There's no better way to celebrate the start of the weekend than to sit back and cheer for a few bets across Major League Baseball. We have 14 games set to take place across the Majors and if it seems intimidating to handicap today's action, I'm here to help you out.

I'm going to go through each game and break down my pick for each one. Let's dive into it.

Twins vs. Pirates Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Pirates +106

Mitch Keller has been on fire since getting off to a slow start to the season. He has allowed no more than one run in four of his last five starts. The Twins offense has been bad of late and it's not going to get easier for them going up against Keller today.

Brewers vs. Tigers Prediction and Pick

Braves vs. Nationals Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Braves -210

No offense has been worse in Major League Baseball over the past month than the Washington Nationals, who have an OPS of .621 over that time span. Now, they have to take on Chris Sale who has an 8-1 record and a 3.06 ERA this season. Braves all day.

Orioles vs. Rays Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Orioles -116

I still think the Rays are one of the most overvalued teams in the betting market this season. The Orioles rank third in OPS over the past month while the Rays come in at 28th, while also rocking one of the worst bullpens. One top of all that, the O's are starting Cole Irvin (2.84 ERA) against the Aaron Civale (5.37 ERA). Baltimore is the obvious pick.

Dodgers vs. Yankees Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Yankees +108

The Yankees have statistically been the best team in baseball this season so I'm surprised they're this big of underdogs to the Dodgers at home on Friday night. Over the last 30 days, the Yankees have an eye-popping OPS of .825 while the Dodgers have an OPS of just .708, which ranks 14th in the Majors. I'll take New York at home.

Cubs vs. Reds Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Reds -110

After a terrible start to the season, the Reds offense is starting to wake up so it's time to buy some stock in Cincinnati. They're fifth in the Majors in OPS over the last 30 days while the Cubs are 29th in that time span.

Guardians vs. Marlins Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Guardians -126

The Marlins may have the better pitching matchup with Ryan Weathers (3.41 ERA) taking on Logan Allen (5.83 ERA), but what's more important is that both pitchers are lefties. The Guardians have been specifically better against left-handed pitchers this season, ranking sixth in OPS against lefties compared to the Marlins who are dead last in that stat with an OPS of just .589.

Giants vs. Rangers Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Giants -120

Not only do the Rangers have one of the worst bullpens in the Majors, but their offense has been terrible lately as well. They rank 25th in OPS over the last 30 days. I can't find a single reason to back the Rangers at home in this interleague showdown.

Mariners vs. Royals Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Royals +106

We have a chance to bet on the Royals, who are second in OPS over the past 30 days, as underdogs against the Mariners, who are 26th in that stat over the same time frame. Sure, Bryce Miller is on the mound for Seattle, but I can't trust this Mariners offense enough to bet on them as road favorites.

Red Sox vs. White Sox Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Red Sox -110

I'll back Boston as a pick'em in the battle of the Sox. I see now reason why the odds should be this close considering the Red Sox have had a top 10 offense in the Majors almost all season while Chicago has been one of the worst.

Rockies vs. Cardinals Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Rockies +158

Austin Gomber, despite having to pitch at Coors Field, has been fantastic this season with a 3.06 ERA. If there's any time you want to take a shot on Colorado as a big underdog, the time to do it is when Gomber's on the mound.

Astros vs. Angels Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Astros -184

The Astros' offense has woken up and now rank fourth in the Majors in OPS over the last 30 days while batting .260 over that stretch. With Framber Valdez (3.95 ERA) on the mound, the Astros have a chance to win this game running away.

Blue Jays vs. Athletics Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Athletics +136

The A's might be a better team than people think. They have one of the best bullpen ERAs in Major League Baseball, while the Blue Jays have one of the worst. Hogan Harris has also pitched well in his first handful of starts, sporting a 3.14 ERA. We should feel comfortable betting against the Blue Jays this season.

Diamondbacks vs. Padres Prediction and Pick

• Pick: Diamondbacks -102

The Diamondbacks offense has better numbers than the Padres over the last 30 days, with a .701 OPS compared to a .683 OPS for San Diego. With a game that is close to a coin flip in my opinion, I'll back the slight underdog in Arizona.

Rangers are “very keen” to sign an England international after making an approach over a transfer, according to Sky Sports.

