Remembering the powerful moment when Steve Yzerman handed the Stanley Cup to Vladimir Konstantinov after Detroit’s 1998 Game 4 win—just as the Oilers face the Panthers in Thursday night’s Game 4 showdown.
As the Edmonton Oilers and Florida Panthers prepare to face off in a critical Game 4 of the Stanley Cup Final on Thursday night, the intensity is reaching its peak. With the stakes higher than ever, it could be a potential turning point in the series for the Oilers as they can tie up the series or the Panthers could take a commanding 3-1 series lead.
Fans across the hockey world are locked in with anticipation surrounding this game bringing to mind some of the most memorable Game 4 moments in Stanley Cup history and for Detroit Red Wings fans, one stands above the rest.
Before the puck drops in Edmonton, we’re taking a look back at the unforgettable 1998 Game 4 that sealed a championship and delivered one of the most emotional moments the sport has ever seen.
It was June 16, 1998, in the nation’s capital. The Detroit Red Wings were on the brink of back-to-back Stanley Cups with a 3-0 series lead over the Washington Capitals heading into Game 4. Unlike the previous year’s dramatic six-game battle against the Philadelphia Flyers, 1998 was a suffocating series where the Red Wings rarely gave the Capitals an edge.
Game 4 was about more than just winning the Cup, it was about honoring Vladimir Konstantinov, the beloved teammate who had suffered a traumatic brain injury in a car accident the year before. Every shift was played with him in mind, and the team was determined to win not just for themselves, but for Vladdy.
In the first period, Detroit’s prolific offence went to work as Doug Brown kicks off the game with a power play goal that gave the Red Wings the momentum early. Martin Lapointe goes on to add what would be the game-winning goal with a booming slap shot from the top of the zone.
Capitals forward Brian Bellows did what he could to get his team back into it with a goal. But it wasn't enough as Sergei Fedorov and Doug Brown score two more power play goals, sealing the 4–1 victory and completing the series sweep.
As the final horn sounded, the Red Wings chucked their gloves as high as they could and poured over the boards. longtime captain Steve Yzerman hoisted the Cup for the second straight year but when it came time for his first handoff, he did something unforgettable.
Out of the tunnel came Konstantinov, wheeled onto the ice in his chair by teammate Slava Fetisov. He was back on the ice, draped in his jersey, surrounded by his teammates. Yzerman skates straight to him and without hesitation, places the Cup in Konstantinov’s lap.
The moment brought tears to eyes across the hockey world. Teammates crowded around, many visibly emotional. This was no longer just a win but vindication and a gesture that this team’s journey was bigger than the sport of hockey.
Yzerman was later awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as the MVP of the playoffs after recording six goals and 18 assists for 24 points in 22 games. Despite winning the award for the first time in his career, the spotlight was another man who couldn't speak yet said everything without words.
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Australian wicketkeeper Alex Carey has avoided another Lord’s controversy after South African batter David Bedingham evaded what would have been a bizarre dismissal on day two of the World Test Championship final.
It's Thursday, June 12 and the Tigers (44-25) are in Baltimore to take on the Orioles (27-39). Tarik Skubal is slated to take the mound for Detroit against Dean Kremer for Baltimore.
The Orioles beat the Tigers, 10-1, yesterday to snap a two-game losing streak. This is the rubber match with the series tied at one apiece.
The Orioles are 2-3 over the last five games, which followed up six-game winning streak for Baltimore. Detroit is 6-4 to start June, while Baltimore is 6-3 overall.
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 Tigers at Orioles
Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025
Time: 6:35PM EST
Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
City: Baltimore, MD
Network/Streaming: FDSNDT, MASN2
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Odds for the Tigers at the Orioles
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Tigers (-189), Orioles (+157)
Spread: Tigers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at Orioles
Pitching matchup for June 12, 2025: Tarik Skubal vs. Dean Kremer
Orioles: Dean Kremer, (5-6, 4.98 ERA) Last outing: 5.1 Innings Pitched, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 2 Strikeouts
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Tigers and the Orioles
Rotoworld Best Bet Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes a sprinkle on Spencer Torkelson in the AL Comeback Player of the Year market:
"Right now, Jacob DeGrom (-160) leads the field for AL Comeback Player of the Year, but if he gets injured, Spencer Torkelson (+420) will be the new favorite or co-favorite. This award has mostly been a two-player race with a third poking his head, like Byron Buxton (+1000) or Mike Trout (+6500), but Torkelson has remained a steady favorite alongside DeGrom and doesn't have quite the injury history."
