Staff Writer

Blue Jays vs. Phillies prop picks June 15: Back Jose Berrios and Alejandro Kirk in series finale

The Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies wrap up their series at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday.

The pregame narrative: Philadelphia is favoured to win this game and sweep the series with Zach Wheeler (6-2, 2.85 ERA) on the bump. Toronto counters with Jose Berrios (2-2, 3.38 ERA), who has been stellar on the road.

Check out my Blue Jays picks vs. the Phillies for June 15, with predictions on Berrios and Alejandro Kirk.

Blue Jays picks vs. Phillies

Best Bet: Berrios over 4.5 strikeouts (-120)

I think this is a good spot to back Berrios, who is beginning to find some consistency on the mound.

Toronto’s righty has solid road splits and consistently works deep enough into games where he should have opportunities to clear this total.

Berrios has pitched into the sixth inning in 10 straight starts, logging five straight quality starts (6.0 IP, three or fewer ER).

He has a 2.50 ERA on the road (4.05 at home), holding opponents to a .215 BA (.247 at home).

Berrios isn’t a big swing-and-miss arm by any means. His 20.8% K rate and 23.6% Whiff rate rank in the 41st and 40th percentile, respectively, per Baseball Savant.

But he’s performed much better against this Phillies lineup — 24.7% K rate across 77 plate appearances — and cleared this line when he pitched against them on June 5.

Toronto’s bullpen has already thrown 7.1 innings this series, so I expect Berrios to get a longer leash today.

Key stat: Berrios is 4-4 against this line since May 1, with at least four strikeouts in six of those starts.

Quick pick

Kirk to record an RBI (+210): I’ll take a big swing on Kirk to record an RBI, which might seem daunting against a Cy Young-calibre arm like Wheeler.

But we can’t forget how hot Toronto’s bats have been lately and how productive Kirk has been. Take a look at what the group has done over the last three weeks:

4.89 runs per game (fifth)
.270 batting average (second)
118 wRC+ (fourth)
.329 OBP (sixth)

In that same span, Kirk is slashing an otherworldly .417/.447/.583 with 13 RBI in 16 games.

Rotowire projects the catcher to bat cleanup behind Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Addison Barger, which is an A-plus spot for run production.

I’m not saying this will be a gimmie — Wheeler has the fourth-best WHIP (0.90) in baseball and a 2.13 ERA since the start of May.

But at this price, I’ll happily sprinkle on a red-hot hitter.

Blue Jays picks made at 9:20 a.m. ET on 06/15/2025.

Blue Jays vs. Phillies prop picks June 15: Back Jose Berrios and Alejandro Kirk in series finale

The Toronto Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies wrap up their series at Citizens Bank Park on Sunday.

The pregame narrative: Philadelphia is favoured to win this game and sweep the series with Zach Wheeler (6-2, 2.85 ERA) on the bump. Toronto counters with Jose Berrios (2-2, 3.38 ERA), who has been stellar on the road.

Check out my Blue Jays picks vs. the Phillies for June 15, with predictions on Berrios and Alejandro Kirk.

Blue Jays picks vs. Phillies

Best Bet: Berrios over 4.5 strikeouts (-115)

I think this is a good spot to back Berrios, who is beginning to find some consistency on the mound.

Toronto’s righty has solid road splits and consistently works deep enough into games where he should have opportunities to clear this total.

Berrios has pitched into the sixth inning in 10 straight starts, logging five straight quality starts (6.0 IP, three or fewer ER).

He has a 2.50 ERA on the road (4.05 at home), holding opponents to a .215 BA (.247 at home).

Berrios isn’t a big swing-and-miss arm by any means. His 20.8% K rate and 23.6% Whiff rate rank in the 41st and 40th percentile, respectively, per Baseball Savant.

But he’s performed much better against this Phillies lineup — 24.7% K rate across 77 plate appearances — and cleared this line when he pitched against them on June 5.

Toronto’s bullpen has already thrown 7.1 innings this series, so I expect Berrios to get a longer leash today.

Key stat: Berrios is 4-4 against this line since May 1, with at least four strikeouts in six of those starts.

Embed: #114830

Quick pick

Kirk to record an RBI (+225): I’ll take a big swing on Kirk to record an RBI, which might seem daunting against a Cy Young-calibre arm like Wheeler.

