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MLB power rankings roundup: Where Red Sox stand after streaky start

MLB power rankings roundup: Where Red Sox stand after streaky start originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox’ 2025 campaign is off to a streaky, albeit encouraging start.

Boston lost four games in a row after beating the Texas Rangers on Opening Day. Rafael Devers’ historic struggles highlighted the club’s offensive woes out of the gate.

The Red Sox have since won five of their last six games, including a sweep of the St. Louis Cardinals that included a walk-off victory and an 18-run outburst. They will take a 6-5 record into Tuesday’s showdown with the Toronto Blue Jays at Fenway Park.

While they have a long way to go — 151 games, to be exact — their recent surge has inspired optimism for the remainder of the season. MLB experts across the nation view the Red Sox as a top-10 team in the league, and if that trend continues, we could see them clinch their first playoff berth since 2021.

Here’s a look at where the Red Sox stand as of Tuesday, according to power rankings from several national outlets:

The Athletic (Chad Jennings): 7th

“Oftentimes, we’re using the term ‘difference-maker’ as a shorthand for team MVP. And if we apply that logic to the Red Sox, Wilyer Abreu would be the choice. But if we’re looking for a tangible difference, consider this: Devers went 0-for-19 in the first five games of the season, and the Red Sox were 1-4. Then he had two hits in Game No. 6, stayed blistering hot through a four-hit game on Sunday — the last game we saw before voting on the Power Rankings — and the Red Sox went 5-0 in those games. When Devers wasn’t hitting, the Red Sox weren’t winning. When he started hitting, the Red Sox couldn’t lose. Seems like the definition of a difference-maker.”

CBS Sports (Matt Snyder): 8th

“After a four-game losing streak, they have come alive. It’s a nice illustration of how quickly things can change this early in the season.”

FOX Sports (Rowan Kavner): 8th

Bleacher Report (Joel Reuter):9th

“The Red Sox exploded for 18 runs in the night cap of a doubleheader with the Cardinals on Sunday Night Baseball. And after a 1-4 start to the year, they have now won five in a row. Last year’s top rookie Wilyer Abreu (37 PA, .483/.595/.897, 3 2B, 3 HR, 12 RBI) and this year’s rookie phenom Kristian Campbell (42 PA, .364/.476/.667, 4 2B, 2 HR, 5 RBI) have been two of the hottest hitters in baseball to start the year.”

MLB.com (Will Leitch): 10th

“Much was made out of how well Alex Bregman had historically hit at Fenway Park in his career before he signed with the Sox not long before Opening Day. With all eyes on him in his Fenway Park debut in a Red Sox uniform on Friday, he had two hits, raising his OPS at Fenway to 1.245, the best of any active player with 70 or more at-bats.”

USA TODAY (Gabe Lacques): 11th

“Starters not named Garrett Crochet have a 6.42 ERA.”

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Why Top Prospect Zayne Parekh Probably Won't Play For The Calgary Flames Right Away

Zayne Parekh (Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images)

There is absolutely no doubt that Zayne Parekh is an offensive wizard, and he'll almost certainly help the Calgary Flames.

Sometime. That time is almost certainly not now.

With Parekh's Saginaw Spirit being eliminated from the OHL playoffs, Parekh is available to play for the Flames, which drafted him ninth overall last June.

Unless the Flames are either locked in or out of the playoffs before the end of the regular season, it's unlikely he'll play for the Flames. But his immediate hockey future might still be in Calgary, and his remarkable OHL season should have NHL fans keeping an eye out for him for years to come.

Today's video column explains why.

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.

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Sabres Surging Forward Continues To Be Great Addition

Jason Zucker (© Timothy T. Ludwig-Imagn Images)

During this past off-season, the Buffalo Sabres signed veteran forward Jason Zucker to a one-year, $5 million contract in free agency. The move was understandable, as the Sabres needed a boost in their middle six. Now, as the Sabres charge toward the end of the 2024-25 season, it is clear the decision to bring Zucker in is one they are very happy about.

Zucker has been one of the Sabres' top forwards all season, posting 21 goals, 30 assists, 51 points, and a plus-4 rating in 67 games. Due to this and his veteran leadership, the Sabres signed him to a two-year, $9.5 million contract extension back in March. Now, with the season almost done, he is only continuing to show the Sabres they made the right call bringing him in. 

Zucker has been red-hot as of late, as he has two goals, five points, and a plus-2 rating in his last four games. This includes scoring the Sabres' game-winning goal in their 6-3 win over the Boston Bruins on April 6.