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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 Thursday’s game between the Tigers and the Orioles:
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 Baltimore Orioles 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 Tigers at Orioles
The Tigers have won 4 of their last 5 road series
The Under is 4-1 in the Orioles' last 5 home games
Baltimore is 5-8 when Dean Kremer pitches this season
Detroit is 9-3 when Tarik Skubal pitches this season
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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INDIANAPOLIS — It started on the opening play of the game: Andrew Nembhard met Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, out high on the pick-and-roll and was into his body. When the Thunder star made his move and drove, Nembhard was still right there, drew an offensive foul when SGA hit him in the head with his off-arm.
That play set the tone for the night. As much as the Pacers are known for their free-flowing up-tempo offense, they lead the NBA Finals 2-1 because they played an elite defensive game Wednesday night.
"We've put an incredible amount of work into becoming better defensively," Pacers coach Rick Carlisle said. "We're still not great. But we're way better than we were. It's taken tons of work. It's taken tons of, you know, it's constant relationship building. It's a difficult system. And it just requires a lot of sacrifice."
Nembhard was at the heart of that defensive improvement, spending 8:39 of the game guarding Gilgeous-Alexander and holding him to 2-of-7 shooting in that time. He wasn't alone, Aaron Nesmith had a strong defensive game. One of the quiet sparks of the night was Ben Sheppard coming off the bench in the first half and playing fantastic defense on SGA, holding him to 1-of-4 shooting in the 2:39 he was on him.
Nembhard or whoever was guarding SGA were up in the body of the MVP all night, meeting him much higher on the court than Game 2.
"I didn't think they really changed their schemes very much. I just thought they were sharper with the physicality and the pressure," Thunder coach Mark Daigneault said. "Their physicality was stronger than our force in a lot of those possessions."
"I think in Game 2 specifically, if you watch a lot of my coverages, I did a poor job of being at the level [of the screen]," Haliburton said. "I was back and then he could come off and he had so much space… I thought that was something we really had to clean up coming into today."
"They were aggressive. They were high in the pick-and-rolls," Gilgeous-Alexander said. "They were, like Coach said, more aggressive, more forceful… They were higher tonight in the pick-and-rolls. They were above the screen. When you come off it, you got to go backwards."
It wasn't just the defense on Gilgeous-Alexander. Myles Turner had five blocked shots on the night and dominated his matchup with Chet Holmgren late.
BLOCK. STAY IN FRONT. ANOTHER BLOCK. FORCE THE TURNOVER.
"When T.J. is playing with that type of energy, I mean, obviously the crowd loves him," Pascal Siakam said. "So it's great for us because every time he does something good, they go crazy."
This Pacers defense didn't come out of nowhere. While they struggled on that end (and in general) in the first couple of months of the season, after Jan. 1, they became a top-10 defensive team in the league. After the All-Star break, the Pacers ranked eighth in the league defensively, boasting a 111.5 defensive rating.
In their two wins this series, the Pacers have held the Thunder to an offensive rating of 107.9 and 107.3, in the one loss it was 126.
If the Pacers can bring that same defensive effort in Game 4 and keep Gilgeous-Alexander and the Thunder on their heels, they have the chance to take command of this series.
San Francisco signed veteran left-handed relief pitcher Scott Alexander to a minor-league contract on Tuesday, according to the team’s official transaction page.
Alexander, who pitched for the Colorado Rockies this season, posting a 6.06 ERA with six strikeouts and seven walks in 16 1/3 innings before his release on May 27, previously was with San Francisco for the 2022 and 2023 seasons.
