Mets closer Edwin Diaz was virtually unhittable in the month of July, and he has now been named NL Reliever of the Month for his efforts.
Diaz appeared in 10 games this past month, pitching 11.0 innings while striking out 18 batters without allowing an earned run. He didn’t allow a hit in six of those outings, and picked up seven saves in the month.
An All-Star this season for the third time, Diaz has been one of the best relievers in the game this year, pitching to a miniscule 1.44 ERA with 65 strikeouts in 43.2 innings. Diaz’s 13.4 strikeouts per nine innings are the most for any NL pitcher who has faced at least 130 batters this season.
Diaz has not allowed an earned run since June 2 against the Los Angeles Dodgers, and hasn’t allowed an earned run in 39 of his 43 appearances this season.
The Mets’ closer also took home the NL Reliever of the Month Award in May, when he tossed 11 scoreless appearances, and he’s likely the favorite to take home the Trevor Hoffman Award as NL Reliever of the Year (which he also won in 2022).
Its Monday, August 4 and the Royals (56-56) are in Boston to take on the Red Sox (62-51).
Bailey Falter is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Brayan Bello for Boston.
Both these teams are playing well. The Royals arrive in Beantown having taken two of three over the weekend in Toronto while the Sox swept the Astros in Boston.
Lets dive into the series and specifically tonight's matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Royals at Red Sox
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: FDSNKC, 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 Royals at the Red Sox
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Royals (+135), Red Sox (-160)
Spread: Red Sox -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Red Sox
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Bailey Falter vs. Brayan Bello
Royals: Bailey Falter (7-5, 3.73 ERA) Last outing: July 29 at San Francisco - 1.80 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 1 Strikeouts
Red Sox: Brayan Bello (7-5, 3.19 ERA) Last outing: July 30 at Minnesota - 1.29 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Red Sox
The Red Sox have won 16 of their last 20 games at home
Each of the Royals' last 5 road games with the Red Sox have stayed under the Total
The Red Sox have covered the Run Line in 11 of their last 13 games
Brayan Bello has struck out 4 or 5 opposing hitters in each of his last 4 starts
Alex Bregman was 2-11 over the weekend against his former team
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 Royals and the Red Sox
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Royals and the Red Sox:
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 Kansas City Royals at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.
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WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Even Athletics veterans walk around the clubhouse wearing “Nick Kurtz goes yard” T-shirts, and they know what he means for the franchise’s future.
Kurtz, who recently had one of the greatest individual performances in big-league history, is the odds-on favorite to be AL Rookie of the Year. He’s hardly the only talented youngster giving A’s fans — wherever they might be — reason to feel optimistic about the team’s on-field direction.
The A’s are in transition in more ways than one. Most notably, the club is playing the first of what’s expected to be three seasons in Sacramento — a temporary, minor league home for the former Oakland franchise until a new stadium is scheduled to be ready in Las Vegas for 2028.
The roster is shaping up to be a dynamic and competitive one when they arrive. Kurtz is the headliner, but teammate Jacob Wilson was the second favorite for top rookie before going on the injured list with a broken left forearm. Lawrence Butler, an electric outfield defender with pop and speed, also looks like a centerpiece for the type of team the A’s want to take to Las Vegas.
The club added 18-year-old shortstop Leo De Vries as part of a multiplayer trade with San Diego that sent out closer Mason Miller and his 101-mph fastball. MLB.com rates De Vries as as baseball’s No. 3 prospect.
Also on the roster — and under contract through at least 2028 — is All-Star designated hitter Brent Rooker. Kurtz, Wilson and catcher Shea Langeliers are among the starters who could be under team control with the planned moved to Las Vegas. That core isn’t translating into wins yet — the team is 49-65 this season, worst in the AL West — largely because the team’s pitching lags behind.
“We certainly want to win in present day and ‘26 and ’27 are important to us, but a lot of our internal conversations are about what the team will look like in 2028 when we get to Las Vegas,” A’s general manager David Forst said. “You can see it some of the contracts we signed, starting obviously with the manager (Mark Kotsay), but also with Rooker and Lawrence, making sure that two of our key guys are locked up into our time in Vegas.”
Whether management keeps the team together is a question. The A’s have a history of trading young players on the verge of landing lucrative contracts and keeping their payroll among the lowest in baseball.
