We have a full slate of 15 MLB games to choose from today, which offers up lots of options when it comes to prop betting from the matinee matchups to the late-night finishes on the West Coast.
Keep reading to see my best MLB player props for Saturday, April 11, highlighted by a plus-money Jackson Merrill play.
Best MLB player props today
Player
Pick
Odds
Kodai Senga
Over 6.5 Ks
-108
Trent Grisham
1+ runs
-120
Jackson Merrill
1+ RBI
+125
Kodai Senga Over 6.5 strikeouts (-108)
Kodai Senga has looked sharp in his return to the New York Mets' rotation after a 2025 marred by injuries.
He's recorded 16 strikeouts in 11 2/3 innings over his first two starts, good for a rate of 12.3 per nine. That’s above his career mark of 10.2 per nine, and more like what Mets fans have expected after his outstanding rookie campaign in 2023.
The Athletics have been one of the more strikeout-heavy offenses in baseball early this season, racking up 133 Ks in their first 13 games. Senga should get plenty of swings and misses against this lineup, and that makes his strikeouts Over a great play.
Time: 4:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: NBCSCA, SNY
Trent Grisham 1+ runs (-120)
While Trent Grisham has been struggling in some ways in the early going – his .158 batting average looks ugly on the Jumbotron – he’s been excelling at his most important job, which is getting on base at the top of the New York Yankees lineup.
Grisham has a .347 OBP and has scored seven times in 13 games to start the season.
Journeyman Nick Martinez has given the Tampa Bay Rays some good innings to start the year, but I don’t have confidence in the 35-year-old to keep up this start.
The Yankees have underperformed offensively, but those struggles have mostly come against southpaws, while they have a .720 OPS against righties. I like Grisham to get on base and the rest of the New York lineup to bring him home tonight.
Time: 6:10 p.m. ET
Where to watch: YES, Rays.TV
Jackson Merrill 1+ RBI (+125)
Jackson Merrill hasn’t gotten himself into a groove yet this season, but his numbers still benefit from hitting behind Fernando Tatis Jr. and in front of Manny Machado. Merrill has seven RBIs in his first 14 games despite hitting .189 in that span.
Merrill has been historically strong against right-handed pitching, putting up an .855 OPS against righties in his career. Colorado Rockies starter Ryan Feltner isn’t an imposing matchup in that regard either, with only 38 2/3 innings at the MLB level in the last two years and a 5.17 career ERA.
Facing Feltner could get the San Diego Padres lineup going, and with Merrill in the middle of it all, I like him to pick up an RBI tonight.
Time: 8:40 p.m. ET
Where to watch: Rockies.TV, Padres.TV
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Two weeks into the MLB season and the betting market for the National League Cy Young award has seen some movement, including one long shot worth taking before it's too late and one favorite to dabble on.
National League Cy Young Favorite: Paul Skenes (+350)
The one bet I made in the preseason for NL Cy Young was Paul Skenes at +250 odds. After his disastrous opening day start against the Mets where he recorded 0.2 innings on 37 pitches with four hits and five earned runs allowed, everything has been up hill for Skenes.
Over the next two starts versus the Reds and Padres, Skenes posted a combined 11 1/3 innings, two earned runs, five hits allowed, 11 strikeouts to four walks, and most importantly, two wins. While his ERA is 5.25 through three starts, that will continue dropping and likely finish below 3.00 for the season after 1.96 and 1.97 his first two seasons.
At the current price of +350, I went back to the well on Skenes to win NL Cy Young because of the value, but if we're talking value, time is running out for the best long shot in the market.
Pick:Paul Skenes to win NL Cy Young (1 unit)
National League Cy Young Long Shot: Mason Miller (+3500)
The best long shot on the board is the Padres' Mason Miller. Just a week go, Miller was 150-to-1 to win the award and yesterday, he was 45-to-1 when I played him. Now, the best price is +3500 or 35-to-1, while some books have him at 20-to-1!
Miller is on a mission right now and no one is coming close to ending his current scoreless streak. Miller hasn't allowed a run to score on him in 28 2/3 innings. It's the longest streak in all of baseball and five innings short of the Padres' franchise record held by Cla Meredith. It's not just going scoreless, it's how he's doing it. Miller has faced 24 total hitters and 19 of them have struck out! Per MLB.com, that 79.2% strikeout rate is the highest by a pitcher in his first seven appearances of a season since at least 1900!
Of course, Miller isn't a starter, he is a reliever/closer. The last reliever to win Cy Young was Eric Gagne in 2003. Gagne won by converting all 55 of his save opportunities for the Los Angeles Dodgers, which is absolutely bonkers. Gagne finished with a 1.20 ERA, 0.69 WHIP, and 6.9 strikeouts to walk ratio over 82 1/3 innings pitched.
Miller is four-for-four on saves so far this season with a 0.00 ERA, 0.27 WHIP, and 19 strikeouts to one walk. Can Miller become the first reliever to win Cy Young since 2003? I think so. Although, knocking off Paul Skenes won't be easy, but if you're going to do it — do it by striking everyone out, setting franchise records for scoreless innings, and lead the MLB in saves and WHIP, which Miller could do.
