Stevie’s an avid NFL, NHL, and tennis bettor who has no problem talking himself into the underdog. His previous stops include Yahoo! Sports Canada and Toronto Metropolitan University, where he received a degree in Sport Media.
The Toronto Blue Jays aim to extend their winning ways with another victory over the Minnesota Twins.
The pregame narrative: Toronto’s series-opening win against Minnesota marked its eighth win in nine games. One of the reasons for the team’s success has been the play of Alejandro Kirk, who is surging ahead of this contest.
Check out my Blue Jays picks vs. the Twins for June 7, with a bet on Kirk and opposing starter Chris Paddack.
Blue Jays picks vs. Twins
Best Bet: Kirk over 0.5 RBI (+188)
Toronto’s bats are on an absolute tear, and Kirk is in the middle of it all.
The catcher is batting clean-up for the Blue Jays, and he’s been living up to the job title.
Kirk has six RBI in his last six games, but he hasn’t been delivering with power. His ability to make contact is the reason why he’s been cashing in runs.
The veteran leads all Blue Jays hitters in average (.385) and on-base percentage (.458) across the last 15 days.
Because Kirk isn’t mashing this ball out of the park, he’s reliant on the players in front of him to reach base. Luckily for him, almost everybody is delivering at the plate for Toronto.
Bo Bichette, Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Addison Barger hit before him, and here are each of their OBPs over the last 15 days:
Player
OBP over the last 15 days
Bichette
.276
Guerrero
.377
Barger
.333
The guys hitting in front of Kirk are largely doing their part to put him in advantageous spots for this prop.
There’s no real reason to fade him or this lineup on Saturday.
Key stat: Kirk has an RBI in five of his last six games.
Paddack over 3.5 strikeouts (-141): There’s a bit of juice to pay on this wager, but I’m willing to do so for a couple of reasons.
Firstly, Paddack is beating this number at a pretty frequent rate. He has four-plus strikeouts in six of his last 10 showings.
Additionally, he is coming off his best punchout performance of the year. Paddack racked up 10 Ks in 8.0 innings against the Seattle Mariners.
Toronto does have the lowest strikeout rate in MLB, averaging just 6.86 per game. There is, however, a significant level of unfamiliarity between the Blue Jays’ bats and Paddack.
Andres Gimenez is the only hitter who has seen Paddack, and he only has three at-bats against the righty.
The lack of reps against Paddack could definitely work in his favour.
Blue Jays picks made at 10:28 a.m. ET on 06/07/2025.
The CFL is back, and Week 1 features four must-see games.
The latest: The season kicks off at Mosaic Stadium in a matchup between the Ottawa Redblacks and Saskatchewan Roughriders. Then, the defending champion Toronto Argonauts battle the Montreal Alouettes on Friday night. The slate concludes with a doubleheader on Saturday.
Check out the latest CFL Week 1 odds for the start of the 2025 season, beginning Thursday, June 5.
Montreal was the odds-on favourite to emerge from the East for most of 2024, but Toronto upset the Alouettes in the conference title game before winning the Grey Cup. Now, the Als get their chance at revenge at Molson Stadium.
Saskatchewan and Ottawa both made the playoffs in 2024, but neither was able to advance to the Grey Cup. The latter made some significant upgrades this past offseason, inking Eugene Lewis and William Stanback to help bolster the offence.
The Stampeders and Tiger-Cats were both busy improving their rosters this past offseason. Calgary brought in Dominique Rhymes and Damon Webb, additions that’ll help on both sides of the ball. Hamilton, meanwhile, brought in standout receiver Kenny Lawler.
Nathan Rourke is back at QB for the Lions, and the hope is he can be one of the league’s elite in 2025 after a disappointing 2024. Edmonton, meanwhile, was active during the winter. The Elks have added Jake Ceresna, Robbie Smith and Jared Brinkman to improve their pass rush.
The Winnipeg Blue Bombers are the lone team that’s off in Week 1. They don’t begin their season until June 12, when they host the Lions. Winnipeg is a preseason betting favourite to win the Grey Cup. The team has made five straight Grey Cups, losing each of the last three.
The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers are back in action for a second consecutive Stanley Cup Final.
