Lakers to be sold to Dodgers owner at $10bn valuation, per reports

The Lakers will be sold at a $10bn valuation, according to reports. Photograph: Harry How/Getty Images

The Buss family is entering an agreement to sell a majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers at a $10bn valuation, ESPN reported on Wednesday, marking the end of an era for one of the NBA’s most influential families.

Mark Walter, the CEO and chair of holding company TWG Global, is set to take the majority ownership under the agreement, ESPN’s NBA insider Shams Charania said in a post on X. Walter was already a minority owner in the Lakers and is also primary owner and chair of the Los Angeles Dodgers of Major League Baseball, and the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA.

Related: Thunder move one win from franchise’s first NBA title in 46 years after holding off Pacers

The Lakers did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

The late Jerry Buss bought the Lakers in 1979 and turned it into one of the most popular and valuable franchises in all of professional sports, winning five championships during their now-iconic “Showtime” era in the 1980s.

His daughter, Jeanie Buss, took over as principal owner after Jerry Buss died in 2013, making her one of the most powerful women in sports. The modern-day Lakers have continued to attract big stars with mixed success, including recently with LeBron James, with whom the team won the 2020 NBA title. This year, the team swung a blockbuster trade for Dallas Mavericks star Luka Dončić.

Jeanie Buss will stay on as governor after the sale, Charania reported.

Devils trade Erik Haula to Predators in exchange for Jeremy Hanzel, 2025 fourth-round pick

The Devils made their first big move of the offseason Wednesday, trading veteran forward Erik Haula to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Jeremy Hanzel and a 2025 fourth-round pick.

New Jersey now has seven picks in the 2025 NHL Draft: two second-round picks (NJ and Edmonton via Utah), one third-round pick (Vegas), two fourth-round picks (NJ and Nashville), and two sixth-round picks (NJ and San Jose). The draft begins on Friday, June 27 and goes through Saturday, June 28.

Haula, 34, was entering the final year of his three-year contract ($3.15 million AAV). Over three seasons with the Devils, he totaled 41 goals and 56 assists (97 points) with 140 penalty minutes across 227 games. He was originally a seventh-round pick by the Minnesota Wild in the 2009 NHL Draft and spent time with them, the Vegas Golden Knights, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Predators, and Boston Bruins before being acquired by NJ in the Pavel Zacha trade in 2022.

The forward recorded 21 points (nine goals and 12 assists) over 51 games during his first stint with Nashville in the shortened 2020-2021 NHL season.

Hanzel, 22, was drafted by the Colorado Avalanche in the sixth round of the 2023 NHL Draft. He was then acquired by the Predators in March 2024 and spent the 2024-2025 season with the Milwaukee Admirals (AHL) and Gwinnett Gladiators (ECHL), registering two penalty minutes over four games with Milwaukee and three goals and 19 assists (22 points) with 28 penalty minutes for Gwinnett.

Listed at 6-foot-1 and 195 pounds, Hanzel was part of the Seattle Thunderbirds' WHL championship-winning team in 2023. He amassed 149 points (39 goals and 110 assists) in 218 games with Seattle over four seasons, plus 35 points (seven goals and 28 assists) over 41 playoff games.

Astros at Athletics Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 18

It's Wednesday, June 18, and the Astros (42-31) take on the Athletics (30-45). Framber Valdez is slated to take the mound for Houston against Luis Severino for the Athletics.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Astros at Athletics

  • Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
  • Time: 10:05PM EST
  • Network/Streaming: NBCSCA, Space City Home Network

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 Astros at the Athletics

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Astros (-162), Athletics (+136)
  • Spread:  Astros -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Astros at Athletics

  • Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Framber Valdez vs. Luis Severino
    • Astros: Framber Valdez, (7-4, 3.10 ERA)
      Last outing (Chicago White Sox, 6/12): 5.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 12 Strikeouts
    • Athletics: Luis Severino, (2-6, 4.47 ERA)
      Last outing (Kansas City, 6/13): 7.2 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 1 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!

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

  • The Astros' record in their last 5 games stands at 4-1
  • The Over is 23-14 in the Athletics' home games this season
  • The Athletics have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 1.59 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!