Rangers want defenders and attackers after Cameron signing

The Gers secured the services of Dundee midfielder Lyall Cameron back in February, with the 22-year-old penning a pre-contract agreement at Ibrox.

Cameron has now been pictured in a Rangers shirt and described a move to Glasgow as a “no-brainer” earlier this week.

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“It’s amazing to walk in the door, it’s a privilege really. I have been looking forward to it for a long time. It was a no-brainer as soon as Rangers came in, I was desperate to be here. It is obviously a massive club and the history and everything about it is just amazing. Being from Scotland, I know what the club stands for, so I just wanted to jump at the chance.

“It is a new project, they are looking to build, improve and win leagues again and I really wanted to be a part of it. I want to come here, make an impression, do as well as possible and get this club back to where it belongs.”

With a new midfielder though the door, Rangers and Russell Martin are now looking to bolster the defensive and attacking ranks.

In regards to specific defensive targets, Bournemouth right-back Max Aarons is a wanted man at Ibrox, and in attack, the Gers are keen on Peterborough United’s Kwame Poku when his contract expires at the end of the month.

Rangers “very keen” to sign Leicester City’s Conor Coady after approach

As reported in Sky Sports’ live transfer blog on Tuesday evening, Rangers have made an approach to Leicester City over a deal to sign Conor Coady. The Foxes are open to selling the centre-back after their relegation from the Premier League, and those at Ibrox “are very keen” on a move.

Coady, who picks up £3.9m per year at The King Power Stadium, made 26 appearances for Leicester in all competitions last season, captaining on three occasions.

Best known for his time at Wolves, Coady has plenty of Premier League experience, has won 10 caps for England and has even played in the Europa League 12 times.

Called a player with a “real infectious personality” by Gareth Southgate, Coady is an out and out centre-back who Martin will be well aware of during his time as a player and manager in England.

Games

22

Goals

1

Pass completion %

91.5%

Clearances per 90

3.1

Blocks per 90

1.1

Average WhoScored match rating

6.17/10

A move looks like one to keep an eye on, and if Coady does move north, that may see Robin Propper seal a return to FC Twente following recent rumours.

“The biggest problem is the batters who are taking a start but are not going to play a long innings,” the head coach said

Andrew Fidel Fernando01-Feb-2025Australia’s batters were at home on Sri Lanka tracks in ways Sri Lanka’s batters weren’t. This was one of the take-aways from a Test that Australia dominated, according to head coach Sanath Jayasuriya.Sri Lanka’s batters also largely fell playing attacking strokes.”There was a serious problem with shot selections, as well as with handling situations,” Jayasuriya said. “I don’t think certain players have handled situations well. They’re experienced players, and they have to be more mature.Related

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Length, more than pace, key to Australia spinners' success, says Smith

Sri Lanka turn up, but do little else in Galle mismatch

“These players have played a lot of cricket and should know how to play. I’ve talked to them about this. But we’ve got to talk to them in detail about this now. Also, we cannot blame the wicket. Because we saw how the wicket behaved. This was a very good wicket. For a long time, we haven’t seen such a good wicket in Galle, on the third and fourth days.”The problem, Jayasuriya said, is batters not converting their starts into big scores. In Australia’s first innings of the first Test in Galle, six batters faced 50 balls or more. In Sri Lanka’s first innings, only Dinesh Chandimal faced more than 50 balls.”The biggest problem is the batters who are taking a start but are not going to play a long innings,” Jayasuriya said. “This is something I always mutter. We saw [Usman] Khawaja, [Steven] Smith and [Josh] Inglis, all three of them took a good start and they converted them to big hundreds. This conversion must be there. We’re not consistent in that. Our players should know that these are our conditions and we must make use of these conditions. There were lots of opportunities but we didn’t make use of them.”Australia’s spinners did tend to bowl faster than Sri Lanka’s, but at the time, Sri Lanka’s spinners had felt their slower pace was better suited to this surface.”They were bowling a little faster than us, but we were thinking that our pace was the best. That’s what we’ve been doing. The wicket was on the slower side and we were trying to bowl a little faster, but we ended up bowling as we usually do here.”After the third or fourth day, we saw the normal Galle wicket. What the Australia spinners did was bowl a little faster than us. That’s normally what they’re doing.”We’re used to bowling at a slower pace, but it didn’t work in this match. We need to discuss all that also.”

