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Panthers' Sam Bennett Signals To Fans Likely Extension

Panthers' Sam Bennett indicates extension coming after interaction with fans after Stanley Cup win.

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Sam Bennett cemented his legacy in Florida Panthers history by capturing the Conn Smythe Trophy as the most valuable player of the 2025 Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Despite being set to hit unrestricted free agency on July 1, Bennett was seen among a crowd of jubilant fans post-victory, where chants of “eight more years” erupted around him—strongly hinting at a potential return to Sunrise.

More NHL: 2026 Stanley Cup Odds: Oilers, Panthers Lead Early Contenders But One Unexpected Favourite Emerges

Bennett led the postseason with 15 goals and added 7 assists for a total of 22 points in 23 games, becoming the engine behind Florida’s second consecutive championship run.

His aggressive, unrelenting style defined the Panthers’ playoff identity, and his NHL-record 13 road goals made him the ultimate clutch performer away from home. He added five goals in the Finals alone, including crucial tallies in Florida’s decisive 5–1 Game 6 victory over the Edmonton Oilers.

While contract negotiations loom, the mutual admiration between player and city suggests that both sides are leaning toward keeping the fiery forward in Panthers colors. His postseason performance will be remembered as one of the most dominant in recent memory.

Bennett was at one point a decent value to return to the Panthers at -230 but the bet has since been taken down on FanDuel. If the option is available at another sportsbook, we would suggest taking it. 

More NHL: Blackhawks Reportedly Open to Trading No. 3 Pick in 2026 NHL Draft

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Yankees searching for answers after 3rd straight shutout

NEW YORK — The New York Yankees’ offense is drifting toward uncharted territory — and not in a good way.

The team tied a franchise record by getting shut out for the third straight game, when the Yankees went 0 for 10 with runners on base in a 4-0 loss to the Los Angeles Angels.

“Obviously, we’re not getting the job done,” outfielder Cody Bellinger said. “We’re not getting a lot of baserunners. We’re not causing traffic. We’ve got to keep going and wake up tomorrow and we’ve got to get going.”

The Yankees have been blanked in three consecutive games seven times in their 123-year history — but only three times in the last 50 years, most recently from Sept. 22-24, 2016.

The last major league team to get shut out in four straight games was the Kansas City Royals in September 2017.

“It’s a little bit foreign for us to go through this for a few days,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said.

New York has lost five in a row and mustered only five runs in its past six games, including a 1-0 win in Kansas City. The last time the Yankees scored five runs or fewer in a six-game span was August 1968.

In the past six games, New York is batting .164.

Giancarlo Stanton is 4 for 8 in his first two games since returning from injuries to both elbows. But lineup mainstays Bellinger (.152 in his last eight games), Paul Goldschmidt (.164 in his last 17 games) and Aaron Judge (.125 in his last seven games) are all mired in extended slumps.

Judge, who began the night leading the American League in all three Triple Crown categories, was booed following strikeouts in the sixth and eighth innings.

Boone tinkered with his lineup — batting rookie Jasson Domínguez first and dropping Goldschmidt to sixth — but it didn’t yield results for the Yankees, who were limited to four hits and got just three runners to second base against Kyle Hendricks and a trio of relievers.

Boone implored the Yankees to remain patient at the plate but acknowledged they might have been pressing, when they went up against the soft-tossing Hendricks on an unseasonably cool 67-degree night.

“You want to be the guy (to) kind of get the hit, get it going,” Boone said. “But that’s where the patience comes in and that’s where just you can’t obsess on the result. You can’t go up there (like) ‘I gotta get a hit, I gotta do this.’ It’s got to be, ‘I gotta go take a tough at-bat.’”

Even with the slump, the Yankees still rank among the top five teams in the majors in runs (370), homers (109) and OPS (.784). They finished among the top five in all three categories in five of Boone’s first seven seasons as manager.

“It’s been a little struggle the last couple days, which unfortunately is going to happen,” Boone said. “It’s just always shocking to see our group not score runs, right? Especially a few days in a row now.

