Two key Giants players will return for Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians.
San Francisco activated starting pitcher Justin Verlander and catcher Patrick Bailey from the 15-day and 10-day injured lists, respectively.
The Giants optioned catcher Logan Porter and right-handed pitcher Tristan Beck to Triple-A Sacramento as the corresponding roster moves.
Verlander has been sidelined since May 18 with a right pectoral injury, while Bailey has been out since June 7 with a neck strain.
In 10 starts this season before his injury, Verlander posted a 4.33 ERA with 41 strikeouts to 21 walks in 52 innings pitches. Bailey, in 180 plate appearances before his injury, batted .185/.246/.272 with one home run and 16 RBI.
The 42-year-old Verlander will start for the Giants on Wednesday against the Guardians.
Its Wednesday, June 18 and the Diamondbacks (36-36) are in Toronto for Game 2 of their series against the Blue Jays (39-33).
Eduardo Rodriguez is slated to take the mound for Arizona against Eric Lauer for Toronto.
The Blue Jays rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth on back-to-back home runs by Bo Bichette and Addison Barger last night to take out the Diamondbacks in the series opener 5-4. Josh Naylor had two hits in the loss for Arizona.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Diamondbacks at Blue Jays
Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Time: 7:07PM EST
Site: Rogers Centre
City: Toronto, ON
Network/Streaming: ARID, Sportsnet
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Odds for the Diamondbacks at the Blue Jays
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Diamondbacks (-106), Blue Jays (-113)
Spread: Blue Jays 1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Diamondbacks at Blue Jays
Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Eric Lauer
Diamondbacks: Eduardo Rodriguez (2-3, 6.27 ERA) Last outing: 6/11 vs. Seattle - 6.1IP, 2ER, 6H, 1BB, 5Ks
Blue Jays: Eric Lauer (2-1, 2.37 ERA) Last outing: 6/11 at St. Louis - 4.1IP, 2ER, 4H, 1BB, 4Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Diamondbacks at Blue Jays
The Diamondbacks have won 18 of 35 games following a loss
6 of the Diamondbacks' last 8 games against the Blue Jays have gone over the Total
Josh Naylor is riding a 7-game hitting streak during which he is hitting .394 (13-33)
Bo Bichette picked up a couple of hits last night to snap a 1-12 streak at the plate
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 Diamondbacks and the Blue Jays
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 Wednesday's game between the Diamondbacks and the Blue Jays:
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 9.0.
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Its Wednesday, June 18 and the Pirates (29-45) are in Detroit to take on the Tigers (47-27).
Andrew Heaney is slated to take the mound for Pittsburgh against Tarik Skubal for Detroit.
The Tigers won the series opener last night, 7-3. Javy Baez homered twice, and Casey Mize allowed two earned runs over six innings to earn his seventh win of the season as Detroit won their 47th game of the season.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Pirates at Tigers
Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: Comerica Park
City: Detroit, MI
Network/Streaming: SNP, FDSNDT
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Odds for the Pirates at the Tigers
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Pirates (+241), Tigers (-302)
Spread: Tigers -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Pirates at Tigers
Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Andrew Heaney vs. Tarik Skubal
Pirates: Andrew Heaney (3-5, 3.33 ERA) Last outing: 6/12 at Cubs - 6IP, 3ER, 4H, 0BB, 7Ks
Tigers: Tarik Skubal (7-2, 1.99 ERA) Last outing: 6/12 at Baltimore - 7IP, 0ER, 3H, 2BB, 6Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Pirates at Tigers
The Tigers are 15-10 against the National League this season
The Total has cashed to the under in 23 of the Pirates' 36 road games this season
The Pirates have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 1.67 units
Tarik Skubal has struck out 6 opposing hitters in each of his last 2 starts and has not struck out fewer than 6 since April 20
Oneil Cruz is 3-19 (.158) over his last 5 games to drop his average to .200 in June
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 Pirates and the Tigers
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 Wednesday's game between the Pirates and the Tigers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Detroit Tigers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Detroit Tigers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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Its Wednesday, June 18 and the Mets (45-28) are in Atlanta to take on the Braves (32-39) in Game 2 of their series.
Paul Blackburn is slated to take the mound for New York against Chris Sale for Atlanta.
