Posts

Posted on

Webb shows off new pitch mix vs. Astros as Giants keep rolling

Webb shows off new pitch mix vs. Astros as Giants keep rolling originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

HOUSTON — It’s not unusual for a player to return to his locker after a game and find a baseball in a glass case. It’s the move for any milestone, from a first hit (which Christian Koss is chasing) to a 100th (Tyler Fitzgerald is one away). It’s a way to commemorate big homers, big wins or your 200th double, but the Giants are putting a twist on the tradition this season.

Logan Webb had a glass case in his locker after Tuesday’s 3-1 win, but if the Giants come out on top again on Wednesday, it won’t belong to him anymore. Willy Adames had one, too, but he might not be the owner for long, either.

The Giants are celebrating wins by choosing a Player of the Game and a Pitcher of the Game, and their names are written on the two baseballs by bench coach Ryan Christenson, who might have the best calligraphy in the game. The hope is that everyone is involved, and that the balls make their way around the clubhouse. 

Webb was disappointed by his performance in the opener last Thursday, but he looked like his old self Tuesday, and he smiled as he looked up at the baseball in his locker. In a win over the Houston Astros that clinched a winning road trip, Webb threw seven innings and showed his evolution as a pitcher. 

The face of the franchise has always been known for two things: Piling up innings and dominating hitters with a sinker-changeup combination down in the zone. But on Tuesday, Webb was a four-pitch guy, and he bordered on five pitches. He has full faith in his cutter, developed last season and sharpened this spring, and he’ll mix in the occasional four-seamer to give him a third fastball he can elevate. 

“I’m just trying to mix it up, I’m trying not to be a one-dimensional guy,” Webb said. “That fastball up, whether it’s the two-seam, four-seam or cutter, it can be kind of a game changer.”

Yordan Alvarez learned that the hard way in his first at-bat. The Astros superstar swung through a cutter that was up and outside, one of six strikeouts for Webb. In the seventh, with a runner on first and a two-run lead, Webb threw him a slider down and in. Alvarez again struck out.

The two strikeouts showed why Webb is so excited about his cutter in particular. He’s now comfortable elevating on some of the best hitters in the game, and once that’s in their head, he can attack every part of the strike zone. 

“It’s just a different look for me, and being able to do that and trying to mix things up to certain hitters that maybe I don’t match up the best with, I think those are situations where I can throw something like that,” Webb said. 

The previous version of Webb would have had his name on the Pitcher of the Game ball often. He’s been one of the game’s best since his breakout 2021 MLB season, but at the age of 28, he’s hoping to evolve. Hitters taught him some lessons last year. Now it’s time to return the favor. 

“You saw some of the takes and some of the swings — it’s different now,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Alvarez [got] a couple in, a cutter in, he’s never seen that one from him before. With the sweeper and changeup, it’s really a four-pitch mix and it’s both sides of the plate, which is going to make him better. He needed all that tonight.”

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Posted on

Aaron Boone on Yankees' 'personalized' torpedo bats; Adam Ottavino having 'a lot left in there'

Ahead of the Yankees opening a three-game series with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Tuesday night in The Bronx, manager Aaron Boone, in answering questions about the hot topic of the torpedo bats, discussed the level of organizational thought that went into the equipment change and discussed the signing reliever Adam Ottavino on a big league deal.

Run (not so) silent, run deep

Over the last three days, the shape of lumber has become the main story of the new season.

“I’m kinda starting to smile at it a little more,” the manager of the team at the center of the new controversial but MLB-approved bats said.

“It’s taken on a life of its own. A lot of things that aren’t real,” he continued. “I really just look at it as the evolution of equipment, and I think I said the other day, I went and got fitted for golf clubs 10 years ago. This is essentially that. This is all within regulations.”

In keeping with the analogy of golf clubs to bats, Boone indicated that there is “a lot more to it” than just, say, selecting the “torpedo bat off the shelf over there, 34-32."

“Our guys are way more invested in it than that,” he added. “Really personalized, really work with our plays in creating this stuff. But it’s equipment evolving.”

Boone said it is “to each their own” when it comes to the club recommending a certain bat to a player, but he seemed to indicate that the organization is involved in working with the players on figuring out what bat would work best for them.