The latest: Florida needed seven games to oust Edmonton and win the 2024 Stanley Cup. The situation is a little different this time around, however, as the Oilers hold home-ice advantage with new characters in the mix for either side.
Check out our Panthers vs. Oilers Stanley Cup Final betting preview and odds for the series.
Panthers vs. Oilers Stanley Cup Final preview
Last year’s Stanley Cup Final was an absolute classic, setting the stage for an epic rematch.
The Panthers jumped out to a quick 3-0 series lead against the Oilers, outscoring their opponents 11-4 through the first three games.
But the Oilers stormed back. They won the following three contests, 18-5, forcing a winner-takes-all Game 7.
Game 7 was a tightly-fought contest, but Florida edged Edmonton, 2-1, to win its first-ever Stanley Cup.
The Panthers have a chance to win back-to-back titles, while the Oilers can be the first Canadian team to win it all since 1993.
Stanley Cup Final preview: Series markets
Edmonton enters this series as a slight favourite (-121), even at less than full health.
Zach Hyman was injured in the Western Conference final, and his season is likely over. No single player can replace his impact, but the Oilers have a committee of players who can step up.
Corey Perry has potted a pair of power-play goals in Hyman’s spot on the power play. Jeff Skinner, who played Game 5 vs. the Dallas Stars because of Hyman’s injury, scored in the contest.
The Panthers (-106) had some injuries during their series against the Carolina Hurricanes, but mostly everybody appears to be ready to go.
Here’s how the teams stack up in several key categories during the playoffs:
Goals per game
GAA
PP%
PK%
Florida
3.88 (3rd)
2.29 (1st)
23.2 (6th)
87.9 (1st)
Edmonton
4.06 (1st)
2.81 (4th)
30.0 (3rd)
66.0 (14th)
It’s tough to find much separation between these two squads with one glaring exception: the penalty kill.
Edmonton has struggled mightily on the PK for most of the postseason, which could be a problem against a capable Panthers power play.
The good news, though? Florida has the worst net penalties per 60 rate of any team in the playoffs (-0.64).
Here are some additional markets if picking an outright winner didn’t catch your eye:
Market
Betting odds
Panthers win 4-0
+1,100
Panthers win 4-1
+700
Panthers win 4-2
+400
Panthers win 4-3
+500
Oilers win 4-0
+900
Oilers win 4-1
+500
Oilers win 4-2
+500
Oilers win 4-3
+400
Click linked odds to add selection to your betslip. NHL odds as of 2:02 p.m. ET on 05/01/2025.
Florida’s path to winning this series relies on its ability to out-will its opponent.
The Panthers play a physical brand of hockey that no team has been able to match. They’re first in the playoffs in hits per 60 (47.05), and are capable of wearing down any team they square up against.
There are several key additions helping lead Florida back to the final. Most notably, Brad Marchand has been a clutch postseason performer for the squad.
The ex-Boston Bruins captain is tied for fourth on the squad in playoff points (14) and tied for second with a plus-11 rating.
Seth Jones has been masterful on the back end, providing steady defence while delivering offence in key moments, such as Game 7 of the team’s second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Florida also has its stalwarts. Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad, among others, lead the way for a team that battles hard every single night. The Cats have 10 players with 10-plus points. The Oilers, meanwhile, only have seven skaters with double-digit points.
That depth, combined with stellar goaltending from Sergei Bobrovsky, will lead the Panthers to victory.
Edmonton’s case
Nothing motivates a team quite like revenge.
This is the first back-to-back Stanley Cup Final rematch since Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins battled the Detroit Red Wings in 2008-09. The Penguins lost the first time around before beating the Red Wings the following year.
The second most recent occasion? Wayne Gretzky’s Oilers lost to the New York Islanders in 1983 before winning in 1984.
Like Gretzky and Crosby, Connor McDavid has a chance to win his first title after losing to the same team one season earlier.
And Edmonton’s case starts with No. 97. McDavid leads all skaters in postseason points (26), and he’s getting stronger as the playoffs roll along.
His three goals against the Stars were his most against any team this playoffs, and the Western Conference final marked the first series where he recorded a point in each game.
Leon Draisaitl continues to be the perfect co-star, as his 25 postseason points are second among all skaters.
