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Marlins at Dodgers Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 29

It's Tuesday, April 29 and the Marlins (12-16) are in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers (19-10). Sandy Alcantara is slated to take the mound for Miami against the heavy-hitters of Los Angeles.

Los Angeles escaped with a 7-6 extra innings victory over the Marlins yesterday thanks to Tommy Edman's walk-off single that scored two. The Dodgers have won three consecutive games, while the Marlins are the opposite with three straight losses.

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.

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

Game details & how to watch Marlins at Dodgers

  • Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
  • Time: 10:10 PM EST
  • Site: Dodger Stadium
  • City: Los Angeles, CA
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNFL, SNLA, 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 Marlins at the Dodgers

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Marlins (+160), Dodgers (-190)
  • Spread:  Dodgers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for the Marlins at Dodgers

  • Pitching matchup for April 29, 2025: Sandy Alcantara vs. TBD
    • Marlins: Sandy Alcantara, (2-2, 6.56 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
    • Dodgers: Los Angeles has not named a starting pitcher as of 9:30 AM ET
      Last outing: 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!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Marlins and the Dodgers

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Under 0.5 Bases for Andy Pages:

"One of the hottest hitters in baseball over the last seven days is Andy Pages who is hitting an MLB-best .583 in that span. Pages put together 10 hits on 12 at-bats against the Pirates alone last week. However, hot streaks all come to an end and for the second straight night, the books are offering O/U 0.5 total bases for Pages at +110 to the Under. Fishy and tempting to the Over, but I'd have to side with the value on the Under. Pages did get a hit last night, plus a walk and run scored, but he's never faced Alcantara before, which doesn't bode well for him."

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.

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

  • The Dodgers have won their last three games at home, while the Marlins have lost three in a row on the road
  • The Dodgers' last four games against the Marlins have gone over the expected total
  • The Marlins have lost three straight games on the ML

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!

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday’s game between the Marlins and the Dodgers:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Los Angeles Dodgers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Miami Marlins at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards 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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Mets vs. Diamondbacks: How to watch on SNY on April 29, 2025

The Mets open a three-game series with the Diamondbacks at Citi Field on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

Mets Notes

  • The Mets' team ERA of 2.62 is the lowest in baseball
  • Francisco Lindor is hitting .304/.367/.473 with a career-best 140 OPS+
  • Pete Alonso has reached base safely in 10 consecutive games and 12 of his last 13
  • David Peterson bent but didn't break during his last start, limiting the Phillies to two runs on eight hits while walking one and striking out two in 5.1 innings
DIAMONDBACKS
METS

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What channel is SNY?

Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.

How can I stream the game?

The new way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv. Streaming on the SNY App has been discontinued.

In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone. 

How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB? 

To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps: 

  • Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider. 
  • Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account. 
  • Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY. 

How can I watch the game on the MLB App? 

MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.  

  • Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices. 
  • Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”  
  • To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.  

For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here. 

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Red Sox at Blue Jays prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, and betting trends for April 29

Its Tuesday, April 29 and the Red Sox (16-14) are in Toronto to take on the Blue Jays (13-15).

Garrett Crochet is slated to take the mound for Boston against Bowden Francis for Toronto.

Boston was off yesterday but enters the series riding a modest two-game win streak. Sunday, they whacked the Guardians 13-3. Ceddanne Rafaela paced the onslaught driving in five runs. Toronto is reeling having lost seven of their last eight. The problem has primarily been a putrid offense. The Jays have scored just nine runs in their last six games and only 16 in their last eight.

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 Red Sox at Blue Jays

  • Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
  • Time: 7:07PM EST
  • Site: Rogers Centre
  • City: Toronto, ON
  • Network/Streaming: NESN, SN1, 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 Red Sox at the Blue Jays

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Red Sox (-154), Blue Jays (+128)
  • Spread:  Red Sox -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Blue Jays

  • Pitching matchup for April 29, 2025: Garrett Crochet vs. Bowden Francis
    • Red Sox: Garrett Crochet (2-2, 1.95 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/24 vs. Seattle - 5IP, 4ER, 5H, 5BB, 9Ks
    • Blue Jays: Bowden Francis (2-3, 3.58 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/23 at Houston - 4.2IP, 3ER, 8H, 1BB, 2Ks