“We want to create an environment where we’re not missing anything, we’re not missing any chance to help a player become their best or optimize a player,” he said. “Ultimately, it's up to the players. How much information do you want? That’s on individual players and us to help educate. But, ultimately, it comes down to what works for you.”

While the league is now aware of the new bats, the manager "doesn't necessarily know that everyone 'knows about it,'" he said while adding air quotes around the final three words. When asked about the distinction, he seemed to imply that awareness of the torpedo bats is "different than knowing about it," he said while pointing for emphasis.

“I think there’s just a lot more that goes into it” than just deciding to use the torpedo bat, the manager added. “A lot went into doing that for our individual guys, and it’s a lot more than just the look of the bat.”

He added: “I think there’s a lot more to it. That even I don’t know all about it, I’m not smart enough to know all of that stuff, but I think there’s more to it.”

But with that being said, how much of an impact do the new bats have? The manager isn’t sure.

"Hopefully what doesn’t get lost in this: It's about the player. It’s about the hitter. It's about the person swinging it,” he said. “Understandably, I get it. It's getting a lot of attention right now. But yes, ultimately, when the dust settles here, it's about players performing.”

Boone stressed he doesn’t see this as giving any player a big advantage: “You’re trying to just, where you can on the margins, move the needle a little bit. And that’s really all you’re gonna do. It’s not like this is some sort of revelation… It’s not related to the weekend we had. I don’t think it’s that.”

He said for some players in some cases it “may help them incrementally.”

Mar 30, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) follows through on a two run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning at Yankee Stadium.
Mar 30, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. (13) follows through on a two run home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the third inning at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

In discussing how the bats work, Boone wanted to dispel a notion, saying that it was “wrong to say we’re moving the sweet spot” with the torpedo bats.

“It’s no moving. Big leaguers don’t not hit the ball off the barrel. The worst of big leaguers they hit the ball off the barrel more than they [don’t],” he said. “You’re trying to just optimize the weight of the bat and take out wasted spots that you don’t use.”

Boone said he was aware Giancarlo Stanton and Jose Trevino were using torpedo bats last season. Stanton was asked if the new lumber was the "bat adjustments" he said earlier this year that may have contributed to his elbow injuries.

"You're not going to get the story you're looking for, so if that's what you guys want, that isn't going to happen,” the slugger said, via MLB.com’s Bryan Hoch. Stanton added that he will use a torpedo bat when he returns from the IL.

Ottavino has chance to stick

Reports of Ottavino throwing the ball much better during the end of spring training with the Boston Red Sox helped nudge the Yankees to sign the veteran reliever for a second stint with the club, the manager said.

“He’s kinda been on our board a little bit. I know the front office [has] been talking about him the last couple weeks as a potential,” Boone said. “Felt like what he was doing back-end of spring training was in-line with who Otto is.”

And with closer Devin Williams going on the paternity list, Boone said the club “felt like it an opportunity to get him in here and excited to have him back.”

Ottavino regained his form after back-to-back down seasons during his first year with the Mets in 2022, pitching to a 2.06 ERA and 0.975 WHIP over 65.2 innings. But the veteran saw his effectiveness decline over the following two years and his ERA climb to 4.34 and WHIP to 1.286 over 56 innings.

“I think he’s got a lot left in there,” Boone said. “He’s still been very effective, really, throughout his entire career.”

While the Yanks will have a decision to make on the roster when Williams returns, the skipper left the door open for the 39-year-old to stick around.

“We’ll see, we’ll see,” he said, before adding that his two seasons in The Bronx during 2019 and 2020 provide a level of familiarity.

“When we first got him, we brought him in to kinda be that righty killer, high-leverage, set-up [man,] and he delivered on that,” Boone said. “And, obviously, very familiar with what it takes to play here… and he’s played [with] the Mets and Boston. This [pressure environment] is what he knows.

“This is a chance to get a quality pitcher in here, and hopefully it can help us. And where it goes, we’ll see.”

Posted on

Will The Winnipeg Jets Win The Stanley Cup This Season — Five Years After THN Predicted They Would?

