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Guardians at Tigers Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for May 22

It's Thursday, May 22, and the Guardians (26-22) are in Detroit to take on the Tigers (33-17). Tanner Bibee is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Jack Flaherty for Detroit.

The Tigers have won its past two games and are 7-2 over the last nine games. The Guardians snapped a five-game losing streak with a win in the second game of a double-header yesterday. This is the opening game of a four-game series.

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 Guardians at Tigers

  • Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
  • Time: 6:40 PM EST
  • Site: Comerica Park
  • City: Detroit, MI
  • Network/Streaming: CLEG, FDSNDT, 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 Guardians at the Tigers

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Guardians (+115), Tigers (-135)
  • Spread:  Tigers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Tigers

  • Pitching matchup for May 22, 2025: Tanner Bibee vs. Jack Flaherty
    • Guardians: Tanner Bibee, (3-4, 4.06 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 10 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 4 Strikeouts
    • Tigers: Jack Flaherty, (2-5, 4.44 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.2 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 6 Strikeouts

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

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Guardians and the Tigers

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Guardians and the Tigers:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Detroit Tigers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cleveland Guardians 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.

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Guardians at Tigers

  • The Tigers have won 4 of their last 5 home games against AL Central teams
  • The Under is 4-0 in the Guardians' last 5 matchups against divisional opponents
  • The Tigers have failed to cover the Run Line in 6 of their last 8 home 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!

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 admits Warriors were ‘dead in the water' before the Butler trade

Kerr admits Warriors were ‘dead in the water' before the Butler trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Warriors, sitting at 25-26 and 10th in the Western Conference on Feb. 6 were, to put it mildly, in trouble.

Golden State, after a red-hot start to the 2024-25 NBA season, cooled off significantly and struggled throughout the middle part of the campaign. That is, until one move changed everything.

Warriors coach Steve Kerr joined Tom Tolbert on the latest episode of “The Tom Tolbert Show,” where he discussed Golden State’s blockbuster trade for Jimmy Butler on Feb. 5 and how it came together after its failed trade pursuit of Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant.

“I was all for it, just because we had nothing going. We were at the point in the season where you could just feel it, we were dead in the water. We were below .500 and it had been a long enough stretch where it was like ‘alright, this isn’t working.’

“So I think it was well-documented that we were trying to get Kevin Durant, that didn’t happen. Mike [Dunleavy] calls me and he goes ‘I think we’re just going to trade for Jimmy Butler, I’m going to vouch for him, I played with him for three years in Chicago. Guy is a gamer, hell of a player. I think it’s going to work.’ I said, ‘great, let’s do it.’ But more than anything, we needed a change.

Some within the Warriors organization had initial concerns about Butler’s fit with Golden State before the trade, and while everyone knew how good of a player he was, Kerr admits that it initially was hard for him to picture Butler playing in the Warriors’ system.

“I didn’t know his game that well, obviously we only played Miami a couple times a year. I’ve watched him and have been impressed, but he doesn’t have the game that jumps off the screen to you skill-wise,” Kerr added. “You watch him and once you see him every other every day you realize why he’s so good.

“But if you’re watching him from a far, he’s not a great shooter, he’s not super athletic, so I didn’t really know what kind of impact he would have. But literally within a game or two I was like ‘this guy is really good.'”

The Warriors ultimately made the right move, and went on to win 24 of their final 32 regular-season games before escaping the NBA Play-In Tournament and taking down the young Houston Rockets in the first round of the playoffs.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

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Oilers Must Be 'An Awful Lot More Mature' After A Penalty-Filled Collapse Vs. Stars

All looked well for the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of the Western Conference final against the Dallas Stars until they got in penalty trouble. 

It started at the end of the middle frame when defenseman Brett Kulak took his second minor penalty of the game.

Edmonton took its 3-1 lead to the third period. However, that’s when Dallas found momentum. Stars blueliner Miro Heiskanen floated a shot from the point and beat Oilers goaltender Stuart Skinner to make it a 3-2 game before Kulak’s penalty ended.

