Its Friday, August 8 and the Marlins (56-58) are in Atlanta to continue their series against the Braves (48-66).
Edward Cabrera is slated to take the mound for Miami against Bryce Elder.
Last night the Braves took the series opener, 8-6. Atlanta rallied from a 6-3 deficit scoring six runs over the final three innings. Drake Baldwin led the attack with three hits including two home runs and five RBIs. Marcell Ozuna added his 16th home run of the season. Carlos Carrasco allowed all six Miami runs but the Braves' bullpen was perfect in relief of him allowing just one baserunner over the final 3.1 innings.
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 the 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 Marlins at Braves
Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
Time: 7:15PM EST
Site: Truist Park
City: Atlanta, GA
Network/Streaming: FDSNFL, FDSNSO
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Marlins at the Braves
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Marlins (-116), Braves (-104)
Spread: Marlins -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Marlins at Braves
Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: Edward Cabrera vs. Bryce Elder
Marlins: Edward Cabrera (5-5, 3.24 ERA) Last outing: August 3 vs. Yankees - 1.50 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts
Braves: Bryce Elder (4-8, 6.03 ERA) Last outing: August 1 at Cincinnati - 2.70 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 1 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!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Marlins at Braves
The Marlins have won 4 of 5 games at divisional opponents
The Under is 4-1 in the Marlins' last 5 matchups against divisional opponents
Edward Cabrera has struck out at least 5 hitters in every appearance but 1 since May 10
Edward Cabrera has struck out at least 6 hitters in 4 of his last 6 starts
Marcell Ozuna was 4-8 in his last 2 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 Marlins and the Braves
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Marlins and the Braves:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Miami Marlins on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Atlanta Braves 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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Welcome the fourth and final installment of the ultimate NHL Media Meal rankings. This is the moment you've all been waiting for. You know which meals are the worst and which ones are right in the middle. But what about the top eight in the NHL? Which places go above and beyond. It's time for the full reveal.
The Vancouver Canucks had a delicious media meal on my last visit. We had a high-quality lunch buffet, complete with a carving station, since it's always a 4 p.m. local start time. During the first intermission, they had a hot dog station, and in the second intermission, there was a candy station. I should note that the media meal experience isn’t always this good in Vancouver; many local media members have told me they step it up when Toronto is in town. Since that’s the only time I’m here, they get the No. 8 spot. My only disappointment was that the previous year it was a brunch instead of a lunch, but I can’t complain.
I don’t remember the Wild’s buffet being this good before, but that’s probably because the Leafs had to wait two years before going to Minnesota again. The lone road game the season before was played in Sweden. This time, in addition to delicious proteins and good Mexican food, they had an amazing new ice cream bar. It was indeed very good, and I’m looking forward to coming back.
This is a hidden gem, probably the best arena when it comes to free food choices up in the press box. A very reasonably priced $11 gets you a high-quality buffet. Upstairs, they’ve got healthy and unhealthy snacks and finger food. Apparently, it used to be even better, with all kinds of desserts coming up during the second intermission. But you know what? This is still fine and quite delicious. Chicago is a good eats town, and it is for the media meal as well.
I will admit, the Montreal media meal is good. It’s not the absolute best, but it ranks so high because of the experience. The hot dogs are free here, and they come in a panini-pressed bun which is absolutely delicious. For all the reasons I look forward to coming to Montreal, the media meal is high on the list, and the hot dogs are replenished for both the first and second intermissions. The dining area is great, and there is nothing like a Leafs vs. Habs game in Montreal.
The Boston Bruins do an excellent meal here. There's a traditional buffet bar with a main event station where cooks are usually preparing a pasta bar or something custom to your liking. The quality is outstanding. My only beef with this is that they are cash only. However, there are ATMs, and since I bank with TD in the United States, it’s a fairly easy process to get your cash.
The Seattle Kraken have a wonderful, high-quality, and free media meal. As the home of Starbucks, they offer a good quantity and quality of food, along with great ice cream and snacks. The only issue is that the lineup and wait can be quite long since the entire building’s staff seemingly comes into the same room to eat at the same time. But the food is really good, and combined with a price of $0, it’s high on the list at No. 3.
