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MLB power rankings roundup: Red Sox rise amid 10-game win streak

MLB power rankings roundup: Red Sox rise amid 10-game win streak originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox entered the 2025 MLB season with heightened expectations. After a disappointing start to the campaign, they’ve started to live up to those expectations with their recent hot streak.

They entered the All-Star break with 10 consecutive wins, giving them a 53-45 record that puts them only three games behind the first-place Toronto Blue Jays in the American League East standings. If the season ended today, they’d clinch the second AL Wild Card spot and their first postseason berth since 2021.

But there’s still plenty of baseball left to be played, and the next two weeks could ultimately determine Boston’s fate. Before the July 31 trade deadline, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow is expected to make moves — particularly for starting pitching — that can help his team stay in postseason contention over the final two months.

Time will tell whether Breslow pushes the right buttons, but for now, MLB pundits are buying back in on this Red Sox club. Boston has skyrocketed into or near the top 10 in the latest batch of national MLB power rankings.

Here’s where the Red Sox stand as we prepare for the second half, according to experts across the league:

FanGraphs (Jake Mailhot): 7th

“The Red Sox head into the All-Star break as the hottest team in baseball. They won their 10th game in a row on Sunday, completing a huge four-game sweep over the Rays to overtake Tampa Bay in the Wild Card standings. Boston is getting healthy at just the right time too; both Alex Bregman and Masataka Yoshida were activated off the IL last week. The real star of this hot streak has been Ceddanne Rafaela, who blasted a dramatic three-run walk-off home run on Friday. He’s posted a .390/.405/.902 slash line in July.”

Bleacher Report (Kerry Miller): 9th

“While that four-game sweep of the Rays was mighty impressive and shook up the AL East standings, surging into the All-Star break is nothing new for the Red Sox. They went 8-1 in their final nine games of the first half in 2023 as well as 10-3 last year before their current 10-game winning streak. But can they maintain that momentum for a change? Boston went from a combined 101-86 in the first half of the past two seasons to a combined 58-79 after the ASB, and they have the toughest remaining schedule in the American League, including a gauntlet in the next nine games.“

NBC Sports (D.J. Short): 10th

“I was high on the Red Sox coming into the year, and while things haven’t exactly worked out the way I thought they would — Rafael Devers trade included — they’ve won 10 straight games to put themselves in a strong position leading into the trade deadline.”

CBS Sports (Matt Snyder): 10th

“A 10-game winning streak and only three games out. My “Red Sox win the AL East” preseason prediction lives!”

USA TODAY (Gabe Lacques): 10th

“In addition to his offensive exploits, rookie Carlos Narvaez leads the majors with 20 runners caught stealing.”

MLB.com (Will Leitch): 11th

“The Red Sox have been excited about their young hitters for many moons at this point, but they couldn’t have asked for a better time for them to break through than in the immediate weeks after trading Rafael Devers. Ceddanne Rafaela, Wilyer Abreu, Jarren Duran, Marcelo Mayer and Roman Anthony, all hitting like crazy, all in their 20s, all at the perfect moment.“

Pitcher List (Pablo Figueroa): 11th

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Daniel Dubois shrugs off Canelo Álvarez’s $500,000 bet against him

  • Mexican is convinced Oleksandr Usyk will beat Dubois

  • ‘It don’t mean nothing. He’s going to lose his money’

Daniel Dubois has warned Canelo Álvarez that he will lose $500,000 on Saturday night after the Mexican superstar placed a sizeable bet against him. Álvarez, the richest and most celebrated fighter in contemporary boxing, is convinced that Oleksandr Usyk will beat Dubois at Wembley Stadium for the undisputed heavyweight championship of the world.

“It don’t mean nothing me,” Dubois said at Thursday’s press conference when he was asked about Álvarez’s expensive prediction. “It don’t mean shit to me. He’s going to lose his money. From now on I’m just focused.”

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NHL Prospect Pool Overview ’25-26: Florida Panthers’ Pipeline Isn’t Completely Barren

The Florida Panthers are next up in our NHL prospect pool overview series.

Tony Ferrari digs into the Panthers’ strengths and weaknesses, latest draft class, positional depth chart, next player in line for an NHL opportunity and more. A player who no longer holds rookie eligibility in the NHL is considered graduated and no longer a prospect for these exercises, with some exceptions.

Initial Thoughts

After winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, the Panthers' prospect pool couldn’t be less of a focus for their fans. 

With that said, the Panthers may not have an incredibly strong prospect pool, but they do have a few really solid prospects. The Panthers are built for the long run, though. They’ve got an NHL roster full of talent, and breaking in will be quite difficult for any player to do. 

