and Barry Zito.
He’s struck out (Jason) Castro and (Buddy) Kennedy, Elvis (Andrus) and (Alex) Presley and (Billy) Hamilton and (Alex) Jackson. He’s whiffed (Scott) Cousins and brothers (Bengie and Yadier Molina), a (Chin-lung) Hu and a Yu (Darvish), a Cook (Aaron) and a (Jeff) Baker as well as a Trout (Mike) and multiple Marlins (Miami).
Former Giant Brandon Belt was Kershaw’s most frequent victim, striking out 30 times in 62 at-bats. Fewer than 50 batters have faced him at least five times without striking out, according to Baseball Reference.
Along the way Kershaw’s unique windup, the right knee pausing as he lifts both hands just above his cap, has become an instantly recognizable silhouette for a generation of Dodgers fans.
There’s only one other left-hander in team history that can compare with Kershaw, yet he and Sandy Koufax are so different the comparisons are more contrasts than anything.
Kershaw has been brilliant over the entirety of his 18-year career, winning 10 or more games 12 times. He’s never finished a season with a losing record and his career ERA of 2.52 is the lowest of the last 105 years for pitchers who have thrown at least 1,500 innings. Even at 37, he’s unbeaten in four decisions.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw walks off the mound after recording his 3,000th career strikeout as right fielder Andy Pages, left, and first baseman Freddie Freeman, right, react behind him. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Koufax was 36-40 with an ERA above 4.00 through his first six seasons. And while Koufax’s career was ended by injury before his 31st birthday, Kershaw has pushed through repeated problems with his back, shoulder, knee, toe, elbow, pelvis and forearm.
Only Don Sutton has won more games in a Dodger uniform than the 216 that belong to Kershaw, who will soon be enshrined next to Koufax and Sutton in the Hall of Fame.
“Early on they were talking about this next Sandy Koufax guy, this big left-hander. Really didn't have an idea where the ball was going, but pretty special,” said Roberts, who retired as a player after Kershaw’s rookie season. “It's much better to be wearing the same uniform as him.”
But Roberts has seen the other side, when the young promise gives way to pitfalls. He’s seen Kershaw battle so many injuries, he’s spent nearly as much time on the injured list as in the rotation over the last five seasons. Alongside the brilliance, he’s seen the uncertainty.
So with Kershaw approaching history Wednesday, Roberts loosened the leash, letting him go back to the mound for the sixth inning despite having thrown 92 pitches, his most in more than two years.
“I wanted to give Clayton every opportunity,” he said. “You could see the emotion that he had today, trying to get that third strike. But I think it just happened the way it's supposed to happen, in the sense that it was the third out [and] we got a chance to really celebrate him.”
Each time Kershaw got to two strikes, something he did to 15 of the 27 hitters he faced, “I said a few Hail Marys,” Roberts said.
“It's the last box for Clayton to check in his tremendous career,” he added, saying he doubted many more pitchers will ever reach 3,000 strikeouts. “You’ve got to stay healthy, you’ve got to be good early in your career, you’ve got to be good for a long time.”
That, Roberts said, was behind the second long hug he and his pitcher shared in the dugout Wednesday night as a highlight reel of Kershaw’s career played on the video boards above both outfield pavilions. The sellout crowd, which had long been on its feet, continuing cheering, eventually drawing Kershaw back out onto the field to doff his cap in appreciation.
“That ovation,” he said, “was something that I'll never forget, for sure.”
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw tips his cap while walking off the field after tossing his 3,000th career strikeout against the Chicago White Sox at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Fernando Urquiza screamed himself hoarse, slapping palms with strangers on the field level of Dodger Stadium. He’d waited six innings — each on the very edge of his seat. He refreshed flight options to Milwaukee in case Clayton Kershaw made him wait until his next start for strikeout No. 3,000.
Roderick Abram, a die-hard New York Yankees fan celebrating his 40th birthday, rejoiced when Kershaw reached the strikeout milestone. In enemy pinstripes, his team allegiance wavered long enough to clap for a man he often hopes gets shelled — particularly in the Bronx — but not on Wednesday night.
