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Rockies vs. Dodgers Predictions: Odds. expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for April 15

It’s Tuesday, April 15, and the Colorado Rockies (3-13) and Los Angeles Dodgers (12-6) are all set to square off from Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles.

Landon Knack is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Ryan Feltner for Colorado. The Dodgers took Game 1 of the series last night, 5-3. Dustin May allowed one run over six innings and the Dodgers hammered in two homers courtesy of Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Listen to the Rotoworld Basketball Show for the latest fantasy player news, waiver claims, roster advice and more from our experts all season long. Click here or download it wherever you get your podcasts.

Game details & how to watch Rockies vs. Dodgers live today

  • Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2025
  • Time: 10:10PM EST
  • Site: Dodger Stadium
  • City: Los Angeles, CA
  • Network/Streaming: COLR, SNLA

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-dayNBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Rockies vs. Dodgers

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Odds: Rockies (+249), Dodgers (-311)
  • Spread:  Dodgers -1.5
  • Over/Under: 8.0 points

That gives the Rockies an implied team point total of 3.79, and the Dodgers 4.57.

Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Dodgers

  • Pitching matchup for April 15, 2025: Ryan Feltner vs. Landon Knack
    • Rockies: Ryan Feltner, (0-0, 2.81 ERA)
      Last outing: Innings Pitched, Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, Walks, and Strikeouts
    • Dodgers: Landon Knack, (1-0, 10.39 ERA)
      Last outing: Innings Pitched, Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, Walks, and Strikeouts

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Yankees

  • Colorado's offense has scored three total runs in the past four road games.
  • Landon Knack hasn't gone more than 2.1 innings this season over two starts (5 hits, 5 ER, 5 Ks, 4 BB).
  • Ryan Feltner has gone at least 5.0 innings in all three starts this season (2.81 ERA, 16 Ks to 4 BB).
  • Mookie Betts went yard last night for his fourth homer at home compared to zero on the road.
  • Shohei Ohtani belted his fifth homer last night and has a chance for his second back-to-back homer days of the 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!

Expert picks & predictions for Tuesday’s Rockies vs. Dodgers game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Dodgers ML and the Under versus the Rockies:

"Coming off a 5-3 win that could have easily been 5-0, I don't see any reason why the Dodgers cannot get another outright win and even cover the -1.5. The top four of the order combined for nine hits, while the rest of the lineup had one, so that is an issue.

The Under is probably the safer bet rather than the -1.5 for the Dodgers. The Rockies offense has scored two or fewer runs in six out of 10 road games this season and lost four straight games combining for three total runs (all coming last night). Ryan Feltner has also looked good for Colorado with 16 strikeouts to four walks through three games. I like the Under 8.0 to 8.5 runs and lean the Dodgers ML for parlays."

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 NBA calendar based on data points like recent performance, head-to-head player matchups, trends information and projected game totals.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projections 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 today’s Rockies & Dodgers game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the Los Angeles Dodgers 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 staying away from a play on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions page from NBC Sports for money line, spread and over/under picks for every game on today’s calendar!

Important stats, trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies vs. Dodgers on Tuesday

  • The Dodgers have won 3 straight matchups against NL West teams
  • The Under is 4-1 in the Rockies' last 5 matchups against NL West teams
  • The Rockies have failed to cover the Run Line in 12 of their last 14 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 NBA Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

- Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)

- Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)

- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)

- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

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Why you shouldn't panic about Triston Casas' slow start

Why you shouldn't panic about Triston Casas' slow start originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Outside of their three-game sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals, the Boston Red Sox’ offense has been virtually non-existent so far this season.

Multiple players are worthy of blame. Rafael Devers still hasn’t looked like himself since his historically bad start, 2024 All-Star MVP Jarren Duran has a .581 OPS, and Boston has gotten next to zero production from the catcher spot between Connor Wong, Carlos Narvaez, and Blake Sabol.

The biggest culprit, though? That would be Triston Casas.

The 25-year-old first baseman enters Tuesday with a .175/.242/.281 slash line, 18 strikeouts, four walks, and only one home run through 16 games. He began the season as the club’s cleanup hitter before being moved down to sixth in the batting order. He’ll hit seventh in Tuesday’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays.

Those are unacceptable numbers for one of the more important pieces of Boston’s lineup, but there is reason to believe brighter days are in Casas’ near future.

This isn’t the first time we’ve seen Casas struggle mightily to begin a season. As WEEI’s Rob Bradford pointed out, he posted almost identical numbers over the first 14 games of his rookie campaign in 2023.