Jack Devine might be the closest to cracking the roster, and he’s likely to stay in the AHL in his first pro season. Devine was one of the best players in college hockey over the last couple of seasons, and he was instrumental in helping the University of Denver reach three national title games in four years, winning two of them. Devine isn’t the flashiest or most skilled forward, but he’s incredibly effective and understands the nuances of creating offensive chances for himself and his teammates.

Heading into his second AHL season, Sandis Vilmanis will try to take a big step after a decent rookie year. His wrist shot is his best offensive weapon, firing the puck from between the dots in an instant to beat the goalie clean. Vilmanis has sneaky good puckhandling as well, which should help the 21-year-old open up space a bit more.

Last year’s top pick, Linus Eriksson, had a solid season in Sweden, splitting most of it between the Allsvenskan and Swedish League. His board play and attention to detail allowed him to achieve some success against men, but he must continue to get faster and stronger on the puck in open space. Eriksson already possesses the intelligence and habits of a professional player, consistently making the right plays, but he will need to find his lane over the next couple of seasons as a pro.

Gracyn Sawchyn steps into pro hockey this season, bringing his high-energy, high-skill game to the AHL. Sawchyn isn’t a big forward, but he plays to win each battle, leveraging his speed and skill with a dogged mentality along the boards. His on-puck skill is impressive, using a full arsenal of puckhandling on his backhand, in tight to his body and stretched out from his frame. Sawchyn is also a creative playmaker. How all of the elements of his game work in the AHL will be worth tracking this season.

While he isn’t flashy or particularly entertaining to watch, Simon Zether could fit on the bottom end of a Panthers roster that features players who play hard, play physical and put opposing players in compromising positions. He reads the play well at both ends of the ice, often making the simple play because it’s the right one in a given situation. Zether won’t try to dangle his way through an entire team, but he can create space and advance play. 

Matvei Shuravin is a defender with size and mobility, but until this past year, he didn’t show much offensively. His uptick in production came from the fact that he was bigger, stronger and faster than most players at the junior level in Russia. Shuravin defends well, using his feet to cut off lanes and his body to kill play. He needs to figure out his on-puck game, even if it’s just simple breakout passes and competency with the puck in transition. Shuravin is one of the very few defenders with NHL potential in the system.

The most notable goalie in the system is Kirill Gerasimyuk. The soon-to-be 22-year-old netminder looked great in the second-tier Russian league this past season until the playoffs rolled around, and he had a rough couple of games. He signed his entry-level contract, so he’ll be trying to make the jump to the AHL this upcoming season. His biggest strength is that he is calm, cool and collected in net, rarely allowing himself to seem flustered. As with most goalies, Florida can take their time with this kid. Let him develop in the AHL without rushing to the NHL. 

Key U-23 Players Likely To Play NHL Games This Season

Mackie Samoskevich (RW)

Shea Busch (Caroline Anne-Everett Silvertips)

2025 NHL Draft Class

Round 4, 112nd overall - Mads Kongsbak Klyvo, LW, Vastra Frolunda Jr. (Swe.)

Round 4, 128th overall - Shea Busch, LW, Everett (WHL)

Round 5, 129th overall - Shamar Moses, RW, North Bay (OHL)

Round 6, 192nd overall - Arvid Drott, RW, Djurgarden Jr. (Swe.)

Round 7, 197th overall - Brendan Dunphy, D, Wenatchee (WHL)

Round 7, 224th overall - Yegor Midlak, G, Spartak Moscow Jr. (Rus.)

The two-time defending Stanley Cup champions didn’t make a draft pick until the fourth round, when they added Danish winger Mads Kongsbak Klyvo. He is a very good skater who brings a physical element with some excellent defensive utility. Kongsbak Klyvo is a bit raw offensively. His passing and shooting are fairly average. He has nice hands, but he isn’t going to dangle his way around the ice.

After Shea Busch spent one-and-a-half seasons at the BCHL level where he wasn’t particularly productive, he jumped up to the WHL partway through this past season. His skating is a major concern, and he bobbles pucks more than you’d like, but he plays a heavy game, and every once in a while, Busch can really rip a puck. This was a bit of a perplexing pick, but the Panthers identified a guy who may provide some depth down the line.

The Panthers continued the trend of drafting raw, physical wingers by adding Shamar Moses. He’s a bit more refined as a skater, but that is still the area he needs to work on because the physicality and offensive tools have been really intriguing. There will need to be some skill development, and Moses will need to continue to refine his raw frame. The Panthers are betting that he can become a nifty depth scorer.