What's great about the Los Angeles Kings media meal is that it is free and there are a lot of options. On one occasion, they had the most amazing sour cream and guacamole combo dip—it was incredible. It's usually Mexican food whenever we are here, and as long as it’s good, there are no complaints. They even had cold brew coffee, which was great, and the snacks and finger foods in the press box are delightful.
And now, the undisputed No. 1 media meal in the NHL: the Detroit Red Wings. It costs $11, and it is so worth it. You begin with a salad bar, and then you have your meats. On its own, that would be good enough, but the options just keep going and going. Even after you pick a protein, you get more options. Then you have a dedicated area for fried food like fries and chicken wings, along with Little Caesars pizza, because of course. They have a lot of dipping sauces, which is usually an extra charge at most fast-food joints. There's also an excellent dessert station with cookies and ice cream. This meal is so good that we had the joy of having it twice in one day because the Pistons were playing an afternoon game in the same building. That was heaven on earth. There are also great snack choices from chips, gummies, and chocolate upstairs. Detroit is the bar. I stuff myself to the point where it’s almost hard to focus on my job, which is to cover the game.
Its Friday, August 8 and the Angels (55-60) are in Detroit to open a series against the Tigers (66-50).
Kyle Hendricks is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Tarik Skubal for Detroit.
Winners of just two of their last six games, the Tigers turn to their ace, Skubal, as they open a series against Mike Trout and co. Despite their recent struggles, Detroit is still up six games in the American League Central and are just two games behind Toronto for the best record in the American League. The Angels have flirted with having a decent season but are teetering again having dropped to six games out in the Wild Card race.
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 the 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 Tigers
Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Comerica Park
City: Detroit, MI
Network/Streaming: FDSNW, FDSNDT
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 Tigers
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Angels (+257), Tigers (-324)
Spread: Tigers -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Angels at Tigers
Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: Kyle Hendricks vs. Tarik Skubal
Angels: Kyle Hendricks (6-8, 4.59 ERA) Last outing: August 2 at White Sox - 1.80 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
Tigers: Tarik Skubal (11-3, 2.18 ERA) Last outing: August 2 at Philadelphia - 3.86 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 10 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!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Angels at Tigers
At home this season the Tigers have won 13 of 24 games following a defeat
Each of the Angels' last 4 road games with the Tigers have stayed under the Total
The Angels have covered the Run Line in 5 of their last 6 road games against the Tigers
Tarik Skubal has struck out a minimum of 7 hitters in each of his last 3 starts
Mike Trout is enjoying a modest 6-game hitting streak (7-22)
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!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Angels and the Tigers
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 Angels 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 Los Angeles Angels 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
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Its Friday, August 8 and the Athletics (51-66) are in Baltimore to open a series against the Orioles (52-63).
J.T. Ginn is slated to take the mound for Oakland against Tomoyuki Sugano for Baltimore.
Jacob Lopez struck out 10 and the Athletics took the rubber game of their series against the Nationals, 6-0. The offense showed up as well for the Athletics pounding out 12 hits including Tyler Soderstrom's 21st HR of the season. The Orioles were off yesterday. They were on the road for the previous six games managing a combined two wins in their series against the Cubs and the Phillies.
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 the 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 Athletics at Orioles
Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
City: Baltimore, MD
Network/Streaming: NBCSCA, 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 Athletics at the Orioles
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Athletics (-102), Orioles (-117)
Spread: Orioles 1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Athletics at Orioles
Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: J.T. Ginn vs. Tomoyuki Sugano
Athletics: J.T. Ginn (2-3, 4.28 ERA) Last outing: August 2 vs. Arizona - 8.31 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 5 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
Orioles: Tomoyuki Sugano (8-5, 4.42 ERA) Last outing: August 2 at Cubs - 5.40 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 1 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!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Athletics at Orioles
The Athletics have won their last 4 road games against teams with better records
The Under is 8-2 in the Orioles' last 10 with a rest advantage over their opponents
The Orioles have covered the Run Line on the last 3 occasions that they've had a rest advantage
J.T. Ginn has struck out no more than 2 batters in 4 of his last 6 and 6 of his last 10 appearances and has struck out 5 or more just 1 time in those 10 appearances
Rookie Nick Kurtz is hitless (0-6) in his last 2 games after going 7-15 in his previous 4 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 Athletics and the Orioles
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 Athletics and the Orioles:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Oakland Athletics on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Oakland Athletics 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
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Former Giants prospect James Tibbs III has had quite the introduction to professional baseball.