“The goal from the point, I should’ve looked on the right side a little bit quicker,” Skinner told reporters post-game.

The Oilers' netminder had to deal with heavy traffic on that goal, but he didn’t use that as an excuse and said he needs to improve in those situations. 

“It’s always something that you've got to fight through,” he said. “It’s just competitiveness… I just got to fight through that. I got to battle them as much as battling for sight of puck, and that’s what makes the game tough.”

Stuart Skinner and Tyler Seguin (Jerome Miron-Imagn Images)

Not long after Heiskanen got Dallas’ comeback rolling, Oilers right winger Corey Perry was called for high-sticking. Stars center Mikael Granlund made no mistake from the half boards, sniping it home to make it a tie game.

Following that goal, center Matt Duchene took advantage of Edmonton’s third stick infraction of the period, with Evander Kane heading to the box. Duchene scored his first of the playoffs, and Dallas got its first lead of the game.

The Stars went on to score another two goals, totalling five in the third period. 

NHL Playoff Predictions 2025: Will The Stars Or Oilers Win The Western Conference Final?NHL Playoff Predictions 2025: Will The Stars Or Oilers Win The Western Conference Final?The second round of the Stanley Cup playoffs are over, so it’s once again time to offer our series predictions. In the second round, we went 1-1 with our Western picks, and we’re back to offer up our projections for the Western Conference final.

“We’re very disappointed,” Oilers coach Kris Knoblauch told reporters after the game. After the first two periods, we felt it was a good start, and then it just turned in the third period.”

The last time Edmonton allowed three power-play goals in a period was in 1992 against the Vancouver Canucks, according to Sportsnet Stats.

In the post-game scrums, the Oilers made it clear to reporters that they weren’t pleased with their penalty-killing during the stretch that ultimately lost them the game.

“We’ve got to be an awful lot more mature than that,” Leon Draisaitl said.

Edmonton defenseman Darnell Nurse spent 2:14 of ice time killing penalties in this game. He wasn’t happy with the team’s ability to make plays on the PK. He mentioned blocking shots and clearing opponents from in front of the net.

“When the PK gets out there, we got to step up and make plays,” Nurse said. “We got to kill better. It’s as simple as that.”

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

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Potential Draft Targets for the LA Kings: Benjamin Kindel

  © Stephen R. Sylvanie   

As new GM Ken Holland and the LA Kings find themselves in the midst of an important off-season, chatter around the team seems to indicate that Ken Holland is in on everything. Make a trade? Check. Spend to the cap for an impactful free agent? You got it! Develop internally via the draft? You better believe it!

So with the draft just over a month away, it might be time to take a look at who might be available for LA with the 24th pick on June 27th at the Peacock Theater in Los Angeles. First up: 18 year-old dynamic center/right wing Benjamin Kindel of the Calgary Hitmen of the Western Hockey League. 

Full disclosure: Kindel may not fall all the way down to 24th because quite a few other teams seem to be kicking the tires on this kid. And why not? He's coming off a 99-point season with the Hitmen (35 G, 64 A) this past season and was Calgary's leading scorer in the playoffs with 15 points (8 G, 7 A) over 11 games played. 

The scouting consensus on Kindel seems to be that he has an elite hockey IQ and sees the game extremely well. Kindel has been turning heads for a while in the WHL with his excellent passing and play-making skills. And judging by the many clips of Kindel that can be found on social media, he appears to have an above average finishing touch around the net and can back teams off with his speed. 

Therefore, you may be asking, if Kindel has this level of promise, why is he projected to go in the late-teens or early twenties in this year's draft? As it often does in the NHL, it probably has much to do about Kindel's size. At 5'10, 176 pounds, Kindel's frame may give NHL GMs pause about selecting him in the first round. As it pertains specifically to the Kings, the mindset has always seemed to be about size. Cracking the lineup as an undersized player in LA is a considerable challenge. Look no further than Jordan Spence's travails in consistently getting ice-time despite metrics showing him to be a legitimate NHL defenseman. In fact, you have to wonder sometimes if a 5'8 Marcel Dionne would get a shot with the 2025 LA Kings. 

