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Cam Schlittler roughed up in short outing as Yankees lose to Blue Jays, 7-1

The Yankees recorded just four hits, dropping the first game of their series against the Toronto Blue Jays, 7-1, on Friday night in the Bronx.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Cam Schlittler struck out the first two hitters of the game before allowing a single to Vladimir Guerrero Jr., who came around to score from first on Bo Bichette's double down the left field line. The 24-year-old soon found himself in a bases loaded situation and let up a two-run single to Nathan Lukes as Toronto took a 3-0 lead. He finally escaped the first inning on a pop out, throwing a career-high 40 pitches in the frame.

Schlittler got the first out in the second inning, but the Blue Jays loaded the bases again and Bichette drove in another run on a sac fly to make it a 4-0 game. That would be all for the rookie after 66 pitches as manager Aaron Boone came out to make a pitching change. Schlittler's final line: four runs on five hits with two walks, a HBP, and two strikeouts over 1.2 IP.

-- Giancarlo Stanton, back in the DH spot,cut into the Toronto lead in the bottom of the second inning with a solo blast to left field off Kevin Gausman as the Yanks trailed, 4-1. The home run had an exit velocity of 112.7 mph and traveled 418 feet. He finished with two of the team's four hits.

-- Playing right field for the first time since July 26, Aaron Judge fielded Lukes' bloop single in the first inning and made a short throw to Jazz Chisholm Jr. His next play defensively came in the fifth inning as some miscommunication with Chisholm allowed Bichette's hit to drop. He later caught a fly ball from Ernie Clement for the first out in the top of the sixth inning. At the plate, Judge went 1-for-3 with a walk.

-- LHP Ryan Yarbrough replaced Schlittler on the mound and got through the fourth inning without allowing a hit. He let up a solo homer to Guerrero to lead off the fifth inning as the Blue Jays took a 5-1 lead. The lefty retired the next three hitters and got some help from Ryan McMahon to end the fifth as the third baseman snagged Lukes' hard grounder. Yarbrough stayed in the game and tossed a 1-2-3 sixth inning, followed by a four-batter seventh inning. 

Overall, the lefty allowed one run on three hits over 5.1 IP (73 pitches) with three strikeouts.

-- After a leadoff walk and wild pitch, Mark Leiter Jr. let up a RBI-double to Clement in the eighth as the Blue Jays added to their lead. Camilo Doval allowed another run to cross in the ninth on Daulton Varsho's two-out double, making it a 7-1 game.

Game MVP: Kevin Gausman

The Blue Jays starter dominated the Yankees bats, holding them to just three hits over 7.0 IP. He struck out five and allowed one run on Stanton's HR.

Guerrero gets the honorable mention with a 4-for-5 performance, including a solo homer.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees and Blue Jays continue their three-game series on Saturday at 1:05 p.m.

Luis Gil (2-1, 3.68 ERA) takes on veteran Chris Bassitt (11-7, 4.10 ERA).

 

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Edwin Diaz, Mets escape bases loaded trouble in ninth to beat Reds, 5-4

The Mets almost let one slip away but were able to squeak past the Cincinnati Reds on Friday night, winning by a score of 5-4.

Here are the takeaways...

-New York got out to an early lead against Cincinnati starter Andrew Abbott, scoring three times in the first inning thanks to some soft hits and heads up baserunning. Francisco Lindor began the inning with a walk and Juan Soto stayed scorching hot with a single to put runners at the corners. After Pete Alonso struck out, Mark Vientos nubbed one down the third base line that stayed fair and scored the game's first run. 

Following two pickoffs in Detroit, Soto was back on his horse and caught Abbott and the Reds napping by stealing third base to add to his career-high (28). That proved important on the next batter as Brandon Nimmo's 395-foot flyout that was robbed at the wall by TJ Friedl brought home Soto who tagged up. 

Also tagging up and going to second on the home-run robbing catch was Vientos who is not known for his speed or baserunning. The heads up play paid off in the end as Starling Marte kept the line moving by dunking one into right field to score the third run of the inning -- already more runs than Abbott allowed in his first meeting with the Mets on July 20 at Citi Field when he limited New York to two runs over six innings.

-In the midst of a great season but scuffling lately, Abbott, who hasn't recorded a win since July 9, finished with another clunker. The left-hander allowed five earned runs on nine hits, a walk and a HBP and left after 4.2 innings.

-Of the nine hits allowed by Abbott was Vientos' mammoth solo blast to lead off the third inning. The home run, which traveled 427 feet to center field, was Vientos' seventh homer in his last 13 games to give him 16 big flies on the season. After a lengthy slump to begin the season following his breakout year in 2024, Vientos has broken out, looking more and more like the player the Mets relied upon so heavily last season, especially in the playoffs.

Getting an increasingly rare start at third base, Vientos also made some nice plays and showed off his strong arm at the hot corner with ground ball pitcher David Peterson on the mound.

-Speaking of Peterson, the left-hander was given a three-run lead before even stepping onto the mound and looked good in the first few innings by getting soft contact on the ground which is his bread and butter. 

Hoping to get past his worst outing of the season in which he allowed eight earned runs in two innings against the Miami Marlins at home, Peterson looked on track to do so but he ran into trouble in the fourth inning. Having already allowed a run in the previous inning, Peterson gave up three consecutive hits (two singles and a double) that brought home two more. The third run of the inning came around to score on a sacrifice fly and just like that, New York's lead shriveled to one run.

Peterson bounced back in the fifth to retire the side in order, but a single and a walk bracketing a strikeout to begin the sixth was it for the left-hander. His final line: 5.1 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 1 BB, 4 K's on 91 pitches (62 strikes).

-In to clean up Peterson's traffic jam, Ryne Stanek was the first out of the bullpen and struck out his first batter, although a passed ball on strike three by Francisco Alvarez advanced the runners. A walk loaded the bases, but Stanek would end the inning by striking out Matt McLain on three pitches.

-Up to the bullpen in a 5-4 game, Brooks Raley pitched a scoreless seventh for the Mets which included two strikeouts before Tyler Rogers pitched around a leadoff hit in the eighth. With New York unable to add an insurance run against the Reds bullpen, Edwin Diaz entered the bottom of the ninth tasked to protect a one-run lead. 

The closer put himself in instant danger by allowing a leadoff single and walking the next two batters to load the bases with nobody out. Diaz came back to strike out Noelvi Marte for the first out and then, after a cleat malfunction caused a strange delay, he froze Elly De La Cruz on a 99 mph fastball for the second out. For his final trick, Diaz got Gavin Lux to groundout to second base and with Alonso diving to try and make the play, Diaz covered the bag and beat Lux to first base for the final out of the game to secure his 26th save of the season.

-In his return to the lineup despite a torn ligament in his thumb and a broken pinky, Alvarez finished 1-for-4, singling in his first at-bat.

-Back-to-back two-out doubles by Lindor and Soto in the fourth inning produced New York's last run of the game and proved to be the difference. Lindor was on base in all five of his plate appearances and scored two runs while Soto went 2-for-4 with a walk, run and RBI. 

-With the Reds one of the teams vying to take over the Mets for the third wild card spot, New York is now six games in front of Cincinnati who dropped to 70-71.

