Zack Wheeler underwent a procedure to remove a blood clot in his right shoulder, the Phillies announced Monday.
There is no update yet on Wheeler’s recovery timeline.
“We don’t know until we get further information,” manager Rob Thomson said pregame when asked if Wheeler would pitch again this season.
The 35-year-old ace was placed on the 15-day injured list Saturday after the clot was discovered during testing. He had experienced a dip in velocity over his past few starts, including a pushed-back outing on Aug. 6.
Wheeler has been one of the Phillies’ most consistent arms this season. He sports a 10-5 record with a 2.71 ERA across 24 starts in his 11th professional season.
“Zack’s a great pitcher,” Thomson said. “You can always rely on him every fifth day, but at the same time, I have confidence in our entire staff and the bullpen’s much better now.”
A blood clot is nothing to take lightly and the Phillies were fortunate to identify the issue quickly.
It had been reported that the Phillies would use a six-man rotation when Aaron Nola returned, but that plan is no longer in play.
The team will move forward with Cristopher Sánchez, Ranger Suárez, Jesús Luzardo, Nola and Taijuan Walker as their five-man rotation. That group will be tested as the Phillies continue a consecutive-games streak that will extend to 13 after the Seattle series.
For Thomson, Wheeler’s health is bigger than the Phillies’ rotation plans.
“My thoughts are constantly on him and his family, and hopefully, everything works out,” the Phillies skipper said.
Canadian winger Josh
Leivo, 32, has signed a one-year contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk,
the KHL website announced on Monday.
The
news comes just five days after Leivo’s contract with rival KHL
club Salavat Yulaev Ufa was terminated – visa and club financial
issues were cited. This past season, Leivo
set a KHL record with 49 goals in 62 regular-season games. He
finished the season with a league-leading 80 points and was rewarded
with the league’s MVP award and what turned out to be a short-lived
two-year
contract extension.
“As has already been said, if a player of Josh Leivo’s
caliber enters the market, the club needs to react immediately,”
said Traktor GM Alexei Volkov.
“Over the past two seasons in the KHL, he
has become a real star of the league,
breaking what seemed to be Sergei Mozyakin’s eternal record and
winning the MVP title at the end of the 2024-25
regular season.
“It can be said
without a shadow of a doubt that Josh is a real scoring machine,”
Volkov described.
“His shot can be called elite, his one-timer on the power play and,
as they say, is a difference-maker. He feels comfortable against
any opponent and any defensive line. We are confident that Leivo
will quickly adapt to our friendly team and will write his name in
its glorious
history.”
A
native of Innisfil, Ont. who played junior hockey for the OHL’s
Sudbury Wolves and Kitchener Rangers, Leivo was picked in the third
round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Toronto
Maple Leafs.
Leivo
played 265 NHL games between 2013 and 2023 for the Leafs, Vancouver
Canucks, Calgary Flames,
Carolina Hurricanes and St.
Louis Blues, recording 93 points and 93 penalty minutes. In 2022,
he won a Calder Cup championship with the
AHL’s Chicago Wolves, leading the playoffs with 29 points in 18
games and winning the playoff MVP award.
In two KHL seasons,
Leivo now has 142 points in 122 regular-season and playoff games.
Traktor
had the best record in the KHL this past regular season but lost in
the Gagarin Cup finals to Lokomotiv Yaroslavl in five games, so there
has to be a feeling that this move could put the team over the top.
In
addition to Leivo, the club’s roster includes ex-NHLers Mikhail
Grigorenko, Vladimir Zharkov, Jordan Gross and goaltender Chris
Driedger. It also has NHL prospects Semyon
Der-Arguchintsev (Toronto), Alexander Rykov
(Carolina) and Arseni Koromyslov (St.
Louis).
Each year, young hockey players fall in and out of favor within the NHL.
Some of these players who make opening night have been shoehorned in from the get-go, either out of the draft, juniors, college or European pros. Others spend a little bit longer marinating in the AHL before making their mark.
As for criteria, these players must have been either AHL or NCAA regulars last season, still Calder-eligible and not teenage players – sorry Artyom Levshunov and Zeev Buium.