It definitely feels like the Oilers’ chances hang in the balance of Stuart Skinner. The Edmonton netminder has been excellent since returning from his benching. He’s a dominant 6-2 with a .931 save percentage and three shutouts.
If he can provide competent goaltending, the Oilers likely win it all. If he falters, it could be another year of suffering the same fate.
Stanley Cup Final prediction
My pick: Oilers to win (-121)
Like the fellow generational talents before him, I’m picking McDavid and the Oilers to bring it home.
The Edmonton superstar isn’t posting the gaudy totals he did en route to his 2024 Conn Smythe Trophy win, but he’s been the leading force for his team offensively.
The loss of Hyman can’t be understated, but the coinciding return of Mattias Ekholm is undoubtedly a significant upgrade to the team’s defence.
Skinner’s recent surge is another confidence booster. The goaltender responded well to his benching and has put a horrid start to the postseason firmly in the rearview.
There are lessons to be learned from losing; look no further than Edmonton’s opponent. The Panthers lost the 2023 Stanley Cup Final to the Vegas Golden Knights before winning it in 2024.
The Oilers came as close as possible to winning the Stanley Cup a season ago. With added motivation from last year’s shortcomings – and home-ice advantage – I fully expect them to beat the Panthers this time around.
Panthers vs. Oilers predictions made at 2:02 p.m. on 06/01/2025.
The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers are back in action for a second consecutive Stanley Cup Final.
The latest: Florida needed seven games to oust Edmonton and win the 2024 Stanley Cup. The situation is a little different this time around, however, as the Oilers hold home-ice advantage with new characters in the mix for either side.
Check out our Panthers vs. Oilers Stanley Cup Final betting preview and odds for the series.
Panthers vs. Oilers Stanley Cup Final preview
Last year’s Stanley Cup Final was an absolute classic, setting the stage for an epic rematch.
The Panthers jumped out to a quick 3-0 series lead against the Oilers, outscoring their opponents 11-4 through the first three games.
But the Oilers stormed back. They won the following three contests, 18-5, forcing a winner-takes-all Game 7.
Game 7 was a tightly-fought contest, but Florida edged Edmonton, 2-1, to win its first-ever Stanley Cup.
The Panthers have a chance to win back-to-back titles, while the Oilers can be the first Canadian team to win it all since 1993.
Edmonton enters this series as a slight favourite, even at less than full health.
Zach Hyman was injured in the Western Conference final, and his season is likely over. No single player can replace his impact, but the Oilers have a committee of players who can step up.
Corey Perry has potted a pair of power-play goals in Hyman’s spot on the power play. Jeff Skinner, who played Game 5 vs. the Dallas Stars because of Hyman’s injury, scored in the contest.
The Panthers had some injuries during their series against the Carolina Hurricanes, but mostly everybody appears to be ready to go.
Here’s how the teams stack up in several key categories during the playoffs:
Goals per game
GAA
PP%
PK%
Florida
3.88 (3rd)
2.29 (1st)
23.2 (6th)
87.9 (1st)
Edmonton
4.06 (1st)
2.81 (4th)
30.0 (3rd)
66.0 (14th)
It’s tough to find much separation between these two squads with one glaring exception: the penalty kill.
Edmonton has struggled mightily on the PK for most of the postseason, which could be a problem against a capable Panthers power play.
The good news, though? Florida has the worst net penalties per 60 rate of any team in the playoffs (-0.64).
Here are some additional markets if picking an outright winner didn’t catch your eye:
Click linked odds to add selection to your betslip. NHL odds as of 3:31 p.m. ET on 05/31/2025.
Florida’s case to repeat
Florida’s path to winning this series relies on its ability to out-will its opponent.
The Panthers play a physical brand of hockey that no team has been able to match. They’re first in the playoffs in hits per 60 (47.05), and are capable of wearing down any team they square up against.
There are several key additions helping lead Florida back to the final. Most notably, Brad Marchand has been a clutch postseason performer for the squad.
The ex-Boston Bruins captain is tied for fourth on the squad in playoff points (14) and tied for second with a plus-11 rating.
