The Pittsburgh Pirates and Los Angeles Angels wrap up their three-game series on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at Angel Stadium, with first pitch set for 6:29 PM PDT. The Pirates have taken control of the series, winning the first two games by a combined score of 12-3 and riding high off Wednesday’s dominant 3-0 shutout. Andrew Heaney turned in a brilliant six-inning performance against his former team, allowing just one hit while striking out nine. Oneil Cruz provided the offensive spark with a towering 463-foot home run, his sixth of the season, while the Pirates' bullpen continues to shine as one of the most consistent in the National League.

Pittsburgh will send right-hander Carmen Mlodzinski to the mound. While he holds a 1-3 record and a bloated 7.41 ERA over 17 innings, he’s yet to allow a first-inning run in 2025, suggesting he can find early rhythm. On the other side, the Angels counter with left-hander Tyler Anderson, who has been one of their most dependable arms this season. Anderson enters with a 2-0 record, a sharp 2.08 ERA, and 21 strikeouts across 21.2 innings. He’ll look to stabilize an Angels rotation that has struggled as a unit, holding a team ERA of 4.50.

Offensively, both teams have labored at the plate. The Pirates are batting .222 on the year and averaging 3.6 runs per game, while the Angels sit slightly better at 3.96 runs per game despite a worse .216 average. Mike Trout leads the Angels with eight homers and 16 RBIs but is batting a lowly .169. Pittsburgh’s offense has seen stronger contributions from Bryan Reynolds and Isiah Kiner-Falefa, who leads the team with a .291 average. 

If the Angels are to take a game in this series, then this is the game. They have the much better pitcher on the mound and neither team hitting all that well so no big advantage there. It's Anderson on the hill for the Angels that will make the difference tonight. 

Jim's Play: LA Angels. 

The Baltimore Orioles and Washington Nationals are set to conclude their three-game interleague series on Thursday, April 24, 2025, at Nationals Park, with first pitch scheduled for 6:45 p.m. ET. The Nationals have taken the first two games, winning 7–0 on Tuesday and edging out a 4–3 victory on Wednesday, and will look to complete the sweep.

The Orioles will send left-hander Cade Povich (0–2, 6.38 ERA) to the mound. Povich has struggled in his early starts, allowing 30 hits and 18 walks over 18.1 innings, resulting in a 2.07 WHIP. Opponents are batting .375 against him, and he has surrendered four home runs. In his last outing, Povich gave up seven earned runs in just 3.1 innings against the Reds.

Opposing him will be Nationals left-hander MacKenzie Gore (2–2, 3.41 ERA), who leads the majors with 45 strikeouts over 29 innings. Gore has been a bright spot in the Nationals' rotation, averaging 14 strikeouts per nine innings and holding opponents to a .252 batting average. He is coming off a solid performance against the Rockies, where he allowed two earned runs over six innings.

Offensively, the Nationals have been led by James Wood, who hit his eighth home run of the season on Wednesday, and Josh Bell, who added a two-run shot in the same game. Luis García Jr.'s sacrifice fly in the eighth inning provided the go-ahead run in the Nationals' 4–3 victory. Keibert Ruiz has also been productive, batting .325 with a .372 on-base percentage.

The Orioles, now 9–14 on the season, have struggled offensively, with a team batting average of .224 and a 5.48 ERA, both ranking near the bottom of the league. Cedric Mullins has been a bright spot, leading the team with six home runs and a .297 batting average. Adley Rutschman showed signs of breaking out of a slump on Wednesday, recording two hits, including an RBI single.

The Nationals have the better pitching today and the more consistent hitting. 

Jim's Play: Nationals 

The Eastern Conference first-round playoff matchup between the New York Knicks and Detroit Pistons continues on April 24th, 2025 with Game 3 scheduled at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Thursday. This game stands as a decisive match because the series remains deadlocked at 1-1 and both teams arrive with self-belief after excellent performances in the first two games. The Knicks captured Game 1 through a dominant fourth-quarter run when they scored 21 consecutive points to erase the deficit and secure a 123-112 victory. Jalen Brunson acted as the leading force by scoring 34 points while Karl-Anthony Towns and OG Anunoby delivered essential support throughout the game. Detroit showed determination in Game 2 to secure a 100-94 win through Cade Cunningham's breakout performance which delivered 33 points and 12 rebounds. Dennis Schröder ignited the game from the bench with crucial playmaking and delivered a decisive three-pointer during the last minute that secured the victory.

The Knicks stay healthy and intend to maintain their core lineup for Game 3 while the Pistons face potential player shortages if Isaiah Stewart misses action due to a knee problem. Jaden Ivey remains sidelined. Brunson continues to lead the charge with his series average of over 35 points while the Knicks must seek improved performance from Towns after his 10-point showing in Game 2. Detroit finds success through Cunningham's versatile performance and Schröder's veteran skills and plans to maintain their intense defensive approach at home. 

This looks to be another hard fought contest. The Knicks are now a 1-point favorite but really we just need them to win the game. I look for a healthy Knicks team to be the team to beat here on Thursday.

Jim's Play: NY Knicks

The Denver Nuggets will square off against the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 3 of their first-round playoff series on Thursday, April 24th, 2025 at the Intuit Dome in Inglewood, California. Both teams enter Game 3 knowing that the winner will gain a substantial advantage in this evenly matched series since they currently have equal wins.

The Denver Nuggets won Game 1 against the Los Angeles Clippers with an overtime victory of 112-110 thanks to Nikola Jokic's near triple-double performance. The celebration after the victory faded because of internal conflicts which resulted in the dismissal of coach Mike Malone and Nikola Jokic's public criticism of Michael Porter Jr. regarding his commitment to the game. Assistant coach David Adelman took over team leadership responsibilities for the upcoming games. The Clippers secured a 105-102 victory in Game 2 thanks to Kawhi Leonard's exceptional 39-point performance which demonstrated his ability to dominate crucial moments. By strengthening their defense during crucial moments the Clippers executed important stops that helped them maintain their lead until the end.

The Nuggets must consider lineup changes for Game 3 because Michael Porter Jr. has a questionable status while DaRon Holmes II is unavailable. The Clippers benefit from both a healthy roster and the home-court advantage.  Denver faces immediate pressure to establish stability through their temporary coaching leadership while enhancing the output of their supporting players. The Clippers aim to capitalize on their veteran players and Game 2's momentum to secure what may become a definitive victory at their home arena. The upcoming game will test teams' self-control and roster strength against star player performances while determining the series' direction.

We find the Clippers around a 5-point favorite here on Thursday. The way the first two games played out, this one looks to be another contest that comes down to the buzzer. And, as such, I'm taking these points with a Denver team that could easily steal game three. 

Jim's Play: Denver Nuggets.