Game MVP: Edwin Diaz

Diaz pulled a Houdini act after loading the bases in the bottom of the ninth inning to notch the save and give the Mets a win in the series opener.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets and Reds continue their three-game series on Saturday with a 6:40 p.m. start time on SNY.

RHP Jonah Tong (1-0, 1.80 ERA) makes his second career start and will oppose RHP Brady Singer (12-9, 4.08 ERA).

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Despite emergency help from Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers lose again: 'Truly have no answers'

In one corner of the room, Tanner Scott stared blankly into his locker, trying to come to grips with yet another game he let get away.

Across from him, Dalton Rushing propped a pair of crutches under his arms, limping out of sight with the Dodgers’ latest injury.

On the opposite wall, Freddie Freeman got dressed at his stall; taking in the somber scene in the visiting clubhouse at Camden Yards, while trying to think of exactly what to say about the team’s troubling, tumbling, torturous current play.

“Sometimes, you just don't have the right answers,” Freeman said, as reporters gathered around for a familiar line of questions. “Not going to sit here and give some cliches. We're just not playing very good. ... There's no sugarcoating this. We need to figure this out, and figure this out quick."

Indeed, just when the Dodgers’ second-half slump seemed like it couldn’t get any worse, Friday delivered a new set of headaches.

Scheduled starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow was scratched in the afternoon with back tightness, forcing Shohei Ohtani to pitch on just five hours’ notice.

Shohei Ohtani pitches during the first inning of a loss to the Baltimore Orioles Friday at Oriole Park.
Shohei Ohtani pitches during the first inning of a loss to the Baltimore Orioles on Friday at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. (Scott Taetsch / Getty Images)

Rushing exited early after fouling a ball painfully off his right shin, leaving the Dodgers without both their starting backstop (Will Smith remains sidelined with a bone bruise on his hand) or his backup (X-rays on Rushing’s leg were negative, but he will also need a CT scan) for at least the next few days.

And then, of course, there was the game: A 2-1 walk-off loss to the last-place Baltimore Orioles that sent the slumping Dodgers to a fourth-straight defeat.

“We can sit here after every game and talk about what we need to do,” Freeman said. “It's just, we got to do it.”

Friday went off the rails before the Dodgers (78-63) even arrived at the ballpark, starting with a flurry of phone calls to figure out their pitching.

After the team’s late arrival from Pittsburgh the night before, Glasnow reported some bad news to the team’s training staff: His back tightened up on the short flight to Baltimore. And a night of sleep hadn’t resolved the issue.

Read more:Dodgers dominated by Paul Skenes as Pirates complete sweep: 'It’s embarrassing'

Suddenly, Dodgers coaches, staffers and front-office officials in Baltimore and back in Los Angeles began what pitching coach Mark Prior described as a “game of telephone” — trying to figure out what to do about Glasnow, and who could pitch if he was unable.

“There was a lot of moving parts,” Prior quipped.

Ultimately, the team decided to scratch Glasnow, opting for a cautious approach to what they hope is only a minor issue. According to manager Dave Roberts, the tentative plan is to slot Glasnow back into the rotation early next week. But given his injury history, questions will linger until he’s actually back on the hill.

In the meantime, the team had to decide who to send to the mound on Friday. At around 2 p.m., the request went to Ohtani — who had been scratched from his own scheduled pitching start Wednesday in Pittsburgh while battling an illness, but had improved enough to oblige the short-notice request.

“It’s gonna be OK,” Freeman joked as he followed Ohtani into the visiting clubhouse at Camden Yards a few hours later. “The unicorn is here.”

Ohtani did his part in what was an abbreviated outing by design, delivering 3⅔ scoreless innings with five strikeouts and three hits allowed.

The Baltimore Orioles' Samuel Basallo flips his bat after hitting a walk-off home run against the Dodgers Friday.
The Baltimore Orioles' Samuel Basallo flips his bat after hitting a walk-off home run against the Dodgers Friday in Baltimore. (Stephanie Scarbrough / Associated Press)

But, in their latest dispiriting performance, the Dodgers couldn’t make it matter, going silent at the plate again before suffering yet another late-game meltdown.

“I know each day the guys come in fresh, prepared and expecting a different result,” Roberts said. “But we’re just not getting it done.”

Offensively, the Dodgers struggled to generate chances, or capitalize upon the few they did. Baltimore starter Dean Kremer retired his first eight batters, including first-inning fly balls from Mookie Betts and Freeman that died at the wall. When the Dodgers did create opportunities in the third (getting two aboard with two outs) and the fourth (loading the bases with two outs) they came up empty; continuing an inexplicable slide in which they’ve ranked 27th in the majors in scoring over their last 53 games.

“We individually are trying to find ways on our own to ... [be] hitting better than we are,” Ohtani, who managed only a walk in four trips to the plate, said through interpreter Will Ireton. “But I think the side effect of that is, we’re a little too eager, and putting too much pressure on ourselves. That’s really hurting us more than it’s helping.”

On the mound, meanwhile, Ohtani managed to post zeros, navigating the Orioles (65-76) with a fastball that touched 101.5 mph and a varied mix that helped induce 12 swing-and-misses.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani feeling 'under the weather,' scratched from pitching start in Pittsburgh

But as soon as he exited — pulled after 70 pitches given the rushed leadup to his start — the Dodgers quickly fell behind on a glaring defensive lapse.

In the fifth, the Orioles drew a pair of walks. Then, with lead runner Jackson Holliday breaking for third, a sweeper in the dirt got past Rushing — the fifth wild pitch he allowed in the last two games filling in for Smith.

Holliday turned for home as Rushing scrambled to the backstop. By the time Rushing threw to the plate, Holliday was already sliding in safely for the first run of the game.

The Dodgers’ deficit didn’t last for long. On the first pitch of the sixth, Freeman whacked another fly ball that carried deep enough to get out this time, his 19th home run of the season tying the score 1-1.

But then, more frustration followed — with the Dodgers leaving two runners stranded later in that inning, when Rushing was forced to exit with his injury; then another in the seventh, when Freeman grounded out following a two-out double from Betts.

“Not scoring runs, it's just not who we are,” Freeman said. “We're not getting anything going. We're not getting the hits.”

“We haven't for a while,” he added. “I truly have no answers.”

Neither, it appears, does Scott, the already embattled closer who suffered his latest calamity in the ninth.

Read more:'We need to start playing better.' Slumping Dodgers lose again to the lowly Pirates

After getting the first two outs, the left-hander made the same kind of mistake that has haunted him all season, leaving a 1-and-2 fastball right down the middle to Samuel Basallo that the Orioles catcher clobbered for a no-doubt, winning blast deep to right-center field.

“I just keep making terrible pitch selections right when it matters, and it’s costing us every time,” said Scott, who has a 4.52 ERA and 11 combined blown saves and charged losses. “It sucks. It feels terrible. And I have to figure it out. Because baseball hates me right now.”

Lately, it hasn’t been more relenting on the Dodgers as a whole, either — dealing them painful losses and crippling injuries amid a continued search for any shred of improved play.

“We all are confident in who we are as baseball players. We're just not doing it right now in the field," Freeman said, as the gloomy postgame clubhouse surrounding him reflected the anguished state of the team. “The game of baseball's really hard, but the concept is easy. We're making the concept really hard right now."