Selected No. 13 overall out of Florida State by San Francisco in the 2024 MLB Draft, Tibbs was traded to the Boston Red Sox in the blockbuster deal for All-Star slugger Rafael Devers on June 15, and later to the Los Angeles Dodgers in exchange for starting pitcher Dustin May on July 31.
Tibbs discussed his journey of being traded twice in 46 days with MLB.com’s Cole Weintraub in an article published Thursday.
“I will say it’s been very stressful,” Tibbs told Weintraub. “It’s been probably the hardest year of my life from a baseball perspective. And, you know, I think most people look at a hitter and they say, ‘Oh man, they’re struggling,’ and whatever. It’s like, well, there’s typically a lot more going on than people seem to realize.”
Tibbs is settling in with the Dodgers, having collected five hits — with a pair of homers — over his first five games with their Double-A Tulsa.
James Tibbs III – the prospect traded for Rafael Devers and Dustin May – hit his first two homers in the Dodgers organization last night 🙌 pic.twitter.com/29Xisq50Za
Though he first had 51 hits in 57 games with the Giants’ High-A Eugene and later 24 hits in 30 games with the Red Sox’s Double-A Portland.
Baseball is a game of consistent failure and working out kinks — Tibbs knows what he signed up for. But what fans often don’t see is the human element of ballplayers. Living in three places over 46 days and saying goodbye to friends you just made isn’t easy.
“When I got traded the first time, you know, it was bittersweet because I was leaving a bunch of guys that I’d been really close with, an organization that I felt comfortable with,” Tibbs told Weintraub. “And then getting traded again, it was kind of the same way. I loved being there.”
And, despite understanding how the business side of baseball works, Tibbs still can’t help but wonder why he might be deemed flawed by one organization and promising by another, or two.
“Obviously, getting traded is kind of a two-part story,” Tibbs told Weintraub. “On one hand, I’m excited because somebody wants me. But on the other hand, I’m like, what am I doing wrong? You know, there’s a human element to that that fans and people don’t necessarily understand. It’s definitely been a wild year.”
Tibbs is far removed from his Giants chapter, and soon the same will be said for his Red Sox one. A lot has changed since he was San Francisco’s last top draft choice of the Farhan Zaidi era. But since Zaidi now works in Los Angeles’ front office, perhaps Tibbs is where he was supposed to be all along.
“I’ve never lost confidence in my ability to play the game,” Tibbs told Weintraub. “It was just a matter of figuring out the kinks and getting back to me. The Dodgers told me, ‘We love what you do, and we just want you to get back to that.’ That was a breath of fresh air for me. I just want to finish strong and be the best baseball player I can be.”
Its Friday, August 8 and the Astros (64-51) are in Bronx to take on the Yankees (61-54).
Hunter Brown is slated to take the mound for Houston against Cam Schlittler for New York.
These teams enter the series struggling to see the results expected of them by their respective organizations and fanbases. The Yankees are 13-19 since July 1 and as a result have fallen to third in the American League East. They currently sit 6.5 games behind first place Toronto and 2.5 games behind Boston. New York owns the third and final Wild Card spot with a 1.5 game lead over Cleveland and Texas.
Houston is 4-6 in their last 10. Coupled with Seattle's 7-3 record in their last 10, the Astros' lead in the American League West is down to 1.5 games. Offense has been an issue as Houston has scored 497 runs (T13 fewest in baseball). The Astros, however, have pieced it together to this point and are in fact above .500 at home (35-24) as well as on the road (29-27).
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 the 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 Astros at Yankees
Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: Bronx, NY
Network/Streaming: Apple TV+
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Astros at the Yankees
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Astros (-121), Yankees (+101)
Spread: Astros -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Astros at Yankees
Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: Hunter Brown vs. Cam Schlittler
Astros: Hunter Brown (9-5, 2.47 ERA) Last outing: August 1 at Boston - 1.29 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
Yankees: Cam Schlittler (1-2, 4.58 ERA) Last outing: August 2 at Miami - 3.60 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 6 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!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Astros at Yankees
The Yankees have lost 4 of their last 5 games
The Astros' last 3 games have gone over the Total
It has been 6 games since the Yankees last covered the Run Line
After hitting .323 in July, Cody Bellinger is hitting just .136 (3-23) in August
Jose Altuve is riding a modest 5-game hitting streak (6-23)
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 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 Friday's game between the Astros and the Yankees:
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 New York Yankees 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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Derrick White has fond memories of Steph Curry’s incredible finish to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
After many seasons of seeing Curry and the Warriors unload on White’s Boston Celtics squad, the NBA veteran got to be on the winning side for once during the Olympics last summer, something he cherishes still.
