Worldwide Sports News

Even when they traded away a handful of established players at last year’s deadline, the Toronto Blue Jays clearly believed a rebound was possible.

A year later, they have a comfortable lead atop the AL East.

It’s hard to say that last year’s deadline jump-started Toronto’s turnaround, but the important thing is the Blue Jays didn’t give up on their core despite being on their way to a last-place finish in 2024. They dealt players like Yusei Kikuchi and Justin Turner — but Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette remained with Toronto.

Keeping those two was something of a risk given that both could become free agents after this season. Bichette still can, but the Blue Jays were able to sign Guerrero to a 14-year, $500-million contract in April.

Guerrero, Bichette and George Springer are part of a Toronto team that ranks third in the American League in OPS while leading the majors in batting average and on-base percentage. Even after a lopsided loss to Detroit, the Blue Jays have a 5 1/2-game lead over the second-place New York Yankees — although Toronto also has the second-worst run differential in the division.

The Blue Jays have the best record in baseball by a half-game over the Chicago Cubs and Milwaukee Brewers. Toronto has won 21 of its last 27 games, and included in that stretch is a 6-1 record against the Yankees. The Blue Jays are 7-3 against New York, meaning they have clinched that season series should it become a tiebreaker.

New York is just 11-18 against the AL East.

Trivia time

The Blue Jays last made the World Series in 1993. Who are the only other American League teams with longer droughts since their most recent pennants?

Tumbling Tigers

Detroit’s 10-4 win over Toronto snapped a six-game skid for the Tigers — and that does not do justice to how poorly they were playing. Detroit had lost 12 of 13, being outscored 89-33 in the process.

Ace Tarik Skubal can only do so much. The lone win during that stretch came in one of his starts — a 2-1 victory over Texas on July 20. When he took the mound six days later against Toronto, he threw six scoreless innings, only to have the Tigers go on to lose 6-1.

Before Detroit fans panic too much, the Tigers had built up such a big lead that they still have an eight-game advantage over second-place Cleveland in the AL Central after the victory. FanGraphs gives them a 95.9% chance to make the playoffs.

But their chances of earning a first-round bye — by having one of the top two records among AL division winners — is down to 52.6%.

Line of the week

More like line of the decade. Or perhaps the century.

A’s rookie Nick Kurtz went 6 for 6 with four home runs, eight RBIs and six runs in a 15-3 rout of Houston. Kurtz became the 20th player in major league history — and first rookie — with a four-homer game. He also doubled and singled, so he tied the single-game record for total bases with 19.

Comeback of the week

Minnesota had a one-run lead at Los Angeles in the bottom of the ninth — and Griffin Jax retired the first two batters for the Dodgers. Then it all unraveled for the Twins. Mookie Betts singled, Shohei Ohtani was walked intentionally, Esteury Ruiz drew another walk and then Freddie Freeman singled home two runs for a 4-3 win.

The Twins had a win probability of 95.6% after the second out, according to Baseball Savant.

Trivia answer

The Orioles (1983), Athletics (1990), Twins (1991) and Mariners (never).

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals and right-hander Seth Lugo have agreed to a two-year extension that includes a vesting option for the 2028 season, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press on Sunday night.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal, which presumably takes one of the most talked-about names on the trade market off the table ahead of this week’s deadline, had not been officially announced.

The 35-year-old Lugo made his first All-Star Game and won his first Gold Glove last season, when he went 16-9 with a 3.00 ERA in the first year of a two-year, $30 million deal that included a player option for next season. Lugo has followed that up with an even better start to this season, going 7-5 with a 2.95 ERA through 19 outings for Kansas City.

Rumors surfaced of several contenders interested in trading for Lugo ahead of Thursday’s deadline, and the fact that the Royals have been hanging on the fringe of contention themselves left many wondering whether they would be buyers or sellers.

It appears that they are going to make a push for a second consecutive playoff appearance.