Pick: Mason Miller to win NL Cy Young (1 unit)
MLB Futures Card
3 units: Pittsburgh Pirates Over 76.5 Wins (-115) 2 units: Detroit Tigers to win AL Central (+110) 1 unit: Bobby Witt to win AL MVP (+550) 1 unit: Ronald Acuna Jr. to win NL MVP (+1000) 1 unit: Pittsburgh Pirates to win NL Central (+800) 1 unit: Paul Skenes to win NL CY Young (+250) 1 unit: Paul Skenes to win NL CY Young (+350) 1 unit: Garrett Crochet to win AL CY Young (+425) 1 unit: Mason Miller to win NL Cy Young (+3500) 0.5 unit: Konnor Griffin to win NL Rookie of the Year (+600) 0.5 unit: Bubba Chandler to win NL Rookie of the Year (+1200) 0.25 units: James Wood to lead MLB in Home runs (+20000) 0.25 units: Detroit Tigers to have the most wins (+4500) 0.25 units: Philadelphia Phillies to win the World Series (+1600) 0.25 units: Atlanta Braves to win the World Series (+2000) 0.25 units: Detroit Tigers to win the World Series
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TWO IS USUALLY ENOUGH: The Cubs have allowed no more than two runs in eight of their 13 games, but have lost two of the eight, both by 2-0. Last year, they were 51-7 when giving up two or fewer runs, including 13-5 when giving up exactly two. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
SIX IS USUALLY ENOUGH: In yesterday’s loss, the Cubs made six hits and limited the Pirates to three. Before then, the Cubs had won all six previous games this season in which they had outhit their opponent. (Courtesy BCB’s JohnW53)
THE NICO FILES: Nico Hoerner has a 12-game on-base streak in which he is batting .357/.481/.571 (15-for-42) with six doubles, a home run, nine RBI and nine walks.
GOOD STARTING: Cubs starting pitchers have a 2.47 ERA in the 13 games so far this year, which leads the NL and is second in MLB (Yankees, 2.40).
The Pirates lineup was not available at posting time. Please check BCB social media for the Pirates lineup.
Edward Cabrera, RHP vs. Braxton Ashcraft, RHP
Edward Cabrera has not only been the Cubs’ best starter so far this year, he’s been one of the top starters anywhere in MLB, alllowing just eight of the 41 hitters he’s faced so far to reach base, no runs allowed and nine strikeouts in 11.2 innings. The only little glitch is six walks, and that was an issue for him in Miami, so hopefully it doesn’t become one here.
Cabrera hasn’t faced the Pirates since 2023, and the only current Pirate who has more than a couple of at-bats against him is Marcell Ozuna (2-for-11 with four strikeouts).
Braxton Ashcraft did pretty well in his rookie season last year — 2.71 ERA, 1.249 WHIP in 26 appearances (eight starts). This year he’s going to be a full-time member of the Pirates rotation and he has made two pretty good starts to date, completing six innings in both. In his last outing, April 5 vs. the Orioles, he struck out eight.
He made two starts against the Cubs last year (plus one relief appearance) and allowed four runs in 11 total innings, with 10 strikeouts. Michael Busch homered off him in one of those outings. Pete Crow-Armstrong is 3-for-4 with two doubles.
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The 2026 game discussion procedure has been changed, so please take note.
You’ll find the game preview, like this one, posted separately on the front page two hours before game time (90 minutes for some early day games following night games).
At the same time, a StoryStream containing the preview will also post on the front page, titled “Cubs vs. (Team) (Day of week/date) game threads.” It will contain every post related to that particular game.
The Live! (formerly “First Pitch”) thread will still post at five minutes to game time. It will also post to the front page. That will be the only live game discussion thread. After the game, the recap and Heroes and Goats will also live on the front page as separate posts.
You will also be able to find the preview, Live! thread, recap and Heroes and Goats in this section link. The StoryStream for each game can also be found in that section.
The Vancouver Canucks would love nothing more than to spoil the San Jose Sharks’ home finale tonight, as San Jose desperately chases a Wild Card berth.
A win at SAP Center would also ensure Vancouver avoids a sweep in the four-game regular-season series, and my Canucks vs. Sharks predictions have the road team dragging this one into a low-scoring slugfest.
The Vancouver Canucks have just one win in their last 11 games. In seven of those losses, they’ve mustered two goals or fewer.
Meanwhile, the San Jose Sharks sit four points back of a Wild Card spot in the West after scoring just a combined three goals in back-to-back losses to Edmonton and Dallas.
And yet, the books have pegged the total at 6.5, despite the Canucks ranking last in scoring and the Sharks sitting 26th.
Despite their struggles, Vancouver has kept the total Under seven goals in each of its last two games. Against an offensively challenged Sharks side, I’m betting they make it three straight.
Canucks vs Sharks same-game parlay
Although I anticipate offense will be at a premium, Macklin Celebrini ranks seventh in NHL scoring with 42 goals, and the Sharks phenom has found the back of the net in three of his last four games against the Canucks.
Jake DeBrusk has also recorded three or more shots on goal in seven of his last 11 contests. While the Canucks winger has hit that mark in just five of his last 13 against the Sharks, he’s missed the Over by a single shot on goal seven other times.
Eight of San Jose's last nine home games following a road loss have gone Under the total. Find more NHL betting trends for Canucks vs. Sharks.
How to watch Canucks vs Sharks
Location
SAP Center, San Jose, CA
Date
Saturday, April 11, 2026
Puck drop
10:00 p.m. ET
TV
Sportsnet
Canucks vs Sharks latest injuries
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
One of the interesting NHL debates in recent years has been the idea of expanding the Stanley Cup Playoffs to allow for bubble teams to participate in a play-in round that would determine bottom seedings just before the official post season begins.
When asked about it before the start of last year's Stanley Cup Final, Commissioner Gary Bettman didn't care much for the idea.
“We had a play-in,” Bettman said. “Did you know that three clubs' positions in the playoffs weren't determined until the last game that they played in the regular season?”
He's quite right, of course. Like it or not, the parity that the NHL has created with the salary cap and three point games has led to more teams staying alive right into the final week.
Saturday afternoon's game on Long Island between the Senators and the New York Islanders (1 pm) isn't a play-in game, but in every way but name, both teams will be treating it exactly like a playoff game.
The Senators are in the driver's seat for the final wild card spot. They need to pull three points out of their final three games, and if they do that, then nothing that happens in their rear view mirror will matter. They're in.
Their fastest route to clinching would be a win over the Islanders on Saturday in any fashion and the Detroit Red Wings losing later on in any fashion to the New Jersey Devils (5 pm).
The Islanders are three points behind the Senators, but only one point behind Philadelphia, which holds down third in the Metro.
