Astros at Diamondbacks prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for July 22

Its Tuesday, July 22 and the Astros (58-42) are in Phoenix to take on the Diamondbacks (50-51).

Framber Valdez is slated to take the mound for Houston against Eduardo Rodriguez for Arizona.

The American League West leaders took the series opener last night, 6-3. Rookie Brice Matthews cracked the first two home runs of his career and drove in five of the six runs for the Astros. Colton Gordon started for Houston lasting 5.2 innings and allowing three runs (two earned) to earn his fourth win of the season. Top trade target Eugenio Suarez homered for the fifth time in the last three games for Arizona in the loss.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

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

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Game details & how to watch Astros at Diamondbacks

Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Time: 9:40PM EST
Site: Chase Field
City: Phoenix, AZ
Network/Streaming: SCHN, ARID

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

Odds for the Astros at the Diamondbacks

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

Moneyline: Astros (-125), Diamondbacks (+105)
Spread: Astros -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Astros at Diamondbacks

Pitching matchup for July 22, 2025: Framber Valdez vs. Eduardo Rodriguez
- Astros: Framber Valdez (10-4, 2.75 ERA)
  Last outing: July 12 vs. Texas - 6IP, 0ER, 4H, 0BB, 10Ks
- Diamondbacks: Eduardo Rodriguez (3-6, 5.94 ERA)
  Last outing: July 10 at San Diego - 4IP, 4ER, 8H, 2HR, 2BB

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

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

The Diamondbacks had their 4-game win streak snapped last night
The Astros have covered in 4 of their last 5 road games and bettors who have bet accordingly are profiting 1.49 units
Eugenio Suarez has hit in 4 straight (6-14) with 5 HRs and in 6 of his last 7 (9-21) with 7 HRs
Brice Matthews is 3-9 over his last 3 games
Jose Altuve is 23-63 (.365) in July
Christian Walker is 5-12 (.417) over his last 3 games and is hitting .339 in July overall

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

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

Rotoworld Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Astros and the Diamondbacks:

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 recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

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

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

Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

July 22, 2025

NHL Rumor Roundup: The Latest NHL Goalie Speculation

Pickings have been slim thus far for quality NHL goaltenders in this summer's free-agent market.

It's so bad that player agent Allan Walsh said recently that five teams called him on July 1 to ask if his client, Marc-Andre Fleury, might reconsider retirement.

According to Walsh, Fleury isn't returning, which means those teams must find other options to address their goaltending.

Allan Mitchell of The Athletic isn't convinced, suggesting the Edmonton Oilers should still try to bring in Fleury to back up inconsistent starter Stuart Skinner. Given the limited options elsewhere, Mitchell thinks he's worth pursuing even if he keeps rejecting their requests.

Meanwhile, Kurt Leavins of the Edmonton Journalreported the Oilers had an “active interest” in Arturs Silovs before the Vancouver Canucks traded him last week to the Pittsburgh Penguins. He indicated that they've also been linked to Boston Bruins third-stringer Michael DiPietro.

Stuart Skinner (Sam Navarro-Imagn Images)

Meanwhile, James Nichols of New Jersey Hockey Now wondered what the future holds for netminder Nico Daws after the Devils brought back Jake Allen as starter Jacob Markstrom's understudy.

Daws, 24, appeared in 52 games for the Devils since 2021-22. He's in the final season of his two-year contract with a cap hit of $812,500 and must now pass through waivers to be sent to their AHL affiliate in Utica.

Nichols believes the Devils can't risk losing Daws on the waiver wire this fall. He felt they must trade him, either on his own or perhaps packaged with defenseman Dougie Hamilton or center Dawson Mercer in a larger deal.

Unsurprisingly, Nichols suggested Edmonton as a trade destination for Daws, proposing he'd be a better long-term option for the Oilers than current backup Calvin Pickard.

The Vegas Golden Knights and Calgary Flames were also on Nichols' list. Both clubs require reliable backups, although Calgary may look to free-agent signing Ivan Prosvetov and Devin Cooley to compete for the No. 2 spot. Hannah Kirkell of Vegas Hockey Now thinks Daws could provide some much-needed competition for Akira Schmid for the Golden Knights' backup job.

The Hockey News’ Vani Hanamirian said it would be wise for the Devils to try to keep Daws, since they could use a steady third-string goalie to play if Allen or Markstrom get injured.

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

July 22, 2025

Why Thomas Hickey Is Excited To See Emil Heineman Suit Up For Islanders

When the New York Islanders sent defenseman Noah Dobson to the Montreal Canadiens, the two picks coming back the other way, No. 16 and No. 17, were the standouts.

