Fantasy baseball two-start pitchers: Joe Ryan headlines the strong options for the week of June 2

Hello and welcome to the tenth installment of our weekly two-start pitcher article for the 2025 MLB season.

I'll be here every Friday to highlight some of the best two-start pitcher options in fantasy baseball leagues for the upcoming week, as well as some streaming options to keep in mind.

Thinking ahead with your weekly strategy can give you an advantage on the waiver wire and hopefully be a difference-maker in the standings at the end of the season.

This is a living document, so we'll update the options below as the weekend moves along.

Before we get into it, we'll start with a couple of notes on situations that may be unresolved or teams that may not have a two-start pitcher lined up for the upcoming week:

As of Friday, it’s unclear what the Braves will do with their rotation for next week as they look to replace the injured AJ Smith-Shawver (elbow). They could simply have Chris Sale start on Tuesday on regular rest, in which case he would line up for two starts – vs. Diamondbacks and @ Giants – and would be an obvious start in 100 percent of leagues. It’s also possible that they keep Sale penciled in for Wednesday and bring back Bryce Elder or someone else from Triple-A Gwinnett to slide into the rotation, in which case they could conceivably start twice and may be worth a look in deeper formats. We’ll track the situation through the weekend.

We also don’t know what exactly the Tigers are going to do yet. Jackson Jobe had been lined up for two starts (@ White Sox, vs. Cubs), but there’s growing speculation that he’s heading to the injured list on Friday with an arm issue. Alex Cobb still isn’t close to being ready and Keider Montero is already holding down a spot in the rotation while Reese Olson is shelved. It’s possible that Olson could be ready to return at some point next week. It's also possible that the Tigers could use some sort of bullpen game with someone like Brant Hurter working bulk innings out of the bullpen. We’ll track that spot through the weekend, especially since that matchup against the White Sox is so intriguing, but right now it’s wide open.

The Padres play seven games next week, so in theory they should have two different starters each making two starts. We know that Stephen Kolek will, and he’s highlighted below, but there’s no clarity just yet on who else will take the ball. It sounded like Yu Darvish was close to a return last week before suffering a setback. We’ll watch the situation throughout the weekend and update as we glean any new information.

Someone on the Blue Jays will make two starts next week, taking on the Phillies at home and then battling the Twins in Minneapolis. As of Friday afternoon though, we don’t have a clear picture into who that will be. Eric Lauer has been working with an opener in front of him and he could do so again in these two starts, but nothing has been confirmed. Stay tuned.

Without further ado, let's dig into the options for the week of June 2.

Going Twice…

Note: Probable pitchers as of Friday, May 30, and are subject to change.

American League

Strong Plays

Joe Ryan (@ Athletics, vs. Blue Jays)

Ryan has functioned a true ace for the Twins so far this season, compiling a 2.57 ERA, 0.83 WHIP and a 72/9 K/BB ratio over 63 innings in his first 11 appearances. He has allowed one earned run or fewer a remarkable eight times so far this season and one of the outings where he didn’t was a fluky game where he entered in the fourth inning after a rain delay. He should be started without question in every league every week. The matchups this week play into his favor as well, with the A’s struggling to hit anybody right now and the Jays having a rough time against right-handed pitching all season. Ryan should snag a victory and pile up strikeouts while providing pristine ratios once again this week.

Jack Flaherty (@ White Sox, vs. Cubs)

Flaherty seems to have righted the ship after a rough patch in late April and early May, posting a 2.45 ERA, 0.82 WHIP and a 22/5 K/BB ratio over 18 1/3 innings over his last three starts. He should be started in most leagues almost every week regardless of matchups. The fact that he lines up for two starts and the first one comes against the White Sox is just an added bonus. Flaherty looks like one of the top overall plays on the board for the upcoming week and he should be started everywhere without any hesitation.

Carlos Rodón (vs. Guardians, vs. Red Sox)

The 32-year-old southpaw has finally started to pitch like the ace that the Yankees expected him to be when they inked him to his massive contract prior to the 2023 season. He has gone 7-3 with a 2.60 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and a 90/26 K/BB ratio over 72 2/3 innings through his first 12 starts. Fantasy managers who have been enjoying that stellar production have no reason to shy away this week as the Guardians have struggled against southpaws this season and the Red Sox are missing their biggest lefty-masher in Alex Bregman. He should be started in all leagues without question.

Shane Smith (vs. Tigers, vs. Royals)

If you’re not closely following the White Sox this season, you may have missed what a strong season the 25-year-old rookie right-hander is having. He has posted a stellar 2.68 ERA, 1.16 WHIP and a 54/23 K/BB ratio across 57 innings through his first 11 big league starts. That’s awfully impressive. The problem is that he has one just one ballgame during that stretch. The wins aren’t any more likely to come this week, but the production should still be there – and he could reach double digits in strikeouts over the two starts. Smith looks like a strong streaming option and is someone that I would be actively looking to acquire if he were somehow hanging around on the waiver wire in shallower formats.

George Kirby (vs. Orioles, @ Angels)

Fantasy managers who waited patiently for nearly two months for Kirby to debut this season have to be disappointed with the results through his first two outings – giving up 11 runs over 8 2/3 innings with an 8/3 K/BB ratio. Keep in mind, this is still like extended spring training for him as he continues to build back up and shake off the rust. He’s going to be fine. This is the week where he should start to look like the Kirby of old, with a pair of strong matchups on tap. Look for the ratios to come down out of the stratosphere and for Kirby to pile up double-digit strikeouts and most likely notch his first victory of the 2025 season. I know it’s scary with the results that we have seen so far, but you have to trust Kirby this week.

Drew Rasmussen (vs. Rangers, vs. Marlins)

The rule has always been when Rasmussen is healthy, you lock him into your lineup for elite production, regardless of matchup. That rule has held true through his first 11 starts on the season, posting a minuscule 2.33 ERA, 0.93 WHIP and a 48/13 K/BB ratio across his 58 innings. Now he gets the benefit of taking on the Rangers and Marlins, two teams that rank near the bottom of the league in production against right-handed pitching. It’s all systems go for Rasmussen this week, don’t think twice about it.

Lance McCullers Jr. (@ Pirates, @ Guardians)

One glance at his overall line on the season would cause most fantasy managers to dismiss the Astros’ right-hander without a second look as he has posted a troublesome 5.89 ERA, 1.69 WHIP and a 26/11 K/BB ratio over 18 1/3 innings in his first five starts back from the injured list. Most of that damage came in one disastrous outing against the Reds though where he gave up seven runs while recording only one out. He has actually looked very sharp his last three times out and has struck out eight or more batters in each of his last two – including 12 punchouts against the Athletics his last time out. The Pirates and Guardians are both among the league’s worst against right-handed pitching, making McCullers a particularly strong streaming option for the upcoming week in any place where he may be available. He looks like a priority add to me and one that I would surely start in all formats.