Here are Saturday's line combinations (per NHL.com)
Senators projected lineup
Drake Batherson -- Tim Stutzle -- Claude Giroux
Brady Tkachuk -- Dylan Cozens -- Ridly Greig
Nick Cousins -- Shane Pinto -- Michael Amadio
Warren Foegele -- Lars Eller -- Fabian Zetterlund
Jake Sanderson -- Artem Zub
Thomas Chabot -- Jordan Spence
Lassi Thomson -- Nikolas Matinpalo
Linus Ullmark
James Reimer
Scratched: Stephen Halliday, Kurtis MacDermid, Cameron Crotty
Injured: Nick Jensen (lower body), Dennis Gilbert (upper body), Tyler Kleven (upper body)
Islanders projected lineup
Anders Lee -- Bo Horvat -- Simon Holmstrom
Calum Ritchie -- Mathew Barzal -- Brayden Schenn
Maxim Shabanov -- Jean-Gabriel Pageau -- Emil Heineman
Ondrej Palat -- Casey Cizikas -- Marc Gatcomb
Matthew Schaefer -- Ryan Pulock
Adam Pelech -- Tony DeAngelo
Carson Soucy -- Scott Mayfield
Ilya Sorokin
David Rittich
Scratched: Anthony Duclair, Adam Boqvist, Isaiah George
The Columbus Clippers and the Worcester Red Sox faced off in Worcester Friday evening. The Clippers have been struggling against the WooSox, staying just above .500 with last night’s loss marking 3 straight loses against the Red Sox.
It didn’t take long for Ryan Webb to start running into trouble. In the bottom of the second a lead off triple was converted to a run on a groundout. A one-out walk and hit by pitch put two on. George Valera, on rehab assignment in Columbus, committed a fielding error in left field allowing the runner on 2nd to score.
The Clippers defensive woes would continue for the remainder of the game, racking up 6 errors on the night. Webb fell to 0-2 on the year, pitching 3.1 innings. He allowed 2H, 4R (2ER), 6BB, with 4Ks. Jack Leftwich was the only pitcher to not have runs scored on his watch. Leftwich went 1.2IP, 2H, 0R/ER, 1BB, 1K. Andrew Walters pitched an inning, allowing a run on a solo homer. It was the only hit he allowed. Walters walked no batters and struck out 2. Colin Holderman pitched the remaining 2 innings. He allowed 3 hits with 3 runs, none of which were earned. He struck out 5.
The offense pieced together some runs after their shutout the day prior. Petey Halpin went 1-for-3 with a run and a RBI. Travis Bazzana went 1-for-3 with a walk and a strike out. Milan Tolentino made up for his defensive error, going 1-for-4 with a solo home run in the eighth.
But the scoring started with George Valera in the 6th inning, hitting the Clippers’ first homer of the series. Valera went 1-for-4 with a run and 2 RBI.
The RubberDucks were more successful in their Friday night game. Josh Hartle took the mound for Akron and had a solid start. Hartle pitched 4.2 innings allowing 3 runs on 6 hits. He walked 2 and struck out 5.
Jack Jasiak earned his second win of the season in his 2.1 innings of work. He allowed 2 runs on 2 hits. Alaska Abney pitched 1.2, 1H, 1R, 2BB, 2K. Magnus Ellerts got the save, walking one in his 0.1 IP.
The RubberDucks offense performed well, scoring 8 runs on 7 hits and 9 walks.
Akron’s first run came in the 2nd inning. Nick Mitchell hit a lead off single, stealing 2nd and advancing to 3rd on a wild pitch. Joe Lampe drew a walk, but during Alex Mooney’s at bat, a balk scored Mitchell. Mooney and Jake Fox loaded the bases with walks of their own, but a strikeout and GIDP stopped the rally.
In the 4th inning Mitchell drew a lead off walk. Catcher Interference put runners on 1st and 2nd. Jake Fox hit a single on a liner to left, scoring Mitchell and Mooney.
The walks continued in the top of the 5th. Christian Knapczyk and Nick Mitchell drew back-to-back one-out walks. Joe Lampe hit an RBI single to put the RubberDucks up 5-3. In the next at bat, Alex Mooney hit a 3-run moon shot.
The 2nd homer of the series by @aj_mooney2, who has 7 RBI this week!
Lake County struggled against the Dayton Dragons, losing by 4 runs. Braylon Doughty fell to 0-1 on the season. Doughty only pitched 2.1 innings. He allowed 4R (2ER) on 5H, striking out one batter. In the bottom of the 3rd a one-out fielding error on 2B Luke Hill set the Caps up for failure. Doughty gave up four straight singles, putting the Dragons up 3-2 before being pulled for Donovan Zsak. Zsak has pitched 1.2 innings so far this year. He finished the 3rd inning only allowing one walk before retiring the side. He is maintaining a 0.00 ERA. Jogly García pitched 4.0, securing the loss for the Captains. He gave up 3R (2ER) on 2H and 2BB. He struck out 3. Sean Matson pitched the 8th inning, striking out one and allowing one hit.
The Captains had a strong start. In the top of the first, Jace LaViolette and Dean Curley drew back-to-back one-out walks. Aaron Walton and Bennett Thompson hit back-to-back singles to put two runs on the board.
CAPTAINS STRIKE FIRST! 🔥🔥
Back-to-back RBI singles by Aaron Walton and Bennett Thompson has Lake County out in front going into the 2nd! pic.twitter.com/RwPc00Mkap
Lake County’s final run came in the top of the 6th. Bennett Thompson drew a lead off walk. He reached 2nd on a wild pitch and 3rd on a flyout. Luke Hill hit a two-out single to score Thompson.
The Howlers took a win from the Fredericksburg Nationals. Jacob Zibin had a strong 4.0 inning outing. He allowed 1 run on 3H and 1BB, striking out 5. Luke Fernandez pitched 2 innings of scoreless baseball, striking out 2 and walking 1. Keegan Zinn earned the win and recorded a blown save. In Zinn’s 2.0 innings of work, he allowed 2R/ER, 1BB, and struck out 2. Angel Perez earned his 2nd save of the season, closing the game. He walked 2 and struck out 2.