(APR 6, 2015 -- VOL. 68, ISSUE 19)

The Winnipeg Jets have been one of the NHL's best teams this season, and many believe they'll go on a deep Stanley Cup playoff run this spring. But in THN's 2015 Future Watch edition, we predicted the Jets would win the Cup -- in 2019:

PLAN THE PARADE

By Ken Campbell

All right, let's get one thing out of the way. It gets cold in Winnipeg. Ten months of winter and two months of bad skating. Heh-heh. The day this piece was written in mid-February, it was forecasted to go down to minus-38. Don’t bother with the Celsius to Fahrenheit calculations. When it’s that cold, they’re pretty much the same.

There are bigger cities in the NHL (about 25 of them) that play in bigger arenas (about 29). There are other places where a star can slide right under the radar if he wants. There are places with lower taxes and places where your Bentley won’t get wrecked by road salt. There are places with a few more entertainment options.

These are the obstacles the Winnipeg Jets face when it comes to attracting free agents and getting players to waive their no-trade clauses to go there. In fact, a recent informal study found Winnipeg and Edmonton to be the two least desirable destinations in the NHL. Jets GM Kevin Cheveldayoff talks about how well the organization treats its players and how, once they get there, players actually like it. But when your only exposure to the place is a road trip in the middle of the winter, perception sometimes becomes reality.

“It’s not shocking for me that people don’t understand what Winnipeg is all about,” Cheveldayoff said. “They haven’t been here for a long time. I do believe that once we get a player here and they see how we treat the players, they’ll want to stay. We’ve said it from Day 1, once players come here, they’re going to enjoy being here. And we know the kids we draft and the kids we develop, they’re going to know from Day 1 what it’s like to be part of the Jets family, and they’re going to embrace that.”

And there you have it. If you can’t entice players to your organization because they don’t like hockey weather or they’re too closed-minded, then you get the players who have no choice in the matter and get them to fall in love with the place. Drafting and developing has never been a more important tool in the NHL than it is in the salary cap era. And it’s even more so for places like Winnipeg, where cultivating your own talent is more practical than poaching it from other teams.

On that count, the Jets get a gold star and a direct route to the head of the class. Their group of non-NHL prospects and under-22 players on their roster is the best in the NHL, according to a panel of 13 scouts, GMs and directors of player personnel. And if their prospect group wasn’t good enough already, Cheveldayoff added two more in Joel Armia and Brendan Lemieux in the Evander Kane trade with the Buffalo Sabres. Not only that, he has another late first-round pick coming to him in that deal.

Combined with the Jets as they’re currently constituted – a good, fast, young team with a progressive coach – the future looks outstanding. Like, Stanley Cup contender outstanding. As we already have the Buffalo Sabres pencilled in for the Cup in 2020, we’re picking the Jets and their band of young stars to be parading down Portage Avenue with the silver chalice in the spring of 2019. Caveat: grain of salt required. In our 1991 Draft Preview edition, we chose the Jets to win the Stanley Cup within five years. Not only did they not win the Cup in that time, they ceased to exist five years later.

But you get the idea. The Jets have loaded up on young talent and have held onto it. And they have every position covered. In the NHL, Jacob Trouba has the makings of an outstanding two-way defenseman. Mark Scheifele has all kinds of speed and skill, and Adam Lowry is establishing himself as a big, imposing force up front. Blake Wheeler and Bryan Little, two of the team’s top forwards, are signed long-term, as are Tobias Enstrom and Tyler Myers, two of their key defensemen.

When it comes to their prospects, they have the most dangerous offensive player in the QMJHL in Nikolaj Ehlers and a host of other productive players in Lemieux, Nic Petan and Andrew Copp. They have one of Canada’s world junior goalies in Eric Comrie and also a rookie backstopping their AHL team in Connor Hellebuyck. Josh Morrissey was named to the WJC all-star team, and Armia looks ready for NHL duty.

