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National Post
8 hours ago
- Sport
- National Post
Toronto Blue Jays can be serious about contending for the first time in a decade
Now that they've proven they can be contenders, it's time for the surprising and entertaining Blue Jays to get serious. Article content Get serious about winning the American League East for the first time in a decade and casting aside the aim-low mindset of 'settling' for the pursuit of a wild-card spot. Article content Article content Get serious about showing that the surge to first place with that 10-game winning streak prior to the break was a truer indication than what they were in the first month of the season. Article content And from the front office, get serious about continuing to operate like the big-market team they are, shredding the perception it might have among some corners of Major League Baseball. Article content In other words, more than any other season in the era of team president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins, it's go time for the Blue Jays. Article content Think about it, since that front office reign began in earnest in 2016 or 2017, take your pick, this is the closest the team has been to the real deal. Article content Article content The fact that the opportunity has arrived later than expected, given the breakthrough of 2021 when the team was perceived to be one loaded with so much young talent that it would be a contender for years to come, well that only heightens the anticipation of the remaining 66 games — and ideally more. Article content The fact that the AL East specifically and the American League as a whole may be more available for the taking than since the Jose Bautista-Josh Donaldson-John Gibbons era of Blue Jays baseball, it's all the more reason to get excited about what awaits. Article content Article content Though there is still plenty of baseball to be played and the opportunity for a handful of swings, good and bad, between now and October, the demarcation points for manager John Schneider's team will come fast and furious. Article content Article content For the 55-41 Jays, a record good enough to get them a two-game edge on the New York Yankees (and now just three on the surging Boston Red Sox, winners of 10 in a row) the initial reckoning arrives on Friday. Article content The first 10-game stretch out of the break is a whopper for the Jays, a stern test that can give an early indication of how legit their contender credentials might be. It starts with three against the San Francisco Giants (52-45), followed by three against the Yankees (who surely won't roll over as they did earlier in the month during a four-game sweep at the hands of the Jays) and then on to Detroit for four against the AL-leading Tigers. Article content By the time that stretch is done, the Jays will be just four days away from the July 31 trade deadline, with Atkins expected to be one of the most aggressive buyers in the league.
NBC Sports
8 hours ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Red Sox at Cubs prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for July 18
Friday, July 18, the Boston Red Sox (53-45) open a series in Chicago at Wrigley Field against the Cubs (57-39). Lucas Giolito is slated to take the mound for Boston against Colin Rea for Chicago. There is no hotter team in baseball than the Red Sox who have ripped off ten straight wins. As a result, Boston is back in the race in the American League East trailing Toronto by three games. No question the return of Alex Bregman has only added to the team's recent momentum. The Cubs continue to set the pace in the National League Central. They lead the Brewers by one game. Pete Crow-Armstrong (25 HRs) and Kyle Tucker (100 Hits) pace what has been a lethal offense to this point this season. Only the Dodgers (518) have scored more runs than the Cubs (512) this 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 Red Sox at Cubs Date: Friday, July 18, 2025 Time: 2:20PM EST Site: Wrigley Field City: Chicago, IL Network/Streaming: NESN, MARQ, 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 Cubs The latest odds as of Friday: Moneyline: Red Sox (+108), Cubs (-128) Spread: Cubs -1.5 Total: 8.0 runs Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Cubs Pitching matchup for July 18, 2025: Lucas Giolito vs. Colin Rea Red Sox: Lucas Giolito (6-1, 3.36 ERA) Last outing: July 9 vs. Colorado - 7.2IP, 1ER, 4H, 3BB, 7KsCubs: Colin Rea (7-3, 3.91 ERA) Last outing: July 10 vs. St. Louis - 6.2IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 4Ks Red Sox: Lucas Giolito (6-1, 3.36 ERA) Last outing: July 9 vs. Colorado - 7.2IP, 1ER, 4H, 3BB, 7Ks Cubs: Colin Rea (7-3, 3.91 ERA) Last outing: July 10 vs. St. Louis - 6.2IP, 1ER, 2H, 2BB, 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 Red Sox at Cubs The Red Sox have a losing road record this season (21-25) but have won their last 3 games 8 of the Cubs' last 10 home games have gone over the Total The Red Sox have covered the Run Line in 3 straight road games Ronan Anthony is 15-44 (.341) in July Alex Bregman is 2-8 (.250) since returning from the disabled list 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 Friday's game between the Red Sox and the Cubs 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 Cubs: 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 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)
Toronto Sun
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Toronto Sun
Toronto Blue Jays can be serious about contending for the first time in a decade