Decent Plays

Nathan Eovaldi (vs. Rays, vs. Nationals)

The only reason that Eovaldi has been bumped down to this section is the uncertainty swirling around him after exiting his last start after only two innings due to right triceps fatigue. As long as he’s healthy and appears to be on track to make his scheduled start next week, he should be started with confidence in most leagues. On the season, he holds a terrific 1.56 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and a 73/10 K/BB ratio over 69 1/3 innings through his first 12 starts.

Tomoyuki Sugano (@ Mariners, @ Athletics)

The 35-year-old right-hander has pitched well through his first 11 starts with the Orioles, posting a 3.23 ERA, 1.06 WHIP and a 35/10 K/BB ratio over 64 innings while securing four victories. The Mariners and Athletics are both middle of the road against right-handed pitching, so there’s certainly no reason to avoid either matchup. We know that Sugano isn’t going to help much in the strikeout department, but that’s at least mitigated by him having two starts on the docket. He’s unlikely to crush your ratios and should have a decent shot at earning at least one victory on the week, making him a solid streaming option in all formats.

Michael Lorenzen (@ Cardinals, @ White Sox)

Over the years, Lorenzen has proven to be someone who is occasionally worthy of streaming when the matchups are right in deeper leagues while he’s someone who should almost never be started in weeks where he makes a single start. Fortunately, the schedule lines up well for him this week and he gets a matchup against the lowly White Sox if he can first get through a tougher battle against the Cardinals in St. Louis. He should be able to approach high single digit strikeouts combined over his two starts with a decent shot at a victory against the White Sox which makes him worthy of a look in most deeper leagues.

Richard Fitts (vs. Angels, @ Yankees)

Fitts looked sharp in his return from the injured list last week, firing three scoreless frames against the Brewers. He only made one minor league rehab start though, which is why he was so limited in his first start back – and why he’ll likely be limited in each of his starts during the upcoming week. There’s no denying how well Fitts has pitched with the Red Sox this season though, compiling a 2.70 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and a 15/6 K/BB ratio over 20 innings in his first four starts. I’d like it a lot better if he were working behind an opener and had a shot at a victory. Still though, he seems unlikely to hurt your ratios and should grab more than a handful of strikeouts during the week. In deeper leagues, if you don’t have better options, there’s no harm in using Fitts this week and he could wind up being a major asset over the rest of the season.

Luis Severino (vs. Twins, vs. Orioles)

Severino has done a serviceable job through his first 12 starts for the A’s this season, posting a 3.89 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and a 54/22 K/BB ratio over 71 2/3 innings through his first 12 starts. He has won just one ballgame though and with the A’s currently in freefall – just one victory in their last 15 games – it’s very unlikely that he picks up a win during the upcoming week. He’s also not piling up strikeouts and should only be expected to get around seven or eight during his two-start week. Furthermore, it’s actually a detriment that he’s making both starts at home, as we have seen what a terrific offensive environment Sutter Health Park can be already this season, and the weather is only getting warmer. He’s a decent enough pitcher that he’s worthy of consideration in 15 teamers, but I don’t think I would be rolling him out there in leagues that were any shallower than that. The upside is simply lacking without the wins and strikeouts and there’s very real ratio risk to be had facing a couple of good offenses in a hitter’s paradise.

Tyler Anderson (@ Red Sox, vs. Mariners)

The 35-year-old southpaw has been a bit of an enigma this season, using smoke and mirrors to pitch to a 3.39 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and a 46/24 K/BB ratio over 61 innings through his first 11 starts. His ratios corrected somewhat with rough outings against the Athletics and Dodgers earlier in the month, but he bounced back and dominated the vaunted Yankees’ offense his last time out, so who really knows what to expect from him this week. The Red Sox and Mariners are both in the upper half of the league against southpaws, so it’s not going to be easy, but there’s at least some viability to Anderson as a streaming option if you’re looking to make up ground in wins and strikeouts. He wouldn’t be a priority add for me, but I could see him making by bid lists and winding up with him if I was unable to secure my top options.

At Your Own Risk

Jonathan Cannon (vs. Tigers, vs. Royals)

Cannon is the type of pitcher who is almost always available on the waiver wire as an option to stream his two-start weeks. He has done alright overall on the season, registering a 4.15 ERA, 1.35 WHIP and a 46/18 K/BB ratio across 60 2/3 innings in his first 11 outings. The Tigers, despite their success this season, have been just an average team against right-handed pitching while the Royals have been among the league’s worst. Cannon also has a strong familiarity with both opponents since they are in the same division and he sees them regularly. I wouldn’t expect wins with the White Sox’ offense backing him, but if you’re trying to make up ground in strikeouts in deeper leagues I could see taking a shot on him and hoping that he doesn’t get blown up by the Tigers in that first start.

Logan Allen (@ Yankees, vs. Astros)

Through 10 starts this season, Allen has struggled to find any sort of consistency, showing flashes of brilliance mixed with maddeningly poor command and execution. Overall, he sports a somewhat respectable 4.31 ERA with a cringe-inducing 1.63 WHIP and a 36/25 K/BB ratio over 48 innings. That’s not the type of profile that we’re normally looking to stream, and it gets worse when you factor in a matchup against the Bronx Bombers in New York to start his week. The second matchup isn’t any more appealing either, as the Astros are also an upper-echelon offense against southpaws this season. Some may want to try it out based on name recognition, but this seems like a strong recipe for ratio damage this week. Stay away.

Jacob Lopez (vs. Twins, vs. Orioles)

This is one that you shouldn’t even have to waste your time thinking about. Not only are the matchups poor and both in an extreme hitter’s environment, but Lopez pitches for one of the worst teams in the league and is extremely unlikely to earn a victory in either start. He’s also coming off of an outing where he was slaughtered for seven runs in just 1 2/3 innings against the Blue Jays and sports a horrifying 6.32 ERA and 1.85 WHIP across 15 2/3 innings on the season. I don’t care how deep the league is, just say no on this one.

National League

Strong Plays

Zack Wheeler (@ Blue Jays, @ Pirates)

Wheeler is coming off of his worst start of the season, yet he still owns a stellar 2.96 ERA, 0.92 WHIP and a 94/18 K/BB ratio over 76 innings through his first 12 starts. He’s an elite workhorse and a fantasy ace and should be started in every single league, every single week without question. Look for him to improve upon those ratios and pile up strikeouts this week with a pair of matchups against questionable offenses that struggle mightily against right-handed pitching. Wheeler is one of the top overall options on the board this week.

Logan Webb (vs. Padres, vs. Braves)

Webb has been doing some of the finest work of his career so far in his age-28 season, posting a 2.82 ERA, 1.21 WHIP and an 84/17 K/BB ratio across 73 1/3 innings through his first 12 starts. It’s the career-best strikeout rate that has been particularly intriguing, as he has always been someone that has provided quality ratios, but the added strikeouts really take his game to the next level. The matchups are tough this week, but they’re both at home in the spacious confines of Oracle Park. Continue to start him every week regardless of the matchup(s).