But the Jets and Cheveldayoff have had to be among the league’s elite when it comes to drafting and developing. That’s because it took Cheveldayoff almost four full years to make an NHL player-for-NHL player trade. In that time, he didn’t move a single Jets prospect of note and gave up only one second-round pick – in what turned out to be a bad deal with the Minnesota Wild for Devin Setoguchi in 2013. Before making his blockbuster with Buffalo, Cheveldayoff had traded away more picks than he got back, though all but a handful of them were after the third round and none of them in the first.

So if his scouts were doing their jobs well, and it looks as though they were, the Jets should have a healthy stable of young players preparing for the NHL. But it also requires an organizational philosophy that centers on building through the draft. And the Jets, unlike a lot of other teams, are in a market where they had a couple years to grow. The folks in Winnipeg waited a long time to get their NHL team back and were willing to give the new management team a honeymoon period of non-playoff finishes before they started getting restless.

That time, though, has come, which has led some to the opinion that it’s time to start parlaying some of those assets into roster players from other teams. After all, going back to the Atlanta days, it’s been eight years since this organization last played a playoff game, which is the second longest current drought in the NHL next to Edmonton.

“It’s been a long time, no question,” Cheveldayoff said. “But the process we started the day we took over is a slow one. It’s not one where you’re going to get instant gratification. It’s been a full, methodical process, but we’re seeing the fruits of our labor right now. We’ll look at all our options, but we’re excited with the group of young players we have, and we think some of them are going to turn the corner quickly and be contributors at the NHL level.”

And it’s interesting to note these aren’t your father’s Jets. This is a team in a new rink that sells 15,004 tickets for each game and has cost certainty on its side. Where teams now have to take advantage of their financial positions is off the ice, investing in resources and people that aren’t constrained by a salary cap. To that end, the Jets have seven pro scouts and 14 full- and part-time amateur scouts, a scouting co-ordinator, a director of fitness and a two-man player development department. That’s one of the larger staffs in the NHL devoted to something that is a make or break aspect of the game.

It helps that the Jets have a decent economy, new building and well-heeled bosses with an appreciation for the long term. “We have an ownership group that is extremely committed to doing things the right way,” Cheveldayoff said. “From Day 1, they’ve viewed drafting and developing as an investment, not as an expense. When you get into the boardroom and start dealing with budgets and things like that, the easiest thing to cut is something you don’t see. You barely see the amateur scouts because they’re on the road all the time and it’s an easy cut. But in that aspect, we’ve never been shortchanged.”

Everything is set for the Jets to have a future full of serious Stanley Cup runs. With a management team that has finally begun to address the present, while keeping an eye to the future, the Jets are on the precipice of something special.

We’re predicting a Stanley Cup in 2019. After all, when you’ve waited as long as Winnipeg has to get your team back, what’s a couple more years to bide your time for the top prize? Cheveldayoff likes the sound of that but isn’t about to pre-order his Stanley Cup stationary. “I’m focusing on being a 2015 playoff team right now,” he said.

Posted on

Steph admits thinking about Klay's 3-point record before reality check

Steph admits thinking about Klay's 3-point record before reality check originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Warriors star Steph Curry was a man on a mission in Golden State’s 134-125 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night at FedExForum.

The goal? Win the game — though he couldn’t help but think about former teammate Klay Thompson’s single-game 3-point record as he erupted for 52 points and 12 triples against Ja Morant and Co.

“That was the first two threes [attempts] of the fourth quarter; I definitely was thinking about Klay [setting the record] in Chicago,” Curry told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Kelenna Azubuike and Bob Fitzgerald on “Warriors Postgame Live” after the win. “This is as close as I’ve been with that amount of time left. But then after that, reality check. We got to win the game, so you don’t want to sabotage anything.”

Curry came out firing against the Grizzlies with five 3-pointers in the first quarter. By halftime he had eight, but he only sank four more in the game’s final two quarters. But that certainly didn’t matter to the point guard as Golden State grabbed the victory and hurdled Memphis for the Western Conference’s No. 5 seed.

Thompson set a new single-game record with 14 3-pointers in Golden State’s game against the Chicago Bulls on Oct. 29, 2018 — an accolade that previously had belonged to Curry, who made 13 triples on Nov. 7, 2016, against the New Orleans Pelicans.