Seth Jones has been masterful on the back end, providing steady defence while delivering offence in key moments, such as Game 7 of the team’s second-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Florida also has its stalwarts. Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad, among others, lead the way for a team that battles hard every single night. The Cats have 10 players with 10-plus points. The Oilers, meanwhile, only have seven skaters with double-digit points.
That depth, combined with stellar goaltending from Sergei Bobrovsky, will lead the Panthers to victory.
Edmonton’s case
Nothing motivates a team quite like revenge.
This is the first back-to-back Stanley Cup Final rematch since Sidney Crosby’s Pittsburgh Penguins battled the Detroit Red Wings in 2008-09. The Penguins lost the first time around before beating the Red Wings the following year.
The second most recent occasion? Wayne Gretzky’s Oilers lost to the New York Islanders in 1983 before winning in 1984.
Like Gretzky and Crosby, Connor McDavid has a chance to win his first title after losing to the same team one season earlier.
And Edmonton’s case starts with No. 97. McDavid leads all skaters in postseason points (26), and he’s getting stronger as the playoffs roll along.
His three goals against the Stars were his most against any team this playoffs, and the Western Conference final marked the first series where he recorded a point in each game.
Leon Draisaitl continues to be the perfect co-star, as his 25 postseason points are second among all skaters.
It definitely feels like the Oilers’ chances hang in the balance of Stuart Skinner. The Edmonton netminder has been excellent since returning from his benching. He’s a dominant 6-2 with a .931 save percentage and three shutouts.
If he can provide competent goaltending, the Oilers likely win it all. If he falters, it could be another year of suffering the same fate.
Stanley Cup Final prediction
My pick: Oilers to win (-122)
Like the fellow generational talents before him, I’m picking McDavid and the Oilers to bring it home.
The Edmonton superstar isn’t posting the gaudy totals he did en route to his 2024 Conn Smythe Trophy win, but he’s been the leading force for his team offensively.
The loss of Hyman can’t be understated, but the coinciding return of Mattias Ekholm is undoubtedly a significant upgrade to the team’s defence.
Skinner’s recent surge is another confidence booster. The goaltender responded well to his benching and has put a horrid start to the postseason firmly in the rearview.
There are lessons to be learned from losing; look no further than Edmonton’s opponent. The Panthers lost the 2023 Stanley Cup Final to the Vegas Golden Knights before winning it in 2024.
The Oilers came as close as possible to winning the Stanley Cup a season ago. With added motivation from last year’s shortcomings – and home-ice advantage – I fully expect them to beat the Panthers this time around.
Panthers vs. Oilers predictions made at 3:31 p.m. ET on 05/31/2025.
The Los Angeles Dodgers can score a series sweep over the New York Yankees on Sunday Night Baseball.
The pregame narrative: It’s not every day the Yankees get absolutely walloped, but that’s exactly what happened on Saturday. Los Angeles led 10-0 after two innings en route to an 18-2 throttling. New York now needs a win to avoid being on the losing end of a series sweep to the defending champions.
Check out my Yankees vs. Dodgers predictions for Sunday Night Baseball, including a prop pick on Tesocar Hernandez in a +320 SGP.
Yankees vs. Dodgers predictions
Parlay: Dodgers moneyline | Over 8.5 runs | Hernandez over 1.5 total bases (+320)
Dodgers moneyline (-182): Los Angeles is proving it’s a cut above even the toughest of challengers.
The Dodgers started this series with an 8-5 win before Saturday’s clobbering, giving them an impressive 26-7 run advantage in this matchup.
Even with Mookie Betts out, L.A.’s offence still has enough firepower to produce against one of the league’s premier squads.
A noticeable pitching advantage on Sunday is another reason why bettors should back the Dodgers. Yoshinobu Yamamoto takes the mound, and he has been very good this season. He pairs a 1.97 ERA with a 2.74 FIP.
The Yankees go with Ryan Yarbrough, and while he has been solid, his numbers still trail his counterpart.
Los Angeles has won eight of its 11 games with Yamamoto on the mound, and I’ll gladly side with L.A. in this contest.
Over 8.5 runs (-125): I don’t usually like taking the over on a total this high when two strong pitchers are on the mound, but Los Angeles’s offence has been undeniable.
