Absolutely, and Posey doesn’t need to go digging through the club’s history books all that much.
“I think back in my career when we added a guy by the name of Jake Peavy,” Posey humorously shared with the former Giants pitcher and co-host Steve Phillips on the MLB Network on Friday. “I was pretty excited.”
Is Rafael Devers the biggest Giants trade since Jake Peavy?
Buster Posey makes the comparison and explains his expectations for the slugger in San Francisco.
Peavy and Posey were Giants teammates for three seasons, winning a World Series together in 2014, the same season San Francisco traded for the right-hander.
“In all seriousness, Peavy injected an energy into our clubhouse,” Posey added. “There was a leadership element that he brought that I know that [general manager Brian Sabean] targeted those types of guys. I certainly pay attention to that.”
Posey spent plenty of time together with Peavy from 2014 to 2016. Now, as San Francisco’s lead executive, he is hoping Devers’ arrival has a similar impact in San Francisco.
“Ultimately, I believe a big part of this job is, of course, [that] we want to have great players on the field and a roster that is going to help us win a lot of games,” Posey said.
“To me, Rafael Devers is a star. And our fan base, as you know, has been clamoring to have guys like this that can show up to the park and root for daily.”
As it stands, the 28-year-old slugger is owed roughly $255 million over the next eight and a half seasons, signaling a heavy commitment from Posey and Co.
Posey, however, believes it will all be worth it — both for the Giants’ clubhouse and the fan base.
“I think it was pretty evident from the get-go, knowing our fanbase like I know our fanbase, that they would be extremely excited about Rafael being in our lineup,” Posey concluded.
Russell Martin agreed a three-year contract at Rangers in early June [SNS]
Russell Martin will have shown he is the "right man" for Rangers "within the first six months or so", predicts former team-mate Steven Naismith.
The former Southampton manager, 39, begins his Ibrox reign with a Champions League qualifier against Panathinaikos next month, while his first Scottish Premiership game is a visit to Motherwell on 2 August.
Naismith played alongside Martin for Norwich City and Scotland and believes he will prosper in Glasgow.
"I fully believe that he will come in and be a real success," Naismith told BBC Scotland.
"I think what has been lacking at Rangers over the years, he ticks most of the boxes. His style of play, he knows how to break down a low block that he'll come up against a lot, in terms of dominating possession.
"His communication and leadership skills are probably the highest things for him. He's shown in the three clubs he's managed before that he can produce, he can make teams better.
"Within the first six months or so, I think he will have shown a lot of those doubting him that he is the right man."
Ex-Hearts head coach Naismith also revealed the pair are in contact regularly and, although he has not spoken to him specifically about the Rangers job, he says he will be on hand if Martin needs him.
"We chat a lot because we're friends and we're similar in terms of what we're going through in terms of coaching and management," the 38-year-old continued.
"I'll give him any help I can. He's pretty straightforward and laser focused on his style, his mindset and what he wants.
"His experience of playing at the club (on loan in 2018) is definitely something that will hold him in good stead going into the start of his managerial career at Rangers.
"He wants his players to do certain things on the pitch that in Scotland get challenged from the stands quickly if it's not going well. Finding that balance of having that clear style and working towards that, but also getting results short-term, is going to be key for him."
Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Phillies play a three-game series in Philadelphia starting on Friday.
5 things to watch
Can the Mets' offense snap out of it?
New York's offense is in a serious rut, having scored just five runs over the last four games -- all losses. And four of those runs came on Tuesday against the Braves in Atlanta.
A main culprit has been the Mets' bottom of the order (save for Tyrone Taylor's big game on Tuesday), which has not been able to do much.
Lindor is 0-for-14 over his last four games, though he did hit a few balls on the screws on Thursday night in Atlanta.
Alonso has just three hits in his last 16 at-bats and hasn't homered since June 8.
It's easy to envision New York's bats coming alive at hitter-friendly Citizens Bank Park, but Philadelphia's starting rotation could have something to say about that.
The Phillies' rotation
Zack Wheeler, Mick Abel, and Jesus Luzardo are lined up to start against the Mets, with Wheeler getting Friday's series-opener.
Wheeler is having another Cy Young-caliber season, with a 2.76 ERA and career-best 0.88 WHIP. He's also striking out a career-high 11.3 batters per nine.