Decent Plays

Ryne Nelson (@ Braves, @ Reds)

Nelson had been tentatively lined up for two starts this past week, but the Diamondbacks opted to use Thursday’s off-day to give Corbin Burnes an extra start on regular rest on Sunday while pushing Nelson back a couple of days after throwing a season-high 84 pitches his last time out. The matchups aren’t great, and they’re both on the road, which gives me at least some trepidation here. Nelson has been solid this year though, posting a 3.79 ERA, 1.05 WHIP and a 34/11 K/BB ratio over 38 innings and since moving to the rotation he has allowed just one run in 11 2/3 frames. I’d be rolling him for sure in 15 team formats and would probably use him in 12’s as well.

Landen Roupp (vs. Padres, vs. Braves)

Roupp has pitched pretty well for the Giants through his first 11 starts on the season, compiling a 3.54 ERA, 1.43 WHIP and a 56/20 K/BB ratio over 56 frames. The sky-high WHIP is the only real concern. He draws two difficult matchups for the upcoming week, though pitching both games at home should help to reduce the ratio damage and give him a better shot at earning a victory. Regardless, the strikeouts should be there, which is probably reason enough to start him in most leagues. I’d deploy him in 15 and 12 team formats for sure, anything that’s more shallow it would depend on your alternative options.

Tylor Megill (@ Dodgers, @ Rockies)

Here’s a spot in which the matchups represent a huge dichotomy. Megill first has to battle the mighty Dodgers’ offense on the road in Los Angeles before finishing his week with a layup against the historically bad Rockies’ offense, though it is at Coors Field. Megill has pitched well this season – posting a 3.52 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and a 72/27 K/BB ratio across 53 2/3 innings. The strikeouts should be there regardless, and the chances of earning a victory against the Rockies are high, making him a worthwhile play in most leagues this week despite the matchup against the Dodgers. Just be aware that with his propensity to miss the strike zone, he could inflict some serious damage on your WHIP in that first start.

Griffin Canning (@ Dodgers, @ Rockies)

Like teammate Tylor Megill above, Canning draws a brutal matchup and a terrific matchup this week, which averages out to a decent spot overall if he can survive the first one. Canning has had surprising success with the Mets this season, going 5-2 with a 3.23 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and a 50/25 K/BB ratio across 53 innings in his first 11 starts. If he can keep the ratios intact through that Dodgers start, he should put up strong overall numbers on the week with a high chance of getting into the win column against the Rockies at Coors Field. I’d be starting him for sure in 15 team leagues and I’d probably roll the dice in 12 teamers as well unless I had a major problem in WHIP that I was trying to correct.

Dustin May (vs. Mets, @ Cardinals)

May has done a decent job through his first 10 starts with the Dodgers this season, compiling a 4.20 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and a 58/20 K/BB ratio over 55 2/3 innings. Pitching for the Dodgers, he’s a threat to earn a victory every time that he takes the mound and the strikeout totals have been there even when he has struggled this season. The only concern that I have is that the Mets and Cardinals have both hit right-handed pitching well this season, adding some real ratio risk to an otherwise strong profile. I think that I would start him for sure if I had him in 15 teamers and I’d likely take the plunge in 12’s as well. Anything more shallow than that, and it’s possible you may have better options for the upcoming week.

Cade Horton (@ Nationals, @ Tigers)

Horton has done a decent job in his limited action with the Cubs, going 2-0 with a 3.98 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and a 16/4 K/BB ratio over his first four appearances (three starts), Despite the fact that he’s on the road for both starts this week, he actually gets a nice ballpark upgrade getting away from Wrigley Field. His time in the Cubs’ rotation could be limited as Shota Imanaga (hamstring) is working his way back, but that’s not a concern for this week. He looks like a safe streaming option and one that I would be comfortable using in both 12 and 15 team formats.

Max Meyer (vs. Rockies, @ Rays)

After a very strong start to the 2025 season, Meyer has fallen on hard times in the month of May, giving up four runs or more in three of his five starts. Fortunately, he gets the elixir for that on Monday when he’ll take on the hapless Rockies’ offense at home. The matchup to finish the week against the Rays isn’t anything to shy away from either. Meyer should be able to pile up strikeouts in those two starts and should actually help your ratios rather than detract from them, while having a good shot at earning at least one victory. If he can’t succeed during these matchups, it could be time to re-evaluate his status on your roster. I’d start him in all leagues this week.

Clayton Kershaw (vs. Mets, @ Cardinals)

Coming off such an extended layoff, it’s understandable that the 37-year-old southpaw would struggle through his first few outings. He has done just that, pitching to a 4.91 ERA, 1.55 WHIP and a 6/6 K/BB ratio over his first 11 innings. He has yet to pitch deeper than five innings in any start and has yet to exceed 83 pitches. Combine that with matchups against two tough offenses, and I’m not sure that Kershaw makes for a strong streaming option for the upcoming week. I’d rather give him another week or two to build up and prove that he can be a viable fantasy asset before throwing him to the wolves in a tough spot. I’d roll with him in 15 teamers still, but I’d try to avoid it in 12’s. He could spin six shutout innings in each of those starts and wind up burning me, but I wouldn’t be starting him unless I had to this week.

Stephen Kolek (@ Giants, @ Brewers)

Kolek has done a decent job through his first five starts with the Padres, posting a 4.11 ERA, 1.30 WHIP and a 24/10 K/BB ratio over 30 2/3 innings while securing three victories. Pitching for the Padres, there’s always going to be an opportunity to earn a victory and both starts being at home plays into his favor in more ways than one. We have been attacking the Brewers’ offense all season with opposing right-handers and the Giants aren’t a matchup to shy away from either. There’s ratio risk, as Kolek has been crushed in two of his last three starts, but on paper at least this looks like a strong spot to try to stream a lesser rostered two-start option.

At Your Own Risk

Brady Singer (vs. Brewers, vs. Diamondbacks)

Singer has performed about as expected through his first 11 starts in a Reds’ uniform, posting an underwhelming 4.60 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and a 49/23 K/BB ratio over 58 2/3 innings. Those numbers get worse as you narrow the lens, with a 6.35 ERA and 1.66 WHIP over 25 1/3 frames since the calendar flipped to May. The matchups are a mixed bag this week, as the Brewers have really struggled against right-handed pitching but the Diamondbacks have been among the league’s elite against them. Both starts will come at Great American Ballpark which isn’t a point in Singer’s favor. I’d normally recommend streaming Singer in most matchups, but with how things have gone for him lately and that showdown with the Diamondbacks on Sunday, I’d actually shy away from him unless you absolutely had to. For sure I’d be looking to bench him in 12 teamers, though you may not have better alternatives in 15’s.

Aaron Civale (@ Reds, vs. Padres)

After getting torched by the Yankees in his season debut, Civale has looked much better in each of his last two starts, giving up three runs total over nine innings while striking out seven. He’s never going to be an elite option, and the matchups on paper look extremely difficult this week, so I understand there will be trepidation in trying to stream him. He should be considered nothing more than a volume play in deeper leagues if looking to make up ground in wins and strikeouts, with the understanding that one of these starts could go south quickly and he could inflict serious ratio damage.