Cannon Peebles had a great game at the plate. He went 1-for-3 with 1R, 2RBI, 2BB, HR, and a SB.
The Howlers got on the board in the bottom of the 3rd. Juneiker Caceres drew a lead off walk which was followed by Cannon Peebles’s 2-run HR.
Cannon Peebles got ALL OF THAT ONE!! 🚀⚾️
His 2-run home run gives us the LEAD here in the bottom of the third inning!
In the bottom of the 5th, the Howlers tacked on another run. Caceres and Pebbles drew back-to-back walks to lead off the inning. Yeiferth Castillo work a one-out walk to load the bases. Luis De La Cruz singled to first to score Caceres.
The final runs were scored in the bottom of the 8th. Luis De La Cruz was hit by pitch to lead off. He stole 2nd, but was caught stealing 3rd for the 2nd out of the inning. Yaikel Mijares drew a two-out walk and hustled to 3rd on Robert Arias’ single to right. Juneiker Caceres singled on a liner to left, scoring Mijares and Arias.
After 224 AHL games over four seasons with the Toronto Marlies, where he scored 12 goals and 119 points, Villeneuve is set to make his NHL debut with the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday night against the Florida Panthers.
"I think it's pretty special, especially in Toronto," said Villeneuve following Toronto's morning skate on Saturday. "When I look back, got into the organization in 2020, and I have been playing here for four years, so I feel grateful and pretty lucky to be here today. I'm excited for the opportunity."
In his rookie year, the defenseman put up 25 points in 54 games, and did the same in his second season with the Marlies. Villeneuve scored 40 points in the 2024-25 season in 55 games, which is his career-high at the AHL level.
This season, while trying to become a better defensive player, Villeneuve took a step back offensively, scoring 29 points in 59 games.
"I think everyone has their own path and own timeline," said Villeneuve of what it's been like waiting for this opportunity to come. "If I look at myself back four years ago, it's a different player, different person. I'm confident in my game, and I worked a long way for that, so I'm excited."
Indeed, he is a different player.
When Villeneuve joined the Marlies, he was coming off an incredible Memorial Cup win with the QMJHL's Saint John Sea Dogs. But the AHL was a different beast, and it always is for players coming out of junior and college.
As the years progressed, Villeneuve became more confident with his offensive abilities at the pro level. He slowly became the Marlies' top power-play quarterback and one of their best producers on the man advantage.
After re-signing with the Maple Leafs last summer, Villeneuve needed to improve his game defensively in case of an NHL call-up. You can be one of the top-producing defensemen in the AHL, but if you get exposed defensively, it'll be difficult to make your mark in the NHL.
"I just think when I got to pros, I was like 6-foot-2, 170 pounds. Like, it's hard to battle against guys that are 220 pounds and stuff like that, so [I'm] just physically and mentally more mature," said Villeneuve, whose weight is now listed at 196 pounds.
"Just defensively and my physical game has improved a lot, so I just got to go out there, not overthink it, just play my game and do what brought me here today."
The Sherbrooke, Quebec, native said he had an idea he could be making his NHL debut on Saturday, following the Maple Leafs' 5-3 loss to the New York Islanders on Thursday, a game in which Brandon Carlo left with a lower-body injury.
"Got here this morning and got confirmation, so it's awesome," Villeneuve said.
Both of his parents will be in the crowd inside Scotiabank Arena on Saturday night when Villeneuve steps foot onto the ice. Both parents have been vital parts of his support system ever since he began playing hockey.
"I think it's a great moment for me, but a great moment for them, too," he said.
"There's a lot of people behind someone making their debut, and I think about my parents or even the staff here that's been here since I got here," Villeneuve continued. "There's a lot of people behind that, so yeah, it's going to be fun."
The biggest question of the day was: Will Villeneuve be able to get a pre-game nap in ahead of what's likely the most-anticipated game of his life?
"I didn't sleep a whole lot last night, to be honest," he laughed. "Hopefully, I can get down a bit for a nap."
Munetaka Murakami has bolstered the resilience of the 2026 White Sox. | (Photo by Sydney Schneider/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Two weeks into the season and the 2026 White Sox roller coaster already has been twisting us left, right, up and down. In such a tumultuous time, the Sox have swung between being swept to being the sweepers faster than Yermín Mercedes peaked and then abruptly retired from baseball in 2021. Ah, such memorable times with Tony La Russa.
After witnessing the highs and lows of such a small sample size, here are the extremely early, yet prevalent, themes that should be followed through the rest of the season.
This Sox crew is a lot more resilient Now a full year removed from the horrors of 2024, this team is nowhere near cut from the same cloth. Despite playing pitifully on Opening Day and starting 1-5, the Sox have proven that they won’t just roll over and take losses.
As seen in their series against Toronto, the team knows how to step up. In the first two games of that series, the Sox lost but recovered the lead three times. The second game perfectly encapsulates this: After capturing an early lead, the Jays put up two runs in the sixth, quickly tampering the mood. In what would otherwise have been a typical blown win, Munetaka Murakami and Colson Montogmery delivered clutch home runs to pull the Sox ahead, 4-2, in the bottom of the sixth. Even after the Jays cut the lead to one run in the seventh, the Sox capitalized on fielding errors to add two insurance runs in the eighth. Props to Tristan Peters and Murakami’s defensive instincts that resulted in pulling off a bases-loaded, inning-ending double-play.
A similar story played out in the first two games against the Orioles, but unfortunately the Sox didn’t prevail.
This team certainly has more pep in its step, and they aren’t spiraling after losses or mistakes. You can feel the difference in this team’s attitude and mentality. If Chicago continues minimizing their number of blown wins and saves, they could creep into the wild card race.
There are no roster locks No one’s locker is safe on the South Side. That was evident when Korey Lee was DFA’d and outrighted to Charlotte to make room for Reese McGuire, and it’ll only continue.