In 72 career appearances with the Giants (12 starts), Alexander posted a 3.70 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 12 walks in 65 2/3 innings pitched.
The Giants’ bullpen has been excellent this season, but currently only has one left-handed reliever in Erik Miller. Alexander should provide proven left-handed relief depth should San Francisco need it at some point.
It's Thursday, June 12 and the Yankees (41-25) are in Kansas City to take on the Royals (34-34). Will Warren is slated to take the mound for New York against Seth Lugo for Kansas City.
New York goes for the sweep today after winning the first two of the series against Kansas City, 10-2 and 6-3. The Yankees high powered offense has been led by Aaron Judge who homered in both games of the series.
The Yankees have won five of the last six with Warren on the mound compared to the Royals who have dropped the past three with Lugo.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Yankees at Royals
Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025
Time: 7:40PM EST
Site: Kauffman Stadium
City: Kansas City, MO
Network/Streaming: YES, FDSNKC, MLBN
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Odds for the Yankees at the Royals
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Yankees (-147), Royals (+123)
Spread: Yankees -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Yankees at Royals
Pitching matchup for June 12, 2025: Will Warren vs. Seth Lugo
Yankees: Will Warren, (4-3, 5.34 ERA) Last outing: 5.1 Innings Pitched, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Yankees and the Royals
Rotoworld Best Bet Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes sprinkles on Aaron Judge to hit .400 by the All-Star break (+1300) and the season (+5500):
"Aaron Judge is currently hitting .394 and no Yankee has ever hit .400 let alone the last MLB player being Ted Williams in 1941. Judge is ripping this season and hitting .364 this month with nine hits through nine games.
Judge hit .364 in May too, so he will need to step it up a little but a date with the Red Sox, Angels, Orioles, Reds, and Athletics over the next five series — I see a lot of hits coming for Judge, so I played the +1300 for .400 by the All-Star break and sprinkled +5500 for the season."
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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 Thursday’s game between the Yankees and the Royals:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Kansas City Royals 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 Yankees at Royals
The Yankees have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against AL Central teams
7 of the Royals' last 8 games (88%) have gone over the Total
The Yankees have covered the Run Line in 5 of their last 6 matchups against the Royals
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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BALTIMORE — When the low-budget Detroit Tigers broke camp in Lakeland, Fla., this spring, manager A.J. Hinch bitterly complained about the lack of a starting center fielder.
Espousing the “all for one” philosophy his team has been playing with during the first half of the season, Hinch went to veteran infielder Javier Báez, in the fourth year of a six-year, $140 million free-agent contract, and asked him to make the switch to the outfield. Báez said yes, despite not having played center field since 2015 in winter ball—and for 33 games thus far this season, it’s worked out.
“I’m just trying to help in any way,” Báez said after Tuesday’s game at Camden Yards. “Everything’s getting better for us this year as a team. The only difference for me is that I’m healthy. I’m making adjustments.”
Báez, who had right hip surgery this past September to alleviate chronic back inflammation, was back at shortstop Tuesday night as the Tigers opened a three-game series against the Baltimore Orioles; he made a series of stellar defensive plays and contributed an RBI single as Detroit won, 5-3. His intermittent conversion and .269 batting average is only one good reason why the Tigers—not the big-market New York Yankees—own the American League’s best record at 44-25 even after a 10-1 drubbing by the O’s on Wednesday night.
“It was really taking an incredibly gifted baseball player with great feel and introducing him to a new position so he could help us win,” Hinch said about Báez on Tuesday night. “He did an incredible job. Center field was a big issue coming out of camp, and it turned out to be a big strength.”
The Tigers are Major League Baseball’s anomaly this season, making more out of less than any other team in either league. Behind the pitching of 2024 American League Cy Young Award winner Tarik Skubal, the Tigers own a seven-game spread over second-place Minnesota in the AL Central, the widest in any of the six divisions. Skubal, with his 6-2 record and 2.16 ERA, is slated to take the mound for the Tigers on Thursday.