“Steph was unbelievable, he was just going crazy,” White said Tuesday on the “White Noise Podcast.” “In the beginning [of the Olympic tournament], Steph wasn’t himself. We were waiting for that Steph game to happen, and it happened in that Serbia game, and he carried it over to the gold medal game.
“In the [fourth quarter] of that game, Steph kicks it to [Kevin Durant] and [LeBron James] is open in the corner and he’s like, ‘Nah, back to you, Steph,’ it was unbelievable. To be on the good side of it, it was an unbelievable feeling. The whole bench is going crazy, like we can’t believe what we’re watching either.”
Curry shook off some rust early in the tournament to almost single-handedly lift Team USA to the victory over Serbia in the semifinals. After that, Curry turned in an iconic performance against France in the gold medal game, erupting for 24 points on 8-for-12 shooting from 3-point range and five assists.
It was another vintage performance from one of the NBA’s all-time greats and a welcome relief from White’s perspective.
White and the Celtics faced Curry and the Warriors in the 2022 NBA Finals and saw firsthand his devastating shooting abilities. Boston took a 2-1 series lead, but after that it was all Golden State, with Curry putting things out of reach with a mesmerizing 34-point performance in the series-clinching Game 6.
Still, White always will have golden memories of his time with Curry and Team USA in Paris to go along with his gold medal.
Its Friday, August 8 and its Game 2 of the series between the Reds (60-56) and the Pirates (50-66) in Pittsburgh.
Chase Burns is slated to take the mound for Cincinnati against Mitch Keller for Pittsburgh.
Yesterday, Paul Skenes struck out eight in six shutout innings as the Bucs blanked the Reds, 7-0. A balanced attack was the story on offense as every starter other than Jack Suwinski picked up at least one hit in the win. Bryan Reynolds and Henry Davis went yard in the first and seventh innings respectively.
Lets dive into tonight's 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 the 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 Reds at Pirates
Date: Friday, August 8, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: PNC Park
City: Pittsburgh, PA
Network/Streaming: Apple TV+
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Reds at the Pirates
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Reds (-105), Pirates (-115)
Spread: Pirates 1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Pirates
Pitching matchup for August 8, 2025: Chase Burns vs. Mitch Keller
Reds: Chase Burns (0-3, 6.04 ERA) Last outing: August 2 vs. Atlanta - 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 0 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
Pirates: Mitch Keller (5-10, 3.89 ERA) Last outing: August 3 at Colorado - 9.00 ERA, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Reds at Pirates
Betting the Pirates on the Money Line is up 2.00 units this season when Mitch Keller has started at home against NL Central teams
The Over has cashed in the Pirates' last 3 games with Mitch Keller on the mound
With Mitch Keller starting the Pirates have covered in 5 of their last 5 games to return 3.39 units
Elly De La Cruz is 4-24 (.167) to open August
Bryan Reynolds is 9-26 (.348) to open August
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 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 Reds and the Pirates:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Pittsburgh Pirates 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 recommending 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
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Amid an offseason of change for the Boston Celtics, we have a constant: Joe Mazzulla isn’t going anywhere.
The Celtics announced Friday they have signed their head coach to a “multi-year” contract extension. While terms weren’t disclosed, the deal keeps Mazzulla in place as Boston’s head coach for at least the next several seasons.
Mazzulla took the Celtics’ head coach job under ominous circumstances, replacing the suspended Ime Udoka as the team’s interim head coach just days before training camp in September 2022. Since then, the Rhode Island native had remarkable success behind the bench, posting a 182-64 regular season record (.740 winning percentage) over three seasons and guiding Boston to its 18th championship in 2024.
While there was some speculation about Mazzulla’s contract situation entering this offseason — NBC Sports Boston’s Michael Holley reported the Celtics may have had an upcoming “team option” on Mazzulla’s previous deal — Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens reiterated in June that the C’s “want Joe to be around here for a long time.”