The Royals acquired outfielder Randal Grichuk from the Diamondbacks for reliever Andrew Hoffmann late Saturday, shoring up a weakness in the lineup by adding a right-handed bat. Now, they have indicated that Lugo remains big a part of their future with his extension — an especially timely one given it came the same day that All-Star pitcher Kris Bubic went on the injured list.

Kansas City also is missing starters Cole Ragans and Michael Lorenzen due to injuries. Both are expected back at some point in August, and the Royals are hopeful that their return to the rotation will propel them down the stretch run.

After beating the Guardians on Sunday, the Royals were four games back of the final American League wild-card spot.

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Those chants of “sell the team” that rang from every corner of the Coliseum during the Athletics’ final seasons in Oakland noticeably are less obvious these days as the club plays the first of three scheduled years at a Triple-A ballpark in California’s capital region.

Not that all the negative feelings have been cast aside. There is still plenty of ill will toward the team that moved some 90 miles north.

During a recent Braves-A’s series, two supporters showed up in “Forever Oakland” T-shirts, while another fan from Fresno arrived at Sutter Health Park wearing a “Rooted in Oakland” shirt.

It’s a drastically different scene from the A’s old Oakland home.

Fans staged “reverse boycott” protests where they packed the Coliseum, brought homemade signs begging the team to stay and loudly called for owner John Fisher to “SELL!” In Sacramento, there’s a pervading sense the A’s are a rental, not a long-term investment. As soon as 2028, they plan to move into a what has been valued as a $1.75 billion ballpark on the Las Vegas Strip. Construction began last month.

While many A’s fans moved on and want nothing to do with the team, some still drive long distances to games in Sacramento and try to make the best of the situation — a big league team in a small-time stadium.

“It’s a big difference walking (through the ballpark) in about five minutes instead of walking the Coliseum in like 20, 30 minutes,” said Francisco Almazan from Modesto.

It’s not a wholly comfortable setup for players and coaches. The A’s built a two-story clubhouse beyond left field that on the top floor includes a lounge, kitchen and offices for manager Mark Kotsay and his coaches. The players’ lockers are on the first level.

“Everybody is trying to make the best of it,” outfielder Lawrence Butler said. “I’m just thankful for them trying to make it up to big-league standard.”

Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred acknowledged while speaking at the All-Star Game that playing in a 10,000-seat ballpark isn’t perfect. He said the circumstances would be different if the A’s moved directly into a 33,000-capacity facility like the one underway in Las Vegas.

Union chief Tony Clark was less diplomatic, insisting players prefer to work in an actual big league ballpark.

“There’s still a little bit of hope that something may come to fruition before 2028 and what’s being described as the time where the new ballpark will be in place,” Clark said. “But we’ll have to see.”

A’s players know the situation: The plan is to play in America’s party capital less than three years from now, but that seemingly far-off timeline doesn’t consume their day-to-day baseball lives.

“I think this group is focused on what they need to be focused on,” Kotsay said. “They come to prepare every day. You walk through our locker room, there’s a consistent routine and consistent work ethic that goes on prior to them playing the game.”

Still, as much as they try to stay in the moment, the A’s are very much tied to their past, present and future with three far different cities.

Oakland is embracing the B’s, and the Coliseum has a new tenant

Some baseball fans in the A’s old market have shifted their interest to the Oakland Ballers. The “B’s” have been a huge hit at intimate Raimondi Park — capacity around 4,000 — complete with mascot Scrappy the Rally Possum and nostalgic nods to Oakland at every turn.

The B’s have provided a big lift for a city that watched the NBA’s Golden State Warriors move to San Francisco in 2019 and the NFL’s Raiders leave for Las Vegas the next year.

The Ballers unveiled a mural honoring late Hall of Famer Rickey Henderson, who died in December at age 65.

The Oakland Roots soccer team now plays its home games at the Coliseum, where cricket has also become a popular choice given the dual-sport facility’s size.