Abel has hit the ground running in his rookie season, with a 2.21 ERA and 1.03 WHIP over his first four starts in the majors.
The wild card is Luzardo, who began the season on fire but has struggled badly recently, pitching to a 13.50 ERA in 16.2 innings over his last four starts.
When the Mets were forced to turn to Justin Hagenman on Thursday night in Atlanta, it meant they were going to have to call someone else up to start on Friday.
May 4, 2025; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; New York Mets pitcher Blade Tidwell (40) makes his debut pitching appearance against the St. Louis Cardinals at Busch Stadium. / Tim Vizer-Imagn Images
Tidwell struggled earlier this season against the Cardinals in St. Louis during what was his first big league start, allowing six runs on nine hits in 3.2 innings.
And he was hit hard his last time out for Triple-A Syracuse, giving up six runs on seven hits in 3.2 innings.
Before that start, Tidwell had been pitching relatively well, allowing just 12 earned runs over his prior 31.2 innings over six outings.
Baty left last Sunday's game against the Rays early due to right groin tightness, and he hasn't played since.
He made some progress on Thursday, and was viewed as a possible option to contribute off the bench. But he wasn't called upon in the Mets' lopsided loss.
With Baty out, it has opened the door for more playing time for Ronny Mauricio, who homered last Saturday and went 1-for-2 on Sunday after replacing Baty in the seventh inning. But Mauricio didn't do much against the Braves, going 1-for-10.
Baty was scuffling at the plate before injuring his groin, but did smack a homer last Saturday.
On the horizon is Mark Vientos, who is rehabbing with Syracuse and could possibly return to the Mets next week.
Kyle Schwarber has stepped up power-wise with Bryce Harper out
Harper hasn't played since June 5 due to a wrist injury, taking a massive bat out of Philadelphia's lineup.
But Schwarber has filled the power void in Harper's absence, smacking four homers in the 13 games since the first baseman went down.
Schwarber remains very susceptible to the strikeout, though, having fanned 26 times in 64 at-bats this month.
Elsewhere in Philadelphia's lineup, Alec Bohm -- who was the subject of trade fodder earlier this season -- is hitting well.
He has 17 hits in his last 41 at-bats, including a pair of homers and a pair of doubles.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Pete Alonso
The homer drought ends in Philadelphia.
Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?
David Peterson
Peterson carries a 2.60 ERA into Sunday's start.
Which Phillies player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?
Nick Castellanos
Castellanos isn't having the best season, but he's always dangerous.
Reporter Joon Lee provided an example of this dysfunction earlier this week, revealing on NBC Sports Boston’s Arbella Early Editionthat one candidate interviewing for a Red Sox baseball operations job went through five rounds of interviews without speaking to a human being.
“During this interview process, the entire interview was conducted with an AI bot, where you would record the answers to the questions and then the Red Sox would then evaluate them,” Lee said.
“And this wasn’t just one round. It wasn’t just two rounds. It was five rounds of interviews where this person did not talk to another person in the Red Sox organization.”
The Red Sox called Lee’s reporting “unsubstantiated” in a statement Wednesday and insisted they mostly used HireVue — the AI and human resources management company that “conducted” those interviews — to screen a vast number of applications early in the hiring process.
But there’s more evidence that suggests Boston’s HR operation isn’t exactly five-star quality.
The Boston Globe’s Alex Speier spoke to “multiple individuals” who described their interview process with the Red Sox as “discouragingly impersonal,” with “infrequent human interaction relative to other teams.” That impersonality manifested itself in the form of a brutal form letter received by several candidates who didn’t make it to the final stages of interviews.
From Speier:
The sense of the team’s impersonal approach to hiring was amplified last year by the fact that multiple applicants, after completing the problem set and HireVue interview, received the same emailed form letter, with the same unfortunate top-level sentence:
“Thank you for your interest in working for the Boston Red Sox and applying for the {{insert job title}}.”
“I didn’t go further than that line. I kind of laughed and closed out the email,” said one applicant. “That was the part that upset me in the moment. I still look back and laugh on it.”
That’s a tough look for a professional baseball team looking to attract the best front-office talent in the sport.
Speier added that some had better experiences with the Red Sox, with one candidate noting he received a follow-up call from a Boston staffer with feedback about his application. But another candidate described the whole process as “awkward and cold.”