In any case, with scouts comparing Kindel's game to that of Nick Suzuki and Mathew Barzal, the Kings should probably take a hard look at him should he still be on the board at number 24. 

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Phillies reportedly look into Robertson to fill void left by Alvarado's PED ban

Phillies reportedly look into Robertson to fill void left by Alvarado's PED ban originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

What to Know

  • The Phillies bullpen is searching to fill the hole left by Jose Alvarado, who was suspended 80 games by MLB earlier this week for a PED violation.
  • The team reportedly reached out to free agent reliever David Robertson before Alvarado was suspended.
  • Robertson, 40, pitched 68 games for the Texas Rangers last season, and pitched for the Phillies in 2019 and 2022.

The Phillies bullpen needs help. A unit that had already struggled for much of the season to his point lost its anchor, closer Jose Alvarado, to an 80-game PED suspension. GM Dave Dombrowski and the rest of the front office could be facing the sobering possibility of giving up one or more of the organization’s most talented prospects as they scramble to fill the void left by the flame-throwing left-hander.

But there is a relief pitcher the Phillies could pick up. One that wouldn’t cost them any personnel. One with whom they are quite familiar. In fact, they’ve already looked into it for this season.

According to mlb.com’s Mark Feinsand, the team contacted free agent pitcher David Robertson even before the Alvarado suspension was announced.

Robertson, who turned 40 on April 9, has had two stints with the Phillies. He signed a two-year deal prior to the 2019 season, but suffered an elbow injury requiring Tommy John surgery after only seven appearances, missing the rest of 2019 and all of 2020. He was acquired at the 2022 trade deadline and pitched to a 2.70 ERA in 22 games, notching six saves, and held a 1.17 ERA in eight postseason appearances.

In 2024 the right-hander pitched 68 games for the Texas Rangers, going 3-4 with a 3.00 ERA and a 33.3 K%, among the best in the game. His cutter, a pitch he throws nearly two-thirds of the time, held a plus-17 run value, tied for 2nd-best in MLB.

The season, and the Phillies’ search for relief help, could go in a lot of different directions in the next few months. But another look at Robertson could be a low-risk, high-reward option for Dombrowski and Company.

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Brewers at Pirates prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for May 22

It's Thursday, May 22 and the Brewers (24-26) are in Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates (17-33). Milwaukee has not announced its starter yet, while Mike Burrows makes his 2025 debut for Pittsburgh.

The Pirates snapped a four-game losing streak with back-to-back wins over the Reds in the last two days. Pittsburgh is 5-14 in May so far, while Milwaukee is 8-11 with three of those wins coming over the past four 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 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 Pirates

  • Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
  • Time: 6:40 PM EST
  • Site: PNC Park
  • City: Pittsburgh, PA
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNWI, 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 Brewers at the Pirates

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Brewers (-120), Pirates (+102)
  • Spread:  Brewers -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Brewers at Pirates

  • Pitching matchup for May 22, 2025:
  • TBD vs. Mike Burrows
    • Brewers: TBD
    • Pirates: Mike Burrows, (1-0, 2.70 ERA in 2024)
      Last outing: This will be his first start 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!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Brewers 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 Thursday’s game between the Brewers and the Pirates:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Milwaukee Brewers 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 9.0.

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

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

  • The Pirates have lost 12 of 16 games this season following a win
  • The Under is 4-0-1 in the Pirates' last 5 matchups against NL Central teams
  • The Pirates are up 2.31 units on the Run Line in their last 5 games at PNC Park

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!

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. Dodgers: 5 things to watch and series predictions | May 23-25

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers play a three-game series at Citi Field starting on Friday at 7:10 p.m.

5 things to watch

NLCS rematch

The last time these teams faced off was last year’s NLCS when the Dodgers ended the Mets’ miraculous postseason run -- jumping on both Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga in a Game 6 clinching victory. 

Los Angeles, of course, ultimately went on to defeat the Yankees in five games in the World Series to secure the eighth title in franchise history.  

