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Rangers at White Sox prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for May 23

Its Friday, May 23 and the Rangers (25-26) are in Chicago to take on the White Sox (15-35).

Tyler Mahle is slated to take the mound for Texas against Sean Burke for Chicago.

The Sox lost two of three earlier this week. They have now lost eight of their last nine. The Rangers arrive in the Windy City having lost four in a row. Thursday afternoon they lost 1-0 to the Yankees in the Bronx. Nathan Eovaldi allowed one run over six innings but it was one run too many as the Rangers' bats picked up just three singles and a double.

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 Rangers at White Sox

  • Date: Friday, May 23, 2025
  • Time: 7:40PM EST
  • Site: Rate Field
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • Network/Streaming: CW33, CHSN

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 Rangers at the White Sox

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Rangers (-187), White Sox (+155)
  • Spread:  Rangers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Rangers at White Sox

  • Pitching matchup for May 23, 2025: Tyler Mahle vs. Sean Burke
    • Rangers: Tyler Mahle (5-1, 1.47 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/17 vs. Houston - 6IP, 1ER, 5H, 2BB, 3Ks
    • White Sox: Sean Burke (2-5, 4.69 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/17 at Cubs - 4.2IP, 5ER, 7H, 5BB, 4Ks

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rangers at White Sox

  • The Rangers are on a 4-game win streak at the White Sox
  • 6 of the Rangers' last 7 games against American League teams have gone under the Total
  • The last 10 games the White Sox have held a rest advantage over their opponents they have gone 8-2 on the Run Line
  • Marcus Semien has had more than one hit in a game once in May
  • Marcus Semien is 12-68 (.176) in May with 1 HR and 11 singles

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

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rangers and the White Sox

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Rangers and the White Sox:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Texas Rangers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Chicago White Sox 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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Diamondbacks at Cardinals Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends and stats for May 23

Its Friday, May 23 and the Diamondbacks (26-24) are in St. Louis to take on the Cardinals (27-23).

Zac Gallen is slated to take the mound for Arizona against Miles Mikolas for St. Louis.

Both St. Louis and Arizona were off Thursday. Each is coming off a series that saw them drop two of three. The Cards lost two to the Tigers including a 5-1 loss Wednesday. Arizona lost the final two of their series against the Dodgers.

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 Diamondbacks at Cardinals

  • Date: Friday, May 23, 2025
  • Time: 8:15PM EST
  • Site: Busch Stadium
  • City: St. Louis, MO
  • 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 Diamondbacks at the Cardinals

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Diamondbacks (-129), Cardinals (+109)
  • Spread:  Diamondbacks -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Diamondbacks at Cardinals

  • Pitching matchup for May 23, 2025: Zac Gallen vs. Miles Mikolas
    • Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen (3-5, 5.14 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/17 vs. Colorado - 5IP, 6ER, 8H, 2BB, 5Ks
    • Cardinals: Miles Mikolas (3-2, 3.77 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/17 at Kansas City - 6IP, 0ER, 2H, 2BB, 4Ks

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 Diamondbacks at Cardinals

  • Betting the Diamondbacks on the Money Line in all their road games this season is showing a 106% return on investment
  • The Under has cashed in 5 of the Cardinals' last 7 games with Miles Mikolas on the mound
  • The Cardinals have covered in 4 successive games with Miles Mikolas as the starter
  • Willson Contreras is 3-19 over his last 5 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 Diamondbacks and the Cardinals

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 Diamondbacks and the Cardinals:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Arizona Diamondbacks on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the St. Louis Cardinals 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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Phillies at Athletics Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for May 23

Its Friday, May 23 and the Phillies (32-18) are in Sacramento to take on the Athletics (22-29).

Zack Wheeler is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Jeffrey Springs for Oakland.