“We’ve just got to focus on the little things — think small, big things come.”

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Pair Of Former Original Misfits Win Stanley Cup With Panthers

Florida Panthers defenseman Nate Schmidt (88) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Florida Panthers have won back-to-back Stanley Cups, becoming the third team in the last decade to do so, joining the Tampa Bay Lightning and the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Known for their physical defensive style and depth, the Panthers have decimated every team in the playoffs since losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in the 2022-23 Stanley Cup finals. Their depth this season was highlighted by key contributions from their bottom defensive pairing and their fourth line, which included former Golden Knights players Nate Schmidt and Tomas Nosek. 

Schmidt signed a one-year contract with the Panthers in the previous offseason after becoming an unrestricted free agent on July 1 following his buyout from the Winnipeg Jets. The 33-year-old fit perfectly into what the Panthers were looking for. He played in all but two regular-season games, scoring five goals and 19 points. In the playoffs, Schmidt added another three goals and 12 points in 23 games. 

During his time with the Golden Knights, Schmidt was loved for his vibrant personality and his outstanding performances on the ice. He scored 21 goals and 97 points in his three seasons with Vegas, routinely showing off his skating ability. The undrafted defenseman has defied a lot of odds in his career, and Golden Knights fans seem proud to watch their former breakout stud win his first Stanley Cup. 

Florida Panthers left wing Tomas Nosek (92) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Nosek has also added his first Stanley Cup to his resume. He, too, has had a difficult past few years, struggling to hold down a spot on several teams, but his performances in the playoffs changed everything this season. He skated in 59 regular-season games and wasn't in the lineup for the Panthers' first seven games of the playoffs, but his addition started the run against the Toronto Maple Leafs in the second round. He recorded three assists in 16 games in the postseason, serving as the Panthers' fourth-line center. 

After Captain Aleksander Barkov lifted the trophy, the first player he handed the Stanley Cup to was Schmidt. He handed it to another first-time winner Seth Jones, before he passed the honors to Nosek. 

The former original misfits were unable to win the cup with the Golden Knights but finally fulfilled lifelong dreams.

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

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NHL Rumor Roundup: The Latest Round Of Rangers Speculation

The New York Rangers' shipping Chris Kreider to the Anaheim Ducks last Thursday was the first significant move in the NHL off-season trade market.

It might not be the last one for the Blueshirts as GM Chris Drury continues to tinker with his roster. 

Mollie Walker of the New York Post reported the Kreider trade freed up the left winger's $6.5 million average annual value from the Rangers' salary-cap payroll, ensuring Drury the cap flexibility ($15 million) to explore other options to improve his roster this summer. 

Walker speculated that the next Ranger to be traded is K'Andre Miller. The 25-year-old defenseman is an RFA with arbitration rights coming off a disappointing 2024-25 performance. If Drury moves Miller, Walker believes he must find a suitable minute-munching blueliner to replace him. 

The Hockey News’ Remy Mastey cited Daily Faceoff's Frank Seravalli, claiming “there's absolute fire” regarding the Miller trade speculation. Seravalli claimed Mike Sullivan, the Rangers' new coach, is not a fan of the young blueliner's game. 

K'Andre Miller (James Guillory-Imagn Images)

Meanwhile, Walker's colleague Larry Brooks believes there's no guarantee that Alexis Lafreniere will still be a Ranger when the regular season begins in October. He thinks Drury wants to make multiple moves to change the mix on the ice and the chemistry in the dressing room under Sullivan. 

Arthur Staple of The Athletic considers Drury in a position where he could go the offer-sheet route to add a talented young player. He speculated that JJ Peterka of the Buffalo Sabres could be a target.

Staple pointed out that the Rangers lack their 2026 second-round pick, which would be necessary as compensation if they signed Peterka to a deal with an average annual value between $7 million and $9.3 million. They'd have to reacquire that pick from Utah beforehand. 

As the 2025 NHL draft weekend approaches, Staple indicated that Drury has until June 25 to decide if he'll send his 2025 first-rounder to the Pittsburgh Penguins. That pick was sent to the Vancouver Canucks as part of the J.T. Miller trade in January, then flipped a day later by the Canucks to the Penguins in the Marcus Pettersson deal.

