Clay Holmes has been a key addition to the Mets’ surprisingly effective rotation

The New York Mets’ experiment with Clay Holmes is working swimmingly so far.

And the bullpen he left behind — across town in the Bronx — is still in flux.

Holmes has made the transition from closer to starter look easy, going 3-1 with a 2.64 ERA in six outings. That’s helped the Mets surge to baseball’s best record despite injuries elsewhere in the rotation and a pedestrian start by Juan Soto.

Soto is batting .248 with three home runs, and he’s not the only high-priced addition to the Mets who hasn’t peaked yet. Frankie Montas hasn’t thrown a pitch, and reliever A.J. Minter just joined him on the injured list. Sean Manaea, who came back to the Mets with a three-year, $75 million contract, hasn’t pitched yet either because of an oblique strain.

But Holmes, who saved 30 games for the New York Yankees last year before signing a three-year, $38 million deal with the Mets, has been a solid addition. Despite the injuries to Montas and Manaea, New York boasts a major league-best 2.36 ERA from its starters. Kodai Senga has a 1.26 ERA, and Tylor Megill (1.74), Griffin Canning (3.12) and David Peterson (3.29) have done their part as well.

The Mets’ offense hasn’t yet produced as expected, but spending the money ($54 million for two years) to keep Pete Alonso is working out nicely. He’s hitting .333 and is second in the National League with 26 RBIs.

The Yankees, meanwhile, lead the AL East. They replaced Holmes as their closer late last season, putting Luke Weaver in that role. Then they acquired Devin Williams from Milwaukee in an offseason trade. But Williams, so dominant with the Brewers, already has been relieved of his closing duties in New York after allowing 10 earned runs in his first 10 appearances.

Weaver hasn’t allowed a run all season, so it’s not as though the Yankees necessarily want Holmes back. But the Mets are happy to have him at the moment.

Line of the week

Eugenio Suárez had a game for the ages, hitting four home runs for Arizona in an 8-7, 10-inning loss to Atlanta. He was the 19th player in MLB history to hit four homers in a game and the first since J.D Martinez did it in 2017. Martinez was also with the Diamondbacks when he pulled off the feat.

Trivia time

Suárez’s big night came eight seasons after MLB’s previous four-homer game. The longest drought between four-homer games in the live ball era was nearly 15 years. One Hall of Famer did it on April 30, 1961, and another pulled it off on April 17, 1976. Who were they?

Comeback of the week

As well as they’ve been playing, the Mets did end the week with a thud when they blew a six-run seventh-inning lead in an 8-7 loss at Washington. New York had a 99% percent chance to win in the seventh, according to Baseball Savant, but Riley Adams hit a three-run homer to cap a five-run seventh for the Nationals. Washington then scored twice in the ninth to win.

Honorable mention: The Chicago Cubs trailed the Los Angeles Dodgers 10-7 before Kyle Tucker hit a two-run homer in the eighth and Miguel Amaya delivered a tying solo shot with two outs in the ninth. Ian Happ led off the bottom of the 10th with an RBI single to win it 11-10.

Trivia answer

Willie Mays hit four homers in a game in 1961, and Mike Schmidt did it 15 years later.

Tigers at Astros Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 28

It's Monday, April 28 and the Tigers (18-10) are in Houston to take on the Astros (14-13). Jack Flaherty is slated to take the mound for Detroit against Ronel Blanco for Houston.

Houston is coming off a 7-3 win over Kansas City that broke a two-game losing streak that featured zero runs scored. Houston is 8-1 when they score at least five runs compared to 6-12 when they do not. Detroit is coming off a three-game series sweep over Baltimore and riding a four-game winning streak. The Tigers held its opponents to zero runs in two of the last four games.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

Game details & how to watch Tigers at Astros

  • Date: Monday, April 28, 2025
  • Time: 8:10 PM EST
  • Site: Minute Maid Park
  • City: Houston, TX
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNDT, SCHN2

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 Tigers at the Astros

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Tigers (-115), Astros (-105)
  • Spread:  Tigers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for the Tigers at Astros

  • Pitching matchup for April 28, 2025: Jack Flaherty vs. Ronel Blanco
    • Tigers: Jack Flaherty, (1-2, 2.63 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 9 Strikeouts
    • Astros: Ronel Blanco, (2-2, 5.01 ERA)
      Last outing: Innings 6.2 Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts

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

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

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Under 8.0 runs between Houston and Detroit:

"While Houston and Detroit are both coming off 7-0 wins yesterday, I'd have to lean the Under between these teams. The Astros offense has been hit or miss over the past week and the Tigers have played low-scoring games all season due to excellent pitching (2.80 ERA, 2nd-best). Houston has seen their pitching succeed with the fourth-best ERA (3.18), so this one is shaping up like a low-scoring affair. I'd look at the Under 8.5 or 8.0 between Detroit and Houston."