Opening Day starter Shane Smith only spent 13 days on the 26-man roster before being optioned to Charlotte after shouldering 10 runs in fewer than nine innings. On the same day, the Sox moved Brooks Baldwin to the 60-day IL, shutting him down for the season. Don’t forget that Mike Vasil, who was supposed to be a reliable reliever, also won’t play a single regular season game until mid-2027. While Smith may be able to bounce back and rejoin the rotation, the roster has quickly turned from slightly more predictable to very uncertain.
This leaves the door open for dark horse players to emerge as unsung heroes. Peters has proven to be one of these guys after hitting a walk-off single in the home opener against the Blue Jays, and making several strong fielding plays. Anthony Kay has stepped forward as one of the top starters in the rotation after a nearly six-inning shutout and first MLB win since 2021 against the Royals on Thursday.
Any win will truly be a team effort from the Sox. As of now, there are no go-to guys who will carry this team.
The farm will get tested Chris Getz is getting a jump on the Triple-A talent at his disposal, which could make or break this season. Instead of snatching every free agent available on waivers, Getz has already called up six guys from Charlotte to plug injury gaps in the 26-man roster. While this is expected from a team that is always strapped for cash, nothing is a given with Getz steering the ship.
Unlike last year, expect Charlotte and even some of Birmingham to be drained of talent by the end of the season. Chicago’s development program and coaching staff will be put to the test with big names like Tanner McDougal, Sam Antonacci and William Bergolla Jr. on the fast-track to the Good Guys, and Bham guys including Braden Montomgery, Rikku Nishida and Calvin Harris potentially turning a major curve on their quest to the majors.
The Sox will either be exposed or praised for their youth once again. Hopefully, it goes as well as it did last year.
ATLANTA, GEORGIA - JULY 13: Major League Baseball commissioner Robert D. Manfred Jr. announces Eli Willits as the first overall pick in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft, selected by the Washington Nationals, at Coca-Cola Roxy on July 13, 2025 in Atlanta, Georgia. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Earlier this week, the crew over at OverSlot, a website dedicated to covering the MLB Draft and prospects, released an MLB mock draft simulator, something that the draft community has been sorely lacking on the baseball scene. Not only does the simulator allow you to test out different hypothetical scenarios with any team of your choosing, but it also has the many nuances of the MLB Draft built into it, such as signing bonuses and working within your team’s constrained budget.
I’ve been messing around with the simulator the last few days, and wanted to show off some different ways the draft in July could play out for the Nats, depending on the front office’s strategy. Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline mentioned in an 11-pick mock draft the other day that he thinks the Nationals will go with a college hitter with the 11th overall pick, something I will keep in mind while doing these mocks. I recommend any draft fans also give the free simulator a shot, to help them better understand this years draft class and the kinds of strategies the Nationals could deploy.
Scenario 1: College Pitcher/Slot Value
In my first mock, I get a gift from the simulator, snagging my favorite pitcher and a top 5 talent in the draft in Jackson Flora with the 11th pick, at slot value. If there is any pitcher in this draft class who could speedrun the minor leagues and make an impact in the big leagues in the next year or two, it’s Flora, who features multiple plus offerings and great strike-throwing ability (and as of me writing this, gave up his first run in over a MONTH).
I went into my second pick primarily looking for a college bat with a strong track record of success, but loved the value of getting right-handed pitcher Cade Townsend out of Ole Miss for slot value. Townsend missed a few starts during March with a shoulder injury, but has been electric in the 7 starts he has made for the Rebels in 2026, posting a 1.82 ERA, 2.22 FIP, and 32.5 K-BB%.
I splurged into my bonus pool a little with the Nats’ third-round pick, grabbing Virginia prep shortstop Will Yow, whose excellent speed and defense offer him a higher floor than most prep bats, coming in as my 32nd-ranked prospect in the entire draft currently. The focus with my remaining top 10 picks was college players who I could save bonus pool money on, but also offered some intriguing upside, especially from the pitchers. Overall, I would be thrilled with this draft path for the Nats in July, as they get to add 2 extremely polished right-handed pitchers to their farm system, a toolsy prep shortstop, and a cluster of college arms and bats.
Scenario 2: College Hitter/Slightly Underslot
I went into this mock draft looking for my favorite combination of upside and savings from a college bat with my first-round pick. There were multiple solid choices, but my favorite of the bunch ended up being Sawyer Strosnider, a left-handed hitting outfielder out of TCU. With the 700k underslot savings from the Strosnider pick, I had some wiggle room to buy down some talent with my later selections.
I was willing to use up some of my savings on the second round pick, but ended up not needing to, selecting Tennessee prep catcher Will Brick, my 17th-ranked prospect in the entire draft, as I am a huge believer in his ability to hit and stick behind the dish defensively.
I dug into those savings with the Nats’ third round selection, splurging 1.1 million dollars overslot for right-handed prep arm Joseph Contreras, one of the more famous names in this year’s class after a gutsy performance against Team USA in the World Baseball Classic, during which he got Aaron Judge to ground into a double play. Contreras reminds me of current Nats pitching prospect Miguel Sime Jr. as a prospect, a high school flamethrower who has trouble throwing strikes, but could be a huge hit if developed correctly in pro ball.
The focus of my remaining top 10 round selections was primarily on savings, as I spent a little more than I had saved on Conteras in the 3rd round, but had some fun highlights, such as Eli Willits’ older brother Jaxon Willits, a shortstop at Oklahoma, in the 4th round, and a lefty with big strikeout stuff in the 5th round in Cam Johnson, also out of Oklahoma.
Scenario 3: College Hitter/Heavily Underslot
I went into this final mock with one goal in mind: to mimic Paul Toboni and the Nationals front office to the best of my abilities. That meant my focus, at least with my first round pick, would be on athletic position players who are located up the middle defensive positions, such as catcher, shortstop, and center field, with room to adjust for best player available, depending on how the draft board shook out. In this mock, I got a prospect who checked just about every box in shortstop Tyler Bell, a draft-eligible sophomore at Kentucky with excellent defense and plus power potential. Snagging Bell 11th overall saved me 1.5 million dollars underslot, meaning I could get very creative with my money the rest of the draft.