If Drury relinquishes that pick, he could use his 2026 first-rounder as part of the compensation package should he sign a rival club's RFA (like Peterka) to a lucrative offer sheet.

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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Padres at Dodgers Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 18

It's Wednesday, June 18, and the Padres (39-33) are in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers (45-29). Stephen Kolek is slated to take the mound for San Diego against Emmet Sheehan for Los Angeles.

The Dodgers won in a shootout last night against the Padres 8-6. Will Smith and Andy Pages had big nights. Smith went 3-4 with two runs, two RBI, and a home run. Pages went 4-4 with three runs, three RBI, and two HR.

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 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 Padres at Dodgers

  • Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
  • Time: 10:10PM EST
  • Site: Dodger Stadium
  • City: Los Angeles, CA
  • Network/Streaming: SportsNet LA, Padres Television Network, 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 Padres at the Dodgers

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Padres (+149), Dodgers (-179)
  • Spread:  Dodgers -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Dodgers

  • Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Stephen Kolek vs. Emmet Sheehan
    • Padres: Stephen Kolek, (3-2, 3.50 ERA)
      Last outing (Arizona Diamondbacks, 6/13): 4.1 Innings Pitched, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts

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

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

  • The Dodgers have won their last 5 games against teams with worse records
  • The Over is 12-7-1 in the Padres' matchups against NL West teams this season
  • The Padres have failed to cover the Run Line in 5 of their last 6 road games against the Dodgers

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 Padres 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.

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

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

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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Cardinals at White Sox Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends and stats for June 18

Its Wednesday, June 18 and the Cardinals (38-35) are in Chicago to take on the White Sox (23-50).

Sonny Gray is slated to take the mound for St. Louis against Sean Burke for Chicago.

St. Louis smacked Chicago, 12-2, last night to open the series. Brendan Donovan picked up 4 of St. Louis' 13 hits in the game. Edgar Quero had two hits in the loss for the ChiSox.

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 Cardinals at White Sox

  • Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
  • Time: 7:40PM EST
  • Site: Rate Field
  • City: Chicago, IL
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNMW, 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 Cardinals at the White Sox

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Cardinals (-190), White Sox (+157)
  • Spread:  Cardinals -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Cardinals at White Sox

  • Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Sonny Gray vs. Sean Burke
    • Cardinals: Sonny Gray (7-2, 3.84 ERA)
      Last outing: 6/12 at Milwaukee - 4.1IP, 6ER, 8H, 1BB, 4Ks
    • White Sox: Sean Burke (3-7, 4.71 ERA)
      Last outing: 6/11 at Houston - 3.2IP, 7ER, 8H, 1BB, 4Ks

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 Cardinals at White Sox

  • The Cardinals have won 4 of their last 5 on the road against AL Central teams
  • The Over is 19-13-3 in the White Sox's home games this season
  • The Cardinals have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 1.98 units
  • Brendan Donovan has at least 1 hit in 7 of his last 8 games (12-33)
  • Edgar Quero is hitting .359 (14-39) in June

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 Cardinals 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 Cardinals and the White Sox:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the St. Louis Cardinals 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

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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Bobby Marks: D-White trade would command ‘Desmond Bane-plus' offer

Bobby Marks: D-White trade would command ‘Desmond Bane-plus' offer originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Brad Stevens and the Boston Celtics will be forced to make some tough decisions this summer to get under the second apron of the luxury tax. If they want to accomplish that feat while maximizing their return, they could look to trade beloved guard Derrick White.

Boston must shed roughly $20 million in salary to get under the second apron threshold, and White will cost $28.1 million for the 2025-26 season. Although White played a critical role in the 2024 championship run and remains a key contributor, the Celtics could get an offer they can’t refuse. Judging by Sunday’s Desmond Bane deal, a White trade would bring a massive haul to Boston.