Maybe that changes with the anticipated move to Las Vegas, given owner John Fisher might want to bring a competitive team to the market. The A’s, in fact, opened up the wallet this year and signed Rooker to a five-year, $60 million contract and a seven-year, $65.5 million deal with Butler.
“I feel like we’re headed in the right direction,” Butler said. “We’ve got a lot of young players. When a team calls up young players, they might not be ready, but I feel like all our guys are ready. They’ve shown that they can compete at this level.”
Butler, 25, is part of a clubhouse filled with promising 20-somethings.
“In this locker room, I am kind of the old man,” the 30-year-old Rooker said. “I don’t know if I take them under my wing. These guys are better players than I am. They don’t need the help.”
Kurtz and Wilson were battling it out for the AL’s top first-year player award, and maybe that competition will continue if and when Wilson — the first fan-elected rookie shortstop to the All-Star Game — returns to the lineup.
Kurtz has done his best to make it a one-man race. He became the first rookie to hit four home runs in a game and tied the major-league record with 19 total bases by going 6 for 6 with eight RBIs on July 25 at Houston.
That performance gave Kurtz consecutive AL player of the week honors. He led the majors in multiple categories in July, including batting average (.395), on-base percentage (.480) and slugging percentage (.953). The 22-year-old already has shown a knack for delivering in key moments with seven game-winning RBIs and five go-ahead homers.
“It’s the moment you dream about as a kid,” Kurtz said. “You’re in a spot where you can end the game with a walk-off or take the lead. Baseball’s so hard. You’re supposed to get out. I come through here, it’s freakin’ awesome. I think I just aim to be calm and I trust my process.”
Kotsay said before the trade deadline that for all the young hitting talent, the A’s could use help with their pitching.
The A’s then added three pitching prospects in the Miller trade and another in right-hander Kenya Huggins when Miguel Andujar was sent to Cincinnati. They have 25-year-old Jack Perkins, called up Luis Morales and have Gage Jump in their minor-league system. The A’s also selected Florida State left-hander Jamie Arnold 11th overall in this year’s draft.
“Where we’ve struggled this year is pitching, both rotation and bullpen,” Forst said. “When we’ve had success on the mound, that’s when we’ve put some good little stretches together.”
Outside of a horrendous stint when the A’s lost 20 of 21 games, they have been largely competitive. That includes a current run of seven wins in 10 games.
“In terms of our vision, in terms of putting a group together that we can win with, I think that talent especially on the players position side is just showing itself,” Kotsay said recently. "(They are) continuing to make improvements and continuing to show what our priorities are, which is playing the game at an elite level and becoming a team that goes out and competes every night.”
The A’s signed Kotsay to an extension in February that takes him through 2028 with an option for 2029. He has had to navigate a club that experienced the fan anger in Oakland toward management for its impending move and now playing in Sacramento.
“I think (Kotsay’s) got one of the tougher jobs in baseball right now in the sense of trying to get the buy-in from the players,” Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “There’s so much uncertainty with the ballpark and where they’re going to be. I think he’s done a fantastic job. He’s a lifelong A, so he understands the culture of the organization. ... He’s the perfect guy for that organization.”
Its Monday, August 4 and the Guardians (56-55) are in Queens to open a series against the Mets (63-49).
Slade Cecconi is slated to take the mound for Cleveland against Sean Manaea for New York.
The Mets lost a series at home over the weekend to San Francisco. Rafael Devers and the Giants ripped Frankie Montas and New York Sunday afternoon, 12-4.
The Guardians lost to Minnesota yesterday, 5-4 but did take two of three against the Twins over the weekend.
Lets dive into today's matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Guardians at Mets
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Citi Field
City: Queens, NY
Network/Streaming: CLEG, SNY
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 Mets
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Guardians (+148), Mets (-179)
Spread: Mets -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Guardians at Mets
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Slade Cecconi vs. Sean Manaea
Guardians: Slade Cecconi (5-4, 3.77 ERA) Last outing: July 28 vs. Colorado - 3.86 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
Mets: Sean Manaea (1-1, 2.08 ERA) Last outing: July 29 at San Diego - 1.80 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Guardians at Mets
The Mets have won 4 of their last 5 home games against American League teams
Sean Manaea has allowed one run in each of his 4 starts since returning from the disabled list
Francisco Lindor is enjoying a modest 3-game hitting streak (5-11)
The Guardians have covered the Run Line in 3 straight road games against the Mets
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 Mets
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Guardians and the Mets:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Mets 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 8.0.
