Winnipeg's final opponent of the 2024-25 season has determined it needs to change direction.
On Friday morning, the Dallas Stars announced the firing of head coach Peter DeBoer. The move comes after Dallas dropped the Western Conference Final 4-1 to Edmonton, after beating Winnipeg in six games to eliminate the Jets.
“After careful consideration, we believe that a new voice is needed in our locker room to push us closer to our goal of winning the Stanley Cup,” Stars' GM Jim Nill said in a statement. “We’d like to thank Pete for everything that he has helped our organization achieve over the past three seasons and wish him nothing but the best moving forward.”
Joining the Stars for the 2022-23 season, DeBoer got Dallas to the Western Conference Final each of the past three years at the helm, going 149-68-29 in the process. His Stars earned the Central Division banner last year.
The other 'Mr. Game Seven' didn't even make it to a sixth game in the Western Conference Final this time around, as DeBoer pulled starter Jake Oettinger after his backstop allowed two goals on the game's opening two shots.
He then publicly ostracized Oettinger for his performance not only in the game but lifetime against the Oilers in the playoffs.
"I didn't take that lightly and I didn't blame it all on Jake," the veteran coach said. "But the reality is if you go back to last year's playoffs, he's lost six of seven games to Edmonton, and we gave up two shots on two goals in an elimination game. So, it was partly to spark our team and wake them up. And it was partly knowing that the status quo had not been working. That's a pretty big sample size."
The 26-year-old goaltender went 36-18-4 this season with a respectable 2.59 goals against average and a .909 save percentage. he won four of six games against Winnipeg in the second round. 2024-25 was the first season of his eight-year, $66 million contract extension.
For DeBoer, it was the penultimate season of his contract, to which the season ending with a Conference Final loss was no longer deemed good enough.
For his career, DeBoer is 662-447-152 with Florida, New Jersey, San Jose, Vegas and Dallas. He lost twice in the Stanley Cup Finals, having not made it to the dance since 2016.
Thibodeau helped turn the organization around -- leading them to the playoffs four times during his five seasons at the helm, including this year when they were eliminated in the Eastern Conference Finals.
Still, ownership and the front office decided it was time to move in a different direction.
According to SNY NBA Insider Ian Begley, player input during their end of season meetings with owner James Dolan in attendance was a factor in the ultimate decision to move on from Thibodeau.
Players were respectful of the veteran coach, who they have a great deal of respect and admiration for, but they also pointed out in those meetings that there were things Thibodeau did that could be improved.
They'll look for those things to change under their next head coach -- who will be the 32nd in franchise history.
Who that will be remains to be seen, but numerous candidates have been mentioned over the past few days.
According to Begley, Houston’s Ime Udoka, Minnesota’s Chris Finch, and Dallas’ Jason Kidd are among the coaches currently under contract who the Knicks have degrees of interest in.
Its Friday, June 6 and the Diamondbacks (31-31) are in Cincinnati to take on the Reds (30-33). Eduardo Rodriguez is slated to take the mound for Arizona against Nick Lodolo for Cincinnati.
Arizona is on a four-game winning streak that included last night's 11-10 thriller over Atlanta. The Diamondbacks trailed 10-4 entering the top of the ninth inning and they blasted seven runs across the plate to secure the comeback.
For the Reds, their 1-4 record over the last five games is less exciting as is the 5-9 record in the previous 14 to put Cincy below .500.
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 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 Diamondbacks at Reds
Date: Friday, June 6, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Great American Ball Park
City: Cincinnati, OH
Network/Streaming: Apple TV+
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Odds for the Diamondbacks at the Reds
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Diamondbacks (-106), Reds (-113)
Spread: Reds 1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Diamondbacks at Reds
Pitching matchup for June 6, 2025: Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Nick Lodolo
Reds: Nick Lodolo, (4-4, 3.10 ERA) Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Diamondbacks and the Reds
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 Diamondbacks and the Reds:
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.