Arvid Drott might be the most enticing winger the Panthers took. His speed is impressive, and he can generate offensive chances off the rush on the regular. Drott can be a bit of a physical presence as well, which should make him a very versatile bottom-six player. He is a north-south, no-nonsense kind of player. He wants to fly down the wing and fire heavy snap shots on net. It will be very interesting to see how he develops.

Brendan Dunphy is an overage defender who’s headed to the NCAA next season after a year in the WHL. He uses his 6-foot-5 frame to its full ability, using his reach to knock pucks off attackers' sticks and his body to lay the wood along the boards. Dunphy has plenty of time to develop.

Drafting a Russian netminder at the tail end of the draft is a good bet. Yegor Midlak didn’t play a ton, but when he did, he was fantastic. He has excellent size at 6-foot-6, and he moves fairly well in net as well. The 18-year-old Russian is a long-term project, but he’s a worthwhile one in the seventh round.

Strengths

The Panthers’ one area of strength in their pipeline is on the wing. Even the players listed down the middle are more likely to find success at the pro level on the wing. 

Sawchyn is a highly skilled, pace-pushing forward who could be a fun winger. Vilmanis is getting closer to being an impact player in the pros. Devine very well could play NHL games this upcoming season. Drott is a raw, speedy forward with a great shot but must refine things as he develops. They don’t have a star prospect in general, but they have a few wingers who could be effective depth pieces.

Weaknesses

The Panthers’ prospect pool as a whole is weaker than most, but it’s not nearly as barren as some would expect. With that said, the defense group is lacking in a major way. 

Michael Benning is an unsigned RFA. Shuravin took a nice step last year, proving himself to be at least a capable puck-mover, but he played primarily at the Russian junior level. Vladislav Lukashevich transferred from Michigan State to Miami-Ohio this off-season as he couldn’t really secure a role with MSU. Evan Nause has struggled to break out of the ECHL over the last two seasons. There just doesn’t seem to be much in the way of NHL-caliber defenders in the system. 

Hidden Gem: Simon Zether, C

The Panthers have a knack for finding quality depth players who play with physical intensity and intelligent two-way play. A player that might fit that mold over the next few years is Simon Zether. He has size and crafty passing ability. 

The Swede uses his size along the boards to win pucks, and when he isn’t winning them outright, he’s working his tail off to at least prevent the opposing team from collecting it cleanly. Zether likely won’t be a top-six forward, but as a bottom-six, versatile center who can play on the penalty kill and chip in from time to time, there is an NHL future there for Zether.

Jack Devine and Joona Vaisanen (Connor Hamilton-Imagn Images)

Next Man Up: Jack Devine, RW

After a wildly successful NCAA career where he collected two national titles, a scoring title and a couple of first-team all-American selections, Jack Devine signed his entry-level contract and joined the AHL’s Charlotte Checkers. After a few games at the end of the regular season, Devine had five points in seven playoff games. 

Devine has always found a way to score. While he’s traditionally been more of a shooter, his final season in the NCAA was built around his game as a playmaker. Devine will start the year in the AHL, but he could see NHL games. If he does, he’s the exact kind of player the Panthers find a perfect role for. Devine could be a sneaky good depth scorer for Florida in pursuit of a third straight title.

Prospect Depth Chart Notables

LW: Sandis Vilmanis, Kai Schwindt, Mads Kongsbak Klyvo, Hunter St-Martin

C: Linus Eriksson, Gracyn Sawchyn, Simon Zether

RW: Arvid Drott, Shamar Moses, Jack Devine

LD: Matvei Shuravin, Vladislav Lukashevich, Evan Nause, Albert Wikman, Luke Coughlin

RD: Ludvig Jansson, Mikulas Hovorka, Michael Benning

G: Kirill Gerasimyuk, Yegor Midlak, Olof Gifford, Denis Gabdrakhmanov

For a deeper dive into the prospect pool with player rankings, check out the Yearbook and Future Watch editions of The Hockey News in print.

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MLB All-Star pitchers overwhelmingly pick Giants' Barry Bonds as dream matchup

MLB All-Star pitchers overwhelmingly pick Giants' Barry Bonds as dream matchup originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

If there were one adjective to describe the pitchers selected for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game, it would be courageous.

Because courage is exactly what it takes to openly request the challenge of facing Giants legend and MLB’s all-time home run leader, Barry Bonds, in a hypothetical matchup.

Bonds was selected more than any other player when a handful of MLB’s best pitchers were asked which All-Star from any era they would want to face.