Some longtime employees now work Roots games but many moved on or retired, unwilling to make the trek to Sacramento — though most weren’t invited.

Las Vegas prepares to welcome an MLB franchise

A formal groundbreaking on the new ballpark occurred June 23, with Fisher, Manfred and Nevada Gov. Joe Lombardo among those speaking at the festivities. There is a tight window for the venue to be ready by opening day in 2028.

The A’s hope to complete the project in 2027. They launched a construction cam so fans can track the progress, and without a doubt, the team will be under a microscope trying to meet its ambitious deadline.

Then the question becomes: Will Las Vegas embrace the A’s?

Las Vegas’ strong support for its first major professional team, the NHL’s Golden Knights, helped pave the way for what has become an explosion of sports in a city once shunned because of legalized sports betting. The Raiders draw large crowds, but many game days feel like neutral sites with opposing fans showing up by the thousands. The Aces became the first WNBA team to sell out an entire season — and did so twice.

Longtime A’s radio play-by-play man Ken Korach has a unique perspective on it. In his 30th season calling A’s games, Korach moved to the Henderson, Nevada, suburb in 1992 and has stayed put. He figured MLB might explore the market, either through relocation or expansion.

“There are a lot of conflicting emotions there,” Korach said. “I’ve always felt the Bay Area is a two-team market, and I’ve always felt that Vegas could support a major-league team.”

Rookie infielder Max Muncy, too, can already weigh in on the A’s current home and their future one. He has played 81 games in Las Vegas over the past two seasons, but began this season in Sacramento and returned to the big club before going on the 10-day injured list Tuesday after taking a pitch to his right hand.

“I had a great time in Las Vegas,” Muncy said. “Those fans are great. The atmosphere is great. It’s a great city. I enjoyed living there. I think it’s going to be a special place to play, as it is here. I really enjoyed my time there, and I think a lot of guys that played there will say the same thing.”

Being on the Strip would allow the A’s to attract tourists given the ballpark is walking distance for many visitors. That could be especially important for non-marquee, weeknight matchups in contrast to in-demand weekend series against big-market teams like the Yankees or Dodgers.

The club has begun trying to establish a foothold in the community. The A’s said they have contributed $1.5 million since 2023, including more than $400,000 this year, to nonprofits and other similar organizations that include every youth baseball and softball team. They have been involved in more than 30 events this year from youth sports to festivals to public watch parties with more planned through the end of 2025.

Sacramento is trying to enjoy the A’s while they’re still around

Robert Greenberg, an A’s fan who lives in Fresno, isn’t sure he will keep rooting for the green and gold if and when they move for good even if it’s an easier drive to Sacramento than to Oakland. He believes Fisher cut payroll and undermined the team to suppress attendance and facilitate its move.

“I guess he got what he wanted,” Greenberg said.

Ayad Bunni of San Mateo said he was a fan before hosting the “Locked on A’s” podcast. He considered not following the A’s and understands why many others no longer cheer them on, but said he didn’t fault the club for taking these steps.

“As an A’s fan and being from here, would I love for them to be in Oakland?” he said. “Absolutely, 100%.”

The A’s average 9,782 fans, and they and Tampa Bay — also playing in a Triple-A ballpark this season after Tropicana Field was damaged by a hurricane — are the only teams were fewer than 10,000 per game. The Athletics averaged 11,386 fans last season in the Coliseum, lowest in MLB.

Meanwhile, the players play on, and whether the process turns out to be one big sinking ship remains to be seen. It also could become a move that puts the organization on the trajectory to future success in the box office and on the field.

But the here and now gives the A’s plenty to think about, and All-Star designated hitter Brent Rooker acknowledged he and his teammates have faced adversity most other clubs haven’t encountered.

