Category: Sports News

Slowly but surely, the stars of Houston’s 2017 World Series-winning team have scattered about in the years since.

George Springer is in Toronto now, Alex Bregman in Boston and Carlos Correa in Minnesota. Justin Verlander pitches for San Francisco. Jose Altuve and Lance McCullers Jr. are still with the Astros, but it feels like it’s only a matter of time before Houston’s dominance of the AL West comes to an end.

The question is whether anyone else in the division has what it takes to force a changing of the guard.

If it weren’t for Oakland’s division title in the pandemic-shortened 2020 season, Houston would have a streak of seven straight AL West championships. Only the Braves, Dodgers and Yankees have had runs that long since divisional play began. But last year, the Astros won just 88 games, their fewest in a full season since 2016. Only the mediocrity of the rest of the division kept them on top.

This year, Houston is 32-27, which puts the Astros on pace to win 88 games again. Nonetheless, they trail first-place Seattle by just a half-game.

The challengers all have their problems. The Athletics had an encouraging start but have lost 17 of their last 18. The Los Angeles Angels look headed to a 10th straight losing season. Texas won it all as a wild card two years ago but has been one of the worst offensive teams in baseball in 2025.

This year, Houston is 32-27, which puts the Astros on pace to win 88 games again. Nonetheless, they trail first-place Seattle by just a half-game.

The challengers all have their problems. The Athletics had an encouraging start but have lost 17 of their last 18. The Los Angeles Angels look headed to a 10th straight losing season. Texas won it all as a wild card two years ago but has been one of the worst offensive teams in baseball in 2025.

Agony of defeat

Boston was swept three straight at Milwaukee, with the last two losses coming in walk-off fashion. Christian Yelich hit a 10th-inning grand slam to beat the Red Sox, and the following day Caleb Durbin ended it with a sacrifice fly.

Boston has lost a major league-high seven games in walk-off fashion — and those games account for over a fifth of their 32 defeats.

Line of the week

Junior Caminero went 4 for 5 with two homers, two doubles, five RBIs and four runs in Tampa Bay’s 16-3 rout of Houston. Even after a loss, the Rays have won nine of their last 12 and are just a half-game behind Minnesota for the American League’s final wild card.

Comeback of the week

Minnesota trailed Seattle 6-3 with two outs in the top of the ninth when Willi Castro hit a two-run homer off closer Andrés Muñoz. Then Byron Buxton singled, stole second and scored on a single by Trevor Larnach.

In the top of the 10th, the Twins scored six runs on their way to a 12-6 victory. Seattle had a win probability of 98.9% in the ninth, according to Baseball Savant.

Muñoz had not allowed an earned run all season. He blew another save against Minnesota but ultimately got the win.

Trivia answer

The Miami Marlins and Colorado Rockies have never won ANY division titles. The other four teams that have never gone back-to-back are:

— San Francisco Giants (NL West titles in 1971, 1987, 1989, 1997, 2000, 2003, 2010, 2012 and 2021)

— New York Mets (NL East titles in 1969, 1973, 1986, 1988, 2006 and 2015)

— Chicago White Sox (AL West titles in 1983 and 1993, AL Central titles in 2000, 2005, 2008 and 2021)

— Seattle Mariners (AL West titles in 1995, 1997 and 2001)

It's Monday, June 2, and the Brewers (32-28) are in Cincinnati to take on the Reds (29-31). Aaron Civale is slated to take the mound for Milwaukee against Brady Singer for Cincinnati.

The Brewers have been on a roll. They are coming off a series sweep of the Philadelphia Phillies and have won seven games in a row. Despite their hot streak, they are still 5.5 games behind the Chicago Cubs.

The Reds, who are three games behind the Brewers in the NL East, need to get some momentum going. They have won just four of their last 10 games.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Brewers at Reds

• Date: Monday, June 2, 2025
• Time: 7:10PM EST
• Site: Great American Ball Park
• City: Cincinnati, OH
• Network/Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network Ohio, FanDuel Sports Network Wisconsin

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 Brewers at the Reds

The latest odds as of Monday:

• Moneyline: Brewers (+102), Reds (-122)
• Spread:  Reds -1.5
• Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Brewers at Reds

• Pitching matchup for June 2, 2025: Aaron Civale vs. Brady Singer
  
  • Brewers: Aaron Civale, (0-1, 6.00 ERA)
    Last outing (Boston Red Sox, 5/27): 5.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
  • Reds: Brady Singer, (6-3, 4.60 ERA)
    Last outing (Kansas City Royals, 5/27): Innings Pitched, Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, Walks, and Strikeouts

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

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Brewers at Reds

• The Brewers have a losing road record this season (14-18) but have won their last 4 games
• The Under is 22-14-2 in the Reds' matchups against National League teams this season
• The Brewers have covered in 4 of their last 5 road games but they are profiting 2.76 units

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

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Brewers and the Reds

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 Monday's game between the Brewers and the Reds:

• 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 Milwaukee Brewers 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)
  

SEATTLE — Just before Big Dumper put a thump into a soaring flyball, a smattering of “MVP! MVP!” chants broke out from behind home plate.