The Braves took the series opener last night, 5-4, in ten innings. Austin Riley stroked a sacrifice fly to walk it off for Atlanta in the tenth. The Mets led 4-1 after seven innings but could not close out the game.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
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Game details & how to watch Mets at Braves
Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Time: 7:15PM EST
Site: Truist Park
City: Atlanta, GA
Network/Streaming: SNY, FDSNSO
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Odds for the Mets at the Braves
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Mets (+154), Braves (-186)
Spread: Braves -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Mets at Braves
Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Paul Blackburn vs. Chris Sale
Mets: Paul Blackburn (0-0, 6.75 ERA) Last outing: 6/13 vs. Tampa Bay - 0.1IP, 4ER, 4H, 0BB, 0Ks
Braves: Chris Sale (4-4, 2.79 ERA) Last outing: 6/9 at Milwaukee - 7IP, 1ER, 5H, 2BB, 11Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Mets at Braves
The Mets have won 4 of their last 5 road games against teams with losing records
The Over is 4-1 in the Braves' last 5 matchups against NL East teams
The Mets have covered the Run Line in 9 straight road games
Chris Sale has struck out 21 opposing hitters over his last 2 starts and has not struck out fewer than 8 in an appearance since April 25
Juan Soto opened the series last night going 2-3 with a home run to improve his batting average in June to .340
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 Mets and the Braves
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 Wednesday's game between the Mets and the Braves:
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 New York Mets at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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The Mets continue a three-game series with the Braves in Atlanta on Wednesday at 7:15 p.m. on SNY.
Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...
Mets Notes
Juan Soto is hitting .351/.519/.737 with six homers, four doubles, 19 walks, 12 RBI, and 18 runs scored over his last 17 games
Brandon Nimmo is hitting .304/.368/.532 with five homers, three doubles, 12 RBI, and 15 runs scored over his last 20 games
Paul Blackburn is starting on Wednesday in place of the injured Kodai Senga. It will be Blackburn's second start of the season. In his first one, he threw 5.0 shutout innings against the Dodgers in Los Angeles
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What channel is SNY?
Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.
How can I stream the game?
The new way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv. Streaming on the SNY App has been discontinued.
Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices.
Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”
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It's Wednesday, June 18 and the Phillies (43-30) are in Miami to take on the Marlins (29-42). Ranger Suárez is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Adam Mazur who is making his MLB debut for Miami.
Miami snapped Philadelphia's five-game winning steak with a 8-3 victory a day after the Phillies ended the Marlins' three-game winning streak. The Phillies are 6-2 in the past eight games, while the Marlins are 5-2 in the last seven.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch 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 Phillies at Marlins
Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: LoanDepot Park
City: Miami, FL
Network/Streaming: NBCSP, FDSNFL
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 Phillies at the Marlins
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Phillies (-198), Marlins (+163)
Spread: Phillies -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Marlins
Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Ranger Suárez vs. Adam Mazur
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 Phillies and the Marlins
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 Wednesday’s game between the Phillies and the Marlins:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia Phillies on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Miami Marlins 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 Phillies at Marlins
The Phillies have won 12 of their last 20 away games against teams with losing records
The Under is 21-14-1 in the Phillies' road games this season
The Marlins have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 1.41 units
Philadelphia is 5-3 on the ML when Ranger Suarez pitches 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!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
It's Wednesday, June 18 and the Rockies (16-57) are in Washington to take on the Nationals (30-43). Germán Márquez is slated to take the mound for Colorado against Mitchell Parker for Washington.
Colorado hit a franchise record seven homers last night in a 10-6 win over Washington. The Rockies earned a season-long three game winning streak with that victory, while the Nationals are on. a season-long 10-game losing streak.
There were nine total homers in the game with six different Rockies hitting dingers and two Nats. Yesterday with the first game during the 10-game losing streak that Washington scored more than four runs.
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 Rockies at Nationals
Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Nationals Park
City: Washington, DC
Network/Streaming: COLR, MASN
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 Rockies at the Nationals
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Rockies (+144), Nationals (-172)
Spread: Nationals -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Nationals
Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Germán Márquez vs. Mitchell Parker
Rockies: Germán Márquez, (2-8, 6.62 ERA) Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 7 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 Rockies and the Nationals
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 Wednesday’s game between the Rockies and the Nationals:
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 Colorado Rockies at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies at Nationals
The Rockies have won their last 3 road games, while the Nationals have lost 10 straight
Each of the Rockies' last 3 games at the Nationals have gone over the Total
The Rockies have covered the Run Line in 4 of their last 5 matchups against the Nationals
Colorado is 3-11 on the ML when German Marquez pitches this season
Washington is 7-7 on the ML when Mitchell Parker pitches 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!