The Phillies' win streak is now at seven games following their sweep of the Rockies. Thursday was an unusually low-scoring affair for Coors Field, but the result was all too common...another Rockies' loss. Ranger Suarez and three Phillies' relievers held Colorado scoreless and limited them to seven hits. The Athletics have lost nine in a row. The Angels took four from the A's earlier this week including back-to-back 10-5 wins to close out the series. Thursday, Luis Severino held the Halos in check allowing just two runs through six innings, but the A's bullpen failed, and the Angels rallied for 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 Phillies at Athletics

  • Date: Friday, May 23, 2025
  • Time: 10:05PM EST
  • Site: Sutter Health Park
  • City: Sacramento, CA,
  • Network/Streaming: NBCSP, NBCSCA, MLBN

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

Odds for the Phillies at the Athletics

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Phillies (-181), Athletics (+150)
  • Spread:  Phillies -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Athletics

  • Pitching matchup for May 23, 2025: Zack Wheeler vs. Jeffrey Springs
    • Phillies: Zack Wheeler (5-1, 2.67 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/17 vs. Pittsburgh - 6IP, 0ER, 3H, 1BB, 6Ks
    • Athletics: Jeffrey Springs (5-3, 3.91 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/18 at San Francisco - 6.2IP, 1ER, 2H, 0BB, 5Ks

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 Phillies at Athletics

  • The Phillies are on a 3-game win streak at the Athletics
  • The Total has cashed the under in 14 of the Phillies' 24 road games this season
  • The Phillies have covered the Run Line in 6 straight games
  • Zack Wheeler has struck out no fewer than 6 opposing hitters in each of his last 6 starts
  • Alec Bohm is hitting .333 (22-66) in May

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 Phillies and the Athletics

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday's game between the Phillies and the Athletics:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia Phillies on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Philadelphia Phillies 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

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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Yankees at Rockies prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for May 23

Its Friday, May 23 and the Yankees (30-19) are in Denver to take on the Rockies (8-42).

Clarke Schmidt is slated to take the mound for New York against Chase Dollander for Colorado.

The Yankees completed a sweep of the Rangers Thursday with a 1-0 win. Jorbit Vivas cracked his first career home run to account for the offense and Carlos Rodon and three relievers combined for the shutout. The Rockies lost four to the Phillies including a 2-0 loss Thursday. German Marquez allowed a single earned run over seven innings but received zero support from Colorado's lineup.

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 Yankees at Rockies

  • Date: Friday, May 23, 2025
  • Time: 8:40PM EST
  • Site: Coors Field
  • City: Denver, CO
  • Network/Streaming: YES, COLR

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 Yankees at the Rockies

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Yankees (-302), Rockies (+242)
  • Spread:  Yankees -1.5
  • Total: 12.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Yankees at Rockies

  • Pitching matchup for May 23, 2025: Clarke Schmidt vs. Chase Dollander
    • Yankees: Clarke Schmidt (1-1, 4.41 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/17 vs. Mets - 6IP, 2ER, 3H, 5BB, 5Ks
    • Rockies: Chase Dollander (2-5, 6.28 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/18 at Arizona - 4.2IP, 1ER, 3H, 2BB, 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 Yankees at Rockies

  • The Yankees have won 7 of their last 9 games, while the Rockies have lost 16 of 20 at home
  • 6 of the Yankees' last 7 games (86%) have stayed under the Total
  • Aaron Judge is hitting .358 (24-67) in May but as a result his average has dropped to .396
  • Jasson Dominguez is 6-26 (.231) over his last 7 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 Friday’s game between the Yankees and the Rockies

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 Yankees and the Rockies:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play ATS on the New York Yankees at -1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 12.0.

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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Dodgers at Mets Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for May 23

Its Friday, May 23 and it is a rematch of last year's NLCS as the Dodgers (31-19) are in Queens to take on the Mets (30-20).

Clayton Kershaw is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Griffin Canning for New York.

The Mets have lost four of their last six. The headlines, though, have all been about Juan Soto and his struggles to adapt to his new team. After losing four straight, the Dodgers have bounced back winning their last two as they enter play at Citi Field for the weekend.