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Mets Notes: Carlos Mendoza unveils plans for Kodai Senga, Francisco Alvarez

With a lot of moving pieces lately, manager Carlos Mendoza had a lot to discuss with reporters on Friday about some of his players as the Mets gear up for the final stretch of their 2025 season in what they hope ends in a postseason berth for a second consecutive season.

Kodai Senga to the minors

Senga's struggles since his return from the IL have been well-documented. In fact, they reached a point to where New York had to make the decision to option the right-hander to the minors -- a move that Senga consented to after peaceful negotiations between him, his agent and the team.

Now that Senga will pitch for Syracuse, at least for the short-term, what exactly is the plan with him?

Reported by SNY's Andy Martino and confirmed by Mendoza, Senga will make at least two starts in Triple-A. However, before that he will throw a couple of bullpen sessions to work on the mechanics that have been alluding him lately.

"Obviously he’s going to be in a more controlled environment where he’s not in the spotlight," Mendoza said. "... The plan is for him to go and throw a couple of bullpens before we put him in a game. So we’re looking at, potentially, a game next weekend.

"We got to get him back in sync. His lower half, his upper body, just everything. So that’s why we’re giving him time to work on the mound, get a feel for the mechanics before we put him in the game and then we’ll go from there."

In 22 starts this season, Senga is 7-6 with a 3.02 ERA (1.31 WHIP) and 109 strikeouts in 113.1 innings pitched. Overall, those numbers look great and are consistent with his career numbers.

However, considering he had a 1.47 ERA before going down with a leg injury in June, his numbers have not been pretty lately. Over his last seven starts, Senga is 0-3 with a 6.06 ERA (1.65 WHIP) and has been unable to pitch deep into games. 

Obviously, getting Senga back on track is crucial for the Mets who have had pitching woes for much of the season after a fantastic start to the season.

"He was really, really good for us before he went down," Mendoza said. "... We’ll get with him, we’ll get his take, we’re gonna ask for his feedback and see where he’s at and then we’ll make the next decision. But as of right now, we’re gonna give him time to get on the mound."

Uncharted territory with Francisco Alvarez

Despite all odds, Alvarez is back with the team in Cincinnati getting ready to face the Reds in a huge three-game series. The return of the catcher is not only a sight for sore eyes, but an inspiration considering all he's dealt with in the past month.

"It’s pretty unbelievable," Mendoza said. "We’re talking about when he first went down with a ligament and a few days later we’re talking about potentially his season being over and then a few days later he’s already taking swings at full-go.

"And then he goes down there, first game gets hit and he’s got a fracture and then two days [later] he’s already swinging the bat. Like, this is unbelievable. And for him to be back here playing games, you gotta give him a lot of credit."

Before his injury, Alvarez was red-hot at the plate and hopes to pick up where he left off and join an offense that has been raking as of late.

Still, the plan is to take things slow with the young catcher who has already missed a big chunk of the season and has only played in 56 games.

"I think it’ll be day-to-day," the skipper said of the plan with Alvarez. "We’ll see because this is all new for all of us -- for him, for me. It’s pretty intense at this level, every pitch, every at-bat, every swing so I will check with him after every game and then we’ll go from there, but again, I don’t think he knows.

"So nobody knows, we’re talking about the ligament and the pinky finger so there’s a lot going on, but he feels fine, he feels really good. The reports from the coaches in Triple-A, there’s no hesitation with him swinging the bat, throwing the ball so I’m just excited to have him back here."

Sean Manaea gets another chance

After re-signing with the Mets in the offseason, Manaea has been a huge disappointment in his second season in New York. Injured to start the year, the left-hander made his season debut right before the All-Star break and looked exceptional. 

Following a few more good, albeit short, starts to kick off the second half, Manaea has completely fallen off. In 10 games (nine starts), the 33-year-old is 1-2 with a 5.60 ERA and has been getting tagged left and right.

His latest start in Detroit didn't do much to instill the Mets with confidence as he allowed five earned runs on eight hits, including two home runs, in 3.2 innings. And similar to Senga, Manaea's biggest problem has been his inability to go beyond five innings which has completely taxed New York's already overworked bullpen.

Despite his struggles, the left-hander is scheduled to pitch against the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park on Tuesday. When asked in what capacity, Mendoza confirmed Manaea will start the game.

However, if Manaea doesn't get things together, Tylor Megill is nearing a return from injury and could bounce him from the rotation.

"He threw a bullpen today and he’s scheduled to pitch again in Triple-A on Sunday," Mendoza said.

Megill has made five rehab starts between Double-A and Triple-A and has pitched to a 3.00 ERA over 18 innings with 26 strikeouts. Before a right elbow sprain landed him on the IL, the right-hander had gone 5-5 with a 3.95 ERA in 14 starts this season.

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Giants' red-hot offense fuels Carson Seymour's first MLB win against Cardinals

Giants' red-hot offense fuels Carson Seymour's first MLB win against Cardinals originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

With Wild Card aspirations in mind, the Giants’ hot bats didn’t succumb to the fresher, early-September climate at Busch Stadium on Friday night.

The bats stayed scorching hot, with San Francisco tying a season-high 18 hits against the Cardinals in its series-opening 8-2 win. 

After early back-to-back home runs from Rafael Devers and Willy Adames, the Giants extended their longest streak of games with a home run since the franchise moved to San Francisco to 18, assuring manager Bob Melvin that his team, which has won 11 of its last 12, is hard to contain. 

“We go into the game feeling good about our offense, and there’s a reason for it over the last 18 games, whatever it’s been,” Melvin told reporters on Friday. 

“It’s contagious, just like it goes the other way. Right now, offensively, we feel like we’re as good as we’ve been all year, with [Patrick Bailey] hitting well, [Drew Gilbert] at the bottom of the lineup and getting production from [Casey Schmitt] and everyone else. It just feels like we’re a tough team to handle right now.” 

In his second career start, right-hander Carson Seymour delivered a solid outing, lasting a career-high five innings without allowing a hit in any of his first four.

The end result? 

The 26-year-old pitcher, to Melvin’s surprise, earned his first victory in the big leagues. 

“Coming in, we were kind of up in the air on what we were going to look at,” Melvin admitted to reporters. 

“It was probably going to be something like three (innings), but not only did we score some runs, he pitched probably as well as we’ve seen him pitch this year.” 

Additionally, on the offensive front, Jung Hoo Lee tied a career high with four hits, while Patrick Bailey contributed three. 

Sitting four games back of the New York Mets for the National League’s third wild-card spot, the Giants, once again, demonstrated why they’re the hottest team in baseball.

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Phillies' outfielders power the way to series-opening win over Marlins

Phillies' outfielders power the way to series-opening win over Marlins originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies’ bats certainly made the weekend trip to Miami. 

Behind four home runs and 16 hits, the Phils notched a 9-3 win Friday night to begin their three-game series with the Marlins. Every member of the Phillies’ lineup had at least one hit. 

Cristopher Sanchez earned the win by tossing seven innings and conceding six hits and one run. The southpaw struck out five and walked one. Through 28 starts, he’s 12-5 with a 2.60 ERA.

Sanchez took the mound with a lead. Trea Turner singled, Kyle Schwarber singled, and Bryce Harper’s bloop to left field landed just inside the foul line for an RBI knock. 