Both teams made some big additions over the offseason, and they are currently considered among the favorites to represent the National League in the Fall Classic this year.

The Mets (30-20) have hit a bit of a rough patch after their red hot start to the season -- currently sitting in second place in the NL East, just 1.5 games behind the Phillies and 10 games above the .500 mark. 

The Dodgers (31-19) have been struggling of late as well, but they are coming off a series win over the Diamondbacks and are currently tied with Philadelphia for the most wins in the National League. 

Could this rematch be an early NLCS preview?

Brett Baty's confidence continues to grow

Baty just keeps building his case for everyday playing time. 

With Mark Vientos struggling defensively, the youngster drew the start at the hot corner in each of the three games in Boston and he impressed with the leather in the first two. 

Carlos Mendoza said pregame Wednesday that Baty’s defense was the main reason he decided to leave him in the lineup against a tough left-hander in Garrett Crochet for the series finale. 

Baty responded by cracking a two-out RBI single in the second inning to get the scoring started. He came through again later on, going the other way to put New York back in front with a two-run double off another tough lefty in Brennan Bernardino. 

The 25-year-old finished the day 2-for-4 while driving in three of New York’s five runs. 

After his strong showing against the lefties, Baty figures to have earned himself the opportunity to get back out there against Clayton Kershaw in the opener -- he should be in the lineup for all three games of this set. 

Signs of life at the plate

Baty wasn’t the only positive sign during Wednesday’s win in Boston. 

The rest of the bottom four did a good job setting the table as well -- Luis Torrens was on-base three times, Tyrone Taylor picked up a knock of his own, and Luisangel Acuña reached on a pair of infield hits. 

Francisco Lindor had two hits out of the leadoff spot as well -- opening the game with a double off Crochet and then cracking a solo shot over the Green Monster in the ninth for the Mets’ first homer since last Tuesday. 

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) celebrates his home run against the Boston Red Sox during the ninth inning at Fenway Park
New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor (12) celebrates his home run against the Boston Red Sox during the ninth inning at Fenway Park / Eric Canha - Imagn Images

As a team, though, they still finished 3-for-12 with runners in scoring position. 

They are now an abysmal eight-for-56 in such situations over their last eight games.

Juan Soto still looks a bit lost at the plate -- he was fooled badly on three strikeouts against Crochet, but drove one deep to center with the bases loaded in the seventh which would’ve been a grand slam if not for the wind. 

Soto now hasn't left the yard since May 9 and he's just 5-for-35 over that span. Pete Alonso’s production has slowed down mightily as well since the calendar flipped to May -- he's now gone 56 at-bats without a homer, which is the third-longest streak of his career.

Vientos also still isn’t offering much of anything in the power department, and Brandon Nimmo continues to struggle mightily at the plate.  

For this offense to get back in a groove, they need the big guns at the top to get rolling again.

Dodgers' pitching has been hittable

The positive for the Mets is the Dodgers’ pitching staff has been very hittable thus far. 

LA came into the year with a loaded rotation from top-to-bottom after making some offseason additions, but they’ve battled numerous injuries and have been forced to tap deep into their depth. 

Roki Sasaki, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow, Emmett Sheehan, River Ryan, and Gavin Stone are all currently sidelined and Shohei Ohtani is still yet to make his return to the mound.

Relievers Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech, Kirby Yates, and Brusdar Graterol are also on the IL.

With their pieced together young staff, the Dodgers have allowed the ninth-most runs (222) and seventh-most homers (65) in baseball to this point in the season. 

The Mets will have to deal with the veteran Kershaw, who is 11-0 against them in his career, but he struggled in his season debut -- allowing five runs and walking three in just four innings against the Angels. 

Tony Gonsolin (4.05 ERA) and Landon Knack (6.17 ERA) are set to pitch the final two games.

Mets pitchers will have their hands full

As bad as the Dodgers' pitching has been thus far, their offense has had their backs.

They currently lead the league with a .284 average. They also rank second in home runs (81), hits (454), runs scored (284), and OPS (.814) and find themselves in the top-10 in several other key categories.