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Nowadays there are hockey people who make good bucks by essentially doing virtually nothing and they are called "insiders." (The Maven can think of better things to call them; but not now.)
The trick for these "insiders" is to know almost everything before almost anyone else and then tell everyone else that Manny Cotman will be traded whenever. Stuff like that and if you like stuffing, tune in to Ellotte (Spelled Right) Friedman.
This 54-year Toronto lad is "The Insider's Insider" and if he can't tell you when Connor McDavid will re-sign with the Oilers, nobody can; with the possible exception of Mrs. Lauren Kyle McDavid, and she's not talking.
Because Friedman is so good at what he does, you have to figure that at least 2,315 NHL pipelines are directly connected to his itsy-bitsy cellphone.
But I got news for you and Sir Friedman: The Maven was 60 years ahead of Elliotte; and that goes for Kevin Weekes, Darren Dreger and any other of the "current" insiders.
In 1965 I was Rangers beat writer for the New York Journal-American, Hearst's flagship evening broadsheet, having followed award-winning Dave Anderson into that role.
During those glorious NHL Original Six years, the expression "insider" didn't exist, except that my sports editor Max Kase did run an appetizing gossip column called "Briefkase, so that must have made him the first of the species.
As for The Maven, my job was to write up Rangers games, pre-game stuff and trades when they were announced. I didn't think much of getting a scoop or beat as we called them until I met an American Hockey League writer named Charlie Barton.
Charlie was a bachelor from St. Catherines, Ontario and – before NHL expansion – covered the AHL Buffalo Bisons for the Buffalo Courier-Express. The other important things to know about Charlie is that he was Jewish and desperately wanted to find and marry a nice Jewish girl.
One day, Charlie said, "Stan, maybe you can help me." And I did. I fixed him up with
Sheila from Brooklyn and he liked Sheila but the duet didn't last long. So, I tried Natalie and Susan and, again, it didn't work out.
As it happened, in addition to covering the AHL Bisons, Charlie was tuned into the NHL better than anyone and one day he phoned me. "You tried hard to find me a wife," he said, "and I owe you one."
Then, a pause: "I got a hot tip that the Rangers are going to get this very good Providence goalie, Ed Giacomin, in a big trade. I can't use it but you can; and it's guaranteed. It's gonna happen. Run with it."
Dilemma. BIG dilemma. I never had a scoop before and I didn't know if i could trust Charlie, but he assured me ten times over that it would happen so I gambled and the J-A ran the story big while The Maven held his breath.
Sure enough, the next day the Rangers announced the Giacomin deal and I had my first Rangers beat.
Of course, Blueshirts GM Emile Francis was fit to be tied and couldn't figure out how I got the scoop. Meanwhile, Charlie Barton was still single and needed more dates so I matched him with Jane, Barbara and Muriel. Still, nothing clicked but at least I was trying.
Meanwhile, Charlie fed me at least three more legit beats even after the Sabres were welcomed to the NHL fraternity. "Practically everybody in pro hockey knew Charlie," said Windsor Star columnist Jack Dulmage.
Though assailed by cancer, Charlie stayed on the Sabres beat even filling out the NHL All-Star battle a few weeks before he died. He remained a bachelor living with his Mom in St. Catherines so in that case I failed him.
But looking backward, it was Charlie Barton who really was the first pro hockey insider. The Maven was merely the recipient and I never stopped thanking him for it!
Alex Nylander is returning to Toronto for another season.
The 27-year-old, along with Brandon Baddock and Luke Grainger, signed one-year AHL contracts with the Toronto Marlies on Monday. All three players spent parts or most of last season in the AHL, with Baddock and Nylander finishing the season with Toronto.
Nylander is coming off a 44-point campaign in 64 games with the Marlies last year. The right-shot forward originally joined Toronto on an AHL deal, before upgrading to an NHL contract with the Maple Leafs on November 22 after several injuries to the NHL squad.