On its face, the Red Sox doing everything they can to leverage AI and analytics isn’t a bad thing. But the reporting of the past week suggests Breslow and his front office have gone too far in embracing data while failing to connect with job candidates — as well as their own staffers and players — on a personal level.
And nothing drives that home like the dreaded form letter typo.
LOS ANGELES (AP) — It took seven games over 11 days for the simmer to reach full boil.
The Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres flashed playoff intensity in their long-awaited first two series of the season and went face-to-face, quite literally, after 10 batters were hit during a stretch the Dodgers owned on the scoreboard.
In winning five of the seven games, the Dodgers also hit Fernando Tatis Jr. with pitches three times. The last of those came in the eighth inning of Thursday’s 5-3 Padres victory when the benches finally cleared after Tatis was hit near the right hand.
While the staredown behind home plate was more peacock feathers than fisticuffs, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts and Padres manager Mike Shildt were ejected following a tense back-and-forth exchange.
Afterward, the Padres’ Manny Machado said his true feelings won’t be known until Tatis gets results from X-rays and a CT scan.
“They gotta pray for (results) to come back negative tomorrow,” Machado said. “They should. Us, too, but they should for sure.”
After Tatis was hit, the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani took a pitch to the back of his right (pitching) shoulder from Robert Suarez. With Dodgers players starting to move over the dugout railing, Ohtani waved back his teammates and took first base.
“Well, I think he knew it was intentional,” Roberts said. “He wasn’t hurt by it, and he didn’t want any more drama, which I respect that a lot.”
Ohtani was hit twice in the series, each a half inning after Tatis was hit. The Dodgers’ Andy Pages also was hit twice in the series.
Roberts said he hoped Tatis does not miss extended time.
“I didn’t feel good about Tatis — great player, good guy — getting hit,” Roberts said. “I didn’t feel good about it. And so as (Shildt) comes out, and he’s yelling at me and staring me down, that bothers me. Because, to be quite frank, that’s the last thing I wanted.”
Shildt said he has respect for the Dodgers but seeing Tatis get hit three times by their pitchers in less than two weeks doesn’t sit right. He has also been hit by the Dodgers six times in his career, the most by any club.
“Whether it was (intentional) or it wasn’t, enough is enough,” Shildt said. “We got a guy who’s getting X-rays right now, is one of the best players in the game, fortunately he’s on our team, and this guy has taken shots, OK?”
While the teams waited more than two months to face each other for the first time this season, there will be another two-month wait until they face off again Aug. 15-17 at Los Angeles and Aug. 22-24 at San Diego.
“It’s going to be a fun ride,” Machado said. “This division’s freaking awesome, and it’s going to be a fun ride going down the road. The Giants got better with (Rafael) Devers, and we know what these guys have on the other side. And what we have on this side. And obviously you can’t count out Arizona. They’ve got a really good team over there. They’re going to be battling. It’s a four-headed monster battling it out, so it’ll be an interesting second half.”
Its Friday, June 20 and the Brewers (40-35) are in Minneapolis to open a weekend series against the Twins (37-37).
Jacob Misiorowski is slated to take the mound for Milwaukee against Joe Ryan for Minnesota.
The Twins salvaged the final game of their three-game set against the Reds with a 12-5 win yesterday. Byron Buxton cracked a couple home runs to pace the attack. Milwaukee split a four-game series against the Cubs. Every player in the Brewers' lineup had at least one hit and the team collected 13 total hits in their 8-7 win yesterday.
Lets dive into the series opener and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Brewers at Twins
Date: Friday, June 20, 2025
Time: 8:10PM EST
Site: Target Field
City: Minneapolis, MN
Network/Streaming: FDSNWI, MNNT
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Brewers at the Twins
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Brewers (+140), Twins (-166)
Spread: Twins -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Brewers at Twins
Pitching matchup for June 20, 2025: Jacob Misiorowski vs. Joe Ryan
Brewers: Jacob Misiorowski (1-0, 0.00 ERA) Last outing: 6/12 vs. St. Louis - 5IP, 0ER, 0H, 4BB, 5Ks
Twins: Joe Ryan (7-2, 2.93 ERA) Last outing: 6/14 at Houston - 7IP, 2ER, 2H, 2BB, 7Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Brewers at Twins
The Brewers have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against American League teams
Each of the last 3 matchups between the Brewers and the Twins have stayed under the Total
The Twins have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 2.48 units
Ty France picked up a couple hits yesterday after going hitless in his previous 4 games (0-13)
Jackson Chourio is riding a 9-game hitting streak (12-39)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Brewers and the Twins
Rotoworld Best Bet
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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 Brewers and the Twins:
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 Milwaukee Brewers 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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It's Friday, June 20, and the Astros (43-32) are in Anaheim to take on the Angels (36-38). Hunter Brown is slated to take the mound for Houston against Yusei Kikuchi for Los Angeles.