خسر منتخب المغرب تحت 17 عامًا، مباراته الأولى في بطولة كأس العالم للناشئين، أمام نظيره اليابان، بهدفين دون رد، في اللقاء الذي أقيم اليوم الإثنين.

منتخب المغرب التقى مع اليابان، في إطار الجولة الأولى من عمر مواجهات المجموعة الثانية لمنافسات كأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا المقامة في قطر.

ويتواجد منتخب المغرب في المجموعة الثانية من بطولة كأس العالم، مع البرتغال واليابان وكاليدونيا.

طالع | منتخب المغرب يخسر أمام اليابان في افتتاح مشواره بكأس العالم تحت 17 عامًا

وبفوز منتخب اليابان، يحتل الساموراي الياباني المركز الثاني في ترتيب المجموعة، برصيد 3 نقاط، يتواجد منتخب المغرب المركز الثالث بدون نقاط.

واستكملت مباريات المجموعة الثانية لمونديال الناشئين اليوم أيضًا، حيث حقق منتخب البرتغال الفوز على كاليدونيا، بنتيجة 6-1، ليتصدر المنتخب البرتغالي ترتيب المجموعة. ترتيب مجموعة المغرب في كأس العالم للناشئين تحت 17 عامًا

1- البرتغال، 3 نقاط.

2- اليابان، 3 نقاط.

3- المغرب بدون نقاط.

4- كاليدونيا، بدون نقاط.

Tilak Varma is the fifth capped player retained by MI ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction

Nagraj Gollapudi31-Oct-202410:44

Should Rohit or Surya replace Hardik as MI captain?

Mumbai Indians are set to retain their four major Indian players – Rohit Sharma, Hardik Pandya, Jasprit Bumrah and Suryakumar Yadav – along with Tilak Varma ahead of the IPL 2025 mega auction.With those five capped players retained, MI can use their one right-to-match option only on an uncapped player at the auction. While the individual amounts for each of their retained player is yet to be ascertained, MI will lose at least INR 75 crore from their purse of INR 120 crore, or more if they have paid a higher aggregate amount to the five.MI had a disappointing IPL 2024, finishing at the bottom of the league under the leadership of Hardik, who was traded in from Gujarat Titans and replaced Rohit as captain. Hardik was regularly booed at various venues last season as fans expressed their displeasure at the change of leadership, but he bounced back from poor personal form with significant contributions during India’s successful 2024 T20 World Cup campaign. However, Suryakumar was preferred as India’s T20I captain after that tournament once Rohit retired from the format, even though Hardik had captained India in T20Is for much of 2023.Related

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Samson, Jaiswal, Parag and Sandeep set to be retained by Rajasthan Royals

ESPNcricinfo has learned the MI management had a chat recently with their senior players on the plan going forward before agreeing on retentions.October 31 is the deadline by which the ten franchises have to submit their lists of retained players to the IPL. The teams have been allowed to retain up to six players ahead of the mega auction before the 2025 season, of which a maximum of five can be capped internationals and two can be uncapped players. While the IPL has set minimum deductions from the auction purse for each player retained – INR 18 crore for the first player, INR 14 crore for the second, INR 11 crore for the third, INR 18 crore for the fourth, INR 14 crore for the fifth, and INR 4 crore for an uncapped player – the franchises are free to pay more or less than those amounts to their retained players.

MatériaMais Notícias

da roleta： O Corinthians apresentou dificuldades para furar a defesa do América-MG, mas conseguiu arrancar o empate na Neo Química Arena no último lance da partida. O técnico Mano Menezes reconheceu a desorganização tática da equipe e disse que o empate não ameniza a atuação do Timão dentro de casa.

continua após a publicidadeRelacionadasCorinthiansGiuliano admite nervosismo do Corinthians, mas valoriza empate com o América: ‘Dos males o menor’Corinthians22/10/2023CorinthiansAssista à coletiva de Mano Menezes após empate do Corinthians com o América-MG no BrasileirãoCorinthians22/10/2023CorinthiansNo último lance, Corinthians arranca empate com o América-MG no BrasileirãoCorinthians22/10/2023

da cassino： + Garanta a sua vaga no curso que formou craques como Pet, Dante e Léo Moura! Cupom: LANCE1000

