#Craig Kimbrel

The Los Angeles Dodgers are still in a position to compete despite their quiet offseason. But they could drastically increase their World Series odds by pulling the trigger on a high-profile trade. The MLB trade market has moved fairy slow for the most part with the exception of a few deals. With that being said, could the Dodgers stun the MLB…

We are less than two weeks into the 2023 calendar year, but we've got bold predictions of a litany of things that will go down in Major League Baseball over the course of the next 11.5 months. Most of our predictions are about things that will happen during the 2023 MLB season, of course. A breakout rookie. An unlikely MVP. A surprise AL West…

On Monday, the Phillies completed a trade with the Giants to acquire Yunior Marte. The addition of Marte to the Phillies bullpen brought yet another fireballer to the team. Marte averages 97.7 MPH on his 4-seamer and peaked at 99 MPH in 2022. He joins a laundry list of hard-throwing relievers on the Phillies. Between the Phillies' 10 top relieving…

It isn't a secret. Not after more than three decades of building major-league rosters. When it comes to pitching, Dave Dombrowski has a type. "I've always believed in power arms," he said two years ago after getting hired to head up the Phillies' baseball operations. "That's something I grew up with in the White Sox organization. We had a lot of…

Cody Bellinger scored the winning run on Mookie Betts' infield single with the bases loaded in the ninth inning, and the Los Angeles Dodgers edged the Colorado Rockies 2-1 on Wednesday night to complete a three-game sweep. Dodgers starter Mitch White and three relievers combined to allow only one hit - a single by Brendan Rodgers in the…

After signing with the Atlanta Braves as a free agent 13 years ago, Billy Wagner heard from pitching coach Roger McDowell, who mentioned a young, power-armed reliever with whom team officials were enamored. "You're going to think he's your twin," McDowell said. A few weeks later, Wagner met Craig Kimbrel and saw what the Braves saw. Wagner is…

The San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers will renew their rivalry on Wednesday afternoon in Los Angeles. With that said, it's a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes a Giants-Dodgers prediction and pick, laid out below. San Francisco has come down to Earth following their 107-win season in 2021, with a 65-69 record…

What-if scenarios about the past aren't very useful exercises for baseball executives who need to deal with the here and now and know about 25 other potential moves that almost came to fruition for every one that slips out to the public. And they're the sort of thing we really dwell on only when the road that was taken proves to be very bumpy. A…

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks will square off in a doubleheader matchup on Tuesday in Los Angeles. With that said, it's a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes a Dodgers-Diamondbacks prediction and pick, laid out below. Los Angeles was the first team to 100 wins, with a 102-44 record to secure the NL West…

There are only 188 days in a Major League Baseball season - the White Sox spent 152 of them in first place last season. From May 7 through Oct. 3, Chicago led the AL Central and had a double-digit lead for all but two days from Aug. 7 on. The division is a bit better in 2022, as the Tigers and Twins have made some free-agent moves and smart…

MLB odds series for our Dodgers Giants prediction and pick. Julio Urias goes to the mound for the Dodgers, while the Giants have not yet announced a starter as of 12:30 p.m. Eastern time, 9:30 a.m. Pacific, on Saturday. Julio Urias will almost certainly start for the Dodgers in Game 1 of the National League Division Series. With Tony Gonsolin hurt…

As a Cleveland native growing up with the 1990s Indians, I got to watch a lineup that had Jim Thome, Manny Ramirez, Kenny Lofton, Roberto Alomar, Carlos Baerga, David Justice, Albert Belle, Sandy Alomar and many other great hitters. It's no wonder I became such a huge baseball fan. I saw something special every day. The Los Angeles Dodgers have the…

With the All-Star break approaching, now's a good time to check back in on World Series futures odds. Given the nature of baseball, it's anyone's game come playoff time. We've seen teams with relatively mediocre odds entering the playoffs win the Commissioner's Trophy in two of the past three seasons (Atlanta in 2021, Washington in'19). Below,…

The World Series champion Houston Astros hope to stave off elimination and send the American League Championship Series back to Boston on Thursday, when they host the Red Sox as home favorites in Game 5 of the set. The Astros have lost the first two games of this series at Minute Maid Park, where they went 46-35 during the regular season. They lost…

The hardest part of breaking up is usually moving on. For the Cubs, the hardest part was how long the relationship dragged on. Chicago's clubhouse had to be a really uncomfortable place last season. The writing was on the wall like a big graffiti art piece that the team was going to undergo a lot of changes. The core of the 2016 World Series team…

We swept the board yesterday! Feels good to continue to win, as we are now 4-0-1 in our last two days. I have two main picks for you as well as two underdog picks in our Chalkboard Groupchat. Let's get into it. Kyle Wright (RHP, Braves) [13-4, 2.93 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, 122.2 IP, 120 K, 36 BB] Carlos Carrasco (RHP, Mets) [11-4, 3.79 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, 111.2…