However, a 23-year-old forward named Emil Heineman was included in the deal.

Heineman has played in 68 NHL games, all with Montreal, recording 10 goals and eight assists, which all came last season in 62 games, his rookie campaign.

The second round pick by the Florida Panthers in 2020 and his rights were sent to the Calgary Flames in the Sam Bennett trade back in April of 2021, before Calgary sent his rights and Tyler Pitlick to Montreal for Tyler Tofolli in February of 2022.

Following the Islanders' trade with Montreal, general manager Mathieu Darche shared that he made it a necessity for Heineman to be included in the Dobson trade.

"Emil, we really wanted him to be in the trade. So we push till the end for him to be in the trade, because he's a player the league kind of discovered this year," Darche said during his post-first-round draft press conference. "He had a great start to the year, and people might not remember, but around Christmas, it was going great. Then he got, unfortunately, hit by a car in Utah, and missed two months, which stole his year.'

"But you see, his first year in the NHL, he scored 10 goals playing mostly on the fourth line. So we see potential. He's a strong kid who skates great. He's got a rocket of a shot, like, if you look at his goals, it's a high velocity shot that can score. So we still have potential in this player. The cap, you right now works. It helps us maybe create other opportunities somewhere else, because he's an established NHL player now, and we feel he can only improve in the coming years."

The Islanders signed Heineman, a restricted free agent, to a two-year deal worth $2.2 million annually.

On Sunday, former Islanders defenseman turned MSG analyst Thomas Hickey joined Hockey Night in New York, discussed his excitement for Heineman.

"I saw him, I think, five times last season," Hickey, who works on the Prime Monday Night Hockey broadcast, said. "I was doing Habs games at ice level and for the first four games I saw him, his line was the best line on the ice [...] each game I kept coming away, saying, Heineman, he's one of their best players tonight."

On Sunday during “On the Line” brought to you by @TOVIHockeyy, @Thomas_Hickey14 brought up new #Isles addition Emil Heineman’s game! Catch the full interview and show at https://t.co/EgKW82XTNh #NHL pic.twitter.com/APX2dk4PyV
— Hockey Night NY (@hockeynightny) July 22, 2025

The expectation is that Heineman is going to slot in on the Islanders' fourth line, alongside Casey Cizikas and then, maybe, Maxim Tsyplakov, depending on how the depth chart shakes out.

Here's a Heineman highlight reel:

Heineman fits the Darche and Roy mold. While he may not be Cal Clutterbuck, he will be tasked with providing a spark with his physicality and shot.

Stay updated with the most interesting Islanders stories, analysis, breaking news and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News to never miss a story.

PHOTO: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images

July 22, 2025

Brewers at Mariners Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for July 22

Its 11 and counting for the Milwaukee Brewers. Its Tuesday, July 22 and the Brewers (60-40) are in Seattle to continue their series against the Mariners (53-47) looking for a 12th straight win.

Rookie phenom Jacob Misiorowski is slated to take the mound for Milwaukee against Logan Gilbert for Seattle.

The Brewers claimed sole possession of first place in the National League Central last night with a 6-0 shutout of the Mariners. Brandon Woodruff allowed just two hits over six scoreless innings to earn his second win of the season. Jackson Chourio continues to mash collecting two more hits and driving in a pair to pace the attack that has scored at least six runs in seven of their last eight games. Milwaukee now owns the best record in baseball at 60-40.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

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

Game details & how to watch Brewers at Mariners

Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Time: 9:40PM EST
Site: T-Mobile Park
City: Seattle, WA
Network/Streaming: FDSNWI, RSNW, MLBN

Odds for the Brewers at the Mariners

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

Moneyline: Brewers (+103), Mariners (-123)
Spread: Mariners -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Brewers at Mariners

Pitching matchup for July 22, 2025: Jacob Misiorowski vs. Logan Gilbert
- Brewers: Jacob Misiorowski (4-1, 2.81 ERA)
  Last outing: July 8 vs. Dodgers - 6IP, 1ER, 4H, 1BB, 12Ks
- Mariners: Logan Gilbert (2-3, 3.39 ERA)
  Last outing: July 13 at Detroit - 5.1IP, 0ER, 6H, 2BB, 9Ks

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Brewers at Mariners

The Brewers have won 4 of their last 5 road trips against teams with winning records
The Over is 14-5-1 for the Brewers' and the Mariners' last 10 games combined
The Mariners have failed to cover the Run Line in 8 of their last 10 home games
Jackson Chourio has now hit safely in 15 straight games (22-59)
Christian Yelich is riding a more modest 4-game hitting streak (5-17)
Julio Rodriguez is 3-16 (.186) over his last 4 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!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Brewers and the Mariners

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.

