7-foot-6 Mamadou N’Diaye towered over the 6-foot-4 Ohtani in a photo that highlighted the striking height.
Ndaiye took the mound, receiving pitching tips from manager Dave Roberts.
His towering frame brings to mind the tallest recorded MLB player, 6-foot-11 Sean Hjelle, and even surpasses 7-foot-3 Victor Wembanyama, who threw a first pitch last season.
Marquis Grissom has had one of the best Major League Baseball Careers. He won the 1995 World Series with the Braves, took home four straight Gold Glove Awards from 1993-96, made a couple All-Star teams and spent 17 seasons playing at the game’s highest level.
He played his last game in 2005. He knew exactly what would come next for him: the Marquis Grissom Baseball Association, a nonprofit organization that’s helped a new generation of players live the same dream Grissom did for nearly two decades.
Grissom founded the MGBA in 2006 with the mission to provide athletes in underserved communities the opportunity to compete in a competitive baseball league.
He sponsors travel baseball teams around the Atlanta area, ranging from age 7-22, while also providing coaching, mentoring, college placement assistance, tutoring and scholarship in his hometown.
“I had some people that were very instrumental in my growing up and upbringing that really invested a lot of time with me, so I kind of knew what I was going to do once I retired,” Grissom said in a phone interview. “I even knew what I was gonna do, whether I made it to the league or not gonna make it to the league. I always wanted to go back and help kids follow their dreams and continue to dream and try to be whatever you think you are capable of being.”
The Edmonton Oilers face the Florida Panthers in a Stanley Cup Final rematch at Amerant Bank Arena on February 27. Read our preview for the Oilers VS Panthers.
The Oilers aim to end their four-game losing streak against the reigning champions.
You can get Todays basketball tips for Oilers VS Panthers on MatchPlug. We are a sure Prediction site for previews and tips regarding similar matches.
The Oilers’ struggles continued with a fourth straight loss to Tampa Bay on Tuesday, marking their worst skid of the season. As they take on Florida on Thursday, they’ll look to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat on their tough Eastern Conference road trip.
Edmonton has yet to win on this trip, losing all three games by at least three goals and getting outscored 22-11. They enter Thursday’s matchup as underdogs and hold the NHL’s worst puck line record at 20-38, failing to cover in eight straight games.
Florida holds a strong 17-10-2 home record this season but will be without star forward Matthew Tkachuk for a third straight game due to a groin injury from the 4 Nations Face-Off. He isn’t expected to return until mid-March.
While his absence may impact their offense, the Panthers’ defense has been dominant, allowing the second-fewest goals per 60 minutes since Jan. 1.
The Panthers have one of the NHL’s strongest defenses and have been excellent at stopping their opponents’ shots. Ths Oilers might find this match a bit challenging because of their struggle with offense on the road.
With Tkachuk still out, Bennett is expected to step up again, and the Panthers are favored to win.
Final Prediction: Panthers Over/Under
The Calgary Flames face the Tampa Bay Lightning in what should be an exciting NHL matchup on Thursday, February 27, 2025. Read our preview for the Flames VS Lightning match.
The match is scheduled for 07:00 PM EST at the Amalie Arena, Tampa, Florida.
Match Plug provides the latest analysis and odds for the Flames VS Lightning game.
The Calgary Flames are fighting to stay in the Stanley Cup playoff race, earning points in their last three games. While a win against struggling San Jose (3-2) was expected, their impressive 3-1 victory over Washington stood out, making them the first team in 2025 to take two points from the Capitals at home.
Head coach Ryan Huska’s squad will be looking to build on this momentum as they push toward their postseason goals, but consistency will be key moving forward.
John Cooper’s squad is staying strong even after the February break, extending their winning streak to six games. Instead of overpowering opponents, they’ve taken a more controlled approach, securing solid wins like 4-1 victories over both Seattle and Edmonton.
Now sitting fourth in the East, Tampa Bay is in great form and has the potential to climb even higher, possibly contending for the second seed and home-ice advantage in the playoffs.
With Tampa Bay in top form and riding a six-game winning streak, they have a strong chance to extend their success. Their recent dominant 4-1 wins over Seattle and Edmonton further shows how great they are at dominating games.
With their current momentum and push to climb up the standings, the Lightning are likely to win against the flames on Thursday.
Final Prediction: Lightning Moneyline
Trevor Zegras has been suspended for three games without pay for interference against Detroit Red Wings forward Michael Rasmussen
The incident occurred during the second period of their game on February 23.
As a result, Zegras will forfeit $89,843.76 in salary, which will go to the Players’ Emergency Assistance Fund.
Panther’s Coach Paul Maurice has said that the Panthers are not worried about star forward Tkachuk lower-body injury.
However, Tkachuk continues to be evaluated by medical personnel’s to ensure that there’s no serious injury.
Tkachuk got injured playing for the United States at the 4 Nations Face-Off.
“We have a pretty good idea of where it’s at,” Maurice said after practice. “We need to make sure everyone looks at the pictures the same way.