This is not the result any longer of a small sample size, with the season nearing its halfway mark. Sure, there’s still a long way to go before the playoffs in October, but the Tigers are doing it with $156.2 million—the 19th-ranked payroll for tax purposes, according to Spotrac—less than half of what the top-ranked Los Angeles Dodgers are spending at $405.4 million.
The division itself is the lowest-spending in MLB. Below the Tigers, Minnesota is spending a 20th-ranked $151.5 million, Cleveland is 25th at $122.3 million and the lowly Chicago White Sox are 29th out of the 30 MLB teams at $86 million. Only the Miami Marlins, with an $84.7 million payroll, are lower than the White Sox. The entire AL Central is spending a combined $686.7 million.
Compare that with the National League West’s spending of $1.25 billion and the AL East putting up $1.1 billion for players this season, and the AL Central is getting a lot of bang for its buck. Three of the division’s other four teams are in contention for the league’s three Wild Card slots, with the 17th-ranked Kansas City Royals at $170.7 million the farthest away right now two games back. The White Sox, who set a record for futility last season with a 41-121 record, are still getting what they’re paying for. They’re 23-45—20.5 games behind the Tigers.
Hinch doesn’t concern himself with the team’s salary decisions.
“The good thing about my position is that I don’t have to worry about that,” he said. “I do know my job on the field is to make the most out of these guys, and leave the payroll and other aspects of that to the people upstairs.”
Hinch has always been adept at that. He took over the Houston Astros in 2015 after a 92-loss, fourth-place finish in the AL West. By 2017, he led them to a World Series win over the Dodgers. The Astros had an eight-year run to either the AL Championship Series or beyond that ended this past postseason, but Hinch wasn’t around for all of them. He was ensnared in the Astros sign-stealing debacle, fired by owner Jim Crane and suspended for a year by Major League Baseball after the Astros lost the 2019 World Series to Washington.
The Tigers gave him a lifeline, and now, like Báez, he’s on a mission to prove that prior iterations in his career were not a fluke.
“I’m proud to be here,” Hinch said. “I don’t downplay what happened to me in Houston. I take responsibility for my part in all that. I’m just trying to be a good manager for these guys.”
He sees similarities to his Astros teams and the current Tigers, who lost 85 games when Hinch took over in 2021, and last year made the playoffs with 86 wins. After losing a tough AL Division Series to Cleveland in five games, Detroit now seems poised to take the next big step.
“In terms of a team learning to grow up, that is similar,” Hinch said. “In terms of having a ton of young talent, that is similar. After we made the playoffs last year I talked to the team about once you play in October, you want to play in all of them. Guys had really good offseasons and came back ready to go. That’s a similarity I’ve also experienced already.”
Its Thursday, June 12 and the Giants (40-28) are in Denver to take on the Rockies (12-55).
Hayden Birdsong is slated to take the mound for San Francisco against Antonio Senzatela for Colorado.
The Giants won their second in a row against the Rockies and seventh in a row overall last night rallying for seven runs in the final two innings to come from behind and knock off the Rockies, 10-7 Wednesday night. Willy Adames went 3-3 at the plate and drove in three runs to pace the attack.
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.
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Game details & how to watch Giants at Rockies
Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025
Time: 3:10PM EST
Site: Coors Field
City: Denver, CO
Network/Streaming: NBCSBA, 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 Giants at the Rockies
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Giants (-219), Rockies (+179)
Spread: Giants -1.5
Total: 11.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Giants at Rockies
Pitching matchup for June 12, 2025: Hayden Birdsong vs. Antonio Senzatela
Giants: Hayden Birdsong (3-1, 2.55 ERA) Last outing: 6/6 vs. Atlanta - 4.1IP, 2ER, 2H, 5BB, 5Ks
Rockies: Antonio Senzatela (1-10, 6.68 ERA) Last outing: 6/6 vs. Mets - 4IP, 0ER, 3H, 4BB, 2Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Giants at Rockies
The Giants have won their last 3 road games, while the Rockies have lost 5 straight overall
In his last 5 starts, Antonio Senzatela has an ERA of 10.00
After a dismal start to June (1-22) Willy Adames is 4-7 over his last 2 games
Mike Yastrzemski is riding a modest 3-game hitting streak (4-9)
Hunter Goodman has hit in 8 straight games (15-35)
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 today’s game between the Giants 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 Thursday's game between the Giants and the Rockies:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the San Francisco Giants 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.