The Dodgers lead the league in runs per game (5.86), and they’re averaging 10.0 runs per contest across their last three outings.
Los Angeles has the third-highest over percentage in the majors (58.6%). The over on this total has cashed in five consecutive Dodgers games.
New York is no slouch in the batter’s box, either. It’s third in runs per game (5.47) and second in away scoring (5.37).
Hernandez over 1.5 total bases (-104): This guy is teed up for a big night.
Part of the reason why I like the over is because of the damage Hernandez is slated to do. When he was playing for the Toronto Blue Jays in the AL East, he got pretty familiar with Yarbrough.
Let’s just say Yarbrough was happy to see this guy go to the NL.
Hernandez absolutely crushed the lefty across their 38 plate appearances:
13 hits
2 doubles
7 home runs
The seven homers are the most from any hitter vs. pitcher matchup on Sunday.
Hernandez has topped this prop in six of his last nine contests.
Yankees vs. Dodgers predictions made at 12:36 p.m. ET on 06/01/2025.
The Toronto Blue Jays can earn an elusive four-game sweep over the Athletics on Sunday.
The pregame narrative: Toronto’s offence continues to smash. The Blue Jays have 31 runs across their three wins, and I’m expecting them to continue pouring it on. Look for Ernie Clement and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to lead the charge.
Check out my Blue Jays vs. Athletics prop picks on June 1.
Blue Jays picks vs. Athletics
Best Bet: Clement over 1.5 total bases (+100)
If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. That’s how I feel about backing Clement.
The Blue Jays infielder finished May with some really impressive numbers:
.306 batting average
.469 SLG
.818 OPS
He saved his best for the end of the month, as he has 10 hits, including three doubles and two home runs, in his last four games.
There is one major reason why Clement is an especially attractive option on today’s prop market.
The Athletics send lefty JP Sears to the mound, and Clement has absolutely crushed left-handed pitching.
Clement is hitting an otherworldly .388 with a .714 SLG against lefties this year, and all three of his homers have come against southpaws.
Sears has struggled mightily this season, too, combining a 5.18 ERA with a 5.27 FIP. His most recent start was his worst, as he ceded 10 hits and nine runs through just 3.1 innings of work.
Clement has done well for himself in limited plate appearances against Sears, too. He has a pair of hits in six plate appearances.
A streaking Clement should be able to usurp this line yet again.
Key stat: Clement has recorded two-plus bases in three consecutive games.
Guerrero over 1.5 total bases (-134): Let’s get the bad out of the way first: Guerrero has struggled mightily against Sears.
These two only have six shared plate appearances, but Guerrero is still searching for his first hit.
The good news: Guerrero, like Clement, is crushing lefties this year.
The Blue Jays superstar is slashing .341/.431/.591 against southpaws with a trio of home runs. His batting average against lefties, specifically, is significantly better than his mark against righties (.263).
Vladdy has done a solid job of cashing this prop recently, doing so in four of his last eight contests.
Guerrero and the Blue Jays are on an offensive tear. I expect his numbers against Sears to level out in a big way today.
Athletics vs. Blue Jays picks made at 11:26 a.m. ET on 06/01/2025.
The Toronto Blue Jays can earn an elusive four-game sweep over the Athletics on Sunday.
The pregame narrative: Toronto’s offence continues to smash. The Blue Jays have 31 runs across their three wins, and I’m expecting them to continue pouring it on. Look for Ernie Clement and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. to lead the charge.
Check out my Blue Jays vs. Athletics prop picks on June 1.
If it isn’t broken, don’t fix it. That’s how I feel about backing Clement.
The Blue Jays infielder finished May with some really impressive numbers:
.306 batting average
.469 SLG
.818 OPS
He saved his best for the end of the month, as he has 10 hits, including three doubles and two home runs, in his last four games.
There is one major reason why Clement is an especially attractive option on today’s prop market.
The Athletics send lefty JP Sears to the mound, and Clement has absolutely crushed left-handed pitching.
Clement is hitting an otherworldly .388 with a .714 SLG against lefties this year, and all three of his homers have come against southpaws.
Sears has struggled mightily this season, too, combining a 5.18 ERA with a 5.27 FIP. His most recent start was his worst, as he ceded 10 hits and nine runs through just 3.1 innings of work.