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It's Wednesday, June 18 and the Angels (35-37) are in Bronx to take on the Yankees (42-30). Jack Kochanowicz is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Ryan Yarbrough for New York.
The Angels have taken the first two games of this four-game series, 1-0 and 4-0, as the New York offense has gone cold recently. The Yankees are on a season-long five-game losing streak and have scored four total runs in that span with three-straight donuts.
Aaron Judge only has one hit in the past four games, but luckily Giancarlo Stanton made his season debut in this series and has four hits in eight at-bats (three singles, one double) for the Yankees.
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 Angels at Yankees
Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: Bronx, NY
Network/Streaming: FDSNW, AmazonPV
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 Yankees
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Angels (+182), Yankees (-223)
Spread: Yankees -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Angels at Yankees
Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Jack Kochanowicz vs. Ryan Yarbrough
Angels: Jack Kochanowicz, (3-8, 5.53 ERA) Last outing: 4.1 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
Yankees: Ryan Yarbrough, (3-1, 3.96 ERA) Last outing: 4.2 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 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 Angels and the Yankees
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 Wednesday’s game between the Angels and the Yankees:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Los Angeles Angels 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 Angels at Yankees
The Yankees have won 12 of their last 20 home games against teams with losing records
The Yankees' last 5 versus the Angels have stayed under the Total
The Yankees have failed to cover the Run Line in 5 of their last 6 games
The Yankees are 8-7 on the ML when Ryan Yarbrough pitches this season
The Angels are 6-8 on the ML when Jack Kochanowicz pitches 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!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
The Bay Area has been able to capitalize on two star athletes’ souring relationships with their respective former teams.
A disgruntled Jimmy Butler got his wish granted and was moved to the Warriors at the NBA’s February 6 trade deadline after tensions increased between him and Miami Heat president Pat Riley. Meanwhile, the Giants were able to do the same with left-handed star slugger Rafael Devers, who had a fallout with the Red Sox over his role with the team.
But there also was speculation that Devers was a bad teammate and a bad influence in the Red Sox clubhouse, which quickly was shut down by Baseball Hall of Famer and former Red Sox star Pedro Martínez.
“I was shocked, just like everybody else,” Martínez said in a recent interview (h/t BR Walk-Off). “I was shocked, because if you try to sell to me, knowing Rafael Devers, that Rafi is a bad teammate, or he’s not a team player, you’re lying.
“You’re going to tell me he’s a bad influence in the clubhouse? He’s not. Does he want to play every single day? Yes, that’s probably why he was mad.”
Devers played third base for the first eight years of his MLB career before Boston moved him to DH this season to make way for Alex Bregman, whom the Red Sox signed to a three-year, $120 million free-agent contract this past offseason. But after Triston Casas sustained a ruptured left patellar tendon in early May, Devers was asked to play first base, which he declined.
Martínez also called out Red Sox icon David Ortiz for his recent remarks about Devers, in which “Big Papi” pointed to Devers’ ego as what led to the relationship with Boston tarnishing and judged Devers for his communication, or lack thereof, with him.
David Ortiz says Rafael Devers' ego was what ruined his relationship with the Red Sox pic.twitter.com/L0DRQHLOt6
“The organization is always going to be there,” Ortiz reiterated in an interview with The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal published on Monday. “Players come and go. As a player, sometimes you’ve got to put your ego aside and understand that once you get paid, you’ve got to find a way to do what you’re told.
“That’s a message for all young players who think they turn out to be bigger than the game. I’m not saying that Devers was like that. He’s humble. He’s a good kid. But sometimes when you’re young and immature, you (don’t realize that).”
Ortiz also told MLB insider Hector Gomez that Devers has “communication problems” and “almost never returned my messages.”
Martínez believes Big Papi should’ve kept those comments to himself and addressed Devers privately.