With a 4-for-5 game Friday, Turner’s batting average sits at a National League-best .305. Everyone else is under .300. He’s gone 43 for 100 in his last 22 games.

Marlins righty Valente Bellozo kept Miami’s deficit at 1-0 in the first. J.T. Realmuto ripped a 2-2 cutter to deep right-center, but Joey Wiemer made a leaping catch. Brandon Marsh then lined out to third base and Schwarber was miles away from avoiding a double play. 

Nick Castellanos sat for the third time in the last four games and Max Kepler started again in right field against Bellozo. In the second inning, Kepler crushed a juicy changeup into the right-field second deck. He lined an RBI single in the seventh, too.

The Marlins got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third. Victor Mesa Jr. chopped an infield hit over the 6-foot-6 Sanchez’s head. Javier Sanoja followed with a ground ball down the left-field line that drove him in. 

Sanchez was sharp overall. He threw plenty of elite changeups in and around the bottom of the zone, recorded 13 ground ball outs and never encountered any real trouble. Sanchez only needed 82 pitches over his seven innings.

The game wasn’t tight for long. The Phils teed off in the fourth against Miami reliever Lake Bachar.

Realmuto picked up a leadoff hit and Marsh deposited the ninth pitch of his at-bat to a nearly identical spot as Kepler’s blast. Harrison Bader clobbered a no-doubt back-to-back dinger, smashing a hanging slider to put the Phillies up 5-1. That shot meant all three of the Phils’ starting outfielders Friday had a homer through four innings. 

Though the Phillies missed out on bases-loaded chances in both the fifth and sixth innings, they cruised into full blowout mode with a four-run seventh. Bryson Stott nailed a three-run homer to reach double digits for the fourth consecutive season.

The 82-59 Phillies will look for a third straight series win Saturday at 4:10 p.m. ET. The Phils’ Jesus Luzardo (12-6, 4.05 ERA) will face the Marlins’ Sandy Alcantara (8-11, 5.66 ERA). 

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Mets' David Stearns, Carlos Mendoza on decision to call-up Brandon Sproat: ‘He earned it’

The Mets are asking a lot from their young arms.

Nolan McLean and Jonah Tong have already come up and contributed in the midst of a playoff push. 

Next up? Brandon Sproat. 

Sproat will join them this weekend to make his highly-anticipated debut during Sunday’s series finale against the Reds, the team trailing the Mets in the NL wild-card race. 

Certainly a big challenge, but one the Mets are confident Sproat is up for. 

“He earned it,” Carlos Mendoza said. “He’s another guy that had to work, had to fight to get to this point. It wasn’t easy for him early on this season, but his last few starts he’s been a completely different guy -- he was frustrated when he didn’t get the call, now here he is. 

"You don’t want to put too much pressure on him -- just go out there and be yourself, but you have to give him a ton of credit and it’s another win for the scouting and development team, it’s going to be really fun to see.”

Sproat was widely-regarded as the organization’s top pitching prospect entering this season, but he quickly dropped behind both McLean and Tong on the depth chart as they soared through the system. 

His early-season results also didn’t help, posting an ugly 6.69 ERA over his first nine outings. 

After making some tweaks over the past few months, though, the 24-year-old has been able to rebound nicely and he’s pitched to a much-improved 3.19 ERA over his last 17 appearances. 

His most recent outing was arguably his best during that stretch, as he struck out nine batters and walked just two over seven scoreless innings.  

It's those signs of a front-line arm that president of baseball operations David Stearns says solidified the Mets’ decision to give him the call.

“We’ve seen it over the last two-two and a half months now,” Stearns said. “He’s carried his velocity consistently into games, his secondary offerings have picked up in consistency and crispiness, he’s throwing his changeup more which has helped.

“We’ve seen a number of really positive trends -- he is still a young pitcher, this is still his major-league debut, but we feel confident that he can come up and compete at the level, and we look forward to watching him take the mound on Sunday.”

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MLB’s regular season enters final three weeks. Here’s a look at playoff picture, awards races

There’s a wide divide in finances between Major League Baseball’s big-market and small-market teams.

As for the win column? Not so much.

The 2025 season has produced a surprising show of parity through the first five months of the regular season. While most of the league’s big spenders — teams like the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees and New York Mets — are in good position to make the playoffs and do damage in October, they haven’t been as dominant as many expected.

In fact, there’s a good chance that this will be the second season in a row no MLB franchise will top 100 wins. The only team with a realistic shot is the Milwaukee Brewers, who rank 23rd in the league with a $112 million payroll. They’ll have to go 14-7 over their final 21 games to hit 100.

The last time there were no 100-game winners in back-to-back seasons was a three-year stretch from 2012 to 2014.

With three weeks and roughly 20 games remaining for most teams, here are some things to watch as the regular season winds down:

Playoff races

Their might be no truly dominant teams this season, but there’s also a pretty clear picture of the 12 teams that could make the postseason bracket — six in the National League and six in the American League.

In the AL, the Yankees, Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, Detroit Tigers and Houston Astros have a more than 95% chance to make the playoffs, according to ESPN’s projections. A sixth team — the Seattle Mariners — sit at a roughly 75% chance.

There are still several teams with hope, including the Texas Rangers (12.8%), Kansas City Royals (10.0%), Tampa Bay Rays (9.6%) and Cleveland Guardians (2.8%).

The NL race has an even bigger gap between the top six teams and the rest of the league. The Brewers, Dodgers, Philadelphia Phillies, New York Mets, Chicago Cubs and San Diego Padres all have odds of at least 95% to play in October.

Among the longshots: The San Francisco Giants (4.7%), Cincinnati Reds (2.4%), Arizona Diamondbacks (1.2%) and St. Louis Cardinals (0.8%).

The top two teams in the NL and AL don’t have to play in the best-of-three wild card round, instead advancing directly to the best-of-five division series. Right now, those teams would be Tigers and Blue Jays in the AL, and the Brewers and Phillies in the NL.

The D-backs could be one of the league’s more intriguing teams in September, even if they don’t make the postseason. They were sellers at the July 30 trade deadline after a disappointing first four months, but are 19-12 since that point, staying on the fringe of contention.

Arizona could end up affecting the playoff race even if it probably won’t make it to October. The D-backs play games against the Red Sox, Phillies, Dodgers, Giants and Padres over the final three weeks.

“We’re in the hunt,” D-backs manager Torey Lovullo said. “I keep saying that all I want to do is play meaningful games in September. That’s our intent. We just have to keep our head down and believe we can still do this.

“The guys are showing they feel the same exact way, so keep digging.”

Awards races

Here’s the status of some of the major MLB awards races. All odds according to BetMGM Sportsbook.

AL MVP: This is an epic two-horse race between Yankees slugger Aaron Judge (-235) and Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh (+155). Judge has had an excellent all-around season while Raleigh’s 51 homers are the most in MLB history for a player who is primarily a catcher.

NL MVP: Dodgers two-way star Shohei Ohtani (-1200) is a fairly big favorite at this point, but Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber (+600) and Mets outfielder Juan Soto (+5000) are still in the mix.

AL Cy Young: Detroit lefty Tarik Skubal (-1600) is a big favorite to take home his second straight AL Cy Young award. Among the challengers: Boston lefty Garrett Crochet (+650).

NL Cy Young: Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes (-10000) is the overwhelming favorite to win his first NL Cy Young.