But we can’t forget how hot Toronto’s bats have been lately and how productive Kirk has been. Take a look at what the group has done over the last three weeks:

4.89 runs per game (fifth)
.270 batting average (second)
118 wRC+ (fourth)
.329 OBP (sixth)

In that same span, Kirk is slashing an otherworldly .417/.447/.583 with 13 RBI in 16 games.

Rotowire projects the catcher to bat cleanup behind Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr., and Addison Barger, which is an A-plus spot for run production.

I’m not saying this will be a gimmie — Wheeler has the fourth-best WHIP (0.90) in baseball and a 2.13 ERA since the start of May.

But at this price, I’ll happily sprinkle on a red-hot hitter.

Blue Jays picks made at 9:20 a.m. ET on 06/15/2025.

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Pacers vs. Thunder NBA Finals best bets Game 5: Back Indiana to cover, Holmgren to produce

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers meet for Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday.

The pregame narrative: OKC is heavily favoured to win this contest and the Larry O’Brien Trophy after levelling the series on Friday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went berserk in the fourth quarter and is the frontrunner to win Finals MVP.

Check out my Pacers vs. Thunder best bets for Game 5, featuring Chet Holmgren.

Pacers vs. Thunder best bets

Best bet: Holmgren over 25.5 points and rebounds (-108)

Holmgren has smashed this line in consecutive games thanks to monster performances on the glass, and there’s good reason to believe that continues:

Game 3: 20 points, 10 rebounds
Game 4: 14 points, 15 rebounds

Indiana is relatively undersized and ranks 12th among 16 playoff teams in rebounding rate (48.0%).

The wiry Holmgren stands at 7-foot-1 and has been getting plenty of run from Mark Daigneault after being used sparingly through the first two games of this series.

Holmgren got 35 and 37 minutes the last two games after playing 24 and 28 minutes the first two. OKC can run away with things, especially at home, but it would be foolish for the squad to take its foot off the gas with three games to play.

Daigneault should give his talented power forward a ton of run on three days’ rest as the season reaches an epic conclusion.

Key stat: Indiana has gotten torched by power forwards this season. It has allowed the ninth-most points (23.87) and second-most rebounds (11.50) per game to the position, according to Fantasy Pros.

NBA Finals Game 5 picks

Pacers +10.5 (-134): I said the Thunder can run away with things at home, but I don’t necessarily expect them to.

Indiana has been neck-and-neck with OKC this series, outside of a 16-point loss in Game 2. And on the whole, Rick Carlisle’s squad has been dynamite on the road all season.

8-2 road record in the playoffs
+0.4 road net rating in playoffs (third among playoff teams)
19-12 ATS as a road underdog, regular season and playoffs (fourth in NBA)

A lot of things had to go right for OKC to win on Friday night, including a herculean fourth quarter from Gilgeous-Alexander and Indiana shooting a collective 42.5% from the field.

Overall, the Pacers have had a better true shooting percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio in the Finals. If they take care of the ball, this should be close.

Pacers vs. Thunder best bets made at 3:04 p.m. ET 06/14/2025.

Pacers vs. Thunder NBA Finals best bets Game 5: Back Indiana to cover, Holmgren to produce

The Oklahoma City Thunder and Indiana Pacers meet for Game 5 of the NBA Finals on Monday.

The pregame narrative: OKC is heavily favoured to win this contest and the Larry O’Brien Trophy after levelling the series on Friday night. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander went berserk in the fourth quarter and is the frontrunner to win Finals MVP.

Check out my Pacers vs. Thunder best bets for Game 5, featuring Chet Holmgren.

Pacers vs. Thunder best bets

Best bet: Holmgren over 24.5 points and rebounds (-112)

Holmgren has smashed this line in consecutive games thanks to monster performances on the glass, and there’s good reason to believe that continues:

Game 3: 20 points, 10 rebounds
Game 4: 14 points, 15 rebounds

Indiana is relatively undersized and ranks 12th among 16 playoff teams in rebounding rate (48.0%).

The wiry Holmgren stands at 7-foot-1 and has been getting plenty of run from Mark Daigneault after being used sparingly through the first two games of this series.

Holmgren got 35 and 37 minutes the last two games after playing 24 and 28 minutes the first two. OKC can run away with things, especially at home, but it would be foolish for the squad to take its foot off the gas with three games to play.

Daigneault should give his talented power forward a ton of run on three days’ rest as the season reaches an epic conclusion.