Casas went on to produce an impressive debut season with the big-league club, hitting .263 with 24 homers, 65 RBI, and a .856 OPS in 132 games. The former top prospect finished third in American League Rookie of the Year voting.

Casas’ monthly splits also offer a potential explanation for his slow starts. For his career, he owns a .667 OPS between March/April, a .766 OPS in May, .839 in June, 1.199 in July, .852 in August, and .798 in September. Perhaps the frigid weather has factored into the Florida native’s early-season woes.

Whatever the case, it’s still too premature to panic about Casas’ offensive slump, just as it was to worry about Devers’ head-scratching start. It’s far more reasonable to question Casas’ longevity at first base, as his defense has only declined since his rookie year.

The Red Sox need Casas to figure it out both at the plate and in the field sooner rather than later. They lack depth at the position, with utility man Romy Gonzalez as their only other current option on the active roster. Vaughn Grissom has gotten reps at first base with Triple-A Worcester, but it would be difficult to trust the young middle infielder at a position he has never played at the MLB level.

Casas and the Red Sox will look for better results Tuesday when they face the Tampa Bay Rays in Game 2 of their three-game series. Boston was steamrolled in Monday’s series opener, 16-1.

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Instant Reaction: NHL Central Scouting Releases Final 2025 Draft Rankings

Matthew Schaefer (Brandon Soto / OHL Images)

NHL Central Scouting released its final rankings for the 2025 NHL draft.

Erie Otters defenseman Matthew Schaefer edged out Saginaw Spirit center Michael Misa for the No. 1 spot on the North American skaters list. On the international skaters list, Djurgarden teammates Anton Frondell and Victor Eklund lead the way. 

NHL Central Scouting lists are better viewed as a league-wide barometer rather than a distinctive ranking by an outlet. The NHL’s in-house bureau gives teams and fans rankings to serve as a guide.

Here are some initial reactions to the NHL draft skater lists.

North American Skaters

There is some notable movement on a few players on the North American skaters list, despite Schaefer remaining in first place.

OHL Brampton right winger Porter Martone dropped a couple of spots from fourth to sixth place. He may not be a top-five draft pick after being a virtual lock in that range previously.

WHL Brandon center Roger McQueen has spent much of the season on the sidelines with a back injury, and although he came back just before the playoffs, he missed the final two games of the team’s first-round series loss. His drop from fifth to eighth could be the start of teams becoming more concerned about his long-term health. 

Another interesting drop on the list was Haoxi ‘Simon’ Wang who fell from 23rd to 34th, signifying that teams likely see the tall but lanky Oshawa Generals’ defenseman as a possible second-round pick. He stepped into the OHL at the halfway point of the season after starting in the OJHL, where he generated a ton of buzz. 

On the flip side, Brantford Bulldogs center Jake O’Brien went from eighth to fourth after a great season, showcasing a blend of physical tools and size and some excellent playmaking ability. Radim Mrtka, the Seattle Thunderbirds' import defender, rounded out the top five, moving up a spot. Barrie Colts physical blueliner Kaswhawn Aitcheson finds himself in the top 10, moving up five spots. 

Mason West, a center playing Minnesota high school hockey, jumped from 50th to 27th. He’s worth watching as the NHL draft draws closer. 

West is a big forward who moves fairly well for his size and is finishing the season strong for the USHL’s Fargo Force. He has the package that so many NHL teams want, so it will take just one team falling in love and grabbing him in the late first or early second round.

2025 NHL Draft Rankings: Ferrari's Mid-Season Top 642025 NHL Draft Rankings: Ferrari's Mid-Season Top 64It's 2025 NHL draft rankings time again as we're about to see the class playing some of its highest-level hockey.

International Skaters

The international list is always a bit more chaotic, and this iteration is no different. 

Although Frondell and Eklund simply flipped positions at the top, the mid-term No. 3 was Ivan Ryabkin, who moved to USHL Muskegon and saw his stock fall to 35th on the final North American list. Modo Jr. center Milton Gastrin moved from fourth to third, and Czech left winger Vojtech Cihar moved up a spot to fourth. 

One of the most interesting names on the final list is Russian right winger Alexander Zharovksy landing at No. 5 after not being on the mid-season list at all. 

Zharovsky has a very interesting package of tools, and he tore up Russian junior hockey with 50 points in 45 games for Ufa Jr. But after not being on the list all year, finding him in fifth place was a moderate surprise. 

Max Psenicka sat eighth in the midterm rankings, but he moved to the WHL to play for the Portland Winterhawks. With seven points in 24 games and four points in nine playoff games, he's only 40th on the North American skaters list. Maxim Agafonov (17th to 33rd), Dmitri Isayev (ninth to 21st), and Kirill Yemelyanov (15th to 31st) are among some of the names that fell notably. 