Clement has done well for himself in limited plate appearances against Sears, too. He has a pair of hits in six plate appearances.
A streaking Clement should be able to usurp this line yet again.
Key stat: Clement has recorded two-plus bases in three consecutive games.
These two only have six shared plate appearances, but Guerrero is still searching for his first hit.
The good news: Guerrero, like Clement, is crushing lefties this year.
The Blue Jays superstar is slashing .341/.431/.591 against southpaws with a trio of home runs. His batting average against lefties, specifically, is significantly better than his mark against righties (.263).
Vladdy has done a solid job of cashing this prop recently, doing so in four of his last eight contests.
Guerrero and the Blue Jays are on an offensive tear. I expect his numbers against Sears to level out in a big way today.
Athletics vs. Blue Jays picks made at 10:35 a.m. ET on 06/01/2025.
There’s plenty of star power in my French Open predictions for Sunday’s action at Roland Garros.
Today’s French Open narrative: Carlos Alcaraz enters action as a significant favourite over Ben Shelton, and there’s not much betting value to be had in that contest. Consequently, I’m looking elsewhere and betting on Tommy Paul, Lorenzo Musetti and Daniel Altmaier.
Check out my French Open predictions for June 1.
French Open predictions
Best Bet: Paul -1.5 sets (+115)
Paul has found his footing on clay, and I expect him to put forth a strong effort against Alexei Popyrin.
The U.S. tennis star is an impressive 21-7 on the surface since 2024, boasting an 11-3 record on clay this year.
His most notable win on clay in 2025 came against Alex De Minaur. But his best performance arguably came in a losing effort at the Italian Open, where Paul pushed Jannik Sinner to a third set.
Popyrin is a solid 9-5 on clay this year, but he’s an even 13-13 dating back to 2024. His most impressive clay victory in 2025 came against world No. 8 Casper Ruud in April.
The Aussie has cruised to this point of the tournament without dropping a set, but he hasn’t faced a very high level of competition. None of his three wins came against competitors ranked inside the ATP top 40.
Paul is ranked 12th, and although he has spent plenty of time on court at Roland Garros, I expect him to win in rather quick fashion against Popyrin.
Key stat: Paul owns a 3-1 career record against Popyrin.
Quick picks
Musetti -1.5 sets (-106): Musetti has been exceptional on clay this year, and I expect him to beat a tough competitor in Holger Rune.
The Italian is a dominant 17-3 on the surface in 2025, scoring victories over top players like Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev.
It’s taken a special effort to beat him this clay-court season, as only Alcaraz (twice) and Jack Draper have been able to take him down.
Rune is a solid 9-4 on clay, and he downed Alcaraz in Barcelona, but he has struggled since.
The Danish star lost two of his three matches before the French Open and hasn’t faced a top-40 player at this tournament.
Musetti is a significant step up in class, and I expect him to win by multiple sets.
Altmaier +1.5 sets (-112): The third quarter of the French Open draw has been eventful, and one of the biggest surprises is seeing Altmaier here.
The German started the festivities with a bang, upsetting Taylor Fritz in the first round. He has since beaten Vit Kopriva and Hamad Medjedovic in four sets apiece.
Frances Tiafoe is also cruising at Roland Garros, winning all three of his matches in straight sets.
There are a couple of reasons, however, why I’m siding with Altmaier.
Firstly, Altmaier has a better record on clay (13-7) than Tiafoe this year (10-6).
Secondly, Altmaier is very solid in clutch moments on clay. He ranks 30th in under-pressure rating (218.7) on the surface, largely thanks to his 44.1% break-point conversion percentage in 2025.
Tiafoe, for comparison, has a 30.7% break-point conversion percentage on clay.
Lastly, he played a very competitive match against Tiafoe at the 2023 Italian Open. Altmaier pushed Tiafoe to three sets. I expect him to keep it close once again.
French Open predictions made at 12:35 p.m. on 05/31/2025.
There’s plenty of star power in my French Open predictions for Sunday’s action at Roland Garros.
Today’s French Open narrative: Carlos Alcaraz enters action as a significant favourite over Ben Shelton, and there’s not much betting value to be had in that contest. Consequently, I’m looking elsewhere and betting on Tommy Paul, Lorenzo Musetti and Daniel Altmaier.