Overall, Zucker is only continuing to make an impact with the Sabres, with the season just about over. While he may not have been considered one of the flashiest signings from this past summer, he has given the Sabres incredible value and has emerged as a part of their core because of it. 

Recent Sabres News 

Buffalo Sabres Call Up Surging First-Round Pick

Young Sabres Forward Is Heating Up Big Time

Buffalo Sabres Send First-Round Pick Back To AHL

Ex-Sabres Star Jack Eichel Rewarded For Incredible Month

Ex-Sabres Defender Expected To Be Done For The Season

Buffalo Sabres Send Defenseman Back To AHL

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Top 10 Winningest Goalies In Penguins History Ft. Greg Millen

Marc-Andre Fleury - Credit: Jason Bridge-Imagn Images

According to records available at NHL.com, there have been 71 goalies to play for the Pittsburgh Penguins, 60 of whom have registered a victory. 

As most fans know, the winningest goalie is future Hall of Famer Marc-Andre Fleury, who not only has the most wins (375) but owns the majority of the team's records regarding appearances, losses, saves, and Stanley Cup titles. 

However, before Fleury came along and rewrote the record book, many other names were at or near the top of the list. Let's see who previously ranked at or near the top of the wins list.

Top 10 Winningest Goalies in Penguins History

10. Greg Millen (57-56-18) 

Pittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) on XPittsburgh Penguins (@penguins) on Xundefined

Initially drafted in the sixth round (102nd overall) at the 1977 Amateur Draft, Greg Millen played three seasons in Pittsburgh from 1978 to 1981, becoming only the third goalie in franchise history to win 50 games. 

9. Les Binkley (58-94-34) 

Les Binkley played in the fourth game in Penguins history, becoming the first netminder to reach 50 wins. He finished fifth in Calder Trophy voting in his rookie season, 1967-68, and was the first Pittsburgh goalie to record 20 wins in a single season. Binkley played five seasons with the Penguins. 

8. Casey DeSmith (58-44-15) 

Casey DeSmith - Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Casey DeSmith was an undrafted goalie who joined the Penguins following their back-to-back championships in 2017-18. A solid backup during his time with the club, he collected the eighth most wins in franchise history in only five seasons. 

7. Jean-Sebastian Aubin (63-71-11) 

Jean-Sebastian Aubin backstopped the Penguins during their transition from Stanley Cup contender to a club that won the NHL Draft Lottery in 2005, landing Sidney Crosby. In six seasons, Aubin became the fourth-winningest goalie in franchise history and is only one of three netminders in the top ten with a losing record. 

6. Denis Herron (88-133-44) 

Denis Herron was the top goalie in Penguins history until Tom Barrasso joined the club in 1988. He was the only one to play in over 200 games and held the wins record for over a decade. He spent three stints with Pittsburgh from 1972-1975, 1976-1979, and 1982-86, skating with a rookie Mario Lemieux.

Ranking Crosby's Performance Against Former First Overall Picks Ranking Crosby's Performance Against Former First Overall Picks Pittsburgh Penguins captain Sidney Crosby was the first overall pick in the 2005 Entry Draft. With 1,682 points, he's the second-highest scoring first-overall pick in NHL history, trailing his former teammate Mario Lemieux, who ended his Hall of Fame career with 1,723.

5. Ken Wregget (104-67-21) 

Ken Wregget was in the right place at the right time, playing with the overly successful Penguins in the 1990s and winning the Stanley Cup in 1992. He played 212 games in seven seasons, becoming only the second goalie to win over 100 games alongside his partner Barrasso. By the time Wregget left in 1998, he had the second most wins in franchise history. 

4. Matt Murray (117-53-19) 

The Penguins expected Matt Murray to be their goalie of the future, exposing Fleury in the 2018 Expansion Draft. As the netminder on record in the deciding game of the 2016 and 2017 Stanley Cup Final, he joined Barrasso as the only netminder to secure the championship in consecutive seasons. In only 199 games, Murray secured the third most wins in franchise history before departing in 2020.

3. Tristan Jarry (150-96-31) 

Tristan Jarry - Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

Tristan Jarry recently picked up his 150th win and became only the third goalie to ever reach the plateau with the Penguins. Meanwhile, he also earned his 20th shutout in 2024-25, becoming the third netminder to achieve the feat in black and gold. Jarry is tied for third in games played but is only one of two goalies to score a goal, sharing the honor with Alex Nedeljkovic.