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 Dodgers at Mets

  • Date: Friday, May 23, 2025
  • Time: 7:10PM EST
  • Site: Citi Field
  • City: Queens, 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 Dodgers at the Mets

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Dodgers (-120), Mets (+100)
  • Spread:  Dodgers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Mets

  • Pitching matchup for May 23, 2025: Clayton Kershaw vs. Griffin Canning
    • Dodgers: Clayton Kershaw (0-0, 11.25 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/17 vs. Angels - 4IP, 5ER, 5H, 3BB, 2Ks
    • Mets: Griffin Canning (5-1, 2.47 ERA)
      Last outing: 5/17 at Yankees - 5.1IP, 2ER, 7H, 1BB, 4Ks

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 Dodgers at Mets

  • The Dodgers have won 19 of 30 games following a win
  • The Under is 4-1 in the Dodgers' last 5 games against National League teams
  • The Mets have failed to cover the Run Line in 5 of their last 7 home games
  • Freddie Freeman is baseball's hottest hitter as he is 31-75 (.413) in May

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 Dodgers and the Mets

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 Dodgers and the Mets:

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

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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Ivan Toney recalled to England squad, Spurs head for trophy parade: football news – live

The latest omission of Jack Grealish isn’t a surprise. Grealish is a bit-part player at Manchester City these days and wasn’t used in last weekend’s FA Cup final defeat by Crystal Palace. The match winner in that game, Eberechi Eze, is included. The Palace duo of Marc Guéhi and Adam Wharton miss out, presumably due to injury (although it should be said Tuchel hasn’t seemed entirely convinced by Guéhi).

Tuchel has not been able to name Marcus Rashford because of injury; West Ham’s Jarrod Bowen misses out after failing to take his opportunity last time. Newcastle’s Dan Burn gets another go.

Continue reading...
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Giants' Bailey searching for better offensive, defensive balance

Giants' Bailey searching for better offensive, defensive balance originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — Baseball Savant has all of the advanced statistics you could ever want for a player, but the website has also done a brilliant job of distilling the numbers for fans who might want to determine how a hitter or pitcher is doing with just one glance. At the top of every page is a player’s “percentile rankings,” showing how he compares to others in stats like expected batting average, hard-hit percentage and sprint speed. Red bars are good and blue bars are bad, and the darker the shade is, the better or worse you’re doing. 

Through the first two months of the season, it might be a Giants regular who has the most fascinating Savant page. 

Patrick Bailey’s fielding categories are all dark red, and he’s in the 100th percentile in fielding run value. But he’s also in the second percentile in batting run value. The columns for things like expected batting average, strikeout rate and hard-hit percentage are a dark shade of blue, indicating “cold” production at the plate. 

Simply put, Bailey might be the best defender in baseball. There also are few who have gotten off to a slower start at the plate. 

The dichotomy has rarely been more apparent than in Tuesday night’s 3-2 win over the Kansas City Royals. Bailey went 0-for-4, but the Giants might not win that game if he’s not behind the plate. In addition to his usual framing and guidance for one of the best pitching staffs in baseball, Bailey threw a pair of runners out at second base. 

Maikel Garcia was cut down early, and with the Giants holding a one-run lead in the eighth, Bailey threw out Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. That was an example of two of the game’s greatest individual skills battling for superiority. Witt was in the 100th percentile in Sprint Speed. Bailey was in the 100th percentile in Pop Time, and he got out of the crouch in an elite 1.83 seconds to get the throw down to second.

The first run of that game came after a sequence during which Hayden Birdsong threw away a pickoff attempt and then made a wild pitch. Afterward, he laughed and said he had learned a valuable lesson.

“I’m dumb for picking off, honestly,” he said. “I have no reason to pick off when he’s back there. There’s no reason, because he’s just going to throw somebody out at second.”

That faith is exactly what Buster Posey was looking for when he first met with Bailey this spring. He told his fellow catcher that the only thing that mattered was his ability to handle and lead the pitching staff, and while Bailey’s offensive numbers are concerning, the Giants put tremendous value on his overall output. 

Bob Melvin is leaning heavily on those defensive traits. Melvin, himself a former catcher, has started Bailey in 35 of 50 games and brought him off the bench eight other times. Managers generally prefer to give their catcher a full day off when possible, but Bailey often comes in late as a defensive replacement when Sam Huff starts. He leads the majors with 43 games caught, and the Giants know that even the threat of him throwing someone out can make a difference late in close games.

“First and foremost, we look at the catcher’s position as a guy that manages the staff and plays defense, and he’s done that beautifully,” Melvin said Thursday. “It’s even more so of a priority with Buster here — it’s managing the staff and doing what he does defensively.”