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

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 Wednesday's game between the Astros and the Athletics:

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

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

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The Edmonton Oilers Should Learn From The Champs And Make Bold Moves

The Edmonton Oilers once again came up short in the Stanley Cup final, falling to the Florida Panthers for the second year in a row. 

Now, the overriding question becomes, “What do the Oilers do next?” That question isn’t so easy to answer, with some tough calls to make.

On the one hand, there’s a clear temptation to run it back with the same group of players. Edmonton was only one win away from a Cup championship in 2023-24, and they were only two wins away this year. The Oilers’ core should be relied on to have a successful 2025-26 campaign, and GM Stan Bowman would be a fool to mess around with it. 

However, what would the Panthers, Vegas Golden Knights or Tampa Bay Lightning do? These are the most successful teams in the NHL in recent years, and they all share one thing in common: the willingness not to be satisfied with the results they put together, no matter how successful they’ve been.

Panthers GM Bill Zito was fortunate and savvy enough to win his first Cup last season, and he had the stones to walk away from key defenseman Brandon Montour when he sought a raise. Before that, Zito traded MacKenzie Weegar and a 115-point Jonathan Huberdeau in the deal that brought star Matthew Tkachuk to Florida.

Even after this year’s second Cup win, Zito may allow lifelong Panther Aaron Ekblad to leave for greener pastures via free agency after trading for five more years of Seth Jones. Zito has always been one of the more proactive GMs in the league, and he’s never been afraid to shake things up.

Left to right: Adam Henrique, Kasperi Kapanen, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Connor McDavid (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)

Meanwhile, Golden Knights GM Kelly McCrimmon has become famous for being cold-blooded in his roster decisions from year to year. Whether it’s acquiring defenseman Noah Hanifin and centers Tomas Hertl and Jack Eichel, McCrimmon has never been content with sticking with the status quo.

In Tampa Bay, Lightning GM Julien BriseBois has also constantly changed his lineup. BriseBois has traded (and reacquired) veteran defenseman Ryan McDonagh, landed Nick Paul and Jake Guentzel, dealt for star Brandon Hagel, acquired (and traded) center Barclay Goodrow and left winger Tanner Jeannot and traded star defenseman Mikhail Sergachev while letting captain Steven Stamkos walk. Looking at the macro picture, it’s quite something to see how willing BriseBois has been when changing the mix of his team.

The Oilers need to be just as proactive with the talent on their roster. They’re almost assuredly going to be re-signing RFA D-man Evan Bouchard, and they’re going to take very long looks at UFA forwards Corey Perry, Trent Frederic, Connor Brown and Kasperi Kapanen. 

But there will probably be a lot of frustration if Edmonton brings back the same goalie tandem next season. One or both of Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have to go. Whether that means trading for current Anaheim Ducks veteran John Gibson or taking a chance on a different netminder, the Oilers just need some more reliable, consistent netminding.

The Oilers Must Address Their Goaltending, Regardless Of What Happens In The FinalThe Oilers Must Address Their Goaltending, Regardless Of What Happens In The FinalThere was a time during the playoffs this year where Stuart Skinner of the Edmonton Oilers had not posted a single-game save percentage between .835 and .999, which means he was either lights-out or out to lunch in every game.

In any case, while it would be easy and comfortable for Bowman to bring back just about everybody, the better option would be for him to make some notable roster changes. If it’s good enough for the Panthers, Golden Knights and Lightning, it should be good enough for Edmonton, especially if it convinces superstar captain Connor McDavid to sign a contract extension.

Change is not only necessary, but it’s crucial to keep up with the Joneses as other high-end teams continue making moves to improve. That should be front and center on Bowman’s mind as he plots out the next steps for this Oilers franchise.

Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on THN.com.

Stott catches Marlins by surprise with his biggest swing in a month

Stott catches Marlins by surprise with his biggest swing in a month originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies’ coldest hitter was the one most responsible for their 4-2 win Wednesday night in Miami and the player benched the day before made the defensive play of the game to end it.

Bryson Stott, hitting .183 with a .246 on-base percentage and one home run since May 9, produced one of his best swings of the year in the fourth inning against Marlins right-hander Adam Mazur, hitting a game-changing three-run homer.