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 Red Sox at Blue Jays

  • The Red Sox have won 4 of their last 5 on the road at AL teams
  • 8 of the Red Sox's last 10 games with the Blue Jays have stayed under the Total
  • The Blue Jays have failed to cover the Run Line in 7 of their last 8 games
  • Vlad Guerrero Jr. is 3-21 (.143) over his last 6 games
  • Anthony Santander is just 1-23 (.043) over his last 6 games
  • Alex Bregman is riding an 8-game hitting streak (12-31)

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 Red Sox and the Blue Jays

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 Red Sox and the Blue Jays:

  • 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 Toronto Blue Jays at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

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

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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Mets vs. Diamondbacks: 5 things to watch and series predictions | April 29 – May 1

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Diamondbacks play a three-game series at Citi Field beginning on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Preview

Is the Juan Soto breakout coming?

If it feels like we've posed this question a few times during this article series only for Soto to not break out in the ensuing few games, it's because we have -- and he hasn't.

But this time feels different.

Soto has five multi-hit games in his last nine contests and has reached base safely in six of his last nine plate appearances, including a double he effortlessly ripped down the left field line his final time up on Monday.

The home run power has been absent since Soto's last long ball on April 15, and it should be noted that he hasn't yet hit his first homer at Citi Field as a Met.

Come on down, Brandon Waddell?

The Mets are planning to use a sixth starter on Wednesday night, and they utilized Jose Urena for three innings on Monday.

That means the even money is on Waddell getting the call from Triple-A Syracuse and taking the ball against Arizona.

The left-handed Waddell last pitched in the majors in 2021, and compiled a 5.68 ERA in just 12.2 innings in parts of two seasons with the Pirates, Twins, Orioles, and Cardinals while working in relief.

Then he went to play in the KBO in Korea, where he became a starting pitcher and had serious success -- posting a 2.98 ERA and 1.12 WHIP in 53 starts over 244.2 innings in three seasons.

So far this season in Triple-A, Waddell has a 1.54 ERA and 1.28 WHIP in 23.1 innings spanning five starts.

Is Brandon Nimmo back?

Nimmo was mired in a bad slump, which was hampering the Mets' offense a bit since he wasn't doing much while batting in the middle of it.

That changed on Monday.

New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo (9) celebrates with Mets outfielder Jesse Winker (3) and Mets third base Mark Vientos (27) after hitting a three run home run against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning at Nationals Park.
New York Mets outfielder Brandon Nimmo (9) celebrates with Mets outfielder Jesse Winker (3) and Mets third base Mark Vientos (27) after hitting a three run home run against the Washington Nationals during the sixth inning at Nationals Park. / Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

Nimmo had a monster day against the Nats, going 4-for-6 with two home runs and a double while driving in nine runs -- tying a Mets single-game record.

If the elite version of Nimmo is back, it could catapult New York's offense to new heights.

Corbin Burnes is rounding into form

Burnes, the prize of this past offseason's MLB free agent pitching crop, chose the D-backs in part because he wanted to be home in Arizona.

That's an obvious boon for the Diamondbacks, and Burnes is starting to round into form after an uneven start to the season.

He allowed just two runs in 6.0 innings against the Cubs on April 18, and held the Rays to one earned run over 5.1 innings during his last start on April 24.

Burnes gets the nod on Wednesday.

Corbin Carroll is playing like an MVP again

After bursting onto the scene in 2022 and finishing fifth in MVP voting in 2023 (while winning Rookie of the Year), Carroll had a relatively down season in 2024.

Across 158 games, Carroll had a .749 OPS, with the dip due mostly to his low batting average (.231) and OBP (.322).

Carroll is having no such issues this season.

Through 28 games, he's slashing .308/.376/.667. He has nine home runs, is leading the National League with 37 hits, and is leading all of baseball with four triples.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Juan Soto

It's time, right?

Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?

David Peterson

Peterson will need to be on his game against dangerous lefties Carroll, Josh Naylor, and Pavin Smith.

Which Diamondbacks player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?

Corbin Carroll

It's hard to stop someone who's on an absolute heater.

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Diamondbacks at Mets prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for April 29

Its Tuesday, April 29 and the Diamondbacks (15-13) are in Queens to take on the Mets (20-9).

Eduardo Rodriguez is slated to take the mound for Arizona against David Peterson for New York.