Key stat: Indiana has gotten torched by power forwards this season. It has allowed the ninth-most points (23.87) and second-most rebounds (11.50) per game to the position, according to Fantasy Pros.

Embed: #114810

NBA Finals Game 5 picks

Pacers +10.5 (-129): I said the Thunder can run away with things at home, but I don’t necessarily expect them to.

Indiana has been neck-and-neck with OKC this series, outside of a 16-point loss in Game 2. And on the whole, Rick Carlisle’s squad has been dynamite on the road all season.

8-2 road record in the playoffs
+0.4 road net rating in playoffs (third among playoff teams)
19-12 ATS as a road underdog, regular season and playoffs (fourth in NBA)

A lot of things had to go right for OKC to win on Friday night, including a herculean fourth quarter from Gilgeous-Alexander and Indiana shooting a collective 42.5% from the field.

Overall, the Pacers have had a better true shooting percentage and assist-to-turnover ratio in the Finals. If they take care of the ball, this should be close.

Pacers vs. Thunder best bets made at 3:04 p.m. ET 06/14/2025.

Yankees vs. Red Sox prop bets June 14: Back Ben Rice to rake, Rafael Devers to score

The Boston Red Sox search for a series win against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on Friday night.

The pregame narrative: Boston scraped out a 2-1 win in extra innings last night and has now won three straight games against its rival. New York is favoured to win tonight, though, behind Carlos Rodon (8-4, 2.87 ERA), who is pitching opposite Hunter Dobbins (3-1, 4.20 ERA).

Check out my Yankees vs. Red Sox prop bets for June 14, featuring Ben Rice and Rafael Devers.

Yankees vs. Red Sox prop bets

Best Bet: Rice over 1.5 bases (+100)

You could make a solid argument that Rice is the unluckiest player in baseball.

New York’s leadoff man is batting a paltry .230 this year, but Baseball Savant’s advanced metrics paint a much rosier picture:

92nd percentile xBA (.295)
96th percentile xSLG (.565)
97th percentile xwOBA (.407)
97th percentile hard-hit rate (55.2%)

The 65-point delta between Rice’s actual BA and his xBA is the second-largest in MLB. With that said, I like his chances of getting after Dobbins tonight.

Boston’s righty has a 92nd-percentile walk rate (4.2%) and a 21st-percentile K rate (17.9%). That means he doesn’t issue many free passes or miss bats, and the ball should be put in play often.

The left-hitting Rice went 1-for-2 against Dobbins with a single when these teams met last Sunday.

Key Stat: Dobbins has allowed a .303/.337/.505 slash line to LHBs this season.

Best MLB picks

Devers to score (+135): Rodon has been spectacular this year, but Boston’s lineup mashes lefties and Devers will have plenty of opportunities to get aboard as the No. 2 hitter.

The Red Sox have the second-highest batting average (.271) and fifth-highest wRC+ (116) vs. southpaws this season.

Rodon had a tough outing against Boston last weekend, giving up five runs in 5.0 IP while issuing three walks and a hit-by-pitch.

Devers scored two runs in that game, once after getting hit by Rodon and once via a 9th-inning home run against Brent Headrick.

Overall, he has a .400 on-base percentage in 20 plate appearances against Rodon.

Devers has scored 10 runs in 11 games this month.

Yankees vs. Red Sox prop bets made at 1:12 p.m. ET on 06/14/2025.

Yankees vs. Red Sox prop bets June 14: Back Ben Rice to rake, Rafael Devers to score

The Boston Red Sox search for a series win against the New York Yankees at Fenway Park on Friday night.

The pregame narrative: Boston scraped out a 2-1 win in extra innings last night and has now won three straight games against its rival. New York is favoured to win tonight, though, behind Carlos Rodon (8-4, 2.87 ERA), who is pitching opposite Hunter Dobbins (3-1, 4.20 ERA).

Check out my Yankees vs. Red Sox prop bets for June 14, featuring Ben Rice and Rafael Devers.

Yankees vs. Red Sox prop bets

Best Bet: Rice over 1.5 bases (+110)

You could make a solid argument that Rice is the unluckiest player in baseball.