The Astros are coming off a 6-4 loss to the Athletics last night despite a decent effort from Colton Gordon. The Astros' pitcher only gave up two earned runs in 5.0 innings pitched.
With a 7-3 loss, the Los Angeles Angels were unable to sweep the New York Yankees.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. They have made a slight dent in the Astros' lead in the AL West. They are now only 6.5 games behind the division leaders.
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 Angels
Date: Friday, June 20, 2025
Time: 9:38PM EST
Site: Angel Stadium
City: Anaheim, CA
Network/Streaming: FanDuel Sports Home Network, Space City Home Network
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 Angels
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Astros (-184), Angels (+154)
Spread: Astros -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Astros at Angels
Pitching matchup for June 20, 2025: Hunter Brown vs. Yusei Kikuchi
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Astros at Angels
The Astros have won 5 of their last 7 divisional matchups
The Under is 41-30-4 in Astros' games this season
The Astros have covered the Run Line in 5 of their last 6 road games against the Angels
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Astros and the Angels
Rotoworld Best Bet
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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 Astros and the Angels:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Houston Astros 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 recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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It's Friday, June 20 and the Royals (37-38) are in San Diego to take on the Padres (40-34). Michael Lorenzen is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Nick Pivetta for San Diego.
Despite picking up the win against the Texas Rangers, the Royals' struggles continue. They are just 4-6 in their last 10 games and are 10.5 games behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central.
The Padres have struggled as well. Even though they won yesterday's game against the Los Angeles Dodgers, they have won just three of their last 10 and are 5.0 games back from first in the NL West.
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 Royals at Padres
Date: Friday, June 20, 2025
Time: 9:40PM EST
Site: Petco Park
City: San Diego, CA
Network/Streaming: Apple TV+
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Odds for the Royals at the Padres
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Royals (+154), Padres (-184)
Spread: Padres -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Padres
Pitching matchup for June 20, 2025: Michael Lorenzen vs. Nick Pivetta
Royals: Michael Lorenzen, (4-7, 4.91 ERA) Last outing (Athletics, 6/14): 6.0 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Padres: Nick Pivetta, (7-2, 3.40 ERA) Last outing (Arizona Diamondbacks, 6/15): 7.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 9 Strikeouts
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Padres
The Royals are on a 3-game winning streak
The Under is 21-15-1 in the Royals' road games this season
The Royals have failed to cover the Run Line in 3 straight matchups against the Padres
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline, and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Royals and the Padres
Rotoworld Best Bet
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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 Royals and the Padres:
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 Kansas City Royals 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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“Yeah, that’s not going to happen this weekend,” San Francisco’s manager told Brian Murphy and Markus Boucher. “We haven’t gotten there. … It’s going to take a little bit more time than having him at first base during the Red Sox series.”
Bob Melvin shuts down any possibility of Devers playing first base against the Red Sox:
"Yeah that's not gonna happen this weekend, we haven't gotten there… It's going to take a little bit more time than having him at first base during the Red Sox series."
Devers was moved to designated hitter during the 2025 MLB season after playing third base for the first eight years of his big-league career to make way for Alex Bregman, whom the Red Sox signed to a three-year, $120 million free-agent contract this past offseason. Boston later asked Devers to move to first base after Triston Casas suffered a ruptured left patellar tendon in early May, which Devers refused.
“There’s time for everybody,” Melvin explained to Murphy and Boucher. “I mean, certainly, Raffy’s going to be in there and agreeing to play first base, and we’ll be working on that here for several days before we feel comfortable running him out there. Once he does that, we can get [Wilmer Flores] back into the DH spot, where he’s been so productive.