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The 2025 NHL draft is a huge one for the Flyers’ rebuild.
Not only does Danny Briere have a lot of high-round picks at his disposal, but he also could be creative in how he uses them.
“There are all kinds of possibilities here,” the Flyers’ general manager said in April. “I think it’s really exciting going into it. It’s powerful to have so many picks like that. I think a lot of teams will be wanting to have discussions with us to make some things happen — teams that don’t have picks or teams that want to tweak things.”
So it’s a busy time for the Flyers leading up to the draft, which will be held June 27-28. The first round is Friday at 7 p.m. ET, while Rounds 2-7 are Saturday starting at noon ET.
“There are really good players in this draft,” TSN director of scouting Craig Button said May 27 in a phone interview with NBC Sports Philadelphia. “Maybe people say it’s not a good draft; I’m not buying it. I think this draft has got lots of good players.”
The Flyers are slotted to make 11 picks, including three first-rounders and four second-rounders. Their first-round selections will come at No. 6 (own pick), No. 22 (Sean Walker trade) and either No. 31 or 32 (Oilers trade).
Before the draft arrives, we’re breaking down first-round targets for the Flyers.
Next up:
Cole Reschny
Position: Center Height: 5-foot-11 Weight: 180 Shoots: Left Team: Victoria
Scouting report
Despite being a smaller forward, Reschny is adept at going to the hard areas or attacking open ice to make plays.
As a pass-first guy, he racked up 92 points (26 goals, 66 assists) over 62 regular-season games for a Royals team that went 40-17-11 in 2024-25. He also had a plus-42 rating and won 56.4 percent of his faceoffs.
“I think he’s a two-way all day long, I think he would be an excellent second-line center,” Button, a former NHL GM and scout, said. “He can put up points, he can play defense, he can be on the penalty kill.”
The 18-year-old center delivered 25 points (nine goals, 16 assists) in just 11 games and went toe to toe with Berkly Catton during the second round. Catton, a big-time scorer down the middle, was the eighth overall pick by the Kraken last summer. Reschny gave him a battle.
“When you get to the point of evaluating them in the playoffs and you see what he did, it’s not the NHL, but there’s a semblance,” Button said. “You get to watch him play and how he handles playing against a top player that’s going to be an NHL player. Well, now you get an opportunity to evaluate closer to what it could look like in the NHL for Cole Reschny.”
Catton had 14 points (three goals, 11 assists) as his Spokane club came back from a 2-1 series deficit to beat Victoria in six games. Reschny finished the series with 13 points (five goals, eight assists).
“This playoffs, showing what he can do against a really top player in Berkly Catton,” Button said, “I think it gives NHL teams more confidence that, boy, this guy’s a good player.”
Reschny will have to fend off the undersized concerns and eventually prove he can score consistently against pros. But his quickness and instincts in tight spaces are promising.
“I think that his brainpower is big, his competitive level is big,” Button said. “When you have a player that can do so many different things in the game and do it well, they’re not easy to find.”
(Kevin Light/Victoria Royals)
Fit with Flyers
If Reschny is available within the range of No. 22, he’d be a real solid pick for the Flyers.
He can scale a lineup, which is appealing, and he’d have the chance to help fill an organizational void at center. Reschny and Jett Luchanko would give the Flyers back-to-back playmaking pivots in the first round. While both are not big and have second-line upside, the more options a team has, the better.
“Everybody thinks it’s easy to find a second-line center,” Button said. “No, it isn’t.”
Expectations are high for Marcelo Mayer as a Boston Red Sox player, and his impressive potential was on full display during Wednesday night’s game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park.