“Big Papi also made a mistake in spring training by speaking in front of the cameras about some of the things that he needed to tell Devers,” said Martinez. “And just like I said before, that should’ve been handled in-house. Big Papi should’ve gone out with Devers to talk about those things, not really openly speaking in the field, because the cameras are able to pick up everything that we say.”
“That was the first mistake from Big Papi. The other thing is I don’t like to hear those comments after things happen like that,” Martinez continued. “I would’ve loved for Big Papi to come over, grab Devers, go to a restaurant, go to his house, throw a barbecue, and talk to Devers in his house.”
Martínez was also critical of the way things played out publicly between Devers and the Red Sox.
“The thing got mishandled from the get-go,” Martínez said. “This should’ve been handled by baseball people, not front office people, not leaking it to the media, not having a back-and-forth between the media, and [manager] Alex [Cora], [president] Sam Kennedy and [chief baseball officer Craig] Breslow.”
The Giants officially introduced Devers on Tuesday, just a few hours before his San Francisco debut against the Cleveland Guardians. The blockbuster move included the Giants parting ways with left-handed starter Kyle Harrison, righty Jordan Hicks, outfield prospect James Tibbs III and low-level minor-league pitcher Jose Bello.
While the vibes were high in San Francisco, Martínez didn’t appreciate how the Red Sox handled their presser discussing the trade.
“The press conference that they held the other day didn’t help it at all because you hear the front office, Sam Kennedy, Breslow, and all those guys, talking about the situation,” Martínez said. “They talked about championships and stuff like that, but it’s not just the championships. It’s not what we have done, it’s understanding the human inside the uniform. That’s what nobody probably understands about Devers. How was he feeling when you were telling him dump your glove? Was he offended? Was he feeling funny about not being treated like somebody that could be worth a position in the infield?
“I think there was a lot of miscommunication, but it should’ve been handled by baseball people. People that have been there, that understand what it’s like to wear the uniform and at the same time be a human. I don’t think they did the best job at doing that.”
In a separate interview with “Talkin’ Baseball,” Martínez backed his feelings toward the trade and was saddened to think about how it potentially could impact Boston’s future.
A player’s reputation is everything, but the same applies to an organization and those running it.
“Everybody is looking around to see what’s going on with Boston, and we went from probably being the most I would say lovable team in the last 20 years to probably one of the teams that everybody’s going to be looking at in the future and saying, ‘If they treated Devers [or] Chris Sale that way, if they disrespected Jon Lester that way, free agents are going to be looking at Boston in a different way,’ ” Martínez said.
“That’s what I’m concerned [about], that the culture that we left — [Dustin] Pedroia, [David Ortiz], Manny [Ramirez], Jason [Varitek], all of those great players that went through the organization, is going to disappear. And people are going to start looking at Boston as a bad organization. An organization that doesn’t respect the players. And that I would hate to see, because we went from being one of the most popular teams in the last 25 years to probably being one of the most hated teams in all of baseball, and I don’t want to see that.”
When Martínez was asked about Breslow’s comments, in which he stated that he believes the Red Sox will have “won more than we would’ve otherwise” after trading Devers, he couldn’t help but laugh.
“No, I don’t [agree],” he said. “In baseball, there’s always one thing that’s going to keep you humble. If you don’t show me the numbers that say the team is going to be better without Devers and the new guys that [the Red Sox] are getting in the trade, then I don’t have a reason to believe that.”
Well, it’s clear which side Martínez stands on. And while he’ll forever be rooting for the Red Sox, he’s clearly upset with how they handled the stunning trade and the direction they’re going.
Once the deal was finalized, Harrison, before he could join his new team, was demoted to Triple-A Worcester, where he will begin his Red Sox career before potentially joining Boston’s starting rotation later this season.
The 23-year-old spoke to reporters for the first time since the trade after the WooSox game against the Buffalo Bisons on Tuesday, and he shared how he found out he had been traded.
Newest Red Sox pitcher Kyle Harrison, acquired in a trade for Rafael Devers, talks to the media after the WooSox game tonight at Polar Park. pic.twitter.com/zALmdKIBSx
“I was out on the field, getting ready for ‘Sunday Night Baseball.’ Just crazy,” Harrison said. “They were like ‘You need to go talk to the manager real quick.’ I was like ‘Alright.’ Next thing you know, I’m here …
“The first moment I was like, ‘Man, why are they bugging me 20 minutes before? Maybe they got a little insight or trick where they want me to attack [the Dodgers].’ No, it was the complete opposite, and I was getting shipped off. It was a cool experience to go through and say goodbye to all the teammates.”