“In the interim, Flo’s going to play a bit more first – he will tonight [Friday against the Boston Red Sox at Oracle Park] – and we’ll mix [Dominic Smith] in there, too.”
Melvin added that, regardless of who plays where at whatever point, the Giants will have a “real professional hitter on the bench that can pick up a big at-bat” like Flores, who has flourished in key moments repeatedly in 2025 and throughout his six-year San Francisco tenure.
Devers has a ways to go before he can comfortably switch corners at first. And Melvin suggested that the organization and Devers understand that patience is required, especially as the two-time Silver Slugger award winner is attempting to learn a new position mid-season in a new city.
“The hard part is, doing it during the season is difficult,” Melvin told Murphy and Boucher. “You can’t really simulate game stuff. The easy part is going to be fielding grounders and throwing the baseball. The hard part is where do you go for cut-offs, your first time at first base stretching, or bunt plays, other side of the diamond, different spins from lefties …”
The wait for Devers should be well worth it. He is one of baseball’s top bats and already looks comfortable as a Giant, with three hits in three games.
After all, San Francisco’s newfound partnership with Devers — which is scheduled to run through 2033, as part of the 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension he signed with Boston during the 2023 offseason — only will improve as the offensive juggernaut expands his defensive versatility.
“There’s going to be a little bit of a process in getting him ready, but he’s all in,” Melvin told Murphy and Boucher. “And like I said, if you can field the ball and throw the ball at third base – similar to Casey Schmitt, who picked it up quickly over at first – we feel like that transition will happen.”
It would’ve been something to see Devers play first against his old Red Sox, though.
It's Friday, June 20 and the Nationals (31-44) are in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers (46-30). MacKenzie Gore is slated to take the mound for Washington against Clayton Kershaw for Los Angeles.
Yesterday the Dodgers dropped game four of the series against the Padres. Depsite the loss they still picked up a 3-1 series lead and have extended their lead in the NL West to 3.5 games.
The Nationals were able to avoid getting swept by the Rockies with a 4-3 win yesterday. That series loss marked five straight series losses.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Nationals at Dodgers
Date: Friday, June 20, 2025
Time: 10:10PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: SportsNet LA, MASN 2, MLBN
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Odds for the Nationals at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Nationals (+168), Dodgers (-204)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Nationals at Dodgers
Pitching matchup for June 20, 2025: MacKenzie Gore vs. Clayton Kershaw
Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw, (2-0, 3.25 ERA) Last outing (San Francisco Giants, 6/14): 7.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Nationals at Dodgers
The Dodgers have won their last 3 games with Clayton Kershaw as starting pitcher
With Clayton Kershaw as starting pitcher 7 of the Dodgers' last 9 home games have gone over the Total
The Nationals have covered the Run Line in 5 of their last 7 matchups against the Dodgers
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 Nationals 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 Nationals 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 Washington Nationals 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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Its Friday, June 20 and the Reds (39-36) are in St. Louis to open a weekend series against the Cardinals (40-35).
Brady Singer is slated to take the mound for Cincinnati against Andre Pallante for St. Louis.
The Reds lost Thursday but did take two of three in their series earlier this week against the Twins. TJ Friedl went 3-5 and scored two runs in Cincy's 12-5 loss yesterday. St. Louis swept a three-game set against the White Sox including an 8-6 win in ten innings yesterday. Nolan Arenado hit his ninth home run of the season to help the cause for the Cards.
Lets dive into the series opener and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Reds at Cardinals
Date: Friday, June 20, 2025
Time: 7:15PM EST
Site: Busch Stadium
City: St. Louis, MO
Network/Streaming: FDSNOH, FDSNMW
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Odds for the Reds at the Cardinals
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Reds (+115), Cardinals (-137)
Spread: Cardinals -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Cardinals
Pitching matchup for June 20, 2025: Brady Singer vs. Andre Pallante
Reds: Brady Singer (7-4, 4.34 ERA) Last outing: 6/14 at Detroit - 6IP, 1ER, 4H, 3BB, 4Ks
Cardinals: Andre Pallante (4-3, 4.83 ERA) Last outing: 6/14 at Milwaukee - 4.1IP, 3ER, 4H, 2BB, 7Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Reds at Cardinals
The Cardinals have won 4 of their last 5 home games against National League teams
The Under is 4-1 in the Cardinals' last 5 matchups against divisional opponents
The Cardinals have failed to cover the Run Line in 4 straight home games
Willson Contreras was 2-10 in the 3-game series against the White Sox
Gavin Lux was 1-8 in the 3-game series against the Twins
Elly De La Cruz was hitless in the series against the Twins (0-10)
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 Reds and the Cardinals
Rotoworld Best Bet
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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 Reds and the Cardinals:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the St. Louis Cardinals on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cincinnati Reds at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 9.0.