2. Tom Barrasso (226-153-53) 

Barrasso was already a Calder and Vezina Trophy winner when he came to Pittsburgh in 1998. However, he solidified his entry into the Hockey Hall of Fame by backing the Penguins to their first two Stanley Cup titles in 1991 and 1992 while helping the 1993 club establish an NHL record for 17 consecutive wins.

Pittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesPittsburgh Penguins Schedule: Remaining Games & Statistical NotesThe Pittsburgh Penguins are winding down their 2024-25 season and will miss the Stanley Cup playoffs for the third consecutive season, a first in Sidney Crosby's 20-year career. However, there is plenty to play for in the final weeks.

When Barrasso departed in 2000, he owned every goalie record, but he only retained the points (31) and penalty minutes (251) records after Fleury's tenure.

1. Marc-Andre Fleury (375-216-2-66) 

Marc-Andre Fleury - Credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images

Fleury remains the last goalie selected first overall at the NHL Draft and is the only Penguins goalie to have his name inscribed on the Stanley Cup three times. He's established every significant goalie record in team history, including several marks that may not be broken in our lifetime, thanks in part to spending 13 seasons with the organization. As "The Flower" approaches retirement, he's a first-ballot Hall of Famer who ranks among the all-time greats. 

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World Series champion Dodgers visit the White House

WASHINGTON — Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and the reigning champion Los Angeles Dodgers visited the White House after winning the World Series last season.

Ohtani was praised for becoming baseball’s first 50 home run-50 stolen base player, Betts for his play, and Japanese pitcher Yoshi Yamamoto and NL Championship Series MVP Tommy Edman were singled out.

Betts, the star outfielder at the time for the 2018 champion Boston Red Sox, did not make that team’s trip to the White House the next year. Betts was on the Dodgers when they won the World Series in 2020 and attended the celebration the following year.

The 32-year-old Betts is the lone Black player on the Dodgers who returned from last season’s World Series team.

“Nobody else in this clubhouse has to go through a decision like this except me,” Betts said of his decision. “That’s what makes it tough. But it is what it is. I’m not trying to make this political by any means at all. All it is is just me being with my team to celebrate something. It’s a privilege to get an invitation like this. I just want to be there with them.”

Manager Dave Roberts had called the invitation a huge honor that each World Series champion gets to experience. Roberts said deciding to go to the White House was not a formal conversation he and players had.

The trip came after a Department of Defense webpage describing Brooklyn Dodgers great and civil rights icon Jackie Robinson’s military service was restored after it had come down.

That development came after pages honoring a Black Medal of Honor winner and Japanese American service members were taken down — which the Pentagon said was a mistake — amid the department’s effort to remove content singling out the contributions by women and minority groups.

Neither Robinson nor any other previous Dodgers greats were mentioned at the ceremony.

Los Angeles Dodgers co-owner Mark Walter and pitcher Clayton Kershaw gave brief remarks at the White House.

The White House also said recently the NFL’s Super Bowl champion Philadelphia Eagles accepted their invitation for April 28.

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Orioles at Diamondbacks prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for April 8

Its Tuesday, April 8 and the Orioles (5-6) are in Phoenix to take on the Diamondbacks (5-6) in Game 2 of this series.

Charlie Morton is slated to take the mound for Baltimore against Merrill Kelly for Arizona. Each was hit hard in their last outing.

Game 1 of the series went to the O's, 5-1. Ryan Mountcastle drove in a pair and Ryan O'Hearn went yard to pace the Baltimore attack. Zach Eflin went six innings and allowed just one run to earn his second win of the season.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Orioles at Diamondbacks

  • Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
  • Time: 9:40PM EST
  • Site: Chase Field
  • City: Phoenix, AZ
  • Network/Streaming: MASN2, 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 Orioles at the Diamondbacks

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Orioles (-101), Diamondbacks (-118)
  • Spread:  Diamondbacks 1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Orioles at Diamondbacks

  • Pitching matchup for April 8, 2025: Charlie Morton vs. Merrill Kelly
    • Orioles: Charlie Morton (0-2, 9.72 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/3 vs. Boston - 5IP, 5ER, 6H, 2BB, 10Ks
    • Diamondbacks: Merrill Kelly (1-1, 10.00 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/3 at Yankees - 3.2IP, 9ER, 9H, 3BB, 2Ks

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

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

  • The Orioles are 5-6 for the season on the Run Line
  • The Diamondbacks have lost 3 in a row and 4 of their last 5 games
  • The Diamondbacks have failed to cover the Run Line in 3 straight 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 Orioles and the Diamondbacks

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 Tuesday's game between the Orioles and the Diamondbacks:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Arizona Diamondbacks on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 9.0.

