The 6-foot-4 Toronto native was considered one of the top guards in the transfer portal after averaging 16.9 points, 6.1 rebounds and 5.5 assists a game this season for the Tigers.
Yankees at Rays: 5 things to watch and series predictions | April 17-20
Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees hit the road to take on the Tampa Bay Rays in a four-game series starting on Thursday...
Preview
Familiar park
The Yankees and Rays have had plenty of battles at Tropicana Field, but this season will see the teams face off in a different park: George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Yes, the Yankees' spring training field is being used for Rays home games this season after their stadium was damaged by a hurricane during the offseason. How will this play for the Yanks? Their team is used to playing there, especially since the dimensions are identical to Yankee Stadium.
Will Warren, Carlos Carrasco encores?
Both Warren and Carrasco -- who were on the cusp of being replaced when Clarke Schmidt returned -- had their best outings of the season last weekend.
Now, each starter will have another shot to prove they deserve to remain in the rotation when Marcus Stroman (knee) eventually returns from the IL.
Warren will try and set the tone in the series-opener on Thursday. He'll be opposed by impressive right-hander Taj Bradley, so this will be a big test for Warren. Is he able to string quality starts together after picking up his first win in the big leagues his last time out?
As for Carrasco, the veteran's great spring training didn't carry over in the early going, but he pitched five innings of one-run ball in the series-opener with Kansas City, the best of his short Yankees career. New York needs Carrasco to continue his effectiveness if the Bombers want to improve on having one of the worst ERAs from a starting staff this season.
Aaron Judge power surge incoming?
The captain was quietly having a power outage. Entering Wednesday's series finale against the Royals, Judge had not hit a home run in 10 games. Although he was still getting on base and getting hits, that power was not showing. Luckily for the Yanks, the power emerged just when the team needed it most as his seventh-inning blast lifted New York to a series sweep over the Royals.
Now that Judge has finally gone yard, perhaps more are soon to follow. Judge has a habit of hitting his homers in bunches, and going down to the warm climate of Tampa in a familiar park can't hurt.
Can Carlos Rodon stop giving up homers?
I've been a staunch defender of Rodon this season. Despite not pitching up to the $162 million contract, the potential to be a No. 3 starter is there.
In just his last two starts, he's allowed nine runs, but six of them came on two three-run home runs that completely decimated what otherwise would be quality starts. But the long ball has been Rodon's bugaboo since he donned the pinstripes. He has allowed 51 homers in his first 50 games with the Yanks, which tied him with JA Happ for the most home runs allowed by a Yankees pitcher in his first 50 games with the team. That includes the five jacks he's allowed in his four starts this year.
Rodon will pitch the second game of the series against a Rays team that has hit 19 home runs in their 18 games, which is tied for 15th in the majors. Perhaps this could be a get-right game for the southpaw.
More Martian development
Arguably, the biggest development coming out of the Royals series is how well Jasson Dominguez has played in the outfield and hit at the plate. His bases-clearing double on Tuesday lifted the Yankees to a win and came as a right-handed hitter -- it was only his second hit against a lefty this season.
New York will face a quartet of right-handed starters in this series, so any at-bats hitting right-handed will have to come against relievers, but Dominguez is looking more comfortable at the plate and he's produced. Against the Royals, he went 3-for-8 with two walks and drove in three RBI.
Let's see if he can carry that over into this series.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Ben Rice
The young slugger got a much-needed day off Wednesday and will likely lead off against the aforementioned quartet of righties in this series.
Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?
Max Fried
Until the other starters step up consistently, Fried (1.88 ERA) will always be the odds-on favorite to pitch the best.
Which Rays player will be a thorn in the Yankees' side?
Yandy Diaz
The first baseman enters this series on a six-game hitting streak, and is a career .270 hitter in 81 games against the Yankees.
Mavericks CEO oddly likens Luka trade to Warriors' Ellis-for-Bogut move
Mavericks CEO oddly likens Luka trade to Warriors' Ellis-for-Bogut move originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
It’s never wise to compare apples to oranges. Or trades involving five-time All-NBA, franchise-altering superstars to trades involving, well, players of a much lesser pedigree.
That’s what Dallas Mavericks CEO Rick Welts did in his and general manager Nico Harrison’s private media “roundtable” on Tuesday.
Welts, who previously served as Warriors president from 2011-2021, discussed Dallas’ stunning trade involving guard Luka Dončić earlier this season and was asked how the organization plans to rebuild trust with its fans after the shocking move angered a large portion of them. To put it lightly.