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Its Friday, June 20 and the Rangers (36-39) are in Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates (30-46).
Jacob deGrom is slated to take the mound for Texas against Mike Burrows for Pittsburgh.
The Bucs scratched out an 8-4 win in ten innings yesterday against the Tigers. Paul Skenes started and allowed two runs in six innings and the Pirates cracked three home runs to salvage the last game of this three-game series against Detroit. The Rangers were swept this week at home by the Royals losing the finale Thursday 4-1. Texas managed just three hits (one extra base hit) and six baserunners in the contest while striking out seven times.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Rangers at Pirates
Date: Friday, June 20, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: PNC Park
City: Pittsburgh, PA
Network/Streaming: CW33, SNP
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Odds for the Rangers at the Pirates
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Rangers (-188), Pirates (+156)
Spread: Rangers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Rangers at Pirates
Pitching matchup for June 20, 2025: Jacob deGrom vs. Mike Burrows
Rangers: Jacob deGrom (6-2, 2.19 ERA) Last outing: 6/14 vs. White Sox - 6IP, 2ER, 5H, 0BB, 6Ks
Pirates: Mike Burrows (1-1, 4.24 ERA) Last outing: 6/14 at Cubs - 5.1IP, 1ER, 5H, 0BB, 8Ks
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rangers at Pirates
The Rangers are 12-9 against National League teams this season
The Pirates' last 5 against the Rangers have stayed under the Total
With Mike Burrows starting the Pirates have covered in 4 of their last 5 games to return 3.40 units
Andrew McCutcheon is swinging a hot bat with 7 hits in his last 16 ABs
Marcus Semien is rising an 11-game hitting streak (14-43)
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 Rangers and the Pirates
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Rangers and the Pirates:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Texas Rangers 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.
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Its Friday, June 20 and the Mariners (37-36) are in Chicago to open a weekend series against the Cubs (45-29).
George Kirby is slated to take the mound for Seattle against Matthew Boyd for Chicago.
The Cubs closed out their series with Milwaukee yesterday with an 8-7 loss. Pete Crow-Armstrong smacked his 20th home run in the loss. The Mariners were off yesterday following a series at home against Boston. The Sox took two of three.
Lets dive into the series opener and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Mariners at Cubs
Date: Friday, June 20, 2025
Time: 2:20PM EST
Site: Wrigley Field
City: Chicago, IL
Network/Streaming: RSNW, MARQ, MLBN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Mariners at the Cubs
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Mariners (+109), Cubs (-129)
Spread: Cubs -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Mariners at Cubs
Pitching matchup for June 20, 2025: George Kirby vs. Matthew Boyd
Mariners: George Kirby (1-3, 5.96 ERA) Last outing: 6/14 vs. Cleveland - 5IP, 2ER, 5H, 3BB, 5Ks
Cubs: Matthew Boyd (6-3, 2.79 ERA) Last outing: 6/14 vs. Pittsburgh - 6IP, 1H, 1ER, 1BB, 3Ks
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 Mariners at Cubs
The Cubs have won 3 straight home games
The Mariners' last 4 against the Cubs have stayed under the Total
The Mariners have failed to cover the Run Line in 10 of their last 12 road games
Pete Crow-Armstrong has hit safely in 5 of his last 6 games (5-19)
Seiya Suzuki has 1 hit in his last 4 games (1-17)
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 today’s game between the Mariners and the Cubs
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Mariners 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 Seattle Mariners 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
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
And as Rafael Devers’ confidant shared with ESPN’s Jeff Passan, perhaps towards the end of his tenure with the Red Sox, the 28-year-old lacked the connection with the team, leading to drama over his role in Boston.
Earlier this season, the three-time MLB All-Star went from third base to designated hitter before eventually refusing to play first.
“Sometimes it’s not the message,” the person close to Devers told Passan. “It’s how the message is delivered.”