It probably caught Miami by surprise. Stott swings at the first pitch less than any hitter in the National League (12%) but attacked Mazur’s first offering, a 94 mph fastball up in the zone and over the plate, clobbering it to right-center field to turn a one-run lead into a four-run lead.

It was more than enough support for Ranger Suarez, who tossed seven more ho-hum innings of one-run ball in his eighth consecutive gem.

Still, the Phillies had to hold on at the end as Matt Strahm put three men on base in the ninth inning and had the winning run at the plate. Nick Fortes hit a flyball to deep right field that Nick Castellanos raced backward to catch, leaping up against the wall to end the game.

Castellanos returned to the lineup after a one-game benching for making an inappropriate comment after being pulled for a defensive replacement late in Monday’s win. He made a mistake on the bases but had a multi-hit game.

So did Alec Bohm with two singles and a double in five at-bats. He’s all the way up to .291 and is hitting .336 with an .867 OPS over the last two calendar months.

Suarez set the tone again. The lefty is 6-1 in his last eight starts with a 1.17 ERA and 0.95 WHIP. All eight have been at least six innings and six have been longer. This has been every bit as good as Suarez was in the first half last season when he looked like a Cy Young candidate before being derailed by a back injury.

The Phillies are 44-30 with one more game in Miami on Thursday night before three huge ones at home this weekend against the Mets. The Phils entered the night two back in the NL East.

It was only one swing from Stott but it was a good sign that he’s healthy after irritating a nerve in his right elbow in his final at-bat Monday night. Stott tried to walk off and shake off the pain that night and stayed in the game after being visited by a trainer, surprisingly playing the next day even though manager Rob Thomson told reporters he’d consider giving the second baseman a rest.

The month of June had been especially rough, with Stott going 7-for-52 (.135) with one extra-base hit, a double. He’s been seeing plenty of pitches, fouling plenty of pitches off and running deep counts but not ending them with any consistency or authority.

In his first at-bat Wednesday night, the first pitch Stott saw was a 94 mph fastball right down the middle. He took it for a called strike and ended up whiffing.

The league-average rate of swinging at the first pitch is once every three plate appearances. Stott does so about once every nine plate appearances. He may have told himself walking back to the dugout, if I get another first-pitch cookie, I’m not passing it up. He did, and he unloaded. He also later walked, singled and stole a base.

The Phillies scored in only one inning, the fourth, but it sure helps when they have Suarez piling up zeroes while the offense finds its footing.

The only run Suarez let across was a fifth-inning homer by Connor Norby. He matched a season-high with eight strikeouts.

It’s Cristopher Sanchez’ turn in the finale Thursday night. He’s faced the Marlins only once since 2023 and it was his only career shutout last June.

‘A no-brainer’: Rubén Sellés takes reins at Sheffield United after Wilder exit

  • New manager ready to helm ‘ambitious project’

  • Wilder expresses ‘great regret’ at his departure

Sheffield United have appointed Rubén Sellés as their new manager after Chris Wilder expressed “great regret” over his departure from Bramall Lane. Sellés was swiftly named as Wilder’s successor on Wednesday evening with the Spaniard signing a three-year deal at the Championship club.

The 42-year-old former Southampton, Reading and Hull manager said: “When we first heard about the possibility of coming here, it was a no-brainer for us to join a club with this kind of history and with a mission to move forward and try to be even more competitive. This is a very powerful and ambitious project. It was very important at the start of the conversations that everyone is on the same page.

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What we learned as Justin Verlander, Giants' bats struggle in loss to Guardians

What we learned as Justin Verlander, Giants' bats struggle in loss to Guardians originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — With school out for the summer, fantastic weather and a new guy named Rafael Devers, the Giants have drawn more than 70,000 fans to the first two weeknight games against the Cleveland Guardians. They haven’t done much to send all those fans home happy. 

It was another quiet night for the new-look lineup as the Giants lost 4-2 to the Cleveland Guardians, who will go for a sweep Thursday. There has been a lot to be excited about since Sunday, but the Giants also have quietly lost five of their last six games. 

Justin Verlander gave up a run in the first and a three-run homer in the fourth Wednesday, putting the Giants in an early hole. The bullpen held tough from there, and Heliot Ramos got two runs back with his 12th homer.

A walk and a balk put a runner on second with one out in the seventh, but Patrick Bailey and Ramos struck out. 