In doing so, Welts compared Dallas’ move to Golden State shipping guard Monta Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks for Andrew Bogut and Stephen Jackson midway through the 2011-12 NBA season.
“At Golden State. When I got there, we had one marketable player that our fans love. His name was Monta Ellis. We traded Monta Ellis to the Milwaukee Bucks for an injured Andrew Bogut, who wasn’t going to play that season,” Welts told reporters. “Ten days later, our new owner, Joe Lacob, was booed off the court trying to retire Chris Mullin’s uniform to bring him back into the fold of the Warriors. Booed off the court.
“The ball came out of Monta Ellis’s hands, was put in this young guard named Steph Curry. Four championships later, that worked out pretty well.
“So, I would just say that this story is unfinished. We understand the pain, we’re listening. We hear every day the pain that people are feeling. But I think you have to judge us, from this day forward on, whether or not we’re going to conduct ourselves as an organization and as a basketball team in a way that that fans can embrace.”
Mavericks, Warriors and NBA fans alike, understandably, were bewildered by Welts’ comparison given Dončić widely has been regarded as one of the top-five players, at least, in the NBA since his debut in 2018 and was believed to be one of the very rare “untouchable” superstars before he stunningly was dealt to the Los Angeles Lakers on Feb. 2, while Ellis, albeit a star player for the Warriors from 2005-2012, simply does not compare to a player like Dončić.
Mavericks CEO Rick Welts compared the Mavericks trading Luka to the Warriors trading Monta Ellis 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
They are the most clueless out of touch front office in the history of sports
— Jeffrey Cooperstein (@Jeff_Coop27) April 15, 2025
Tell me they didn't compare Luka to Golden State trading away Monta Ellis. At least tell me that part is made up.
— Bob Sturm (@SportsSturm) April 15, 2025
rick welts comparing the luka doncic trade to when the warriors traded monta ellis is insane.
and then go follow it up to say “the warriors had steph curry and he made the fanbase fall in love with him.”
luka is steph, not monte in this analogy what are we talking about???
— Jasmyn Wimbish (@JasmynWimbish) April 15, 2025
The problem with Welts’ comparison, as one of the social media users above points out, is that Dončić is Curry in this scenario and Dallas does not have a potential superstar waiting in the wings like Curry was behind Ellis in 2009.
Fortunately for the Warriors, their trade was followed by four NBA championships. While it still is too soon to tell, for some, if the Mavericks’ trade will pan out as they hope it will, most seem to agree that it certainly will not.
Bill Belichick and North Carolina land 4-star signee Adrian Wilson from Colorado
Wilson was one of the top recruits in Deion Sanders' 2025 high school class.
Alex Laferriere Poised to Make a Postseason Impact for the LA Kings
On a team with stars like Anze Kopitar, Adrian Kempe, and Kevin Fiala, the name Alex Laferriere may not be well known among NHL fan bases, but Kings' head coach Jim Hiller would probably say it should be.
"He's going to be a really important player for us in the playoffs because he going to bring physicality and he started that tonight," said Hiller, following LA's 5-4 win against Colorado on April 12th.
The 23-year-old native of Chatham, New Jersey has shown an ability to mix it up since his NHL debut on October 11th, 2023, when he dropped the gloves against the Avs' Logan O'Connor.
First time I've seen a family celebrate a guy fighting in his NHL debut like Alex Laferriere's family pic.twitter.com/j6i0aHfQLs
— CJ Fogler 🫡 (@cjzero) October 12, 2023
While Laferriere is certainly no enforcer, he never shies away from contact. His 124 hits are good for third on the team behind Tanner Jeannot (211) and rookie Samuel Helenius, who has already made an impressive 145 hits in just 49 games played.
Offensively, Laferriere has made it a habit to improve on his numbers every year, even going back to his college hockey days at Harvard. In his first season with the Crimson in 2021-22, Laferriere recorded 31 points (14 G 17 A) and was the ECAC (Eastern College Athletic Conference) Hockey Rookie of the Year. Laferriere had an even better sophomore year when he struck for 42 points (21 G 21 A) and helped lead Harvard to the NCAA hockey tournament.