Now, they’ve made that happen.
“We are very excited that Joe has agreed to extend with the Celtics,” Stevens said in a statement Friday. “He understands the job and has a passion for the Celtics that is only rivaled by our most die-hard fans. He’s worked hard and accomplished amazing things in his first three years as a head coach – including averaging over 60 wins per season and winning the 2024 NBA Championship.
“Joe is a gifted leader who brings a consistent commitment to learning, improving, and maximizing each day we get to compete for the Boston Celtics.”
Mazzulla is about to face his toughest challenge yet to get the most out of a squad that lost Jrue Holiday, Kristaps Porzingis, Luke Kornet and (likely) Al Horford and will be without injured superstar Jayson Tatum for most or all of the 2025-26 season.
But it’s clear that Stevens and the Celtics view Mazzulla as the right person for the job.
“This is truly a blessing,” Mazzulla said in a statement. “I would not be here without my faith, my wife, and my children. We are thankful for the partnership with our ownership groups, Brad’s mentorship, and the support of our staff.
“Most importantly, I am grateful for the players I have been able to coach the past three seasons. I look forward to competing for the Celtics and the city of Boston.”
When’s the last time you had fun watching an NBA All-Star game?
A league’s All-Star Game is a marquee event and should be one filled with hype and excitement. But in recent years, the conversation around the NBA’s All-Star festivities has been about what needs changing to make it more interesting.
The WNBA, however, is seeing record viewership and attendance. Growing enthusiasm around the W has made its All-Star events a hot topic on social media.
The NBA All-Star Game of today is about the three Rs: rest, recovery and ramping up for the playoffs. But NBA players could take one specific note from the W: This year’s WNBA All-Star Weekend turned into a celebration of its players, fans and culture. With more people watching, WNBA players also used the opportunity to advocate for their collective bargaining discussions with T-shirts that read “Pay us what you owe us” during pregame.
Players are currently wearing shirts that say “PAY US WHAT YOU OWE US” ahead of this year’s WNBA All-Star game.
— Deyscha “Sway” Smith (@deyschasmith) July 20, 2025
Sharing the joy of playing basketball should be a layup. The NBA will soon play its 80th season, and we are now experiencing a shift in the game with more international players, as well as what looks like a changing of the guard with players such as LeBron James, Steph Curry and Kevin Durant being late in their careers.
Seeing the veterans and younger players tell their stories with basketball as the background would offer a nice change of pace. Learning what niche or random interest or hobby players have would help highlight who they are for casual fans unable to recite the information typically found on the back of a trading card.
This season, the WNBA added hockey-like live-ball substitutions and the 4-point line to make things more interesting. The game itself wasn’t highly competitive (or featured much defense) as Team Collier blew out Team Clark 151-131. But the hype wasn’t around the game or skills challenges. Fans seemed to understand it was an exhibition, and players weren’t going to play super hard in a game that didn’t count.
Instead, the enjoyment came from the excitement of players and the weekend itself, helped in part by the popularity of the 72-hour StudBudz livestream.
The StudBudz, run by Minnesota Lynx players and close friends Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, gave WNBA fans a rare glimpse into players’ off-court lives, sharing behind-the-scenes looks at their experiences during their All-Star weekend. It was the kind of access traditional media doesn’t have.
Fans on social media were sharing clips of every ounce of access they could get. With the use of livestreams, WNBA players were able to give fans at home an unprecedented peek behind the curtain.
Studbudz 72 hour stream has somehow revolutionized sports content the wnba and all star weekend and also threatened the very fabric of professional sports all at the same time lmao
At the WNBA All-Star Game, players mingled and integrated themselves in many events like merchandise pop-ups, panels and parties with the fans. They signed everything. They showed up for their fans and, in some cases, allowed them to get close to them. Players, alumni and fans connected in a way we don’t normally get to see, but it has become common for the W.
That’s what All-Star Weekend should be about: sharing that joy and making the players accessible and relatable, allowing fans to connect beyond a player’s on-court performance.
“(WNBA) players have a clear understanding that this particular weekend is about the fans,” Connecticut Sun sideline reporter Terrika Foster-Brasby said. “You obviously want to protect your players, and you want to ensure that your players have security and that you know there aren’t random people doing and saying crazy things.