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)
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Report: Kings reunite with guard Davis on NBA contract

Report: Kings reunite with guard Davis on NBA contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings reunited with a familiar face on Tuesday.

Sacramento is signing veteran guard Terence Davis to a contract for the remainder of the 2024-25 NBA season, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday, citing sources.

As Charania mentioned, Davis played three seasons for the Kings from midway through the 2020-21 season through the 2022-23 campaign.

In 121 career games with Sacramento, Davis averaged 8.6 points, 2.7 rebounds and 1.3 assists per game on 42.8-percent shooting from the field and 35.8 percent from 3-point range.

After a strong 2024-25 season with the Wisconsin Herd, the Milwaukee Bucks’ G League team, Davis re-joins the Kings as bench depth for interim coach Doug Christie with three regular-season games remaining.

Download and follow The Deuce & Mo Podcast

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Jakub Dobes Got An Interesting Gift Following Ovechkin’s Record

Jakub Dobes was never scored on by Alexander Ovechkin - Photo credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you know that the Washington Capitals’ captain and super sniper, Alexander Ovechkin, broke Wayne Gretzky’s goal-scoring record this weekend when he beat countryman Ilya Sorokin on a power play. A celebration followed on the ice, but American beer giant Budweiser had another celebration in mind.

Canadiens: Taking On A Chaser
Canadiens: What’s Next For Demidov?
Three Takeaways As Dobes Stole The Game

In a fantastic marketing coup, the company produced limited edition beer cans 0 of 895 and sent one to each of the 28 goalies who have faced the Great Eight without surrendering a goal. Montreal Canadiens’ backup, Jakub Dobes, made the list, alongside three former Habs goaltenders, Jocelyn Thibault, David Aebischer, and Mike Condon.

Dobes only faced Ovechkin once and turned aside his only shot in a 3-2 Canadiens win over the Capitals in January.

Meanwhile, Thibault, who landed in Montreal in the much-maligned Patrick Roy trade alongside Martin Rucinsky and Andrei Kovalenko, faced five Ovechkin shots without being beaten.

As for Aebischer, who was acquired in a goalie swap with the Colorado Avalanche that saw Jose Theodore head to Denver and spent parts of two seasons in Montreal, he faced two Ovechkin shots and stopped them both.

Finally, Mike Condon, who played 55 games with the Canadiens and was parachuted into the number one role because of a knee injury sustained by Carey Price in 2015-16, faced the second-highest shot total without being beaten with 18.

It will be interesting to see if anyone ever beats Ovechkin’s goal today. He still has another contract year to improve his 895 total. To put things into perspective, the best goal scorer in Canadiens history, Maurice Richard, scored 544 goals, and the highest goal total for an active player not named Ovechkin belongs to Sidney Crosby, with 622 goals. Congratulations on the record Ovi and cheers!

Canadiens stories, analysis, breaking news, and more! Tap the star to add us to your favorites on Google News, never to miss a story.  

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Bookmark The Hockey News Canadiens' page for all the news and happenings around the Canadiens. 

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Fantasy Basketball End of Season Roundtable: Kyle Kuzma, Joel Embiid among fantasy disappointments

While some fantasy managers compete in leagues that run through the end of the NBA's regular season, most were completed by the end of Sunday's games. Congratulations to those who won their leagues and the money (and bragging rights) that comes with it. Those who did not will reflect on what went wrong and how they can avoid a similar fate next season.

With the fantasy season effectively over, now is a good time for the Rotoworld fantasy basketball staff to have a few roundtable discussions. Tuesday's conversation focuses on the most disappointing player in fantasy basketball this season. Nick Shlain, Noah Rubin, Raphielle Johnson and Zak Hanshew made their picks, with two landing on the same name.

Who was the biggest disappointment in fantasy basketball this season?

Nick Shlain: Joel Embiid's preseason Yahoo! ADP was 12, making him a borderline first-round pick. On a per-game basis, he's 41st on Basketball Monster. However, according to Basketball Monster, Embiid ranks 290th in total game value. The 76ers' big man only managed to play 19 games. This was a toss-up between Embiid and Paul George, his teammate who played in 41 games but wasn't as good on a per-game basis. However, George wasn't drafted as high with a preseason ADP of 35, which makes Embiid the bigger disappointment this season.