Kershaw's historic game wasn’t necessarily a vintage outing, but to his dearest fans, that only deepened the meaning.
The Chicago White Sox didn’t make it easy for Kershaw. He labored. He gave up runs. It seemed he might fall one short of the three strikeouts he needed. And still, he managed to finally become the 20th pitcher in MLB history to reach 3,000 strikeouts.
“Building the emotion and building it up to what it came to be,” said Urquiza, who has attended Dodger games for 38 years. “But Clayton Kershaw pitching, it wouldn’t have happened any other way than to be an emotional outcome.”
As Kershaw wrapped the fifth with just two strikeouts, the mood at Dodger Stadium tightened. Phones rose with each windup, fans stood between pitches and that rare postseason stillness crept in, nearly three months early.
And though some considered leaving early to beat traffic and others weighed booking Milwaukee flights, it didn’t seem as though hope fled Dodger Stadium.
“I know it took a little bit longer for him to get it, but I knew he was going to get it, and that’s why they kept him in. And he wanted it bad, and he got it,” said 34-year-old barber Steven Moreno, who said he “wouldn’t have missed the game for the world.”
Back in 2008, Daniel Palomera brought his kids to watch Greg Maddux pitch. Instead, a baby-faced 20-year-old with a towering leg kick took the mound.
A young fan holds a sign with the number "3,000" on the night Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw recorded his 3,000th career strikeout. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)
Palomera saw the early days of Kershaw's career 17 years ago and returned Wednesday for what could be one of his last major milestones.
“Two years ago, I didn’t think he was gonna make it,” Palomera said. “And last year, I thought he might have thought of retiring with all the injuries, but him coming back just makes it that much more special. He’s getting to do it here — that’s really special."
Jeremy Wasser stood a few rows behind home plate in a sky blue Kershaw Foundation T-shirt. He tilted his head back and paused for a moment when asked about Kershaw’s legacy.
“To see him be as successful as he’s been, as consistently great as he’s been, he’s represented the city and represented the team with class and with character,” Wasser said. “And the combination of that character and his performance on the field is an extraordinary achievement.”
Kershaw's accompliment will forever be known as a major milestone in Dodgers history, but it meant more than a statistic to the fans who gave the loyal veteran pitcher a six-minute standing ovation.
“The way he cares and treats his own teammates like family," Moreno said. "He's made this organization like a family."
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It's Thursday, July 3 and the Royals (40-47) are in Seattle to take on the Mariners (45-41). Seth Lugo is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Bryan Woo for Seattle.
Seattle took game 3 of the series, 3-2, to go up 2-1 over Kansas City with the final meeting on deck. The Royals are in a slump right now with a 2-9 record over the past 11 games compared to the 3-1 record for the Mariners in the last four and 7-4 mark in the previous 11.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Royals at Mariners
Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025
Time: 10:10PM EST
Site: T-Mobile Park
City: Seattle, WA
Network/Streaming: FDSNKC, RSNW
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Odds for the Royals at the Mariners
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Royals (+130), Mariners (-156)
Spread: Mariners -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Mariners
Pitching matchup for July 3, 2025: Seth Lugo vs. Bryan Woo
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Royals and the Mariners
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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 Thursday’s game between the Royals and the Mariners:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Seattle Mariners on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Kansas City Royals 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 Royals at Mariners
The Royals have lost 8 of their last 10 games
The Under is 37-22-1 in the Royals' matchups against American League teams this season
Kansas City is 2-9 in the last 11 games, while Seattle is 7-4 in the past 11
The Mariners are 9-7 when Woo pitches this season
The Royals are 7-8 when Lugo pitches this season
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It's Thursday, July 3 and the Giants (46-41) are in Phoenix to take on the Diamondbacks (43-43). Robbie Ray is slated to take the mound for San Francisco against Brandon Pfaadt for Arizona.