Their star-studded top of the order leads the way headlined by Ohtani, Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman, and All-Star catcher Will Smith -- three of which are hitting above the .300 mark.

Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman have returned from stints on the IL and they’ve been great thus far as well -- producing a combined 18 homers and 64 RBI.

The speedy Hyeseong Kim has also provided a spark since being called up and Andy Pages has locked himself into an everyday role after producing nine long balls over the first 46 games of the season.  

The Mets’ pitching staff has continued to carry their weight amid the offenses struggles, but they'll really be put to the test this weekend -- and it'll be up to Griffin Canning, David Peterson, and Senga to keep this high-powered group in check. 

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Francisco Lindor.

He's been tremendous at home this season and showed some positive signs on Wednesday.

Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?

Kodai Senga.

Senga is rolling and will be determined to make up for his rough showing in the NLCS

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

Freddie Freeman.

One of the biggest Met killers around, who leads the NL with a .368 average and 1.087 OPS.

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Ace mismanagement? Red Sox' plan for Crochet backfires in loss to Mets

Ace mismanagement? Red Sox' plan for Crochet backfires in loss to Mets originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox appeared to be in a good spot Wednesday night.

The Sox were tied 1-1 with the New York Mets with one out in the sixth inning and seeking their first three-game winning streak since late April. Their ace, Garrett Crochet, was dealing, with just five hits allowed and five strikeouts on 85 pitches, his latest a nasty sweeper to ring up Juan Soto.

But that would be the last pitch Crochet threw, as manager Alex Cora emerged from the dugout to give Crochet the short hook and summon reliever Liam Hendriks from the bullpen. While Hendriks completed the sixth inning, it was all downhill from there: Hendriks, Brennan Bernardino and Sean Newcomb combined to allow four runs over the final three innings en route to a disappointing 5-1 loss.

So, why did Cora pull Crochet so early? The Red Sox manager explained that Wednesday was a planned shorter start for Crochet, who leads the majors in innings pitched and had gone a full seven innings in three of his last four starts.

“It’s for the benefit of the player,” Cora said after the game, via MassLive.com. “We’re here for the long run and we need that guy to make his starts. And for us to go to where we feel we can go, we need him.”

Crochet — who wasn’t informed about Boston’s plans to limit him before the game — wasn’t too happy about his early exit.

“I was frustrated,” Crochet said, via MassLive. “Just wanted a chance to pick up my teammates, the bullpen. They’ve obviously worked really hard this series. And I wanted to try and keep them out of it as much as possible.”

To Crochet’s point, no Boston starter had lasted more than 4.2 innings in the previous four games entering Wednesday. And just one day earlier, six Red Sox pitchers combined to log 6.2 innings of relief after starter Walker Buehler was ejected in the third inning.

Yet there was Cora at Fenway Park on Wednesday pulling the plug on Crochet’s shortest outing of the season, and turning to an already-taxed bullpen to get 11 more outs.

“I like to think that I’m built up for that workload at this point,” Crochet said. “Obviously the focus is on being healthy in October, which I understand. But my focus right now is looking out for my teammates, trying to pick up slack when there needs to be.

“If I’m gonna be the starting pitcher that we’re looking towards right now, I wanna go out there and lead the league in innings. I want to throw as many innings as possible.”

There’s a rational case for monitoring Crochet’s workload; the 25-year-old is just three years removed from Tommy John surgery and has only thrown more than 100 innings in a season once (146 in 2024). If the Red Sox want Crochet to be at his best in October, there’s a benefit to not overworking him on a cold night in May.

But the reality is that Boston may not be playing in October unless it can win games more consistently. The Red Sox are 25-26 after Wednesday’s loss and now are 3-6 in their last nine games. In their defeat to the Mets, they squandered a rare opportunity to complete a series sweep and gain momentum entering a three-game set with the lowly Baltimore Orioles.

You could argue there’s plenty of time for the Red Sox to get hot. But their conservative approach with Crochet highlights an overall lack of urgency of Fenway Park that’s reflected in the team’s current record.