Bailey is well on his way to becoming the first Giants catcher to win two Gold Glove Awards, but that doesn’t make it much easier to sleep on a night like Tuesday. The next morning, he talked about how he knows there’s much more to give. 

“It definitely helps but I’m not swinging the bat the way I’m capable of,” he said. “I’m working hard to get back to myself and get my swing back and just being confident and competing out there. Obviously when we’re winning it makes it easier to go through the struggles, but that being said, I need to be better at the plate. 

“At the end of the day, I’m trying to do the best I can to help the team win, and obviously I understand what I do behind the plate can really influence that.”

A few hours later, Bailey hit his first homer since Sept. 24, but he still headed out on the road trip with a .183 batting average and .507 OPS. His power production started to dip in the second half last year, and this season he is slugging just .270. His strikeout rate is up above 30 percent, and when he does make contact, he far too often is hitting non-threatening fly balls. 

Bailey’s hard-hit percentage is down nearly 10 percent year over year, but his launch angle is up eight percent. He leads the majors in balls hit up the middle — 52.9 percent — which ordinarily is a positive for hitters. But using the biggest part of the field isn’t as effective when you’re not hitting line drives. Bailey is second in the majors in fly ball percentage and second in fly balls to center field, specifically. At Oracle Park, that’s particularly challenging. 

Every day, work is being put in to iron out that approach. When Bailey was succeeding in the first half of last year, he was pulling the ball about 40 percent of the time, but his timing has been off this year. That number has nearly been cut in half. 

“The swings are fine right now. I think for me, it’s probably still just a timing thing, a confidence thing,” he said. “You forget the success you’ve had in the big leagues when you’re going through it and struggling. I’ve just got to get back to believing in the swing and the talent. I’ve had really, really successful months left-handed and right-handed in the big leagues. I know it’s in there and I’m working my butt off to try and get back there.”

That effort is complicated by the fact that Bailey has more on his plate than any other Giant. In addition to playing the most difficult defensive position, he’s the roster’s only switch-hitter, giving him two swings to maintain, not one. There were times in the minors when he considered hitting only left-handed, but the Giants value the flexibility that comes with doing both, and Bailey has at times in the big leagues been better from the right side. 

Bailey said the added daily tasks aren’t a reason for his early struggles. 

“At the end of the day, I’ve got to go out there and produce and do what I need to do before games to get the swings right and not let anything slack defensively,” he said. “There’s no excuse to have a .400 something OPS. I’m better than that and I think as time goes it’ll get better and we’ll get back to where we want to be.”

Melvin moved Willy Adames down the order when he slumped through April, and he has found extra days off for LaMonte Wade Jr., who, like Bailey, has hit too many soft fly balls early on. But there is nothing to do behind the plate but be patient and hope for more days like Wednesday. 

Bailey’s defense makes an impact every time he’s in the lineup, and Melvin is confident the rest of the game will come around. For a player who has tried to take a more confident approach to the plate, perhaps it will be as simple as finally seeing a ball clear the wall. 

“He’s going to hit,” Melvin said. “I’ve seen him be a good hitter before and I think the challenging part is the mental part, which I think probably was an issue last year in the second half. Everybody has to fight through those things at some point in time in their career.”

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Pacers vs. Knicks Game 2 Predictions: Odds, expert picks, recent stats, trends and best bets for May 23

It’s Friday, May 23, and the Indiana Pacers (50-32) and New York Knicks (51-31) are all set to square off from Madison Square Garden in New York for Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals.

Indiana rallied from down 14 points with 3:44 remaining and down 8 points with 1:20 to force OT and shockingly win Game 1, 138-135. Game 1 became an instant classic and Tyrese Haliburton left his mark on the game with an OT-forcing two-point shot that was inches away from a three, while Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns could not put the Knicks ahead late in OT.

The Pacers are currently 20-20 on the road with a point differential of 2, while the Knicks have a 6-4 record in their last ten games at home.

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 Pacers vs. Knicks live today

  • Date: Friday, May 23, 2025
  • Time: 8:00 PM EST
  • Site: Madison Square Garden
  • City: New York, NY
  • Network/Streaming: TNT / truTV / Max

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 NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Pacers vs. Knicks

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Odds: Pacers (+202), Knicks (-247)
  • Spread:  Knicks -5.5
  • Over/Under: 225 points

That gives the Pacers an implied team point total of 111.59, and the Knicks 114.46.