Curry has come close to taking back his crown multiple times since 2018. Before Tuesday’s flurry, he also made 12 3-pointers during a 56-point outburst in the Warriors’ 121-115 comeback win over the Magic on Feb. 27 in Orlando. After that game, Curry admitted he still had his sights set on Thompson’s record.

“Still chasing the 14, though,” Curry told reporters after that game. “So [Thompson] still got me on that.”

It remains to be seen when the 3-point king will be back on top in that category. But for now, his former Splash Bro still has bragging rights over him.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Posted on

The Mets start the season, with Juan Soto and Pete Alonso leading the way | The Mets Pod

Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo check in with a new episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, as the Mets have started the season and there’s actual baseball to discuss!

The guys cover the early returns from the starting rotation, the bullpen, and the lineup, plus also chat about what April holds in store for Francisco Lindor.

Connor and Joe then go Down on the Farm to look at the first outings of the year for top pitching prospects Blade Tidwell and Brandon Sproat, bring back The Scoreboard for more weekly bets in 2025, and open the Mailbag to answer questions about adding pitching at the trade deadline and the current depth in the outfield.

Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Posted on

Is this the most loaded Final Four ever? | College Basketball Power Hour

Yahoo Sports’ Caroline Fenton, Jason Fitz and basketball analyst Isis ‘Ice’ Young discuss the depth of this year’s semifinal field - only the second ever on the men’s side to feature all four number one seeds. Hear the full conversation on the “College Basketball Power Hour” podcast - and subscribe on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, YouTube or wherever you listen.

Posted on

Rangers' Igor Shesterkin Must Do Even More To Justify A Record-Breaking Contract

Igor Shesterkin (Danny Wild-Imagn Images)

The New York Rangers’ Igor Shesterkin set a high standard when he signed an eye-catching contract earlier this season – but his results afterward haven’t met it yet.

Shesterkin’s pending UFA status and impending extension were among the NHL’s top storylines early in the season. Often regarded as one of the best goalies in the league, there were reports before his extension that he looked to reset the market for top-tier backstops. 

He did just that with an eight-year deal worth $11.5-million annually that kicks in next season.

But there’s immense pressure and expectations of being a highly paid starter, where great isn’t good enough. Shesterkin will be the highest-paid goalie in 2025-26, and his play has to justify that investment. It's questionable at the moment.

He’s now amid one of his most challenging seasons since debuting with the New York Rangers in 2019. His 2.84 goals-against average and .906 save percentage are respectable but not elite, especially considering the record-setting cap hit. They're both career worsts for him.

While few will ever reach the numbers that will justify an $11.5-million cap hit, the Rangers' eventual willingness to commit to him as a franchise cornerstone sent a message. They believed in him.

It’s way too early to declare the massive investment a mistake or a success.

It should also be noted the Rangers have been abysmal defensively in front of Shesterkin. He still has 22.2 goals saved above expected, which ranks third in the NHL, according to moneypuck.com. In a season that didn't go to plan for the Rangers, Shesterkin has had to bail out his teammates, and The Hockey News' Remy Mastey wrote that Shesterkin is proving his worth.

But his drop in goals-against average and save percentage does raise the question about how consistently strong goalies like him need to play to justify eight-digit cap hits.

Can Igor Shesterkin Save The New York Rangers This Season?Can Igor Shesterkin Save The New York Rangers This Season?The New York Rangers made goaltender Igor Shesterkin the highest-paid goalie in NHL history in December, but he hasn't played like it.

His current stats echo what happened to Sergei Bobrovsky when he signed a monster contract with the Florida Panthers.

Bobrovsky left the Columbus Blue Jackets for a lucrative $10-million cap hit in Florida after already winning the Vezina Trophy twice and recording a 2.58 GAA and .913 in 2019-19. His numbers with the Panthers worsened, and he recorded a 3.23 GAA and .900 SP in the first season of his new contract. It took him multiple seasons to rediscover his elite form. While he eventually led the Panthers to a Stanley Cup in 2024, the journey to justifying his contract was a long one. 

Now, with nearly 50 career shutouts – including five this season and six last year – he’s proving his worth. But for years, there were questions about whether his deal was one of the worst in the league and how big a mistake the Panthers might have made.