Mayer hit two home runs to right field — one in the second inning and another in the fourth inning — to help the Red Sox beat the Rays 4-3 for their fourth win in the last five games.
Mayer now has three home runs on the season, but these two homers were his first in front of the fans at Fenway Park. It was a moment that the Red Sox’s No. 2 prospect won’t ever forget.
“It’s always better to hit a homer at home compared to on the road,” Mayer told reporters postgame, as seen in the video player above. “I’d much rather get cheered than booed. It was awesome. I love this place. I love the energy that Fenway Park brings. It’s something I’ll remember for the rest of my life.”
Mayer made his major league debut May 24, and he’s played pretty well since, especially of late. He has tallied at least one hit in four of his last six games, and he has scored at least one run in seven of his eight games played in June.
Wednesday’s victory was the first time he scored twice and collected two or more hits in the same game.
“It felt really good,” Mayer said. “To get the first one at home was special. Getting the second one, anytime you can help the team out offensively means a lot.”
Adjusting to the majors always takes a little bit of time. The speed of the game is faster and the quality of the pitching is much better than what these prospects see in the minor leagues.
But Mayer has looked very good so far, which is an encouraging sign for the Red Sox.
“The process always stays the same,” Mayer said. “I feel more comfortable every day I’m here.”
Mayer and the Red Sox are off Thursday before welcoming the rival New York Yankees to Fenway Park for a pivotal three-game series that starts Friday. Boston won two of three games against New York at Yankee Stadium last weekend.
Red Wings Prospect Dimitri Buchelnikov Traded from Vityaz to CSKA Moscow in KHL Shakeup
In a notable move within the KHL, CSKA Moscow has acquired forward Dmitri Buchelnikov from HC Vityaz Podolsk, adding a highly skilled and dynamic winger to their roster.
The trade signals a significant opportunity for Buchelnikov, a former second-round pick of the Detroit Red Wings, to take the next step in his development with one of Russia’s most prestigious hockey clubs.
Buchelnikov, 20, was drafted 52nd overall by Detroit in the 2022 NHL Draft, a selection that raised some eyebrows at the time due to his limited exposure outside Russia.
Since then, he’s continued to develop in the KHL system, splitting time between SKA St. Petersburg and its affiliates before being loaned to Vityaz Podolsk in 2023-24.
With Vityaz, Buchelnikov enjoyed his most productive KHL campaign to date, registering 13 goals and 19 points in 44 games, showcasing his elite skating, quick release, and knack for finding space in the offensive zone.
The move to CSKA marks Buchelnikov’s third KHL team in just two seasons, but it also represents his clearest chance yet to compete at a high level in a playoff-caliber environment.
CSKA, a perennial contender in the KHL and 2023 Gagarin Cup finalists, boasts a strong development pipeline and could help unlock more of Buchelnikov’s offensive upside. The Moscow-based club has a track record of refining young talent into top-end pros, something the Red Wings will be watching closely as they evaluate Buchelnikov’s long-term NHL potential.
Detroit, meanwhile, still retains Buchelnikov’s NHL rights. Though he has not yet signed a contract with the Red Wings, his growing production and now a larger stage in Moscow could accelerate interest in bringing him to North America in the coming years.
That said, with the complex nature of KHL-NHL transfers and Buchelnikov’s contract situation in Russia, patience will likely be required from the Red Wings’ front office.
Buchelnikov’s KHL trade is part of a broader trend of young Russian prospects being shuffled among top-tier teams for both development and cap reasons.
His move to CSKA comes with higher expectations and increased spotlight, but if his trajectory continues to climb, he could soon emerge as one of Russia’s top young forwards—and a potential future asset for Detroit if he makes the leap across the Atlantic.
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Its Thursday, June 12 and the Rangers (32-36) are in Minneapolis to take on the Twins (36-31).
Patrick Corbin is slated to take the mound for Texas against Bailey Ober for Minnesota.
The series is even at one game apiece following the Twins' 6-2 win last night. Byron Buxton went 3-3 including his eleventh home run of the season (a 479-foot blast!) and Minnesota improved to five games over .500 for the season. Marcus Semien tallied his seventh home run of the season in the loss.