We are always vague on these before we get the [medical] report because there is always a chance that there’s something unusual. We don’t think there is. We’re not worried about it.”
Ville Husso was traded from the Detroit Red Wings to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for future considerations. The 30-year-old goaltender had struggled with the Red Wings this season, posting a 1-5-2 record with a 3.69 goals-against average (GAA) and an .866 save percentage in nine NHL games. He was subsequently assigned to Grand Rapids in the AHL, where he performed better with an 8-4-0 record, a 2.70 GAA, and a .912 save percentage.
Husso is set to join Anaheim’s AHL affiliate in San Diego as the Ducks deal with injuries at the goaltender position. The move comes ahead of the NHL trade deadline on March 8.
The MLB Season 2025 kicks off on Tuesday, March 18 with the current World Series Champions LA Dodgers facing the Chicago Cubs in a two-game series set in Tokyo.
Most teams, including 15 of the 16 National League clubs, will open their season on Thursday, March 27. Meanwhile, the Colorado Rockies and Tampa Bay Rays will begin their 162-game schedule on Friday, March 28.
Let’s take a look at the preview for future games as well as the best betting strategies to use.
Table of Content
| Team | Odds |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | +250 |
| New York Yankees | +800 |
| Atlanta Braves | +950 |
| New York Mets | +1100 |
| Philadelphia Phillies | +1100 |
| Baltimore Orioles | +1400 |
| Boston Red Sox | +1800 |
| Houston Astros | +2100 |
| San Diego Padres | +2200 |
| Texas Rangers | +2400 |
There are lots of great teams in the MLB, each with potential to impress fans and stun their opponents into defeat. However, only one team can win the MLB World Series, and this year 3 lucky American baseball teams have been chosen to receive that honor.
Below, we’ve shared the title favorites for the MLB 2025 World Series Championship favorites.
The Dodgers finished the 2024 World Series as favorites after defeating the Yankees in five games to claim their eighth title in franchise history.
The Yankees were the second strongest team in the 2024 World Series. They came up three wins short of a World Series title in 2024, losing to the Dodgers in five games after securing the AL East and ALCS crowns.
The Atlanta Braves started the 2024 season with +450 odds to win the World Series. However, after being eliminated in the NL Wild Card round, their odds dropped to +950.
Let’s check out the early odds for which players will stand out by winning MVP at the end of the year
Last year’s American League MVP, Aaron Judge is this season’s favorite. He led the Yankees to win their first World Series berth since 2009 while also claiming his third All MLB Selection team.
Bobby Witt Jr. had an amazing season. At just 24, he became the MLB batting champion (.332), earned All-Star honors, made the All-MLB first-team, won a Gold Glove and took home the Silver Slugger Award.
Shohei Ohtani enters the 2025 MLB season as the favorite after securing the NL MVP last year. He ranked second in home runs (54), RBIs (130), and WAR (9.2), while finishing fourth in batting average (.310).
If you’re a newbie in the MLB betting world, you might find it a bit challenging to bet.
However, it’s easier than it looks, and with a little guidance, you’ll be betting like a pro in no time. Here are the different ways to bet on baseball odds:
A moneyline bet is a type of wager placed on a team to win. These bets can be placed on any game from the start of Spring Training through to the finals of the World Series.
It is the most straight-forward bet in baseball. Some betting platforms offer early cash-outs while the game is playing, while others offer early payout promotions if the team you’ve bet on takes a significant lead.
For example, if you bet on the Yankees’ moneyline against the Red Sox, your bet wins only if the Yankees come out on top.
The runline is similar to a spread in football. However, it’s a lot smaller than that of high scoring games like the NBA and NFL. In baseball, the runline is generally only 1.5 in either direction.
The favourites are usually listed as -1.5, which means that they need to win by two clear runs for you to win. While the underdog will likely be listed at +1.5.
Betting platforms show you the moneyline, runline and game total for each baseball game.
The game total means the total number of runs scored in the game. There’s usually a set ‘line’ and bettors are allowed to bet on over or under that number. For instance, if the ‘line’ is set at 7.5, and you bet on the over, your bet will win if there are 8 or more total runs in the game.
Prop bets are bets on a player in a baseball game. Most Betting sites give bettors a selection of players to bet on and the bets focus on the player’s performance in a specific game.
Hits, total bases, home runs and strikeouts are four of the staples for measuring prop bets. Many of these markets follow the same over/under format as the game total.
An MLB futures bet involves betting on a future baseball event or multiple events. These are usually placed way before the game and bettors may have to wait for a long while for their bets to be decided.
Futures bets often have longer odds and will also have cash out options. They can be very lucrative because you can bet on the winner before and during the season.
If you like betting on longer odds, Parlays are great for you. A parlay allows you to bet on multiple wagers, with potentially large payouts. For you to win a parlay, all your wagers must win.
For example, If you backed the Giants, Yankees and Astros to win, you would need all three to win their games for your bet to pay out.
Betting on the first five innings of MLB games has become increasingly popular in the baseball world today. It provides a way for bettors to reduce some of the unpredictability that comes with relief pitchers.