The Giants took game 3 of the series, 6-5 in extra innings, to give them a chance to even up the series at two games apiece. Arizona won games 1 and 2 of the series, 4-2 and 8-2. The DBacks are 2-5 in the previous seven outings, while the Giants are 1-4 in the last five and 2-8 in the past 10.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Giants at Diamondbacks
Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025
Time: 9:40PM EST
Site: Chase Field
City: Phoenix, AZ
Network/Streaming: NBCSBA, ARID
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Odds for the Giants at the Diamondbacks
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Giants (-110), Diamondbacks (-109)
Spread: Giants -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Giants at Diamondbacks
Pitching matchup for July 3, 2025: Robbie Ray vs. Brandon Pfaadt
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Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Giants 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 recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Giants at Diamondbacks
The Giants have lost 23 of 45 games this season following a win
6 of the Diamondbacks' last 8 matchups with the Giants have gone over the Total
San Francisco is 13-4 on the ML when Robbie Ray pitches this season
Arizona is 0-3 in the last three starts by Brandon Pfaadt and 9-8 overall
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LOS ANGELES—Major League Baseball doesn’t often get to experience milestone starting-pitching moments these days. But Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium offered one of them.
Down to the last possible moment, with pitch No. 100 of the game, Clayton Kershaw painted the outside corner with an 85-mph slider to Vinny Capra of the Chicago White Sox, becoming the 20th pitcher in history to record 3,000 strikeouts, and only the third pitcher to do it playing for the same team his entire career.
“It kind of backed up a little bit,” Kershaw said after the Dodgers came back from a two-run deficit in the ninth inning to defeat Chicago 5-4, on a Freddie Freeman walk-off base hit. “It sure wasn’t where it was supposed to be.”
Kershaw took 15 of the hitters he faced as far as two strikes but could only put three of them away, striking out Capra, the No. 9 hitter, on a 1-2 count to record MLB history.
“The White Sox made it very difficult on me,” he said. “I wasn’t very good tonight.”
Kershaw hadn’t thrown as many as 100 pitches in game since June 20, 2023, against the Los Angeles Angels in a win at Anaheim. The road since has been pocked with injuries and subsequent surgeries on his shoulder, foot and knee. It’s a miracle he’s still on the mound at 37 years old and in the middle of his 18th—and what could be his final—season, all with the Dodgers.
Manager Dave Roberts has heretofore been very careful with the left-hander, once pulling Kershaw out of an early-season perfect game after seven innings.
Wednesday night was both excruciating and sublime; two-strike pitches hit for fly outs brought audible groans from fans. It became obvious in the first inning that getting the three necessary strikeouts was not going to be easy. Kershaw threw 29 pitches to six batters, allowing a run. When Austin Slater tagged a slow, hanging slider into the left-field pavilion for a two-run, third-inning homer, the White Sox had a 3-2 advantage.
“My slider was terrible,” Kershaw said.
He followed that with a three-pitch swinging strikeout of Miguel Vargas for his first of the evening, giving fans some hope of 3,000. In the strictest sense, Kershaw said, his own agony matched the mood of the fans.
“I think it was palpable, if that’s the right word,” he said.
Kershaw had thrown 92 pitches through five innings, and his whiff of Lenyn Sosa to end the fifth put him one away. Roberts didn’t even think about pulling the pitcher.
“There was no discussion at all about it in the dugout,” Roberts said. “I just sent him back out there.”
The sellout crowd of 53,536 gave Kershaw a rousing ovation when he took the mound for the sixth. After strikeout 3,000, another ovation lasted six minutes as Kershaw jumped back out of the dugout for several curtain calls.
We’re in an age of baseball in which starting pitching has been nullified, replaced by openers. The White Sox illustrated this by using left-hander Brandon Eisert for the first inning only on Wednesday night.
The perfect game seems dead. So is the one-pitcher no-hitter, which has become as rare as a copper penny. Roberts is the only manager in history to lift three starters from perfect game attempts after seven innings, doing so in the name of pitch counts and avoiding injuries. This is not to mention the complete game—there have only been 18 so far this season. There were 28 in 2024, the lowest number in Major League history.
So, Kershaw’s rising to this occasion had a certain old-time feel to it.
“It was just one of those things that I felt I was going to give him every opportunity to do it at home,” Roberts said.