Given the way Cal Raleigh’s season has started, perhaps the Mariners’ catcher is wholly deserving of such high praise. With a solo shot during Seattle’s latest victory, 2-1 over the Minnesota Twins, Raleigh upped his total to a major league-leading 23 home runs.

“He’s having an excellent season, not only offensively but also defensively,” teammate Randy Arozarena said, with bench coach Manny Acta translating. “What he’s doing right now, it’s great because he’s carrying our offense pretty much.”

That’s no exaggeration on Arozarena’s part. And what Raleigh is doing is also unprecedented.

The 28-year-old backstop from North Carolina with the funny nickname became the first catcher in major league history to reach 20 home runs before the end of May. His 22 home runs entering June tied for the second-most in Mariners history behind only Hall of Famer Ken Griffey Jr., who had 24 in 1997.

“He just continues to grow and mature in this game,” said Mariners manager Dan Wilson, a former catcher who was on that Seattle team in 1997. “And the pace that he’s on right now with home runs — and he’s not just hitting home runs, he’s still just hitting the ball hard.

“You add that to what he does behind the plate in a game like this — whew, he’s a real special player and he’s doing it all right now.”

According to Baseball Savant, Raleigh ranks eighth among big league catchers in Fielding Run Value.

He also has more home runs than Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge. So it’s no wonder Raleigh has already been worth 3.3 Wins Above Replacement, per baseball-reference.com, less than 60 games into the season for the AL West-leading Mariners (32-26).

“I just wish that he continues to stay healthy and (has) a very long career,” Seattle pitcher Luis Castillo said, with Acta translating. “Because it’s a lot of fun right now.”

Salvador Perez of the Kansas City Royals holds the big league record for home runs in a season by a catcher with 48 in 2021. Raleigh is on pace for 64 this year, which would break the American League mark of 62 set by Judge in 2022.

Sure, there’s still a long way to go in 2025.

But, awfully impressive numbers for someone playing such a demanding and taxing position, where offense is often considered a luxury rather than a requirement.

“Sometimes it’s not playing harder, it’s playing smarter,” said Wilson, a major league catcher for 14 years. “And he continues to play smart baseball whether it’s behind the plate or at the bat. He’s coming up huge for us all over the place.”

LOS ANGELES — Ryan Yarbrough picked up a dazzling World Series ring from his time with the Los Angeles Dodgers last season. Then he went out and beat them.

The New York Yankees starter pitched one-run ball over six innings, struck out a season-high five and blanked the Dodgers’ top four hitters in a 7-3 win.

“I feel like I’m in a really good place right now and really trying to continue that,” Yarbrough said. “I’m having a lot of fun.”

The 33-year-old left-hander made 44 relief appearances between the Dodgers and Blue Jays last season. The Dodgers designated him for assignment on July 29 and the next day traded him to Toronto.

So even though he wasn’t around for their World Series victory over the Yankees last fall, Yarbrough earned a ring. He accepted it from Dodgers general manager Brandon Gomes behind home plate during batting practice.

“Trying to keep that a little discreet, especially with where we’re at now, but kind of cool to be able to get that,” Yarbrough said.

He signed a one-year, $2 million deal with New York in March and is 3-0 with a 2.83 ERA this season.

Making his first career start against the Dodgers, Yarbrough recorded 17 swings-and-misses — including seven with his sweeper.

The top four hitters in Los Angeles’ lineup had produced at least one hit in every game this season. That is, until Shohei Ohtani, Teoscar Hernández, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith combined to go 0 for 14 in the series finale against Yarbrough and the Yankees.

New York manager Aaron Boone has called Yarbrough a throwback, noting his 6-foot-5 frame creates a “funky” angle for hitters.

“He’s got a lot of ways to get you out. Just when you think he’s slowing you down, slowing you down, he’s able to speed you up enough,” Boone said. “It feels like it’s hard to get a bead on him.”

It certainly was for Ohtani. He struck out on five pitches ranging from 70-86 mph in the first inning, when Yarbrough retired the side in order. Later, he set down 13 of 15 batters before exiting.

“He’s not going to light up the radar gun, but all his pitches feel like they get on you,” teammate DJ LeMahieu said. “His fastballs look like they get on you and his off-speed looks extra slow. He’s got good stuff and he knows what he’s doing out there.”

Yarbrough conceded his familiarity with his ex-teammates helped, too.

“It was just a matter of execution and keeping them off balance and not putting them in counts where they can really hunt for certain pitches,” he said.