Manager shakeup?

There have already been four managers fired this season, with the Washington Nationals, Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates and Baltimore Orioles all making moves. The Angels have had an interim manager for much of the year because of health issues for Ron Washington.

Depending on what happens the next three weeks, there could be a lot more job openings.

Skippers like Atlanta’s Brian Snitker and Texas’ Bruce Bochy, who is now 70, could retire after the season. Other like Arizona’s Lovullo and Minnesota’s Rocco Baldelli have had disappointing seasons.

Even playoff qualifiers might not be immune. The Yankees’ Aaron Boone is among a handful of managers not just expected to play in October, but to have a deep run. An early exit could spell trouble.

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MLB confiscates bat used by Astros' outfielder after Yankees manager questions its legality

Los Angeles, CA, Sunday, June 1, 2025 - Yankees manager Aaron Boone at Dodger Stadium, Sunday, June 1, 2025. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Yankees manager Aaron Boone questioned the legality of a bat during their game against the Houston Astros. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone questioned the legality of a bat used by Houston Astros outfielder Taylor Trammell during Thursday's series finale.

Down by five runs in the bottom of the ninth inning, Houston mounted a comeback by starting off the inning with a single by catcher Victor Caratini and a double off the wall by Trammell. After the at-bat, Boone asked the umpires to check the bat used by the 27-year-old because of its "discoloration."

Rule 3.02(c) by Major League Baseball bans the usage of a "colored bat in a professional game" unless approved by the league.

The crew chief, Adrian Johnson, took the bat and called a review to verify the legality of the discoloration on barrel.

After the review, the bat was confiscated by the umpires, authenticated and sent to the league office to be inspected, according to Astros manager Joe Espada.

"The bat was worn down a little bit," Espada said. "He uses that bat all the time and I guess they thought it was an illegal bat.

"I thought it was … whatever," he added.

Boone said they noticed the color of the bat earlier in the series and brought it up to the league officials on Thursday.

"You're not allowed to do anything to your bat," Boone said after the game. "I'm not saying he was … we noticed it and the league thought it maybe it was illegal too."

After the game, the outfielder remained confused.

"I feel kind of defensive right now, more so a test of my character, like I'm going to willingly do that," Trammell said. "Just kind of lost on that thing, and if anyone knows me, knows I'm never going to cheat or anything like that."

Trammell, who played a couple of games for the Yankees last season, stayed on second base. The Astros later scored a run on a single by designated hitter Yordan Alvarez but the Yankees held on to win the game 8-4.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Yankees' Aaron Judge returns to right field Friday against Blue Jays

For the first time since returning from the IL, Aaron Judge is back in right field for the Yankees, who begin a three-game series against the Toronto Blue Jays on Friday night at Yankee Stadium.

Prior to Friday's game, Judge had been strictly serving as a DH due to the flexor strain in his right elbow that caused him to miss nearly two weeks shortly after the All-Star break. It will be the first time Judge is in the outfield since July 26.

With Judge back in right field (and batting third), Giancarlo Stanton assumes his position as the DH and is hitting fifth. 

Due to his own fielding deficiencies, Stanton had been the odd-man out many times while Judge was the DH, as New York would only play Stanton in the outfield during home games due to the smaller dimensions of right field at Yankee Stadium. On the road, Stanton would mainly only come in for pinch-hitting assignments, which was a big blow for the Yankees' offense.

Now with both players in the lineup and at their ideal positions, New York is at full strength as it aims to commandeer first place for the division from the Blue Jays, who are 3.0 games in front entering play on Friday.

Hopefully a return to DH for Stanton will break him out of his recent slump in which he has just one hit (a home run) in his last 21 at-bats.

Meanwhile, Judge has been on a tear offensively lately after enduring a slump of his own over the last month.

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Two-start pitchers: Logan Webb headlines the group of dazzling options for the week of September 8

Hello and welcome to the 23rd installment of our weekly two-start pitcher article for the 2025 MLB season.

I'll be here every Friday to highlight some of the best two-start pitcher options in fantasy baseball leagues for the upcoming week, as well as some streaming options to keep in mind.

Thinking ahead with your weekly strategy can give you an advantage on the waiver wire and hopefully be a difference-maker in the standings at the end of the season.

This is a living document, so we'll update the options below as the weekend moves along.

Before we get into it, we'll start with a couple of notes on situations that may be unresolved or teams that may not have a two-start pitcher lined up for the upcoming week:

The Orioles continue to roll with a six-man rotation following the addition of Tyler Wells last week. That means in a six-game week, none of their hurlers will toe the slab twice. If anyone gets scratched or pushed back, it’s at least possible that Kyle Bradish could fall into a two-start week (vs. Pirates, @ Blue Jays), but don’t count on it.

As things currently stand, it doesn’t appear as though anyone will start twice for the Astros next week. They have been operating with a six-man rotation and play only six games. However, with Spencer Arrighetti landing on the injured list, the team could revert back to a traditional five-man rotation, in which case Framber Valdez would line up for a two-start week (@ Blue Jays, @ Braves). He should be locked into fantasy lineups regardless if he gets one start or two, so there’ no actionable items to take away from here.

The Dodgers have been rolling with a six-man rotation for most weeks, though occasionally they skip Emmet Sheehan. If they do so again this week, that would line up Shohei Ohtani to pitch twice (vs. Rockies, @ Giants). Is that enough to use him as a pitcher in weekly leagues instead of a hitter? It may depend on your categorical needs at this stage of the season.

The Pirates are another team that’s currently employing a six-man rotation, so unless any changes are made this week, none of their starters will get the ball twice. If anything does change, it looks like it would be Carmen Mlodzinski getting the honor of a two-start week (@ Orioles, @ Nationals).

Zebby Matthews had been lined up to make two starts for the Twins next week (@ Angels, vs. Diamondbacks), but the return of Pablo Lopez on Friday has thrown things into flux. If they go back to a six-man rotation to accommodate Lopez, then no one on the Twins will make two starts next week. If someone (Simeon Woods Richardson maybe) gets bumped from the rotation, we could still see Matthews make two starts, in which case he would be an intriguing option in all league sizes.

Without further ado, let's dig into the options for the week of September 8.

Going Twice…

Note: Probable pitchers as of September 5 and are subject to change.

American League

Strong Plays

Garrett Crochet, Red Sox, LHP (@ Athletics, vs. Yankees)

Not much to be said here. Crochet is an absolute beast and has been for the duration of the 2025 season. A true ace for fantasy purposes. He should be locked into 100% of all lineups every week, regardless of matchups. The battle against the Yankees on the back end of this double is tough, but you simply can’t bench your star southpaw at crunch time.

George Kirby, Mariners, RHP (vs. Cardinals, vs. Angels)

Kirby has shown more inconsistency than we like to see in his return from the injured list. He has been hit especially hard as of late – giving up seven runs twice in his last four starts (@ Mets, @ Rays). He threw two gems in between those outings though (vs. A’s, @ Guardians) and another just before he was lit up by the Mets (@ Orioles). He gets two very strong matchups this week and both of them are in Seattle. The stellar matchups, combined with his track record, there’s no way that I would be benching Kirby in any leagues for this tantalizing two-start week.