“Every challenge you face in this game or outside this game is going to mold you and build you into the person you’re going to ultimately become,” Rooker said. “So anything you can use to your advantage, whether it’s adversity, a challenge, a success, a failure, all those things can be made into positives.”

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals and right-hander Seth Lugo have agreed to a two-year extension that includes a vesting option for the 2028 season, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press.

The person spoke on condition of anonymity because the deal, which presumably takes one of the most talked-about names on the trade market off the table ahead of the deadline, had not officially been announced.

The 35-year-old Lugo made his first All-Star Game and won his first Gold Glove last season, when he went 16-9 with a 3.00 ERA in the first year of a two-year, $30 million deal that included a player option for next season. Lugo has followed that up with an even better start to this season, going 7-5 with a 2.95 ERA through 19 outings for Kansas City.

Rumors surfaced of several contenders interested in trading for Lugo ahead of the deadline, and the fact that the Royals have been hanging on the fringe of contention themselves left many wondering whether they would be buyers or sellers.

It appears that they are going to make a push for a second consecutive playoff appearance.

The Royals acquired outfielder Randal Grichuk from the Diamondbacks for reliever Andrew Hoffmann, shoring up a weakness in the lineup by adding a right-handed bat. Now, they have indicated that Lugo remains big a part of their future with his extension — an especially timely one given it came the same day that All-Star pitcher Kris Bubic went on the injured list.

Kansas City also is missing starters Cole Ragans and Michael Lorenzen due to injuries. Both are expected back at some point in August, and the Royals are hopeful that their return to the rotation will propel them down the stretch run.

After beating the Guardians, the Royals are four games back of the final American League wild-card spot.

COOPERSTOWN, N.Y. — If you want someone for your next celebrity roast, Ichiro Suzuki could be your guy.

Mixing sneaky humor with heartfelt messages, the first Japanese-born player to be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame stole the show in Cooperstown.

Morning showers and gloomy skies delayed the ceremonies by an hour, but the moisture gave way to bright skies and warm temperatures. The sun seemed its brightest during Suzuki’s acceptance speech.

The outfielder was joined by pitcher CC Sabathia, also elected in his first year of eligibility, and closer Billy Wagner, who made it in his final try on the writers’ ballot. Suzuki fell one vote shy of being a unanimous selection and he took a jab at the unidentified sports writer who didn’t vote for him.

“Three thousand hits or 262 hits in one season are two achievements recognized by the writers. Well, all but one,” Suzuki said to roaring laughter.

“By the way, the offer for the writer to have dinner at my home has now expired,” he added, with emphasis on “expired” for good measure.

A pair of Era Committee selections rounded out the Class of 2025: Dave Parker, who earned the nickname Cobra during 20 big league seasons, and slugger Dick Allen. Parker died June 28, just a month before he was to be inducted.

An estimated 30,000 fans crowded onto the field adjacent to the Clark Sports Center, sun umbrellas and Japanese flags sprinkled around. Suzuki’s No. 51 was seemingly everywhere as fans, thousands of them Seattle Mariners boosters who made the trek from the Pacific Northwest, chanted “Ichiro” several times throughout the day. A sign that read “Thank You Ichiro! Forever a Legend” in English and Japanese summed up the admiration for Suzuki on his special day.

With 52 returning Hall of Famers on hand, Suzuki paid homage to his new baseball home in Cooperstown and his adoring fans by delivering his 18-minute speech in English. His humor, a surprise to many, delighted the crowd.

He threw shade at the Miami Marlins, the last stop of his professional career.

“Honestly, when you guys offered me a contract in 2015, I had never heard of your team,” Suzuki joked.

He kidded that he showed up at spring training every year with his arm “already in shape” just to hear Mariners broadcaster Rick Rizzs scream, “`Holy smokes! Another laser-beam throw from Ichiro!’”

He even took a moment for some tongue-in-cheek modesty.

“People often measure me by my records. Three thousand hits. Ten Gold Gloves. Ten seasons of 200 hits.