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!

Expert picks & predictions for Friday’s Pacers vs. Knicks game

NBC Sports Bet Best Bet Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Knicks to get even in Game 2:

"Judging by how Game 1 went, you may get better live in-game value betting the Knicks ML, but this is a New York or pass spot for me. The Knicks, in their minds, can't go back to Indiana down 0-2 with that choke of an effort in Game 1. I could only look toward the Knicks ML or spread."

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 Pacers & Knicks game:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Knicks on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Indiana Pacers at +5.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 225.

Want even more NBA best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert NBA Predictions pagefrom 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 Pacers vs. Knicks on Friday

  • In 2 wins against the Pacers this season the Knicks' average winning margin is +19
  • 5 of the Pacers' last 6 matchups with the Knicks have gone over the Total
  • The Pacers have covered in 5 straight games as a road underdog

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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Reports: Athletics call up top prospects amid nine-game skid

Reports: Athletics call up top prospects amid nine-game skid originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Athletics are pulling all the tricks out of the bag in an effort to end their nine-game losing streak.

The A’s are calling up top prospect Denzel Clarke from Triple-A Las Vegas, ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported Thursday night, citing sources. They also are calling up No. 30 prospect Logan Davidson, MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos reported Friday, citing a source.

Clarke, who just turned 25, is hitting .286/.436/.419 through 31 games with Las Vegas.

Passan added that “more moves could be coming” from the Athletics, who just suffered consecutive sweeps by the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Angels and fell to 22-29 on the season.

Clarke, listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, already is viewed by the Athletics as a Gold Glove-caliber defender in centerfield (h/t Gallegos).

“From a defensive standpoint in center, he’s probably one of the better ones we have in the organization,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said of Clarke back in March. “He’s super talented out there.”

The Athletics now hope Clarke’s energetic spirit and crafty play both at the plate and on the field can help them turn things around.

Davidson was selected by the Athletics in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft, and through 41 games with Las Vegas, he is hitting .303 with a .879 OPS.

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Athletics execute major roster shakeup amid nine-game losing streak

Athletics execute major roster shakeup amid nine-game losing streak originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Athletics are pulling all the tricks out of the bag in an effort to end their nine-game losing streak.

The A’s are calling up top prospect and outfielder Denzel Clarke from Triple-A Las Vegas, They also are calling up No. 30 prospect and infielder/outfielder Logan Davidson, catcher Willie Maclver, infielder CJ Alexander and left-handed pitcher Jacob Lopez.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan and MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos first reported some of the moves Friday morning.

The A’s optioned centerfielder JJ Bleday, right-handed pitcher Carlos Duran and catcher Jhonny Pereda to Triple-A Las Vegas and designated outfielder/infielder Seth Brown for assignment, placed third baseman Gio Urshela on IL and transferred infielder Zack Gelof to the 60-day IL.

“[We’re] obviously in a stretch right now where we’re not finding ways to win,” general manager David Forst told reporters Friday. “Trying to make some changes where we can. … We will continue to look, both from a position player and pitcher’s standpoint, for places where we can make improvements and get back to the kind of baseball we were playing before this stretch started.

“I think we’re better than we’ve shown the last 10 days.”

Clarke, who just turned 25, is hitting .286/.436/.419 through 31 games with Las Vegas. The 6-foot-4, 220-pounder already is viewed by the Athletics as a Gold Glove-caliber defender in center (h/t Gallegos), and Forst told reporters he’ll start there in Friday’s game against the Philadelphia Phillies.

“From a defensive standpoint in center, he’s probably one of the better ones we have in the organization,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said of Clarke back in March. “He’s super talented out there.”

Davidson was selected by the Athletics in the first round of the 2019 MLB Draft, and through 41 games with Las Vegas, he is hitting .303 with a .879 OPS. Forst envisions Davidson being a valuable “super-utility guy” for the A’s moving forward.

Maclver, 28, is hitting .389 with a 1.017 OPS through 35 games for Las Vegas, and Alexander, 28, is hitting .252/.348/.509 with a .857 OPS through 42 games. Lopez returns to the A’s with a 3.86 ERA through seven innings during the 2025 MLB season.