After waiting until a month after the World Series for the winter meetings to get the ball rolling, Major League Baseball's free-agent spending spree has been something of a runaway freight train. There have already been 30 free agents who signed contracts with an average salary of at least $10 million. And, no, we're not just talking about the New…

The Los Angeles Dodgers will conclude their battle with the Colorado Rockies in the final game of a four-game series Sunday afternoon. With that said, it's a good time to check out our MLB odds series, which includes our Dodgers-Rockies prediction and pick we have laid out below. Los Angeles is the toast of the National League with a 67-33 record,…

Gonsolin's last start was his bumpiest of 2022, allowing five runs in five innings of work. However, the Nationals lineup he'll face tonight presents a perfect opportunity to get back into rhythm after the All-Star break. Read more in our MLB picks below. The Washington Nationals - the worst team in baseball by win percentage (.330) - will take on…

The Oakland Athletics (64-49, second in AL West) continue their three-game interleague set against the Chicago Cubs (61-51, first in NL Central) Tuesday at Wrigley Field. Opening pitch is scheduled for 8:05 p.m. Eastern. The Cubs took Monday's opener 6-5 for their fourth straight win. Odds courtesy of playMGM; for a full-set of today's sports…

Welcome to playoff baseball, where the "best" team wins the championship far less often than in other sports. To wit: According to Baseball Prospectus odds, no team in the 2021 playoff field has better than a 20 percent chance to win the World Series. With eight deserving teams ready to do battle, let's dive into the reasons each particular team…

So far, it has been a pretty quiet Winter Meetings for the Dodgers - at least, when it comes to retaining or brining in new players. They've still only signed Shelby Miller and officially announced Clayton Kershaw's re-signing, but they've lost some free agents along the way. Trea Turner on Monday signed an 11-year, $300 million deal with the…

Though we're still waiting on the biggest, Aaron Judge-sized domino to fall, there have already been quite a few lucrative deals handed out in this year's MLB free-agency cycle. Eleven players have agreed to contracts worth at least $10 million per year, and there could be as many as 40 more at that price point when all is said and done. Not all of…

The Post's Mark W. Sanchez previews the NL West O/U wins: 97.5 Key player: Mookie Betts. For the Dodgers to be historically great - which is a real possibility - they could use their $365 million man in peak form. The right fielder was merely very good (.854 OPS) but not great last season, and the lineup is even more ludicrous with the addition of…

With the Milwaukee Brewers 2022 season set to start on Thursday, it is that time again to give my previews and predictions for each team in the NL Central. With Spring Training finished, the rosters for each team are essentially set and the players that each team have will be the ones they will roll with into the season. For the second year in a…

In anticipation of Opening Day, we've asked our writers and editors to share their boldest predictions for the 2022 season. Where will the team end up in the standings? Which individual performances will we remember? Who gets called up? How many times will a ball hit a catwalk when the team is on national TV? What other cities will be rumored to be…

The 2022 Major League Baseball season is almost here and Sportsnaut's MLB predictions offer projections for the standings, award winners and more. MLB games today will offer daily predictions and the full schedule for the entire season from 2022 Opening Day to the World Series. As part of our year-round MLB coverage, we'll provide analysis, the…

This year's free-agent market for relievers was long known to be a weak one, and teams, knowing that, went all out to retain their best free-agent arms before they ever reached the market -- like Edwin Díaz, Robert Suarez and Rafael Montero. What's left, then, is a collection of older pitchers coming off mostly uncertain seasons. You might have to…

Despite his poor record, Julio Urias has continued to shut down opposing lineups. If he gets an average night of scoring from the Dodgers lineup, he should help lead them to victory against the visiting Mets - as explained in our MLB betting picks. The New York Mets broke a two-game losing streak, winning the third of a four-game series with the…

The Chicago Cubs have multiple needs within their starting rotation and that is a large part of the reason why the team has not shied in their interest in Japanese starting pitcher Kodai Senga. Senga elected for international free agency this offseason and the lack of a posting fee attached to his free agency status allows for a team like the Cubs…

The trade deadline has passed, and the race to the MLB postseason is heating up. But there are still some lingering questions about the future of a few of baseball's biggest stars and where they'll play in the future. Last winter, the lockout shook up free agency. Lucky for baseball fans, the labor strife is behind us, at least for now, and some…

The annual MLB general manager meetings were held last week in Las Vegas, and the event is traditionally the rumor-filled calm before the storm. (It's also not to be confused with the winter meetings, which will take place in San Diego from Dec. 4-7 and is when a ton of wheeling and dealing goes down.) Free agents couldn't sign with new teams until…

NL West action is in full swing as the Los Angeles Dodgers continue their opening season series out on the road as they square up with the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. It is time to take a sneak peek at our MLB odds series where our Dodgers-Rockies pick and prediction will be revealed. The Dodgers scored five times in the 4th inning and never…