Alex’s brother, William, who led the Maple Leafs in goals last season, was recently named Sweden’s top hockey player in 2025. Their father, Michael, who played 15 seasons in the NHL, presented the honor, known as the GuldPucken, to William last week.
Alex was drafted eighth overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2016 NHL Draft and has since played 126 games in the NHL, scoring 25 goals and 24 assists in that span. He’s appeared in NHL games with the Sabres, Chicago Blackhawks, Pittsburgh Penguins, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Maple Leafs.
Baddock scored one goal in seven games with the Marlies last season after joining the club via trade by the Rockford IceHogs in mid-March. The 30-year-old scored eight points in 45 AHL games last season. A sixth-round (161st overall) pick by the New Jersey Devils in 2014, Baddock has appeared in 431 career AHL games, scoring 25 goals and 38 assists.
Oscar Piastri and Lando Norris have set up a potentially thrilling title race, Gabriel Bortoleto is one to watch, and Lewis Hamilton needs time off
Oscar Piastri Leading the world championship and has earned his place at the top. He has not only been quick in the best car on the grid, but consistent and calm. This has not been the stuff of fireworks, but relentless precision. His execution and attitude have no little of the Alain Prost about them and he is shaping up to be a similarly formidable opponent as The Professor.
Its Monday, August 4 and the Orioles (51-61) are in Philadelphia to begin a series against the Phillies (63-48).
Cade Povich is slated to take the mound for Baltimore against Jesús Luzardo for Philadelphia.
The Phillies took two of three over the weekend against the American League Central-leading Detroit Tigers. Last night they won, 2-0, thanks in large part to Kyle Schwarber's 38th home run and eight innings of five-hit ball from Cristopher Sanchez.
Baltimore lost two of three over the weekend to the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Chicago won 5-3 Sunday afternoon. Justin Turner went yard in the bottom of the ninth against Keegan Akin to provide the difference.
Lets dive into tonight's matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Orioles at Phillies
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Citizens Bank Park
City: Philadelphia, PA
Network/Streaming: MASN, NBCSP
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Orioles at the Phillies
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Orioles (+176), Phillies (-210)
Spread: Phillies -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Orioles at Phillies
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Cade Povich vs. Jesús Luzardo
Orioles: Cade Povich (2-5, 5.15 ERA) Last outing: June 15 vs. Angels - 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Phillies: Jesús Luzardo (9-5, 4.31 ERA) Last outing: July 29 at White Sox - 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Orioles at Phillies
The Phillies have won 4 of their last 5 home games against the Orioles
In the Orioles' last 5 road games the Under is 4-0-1
The Orioles have covered in 4 of their last 5 on the road, profiting 1.57 units
Kyle Schwarber was 3-11 against Detroit over the weekend
Nick Castellanos has hit safely in 4 straight games (5-14)
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 Orioles and the Phillies
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Orioles and the Phillies:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia Phillies on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.
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Sitting amid the NHL off-season dog days, there has been little activity in the trade market. Meanwhile, the arbitration period ended predictably with all 13 players agreeing to new contracts with their respective teams before their scheduled hearings.
Nevertheless, the rumor mill keeps churning despite the lack of trade activity and the dearth of offer sheets to restricted free agents.
Most of the attention is on the Pittsburgh Penguins. While management isn't openly saying they're rebuilding, it's clear that is what they're doing this summer as they attempt to move out aging veterans for younger talent.
Most of the attention is focused on defenseman Erik Karlsson and wingers Rickard Rakell and Bryan Rust. The 35-year-old Karlsson is signed through 2026-27 with the Penguins carrying $10 million of his $11.5 million average annual value. Rakell and Rust are in their early 30s with cap hits at or just above $5 million annually through 2027-28.
Cap retention is a must for the Leafs, Avalanche, and Kings, while the Sabres could be on Rakell's nine-team no-trade list. Rust could be a good fit with the Red Wings given his Michigan roots.
Turning to Calgary, Flames center Nazem Kadri and defenseman Rasmus Andersson remain the topic of media conjecture.
Kadri is under contract until 2028-29 with an AAV of $7 million and a full no-movement clause. Andersson carries a more affordable $4.55-million AAV with a six-team no-trade list, and is UFA-eligible next July.