The Memphis Grizzlies traded Bane to the Orlando Magic for Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, Cole Anthony, four first-round picks, and a future pick swap. According to ESPN’s NBA front office insider and former Brooklyn Nets general manager Bobby Marks, it may take even more than that to pry White from the C’s this offseason.

“I think it would have to be a Desmond Bane-plus type offer,” Marks said of a potential White trade on NBC Sports Boston’s The Off C’season special. “I love Derrick White. Every team needs a Derrick White. I think his salary is really good at four (years) for 118 (million). I think he provides tremendous value for you. I think if you did a Jrue (Holiday) trade, you’re probably sliding him. He’s probably gonna play on the ball a little bit more.

“It’s hard for me because I do think you have to have high-level players around. Jayson (Tatum) is gonna return eventually, and he’s gonna return probably better than he was, that you still have to have high-level players still around him.”

That doesn’t sound like someone convinced a White deal will go down this summer. Trading Holiday, on the other hand, seems like a strong possibility. Marks mentioned the Los Angeles Clippers and Dallas Mavericks as potential fits for the 35-year-old guard.

According to Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, the Celtics would prefer not to trade White or fellow star Jaylen Brown but are listening to offers on both players. For what it’s worth, NBC Sports Boston’s Celtics analyst Brian Scalabrine said there’s “no way in hell” White isn’t on the team next season and beyond.

Last season, White notched career-highs in points (16.4) and rebounds per game (4.5) while breaking the Celtics’ single-season record for 3-pointers made. He earned All-Defensive nods with Boston in 2022-23 and 2023-24.

Watch the full episode of The Off C’season with Marks, Chris Forsberg, Kevin O’Connor, and Drew Carter below:

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Former Ottawa Senators Executive Ryan Bowness Lands New NHL Job

Ryan Bowness didn’t stay on the market for long.

The former Ottawa Senators executive landed on his feet this week with the New York Islanders, who named him Assistant GM and Director of Player Personnel.

Bowness joins the Islanders after three seasons in Ottawa’s front office. Originally hired by former Senators GM Pierre Dorion in 2022, the up-and-coming young executive served as Assistant GM for two seasons before being promoted to Associate General Manager in 2024-25. The 41-year-old was also GM of the AHL's Belleville Senators.

The Senators did not issue an official statement regarding his departure in May or the reasons for the front-office change.

Report: Ottawa Senators Shake Up Front Office, Parting Ways With Associate GM Ryan BownessReport: Ottawa Senators Shake Up Front Office, Parting Ways With Associate GM Ryan BownessFor a team that’s only five days into its off-season, the Ottawa Senators aren’t wasting any time preparing for next season. On Monday, GM Steve Staios signed RFA defenceman Nik Matinpalo to a two-year extension. On Tuesday, according to Postmedia’s Bruce Garrioch, the team parted company with associate GM Ryan Bowness.

Last month, Staios hired 52-year-old Matt Turek to take over at least part of Bowness’ portfolio, most notably as GM in Belleville. Staios and Turek worked together on Michael Andlauer's OHL team in Hamilton. Most recently, Turek was the club's GM, now located in Brantford.

The Islanders also did some recent executive house cleaning, replacing 82-year-old Lou Lamoriello with new GM Mathieu Darche. With the appointment this week, Bowness becomes one of Darche's first hires in a similar role to the one he had here.

Prior to Bowness' stint in Ottawa, the Halifax native spent six seasons in the Pittsburgh Penguins scouting department, including a stint as Director of Pro Scouting. He won a Stanley Cup with the Penguins in 2017.

Before that, Bowness worked in the Winnipeg Jets/Atlanta Thrashers organization for seven years, holding a variety of roles including Pro Scout, Manager of Hockey Operations, and Manager of Player Development.

Communications Shift: Senators Now Play It Close To The Vest Under StaiosCommunications Shift: Senators Now Play It Close To The Vest Under StaiosIf the past week’s events have taught us anything about Steve Staios’ stewardship of the Ottawa Senators as general manager, it’s that he is incredibly guarded.