Swedish winger Arvid Drott went from 43rd to 25th, playing alongside Eric Nilson (No. 7) on many occasions for Djurgarden Jr. Max Westergard, a Finnish winger playing in Sweden, rose from 66th to 30th. 

You can find the full lists here.

Correction: Max Psenicka, who appeared on the international skaters midterm list, was on the North American skaters list for the final rankings.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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Giants at Phillies Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 15

Its Tuesday, April 15 and the Giants (12-4) are in Philadelphia to take on the Phillies (9-7).

Justin Verlander is slated to take the mound for San Francisco against Jesús Luzardo for Philadelphia.

The Giants smacked Philly last night winning the opener 10-4. Tyler Fitzgerald led the assault driving in three runs with a double, triple, and home run for San Francisco. Five Giants' pitchers combined to strike out 13 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 tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Giants at Phillies

  • Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2025
  • Time: 6:45PM EST
  • Site: Citizens Bank Park
  • City: Philadelphia, PA
  • Network/Streaming: NBCSBA, NBCSP+

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 Giants at the Phillies

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Giants (+124), Phillies (-148)
  • Spread:  Phillies -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Giants at Phillies

  • Pitching matchup for April 15, 2025: Justin Verlander vs. Jesús Luzardo
    • Giants: Justin Verlander (0-0, 6.92 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/9 vs. Cincinnati - 5.2IP, 5ER, 5H, 3BB, 9Ks
    • Phillies: Jesús Luzardo (2-0, 1.50 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/10 at Atlanta - 6IP, 1ER, 6H, 1BB, 6Ks

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 Giants at Phillies

  • The Giants have won 4 of their last 5 games
  • Giants' games have cashed to the OVER in 11 of 16 games
  • Phillies' games have cashed to the UNDER in 11 of 16 games
  • Jesus Luzardo has 14Ks in his last 2 starts (13IP)

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 Giants and the Phillies

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 Tuesday's game between the Giants and the Phillies:

  • 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 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Could Luisangel Acuña become part of Mets' center field plan with Jose Siri out?

Around the time the Mets were getting the news that center fielder Jose Siri is going to miss significant time due to a fractured tibia, second baseman Luisangel Acuña had a game at the plate that you can dream on.

On a chilly, rainy night against the Twins on Monday in Minnesota, Acuña was all over the place.

In the third inning, Acuña walked, stole second base, and scored on Pete Alonso's two-out single.

In the fifth, Acuña stroked an opposite-field double down the right field line.

In the seventh, Acuña led off by dropping a perfect bunt between the pitcher and third base, and came around to score on Juan Soto's two-run blast.

Acuña's big night was a continuation of a hot stretch, with him tallying six hits in his last 14 at-bats after a slow start at the plate.

Overall, Acuña is still getting his legs under him offensively, but he has a solid .343 OBP and OPS+ of 104.

He still has just 75 big league plate appearances under his belt. And, as David Stearns explained before the season, remains an unfinished product at the plate. But with Siri going down and Jeff McNeil nearing a return, it's fair to ask -- could Acuña become part of the Mets' center field plan?

As things currently stand, the Mets have three other players on the active roster who are capable of playing center.

May 28, 2024; New York, NY, USA; New York Mets right fielder Tyrone Taylor (15) makes a catch for an out during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field.
May 28, 2024; New York, NY, USA; New York Mets right fielder Tyrone Taylor (15) makes a catch for an out during the third inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field. / Vincent Carchietta - Imagn Images

The one who will likely continue to get the bulk of the starts there is Tyrone Taylor, who had an average season offensively last year (99 OPS+) while providing elite defense. But he has struggled in a big way at the dish in 2025, slashing .158/.179/.211 in 39 plate appearances over 10 games while posting an OPS+ of 13.

Brandon Nimmo, the starting left fielder, could also get time in his old home in center, but it's hard to envision the Mets shifting him there when you consider how deliberately his legs are being managed in an effort to keep him fresh for the long haul.

Then there's Jesse Winker, the regular DH. While Winker has experience in center, he hasn't played there since 2021, and hasn't seen regular playing time there since 2019.

As far as options in the minors, there aren't any who are currently on the 40-man roster. One intriguing name is Drew Gilbert, who has mashed in 24 at-bats this season. But he is still getting back into playing shape in the lower minors after an injury-plagued 2024, and hasn't even returned to Triple-A Syracuse yet.