Sam Rinzel, Chicago Blackhawks
When the Chicago Blackhawks selected Sam Rinzel near the end of the first round in 2022, many people were left confused. Why would the Blackhawks select a kid out of Minnesota high school hockey in the first round?
Just three seasons later, the Blackhawks saw promising returns on their investment, as Rinzel enjoyed a nine-game stint in the NHL to end the 2024-25 season after signing his entry-level contract out of college.
To say Rinzel looked comfortable is a gross understatement. The 6-foot-4 right-shot defenseman was given the keys to the castle, often logging over 22 minutes a game and netting five points in the process.
Rinzel should provide the Blackhawks with more physicality and size, while also being comfortable making the first pass and activating into the offensive zone with the puck.
Coming in just one game shy of Calder Trophy ineligibility next season, Owen Pickering’s 25-game stint in the NHL with the Pittsburgh Penguins last season proved that, despite some rookie errors, the 21st overall pick in 2022 should be set to make the jump full-time to the NHL, albeit in a depth role.
Standing at 6-foot-5, Pickering boasts a long stick he uses to suppress rush opportunities and battle proactively in the crease. The 21-year-old can also retrieve pucks defensively and carry them up the ice, which bodes well for a second-pair, two-way-upside projection.
While Pickering is listed as the Penguins’ seventh defenseman in the Yearbook going into the 2025-26 season, don’t be surprised if he’s able to break into regular minutes ahead of Parker Wotherspoon or Ryan Graves.
One man’s trash is another man’s treasure, or so the New York Rangers hoped when they acquired Scott Morrow as the primary piece back in the K’Andre Miller trade.
Morrow boasts great tools, while also boasting an offensive mind. The question is whether he’ll get the minutes to be an effective offensive player with the Rangers. He’s currently listed as the No. 7 defenseman in the Yearbook behind three other right defensemen – Adam Fox, Will Borgen and Braden Schneider. So if Morrow is to get those opportunities, barring a jump over Schneider, he’ll have to play off-handed or wait for an injury.
Mailloux remains a touted prospect with flashes of high-end offensive talent who will certainly have the opportunity to blossom into an NHLer this season on a retooling Blues team. The two-time AHL All-Star game participant is ranked as the sixth-best defenseman in St. Louis in the Yearbook, and he's averaged nearly 0.6 points per game over the last two AHL campaigns.
In 2021, Mailloux was charged and fined in Sweden for defamation and offensive photography after reportedly secretly taking and sharing a photo of a woman performing a sexual act. Mailloux said he had deep regrets and knows he caused a lot of harm.
The most overlooked player on this list is Nashville Predators defenseman Adam Wilsby, standing at 6-foot-1. Through 23 games in the NHL last season, Wilsby netted four assists and five points while also putting up exceptional defensive analytics.
Expecting Brady Skjei to remain off-hand again to play with Roman Josi, Wilsby will likely battle Andreas Englund, Spencer Stastney and Jordan Oesterle for the spot on the third pair behind new addition Nic Hague from Vegas.
It’s a tough battle, especially for Wilsby, who missed a chunk of the season with an upper body injury. That said, if Wilsby plays like he did last season at camp, there’s no doubt he can secure a spot for opening night. If he doesn’t, expect a waiver claim.
Adam Wilsby is ranked the ninth-best defenseman in the Predators’ system in the Yearbook.
Red Wings AHL coach Brian Lashoff believes defenceman Simon Edvinsson can build off breakout 2024-25 season
One of the notable bright spots on the Red Wings last season was the emergence of young defencemen Simon Edvinsson.
The 22-year-old Swedish defenseman led the team with a +12 rating, ranked second in blocked shots with 144, averaged the third-most ice time at over 21 minutes per game, and finished the season with 31 points across 78 games. His season was a long time coming for Detroit fans as they've been waiting for the breakout season for the 6-foot-6 giant since he was selected sixth overall in the 2021 NHL Draft.