Dixon suggested the Montreal Canadiens,New Jersey Devils, Hurricanes, Avalanche, and Maple Leafs as possible destinations if Kadri is moved. Cap space would be an issue for the Avalanche, Devils, and Leafs, while the Canadiens aren't likely to part with young assets for a 34-year-old center.
The Hurricanes have the cap room and are willing to make bold moves. Kadri could be a good fit, but his age raises concerns about the length of his contract.
As for Andersson, Daniel Austin of the Calgary Sun considers it a matter of time until the 28-year-old defenseman is moved. Still, Flames GM Craig Conroy has no problem with him being on the roster to begin this season.
Andersson is more likely to be moved than Kadri this season, but the Flames could wait until the March trade deadline to maximize his value.
Its Monday, August 4 and the Giants (56-56) are in Pittsburgh to begin a series against the Pirates (48-64).
Justin Verlander is slated to take the mound for San Francisco against Johan Oviedo for Pittsburgh.
The Giants picked up a much-needed series win over the weekend in New York against the Mets. Rafael Devers went 3-4 with a home run and drove in four runs to lead San Francisco to a 12-4 win Sunday. It was just their third win in their last ten games.
The Pirates won yesterday as well. Spencer Horwitz homered twice and drove in six runs as the Bucs won 9-5 over the Rockies. Colorado took two of three over the weekend to slow down a Pittsburgh team that had won eight of its previous nine games.
The Pirates and Giants met just a handful of days ago at the end of July in San Francisco with the Bucs sweeping the three-game series.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Giants at Pirates
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: PNC Park
City: Pittsburgh, PA
Network/Streaming: NBCSBA, SNP
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Giants at the Pirates
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Giants (-132), Pirates (+112)
Spread: Giants -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Giants at Pirates
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Justin Verlander vs. Johan Oviedo
Giants: Justin Verlander (1-8, 4.53 ERA) Last outing: July 29 vs. Pittsburgh - 1.80 ERA, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts
Pirates: Johan Oviedo (0-0, 0.00 ERA) Last outing: Has not pitched in the majors since September 0f 2023
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Giants at Pirates
The Pirates have won 4 of their last 5 home games against National League teams
6 of the Pirates' last 7 home games stayed under the Total
The Pirates have covered the Run Line in 6 straight home games
Justin Verlander struck out 7 in his last start which happened to be against the Pirates
Justin Verlander has allowed one run over his last 2 starts (10 innings)
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 Giants and the Pirates
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Giants and the Pirates:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Pittsburgh Pirates at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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It's Monday, August 4 and the Yankees (60-52) are in Arlington to take on the Rangers (58-55). Max Fried is slated to take the mound for New York against Patrick Corbin for Texas.
The Yankees are coming off three straight losses to the Marlins where New York was outscored 22-14. Prior to that, New York won three consecutive games, so I'm unsure what version of the Yankees we'll get.
Texas is 1-3 in the last four games and 2-5 over the past seven, which follows up a dominant 8-1 stretch to start the second half of the year (now 10-6 in the second half).
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Yankees at Rangers
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 8:05PM EST
Site: Globe Life Field
City: Arlington, TX
Network/Streaming: YES, RSN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Yankees at the Rangers
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Yankees (-161), Rangers (+135)
Spread: Yankees -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Yankees at Rangers
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Max Fried vs. Patrick Corbin
Yankees: Max Fried, (12-4, 2.62 ERA) Last outing: 2.70 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 9 Strikeouts
Rangers: Patrick Corbin, (6-7, 3.78 ERA) Last outing: 3.60 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Yankees and the Rangers
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Yankees and the Rangers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Texas Rangers at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Yankees at Rangers
The Yankees have lost three straight
The Yankees are 1-5 in the last six road games
The Rangers are 2-5 in the last seven games
The Rangers have won 10 of their last 11 home games, while the Yankees have lost 5 in 6 on the road
The Yankees' last 3 versus the Rangers have stayed under the Total
The Yankees have failed to cover the Run Line in 4 straight road games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
Long-time NHL forward Matt Cullen's son just announced his commitment to playing hockey for the University of Minnesota. Wyatt is one of three Cullen brothers, all who play hockey.
Wyatt, 16, recorded six goals, 25 assists and 31 points in 55 games for the U.S. National Development Program U17 team during the 2024-25 season.