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 Tuesday's game between the Brewers and the Mariners:

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 Milwaukee Brewers at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

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

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

Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

July 22, 2025

Former Blackhawks Forward Had Monster Year

During the 2022 NHL off-season, the Chicago Blackhawks elected not to send forward Dylan Strome a qualifying offer. As a result, he became an unrestricted free agent (UFA) and signed a one-year, $2.5 million contract with the Washington Capitals in July of that year. This was after Strome posted 22 goals and 48 points with the Blackhawks during the 2021-22 season.

The move to Washington immediately benefited Strome, as he posted 23 goals and 65 points in 81 games during the 2022-23 season. This led to him to landing a five-year, $25 million contract extension with the Capitals in February of 2023. He then followed this campaign up by recording then-career highs with 27 goals, 40 assists, and 67 points in 82 contests during the 2023-24 season.

Yet, as well as Strome played in each of his first two seasons with the Capitals, he hit a new level with the Metropolitan Division club during this past season. In 82 games during 2024-25 campaign, the former Blackhawks forward recorded new career highs with 29 goals, 53 assists, and 82 points in 82 regular-season games. He was also a bright spot during the playoffs for the Capitals, posting two goals and 11 points in 10 games.

Strome only seems to be getting better with each season that passes and produced like a true star in 2024-25. The Blackhawks' decision to let Strome walk for nothing certainly looks more questionable after the campaign he just had, but it is clear that the 2015 third-overall pick has thrived since leaving Chicago.

It will now be interesting to see what kind of season Strome puts together in 2025-26 after his career year.

Blackhawks Exciting Forward Is Big Breakout CandidateThe Chicago Blackhawks have one of the strongest prospect pools in the NHL. It is not difficult to understand why, as they have been rebuilding for multiple years now. As a result, they have brought in several exciting youngsters who have the potential to become long-term parts of their future.

Photo Credit: © Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images

July 22, 2025

Hernández: 'Still a threat.' Why Shohei Ohtani needs to remain a two-player for Dodgers

Los Angeles, CA - July 21: Los Angeles Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani pitches as the Dodgers take on the Minnesota Twins at Dodger Stadium Monday, July 21, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times) — Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani made his sixth start of the season on Monday against the Minnesota Twins, going three innings and giving up one run. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

The day after he pitches, Shohei Ohtani turns into Michael Conforto.

Ohtani has played four games on days following his starts, and he’s taken a total of 15 at-bats in them.

He’s collected just one hit.

He’s struck out six times.

Ohtani pitched three innings in the Dodgers’ 5-2 victory over the Minnesota Twins on Monday night, which led to manager Dave Roberts being asked about Ohtani’s anticipated Confortization on Tuesday.

“In the batter’s box, he’s certainly still a threat,” Roberts said. “So I don’t think right now we’re giving that too much thought.”

Good.

Suspicions that Ohtani’s pitching has negatively affected Ohtani’s hitting have become almost immaterial.

Ohtani will remain a two-way player.

He will remain a two-way player for the remainder of the regular season, and he will remain a two-way player in October.

He should provide more than a couple of innings here and there. He should be a full-blown starter.

Because he wants to. Because the Dodgers need him to.

Ohtani is the best hitter on a team that can’t hit much of anything lately. He is the best pitcher on a team with an injury-ravaged pitching staff that sustained another likely loss on Monday night when closer Tanner Scott departed the game with forearm pain.

His value as a two-way player was evident in the opening game of the three-game series against the Twins, as he gave up a leadoff homer to Byron Buxton and returned the favor by crushing a two-run homer in the bottom of the first inning.

The 2-1 lead was gradually extended, by a pair of solo home runs by Will Smith and another bases-empty shot by Andy Pages.

Ohtani pitched three innings, the damage inflicted against him limited to Buxton’s homer even though he was plagued by control problems. Ohtani struck out three batters and was charged with four hits and a walk while throwing 46 pitches.

“I thought I wanted to go four innings, but my pitch count was piling up,” Ohtani said in Japanese.

The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani celebrates with teammate Mookie betts after hitting a two-run homer in the first inning Monday. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)

He will be extended to four innings in his next start, Roberts said.

The Dodgers might need every one of them, considering they have lost 10 of their last 13 games.

Ohtani didn’t know it at the time, but he spent six seasons preparing for something like this. On the Angels, he was a great player on a horrible team, which is what the Dodgers are at this moment.

The sorry state of the team didn’t stop Ohtani from trying to carry it then, and that’s not stopping him from trying to carry it now.