At the NHL level, Laferriere is showing the same knack for consistent improvement. He had 23 points for the Kings (12 G 11 A) in 81 games in his first season but has come close to doubling that output in 76 games this year. Laferriere has 19 goals and 23 assists heading into LA's final regular season game against Calgary on April 16th. Should he score against the Flames, it would give the Kings six 20+ goal scorers, a testament to LA's scoring depth.
All in all, Alex Laferriere has emerged as a key component for the LA Kings this season. With the injured Tanner Jeannot still listed as week-to-week, the Kings will need Laferriere to continue to ramp up his physical play. His mix of grit and offensive upside will be needed if the Kings intend on finally vanquishing the Edmonton Oilers in the first round of the playoffs.
Giants at Phillies Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 17
Its Thursday, April 17 and the Giants (13-5) are in Philadelphia to wrap up their four-game series against the Phillies (10-8).
Jordan Hicks is slated to take the mound for San Francisco against Cristopher Sánchez for Philadelphia.
The Giants have taken two of the first three games of the series. San Francisco picked up 13 hits and scored 11 runs last night in an 11-4 win. Phillies' ace Aaron Nola was uncharacteristically bad giving up nine hits and six earned runs in 5.1 innings.
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 Giants at Phillies
- Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
- Time: 4:05PM EST
- Site: Citizens Bank Park
- City: Philadelphia, PA
- Network/Streaming: NBCSBA, NBCSP+
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Giants at the Phillies
The latest odds as of Thursday:
- Moneyline: Giants (+143), Phillies (-171)
- Spread: Phillies -1.5
- Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Giants at Phillies
- Pitching matchup for April 17, 2025: Jordan Hicks vs. Cristopher Sánchez
- Giants: Jordan Hicks (1-1, 5.87 ERA)
Last outing: 4/12 at Yankees - 4IP, 7ER, 8H, 3BB, 3Ks - Phillies: Cristopher Sánchez (1-0, 3.12 ERA)
Last outing: 4/12 at St. Louis - 6.1IP, 1ER, 8H, 2BB, 3Ks
- Giants: Jordan Hicks (1-1, 5.87 ERA)
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 Giants at Phillies
- Bryce Harper is riding a 5-game hitting streak (6-19)
- Jung Hoo Lee has hits in 6 of his last 7 games for the Giants (11-28)
- The OVER has cashed in the last 3 games for Philly but only 7 times overall this season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for today’s game between the Giants and the Phillies
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Giants and the Phillies:
- 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 San Francisco Giants 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)
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- Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
- Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Mets vs. Cardinals: How to watch on SNY on April 17, 2025
The Mets open a four-game series with the Cardinals at Citi Field on Thursday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.
Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...
Mets Notes
- The Mets' team ERA of 2.38 is the lowest in baseball
- Pete Alonso leads the National League with a .732 slugging percentage, 1.205 OPS, and 245 OPS+
- Luisangel Acuña has a six-game hitting streak and seven-game on-base streak
- Mark Vientos has a four-game hitting streak and six-game on-base streak
CARDINALS | METS |
|---|---|
- | - |
- | - |
- | - |
- | - |
- | - |
- | - |
- | - |
- | - |
- | - |
What channel is SNY?
Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.
How can I stream the game?
The new way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv. Streaming on the SNY App has been discontinued.
In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone.
How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB?
To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps:
- Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider.
- Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account.
- Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY.
- Select the SNY Mets game you wish to view from the Multimedia Center.
How can I watch the game on the MLB App?
MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.
- Download the free MLB App.
- Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices.
- Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”
- To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.
For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.
Athletics at White Sox Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends and stats for April 17
Its Thursday, April 17 and the Athletics (8-10) are in Chicago looking to finish off a three-game sweep of the White Sox (4-13).
JP Sears is slated to take the mound for Oakland against Davis Martin for Chicago.
The A's won last night 3-1. Osvaldo Bido threw 5.2 innings and allowed just one run on five hits to earn his second win of the season.
Lets dive into today's 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 Athletics at White Sox
- Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
- Time: 2:10PM EST
- Site: Rate Field
- City: Chicago, IL
- Network/Streaming: NBCSCA, CHSN
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 White Sox
The latest odds as of Thursday:
- Moneyline: Athletics (-156), White Sox (+131)
- Spread: Athletics -1.5
- Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Athletics at White Sox
- Pitching matchup for April 17, 2025: JP Sears vs. Davis Martin
- Athletics: JP Sears (1-2, 4.24 ERA)
Last outing: 4/11 vs. Mets - 4IP, 3ER, 6H, 1BB, 7Ks - White Sox: Davis Martin (1-1, 4.24 ERA)
Last outing: 4/11 vs. Boston - 6IP, 1ER, 6H, 1BB, 6Ks
- Athletics: JP Sears (1-2, 4.24 ERA)
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 Athletics at White Sox
- The Athletics have won 3 of their last 5 games
- The Athletics have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 2.46 units
- The Under is 7-3 in the White Sox's last 10 games
- The White Sox have lost three in a row and nine of their last eleven games
- The White Sox are 9-8 for the season on 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!