The Athletics now hope Clarke’s energetic spirit and crafty play, paired with a batch of fresh faces both at the plate and on the field, can help them turn things around.

Forst said Lopez, alongside Clarke, will start against Philadelphia, giving the call-ups a quick opportunity.

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Jerzy Dudek: ‘Carra said to do the spaghetti legs like Grobbelaar but I needed to study my book’

Liverpool’s penalty shootout hero in the 2005 Champions League final against Milan reflects on the ‘Miracle of Istanbul’ and how it changed his life

Twenty years on from that double save, those spaghetti legs and the miracle of Liverpool’s fifth European Cup triumph and Turkey has not lost the capacity to make a champion out of Jerzy Dudek. “I won the Turkish Open golf last week and it reminded me a bit of Istanbul,” the former Liverpool goalkeeper says. “It is my favourite place, my lucky place, and it stays with me all the time. If I go on holiday to Turkey I always go with a big smile.”

Sunday promises to have the same effect on everyone associated with Liverpool. The presentation of the Premier League trophy to Arne Slot’s champions at Anfield coincides with the 20th anniversary of the “Miracle of Istanbul”, when Liverpool overcame a 3-0 half-time deficit to defeat Milan on penalties in the Champions League final. Not that any Liverpool fan needs reminding of the details. The sights and sounds of Ataturk Stadium remain as vivid to Dudek now as they were on 25 May, 2005.

Continue reading...
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TNT's Stan Van Gundy criticizes 'soft' late-game Knicks defense, referees' missed goaltend in Game 1 loss

A few hours after he finished calling Game 1 of Knicks-Pacers, TNT’s Stan Van Gundy woke up in his New York hotel room and re-watched the tape.

“I really was going back over every play because my impression coming out of it was that the Knicks’ defense was just soft and they had way too many mistakes and breakdowns. And when I watched it again, it was even clearer,” Van Gundy, the longtime TNT analyst, said.

Does Van Gundy think the Knicks will let the loss impact them in Game 2?

“They’ll look at the mistakes and pick themselves (up) and get ready to go. I don’t think (Knicks coach Tom Thibodeau) has to worry about (hangover from Wednesday’s loss) at this time of year,” Van Gundy said. “Their pick and roll defense to me, early on in the game, (Karl-Anthony) Towns was really back. (Myles) Turner was just getting wide-open shots. And then they had some miscommunications on perimeter screens; small-small (screens). Are we switching or not? They had breakdowns there. And then late in the game, they were really soft on their switches and (Aaron) Nesmith was hitting threes. To me, they’ve got to clean up their pick-and-roll coverages, being up and more aggressive. And their communication’s got to be a lot better on what they’re doing.

“….There was not a hard three in that stretch (of Nesmith’s six threes late in the fourth quarter). It’s still hard to make six straight threes. But it wasn’t like the shot-clock ran down and someone had to throw one in. He got great looks. Nesmith, all five of his looks were great looks. And the one (Tyrese) Haliburton got, (Mikal) Bridges gave him a lot of space on that one, too. They got really good shots. I just thought the Knicks' defense in that stretch was very soft. And in the overtime, they had breakdowns on (Obi) Toppin’s dunk and (Andrew) Nembhard’s back cut. They just, defensively, didn’t get the job done.”

Van Gundy spent about an hour talking Knicks-Pacers with a small group of reporters on Thursday. He shared his thoughts on several other topics...

New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) controls the ball against Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) in the third quarter during game one of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson (11) controls the ball against Indiana Pacers forward Aaron Nesmith (23) in the third quarter during game one of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. / Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

HALIBURTON VS BRUNSON

"(Haliburton) and Brunson are both great players, but their style of play is so different because Haliburton is a quick-decision, get-off-the-ball type of guy and Brunson’s a very ball-dominant guard. So if you look on – I think they chart seconds per touch. Every time I touch the ball, how long do I hold it? Haliburton holds it on the average about 2.5 seconds less than Brunson.