Bryan Woo, Mariners, RHP (vs. Cardinals, vs. Angels)

This should have been an easy decision, as Woo has been one of the most dominant forces in the American League this season and gets two dream matchups against the Cardinals and Angels at home for the upcoming week. Something hasn’t been quite right with the M’s right-hander over his last two starts though. After going six innings or more in each of his first 25 starts on the season, he has failed to do so in each of his last two starts. Last time out he also issued an uncharacteristic three walks – a season-high. It’s probably just a blip on the radar and he’ll get back on track for this dream week, but it’s at least in the realm of possibility that he’s battling fatigue or an underlying physical issue. I’d still be starting him in all formats, just understand that there’s more risk involved than you’d usually expect from Woo.

Ryan Bergert, Royals, RHP (@ Guardians, @ Phillies)

All Bergert has done this season is dominate when given an opportunity. The rookie right-hander holds a stellar 2.61 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and a 65/29 K/BB ratio over 69 innings in 17 appearances (13 starts) between the Padres and the Royals. It has only led to two victories somehow, but that’s not his fault. He has to go on the road twice next week and take on a pair of strong opponents, but Bergert still makes for a strong start in all league sizes.

Decent Plays

José Berríos, Blue Jays, RHP (vs. Astros, vs. Orioles)

Berríos comes into the week with a bad taste in his mouth after lasting just two innings and allowing six runs (two earned) against the Reds his last time out on Tuesday. It’s not going to get any easier for him as he has to take on a dangerous Astros’ lineup to start the week before finishing up with the Orioles at home. He’s a threat to win every time he takes the mound these days and should pile up close to double-digit strikeouts over a two-start week, but there is ratio risk here. Unless you absolutely need to protect your ratios, I’d roll with him in both 12- and 15-team formats.

Logan Allen, Guardians, LHP (vs. Royals, vs. White Sox)

Normally an option worth considering for his two-start weeks, Allen has given us pause here with his recent stumbles. Over his last three starts he sports a horrifying 9.00 ERA and 1.75 WHIP over 16 innings of work – though most of that came in a nine-run disaster against the Rangers in Arlington. His saving grace is that he has owned the White Sox this season – dominating them in Chicago just before the All-Star break and in Cleveland early in the season. If focusing on wins and strikeouts, I’d definitely roll him out there in all leagues. Even if ratios are a concern, I still might roll the dice given the quality of the matchups.

Noah Cameron, Royals, LHP (@ Guardians, @ Phillies)

Cameron has quietly been one of the top performing rookies in the American League this season, registering a 3.03 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and an 88/36 K/BB ratio over 113 innings of work through his first 20 starts. He may be getting a bit fatigued though, as he has given up nine runs over 10 innings against the White Sox and Angels his last two times out. The matchups are tough and both of them are away from Kauffmann Stadium, but Cameron has actually been a bit better on the road this season than he has been at home. I think you trust what he has shown you so far and use him in both 12- and 15-team leagues, just understand that there’s more ratio risk than you’d typically expect by looking at his overall season stats.

Adrian Houser, Rays, RHP (@ White Sox, @ Cubs)

For whatever reason, Houser just hasn’t been the same pitcher since leaving the White Sox and joining the Rays. Through six starts with his new ballclub he holds a disappointing 4.91 ERA, 1.42 WHIP and a 27/10 K/BB ratio over 33 innings of work. Will a matchup against his former mates in his old stomping ground be what he needs to get back on track? Only time will tell. If he gets through that one though, he still has a tough matchup lineup against the Cubs at Wrigley Field to finish the week. In 15’s you probably just have to roll with it and hope for the best. It’s possible that you could have safer alternatives in 12-teamers though.

Yoendrys Gomez, White Sox, RHP (vs. Rays, @ Guardians)

Since joining the White Sox’ rotation, Gomez has posted a 3.42 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and a 27/12 K/BB ratio over 23 2/3 innings in his first five starts with the only real disaster in the bunch coming against the hard-hitting Yankees. Neither one of these matchups are overly terrifying, which makes Gomez and intriguing play for the upcoming week –especially in deeper leagues. The strikeouts should be there regardless and even if he’s unable to secure a victory he should wind up being a viable option. I’d actively target him in leagues where he’s available.

Caden Dana, Angels, RHP (vs. Twins, @ Mariners)

Dana looked terrific in his return to the Angels’ rotation last week, allowing just one run on two hits while striking out four against the Royals. He could be worth a look as a streaming option in deeper leagues, especially with a strong matchup against the Twins to start the week. He’s much more intriguing than many other options on the board this week.

Will Warren, Yankees, RHP (vs. Tigers, @ Red Sox)

Overall, Warren has done a nice job for the Yankees this season – posting a 4.28 ERA, 1.39 WHIP and a 153/60 K/BB ratio over 141 innings in his 29 starts. For fantasy purposes, he’s usually an option in two-start weeks given his strong upside in the strikeout department. That would be the case this week as well until you look at the matchups – having to battle two of the best offenses in the American League. We also just saw the Red Sox get him for five runs on seven hits over four innings in late August. If your only concerns are wins and strikeouts and ratios don’t matter, by all means fire away here. If you’re trying to protect those valuable ratios though, I simply can’t advise trusting Warren this week.

Jake Latz, Rangers, RHP (vs. Brewers, @ Mets)

Latz has been terrific in whatever role the Rangers have deployed him in this season, compiling a 3.15 ERA, 1.28 WHIP and a 62/31 K/BB ratio across 68 2/3 innings in 28 appearances (five starts). He threw 71 pitches and went 5 1/3 innings his last time out against the Diamondbacks in Arizona, so we shouldn’t be concerned about the workload here. The only real negative is the matchups – having to battle two offenses that are absolutely sizzling at the moment. He’s a decent streaming option if you need volume, but I wouldn’t go overboard here.

At Your Own Risk

Slade Cecconi, Guardians, RHP (vs. Royals, vs. White Sox)

After a strong start to the season, we have seen Cecconi really fall on hard times in recent weeks. Over his last five starts he holds a cringe-inducing 8.28 ERA, 1.68 WHIP and a 22/3 K/BB ratio over 25 innings. That includes disasters against the White Sox, Braves and Red Sox. It’s also worth noting that Cecconi hasn’t won a game since July 18. While a pair of matchups against lighter-hitting divisional foes may seem intriguing on the surface, I’m inclined to sit this one out.

Luis Severino, Athletics, RHP (vs. Red Sox, vs. Reds)

Taking a quick glance at Severino’s overall line on the season may lead you to believe that he’d be a viable streaming option for a two-start week at home. If you look at his splits though, you’ll see why we’re sitting this one out. In 13 starts at Sutter Health Park, the 31-year-old right-hander is 1-9 with a horrific 6.34 ERA and 1.61 WHIP across 71 innings. That’s not even factoring in the fact that he’ll face a pair of strong offenses. There’s no reason to go here this week, just stay away.

Sawyer Gipson-Long, Tigers, RHP (@ Yankees, @ Marlins)

Gipson-Long looks like he’ll be given an opportunity to take the rotation spot that was vacated by the struggling Chris Paddack. He struggled mightily in his first start back though, giving up six runs over four innings against the Mets. A showdown against the Bombers at Yankee Stadium certainly isn’t going to help make things better. There’s talent here, but it’s an unnecessary risk to take this week.