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 Diamondbacks at Reds
The Diamondbacks are on a 3-game win streak at the Reds
The Under is 24-15-2 in the Reds' matchups against National League teams this season
The Diamondbacks have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 1.92 units
The Reds are 1-5 on the ML in Nick Lodolo's last six starts
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The Ravens are in the OTA portion of their offseason work and attendance is voluntary, so quarterback Lamar Jackson has opted not to take part in most of the workouts.
The New York Knicks — searching for a new coach after the firing of Tom Thibodeau, who led them to the Eastern Conference Finals — are expected to ask permission of the Dallas Mavericks to talk to Jason Kidd about coming to Manhattan, reports Marc Stein of The Stein Line in his latest Substack missive.
"The New York Knicks are expected to formally request permission to speak to the Dallas Mavericks' Jason Kidd about their coaching vacancy in coming days, league sources say... A precise hierarchy of potential Knicks targets to replace Thibodeau has yet to emerge, but some in league coaching circles believe that Kidd... is at the top of New York's wish list."
Kidd coached Brunson for a year in Dallas, and the two had a good relationship (Brunson's issues in Dallas were about his next contract and feeling lowballed and disrespected, not the coaching).
Two big questions emerge here. First, would Dallas give permission for New York to talk to Kidd? Mavs ownership/management can say no, which is reportedly what Houston would do if New York called about Ime Udoka (Stein wrote that the Knicks would like Udoka, but knows they would be turned down if they asked). As a standard practice, if the coach is open to it, teams will let their coach have those conversations with another team, but if things get serious and the coach wants to move on then draft compensation has to come back to the coach's current team (and the Knicks are not flush with draft picks to send to Dallas). Kidd signed an extension with Dallas that runs through 2027 and by all accounts is happy there, Stein reports.
Second, would Kidd want the job? ESPN's Tim MacMahon said on the outlet’s “Hoop Collective” podcast that Kidd's "ears would perk up" at the idea, adding that the Knicks need to bring in a "relationship guy" and Kidd fits that bill.
"Listen, one of the names that's been thrown out there is a man who's under contract with another team, but definitely a guy who has relationships not just with Jalen Brunson but with a lot of people in that organization, and that's Jason Kidd. And what I will say about that is I would not dismiss that possibility."
Kidd was hired to be the Mavericks' coach by former owner Mark Cuban. In the wake of the ownership change and the Luka Doncic trade, would he want out? Dallas still has talent on the roster, including Kyrie Irving (out for most or all of next season with a torn ACL), Anthony Davis, and incoming No. 1 pick Cooper Flagg, as well as solid players such as P.J. Washington, Naji Marshall, and others.
If the Knicks can't get Kidd or Udoka, where do they turn next? They reportedly want an experienced head coach, which would rule out former assistant Johnnie Bryant (who is now in Cleveland and was a finalist for the Suns job). Michael Malone is out there, but he is seen as similar to Thibodeau in leaning too heavily into his starters and being set in his ways. Former Cavaliers, Lakers and most recently Kings coach Mike Brown is available, he is a defense-first guy, but is he an upgrade over Thibodeau that takes them to the next level?
The Knicks moved on from Thibodeau without a replacement lined up, which could make this search messy.
It's Friday, June 6 and the Rangers (29-34) are in Washington to take on the Nationals (29-33). Patrick Corbin is slated to take the mound for Texas against Michael Soroka for Washington.
