Jim Feist

On Friday, April 25, 2025, Wrigley Field will host a arly Friday game where the Philadelphia Phillies will face the Chicago Cubs who show contrasting performance trends. The Chicago Cubs lead the majors in batting average and OPS as they continue their season with an impressive 16-10 record and a robust offense that averages more than six runs each game. Kyle Tucker has maintained a strong performance with a .314 batting average and seven home runs to lead the Chicago offense. The Cubs' offense has repeatedly compensated for their bullpen's 5.17 ERA difficulties.

Philadelphia maintains a 13-12 record while facing a losing streak that extends to four games. The Phillies rank among the middle-tier teams offensively as they score 4.44 runs per game with a batting average of .251. Key offensive threats include Bryce Harper, Nick Castellanos, and Kyle Schwarber while Jordan Romano leads a problematic bullpen with his 13.50 ERA. Taijuan Walker will take to the mound for the Phillies as he has a 1-1 record with a 2.29 ERA this season and faces the Cubs with a 3.38 career ERA. Colin Rea from Chicago has demonstrated superb performance in 2025 with a 1.32 ERA while restricting Phillies hitters to just a .194 average during their previous encounters.

Recent head-to-head matchups show the Phillies winning nine of their last twelve games against the Cubs, despite the Cubs being the betting favorite. Both starters are very good, but I love the way the Cubs offense has been playing as they are coming off dominant performance against a very good Dodgers bullpen. 

Jim's Play: Chicago Cubs

On Friday, April 25, 2025, the Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Guardians will kick off their three-game series at Progressive Field beginning with first pitch at 7:10 p.m. ET. The Boston Red Sox and Cleveland Guardians begin their season series with each holding similar records of 14-13 and 14-10 respectively which sets up a captivating early-season matchup as both teams aim to establish their positions in their divisions.

Right-hander Tanner Houck will pitch for Boston on Friday. Through his initial performances, Houck has faced difficulties as evidenced by his 0-2 win-loss record alongside a 7.66 earned run average which he accumulated over 24.2 innings pitched. Even though his statistics show a struggle, his most recent performance displayed improvement when he held the Chicago White Sox to two runs across six innings. Alex Bregman and Trevor Story lead the Red Sox offense which produces an average of 4.7 runs per game while Rafael Devers remains off-form with a .202 batting average and 34 strikeouts in 94 at-bats. Boston's relief staff has experienced inconsistent results with a 61.5% save percentage and a WHIP rating of 1.31.

Right-handed pitcher Ben Lively represents Cleveland with a 1-2 win-loss record and a 3.86 ERA through 25.2 innings. Ben Lively demonstrated his ability to suppress opposing hitters by delivering 5.1 scoreless innings against Pittsburgh in his latest game. At Progressive Field the Guardians demonstrate strong home performance with a 7-2 win-loss record and a team ERA of 2.22. The team scores an average of 3.8 runs per game at home through significant performances from players including Jose Ramirez. The team's performance could be affected by injuries to multiple players like outfielder Lane Thomas (wrist) and closer Emmanuel Clase (shoulder).

In recent encounters between the teams the Guardians lead with five victories out of seven games against the Red Sox in 2024 and maintain a 7-3 edge in their most recent ten matchups. I give a big edge here today to the Guardians with their better pitching and home field advantage. 

Jim's AL Game of the Week: Cleveland Guardians

The Cincinnati Reds face the Colorado Rockies in the opening game of their three-game series at Coors Field on Friday, April 25, 2025, at 8:40 p.m. ET. The Reds come into the game with a win-loss record of 12-13 as the Rockies battle through adversity with a disappointing 4-20 season performance.

Starting pitcher Andrew Abbott will take his position on the mound for Cincinnati. Andrew Abbott stands out as one of the Reds' top pitchers this season with a 2-0 win-loss record and a 1.64 ERA while striking out 16 batters in 11 innings pitched. Elly De La Cruz has powered the Reds' offense through five home runs and 22 RBIs while Gavin Lux maintains a .316 batting average for steady performance. Cincinnati’s pitching staff has remained effective throughout the season by sustaining a team ERA of 3.39 alongside a WHIP of 1.09.

Kyle Freeland represents Colorado as their veteran left-handed pitcher despite experiencing a difficult season with an 0-4 record and a 4.85 ERA. The Rockies finish near the bottom in league offense by averaging only 3.21 runs per game with a batting average of .213. Brenton Doyle emerged as one of the Rockies' standout players by leading the team with three home runs and 12 RBIs. The Rockies' defensive and pitching inconsistencies show in their team ERA of 5.91 and WHIP of 1.54.

The Reds have the pitching and hitting here today on their side. Colorado can already start looking forward to next season they way they are going this year. 