His older brother Brooks was playing for Moorhead High School where he recorded 23 goals and 48 points in 29 games. He announced his commitment to Michigan State in November but might be de-committing soon.
The commitment photo on Instagram for Wyatt spelled out "W.Cullen" on the back of a Gophers jersey instead of just the last name. This is what you do if there are two players with the same last name on the team. We will see what happens.
Matt played 21 seasons in the NHL with eight different teams. He spent six years with the Anaheim Ducks to start his career. The second most games he played with one team was with the Minnesota Wild.
Cullen spent four seasons with the Wild on two different stops. He recorded 44 goals, 79 assists and 123 points in 272 games with Minnesota. In his NHL career, Cullen recorded 266 goals, 465 assists and 731 points in 1,516 games. He won three Stanley Cups and is in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.
The reasoning at the time, which was fair enough, was that they didn't want to use one of their most prized prospects for a spot-start.
Once the pitching staff became whole again, there were still question marks due to Clay Holmes' transition from relief to starting, Sean Manaea's elbow, and Frankie Montas' struggles.
But the Mets didn't add a starting pitcher at the trade deadline.
President of baseball operations David Stearns explained that while they were engaged in the market, most of the impact pitchers who were rumored to be available were not dealt -- a group that included Sandy Alcantara, Dylan Cease, and Edward Cabrera.
So while the Mets certainly could've used a reinforcement for the staff, it's understandable why they didn't pounce -- especially given the fact that Sproat and McLean are so close to contributing.
And speaking in the hours after the deadline passed, Stearns said the team was prepared to turn to Sproat and McLean down the stretch if needed.
"They can help. It’s just a matter of their continued development and when the opportunity does arise, is it the right time," Stearns said. "Both guys have taken very nice steps forward in their development. We’re going to continue to challenge them. We’re going to continue to ask them to get better and work on things. They are doing a good job. If we need someone from Triple-A, we’ve got people down (there) and they are among them who can help us."
Following Montas' disastrous outing on Sunday against the Giants, the time is now to call on Sproat or McLean.
Against San Francisco, Montas was mostly non-competitive, allowing seven runs in 4.0 innings, including a back-breaking three-run homer to Rafael Devers in the third inning. With the game still within reach, Montas was touched up for three more runs in the fourth inning, effectively ending any chance the Mets had to come back.
Montas now has a 6.68 ERA and 1.54 WHIP through seven starts this season. And while there's a chance he turns it around if the Mets keep going to him, they really can't afford to take the risk with a pitcher who has allowed 11.2 hits per nine and whose FIP (5.07) suggests this isn't bad luck.
Aug 3, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Frankie Montas (47) delivers a pitch during the third inning against the San Francisco Giants at Citi Field. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images
A look at Montas' advanced stats shows a pitcher who has done a good job getting batters to chase and who has been a bit above average when it comes to limiting hard contact. But they also show a pitcher whose stuff -- while tantalizing at times -- has graded out near the bottom of the league.
Montas is also among the worst in the league in xERA, xBA, and barrel percentage, and he's simply not missing enough bats -- his strikeout rate is just 7.8 per nine.
During a season where the Mets are scratching and clawing with the Phillies for the NL East title, and following a trade deadline where they were incredibly aggressive while trading for late-inning relievers Ryan Helsley, Tyler Rogers, and Gregory Soto, decisive action is needed.
That action should be the immediate removal of Montas from the rotation, with the team sliding him to the bullpen to take the revolving door role that has been held by Rico Garcia and Austin Warren in recent days.
Speaking after Sunday's game, manager Carlos Mendoza didn't give a yes or no regarding Montas' future in the rotation.
"I mean we just got done with the game here," Mendoza said. "He's got to be better and he knows that."
The above kind of quote is usually code for a team that is prepared to remove a starter from the rotation or truly doesn't yet know which direction they'll turn.
If Montas' spot in the rotation was safe, Mendoza almost certainly would've said so.
Montas' next start would likely be on Saturday, Aug. 9 against the Brewers in Milwaukee.
Sproat, who has usually been pitching with five-days rest, would likely be lined up to make his next start on Aug. 6 or 7.
McLean, who has also ordinarily been pitching with five-days rest, would likely be lined up to make his next start on Aug. 5 or 6.