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.
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Game details & how to watch Rangers at Twins
Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025
Time: 1:10PM EST
Site: Target Field
City: Minneapolis, MN
Network/Streaming: RSN, MNNT, 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 Rangers at the Twins
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Rangers (+138), Twins (-166)
Spread: Twins -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Rangers at Twins
Pitching matchup for June 12, 2025: Patrick Corbin vs. Bailey Ober
Rangers: Patrick Corbin (3-5, 3.52 ERA) Last outing: 6/6 at Washington - 8IP, 2ER, 5H, 0BB, 2Ks
Twins: Bailey Ober (4-2, 3.78 ERA) Last outing: 6/6 vs. Toronto - 7IP, 5ER, 5H, 1BB, 4Ks
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 Rangers at Twins
The Twins have won 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with losing records
The Over is 4-1 in the Twins' last 5 games
Josh Jung is 3-28 (.107) in his last 8 games
Since returning to the lineup, Carlos Correa has hit in 4-straight games (6-17)
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 today’s game between the Rangers and the Twins
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 Thursday's game between the Rangers and the Twins:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Minnesota Twins 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 recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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Its Thursday, June 12 and the Nationals (30-37) are in Queens to take on the Mets (44-24).
Michael Soroka is slated to take the mound for Washington against Kodai Senga for New York.
David Peterson tossed the first nine-inning complete game of his career, and the Mets rolled to a 5-0 win for their fifth straight win. Juan Soto went yard for the second straight game to pace the attack.
The Mets are now 26-7 at Citi Field this season.
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.
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Game details & how to watch Nationals at Mets
Date: Thursday, June 12, 2025
Time: 1:10PM EST
Site: Citi Field
City: Queens, NY
Network/Streaming: MASN, SNY, MLBN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Nationals at the Mets
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Nationals (+200), Mets (-244)
Spread: Mets -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Nationals at Mets
Pitching matchup for June 12, 2025: Michael Soroka vs. Kodai Senga
Nationals: Michael Soroka (3-3, 4.87 ERA) Last outing: 6/6 vs. Texas - 6IP, 0ER, 2H, 1BB, 7Ks
Mets: Kodai Senga (6-3, 1.59 ERA) Last outing: 6/6 at Colorado - 6IP, 1ER, 5H, 2BB, 6Ks
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Nationals at Mets
The Mets have won 4 of their last 5 NL East home games with Kodai Senga toeing the slab
In his last 5 starts at home Kodai Senga has an ERA of 1.76
The Mets have covered the Run Line in 3 successive games with Kodai Senga as the starter
Juan Soto is 7-11 over his last 3 games and 10-19 over his last 5 to raise his average to .252 for the season
Brandon Nimmo has hit in 4 straight games (6-17) and 8 of his last 9 games (10-38)
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 today’s game between the Nationals and the Mets
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Nationals and the Mets:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Mets on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Mets at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
“But, my only thing is… the Pacers don’t get Pascal Siakam the ball enough. He is the one guy on their team who, every possession he has the ball, can get to the shot he’s trying to get to.
“And, secondly, every possession he has the ball, he’s the one guy on Indiana’s team that can create a double-team, which makes the next domino fall. And so, when I take a step back and look at this series…I really like Indiana. I think Indiana can win this series. I just don’t know if they will.”
While Siakam has been a big difference-maker for the Pacers, other key players have stepped up to give Indiana a 2-1 series lead. Behind Bennedict Mathurin’s 27 points off the bench and another stellar night from Tyrese Haliburton, the Pacers roared back in the fourth quarter of Game 3 to win 116-107.
Still, the series is far from over, considering the Thunder possess one of the most potent lineups in the NBA, capable of quickly turning the series around.
With a pivotal Game 4 set for Friday evening in Indianapolis, expect the Pacers to feed the ball to Siakam and Haliburton as they look to take a commanding 3-1 lead. If Indiana manages to win its first NBA championship, Green won’t be too surprised.