First 10 games out of the all-star break will be key for team looking to build off great run Get the latest from Rob Longley straight to your inbox Joey Loperfido of the Toronto Blue Jays celebrates his solo home run in the fifth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on July 7, 2025 in Chicago. Photo by Geoff Stellfox / Getty Images Now that they've proven they can be contenders, it's time for the surprising and entertaining Blue Jays to get serious. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. SUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Subscribe now to read the latest news in your city and across Canada. Unlimited online access to articles from across Canada with one account. Get exclusive access to the Toronto Sun ePaper, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment on. Enjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalists. Support local journalists and the next generation of journalists. Daily puzzles including the New York Times Crossword. REGISTER / SIGN IN TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account. Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments. Enjoy additional articles per month. Get email updates from your favourite authors. THIS ARTICLE IS FREE TO READ REGISTER TO UNLOCK. Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience. Access articles from across Canada with one account Share your thoughts and join the conversation in the comments Enjoy additional articles per month Get email updates from your favourite authors Don't have an account? Create Account Get serious about winning the American League East for the first time in a decade and casting aside the aim-low mindset of 'settling' for the pursuit of a wild-card spot. Get serious about showing that the surge to first place with that 10-game winning streak prior to the break was a truer indication than what they were in the first month of the season. And from the front office, get serious about continuing to operate like the big-market team they are, shredding the perception it might have among some corners of Major League Baseball. In other words, more than any other season in the era of team president Mark Shapiro and general manager Ross Atkins, it's go time for the Blue Jays. Think about it, since that front office reign began in earnest in 2016 or 2017, take your pick, this is the closest the team has been to the real deal. Your noon-hour look at what's happening in Toronto and beyond. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. Please try again This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. The fact that the opportunity has arrived later than expected, given the breakthrough of 2021 when the team was perceived to be one loaded with so much young talent that it would be a contender for years to come, well that only heightens the anticipation of the remaining 66 games — and ideally more. The fact that the AL East specifically and the American League as a whole may be more available for the taking than since the Jose Bautista-Josh Donaldson-John Gibbons era of Blue Jays baseball, it's all the more reason to get excited about what awaits. Though there is still plenty of baseball to be played and the opportunity for a handful of swings, good and bad, between now and October, the demarcation points for manager John Schneider's team will come fast and furious. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. For the 55-41 Jays, a record good enough to get them a two-game edge on the New York Yankees (and now just three on the surging Boston Red Sox, winners of 10 in a row) the initial reckoning arrives on Friday. The first 10-game stretch out of the break is a whopper for the Jays, a stern test that can give an early indication of how legit their contender credentials might be. It starts with three against the San Francisco Giants (52-45), followed by three against the Yankees (who surely won't roll over as they did earlier in the month during a four-game sweep at the hands of the Jays) and then on to Detroit for four against the AL-leading Tigers. By the time that stretch is done, the Jays will be just four days away from the July 31 trade deadline, with Atkins expected to be one of the most aggressive buyers in the league. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. If last winter was his most critical off-season as GM, this certainly feels like it's easily Atkins' most critical trade deadline, one where fans will expect him to channel some of the magic Alex Anthopoulos unleashed in 2015. While that long ago narrative is growing weary and Atkins certainly has had some success at the deadline, because of the opportunity that exists, this one feels especially large. So what do the Jays need to do in the weeks ahead to not just remain contenders, but enhance that status? Almost assuredly they'll need more from Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and a return from injury plus some production from Anthony Santander. They'll need reliever Yimi Garcia to come back to health and Jeff Hoffman to buckle up and cement his status as a big-league closer. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. They'll need to continue to push offensively in anticipation of a different approach from opponents who may have been caught off guard during that impressive 39-21 run since May 8. They'll need to continue playing with the confidence that almost exudes from the dugout these days and believe they can play with anyone — an intangible that often separates good teams from those that want to be. Read More They'll need some deadline enhancements, notably bullpen depth and potentially an impact starter, given the wear and tear on the present group that showed some signs of weariness and inconsistency of late. This advertisement has not loaded yet, but your article continues below. And they'll have to brace for what could be a wild divisional race with the possibility of the Jays, Yankees, Red Sox and Rays being in the mix come September. Getting way ahead of things, the Jays end their regular season with a six-game home stand that features three each against the Red Sox and Rays. As impressive as that 13-4 stretch leading into the break was, dropping three of four to end was at least a hint of the challenges to come. But a team that has shown resiliency and resolve to get to this point has earned its way into the mix. What unfolds over the remaining 66 games is loaded with the opportunity to electrify a fan base like we haven't seen since 2016. And it feels like a long time coming. MMA Celebrity Sunshine Girls Relationships Editorial Cartoons
Toronto Star
10 hours ago
- Sport
- Toronto Star
With second half set to begin, Blue Jays are riding high atop AL East standings
TORONTO - With 55 victories and a two-game cushion atop the American League East, the Toronto Blue Jays are on track for a worst-to-first rebound this season. The team has had significant contributions from unexpected sources while some big names have not performed up to expectations. Injuries have also been an issue but backups have often shone with the opportunity.