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

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

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

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

  • 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 Houston Astros at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

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

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

  • The Tigers have won 4 of their last 5 at AL West teams
  • Each of the last 3 matchups between the Astros and the Tigers have stayed under the Total
  • The Astros are up 3.58 units on the Run Line in their last 5 at home

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

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

Athletics vs Rangers Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, stats for April 28

It’s Monday, April 28, and the Oakland Athletics (14-14) and Texas Rangers (15-13) are all set to square off from Globe Life Field in Arlington.

JP Sears and Patrick Corbin are set to take the mound for the A's versus Rangers matchup where both teams are coming off road games. The Rangers lost 3-2 at the Giants yesterday on a little-league home run, while the Athletics beat the White Sox 3-2 in extra innings.

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.

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Game details & how to watch Athletics at Rangers

  • Date: Monday, April 28, 2025
  • Time: 8:05 PM EST
  • Site: Globe Life Field
  • City: Arlington, TX
  • Network/Streaming: NBCSCA, RSN

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 Athletics at the Rangers

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Athletics (-108), Rangers (-111)
  • Spread:  Rangers 1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Athletics at Rangers

  • Pitching matchup for April 28, 2025: JP Sears vs. Patrick Corbin
    • Athletics: JP Sears, (3-2, 3.21 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 5 Strikeouts
    • Rangers: Patrick Corbin, (2-0, 3.77 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 4 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 Athletics and the Rangers

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) leans the Athletic in the First Five Innings because of Patrick Corbin:

"Over the last four years, there are pitchers worth fading that have made me money like Zack Greinke, Keegan Akin, and Patrick Corbin come to mind. While Corbin is 2-0 through three starts, he's allowed 5, 5, and 7 hits without going past 16 outs. The Rangers lost on the road dramatically yesterday and I don't think Corbin is the guy to motivate or dominate on the mound. I'd only look at the Athletics to win this game or lead/tie after the first five innings, plus this will be the second time the A's face Corbin."

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

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

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Athletics and the Rangers:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Texas Rangers on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Oakland Athletics at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.

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

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Athletics at Rangers

  • At home this season the Rangers have won 3 of 3 games following a defeat
  • 12 of the Rangers' last 13 home games stayed under the Total
  • It has been 3 games since the Rangers last failed to cover the Run Line

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)

Former Red Wings First Round Pick Zadina Eyeing NHL Return

Feb 16, 2023; Calgary, Alberta, CAN; Detroit Red Wings right wing Filip Zadina (11) against the Calgary Flames during the second period at Scotiabank Saddledome.  (Sergei Belski, Imagn Images)

For a lot of Detroit Red Wings fans, winger Filip Zadina is the face of the failure of the late stages of Ken Holland's tenure as general manager, a measure of the mess Steve Yzerman inherited when he took over.  Two summers ago, Yzerman finally cut bait on Holland's failed project, and Zadina signed with the San Jose Sharks.  Zadina didn't stick in San Jose either, heading for Davos of the Swiss National League, where he spent the 2024-25 season.  Now, after a reasonably with Davos, Zadina appears to have his eye on an NHL return.

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Holland selected Zadina with the sixth pick in the 2018 NHL Draft.  Zadina—whom most pundits tapped as a top two or three overall selection—falling to Detroit was considered a draft night coup for the Red Wings at the time, only for reality to prove otherwise.  Zadina totaled just 68 points in five seasons in Detroit.  To make matters worse, Quinn Hughes (whom the Vancouver Canucks selected one pick after Zadina and who finished his amateur career just a few miles down the road from the Red Wings at the University of Michigan) was in the process of blossoming into a Norris caliber defenseman.  His lone season with the Sharks did little to change Zadina's reputation: 23 points in 72 games.  In 2024-25, Zadina registered 34 points in 43 games for Davos in the regular season, before scoring six goals and giving three assists in 10 playoff games.