Additionally, while Gilbert has gotten the bulk of his starts in center field since joining the Mets, SNY contributor Joe DeMayo noted in his new top 30 list that most scouts believe his best long-term fit will be in right field.

Jett Williams should stick in center (or at second base), but he's still with Double-A Binghamton, and a call up to the majors isn't on the immediate horizon.

So ... can Acuña help out in center with Siri out?

There is an easy argument to make both for or against it.

New York Mets second baseman Luisangel Acuna (2) celebrates hitting a double against the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning at Target Field
New York Mets second baseman Luisangel Acuna (2) celebrates hitting a double against the Minnesota Twins in the fifth inning at Target Field / Jesse Johnson - Imagn Images

On the for side...

Once McNeil returns, Acuña could be squeezed out of getting regular at-bats. So if he remains on the 26-man roster, it would make sense to find a legitimate role for him. It would also be wise to be proactive with a different option in center if Taylor continues to struggle offensively.

And it wouldn't mean throwing Acuña into the fire without experience.

Acuña started getting time in center field in the minors in 2023, and played 35 games there over 289.0 innings in 2024.

On the against side...

An emphasis for the Mets under Stearns has been elite defense in center field, and it's even more important now with Soto in right field.

That kind of philosophy isn't something you abandon, especially during a year where the team is expected to contend for a championship.

Additionally, while Acuña has a solid amount of experience playing center, he hasn't yet done it in the majors.

We'll know soon enough whether the Mets have Acuña in mind as part of the center field solution while Siri is out. But it's an intriguing option to keep an eye on -- whether it happens now or down the line.

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New Orleans reportedly finalizing deal to make Joe Dumars new head of basketball operations

Hall of Famer Joe Dumars is coming home.

The Louisiana native who played for the Pistons, and then ultimately took over their front office and led them to their 2004 title — but also had some misses with player and coaching moves that led to his exit a decade later — is finalizing a deal to become the New Orleans Pelicans' head of basketball operations, a story broken by Shams Charania of ESPN.

Dumars takes over for David Griffin, who was let go Monday after six years on the job, with just two playoff appearances (and only two playoff games won in that time). Dumars had been a consultant with the Kings' front office and ownership for a few years, but spent the last three as the NBA league office's executive vice president of basketball operations (he's the guy who officially handed down fines and suspensions).

Dumars takes over a team at a crossroads, a franchise facing a couple of big questions: Whether to retain coach Willie Green and test the trade market for Zion Williamson.

Dumars may be taking the job with the understanding that ownership/upper management wants to see Green retained and Zion traded, a rumor working its way around league circles and reached NBC Sports. There's nuance to this — Green could have interest in the Phoenix coaching vacancy, the trade market for Zion may not be to Dumars' liking — but don't be surprised if that is the road traveled this summer. Zion has three years and $126.5 million remaining on his contract, and he looked like an All-NBA player (24.6 points a game on 56.7% shooting with 7.2 rebounds and 5.3 assists a night) when healthy, but he only played 30 games this season and has played more than 65 games just once in his career. That said, because of clauses in his contract that would allow a team to walk away from Zion if he's not playing (New Orleans could do the same), there will be teams trying to take the risk.

It's not just Zion and his hamstring, the Pelicans were ravaged by injuries this season including to Dejounte Murray (torn Achilles), Trey Murphy III (torn labrum), Herb Jones (torn labrum) and CJ McCollum. However, it was piled up losses and misses on players that led to Griffin's dismissal. For example, Dyson Daniels spent two seasons in New Orleans battling for minutes with Jones, Murphy, and Jose Alvarado among others. However, after being traded to Atlanta last summer, he has had a breakout season where he is the frontrunner for Most Improved Player and is in the conversation for Defensive Player of the Year.

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Almost Back? Colorado Avalanche's Gabriel Landeskog Rejoins Team After AHL Stint

Gabriel Landeskog (Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images)

The Colorado Avalanche ended Gabriel Landeskog's conditioning loan early.

Their captain rejoins the NHL club on Tuesday after spending most of the past week with the AHL's Colorado Eagles, the Avalanche announced.

The 32-year-old hasn't played an NHL game since June 26, 2022, when his assist helped the Avalanche beat the Tampa Bay Lightning to win the Stanley Cup. He's had a right knee injury that involved cartilage transplant surgery in May 2023.

Landeskog has been on long-term injury reserve during his recovery. Under the collective bargaining agreement, the Avalanche could assign him on a conditioning loan to the AHL while he's on LTIR for up to the longer of six days and three games for the purpose of determining whether he's fit to play. Although it's been six days, Landeskog only participated in two games, while the Eagles have three regular-season games remaining.