“I think he’s very mindful of where our team is right now,” Roberts said. “I feel he’s trying to will his way to kind of getting us over the hump. He’s competing. He’s taking really good at-bats. And he’s fighting. So I love what he’s doing.”

Ohtani has homered in each of the last three games.

“There’s just an extra level of focus I see in the decision-making at the plate,” Roberts said.

Roberts observed that Ohtani wasn’t driven by personal glory. He pointed to how Ohtani offered no resistance when he said he wanted to switch him and Mookie Betts in the batting order, with Ohtani dropping from the leadoff to No. 2 spot.

Ohtani batted first in every game until Sunday when Roberts moved a slumping Betts to the top of the lineup with hopes of jump-starting his season.

When Roberts texted Ohtani his thoughts the previous night, Ohtani replied by telling him to do whatever was best for the team, even if that meant batting him ninth.

“I have absolutely no problem with it,” Ohtani said. “What’s most important is that everyone can hit comfortably.”

Ohtani’s homers in the last two games came right after Betts reached base in front of him, with a single on Sunday against the Milwaukee Brewers and with a walk on Monday against Twins starter David Festa.

“He wants to win,” Roberts said of Ohtani. “I think that him playing every day, him pitching, him taking walks when needed and switching spots with Mookie in the order, whatever is in the best interest of the ballclub, that’s what he’s doing.”

Ohtani is now 31. There are questions about whether his body can still withstand the workload required to play both ways, and rightfully so. But as the Dodgers have trudged through this midseason slump, Ohtani has revealed the spirit that was fundamental in making him the best player in the world. Roberts will wager the season on it. He has no other option.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

July 22, 2025

Pros and Cons: Should Mets trade for Mitch Keller?

The Pirates are a wellspring of talented young pitchers right now, which could make them an impactful team at this MLB Trade Deadline, especially in what, at least initially, tracks as a seller’s market for starting pitchers.

The Buccos’ great need for offense – they started play Monday averaging the fewest runs per game in MLB (3.33) – could motivate them to make an especially-enticing hurler available. Mitch Keller is the kind of controllable rotation asset that fuels GM fever dreams this time of year, flush with talent and cost certainty. Maybe even enough to make some contender dip into their pool of young, ready (or nearly-ready) hitters.

Could it be the Mets? Should it be? Let’s explore the pros and cons of David Stearns potentially trading for Keller, a 29-year-old righty.

PROS

If these were still the days when a pitcher’s win-loss record was one of his most meaningful stats, Keller’s 3-10 mark, even for the 39-61 Pirates, might offer pause. Thankfully, we have moved beyond that Jurassic Age of pitching and are more enlightened.

Keller has been terrific this season, despite that record. The Pirates have scored a total of 37 runs in the 17 games that Keller has either lost or recorded a no-decision. He’s got a 3.48 ERA, which would be his career-best over a full season, and is sporting career-bests in numbers such as WHIP, homers-per-nine and walks-per-nine, too.

His strikeout percentage would be his lowest for a full year, but, whatever. It seems to be working. Plus, he’s proven he can get K's – his 210 strikeouts in 2023 established a record for a Pittsburgh righty, though it seems a foregone conclusion that Paul Skenes will one day shatter that mark.

Keller’s three most-used pitches are a 94 mph-ish four-seamer, a low-80s sweeper and an 87 mph slider. He also uses a sinker, and Statcast gives him credit for the 10th-best fastball run value, ahead of even Jacob deGrom. Keller’s sweeper is tied for fifth-best by the same metric. Opponents have a .181 batting average on the sweeper.

The Mets, you may have heard, are having trouble getting length out of their starters. Keller has pitched into at least the sixth inning in 13 consecutive starts and he’s gotten at least 18 outs in 11 of those. Over his last four starts, he has a 1.44 ERA.

For whatever it’s worth, he’s looked great against the Mets, too, notching a 2.19 ERA over two starts. Juan Soto and Brett Baty have homered off him, but Met hitters batted .213 against him with a .628 OPS.

And there’s cost certainty, which club number-crunchers will appreciate. Keller is signed for three more seasons after this one for a total of $55.7 million. Hold that up against whatever he’d make on the free agent market (more, obvs) and he’s even more attractive.

Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Mitch Keller (23) delivers a pitch against the St. Louis Cardinals during the first inning at PNC Park / Charles LeClaire - Imagn Images

CONS

None.

We kid, of course.

As mentioned, he’s not striking out batters at the same rate.

Since 2021, only 12 pitchers have made more starts than Keller and only 15 have thrown more innings. If you want to ding him for wear-and-tear, well, every pitcher accrues it. We say that’s more representative of his durability than anything.