I thought about different strategies for how to deploy my savings in the next few rounds, but decided I wanted to use them all in one place to snag California prep left-handed pitcher Logan Schmidt with the 42nd overall pick, great value as he is my 16th-ranked prospect in the class currently. Schmidt is just a grade below the top prep arms, Gio Rojas and Carson Bolemon, in this year’s draft for me, but could end up being the best pitcher in this draft class with proper development, as he’s up to 97 from the left side with elite extension and 2 blossoming breaking balls.
I needed to make back about 600k in savings with my remaining draft picks, but I was able to snag a college pitcher with great stuff in the 3rd round in Owen Kramkowski, who has great control and solid stuff, but has struggled to turn it into consistent results so far at Arizona. I also was able to snag a college shortstop having a breakout junior season in Dee Kennedy out of Kansas State in the 4th round (who I played against in high school, where he was also very good).
Overall, I think all 3 of these mock drafts would be successful drafts for the Nationals in real life, especially one like the first one, where they can get a top player in the draft at slot value. Toboni and the Red Sox staff tended to favor certain kinds of prospects during their drafts in the past, but showed a willingness to go off that script when they felt it would benefit them, meaning all bets are off as to what will happen come this July.
Apr 10, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies infielder Bryce Harper (3) hits a single against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the third inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Since being acquired by the Los Angeles Kings at the trade deadline, Scott Laughton has fit in quite nicely as the team continues their push for the playoffs.
In 17 games played with the Kings, the 31-year-old center has scored five goals along with three assists for eight points. Much better production than his previous 43 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs where he recorded just 12 points.
While the Kings are likely happy with the secondary scoring Laughton has produced, they didn't acquire him to put up eye popping numbers. They brought him in to continue to play his role, which is one of the best third line centres in the NHL.
Laughton is in the final year of his five-year, $15M deal. After spending most of his career with job security in Philadelphia with the Flyers, Laughton will be heading into unrestricted free agency for the first time, and he is expected to garner a plethora of interest. If the Kings decide to re-sign the veteran forward, what might that contract look like?
Let's take a look at some players the Kings and Laughton could use as comparisons in potential contract negotiations.
Jean-Gabriel Pageau - New York Islanders
In March, the New York Islanders signed 33-year-old forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau to a three-year deal worth $14.55M ($4.85M AAV).
This season, Pageau has recorded 17 goals and 18 assists for 35 points in 71 games played. So like Laughton, the veteran forward has provided the Isles with solid secondary scoring while also playing a respectable two-way game.
Ryan Poehling - Anaheim Ducks
Near the trade deadline, the Anaheim Ducks signed 27-year-old forward to a four-year deal worth $15M ($3.75M AAV).
In his first season with the Ducks, Poehling has been an underrated part of their success. In 72 games played, he has 11 goals and 23 assists for 34 points while playing a good two-way game in the bottom six.
Back in January, the Philadelphia Flyers and Christian Dvorak agreed on a five-year deal worth $25.75M ($5.15M AAV).
This season has been a career-year for Dvorak who has 18 goals and 32 assists for 50 points in 78 games played. While obviously producing more offence this season, his previous seasons are a lot more comparable to Laughton's.
Alex Wennberg - San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks and Alex Wennberg agreed to a three-year deal worth $18M ($6M AAV) back in January.
This season, the 31-year-old has had a really solid season, scoring 18 goals to go with 36 assists for 54 points in 77 games. Similar to Dvorak, Wennberg has had a much better offensive season compared to years past, which could be used as a comparison for Laughton.
What Should The Kings Pay Laughton?
Based on his production and looking at comparisons, the Los Angeles Kings have the means to bring back Scott Laughton who has been a great fit in their bottom six.
Although it may seem crazy after looking at his statistics, Laughton's next contract could look similar to a mixture of all the players listed above. With the quickly rising every year, unrestricted free agents will continue to get overpaid due to the urgency to get a deal done.
If the Kings and Laughton can come to an agreement on a contract in the summer, I would expect the contract to be three to five years, paying him an AAV of $4.75M to $5.5M per season.
Official Prediction: Scott Laughton signs four-year deal worth $5.25M AAV to remain a Los Angeles King.
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The postseason stakes are already locked in, but Saturday afternoon’s matchup at the Delta Center still carries plenty of weight as the Carolina Hurricanes visit the newly playoff-bound Utah Mammoth for a 3:00 p.m. MT puck drop.
Broadcast coverage will be available on Utah16 and Mammoth+, with radio coverage across the Mammoth App, NHL App, NHL.com, KSL Sports Zone (97.5 FM/1280 AM), and the KSL Sports App.
Playoff Surge Meets Division Dominance
Utah enters the contest at 42-30-6, riding a five-game winning streak and sitting 7-3-0 over its last 10 games. The momentum has carried the club into franchise history, as the Mammoth officially clinched their first-ever playoff berth on Thursday night. They currently occupy the first Western Conference wild card position with 90 points, holding a five-point cushion over the Los Angeles Kings in the second wild card spot.
Their most recent outing was a convincing 4-1 victory over the Nashville Predators, powered by goals from Kailer Yamamoto, Nick Schmaltz (power-play), Lawson Crouse, and Dylan Guenther. Goaltender Karel Vejmelka was steady once again, turning aside 29 of 30 shots faced.
Offensively, Utah has leaned heavily on Dylan Guenther, who leads the team with 39 goals and ranks third in scoring with 71 points. Captain Clayton Keller remains the engine of the attack, pacing the team with 57 assists and 83 points. Nick Schmaltz has been equally impactful, contributing 31 goals and 72 points, while Mikhail Sergachev continues to drive play from the blue line with a team-leading 47 assists among defensemen.