Walter Johnson and Bob Gibson are the only other pitchers in history to throw at least 3,000 strikeouts playing their entire careers for the same team. It happens about once every 50 years. Johnson had 3,509 in a career that ended with the Washington Senators in 1927. Bob Gibson had 3,117 before retiring from the St. Louis Cardinals in 1975. Half a century later, Kershaw has joined that duo.
“I’m super grateful to be on that list with all of them,” Kershaw said.
Fellow Dodger greats Don Drysdale (2,486) and Sandy Koufax (2,396) are not even close to Kershaw on that esteemed roster.
Among active pitchers, Chris Sale (2,528) and Gerrit Cole (2,251) are the closest to 3,000, but both have played for multiple teams.
Kershaw’s achievement is not going to happen again anytime soon, if ever, making his magical midsummer moment one to savor.
It's Thursday, July 3 and the Guardians (40-44) are in Chicago to take on the Cubs (51-35). Luis L. Ortiz is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Cade Horton for Chicago.
The Cubs put up five runs to beat the Guardians, 5-4, to give Chicago a chance for the sweep today. Seiya Suzuki brought in three runs yesterday and has four RBI of the 10 runs scored in the series for the Cubs.
Chicago is 3-1 in the last four games and 5-2 in the previous seven. Cleveland on the other hand has lost six consecutive games and three straight series.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on 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 Guardians at Cubs
Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025
Time: 8:05PM EST
Site: Wrigley Field
City: Chicago, IL
Network/Streaming: CLEG, MARQ, MLBN
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Odds for the Guardians at the Cubs
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Guardians (+133), Cubs (-158)
Spread: Cubs -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Cubs
Pitching matchup for July 3, 2025: Luis L. Ortiz vs. Cade Horton
Guardians: Luis L. Ortiz, (4-9, 4.37 ERA) Last outing: 7.0 Innings Pitched, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Guardians and the Cubs
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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 Thursday’s game between the Guardians 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 Cleveland Guardians at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards 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 Guardians at Cubs
The Cubs have won 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with losing records
The Under is 8-1-1 in the Guardians' last 10 road games
Chicago is 6-3 when Cade Horton pitches this season
Cleveland is 6-10 when Luis Ortiz pitches this season
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Emmanuel Fernandez admits he was "shocked" to learn of Rangers' interest in him but believes this is "the perfect place to be" after joining from Peterborough.
Fernandez, 23, signed a four-year deal with Russell Martin's side in a move he believes can "kickstart" his career.
The defender was released by League Two Gillingham in 2020 and played non-league football before spending the last four years at Peterborough.
"I heard about [the interest from Rangers] a couple weeks ago and to be honest, I was shocked because I was thinking that's a big club, they play in Europe, they have a great fan base.
"I've watched a lot of games before, I've watched the Old Firm derby as well and it's a place where I really wanted to be."
Fernandez also believes the timing of his move is "100% right" after becoming Rangers' fourth summer signing.
"It feels like the team's building,"he added. "The team's going to grow with a new manager.
"Also, I've seen his style of play and it's a style of play that I'm used to coming from Peterborough, so it's something I definitely can't wait to get started on and it's something I really want to do."
It's Thursday, July 3 and the White Sox (28-58) are in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers (55-32). Aaron Civale is slated to take the mound for Chicago against Dustin May for Los Angeles.
The Dodgers stole the second game of the series, 5-4, on Wednesday after trailing 4-1 entering the 9th inning. Shohei Ohtani crossed the finish line for the game-winning run with two outs as Freddie Freeman drove him in via a single. The night was epic overall as Clayton Kershaw earned his 3,000th career strikeout and L.A. reached an 8-1 record in the last nine 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 first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch White Sox at Dodgers
Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025
Time: 10:10PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: CHSN, SNLA
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the White Sox at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: White Sox (+236), Dodgers (-295)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for White Sox at Dodgers
Pitching matchup for July 3, 2025: Aaron Civale vs. Dustin May
White Sox: Aaron Civale, (1-4, 4.91 ERA) Last outing: 4.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Dodgers: Dustin May, (4-5, 4.68 ERA) Last outing: 4.0 Innings Pitched, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the White Sox 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 Thursday’s game between the White Sox 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 Chicago White Sox at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending 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 White Sox at Dodgers
The Dodgers have won 9 of their last 11 games at home
The Under is 5-1-2 (63%) in the Dodgers' home games this season with Dustin May starting
Los Angeles is 8-7 on the ML when Dustin May pitches this season
Chicago is 0-3 with Aaron Civale pitching this year
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 Thursday, July 3 and the Angels (42-43) are in Atlanta to take on the Braves (39-46). José Soriano is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Bryce Elder for Atlanta.