Check out my French Open predictions for June 1.
French Open predictions
Best Bet: Paul -1.5 sets (+108)
Paul has found his footing on clay, and I expect him to put forth a strong effort against Alexei Popyrin.
The U.S. tennis star is an impressive 21-7 on the surface since 2024, boasting an 11-3 record on clay this year.
His most notable win on clay in 2025 came against Alex De Minaur. But his best performance arguably came in a losing effort at the Italian Open, where Paul pushed Jannik Sinner to a third set.
Popyrin is a solid 9-5 on clay this year, but he’s an even 13-13 dating back to 2024. His most impressive clay victory in 2025 came against world No. 8 Casper Ruud in April.
The Aussie has cruised to this point of the tournament without dropping a set, but he hasn’t faced a very high level of competition. None of his three wins came against competitors ranked inside the ATP top 40.
Paul is ranked 12th, and although he has spent plenty of time on court at Roland Garros, I expect him to win in rather quick fashion against Popyrin.
Key stat: Paul owns a 3-1 career record against Popyrin.
Quick picks
Musetti -1.5 sets (+107): Musetti has been exceptional on clay this year, and I expect him to beat a tough competitor in Holger Rune.
The Italian is a dominant 17-3 on the surface in 2025, scoring victories over top players like Alexander Zverev and Daniil Medvedev.
It’s taken a special effort to beat him this clay-court season, as only Alcaraz (twice) and Jack Draper have been able to take him down.
Rune is a solid 9-4 on clay, and he downed Alcaraz in Barcelona, but he has struggled since.
The Danish star lost two of his three matches before the French Open and hasn’t faced a top-40 player at this tournament.
Musetti is a significant step up in class, and I expect him to win by multiple sets.
Altmaier +1.5 sets (-112): The third quarter of the French Open draw has been eventful, and one of the biggest surprises is seeing Altmaier here.
The German started the festivities with a bang, upsetting Taylor Fritz in the first round. He has since beaten Vit Kopriva and Hamad Medjedovic in four sets apiece.
Frances Tiafoe is also cruising at Roland Garros, winning all three of his matches in straight sets.
There are a couple of reasons, however, why I’m siding with Altmaier.
Firstly, Altmaier has a better record on clay (13-7) than Tiafoe this year (10-6).
Secondly, Altmaier is very solid in clutch moments on clay. He ranks 30th in under-pressure rating (218.7) on the surface, largely thanks to his 44.1% break-point conversion percentage in 2025.
Tiafoe, for comparison, has a 30.7% break-point conversion percentage on clay.
Lastly, he played a very competitive match against Tiafoe at the 2023 Italian Open. Altmaier pushed Tiafoe to three sets. I expect him to keep it close once again.
French Open predictions made at 12:35 p.m. on 05/31/2025.
The Toronto Blue Jays aim for a third consecutive win over the spiralling Athletics on Saturday.
The pregame narrative: Toronto’s offence has exploded for 23 runs through two games in this series. A struggling Gunnar Hoglund takes the bump for the Athletics, and that could mean a huge night for Ernie Clement.
Check out my Blue Jays vs. Athletics prop picks on May 31.
Blue Jays picks vs. Athletics
Clement over 1.5 total bases (+138)
Clement, like Barger, is also seeing his fair share of success at the dish.
The infielder is batting .298 with a .457 SLG in May, and is only heating up as the calendar nears June.
Clement has nine hits in his last four games and has topped this line in each of his last two outings.
Hitting for power will never be his game, but Clement should see some nice pitches to hit against a pitcher who is throwing plenty of those.
Hoglund enters Saturday’s game sporting a brutal 5.13 ERA and 5.40 FIP. A quick trip to his Baseball Savant page shows he’s earned every bit of his underwhelming 2025 campaign:
9th-percentile xERA (5.45)
14th-percentile xBA (.284)
4th-percentile average exit velocity (92.2 mph)
6th-percentile barrel rate (13.6%)
Although Clement doesn’t typically bring the boom, Hoglund’s propensity for ceding hard contact could allow him to swat one for extra bases in this contest.