Expert picks & predictions for today’s game between the Athletics and the White Sox
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Athletics and the White Sox:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Oakland Athletics on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Chicago White 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)
All 32 teams still have their first-round picks, in an unprecedented lack of trades
A week before the 2025 NFL draft, all 32 teams still have their first-round draft picks. That is unprecedented.
As noted on the Cardinals' website, this was already the first year since the first common draft in 1967 in which every team still had its own first-round pick at the start of the league year.
There also hasn't been a traded first-round pick since the start of the league year, and if there isn't one before the draft starts on Thursday, it will be the first year since 2014 when no first-round picks were traded between the start of the league year and the opening of the draft.
The highest pick that has been traded in this year's draft is No. 39 overall, which the Panthers sent to the Bears in 2023 as part of the trade up to the first overall pick that year, which allowed the Panthers to select Bryce Young first overall.
'Ole, Ole, Ole, Ole — Habs Are Going To The Playoffs!'
It was back in September — long before the Montreal Canadiens went on a Cinderella run that resulted in a wild card berth in their final game of the regular season — that Nick Suzuki revealed to The Hockey News that this year might just be more than another rebuilding year.
In other words, forget about getting another top-5 pick in the draft. The Habs captain was more interested in grabbing a playoff spot.
"Personally, I feel like you can’t just keep stockpiling prospects," Suzuki said back then. "I want to be in the playoffs. I’ve been in the playoffs twice now and they haven’t been on normal circumstances, so I haven’t got to play at the Bell Centre in front of a sold-out crowd. That’s definitely something I’m itching for this year."
On Wednesday, Suzuki scratched that itch.
The Canadiens have done the improbable — if not the seemingly impossible.
They are a playoff team.
Ole, ole, ole, ole... Habs are going to the playoffs. pic.twitter.com/aZyJIHyjy4
— Jason Gregor (@JasonGregor) April 17, 2025
That they did it before the Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings ended their playoff droughts should not be lost on the Chicago Blackhawks or San Jose Sharks or any other franchise that preaches a long rebuild in order to get back to the playoffs. Yes, the Canadiens haven't been in the post-season since reaching the Stanley Cup final in 2021. But compared to the Ottawa Senators, who missed for seven years, this return to the playoffs feels very premature.
No one was picking the Habs to be a wild card when the season began. Now, they will face the top-seeded Washington Capitals in the first round, where the Canadiens are the "underdogs."
However, bet against them at your own peril.
"We wanted to make playoffs no matter what and we did it. That was our main goal all the time," Suzuki told reporters after the playoff-clinching 4-2 win against the Carolina Hurricanes on Wednesday night. "You can't talk loud about it. It was our little goal that we kept between us and, yeah, it happened."
Mission Accomplished, The Canadiens Are Back In The PlayoffsThe puck dropped on the Montreal Canadiens’ 82nd game of the season at the Bell Centre on Wednesday night, with the Carolina Hurricanes in town. Martin St-Louis’ men had already failed to clinch a playoff berth in their last three games, and expectations were high in Montreal, especially since the visitors decided to rest some of their regular players. Rod Brind’Amour even went as far as using Jesperi Kotkaniemi as his top-line center.
It happened mostly because of Suzuki, who since the March 7 trade deadline has scored the fifth-most points of any player in the NHL. But the Canadiens probably wouldn't have qualified without the unlikely contributions from their youngsters.
Defenseman Lane Hutson, who is the favorite to win the Calder Trophy, led all NHL rookies with 66 points in 82 games. Juraj Slafkovsky, who was the No. 1 overall pick in 2022 draft, had a breakout year with 51 points. Cole Caufield, who is still only 24, led the team with 37 goals. Even 18-year-old Ivan Demidov, who has played in two games since coming over from Russia, has contributed with a goal and an assist.
And then, there were the players who everyone thought would have been gone by now.