The Braves evened up the series 1-1 after a 8-3 victory on Wednesday thanks to a seven-run sixth inning on two homers via Sean Murphy (3 RBI HR) and Matt Olson (grand slam). However, Atlanta is 2-5 in the past seven games, while Los Angeles is 5-3 over the last eight.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Angels at Braves
Date: Thursday, July 3, 2025
Time: 7:15PM EST
Site: Truist Park
City: Atlanta, GA
Network/Streaming: FDSNW, FDSNSO
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Angels at the Braves
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Angels (+119), Braves (-141)
Spread: Braves -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Angels at Braves
Pitching matchup for July 3, 2025: José Soriano vs. Bryce Elder
Angels: José Soriano, (5-5, 3.99 ERA) Last outing: 4.0 Innings Pitched, 8 Earned Runs Allowed, 9 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Angels and the Braves
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Angels and the Braves:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Atlanta Braves 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 Braves
The Angels have lost 22 of 43 games this season following a defeat
The Under is 47-33-5 in Braves' games this season
Atlanta is 1-6 in the last seven games that Elder has pitched and 5-8 overall
Los Angeles is 3-1 in Soriano's last four starts and 7-10 overall this year
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:
Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz on Thursday earned the AL Rookie of the Month award for June after teammate and shortstop — in the pros and prep scene — Jacob Wilson took home the nod for May.
Kurtz, whom the A’s selected No. 4 overall in the 2024 MLB Draft last July, slashed .264/.329/.597 over 19 games in June with 19 hits, 17 RBI, 11 walks and seven home runs and a .926 OPS.
He missed the first eight days of June on the 10-day injured list retroactive to May 25 with a strained left hip flexor, making his feat and a couple of walk-offs even more admirable.
Wilson preceded Kurtz after slashing .368/.437/.538 with 39 hits, 16 RBI, 11 walks and four homers and a .975 OPS over 27 games in May.
And on Wednesday, Wilson, the A’s choice with the No. 6 overall pick in the 2023 draft, was named a historical AL starter for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game.
Jacob Wilson is the first fan-elected rookie ever to start an MLB All-Star Game⭐️
The A’s, again, find themselves in the AL West basement with a 36-53 record during the 2025 MLB season. But their young core of position players is quite promising.
Kurtz, Wilson and outfielders Lawrence Butler and Tyler Soderstrom are all young and exited June with strong season numbers.
After one of the best months of his career, Zack Wheeler gets to cap off June as NL Pitcher of the Month.
The Phillies’ ace has gotten the honor one other time in his career in May 2022.
The 35-year-old had a historic June, going 2-1 with an MLB-best 0.58 ERA, 42 strikeouts to 7 walks, in 31 innings.
Wheeler joined a select few in franchise history to post a 0.60 ERA or lower with more than 30 innings in a month (Cliff Lee — 0.21 ERA June 2011 and 0.45 ERA August 2011, Tommy Greene — 0.29 ERA May 1991 and Lee Meadows — 0.23 ERA July 1919).
His most recent start against the Padres, Wheeler pitched 8 scoreless innings. It was his longest outing of the season and his 10 strikeouts marked the third time this year he’s reached double-digit K’s while walking none.
“It’s phenomenal,” said manager Rob Thomson Monday. “I’m not sure if I’ve had a pitcher that – whether I’m coaching or managing – that has had a month like that. He was pretty much dominant the whole month.”
There’s a good chance Wheeler will be representing the Phillies at the All-Star game in his hometown of Atlanta and his case to win his first Cy Young Award continues to grow.