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Orioles at Red Sox Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for May 22

Its Thursday, May 22 and the Orioles (16-32) are in Boston to take on the Red Sox (25-26). Cade Povich is slated to take the mound for Baltimore against Lucas Giolito for Boston.

Despite losing 5-1 to the Mets yesterday, the Red Sox picked up the series win. The Red Sox hope to get something going in this series against the struggling Orioles. Neither is above .500, and both have losing records in their last 10 games.

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 Orioles at Red Sox

  • Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
  • Time: 6:45PM EST
  • Site: Fenway Park
  • City: Boston, MA
  • Network/Streaming: NESN, MASN, MASN+, 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 Orioles at the Red Sox

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Orioles (+104), Red Sox (-122)
  • Spread:  Red Sox 1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Orioles at Red Sox

  • Pitching matchup for May 22, 2025: Cade Povich vs. Lucas Giolito
    • Orioles: Cade Povich, (1-3, 5.23 ERA)
      Last outing (Washington Nationals, 5/16): 5.2 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 9 Strikeouts
    • Red Sox: Lucas Giolito, (1-1, 7.08 ERA)
      Last outing (Atlanta Braves, 5/17): 4.0 Innings Pitched, 6 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 3 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 Orioles at Red Sox

  • The Orioles have lost 11 of 13 games this season following a win
  • The Over is 4-1 in the Red Sox's last 5 matchups against American League teams

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 Orioles 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 Thursday's game between the Orioles 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 Baltimore Orioles at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards 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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Conference Finals Betting Round-Up: Unlikely Heroes Emerging as Value Plays After Game 1

Game 1 of the Conference Finals reveal decent value bets moving forward on players like Eetu Luostarinen, Matt Duchene

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With Game 1s of both the Eastern and Western Conference Finals in the books, bettors have a lot to think about as some under-the-radar names stole the spotlight. While the Florida Panthers and Dallas Stars took commanding series leads, it was the contributions from depth forwards that shifted the betting landscape.

More NHL: Stanley Cup Playoffs: Betting Odds For the Conference Finals

Eastern Conference: Florida Panthers 5, Carolina Hurricanes 2

The Panthers exploded for five goals against the Hurricanes on Tuesday night, but it wasn’t just the usual suspects lighting the lamp. Forwards A.J. Greer and Eetu Luostarinen both tallied goals, continuing a trend of unexpected but impactful production.

Luostarinen, in particular, has been a quietly dominant force. Now leading the team in playoff points with 13 (four goals, nine assists) through 13 games, he’s thriving alongside linemates Brad Marchand and Anton Lundell.

More NHL: Hurricanes Insider Gives Best Bets For Eastern Conference Finals versus Florida Panthers

Marchand himself has 12 points, making that line arguably Florida’s most productive — and yet Luostarinen is still often listed at solid value on betting boards to register a point or score. With his current pace, he's worth keeping a close eye on for bettors looking to cash in on overlooked options.

Greer, while not putting up the same numbers, has found ways to contribute in timely moments. His Game 1 goal marked just his second of the playoffs, but with increased confidence and opportunity, he could continue to surprise.

Western Conference: Dallas Stars 6, Edmonton Oilers 3

The Stars rallied in dramatic fashion with five unanswered goals in the third period to knock off the Oilers in a statement win. But the story here wasn’t just the comeback — it was the long-awaited arrival of Dallas’s secondary scoring.

Tyler Seguin turned back the clock with two goals and an assist, while Matt Duchene, who had an 82-point regular season, finally broke through with his first goal of the playoffs.

More NHL: Stars Insider Gives Best Bets For Western Conference Finals versus Edmonton Oilers

For a team that’s relied heavily on its top two lines, this depth scoring couldn’t have come at a better time and for bettors, it presents new angles to consider.

Seguin and Duchene are regularly priced lower than top-tier point producers, but if Game 1 is any indication, they could be heating up at just the right time. Duchene especially, given his season-long form, could be a strong value pick to get on the scoresheet in upcoming games.