Instead of trading Jake Evans at the deadline, the team signed him to an extension. On Wednesday, he rewarded that decision by scoring the empty-netter that sealed the win. Marc Savard, another player who was rumored to be moved, led the team with 180 blocked shots.
"Top to bottom, we have really deep forwards," said Suzuki. "I think our young D will just keep getting better. We’re adding probably some young guys that will make the team and give us a boost. From the first line to the fourth line, I think we could be one of the deepest at that position."
Canadiens' Suzuki Itching For Playoff Hockey In Sold-Out Bell CentreMontreal Canadiens captain Nick Suzuki knew exactly what he wanted to accomplish this season before it began.
Add it up and Montreal looks like they could be one of those dark horse teams that goes further than anyone expected. By making the playoffs, they've already done that.
Now, who knows what else they can do.
Mariners at Reds prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 17
Its Thursday, April 17 and the Mariners (9-9) are in Cincinnati to take on the Reds (9-9).
Emerson Hancock is slated to take the mound for Seattle against Brady Singer for Cincinnati.
The Reds and Mariners have split the first two games of this three-game series. Seattle evened the series with a 5-3 win last night. Cal Raleigh smacked his sixth and seventh home runs and Bryce Miller notched his first win of the season with five shutout innings for the Mariners.
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 Mariners at Reds
- Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
- Time: 12:40PM EST
- Site: Great American Ball Park
- City: Cincinnati, OH
- Network/Streaming: RSNW, FDSNOH
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 Mariners at the Reds
The latest odds as of Thursday:
- Moneyline: Mariners (-126), Reds (+106)
- Spread: Mariners -1.5
- Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Mariners at Reds
- Pitching matchup for April 17, 2025: Emerson Hancock vs. Brady Singer
- Mariners: Emerson Hancock (0-1, 81.00 ERA)
Last outing: 3/31 vs. Detroit - 0.2IP, 6ER, 7H, 1BB, 0Ks - Reds: Brady Singer (3-0, 3.18 ERA)
Last outing: 4/11 vs. Pittsburgh - 5IP, 3ER, 2H, 3BB, 3Ks
- Mariners: Emerson Hancock (0-1, 81.00 ERA)
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 Mariners at Reds
- The Mariners have won 4 of their last 5 games
- The Mariners also have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 3.29 units
- Cincinnati is 11-7 on the Run Line this season
- Cal Raleigh has 15 hits this season in 69ABs with 7 of the 15 hits home runs
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for today’s game between the Mariners 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 Thursday's game between the Mariners and the Reds:
- Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Seattle Mariners on the Moneyline.
- Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cincinnati Reds 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)
ICYMI in Mets Land: Roster moves coming; what's next for Francisco Alvarez?
Here's what happened in Mets Land on Wednesday, in case you missed it...
- The Mets squandered multiple scoring opportunities, hit into some bad luck, and were the victims of an egregiously bad call that cost them a run in a frustrating extra innings loss to the Twins
- Brandon Nimmodiscussed the Mets' hot and cold offense
- The Mets optioned Max Kranick to Triple-A Syracuse to make room on the roster for Hagenman, but he could return as soon as Thursday, with Jose Siri expected to be placed on the IL
- Justin Hagenmantalked about his successful MLB debut
- Francisco Alvarez caught all nine innings as his rehab assignment continued with Double-A Binghamton, and could be about to take the final step toward a return
- Jeff McNeilis set to play center field on Thursday as his rehab assignment continues
- Here are five things to watch and series predictions as the Mets face the Cardinals in a four-game series at Citi Field
- Francisco Lindor was named captain of Team Puerto Rico for the 2026 World Baseball Classic
- WATCH: Alvarez threw out a pair of runners attempting to steal while rehabbing with Binghamton
- WATCH: Johan Santana gives his thoughts on the 2025 Mets
Nationals at Pirates prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for April 17
Its Thursday, April 17 and the Nationals (7-11) are in Pittsburgh wrapping up a four-game series against the Pirates (7-12).
Trevor Williams is slated to take the mound for Washington against Andrew Heaney for Pittsburgh.
The Pirates have taken two of the first three games including a 6-1 win yesterday. Oneil Cruz paced the attack cracking his first grand slam of his career and Bailey Falter threw seven shutout innings to earn his first 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.