Washington is coming off a series loss to the Cubs and are 1-3 over the last four games, but 5-3 in the previous eight. For the Rangers, Texas suffered three-straight losses to the Rays for a reverse sweep.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Rangers at Nationals
Date: Friday, June 6, 2025
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Nationals Park
City: Washington, DC
Network/Streaming: RSN, MASN
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Odds for the Rangers at the Nationals
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Rangers (-128), Nationals (+109)
Spread: Rangers -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Rangers at Nationals
Pitching matchup for June 6, 2025: Patrick Corbin vs. Michael Soroka
Rangers: Patrick Corbin, (3-4, 3.71 ERA) Last outing: 5.1 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
Nationals: Michael Soroka, (2-3, 5.81 ERA) Last outing: 5.1 Innings Pitched, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 3 Strikeouts
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rangers and the Nationals
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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 Rangers and the Nationals:
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 Washington Nationals 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 Rangers at Nationals
The Rangers have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against National League teams
The Under is 42-20-1 in Rangers' games this season
The Nationals are 4-6 on the ML when Patrick Corbin pitches
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It's Friday, June 6 and the Phillies (37-25) are in Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates (23-40). Joe Ross is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Bailey Falter for Pittsburgh.
The Pirates are 1-3 over their last four games and coming off a series loss to the Astros. However, Pittsburgh has won four of the last five with Falter pitching. The Phillies are 1-6 in the past seven games and lost the past two series ahead of the Keystone State rivalry.
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 Pirates
Date: Friday, June 6, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: PNC Park
City: Pittsburgh, PA
Network/Streaming: NBCSP, SNP
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 Pirates
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Phillies (-143), Pirates (+121)
Spread: Phillies -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Pirates
Pitching matchup for June 6, 2025: Joe Ross vs. Bailey Falter
Phillies: Joe Ross, (2-1, 4.35 ERA) Last outing: 1.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 0 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 1 Strikeout
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Phillies and the Pirates
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 Phillies and the Pirates:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia Phillies on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Pittsburgh Pirates at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 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 Phillies at Pirates
The Phillies have won 4 of their last 5 away games against teams with losing records
The Under is 68-52-5 for the Pirates' and the Phillies' games combined this season
The Pirates have failed to cover in their last 4 games against the Phillies
Oneil Cruz leads the MLB in stolen bases with 22
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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Kristen Faulkner takes green jersey from Kim Le Court
Cat Ferguson fourth in GC as Canadian rider wins stage
Mara Roldan pulled off a successful late breakaway on the steep approach to Saltburn-by-the-Sea, winning the second stage of the Tour of Britain Women by 12 seconds.
The 21-year-old, who hails from Canada’s Yukon territory, made a push for victory with 14km to go and held on to win ahead of Riejanne Markus (Lidl-Trek). British teenager Cat Ferguson (Movistar) finished fifth for the second stage in a row, just behind third-placed Ally Wollaston (FDJ-Suez) and Roldan’s Picnic-Post NL teammate, Megan Jastrab.
It's Friday, June 6, and the Orioles (25-36) take on the Athletics (24-40). Dean Kremer is slated to take the mound for Baltimore against JP Sears for Oakland.
The Athletics avoided the sweep against the Twins yesterday with a massive 14-3 win. Max Muncy went 2-5 with a three-run RBI. 14 runs is the most the Athletics have scored in a game this season.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch 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 Orioles at Athletics
Date: Friday, June 6, 2025
Time: 10:05PM EST
Network/Streaming: NBCSCA, MASN 2, MASN+
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Odds for the Orioles at the Athletics
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Orioles (-131), Athletics (+111)
Spread: Orioles -1.5
Total: 10.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Orioles at Athletics
Pitching matchup for June 6, 2025: Dean Kremer vs. JP Sears
Orioles: Dean Kremer, (5-5, 4.70 ERA) Last outing (Chicago White Sox, 5/31): 6.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts
Athletics: JP Sears, (4-5, 5.05 ERA) Last outing (Toronto Blue Jays, 6/1): 5.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Orioles at Athletics
The Orioles have a losing road record this season (13-19) but have won their last 4 games
6 of the Athletics' last 7 home matchups with the Orioles have gone over the Total
The Orioles have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 1.88 units
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Orioles and the Athletics
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 Orioles and the Athletics:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Baltimore Orioles on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Athletics at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 10.0.
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Toronto Maple Leafs prospect Easton Cowan has his eyes peeled for the NHL next season.