Mike Yastrzemski got the crowd buzzing with a two-out single in the ninth, but Bailey went down looking. The Giants went 0-for-6 with runners in scoring position and they’re 8-for-52 over their last six games with 51 runners left on base. 

Still Searching

Verlander never could have imagined being winless near the end of June, but he was 0-3 before he went on the IL with pec discomfort and he left with the Giants trailing 4-0 on Wednesday. 

Three of the runs came on the biggest mistake of the night, an 0-2 fastball to second baseman Daniel Schneemann that was middle-middle and got blasted into the seats. That rally started when Tyler Fitzgerald made an error on a grounder to the right side. 

Verlander struck out six and showed his normal velocity, but he also gave up seven hits and walked one. While the error hurt, the line also could have been worse. Spencer Bivens stranded a pair of Verlander’s runners in the fifth. 

Night Two

The second night was a lot quieter for Devers than the first. The new DH went 0-for-3 with a walk in his second game in orange and black, with his most notable at-bat ending quickly.

Willy Adames blooped a single to right to lead off the bottom of the eighth and bring Devers up as the tying run. The crowd started to rise as he dug in against lefty Tim Herrin, but Devers swung at the first pitch and skied it to left. A flyout by Wilmer Flores and a pop-up by Casey Schmitt ended the threat. 

Welcome Back

There should have been little doubt that Bailey would have a solid night in his return from a neck strain. Bailey is extremely close with Guardians associate manager Craig Albernaz, a former Giants coach who refers to Bailey as one of his sons. 

The two exchanged plenty of texts in recent days and Bailey assured his former coach that he would be in the lineup against his team. Bailey didn’t show any rust behind the plate, throwing a runner out in his first inning back.

Bailey had just six hits in 42 right-handed at-bats before going on the IL, but he was 2-for-2 against left-hander Logan Allen. In his first at-bat back, he hit a slow roller that stayed true along the edge of the grass and went for an infield single. Two innings later, he singled to center. 

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Reinhart’s Heroics Clinch Panthers Cup Victory

The Florida Panthers did not want to face the prospect of heading back to Edmonton for another deciding Game 7 against the Oilers, and after blowing a three-goal lead in a Game 4 loss on home ice last week, the reigning Stanley Cup Champions dominated Edmonton 5-2 in Game 5 and jumped on the Oilers early in a 5-2 win at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday to clinch their second straight Cup.

The Panthers had a number of players stand out in their run to the championship, including Sam Bennett – who scored 15 playoff goals and was named the 2025 Conn Smythe Trophy winner – and veteran Brad Marchand, who scored five goals in the Cup Final and an overtime breakaway goal in Game 2, but the hero in the clincher was former Buffalo Sabre Sam Reinhart.  

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Reinhart, who was dealt to Florida in July 2021 for goalie Devon Levi and a 2022 first round pick (Jiri Kulich), scored the opening goal less than five minutes into the first period, and then added three more in the second and third period to become the first player to score four goals in a Stanley Cup Final game since Maurice “The Rocket” Richard in 1957. 

Had it not been for Vasily Podkolzin’s late goal to break Sergei Bobrovsky’s shutout bid, the former 2014 second overall pick would have scored the game-winning goal in both Panthers Cup-clinching victories. Along with Reinhart, former Sabres Dmitri Kulikov and Evan Rodrigues earned their second straight Cup victory. 

Former Sabre Jeff Skinner was not much of a factor in the Cup Final, going pointless in three games vs. the Panthers, while Evander Kane continued his undisciplined play, earning his sixth minor penalty of the series for a slash on Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky and his second misconduct for a swipe at Matthew Tkachuk. Kane finished the series with one goal in six games and 32 penalty minutes.  

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

Red Sox issue statement in response to AI bot interviews report

Red Sox issue statement in response to AI bot interviews report originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox again found themselves in damage control mode on Wednesday.

While dealing with the fallout of the Rafael Devers trade, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow was further scrutinized following a bombshell Yahoo! Sports report by Joon Lee. Lee’s report detailed a dysfunctional front office under Breslow’s leadership.

Lee added another stunning revelation Tuesday on NBC Sports Boston’s Early Edition. According to Lee, the Red Sox used AI (artificial intelligence) bots to conduct several rounds of interviews with a baseball operations job candidate.