Andre Pallante (vs. Royals, vs. Dodgers)

Pallante has been a mostly uninspiring option through his first 11 starts on the season, registering a 4.23 ERA, 1.36 WHIP and a 42/23 K/BB ratio over 61 2/3 innings. The matchup against the Royals is intriguing, but not enough for me to overlook a showdown against the Dodgers to finish his week. That feels to me like a spot where he could get blown up bad enough that the Cardinals finally pull the plug and allow Michael McGreevy to take his rightful place in the starting rotation. If you’re desperate in a deeper league to stream a live arm in order to make up ground in wins and strikeouts, I get it, but Pallante isn’t really a certainty to help in any category and he’s actively crushing your WHIP when he’s in there right now. I’d save myself the headache and avoid.

Germán Márquez (@ Marlins, vs. Mets)

I told myself a few weeks ago that I could never find a way to recommend a Rockies’ starter for a two-start week this season, and I’m going to stick to that. Márquez has pitched poorly overall on the season, with a 7.13 ERA, 1.64 WHIP and a 32/19 K/BB ratio through his first 53 innings of work. That first matchup against the Marlins in Miami is pretty juicy though, and he’s coming off of a quality start against the Cubs his last time out. The ratio risk is sky high for the week, especially with a matchup against the Mets at Coors Field to finish it out, but there’s at least some reason for liking the veteran right-hander in that first matchup. I don’t think I could do it in 15 teamers, but in NL-only formats and the deepest of mixed leagues maybe he’s worth the risk.

Mike Burrows (vs. Astros, vs. Phillies)

The 25-year-old rookie right-hander has been knocked around in his first two starts to the tune of an 8.64 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and a 5/4 K/BB ratio over his first 8 1/3 innings of work. It’s not likely to get much better for him this week with a pair of matchups against strong offenses who do damage against right-handed pitching. If he gets crushed in that first matchup, he could easily get demoted back to Triple-A Indianapolis and miss that second start. I just don’t see any good reasons to be rolling the dice here this week.

Trevor Williams (vs. Cubs, vs. Rangers)

Williams has really struggled through his first 11 starts on the season, posting a 5.69 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and a 43/15 K/BB ratio over 55 1/3 innings of work. The matchup against the Cubs isn’t ideal either and could lead to more ratio damage. He’s also not likely to win a game and strikeouts have never been his thing, so it’s hard to see a viable reason for wanting to stream him for two starts. He could string together a couple of gems and make me look foolish, but I’ll be staying away here.

Streamer City

Here are a couple of my hand-picked streaming options for the upcoming week that are readily available in most fantasy leagues. I’ll track these results throughout the season so you can see how my recommendations have performed.

American League

Ryan Gusto, Astros, RHP (vs. Pirates - Wednesday 6/4)

We'll go after another terrible offense in the Pirates by streaming Gusto for his start on Wednesday. The right-hander has struggled for most of the season, registering a a 4.62 ERA, 1.56 WHIP and a 42/19 K/BB ratio over 39 innings to this point. If he can't succeed against the Pirates in this spot though, he doesn't have a chance long-term in the Astros' rotation. I think this is a good matchup for him to rack up some strikeouts and potentially earn a victory while keeping the ratios in line. Gusto is rostered in only five percent of all Yahoo leagues at the moment.

National League

Cal Quantrill, Marlins, RHP (vs. Rockies - Wednesday 6/4)

Let's really put anyone and everyone against the Rockies to the test here. Quantrill is rostered in just two percent of all Yahoo leagues and is sitting on a gruesome 6.09 ERA and 1.49 WHIP over 44 1/3 innings on the season while punching out only 31 strikeouts. No one in their right mind would consider streaming him, right? Against the hapless Rockies — especially on the road — we're willing to stream everyone. Watch Quantrill spin six beautiful innings and earn a victory here with five punchouts.

Last Week's Review

Dean Kremer, Orioles, RHP (vs. White Sox - Saturday 5/31)

We don't have any results on Kremer yet, as he's set to battle the White Sox in Chicago on Saturday. We're still very optimistic that he'll deliver a dominant performance there.

Cade Horton, Cubs, RHP (vs. Rockies - Tuesday 5/27)

Horton pitched well in a no-decision against the Rockies on Tuesday, giving up two runs on four hits over his six-plus innings of work. He racked up six strikeouts in the ballgame and carried a lead into the seventh before serving up a game-tying home run. All in all, though, this is a quality result from a streamer despite the lack of a victory. We'll take it.

When is the right time for Mets to call up Ronny Mauricio — and where does he fit?

As the Mets have been in an offensive rut -- they've mustered just 42 runs over their last 14 games, which is an average of exactly three runs per contest -- a possible partial solution to their woes has been hitting lasers in Triple-A Syracuse.

Since joining Syracuse following brief stints with A-ball St. Lucie and Double-A Binghamton, as he continues to get his legs under him after not playing in games since late 2023 due to an ACL injury, Ronny Mauriciois putting up video game numbers.

In 29 plate appearances over seven games for Syracuse, Mauricio is slashing a cartoonish .560/.586/.960. He has three homers and a double, has driven in seven runs, and has swiped three bags.

On Thursday night, Mauricio had a pair of hits, including a mammoth homer to right field.

But there's a good reason why Mauricio isn't on his way to Citi Field just yet.

His recovery from ACL surgery, which he had in December of 2023 after suffering the injury playing winter ball in the Dominican Republic, was bumpy.

Mauricio's game action a few weeks ago with St. Lucie was his first time back on the field in a competitive fashion in roughly a year and a half. So the Mets are smartly taking things slowly with him as he builds up his reps and stamina.

Since joining Syracuse, Mauricio has been given regular days off. He has played on back-to-back days three times, but has yet to play three days in a row. So the progression is ongoing.

Once Mauricio is deemed ready physically, though, the Mets will have a choice to make. The 24-year-old is an exciting, toolsy player with high upside who has already flashed impressive exit velocities in the majors and whose power potential is real. He also has the ability to play multiple positions.

Sep 12, 2023; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Ronny Mauricio (10) hits a two run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fourth inning at Citi Field.
Sep 12, 2023; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Ronny Mauricio (10) hits a two run home run against the Arizona Diamondbacks during the fourth inning at Citi Field. / John Jones-USA TODAY Sports

Where could he fit in New York, where his natural shortstop position is taken byFrancisco Lindor?

About a month ago, the easy answer might have been third base, since Jesse Winker is out -- opening the designated hitter spot for Mark Vientos. But the version of Brett Baty who returned following a stint in Syracuse earlier this season is one who looks more confident than ever. And the results (especially power-wise) have been there, which means he'll likely get -- and is deserving of -- an extended look at third base.

Another option for Mauricio is second base, but it's already crowded. Baty is getting starts there when Vientos is at third base instead of DH, and Jeff McNeil is getting lots of playing time at second as well. Meanwhile, McNeil has been impactful offensively, getting on base at a .363 clip while posting an .809 OPS.