Cost, of course, could be a con, just because he’s so good and so controllable. The Pirates will be right to ask for the moon and stars, a Jett (Williams, one of the Mets’ top prospects), too. And much more young talent beyond Williams. Some might say the Mets should save prospect capital to deal for a hitter instead.

Whatever happens, if they’re in on Keller, they’d better be prepared for a prospect-bidding battle, especially with the Yankees and Cubs among the teams connected to the righty via media reports.

All those teams should get at least two more chances to see Keller work, assuming he makes it to the deadline. He’s slated to start Tuesday night against the visiting Tigers.

VERDICT

If the Mets really believe this current team has a chance to be special, despite how ordinary (and worse) they’ve looked recently, this is the kind of deal they should make. Keller makes them better now and later, and his contract is reasonable for a durable starter.

Could the Mets help sort their current third base situation by using one of those young big leaguers as part of a package to pry Keller from Pittsburgh? The cost will hurt, but the Mets could use some rotation certainty, especially after all the injuries their starters have endured this season.

July 22, 2025

Shubman Gill believes England breached ‘spirit of the game’ during third Test

India captain doesn’t back down over Lord’s spat
Ben Stokes says England did not ‘go over the line’

The India captain, Shubman Gill, has strongly criticised some of England’s behaviour during their current Test series, describing it as not “what I would think comes in the spirit of the game”.

On the eve of the fourth Test at Old Trafford Gill was asked if he regretted confronting the England batter Zak Crawley during the last match at Lord’s, a moment that prompted England to decide, as Harry Brook put it on Monday, “to give them something back and not be the nice guys we have been in the last three or four years”.

July 22, 2025

Brewers become first NL team to reach 60 victories, riding 11-game win streak

SEATTLE — At first, Brandon Woodruff was caught a bit off guard.

The Milwaukee Brewers’ starting pitcher was fresh off a dazzling performance, one in which he tossed six innings of two-hit ball en route to the club’s 6-0 win against the Seattle Mariners. But upon learning the victory gave the Brewers 11 wins in a row but also the best record in the National League, Woodruff was taken aback — but only briefly.

“Doesn’t surprise me,” Woodruff said. “We got a lot of great guys in this clubhouse and it’s a fun team. So, I feel like we say that every year, but this year’s a little bit different in a way.”

To Woodruff’s point, the Brewers have won 60 of their first 100 games with a very different roster than the one that won the National League Central last year.

Shortstop Willy Adames (San Francisco Giants) and right-hander Corbin Burnes (Arizona Diamondbacks) both signed massive contracts elsewhere this offseason. Long-time closer Devin Williams, meanwhile, was traded to the New York Yankees in December. Their departures, though, have hardly hindered the Brewers.

Even though Woodruff missed most of the first half as a result of being brought along slowly following surgery on his pitching shoulder, the Brewers’ rotation has been stout in his absence. Milwaukee starters have combined for the sixth-lowest ERA in the majors, thanks in part to shrewd pickups like right-hander Quinn Priester, who Milwaukee acquired in April.

“I think that’s a lot of credit to our front office and our coaching staff, and just putting the right guys in the room,” Woodruff said. “When you can get guys that play for each other and play with each other and just have fun. That’s the biggest thing. There’s a reason why we’ve done this over the last eight, nine years.”

Since 2018, the Brewers have won the NL Central four times and are on track to make it three straight seasons, doing so mostly without “household names”, as Woodruff said. This season, it’s been a collective, well-balanced effort propelling the Brewers to frequent victories, including six against the Los Angeles Dodgers during their active win streak.

Second baseman Brice Turang is leading the club’s position players with three Wins Above Replacement, per Baseball Reference. Twenty-one-year old outfielder Jackson Chourio remains a force to be reckoned with after a standout rookie season. And right-hander Freddy Peralta leads all major league pitchers with 12 wins.

All of it has led to quite the positive clubhouse culture from the perspective of folks like shortstop Joey Ortiz.

“Winning’s great, winning’s fun, It’s a blessing to come to a big-league field and play the game,” Ortiz said. “So, I feel like winning is just an extra on top of that. Everyone’s so close in the locker room that I don’t even think – of course we want to win, but I don’t think winning matters. I think we have a great time just being together, and I think it shows on the field.”

It’s a tight-knit group led by reigning National League manager of the year Pat Murphy. The baseball lifer is aware his team continues to gain confidence with each passing win, but that there is still much time remaining in the regular season.

The trade deadline hasn’t even come and gone, so the small-market Brewers still have plenty of time to work with – after all, as Murphy put it, it’s only July 21.

“There’s more to be done. There’s more opportunity,” Murphy said. “There’s no reason to coast. There’s every reason to know you’re in a fight. You drop your guard, ‘Whack!’ and sometimes you don’t recover from that.”