The Mets rolled the Nationals yesterday, 19-5. Ironically, every Mets' hitter EXCEPT their hottest hitter, Francisco Lindor, picked up at least one hit. Arizona comes to the Big Apple following a weekend in Atlanta that saw them lost two of three to the Braves.

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 Mets

  • Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
  • Time: 7:10PM EST
  • Site: Citi Field
  • City: Queens, NY
  • Network/Streaming: ARID, SNY, 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 Diamondbacks at the Mets

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Diamondbacks (+120), Mets (-143)
  • Spread:  Mets -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Diamondbacks at Mets

  • Pitching matchup for April 29, 2025: Eduardo Rodriguez vs. David Peterson
    • Diamondbacks: Eduardo Rodriguez (1-2, 4.40 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/23 vs. Tampa Bay - 6.2IP, 4ER, 6H, 1BB, 5Ks
    • Mets: David Peterson (1-1, 3.29 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/23 vs. Philadelphia - 5.1IP, 2ER, 8H, 1BB, 2Ks

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 Mets

  • Juan Soto is 4 for his last 7 (.571) and 7 for his last 19 (.368)
  • Luisangel Acuna is 5-15 over his last 4 games
  • 5 of the Diamondbacks' last 7 games against the Mets in New York have gone over the Total
  • The Diamondbacks have failed to cover the Run Line in their last 6 games with a rest advantage over their opponents

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 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 Tuesday's game between the Diamondbacks and the Mets:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Mets on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Arizona Diamondbacks at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 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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Kerr pushes all the right buttons in Warriors' Game 4 lineup change

Kerr pushes all the right buttons in Warriors' Game 4 lineup change originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – Continuity is king to Warriors coach Steve Kerr. 

If it were up to him, he wouldn’t have had to use 38 different starting lineups in the 2024-25 NBA regular season. Kerr had to search far and wide to find the right combinations that made the Warriors’ puzzle complete. On Monday in the Warriors’ 109-106 Game 4 win against the Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs, Kerr pushed all the right buttons in making yet another change to his starting five.

The Warriors used the same group of Steph Curry, Brandin Podziemski, Jimmy Butler, Moses Moody and Draymond Green that dominated down the stretch together in the regular season to open the series with a Game 1 win. That group didn’t even last the first quarter together in Game 2 when Butler’s left pelvic contusion kept him out the rest of the night. Butler’s absence in Game 3 forced Kerr to rethink everything, putting Jonathan Kuminga and Quinten Post into the starting lineup. 

While the Warriors found a way to earn a win without Butler, it wasn’t because of that group. When it was announced Butler would return for Game 4, it was easy to assume Kerr would go back to his usual starters. Instead, he stuck with the hot hand and kept Moses Moody on the bench, inserting Buddy Hield, who had a phenomenal Game 3 performance, into the first five on the floor. 

Hield’s ability to be a 3-point threat is ideal with how the Rockets are defending Curry, but it was his defense, often seen as a weakness, that set a tone. 

The nine-year veteran making his first playoff start was tasked with defending electric guard Jalen Green from the jump, and in back-to-back sequences within the first four minutes, Hield picked his pockets clean. The first steal led to two free throws for Podziemski and the second turned into an easy fastbreak layup for Hield on the other side, pushing the Warriors’ lead to 13-2, which prompted a timeout from Rockets coach Ime Udoka.

“He took on the challenge,” Draymond Green told NBC Sports Bay Area. “Steve made that change with all belief in him, knowing that your matchup is Jalen. He made that decision with all that confidence in him that he’d go out there and take on the matchup. He won the matchup in those two possessions, because it just sped him up. 

“It’s beautiful to see him take on that challenge, because obviously, what it did for our lineup. We got off to a great start, which hasn’t been the case this series. That was big time.”

Jalen Green only scored eight points, having more turnovers (five) than made shots (three).

Golden State’s offense mustered just 18 points in the first quarter of the first three games. It put up 28 in the first quarter of Game 4. Though Hield only had two of those points and missed all three of his 3-point attempts, his energy was infectious and his threat from deep shifted the layout of the floor. 

Even in an up-and-down season, Hield still managed his way to a seventh straight campaign of 200 threes and always keeps a defense honest from downtown. 

“Great start to the first quarter, great start to the third quarter,” Kerr said of the starting five. “I think that unit gave us more speed, more shooting and it forced some matchups for them to make the game a little more difficult.” 