“Not bad, huh?” Suzuki said to more laughs.

He thanked his late agent Tony Anastasio for “getting me to America and for teaching me to love wine.”

But he also took time to get to the root of what made him extraordinary.

“Baseball is much more than just hitting, throwing and running. Baseball taught me to make valued decisions about what is important. It helped shape my view of life and the world. … The older I got, I realized the only way I could get to play the game I loved to the age of 45 at the highest level was to dedicate myself to it completely,” he said. “When fans use their precious time to see you play, you have a responsibility to perform for them whether you are winning by 10 or losing by 10.

“Baseball taught me what it means to be a professional and I believe that is the main reason I am here today. I could not have achieved the numbers without paying attention to the small details every single day consistently for all 19 seasons.”

Now he’s reached the pinnacle, overcoming doubters, one of whom said to him: “`Don’t embarrass the nation.’” He’s made his homeland proud.

“Going into America’s Baseball Hall of Fame was never my goal. I didn’t even know there was one. I visited Cooperstown for the first time in 2001, but being here today sure feels like a fantastic dream.”

Sabathia thanked “the great players sitting behind me, even Ichiro, who stole my Rookie of the Year award (in 2001).” He paid homage to Parker and spoke about Black culture in today’s game.

“It’s an extra honor to be a part of Dave’s Hall of Fame class. He was a father figure for a generation of Black stars. In the ’80s and early ‘90s when I first started watching baseball and Dave Parker was crushing homers, the number of Black players in the major leagues was at its highest, about 18%. Me and my friends played the game because we saw those guys on TV and there was always somebody who looked like me in a baseball uniform.

“Baseball has always been a great game for Black athletes, but baseball culture has not always been great to Black people. I hope we’re starting to turn that around. I don’t want to be the final member of the Black aces, a Black pitcher to win 20 games. And I don’t want to be the final Black pitcher giving a Hall of Fame speech.”

Wagner urged young players to treat obstacles not as “roadblocks, but steppingstones.”

“I wasn’t the biggest player. I wasn’t supposed to be here. There were only seven full-time relievers in the Hall of Fame. Now, there are eight because I refused to give up or give in,” he said.

Suzuki received 393 of 394 votes (99.7%) from the Baseball Writers’ Association of America. Sabathia was picked on 342 ballots (86.8%) and Wagner on 325 (82.5%), which was 29 votes more than the 296 needed for the required 75%.

After arriving in the majors in 2001, Suzuki joined Fred Lynn (1975) as the only players to win Rookie of the Year and MVP in the same season.

Suzuki was a two-time AL batting champion and 10-time All-Star and Gold Glove winner, hitting .311 with 117 homers, 780 RBIs and 509 stolen bases with Seattle, the New York Yankees and Miami.

He is perhaps the best contact hitter ever, with 1,278 hits in Nippon Professional Baseball and 3,089 in MLB, including a season-record 262 in 2004. His combined total of 4,367 exceeds Pete Rose’s major league record of 4,256.

Sabathia, second to Suzuki in 2001 AL Rookie of the Year voting, was a six-time All-Star who won the 2007 AL Cy Young Award and a World Series title in 2009. He went 251-161 with a 3.74 ERA and 3,093 strikeouts, third among left-handers behind Randy Johnson and Steve Carlton, during 19 seasons with Cleveland, Milwaukee and the New York Yankees.

A seven-time All-Star, Wagner was 47-40 with a 2.31 ERA and 422 saves for Houston, Philadelphia, the New York Mets, Boston and Atlanta.

Tom Hamilton and Tom Boswell were also honored during Hall of Fame weekend. Hamilton has been the primary radio broadcaster for the Cleveland Guardians franchise for 35 seasons and received the Ford C. Frick Award. Boswell, a retired sports columnist who spent his entire career with The Washington Post, was honored with the BBWAA Career Excellence Award.