The Houston Astros may have taken home the 2022 World Series, but we haven't seen an MLB team repeat since the New York Yankees' 1998-2000 threepeat. The latest: Offseason moves are likely to shift the board all winter long, but for now the Los Angeles Dodgers are the favourites. The New York Mets are likely to make big offseason moves and the St.…

Dusty Baker finally got his long-awaited ring as the Houston Astros secured their second World Series title in six years, suffering just two postseason losses at the end of an outstanding regular season. Well done, Houston. Now, can you become the first back-to-back champion in more than two decades? An awful lot will change before Major League…

The Dodgers have beaten up on the Nationals through two games and we see no reason why the brooms won't come out to complete the sweep this afternoon. Julio Urias has pitched better on the road while Mookie Betts is riding an absolute heater. The Los Angeles Dodgers will go for the series sweep when they play the Washington Nationals on Wednesday…

The Mets and closer Edwin Díaz have agreed to a five-year, $102 million contract, sources confirmed to The Athletic on Sunday. The deal is pending a physical. USA Today first reported the news. The deal is a record for a closer and includes an opt-out and full no-trade clause, as well as a sixth-year option, sources confirmed. Díaz, baseball's best…

It's a doom and gloom forecast, but let's assume the Atlanta Braves will watch all eight of their free-agents-to-be move on. They'll waive goodbye to Dansby Swanson, Kenley Jansen and Adam Duvall. Robbie Grossman will sign elsewhere, Luke Jackson too, along with Jesse Chavez - actually, we'll see you back in a Braves uniform after next season's…

The Dodgers and Padres have developed one of baseball's most heated rivalries over the past few years, particularly since San Diego suddenly morphed to become a contender in 2020 in an attempt to halt Los Angeles's National League West supremacy. But the on-field results have not matched the compelling story line surrounding these Southern…

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Colorado Rockies begin their seasons in a matchup at Coors Field this Friday. Both teams hope to get off to a strong start this season with a victory within the division. The Los Angeles Dodgers are the odds-on favorites to win it all in 2022. The team has made many notable moves this offseason that have drastically…

The Los Angeles Dodgers postseason roster for the National League Division Series against the San Diego Padres is comprised of the planned 13 pitchers and 13 position players, with Dustin May, Blake Treinen and Miguel Vargas among the inclusions. Hanser Alberto, Caleb Ferguson and Craig Kimbrel are notable omissions from the Dodgers NLDS…

Aaron Judge may have played his final game in pinstripes. The 30-year-old home run king is hitting free agency and early betting odds have the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets among the favorites to sign him if he leaves the Yankees. Has it really come to this? New York Yankees slugger - and presumptive AL MVP - Aaron Judge is hitting free…

The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants have done battle on the diamond since all the way back in 1890 when both were based out of New York City. More than 130 years later, the two National League West rivals could do battle on a completely different playing field. That is to say, challening one another for the rights to throw hundreds of…

Playoff baseball is living up to the hype so far. Players such as Julio Rodriguez, Yordan Álvarez, Ronald Acuña Jr., Trea Turner and Bryce Harper are among the stars leaving an impression. We've watched former Cy Young Award winners such as Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander and Robbie Ray struggle on the mound (just two pitches for Ray on Tuesday…

The Los Angeles Dodgers host the San Diego Padres in Game 2 of an MLB 2022 National League Division Series Wednesday, October 12, at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles. The game will be live streamed on fuboTV. Left-hander Clayton Kershaw gets the start on the mound in Game 2 for the Dodgers, vs. right-hander Yu Darvish for the Padres. Los Angeles leads…

Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt and Albert Pujols were sent packing. Bo Bichette has plenty of time to play tennis. Tee time or tea time? Plenty of baseball's greatest stars can make that choice after their teams failed to make it past wild-card weekend. See, it's often not the biggest names that prove most indispensable once Major League…

World Series Odds: +3000 Pennant Odds: +1300 Regular Season Record: 89-73 Pythagorean Record: 86-76 Team wRC+ (Rank): 102 (13th) Starting Pitching xFIP (Rank): 3.87 (13th) Bullpen xFIP (Rank): 3.84 (12th) Odds via FanDuel Pythagorean record via Baseball Reference Stat rankings via FanGraphs It's been a strange ride for this version of the Padres.…

The National League Division Series is headed to the West Coast. The Padres disposed of the Mets in three games and will now fly back to California and face the Dodgers. These teams have plenty of familiarity as they played 19 times this season. Unfortunately for the Padres, the Dodgers won 14 of those games. In those games, the Dodgers outscored…

Once again, it's October. Once again, the Los Angeles Dodgers are the NL West champs, winning their ninth division title in ten years. I think this team has slightly more downside risk than other versions of the Dodgers we've seen over the last ten years... but then again, this is the team that just recorded more wins than any National League team…

Just one season ago, the Atlanta Braves proved how important a team's bullpen can be in today's MLB during their World Series run. Postseason games can be won or lost by arms coming out of the back-end of the'pen and this year 11 of the 12 teams playing for the title finished the regular season with the top-14 bullpens by ERA. While some starters…