Down 57-50 at halftime, the Warriors regrouped and came out as the composed team that ran past the Rockets to start the third quarter. The starters went on a 13-0 run before Green had to sit with five fouls. They were trusted for the majority of clutch time in the fourth quarter, too, with Gary Payton II and Kevon Looney also coming in for short stints. 

Overall, a group that only spent 27 minutes together in the regular season played 14 and a half minutes together in Game 4 and outscored the Rockets 41-20. 

“That’s crazy,” Green said when I told him the unit was a plus-21. 

“Obviously, it spaces the floor really well,” he continued. “Fast lineup. Those were the two keys.” 

Hield, after scoring 17 points off the bench on 6-of-13 shooting from the field and 5 of 11 on threes in Game 3, wound up with 15 points in his starting role, going 6 of 15 overall and 3 of 9 beyond the arc. His scoring didn’t come in bunches, but his final three points were when the Warriors needed them most, using a side dribble to his left to evade Alperen Sengun before nailing a 3-pointer from the right wing to gain a 102-101 lead with three and a half minutes left in the game. 

As the new comedy duo of the Warriors’ locker room, Butler had to give credit where credit’s due, even if it pained him to do so. 

“I hate to give Buddy a compliment, so I’m not going to,” Butler joked. “But No. 7 on our team really brought the defensive mentality tonight. Made some big shots … and he stinks, I just got to add that too.”

In his 11 years with the Warriors, Kerr now has coached 144 playoff games. Monday night’s Game 4 win gave him 102 playoff victories, meeting the moment and making the right adjustment yet again.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

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Nationals at Phillies prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for April 29

Its Tuesday, April 29 and the Nationals (13-16) are in Philadelphia to take on the Phillies (15-13).

MacKenzie Gore is slated to take the mound for Washington against Zack Wheeler for Philadelphia.

The Nationals are looking to bounce back after a 19-5 pasting by the Mets. Third baseman Amed Rosario finished the game on the mound for Washington. He pitched the ninth inning allowing four runs on five hits. The Phillies were off yesterday. They are back home after winning two of three over the weekend at Wrigley Field against the Cubs. They outscored Chicago 13-5 in the process.

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 Nationals at Phillies

  • Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
  • Time: 6:45PM EST
  • Site: Citizens Bank Park
  • City: Philadelphia, PA
  • Network/Streaming: MASN2, 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 Nationals at the Phillies

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Nationals (+160), Phillies (-192)
  • Spread:  Phillies -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Nationals at Phillies

  • Pitching matchup for April 29, 2025: MacKenzie Gore vs. Zack Wheeler
    • Nationals: MacKenzie Gore (2-3, 3.34 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/24 vs. Baltimore - 6IP, 2ER, 4H, 1BB, 8Ks
    • Phillies: Zack Wheeler (2-1, 3.62 ERA)
      Last outing: 6Ip, 2ER, 5H, 2BB, 9Ks

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 Nationals at Phillies

  • The Phillies have won 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with losing records
  • The Over is 7-2-1 in the Nationals' NL East games this season
  • With a rest advantage over their opponents the Phillies have failed to cover the Run Line in 8 of their last 9 games
  • Trea Turner has hit safely in four straight games (6-19)
  • MacKenzie Gore leads baseball with 53 strikeouts in 35 innings
  • Zack Wheeler has struck out 50 opposing hitters in 37.1 innings

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 Nationals 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 Nationals and the Phillies:

  • 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 Washington Nationals 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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Has a No. 7 seed ever defeated a No. 2 seed in the NBA playoffs?

Has a No. 7 seed ever defeated a No. 2 seed in the NBA playoffs? originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Golden State Warriors have the Houston Rockets on the ropes.

No. 7 Golden State on Monday took a commanding 3-1 series lead over No. 2 Houston in the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs. The Warriors won a second straight home game, this time beating the Rockets in a 109-106 thriller.

The series now shifts back to Houston for Game 5 on Wednesday, when the Rockets will be playing to keep their season alive. Steph Curry, Jimmy Butler and Co., meanwhile, are on the verge of advancing to the conference semifinals.

But just how many No. 7 seeds have pulled off first-round upsets in NBA playoff history? Here’s a look at the company this year’s Dubs can join:

How many No. 7 seeds have defeated a No. 2 seed in the NBA playoffs?

Since the playoff field expanded from 12 to 16 teams in 1984, a total of six No. 7 seeds have made it past Round 1.