Reputable betting platforms will offer the Moneyline, total and run line for the first five innings.
With various ways to bet on baseball, developing your own strategy is a great way to find out what works for you. Bets range from World Series winners to team bets, props, and totals.
While betting strategies may constantly change, it’s important to consider the following before placing your bets:
It’s advisable to check the weather forecast for the day a game will be played before betting on it. From history, we know that warmer conditions can mean the ball flies a long distance. Potential rain or wind can interrupt the dynamic of a game and can cause major changes to the pitchers used.
It is common practice to check the injury reports of a team you want to bet on before placing your wager. Each team presents a list of their injured players which show you which players are unavailable for a game. You can even go a step further to check the latest news about the players and check when they may be returning to the pitch.
Check player and team matchups before deciding your bets. While researching a specific pitcher’s performance is great, it’s often more important to look into how teams have fared against similar opponents in the past. It’ll give you an idea of how the match may go.
Head-to-head records are important in baseball betting, especially with frequent divisional fixtures. While some teams consistently perform better against certain opponents, others may struggle repeatedly.
Though this strategy isn’t always accurate, reviewing past matchups can help identify trends in certain fixtures.
Now that you have a better understanding of what to expect for the 2025 MLB season and the best betting options to choose, it’s time to put these insights to use.
Whether you’re betting on team futures, player props, or moneyline odds, applying the strategies outlined in this guide can help you make the best bets for the 2025 season.
Next Tuesday the NHL night schedule brings such an interesting showdown between Hurricanes VS Canadiens.
The Carolina Hurricanes (33-20-4) are playing against the Montreal Canadiens (26-26-5) on Tuesday, 26th of February, 2025.
The match is scheduled for 01:00 AM at the Bell Centre.
For NHL Betting Predictions from a Hot Prediction Site you can count on, read MatchPlug’s betting preview for Hurricanes VS Canadiens to get some help with your bets.
The Hurricanes have been considered favorites for the Stanley Cup for many seasons now. They are currently in the playoff zone with 70 points, playing up to their potential.
Their most recent game was a disappointing 6-3 away loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs on February 22nd. Their loss in this game marked their third consecutive defeat on the road, highlighting their weakness in away matches.
Despite these losses, Rod Brind’Amour’s team appears to be more stable overall. They have also recorded a 3-0 away victory that showed that they not only have a strong offense, their defensive lines are also secure.
The Canadiens have played pretty decently this season but have been unable to achieve consistent winnings. In their games in January and early February, they only managed 5 wins in regulation time and after the Four Nations Tournament break, they redeemed themselves with a win against Ottawa.
Their Ottawa victory was on February 22nd in 5-2 away game which managed to set them on a steady position in the standings. Now, however, they are struggling with injury reports of some of their key players. Tkachuck, Pinto and Norris have been missing in games and their absence might cause major problems for the team in their match against the Hurricanes on Tuesday.
This match between the Hurricanes and the Canadiens is going to be a tough one because it is their first meeting for the season.
In this fixture, The Hurricanes have significant statistical advantage of beating their opponents in home and away matches in recent years and are currently desperate to redeem themselves after their series of away losses.
Our prediction for this game is a victory for the Hurricanes in regulation time.
Final Prediction: Carolina Hurricanes Moneyline
Buffalo Sabres are on hosting duties this Tuesday as they welcome Anaheim Ducks to the Keybank Center. Read our preview of the Buffalo Sabres VS Anaheim Ducks game.
The Buffalo Sabres who are 23-27-5 and have recorded five home wins in a row will aim to extend the streak with the Anaheim Ducks at 25-24-7. The game is scheduled for 01:00AM at the KeyBank Center.
For NHL Betting Predictions from a Hot Prediction Site you can count on, read MatchPlug’s betting preview for Sabres VS Ducks to get some help with your bets.
Buffalo Sabres have been on a strong run, winning their last five straight games at home. Their last game which was a 8-2 victory over New York Rangers was secured with the combined efforts of player Rasmussen Dahlin who had 4 points and Goalie Ukko-Pekka Luukonen, who made 26 saves.
It’s safe to say that the Sabres have the firepower to come out on top at the Key bank center this Tuesday, just like they did when they last played the Ducks at Honda Center and finished with a 3-2 victory.
The Anaheim Ducks have been inconsistent. Their last game was a disappointing 5-4 defeat that occurred at the Little Caesars Arena in a game against the Detroit Red Wings.
Despite bagging 4 goals like their opponent, their defense was a bit shaky and they conceded one more goal which led to their defeat.
The Ducks will need major improvements at defense if they want to stand a chance against the tough Sabres on Tuesday.
While the Buffalo Sabres and Anaheim Ducks haven’t had a problem scoring goals this season, we anticipate a win for the Sabres.
The Sabres have been consistent at home, securing consecutive wins and protecting their defense. They have the home advantage in this game and will likely secure another win to their streak.
Final Prediction: Sabres Moneyline