Between the pipes, Vejmelka has delivered a workhorse season, appearing in 61 games with a 37-19-3 record, a 2.71 goals-against average, and a .898 save percentage. Backup Vítek Vaněček has appeared in 20 games, posting a 5-11-3 record, a 2.87 goals-against average, and a .886 save percentage.
Looking ahead, Utah will travel to face the Calgary Flames on Sunday in the second half of a back-to-back before returning home for its final two games of the regular season.
On the other side, Carolina arrives at 51-22-6, also 7-3-0 in its last 10, and riding a two-game winning streak with victories in four of its last five. The Hurricanes have already secured both a playoff berth and the Metropolitan Division title, marking their fourth division crown in six seasons.
Their most recent performance was a dominant 7-2 win over the Chicago Blackhawks, highlighted by multi-goal efforts from Logan Stankoven and Mark Jankowski. Sean Walker, K’Andre Miller, and Taylor Hall also found the net, while Frederik Andersen stopped 23 of 25 shots.
Seth Jarvis leads Carolina with 32 goals, while Sebastian Aho remains the primary playmaker with 53 assists and 79 points. Andrei Svechnikov has added 30 goals and 69 points, and Nikolaj Ehlers has contributed 42 assists in a strong supporting role.
In net, the Hurricanes have leaned on a tandem of Brandon Bussi and Frederik Andersen. Bussi has quietly put together a strong 30-6-1 record with a 2.52 goals-against average and .892 save percentage. Andersen, meanwhile, sits at 15-14-5 with a 3.11 goals-against average and .871 save percentage.
Saturday’s game marks the second stop on Carolina’s four-game season-closing road trip, which will continue against the Philadelphia Flyers and New York Islanders next week.
From a numbers standpoint, both teams bring elite resumes into the matchup. Schmaltz’s nine game-winning goals are tied for third-most in the NHL, while Keller is tied for second in overtime goals with four. Jarvis’ four shorthanded goals also rank among the league leaders.
Carolina’s 108 points are second-best in the NHL, trailing only the Colorado Avalanche, while its 51 wins are second only to Colorado’s 52. Utah, meanwhile, becomes just the fourth Western Conference team to clinch a postseason berth this season.
The Hurricanes have also been especially dangerous in key moments, scoring the second-most first-period goals in the league (92) and leading the NHL in third-period goals (102). In goal, Vejmelka’s 37 wins are tied with Andrei Vasilevskiy of the Tampa Bay Lightning for the most in the league, while Bussi’s 30 wins rank tied for fourth.
This is the final regular season meeting between Utah and Carolina. The Hurricanes edged the first matchup 5-4 back on Jan. 29.
Utah’s remaining schedule includes a road game in Calgary on Apr. 12, a matchup with the Winnipeg Jets on Apr. 14, and a regular-season finale against the St. Louis Blues on Apr. 16. layoff Surge Meets Division Dominance
NEW YORK, NY - AUGUST 08: A detail shot of a full moon over the stadium lights during the game between the Houston Astros and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Friday, August 8, 2025 in New York, New York. (Photo by Michael Mooney/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
It’s been a part of the Yankee Stadium experience for years. The Bombers have runners on base, the visiting manager makes the slow walk out to the mound, and signals to the bullpen in left field. Immediately, the door in the left-field fence opens up, the new reliever steps onto the field, and immediately the Yankee Stadium scoreboard begins to play a rally video, intended to intimidate the new pitcher and pump up the crowd.
Over the last few years, the Yankees have experimented quite a bit with the in-game stadium experience, bringing in a DJ to blast music and sound effects between pitches and implementing various closer entrances for Clay Holmes, Luke Weaver, Devin Williams, and David Bednar. Accordingly, the organization has experimented with these rally hype videos. Last summer, for example, they engaged in some subtle advertising with a Jurassic World-themed vide of Yankees batters stalking pitchers like prey, conveniently introduced a few weeks before Jurassic World Rebirth premiered in theaters. Then, as the old scoreboard gave them fits late last season (in fact, I saw the system crash so often I almost wrote an article last year about it), they shifted to a light-centered video, cutting almost all the lights in the stadium and putting a “Public Service Announcement: Yankees Rally Incoming” emergency alert on all functioning screens.
After making a big deal about the new scoreboard installation, it should not be surprising then that the Yankees revamped their rally hype video again. When a new pitcher came into the game this week, the lights in the Stadium were dimmed, and a QR code was put on the screen. This QR code linked to a light show website, which took over the flashlight of each participating cell phone and incorporated them into a stadium-wide light show.
From a technical standpoint, the effect was incredibly cool — thousands upon thousands of lights flashing throughout Yankee Stadium in the night, taking over for the Stadium lights and supplementing the scoreboards and screens as the pitcher reached the mound in preparation for his warmup pitches. And it’s thematically appropriate, too, as between the increased prominence of the DJ and the amount of music played before the game and between innings, it’s clear to me that the team is intent on giving Yankee Stadium a bit of a club vibe this season. These cell phone light shows really help contribute to that atmosphere. And the effect has done its job — many in the crowd used the QR code, and the energy in the Stadium, even on the cold nights when the Yankees were losing to the Athletics, skyrocketed for that short minute.
There’s just one problem: Because of it, Yankee Stadium now needs a strobe warning.
The human body doesn’t always respond well to flashing lights. For many people, looking at it for too long can cause headaches and migraines. For people with photosensitive epilepsy, even a brief exposure to flashes and strobes can cause seizures. These effects are common enough that, when I was the lighting designer of an amateur theatre group back in college, we felt compelled to post strobe warnings outside the theatre even when the show’s most intense light cue was the LEDs changing color a couple of times — after all, it’s better to be safe than sorry.
Now, you might say, wouldn’t someone who has such sensitivity to light know not to put themselves in this kind of position? Obviously, the answer is yes — but for the most part that involves avoiding concerts with big light shows, fast-paced videogames, or movies with a lot of on-screen explosions. It didn’t used to mean baseball games. But now, suddenly, it does — and people need to be made aware.