That group includes Giants ace Logan Webb, who was quick to relay that Bonds already informed him how that hypothetical matchup would play out.

“Probably a homer, he always tells me it would be a homer,” Webb said with a chuckle.

Bonds’ assessment is understandable, as the seven-time MLB MVP holds the league record for home runs in a season (73) as well as the all-time mark with 762 career dingers on his resume.

However, Webb wasn’t the only player to keep it real when discussing how this hypothetical matchup with Bonds would unfold.

“Probably not well for me,” Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Drew Rasmussen said. “But that’s all right, just having the opportunity to say you competed against him would be special.”

Chicago White Sox right-hander Shane Smith was blunt in his prediction as well.

“He’d probably go yard,” Smith said. “Thankfully, I don’t have to face him, but if I did, I think that would be really cool.”

Houston Astros closer Josh Hader voiced a bit more confidence in his ability to get the best of Bonds, but couldn’t ignore the likelihood of the outcome the other pitchers mentioned either.

“Either a punchy [strikeout] or a homer,” Hader said. “Flip a coin, I guess.”

Hader’s confidence could stem from the lefty-lefty matchup, with Bonds having lower career numbers across the board against southpaws. Still, “lower” is relative when speaking about Bonds, who still slashed .289/.569/.986 in 4,147 career plate appearances against left-handed pitchers.

There is a strong case to be made that Bonds is the most feared hitter ever to pick up a baseball bat, holding MLB’s all-time record in both walks (2,558) and intentional walks (688). His decorated resume includes an eye-popping .444 career OPS, leading MLB in that statistic in 10 different seasons during his career.

Still, Webb is confident he’d find a way to get Bonds out at least one time.

“I think I could get him once,” Webb said with a grin.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Patient Joel Embiid says no timeline set for his return, but hopes it's 'sooner rather than later'

Philadelphia is the hardest team to project in next season's Eastern Conference. If healthy, they are legit title contenders — but "if" is doing a lot of heavy lifting in that sentence. Paul George has had offseason knee surgery.

As for former MVP Joel Embiid, he is taking a more patient approach with his body this season, following knee issues and an eventual surgery that limited him to 19 games last season. In a fantastic in-depth profile of Embiid by Dotun Akintoye at ESPN, Embiid said he was going to be patient with getting his body right for this season, but that means there is no timeline for his return.

"We're not going to push anything," he says. "For my whole career, I felt like we never took that approach...

"We don't have a timeline," Embiid tells me. "Hopefully, sooner rather than later."

The 76ers are hopeful that timeline will have him back for training camp in September. That's also when George will be re-evaluated.

Pain in his left knee had sidelined Embiid at the start of last season — coming off winning a gold medal with USA Basketball at the Paris Olympics, where his defense on Nikola Jokic in the Serbian game was critical — but he eventually played 19 games spaced out between November and February. When he did he was his dominant self, averaging 23.8 points and 8.2 rebounds a game, but the pain became too much and he had knee surgery that ended his season.

Embiid wants to be playing at the end of the season, in the playoffs, and hopes this patient approach gets him there. He's also dictating to the team, this is how things are going to go.

"The only thing I'd say is -- this is a business," Embiid tells me. "It's all about the results. ... If I come back early enough and I'm still not myself, guess what? You're not winning any games."

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Red Sox at Cubs prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for July 18

Friday, July 18, the Boston Red Sox (53-45) open a series in Chicago at Wrigley Field against the Cubs (57-39).

Lucas Giolito is slated to take the mound for Boston against Colin Rea for Chicago.

There is no hotter team in baseball than the Red Sox who have ripped off ten straight wins. As a result, Boston is back in the race in the American League East trailing Toronto by three games. No question the return of Alex Bregman has only added to the team's recent momentum.

The Cubs continue to set the pace in the National League Central. They lead the Brewers by one game. Pete Crow-Armstrong (25 HRs) and Kyle Tucker (100 Hits) pace what has been a lethal offense to this point this season. Only the Dodgers (518) have scored more runs than the Cubs (512) this season.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

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

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 Cubs

  • Date: Friday, July 18, 2025
  • Time: 2:20PM EST
  • Site: Wrigley Field
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • Network/Streaming: NESN, MARQ, 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 Red Sox at the Cubs

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Red Sox (+108), Cubs (-128)
  • Spread:  Cubs -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Cubs

  • Pitching matchup for July 18, 2025: Lucas Giolito vs. Colin Rea
    • Red Sox: Lucas Giolito (6-1, 3.36 ERA)
      Last outing: July 9 vs. Colorado - 7.2IP, 1ER, 4H, 3BB, 7Ks
    • Cubs: Colin Rea (7-3, 3.91 ERA)
      Last outing: July 10 vs. St. Louis - 6.2IP, 1ER, 2H, 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 Red Sox at Cubs

  • The Red Sox have a losing road record this season (21-25) but have won their last 3 games
  • 8 of the Cubs' last 10 home games have gone over the Total
  • The Red Sox have covered the Run Line in 3 straight road games
  • Ronan Anthony is 15-44 (.341) in July
  • Alex Bregman is 2-8 (.250) since returning from the disabled list

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 Friday’s game between the Red Sox and the Cubs

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 Cubs:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play 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 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)
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Watch Philadelphia 2026 MLB All-Star Declaration ceremony

Watch Philadelphia 2026 MLB All-Star Declaration ceremony originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The MLB All-Star Game is coming to Philly!

The Phillies were officially unveiled as the host team for the 2026 midsummer classic in a ceremony Friday at Dilworth Park.

Bryce Harper was on hand, as well as other Phillies legends like Ryan Howard, Cole Hamels, John Kruk, Charlie Manuel and, of course, the Phillie Phanatic.

You can watch the event right here.

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Canadiens Are One Big Move Away From Perfect Off-Season

It is hard not to be a fan of what the Montreal Canadiens have done this off-season. After taking a nice step forward in 2024-25, general manager Kent Hughes has improved the club's roster with some excellent moves. Among the most notable moves was acquiring defenseman Noah Dobson from the New York Islanders and trading for Zack Bolduc from the St. Louis Blues.

Overall, both the Canadiens' blueline and depth on the wings have improved with their summer moves. Yet, they still have one more big move to make before this off-season can be considered a perfect one for them - acquiring another top-six center.

When taking a look at the Canadiens' current roster, it is clear that they could use an upgrade at their second-line center spot. While they have options to consider like Kirby Dach and Alex Newhook, neither player is necessarily a proven top-six center at this stage. Thus, with the Canadiens looking to take another step forward and having plenty of potential trade assets to work with, they should work hard to land that much-needed 2C before the season is here. 

If the Canadiens add another true top-six center this off-season, it would help them become a more significant threat in the Eastern Conference. Having strong depth down the middle is a major necessity for teams with high expectations, so it will be fascinating to see if the Canadiens can swing a trade for an impactful center from here. 

Canadiens: About The Joe Veleno SigningCanadiens: About The Joe Veleno SigningWhile most Montreal Canadiens fans were hoping their team would find a way to add a second-line center, GM Kent Hughes went out and signed free agent Joe Veleno to a one-year, one-way contract.

Photo Credit:  © Eric Bolte-Imagn Images

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Tigers at Rangers prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for July 18

It's Friday, July 18 and the Tigers (59-38) are in Arlington to take on the Rangers (48-49). Reese Olson is slated to take the mound for Detroit against Patrick Corbin for Texas.

Detroit enters with a much-needed break after going 0-4 over the last four games after winning five consecutive prior to the losing streak. On the plus side, Detroit ended the first half of the season with the most wins in the MLB at 59 — one ahead of the Dodgers.

The Rangers are coming off back-to-back series wins over the Angels and Astros to get on the right track as they are 8-8 over the last 16. Texas is 3.5 games back of the final wild card spot and will be an intriguing watch in a crowded AL West.

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

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

Game details & how to watch Tigers at Rangers

  • Date: Friday, July 18, 2025
  • Time: 8:05PM EST
  • Site: Globe Life Field
  • City: Arlington, TX
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNDT, CW33

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 Rangers

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Tigers (-125), Rangers (+105)
  • Spread:  Tigers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at Rangers

  • Pitching matchup for July 18, 2025: Reese Olson vs. Patrick Corbin
    • Tigers: Reese Olson, 4-3 2.95 ERA
      Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 1 Strikeout
    • Rangers: Patrick Corbin, 6-7 4.15 ERA
      Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, 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 Tigers and the Rangers

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 Tigers and the Rangers:

  • 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 Texas Rangers 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 Rangers

  • Detroit is 0-4 in the last four games
  • Texas is 7-10 when Corbin pitches this season
  • Detroit is 6-5 when Olson pitches this season
  • Texas is 2-1 versus Detroit this season
  • Texas is 8-8 over the last 16 games
  • The Tigers have won 4 of their last 5 at AL West teams
  • The Tigers' last 4 matchups against American League teams have gone over the Total
  • The Rangers have covered the Run Line in 4 straight games

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)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
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Orioles at Rays Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for July 18

It's Friday, July 18 and the Orioles (43-52) are in Tampa to take on the Rays (50-47). Charlie Morton is slated to take the mound for Baltimore against Taj Bradley for Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay ended the first half of the season on a four-game losing streak and open up the second half with a three-game home stand against Baltimore, then the Chicago White Sox.