While elite goaltenders can be game-changers, big-money deals come with significant risk. Shesterkin now has the pressure to prove they are worth the investment. Similar questions about Bobrovsky could surround Shesterkin if his numbers don’t rebound when the new contract begins.

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.

Posted on

Aleksei Kolosov's Flyers Return Creates More Questions Than Answers

Flyers goalie Aleksei Kolosov makes an important glove save during a game against the Red Wings. (Photo: Kyle Ross, Imagn Images)

The Philadelphia Flyers recalled Aleksei Kolosov from the AHL exactly one week ago, and he has yet to do so much as to dress as a backup goalie for even one game so far.

Kolosov, 23, has not appeared in an NHL game since Jan. 2, when he allowed four goals on 26 shots in a 5-2 loss to the Vegas Golden Knights.

The Belarusian was subsequently reassigned to the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, though he returned to the Flyers on Jan. 31, sat for a month, then returned to Lehigh Valley again on March 6.

Kolosov has played eight games for the Phantoms since Jan. 2, stopping 192 of 216 shots for a .889 save percentage and posting a 4-4-0 record.

Kolosov's numbers were actually tattered by a rocky start that saw him allow 10 goals in his first two AHL starts since October, and he's been much improved since returning to the AHL in early March.

The 23-year-old has won four of his last six starts for the Phantoms, stopping 136 of 150 shots for a .907 save percentage, which is a drastic improvement over his career .884 save percentage in the AHL.

So, when current Flyers backup goalie Ivan Fedotov allowed nine goals on 32 combined shots in games against Dallas and Chicago last weekend, Kolosov's return to the Flyers at least made some sense.

In a lost season where your backup is not playing well (again), give the kid a shot and see what he does in the last handful of games, right?

And yet, at least so far, all Kolosov has done is watch from the press box.

Perhaps the firing of head coach John Tortorella has played a role in this, though it's impossible to be certain.

Tortorella started the 2024-25 season insisting that Sam Ersson was the undisputed starter and Fedotov was the backup.

Then, Kolosov commandeered the backup role by November, just to hand it back over to Fedotov after a series of poor showings at the end of December.

Leading up to his dismissal, Tortorella then referred to Ersson and Fedotov as a "tandem" with both goalies struggling with consistency equally.

Then, the 28-year-old Fedotov had those two dreary outings, and up came Kolosov again.

The Flyers' evaluation of the goaltending situation changes almost monthly, which is understandably unsettling for many fans.

What we can say about Kolosov - and this is true for any developing player - is that there is little benefit to spending swaths of games in the press box instead of being on the ice gaining experience firsthand.

Another thing to note is that, because Kolosov is signed to a two-way contract, his salary while playing in the AHL is just $80k.

This pales in comparison to his $832.5k base salary, and we must also consider that Kolosov has to take care of his girlfriend as well as himself while shuttling back and forth between Philadelphia and Allentown as frequently as he has.

While Kolosov did play in the KHL for parts of four seasons, the league's salary cap is only $10 million in U.S dollars, and the Belarusian ruble is equivalent to only 0.31 USD at the time of this writing.

By spending time in the NHL with the Flyers, Kolosov makes substantially more money, which is undoubtedly a huge help for a player who is still acclimating to life in North America and speaks and understands a very limited amount of English.

It's unclear whether the Flyers are doing this as a favor to their young prospect or if they really do want him on the NHL roster for hockey reasons, but if it's the former, it makes plenty of sense.

Players are human and have lives away from the rink, too.

On that note, though, it would be strange to see Kolosov spend the rest of the NHL season with the Flyers without appearing in any games, then return to Lehigh Valley ice cold ahead of the Calder Cup playoffs.

Ideally, Ersson, Fedotov, and Kolosov each play two of the team's final six games before the latter returns for the Phantoms' postseason campaign.

That decision, of course, is ultimately up to interim head coach Brad Shaw and the Flyers brass. Expect more clarity on the situation soon. 

Posted on

MLB futures betting 2025: Odds, expert picks, predictions including Aaron Judge AL MVP and home run leader

After dropping a handful of best bets for the futures market ahead of Opening Day, here is another player prop in the futures market worth adding to your bet slip.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch the first pitch, 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.