It was also a big night for LeMahieu, who had his first four-hit game since 2021. He drove in two runs and raised his batting average to .239.

The second baseman had three singles and a double on a night when Aaron Judge was the only Yankees player without a hit.

“I feel good. Good to get some results,” LeMahieu said.

LOS ANGELES — Yankees outfielder Jasson Domínguez jammed his left thumb on a stolen base and was removed from a 7-3 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers.

New York closer Luke Weaver wasn’t able to pitch at all because of a sore hamstring.

Domínguez walked and swiped second with a headfirst slide in the fifth inning. He came around to score on DJ LeMahieu’s one-out single, but was lifted for a pinch hitter in the sixth.

“He couldn’t really swing,” manager Aaron Boone said. “It was (serious) enough for him to come out of the game.”

The 22-year-old rookie left fielder was expected to have tests in New York.

Boone initially planned to use Weaver in the ninth with the Yankees ahead 7-3.

“He had finished warming up and then when he went to stretch felt something in the middle of his hammy, so we had to kind of make a switch on the fly,” Boone said. “Hoping it’s not too serious.”

Tim Hill retired the side in order in the ninth as the Yankees avoided getting swept in a series for the first time this season.

It's Monday, June 2, and the Angels (26-32) are in Boston to take on the Red Sox (29-32). Tyler Anderson is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Richard Fitts for Boston.

Yesterday, the Red Sox picked up the win against the Atlanta Braves. It was a game that saw all of the action in the first inning. The Red Sox took a 3-1 lead into the second inning and held on to win 3-1.

Garrett Crochet was phenomenal. He struck out 12 batters in 7.0 innings and only gave up one run on five hits.

The Angels lost 4-2 yesterday against the Cleveland Guardians. After dropping the series to the Guardians, the Angels have now lost three series in a row.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Angels at Red Sox

• Date: Monday, June 2, 2025
• Time: 7:10PM EST
• Site: Fenway Park
• City: Boston, MA
• Network/Streaming: NESN, FanDuel Sports Network West

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

Odds for the Angels at the Red Sox

The latest odds as of Monday:

• Moneyline: Angels (+127), Red Sox (-152)
• Spread:  Red Sox -1.5
• Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Angels at Red Sox

• Pitching matchup for June 2, 2025: Tyler Anderson vs. Richard Fitts
  
  • Angels: Tyler Anderson, (2-2, 3.39 ERA)
    Last outing (New York Yankess, 5/27): 6.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
  • Red Sox: Richard Fitts, (0-2, 2.70 ERA)
    Last outing (Milwaukee Brewers, 5/27): 3.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts

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

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Angels at Red Sox

• The Angels have lost 4 of their last 5 games
• Each of the Angels' last 3 road games with the Red Sox have stayed under the Total
• The total has gone under in 3 of their last 10 Red Sox games
• The total has gone under in 3 of their last 10 Angels 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 Angels and the Red 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 Monday's game between the Angels and the Red Sox:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Boston Red Sox on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Los Angeles Angels at +1.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.

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

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)

It's Monday, June 2, and the Rockies (9-50) are in Miami to take on the Marlins (23-34). Germán Márquez is slated to take the mound for Colorado against Max Meyer for Miami.

After a 5-3 loss yesterday against the Mets, the Rockies have now lost eight games in a row. Their last win was a 3-2 win back on May 23rd. The Rockies' 9-50 start is the worst start in the modern era.

The Marlins are hoping to cash in on the misfortunes of the Rockies and pick up a series win. They are last in the NL East and have won just four of their last six games.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Rockies at Marlins

• Date: Monday, June 2, 2025
• Time: 6:40PM EST
• Site: LoanDepot Park
• City: Miami, FL
• Network/Streaming: FanDuel Sports Network Florida, Rockies.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 Rockies at the Marlins

The latest odds as of Monday:

• Moneyline: Rockies (+164), Marlins (-197)
• Spread:  Marlins -1.5
• Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Marlins

• Pitching matchup for June 2, 2025: Germán Márquez vs. Max Meyer
  
  • Rockies: Germán Márquez, (1-7, 7.13 ERA)
    Last outing (Chicago Cubs, 5/27): 6.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
  • Marlins: Max Meyer, (3-4, 4.53 ERA)
    Last outing (San Deigo Padres, 5/27): 3.1 Innings Pitched, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 0 Strikeouts

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

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies at Marlins

• The Marlins have won 4 straight home games against the Rockies
• The Marlins pitcher Max Meyer has an ERA of 3.86 in his last 5 home starts on the mound
• With Max Meyer opening the Marlins are up 1.58 units on the Run Line at loanDepot park in 2025

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 Rockies and the Marlins

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 Monday's game between the Rockies and the Marlins:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Miami Marlins on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the 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 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)