Betting Takeaways:

  • Eetu Luostarinen leads the Panthers in playoff scoring and remains undervalued in many betting markets.
  • A.J. Greer is finding timely production and could be a sneaky anytime goal scorer pick.
  • Tyler Seguin is looking like a playoff version of his old self and may continue to provide strong value.
  • Matt Duchene’s breakout performance could mark the start of a scoring run worth riding.

As the Conference Finals continue, these depth performers could offer the best value for bettors looking beyond the big-name stars.

More NHL: Veterans First: NHL Insiders Pick Players Who Deserve Cup First From Each Contender

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Mariners at Astros Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for May 22

Its Thursday, May 22 and the Mariners (28-20) are in Houston to take on the Astros (25-24). George Kirby is slated to take the mound for Seattle against Lance McCullers for Houston.

The Astros are hoping to bounce back from an 8-4 loss and a dropped series against the Tampa Bay Rays when McCullers takes the mound today. Hunter Brown didn't have his best stuff yesterday. He gave up five earned runs from seven hits in 5.0 innings.

The AL West-leading Mariners look to build off their 6-5 win against the Chicago White Sox.

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 Mariners at Astros

  • Date: Thursday, May 22, 2025
  • Time: 8:10PM EST
  • Site: Minute Maid Park
  • City: Houston, TX
  • Network/Streaming: Space City Home Network, ROOTNW

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 Mariners at the Astros

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Mariners (-134), Astros (+114)
  • Spread:  Mariners -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Mariners at Astros

  • Pitching matchup for May 22, 2025: George Kirby vs. Lance McCullers
    • Mariners: George Kirby
    • Astros: Lance McCullers, (0-1, 7.88 ERA)
      Last outing (Texas Rangers, 5/16): 4.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 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 Mariners at Astros

  • The Mariners have won 4 of their last 5 games against teams with winning records
  • The Under has cashed in 4 of the Astros' last 5 games with Lance McCullers starting
  • The Mariners have covered the Run Line in 5 straight games at the Astros

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 Mariners and the Astros

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 Thursday's game between the Mariners and the Astros:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Seattle Mariners on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Houston Astros 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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Warriors' Moody underwent surgery on torn UCL in right thumb

Warriors' Moody underwent surgery on torn UCL in right thumb originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors guard Moses Moody underwent successful surgery to repair a torn Ulnar Collateral Ligament (UCL) in his right thumb, the team announced Thursday.

Moody underwent the procedure Wednesday in Los Angeles, and he is expected to make a full recovery in time for the start of training camp.

The 22-year-old is coming off a career-best season with Golden State, averaging 9.8 points on 43.3 percent shooting, with 2.6 rebounds and 1.3 assists in 22.3 minutes through 74 games (34 starts).

Moody’s role with the Warriors has fluctuated since being selected No. 14 overall in the 2021 NBA Draft.

But after signing a three-year contract extension with Golden State worth $39 million, per his agent, the Warriors’ commitment to the young guard was evident. And Moody’s patience paid off, with him becoming an established starter in mid-February and helping the Warriors along their arduous journey to the postseason.

It’s unclear exactly when he sustained the injury in his right shooting thumb, but he did struggle quite a bit during the Warriors’ playoff run, losing his spot in the starting lineup after two playoff games.

Through 12 playoff games, Moody shot just 35 percent from the field and 33.3 percent from 3-point range with 7.1 points, 2.2 rebounds and 1.2 assists in 16.1 minutes.

The good news is he won’t appear to be missing any time as the Warriors prepare for the 2025-26 NBA season.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

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49ers QB Purdy inspired by Haliburton's NBA playoffs success

49ers QB Purdy inspired by Haliburton's NBA playoffs success originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Perhaps nobody in the professional sports world has had a better 48 hours than 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy and Indiana Pacers star point guard Tyrese Haliburton.

The former signed a whopping five-year, $265 million contract with San Francisco, while the latter continued his iconic NBA playoffs run with another buzzer-beating shot that sent Indiana to overtime in its eventual 138-135 win over the New York Knicks in Game 1 of the Eastern Conference Finals on Wednesday at Madison Square Garden.