Port St. Lucie, Florida, USA; New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean participates in the Spring Breakout game against the Washington Nationals at Clover Park. / Jim Rassol - Imagn Images
While the days don't line up perfectly, one thing the Mets could conceivably do is have Sproat or McLean start on Friday, Aug. 8 against the Brewers. That's because Mets off days on Thursday and next Monday mean they can tweak their rotation a bit, maybe doing something like this over the weekend:
Monday against the Guardians: Sean Manaea Tuesday against the Guardians: Clay Holmes Wednesday against the Guardians: David Peterson Friday against the Brewers: Brandon Sproat or Nolan McLean Saturday against the Brewers: Kodai Senga (on six-days rest) Sunday against the Brewers: Manaea (on five-days rest)
The Mets could also simply keep everyone else on their regular turn and give Sproat or McLean even more extra rest.
Either way, the time has come to turn to one of them.
Sproat, leaning heavily on a fastball that has reached 100 mph, has allowed just two runs over his last six starts -- a span of 33.0 innings. He has struck out 39 batters during that span.
McLean has been terrific all season and features a dastardly sweeper to go along with a mid-90s fastball. In 104.0 innings this season for Double-A Binghamton and Syracuse, McLean has a 2.94 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 113 strikeouts.
To be clear, the Mets would not be turning to either Sproat or McLean with the expectation that they'll be a savior.
Yes, both pitchers have the ability to eventually pitch near the top of a big league rotation. But that's not what the Mets can expect now. Nor is it what they even need.
What they need is someone who can take the ball every fifth day and give them a better chance to win than Montas is giving them. And it's fair to believe either Sproat or McLean is ready to do that.
It's Monday, August 4 and the Reds (58-54) are in Chicago to take on the Cubs (65-46). Nick Lodolo is slated to take the mound for Cincinnati against Michael Soroka for Chicago.
Chicago and Cincinnati meet for the third series of the season as the Cubs won two out of three both times. Lately, these NL Central squads are trending in different directions.
The Cubs have won three of the past four games, including a ninth inning walkoff in the last contest, while the Reds have dropped four of the last six. Cincinnati is coming off a nine-game home stand where they finished 5-4.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Reds at Cubs
Date: Monday, August 4, 2025
Time: 8:05PM EST
Site: Wrigley Field
City: Chicago, IL
Network/Streaming: FDSNOH, MARQ
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 Reds at the Cubs
The latest odds as of Monday:
Moneyline: Reds (+120), Cubs (-143)
Spread: Cubs -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Cubs
Pitching matchup for August 4, 2025: Nick Lodolo vs. Michael Soroka
Reds: Nick Lodolo, (8-6, 3.09 ERA) Last outing: 3.38 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 11 Strikeouts
Cubs: Michael Soroka, (3-8, 4.87 ERA) Last outing: 5.40 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Reds and the Cubs
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday’s game between the Reds and the Cubs:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Chicago Cubs on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cincinnati Reds at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Reds at Cubs
Chicago is 4-2 against Cincinnati this season
The Cubs have a 15-4 record in series openers at home this season
The Cubs' last 6 matchups against NL Central teams have gone over the Total
Chicago is 3-1 in the last four games
Cincinnati is 2-4 in the past six games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
Last week, Marcus Morris Sr. was arrested in Florida. He made a court appearance concerning a case where prosecutors alleged he owed $265,000 to two Las Vegas casinos after bouncing checks to pay off those markers. While the official charges are for fraud, Morris has steadfastly denied that there was any malice or fraud involved, that this was more of a misunderstanding.
"Don't ever put my name with nothing but fraud. This is not fraud activity. I have never wrote a check to no casinos in exchange for money that I can put in my pocket. I wrote exchange for credit thinking that you know the source of the income and you know what I've done in the past years to pay it back plus put the money back that I chose to take from y'all to gamble with. So you know I want to just clear that up and then you could take it how you want."
Morris also talked about spending a few days in a Broward County jail.
"You could think about think about me this way. But I know what my loved ones and the people that surround us and the people we surround ourselves with really feel about us. But listen, jail, don't f*** with it. Don't f*** with it. That's why we had to do this s*** outside cuz I couldn't sit in no small ass room. I came home, I think I slept outside."
This entire situation and the criminal case will go away if the bill is paid, which appears to be the case with Morris and these charges.