Before making the jump to an everyday player, Edvinsson played just 25 NHL games with a majority of his development coming at the AHL level with the Grand Rapids Griffins. He spent two seasons in Eastern Michigan, where he played 106 games and posted an impressive stat line with 57 points, including 44 assists as an elite puck distributor. During his time in the minors, he got to play alongside and learn from a Red Wings veteran in Brian Lashoff.
After playing the entirety of his 14-year professional playing career in the Red Wings organization, Lashoff decided to move behind the bench and now works as one of the team's assistant coaches. Before swapping his skates for a clipboard, he got to play with Edvinsson and can speak to the talent of the player.
"I'm obviously really proud of him, I had played with him in my last year, and then I got the chance to coach him and work with him my first year coaching, so I had a good relationship with him and try to help him with as much as possible," Lashoff explained "You could see the talent right away, the size of him and his ability to skate, the one thing that I think he took really seriously from when he got over here and us working with him as a staff, is just his defending."
Lashoff would go on to explain that Edvinsson's strides in his defensive game helped him transition to the NHL better than most young defenseman as he had the offensive talent but needed to better round out his game.
"I think the sky's the limit for him," Lashoff said "Just as a defender, for being that age and playing the minutes he did against tough competition, it's impressive what he did, and now it's on him to kind of pull himself to that standard as well and continue to grow and keep pushing the bar as high as he can, year after year, which he certainly has the potential to do."
Lashoff played 136 NHL games over seven seasons with Detroit, including a notable NHL debut in which he scored his first career goal from the blueline. However, the bulk of his career was spent in the AHL, where he logged 629 games over 14 seasons with the Griffins, serving as team captain in his final years.
Edvinsson could look to continuing building on his stellar first season with hopefully more minutes with former Calder trophy winner Moritz Seider as the two posted a team-best +8 net rating as a defensive pairing.
Early depth charts have Edvinsson back on the second pairing with Albert Johansson and Ben Chiarot taking the top pairing spot with Seider. However, if defensive struggles become an issue we could see Edvinsson get another crack at a top pairing role.
The Toronto Raptors have done what was expected and extended the contract of general manager Bobby Webster, making him the unquestioned head of basketball operations, while not formally hiring a president to replace Masai Ujiri.
"Going through this comprehensive process this summer and meeting with external candidates played a critical role in arriving at this decision as it made clear that we already have the right person leading the Raptors in-house," Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment CEO Keith Pelley said in a statement. "When we weighed the many considerations, including roster construction, team culture and competitive landscape, it made perfect sense to officially hand the team to Bobby and give him the time and support to allow his plan to develop.
"After spending time together this summer in Las Vegas, I was very impressed by Bobby's leadership style, his rapport with the players and staff, his reputation with his peers across the league and — especially and importantly — his vision for the Raptors. This team is his, now, to lead and I know we all look forward to what comes next."
Not hiring a president to replace Ujiri is not a surprise, MLSE has shrunk or eliminated the president role with other sports organizations it owns, such as the NHL's Toronto Maple Leafs.
With Webster taking charge, don't expect changes from how the Raptors have been building their roster — he has been the general manager for the Raptors for nine years and has been with the team for the 13 years that Ujiri was head of basketball operations. Webster helped build the championship roster of 2019 as well as this current one, which has a fair amount of talent — Scottie Barnes, Brandon Ingram, RJ Barrett, Immanuel Quickley, Jakob Poeltl — but questions about fit and balance.
Giving Webster this expanded role suggests the firing of Ujiri was not about wins and losses on the court, if so, the franchise would have shaken things up. There have been reports out of Canada about long-running friction between Ujiri and Edward Rogers, the executive chair of the MLSE board of directors, which could have led to Ujiri's ouster.
For Raptors fans, outside of losing the strong and positive voice of Ujiri, not much changes with the team. Whether that is a good thing is a different conversation.
Describing
Zbořil as a player, Varaďa
said,
“He
can handle difficult moments of the game. I believe that he
will
help the team on and off the ice and he will quickly win the hearts
of our fans.”