The Orioles are 4-3 against the Rays this season with a series split a two apiece, then a 2-1 series in favor of the Orioles. Baltimore lost its past two games after winning three prior before a much-need break to a disappointing first half of the year.

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

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

Game details & how to watch Orioles at Rays

  • Date: Friday, July 18, 2025
  • Time: 7:35PM EST
  • Site: George M. Steinbrenner Field
  • City: Tampa, FL
  • Network/Streaming: MASN2, FDSNSUN

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 Orioles at the Rays

The latest odds as of Friday:

  • Moneyline: Orioles (+107), Rays (-127)
  • Spread:  Rays -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Orioles at Rays

  • Pitching matchup for July 18, 2025: Charlie Morton vs. Taj Bradley
    • Orioles: Charlie Morton, (5-7, 5.18 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
    • Rays: Taj Bradley, (5-6, 4.60 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 5 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 Orioles and the Rays

Rotoworld Best Bet thinks Chandler Simpson might end up on his betting card:

"Chandler SImpson is third in the MLB with 26 steals at the break and it appears he has solidified his spot on this roster. If he plays most of the second half, he is a good bet at +140 to lead the league in steals.

I have Oneil Cruz at +15000 to do so and he's +700 now, but I am not feeling as confident anymore, plus Simpson would be an ideal outcome for the books since he wasn't listed in the preseason (in AAA)."

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 Orioles and the Rays:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Tampa Bay Rays on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.

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

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Orioles at Rays

  • Baltimore is 4-3 versus Tampa Bay this season
  • Baltimore is 6-4 over the last 10 games
  • Tampa Bay is 0-4 over the last 4 games
  • Chandler Simpson is the odds on favorite to lead the MLB in stolen bases at +150
  • Chandler Simpson has the third-most steals in the league at 26
  • The Rays have won 13 of their last 20 home games
  • The Under is 4-0-1 in the Rays' last 5 matchups against divisional opponents
  • The Rays have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 1.21 units

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

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  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
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Another Goalie Moves From NHL To KHL

Canadian goaltender Louis Domingue, 33, has signed a one-year contract with Sibir Novosibirsk, the KHL club announced on Thursday.

This is Domingue’s first contract to play overseas in his career.

Originally from Mont-Saint-Hilaire, Que., Domingue played junior hockey for the Moncton Wildcats and Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, and was drafted in the fifth round, 138th overall, by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft.

Between 2014 and 2025, Domingue played 144 NHL regular-season games and seven more in the playoffs for the Coyotes, Tampa Bay Lightning, New Jersey Devils, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, Pittsburgh Penguins and New York Rangers.

In the 2018-19 season with Tampa Bay, he played 26 games backing up Andrei Vasilevskiy and posted a 21-5-0 record – including a run of 11 straight wins – as the Lightning tied an NHL record with 62 regular-season wins (since broken).

After playing only two regular-season games for Pittsburgh in 2021-22, injuries to Tristan Jarry and Casey DeSmith forced Domingue into the Penguins’ starting role during the playoffs. He entered Game 1 of the first round in the second overtime period against the Rangers and played in six of seven games that series, which Pittsburgh lost.

Goalie Spencer Martin Signs In KHLGoalie Spencer Martin Signs In KHL Canadian goaltender Spencer Martin, 30, has signed a two-year contract with CSKA Moscow, the KHL club announced on Wednesday.

In each of the past two seasons, Domingue played one game and won for the Rangers, but otherwise spent the rest of the time in the AHL.

Domingue becomes the third goalie who appeared in the NHL in 2024-25 to sign in the KHL this off-season, following Chris Driedger and Spencer Martin. 

Domingue joins a Sibir team that finished seventh in the KHL’s Eastern Conference last season and was eliminated in the first round of the playoffs. The team also includes former NHL forwards Scott Wilson and Nikita Soshnikov and 27-year-old  Toronto Maple Leafs  prospect Vladislav Kara.

Photo © Eric Canha-Imagn Images.