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Game details & how to watch Nationals at Pirates
- Date: Thursday, April 17, 2025
- Time: 12:35PM EST
- Site: PNC Park
- City: Pittsburgh, PA
- Network/Streaming: MASN, SNP
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Nationals at the Pirates
The latest odds as of Thursday:
- Moneyline: Nationals (+105), Pirates (-124)
- Spread: Pirates -1.5
- Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Nationals at Pirates
- Pitching matchup for April 17, 2025: Trevor Williams vs. Andrew Heaney
- Nationals: Trevor Williams (1-1, 7.36 ERA)
Last outing: 4/12 at Miami - 4.2IP, 6ER, 8H, 1BB, 2Ks - Pirates: Andrew Heaney (0-1, 3.00 ERA)
Last outing: 4/12 at Cincinnati - 6IP, 4ER, 3H, 2BB, 6Ks
- Nationals: Trevor Williams (1-1, 7.36 ERA)
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Nationals at Pirates
- The Nationals are 9-9 on the Run Line this season
- The Over is 8-10-1 for the Pirates this season
- The Nationals have lost 4 of their last 5 games
- The Pirates are 5-5 in their last 10 games
- The Pirates are 7-12 on the Run Line this season
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for today’s game between the Nationals and the Pirates
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Nationals and the Pirates:
- 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 Washington Nationals 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
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NBA play-in history: Has a No. 10 seed ever made it through to the playoffs?
NBA play-in history: Has a No. 10 seed ever made it through to the playoffs? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston
The NBA Play-In Tournament is relatively new, but there’s been an obvious trend since its inception in 2021.
Over the past four years, none of the teams that entered as the No. 10 seed have ever won both play-in games to make the postseason.
This year, in the fifth edition of the play-in, the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks will both try to make history by advancing to the playoffs as the No. 10 seed.
Here’s a look back at the history of the lowest seeds in the play-in:
Has the No. 10 seed ever made it through the play-in?
No.
All eight No. 10 seeds (East and West) from 2021 to 2024 failed to make it to the playoffs.
What’s the best that a No. 10 seed has done in the play-in?
Of the previous eight No. 10 seeds, only two defeated the No. 9 seed to make it to the deciding game.
The Heat and Mavericks added two more wins to that total, so No. 10 seeds are now 4-6 in initial play-in games since 2021.
The first two No. 10 seeds to win the initial play-in game were both in 2023 with the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder. Both teams lost their next game (by double digits) to miss out on the playoffs.
So, history says the Heat and Mavericks shouldn’t even be competitive on Friday. Time will tell.
When is the NBA Play-In Tournament game?
The final two games of the 2025 Play-In Tournament will be held on Friday, April 18, to finalize the playoff field.
- Miami Heat (10) at Atlanta Hawks (8), 7 p.m. ET, TNT
- Dallas Mavericks (10) at Memphis Grizzlies (8), 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN
NBA play-in history: Has a No. 10 seed ever made it through to the playoffs?
NBA play-in history: Has a No. 10 seed ever made it through to the playoffs? originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
The NBA Play-In Tournament is relatively new, but there’s been an obvious trend since its inception in 2021.
Over the past four years, none of the teams that entered as the No. 10 seed have ever won both play-in games to make the postseason.
This year, in the fifth edition of the play-in, the Miami Heat and Dallas Mavericks will both try to make history by advancing to the playoffs as the No. 10 seed.
Here’s a look back at the history of the lowest seeds in the play-in:
Has the No. 10 seed ever made it through the play-in?
No.
All eight No. 10 seeds (East and West) from 2021 to 2024 failed to make it to the playoffs.
What’s the best that a No. 10 seed has done in the play-in?
Of the previous eight No. 10 seeds, only two defeated the No. 9 seed to make it to the deciding game.
The Heat and Mavericks added two more wins to that total, so No. 10 seeds are now 4-6 in initial play-in games since 2021.
The first two No. 10 seeds to win the initial play-in game were both in 2023 with the Chicago Bulls and Oklahoma City Thunder. Both teams lost their next game (by double digits) to miss out on the playoffs.
So, history says the Heat and Mavericks shouldn’t even be competitive on Friday. Time will tell.
When is the NBA Play-In Tournament game?
The final two games of the 2025 Play-In Tournament will be held on Friday, April 18, to finalize the playoff field.
- Miami Heat (10) at Atlanta Hawks (8), 7 p.m. ET, TNT
- Dallas Mavericks (10) at Memphis Grizzlies (8), 9:30 p.m. ET, ESPN