The 20-year-old has won almost everything in his junior career, from the OHL regular season and playoffs MVP and the league's title to the Memorial Cup and that tournament's MVP honors. Following the London Knights' Memorial Cup win, Cowan joined Leafs Morning Take with Nick Alberga and Jay Rosehill to discuss his final year in junior and what's next.
"It's finally starting to sink in right around now," said Cowan when asked about the Memorial Cup win. "Just an unreal feeling bringing it home to London. It's just been great to spend these last couple of days with the guys, and just really enjoy our time together and celebrate the Memorial Cup."
One year ago, Cowan and the Knights were left licking their wounds following a 4-3 loss to the host Saginaw Spirit in the tournament final. However, with the type of talent London has, they knew it'd be possible to make it back if all of their players returned.
"Obviously, last year sucked and it was unfortunate, but I felt like all the guys and I just really focused on that this summer, to keep getting better. We all stay in touch. We're a super close group," Cowan said.
"And to be able to get back in the finals, that's what we wanted, and (Sam) O'Reilly said it at the beginning of the year, our goal is to win the last game, and that's what we did, so just super proud of this group."
Following a season with a historic point streak and 39 points (13 goals, 26 assists) in 17 playoff games, Cowan now has his eyes set on pro hockey. Last fall, he was one of the final cuts from Maple Leafs training camp, and after another huge year, he's looking to come into 2025's camp with the NHL on his mind.
"Every kid in my situation would probably say [the goal is] to make the NHL, and that's definitely my goal," Cowan said.
"I mean, I feel like I'm capable of doing that. I just got to keep getting bigger, keep getting faster, and keep getting stronger. It's just in my hands. I feel like I'm smart enough and able to play, but obviously, I got to get bigger and that's just in my hands. I'll take advantage of that this summer training in London, training a bit in Toronto too. It'll help me out a lot and I'm just super excited for camp, and I'll be ready for it for sure."
What's the message from the Maple Leafs after two straight Memorial Cup Finals? Relax a bit before getting into summer training.
"Everyone texted me [after the Memorial Cup win]," Cowan smiled.
"They want me to just relax now. Enjoy the time. Have some fun. And just get away from the game. It's been good for me. I mean, I've went on three long runs here with London, so just to be able to put the hockey sticks away, pull out the golf clubs, go to some patios with some friends, and just really enjoy my time, and get some food with people I haven't saw in a while, it's been huge.
When it comes to training camp in the fall, there could be a few spots in the Maple Leafs' top-six open for Cowan, especially if Mitch Marner, who's on the precipice of NHL free agency, leaves Toronto on July 1. While Marner's place could be up for grabs, there's also a spot on the second line's left wing, after several players played there in the postseason.
"I mean, ever since I got drafted here, I said London's kind of like the Toronto of the OHL. A lot of people love you, and then there's a lot of people who hate you. It's been good for me to kind of get that under my belt, the experience here, and I'll just keep doing my thing," he said.
"I know people are going to love me or people are going to hate me, and that's just how the world is these days, so I'll just keep doing my thing, and that's playing hockey and keep getting better and keep working hard."
One area of Cowan's game that Maple Leafs head coach Craig Berube mentioned needed improvement was his puck management. "A lot of players coming out of junior hockey, they still have the junior habits," said Berube.
"And he needs to show us that he doesn’t have all the junior habits anymore."
The forward returned to junior in the final days of Toronto's training camp, and several months later, agreed that the decision to loan him back to the Knights was correct.
"My 200-foot game for sure has gotten better. I find I've been managing the puck so much better. That's what I wanted to work on this year too, and it was good for me to come back to the OHL, have another year, and keep developing," he said.
"Now I know when to take a risk and when not to, and I feel like I'm a very reliable player, can play both ends of the ice, and I'm a guy that, I want to be out there in the last minute, whether we're up a goal or down a goal, so I feel like I learned that a lot this year."