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In a recent interview with the Czech publication Sport Ceskatelevize, Zadina offered a window into his headspace following his first pro season outside of the NHL.  "We'll see. I think I did the best I could during the season. And if it comes, it comes. If not, of course I won't hang my head. I was there for a few years, I tried it, it was great, but in Davos I felt that they took me as a valid player, they gave me a role and I filled it," the 25-year-old winger said of his time in North America and transition back to Europe.

"If something like that could come from America, I would take it 100 percent. But on the other hand, I want to look to the future, I want to be a good player who helps the team decide games. And I didn't have that role in America. For me, that move was a smarter move for my development. I believe I was better now than last year," Zadina added.

While it was a reasonably successful year for Zadina, his numbers don't exactly leap off the stat sheet to an extent that you'd expect to see NHL clubs come calling to inquire about his services for '25-26. 

As a reference point, two former Red Wings finished in the top five in National League scoring for '24-25.  Austin Czarnik actually topped the league in scoring with 56 points in 49 games, while Dominik Kubalik finished fourth with 49 in 52.  When you consider that context, it seems unlikely Zadina's 34 points would be enough to attract NHL attention.

Do you think Zadina has played his last NHL game?  Let us know in the comments.

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Was Liverpool’s title Klopp’s final masterpiece or Slot’s foundation stone?

After a drama-free title race, the legacy of Liverpool’s 20th league triumph will be determined in the years to come

It was probably just as well the decisive match came against Tottenham. Liverpool fans object to the suggestion this season has been anti-climactic, as though that somehow diminishes their achievement, but it is not a criticism to point out no side has come close to staying with them, that the title was effectively won on the January afternoon when Darwin Núñez scored twice in injury time to beat Brentford then Arsenal threw away a two-goal lead to draw against Aston Villa.

That was the season in microcosm: Arsenal carelessly squandering points, Liverpool always having enough, turning games their way in the second half. Nine times this season in the league, Arsenal have led in games that they have failed to win. On 13 occasions, Liverpool have improved their result in the second half (that is, turned a draw into a win, or a defeat into a draw or a win). It has not been a thrilling conclusion – they’ve wrapped the title up before the end of April with four games to spare and have looked probable champions for at least three months – but at least they had their day of celebration of Anfield.

Continue reading...

Tatum, Brown become first Celtics duo to achieve this rare playoff feat

Tatum, Brown become first Celtics duo to achieve this rare playoff feat originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Celtics came up clutch in Sunday’s Game 4 against the Orlando Magic at Kia Center and earned a 107-98 win to take a 3-1 lead in their first-round NBA playoff series.

Boston’s two superstars — Jayson Tatum and Jaylen Brown — led the way. Tatum scored a game-high 37 points with 14 rebounds, three assists and three steals. Brown scored 21 points with 11 rebounds, two steals and one assist.

This tandem also made some team history Sunday.

Per stats guru Dick Lipe, Tatum and Brown are the first duo in Celtics playoff history to have multiple games with 20-point double-doubles and at least two steals.

Five other Celtics duos have achieved this feat once, the most recent example 20 years ago when Paul Pierce (20 points, 11 rebounds, four steals) and Antoine Walker (24 points, 11 rebounds, three steals) led Boston to a win in Game 6 of a first-round series against the Indiana Pacers.

  • Paul Pierce and Antoine Walker: 2005
  • Larry Bird and Kevin McHale: 1986
  • Larry Bird and Robert Parish: 1984
  • Dave Cowens and Charlie Scott: 1976
  • Dave Cowens and Don Chaney: 1975

The Celtics were 11-1 in last season’s playoffs when both Tatum and Brown scored 20-plus points in the same game.

One of the best parts of the Celtics’ roster is its depth. The C’s have a lot of players who can score. Kristaps Porzingis, Jrue Holiday and Derrick White can all score 20-plus points. Payton Pritchard and Sam Hauser are capable of catching fire from 3-point range off the bench.

But the Celtics are really, really tough to beat when their two-best players are impacting the game at a high level on both ends of the floor, and Game 4 versus the Magic was one such example.

The Celtics have a chance to eliminate the Magic and advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals in Game 5 at TD Garden on Tuesday.

Cardinals at Reds Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 28

Its Monday, April 28 and the Cardinals (12-16) are in Cincinnati to take on the Reds (15-13).

Andre Pallante is slated to take the mound for St. Louis against Nick Martinez for Cincinnati.