– As dificuldades que tivemos foi porque não aproveitamos o bom início e depois nos desorganizamos taticamente. Na ânsia de querer fazer o gol, nos projetamos com jogadores que não eram para se projetar tão à frente, tomamos cinco contra-ataques, e em um deles tomamos gol, criando uma dificuldade para um jogo em que já ia ser difícil. Martelamos e achamos o gol no final para amenizar o resultado, embora não amenize o nosso jogo, que foi abaixo do que deveríamos ter apresentado – disse Mano durante entrevista coletiva.

O empate deixa o Corinthians com três pontos de vantagem para o Vasco, primeiro time dentro da zona do rebaixamento. Apesar do temor do torcedor corintiano, Mano não acredita que o Timão será rebaixado.

continua após a publicidade

– Penso que temos potencial para entregar mais e melhor em um curto espaço de tempo e, ao conseguir fazer isso, pontuando em todas as rodadas, não vai estar na condição que o torcedor tema – analisou o treinador.

+ Renove o seu estoque de camisas do Timão com o cupom LANCEFUT 10% OFF

O técnico corintiano não escondeu a frustração com o empate diante do lanterna e quer que a equipe recupere os pontos perdidos no confronto de quarta-feira (22), contra o Cuiabá.

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– Imagino uma reta final de jogos parelhos e temos que nos preparar. Mas também penso como o torcedor, saímos frustrados. Colocamos como objetivo uma vitória que para nós julgamos importante. Quando não consegue, tem que ter maturidade para pontuar fora num jogo difícil, fora de casa, contra o Cuiabá, no calor. Temos que recuperar os pontos que deixaram pelo caminho hoje – destacou Mano.

Tudo sobre

Corinthians

Their one-day batting seems to be evolving with each game, and could soon leave the rest of the pack behind

Andrew McGlashan29-Nov-20201:40

Gambhir: Smith not that far away from Kohli in ODIs

Steven Smith’s innings at the SCG on Sunday felt like a highlights package and at the same time, it a highlights package.We might as well have been watching his spectacular display two days ago when he scorched a 62-ball hundred (that premise could have applied to most of Australia’s innings). Instead, we were watching it produced all over again: another 62-ball century, which if not for a slip of Marnus Labuschagne’s feet, would have been 61 deliveries.On both these occasions he could not have wished for a better situation: the ideal foundation provided by David Warner and Aaron Finch, a flat pitch and a bowling attack struggling for any consistency and control. However, even though Smith’s batting feats have been mind-boggling in the past, it has been a particularly notable 72 hours for him.Were we watching another evolution of Smith the batsman? This isn’t to say he was doing things that he hasn’t done before – he has a T20 century off 54 balls and has dissected many a bowling attack in the one-day format – but the sustained nature of the onslaughts felt different.What the one-day game gives Smith is that one thing he loves: time at the crease. While Test cricket offers him his ultimate indulgence, the 50-over game allows him to evolve an innings.Another day, another ton for Steven Smith•Getty ImagesHe has not been slow at any point of these centuries, but in the first of them he was 30 off 30 balls and today was 21 at a run-a-ball. Then, the hands have really gotten to work. On Friday, he scored 75 off his remaining 36 balls and on Sunday he cracked 83 off 43 from the same position.As is often the case with Smith’s batting, the standout feature has been the placement. The run towards his second century showed how he can work the field at will. A slower ball from Jasprit Bumrah was driven through backward point. In the next delivery, the most delicate of late cuts beat short third man. The final ball of the over was taken from around fourth stump to fine leg.Facing Yuzvendra Chahal in the next over, there was a brace of scampered twos with perfectly paced shots either side of a straight six. The ball after reaching his hundred he played the most astonishing stroke of the innings, stepping right across outside off and scooping Hardik Pandya over fine leg, while ending up rolling in the crease. Next ball, Smith toe-ended a wide delivery to short third man. Despite everything he had done, he was still furious with himself.Scores of 350-plus won’t be needed all the time, but on flat pitches like this, a team needs the ability to do it. Smith’s displays have been part of two hugely convincing Australia batting performances – this was their third-highest total, and Friday’s is also in the top 10. A longer run of matches, in a variety of conditions, and against some better bowling needs to be viewed before any significant conclusions are drawn, but there are signs that Australia’s one-day batting is undertaking the evolution it needed to remain with the leading pack.The ODI series in England last year was won by a brilliant stand of 212 between Glenn Maxwell and Alex Carey and now the top order has filled their boots in these two games. Warner, who limped off with a serious-looking groin injury early in India’s chase, and captain Finch form a formidable opening pair: this year alone they have four century stands (three in three matches at the SCG) and during this partnership of 142, they went past David Boon and Geoff Marsh into third in Australia’s all-time list. Adam Gilchrist and Mark Waugh are just over 200 runs ahead of them, then there is work to do to catch Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden.Glenn Maxwell switch-hits during his half-century•Getty ImagesThen you have the engine room of Smith and Labuschagne at No. 3 and 4. The latter is still evolving as a one-day cricketer, but his 70 off 61 balls in this match, while not as dynamic as Smith, ensured things did not stall. And if Smith is bringing a new gear to his ODI batting, it will take the pressure off Labuschagne.They are followed by a combination of allrounders, the central figure of which is Maxwell. His last five ODI innings have brought 294 runs at 73.50 and a strike-rate of 143.41 (and in this series it’s 108 runs off 48 balls). If Maxwell has found his home in the one-day side, so many of Australia’s plans will come together.Given the uncertainty over the cricket calendar in a post-Covid world, it is not yet entirely certain when Australia’s next ODIs will be after this tour. Currently, it is scheduled to be a short tour to West Indies in the middle of 2021, but the match in Canberra on Wednesday will be the last on home soil until next season. Can Smith make it a hat-trick of hundreds? You wouldn’t put it past him.