Landeskog played his first professional games in almost three years on April 11 and 12 with the Eagles. While he was left off the scoreboard in his first game, he had a goal and assist in his second.

"Physically, I feel great," Landeskog told reporters after his first game. "Obviously, it's the first game in a long time, so I got plenty of things to work on and get better at, but it was a lot of fun."

Although the Stockholm, Sweden, native said he has a lot of things to improve on to get back into the flow, it was fun to be back.

"Obviously, there were times where I didn't know if it was ever going to happen, so it felt great being in the battle again and on the bench, in the room, on the ice, all of the nuances of a hockey game," he said.

Avalanche teammates Nathan MacKinnon, Cale Makar and Josh Manson, as well as former teammate Andrew Cogliano and Avs GM Chris MacFarland, attended the April 11 match to support Landeskog.

Landeskog could be back on the ice with his teammates for the first-round matchup against the Dallas Stars if his knee responded well to the game action. The Avalanche are currently using LTIR pool space to exceed the salary cap's upper limit by just over $6 million, according to PuckPedia. Landeskog carries a $7-million cap hit.

There's no salary cap in the playoffs, meaning the team wouldn't need to clear cap space to take him off LTIR.

In 738 career NHL games, Landeskog has 248 goals and 323 assists for 571 points.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

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Canadiens: Lane Hutson Beats Chris Chelios’ Record

Lane Hutson (48) avoids a check from Detroit Red Wings forward Elmer Soderblom (85). Photo credit: Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

With only one game left in Lane Hutson’s historical rookie season, the Montreal Canadiens blueliner still leads all rookies in points, two ahead of San Jose Sharks’ Macklin Celebrini and five in front of Philadelphia Flyers’ Matvei Michkov. On Monday night against the Chicago Blackhawks, he finally beat Chris Chelios’s record and became the highest-scoring rookie defenseman in franchise history.

Three Takeaways As Demidov Took The Bell Center's Breath Away But The Hawks Took The Win
Canadiens: St-Louis On Ivan Demidov’s Linemates And Hughes On His Arrival
Jacob Fowler is Moving Up Laval’s Depth Chart

The 62nd overall pick at the 2022 draft has exceeded all expectations in his rookie season. While he dropped at the draft because of his small stature, he had taken to the NHL like a fish to water and is using his size to his advantage. The blueliner has so much speed and deceptive actions that other players struggle to hit such a tiny, fast-moving target.

With a single game left to play, it’s safe to say that Hutson will not break the league record that belongs to Larry Murphy, who put up 76 points with the Los Angeles Kings in 1980-81, but being the fifth-highest scoring defenseman in league history is no small feat. As things stand, only Murphy, Brian Leetch (71), Gary Suter (68), and Phil Housley (66) have scored more points in their rookie season. They all became fantastic offensive defensemen, playing significant roles in their team’s fate. Housley is the only one who didn’t win a Stanley Cup.

Among active blueliners, Quinn Hughes’s rookie season was the most productive, with 53 points (in 68 games), ranks 15th in league history. Moritz Seider and Cale Makar (in 57 games) had 50 points in their first seasons, giving them the 18th and 19th rank, respectively. Seider and Makar both won the Calder Trophy as the top rookie of the year, and Hughes probably would have done as well had he not played his rookie season the same year as Makar.

At this stage, the Canadiens’ standout should receive the honour and become the first Canadiens to win it since Ken Dryden in 1971-72. Only six Habs have won the coveted prize: Dryden, Jacques Laperriere, Bobby Rousseau, Ralph Backstrom, Bernie Geoffrion, and John Quilty.

Even if Hutson were to lose the rookie scoring race, considering how impressive and even historical his rookie season has been, he should still be crowned.

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Hernández: Dodgers' celebration of Jackie Robinson Day rings hollow in wake of White House visit

LOS ANGELS, CA - OCTOBER 13, 2024: Los Angeles Dodgers right fielder Mookie Betts (50) cats a long shadow as he walks to his position in right field in the first inning abasing the New York Mets in Game 1 of the NLDS at Dodgers Stadium on October 13, 2024 in Los Angeles, California. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers' Mookie Betts said earlier this month about his decision to join his teammates at the White House: "It comes with the territory, being Black in America in a situation like this. It's a tough spot to be in." (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Five years ago, America was listening.

That was the year in which George Floyd and Breonna Taylor were killed by police officers.

That was also the year in which the Dodgers refused to take the field for a late August game to protest racial injustice in the wake of a police shooting of a 29-year-old Black man in Wisconsin.

The summer of racial reckoning, and the Dodgers’ modest role in it, feels like something from the distant past.