The 1986-87 Seattle SuperSonics were the first seven seed to accomplish the feat. After a regular season where they posted a losing record of 39-43, the SuperSonics eliminated the No. 2 Dallas Mavericks in four games. Seattle lost to Dallas by 22 points in Game 1 before reeling off three straight wins.

In the 1988-89 season, Chris Mullin and the No. 7 Warriors swept Karl Malone, John Stockton and the No. 2 Utah Jazz in three games. The Warriors then repeated history two postseasons later, with the No. 7 Run TMC Dubs disposing of the David Robinson-led No. 2 San Antonio Spurs in four games.

The 1997-98 New York Knicks are the lone No. 7 seed to go the distance in a first-round series and win the decisive final game. Allan Houston powered the Knicks to a series-clinching Game 5 win over the No. 2 Miami Heat after New York was down 2-1 in the series. The following season, the Knicks pulled off another Round 1 upset of the Heat in five games, except this time New York was an eight seed. The No. 8 Knicks went all the way to the Finals, where they fell to the Spurs in five games.

Speaking of San Antonio, the 2009-10 Spurs also made it to Round 2 as a No. 7 seed by eliminating the No. 2 Mavs in six games. Dirk Nowitzki and Co. bounced back from the defeat the following year by winning the Finals.

The most recent No. 7 seed to advance was the 2022-23 Los Angeles Lakers, who beat the Memphis Grizzlies in six games. That Lakers team and the 2009-10 Spurs squad are the lone No. 7 seeds to win a seven-game first-round series.

Of the six No. 7 seeds to emerge from the first round, the 1986-87 SuperSonics and 2022-23 Lakers are the only ones that went on to win another series. Seattle beat Hakeem Olajuwon’s No. 6 Rockets in the conference semifinals before being swept by the eventual champion Lakers in the West Finals. And the Lakers beat the Warriors in six games before being swept by the eventual champion Denver Nuggets in the conference finals.

The 1988-89 Warriors, 1990-91 Warriors and 1997-98 Knicks all lost in five games in the conference semifinals, while the 2009-10 Spurs were swept.

Here’s a full look at each of the No. 7 seeds that have advanced past Round 1:

  • Seattle SuperSonics, 1986-87: Beat Mavericks in four games, lost in conference finals
  • Golden State Warriors, 1988-89: Beat Jazz in three games, lost in second round
  • Golden State Warriors, 1990-91: Beat Spurs in four games, lost in second round
  • New York Knicks, 1997-98: Beat Heat in five games, lost in second round
  • San Antonio Spurs, 2009-10: Beat Mavericks in six games, lost in second round
  • Los Angeles Lakers, 2022-23: Beat Grizzlies in six games, lost in conference finals

Editor’s note: The original version of this story was published in April 2024.

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Report: Kings finalizing deal to hire Doug Christie as full-time head coach

Report: Kings finalizing deal to hire Doug Christie as full-time head coach originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It’s official. The “interim” title no longer is attached to Doug Christie’s job description.

The Kings are finalizing a multiyear contract to make Christie their next coach, a source confirmed to NBC Sports California. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news Tuesday morning, citing sources.

Christie took over for Mike Brown, who was fired in late December following a 13-18 start to the 2024-25 NBA season. Under Christie, the Kings went 27-24 and finished as the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference.

Sacramento was eliminated in the first NBA play-in game.

This story will be updated.

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Report: Kings finalizing deal to hire Doug Christie as full-time head coach

Report: Kings finalizing deal to hire Doug Christie as full-time head coach originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It’s official. The “interim” title no longer is attached to Doug Christie’s job description.

The Kings are finalizing a multiyear contract to make Christie their next coach, a source confirmed to NBC Sports California. ESPN’s Shams Charania first reported the news Tuesday morning, citing sources.

Christie took over for Mike Brown, who was fired in late December following a 13-18 start to the 2024-25 NBA season. Under Christie, the Kings went 27-24 and finished as the No. 9 seed in the Western Conference.

After Sacramento’s season-ending NBA play-in loss to the Dallas Mavericks, Sacramento replaced former general manager Monte McNair with longtime executive Scott Perry. While speaking at his introductory press conference last week, Perry didn’t want to disclose too much information on the coaching search but detailed his relationship with Christie over the years.