"Brunson holds it the most in the league. Over six seconds per touch. Haliburton is about 3.5 seconds per touch. (Van Gundy points out that Brunson averages three more dribbles per touch than Haliburton). It’s just a difference that sets up the whole style of play. The Knicks being a little more methodical. Brunson, the best comparison to him is probably (James) Harden. Dribble, dribble, dribble - not selfish because he’ll certainly give the ball to other people. But he’s going to keep it in his hands whereas Haliburton gets off of it, let’s other people play and the whole thing….Two great players with different styles.”

OBI TOPPIN’S DUNK ON A PICK AND ROLL TO SEAL INDIANA’S WIN IN OT

"That was really weird defense to me. First of all, they inbounded the ball really easily. Teams have trouble inbounding the ball. You saw the Knicks almost turn it over (earlier in the game). Teams have a lot of trouble inbounding and the Knicks just let them do it. They really didn’t do anything.

"And then on the pick and roll, I don’t really know what they wanted to be in because to me, Mitchell Robinson wasn’t up, he wasn’t really affecting Nembhard at all. But yet he let Toppin roll behind him….

"Those are all very preventable (mistakes) in my opinion and I’m sure in Thibs’ opinion too. Those are all preventable things that are just defensive mistakes and you can’t make that many of them in a game, especially against a team like Indiana.”

Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) reacts in the second half against the New York Knicks during game one of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden
Indiana Pacers forward Obi Toppin (1) reacts in the second half against the New York Knicks during game one of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden / Wendell Cruz - Imagn Images

PACERS WEARING DOWN BRUNSON

“Indiana’s been a good ball-pressure team. What they try to do – I think Indiana’s plan against New York both within a game and over the course of a series – is they just really want to wear them down. They feel like they’ve got more depth. They play more guys. Their pace and their pressure. The Knicks are gonna face full-court pressure for 48 minutes – 53 minutes (in Game 1) – and we’re just gonna wear on them. And I feel like they think they were able to do that last year in a seven-game series, particularly on Brunson.

"He’s gonna be good, but we’re just gonna wear on him. They don’t blitz him a lot and make him get off the ball like some teams do because, number one, you open yourself up to three-point shooting and to offensive rebounding by other teams. But I also think they want Brunson to keep probing on the dribble and make plays. Obviously (43) points (in Game 1). But I think they feel like, ‘Hey, we’re wearing on them.’ I think that’s what their defense is designed to do. They gave up 62 paint points to New York (in Game 1). They’re so extended and spread out. Forty free throw attempts. So you’re able to attack them, but again, I think it’s calculated on their part to wear you down.”

ON HIS PREVIOUS COMMENTS ON KNICKS FANS BEING FRONT-RUNNERS

“I’ll stand by that. The Knicks fans are great fans, but if things are going bad… I’ve been in all these arenas (and if) things are going bad in Indiana, the Indiana fans are going to try to rally their team back. The Knicks fans are going to boo their team. If that 14-0 run had been the other way early in the fourth quarter and the Knicks went down 16, they’re getting booed. That’s just the way it is. That’s all I was talking about. Knicks fans are great, they’re passionate, they’re enjoying this moment so more power to them. My front-runner comment was just that. When things are going bad they’re not trying to rally everybody, they’re gonna pound you.”

REFS MISSED GOALTEND ON PACERS IN OVERTIME

“It was a goaltend and that was huge. That was huge because – four-point lead, you get the steal, you’re coming down on the break, they call a goaltend, it’s six. Instead, the ball stays in play in transition and Nembhard hits the corner three from Haliburton. That was a huge, huge play in the game on a missed goaltend. Usually, what we’ve seen in the playoffs, on those that are really close on the goaltend, they make the call so then they can take a look at it. But they didn’t make the call, so they couldn’t take a look at it. But on the replay, it got the board first. It should have been (a goaltend).”

May 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) defends against Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) in the fourth quarter during game one of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden.
May 21, 2025; New York, New York, USA; New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32) defends against Indiana Pacers forward Pascal Siakam (43) in the fourth quarter during game one of the eastern conference finals for the 2025 NBA Playoffs at Madison Square Garden. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

LEON ROSE’S ROSTER

“Leon’s done a tremendous job here putting this roster together. You think back, for the value of the contract, has there been – ever – a better free-agent signing than Jalen Brunson…. Shaq to LA? Well, ok. But that’s a max contract. You think Brunson and I mean, a lot of people, even when he got what he got, thought he was overpaid. And he wasn’t getting a max. And now he’s – I think everybody recognizes – one of the best players in the league…. Those (trades for Towns and Bridges) haven’t all been met with great enthusiasm by fans and New York media all of the time. But they’ve proven themselves pretty darn good. They put together a heckuva roster right here. With a chance (to win).”