Harrison characterized the days since the trade as “crazy,” and although he has not fully processed the career-altering move yet, believes his inclusion in the blockbuster Devers trade speaks volumes to how highly the Red Sox thought of him.
“Probably still haven’t processed it yet, to be honest,” Harrison shared. “Like I said, I’m looking at it [and] taking it day by day. Happy I’m here and looking to get settled in here and see where it takes me.
“Obviously a player of that magnitude I’ve watched growing up, so it’s kind of cool to see. It just speaks to how much they believe in the package in return. Just excited to go out there and show these people what I can do.”
Harrison’s new pitching coach at the major-league level, Andrew Bailey, who previously served as Giants pitching coach from 2020-2023 before leaving to join the Red Sox, is excited to reunite with Harrison in Boston.
“Love Harry, he’s awesome,” Bailey told NESN’s Jahmai Webster prior to Boston’s game against the Seattle Mariners on Tuesday. “Great person, first and foremost. For a young guy, being drafted at an early age like that, total pro, surrounds himself with the right people. Goes about work the right way, fire competitor, wants the ball every fifth day. Red Sox Nation will grow to love him and I’m excited to have the opportunity to watch him compete, to work with him and watch him continue to grow into a superstar in this league.
“He’s got an elite four-seam, the vertical approach angle on it is off the charts. Excited to get him back up here and get to work and watch him continue to shove.”
It remains to be seen how long Harrison will remain in Triple-A before returning to the big leagues with the Red Sox, but when that time comes, he will be excited to continue his MLB career with his new team.
And while there was plenty of blame to go around for the defeat, it can be argued that it would've been a relatively uneventful and smooth win if the bottom of the eighth inning had been handled just a bit differently.
With David Peterson in the midst of another strong performance -- on the heels of a shutout his last time out -- he was left in to start the eighth against Atlanta's No. 9 hitter Nick Allen, which was sensible.
"Especially with the way he was throwing the ball, you got a three-run lead there, he’s at 82 pitches with the nine-hole [hitter]," Carlos Mendozasaid after the game. "He walked him there, you still like your chances with getting a ground ball, he was getting a lot of ground balls."
Once Peterson lost Allen -- who came into the at-bat with a .553 OPS -- to the walk, though, his night should've been over.
Instead, Peterson was left in to face the dangerous Ronald Acuña Jr., who ripped a single to put runners on first and second with none out.
At that point,Mendoza came out of the dugout to remove Peterson while bringing Reed Garrett in.
New York Mets starting pitcher David Peterson (23) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park. / Brett Davis-Imagn Images
The problem, beyond the fact that Peterson was kept in a batter too long, was that Garrett was seemingly rushed in.
When the inning started, Garrett was not even beginning to warm up. That didn't happen until right after Allen walked, when Garrett hurriedly began to toss. He had just over two minutes to get ready in the bullpen before being summoned.
Garrett allowed a single to the first batter he faced before getting the next two outs. With Marcell Ozuna up and the count 2-2, Garrett was one pitch away from escaping the jam. But Ozuna stroked a bases-clearing double down the left field line on a splitter that wasn't down enough.
It's impossible to know what would've happened if Garrett was brought in right after the walk. But it's more than fair to question the process, which resulted in Peterson staying in one batter too long and Garrett perhaps not being as ready to go as he would've been if he had started throwing in the bullpen sooner.
Another questionable move by Mendoza was sticking with designated hitter Jared Young in the 10th inning.
With the game tied, 4-4, and the free runner on second base to start the frame, Young -- who had four hits in 26 at-bats when his time at the plate started -- led off.
Young had looked overmatched all game, striking out twice. And he struck out for a third time leading off the 10th.
The obvious choice would've been to pinch-hit for Young with Starling Marte, who has been hot -- reaching base 13 times in his last 29 plate appearances. And who has a career full of experience in big spots.
Again, it's impossible to know if the Mets would have won if Peterson was pulled earlier and/or Garrett had more time to warm up. And it's impossible to know if they would've won if Marte hit for Young. But it's also impossible to argue that they wouldn't have been in a better position to do so.
