Jim Feist

4/19 01:05 PM PT / 4:05 PM ET 

MLB   (957) ST. LOUIS CARDINALS VS (958) NEW YORK METS

Take: UNDER

When the St. Louis Cardinals face the New York Mets on April 19, 2025 at Citi Field expect a game where runs will be at a premium. Kodai Senga of the Mets has delivered outstanding performances from the beginning of the season on the mound. Through 17 innings of pitching work Senga has a 2–1 record while achieving an impressive 1.06 ERA and 1.00 WHIP. He has given up only two earned runs throughout the season while demonstrating strong command and strikeout capabilities through seven shutout innings against Oakland and five scoreless innings against Miami.

Matthew Liberatore joins the Cardinals as a left-handed pitcher with a 1–1 record while holding a 3.93 ERA and maintaining a strong 0.98 WHIP. In his latest outing he held the Phillies to three hits while striking out seven across six innings. 

The Mets' offense lags behind with an average production of only 4.1 runs per game while their batting average remains low at approximately .224. The Mets have experienced increased difficulties at home games since they've recorded a 2–6 record on the over/under during this season. The Cardinals achieved a .270 team batting average yet demonstrated minimal power during away games with only five home runs which ranks as one of the lowest in the league.

Pitchers benefit from playing at Citi Field due to the dimensions of the park that limit scoring potential. The park factor for run production has always placed Citi Field in the lowest ranks during recent seasons. Two well-pitched starts combined with underperforming lineups make expecting high scores unlikely.

Saturday’s matchup between the Cardinals and Mets promises to be a closely contested pitchers' duel which makes betting under 8.5 runs the smart choice.

Take: Under the Total

Houston's Daikin Park hosts the second game of the weekend series between the San Diego Padres and Houston Astros on Saturday, April 19, 2025. Houston Astros claimed the initial victory in the series with a 6-4 triumph on Friday when rookie Cam Smith delivered a standout performance with two home runs and four RBIs. The Padres hold one of baseball's top records at 15–5 despite their recent defeat, while the Astros look to climb back to .500 as they stand at 9–10.

Right-hander Michael King takes the mound for San Diego after posting an impressive early-season record. King maintains a record of 3–0 with a 2.42 ERA after delivering a complete-game shutout against the Rockies. The pitcher has achieved 24 strikeouts in 22.1 innings while maintaining a WHIP of 1.07 which demonstrates his superior control and ability to generate swings and misses. Houston responds with Hayden Wesneski who has performed well in the starting rotation. Wesneski is 1–1 with a 4.00 ERA following consecutive quality starts, which includes a performance where he struck out 10 Angels batters.

Fernando Tatis Jr. leads the Padres' offense with his impressive batting average of .342 along with six home runs and 14 RBIs going into the game. Luis Arraez delivered an impressive performance on Friday by earning three hits that featured a two-run homer. Houston’s offense has begun to function effectively as veteran Jose Altuve has a .321 batting average and Cam Smith showed off his power during the series opener.

This looks to be a competitive, close matchup. I still will side with the Padres who  I don't see losing two in a row yet at this juncture of the season. 

Take: San Diego Padres

The Cincinnati Reds face the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards for their ongoing interleague series on April 19, 2025. Elly De La Cruz and Matt McLain hit three-run home runs to power Cincinnati to an 8-3 series opener victory on Friday. Andrew Abbott delivered a strong pitching performance striking out 11 Orioles while dominating on the mound. The Reds reached a balanced 10–10 season record with their win while Baltimore fell to 8–11 as they keep looking for consistency.

The scheduled pitching matchup Saturday looks like a complete advantage for Cincinnati. Hunter Greene has begun the 2025 season in remarkable fashion with a record of 2–1 and an extraordinary 0.98 ERA. In his past 19 innings pitched he has not allowed any runs while striking out 31 batters through 27.2 innings. His dynamic fastball combined with his better control has established him as one of Major League Baseball's early-season stars. Brandon Young will make his major league debut as he takes the mound for the Orioles. Young, the club’s No. 19 prospect has earned praise at Triple-A with his 2.76 ERA across 16.1 innings which includes a notable performance where he pitched 5.1 hitless innings during his most recent start. Brandon Young faces a significant challenge in his major league debut against the powerful Reds lineup.