Aaron Judge to lead the MLB in home runs (+130)

One of my earliest blunders was thinking Aaron Judge wouldn’t win the MVP. Oh, how wrong I'll probably be!

The only thing standing between Judge and another MVP trophy is, quite simply, his health. A freak injury could throw a wrench into what promises to be an incredible season. But with odds sitting at -110 to -130, that ship has pretty much sailed on betting Judge for MVP. The value is gone.

Instead, let’s get a little creative. Forget MVP, let’s talk about Judge leading the league in home runs. After all, the man’s a monster. Last season, he crushed 58 bombs, and in 2022, he set a career-high with 62. And guess what? That record could fall this season.

Judge has been absolutely on fire to start the year, launching 4 homers and racking up 11 RBIs in just 3 games. He’s not just hot, he’s scorching. As the Yankees make headlines with their offensive fireworks, don’t be surprised if other teams start following suit. New York just laid a smackdown on the Brewers, sweeping them in a 3-game series with a jaw-dropping 36-14 scoreline. Sure, Judge is wielding last season's bat, but let’s be real—it’s mostly him, not the bat.

Now, I’m not going all-in on Judge at +130. I’ve got a little taste of the action on Juan Soto (+2800) and Yordan Alvarez (+2000) to lead the league in homers. But with Judge’s scorching start, I’d be crazy not to get involved before the odds shift from +130 to -130. Get in now, folks.

Pick: Aaron Judge to lead the MLB in home runs (2u)

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!

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)
Posted on

What we learned as Steph erupts for 52 in Warriors' pivotal win over Grizzlies

What we learned as Steph erupts for 52 in Warriors' pivotal win over Grizzlies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Welcome to the fifth seed, Warriors.

Opening their most important week of the season as they stared down a gauntlet on the schedule, a scorching hot Steph Curry and the Warriors beat the Memphis Grizzlies 134-125 at FedExForum on Tuesday night. The win gave Golden State the season tiebreaker over Memphis, pushing the Warriors to the No. 5 seed in the Western Conference.

Once again, a tone was set early. 

After dropping 44 points in the first quarter Sunday in a 42-point win over the San Antonio Spurs, the Warriors scored 45 first-quarter points Tuesday night against the Grizzlies. That hot start proved to be extremely important. 

For the umpteenth time this season and in his storied 16-year NBA career, Curry proved to be appointment viewing in the Warriors’ win. Get your popcorn ready. It’s playoff push time, and the four-time champion is ready to roar.

Curry scored 52 points and made 12 3-pointers, giving him his second game with at least 50 points and 12 threes this season. He also fell just two assists shy of a triple-double, grabbing 10 rebounds. Adding to a historic night, Curry also had five steals.

Jimmy Butler and Draymond Green also rose to the occasion. Butler did it all with 27 points, six rebounds, four assists and three steals. Green stuffed the stat sheet as always, finishing with a 13-point, 10-rebound, 12-assist triple-double.

Here are three takeaways from Curry’s sizzling night in Memphis.

Can’t Stop Steph

While the Warriors beat the Grizzlies in their previous matchup, they did so without Curry. The last time Curry played against the Grizzlies, he had perhaps the worst game of his career, being held to two points and didn’t make a single shot. Yes, the greatest shooter of all time went 0 of 7 from the field, missed all six of his 3-point attempts and was a minus-41 in 24 minutes on Dec. 19, 2024. 

More than three months later, Curry and the Warriors exacted their revenge. 

Grizzlies rookie Jaylen Wells, along with anybody else who tried to guard Curry, found themselves in a nightmare from the opening tip. Curry made his first five shots, including his first four 3-point attempts. He finished the first quarter scoring 19 points in 11 minutes, going 7 of 8 from the field and 5 of 6 on threes, also adding five rebounds, four assists and two steals. 

His encore was 13 more points and three more 3-pointers in the second quarter, giving Curry 32 points and eight threes at halftime. Curry’s 32 points were his most going into halftime this season, and his eight threes tied his career high for a half.