The presence of Luisangel Acuña also complicates things a bit, though his playing time has been shrinking recently -- something manager Carlos Mendoza said the youngster is equipped to handle.

What about DH for Mauricio?

In a world where Baty and Vientos are both getting lots of burn at third base and DH, with McNeil slotting in regularly at second base, it could make sense to use the switch-hitting Mauricio at third base or DH against tougher left-handers (with Baty sitting). But is that enough playing time for someone who needs all the reps he can get?

Another alignment could have Vientos at DH, Baty at third base, Mauricio at second base, and McNeil in center field -- a spot he's started at six times this season.

The above would be easy enough, but would mean all-world defender Tyrone Taylor being on the bench.

All of this is to say that there are a lot of things for the Mets to consider as Mauricio keeps working toward a big league return. And if the Mets continue to scuffle offensively and Mauricio stays hot, it would behoove them to find a way to get his bat in the lineup one way or another.

Hoskins reconnects with old ‘mates, visits favorite Philly spots, talks strong start

Hoskins reconnects with old ‘mates, visits favorite Philly spots, talks strong start originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

He’s already experienced the emotional first return to the only organization he knew before 2024, so this weekend should be a bit easier on Rhys Hoskins.

“I don’t expect anything, really,” said the former Phillie who has remained a fan favorite even after signing with Milwaukee. “Probably gonna feel a little different than last year and that’s totally OK.

“I think last year was overwhelming in the best way, a great reminder that you’ve just got to give your all to any city but specifically the people of this city. I definitely don’t expect an ovation, I’m an enemy now, that’s just the reality of it. And because of that, I hope the Brewers win.”

Hoskins unsurprisingly received standing ovations the whole series last June when the Brewers came to town. He homered off of Zack Wheeler in his first game back in Philly, which had to feel like a storybook moment for him, going deep against his old teammates to account for his new team’s only run against the best starting pitcher in baseball.

“I guess there’s something about competing against the people you know that makes you lock in a little bit,” he said that night.

The slugging first baseman has been a big part of the 29-28 Brewers’ offense, much more so than he was a year ago coming back from an ACL tear suffered in spring training 2023. Hoskins enters the weekend hitting .282/.384/.459. He’s never hit better than .247 in a full season but did say Friday that he’s adjusted his approach a bit to put the bat on the ball more often at the expense of some thump.

It’s not just a fun story, he’s also probably the bat the Phillies circled in their game-planning meeting.

“Second year coming back from a major injury I just think has been completely different,” Hoskins said. “I’ve learned that time is your best friend in that regard. I’m getting to play every day and I’ve just found a nice rhythm. So far, so good.”

Hoskins had quite a run with the Phillies. He set several home run records coming up through their minor-league system then became the fastest player in major-league history to 10 homers. He went deep 18 times in his first 34 games as a big-leaguer, also a record. He hit 34 the next year in his first full season, then followed it up by leading the National League in walks.

Hoskins and Aaron Nola were the faces of the Phillies during their transition from rebuilding club to contender. The run all the way to Game 6 of the 2022 World Series was even sweeter for them than the other 24 players in the clubhouse because they’d experienced the lows.

Hoskins went on to produce one of the most dramatic moments of that playoff run and this era of Phillies baseball, hitting a three-run home run off Spencer Strider to break open Game 3 of the NLDS and slamming his bat to the ground in celebration.

“I’m excited. I love Rhys,” manager Rob Thomson said. “He was a great Phillie, represented himself and the organization so well when he was here. Big part of that World Series team. I think the world of him.”

The Brewers were off on Thursday so Hoskins and his wife Jayme had the chance to take in the city. They started with bread and pastries in the morning at Mighty Bread and ended the night at Suraya, a highly thought-of Lebanese restaurant in Fishtown.

For one weekend at least, the Phillies hope all the pita weighs him down.

“The reality is I spent a good chunk of my life here, I lived here for three years,” he said. “Yesterday getting to spend a little bit of an off day here was amazing in that regard. Super fun for us, obviously with a seven-month old too, we get to tell her about all the things and places we used to go. Just a fun day.”

One chance Hoskins might not get this weekend is to shoot the breeze with Bryce Harper at first base, whether he’s the fielder or baserunner. Harper was out of the lineup Friday for the third straight game and hasn’t yet swung since being hit on the right elbow by a 95 mph fastball on Tuesday. Harper has not been placed on the injured list but referred to himself Friday as “super day-to-day.”

“Obviously he’s one of my favorites so it’s always fun to have him back at The Bank,” Harper said. “So many good memories with this organization and this fanbase too, I expect people to be excited that he’s back. He gets The Bank on a Friday night.”

New F1 wing rules are talk of pit lane in Spain but McLaren still out in front

  • Rules intended to close gap between the best drivers

  • McLaren’s Oscar Piastri is fastest in second practice

All the talk in Spain this week has been about the potential impact of the FIA’s clampdown on the flexing of front wings and the governing body’s hope this might close up the pecking order on the grid. Certainly those chasing the dominant McLaren were optimistic that might be the case.

The technical regulation was imposed as teams look to push the boundaries of the rules, with a flex in the wing under load affording the maximum downforce in corners. In order to maintain a level playing field, the wings must now pass a deflection test measuring the leeway of their flex. This has been reduced from 15mm to 10mm.

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Angels at Guardians Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for May 30

Its Friday, May 30 and the Angels (25-30) are in Cleveland to take on the Guardians (30-25). José Soriano is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Luis L. Ortiz for Cleveland.

Los Angeles has lost five-straight games, while Cleveland snapped a three-game losing skid with a 7-4 victory over the Dodgers. The Angels are 3-8 in Soriano's starts this season, while the Guardians are 4-6 in Ortiz's starts.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

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

Game details & how to watch Angels at Guardians

  • Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
  • Time: 7:10PM EST
  • Site: Progressive Field
  • City: Cleveland, OH
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNW, CLEG

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 Angels at the Guardians

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Angels (+120), Guardians (-141)
  • Spread:  Guardians -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Angels at Guardians

  • Pitching matchup for May 30, 2025: José Soriano vs. Luis L. Ortiz
    • Angels: José Soriano, (3-5, 3.73 ERA)
      Last outing: 4.2 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 1 Strikeout
    • Guardians: Luis L. Ortiz, (2-5, 4.73 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 5 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 Angels and the Guardians

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 Friday’s game between the Angels and the Guardians:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cleveland Guardians 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 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 Angels at Guardians

  • The Guardians have won 15 of their last 17 home matchups against the Angels
  • The Over is 4-1 in the Angels' last 5 road games
  • The Guardians have failed to cover the Run Line in 4 of their last 5 matchups against the Angels

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Timberwolves reportedly were very serious about trading for Kevin Durant at deadline

Around the trade deadline, Kevin Durant was surprised when what had been Phoenix's efforts to trade Bradley Beal suddenly pivoted to KD in trade talks with the Golden State Warriors and others.

One of those others was Minnesota — pairing Anthony Edwards and his idol — and it was serious about landing Durant, reports ESPN’s Brian Windhorst on the Hoop Collective Podcast (hat tip Real GM).