New York’s leadoff man is batting a paltry .230 this year, but Baseball Savant’s advanced metrics paint a much rosier picture:

92nd percentile xBA (.295)
96th percentile xSLG (.565)
97th percentile xwOBA (.407)
97th percentile hard-hit rate (55.2%)

The 65-point delta between Rice’s actual BA and his xBA is the second-largest in MLB. With that said, I like his chances of getting after Dobbins tonight.

Boston’s righty has a 92nd-percentile walk rate (4.2%) and a 21st-percentile K rate (17.9%). That means he doesn’t issue many free passes or miss bats, and the ball should be put in play often.

The left-hitting Rice went 1-for-2 against Dobbins with a single when these teams met last Sunday.

Key Stat: Dobbins has allowed a .303/.337/.505 slash line to LHBs this season.

Embed: #114806

Best MLB picks

Devers to score (+143): Rodon has been spectacular this year, but Boston’s lineup mashes lefties and Devers will have plenty of opportunities to get aboard as the No. 2 hitter.

The Red Sox have the second-highest batting average (.271) and fifth-highest wRC+ (116) vs. southpaws this season.

Rodon had a tough outing against Boston last weekend, giving up five runs in 5.0 IP while issuing three walks and a hit-by-pitch.

Devers scored two runs in that game, once after getting hit by Rodon and once via a 9th-inning home run against Brent Headrick.

Overall, he has a .400 on-base percentage in 20 plate appearances against Rodon.

Devers has scored 10 runs in 11 games this month.

Yankees vs. Red Sox prop bets made at 1:12 p.m. ET on 06/14/2025.

Panthers vs. Oilers Stanley Cup Final Game 5 SGP predictions: Back Sam Bennett to score at +325

It’s crunch time in the Stanley Cup Final, as the series is now a best-of-three with the Edmonton Oilers having home ice advantage.

The pregame narrative: Saturday’s Game 5 at Rogers Place is a pick’em, which makes sense, considering how tightly contested this series has been. The Florida Panthers have been dynamite on the road these playoffs and look to take advantage of a goaltender controversy on the other end.

Check out my Panthers vs. Oilers SGP predictions, featuring Leon Draisaitl and Sam Bennett.

Panthers vs. Oilers predictions

Parlay: Panthers +1.5 | Bennett to score | Draisaitl 1+ points (+320)

Panthers +1.5 (-275): Florida has to be feeling good about where it’s at despite losing Game 4 in overtime.

The reigning champs are 9-3 on the road this postseason, averaging 4.66 goals in those contests.

The Panthers are 5-1 following a loss in the playoffs, allowing an average of 2.8 goals in those contests.

Edmonton is at its best on home ice, but nothing comes easy against Florida. Paul Maurice’s group has covered a +1.5 puck line in all 12 road games and has only lost in regulation once in its last 10.

Also, how can you not feel better about the Panthers’ goaltending situation?

Stuart Skinner was pulled in Game 4, and it’s unclear whether he or Calvin Pickard will start on Saturday.

Sergei Bobrovsky, meanwhile, hasn’t been at his best, but he’s still a two-time Vezina winner with a Stanley Cup pedigree. I expect him to be sharp and for Florida to keep this close.

Embed: #114801

NHL SGP legs

Bennett to score (+155): Bennett is favoured to win the Conn Smythe Trophy thanks to his elite production on the road.

The second-line centre leads the Panthers in road goals (12) and points (15) in the playoffs and has scored in five straight road games.

Overall, he’s 10-2 vs. this prop away from Amerant Bank Arena.

Bennett paces Florida in shots (48), chances (92), scoring chances (54), and xG (5.41) this postseason, according to Natural Stat Trick.

To me, it doesn’t matter if Skinner or Pickard starts. I expect Bennett to be a pest in front of the net and make noise yet again.

Draisaitl 1+ points (-455): There’s no such thing as a “free” leg in sports betting, but backing Draisaitl to record a point feels pretty safe.

Draisaitl has 32 points this postseason and has found the stat sheet in 17 of 20 games.

He ranks fifth all-time in playoff points per game (1.489), just behind McDavid.

The German winger has three straight multi-point games at Rogers Place.

Edmonton’s power play has been cooking, and Draisaitl has been at the forefront of it all with a PP point in eight of his last nine games. He should make an impact tonight.

Panthers vs. Oilers predictions made at 11:02 a.m. ET 06/14/2025.

CONCACAF Gold Cup odds 2025: Canada is third on board behind USA, Mexico

The Gold Cup begins this weekend, with three North American teams atop the odds board.