Newsweek
11 hours ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Yankees' Anthony Volpe Enters 'Death Spiral' as Offense Collapses
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The New York Yankees' quest to once again win the American League East pennant and, ultimately, return to the World Series got off to a red-hot start. On May 28, the Bronx Bombers enjoyed what appeared to be a comfortable seven-game lead in the division, 15 games over .500 at 35-20. By the time the All-Star break came around, the Yankees prognosis looked very different. At 53-43 they now sit two games behind the first place Toronto Blue Jays with just one game separating them from the streaking Boston Red Sox below them in third. NEW YORK, NY - MAY 22: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium on May 22, 2025 in New York, New York.... NEW YORK, NY - MAY 22: Anthony Volpe #11 of the New York Yankees looks on during the game against the Texas Rangers at Yankee Stadium on May 22, 2025 in New York, New York. More NewAccording to Fangraphs projections, on May 28 the Yankees had an MLB-best 98.1 percent chance to make the playoffs, as well as a 91.8 percent chance to win their division and a 15.9 percent shot at winning the World Series. Now, at the All-Star break, the Yankees enjoy just a 9.1 percent chance at a World Series championship, according to Fangraphs, trailing five other MLB teams. Their chances of winning the American League East have been cut approximately in half, to 45.1 percent, with 88.5 percent odds of making the playoffs. The reasons for the Yankees' mid-season swoon are complex, of course, but one of the most prominent weak links has been the organization's former No. 1 prospect. Now in his third year in the majors, 24-year-old shortstop Anthony Volpe — who according to longtime New York Post baseball columnist Joel Sherman is in a "death spiral" at the plate — has struggled in all facets. "He doesn't go into slumps. He goes into death spirals," Sherman said, speaking on the "Pinstripe Post" podcast Tuesday. "It isn't like a week where he hits like .162. It's like a month." More MLB: Yankees Draft Picks Turn Heads as Anthony Volpe Sees Career Crater Volpe, the Yankees' first-round draft pick in 2019 out of Delbarton School in Morristown, N.J., started the season in respectable fashion, posting a .784 OPS with five home runs and a .237 batting average through his first 31 games in March and April. But the bottom quickly fell out for the young shortstop. In his most recent 24 games, Volpe has managed just a .472 OPS with two home runs and a batting average of only .171. Through a total of 95 games, not only has Volpe's OPS fallen to .671, his wRC+ — a measure of a player's overall run-creation value where the league average is set at 100 — is just 87. In other words, Volpe has been 13 percent less productive that the average major league hitter. "He's coming up in every big moment and literally killing them offensively," Sherman said on the podcast. "His approach with runners in scoring position has been brutal." More MLB: MLB Insider Calls Streaking Red Sox 'Legitimate World Series Contenders' With the glove, Volpe has not been much better. His 11 errors tie him for third-most at any position among all MLB players, and are the highest total of any AL shortstop. Volpe's Statcast Fielding Run Value is minus-2. That means his fielding has prevented two runs fewer than the average MLB shortstop. "Not only just the offensive part, but the defensive part and now has now affected them in winning baseball games," Sherman added. His fielding percentage of .966 ranks him 23rd of 25 qualifying shortstops, and his range factor, measuring runs prevented taking only fielding range into account, is also minus-2. The decline in his fielding has been startling. Last season, according to Statcast numbers cited by The Athletic, Volpe ranked in top 97th percentile of all defensive players. But this year, the same figures place him all the way down in the 17th percentile. More MLB: Yankees Shockingly Urged To Cut Ties With Gold Glove Shortstop