"It became clear to me in talking to the parties involved just how serious the Wolves were about trying to trade for Kevin Durant at the trade deadline."

However, pulling the trade together at the time was impossible because both teams were over the second apron of the luxury tax, which imposed various restrictions on any deal (neither team could aggregate players, nor could either team take back $1 more than it sent out).

This summer, the Timberwolves have three core players who can — and will — be free agents that they must make decisions on: Julius Randle and Naz Reid have player options they are expected not to pick up, and Nickeil Alexander-Walker is a free agent.

However, with all those guys off the books July 1, there would be cap space to revisit a Durant trade. The question is, after a playoff run to the second round where Minnesota seemed to find an identity and path forward, do they want to shake things up with another blockbuster trade?

"I'm not arguing that Durant is going to end up in Minnesota... If you look at Tim Connelly, he made the big [Rudy] Gobert trade. He made the big trade of KAT for Julius Randle and DiVincenzo."

Durant is going to get traded this summer, the only real question is where (talk on that front has been quiet around the league so far, but the wide-ranging expectation is that he will get moved, something mutual between him and Phoenix). Minnesota is not entirely off the table in those talks.

It's something to watch, although the more likely path is the Timberwolves bringing back Randle and Alexander-Walker — Reid may be too expensive, and other teams can offer a larger role, although Minnesota wants to keep him — and tweaking the roster from there.

Skinner Scores First Playoff Goal, Heads To Stanley Cup Final

Jeff Skinner waited 15 years to make the Stanley Cup Playoffs. After playing the series opener against the LA Kings, he was a healthy scratch for the Edmonton Oilers through nearly three rounds. Injuries to Connor Brown and Zach Hyman provided the former Buffalo Sabre another opportunity, and he scored his first career playoff goal in the first period of Edmonton’s series-clinching 6-3 victory over the Dallas Stars on Thursday.

The 33-year-old was bought out by the Sabres last June after a disappointing 24-goal campaign and was signed to a one-year, $3 million contract by the Oilers. Skinner slipped to 16 goals in Edmonton, playing mostly a depth role, and came out of the playoff lineup with the return of Trent Frederic and Evander Kane from the injured list.  

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Sabres Facing An Off-Season Of Change

Skinner beat Dallas goalie Casey DeSmith eight minutes into the first period, after he replaced Stars starter Jake Oettinger, who allowed goals on the first two Edmonton shots. Former Sabre Evander Kane also scored on DeSmith just after Dallas cut the Oilers lead to 4-3 early in the third period, which seemed to kill any chance of a Dallas comeback in the elimination game. 

The rematch of the 2024 Stanley Cup Final between Edmonton and Florida begins on Wednesday and will feature five former Sabres: Skinner and Kane with the Oilers, and Sam Reinhart, Evan Rodrigues, and Dmitri Kulikov with the Panthers.    

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

Giro d’Italia: Del Toro tightens grip on pink jersey as Prodhomme wins stage 19

  • Frenchman breaks clear to claim victory on brutal ride

  • Simon Yates still in third spot in general classification

Nicolas Prodhomme claimed the first Grand Tour stage win of his career when he rode solo to victory on stage 19 of the Giro d’Italia on Friday, while Mexico’s pink jersey holder, Isaac del Toro, came second to extend his overall lead.

On their penultimate day in the mountains, the riders faced a brutal 166km ride from Biella to Champoluc with five classified climbs and a total elevation gain of nearly 5,000m. Prodhomme, from the Decathlon AG2R La Mondiale team, broke free on the fourth climb to take the lead and eventually the victory to become the first Frenchman to win a Giro stage this year.

Continue reading...

Red Sox at Braves Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for May 30

Its Friday, May 30 and the Red Sox (27-31) are in Atlanta to take on the Braves (26-29). Lucas Giolito is slated to take the mound for Boston against Grant Holmes for Atlanta.

Atlanta beat Philadelphia 9-3 yesterday to snap a three-game losing streak, while Boston is riding a five-game losing streak entering this game. Boston is 2-3 in Giolito's starts this season, while Atlanta is 5-6 in Holmes' 11 starts.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

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

Game details & how to watch Red Sox at Braves

  • Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
  • Time: 7:15PM EST
  • Site: Truist Park
  • City: Atlanta, GA
  • Network/Streaming: Apple TV+

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

Odds for the Red Sox at the Braves

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Red Sox (+136), Braves (-161)
  • Spread:  Braves -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Braves

  • Pitching matchup for May 30, 2025: Lucas Giolito vs. Grant Holmes
    • Red Sox: Lucas Giolito, (1-1, 5.27 ERA)
      Last outing: 7.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
    • Braves: Grant Holmes, (3-3, 3.68 ERA)
      Last outing: 7.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 6 Strikeouts

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

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Red Sox and the Braves

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 Friday’s game between the Red Sox and the Braves:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Atlanta Braves on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Boston Red Sox 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 Red Sox at Braves

  • The Braves have won 4 of their last 5 home matchups against the Red Sox
  • The Red Sox's last 3 road trips to the Braves have stayed under the Total
  • The Braves have covered the Run Line in 3 straight matchups against the Red Sox

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Pirates at Padres Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for May 30

Its Friday, May 30 and the Pirates (21-36) are in San Diego to take on the Padres (31-23). Mitch Keller is slated to take the mound for Pittsburgh against Nick Pivetta for San Diego.

Pittsburgh has won two straight games and four of the past six, while San Diego had its three-game winning streak snapped with a 10-8 loss to Miami. The Pirates were on a seven-game losing streak with Keller on the mound, but snapped that with win in his previous start.

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.

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

Game details & how to watch Pirates at Padres

  • Date: Friday, May 30, 2025
  • Time: 9:40PM EST
  • Site: Petco Park
  • City: San Diego, CA
  • Network/Streaming: SNP, SDPA, 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 Pirates at the Padres

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Pirates (+164), Padres (-197)
  • Spread:  Padres -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Pirates at Padres

  • Pitching matchup for May 30, 2025: Mitch Keller vs. Nick Pivetta
    • Pirates: Mitch Keller, (1-6, 3.66 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts
    • Padres: Nick Pivetta, (5-2, 2.72 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 7 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 Pirates and the Padres

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 Friday’s game between the Pirates and the Padres:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the San Diego Padres on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Pittsburgh Pirates at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

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 Pirates at Padres

  • The Padres are on a 3-game win streak at home to the Pirates
  • The Under is 31-22-4 in Pirates' games this season
  • The Padres have covered the Run Line in 7 of their last 9 matchups against the Pirates

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Dodgers, Yankees Run Away With MLB Ticket Revenue Race

The Los Angeles Dodgers and New York Yankees face off this weekend in a three-game series at Dodger Stadium, a rematch of the 2024 World Series won by LA in five games. It matches the clear 2025 World Series favorites—Dodgers +240, Yankees +550 at BetMGM—and reigning MVPs—Shohei Ohtani and Aaron Judge.