July 22, 2025

2025 Anaheim Ducks Prospect Rankings: 8. Sasha Pastujov

The Anaheim Ducks have missed the playoffs every year since 2017-18 and in doing so, have drafted in the top ten for seven consecutive seasons and procured one of the NHL’s deepest and most potent prospect pools.

Despite several young players having graduated and become full-time NHLers, such as Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier, Mason McTavish, Pavel Mintyukov, and Olen Zellweger, the Ducks still have an impressive pipeline of potential impact and depth prospects yet to make the jump.

Lukas Dostal: Increased Pressure, Journey from 'No-Name Goalie' to Paid Among NHL Elite

Ducks Sign Drew Helleson to Two-Year Extension

Ducks Sign Lukas Dostal to Five-Year Extension

For this exercise, only players who haven’t lost rookie status are eligible for a ranking, and to be clear, these are my (Patrick Present) subjective rankings.

Honorable Mentions: Yegor Sidorov, Herman Traff, Tarin Smith, Lasse Boelius, Calle Clang

Top Ten:

10. Nathan Gaucher, 21, C, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

9. Ian Moore, 23, RHD, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

Sasha Pastujov, 16, of San Diego scores the winning goal in a shootout against Coachella Valley Firebird goalie Chris Driedger at Acrisure Arena in Palm Desert, Calif, April 21, 2024.

8. Sasha Pastujov, 22, W, San Diego Gulls (AHL)

If one were to look at this list in early November 2024, it would be understandable to feel genuinely surprised to see Pastujov’s name this high in a ranking of Ducks prospects.

Pastujov had a poor camp heading into the 2024-25 season. To the extent that the organization deemed it best for him to begin the year in the ECHL with the Tulsa Oilers. A trip to the ECHL is one few prospects recover from, but Pastujov’s mental fortitude during that time is a significant contributing factor to his ranking on this list.

“Sasha showed lots of character by going to the E,” Ducks assistant general manager and director of amateur scouting Martin Madden told The Hockey News: Anaheim Ducks. “I think he would be the first to say he didn't have a good camp and probably deserved to be in the ECHL to start the year, but he didn't hang his head, and he had put in lots of work in the summer.

“He's a great kid, but he's got character. He worked his butt off all summer to get stronger and to get a little faster because that's what he needs to improve. His speed and skating overall, but his speed in particular, and he put in the work, and for some reason, it didn't come through during training camp. He went back there, got his confidence back, got his legs back going, and didn’t miss a beat by the time he got back to San Diego.”

After a successful career at the junior level, both with the USNTDP leading up to his draft year (66th overall in 2021) and in the OHL in the two years that followed. He averaged well over a point-per-game at both levels, but struggled to find that same production at the AHL level in his rookie 2023-24 campaign, which saw him tally 23 points (10-13=23) in 46 games.

“His capacity to adapt to read the play, to handle the puck, is natural,” Madden continued. “When he was able to come back and play at pace, production followed. I don't think producing is ever going to be a big, difficult thing for Sasha. I think he's got that naturally. His awareness is great, his touch is very good.”

Pastujov’s skating will always be his most substantial drawback. His stride is somewhat clunky and lacks explosion while his edges and four-way mobility are average at best. However, while these aspects aren’t ideal and a difficult hill to climb if one is to build an NHL career, they can be overcome with high levels of skill, IQ, and competitiveness, areas where Pastujov has now proven proficient.

His puck skills and release are above NHL-average, but his separating factor is his vision and hockey sense. He excels at recognizing lanes and involving himself in the building of every offensive play. While his 6-foot, 187-pound frame isn’t an advantage, he manipulates defenders when in possession by inviting pressure and connecting with linemates from small areas of the ice.

After posting 16 points (9-7=16) in 12 ECHL games to start his 2024-25, Pastujov finished the season with 45 points (17-28=45) in 43 games in the AHL with the Gulls. He unfortunately missed six weeks in the latter half of the season due to injury, but picked up where he left off upon return to the lineup.

Among AHL players who played a minimum of 25 games last season, Pastujov ranked eighth in scoring on a per-game basis (1.05 points per game).

His road to the NHL is still a murky one, especially when considering the Ducks, their general manager’s player archetype preferences, their loaded pipeline, and Pastujov’s requirement to assume a scoring role on a depth chart, as he lacks exceptional forechecking or defensive prowess.

Despite the notable work done to improve his 200-foot game and details, nothing about Pastujov or his game screams “Pat Verbeek player.” However, if he can hit the ground running in 2025-26, continue to improve, and produce, he’s not one to bet against carving out an NHL career for himself.