The two star players, both former Iowa State Cyclones, developed a friendship in college and continue to root for each other to this day. Haliburton has posted about Purdy numerous times on social media, and he has been seen wearing both Purdy’s college and NFL jerseys.

The Pacers guard even reacted to the news of Purdy’s 49ers extension on May 16.

Purdy joined KNBR 680’s “Murph & Markus” on Thursday, one day after Haliburton and the Pacers’ Game 1 win over the Knicks, and was asked if he had congratulated his longtime friend on his epic playoff run.

“Not yet. I said this last year, but I’m just letting him do his thing throughout the series and then after I’ll shoot him a text,” Purdy said. “But man, is he a baller and he and I are always texting and keeping in touch and I want nothing but the best for my guy.”

Purdy, who led the 49ers to a near-Super Bowl LVIII victory roughly 15 months ago, is no stranger to the spotlight himself, and has been inspired by what he’s seen from Haliburton and the Pacers, the team he’s rooting for in the NBA playoffs.

“He’s had an incredible playoff run so far and some really iconic moments, hitting shots and just being exciting, especially for the Indiana fan base and everything. And obviously, going back to Iowa State, I’ve seen him do those things in Ames, so for him to be able to do this on this level, I couldn’t be happier for him.”

While both star players likely dreamt of reaching this point in their respective careers during college at Iowa State, they never discussed it together. They had more pressing matters to focus on.

“We didn’t have those conversations,” Purdy said when asked if he and Haliburton ever talked about reaching this point in their careers. “We were just trying to get through accounting and stats together. But outside of that we were always talking and joking around from class to class and we got pretty close there, so it’s cool.”

The classmates-turned-star-professional-athletes both have come close to reaching the mountaintops in their respective sports, and with Haliburton three wins away from punching his ticket to the NBA Finals, Purdy will continue to root for his longtime friend from afar.

Download and follow the 49ers Talk Podcast

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'Everything felt good' for former Met Jacob deGrom in first New York start as a Ranger

The first two years of Jacob deGrom's contract with the Rangers were mainly spent on the IL.

He made just three starts towards the end of last season as he was recovering from a second Tommy John surgery, but after having a healthy offseason and full spring training, he's finally ready to roll.

The right-hander is officially back and delivering the type of performances Texas was expecting when they handed him a big money five-year deal a couple of winters back -- Wednesday night was another one of those.

Taking the mound against the high-powered Yankees lineup in his first New York start since the 2022 National League Wild Card round, deGrom put together seven strong innings of work.

He did get off to a bit of a slow start, allowing the Bombers to put two on in the first and then Anthony Volpe led off the second with a triple and later scored -- but it was smooth sailing from there.

DeGrom retired the next 15 batters in order before the scorching hot Cody Bellinger crushed a solo homer to cut into the Rangers' two-run lead leading off the bottom of the seventh.

He easily set aside the next three batters to finish off his fourth quality start of the season with a final line of two runs allowed on three hits to go along with just one walk and nine strikeouts.

It was also the first time he topped the 100-pitch mark this season.

"Everything felt good," deGrom said postgame. "You miss that much time, it's good to pitch anywhere -- but having spent so much time in New York, getting back on the mound here, it was fun tonight."

Fittingly in his return to the Big Apple, the 36-year-old ended up being handed the tough-luck no-decision as the Rangers were walked off, but he continues to prove that even after a few injury-plagued seasons he's still among the best in the game.

DeGrom has now allowed just five earned runs in each of his last five starts -- pitching to a strong 1.45 ERA and 0.81 WHIP with five walks and 36 punch outs over that span.

"The main thing is the mental thing," he said. "You want to be out there competing. The goal is to be out there as much as I could, to take the ball as many times as I could -- when you don't, you feel like a real letdown."

If deGrom is able to stay healthy, perhaps he'll have his shot at a Citi Field return later this season.

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ICYMI in Mets Land: Revamped lineup shows sign of life, snaps three-game losing skid

Here's what happened in Mets Land on Wednesday, in case you missed it...