Noah Rubin: Not that I had high expectations for Kyle Kuzma, but I expected him to provide plenty of points, rebounds, assists and threes, even if it came inefficiently. While the inefficiency was undoubtedly there, the other numbers weren't. His points, rebounds, assists and threes have all been his lowest since he was a Laker, and his field goal and free throw percentages have been the worst of his career. He has been slightly better with Milwaukee, especially in recent weeks, but Kuzma hasn't been worthy of a roster spot for most of this season.

Raphielle Johnson: For this question, I wanted to pick a player who has been available for at least 60 games. So, Joel Embiid and Paul George were not considered. Instead, I went with Kyle Kuzma. Sure, most fantasy managers understand that they should not expect to get too much value from rostering him, but this season was incredible. Kuzma is ranked outside the top-250 in eight-cat value between Washington and Milwaukee according to Basketball Monster, and he's been even less valuable in nine-cat. If you're like me and thought moving to a team that aimed to win games would give Kuzma a shot at regaining fantasy relevance, he's ranked 250th in eight-cat since the trade, according to Basketball Monster. With a Yahoo! ADP of 86, that's an abysmal return.

Zak Hanshew: It's hard to tag Chet Holmgren as a sophomore slump because some of his struggles in Year 2 are likely the result of an injury. Holmgren got off to a solid start before a hard fall, which resulted in a hip injury that kept him sidelined for three months. He's appeared in just 30 games this season, and his turnovers are up while his efficiency is significantly down. Holmgren's defensive numbers have held steady, but there have been no significant strides as a rebounder or facilitator. The big man ranks just inside the fourth round in per-game fantasy value, even though he was drafted on average as a mid-second-rounder. After missing his entire rookie season with a foot injury and most of his third season with a hip injury, fantasy managers should be concerned about his availability for Year 3 and beyond.

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West Virginia basketball transfer portal targets

West Virginia head coach Ross Hodge is forced to largely rebuild the Mountaineers basketball roster and the transfer portal will play a role in that. Huff started his career at VMI where he averaged 10.0 points per game average and then increased that totals to 15.6 points, 2.3 assists and 1.7 rebounds per game. After sitting out to due to Southern Conference intra-conference transfer rules the New York native averaged 17.4 points in the first season and then had 15.2 this past season while shooting 42-percent from the field and 41-percent from three.

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Rangers at Cubs prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 8

Its Tuesday, April 8 and the Cubs (8-5) host the Rangers (8-3) at Wrigley in Game 2 of their series.

Patrick Corbin is slated to take the mound for Texas against Jameson Taillon for Chicago

Justin Steele did not allow a run over seven innings yesterday as the Cubs throttled the Rangers, 7-0. Ian Happ drove in three to pace the Chicago attack. Kyle Tucker picked up two more hits (.327) and drove in his sixteenth run of the season for the Cubs.

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

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

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

Game details & how to watch Rangers at Cubs

  • Date: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
  • Time: 7:40PM EST
  • Site: Wrigley Field
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • Network/Streaming: RSN, MARQ

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

Odds for the Rangers at the Cubs

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Rangers (+133), Cubs (-157)
  • Spread:  Cubs -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Rangers at Cubs

  • Pitching matchup for April 8, 2025: Patrick Corbin vs. Jameson Taillon
    • Rangers: Patrick Corbin (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
      2024 - 32GP, 174.2IP, 6-13, 5.62ERA, 54BB, 139Ks
    • Cubs: Jameson Taillon (1-1, 6.97 ERA)
      Last outing: 4/2 at Athletics - 6IP, 2ER, 4H, 3BB, 7Ks

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 Rangers at Cubs

  • The Rangers had won 5 in a row prior to yesterday's loss
  • The Rangers are 5-6 ATS for the season
  • The Cubs have won 6 of their last 7
  • The Cubs are 8-5 ATS for the season

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 Rangers and the Cubs

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

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

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Chicago Cubs on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Chicago Cubs -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)
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Mets' early-season success is even more impressive considering what they don't yet have

After starting the season 2-3, the Mets reeled off five wins in a row, often showing the resiliency that was a hallmark of the 2024 club.

But while what the Mets are doing early this season is very impressive, what's even more notable is that they're achieving it without so many elements that should be present sooner rather then later. Before getting to that, let's discuss what the Mets do have at the moment...