Elly De La Cruz remains at the forefront of Cincinnati's offensive efforts with four home runs and 21 RBIs. Speed and power make him a perpetual menace while his three-run homer on Friday established the game’s early momentum. Matt McLain continues to hold a fundamental role in the Reds’ lineup after hitting a three-run home run in the season opener. Cedric Mullins has consistently performed for Baltimore with a batting average of .288, five home runs, and 18 RBIs whereas rookie Heston Kjerstad demonstrated potential through consecutive home runs with a two-run hit on Friday.

Thus far the Reds have demonstrated greater strength in pitching with  Greene and strong batting power surge behind De La Cruz. 

Take Cincinnati Reds

The NBA Playoffs open on Saturday, April 19, 2025 with an exciting first-round Eastern Conference series between the No. 4 seed Indiana Pacers and the No. 5 seed Milwaukee Bucks. The first game between Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks starts at 1:00 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Indiana Pacers head into the playoffs as a strong team by winning 14 out of their last 17 regular-season games. Indiana's offense demonstrates considerable potency under the leadership of All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton and forward Pascal Siakam through its top league standings in field-goal percentage and assists. Indiana maintains home-court advantage which becomes vital considering their impressive home performances after the All-Star break. 

As the regular season came to a close the Bucks had eight consecutive victories. Giannis Antetokounmpo maintains his dominance as a two-time MVP by delivering averages of over 30 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists for every game he plays. Damian Lillard will miss the start of Game 1 because of a calf injury but hopes remain high for his participation in subsequent games. Milwaukee managed to secure victories in three out of four matchups with the Pacers during the regular season which demonstrated their capability to handle Indiana's rapid style of play.

Indiana and Milwaukee's upcoming series will showcase a fierce competition between Indiana's roster depth together with their home-court advantage juxtaposed with Milwaukee's playoff-hardened team and Antetokounmpo's exceptional talent. 

Typically NBA playoff games tend to lower scoring games then regular season.  That being said, this is the one game on Saturday that stands out to me for an under play. 

Play: Bucks/Pacers UNDER

The NBA Playoffs open on Saturday, April 19, 2025 with an exciting first-round Eastern Conference series between the No. 4 seed Indiana Pacers and the No. 5 seed Milwaukee Bucks. The first game between Indiana Pacers and Milwaukee Bucks starts at 1:00 PM ET at Gainbridge Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. Indiana Pacers head into the playoffs as a strong team by winning 14 out of their last 17 regular-season games. Indiana's offense demonstrates considerable potency under the leadership of All-Star guard Tyrese Haliburton and forward Pascal Siakam through its top league standings in field-goal percentage and assists. Indiana maintains home-court advantage which becomes vital considering their impressive home performances after the All-Star break. 

As the regular season came to a close the Bucks had eight consecutive victories. Giannis Antetokounmpo maintains his dominance as a two-time MVP by delivering averages of over 30 points, 11 rebounds and 6 assists for every game he plays. Damian Lillard will miss the start of Game 1 because of a calf injury but hopes remain high for his participation in subsequent games. Milwaukee managed to secure victories in three out of four matchups with the Pacers during the regular season which demonstrated their capability to handle Indiana's rapid style of play.

Indiana and Milwaukee's upcoming series will showcase a fierce competition between Indiana's roster depth together with their home-court advantage juxtaposed with Milwaukee's playoff-hardened team and Antetokounmpo's exceptional talent. 

I like the depth of this Indiana team and coupled with home court, I look for them to take and cover game one.