Projecting Future Extensions for Leo Carlsson, Cutter Gauthier

Ducks Sign Clang, Myšák to One-Year Deals

Ducks Prospect Uljanskis Chooses CHL for 2025-26 Season

Photo Credit: Derek Lee-The Hockey News

July 22, 2025

Angels at Mets Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for July 22

It's Tuesday, July 22 and the Angels (49-51) are in Queens to take on the Mets (57-44). Kyle Hendricks is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Frankie Montas for New York.

The Mets rallied by the Angels, 7-5, thanks to Juan Soto and Francisco Alvarez, who made his return from the minors in felt in a major way. New York has won two straight games whereas Los Angeles has alternated wins and losses over five consecutive outings.

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.

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Game details & how to watch Angels at Mets

Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Citi Field
City: Queens, NY
Network/Streaming: FDSNW, SNY

Odds for the Angels at the Mets

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

Moneyline: Angels (+145), Mets (-173)
Spread: Mets -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Angels at Mets

Pitching matchup for July 22, 2025: Kyle Hendricks vs. Frankie Montas
- Angels: Kyle Hendricks, (5-6, 4.88 ERA)
  Last outing: 3.2 Innings Pitched, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 3 Strikeouts
- Mets: Frankie Montas, (2-1, 5.03 ERA)
  Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Angels 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.

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 Tuesday’s game between the Angels 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 Los Angeles Angels 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 Angels at Mets

The Mets have won their last 3 home games against teams with losing records
The Angels' last 4 road games have gone over the Total
Los Angeles is 8-8 in Hendricks' 16 starts
New York is 2-2 in Montas' four starts and 2-0 in the last two

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)

July 22, 2025

Sabres Notes: Timmins To Arbitration, Olofsson Still Unsigned

The Buffalo Sabres seemed quite enthused with the acquisition of Conor Timmins from the Pittsburgh Penguins on NHL Draft weekend, as the 26-year-old appears to be a better fit from a size and salary perspective than Connor Clifton. GM Kevyn Adams indicated after the trade that the 30-year-old former Bruin would have likely not returned to the Sabres after next season, while Timmins has a year to decide on his future.

The St. Catharines, ON native is an arbitration-eligible RFA and one year away from unrestricted free agency. He will have a hearing at some point over the next two weeks, unless the Sabres and agent Paul Capizzano agree on a deal beforehand. Timmins is coming off a 15-point season with Toronto and the Penguins, and it is expected that he will earn a slight raise from his $1.1 million salary with the cap going up.

That price point fits better with Timmins expected role as a bottom-pairing defender over Clifton, who was slated to earn $3.33 million next season.

Other Sabres Stories

Projecting Sabres Trade Cost - Bryan Rust

Six Former Sabres Who Signed Elsewhere

Free agent signings have ground to a halt as the NHL has reached their summer vacation phase. Former Sabre Jeff Skinner found a home, signing a one-year, $3 million contract with the San Jose Sharks, but at this point the two most attractive scoring forwards left unsigned are former Carolina Hurricane Jack Roslovic and former Sabre Victor Oloffson.

Olofsson scored 20 or more goals three times with the Sabres and had a solid injury-shortened season with the Vegas Golden Knights last season, but will not be brought back by the Golden Knights, who added winger Mitch Marner in a sign-and-trade with Toronto. The 29-year-old is likely to still be in the mix for a guaranteed one-year contract with some NHL club, but if he goes unsigned through August, he may get a look on a professional tryout contract.

Follow Michael on X, Instagram, and Bluesky @MikeInBuffalo

July 22, 2025

Reds at Nationals Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for July 22

It's Tuesday, July 22 and the Reds (52-49) are in Washington to take on the Nationals (40-60). Chase Burns is slated to take the mound for Cincinnati against Brad Lord for Washington.

The Nationals put up 10 runs to edge the Reds, 10-8, in the series opener. The Reds have dropped the past two games, but that''s nothing to the Nats' 3-10 record over the last 13. This could be Washington's first winning streak since July 2-3.

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Game details & how to watch Reds at Nationals

Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Nationals Park
City: Washington, DC
Network/Streaming: FDSNOH, MASN

Odds for the Reds at the Nationals

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

Moneyline: Reds (-136), Nationals (+115)
Spread: Reds -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Nationals

Pitching matchup for July 22, 2025: Chase Burns vs. Brad Lord
- Reds: Chase Burns, (0-1, 6.19 ERA)
  Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 10 Strikeouts
- Nationals: Brad Lord, (2-5, 3.46 ERA)
  Last outing: 2.1 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 0 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 0 Strikeouts

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Reds and the Nationals

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.