Kyle Hendricks, Angels, RHP (vs. Twins, @ Mariners)

Hendricks is someone that is almost always available to be added from the waiver wire and occasionally makes for a decent streaming play when the matchups line up favorably for him. The showdown against the Twins to start the week certainly fits the bill, though taking on the Mariners in Seattle is no easy task these days. He comes in rolling after two strong starts against the Astros and White Sox in which he allowed just three runs over 12 frames, albeit with only two total strikeouts. I’d only go here if I needed to make up ground in wins. Otherwise I’d stay away.

National League

Strong Plays

Logan Webb, Giants, RHP (vs. Diamondbacks, vs. Dodgers)

Webb is having perhaps the finest season of his career in what’s somehow only his age-28 season. He’s 13-9 with a 3.17 ERA, 1.23 WHIP and a 194/39 K/BB ratio across 178 2/3 innings. His 194 punchouts already match his career-high and he’s going to soar past that in the month of September. The matchups aren’t ideal this week, but he gets to make both starts at home in the spacious confines of Oracle Park. He’s one of the top overall plays on the board this week and should be started with complete confidence in all leagues.

Shota Imanaga, Cubs, LHP (@ Braves, vs. Rays)

Imanaga just continues to get it done whenever he takes the hill. The 32-year-old southpaw boasts a terrific 3.15 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and a 97/23 K/BB ratio across 123 innings through his first 21 starts on the season. He has allowed three runs or fewer in 14 of his last 15 starts – the only exception a rare clunker against the White Sox in July where he was tagged for seven runs on 12 hits in just three innings. Aside from something inexplicable like that, Imanaga should deliver another quality week here and should be started in all formats.

Nick Lodolo, Reds, LHP (@ Padres, @ Athletics)

Lodolo was hit hard in his last time out, but it was against the Dodgers in Los Angeles so we’ll give him a pass on that one. Overall, the 27-year-old left-hander holds an outstanding 3.22 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and a 130/25 K/BB ratio across 134 1/3 innings on the season. The matchups aren’t ideal – having to battle the hard-hitting Padres before having to battle the bandbox that is Sutter Health Park against the Athletics, but there’s no reason that Lodolo can’t succeed in either spot. He has earned the trust of fantasy managers and should definitely be used for his two-start week.

Ranger Suárez, Phillies, LHP (vs. Mets, vs. Royals)

Suárez has been terrific for the Phillies and for fantasy managers this season, compiling an 11-6 record, 2.89 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and a 128/32 K/BB ratio across 137 innings. He was especially brilliant his last time out, with six shutout innings in a critical victory over the Brewers in Milwaukee on Thursday. He’s an easy start in all leagues for the upcoming week, though there’s a chance he winds up with just one start if the Phillies opt to insert a sixth starter (Walker Buehler perhaps?) to give the rest of their rotation an extra day of rest during a tough stretch.

Decent Plays

Eury Pérez , Marlins, RHP (vs. Nationals, vs. Tigers)

We have seen flashes of greatness from Eury Pérez this season, but we have also witnessed bouts of rust and inconsistency that should be expected after such a long injury layoff. He has been hit especially hard over his last two starts – giving up 12 runs over just 4 2/3 innings against the Mets and Nationals. It’s not encouraging that he’ll have to face those same Nationals to open his two-start week before hosting one of the better offenses in the American League in the Tigers. If you’re not worried about losing a little ground in ratios and are looking for help in wins and strikeouts, go ahead and roll with Pérez. Otherwise, you may want to give it some serious thought instead of mindlessly locking him into your lineup.

Jose Quintana, Brewers, LHP (@ Rangers, vs. Cardinals)

Quintana has been a stabilizing force in the Brewers’ rotation this season, going 11-5 with a 3.72 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and an 83/46 K/BB ratio across 121 innings. The only real drawback from a fantasy perspective is his lack of strikeouts, though that’s mitigated by the additional volume of a two-start week. He’s a terrific bet to add at least one more victory to his total this week and should be used in all weekly leagues without hesitation.

Yu Darvish, Padres, RHP (vs. Reds, vs. Rockies)

While his 5.75 ERA jumps off the page and scares fantasy managers away, Yu Darvish has actually pitched decently through his first 11 starts since returning from the injured list this season. He holds a strong 1.18 WHIP and a 48/17 K/BB ratio over 51 2/3 innings and his xERA (3.64) and xFIP (4.37) hint that he may have been a bit on the unlucky side so far in terms of that elevated ERA. He gets two matchups at home this week – including one against the bottom-feeding Rockies – and he should be a favorite to earn a win in both spots. Don’t let the ERA scare you away, Darvish makes for a nice play this week in all leagues.

Nestor Cortes, Padres, LHP (vs. Reds, vs. Rockies)

It has been another rough season on the mound for Nestor Cortes who sports a 6.29 ERA, 1.63 WHIP and a 29/20 K/BB ratio over 34 1/3 innings in his first eight starts between the Brewers and Padres. If you’re trying to protect ratios, stay away. If you’re looking to stream volume to make up ground in wins and/of strikeouts, by all means start Cortes this week. That matchup against the Rockies over the weekend looks particularly ripe for the picking to earn a victory.

Nabil Crismatt, Diamondbacks, RHP (@ Giants, @ Twins)

We have seen some intriguing things from Nabil Crismatt as the 30-year-old hurler finally gets his first opportunity to start in the big leagues. He holds a 2.14 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and a 14/6 K/BB ratio over 21 innings in his first four outings and has already earned a pair of victories. He’s widely available in fantasy leagues and makes for a decent streaming option in leagues of all sizes. While the strikeout totals won’t be huge, he’s unlikely to crush your ratios and he’ll have a chance to earn another this week with the strong Diamondbacks’ offense backing him and a battle against the Twins on tap for the weekend.

Cade Cavalli, Nationals, RHP (@ Marlins, vs. Pirates)

The 27-year-old right-hander has done a decent job through his first six starts with the Nationals this season, registering a 4.85 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and a 28/8 K/BB ratio over 29 2/3 innings. Yes, those ratios are terrible, but most of that damage was from one brutal eight-run disaster in 2 1/3 innings against the Yankees in New York. Aside from that, he has actually been a useful fantasy option in deeper mixed leagues. That should continue this week with a pair of strong matchups against the Marlins and Pirates. He’s readily available in most leagues and would make a nice addition to your lineup for next week.

At Your Own Risk

Aaron Nola, Phillies, RHP (vs. Mets, vs. Royals)

Historically, Nola has alternated great seasons with no-so-great seasons – much to the chagrin of Phillies’ fans and fantasy managers across the land. This season has been particularly brutal, posting a nauseating 6.78 ERA, 1.51 WHIP and a 72/23 K/BB ratio over 69 innings. He has given up six earned runs or more three times in his last five starts. It really doesn’t matter who he’s facing at the moment, Nola shouldn’t really be anywhere near fantasy lineups for the stretch run.

Joey Wentz, Braves, LHP (vs. Cubs, vs. Astros)

While his overall line on the season looks unappealing – a 5.12 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and a 75/37 K/BB ratio over 82 2/3 innings – there has at least been some predictability to his game. Wentz tends to perform well against bad teams and struggle against good ones. It’s that simple. Unfortunately for fantasy managers, he’s lined up to face the Cubs and Astros this week. Don’t be tempted by the strikeout upside, let someone else absorb the ratio damage this week.