“What I can tell you is I spent time with Doug Christie already,” Perry said. “I first met Doug Christie when he was a player at Toronto, so I admired him as a player, his career. I’ve watched him this year from afar in terms of his ability to have a presence on the court. I think he’s made a connection with players. We’ve had a few conversations up to this point. He was one of the first people I met with yesterday when I got into town.”

Perry added that his phone had been “incessantly” ringing with other potential coaching candidates interested in the job, and that he wanted to have a few more conversations before making a final decision.

Amongst the fired coaches who potentially were available for a new coaching gig are: Mike Budenholzer (last with Phoenix Suns), Michael Malone (last with Denver Nuggets) and Taylor Jenkins (last with Memphis Grizzlies).

And depending on how the rest of the NBA playoffs shake out, several other possible candidates could have become available, such as Milwaukee Bucks coach Doc Rivers, who currently is trying to dig his team out of a first-round playoff exit.

But Perry seemingly didn’t want to wait any longer. With a busy offseason ahead, he ticked one box off his long list of to-dos.

Christie, who played with the Kings for five seasons from 2000 to 2005, has a personal love and appreciation for the organization and city of Sacramento. You could see it through his emotions and feel it through his words each and every time he spoke at a pre- or postgame podium.

“This is where I want to be,” Christie said after the Kings’ season-ending loss. “I need to finish what I started, and that’s the only reason I ever stepped onto the sideline from where I was at initially. I had to exorcise some demons for myself.”

He also had support from several of his players.

“He did a good job for us when he came in, he tried to keep it real simple for us,” Kings guard Keon Ellis said during end-of-season exit interviews. “We have some really talented players on our team, so just try not to overdo anything, and let us go out there and be pros. He definitely didn’t want to do too much. … As far as his professionalism and his leadership, I think that’s a big thing when you’re talking about Doug. Former player. He has respect from everyone.

“I think he’s telling us the right things game in, game out, practice, whatever. The messages he’s given us are either the ones you don’t want to hear or the tough ones we need to hear. So just keeping it real with us and if you have that, you’re not going into any game with him telling you something that it’s not going to be. I think he did a good job at that. Those are the things that you need.”

Players during their exit interviews also talked about longing for some organizational stability and consistency, something lacking in Sacramento for several years. Perhaps hiring a man who has been tied to the franchise for more than two decades is the first step in bringing just that.

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County cricket talking points: Notts take top spot but Surrey are stalking

Josh Tongue was on form again as Nottinghamshire beat Sussex to move ahead of the pack in Division One

By the 99.94 Cricket Blog

Josh Tongue’s second five-fer of the season will have England’s chief selector, Luke Wright, licking his lips at the prospect of getting the tall pacer back in the phalanx of fast bowlers all countries need these days. For now, Haseeb Hameed is having his say about his speedster’s work and Nottinghamshire sit atop Division One as a result.

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NBA considers turning All-Star Game into international format

NBA considers turning All-Star Game into international format originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

More changes are coming to the NBA All-Star Game.

The league has experimented with various iterations over the past several years, including drafting teams, Elam Endings and, most recently, a tournament involving four teams — a format that has already been shelved.

Now, Adam Silver has told The Athletic that the NBA is looking into a potential showdown in 2026 between American players and worldwide stars.

One factor that the league is considering is that NBC will air the game next February for the first time since 2002. The All-Star festivities will take place in the midst of the Milan Cortina Olympics, which NBC will also broadcast.

“Our All-Star Game will return to NBC next season in the middle of their coverage of the Winter Olympics,” Silver told The Athletic. “Given the strong interest we’ve seen in international basketball competitions, most recently in last summer’s Olympics in Paris, we’re discussing concepts with the players association that focus on NBA players representing their countries or regions instead of the more traditional formats that we’ve used in the past.”

Byron Spruell, the NBA’s president of league operations, echoed Silver’s sentiments.

“NBC is very much leaning into it, given their role — we are, as well,” Spruell said. “Looking to do something new and different yet again, but excited about the possibility.”

The newly opened Intuit Dome in Los Angeles will play host to the 2026 All-Star Game on Sunday, Feb. 15, during the afternoon. By moving the game up a few hours, NBC will follow it up with Olympic prime-time coverage from Italy.

Silver added that the arena, which will host basketball games during the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics, gives the NBA a unique chance to play on the international theme.