Dodgers Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts and Max Muncy kneel.
Cody Bellinger, Mookie Betts and Max Muncy kneeled before a game against the Giants in July 2020 to protest racial injustice. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Rather than continue to stimulate important conversations, the Dodgers are back to whistling past America’s graveyard, pretending there is nothing hypocritical about visiting President Trump one week and celebrating Jackie Robinson Day the next. Conservative Fox News commentator Laura Ingraham wanted athletes to “shut up and dribble,” and the Dodgers are doing the baseball equivalent of just that.

The opportunity for the Dodgers to regain their stature as agents of change has come and gone, their salute to Robinson on Tuesday reverting to its previous form as a cynical exercise in stealing the valor of a previous generation.

This shift in social climate was subtly pointed out by Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts earlier this month when he explained his decision to visit the Trump White House after declining to do so with the Boston Red Sox in 2019.

“At the time,” Betts told reporters, “the world was a different place.”

Read more:Dodgers, Giants decide not to play to protest the shooting of Jacob Blake

The world was in even more of a different place in 2020. Most of the country was in lockdown because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Major league teams played 60-game regular seasons in which no fans were allowed in stadiums.

Baseball clubhouses are traditionally white and politically conservative spaces. The pandemic didn’t change that. What changed in the Dodgers locker room was a willingness to listen.

On Aug. 23 of that year, a Black man named Jacob Blake was shot by a police officer in Kenosha, Wis., leading to demonstrations around the country. Two days later, at a protest in Kenosha, white 17-year-old Kyle Rittenhouse shot three people.

The Dodgers were at Oracle Park on Aug. 26 when they received word of boycotted games in the NBA, as well as Major League Baseball. The only African American player on the team knew what he had to do.

“In my shoes,” Betts said at the time, “I couldn’t play.”

Manager Dave Roberts and third base coach George Lombard also ruled themselves out.

Betts told his teammates he would support them if they played the San Francisco Giants that day. They wouldn’t hear it. They joined his protest.

Starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw said: “As a white player on this team … how can we show support? What is something we can do to help our Black brothers on this team? Once Mookie said he wasn’t going to play … we felt the best thing to do to support him was not playing.”

Clayton Kershaw touches hands with Mookie Betts.
Dodgers starting pitcher Clayton Kershaw stood by Mookie Betts, joining his boycott of a game in 2020. (Associated Press)

Betts was moved by the gesture.

“I’ll always remember this day,” he said. “I’ll always remember this team just having my back.”

Five years later, as Betts said, the world is a different place. Civil rights violations don’t inspire the same amount of outrage as they once did, particularly in baseball clubhouses. Trump’s casual racism has become normalized to such a degree that even former outspoken critic Snoop Dogg was convinced to perform at a pre-inauguration event.

Still the Dodgers’ lone African American player, Betts said earlier this month about his decision to join his team at the White House: “It comes with the territory, being Black in America in a situation like this. It’s a tough spot to be in."

Tough, presumably, because he didn’t know how his teammates would react if he shared his thoughts. Tough, presumably, because he wondered if he would divide the team by taking a stand.

Reflecting on his refusal to visit Trump with the Red Sox, Betts said, “I regret that because I made it about me. This isn’t about me.”

Read more:Hernández: Dodgers visiting Trump's White House goes against everything they represent

In other words, this time around, he prioritized the well-being of his team over his personal convictions. The choice was understandable. Betts is a baseball player before he is an activist. His primary objective at this stage of his life is to win another World Series, and creating the perception of a divided team would be counterproductive to that.

Which was why Dodgers owner Mark Walter or president Stan Kasten should have stepped in and told the players they wouldn't visit the White House, that something more important than baseball was in play. They didn’t, of course. Kasten saying the Dodgers accepted Trump's invitation because the players wanted to is the kind of spineless buck-passing that has become standard procedure for this front office.

Walter and Kasten had the power to restart a necessary dialogue at a time when the Trump administration not only sent a brown-skinned man without a criminal record to a Salvadoran prison by mistake but also defied a Supreme Court order to facilitate his return. They didn't. Their silence was a betrayal, both to the Dodgers and their history.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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A look back at when Scottie Pippen was almost a Celtic

A look back at when Scottie Pippen was almost a Celtic originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

In 1997, the Rick Pitino-led Boston Celtics nearly made a franchise-altering deal with the dynastic Chicago Bulls.

Boston finished the 1996-97 season with only 15 wins, the fewest in team history. On the bright side, the Celtics’ terrible record gave them great odds of securing the No. 1 pick in the 1997 NBA Draft and selecting Wake Forest star Tim Duncan.