It's Wednesday, June 18 and the Royals (35-38) are in Arlington to take on the Rangers (36-37). Kris Bubic is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Patrick Corbin for Texas.
Kansas City took the opening game of the series, 6-1, to snap the four-game winning streak Texas had going. Salvador Perez homered twice and Bobby Witt knocked one over the wall combining for four of the six runs scored.
The Rangers are now 7-2 over the last nine games to follow up a four-game losing streak. The win for the Royals snapped a six-game losing streak for Kansas City.
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 Rangers
Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Time: 8:05PM EST
Site: Globe Life Field
City: Arlington, TX
Network/Streaming: FDSNKC, RSN
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Odds for the Royals at the Rangers
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Royals (-127), Rangers (+107)
Spread: Royals -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Rangers
Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Kris Bubic vs. Patrick Corbin
Rangers: Patrick Corbin, (4-5, 3.66 ERA) Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Royals and the Rangers
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 Wednesday’s game between the Royals and the Rangers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Texas Rangers 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 Royals at Rangers
The Rangers have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against AL Central teams
Each of the last 3 matchups between the Rangers and the Royals have stayed under the Total
It has been 3 games since the Rangers last covered the Run Line
Kansas City is 7-6 on the ML when Kris Bubic pitches this season
Texas is 5-7 on the ML when Patrick Corbin pitches this season
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It's Wednesday, June 18 and the Orioles (31-41) are in Tampa to take on the Rays (40-33). Trevor Rogers is slated to take the mound for Baltimore against Taj Bradley for Tampa Bay.
Baltimore took the second of this four-game series, 5-1, to snap Tampa Bay's four-game winning streak. The Rays are 10-4 over the past 14 games, while the Orioles are 12-5 in the past 17.
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 Orioles at Rays
Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
Time: 7:35PM EST
Site: George M. Steinbrenner Field
City: Tampa, FL
Network/Streaming: MASN2, FDSNSUN
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Odds for the Orioles at the Rays
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Orioles (+114), Rays (-134)
Spread: Rays -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Orioles at Rays
Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Trevor Rogers vs. Taj Bradley
Rays: Taj Bradley, (4-5, 4.35 ERA) Last outing: 4.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Orioles and the Rays
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 Wednesday’s game between the Orioles and the Rays:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Tampa Bay Rays on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles 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 Orioles at Rays
The Rays have won 4 of their last 5 home games against American League teams
The Under is 4-1 in the Rays' last 5 matchups against divisional opponents
The Rays have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 1.21 units
Tampa Bay is 7-7 on the ML when Taj Bradley pitches this season
Baltimore is 1-0 on the ML when Trevor Rogers pitches 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!
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Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers' president of baseball operations, is hoping the Dodgers can buck recent history and avoid having to "buy in July" this season. (Genaro Molina / Los Angeles Times)
If you’re a major league team trying to move a $250-million contract, what other team would you likely call first?
That made sense. The Red Sox were no longer using Devers as a third baseman, a decision backed by publicly available defensive metrics and the presence of Alex Bregman. The San Francisco Giants, the team that acquired Devers, say they’ll use him as a first baseman and designated hitter, and the Dodgers are more than covered there by Freddie Freeman and Shohei Ohtani.
But, in the wake of the biggest trade so far this season, I thought back to the mission statement the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations put upon himself last winter. Here we are two weeks from July, and here was that Friedman statement from December: “I do not want to buy in July.”
What Friedman does not want might not matter a month from now. He could see a pretty picture, or he could need a pretty pitcher.
For all the scrutiny of their shortcomings, the first-place Dodgers are in a pretty good spot. They lead the majors in runs, home runs and OPS.
They have won six of their past eight games, all against the teams immediately below them in the National League West standings: the Giants and the San Diego Padres. The Dodgers lead the toughest division in the majors by a season-high 3½ games over San Francisco, 5 games over San Diego.
After the Padres leave town Thursday, the Dodgers play 12 consecutive games against teams with losing records, including the team with the worst record in the NL and the worst record in the American League — the Colorado Rockies and the Chicago White Sox, respectively.
Friedman would rather not trade in July because the cost in prospects tends to be high. However, for the Dodgers, the annual expectation of winning the World Series trumps that.