And as the sport’s top gate receipt producer—just ahead of the Yankees—the Dodgers can expect three boffo turns at the box office.

Last year, the Dodgers generated $4.29 million in ticket revenue per regular-season home game, based on figures from MLB’s internal gate report shared with Sportico by a non-Dodgers team. It was just ahead of the $4.11 million by the Yankees, who typically landed on top because of their high prices.

The per-game averages were well ahead of any other clubs, with the Chicago Cubs ($3.25 million), Red Sox ($2.93 million) and Houston Astros ($2.69 million) rounding out the top five. Teams at the bottom end of baseball generate around $500,000 per game, highlighting the revenue disparity in the sport.

For the season, the Dodgers and Yankees were the only two teams to top $300 million from ticketing, including premium seating, and they both added to the tallies with their World Series runs.

The Dodgers perennially lead baseball in attendance, but their pricing has kept them from the No. 1 slot in baseball’s gate revenue rankings. Yet, their recent run of dominance, including 11 division titles in 12 years, and the addition of Ohtani in 2024, has goosed their pricing power.

Baseball’s internal report had the Dodgers’ average ticket price at $87, which ranked fourth behind the Yankees ($99), Cubs ($90) and Red Sox ($87). Next up were the Astros ($77), New York Mets ($66) and Texas Rangers ($60).

The Dodgers’ 2024 average paid attendance (49,067) was nearly 20% higher than the second-ranked Yankees (41,631), which pushed them to the top of baseball’s ticket revenue standings. The Dodgers are drawing more than 50,000 per game through their first 27 home games.

The eight-time World Series champs have long had a financial advantage from their local TV contract. In 2013, the club signed a 25-year, $8.35 billion contract with what is now Spectrum. The ticket revenue increase and sponsorship bonanza from the Ohtani signing ahead of last season has all aspects of their business firing. The Dodgers’ 2024 gross revenue, including playoffs and before revenue-sharing, is estimated at $1 billion, a threshold previously only hit by the NFL’s Dallas Cowboys and LaLiga giants Real Madrid and Barcelona.

The Dodgers have invested heavily in a roster that includes three MVPs—Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman. Player costs this year are expected to reach $500 million, including their luxury tax bill. They also have more than $1 billion in deferred salary owed to players like Ohtani, Betts and Blake Snell.

The Dodgers are now worth $7.73 billion, including their real estate and related businesses. The value is up 23% over last year and closed the gap with the Yankees ($8.39 billion) in Sportico’s MLB team valuations. The Dodgers rank seventh among franchises in all sports.

Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

NBA star Zion Williamson accused of rape in lawsuit

NBA star Zion Williamson accused of rape in lawsuit originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

A lawsuit was filed against NBA star Zion Williamson on Friday, accusing the New Orleans Pelicans player of raping and physically abusing a woman who claims they dated from 2018 to 2023.

The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by a woman who will proceed anonymously with the suit as Jane Doe. She accused Williamson, 24, of raping her in his Beverly Hills home in September 2020, and again at an unspecified location in Beverly Hills a month later.

In a statement, Williamson’s attorney, Michael A. Balascio, described the woman’s lawsuit as an “extortion attempt.”

“We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them,” he said. “The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless.”

The NBA and the Pelicans did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In the first incident, the lawsuit alleges, Williamson raped the woman when she tried going to sleep. It states that when she attempted to go to sleep, Williamson called her “stuck up” and “a b****” and told her she could not go to sleep until she had sex with him.

When she refused, Williamson allegedly “pinned Plaintiff down on the bed with her hands behind her back and raped her,” the lawsuit states.

In the second incident, the lawsuit states, Williamson allegedly raped the woman when she told him that she wanted to go to San Diego to visit a friend. It alleges that Williamson then “picked her up, threw her down to the ground, and pinned her shoulders down,” before assaulting her.

The lawsuit alleges that Williamson took the woman’s phone shortly after both encounters for an unspecified period so that she could not report the assaults.

It alleges that the incidents were not isolated, and that Williamson “continued to abuse, rape, assault, and batter” the woman in multiple states, including California, Louisiana and Texas, until the relationship ended in 2023.

The lawsuit also alleges that Williamson threatened to pay his security to shoot her “in the head while the security guard was present and carrying a loaded firearm multiple times in Louisiana between 2020 and 2023.” Williamson also threatened to have the woman’s parents killed, the lawsuit states.

Williamson currently plays the power forward position for the Pelicans. He was the first overall NBA draft pick in 2019 after playing for the Duke Blue Devils in college.

NBC News’ Austin Mullen contributed.


This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

NBA star Zion Williamson accused of rape in lawsuit

NBA star Zion Williamson accused of rape in lawsuit originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

A lawsuit was filed against NBA star Zion Williamson on Friday, accusing the New Orleans Pelicans player of raping and physically abusing a woman who claims they dated from 2018 to 2023.

The lawsuit was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court by a woman who will proceed anonymously with the suit as Jane Doe. She accused Williamson, 24, of raping her in his Beverly Hills home in September 2020, and again at an unspecified location in Beverly Hills a month later.

In a statement, Williamson’s attorney, Michael A. Balascio, described the woman’s lawsuit as an “extortion attempt.”

“We take these allegations with the utmost seriousness, and we unequivocally deny them,” he said. “The allegations contained in the complaint are categorically false and reckless.”

The NBA and the Pelicans did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

In the first incident, the lawsuit alleges, Williamson raped the woman when she tried going to sleep. It states that when she attempted to go to sleep, Williamson called her “stuck up” and “a b****” and told her she could not go to sleep until she had sex with him.

When she refused, Williamson allegedly “pinned Plaintiff down on the bed with her hands behind her back and raped her,” the lawsuit states.

In the second incident, the lawsuit states, Williamson allegedly raped the woman when she told him that she wanted to go to San Diego to visit a friend. It alleges that Williamson then “picked her up, threw her down to the ground, and pinned her shoulders down,” before assaulting her.

The lawsuit alleges that Williamson took the woman’s phone shortly after both encounters for an unspecified period so that she could not report the assaults.

It alleges that the incidents were not isolated, and that Williamson “continued to abuse, rape, assault, and batter” the woman in multiple states, including California, Louisiana and Texas, until the relationship ended in 2023.

The lawsuit also alleges that Williamson threatened to pay his security to shoot her “in the head while the security guard was present and carrying a loaded firearm multiple times in Louisiana between 2020 and 2023.” Williamson also threatened to have the woman’s parents killed, the lawsuit states.

Williamson currently plays the power forward position for the Pelicans. He was the first overall NBA draft pick in 2019 after playing for the Duke Blue Devils in college.

NBC News’ Austin Mullen contributed.


This story first appeared on NBCNews.com. More from NBC News:

Examining how rare Stanley Cup Final rematches are as Panthers, Oilers prepare for sequel series

There have been four instances in the post-expansion era where the same two teams have played each other in consecutive Stanley Cup Finals.

We’re about to have the fifth.

For the second straight year, the Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers will lock horns in the Stanley Cup Final.