Bowness was selected by the Columbus Blue Jackets in the 2001 NHL Draft. He played junior hockey in the OHL with the Brampton Battalion and Oshawa Generals, then continued his playing career at Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.

Ryan is the son of Rick Bowness, a longtime NHL coach who previously served as head coach of both the Islanders and Senators. In fact, Rick was the first head coach in modern Senators history when they returned to the NHL in 1992.

Steve Warne
The Hockey News Ottawa

More Sens Headlines:

Would Kings Defenceman Jordan Spence Be A Fit With The Senators?
Still No Deal In Sight For Ottawa Senators Pending UFA Claude Giroux
Should The Senators Have Surrendered This Year's First-Round Draft Pick Instead?
Senators Bring Back First-Rounder For Second Tour Of Duty
Fashionably Late: Top 10 Ottawa Senator Draft Day Steals
Why The Notion Of Mitch Marner Signing With Ottawa Wouldn't Work

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Big League Advance Sues Franmil Reyes Over Unpaid Earnings Stake

Big League Advance Fund (BLA) on Monday sued former MLB outfielder Franmil Reyes for allegedly not paying 10% of his earnings as required by a player investment contract. 

BLA claims Reyes owes $404,908.87 in past due payments plus $298,749.13 in interest on those payments. He also allegedly owes a yet-to-be-determined dollar figure for when Reyes played in Japan’s Nippon League. BLA says Reyes hasn’t made a payment since Sept. 23, 2022, and that it has sent him multiple demand letters in hopes of resolving the dispute privately before having to file a lawsuit.

Through attorneys Lisa R. Hatfield and Max B. Walton of Connolly Gallagher, BLA’s complaint was filed in Delaware Superior Court. It contains only one claim, breach of contract, and asserts a straightforward argument. When Reyes was a 21-year-old outfielder for the San Diego Padres Single-A affiliate Lake Elsinore Storm in 2016, he and BLA signed an investment agreement in which BLA agreed to provide $301,840 to Reyes. In exchange, BLA obtained a 10% stake in Reyes’ professional baseball earnings provided he earned at least $100,000 in a year. 

The contract explicitly included earnings in MLB, the minor leagues and Nippon League, and covered salary, bonuses and other performance-based payments.

From 2018 to 2023, Reyes played for four MLB teams: the Padres, Cleveland Guardians, Chicago Cubs and Kansas City Royals. Reyes had several impressive seasons, including 2018 and 2021 when he blasted 37 and 30 home runs, respectively. He struggled in 2022 and 2023 before relocating to Japan. Now 29, Reyes has played for the Hokkaido Nippon-Ham Fighters for the last couple of years. According to court documents, Reyes also resides in Japan.

BLA’s complaint mentions arguments in favor of player investment contracts, which are sometimes called third-party agreements. “Players,” the complaint asserts, “receive capital—not loans—they can use to, among other things, pay for food, housing, and training while working to secure a professional baseball contract.”  These funds can help players gain “the resources they need to help make their dream of playing professional league baseball a reality.” BLA also takes on some risk: if the player fails to advance and never hits it big, BLA will have made a bad investment. 

As Sportico has detailed, player investment contracts have also attracted criticisms. The MLS Players’ Association, for instance, has described them as “exploitative.” Relatively young athletes, some of whom lack substantial education, might later regret contracting away what could become many millions of dollars. 

Attorneys for Reyes will answer the complaint, attempt to rebut BLA’s allegations and raise defenses. 

An attorney familiar with player investment contracts told Sportico that Reyes signing in 2016 is a significant fact. More recent contracts normally contain arbitration clauses that keep disputes such as this one out of public view.

Sign up for Sportico's Newsletter. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.

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Twins at Reds Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 18

Its Wednesday, June 18 and the Twins (36-36) are in Cincinnati to take on the Reds (38-35).

Bailey Ober is slated to take the mound for Minnesota against Nick Lodolo for Cincinnati as the Twins look to rebound following last night's 6-5 loss to the Reds.

Cincinnati managed just five hits on the night against Twins' pitching, but Will Benson and Jake Fraley collected three of the five hits and drove in four runs to pace the attack. The Reds have now won three in a row while Minnesota has lost five in a row.

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 Twins at Reds

  • Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
  • Time: 7:10PM EST
  • Site: Great American Ball Park
  • City: Cincinnati, OH
  • Network/Streaming: MNNT, FDSNOH

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 Twins at the Reds

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Twins (-108), Reds (-111)
  • Spread:  Reds 1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Twins at Reds

  • Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Bailey Ober vs. Nick Lodolo
    • Twins: Bailey Ober (4-3, 4.40 ERA)
      Last outing: 6/12 vs. Texas - 4.2IP, 7ER, 6H, 6BB, 3Ks
    • Reds: Nick Lodolo (4-5, 3.76 ERA)
      Last outing: 6/11 at Cleveland - 3.1IP, 6ER, 5H, 2BB, 6Ks

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 Twins at Reds

  • Nick Lodolo has struck out at least 4 opposing hitters in every game since April 8
  • The Twins' last 4 games against the Reds have gone over the Total
  • The Twins have covered the Run Line in 3 straight road games against the Reds
  • Ty France is 0-10 in his last 3 games
  • Jake Fraley is 9-22 (.409) over his last 7 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 Twins and the Reds

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 Twins and the Reds:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Minnesota Twins on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Minnesota Twins 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

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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Giants activate Verlander, Bailey from injured list

Giants activate Verlander, Bailey from injured list originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Two key Giants players will return for Wednesday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians.

San Francisco activated starting pitcher Justin Verlander and catcher Patrick Bailey from the 15-day and 10-day injured lists, respectively.

The Giants optioned catcher Logan Porter and right-handed pitcher Tristan Beck to Triple-A Sacramento as the corresponding roster moves.

Verlander has been sidelined since May 18 with a right pectoral injury, while Bailey has been out since June 7 with a neck strain.

In 10 starts this season before his injury, Verlander posted a 4.33 ERA with 41 strikeouts to 21 walks in 52 innings pitches. Bailey, in 180 plate appearances before his injury, batted .185/.246/.272 with one home run and 16 RBI.

The 42-year-old Verlander will start for the Giants on Wednesday against the Guardians.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Buss family to sell Los Angeles Lakers to owner of Dodgers

Buss family to sell Los Angeles Lakers to owner of Dodgers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Buss family is entering an agreement to sell majority ownership of the Los Angeles Lakers to Mark Walter, the CEO of TWG Global and owner of the Los Angeles Dodgers, sources familiar with the deal told NBCLA on Wednesday.

The deal, first reported by ESPN, has a valuation of about $10 billion, a source told NBCLA.

Walter is part of the ownership of other sports franchises, including the Los Angeles Sparks of the WNBA, Chelsea FC of the English Premier League and several auto racing teams.

NBCLA has reached out to the Dodgers organization for comment.

Jeanie Buss, who took over the Lakers after the death of her father Dr. Jerry Buss, will continue to serve as the team’s governor after the sale, an indication that the Buss family’s long history with the Lakers will continue.

The Buss family has owned the Lakers since 1979 when the late Jerry Buss bought the Lakers for $67.5 million in 1979. 

Magic Johnson, who led the Lakers’ “Showtime” era, took to social media and said Laker fans should be “ecstatic” about the new ownership, calling Walter “the best choice” and “best caretaker of the Lakers.”

“(Mark Walter) is driven by winning, excellence, and doing everything the right way. AND he will put in the resources needed to win!” Johnson said.

CNBC Media and Sports Reporter Alex Sherman agreed that having Walters with “deep pockets” will be beneficial for the Lakers franchise.

“He’s clearly willing to spend money on the Dodgers,” Sherman said, especially with the looming reality of LeBron James’ retirement. “If LeBron retires at some point, they’ll be obviously be in the market again for a marquee free agent to replace him.

“Having someone like Mark Walter in that chair, I think Lakers fans can rest easy, realizing the money is going to be no object,” Sherman explained,

This blockbuster deal will be the most expensive franchise sales in sports history after the Boston Celtics in March of 2025 were sold to William Chisholm, a lifelong fan, for a $6.1 billion valuation. 

The Lakers have won a total of 17 NBA championships, one less than the Boston Celtics for the most championships in league history. (18)

This is a developing story. Check back for updates.

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Diamondbacks at Blue Jays prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for June 18

Its Wednesday, June 18 and the Diamondbacks (36-36) are in Toronto for Game 2 of their series against the Blue Jays (39-33).

Eduardo Rodriguez is slated to take the mound for Arizona against Eric Lauer for Toronto.

The Blue Jays rallied for two runs in the bottom of the ninth on back-to-back home runs by Bo Bichette and Addison Barger last night to take out the Diamondbacks in the series opener 5-4. Josh Naylor had two hits in the loss for Arizona.

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 Diamondbacks at Blue Jays

  • Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
  • Time: 7:07PM EST
  • Site: Rogers Centre
  • City: Toronto, ON
  • Network/Streaming: ARID, Sportsnet

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

Odds for the Diamondbacks at the Blue Jays

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Diamondbacks (-106), Blue Jays (-113)
  • Spread:  Blue Jays 1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Diamondbacks at Blue Jays

  • Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Eduardo Rodriguez vs. Eric Lauer
    • Diamondbacks: Eduardo Rodriguez (2-3, 6.27 ERA)
      Last outing: 6/11 vs. Seattle - 6.1IP, 2ER, 6H, 1BB, 5Ks
    • Blue Jays: Eric Lauer (2-1, 2.37 ERA)
      Last outing: 6/11 at St. Louis - 4.1IP, 2ER, 4H, 1BB, 4Ks

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 Diamondbacks at Blue Jays

  • The Diamondbacks have won 18 of 35 games following a loss
  • 6 of the Diamondbacks' last 8 games against the Blue Jays have gone over the Total
  • Josh Naylor is riding a 7-game hitting streak during which he is hitting .394 (13-33)
  • Bo Bichette picked up a couple of hits last night to snap a 1-12 streak at the plate

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 Diamondbacks and the Blue Jays

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 Diamondbacks and the Blue Jays:

  • 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 Arizona Diamondbacks 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

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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Pirates at Tigers prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for June 18

Its Wednesday, June 18 and the Pirates (29-45) are in Detroit to take on the Tigers (47-27).

Andrew Heaney is slated to take the mound for Pittsburgh against Tarik Skubal for Detroit.

The Tigers won the series opener last night, 7-3. Javy Baez homered twice, and Casey Mize allowed two earned runs over six innings to earn his seventh win of the season as Detroit won their 47th game 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 Pirates at Tigers

  • Date: Wednesday, June 18, 2025
  • Time: 6:40PM EST
  • Site: Comerica Park
  • City: Detroit, MI
  • Network/Streaming: SNP, FDSNDT

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

Odds for the Pirates at the Tigers

The latest odds as of Wednesday:

  • Moneyline: Pirates (+241), Tigers (-302)
  • Spread:  Tigers -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Pirates at Tigers

  • Pitching matchup for June 18, 2025: Andrew Heaney vs. Tarik Skubal
    • Pirates: Andrew Heaney (3-5, 3.33 ERA)
      Last outing: 6/12 at Cubs - 6IP, 3ER, 4H, 0BB, 7Ks
    • Tigers: Tarik Skubal (7-2, 1.99 ERA)
      Last outing: 6/12 at Baltimore - 7IP, 0ER, 3H, 2BB, 6Ks

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 Pirates at Tigers

  • The Tigers are 15-10 against the National League this season
  • The Total has cashed to the under in 23 of the Pirates' 36 road games this season
  • The Pirates have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 1.67 units
  • Tarik Skubal has struck out 6 opposing hitters in each of his last 2 starts and has not struck out fewer than 6 since April 20
  • Oneil Cruz is 3-19 (.158) over his last 5 games to drop his average to .200 in June

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 Pirates and the Tigers

Rotoworld Best Bet

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

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

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

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

  • 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 Detroit Tigers 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)