St. Louis comes to Ohio following a successful weekend at home against Milwaukee. The Cards won two of the three games. They did lose, however, yesterday. Erick Fedde was atrocious yesterday giving up all seven runs in a 7-1 loss in just 5.2 innings. The Reds swept the Rockies in Denver this past weekend. Sunday, they won 8-1. Nick Lodolo threw seven innings of shutout ball to pick up his third win of the 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.

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

Game details & how to watch Cardinals at Reds

  • Date: Monday, April 28, 2025
  • Time: 6:40PM EST
  • Site: Great American Ball Park
  • City: Cincinnati, OH
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNMW, FDSNOH, 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 Cardinals at the Reds

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Cardinals (+104), Reds (-124)
  • Spread:  Reds 1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Cardinals at Reds

  • Pitching matchup for April 28, 2025: Andre Pallante vs. Nick Martinez
    • Cardinals: Andre Pallante (2-1, 4.05 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/22 at Atlanta - 4.1IP, 4ER, 7H, 3BB, 1K
    • Reds: Nick Martinez (0-3, 5.40 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/22 at Miami - 5.2IP, 2ER, 5H, 2BB, 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 Cardinals at Reds

  • The Reds have a winning record (4-1) in their last 5 games
  • The Under is 4-1 in the Reds' last 5 games
  • The Cardinals have failed to cover the Run Line in 4 straight games
  • Cardinals' games have cashed to the UNDER in 3 of their last 4 events
  • Elly De La Cruz is riding an 11-game hitting streak (15-44)

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

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Cardinals and the Reds

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Cardinals and the Reds:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cincinnati Reds on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the St. Louis Cardinals at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.

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

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)

Twins at Guardians prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 28

Its Monday, April 28 and the Twins (12-16) are in Cleveland to take on the Guardians (15-12).

Bailey Ober is slated to take the mound for Minnesota against Gavin Williams for Cleveland.

The Guardians lost two of three to the Red Sox over the weekend. Yesterday, they were blitzed, 13-3. Cleveland picked up eight hits on the afternoon including a three-run home run from Nolan Jones in the loss. The Twins swept the Angels in the Twin Cities this weekend and have now won five of their last six games. Yesterday, Joe Ryan threw seven shutout innings and struck out 11 Guardians to earn his second win of the season in a 5-0 win for the Twins.

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 Twins at Guardians

  • Date: Monday, April 28, 2025
  • Time: 6:10PM EST
  • Site: Progressive Field
  • City: Cleveland, OH
  • Network/Streaming: MNNT, 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 Twins at the Guardians

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Twins (+100), Guardians (-120)
  • Spread:  Guardians -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Twins at Guardians

  • Pitching matchup for April 28, 2025: Bailey Ober vs. Gavin Williams
    • Twins:Bailey Ober (2-1, 5.04 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/22 vs. White Sox - 6IP, 1ER, 8H, 1BB, 6Ks
    • Guardians:Gavin Williams (2-1, 4.15 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/21 vs, Yankees - 6.1IP, 2ER, 7H, 2BB, 8Ks

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 Twins at Guardians

  • The Guardians have won 7 of their last 8 home games against the Twins
  • The Under is 4-1 in the Twins' last 5 games against AL Central teams
  • The Twins have covered the Run Line in their last 3 games against the Guardians
  • Carlos Correa enjoyed a strong weekend at the plate against the Angels collecting 6 hits in 11 ABs (.545)
  • Steven Kwan is riding a 10-game hitting streak (16-40)

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

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Twins 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 Monday's game between the Twins 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 Minnesota Twins at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

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

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

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

BREAKING: Penguins And Head Coach Mike Sullivan Mutually Parting Ways

Feb 23, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins head coach Mike Sullivan address the media after the game against the New York Rangers at PPG Paints Arena. (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

After nearly 10 years, the Pittsburgh Penguins will have a new voice behind the bench for the 2025-26 season.

The Penguins and Mike Sullivan have mutually agreed to part ways, it was announced Monday by president of hockey operations and general manager Kyle Dubas. Sullivan was under contract with the Penguins through the end of the 2026-27 season.

“On behalf of Fenway Sports Group and the Penguins organization, I would like to thank Mike Sullivan for his unwavering commitment and loyalty to the team and City of Pittsburgh over the past decade,” Dubas said. “Mike is known for his preparation, focus and fierce competitiveness. I was fortunate to have a front-row seat to his dedication to this franchise for the past two seasons. He will forever be an enormous part of Penguins history, not only for the impressive back-to-back Cups, his impact on the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust, but more importantly, for his love and loyalty to the organization. This was not a decision that was taken lightly, but as we continue to navigate the Penguins through this transitional period, we felt it was the best course forward for all involved.”