Last year’s series was an epic seven-game marathon that saw each team win three straight games before Florida eventually took home the title by winning a great seventh game.

How the rematch plays out remains to be seen, but just the prospect of another novela of a Final has many of us very excited.

Historically, it’s rare when this kind of situation arises.

The first time since expansion that we saw a Stanley Cup Final rematch came in 1968 and 1969, when the Montreal Canadiens defeated the St. Louis Blues in consecutive years.

Montreal then pulled off back-to-back Stanley Cups against the same team again in 1977 and 1978, this time defeating the Boston Bruins both times.

A Final rematch happened once in the 1980s, with the New York Islanders and Edmonton Oilers going to battle two years in a row.

In 1984, it was the Islanders winning their fourth straight Stanley Cup against the up-and-coming Oilers. The following year, Edmonton ended New York's drive for five, winning their first of five Cups in seven years.

After that, we went over two decades until the next Stanley Cup rematch.

Back in 2008 and 2009, the Detroit Red Wings and Pittsburgh Penguins went toe-to-toe in back-to-back Finals.

Detroit won the first round in '08 and then Pittsburgh took them down the following season.

Will we get another split this time, or will the Panthers take home back-to-back Stanley Cups?

We’ll find out in the coming weeks.

Have your popcorn ready!

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MLB players’ families grapple with rising online threats as sports betting surges

HOUSTON — Soon after Lance McCullers Jr.’s family received online death threats following a tough start by the Houston Astros’ pitcher, his 5-year-old daughter, Ava, overheard wife Kara talking on the phone about it.

What followed was a painful conversation between McCullers and his little girl.

“She asked me when I came home: ‘Daddy like what is threats? Who wants to hurt us? Who wants to hurt me?’” McCullers told The Associated Press. “So, those conversations are tough to deal with.”

McCullers is one of two MLB pitchers whose families have received online death threats as internet abuse of players and their families is on the rise. Boston reliever Liam Hendriks took to social media soon after the incident with McCullers to call out people who were threatening his wife’s life and directing “vile” comments at him.

The Astros contacted MLB security and the Houston Police Department following the threats to McCullers. A police spokesperson said that it remains an ongoing investigation.

McCullers, who has two young daughters, took immediate action after the threats and hired 24-hour security for his family.

“You have to at that point,” he said.

Abuse increasing with rise in sports gambling

Players from around the league agree that online abuse has gotten progressively worse in recent years. Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich, a 13-year MLB veteran and the 2018 NL MVP, said receiving online abuse is “a nightly thing” for most players.

“I think over the last few years it’s definitely increased,” he said. “It’s increased to the point that you’re just: ‘All right, here we go.’ It doesn’t even really register on your radar anymore. I don’t know if that’s a good or a bad thing. You’re just so used to that on a day-to-day, night-to-night basis. It’s not just me. It’s everybody in here, based on performance.”

And many players believe it’s directly linked to the rise in legalized sports betting.

“You get a lot of DMs or stuff like that about you ruining someone’s bet or something ridiculous like that,” veteran Red Sox reliever Justin Wilson said. “I guess they should make better bets.”

Hendriks has had enough

Hendriks, a 36-year-old reliever who previously battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma, said on Instagram that he and his wife received death threats after a loss to the Mets. He added that people left comments saying that they wished he would have died from cancer among other abusive comments.

He later discussed the issue and his decision to speak out about it.

“Enough is enough,” he said. “Like at some point, everyone just like sucking up and dealing with it isn’t accomplishing anything. And we pass along to security. We pass along to whoever we need to, but nothing ends up happening. And it happens again the next night. And so, at some point, someone has to make a stand. And it’s one of those things where the more eyes we get on it, the more voices we get talking about it. Hopefully it can push it in the right direction.”

What teams are doing

Both the Astros and the Red Sox are working with MLB security to take action against social media users who direct threats toward players and their families. Red Sox spokesperson Abby Murphy added that they’ve taken steps in recent years to make sure player’ families are safe during games. That includes security staff and Boston police stationed in the family section at home and dedicated security in the traveling party to monitor the family section on the road.

Murphy said identifying those who make anonymous threats online is difficult, but: “both the Red Sox and MLB have cyber programs and analysts dedicated to identifying and removing these accounts.”

The Astros have uniformed police officers stationed in the family section, a practice that was implemented well before the threats to McCullers and his family.

Abandoning social media

For some players, online abuse has gotten so bad that they’ve abandoned social media. Detroit All-Star outfielder Riley Greene is one of them, saying he got off because he received so many messages from people blaming him for failed bets.

“I deleted it,” he said of Instagram. “I’m off it. It sucks, but it’s the world we live in, and we can’t do anything about it. People would DM me and say nasty things, tell me how bad of a player I am, and say nasty stuff that we don’t want to hear.”

Criticism is part of the game, threats are not

The 31-year-old McCullers, who returned this year after missing two full seasons with injuries, said dealing with this has been the worst thing that’s happened in his career. He understands the passion of fans and knows that being criticized for a poor performance is part of the game. But he believes there’s a “moral line” that fans shouldn’t cross.

“People should want us to succeed,” he said. “We want to succeed, but it shouldn’t come at a cost to our families, the kids in our life, having to feel like they’re not safe where they live or where they sit at games.”

Houston manager Joe Espada was livid when he learned about the threats to McCullers and his family and was visibly upset when he addressed what happened with reporters.

Espada added that the team has mental health professionals available to the players to talk about the toll such abuse takes on them and any other issues they may be dealing with.

“We are aware that when we step on the field, fans expect and we expect the best out of ourselves,” Espada said. “But when we are trying to do our best and things don’t go our way while we’re trying to give you everything we got and now you’re threatening our families and kids — now I do have a big issue with that, right? I just did not like it.”

Kansas City’s Salvador Perez, a 14-year MLB veteran, hasn’t experienced online abuse but was appalled by what happened to McCullers. If something like that happened to him he said it would change the way he interacts with fans.

“Now some fans, real fans, they’re gonna pay for that, too,” he said. “Because if I was him, I wouldn’t take a picture or sign anything for nobody because of that one day.”

McCullers wouldn’t go that far but admitted it has changed his mindset.

“It does make you kind of shell up a little bit,” he said. “It does make you kind of not want to go places. I guess that’s just probably the human reaction to it.”

Finding a solution

While most players have dealt with some level of online abuse in their careers, no one has a good idea of how to stop it.

“I’m thankful I’m not in a position where I have to find a solution to this,” Tigers’ pitcher Tyler Holton said. “But as a person who is involved in this, I wish this wasn’t a topic of conversation.”

White Sox outfielder Mike Tauchman is disheartened at how bad player abuse has gotten. While it’s mostly online, he added that he’s had teammates that have had racist and homophobic things yelled at them during games.

“Outside of just simply not having social media I really don’t see that getting better before it just continues to get worse,” he said. “I mean, I think it’s kind of the way things are now. Like, people just feel like they have the right to say whatever they want to whoever they want and it’s behind a keyboard and there’s really no repercussions, right?”