Despite having a 27.5 percent chance of picking first overall, the C’s ended up with the No. 3 pick, in addition to the No. 6 from a trade with the Dallas Mavericks. The draft lottery results forced Pitino and Co. to get creative as they looked to piece together a competitive team for 1998.

First, Pitino attempted to trade the third and sixth picks to Gregg Popovich and the Spurs for the No. 1 selection.

“I got a call from the folks in Boston,” former Celtics coach and general manager M.L. Carr told NBC Sports Boston. “The Pitino group (was) asking, ‘Could we give picks to Popovich and ask him if he’d trade the first pick for a third and sixth?’ I went to Popovich; he felt sorry I even had to ask.

That didn’t work, so Pitino turned to Plan C.

Rumors swirled before the draft that the Celtics tried to trade their two first-round picks and a future first-rounder to the Bulls, who had just won their fifth NBA title, in a move to pair perennial All-Star Scottie Pippen and big man Luc Longley with young C’s star Antoine Walker.

Pitino confirmed the rumors on draft night.

“You have maybe, arguably, a top-20 player of all time, and you get Luc Longley. So you get a center, you have Scottie Pippen on one side, Antoine Walker on the other side,” Pitino said. “Our job is to bring the fans the best product as quickly as we can bring them the best team. Our fans deserve the best. I felt Scottie Pippen was one of the best players in the game, so we had a look at that.

“(The Bulls) wanted to sweeten — three and six was not enough for them. We sweetened it a little bit, but then they wanted the whole sugarcane factory, and we could not do that.”

With Duncan and Pippen off the table, the Celtics reluctantly stood pat and selected Chauncey Billups and Ron Mercer with the third and sixth picks, respectively. Billups, who went on to enjoy a Hall-of-Fame career, was traded to the Toronto Raptors at the deadline during his rookie season. Mercer was traded to the Denver Nuggets after two years in Boston.

The Celtics improved to 36 wins in 1997-98. They wound up with the 10th overall pick, which they used to select Kansas standout Paul Pierce.

If Pippen had turned around Boston’s fortunes, they may not have been in the position to select “The Truth.” Pierce endured a difficult decade as the face of the franchise before forming the “Big Three” with Kevin Garnett and Ray Allen in 2008 and bringing Banner 17 to TD Garden.

Later, Pitino admitted in a radio interview that taking the Celtics coaching position was a mistake.

“I took over a team with 15 wins, banking everything on the Tim Duncan lottery,” 790 the Ticket. “Once we didn’t get Tim Duncan, I realized that leaving Kentucky was not a good move.”

Pitino resigned from his role as Celtics head coach in 2001. Pippen announced his retirement in 2004 after spending his final few seasons with the Bulls, Houston Rockets, and Portland Trail Blazers.

Learn more about the Celtics nearly trading for Pippen in the video above, narrated by Michael Holley.

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Mets' Jose Siri is headed to the injured list with a broken leg

MINNEAPOLIS — New York Mets outfielder Jose Siri is headed to the injured list with a broken left leg.

Siri fouled a pitch off his leg against the Athletics and had to be carted off the field. An initial X-ray was negative, but Siri underwent an MRI that showed a fractured tibia.

“We’ve got to get more information before we know how long he’s going to be out, but he’s going to be out for a while,” manager Carlos Mendoza said after the Mets beat Minnesota 5-1.

A roster move is expected.

Siri was using crutches for the second straight day.

“It’s obviously disappointing whenever something like that happens, but we’re not going to get too ahead of ourselves, probably get it re-evaluated within the next week,” Siri said through a translator. “I’m a quick healer so hopefully something good can come out of it.”

Acquired from Tampa Bay in a November trade, Siri is 1 for 20 this season and hitless in his last 16 at-bats. But he is a fast runner and plays strong defense. He scored from third Friday on a sacrifice fly to shallow right field.

Tyrone Taylor has started in center field for New York the past two games.

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Royals at Yankees prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 15

Its Tuesday, April 15 and the Royals (8-9) are in Bronx to take on the Yankees (9-7).

Michael Wacha is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Max Fried for New York.