“It’s been our goal the last three or four years not to buy in July,” Friedman said Tuesday. “It hasn’t necessarily played out according to plan.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts chats with outfielder Michael Conforto during batting practice before a game against the Pirates in May. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
On offense, the lone hole is glaring. The only starting position player not performing above league average on offense is left fielder Michael Conforto, who is batting .168 with a .277 slugging percentage and a negative WAR. The Dodgers do have Hyeseong Kim as a wild card on the bench, and on a roster loaded with positional flexibility.
“To date, obviously, Michael hasn’t performed up to what he expected or we expected,” Friedman said. “But, watching the way he is working, watching the progress being made, I would bet that his next two months are way better than his last two months.
“Obviously, like we will with all of our players, we will continue to assess where they are. The important thing is, if we have an injury or (poor) performance, do we feel like we have different ways to maneuver? We do.”
Is there a possibility of trading for a left fielder?
“Never say never,” Friedman said, “but I think we would hold a very high bar and find it very unlikely.”
On the field, Yamamoto has a 5.65 earned-run average this month. It is unlikely the perennially cautious Dodgers would let Ohtani and Kershaw make every start from now through the end of the season, even if the two stayed healthy. And it is uncertain whether Glasnow and Snell can return healthy and effective by the time Friedman would have to decide whether to trade prospects for a starting pitcher.
No buy in July?
“I’m still optimistic,” Friedman said. “It requires guys coming back on or close to the timelines that we have penciled out.
“We have shown that, if we’re not in position to do that, we’ll be aggressive to add. But our strong desire is not to.”
It is not that the Dodgers consider a bullpen game some sort of failure, or last resort. The Dodgers ran a bullpen game in an elimination game last October. They won that game, and another bullpen game in which they clinched the NL championship.
They have run bullpen games in each of their past four games against San Diego, and they have won three. They’ll essentially run another one Wednesday, since Emmet Sheehan will be activated after four triple-A starts, none of which lasted more than 3⅓ innings.
So far, so good. But the Dodgers are about October, and getting there may not be painless with Jack Dreyer making one fewer start than Glasnow, and twice as many as Snell.
The Devers trade comes five years after the Red Sox traded another star in his prime — Mookie Betts — in a deal that looks worse by the day.
But trading away great players isn’t the only issue with the Red Sox right now.
Yahoo! Sports reporter Joon Lee joined NBC Sports Boston’s Arbella Early Edition on Tuesday and reported that the Red Sox used an AI bot to conduct interviews with a baseball operations job candidate.
“What’s happening with the Red Sox, with Sam Kennedy, with Craig Breslow, with Alex Cora, is a state of organizational dysfunction,” Lee said, as seen in the video player above. “I heard last night about an interview with — the Red Sox were trying to recruit a new person for their baseball operations department, and 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.
“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.
“This source told me that he had also interviewed with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Diego Padres. The Dodgers have kind of been the organization that the Red Sox have been trying to emulate for the last five years (in terms of) sustainability, a big market team that knows how to spend money at times, but also is able to develop young prospects, which they’ve done successfully over the course of the last decade.
“What he told me was that the gap between the field, the people skills of (Dodgers president of baseball ops) Andrew Friedman — who, obviously relies a lot on numbers dating back to his time in Tampa Bay — and what he dealt with with Craig Breslow was so far apart that it seemed like utterly delusional that the idea that this is what the Red Sox think the Dodgers are doing is just absolutely crazy.
“The gap between the two organizations and how they’re trying to function is just miles and worlds apart.”
Analytics and AI can be very helpful tools in building a winning organization, both on and off the field. It can help the franchise run more smoothly and efficiently. Some of the most successful teams in sports right now, including the Dodgers and the two-time defending Stanley Cup champion Florida Panthers, use analytics a lot.
But there also has to be a human element to the operation. Not everything is quantifiable through numbers. You have to learn about people on a human level and build a real working relationship with them.
You can’t do that through an AI bot.
So while the Red Sox are smart to use analytics, it can’t be too much of the equation. And, based on Lee’s reporting, the processes the Red Sox are using clearly need to undergo some dramatic changes.
If that doesn’t happen, it’s hard to imagine a world where the Red Sox are anywhere near as successful as the Dodgers moving forward.