Sullivan has been the coach of the Penguins since Dec. 12, 2015, when he replaced Mike Johnston mid-season after starting the season as head coach of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton (WBS) Penguins, Pittsburgh's AHL affiliate. He coached Pittsburgh for parts of 10 NHL seasons and led the team to back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017.

Between Pittsburgh and the Boston Bruins, Sullivan is 32nd on the NHL's all-time wins list for head coaches, and he is the Penguins' all-time leader in wins. During his 835-game tenure with Pittsburgh - including the regular season and the playoffs - Sullivan was 453-293-89 (.543 win percentage), which is good for 15th all-time for wins with a single franchise.


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Pittsburgh Penguins And Coach Mike Sullivan Part Ways

Mike Sullivan (Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images)

The Pittsburgh Penguins will have a new coach next season.

Penguins coach Mike Sullivan and the team agreed to part ways, GM-president Kyle Dubas announced Monday. The team has missed the playoffs for the past three seasons.

“This was not a decision that was taken lightly, but as we continue to navigate the Penguins through this transitional period, we felt it was the best course forward for all involved,” Dubas said in a news release.

A thorough search for the next coach begins immediately, the team said.

Sullivan joined the team partway through the 2015-16 season after the team started 15-10-3 and fired Mike Johnston. Under Sullivan, the Penguins went 33-16-5 afterward to finish second in the Metropolitan Division and go all the way to win the Stanley Cup. Sullivan's Penguins then won it all again in 2016-17 to become the first team since the Detroit Red Wings in 1997 and 1998 to win back-to-back Cup championships.

 The 57-year-old from Marshfield, Mass., coached 753 regular-season games for the Penguins, going 409-255-89. In 82 playoff games, he went 44-38. He became the 15th coach in NHL history to win 400 games with a single franchise this season.

“Mike is known for his preparation, focus and fierce competitiveness,” Dubas said. “I was fortunate to have a front-row seat to his dedication to this franchise for the past two seasons. He will forever be an enormous part of Penguins history, not only for the impressive back-to-back Cups, his impact on the core of Sidney Crosby, Evgeni Malkin, Kris Letang and Bryan Rust, but more importantly, for his love and loyalty to the organization.”

Sullivan also coached Team USA at the 4 Nations Face-Off, falling one goal short of winning the tournament against Canada.

On top of the Penguins, NHL teams currently without a permanent coach include the Anaheim Ducks, Boston Bruins, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers, Philadelphia Flyers and Seattle Kraken.

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Sullivan, Penguins part ways; is the two-time champion coach a fit for Flyers?

Sullivan, Penguins part ways; is the two-time champion coach a fit for Flyers? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

As the Flyers search for a new head coach, we’ll look at potential candidates to fill the vacancy.

“Communication and teaching are probably two things that will be at the forefront of our next coach,” general manager Danny Briere said April 19 at his end-of-the-season press conference. “When you have a young team in place, I really think those two attributes are extremely important.”

We start our series with Mike Sullivan, whose tenure in Pittsburgh ended Monday as the coach and Penguins agreed to part ways.

Why Sullivan would be a fit

There’s a lot to like with Sullivan.

He led Pittsburgh to back-to-back Stanley Cup titles in 2016 and 2017. He’s the franchise’s all-time wins leader (409) and had the Penguins in the playoffs for seven of his 10 seasons.

In his 12 seasons as an NHL head coach, eight of them have featured a .610 points percentage or better. For context, since 2012-13, the Flyers have had just one season with over a .600 points percentage: 2019-20 when they posted a .645 mark.

Sullivan’s pedigree would elicit instant respect from a rebuilding team that is starving for the next step. The Flyers have gone five consecutive seasons without a playoff berth, matching the franchise’s longest drought.

The 57-year-old would also check off the box of teacher. He has a Stanley Cup ring with the 2014-15 Blackhawks as a player development coach.

There’s a connection to Briere, as well. The two were teammates with the Coyotes for four seasons.

Why Sullivan would not be a fit

There’s always a concern about a team’s new hire being too similar to its previous coach.

That’s a possibility here. Sullivan was an assistant coach under John Tortorella with the Lightning, Rangers and Canucks. The Flyers fired Tortorella a little over a month ago. Sullivan has a sternness to him like Tortorella, a demanding style of playing the game the right way.