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 Tuesday’s game between the Reds and the Nationals:

Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Cincinnati Reds on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Washington Nationals at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 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 Reds at Nationals

The Reds are 1-3 in Burns' four starts
The Nationals have lost 7 of their last 10 games
The Over is 4-1 in the Nationals' last 5 matchups against National League teams
The Reds have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 1.67 units

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

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)

July 22, 2025

Twins at Dodgers prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for July 22

Its Tuesday, July 22 and the Twins (48-52) are in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers (59-42) in Game 2 of their series.

Simeon Woods Richardson is slated to take the mound for Minnesota against Yoshinobu Yamamoto for Los Angeles.

Shohei Ohtani allowed a Byron Buxton home run in the top of the first inning last night but got the run plus one back in the bottom of the first with his 35th home run of the season as the Dodgers rolled to a 5-2 win in the series opener against the Twins. Will Smith went yard in the fourth and sixth innings to seal the win for LA.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

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Game details & how to watch Twins at Dodgers

Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Time: 10:10PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: MNNT, SNLA, MLBN

Odds for the Twins at the Dodgers

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

Moneyline: Twins (+182), Dodgers (-222)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Twins at Dodgers

Pitching matchup for July 22, 2025: Simeon Woods Richardson vs. YoshinobuYamamoto
- Twins: Simeon Woods Richardson (5-4, 3.95 ERA)
  Last outing: July 13 vs. Pittsburgh - 4.2IP, 1ER, 6H, 1BB, 3Ks
- Dodgers: Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-7, 2.59 ERA)
  Last outing: July 13 at San Francisco - 7IP, 0ER, 3H, 2BB, 7Ks

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Twins at Dodgers

The Dodgers have won 5 of their last 6 home games against the Twins
The Under is 8-2 in the Twins' last 10 road games
Andy Pages is 8-31 over his last 8 games
Freddie Freeman is 2-12 over his last 4 games
Shohei Ohtani is 4-12 over his last 3 games with 3 HRs

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 Twins and the Dodgers

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.

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 Tuesday's game between the Twins and the Dodgers:

Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Los Angeles Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Los Angeles Dodgers at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

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

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

Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

July 22, 2025

Tigers at Pirates Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for July 22

It's Tuesday, July 22 and the Tigers (60-41) are in Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates (40-61). Casey Mize is slated to take the mound for Detroit against Mitch Keller for Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh took Game 1 of the series, 3-0 to break a three-game losing streak. Detroit is 1-3 since the break, like Pittsburgh, but the Tigers have scored three runs in four games compared to the Buccos' who scored 10.

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Game details & how to watch Tigers at Pirates

Date: Tuesday, July 22, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: PNC Park
City: Pittsburgh, PA
Network/Streaming: FDSNDT, SNP

Odds for the Tigers at the Pirates

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

Moneyline: Tigers (-147), Pirates (+123)
Spread: Tigers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at Pirates

Pitching matchup for July 22, 2025: Casey Mize vs. Mitch Keller
- Tigers: Casey Mize, (9-3, 3.15 ERA)
  Last outing: 3.0 Innings Pitched, 6 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 4 Strikeouts
- Pirates: Mitch Keller, (3-10, 3.48 ERA)
  Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts

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

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes Paul Skenes to win NL CY Young over Zack Wheeler:

"Entering the All-Star break, Skenes had a 1.19 ERA in career wins compared to a 2.39 ERA in losses or non-decisions, so either way, he hasn’t been the Buccos’ problem since he arrived. This year alone, Skenes has allowed 27 runs over 20 starts and the Pirates have lost 11 of those 20 games!

Pittsburgh’s offense has scored the fewest runs in not just the NL, but all of baseball — even the Rockies and White Sox. For more context, the Phillies have scored 112 more runs than the Pirates in one less game.

Both Skenes and Wheeler will be dominant in the second-half, I have no doubts, but Skenes could post a sub 2.00 ERA this season (was doing so through 19 starts), sub .200 OBA, and still have a losing record, which on surface level makes no sense.

Despite how it looks or sounds, I think what Skenes is doing weighs more impressive, challenging, and deserving than what Wheeler is doing."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

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 Tuesday’s game between the Tigers and the Pirates:

Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Detroit Tigers 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.

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 Tigers at Pirates

Detroit is 11-5 when Mize pitches this season
Pittsburgh is 6-14 when Keller pitches this season
The Tigers have won 24 of 41 games following a defeat
In 8 of the Pirates' last 10 games with Mitch Keller starting the Under has cashed
With Mitch Keller starting the Pirates have covered the Run Line in 7 of their last 9 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)