Zbořil was born in Brno, Czechia and grew up in the ranks of
Kometa Brno, where he played youth and
junior hockey before going overseas at age 17 to play for the QMJHL’s
Saint John Sea Dogs.
He was chosen in the first round, 13th overall, by the Boston
Bruins in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. From 2017 until March of
2024, he played in the Bruins organization,
splitting time between Boston and the club’s AHL
farm team in Providence. In 76 NHL games, Zbořil scored one goal and
added 15 assists and 28 penalty minutes.
At the 2023-24 trading deadline, Zbořil was
dealt to the Columbus Blue Jackets
but finished the season in the minors.
Prior to last season, Zbořil’s only
career Extraliga games occurred during the 2020-21 season, where he
suited up with Kometa for 18 games before the start of the
pandemic-delayed NHL training camp.
Internationally, Zbořil represented Czechia at two
IIHF U-18 World Championships, two World Junior
Championships and the 2023 World Championship.
On Sunday, the Phils took a commanding 6-0 lead into the third inning — then the Nationals started to mash.
A six-run third off Aaron Nola chased the right-hander earlier than expected in his first start off the injured list. The red-hot Phillies bullpen had to step in.
Tanner Banks: scoreless 1 2/3 frames
Joe Ross: scoreless 1 2/3 frames
Matt Strahm: scoreless 1 1/3 frames
Then, the Nationals’ bats struck again. Paul DeJong blasted a ninth-inning three-run shot off Max Lazar to bring the game back within two.
That set up a save situation and Rob Thomson turned to his newly acquired flamethrower Jhoan Duran — just two days removed from being carted off after a comebacker off the bat of DeJong struck his ankle.
As he had in each of his first four outings with Philadelphia, Duran locked things down in the ninth to seal the club’s 71st victory of the season.
With a shortened rotation and a huge three-game set ahead, the Phillies can’t be thrilled about using five relievers in a game they once led by six. But they have to be pleased with how the bullpen has performed since the start of August — especially after Dave Dombrowski prioritized relief help at the July 31 trade deadline.
Since then, Phillies relievers own the second-lowest ERA in the Majors (2.33) and have held opponents to a league-low .519 OPS.
Reinforcements are on the way, too: left-hander José Alvarado is eligible to return Tuesday from his 80-game PED suspension.
BohmeRISP
Through the first nine games of their 10-in-10 road trip, the Phillies hit just .203 with runners in scoring position (13-for-64).
When they took the field Saturday at Nationals Park, they welcomed back one of their best run producers, Alec Bohm, from the injured list.
Almost immediately, Bohm chopped one past the glove of Nationals third baseman Brady House — scored as an error — to break the scoring seal in the first inning.
Aug 17, 2025; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies third baseman Alec Bohm (28) hits a three run home run against the Washington Nationals during the second inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-Imagn Images
Just an inning later, with the Phillies rallying, Bohm came to the plate with runners on the corners and swatted his ninth home run of the season.
Philadelphia finished the day 7-for-14 with RISP. On the year, Bohm is slashing .302/.343/.458 in those situations, and Thomson must be pleased to insert the sixth-year veteran’s balanced approach back into the heart of the order.
M’s stay in PA, head to CBP
Seattle makes the quick three-hour trip from Williamsport, where the Mariners dropped the finale of their Little League Classic against the Mets.
Ranger Suárez gets the ball Wednesday night for the Phillies, coming off two of his worst starts of the season. In that span (11 2/3 innings), Suárez has allowed 19 hits and 11 earned runs (8.49 ERA), including two homers.
The Mariners’ results against left-handed pitching have been extreme. First-year manager Dan Wilson’s squad leads the American League in both home runs (49) and strikeouts (335) against lefties.
If “Mr. Rager” is going to succeed, he’ll need to keep the ball in the yard — which is not so easy when the league leader in homers, Cal Raleigh, is digging in.
The “Big Dumper” has slugged 47, just one shy of Salvador Perez’s single-season record for a catcher (48 in 2021). Raleigh has punished lefties with 17 long balls and a 1.042 OPS.
The Mariners are 29-10 when Raleigh leaves the yard and 39-47 when he does not.