“What’s happening with the Red Sox, with Sam Kennedy, with Craig Breslow, with Alex Cora, is a state of organizational dysfunction,” Lee said, as seen in the video player above. “I heard last night about an interview with — the Red Sox were trying to recruit a new person for their baseball operations department, and during this interview process, the entire interview was conducted with an AI bot, where you would record the answers to the questions and then the Red Sox would then evaluate them.

“And this wasn’t just one round. It wasn’t just two rounds. It was five rounds of interviews where this person did not talk to another person in the Red Sox organization.”

On Wednesday, the Red Sox released the following statement addressing Lee’s report:

“We wanted to reach out to you because we are seeing unsubstantiated reports about the Red Sox using AI bots to hire candidates,” the statement reads, according to MassLive.com’s Christopher Smith. “Since 2012, the club has used a tool called HireVue to screen applicants for all roles across the organization. The Red Sox are one of several MLB clubs to use this tool, which asks candidates to answer a few questions in a recorded video for the hiring manager to get a sense of the person beyond their resume. This is one of several steps in the hiring process and is just one factor that helps determine which candidates should advance to an in-person interview.

“On average, the club receives over 500 applicants per position, and for some roles, as many as 3,000. This tool is in no way a replacement for in-person interviews, simply one of many steps that helps the club screen the many candidates who apply for each job posting.

“We wanted to ensure all of you had this information directly from us and would appreciate your partnership in helping clear up these unsupported claims.”

HireVue is an AI and human resources management company that allows clients to conduct interviews where the job candidate interacts with a computer instead of a human interviewer. Many companies utilize the technology to narrow down candidates early in the interview process, so it’s no surprise that the Red Sox use it with the number of applicants they receive. What stands out from Lee’s report is that the organization allegedly used it for five interview rounds.

Breslow addressed that part of the report earlier Wednesday, according to Ian Browne of MLB.com.

“I think my short answer is, I’m not sure, because I know that I have had direct conversations with people,” Breslow said. “But like I said, if using this as kind of like a first filter, because the number of people who want to work with [the Red Sox] is so big, it makes sense. Now, I don’t think we can make hiring decisions without actually talking to someone.”

While the Red Sox have been somewhat of a mess off the field, they’ve been red-hot in recent weeks. After taking two out of three in their series against the Seattle Mariners, they’ve won nine of their last nine games and have sole possession of the third American League Wild Card spot at 39-37.

The intriguing Red Sox storylines will continue Friday when the club visits Devers’ new team, the San Francisco Giants.

NHL Insider Believes Kane, Red Wings Likely To Reach New Deal

NHL insider believes Detroit Red Wings will work to re-sign Patrick Kane this off-season

Image

The Detroit Red Wings are reportedly interested in bringing back forward Patrick Kane, according to NHL insider Darren Dreger. 

NHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) on XNHL Rumour Report (@NHLRumourReport) on XDarren Dreger: I believe that the Red Wings would like to extend Patrick Kane, feels like they'll probably get something done - TSN 1050

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest newsgame-day coverage, and player features.

The veteran winger made a significant impact last season with almost 60 points through 72 games at 36 years old. Kane's value as a player coincides with his value as a mentor to up-and-coming forwards like Marco Kasper that will get to play with a three-time Stanley Cup champion.

Bringing back Kane would help the team continue to build chemistry as well as have him continue to give out lessons to young players that could use the advice. 

We can expect a cap hit around $4 million per season as that's what he signed for the Red Wings initially and may include a trade clause of sorts as that's what he asked for in his previous deal. As for term, we could see multiple years as it was a great fit for Kane last season but no more than two seasons seems likely. 

Detroit has roughly $21.3 million in cap space heading into this off-season and has been linked to several big name free agents like Aaron Ekblad and Mitch Marner. Other pending free agents with the Red Wings are Alex Lyon, Jeff Petry and key depth forward Tyler Motte among others. 

The next few weeks may feature some serious roster moves for the Red Wings heading into next season and it sounds like one we can expect is a Kane re-signing.

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The Wraparound: Can The Panthers Keep Bennett And Marchand?

Welcome to the off-season. The Wraparound is here to discuss the NHL and more in rapid-fire topics.