Briere appreciated how the old-school Tortorella laid a foundation of accountability. However, the GM did express the desire for the next coach to strike a balance between hard and lenient.

“Now it’s finding a coach that can take it to another level,” Briere said, “but at the same time, maybe give a little bit more freedom to the players to try things and to let their talent come out.”

While Sullivan wants structure, he does seem to allow for leash. Star players have succeeded under him because of it.

It’s also fair to wonder if Sullivan benefited greatly from Pittsburgh’s established stars, a talent level the Flyers simply don’t have right now. But it would be difficult to argue that Sullivan got the most out of his players and made them better.

He should have options for picking his next stop. Seven clubs are currently looking for a new head coach.

2025 NBA Playoffs results, highlights, recap April 27, including Anthony Edwards outdueling Luka Doncic

All four series from Sunday are 3-1 now, but it's Minnesota and Los Angeles that feels like it could go on the longest.

TIMBERWOLVES 116, LAKERS 113 (Minnesota leads series 3-1)

What. A. Game.

Anthony Edwards took another step toward being a top-five player in the league, dropping 43 points, 16 in the fourth quarter as he took over when it mattered. LeBron James made a block and a steal late, playing great defense in the clutch (and sorry LeBron, that was a foul on Ant late). Edwards and Luka Doncic dueling it out.

" Just trying to prove I belong," Edwards said of dueling Doncic and LeBron.

The difference in this game and this series is the help Doncic and Ant are getting — or, not getting — around them.

Lakers coach J.J. Redick played his core five guys — LeBron, Doncic, Austin Reaves, Dorian Finney-Smith, Rui Hachimura — the entire second half. Not one substitute. Legs got tired, and the Lakers lost the fourth quarter 30-20.

Meanwhile, Chris Finch is closing the game with two Timberwolves bench players in Naz Reid and Donte DiVincenzo. That depth and versatility are why the Timberwolves are one win away from the second round.

KNICKS 94, PISTONS 93 (New York leads series 3-1)

I am firmly in the "don't blame the referees for your loss" camp — there were 47+ other minutes to change the course of the game and not leave things to one play.

This game makes it hard to take that stance. The Pistons got screwed at the end of this one, Josh Hart clearly fouled Tim Hardaway Jr. on a game-winning corner 3-pointer and that has to be called.

Crew chief David Guthrie admitted the mistake, speaking to a pool reporter after the game:

"During live play, it was judged that Josh Hart made a legal defensive play. After postgame review, we observed that Hart makes body contact that is more than marginal to Hardaway Jr. and a foul should have been called."

This is another tight game in an entertaining series, but I'm not sold making that call would change where this series is headed. Jalen Brunson once again showed why he is the Clutch Player of the Year scoring 15 of his 32 points in the fourth quarter, plus he had 11 assists. Karl-Anthony Towns had another big game with 27.

Cade Cunningham is ready for this moment, he had a 25-10-10 triple-double. It's just not enough in this series.

CELTICS 107, MAGIC 98 (Boston leads series 3-1)

Orlando is a good team that plays with real grit, it is are pushing Boston in this series. This game was tied 91-91 with four minutes remaining.

Then Boston closed it out on a 16-7 run behind a big day from Jayson Tatum, who finished with 37 points, and that was the ballgame.

Game 4 was a continuation of the same story from this series: Orlando just struggles to score. It shot 8-of-30 from beyond the arc in this game. Most of the shot creation falls on the shoulders of Paolo Banchero and he put up 31 points but on 12-32 shooting (36 true shot attempts), it's asking too much of him to do all the creation.

Game 5 is back in Boston and while Orlando is not going to go quietly, that feels like it will be the end of the series.

PACERS 129, BUCKS 103 (Indiana leads series 3-1)

The horrible scene of Damian Lillard sitting on the floor, likely with a torn Achilles (that will not only end this season but also likely keep him out of most of the next one), was hard to watch. It was a cloud over this entire game.

Game 4 of this series continued the simple pattern of the first three: Indiana has no answer for Giannis Antetokounmpo but they at least can throw everything at him to slow him down, while Milwaukee cannot stop the Pacers from scoring at will.

The Bucks need a big secondary scorer next to Antetokounmpo to be a threat and without Lillard nobody stepped up.

Good game from Myles Turner, as the big man led the Pacers with 23 points.