Jim's Play: Cincinnati Reds

Oracle Park will host the start of a three-game interleague series between the Texas Rangers and San Francisco Giants on Friday, April 25, 2025 at 7:15 PM PDT. The Texas Rangers hold a 14-11 record and the San Francisco Giants are 17-9. This early-season game represents an exciting matchup between two playoff contending teams from different leagues.

The Texas Rangers will have right-handed pitcher Nathan Eovaldi take the mound. Over 30.2 innings this season Eovaldi achieved a 1-2 record with a 2.64 ERA and a standout 0.75 WHIP. Through his 30+ innings he has struck out 31 batters and issued only two walks demonstrating elite command. The Rangers' offense maintains a poor performance by averaging only 3.2 runs per game which places them at 28th position in Major League Baseball standings. Wyatt Langford currently leads the team with six home runs and a .321 average while Corey Seager's absence from the lineup will be felt greatly by this already thin hitting Rangers lineup. Seager is on the IL and will miss today's contest after hitting .286 thus far on the season. .

Veteran right-hander Justin Verlander will start for the Giants as he searches for his first win of this season. Through 24.2 innings Verlander currently holds an 0-1 win-loss record along with a 5.47 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP. The Giants' offense stands out by scoring an average of 4.92 runs per game despite inconsistent performance. Wilmer Flores dominates the batting order with seven home runs and 27 RBIs while Jung Hoo Lee maintains impressive performance with his .333 batting average.

The Rangers have shown strong defensive play by achieving a .987 fielding percentage which places them 14th in MLB while completing 16 double plays. The Giants lead the league with a .990 fielding percentage while they have also recorded 20 double plays on the field. This series opener seems destined for close competition because strong pitching and defensive performance will be essential as the Rangers work to resolve their offensive struggles while the Giants pursue continued success at home.

Pitching edge to the Rangers but the Giants have a big hitting advantage. And with Seager further depleating the Rangers lineup, I have to take the Giants at home on Friday. 

Jim's Play: Texas Rangers

Game 3 between the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic of their first-round NBA playoff series will take place at the Kia Center in Orlando on April 25, 2025. The Celtics lead their playoff series 2-0 after winning their initial two home games and aim to maintain this advantage with another win on the road.

Boston managed to secure a win in Game 2 without their star forward Jayson Tatum who is currently doubtful for Game 3 because of a right wrist bone bruise. Jaylen Brown delivered an impressive performance by scoring 36 points and grabbing 10 rebounds while dishing out five assists. Kristaps Porzingis delivered 20 points and 10 rebounds while Derrick White scored 17 points through key three-pointers during the final period. The Celtics demonstrated their team depth and resilience to handle Orlando's physical defense while keeping the series lead.

While implementing an aggressive defensive strategy, the Magic have failed to establish any offensive flow. Paolo Banchero's 32 points and Franz Wagner's 25 points could not compensate for the team's poor 24% shooting percentage from the three-point line. The Magic can prevent a 3-0 deficit by increasing their shooting precision and reducing turnovers while utilizing their home crowd's support.

Boston aims to stay dominant in Florida to advance to the second round while the Magic have a critical chance to regain control and maintain their playoff chances.

Even though Orlando struggled offensively at the start of the series they demonstrated potential scoring abilities through Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner. Boston may have to continue without Jayson Tatum after consecutive challenging victories which creates an excellent opportunity for the Magic to strike back in their home arena. The Magic are expected to start the game with high intensity while both teams maintain a fast pace which will favor the over in this crucial matchup. I look for the OVER to come into play here in game three. 

Jim's Play: Over the Total

Game 3 between the Boston Celtics and Orlando Magic of their first-round NBA playoff series will take place at the Kia Center in Orlando on April 25, 2025. The Celtics lead their playoff series 2-0 after winning their initial two home games and aim to maintain this advantage with another win on the road.

Boston managed to secure a win in Game 2 without their star forward Jayson Tatum who is currently doubtful for Game 3 because of a right wrist bone bruise. Jaylen Brown delivered an impressive performance by scoring 36 points and grabbing 10 rebounds while dishing out five assists. Kristaps Porzingis delivered 20 points and 10 rebounds while Derrick White scored 17 points through key three-pointers during the final period. The Celtics demonstrated their team depth and resilience to handle Orlando's physical defense while keeping the series lead.

While implementing an aggressive defensive strategy, the Magic have failed to establish any offensive flow. Paolo Banchero's 32 points and Franz Wagner's 25 points could not compensate for the team's poor 24% shooting percentage from the three-point line. The Magic can prevent a 3-0 deficit by increasing their shooting precision and reducing turnovers while utilizing their home crowd's support.

Boston aims to stay dominant in Florida to advance to the second round while the Magic have a critical chance to regain control and maintain their playoff chances.

No reason the Celtics have to hurry Tatum back into the lineup. Better to probably let his bruised wrist heal completely. That being said, the Magic got in under the number and covered game two. No reason they can't cover game three here at home on Friday at around a 4 1/2 to 5 point dog. 

Jim's Play: Orlando Magic