REGGIE MILLER CALLING GAMES AT MSG AND CALLING THE SERIES FOR TNT

“For us, it's fabulous. For TV, it’s fabulous. If you think about this, it's going to be the last series we’re going to do on TNT and we get Knicks-Pacers in the conference finals with Reggie Miller? That’s storybook stuff … the only thing missing from Game 1, quite honestly, was Spike (Lee). I think it’s great theater having Reggie there. Some of the fans were yelling at him. Most of it good good-natured. Some of it not so much, to be quite honest. Reggie handles it all really well. And for us it’s just a great, great storyline.”

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Another big Shai Gilgeous-Alexander game, another third-quarter run earns Thunder Game 2

Minnesota played better in Game 2.

Anthony Edwards was much more himself attacking downhill, he shot 8-of-12 in the paint on his way to 32 points for the night. In the first half, Minnesota's bench was 7-of-12 for 19 points, and as a team the Wolves hit nine 3-pointers before the break. Minnesota looked much improved, yet at the half the Timberwolves still had a 106.4 offensive rating (10 points below their season average) and trailed by 8.

Then in the third quarter the Thunder took control. Just like in Game 1. Their pressure defense forced five Timberwolves turnovers, OKC got 12 points off those and went on a 19-6 run, and by the end of three, Minnesota was down 22 and trying to play catch-up.

They couldn't. Minnesota got as close as 10, but the game was never in doubt, and the Timberwolves were more frustrated than anything.

" I just wanted to foul him for real. I wasn't even mad I just had fouls to use," Jade McDaniels said of the foul, which was ruled a Flagrant 1.

Shai Gilgeous-Alexander looked every bit the MVP with 38 points and eight assists and Oklahoma City held on for the 118-103 win.

Oklahoma City now has a 2-0 series lead, with Game 3 Saturday night in Minnesota.

Gilgeous-Alexander's 38 points was his fifth straight game with 30+ points these playoffs, becoming the only Thunder player to accomplish that (which is impressive and maybe a little surprising considering the Thunder's history and who came through there).

From the opening tip, Minnesota's plan of attack was clear: Attack the rim to try and open things up, get 3-point attempts on kick outs (not settling for them as happened in Game 1). On those 3s the Timberwolves were 5-of-10 in the first quarter, keeping the game tight, despite shooting 3-of-14 inside the arc to open the game. The Timberwolves' ball movement was better. OKC starting the game 1-of-8 from 3 in the first quarter helped.

Things changed in the second half of the third quarter when Oklahoma City figured out the Minnesota zone, forced turnovers and went on the run that changed the game.

Jalen Williams finished with 26 points and 10 rebounds, while Chet Holmgren added 22 points for OKC.

McDaniels finished with 22 points, while Nickeil Alexander-Walker had a strong game with 17 points off the bench.

Through two games, the Thunder have looked much the better team. Minnesota needs to find a way to flip that in 48 hours, or this series will be all but over.

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Braves star Acuña to return Friday from left knee injury

WASHINGTON — Ronald Acuña Jr. is ready to make his season debut for the Atlanta Braves on Friday night.

The Braves announced after Thursday night’s loss to Washington that Acuña will return from a left knee injury that has sidelined him for nearly a year when Atlanta opens a three-game series at home against San Diego.

The 2023 NL MVP tore the ACL in his left knee last May 26 and had surgery on June 6. Acuña played six games in the minors on a rehab assignment, going 6 for 15 with two home runs.

Acuña played in only 49 games last season, batting .250 with four homers, 15 RBIs, 16 stolen bases and a .716 OPS.

He was a unanimous winner of the NL MVP award in 2023 when he hit .336 with 41 home runs, 106 RBIs and a league-leading 1.012 OPS. Acuña also stole 73 bases that year to become the only player with 40 homers and 70 steals in one season.

A four-time All-Star, the 27-year-old Acuña has 165 homers and 195 stolen bases in 722 career games.