Can The Panthers Keep Bennett And Marchand? by The WraparoundCan The Panthers Keep Bennett And Marchand? by The Wraparoundundefined

Here's what Emma Lingan and Michael Augello discussed in this episode:

0:00: Where do the Florida Panthers rank among recent dynasties in the NHL?

3:30 What does the future hold for the Edmonton Oilers and Connor McDavid with his impending free agency in 2026?

6:50 Will the Florida Panthers retain Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett?

10:30 After Mitch Marner’s charity event in Toronto was cancelled, is it all but confirmed that he will be leaving the Maple Leafs?

13:35 What team is the best fit for Jonathan Toews?

15:38 What team that wasn’t involved in the 4 Nations Face-Off could make some noise at the 2026 Olympics?

17:35 Could the Vancouver Canucks move on from Thatcher Demko this summer?

20:20 Is there a scenario where the New York Islanders draft anyone other than Matthew Schaefer?

21:45 How will Roman Josi’s recovery impact Barry Trotz’s off-season priorities?

25:40 Making early predictions for the 2025-26 NHL season

See below for where to subscribe to the show for future episodes.

Apple Podcasts

Spotify

Podbean

iHeartRadio

Amazon

Promo image credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Guardians at Giants Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for June 18

It's Wednesday, June 18 and the Guardians (36-35) are in San Francisco to take on the Giants (41-32). Logan Allen is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Justin Verlander for San Francisco.

The Guardians won a close low-scoring game last night over the Giants.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Guardians at Giants

  • Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
  • Time: 9:45PM EST
  • Site: Oracle Park
  • City: San Francisco, CA
  • Network/Streaming: NBCS BA, Guardians TV

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

Odds for the Guardians at the Giants

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Guardians (+122), Giants (-146)
  • Spread:  Giants -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Giants

  • Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Logan Allen vs. Justin Verlander
    • Guardians: Logan Allen, (4-4, 4.28 ERA)
      Last outing (Cincinnati Reds, 6/11): 6.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
    • Giants: Justin Verlander, (0-3, 4.33 ERA)
      Last outing (Athletics, 5/18): 4.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 5 Walks, and 1 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!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Guardians at Giants

  • The Giants are showing a 111% return on investment at home on the Money Line
  • The Giants' last 3 home games have stayed under the Total
  • The Guardians have covered the Run Line in 4 straight games at the Giants

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 Guardians and the Giants

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 Wednesday's game between the Guardians and the Giants:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the San Francisco Giants on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cleveland Guardians at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

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

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

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
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This Penguins' Game May Have Altered History For The Florida Panthers

Apr 11, 2023; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; aChicago Blackhawks center Tyler Johnson (90) collides with Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) after Johnson scored a goal against the Penguins during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Chicago won 5-2. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

On Tuesday, the Florida Panthers became back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, defeating the Edmonton Oilers in Game 6 at home, 5-1.

Not only was it Florida's second-straight Cup win, but it was also their third consecutive Stanley Cup Final. They lost to the Vegas Golden Knights in 2023 before besting the Oilers in back-to-back Cup years, and - given that they handily beat a very good Edmonton team in six games despite partaking in their third-straight Final - they may not show any signs of slowing down.

But this near-dynastic force, in a way, all started with a loss in the spring of 2023 by a different NHL team.

No, Florida isn't where they are because of a singular notch in the "L" column by the Pittsburgh Penguins. But, had Pittsburgh won this one game, a lot may have changed for Florida that could have altered their destiny.

On Apr. 11, 2023 - in the penultimate game to their regular season - the Penguins were set to square off against the lowly, rebuilding Chicago Blackhawks on home ice. In order to end up clinching a playoff spot, Pittsburgh simply needed to beat Chicago, one of the league's worst teams. 

And they did not succeed.

Can The Penguins Trade Up For Blackhawks' Third Overall Pick?Can The Penguins Trade Up For Blackhawks' Third Overall Pick?It has been rumored that the Pittsburgh Penguins would like to trade up in the 2025 NHL Draft.

Chicago went up, 1-0, approaching the midway point of the second period on a goal by defenseman Connor Murphy. Then, a little more than five minutes into the third, Penguins veteran forward Evgeni Malkin scored a power play goal to even the score. 