Play: Indiana Pacers

The Western Conference first-round matchup between the Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers will take center stage during the 2025 NBA Playoffs Saturday, April 19th. The Denver Nuggets and Los Angeles Clippers both ended the regular season with 50–32 records but Denver earned the No. 4 seed due to a tiebreaker. A tiebreaker awarded Denver the No. 4 seed which allows them to host the first playoff game at Ball Arena. Denver Nuggets star three-time MVP Nikola Jokic achieved a historic triple-double average this season by scoring almost 30 points per game and grabbing more than 12 rebounds while dishing out over 10 assists. Nikola Jokic stands as Denver’s offensive center and their main chance at winning a championship. The outcome of the season depends heavily on Jamal Murray's health and performance because Denver entered the playoffs after making a coaching change late in the season.

The Clippers have reached the postseason riding a successful eight-game winning streak which has allowed them to play at their peak. After healing from his injuries, Kawhi Leonard performs at maximum capacity while James Harden has become a stabilizing force in the backcourt through his combination of scoring and ball distribution. The Clippers stand among the top defensive teams in the league and intend to disrupt Denver's successful offensive plays. The dynamics of the series will be significantly influenced by the performances in key matchups including Leonard versus Aaron Gordon and Zubac's defense against Jokic.

The Clippers have hit their peak here at the end of the season and that coupled with Leonard being healthy and Harden leading the way, I look for the Clippers to cover here in game one. 

Take : LA Clippers

The Eastern Conference first-round matchup of the 2025 NBA Playoffs begins with a strong contest between third-seeded New York Knicks and sixth-seeded Detroit Pistons on Saturday, April 19 at Madison Square Garden.

The Detroit Pistons achieved an impressive season turnaround by going from last year's league-low 14 wins to a 44–38 record this season under head coach J.B. Bickerstaff. The Detroit Pistons returned to the playoffs for the first time since their appearance in 2019. The Pistons were led by All-Star guard Cade Cunningham who averaged 26.1 points and provided 9.1 assists with 6.1 rebounds each game. The Pistons have won three out of four regular-season matchups against the Knicks while Cade Cunningham posted averages of 30.8 points and 8.3 assists during these games with shooting accuracy at 56.3%.

With a regular-season record of 51–31 the Knicks join the playoffs with extensive experience and notable star power. New York plans to take advantage of its home-court advantage and experienced team led by Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns. Brunson has consistently delivered high-scoring playoff performances by averaging more than 30 points in 11 out of his 24 postseason games for the Knicks. 

I'll be on the Knicks here in game one at home.

Play: New York Knicks

The Los Angeles Lakers launch their 2025 NBA Playoffs season against the Minnesota Timberwolves on Saturday, April 19 at Crypto.com Arena. Game 1 tips off at 8:30 p.m. ET and will be broadcast nationally.

The Los Angeles Lakers secured the third seed in the Western Conference for the postseason after finishing the regular season with a 50–32 record and their first Pacific Division title since 2020. The Los Angeles Lakers acquired Luka Doncic in a major midseason trade which boosted their offensive capabilities. After Doncic joined the Lakers their record stands at 19 wins and 5 losses while he delivers 28.2 points together with 8.1 rebounds and 7.5 assists in each game. LeBron James' performance of 24.6 points, 8.4 assists, and 8.0 rebounds this season alongside Luka Doncic proved essential for the team's rise through the standings.

The Lakers have discovered their rhythm under head coach JJ Redick with a starting lineup that includes Doncic, James, Austin Reaves, Rui Hachimura and Dorian Finney-Smith. The team has reached elite standards through superior offensive and defensive play which includes effective ball movement paired with perimeter shooting and strong physical on-ball defense.

Minnesota's sixth-seeded Timberwolves present a tough matchup with Anthony Edwards as their leading guard who posted averages of 27.6 points along with 5.7 rebounds and 4.5 assists per game. The Minnesota team boasts Julius Randle and Rudy Gobert which creates a powerful frontcourt strength. The Wolves stand as one of the league's premier defensive teams by maintaining fifth place in point allowance with only 109.1 points given up per game.

Both teams achieved two victories each during their regular season matchups while defending their respective home courts. The Lakers have two of the biggest names in the NBA with James and Doncic and that experience should take them far in the playoffs this year.

Take; LA Lakers