The Yankees took Game 1 of the series last night, 4-1. Carlos Carrasco allowed one run over five innings and the Yankees belted four home runs in the win.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Royals at Yankees

  • Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2025
  • Time: 7:05PM EST
  • Site: Yankee Stadium
  • City: Bronx, NY
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNKC, YES

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 Royals at the Yankees

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Royals (+156), Yankees (-188)
  • Spread:  Yankees -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Yankees

  • Pitching matchup for April 15, 2025: Michael Wacha vs. Max Fried
    • Royals: Michael Wacha (0-2, 4.20 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/10 vs. Minnesota - 5.1IP, 2ER, 3H, 3BB, 4Ks
    • Yankees: Max Fried (2-0, 1.56 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/9 at Detroit - 7IP, 0ER, 5H, 0BB, 11Ks

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 Royals at Yankees

  • Jazz Chisholm, Jr. has gone yard in each of the last two games
  • Anthony Volpe is hitless in his last 9ABs and 1 for his last 20.
  • 7 of the Royals' last 9 games dating back to last season with the Yankees have stayed under the Total
  • Max Fried has given up just one earned run in his last two starts (12.2IP)

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Royals and the Yankees

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 Tuesday's game between the Royals and the Yankees:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Kansas City Royals at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
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  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
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Bryce Harper uses blue bat to signal creative baby gender reveal

PHILADELPHIA — Bryce Harper is set to take another swing at fatherhood — and he did it with a blue bat.

The Philadelphia Phillies slugger used a blue bat in his first plate appearance against San Francisco as part of a gender reveal for his fourth child.

A two-time NL MVP, Harper announced in a team meeting that his family was set to grow. He later asked All-Star shortstop Trea Turner for an assist with a most unusual reveal.

Harper had ordered two custom-made bats from Victus Sports — one of the bat manufacturers that produced the torpedo bat — in pink for a girl and blue for a boy.

“He’s a pretty creative guy,” Turner said. “He was nice enough to ask me to do it and I thought it was a nice moment for him and his family.”

Harper and his wife, Kayla, already have three young children together. The Harpers have a son named named Krew and two daughters, Brooklyn and Kamryn. Harper was not immediately available for comment after the Phillies lost 10-4.

“Any time you have a kid, I know it’s a fourth, but still, it’s pretty cool,” Turner said.

Turner had the pink and blue bats in the dugout before the Phillies hit in the first inning. Turner teased Harper with the pink bat before pulling it back and trading it for blue.

“He thought he was having a girl, so I had to mess with him a little bit,” Turner said. “Sure enough, it was a boy. I ended up handing him the blue one and he was pretty happy.”

Harper struck out with the blue bat. He resumed swinging his regular bat for the rest of the game and finished 1 for 5.

“I think he would have been excited either way,” Turner said. “Now he’s got two of each. I feel like, kind of a complete family already, but any time you can add another person to the family, I think it’s special. I think he’s super excited.”

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Rockies' Kris Bryant heads to IL for 9th time since joining the team in 2022

LOS ANGELES — Colorado Rockies designated hitter Kris Bryant has landed on the 10-day injured list with a bad back, the latest in a series of health issues that have resulted in nine IL stints since 2022.

The team said the move is due to lumbar degenerative disk disease. Bryant saw noted orthopedic spine surgeon Dr. Robert Watkins in Los Angeles.

“It’s been bothering him for a few days,” manager Bud Black said. “We decided to be a little bit proactive and put him on the injured list. Hopefully in 10 days he’ll be back.”

The 33-year-old Bryant spent the offseason following a stringent program to strengthen his back.

“This is an aggravation,” Black said. “We don’t want him to take any steps backwards by trying to push him through this. He’s going to have to manage his back, just like a lot of players have to manage certain body parts to get through the season.”

Just like the Rockies, Bryant has gotten off to a slow start through 11 games. The team has a major league-worst three wins.

Bryant is batting .154 with six hits, one RBI, 13 strikeouts and no homers.

Degenerative disk disease involves the breakdown and deterioration of the spinal disks, which act as cushions between the vertebrae. It’s a natural part of aging, but can also be accelerated by injury, overuse, and lifestyle choices. While DDD itself isn’t a disease, the resulting disk degeneration can lead to pain, nerve compression, and other symptoms.

Bryant joined the Rockies on a seven-year, $182 million contract ahead of the 2022 season. He’s appeared in only 170 games since then due to plantar fasciitis, a bone bruise in his foot, heel issues, a broken finger, a back strain, a lower rib contusion and now further back issues.

When he’s been in the lineup, Bryant has batted just .244 with 17 home runs and 61 RBIs.

His numbers have tailed off dramatically since his best years with the Chicago Cubs. Bryant helped the Cubs win the 2016 World Series and was the NL MVP that year. The four-time All-Star hit .278 and averaged 31 homers and 89 RBIs between 2015 and 2021.

Colorado called up catcher Braxton Fulford from Triple-A Albuquerque to take Bryant’s place on the roster, and right-hander Jeff Criswell was transferred to the 60-day IL.