But - five minutes later - Pittsburgh was dealt a double-gut punch. Just past the 10-minute mark of the final frame, Buddy Robinson and Andreas Athanasiou scored back-to-back within 26 seconds to put the Hawks up, 3-1, pretty much sealing the deal. Pittsburgh forward Danton Heinen scored sandwiched between two Chicago empty-net goals by Tyler Johnson and Mackenzie Entwistle, but it was not enough.

Pittsburgh was dealt a course-changing loss, as it, ultimately, led them to miss the playoffs for the first time in 17 years. They also lost to the Columbus Blue Jackets in overtime, 3-2, a few days later, but even if they won that game, the Penguins would have missed.

And the team that squeaked into the postseason instead? The Florida Panthers.

Like Pittsburgh Before Them, The Florida Panthers Are Reinventing The WheelLike Pittsburgh Before Them, The Florida Panthers Are Reinventing The WheelAnyone who has been invested in the National Hockey League over the years knows that, as the seasons pile on, the game evolves.

In the 2021-22 season, the Panthers won the President's Trophy as the best team in the league, but they were swept in the second round of the playoffs by the Tampa Bay Lightning and made a shocking coaching change in the aftermath, hiring Paul Maurice and canning Andrew Brunette.

They also shook up their roster in the offseason of 2022, acquiring and then extending Matthew Tkachuk from the Calgary Flames in exchange for star forward Jonathan Huberdeau and top-four defenseman Mackenzie Weegar.

There were a sequence of moves in the following years that made them what they are. But, had they missed the playoffs in 2023 after a President's Trophy-winning season - all because the Penguins beat the lowly Blackhawks - it stands to reason that Florida GM Bill Zito may have made some more impulse moves to shake things up after a near-miss. 

Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Brad Marchand (63) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Maybe they would have fired Maurice. Maybe they never go out and get veterans like Brad Marchand, Vladimir Tarasenko, and Seth Jones. There's no telling how their timeline and their roster management would have played out had the Penguins won that game against Chicago.

Every ounce of credit goes to Zito and the Panthers for becoming the machine they are today. More than likely, it was bound to happen eventually, anyway, regardless of what happened in terms of the 2023 postseason.

But the Penguins inadvertently opened the door of opportunity for the Panthers to begin their run at three straight Final appearances when they lost, perhaps, one of the most winnable "must-win" games in franchise history. 

As a result, the Penguins became a cellar dwellar. And the Panthers became a monster.

Amazingly, unbelievably, incredibly, the Florida Panthers are back-to-back Stanley Cup ChampionsAmazingly, unbelievably, incredibly, the Florida Panthers are back-to-back Stanley Cup ChampionsThe Florida Panthers are Stanley Cup Champions.

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Featured image credit: Charles LeClaire - Imagn Images

Red Sox at Mariners Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 18

It's Wednesday, June 18 and the Red Sox (38-37) are in Seattle to take on the Mariners (37-35). Garrett Crochet is slated to take the mound for Boston against Luis Castillo for Seattle.

After getting shutout in game one of the series, the Mariners returned the favor with a 8-0 domination of the Red Sox.

Bryan Woo was dominant on the mound. He only gave up one hit in 7.0 shut-out innings.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Red Sox at Mariners

  • Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
  • Time: 4:10PM EST
  • Site: T-Mobile Park
  • City: Seattle, WA
  • Network/Streaming: ROOTNW, NESN

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 Mariners

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Red Sox (-125), Mariners (+105)
  • Spread:  Red Sox -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Mariners

  • Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Garrett Crochet vs. Luis Castillo
    • Red Sox: Garrett Crochet, (6-4, 2.24 ERA)
      Last outing (New York Yankees, 6/13): 8.1 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts
    • Mariners: Luis Castillo, (4-4, 3.29 ERA)
      Last outing (Cleveland Guardians, 6/13): 6.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts

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

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Red Sox at Mariners

  • The Red Sox have gone 8-2 in their last 10 games
  • In his last 5 home starts on the mound the Mariners pitcher Luis Castillo has an ERA of 2.48

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 Red Sox and the Mariners

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 Wednesday's game between the Red Sox and the Mariners:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Boston Red Sox on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Seattle Mariners at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

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

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