The departing hero provided a throwback to his heyday when he hoicked Logan van Beek for six

Himanshu Agrawal04-Apr-2022Standing a step back to get deep in the crease? Yup. A slight shuffle across off stump? Done. Front leg out of the way? Correct. Back leg nearly or fully bent? Right. Bat swing like a broom? Sure. A swipe across the line for six over wide long-on? Why not? Ross Taylor did all of this in a flash when he deposited Logan van Beek over the ropes in his farewell international innings.Turning the clock back, the 38-year-old expertly swung at the ball like he did in his prime, the neat execution an outcome of free bat-swing and a fearless mindset to accumulate quick runs for his side. The shot was a throwback to the days when he swept and swiped spin and pace alike, in the arc between deep midwicket and long-on, at will.The moment the ball landed beyond the fence, there was hope something bigger was to come. The noise that the crowd produced in that spilt second – the screeching, the whistling, and the cheering – was never heard in two-and-a-half hours of play until then. In all, the New Zealand batters hit 23 fours and ten sixes on Monday, but none of them invited a remotely close reaction.Related

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Report: Young, Guptill, Henry give Taylor perfect farewell

Earlier in the day, it seemed as if Taylor would never walk out to bat. His team-mates Martin Guptill and Will Young had put on 203 for the second wicket, and they looked good to pile on more runs and misery on Netherlands. However, in the 39th over, the stand ended when Guptill gloved a catch behind and ceded the stage to Taylor. Perhaps, no New Zealand supporter had ever wanted a wicket to fall so desperately.And when Taylor finally walked out to bat, it was as if the whole of Hamilton stood still; or at least Seddon Park did. The entire crowd stood on its feet and welcomed their departing hero. Taylor’s team-mates in the dressing room gave him a standing ovation, and Guptill, the man dismissed, chose to stand across the rope just in front of the fence while banging his helmet with his glove to allow Taylor his moment, much like Henry Nicholls had done when Taylor was dismissed in his final Test against Bangladesh in January.That afternoon, Nicholls, who was the next man in, opted to wait in the dressing room to let Taylor walk back and absorb the applause of the Christchurch crowd.And as every deserving legend, Taylor was welcomed by the opposition for his final international match by a guard of honour.

Of course he does! @RossLTaylor takes the catch that completes his final match for the BLACKCAPS! #NZvNED pic.twitter.com/eL1Xf9c7aC

— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) April 4, 2022