“We’ll be competing in the arena at Intuit, where the basketball competition will take place in the 2028 Olympics,” Silver said. “So, I think all of those factors, when they come together, it presents an enormous opportunity for us to do something with an international competition instead of the traditional All-Star formats that we’ve used.”

At one time, it would’ve been far-fetched to have a competition pitting American players against everyone else. But many of the world’s best players now hail from outside the United States — including every NBA MVP from 2019 through this season (three outsiders are MVP finalists in 2025).

The pool of foreign players includes Nikola Jokić (Serbia), Giannis Antetokounmpo (Greece), Luka Dončić (Slovenia), Shai Gilgeous-Alexander (Canada), Victor Wembanyama (France), Pascal Siakam (Cameroon) Alperen Şengün (Turkey). Joel Embiid was born in Cameroon, but has competed internationally for Team USA as an American citizen.

The NHL used a similar idea for its 2025 All-Star format, where the 4 National Face-Off was seen as a massive success. While the NBA wouldn’t use a drawn out tournament like the NHL did, it would attempt to build that sense of pride in representing your country.

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Cubs at Pirates Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 29

Its Tuesday, April 29 and the Cubs (17-12) are in Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates (11-18).

Shota Imanaga is slated to take the mound for Chicago against Andrew Heaney for Pittsburgh.

The Cubs come to the Steel City after an off-day Monday. They lost two of three over the weekend at Wrigley to Philadelphia. Pittsburgh is back home after a road trip to the West Coast that saw them take two of three from the Angels but lose two of three to 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 Cubs at Pirates

  • Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
  • Time: 6:40PM EST
  • Site: PNC Park
  • City: Pittsburgh, PA
  • Network/Streaming: MARQ, SNP

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

Odds for the Cubs at the Pirates

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Cubs (-148), Pirates (+125)
  • Spread:  Cubs -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Cubs at Pirates

  • Pitching matchup for April 29, 2025: Shota Imanaga vs. Andrew Heaney
    • Cubs: Shota Imanaga (2-1, 3.18 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/22 vs. Dodgers - 5.2IP, 5ER, 7H, 2BB, 6Ks
    • Pirates: Andrew Heaney (2-1, 1.72 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/23 at Angels - 6IP, 0ER, 1H, 0BB, 9Ks

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 Cubs at Pirates

  • The Cubs have won 4 of 5 games on the road against divisional opponents
  • The Under is 4-1 in the Cubs' last 5 games against NL Central teams
  • The Cubs have failed to cover the Run Line in 3 straight road games
  • Andrew McCutchen picked up 4 hits in the Bucs' game Sunday at LA
  • Andrew McCutchen has hit safely in 7 of his last 8 games (11-33)

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 Cubs and the Pirates

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Cubs and the Pirates:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Chicago Cubs on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Pittsburgh Pirates at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 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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Yankees at Orioles prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 29

Its Tuesday, April 29 and the Yankees (17-12) are in Baltimore to take on the Orioles (11-17).

Carlos Rodón is slated to take the mound for New York against Kyle Gibson for Baltimore.

Last night the O's jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and held on late for a 4-3 win. Ryan O'Hearn's three-run home run in the bottom of the third was ultimately the difference. Aaron Judge did collect a couple hits and an RBI in the loss for the Yankees.

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 Orioles

  • Date: Tuesday, April 29, 2025
  • Time: 6:35PM EST
  • Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
  • City: Baltimore, MD
  • Network/Streaming: YES, MASN

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

Odds for the Yankees at the Orioles

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Yankees (-154), Orioles (+128)
  • Spread:  Yankees -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Yankees at Orioles

  • Pitching matchup for April 29, 2025: Carlos Rodón vs. Kyle Gibson
    • Yankees: Carlos Rodón (3-3, 3.50 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/23 at Cleveland - 7IP, 0ER, 4H, 2BB, 8Ks
    • Orioles: Kyle Gibson (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
      Last outing: First appearance in 2025

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 Orioles

  • Carlos Rodon has not given up an earned run in his last two starts covering 13 innings
  • Carlos Rodon has struck out at least 8 in each of his last 4 starts
  • Aaron Judge is riding a 9-game hitting streak
  • Jazz Chisholm Jr. struck out in each of his 3ABs last night to snap his modest 4-game hitting streak

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 Yankees and the Orioles

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Yankees and the Orioles:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles 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)