He reached 40 points with six and a half minutes left in the third quarter. Curry entered the fourth quarter with eight minutes to go and the Warriors ahead 109-107. Over the final eight minutes of the game, Curry scored seven points and made his 12th and final three.

Big Three

This wasn’t a complete one-man show where Curry had to carry the Warriors on his back. It was, for the most part, surely. Butler and Green had their fingerprints on the win, too.

Green got the scoring going by hitting a three to start the game. Butler made his first five shots and went into halftime having 15 points, four rebounds and four assists. Though Green’s shot went cold after his opening three, he had seven points, four rebounds and six assists through the first two quarters.

On a night when Curry scored 52 points, anything from Butler and Green was a welcome addition for the Warriors. Butler scored 10 points in the fourth quarter alone, and Green only added to his Defensive Player of the Year case as he battled Jaren Jackson Jr.

As Butler and Green combined to score 40 points, fellow starters Brandin Podziemski and Moses Moody combined to score 18.

Free Throws Fix 3-Point Issues 

Zach Edey was taken with the No. 9 pick in last June’s NBA draft. Quinten Post didn’t have his name called until the 52nd pick. Yet both rookie centers have been huge to their team’s success.

Their skill sets are about as different as one can imagine, despite both being 7-footers. Edey, while trying to expand his outside shot, is an old-school center whose size was tough for the Warriors to handle. The former Purdue star was a team-high plus-15, tallying 10 points, 16 rebounds and four blocks.

Post is a new-age stretch-five who has been the Warriors’ most reliable 3-point shooter behind Curry. He also didn’t play in any of the Warriors’ three previous games against the Grizzlies this season. In his first matchup with Edey and the Grizzlies, Post made his mark, hitting three 3-pointers, giving him the Warriors’ second-most threes behind Curry’s 12.

The only Warriors to make multiple threes were Curry (12), Post (three) and Buddy Hield (two). Curry’s teammates went 10 of 36 from 3-point range (27.7 percent). Meanwhile, four Grizzlies made multiple threes, including four players who made at least four. The Grizzlies as a team made 18 threes and shot 40.9 percent behind the 3-point line.

Luckily for the Warriors, the free-throw line was their best friend. The Warriors were a perfect 28 of 28 at the charity stripe. Butler went 12 of 12, Curry was 8 of 8, Green was 4 of 4, and Hield and Gui Santos each went 2 of 2 on free throws. That’s their most made free throws in a game without a miss in 34 years, last doing so in April of 1991.

Download and follow the Dubs Talk Podcast

Posted on

Sean Manaea shut down from throwing for two weeks after experiencing oblique discomfort

The Mets are going to be without their ace for a lot longer than initially expected.

Sean Manaea, who had recently resumed throwing and was working toward a return from an oblique injury, has been shut down.

"He experienced some discomfort a couple of days ago while he was starting to ramp up," manager Carlos Mendoza said on Tuesday. "We took an MRI of it again and it showed inflammation. So he got a PRP injection yesterday. So he's not throwing for two weeks now."

Because of the two-week no-throw, Manaea -- who had been expected to return around the end of April -- will likely not be back until toward the end of May or a bit later due to this setback.

Before this update, the latest news on Manaea came from president of baseball operations David Stearns, who said last Wednesday that Manaea's rehab was moving at a "really good clip."

In addition to Manaea, the Mets are without Frankie Montas, whose return could come in late May or early June.

Without two expected members of their starting staff, the Mets have abandoned their plan for a six-man rotation and are counting on two of their depth pitchers as regular rotation contributors in addition to the top three of Clay Holmes, David Peterson, and Kodai Senga.

Those depth starters are Tylor Megill and Griffin Canning, who each turned in a strong first regular season start.

Paul Blackburn, who was in the rotation competition during spring training and had been ticketed for the bullpen before getting hurt, is on the IL due to a knee issue.

The Mets don't currently have another legitimate starting pitching option on the 40-man roster.

Two possible rotation arms who could debut later this season are Brandon Sproat and Blade Tidwell, who are with Triple-A Syracuse. Sproat struggled in his season debut, while Tidwell excelled.

While one or both pitchers could help in the bigs at some point in 2025, it's hard to envision either of them being called up in the immediate future.