Devers, who sealed a shocking blockbuster move to the Giants on Sunday, hasn’t played in the field yet during the 2025 MLB season after losing his third-base job to Alex Bregman in Boston.
After all, while speaking to the media on Tuesday, Devers admitted he’s willing to do anything manager Bob Melvin asks of him to earn San Francisco crucial wins, including playing first base.
“I can’t wait to start playing [at first base] …,” Devers told reporters through Giants interpreter Erwin Higueros. “I’m eager to go out there and go play and see what I can do.”
There still is no timeline on when he will play first base in a game, but Devers has been taking grounders before each game this week and eventually will transition to the role with San Francisco.
First base is a position that he never has played in his entire professional baseball career, but one he’s willing to do now with the Giants.
They remained silent when he flooded their city with federal agents, chief marketing officer Lon Rosen refusing to comment on the racist kidnapping sweeps terrorizing the very community that helped them break attendance records.
And what did the Dodgers receive in exchange for betraying their fans and sucking up to President Trump?
The Dodgers learned what many Trump voters already learned, which is that Agent Orange doesn't always reward subservience.
So much for all of their front-office genius. So much for staying out of politics.
Federal agents in unmarked vehicles formed a line at Dodger Stadium’s main entrance on Thursday, apparently with the intention of using a section of the parking lot as a processing center for detainees who were picked up during a morning immigration raid.
The Dodgers could look away when ICE was causing havoc in other parts of town, but even the morally compromised have limits. More than 40% of Dodgers fans are Latino. Transforming Dodger Stadium into ground zero for the administration’s war on brown people would be financial suicide for the franchise.
The agents were denied entry, according to the team.
There was speculation in and around the organization about whether the presence of the federal agents was a form of retaliation by a notoriously vindictive administration. Just a day earlier, the Dodgers said they would announce on Thursday plans to assist immigrant communities affected by the recent raids. In the wake of the visit, the announcement was delayed.
Ultimately, what did the Dodgers gain from their silent complicity of Trump?
They further diminished their stature as vehicles of inclusion, a tradition that included the breaking of baseball’s color barrier by Jackie Robinson and the expansion of the sport’s borders with the likes of Fernando Valenzuela, Hideo Nomo and Chan Ho Park.
They broke their sacred bond with the Latino community that was forged over Valenzuela’s career and passed down for multiple generations.
They at least resisted immigration agents’ efforts to annex their parking lot, but how much damage was already done? How much trust was already lost?
Consider this: When photographs of the unmarked vehicles in front of Dodger Stadium started circulating online, the widespread suspicion was that federal agents were permitted by the Dodgers to be there.
That was later revealed to be untrue, but what does that say about how the Dodgers were perceived?
Federal agents stage stand outside Gate E of Dodger Stadium on Thursday. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Their announcement about their impending announcement looked like a cynical effort to reverse a recent wave of negative publicity, which started with Rosen refusing to comment on the immigration sweeps.
Asked if the Dodgers regretted visiting the White House, Rosen said, “We’re not going to comment on anything.”
On the day of the “No Kings” demonstrations, a 30-year-old performer named Nezza sang a version of the national anthem in Spanish that was commissioned in 1945 by the U.S. State Department under President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Nezza, whose full name is Vanessa Hernández, later posted a video on her TikTok account showing a Dodgers employee directing her to sing in English. She disobeyed the order, explaining that because of what was happening in Los Angeles, “I just felt like I needed to do it.”
In subsequent interviews, Nezza said her agent was called by a Dodgers employee, who said Nezza was to never return to Dodger Stadium.
The Dodgers later clarified that Nezza wasn’t banned from the ballpark, but the incident nonetheless struck a chord. Reports of American citizens being detained or harassed have surfaced, creating a feeling the raids are as much about making brown-skinned people feel unwelcome as they are about deporting undocumented migrants. Nezza’s experience symbolized this feeling.
The incident resulted in widespread calls for a Dodgers boycott, which, coincidentally or not, was followed by the Dodgers teasing their announcement of support for immigrants.
The divisive environment created by Trump forced the Dodgers to take a side, however passively. Now, they have to win back angry fans who pledged allegiance to them only to be let down. Now, they have to deal with potential retaliation from the Mad King they pathetically tried to appease.