For starters, they have the best ERA in baseball -- a sterling 1.72 mark entering play on Tuesday.

While what the starting pitching is doing might be a bit of a surprise, it was easy to see before the regular season began that the Mets had the makings of a potentially dominant relief corps.

With Edwin Diaz, A.J. Minter, Ryne Stanek, Reed Garrett, Jose Butto, and Max Kranick, New York entered the year with six relievers who have late-inning potential, with two of them (Butto and Kranick) earmarked for multi-inning stints on the regular.

So far, it's worked out nearly perfectly.

And the bullpen has also gotten a significant boost from Huascar Brazoban, whose inclusion on the Opening Day roster was up in the air until Paul Blackburn landed on the IL. Brazoban has fired 7.1 scoreless innings over four appearances, allowing just three hits, walking one, and striking out six.

Meanwhile, Kranick has been nearly perfect, with one base runner allowed in 7.0 innings over four games.

Then there's the top of the lineup.

Apr 7, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) follows through on an RBI double against the Miami Marlins during the third inning at Citi Field.
Apr 7, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) follows through on an RBI double against the Miami Marlins during the third inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner - Imagn Images

The trifecta of Francisco Lindor, Juan Soto, and Pete Alonso has been dynamic. And they have carried the offense so far.

After going hitless during the Mets' season-opening three-game series in Houston, Lindor has been terrific, posting an .878 OPS during his current six-game hitting streak.

Soto has reached base in all 10 games, has a .904 OPS, and has smashed doubles in three of his last four games.

Alonso has been on another level. Using a discerning eye at the plate and flashing eye-popping exit velocities, Alonso is slashing .314/.429/.657 with three homers and three doubles.

Now, let's talk about what the Mets don't yet have...

They are still without starting catcher Francisco Alvarez, whose absence has been offset a bit because of strong defense from Luis Torrens and Hayden Senger, and a spurt of hot offense from Torrens. But when Alvarez returns, likely in a few weeks, he should add thump to a bottom of a lineup that has been mostly anemic.

New York also hasn't found its rhythm offensively beyond the top three in the lineup, with Brandon Nimmo struggling recently, Jesse Winker up and down, and the aforementioned bottom of the order not doing much.

Some of that has to do with the struggles of co-second basemen Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña.

After a hot spring, Baty is again struggling at the big league level, with just two hits in 21 at-bats. And his approach at the plate has been more concerning than the results. Acuña, who got the start on Monday against a right-hander, has just two hits in 17 at-bats.

While it's easy for some to scoff at the idea of Jeff McNeil (who should be back from his minor oblique injury within the next few weeks) being an impact bat again, he clearly still has the ability -- McNeil slashed .289/.376/.548 in 157 plate appearances over his last 43 regular season games in 2024.

Jul 23, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (1) celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run against the New York Yankees during the sixth inning at Yankee Stadium.
Jul 23, 2024; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Mets second baseman Jeff McNeil (1) celebrates as he rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run against the New York Yankees during the sixth inning at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

As far as the rotation, it's without Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas. Both of them could be back around late May or early June, so there's still a lot of heavy lifting for the starting staff to do.

The bullpen should get a jolt soon, though, with Dedniel Nuñez -- who has been building up in the minors -- eligible to be activated as early as April 11.

As the 2025 bullpen has been mowing hitters down, it's been easy to forget that Nuñez was one of the Mets' best relievers in 2024, when he posted a 2.21 ERA and 0.91 WHIP while striking out 48 batters in 35.0 innings -- a rate of 12.3 strikeouts per nine.

Beyond the players the Mets will get back and the expectation that their offense will start clicking with their return, some progression toward the mean for others, and hitting in weather that isn't frigid, is the belief that this team will also be bolstered in other ways.

Right-handed pitching prospects Brandon Sproat and Nolan McLean -- both of whom have top-of-the-rotation potential -- should make an impact in the majors at some point this season.

On the position player side in the minors, Ronny Mauricio and Jett Williams could make their presence felt, as could Drew Gilbert if he gets healthy and excels.

New York is also well-positioned to swing a trade for an impact starting pitcher around the deadline if there's a need. This is not the middle of last season, when they were rightfully hesitant to push some chips in.

The Mets have been a well-oiled machine without so much of what should make them go in the near future. When some of their performances get more even and reinforcements arrive, look out. Until then, the Mets will keep chugging along.