Pittsburgh Stanley Cup Champion Changes KHL TeamsPittsburgh Stanley Cup Champion Changes KHL TeamsCanadian left winger Scott Wilson, 33, has signed a two-year contract with Sibir Novosibirsk, the KHL club announced on Tuesday. It will be Wilson’s fifth KHL team in five seasons.
Posted on

Top 15 most interesting players at 2025 NBA Summer League: Cooper Flagg, Yang Hansen, Reed Sheppard

LAS VEGAS — Summer League is a lot of things: Part celebration of young NBA talent, part NBA convention, part networking event, part owners meetings, part party…

And there's basketball. A lot of basketball. It's the first chance for many fans and media members to get a look at the top draft picks in person and see how their games translate in a quasi-NBA setting. It's also a chance to see how players who have been in the league for a year or two have improved.

Here are the 15 most interesting players I saw in Las Vegas, broken down by category. This is an incomplete list and only includes players I saw in Las Vegas. That means guys such as Ace Bailey are not on here (he has yet to play in Vegas).

The Big Names

Cooper Flagg

The No. 1 pick lived up to the hype.

What makes Flagg such a promising prospect is that his floor is high — on nights his shot is not falling, he remains an elite defender and shot blocker, he runs the floor hard, makes smart passes, and he can be a secondary shot creator. That's what happened in his debut.

Flagg struggled with his shot in his first game (5-of-21) and there are going to be moments like that during his rookie season. His ability to create and consistently knock down shots is the only real question about his game entering the league, and consistency with that will take some time to develop. That said, Flagg bounced back with 31 points in his second outing, showing off his ability to drive and finish with either hand.

While Flagg looked good with the ball in his hands, he looked better playing off it, and that will be more of his role in Dallas where D'Angelo Russell in the short term and Kyrie Irving long term (once healthy), not to mention Anthony Davis, will facilitate the offense most of the time.

Dylan Harper

Spurs fans had to wait to see the No. 2 pick, he didn't play in the California Classic games or in the Spurs' Las Vegas Summer League opener due to a groin issue. When he did take the court, he impressed, showing flashes of his athleticism and putting up highlights — and not just on the offensive end.

Harper was smooth on offense, showing control of his pace to get into the lane and the ability to finish with either hand at the rim, or hit a little floater. He finished in Vegas averaging 16 points a game, but shooting 35.7% from the floor — there is some work to do, but Harper impressed with how he played and his body control. He's going to be special.

VJ Edgecombe

After creating a buzz by dropping 28 points in the Salt Lake Summer League, Edgecombe's Las Vegas debut was delayed until Tuesday night due to a thumb injury. When he finally got back on the court, he impressed with a couple of athletic defensive plays in transition to take away scoring opportunities, and his drive-and-dish game was on. What was not on was his shot. Edgecombe shot 0-of-7 from the floor in the first half, but he wasn't making excuses.

"Simple, I was just missing shots. Ain't nothing I can say about that," Edgecombe said.

In the second half, he started to get downhill to the rim more, and with that, he found his shot, hitting 4-of-7 on his way to finishing with 15 points. Forget the shooting struggles, plenty of promising rookies have them at Summer League, it was the way he did everything else that makes us think Edgecombe is going to get plenty of run in Philly this season.

Yang Hansen

Yang's style of play is infectious — it had the other Trail Blazers in Las Vegas playing hard and cutting off him, knowing he could find them with a pass. It was also infectious for the crowds, who turned out in large numbers to see the Chinese star play. He didn't disappoint them.

Yang's passing skills are as advertised, he sees the court and makes passes that few big men can. He's also got a nice 15-foot jumper, and he can bully his way to the paint in a mismatch. There is a lot to like about his game. There is also a long way to go — his defense is unimpressive (especially away from the rim) and he's going to have to get a lot stronger. Still, there was plenty to like about the Trail Blazers' surprise first-round pick.

Bronny James

Summer League is a benchmark for young players — it's not the raw numbers we see from second-year players, it's how much they improve season over season. Are we seeing growth?

With Bronny James, the answer is a clear yes. His defense has always been good, but his handles and decision-making came with a lot more confidence this year.

"His passing out of the pick and rolls and really seeing," Lakers Summer League coach Lindsey Harding said of Bronny's improvement. "And it's not just the pass to the big rolling, it's if the low man comes over, he sees the man in the corner. Right? It's the whole floor. And I think it's easy to see one read, but, like, he's developing everything else. Understanding where everyone else is on the floor and where their defenders are coming from."

Bronny's shot is still a work in progress, and if he wants to be a regular rotation player that has to become consistent, but he looks like a guy who can handle a few more minutes for the Lakers this season.