The latest: USA and Mexico are neck-and-neck as the favourites, with Canada not far behind. Les Rouges brought an exceptionally strong squad to this tournament, even in the absence of their captain, Alphonso Davies, who is out with a torn ACL.

Here are the latest CONCACAF Gold Cup odds for the 2025 soccer tournament.

Gold Cup odds

Full Gold Cup markets and latest odds

Team	Odds
USA	+200
Mexico	+200
Canada	+600
Saudi Arabia	+800
Panama	+1,400
Jamaica	+1,600
Costa Rica	+2,000
Honduras	+3,300
El Salvador	+6,600
Guatemala	+10,000
Suriname	+15,000

Gold Cup odds as of 11:32 a.m. ET on 06/13/2025.

The favourites: USA (+200), Mexico (+200)

The USA is missing three top players. Captain Christian Pulisic opted to skip this tournament while Weston McKennie and Timothy Weah are unavailable as Juventus plays in the FIFA Club World Cup. Still, the Americans boast a deep squad under new manager Mauricio Pochettino.

Mexico is fresh off winning the 2024 CONCACAF Nations League, beating both Canada and the USA last year. The Tricolour are bringing an experienced and talented group to this tournament, but they’re missing forward Hirving Lozano due to injury.

Canada’s odds

Canada (+600)

The Canadians are primed for a deep run.

Without Davies, Les Rouges hammered Ukraine 4-2 in the inaugural Canadian Shield — a four-team friendly tournament — picking up their first win over European competition since 2011.

Canada then lost in penalties to the reigning AFCON champions, Ivory Coast, after forcing a 0-0 draw in regulation.

With those two results, Jesse Marsch’s side boasts a 6-1-3 record in regulation since losing to Argentina in the 2024 Copa America semis.

The Canadians currently sit 30th in FIFA’s rankings, which is their highest spot ever.

There are no notable absences for Les Rouges outside of Davies, with names like Jonathan David, Cyle Larin, and Tajon Buchanan all slated to play.

Thunder vs. Pacers NBA Finals prop picks Game 4: Bet on Pascal Siakam and Alex Caruso on Friday

Friday’s NBA Finals matchup in Indianapolis will shape the rest of the series.

The pregame narrative: Either the Indiana Pacers will take a commanding 3-1 lead, or the Oklahoma City Thunder will regain home-court advantage in a best-of-three. The odds suggest it will be the latter, as OKC is favoured by 6.5 as of Thursday afternoon.

I’m targeting Pascal Siakam and Alex Caruso in my Thunder vs. Pacers prop picks for June 13.

Pacers vs. Thunder prop picks

Best bet: Siakam over 27.5 points/rebounds (-108)

Siakam isn’t quite playing at the level that won him Eastern Conference finals MVP, but I think there’s plenty of room to grow.

He had his best outing of the series in Game 3, finishing with 21 points and six rebounds while shooting 57.1% from the field.

And that shouldn’t come as a surprise, considering he’s been dynamite at home this postseason:

Home (9 GP): 21.9 PPG, 5.9 RPG, 56.7 FG%
Away (10 GP): 19.5 PPG, 6.3 RPG, 48.7 FG%

Siakam is averaging 24.2 points and 5.2 rebounds across his last five home games. In those contests, he went 2-3 against this line but landed on exactly 27 points and rebounds twice.

OKC is a great defensive team, but I’ll still ride with Siakam, who is shooting the lights out at Gainbridge Fieldhouse.

The Thunder are also soft on the glass, ranking 11th out of 16 playoff teams in rebounding rate.

Key stat: Siakam has scored 20-plus points in three straight home games vs. OKC.

Game 4 prop prediction

Caruso over 1.5 threes (+105): OKC is good enough that this isn’t a “must-win” game, but it’ll still want to leave no doubt. I expect Mark Daigneault to give his starters plenty of run, with the exception of sophomore Cason Wallace.

The 21-year-old guard is in a timeshare with Caruso, which has begun to swing in the veteran’s favour.

Caruso played four more minutes than Wallace in Game 2 and nine more minutes than Wallace in Game 3.

He shot a combined 6-for-10 from deep in those games, clearing this line both times.

Caruso is shooting 43.0% from deep this postseason, and is 9-6 against this line in his last 15 games.

Thunder vs. Pacers prop picks made at 10:42 a.m. ET 06/12/2025.