“But there is a level of accessibility that you have with women in the WNBA that you don’t have with men in the NBA. I think that kind of creates this vision that the NBA players are sort of untouchable, or that they are unapproachable.”
While that might not be so easy to do with NBA players, humanizing players is one of the things making the WNBA different from other leagues. Seeing players laughing, dancing and having fun with one another reminds fans these aren’t just athletes who accomplish incredible things on the court, but multidimensional people — something we don’t see much of at the NBA All-Star Game. Seeing coaches and even commissioner Cathy Engelbert interact with fans adds to the WNBA’s charm.
At the NBA All-Star Game, players look as if it’s a chore to be there. During the 2025 Skills Challenge, Team Spurs, composed of veteran Chris Paul and French basketball prodigy Victor Wembanyama, intentionally missed their shots to try to cut down on their time and move on to the next obstacle. The drill consisted of a variety of passes before the players reached a rack of balls to shoot. Paul and Wembanyama weren’t even trying to connect on their shot attempts.
The crowd, aware of the gamesmanship on display, rained boos on Paul. The duo was disqualified for not taking valid shots.
While Paul and Wembanyama thought this strategy would benefit them, it was a joyless moment for the fans. Seeing one of the greatest point guards of all time and a 7-4 big man show the same skills would not only have had the crowd rocking and given them something to cheer for, but also have been a great example of how NBA players’ skills have evolved.
This year’s NBA All-Star Game included a new tournament-like format, and the reception from fans was mixed. The frequent discussion of format changes around the NBA’s game has shown that ship’s probably sailed in terms of legislating the fun and excitement back into the event. Changing the rules and adding gimmicks hasn’t yet seemed to make the All-Star Game more interesting to fans or players. Fans know they’re watching a game that doesn’t count, but they still want to see their favorites putting on a show.
While there was a complete lack of defense in the women’s game, they looked as if they enjoyed being there. The celebratory feel of the WNBA’s All-Star Weekend shone through the players.
Even with several tweaks to the format throughout the last few years, the moments of joy have been fleeting recently at the NBA All-Star Weekend. The players selected for the All-Star Game are already the league’s elite, so what incentive can motivate them to play any harder?
“I think the players want to be viewed as regular guys, as regular human beings having fun, hanging out with my friends and my guys. I don’t think the league always puts them in the best position to give them that human aspect,” Foster-Brasby said. “You can see it even at W All-Star, because a lot of times NBA players are there, and they don’t necessarily have that guarded view during WNBA All-Star that they have during NBA All-Star. You can see it feels like they’re a little bit more relaxed, and they feel a little bit more comfortable within that space.”
Maybe instead of new rules, the NBA needs to make the weekend more player and fan-focused. The NBA has open practices on All-Star Saturday, but there is always room for more fan engagement.
The WNBA community has its groups and cliques among the fan base, and they’re close-knit. Access and connectivity to the players have organically created a growing interest in the league and the players as individuals. All-Star Weekend highlighted that in a way we’d never seen before.
“I think proximity and authenticity is the name of the game,” said Khristina Williams, host “In Case You Missed It,” a women’s basketball podcast. “WNBA players are digital natives. Utilizing social media … that type of technology is always going to hit for women’s sports or women’s basketball, because for years and years none of their stuff was available. They’ve capitalized on building their brands through connecting with their fans.”
The NBA All-Star break was extended during the 2013-14 season from five days to seven to allow players more time to rest, but the break isn’t the true midpoint of the season, as teams head into the break having played more than 50 games. Understandably, players don’t want to risk injury in a game that doesn’t count. But when players appear as if they don’t care about participating in the events, it’s neither fun nor entertaining.
When Major League Baseball held the first All-Star Game on July 6, 1933, at Comiskey Park in Chicago (“the Game of the Century,” according to the Chicago Tribune) to coincide with the 1933 World’s Fair, the intention was a celebration of the sport and an opportunity to showcase baseball’s top talent and their skills.
The NBA held its first All-Star Game at Boston Garden on March 2, 1951. A crowd of more than 10,000 packed the arena to see the league’s best. Inaugural All-Star MVP “Easy” Ed Macauley of the Boston Celtics finished with 20 points on 7-for-12 shooting as the East defeated the West 111-94. Like MLB, the game became a fan favorite.