Cowan admitted his goal is to make the Maple Leafs out of camp, and he will need to prove it when he arrives in Toronto in the fall.
"I know I'm smart enough to play, so just being able to manage the puck well during camp will be huge for me. I know I kill penalties and I know I can play on the power play or five-on-five, four-on-four, so just being able to play in any situation will be huge for me, and just play simple," he said.
"You're not going to be able to beat guys wide every time or go through the stick. It's the NHL, and it's definitely a huge jump, and I'll be ready for camp for sure."
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PITTSBURGH — Bryce Harper is out of the Phillies’ lineup again, three days after returning from a different injury that cost him a week.
Harper is experiencing right wrist soreness and has dealt with it for a little while. Manager Rob Thomson doesn’t know the exact date the injury occurred and thinks it was from swinging rather than a specific event.
Harper is day-to-day.
“It’s been sore for a little while, he’s been fighting through it,” Thomson said. “He’s just having trouble swinging so if it’s affecting his swing, we’re gonna hold him off and get it right.
“Feet, hands, it scares me, I think it affects guys’ swings. Whether they believe in it or admit to it, I think it does.”
Harper was out of the Phillies’ lineup from May 28 through June 3 with a right elbow injury caused by a 95 mph hit-by-pitch. He returned Tuesday in Toronto and homered on a nice, easy swing in his first at-bat back.
That was his only hit in the series. Harper went 0-for-10 the rest of the way with five strikeouts.
The Phillies checked him out pregame at PNC Park on Friday and submitted their lineup about 45 minutes later than usual, likely because they were determining whether or not Harper and J.T. Realmuto would be good to go.
Realmuto is back behind the plate after taking a foul ball to the groin Wednesday and missing Thursday.
“He’s a tough guy, man. He’s a tough guy,” Thomson said of Realmuto. “Feels fine. I’m sure he’s a little sore.”
Without Harper, the Phillies started Alec Bohm at first base and Edmundo Sosa at third. If Harper does have to miss more than a few days and requires a stint on the injured list, perhaps the door could crack open for prospect Otto Kemp, who has hit .317/.417/.602 with 19 doubles, 14 homers and 55 RBI in 57 games at Triple A.
The right-handed-hitting Kemp leads the International League in homers and RBI and is second in OPS. He has played most of the season at third base but has also started seven games at first base, seven in left field and 10 at second base. He is not yet on the Phillies’ 40-man roster.
Rotation updates
No news yet on when Zack Wheeler will return to the Phillies’ rotation. It does not seem like it will be this weekend in Pittsburgh. Wheeler and wife Dominique are expecting the birth of their fourth child.
Aaron Nola was supposed to throw live batting practice Thursday in Toronto but the Phillies pressed pause because of stiffness he is feeling on his right side.
Nola will not throw on Friday and the Phillies will be cautious. He is still at least a couple of weeks away from returning to the big-league rotation.
“We’re gonna wait until we knock that thing right out,” Thomson said. “I think it’s getting better but we’re not gonna put him in danger.”
Czech
winger Jakub Vrána, 29,
has spent the last decade in North America, mostly in the NHL, but
rumors are circulating both in Sweden and in Czechia that Sweden will
be the next stop for the free agent.
Prior to heading overseas in 2015,
Vrána played for
Linköping HC from age 15
to 19, starting with the club’s U-16 team and progressing to the
SHL, where he recorded 34 points in 98 games as a teenager.
“There is contact. We’ve had a good relationship over the
years,” said Jakobsson.
But while admitting interest, the GM stopped short of saying that
a deal is imminent.
“We know what qualities he possesses, but right now it is an
uncertain situation,” said Jakobsson.
While he played in Linköping, Vrána was
chosen 14th overall in the 2014 NHL Entry
Draft by the Washington
Capitals. He established himself as a regular NHLer, recording 52
points in 69 games for
Washington
in 2019-20, and he
regularly represented Czechia
at
the IIHF
World
Championships.