With Zack Wheeler sidelined, the Phillies need their southpaws — Cristopher Sánchez, Jesús Luzardo and Suárez — to hold steady.
Roster Move
The Phillies announced that they have called up right-hander Nolan Hoffman from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. Hoffman, 28, was traded to the Phils on June 18 from the Texas Rangers in exchange for cash considerations.
The former Mariners farmhand has fired 19 innings out of the bullpen for the IronPigs — pitching to a 3.32 ERA — striking out 27 opponents and walking 11.
The corresponding move sent reliever Max Lazar back down to Triple-A. He has a posted 4.78 ERA across 32 innings this season.
LAS VEGAS — Seattle Mariners outfielder Victor Robles was ejected from a minor league game on a rehab assignment with Triple-A Tacoma after he was nearly hit by an inside pitch and tossed his bat at the pitcher.
Las Vegas starter Joey Estes’ first pitch to Robles in the third inning was inside and Robles whacked at it to avoid getting hit. After taking a few steps behind the plate and dropping his bat, Robles picked up the bat and threw it in Estes’ direction and was immediately ejected from the game by home plate umpire Joe McCarthy.
Robles, who has been hit by a pitch three times in his previous four games with Tacoma, took some steps toward the mound while yelling at the pitcher but was held back by McCarthy and Las Vegas players.
After going into the dugout, Robles threw a box of snacks toward the field before heading to the clubhouse.
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Cal Raleigh autographed a toilet seat for one fan, along with the scores of baseballs and other paraphernalia “The Big Dumper” signed for shrieking Little Leaguers.
Raleigh gave the kids a real treat hours later.
The Seattle Mariners slugger socked his 47th homer of the season to boost his major league lead and put him within striking distance of the season homer record for catchers set by Kansas City’s Salvador Perez.
“He continues to swing a really hot bat,” Mariners manager Dan Wilson said. “I don’t think I’ll ever get tired of that.”
Raleigh’s two-run shot in the seventh inning sent hundreds of Little Leaguers from around the globe cheering in delight to see one of the brightest stars in the MLB Little League Classic go deep.
It didn’t help the Mariners much in defeat. The New York Mets beat the Mariners 7-3 and won the last two games of the three-game set.
The Mariners are still in the thick of the AL wild-card race and hope to gain ground when they head to Philadelphia for the start of a three-game series.
Raleigh could make catching history in Philly. Perez hit 48 homers for the Royals in 2021.
“I think it’s been an incredible season for him,” Wilson said. “But I think we knew what’s in there. He’s done a great job of bringing it out.”
Raleigh put more than his prodigious power on display in the home of youth baseball’s biggest weeks of the summer. Raleigh’s chest protector featured a baseball card design of Mariners players and coaches from when they were kids. He breezed through the pregame clubhouse in a “Little Dumper” T-shirt gifted by some of the Little Leaguers.
“You grow up wanting to come here as a kid. Get to do it as an adult now,” Raleigh told MLB Network before the game. “It’s really fun. Excited to meet the kids and hang out.”
Raleigh's power always was evident. He hit 27 homers in 2022, 30 in 2023 and 34 last season. Now he’s on pace to easily top 50 homers and maybe more. There are only five other players in big league history who have hit at least 40 homers while primarily playing catcher: Perez, Johnny Bench (twice), Roy Campanella, Todd Hundley and Mike Piazza (twice). Bench, Campanella and Piazza are Hall of Famers.
“He’s a guy that we knew all along coming up in the minor leagues that he had a pretty high ceiling,” Wilson said. “What he does behind the plate and what he does now at the plate has been unbelievable. He’s carried the weight of both of those things and has done it very well.”
A first-time All-Star at age 28, Raleigh burst through on the national scene when he won the All-Star Home Run Derby. He became the first switch-hitter and first catcher to win the title. He’s the second Mariners player to take the title after three-time winner Ken Griffey Jr.
Raleigh’s homer also gave him 102 RBIs this season. He’s the first catcher to record back-to-back 100 RBI seasons since Piazza and and the first American League catcher to reach that feat since Thurman Munson.