Guys too good for Summer League

Matas Buzelis

The Bulls' Buzelis is getting the chance to run an offense in Las Vegas and show he is ready for more. His first game was a little rough around the edges (17 points on 4-of-14 shooting with four turnovers), but in his second outing he reminded everyone he is better than just about every other player in Vegas. He can run an offense, and he is too good to be here.

Reed Sheppard

Reed Sheppard was a standout a year ago at Summer League, but that didn't buy him consistent run during last season on a deep Rockets team. Back in Las Vegas, Sheppard has looked impressive again and just too good for this level, averaging 23 points a game. What should make coach Ime Udoka happy is that Sheppard just looks stronger and seems more comfortable with the physicality of the game, something he needs if he's going to get into the Rockets rotation as expected this season.

Ajay Mitchell

Ajay Mitchell re-signed with the Thunder for three years, $8.7 million this summer... so what is he doing in Las Vegas? Getting the reps and run he can't get on a championship roster. He's averaged 20 points a game, shooting 51.4% overall, with six rebounds and 4.3 assists a night, and is handling Vegas just fine (after three years of college parties in Isla Vista, before going pro, Vegas' party scene isn't going to faze him).

Kyle Filipowski

Filipowski is the leading scorer in Las Vegas, averaging 29.3 points a game on 56.1% shooting, including 39.1% from beyond the arc, plus 7.7 rebounds a game (in 28.6 minutes a night). Filipowski came on in the second half of last season in Utah and has taken a step forward from there. Utah shut him down after three games in Vegas (plus a couple in the Salt Lake City Summer League).

Guys Who Caught My Eye

Joan Beringer

Rudy Gobert is still an elite defender, but he is 33 and expensive, the Timberwolves might need to move on from him in a couple of years. It's just a few Summer League games, but one can envision Beringer, the French center that the Timberwolves took at No. 17, sliding into that defensive center role. He impressed with his athleticism and defense — recording Beringer 11 points, eight rebounds and six blocks in his Summer League debut. He's averaged 6.5 rebounds and 2.5 blocks a game in Las Vegas.

Noah Penda

The No. 32 pick in June's draft has shown a real versatility for the Orlando Magic (who traded some seconds to get him). He's averaged 11.3 points a game on 56.7% shooting, including 40% from beyond the arc, and has initiated the offense while playing point forward and even some stretch five. Most importantly, the French player has a high IQ game and is going to find a spot in the NBA.

"He's just got a knack for where to be on the floor, his instincts are phenomenal. I thought his rebounding for us was huge today. His ability to pick up things on the fly," Magic coach Ameer Bahhur said. "We played him at the five today, which he had never done before.... His versatility allowed us to use him as another ball handler to relieve pressure and bring the ball up the court. And he did a great job, whether he was at the four, whether he was at the five, he got us into what we needed to do and he helped us run our offense."

Daniss Jenkins

The former St. John's star emerged from Rick Pitino's world to earn a two-way contract with the Pistons — he should get at least that this season, maybe more. With Detroit in Vegas, he is playing fantastic defense — he's the reason Reed Sheppard had a relatively tough first night — and he's averaging 17.3 points a game while shooting 58.3% in 3-pointers. He can just flat-out play.

Ryan Kalkbrenner

He was a defensive anchor at Creighton, and that has translated nicely to his role for Charlotte in Summer League — he is a strong defender in the paint, averaging 2.3 blocks a game in Las Vegas. He's also scoring 8.7 points per game, although his rebounding and ability to be a stretch big need some work. Still, the potential is there, which is why Charlotte locked up the No. 34 pick with a four-year, $9.9 million contract.

Yuki Kawamura

Everyone loves Yuki — somebody give that man a two-way deal. He was on a two-way contract with Memphis and has earned at least another one of those from someone while playing for Chicago this summer.

Ryan Nembhard

The brother of Andrew Nembhard went undrafted because he was considered too small and there were a lot of questions about his shooting. What he showed in Las Vegas is that the former Gonzaga star knows how to run a team and be a strong floor general, and his shot is better than advertised, averaging 11.3 points a game. Nembhard is on a two-way contract with Dallas and will have the opportunity to prove his worth.

Carter Bryant

That other guy the Spurs drafted in the lottery (No. 14) turns out to be a defensive terror on the wing — he bothered Cooper Flagg more than any other player defending him in Las Vegas. You can see where he fits in San Antonio if he can develop a respectable offensive game, something that we have not seen in Las Vegas, where he is shooting 12.5% through three games. Still, the thought of a Spurs opponent struggling to drive past Bryant on the wing only to run into Victor Wembanyama in the paint is potentially terrifying.