It's Monday, July 28 and the Diamondbacks (51-55) are in Detroit to take on the Tigers (61-46). Eduardo Rodriguez is slated to take the mound for Arizona against Troy Melton for Detroit.

The Tigers are 2-8 over the last 10 games and have lost all three series played as they enter this matchup with the Diamondbacks. Arizona is in a skid as well with a 1-5 record over the past six games and 4-5 mark since the All-Star break.

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 Diamondbacks at Tigers

• Date: Monday, July 28, 2025
• Time: 6:40PM EST
• Site: Comerica Park
• City: Detroit, MI
• Network/Streaming: ARID, FDSNDT

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 Diamondbacks at the Tigers

The latest odds as of Monday:

• Moneyline: Diamondbacks (+109), Tigers (-130)
• Spread:  Tigers -1.5
• Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Diamondbacks at Tigers

• Pitching matchup for July 28, 2025: Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Troy Melton
  
  • Diamondbacks: Eduardo Rodriguez, (3-6, 5.50 ERA)
    Last outing: 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
  • Tigers: Troy Melton, (0-1, 10.80 ERA)
    Last outing: 10.80 ERA, 6 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts

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

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Diamondbacks and the Tigers

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 Diamondbacks and the Tigers:

• 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 Arizona Diamondbacks at +1.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.

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

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Diamondbacks at Tigers

• Arizona is 0-4 in Rodriguez's last four starts
• Detroit lost 6-1 to Pittsburgh in Melton's debut
• The Tigers have lost 4 of their last 5 games
• The Under has cashed in the Diamondbacks' last 5 games
• The Diamondbacks have failed to cover the Run Line in 3 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:

• Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
• Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
• Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
• Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)

It's Monday, July 28 and the Rockies (27-78) are in Cleveland to take on the Guardians (52-53). Bradley Blalock is slated to take the mound for Colorado against Slade Cecconi for Cleveland.

Cleveland is one of the hotter teams in baseball with a 12-5 record over the last 17 games and 6-4 since the All-Star break. For the Rockies, a 5-4 record over the last nine is pretty impressive based on how this season is going, but losing by a combined score of 23-1 at the Orioles in the last two games is not.

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 Rockies at Guardians

• Date: Monday, July 28, 2025
• Time: 6:40PM EST
• Site: Progressive Field
• City: Cleveland, OH
• Network/Streaming: COLR, CLEG

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 Rockies at the Guardians

The latest odds as of Monday:

• Moneyline: Rockies (+195), Guardians (-239)
• Spread:  Guardians -1.5
• Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Guardians

• Pitching matchup for July 28, 2025: Bradley Blalock vs. Slade Cecconi
  
  • Rockies: Bradley Blalock, (1-2, 8.67 ERA)
    Last outing: 3.38 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 0 Strikeouts
  • Guardians: Slade Cecconi, (5-4, 3.76 ERA)
    Last outing: 3.00 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 2 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 Rockies and the Guardians

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Guardians to reach 80 wins:

“In the first 24 games of the 67 one second-half of the schedule are the Athletics, Orioles, Royals, Rockies, Twins, Mets, White Sox, and Marlins -- beautiful!

Cleveland took the series against the A’s, 2-1 and beat the O’s in three of four, but lost two of three to the Royals. At 6-4 through 10 games, Cleveland is making good ground.

The Guardians have the second remaining easiest strength of schedule remaining in the MLB (.481) and need a 34-33 record over the second half to secure 80-plus wins (6-4 already), which I believe is more than possible.”

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 Rockies and the Guardians:

• Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cleveland Guardians on the Moneyline.
• Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Colorado Rockies at +1.5.
• Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.

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

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

• The Guardians have won 4 of their last 5 home games against teams with losing records
• Cleveland is 6-4 through 10- games since post-break
• Colorado has been outscored 23-1 in the past two games
• Cleveland has won three straight with Cecconi on the mound

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

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

• Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
• Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
• Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
• Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)