Even more milestones await. Maybe even a playoff berth.
It's Monday, August 18 and the Guardians (63-60) are in Phoenix to take on the Diamondbacks (60-65). Gavin Williams is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Zac Gallen for Arizona.
Both the Guardians and Diamondbacks are coming off being swept in three-game series. Cleveland was swept by Atlanta whereas Arizona was downed by Colorado. This three-game series is the only meeting of the season between Cleveland and Arizona.
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 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.
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Game details & how to watch Guardians at Diamondbacks
Date: Monday, August 18, 2025
Time: 9:40PM EST
Site: Chase Field
City: Phoenix, AZ
Network/Streaming: CLEG, ARID
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 Diamondbacks
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Guardians (-102), Diamondbacks (-116)
Spread: Diamondbacks 1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Diamondbacks
Pitching matchup for August 18, 2025: Gavin Williams vs. Zac Gallen
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Guardians and the Diamondbacks
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Guardians and the Diamondbacks:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Arizona Diamondbacks on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cleveland Guardians at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Guardians at Diamondbacks
Cleveland is 0-3 in the last 3 games and 2-4 in the past 6
Arizona is 0-3 in the last 3 games and 3-3 in the past 6
The Diamondbacks have won 3 straight matchups against the Guardians with Zac Gallen opening
This season the Diamondbacks pitcher Zac Gallen has an ERA of 5.31
With Zac Gallen as the starter the Diamondbacks have covered in 3 straight games
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It's Monday, August 18 and the Reds (65-60) are in Anaheim to take on the Angels (60-64). Brady Singer is slated to take the mound for Cincinnati against Victor Mederos for Los Angeles.
The Angels followed up a sweep over the Dodgers with two losses out of three contests to the Athletics. The Reds are coming off a win over the Brewers, which snapped a 15-game winning streak for Milwaukee. The Reds are 3-2 in the last five games and 5-3 in the past eight.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch 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.
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Game details & how to watch Reds at Angels
Date: Monday, August 18, 2025
Time: 9:38PM EST
Site: Angel Stadium
City: Anaheim, CA
Network/Streaming: FDSNOH, FDSNW, FS1
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Odds for the Reds at the Angels
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Reds (-111), Angels (-108)
Spread: Reds -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Angels
Pitching matchup for August 18, 2025: Brady Singer vs. Victor Mederos
Angels: Victor Mederos, (0-0, 5.63 ERA) Last outing: 6.75 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 3 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!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Reds and the Angels
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Reds and the Angels:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cincinnati Reds on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Los Angeles Angels at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the 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 Reds at Angels
The Angels are 4-2 in the last 6 games
The Angels are 3-0 in the last 3 home games
The Reds are 5-3 in the last 8 games
The Reds have won three straight games at the Angels
The Angels' last three home games have gone over the expected total
The Angels are up 2.48 units on the run line to level stakes in their last five at home
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!
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WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez needs an MRI on his right thumb after he jammed his hand on a head-first slide into second base against Seattle.
Alvarez stayed in the game after his double in the seventh inning. He did not come out to catch in the eighth inning of the Mets’ 7-3 win over the Mariners in the MLB Little League Classic.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Alvarez would return to New York for an MRI.
“Right now, we don’t know what we’re dealing with,” Mendoza said.
Alvarez went 3-for-4 with two runs scored and an RBI.
Its Monday, August 18 and the Dodgers (71-53) are in Denver to take on the Rockies (35-89). Yoshinobu Yamamoto is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Kyle Freeland for Colorado.
The Rockies and Dodgers are coming off a three-game sweeps. The Rockies swept the Diamondbacks, where as the Dodgers swept the Padres.
Los Angeles kept sole control of the NL West lead with the series win over San Diego and they can gain some more cushion with this four-game series in Colorado.
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 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.
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Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Rockies
Date: Monday, August 18, 2025
Time: 8:40PM EST
Site: Coors Field
City: Denver, CO
Network/Streaming: SNLA, COLR
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Dodgers at the Rockies
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Dodgers (-278), Rockies (+222)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5
Total: 11.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Rockies
Pitching matchup for August 18, 2025: Yoshinobu Yamamoto vs. Kyle Freeland
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Dodgers and the Rockies
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Dodgers and the Rockies:
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 Colorado Rockies at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 11.0.