However,
his career eventually became marred by injuries, declining play and a
spell in the NHL’s Player Assistance Program. Over the last four
seasons, Vrána
has only played in
110 NHL games, recording 49 points. He was also unable to earn a spot
on the Czech national team roster last spring, getting cut prior to
the 2024 Worlds in Prague.
Overall,
Vrána
has
223 points in 406 NHL regular season games with the Capitals, Detroit
Red Wings, St. Louis Blues and Nashville Predators. He also has eight
points in 38 playoff games, all with Washington, and was part of the
2018 Stanley Cup championship team.
“You’re into June, and now you’re in arguably the biggest series of the year for you so far, given how they lost the first four games to the Padres, and they needed to prove to themselves that they can hang with the Padres; with that move going down, that’s exactly what they did,” Krukow told Brian Murphy and Markus Boucher. “They salvaged the series and redefined themselves.
“I’m repeating myself, but it is the most important thing I’ve said today in regards to the Giants. What has come out of this series is that they have redefined themselves as a team; they see themselves as a better team because of what they did those last two games of the four-game series.”
San Francisco took the last two games of its dramatically narrow four-game series with San Diego after dropping the first two. As Krukow said, the Giants needed to leave with something after dropping their first four games against the Padres earlier in the 2025 MLB season.
And, after splitting the series in which every game was decided by one run, the Giants appear rejuvenated to many, including Krukow, and with much thanks to the franchise’s first-year president of baseball operations.
“With Buster [Posey] making the move, that had everything to do with it,” he said.
The former San Francisco pitcher highlighted Posey’s decision to shake up the roster, specifically by designating fan favorite LaMonte Wade Jr. for assignment, as the gutsy decision-making that the organization desperately needed.
“Oh, 100 percent,” Krukow said about Posey’s leadership being on display. “And it’s instinct, too; instinct to know that everyone in that clubhouse is waiting – waiting for a game-changing move. What this also says is – who’s a better guy than LaMonte Wade Jr.? Nobody. And he’s a fan favorite.
“That was not an easy decision, as you kept thinking he was going to put it together, and he couldn’t do it, and time ran out.”
After making some changes and grinding out a pair of wins over San Diego, San Francisco appears to have “redefined” itself, according to Krukow. The 35-28 Giants, who now trail the 35-26 Padres by one game for the National League’s second wildcard spot, will take it.
Arkansas head coach John Calipari returns four key players from last year's Sweet 16 run in 2025-26. (Photo by Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images) The deadline to withdraw from the NBA Draft has passed, players have moved to their new campuses, teams have started offseason workouts, and it seems, for the most part, rosters are set, barring any last minute additions from the European ranks.
It's Friday, June 6, and the Braves (27-34) are in San Francisco to take on the Giants (35-28). Spencer Schwellenbach is slated to take the mound for Atlanta against Hayden Birdsong for San Francisco.
Yesterday, the Atlanta Braves had a massive meltdown in the ninth inning. They were up 10-4 at the top of the ninth and gave up seven runs in the ninth and lost the game 11-10.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. and Alek Thomas both homered in the ninth for the Diamondbacks.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Braves at Giants
Date: Friday, June 6, 2025
Time: 10:15PM EST
Site: Oracle Park
City: San Francisco, CA
Network/Streaming: NBCS BA, KNTV
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Odds for the Braves at the Giants
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Braves (-135), Giants (+115)
Spread: Braves -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Braves at Giants
Pitching matchup for June 6, 2025: Spencer Schwellenbach vs. Hayden Birdsong
Braves: Spencer Schwellenbach, (4-4, 3.13 ERA) Last outing (Boston Red Sox, 5/31): 6.1 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 11 Strikeouts
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Braves at Giants
NL West teams have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against NL East sides
The Under is 27-16-3 in the Braves' matchups against National League teams this season
The Braves have failed to cover the Run Line in 5 of their last 6 games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Braves and the Giants
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 Braves and the Giants:
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 San Francisco Giants 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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