MIAMI, FLORIDA - APRIL 06: Ke'bryan Hayes #3 of the Cincinnati Reds at bat against the Miami Marlins in the third inning of the game at loanDepot park on April 06, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Megan Briggs/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Cincinnati Reds 3B Ke’Bryan Hayes is off to a 3 for 34 start to the 2026 season. In 215 PA since coming over to the Reds from the Pittsburgh Pirates last summer, he’s the owner of a combined .208/.288/.297 (.585 OPS, 60 OPS+) line, and that was enough to make me dive back into the performances of some other notable Reds during their tenures with the club as comparison.
Jack Hannahan (2013-2014)
Hannahan, like Hayes, was primarily a 3B, though he did at least bounce around to other positions on the infield where he also couldn’t hit.
In 212 PA with the Reds across two seasons, he memorably hit .209/.294/.278 (.572 OPS). That was good for an OPS+ of 60 in that era.
Corey Patterson (2008)
Patterson came to the Reds after a stint with the Baltimore Orioles after having also been a half-decent player for the Chicago Cubs for a time. In 2008, he logged 392 PA with the Reds – many in the leadoff spot – and hit a whopping .205/.238/.344 (.582 OPS). In that particular offensive environment, that was good for an OPS+ of just 50.
Skip Schumaker (2014-2015)
Skip was brought in to help anchor the Reds after they’d somehow found a way to twice win 90+ games without him at the early portions of that decade. The veteran veteran hit the ground running in 2014 with a .235/.287/.308 (.595 OPS) in 271 PA in 2014, a mark that was good for a 68 OPS+.
His veteran presence presented the Reds with such a good opportunity that they brought him back for a 2015 season that was significantly better as he hit .242/.306/.336 (.642 OPS). That was a remarkable 76 OPS+!
Paul Janish (2008-2011)
Soft-J was, like Hayes, an incredibly gifted defender, and for that he provided quite the service to the Reds in his time. With the bat, he was – like Hayes – accomplished in the sense that he can actually tell other human beings that he got hits at the Major League level.
In 975 PA across four seasons with the Reds, Paul hit .221/.289/.302 (.591 OPS). That was good for a 59 OPS+.
Shogo Akiyama (2020-2021)
I had actually overlooked that Shogo spent more than just one season with the Reds before the two parted ways. That was a pretty crazy time in the world!
In 366 PA with the Reds after coming to MLB from Japan, Shogo hit .224/.320/.274 (.594 OPS). That was good for a 57 OPS+ in that era.
Doug Flynn (1975-1977)
Flynn, the glue of the Big Red Machine, is notable in that he managed to compile a pretty remarkable -6.9 bWAR for his career spent with 5 franchises across 11 seasons.
With the Reds, though, he swung a mean bat. He hit .275/.310/.341 (.651 OPS) in 411 PA across a trio of seasons. That was good for an OPS+ 0f 82, which was way better than the .238/.266/.294 line he compiled in 4085 career PA at the big league level. That career mark was good for a 58 OPS+.
The Texas Rangers face the best offense in MLB in game two of their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday, and it looks like they'll be doing it without a key component of their offense.
An advantage in the starting pitching matchup gives Texas its best chance of the weekend at a win, but our Rangers vs. Dodgers predictions and MLB picks still have the Dodgers covering the run line.
Who will win Rangers vs Dodgers today: Dodgers -1.5 (+110)
The Los Angeles Dodgers lead MLB in home runs, hits, and batting. At a time when no one hits .300 anymore, the entire Dodger team is batting a combined .297.
In addition to the MVPs at the top of the lineup, Los Angeles has Andy Pages, the hottest hitter in baseball to start the year, and Max Muncy, whose three homers Friday beat Texas, at the bottom.
The Texas Rangers will likely be without Wyatt Langford, who left Friday with quad tightness after apparently hurting himself homering. He is doubtful, handicapping a lineup that has scored three or fewer in seven of eight.
COVERS INTEL:Sheehan's fastball is down from 95.6 mph last year to 93.9. Batters are hitting .545 against it with a 1.273 slugging percentage.
Rangers vs Dodgers Over/Under pick: Over 8.5 (-114)
The Dodgers' 8-7 win over Texas was their fifth time scoring eight or more in the last seven games, including three double-digit scoring outbursts.
L.A. is starting Emmet Sheehan, which could give the Rangers a chance to contribute to the scoring. Through two starts, Sheehan has as many runs allowed as strikeouts (8). His hit, home run, and walk rates are all nearly double last season's.
Texas starter Jack Leiter has struck out 17 batters in 11 dominant innings. He'll be facing a Dodgers lineup that is in the bottom 10 in MLB in strikeouts.
Shawn Krest's 2026 Transparency Record
ML/RL bets: 3-5, -2.60 units
Over/Under bets: 5-7, -2.19 units
Rangers vs Dodgers odds
Moneyline: Rangers +165 | Dodgers -200
Run line: Rangers +1.5 (-130) | Dodgers -1.5 (+110)
Over/Under: Over 9 (-115) | Under 9 (-125)
Rangers vs Dodgers trend
The Texas Rangers have hit the Game Total Over in 30 of their last 45 away games (+14.65 Units / 30% ROI). Find more MLB betting trends for Rangers vs. Dodgers.
How to watch Rangers vs Dodgers and game info
Location
Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles, CA
Date
Saturday, April 11, 2026
First pitch
9:40 p.m. ET
TV
RSN, SNLA
Rangers starting pitcher
Jack Leiter (1-0, 2.46 ERA)
Dodgers starting pitcher
Emmet Sheehan (1-0, 8.00 ERA)
Rangers vs Dodgers latest injuries
Rangers vs Dodgers weather
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change. Not intended for use in MA. Affiliate Disclosure: Our team of experts has thoroughly researched and handpicked each product that appears on our website. We may receive compensation if you sign up through our links.
Kodai Senga
Trent Grisham
Jackson Merrill
COVERS INTEL: