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Gerard Gallant Takes Over KHL’s Shanghai Dragons

Gerard Gallant is the new head coach of the Shanghai Dragons, the KHL club announced on Wednesday.

Gallant, who has coached over 700 NHL games and was last behind the bench of the New York Rangers in 2022-23, has been rumored to be headed to the KHL for several weeks, although the exact team was unknown. There were also reports of him heading to Switzerland. 

“As it turned out, Gallant emerged as the clear choice, meeting every single one of team’s criteria,” Dragons CEO Sergey Belykh is quoted in the club’s announcement. “We reached out to him outlining the club’s vision and key objectives.”

Established in 2016, the Shanghai Dragons were known up until last season as Kunlun Red Star – ostensibly a Chinese-based team, although they haven’t played a game in China since early 2020. The team has been a league doormat almost since its inception – making the playoffs in 2016-17 when it had no import quota but has since missed the playoffs for eight straight years.

Since 2020, the Kunlun-Shanghai franchise has played its home games in the Moscow area and will play this season in St. Petersburg. However, according to the club’s announcement, they would like to return to China in 2026-27, or 2027-28 at the latest.

Ukrainian-Born Ex-Leaf Heads Back To KHLUkrainian-Born Ex-Leaf Heads Back To KHLUkrainian-born Swedish winger Dmytro Timashov, 28, has signed a two-year contract with Admiral Vladivostok, several Swedish media outlets have reported.

To that end, the Dragons seem to have high expectations for Gallant.

“We understood that building a strong team usually takes more than one season,” said Belykh. “Unfortunately, we don’t have that kind of time. That’s why the Dragons needed not just an experienced, high-profile head coach, but a specialist capable of building a competitive team in the shortest possible time.”

Belykh seems to expect Gallant to pull of similar magic that he did in the NHL with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2017-18, leading the first-year team to a Pacific Division title and the Stanley Cup final.

So far, the Dragons have under contract for 2025-26 goaltender Jeremy Smith and brothers Spencer and Parker Foo, who were all naturalized Chinese citizens through playing for Kunlun and represented China at the 2022 Winter Olympics. The team also has 24-year-old Winnipeg Jets prospect Austin Wong. Defenseman Jake Chelios, another naturalized Chinese citizen, announced his retirement just days ago.

Jake Chelios Retires From Chinese KHL TeamJake Chelios Retires From Chinese KHL Team Defenseman Jake Chelios, 34, has announced his retirement via video on the Instagram page of the Chinese-based KHL club that he’s played for the past six seasons.

Last season, the club’s roster also included ex-NHLers Nail Yakupov, Tomáš Jurčo, Brandon Yip, Adam Clendenning, Tyler Graovac, Rourke Chartier and Ryan Merkley.

The team’s previous coaches have included Mikhail Kravets, Greg Ireland, Ivano Zanatta, Alexei Kovalev, Curt Fraser, Bobby Carpenter and Mike Keenan.

Gallant, 61, played 11 seasons in the NHL for the Detroit Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning from 1984 to 1995. He has coached in the NHL for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Florida Panthers, Knights and Rangers, compiling a regular-season record of 369 wins, 262 losses and four ties.

His most recent coaching assignment was for Canada at the Spengler Cup in Davos, Switzerland. In the weeks following, he was rumored to be headed to Genève-Servette, but that never came to fruition.

Rocco Grimaldi Will Play For Igor Larionov In KHLRocco Grimaldi Will Play For Igor Larionov In KHL American forward Rocco Grimaldi, 32, has signed a two-year contract with SKA St. Petersburg, the KHL announced on Wednesday.
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Dodgers at Angels Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for August 13

It's Wednesday, August 13 and the Dodgers (68-52) are in Anaheim to take on the Angels (58-62). Shohei Ohtani is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Kyle Hendricks for Los Angeles.

The Angels rallied into extras to take down the Dodgers to give the Halos a chance for the season sweep over the cross-town rivals. The Angels are 5-0 versus the Dodgers this season and stole Tuesday's meeting, 7-6 in thrilling fashion.

Shohei Ohtani homered for the lead in the top of the 9th, then Nolan Schanuel recorded a RBI sac fly to tie up before Jo Adell brought in the game-winning run in the bottom of the 10th.

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 Dodgers at Angels

  • Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2025
  • Time: 9:38PM EST
  • Site: Angel Stadium
  • City: Anaheim, CA
  • Network/Streaming: SNLA, FDSNW, MLBN

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 Dodgers at the Angels

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Dodgers (-201), Angels (+167)
  • Spread:  Dodgers -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Angels

  • Pitching matchup for August 13, 2025: Shohei Ohtani vs. Kyle Hendricks
    • Dodgers: Shohei Ohtani, (0-0, 2.37 ERA)
      Last outing: 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 0 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
    • Angels: Kyle Hendricks, (6-8, 4.63 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.40 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 0 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 Dodgers and the Angels

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday’s game between the Dodgers and the Angels:

  • 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 Angels 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 Dodgers at Angels

  • The Angels are 5-0 versus the Dodgers this season
  • The Angels are 3- in the last 4 games
  • The Dodgers are 0-3 in the last 3 games
  • The Dodgers have a winning record (21-17) in matchups against American League teams this season
  • The Dodgers' last 3 road games at the Angels have gone over the Total
  • The Angels have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 2.53 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)
  • Trysta Krick (@Trysta_Krick)
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Shaikin: Will Smith could win a batting title. Could the Dodgers stop him?

Los Angeles, CA - August 11: Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Will Smith (16) gets a base hit at the top of the 8th at the game between the LA Dodgers and LA Angels at Angel Stadium on Monday, Aug. 11, 2025 in Los Angeles, CA. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
Dodgers catcher Will Smith gets a base hit in the eighth inning of Monday's game against the Angels. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)

On Tuesday, Will Smith led the National League in batting.

On Wednesday, he does not, but he still has a better batting average than the guy behind him.

It’s all a quirk of baseball’s rules, but one that could cost Smith the batting title if he keeps hitting and the Dodgers keep using him the way they do. We’ll explain and exhale in a bit, but first we ought to appreciate the rarity of this situation.

The Dodgers have been in business for 142 years, and never has one of their catchers won a batting title.

Mike Piazza? Good guess.

In 1997, Piazza batted .362, but Tony Gwynn batted .372.

In 1995, Piazza batted .346, but Gwynn batted .368.

In 1996, Piazza batted .336, but Gwynn batted .353.

In major league history, only four catchers have won a batting title. Two of them were Cincinnati Reds: Bubbles Hargrave (1926) and Ernie Lombardi (1938 and 1942). One is a Hall of Famer: Joe Mauer (2006, ‘08 and ‘09). One is a Hall of Famer in waiting: Buster Posey (2012).

Posey, now the president of baseball operations for the San Francisco Giants, said one factor weighing against a catcher in the batting race is the need to not only prepare himself for a game but to prepare a revolving cast of pitchers as well.

“And, especially as you get late in the year, as much as you try to maintain your legs throughout the season, inevitably you get later in the year and your legs do start to get a little bit tired,” Posey said. “That’s the foundation to hitting. So you’re kind of combating that.

Read more:Walk-off loss to Angels puts Dodgers in first-place tie in NL West

“You’re also a foul tip away from getting one off your hands that would impact how you grip the bat. So there is a lot.”

The batting title used to be one of the most prestigious awards in the game. In the analytical revolution, batting average has become something of a lost statistic, sacrificed at the altar of on-base percentage.

Posey does not quite buy all of this. He would not sign a player simply because of a high batting average, he says, but he considers a high batting average a worthy statistic.

“I’m a believer in batting average,” he said. “With that batting average, I think you’re still hoping for some impact there as well, which Will is doing with his ability to drive the ball.

“But part of my belief in batting average is that it just creates pressure on the defense, having traffic on the bases. I know that you can get there other ways, with a walk and whatnot, but it’s part of the puzzle to create pressure. I think the good teams do a nice job of having a lineup sprinkled with some of those guys that are a little bit more bat-to-ball, and then have some of their power hitters mixed in around them.”

Smith made his major league debut in 2019, the next-to-last season for Posey.

“I’ve always been a fan of Will,” Posey said. “Playing against him, I felt like we had some similarities, because he wasn’t looking to be your best friend when you came to the plate. I kind of appreciated that about him. He was always very business.

“You could tell he wanted to do everything he could to beat you. There’s no doubt he’s been a big part of that team’s success.”

Smith is hitting .312, which would be the lowest average to win an NL batting title. In this era in which batting average is devalued and disparaged, the NL has only three .300 hitters: Smith, teammate Freddie Freeman and the Miami Marlins’ Xavier Edwards.

Smith also leads the league in on-base percentage (.414) and ranks fourth in OPS (.930, behind Shohei Ohtani, Kyle Schwarber and Ketel Marte).

Technically, Smith does not lead in those categories. Under Rule 9.22 (“Minimum Standards for Individual Championships”), a player cannot qualify for a title unless he averages 3.1 plate appearances per game.

Read more:Amid resurgent year and batting title push, Will Smith unbothered being ‘overlooked’

Smith batted under .200 in each of the three rounds of last year’s postseason, and the Dodgers prioritized getting him extra rest this season. Some days, he meets that average, and he shows up among the league leaders. Then the Dodgers give him a day off, and he does not.

Smith’s performance would indicate the extra rest has worked as intended so far. However, the rest is primarily designed to allow Smith to play more often down the stretch and play more effectively in October.

And “down the stretch” took on a more urgent meaning Tuesday, when the Dodgers fell into a first-place tie with the San Diego Padres in the NL West. A division title is at stake, and with it the possibility of a first-round playoff bye.

The teams play three games this weekend at Dodger Stadium, three more next weekend at Petco Park. Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said “there’s a chance” Smith could play all three games on one of those weekends.

As of Wednesday, Smith projects to make 500 plate appearances this season. The magic number to qualify for the batting title: 502.

The team comes first, and with the Dodgers that means preparedness for October. If Smith keeps hitting, might he have to sacrifice a chance at the batting title for the good of the team? I asked Roberts, and I was pleasantly surprised at the answer.

“He’s going to qualify. No matter what, I’ll make sure of that,” Roberts said. “I’m going to make sure he gets enough at-bats.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Blackhawks New Forward Is Interesting Addition

The Chicago Blackhawks have made a few additions this off-season in what has been a pretty quiet summer for them. One of their moves was bringing back old friend Sam Lafferty, as they acquired him from the Buffalo Sabres in exchange for a 2026 sixth-round pick back in July. This marked the third time that the Blackhawks have traded for Lafferty. 

Lafferty is coming off a tough 2024-25 season with the Buffalo Sabres, as he had just four goals, three assists, and a minus-15 rating in 60 games. Overall, the 2014 fourth-round pick simply struggled to find his fit with the Sabres, so it was not particularly surprising to see Buffalo trade him this off-season.

While Lafferty had a rough year with the Sabres in 2024-25, he still has the potential to be a solid addition to the Blackhawks' roster. He played some of the best hockey of his career during his first stint with the Blackhawks and cemented himself as an NHL player in the process. He had his most success in Chicago during the 2022-23 season, as he recorded 10 goals and 21 points in 51 games before being traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2023 NHL trade deadline. 

This was not the only solid season Lafferty has put together during his NHL career, though. Just back during the 2023-24 season with the Vancouver Canucks, the gritty forward scored a career-high 13 goals and recorded 24 points and 191 hits in 79 games. If he can get his offense back to these levels for the Blackhawks while maintaining his heavy style of play, he will end up being a very solid addition to the Blackhawks' bottom six.

Nevertheless, it is going to be very interesting to see what kind of season Lafferty can put together for the Blackhawks in 2025-26. Bringing him back was a low-risk move for Chicago.

Blackhawks Still Have Important Move To MakeBlackhawks Still Have Important Move To MakeThe Chicago Blackhawks have not had as busy of an off-season as they did last summer, but they still have made some moves. They improved their overall depth, as they brought in players like Andre Burakovsky, Sam Lafferty, and Dominic Toninato. They also made a significant move when they signed Ryan Donato to a four-year, $16 million contract extension back in June. 
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Braves at Mets Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for August 13

It's Wednesday, August 13 and the Braves (51-68) are in Queens to take on the Mets (64-55). Carlos Carrasco is slated to take the mound for Atlanta against David Peterson for New York.

New York took game two of the series, 13-5 in a thriller that included Pete Alonso breaking the Mets all-time home run record with 253 for his career. That win snapped a seven-game losing streak for the Mets and marks a 2-11 mark over the past 13 games.

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 Braves at Mets

  • Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2025
  • Time: 7:10PM EST
  • Site: Citi Field
  • City: Queens, NY
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNSO, SNY, FS1

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 Braves at the Mets

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Braves (+163), Mets (-196)
  • Spread:  Mets -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Braves at Mets

  • Pitching matchup for August 13, 2025: Carlos Carrasco vs. David Peterson
    • Braves: Carlos Carrasco, (2-2, 5.91 ERA)
      Last outing: 9.53 ERA, 6 Earned Runs Allowed, 9 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
    • Mets: David Peterson, (7-5, 2.98 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.00 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 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 Braves 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 Wednesday’s game between the Braves 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 Atlanta Braves at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play 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 Braves at Mets

  • The Mets are 1-7 in the last 8 games and 2-11 in the past 13
  • Atlanta is 3-1 in the last 4 games
  • Atlanta is 2-8 in the last 10 games
  • The Mets have won 3 straight divisional matchups
  • The Under is 20-11-1 in the Braves' divisional matchups this season
  • The Mets have covered the Run Line in 3 straight matchups against the Braves

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)
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Padres at Giants Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for August 13

It's Wednesday, August 13 and the Padres (68-52) are in San Francisco to take on the Giants (59-61). Nick Pivetta is slated to take the mound for San Diego against Kai-Wei Teng for San Francisco.

The Padres will entertain a sweep over the Giants after a 5-1 on Tuesday and 4-1 on Monday. San Diego is winners of four-straight, while San Francisco is the opposite with four consecutive losses as the Giants continue to play itself out of the playoff picture.

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 Padres at Giants

  • Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2025
  • Time: 3:45PM EST
  • Site: Oracle Park
  • City: San Francisco, CA
  • Network/Streaming: SDPA, NBCSBA

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 Padres at the Giants

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Padres (-156), Giants (+132)
  • Spread:  Padres -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Giants

  • Pitching matchup for August 13, 2025: Nick Pivetta vs. Kai-Wei Teng
    • Padres: Nick Pivetta, (11-4, 2.94 ERA)
      Last outing: 7.50 ERA, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
    • Giants: Kai-Wei Teng, (1-1, 5.40 ERA)
      Last outing: 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 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!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Padres and the Giants

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday’s game between the Padres and the Giants:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the San Diego Padres on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the San Francisco Giants 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 Padres at Giants

  • San Diego is 4-0 in the last 4 and 6-1 in the past 7
  • San Francisco is 0-4 in the last 4 and 3-4 in the past 7
  • The Padres have won 4 of their last 5 away games against teams with losing records
  • The Under is 4-1 in the Giants' last 5 matchups against divisional opponents
  • It has been 4 games since the Giants last covered the Run Line

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)
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Kings' NBA Cup Group A schedule released, with games vs. Thunder, Timberwolves

Kings' NBA Cup Group A schedule released, with games vs. Thunder, Timberwolves originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings’ path to bouncing back in the NBA Cup begins Nov. 7 at Golden 1 Center against the defending NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder.

Sacramento also will play the Timberwolves in Minnesota on Nov. 14, host the Phoenix Suns on Nov. 26 and face the Jazz in Utah on Nov. 28.

The NBA released the full 2025 NBA Cup schedule on Wednesday, a month after the six five-team groups were revealed.

The Kings went 1-3 in the group stage last season, missing the knockout round.

If the Kings advance out of the group stage, they head to the knockout rounds. The Western and Eastern Conference quarterfinals take place on Dec. 9 and 10, while the conference semifinals will be held on Dec. 13.

Should the Kings survive the single-elimination knockout stage, they will play in the NBA Cup championship game on Dec. 16.

Sacramento heads into the 2025-26 NBA season looking to return to the playoffs after losing to the Dallas Mavericks in the Western Conference play-in tournament in April.

Doug Christie had the interim title removed and is entrenched as the Kings’ coach for the foreseeable future, while Domantas Sabonis, DeMar DeRozan, Zach LaVine and Keegan Murray anchor the roster. Point guard Dennis Schroder joins the fray to run the offense.

The first step to building a solid foundation for the future would be to win the NBA Cup.

Download and follow The Deuce & Mo Podcast

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Tigers at White Sox Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for August 13

It's Wednesday, August 13 and the Tigers (69-52) are in Chicago to take on the White Sox (44-76). Shane Smith is slated to take the mound for Chicago, while Detroit has yet to announce its starting pitcher.

The White Sox even up the series against the Tigers at one apiece after a 9-6 victory on Tuesday. Detroit's struggles continue and it appears they will roll with an opener rather than a rotational starter for the series finale in Chicago as Tarik Skubal takes the mound at Minnesota Thursday.

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 Tigers at White Sox

  • Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2025
  • Time: 2:10PM EST
  • Site: Rate Field
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNDT, CHSN

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 Tigers at the White Sox

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Tigers (-130), White Sox (+109)
  • Spread:  Tigers -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at White Sox

  • Pitching matchup for August 13, 2025: TBA vs. Shane Smith
    • Tigers: TBA
    • White Sox: Shane Smith, (3-7, 4.22 ERA)
      Last outing: 3.60 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 8 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 Tigers and the White 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 Wednesday’s game between the Tigers and the White Sox:

  • 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 Chicago White Sox 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 White Sox

  • Chicago is 2-7 in the last 9 games
  • Detroit is 4-5 in the last 9 games
  • The White Sox have lost 27 of 43 games this season following a win
  • The Over is 4-1 in the Tigers' last 5 divisional matchups
  • The Tigers have failed to cover in their last 5 games against the White Sox

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)
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Pirates at Brewers Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for August 13

It's Wednesday, August 13 and the Pirates (51-70) are in Milwaukee to take on the Brewers (75-44). Mitch Keller is slated to take the mound for Pittsburgh against Brandon Woodruff for Milwaukee.

The Brew Crew continues its dominance with an 11th straight win! Milwaukee beat Pittsburgh 14-0 after a 7-1 victory on Monday, so it's 21-1 on the series score if you're counting, Pittsburgh (I am a Pirates fan).

Milwaukee holds the best record in the MLB, the No. 1 seed in the NL, and is larger than a -500 favorite to win the NL Central amid this blue-burning winning streak.

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 Pirates at Brewers

  • Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2025
  • Time: 2:10PM EST
  • Site: American Family Field
  • City: Milwaukee, WI
  • Network/Streaming: SNP, FDSNWI, MLBN

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 Pirates at the Brewers

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Pirates (+160), Brewers (-192)
  • Spread:  Brewers -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Pirates at Brewers

  • Pitching matchup for August 13, 2025: Mitch Keller vs. Brandon Woodruff
    • Pirates: Mitch Keller, (5-10, 3.86 ERA)
      Last outing: 3.18 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
    • Brewers: Brandon Woodruff, (4-0, 2.29 ERA)
      Last outing: 2.57 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 8 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 Pirates and the Brewers

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday’s game between the Pirates and the Brewers:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Milwaukee Brewers 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 7.0.

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 Pirates at Brewers

  • Milwaukee is 11-0 in the last 11 games
  • Pittsburgh is 0-4 in the last 4 games
  • Pittsburgh is 4-8 over the past 12 games
  • The Brewers have won 17 of their last 20 home games with Brandon Woodruff as starting pitcher
  • In his last 5 home starts on the mound the Brewers pitcher Brandon Woodruff has an ERA of 1.96
  • The Brewers have covered the Run Line in 4 straight matchups against the Pirates

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)
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Nationals at Royals Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, stats for August 13

It's Wednesday, August 13 and the Nationals (47-72) are in Kansas City to take on the Royals (60-60). Jake Irvin is slated to take the mound for Washington against Seth Lugo for Kansas City.

The Royals chase of the three-game sweep over the Nationals continues after Kansas City took game two, 8-5. Kansas City is now 3-1 in the past four games and 4-2 in the previous six, while Washington is in a slide at 3-10 over the last 13 contests.

A win and sweep in favor of the Royals would put Kansas City above .500 for the first time since they were 34-33 (now 60-60).

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 Nationals at Royals

  • Date: Wednesday, August 13, 2025
  • Time: 2:10PM EST
  • Site: Kauffman Stadium
  • City: Kansas City, MO
  • Network/Streaming: MASN2, FDSNKC

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 Nationals at the Royals

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Nationals (+152), Royals (-183)
  • Spread:  Royals -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Nationals at Royals

  • Pitching matchup for August 13, 2025: Jake Irvin vs. Seth Lugo
    • Nationals: Jake Irvin, (8-7, 4.90 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.06 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
    • Royals: Seth Lugo, (8-6, 3.46 ERA)
      Last outing: 15.75 ERA, 7 Earned Runs Allowed, 9 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 1 Strikeouts

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

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

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday’s game between the Nationals and the Royals:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Kansas City Royals 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 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 Nationals at Royals

  • Washington is 0-2 in the last 2 games
  • Washington is 3-10 in the last 13 games
  • The Royals have won 7 of their last 9 games at home
  • The Nationals' last 3 games versus the Royals have gone over the Total
  • The Royals have covered the Run Line in 5 of their last 6 matchups against the Nationals

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)
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Warriors' NBA Cup schedule released, featuring matchup vs. Kevin Durant, Rockets

Warriors' NBA Cup schedule released, featuring matchup vs. Kevin Durant, Rockets originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Steph Curry and the Warriors’ road to the 2025 NBA Cup knockout rounds begins Friday, Nov. 7, with a Group C matchup against Nikola Jokić and the Nuggets in Denver and concludes Wednesday, Nov. 26, against Kevin Durant and the Houston Rockets at Chase Center in San Francisco.

In between those two games, Golden State will play the Spurs on Friday, Nov. 14, in San Antonio and host the Portland Trail Blazers on Friday, Nov. 21.

The NBA released the full NBA Cup schedule on Wednesday, a month after revealing the six five-team groups.

If the Warriors advance out of the group stage, they head to the knockout rounds. The Western and Eastern Conference quarterfinals take place on Dec. 9 and 10, while the conference semifinals will be held on Dec. 13.

Should the Warriors survive the single-elimination knockout stage, they will play in the NBA Cup championship game on Dec. 16.

The Warriors made it to the knockout stage last season, winning Group C with a 3-1 record. But they lost 91-90 to the Rockets in the quarterfinals. Houston would go on to lose to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the Western Conference semifinal.

Golden State got its revenge in April by taking down Houston in a thrilling seven-game first-round NBA playoff series.

With Jimmy Butler in the fold to begin the 2025-26 season, the Warriors are better equipped to do damage in the NBA Cup. But the path is daunting with games against the Nuggets, Spurs, Trail Blazers and Rockets.

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Ranking Mets slugger Pete Alonso's Top 5 home runs

From milestone blasts to walk-offs to October clouts that will live forever in Mets lore, Pete Alonso has hit a ton of home runs, more than anyone in Flushing history.

But which round-trippers are his best ever? We engaged a crack team of homerologists to come up with a list of Alonso’s Top 5. They used everything from tape measures to Statcast to their deep feel for baseball (and Mets) history to determine which of Pete’s nukes really stand out. 

Bet you can guess No. 1 on this list, which is meant to celebrate the home run that broke Darryl Strawberry’s previous Mets career record of 252. (That’s why No. 253 itself isn’t on here). Of course, Alonso might replace all of the rockets on this countdown if he keeps slugging away. 

So read on, beginning with No. 5. 

5. Alonso’s first career home run 

You’ve got to start somewhere, and Alonso did on April 1, 2019. It was a delight that the Mets took him on the big league roster out of spring camp instead of trying to manipulate his service time and, zowie, did it pay off. After going homer-less in his first three MLB games, Alonso gave the baseball world an idea of what to expect when his bat meets ball. With the Mets up by a run in the ninth inning in Miami, he smashed a three-run homer off righty Drew Steckenrider to give the Mets a cushion in what eventually was a 7-3 win. The drive went 112.8 mph off the bat and traveled 444 feet to center field. 

Sep 3, 2020; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) is greeted by teammates to celebrate the victory after hitting a 2 run home run during the tenth inning against the New York Yankees at Citi Field.
Sep 3, 2020; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) is greeted by teammates to celebrate the victory after hitting a 2 run home run during the tenth inning against the New York Yankees at Citi Field. / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

4. Pete punishes pinstripers

Alonso seems to have a flair for big moments, so it’s hard not to choose his first walk-off career home run, which came on Sept. 3, 2020 and doomed the Yankees. With the score knotted at 7 in the bottom of the 10th inning at Citi Field, Alonso powered a 404-foot shot down the left-field line off Albert Abreu, clobbering Abreu’s 97.5-mph four seamer. Since Dom Smith started the inning on second base – he was the Manfred Man – the Mets won the game by a 9-7 score. Weird nugget: The “fans” in the stands were cutouts, since it was the pandemic season.

3. The one where we cheat

The 2019 season was milestone mania for Alonso, who set the MLB rookie record for homers and the Mets’ club mark for a single season, too, by blasting 53. We can’t leave any of these record-breakers out! We refuse. So we are going to recognize them all, starting with his 27th homer that year, which came off Cole Hamels at Wrigley Field and broke Strawberry’s Mets record for rookie homers in a single season. When he hit No. 40 roughly two months later, it broke Cody Bellinger’s mark for an NL rookie. When he slugged No. 42 on Aug. 27, he set the Mets single-season record, passing Todd Hundley and Carlos Beltran. And when he hit his 53rd on Sept. 28 off Mike Foltynewicz of the Braves, he broke the MLB rookie record Aaron Judge had set two years earlier. What a season.

New York Mets first base Pete Alonso (20) hits a three-run home run in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field.
New York Mets first base Pete Alonso (20) hits a three-run home run in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers during game five of the NLCS for the 2024 MLB playoffs at Citi Field. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images

2. Postseason Polar (Bear) power

The Mets were facing elimination in Game 5 of the 2024 NLCS against the Dodgers, but Alonso gave them a first-inning jolt that helped spur a 12-6 win and push the series to six games. Facing Jack Flaherty, who had shredded the Mets in Game 1, Alonso reached down and golfed a Flaherty offering over the center field fence, a three-run drive that traveled 432 feet. According to MLB.com, it was the longest postseason homer by a Met in the Statcast Era (since 2015), topping Travis d’Arnaud’s 431-foot shot off the Home Run Apple in 2015. 

1. Duh

One day, Alonso may hit a bigger home run than our list-topper. That would be incredible, because what Alonso did on Oct. 3, 2024 was historic. It saved the Mets season – maybe saved Alonso’s Mets career, too, considering he was heading into free agency off a down (for him) season. In the ninth inning of Game 3 of the NL Wild Card Series against the Brewers, the Mets were down, 2-0, with two on and one out in the ninth inning. Their superlative closer, Devin Williams, was on the mound. Fairly bleak, right? But Alonso hit a three-run homer and the Mets went on to win, 4-2. Alonso’s home run was the first ever go-ahead home run in the ninth inning of a winner-take-all postseason game hit while the player’s team was trailing. That’s a bit of a mouthful; simply put, it’s one of the great clutch swings in MLB history.

Honorable mention(s)

We can’t stop ourselves. And we’d be remiss if we did not mention July 17, 2019, when Alonso hit the longest home run of his career, a 489-foot mash off Matt Magill in Minnesota. Then there’s the day in 2024 (Aug. 8) when he slugged two homers off Austin Gomber at Coors Field that went 471 feet and 454 feet, respectively. That’s 925 feet worth of homers! In the 2021 Home Run Derby, Alonso was credited with a 514-foot shot in Colorado. Man, imagine if Alonso played his home games at Coors Field? One last one – Alonso got plenty of national buzz after his performance in the 2018 MLB Futures Game when he smacked a 415-foot homer, kind of like he was saying, “Hello, baseball world, I’m the future Mets club leader in home runs.” 

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Canadiens: Bolduc Is Up To The Challenge

Since being traded by the St. Louis Blues to the Montreal Canadiens, Zachary Bolduc has been looking forward to playing for the team he cheered for as a kid. He’s been to Brossard to check out the CN Sports Complex and has spoken to his new coach a couple times. La Presse’s Simon Olivier Lorange caught up with Bolduc and new Habs signing Samuel Blais at the first edition of the QMJHL Foundation tournament in Terrebonne.

According to Lorange, he jokingly asked Bolduc if he was ready to kill penalties and the forward replied that when training camp comes around, he’ll be ready for any kind of opportunity. The youngster was dead serious even though he’s only played a grand total of 21 seconds on the PK in his young career.

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The forward acquired in return for Logan Mailloux added that he wants to help the Canadiens in any way possible, be it at even strength, on the power play or even when down a man. While he’s never had the opportunity to be a penalty killer, he told Lorange that he’s smart and sees the game well, playing on the PK is something he would like to had to his toolbox.

The 22-year-old has a single season of experience in the big league, but he is seen as a player who has a legitimate chance at a top-six spot. In 72 games, he racked up 36 points, 12 of which came on the power play. It will be interesting to see who Martin St. Louis elects to use with the man advantage now that Bolduc, Ivan Demidov and Noah Dobson can make reasonable first-unit cases.

Last season, Nick Suzuki, Cole Caufield, Juraj Slafkovsky, Lane Hutson and Patrik Laine all joined forces on the top unit, but now that there have been significant new additions to the lineup, who should be on the first line unit and who should lose their spot? That’s going to be an interesting story to follow when training camp rolls around.

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