But it’s not easy for any league to host an All-Star Game. Times have changed. Before interleague play, it was rare for American League fans to see National League players and vice versa. In the NBA, it was rare for someone in Cleveland to see the Denver Nuggets or the Portland Trail Blazers. All-Star games were the places to see the best in one spot. Now, with NBA League Pass and MLB Extra Innings, we can see any player at any time. The NFL and NHL have also recently changed their formats as leagues are constantly trying things to infuse new life into their midseason break.
MLB’s All-Star Game has seen its popularity diminished because superstars don’t play the majority of the game and many starters leave before it ends. This year’s Midsummer Classic ended in a tie after nine innings, so it led to the first All-Star swing-off. Despite the lack of starters like Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani, the mini-home run derby went over well and brought some of the joy back to the event.
If the NBA wants to infuse some enthusiasm into the events, the WNBA just gave them a great playbook to follow and make their own. Players should see All-Star Weekend as an opportunity to take off their cool and let people see who they are, honor the history of the game and celebrate with the fans.
Belgium-born coach on being tagged a ‘laptop manager’, the pressure to get Saints promoted and why village cricket is his secret to relaxing
“You don’t call it Opel, you call it Vauxhall,” says Will Still. “A Corsa, little black thing that eventually died. Actually, no, Nico, my younger brother crashed it … it was crap, though, it didn’t even have a radio.” Still, who grew up in Grez-Doiceau, near Brussels, laughs as he recounts his days driving to work as an unpaid video analyst at Sint-Truiden while living at home with his mother, Jane. “Best time of my life, to be honest. It was like the dream was coming true.”
Twelve years on, the 32-year-old, one of the most intriguing managers in the game, has been tasked with returning Southampton to the Premier League after impressing with Lens. The only other time he lived in England was as a teenager when he spent two years studying at Myerscough College in Lancashire, where his degree included coaching Preston’s under-14s. At the time Still felt like “the little posh Belgian kid” but that period provided a handy lesson in English football-speak.
By the analytics, the Philadelphia Flyers haven't been too wise with how they've spent their money in recent years. But that isn't a bad thing... yet.
To kick off free agency at the start of last month, the Flyers went out and signed goalie Dan Vladar, now the highest-earning goalie on the team, center Christian Dvorak, and defensemen Noah Juulsen and Dennis Gilbert.
Based on the expected positive value, The Athletic gave the Dvorak and Vladar contracts C- grades, but, comparatively, Ivan Fedotov and Trevor Zegras's contracts also got C- grades.
For different reasons, these grades are off base.
Vladar, unlike Fedotov, has proven to be a serviceable NHL goalie, albeit in a backup role. The bar is quite low, yes, but Vladar makes only $75k more against the cap.
The Flyers are hoping that, by adding the former Calgary Flame, they'll start to win more games, which in turn rewards their young players for their efforts and expected positive development.
Ditto for Dvorak, who is only under contract for one season and can be moved (with salary retention) at the NHL trade deadline if the right deal hits the Flyers' inbox.
As for Zegras, the Flyers traded for him with the hope the 23-year-old can become a long-term piece for them offensively and return to the 60-point form that made him one of the NHL's hottest talents only two seasons ago.
The former No. 11 pick has struggled a lot defensively, at least according to most analytics, which likely factors into such a poor contract grade, but, like with Vladar, it's a bit overstated.
Juulsen and Gilbert didn't even factor into the equation, which is to be expected. It's unclear if Juulsen is fully recovered from a season-ending hernia, while Gilbert is a long shot to make the NHL roster at this time.
The good news is that Flyers GM Danny Briere signed most of the best contracts on The Athletic's list, with Tyson Foerster, Bobby Brink, Nick Seeler, Egor Zamula, Cam York, Sam Ersson, and Noah Cates leading the way with B- grades or better.
Plus, the Flyers didn't benefit from having Matvei Michkov, who was excluded, on his entry-level contract.
But, overall, the Flyers haven't done anything that inhibits them from making an important move in the future, even if they really did overspend on players like Dvorak and Vladar. And even then, their value relative to other roster players is higher.
What happens next offseason, and even the offseason after that, will tell the full story. This is just the intro.
When’s the last time you had fun watching an NBA All-Star game?