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 Dodgers at Rockies
Colorado is 3-0 in the last 3 games and 5-1 in the past 6
Los Angeles is 3-0 in the last 3 games and 3-4 in the past 7
The Dodgers have won 7 straight games at the Rockies
The Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland has an ERA of 5.80 in his last 5 home starts on the mound
The Rockies have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 2.84 units
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
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It was hard to get much of a read on No. 5 pick Ace Bailey at the Salt Lake City Summer League because he played in just two games due to a hip injury (he did not play in Las Vegas). After struggling in his initial outing, Bailey looked better in his second game.
No. 5 pick Ace Bailey was impressive in the @utahjazz Salt Lake City Summer League W
Bailey is going to get plenty of chances with the Jazz this season, the ball will be in his hands. What will be the key to his success and, more importantly, growth as a rookie? Developing a routine, Jazz coach Will Hardy told Andy Larson of the Salt Lake Tribune.
"For Ace, first and foremost, it's going to be about building a routine. The NBA is a lot. The number of appearances is far more than he used to. That's practice, shootaround, games, but it's going to be about sort of him finding his routine, because I think the routine saves you during the season, you don't have to think that much."
This is where having veterans on the roster, such as Georges Niang, Kyle Anderson, and Lauri Markkanen, is beneficial for Bailey — he can see firsthand how experienced players who have stuck and thrived in the league prepare themselves physically and mentally for the grind of the NBA season. Having mentors matters.
My main positive takeaway from Summer League for Bailey was that he showed improvement between his two games, although Hardy noted he saw more things he liked.
"I think Ace showed he was really active in Summer League. He's a good cutter. He can play in off-ball screens. And then defensively, while his body is continuing to get stronger, it's going to be about using his length, because I think that is a real strength of his right now. I think that's how he can survive on the defensive end right now."
Utah has enough talent on the roster to be respectable this season — although every one of those veterans mentioned above is available via trade — but the Jazz are rebuilding and this is a team that is looking for its star to build around. While Jazz fans may be looking ahead to the upcoming draft that player, Bailey will get a chance this season to show he can be that guy.
It's Monday, August 18 and the Rangers (62-63) are in Kansas City to take on the Royals (63-61). Jack Leiter is slated to take the mound for Texas against Michael Wacha for Kansas City.
As the Royals and Rangers meet, Texas is looking to get its revenge after being swept by Kansas City earlier in the season.
Kansas City enters on a three-game winning streak and is 5-1 over the last six games, while Texas is 1-4 over the past five outings. The Rangers are coming off a 10-4 win over the Blue Jays that back-to-back series of being swept. The Royals are coming off a sweep of the White Sox in three 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 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.
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Game details & how to watch Rangers at Royals
Date: Monday, August 18, 2025
Time: 7:40PM EST
Site: Kauffman Stadium
City: Kansas City, MO
Network/Streaming: RSN, FDSNKC
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Rangers at the Royals
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Rangers (+109), Royals (-130)
Spread: Royals -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Rangers at Royals
Pitching matchup for August 18, 2025: Jack Leiter vs. Michael Wacha
Rangers: Jack Leiter, (7-6, 3.94 ERA) Last outing: 1.80 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
Royals: Michael Wacha, (7-9, 3.35 ERA) Last outing: 3.18 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 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!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rangers and the Royals
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Rangers and the Royals:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Kansas City Royals on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Texas Rangers at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play 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 Rangers at Royals
Kansas City is 3-0 versus Texas this season
The Rangers are 1-4 in the last 5 games
The Royals are 0-3 in the last 3 games and 5-1 in the past 6
The Royals have a winning record (4-1) in their last 5 games
5 of the Rangers' last 6 games (83%) have gone over the Total
The Royals are up 3.80 units on the Run Line in their last 5 games at Ewing M. Kauffman Stadium
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:
