St Mirren are unbeaten in three league games against Rangers (W2 D1), their longest such run since going five without defeat from August 1983 to August 1984.
Rangers have conceded more goals in their past two league visits to St Mirren (four) than they had in their previous 10 beforehand (three).
St Mirren are one of two sides, along with Aberdeen, yet to score in this season's Scottish Premiership, while only Dundee (nine) have mustered fewer shots than the Buddies (13) in the division so far.
Rangers have drawn both of their league games this season; on only seven occasions have they failed to win any of their opening three matches of a league campaign, most recently in 1989-90 under Graeme Souness.
Having drawn both of his Premiership games in charge so far, Russell Martin could become only the second Rangers manager to fail to win any of his first three league matches in charge of the club, after John Greig, who won none of his first six in 1978.
Nolan McLean will be making his second career start. He fired 5.1 innings of shutout ball against the Mariners this past Saturday
Brett Baty has a nine-game on-base streak. He is hitting .282/.352/.526 with six homers in 88 plate appearances since the All-Star break
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How can I watch Mets at Braves online?
To watch Mets games online via Apple TV+ and MLB's "Friday Night Baseball," you will need a subscription to Apple TV+. This will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet, or via the Apple TV app.
It's Friday, August 22 and the Mets (67-60) are in Atlanta to take on the Braves (58-69). Nolan McLean is slated to take the mound for New York against Joey Wentz for Atlanta.
The Mets have lost back-to-back games entering this series and are 5-13 in August as they continue to struggle. Atlanta though, is hot! The Braves are 7-1 in the past eight games, including going 2-1 versus the Mets on August 12-14. For the year, Atlanta owns the series edge, 7-3.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Mets at Braves
Date: Friday, August 22, 2025
Time: 7:15PM EST
Site: Truist Park
City: Atlanta, GA
Network/Streaming: Apple TV+
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 Mets at the Braves
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Mets (-111), Braves (-108)
Spread: Mets -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Mets at Braves
Pitching matchup for August 22, 2025: Nolan McLean vs. Joey Wentz
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 Mets and the Braves
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Friday’s game between the Mets and the Braves:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Atlanta Braves 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 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 Mets at Braves
New York is 5-13 in the month of August
Atlanta is 12-7 in the month of August
Atlanta is 7-1 over the last 8 games
New York is 3-5 over the last 8 games
The Braves have won 10 of their last 12 games, while the Mets have lost 8 of 9 on the road
The Under is 21-12-1 in the Braves' divisional matchups this 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!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
EDMONTON – Most hockey players dream of playing in the NHL from a young age.
The Edmonton Oilers superstars Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl have both talked about it. Even when they get older and play in leagues outside of the NHL, playing in the NHL is always the goal.
The 23-year-old gave an exclusive interview with Daria Tuboltseva of VseProSport. Beryozkin explained his decision to stay in the KHL for another season.
“He (Igor Valerievich Nikitin) thought it was too early for me to go to the NHL,” Beryozkin told Tuboltseva. “I took that into account and decided to stay another year so as not to play in the AHL.”
Igor Valerievich Nikitin was the head coach for Yaroslavl Lokomotiv before former Calgary Flames head coach Bob Hartley replaced him.
Beryozkin confirmed that the Oilers had reached out to him and his representation about signing with the NHL team.
“I was invited to join the team,” Beryozkin revealed. “We had conversations, some discussions, but I didn't give them a clear answer. I decided to stay, and I'm sure that this is only a plus for my development.”
He also mentioned that he made this decision back in December.
"My dream is to play in the NHL, against all these stars I have watched my whole life."
Beryozkin’s reasoning for staying in the KHL for another year should excite fans. He doesn’t want to play in the AHL. When he comes to North America, he wants to be playing with McDavid and Draisaitl.
Its Friday, August 22 and the Astros (70-58) are in Baltimore to take on the Orioles (59-68).
Lance McCullers is slated to take the mound for Houston against Cade Povich for Baltimore.
The Astros jumped on the Orioles early last night scoring seven runs in the first three innings and rolled to a 7-2 win. Carlos Correa's renaissance continues since returning to Houston. The veteran collected a couple hits and drove in two more last night. Correa is now hitting .338 for the Astros with two home runs and ten runs batted in. Jason Alexander won his fourth game of the season allowing just two runs over 5.1 innings. He has been a revelation since being promoted to the rotation with Houston winning his last five and seven of his last eight starts. The career minor leaguer's story is all the more impressive when you consider that prior to this season Alexander had not pitched in the bigs since 2022.
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 the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Astros at Orioles
Date: Friday, August 22, 2025
Time: 11:05PM EST
Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
City: Baltimore, MD
Network/Streaming: SCHN, MASN
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Odds for the Astros at the Orioles
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Astros (-106), Orioles (-113)
Spread: Orioles 1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Astros at Orioles
Pitching matchup for August 22, 2025: Lance McCullers vs. Cade Povich
Astros: Lance McCullers (2-4, 6.90 ERA) Last outing: July 19 at Seattle - 13.50 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 1 Strikeouts
Orioles: Cade Povich (2-6, 4.98 ERA) Last outing: August 16 at Houston - 5.40 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 10 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 Astros at Orioles
The Under is 4-1 in the Orioles' last 5 home games
The Orioles have covered in their last 3 games against the Astros
The Orioles have won 4 of their last 5 games against AL West teams
Lance McCullers Jr. is making his first start since being sidelined for the past month (finger)
Jose Altuve is hitless in his last three games (0-12)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Astros and the Orioles
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 Friday's game between the Astros and the Orioles:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Houston Astros 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 Sports.
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It's Friday, August 22 and the Nationals (52-75) are in Philadelphia to take on the Phillies (74-53). Cade Cavalli is slated to take the mound for Washington against Taijuan Walker for Philadelphia.
The Phillies and Nationals are on a roll over the last few days with both squads putting together winning streaks. Philadelphia is coming off a sweep of Seattle and has won four straight, while Washington's won the past two games to take the series over the New York Mets. These two teams just met August 14-17 and they split the four-game series, although Philly has the season edge 6-4.
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 Phillies
Date: Friday, August 22, 2025
Time: 6:45PM EST
Site: Citizens Bank Park
City: Philadelphia, PA
Network/Streaming: MASN2, NBCSP
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 Phillies
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Nationals (+143), Phillies (-171)
Spread: Phillies -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Nationals at Phillies
Pitching matchup for August 22, 2025: Cade Cavalli vs. Taijuan Walker
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 Phillies
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 Friday’s game between the Nationals and the Phillies:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Philadelphia Phillies 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 Phillies
Philadelphia is 13-6 in the month of August
Philadelphia is 6-4 versus Washington this season
Washington is 3-2 in the last 5 games
Washington is 8-11 in the month of August
The Phillies are on a 4-game win streak
The Under has cashed in the Phillies' last 3 games with Taijuan Walker as the opener
The Phillies are showing a profit of 4.70 units on the Run Line in their last 5 games at Citizens Bank Park
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!
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It's Friday, August 22 and the Rockies (37-91) are in Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates (54-74). Antonio Senzatela is slated to take the mound for Colorado against Braxton Ashcraft for Pittsburgh.
After an off day, Pittsburgh hosts Colorado who is playing some hot baseball at the moment. The Rockies split a four-game series with the Dodgers and has a 5-2 record over the last seven games and 7-3 in the past 10.
The Pirates are the opposite at 3-8 over the last 11, but they did take two out three against the Blue Jays in the previous series. Buccos' rookie pitcher Bubba Chandler could make his debut out of the bullpen for the Pirates versus Colorado, although he's expected to take on a starting role next season.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Rockies at Pirates
Date: Friday, August 22, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: PNC Park
City: Pittsburgh, PA
Network/Streaming: COLR, SNP
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Rockies at the Pirates
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Rockies (+160), Pirates (-194)
Spread: Pirates -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Pirates
Pitching matchup for August 22, 2025: Antonio Senzatela vs. Braxton Ashcraft
Rockies: Antonio Senzatela, (4-14, 7.00 ERA) Last outing: 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rockies and the Pirates
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 Friday’s game between the Rockies and the Pirates:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Pittsburgh Pirates on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Colorado Rockies at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is 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 Rockies at Pirates
Colorado is 7-3 over the last 10 games
Colorado is 5-2 over the last 7 games
Pittsburgh is 3-8 over the last 11 games
The Pirates have won their last 3 home games against teams with losing records
Each of the last 3 matchups between the Rockies and the Pirates have gone over the Total
The Rockies have covered in 4 of their last 5 road games but they are profiting 2.61 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!
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SAN DIEGO — Clarence Francis “Heinie” Mueller made his big league debut nine days after his 21st birthday and went on to play 11 seasons for the St. Louis Cardinals, New York Giants, Boston Braves and St. Louis Browns.
Mueller hit just seven homers in two seasons with the Giants, the final one coming while leading off the first game of a doubleheader in Philadelphia on Sept. 3, 1927. A game earlier, against the Chicago Cubs, Les Mann had gone deep while leading off the bottom of the first.
Until this week, that was the last time the franchise had different players hit a leadoff homer in back-to-back games. Heliot Ramos did it Monday at Petco Park and Jung Hoo Lee followed with a blast Tuesday night.
Lee’s was the sixth leadoff homer of the year for the Giants, and the list shows how difficult it has been for Bob Melvin to lock down that spot. Mike Yastrzemski, now a Kansas City Royal, leads the way with three leadoff homers, but he was only hitting first because LaMonte Wade Jr. got off to such a poor start that the Giants had to demote and then release him.
Yastrzemski led off 45 times, which is second on the team to Ramos’ 54. Lee, who led off in 31 of 36 starts as a rookie, has done it 14 times. Wade got nine leadoff starts and Melvin has mixed in Daniel Johnson, Christian Koss and Luis Matos.
As the Giants try to find a way to be more dynamic down the line, they could use more consistency — and production — from the leadoff spot. Lee is the most traditional fit, but Melvin isn’t opposed to keeping Ramos there. He originally was supposed to lead off against only lefties, but for a chunk of the season, he did it every day. That only changed recently when Lee worked his way out of a lengthy summer slump.
“Heliot coming into this season was an obvious choice, especially against left-handed pitching,” Melvin said this week. “We’ll see on the righties. Jung Hoo can certainly do it, but going into this year, we were talking more about him being a swinger and not a walker. I really don’t know what it’s going to look like next year and we’ve got to see what the personnel looks like.”
It seems unlikely that the Giants will be able to add another option in the offseason. They are pretty locked in at catcher (Patrick Bailey), first base/DH (Rafael Devers/Bryce Eldridge), second base (Casey Schmitt), shortstop (Willy Adames) and third base (Matt Chapman). Most of those players profile as middle-of-the-order bats or guys who probably would be best served hitting fifth or sixth.
The Giants could add another outfielder with leadoff skills, but at the moment, it seems likely that they’re again choosing between Ramos and Lee.
Ramos has a .325 on-base percentage as a leadoff hitter and Lee is at .328. For the season, the two are just about even in pitches per plate appearance and runs scored.
Melvin alternated in the Padres series, using Ramos against lefties Nestor Cortes and JP Sears and Lee against righties Nick Pivetta and Dylan Cease. It was a good series from the leadoff spot, but overall, the Giants are getting a .232/.303/.372 slash line from their leadoff hitters. They rank 28th in on-base percentage from guys batting at the top of the lineup.
Melvin said the focus right now is on finding the best possible mix to simply get some runs across. The future plans can be revisited in the offseason, and part of that may come down to how Lee finishes his second year.
After a lengthy slump where he looked fatigued at times, the center fielder is batting .307 with a .816 OPS since the start of July. Melvin dropped Lee down to seventh at one point, but lately, he’s looking more like the table setter the Giants thought they were signing two years ago.
“It could be leadoff again (next year). It could be moving him around in different spots in the lineup,” Melvin said. “I don’t think he was ever going to be a guy that’s going to go up there and take a ton of pitches and walk a lot, but there might be a time where he’s hitting .300 and hitting his way on.”
The now 29-year-old is more than three years removed from being part of the Islanders organization, last suiting up in Blue & Orange for the Bridgeport Islanders back in 2021-22.
That season, he played one NHL game, skating in 39 AHL games, recording nine goals and 13 assists for 22 points.
In 2022-23, Dal Colle played in the Swedish Elite League, recording four goals and 15 assists for 19 points in 36 games for TPS Turku before playing the last two seasons for the Iserlohn Roosters of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL), the top league in Germany.
He recorded 83 points (29 goals, 54 assists) in 97 games over those two years before deciding to now head to the KHL.
Dal Colle never lived up to the hype with the Islanders, with just eight goals and 13 assists for 21 points in 112 career games on Long Island.
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Its Friday, August 22 and the Red Sox (69-59) are in the Bronx to continue their series against the Yankees (69-58).
Brayan Bello is slated to take the mound for Boston against Max Fried for New York.
The Sox rallied for four runs over the final four innings to take the series opener, 6-3. Roman Anthony homered and drove in three to pace the attack. The rookie is now hitting .286 for the season. Ben Rice went 2-3 with a triple and a home run but it was not enough to offset another outing by the Yankees featuring poor defense - four errors resulting in three unearned runs.
Lets dive into tonight's 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 the 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 Red Sox at Yankees
Date: Friday, August 22, 2025
Time: 11:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: Bronx, NY
Network/Streaming: NESN, AmazonPV, 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 Red Sox at the Yankees
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Red Sox (+144), Yankees (-171)
Spread: Yankees -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Yankees
Pitching matchup for August 22, 2025: Brayan Bello vs. Max Fried
Red Sox: Brayan Bello (9-6, 3.23 ERA) Last outing: August 16 vs. Miami - 2.84 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
Yankees: Max Fried (13-5, 3.26 ERA) Last outing: August 16 at St. Louis - 12.60 ERA, 7 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 1 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!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Red Sox at Yankees
The Yankees' last 3 home games versus the Red Sox have gone over the Total
The Yankees have covered the Run Line in 3 straight games
The Red Sox have won 5 straight games against the Yankees and are 6-1 against them this season
Anthony Volpe is 1-22 over his last 6 games
Alex Bregman picked up 3 hits last night after going hitless his two previous games (0-7)
Aaron Judge has hit safely in 4 of his last 5 games (6-19) with 2 HRs
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Red Sox and the Yankees
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 Friday's game between the Red Sox and the Yankees:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Boston Red 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 fromNBC
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
Josh Inglis knock can’t mask another batting failure
Australia have slumped to a seventh defeat from their last eight ODIs, suffering a 84-run loss against South Africa in Mackay that allowed the Proteas to take an unassailable 2-0 series lead.
After being crushed by 98 runs in Cairns on Tuesday night, Australia again struggled batting under lights as the recent 50-over retirements of Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell were laid bare.
McLean had an eye-opening debut against the Mariners this past Saturday at Citi Field, firing 5.1 innings of scoreless ball while allowing just two hits, walking four, and striking out eight.
The 24-year-old relied heavily on his elite sweeper (throwing it 33 times), and judiciously mixed in his two-seam fastball and curve. He also sprinkled in some four-seamers, cutters, and changeups.
Along the way, McLean -- whose fastball topped out at 97 mph -- induced 11 swinging strikes and allowed just four pitches to be hit hard into fair territory.
It was a needed jolt for a Mets rotation that had been leaking oil, and the expectation is that McLean will get a long look to see what he can do.
McLean has thrown 119.0 combined innings this season between Double-A, Triple-A, and the majors after tossing 109.2 innings last year. So he should have plenty left in the tank down the stretch.
Since the Mets returned from the All-Star break, Baty is hitting .282/.352/.526 with six homers in 88 plate appearances -- easily the most impressive stretch of his young career.
It has always felt like if Baty could find his confidence at the plate that his talent would shine through. Perhaps that's where we're at.
With his month-plus hot streak, Baty's OPS for the season is up to .736.
As is partly evident with the homers Baty has smashed this season (six during this stretch, 14 overall in just 99 games), he has been much better when it comes to elevating the ball.
Nimmo left Wednesday's game before the bottom of the second inning due to neck stiffness and was not in the lineup for New York's series finale against the Nationals on Thursday.
This is the same issue that has popped up every once in a while for Nimmo during his career and quickly resolved, including earlier this season. So it is not especially alarming.
But it is certainly something to keep a close eye on with the team already without Francisco Alvarez.
New York Mets left fielder Brandon Nimmo (9) before hitting against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the fifth inning at Dodger Stadium / Gary A. Vasquez - Imagn Images
Nimmo had been heating up, slashing .333/.382/.500 in 34 plate appearances over his last eight games.
The Braves' lineup is more potent this time around
The Mets lost two of three games to the Braves at Citi Field the last time the teams played. And they did so in incredibly disappointing fashion -- blowing a 6-0 lead in the second game of the series and squandering an eighth-inning lead in the third game.
And while the Braves' pitching is decimated and their lineup remains undermanned, they recently got Ronald Acuña Jr. back.
Since returning, Acuña has struggled power-wise.
In 27 plate appearances over six games, he's slashing .261/.370/.304.
Braves shifted rotation to avoid starting Spence Strider
Strider has had a down year in what is his first season back from Tommy John surgery.
After being battered by the Mets on Aug. 12 to the tune of eight runs on eight hits (including three home runs) in 4.0 innings, Strider was smacked around by the lowly White Sox on Aug. 18 -- allowing seven runs on 10 hits in just 3.0 innings.
He had been scheduled to pitch on Sunday, but the Braves made a change.
Instead of Strider, it will be Bryce Elder pitching on Sunday. Joey Wentz (Friday) and Cal Quantrill (Saturday) start the other two games.
Overall this season, Strider has a 5.24 ERA and 1.43 WHIP with 102 strikeouts in 89.1 innings.
Predictions
Who will the MVP of the series be?
Brett Baty
As is noted above, Baty has been locked in at the plate for over a month.
Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?
David Peterson
Peterson shook off a clunker when he fired 8.0 innings of one-run ball against the Nats earlier this week.
Which Braves player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?
Ozzie Albies
Even in the midst of a down year, Albies tormented the Mets earlier this month at Citi Field.
The 22-year-old has recruited the ‘legend’ Andre Agassi on his search for grand-slam winning form before the US Open
“My aim is to win as many grand slams as possible and be No 1 in the world,” Holger Rune says with cool assurance on a stinking hot day in Cincinnati. “It’s very, very clear for me and it’s always been like that since I was a child.”
The 22-year-old Dane is the world No 11 and he has reached the quarter-finals of Wimbledon and, on two occasions, the French Open. As the US Open approaches, he has yet to make the semi-finals of a grand slam but his bold ambition seems more concrete when his impressive record against the best two players in the world is remembered. Rune has played Carlos Alcaraz four times, winning twice, including a 7-6 (6), 6-2 victory in their most recent encounter, four months ago in the final of the Barcelona Open. He has also beaten Jannik Sinner twice in their five matches against each other.
With the end of August fast approaching, more Montreal Canadiens players are coming back to town in readiness for training camp. Yesterday, Austrian defenseman David Reinbacher was filmed skating in Brossard alongside Patrik Laine, Alex Newhook, and Joe Veleno under the watchful eye of Adam Nicholas.
The 20-year-old right-shot defenseman will no doubt be hoping to stay healthy during training camp after being injured in a preseason game last year. With Noah Dobson’s arrival to replace David Savard on the blueline, the team can afford to send the youngster to the AHL with the Laval Rocket if they feel that he needs more seasoning, but chances are he would rather make the jump to the NHL this season.
Dobson’s arrival has also meant that Logan Mailloux was dealt to the St. Louis Blues, leaving a pretty big hole in the Rocket’s defence corps. If the Canadiens were to send Reinbacher down to Laval, he would enjoy a lot of ice time in a setting that could potentially be more suited to his level of development.
The knee injury suffered in the preseason last year kept him out of action until the third week of February. When he did come back, the organization took a prudent approach with one of its most prized prospects since he was still experiencing some swelling in his knee. In 10 regular-season games with the Rocket, Reinbacher picked up five points and added another six in 13 postseason contests.
While the Canadiens do have some right-shot defensemen in the prospects pipeline, Mailloux’s trade leaves them with few NHL-ready options. However, one could argue Mailloux wasn’t even ready himself, but that’s a discussion for another time.
Whichever decision the Canadiens make on Reinbacher, the most important thing for his development will be to get plenty of ice time, and that starts with staying healthy. Hopefully, the injury ninja is ready to move on to another victim and allow the rearguard to work on his game.
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Or, at least, they aren’t actively considering it yet.
Manager Dave Roberts made that much clear this week, saying the club has had no such discussions with the Gold Glove right fielder-turned-success story at shortstop.
To this point, not even Teoscar Hernández’s defensive limitations or Michael Conforto’s offensive disappearing act have yet pushed the team to that theoretical extreme.
“We have not talked about right field at all,” Roberts said this week, as the noise around Hernández’s shaky glove grew louder following a pair of misplays in a Monday loss at Colorado.
“The way Mookie is playing at short,” Roberts added, “not bouncing him around, I think we feel very good about.”
Still, as the Dodgers enter the final 34 games of their schedule, starting with a crucial series in San Diego against the second-place Padres this weekend, the club’s outfield issues remain a problem.
And while Betts might not be the obvious solution this time — like he was last year when he made a late-season switch to right — the Dodgers will nonetheless have to find some answers.
Entering play Thursday, their two corner outfield positions combined ranked just 19th among MLB clubs in total wins above replacement, and 22nd in defensive rating, according to Fangraphs.
“Defense is a big part of postseason baseball and winning baseball,” Roberts said.
Here are the options the Dodgers will have to consider over the coming month and a half:
The current cast
Dodgers outfielders (from left to right) Teoscar Hernández, Michael Conforto (23) and Andy Pages run toward the infield to celebrate with teammates after a win over the Miami Marlins in April. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
For now, the Dodgers don’t have much other choice but to roll out the same couple lineup variations they have been sporting since the trade deadline.
Most nights, that means having Hernández in right field, where, despite a recent uptick from his once slumping bat, the 32-year-old ranks in the bottom half of MLB right fielders in defensive runs saved (-1) and outs above average (-9); and Conforto in left, where the only thing worse than his lowly rated defense (-2 DRS, -5 OAA) has been a .186 batting average that is a distant last among MLB hitters with 350 plate appearances (next closest: Oneil Cruz’s .207 mark).
Ideally, the Dodgers would benefit from shifting Hernández to left field (where he also struggled while playing primarily last season, but made fewer of the glaring mistakes that have marred his last couple weeks) and relegating Conforto largely to the bench.
But, that requires another option they trust to take on more playing time somewhere else in the outfield.
And if it’s not Betts, then Alex Call represents the current roster’s only potential fit.
Call arrived last month as something of an underwhelming deadline acquisition. Sure, he was having a nice season with the Washington Nationals, and burnished his reputation as a tough at-bat on opposing pitchers. But he wasn’t Steven Kwan, or Ramón Laureano, or Harrison Bader, or any of the more established big-league outfielders that were trade targets at the deadline.
So far, that’s been reflected in the Dodgers’ usage of the 30-year-old hitter, starting him just eight times in three weeks.
Call did have a strong showing in the Rockies series, reaching base eight times in 13 plate appearances, including a double and home run in a four-hit game Tuesday. He is batting .281 since joining the Dodgers, and has flashed (mostly) solid play in either corner outfield spot.
In time, perhaps he could step into more of a primary role. His versatile glove (he has also played center in the big leagues) and contact ability make him a potential floor-raiser for the lineup.
For now, however, given the team’s short-handed, injury-plagued bench, Roberts has committed to effectively platooning Call in left field alongside Conforto — the $17-million offseason signing whom the Dodgers seem to be giving one last chance to stage some sort of late-season turnaround.
The IL reinforcements
Dodgers utility player Kiké Hernández watches from the dugout during a game against the San Diego Padres on Aug. 15. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Eventually, if Conforto continues to slump and Call can’t command more playing time, the Dodgers will have to find a better option.
On Thursday, two potential alternatives suited up during rehab assignments with triple-A Oklahoma City.
In center field was veteran October hero Kiké Hernández, who has been sidelined for months (and limited physically before that) with an elbow injury he first sustained in May.
In left field, surprisingly, was South Korean offseason signing Hyeseong Kim, a second base specialist who dabbled in center field at the start of the season, before eventually settling in the infield prior to a shoulder injury.
Both players could represent defensive outfield upgrades once they return. Kim’s experimentation in left field is particularly intriguing, even though he suffered defensive lapses during his brief stint in center.
The real wild card in this equation, however, could be another name currently stuck on the injured list.
An ideal version of the Dodgers lineup figures to include utility man Tommy Edman in center, Teoscar Hernández in left and Andy Pages in right — allowing Betts to stick at shortstop; a combination of Kim, Kiké Hernández, Miguel Rojas (and maybe even Alex Freeland) to fill out second base; and Pages to move to right field, where his cannon of an arm is most valuable.
Edman, though, has been dogged by an ankle injury for much of the summer and still appears several weeks from returning. Questions remain as to whether he can get to a place physically where he could play outfield again this season.
“His versatility is a superpower,” Roberts said, in explaining why the team is trying to give Edman as much time to return as possible. “So the ability to play the infield, kick out to the outfield, and not be compromised by the ankle and not regress, that’s something we need.”
The Mookie scenario
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts throws out Milwaukee's Caleb Durbin at first base on July 20. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Though Roberts shut down talk of moving Betts back to the outfield, he was careful not to slam the door shut entirely when looking over the rest of the season.
“I think that’s a fair question,” Roberts said. “But I don’t think that we’re there quite yet.”
It was around this time last year, of course, that the Dodgers announced Betts would shift from shortstop back to right field; returning him to a position where he has six career Gold Gloves.
And for much of this season, large factions of the fan base have been waiting for history to repeat itself, especially amid speculation about how much Betts’ shortstop play has contributed to a career-worst season at the plate.
However...
This year’s Dodgers team is not last year’s Dodgers team. And this year’s version of Betts' shortstop play has added a new factor into a delicate equation.
While Betts would almost certainly remain a trustworthy option in right field, his defensive metrics at that position the last couple of years have grown pedestrian compared to his once-generational standards.
In his prime, Betts was usually somewhere between 15-30 in DRS and upward of 10-15 in OAA playing right field. But in more than 1,000 right field innings the last three years, he has only posted a plus-3 DRS and a net-zero OAA. His range is not what it used to be (Betts ranks in just the 35th percentile among major-leaguers in sprint speed, per Baseball Savant). And he has remade his throwing motion to better suit the demands of shortstop.
As Betts showed while playing right field last postseason, he can still make an impact there.
But as he has shown this year, he can be valuable at other spots on the diamond, too.
After struggling at shortstop last season, Betts now ranks third in the majors at the position in DRS (plus-11) and ninth in OAA (plus-3). Sure, Rojas or Edman could probably provide comparable (and in Rojas’ case, maybe improved) shortstop defense. But Rojas, 36, has struggled to hold up physically amid regular playing time the last couple years. And if Edman’s ankle isn’t good enough to handle center, it’s fair to wonder how limited he would be at a key position like shortstop.
It’s why, for now, the Dodgers are trying to simply tread water with their current outfield group, while waiting for a better fix (either in Call or Edman or Kiké or Kim or, if they must, maybe even Betts) to become clear.
What they do know: They need to be better in the corners, on both sides of the ball.
That was obvious before the trade deadline. It remains a problem now. And until they find a solution, it will loom as one potential stumbling block to their pursuit of a second straight World Series.