Mitchell Parker, Nationals, LHP (@ Marlins, vs. Pirates)

Mitchell Parker hasn’t done a whole lot right this season, stumbling to a 7-15 record, 5.87 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and a 98/54 K/BB ratio over 145 2/3 innings. He has been one of the worst pitchers in all of baseball and the underlying numbers support that. It’s a bit admirable that the Nationals continue to trot him out there every fifth day to take his medicine. It may look intriguing to stream him with a pair of strong matchups on tap against the Marlins and Pirates, but avoid the temptation. He was just hit hard by the Marlins his last time out. Stay away.

Adam Mazur, Marlins, LHP (vs. Nationals, vs. Tigers)

We haven’t seen much reason for optimism through Mazur’s first three starts on the season, posting a 5.74 ERA, 1.53 WHIP and a 12/5 K/BB ratio over 15 2/3 innings. Could he suddenly spin a gem in one of these starts and produce a useful week for fantasy purposes? Sure, though it isn’t likely. There are better gambles to take this week.

Chase Dollander, Rockies, RHP (@ Dodgers, @ Padres)

Never Rockies. Just don’t do it. Especially don’t do it for a pair of matchups against the Dodgers and Padres. There’s no reason. Stay away.

German Marquez, Rockies, RHP (@ Dodgers, @ Padres)

Never Rockies. Just don’t do it. Especially don’t do it for a pair of matchups against the Dodgers and Padres. There’s no reason. Stay away.

Miles Mikolas, Cardinals, RHP (@ Mariners, @ Brewers)

It pains me to say that Mikolas has actually been somewhat serviceable through 27 starts on the season, posting an uninspiring 4.89 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and an 86/33 K/BB ratio over 136 1/3 innings. If the matchups were better, I may have even considered him a decent streaming option for the two-start week. The matchups are not in his favor though, having to start on the road twice against two surging offenses. Even if you aren’t concerned with ratios, he’s unlikely to help in wins and strikeouts, so the upside is minimal. Take your shot elsewhere.

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Mets' Kodai Senga optioned to Triple-A after consenting to minor league stint

Mets right-handerKodai Senga, who has struggled since returning from a hamstring injury on July 11, has given his consent to be optioned to the minor leagues.

Because of a stipulation in his contract, Senga had the ability to refuse the assignment. 

SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino reports that the minor league stint for Senga should last about two starts, adding that the pitcher's relationship with the Mets is "in very good shape." Martino notes that Senga "felt respected by the process and consented without issue."

With Senga sent to Triple-A Syracuse, the Mets added recently-signed reliever Wander Suero to the active roster.

"As we talked to Kodai throughout this, I think it became clear that, from both of our perspectives, this was the right thing to do for the team and the player," Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said ahead of Friday's game in Cincinnati. "Kodai has a very set routine, he feels very confident in his routine. So a role transition at this point didn't feel like the right thing to do for either party.

"I think Kodai also recognizes that the results right now aren't what he's looking for, what we need. He wants to figure this out. We think getting him a little bit of time away from elite competition, away from the pressure of a playoff race is the right thing to do. He was amenable to it and we certainly appreciate that."

It's been a tale of two seasons for the 32-year-old Senga, who had a 1.47 ERA in 73.2 innings over his first 13 starts of the year before getting injured.

He suffered a hamstring injury while covering first base during his start on June 12, and did not return until July 11.

Senga fired 4.0 shutout innings in his return, but has not been right since then.

In eight starts from July 21 to Aug. 31, Senga posted a 6.56 ERA (6.11 FIP) in 35.2 innings while allowing 39 hits (including eight home runs) and walking 22.

During the aforementioned eight-start span, Senga failed to complete 5.0 innings on five occasions, and never pitched more than 5.2 innings in any start.

Senga's struggles came to a head against the woeful Marlins in his last outing, when he surrendered five runs on seven hits in just 4.2 innings.

After that outing, Carlos Mendoza was non-committal about what would be next for Senga, saying all options were on the table. The right-hander's next start would've come on Sunday against the Reds in Cincinnati, but Mendoza said on Wednesday that David Peterson and Jonah Tong would be starting on Friday and Saturday, respectively, adding that Sunday's starter was to be determined.

It was reported on Thursday that Brandon Sproat will be starting on Sunday, in what will be his major league debut.

"The plan is for him to go and throw a couple of bullpens before we put him in a game," Mendoza said Friday about the plan for Senga. "So we're looking at potentially a game over next weekend. So for him to work on his mechanics, we got to get him back in sync."

As far as Senga, he has cited issues with his mechanics as one of the reasons for his downturn. 

"There’s definitely some frustration," Senga said through an interpreter following his performance on Aug. 31. "I’ve never experienced something like this for this extended period of time. There’s some confusion why I’m not able to perform, but at the same time, when I’m able to prepare well and able to do what I’m capable of out there, I know that I’m able to put up a good performance."

Senga, who signed a five-year deal for $75 million ahead of the 2023 season, is under contract through 2027. His contract contains a conditional club option worth $15 million for 2028 that would kick in if he has Tommy John surgery or a right elbow injury that keeps him on the IL for 130 or more days between now and then.

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Yankees activate Austin Slater from IL ahead of crucial three-game set with Blue Jays

The Yankees are adding another veteran bat to the mix ahead of their crucial weekend set with the Blue Jays. 

Austin Slater has been reinstated from the injured list. 

Slater had been sidelined since suffering a hamstring strain on Aug. 4 against the Texas Rangers. 

His initial timeline called for a four-to-six week recovery.

The 32-year-old was able to work his way into five minor league rehab games over the past week, and now he’s been deemed ready to make his return.

Slater appeared in just three games with the Bombers prior to the injury. 

He was acquired from the White Sox ahead of the trade deadline to provide a boost against left-handed pitching. 

Now back healthy, it’ll be interesting to see how Aaron Boone utilizes Slater down the stretch. 

In a corresponding roster move, J.C. Escarra was optioned to Triple-A following Thursday’s win over the Astros. 

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Yankees vs. Blue Jays: 5 things to watch and series predictions | Sept. 5-7

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays play a three-game series at Yankee Stadium starting on Friday night...

5 things to watch

AL East crown in sight

This weekend series is the final time the Yanks and Blue Jays face each other in the regular season, and it's a big one. Entering Friday, the Blue Jays hold just a 3.0 game lead over New York for first place in the AL East. 

A sweep by New York would leave the Yankees and Blue Jays in a relative tie -- Toronto has the tiebreaker -- but it would put the pressure on the Jays with just a few weeks left in the season. The AL East crown is important because it will likely be one of the top two seeds in the American League playoffs, thus avoiding the three-game Wild Card round. 

Can the Yankees win the series to get even closer to Toronto? Or will the Jays put the Bombers in the rearview? 

What's Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s status?

Chisholm exited Thursday's series finale with the Astros with contusions in both knees, which puts his availability for some, if not all, three games of the series in jeopardy.

If Chisholm does miss time, Jose Caballero will likely be his replacement in the starting lineup. Caballero has been very good since being traded to the Yankees at the deadline. In 24 games, he's hitting .270 with two home runs -- he had two in 86 games with the Rays in 2025 -- with eight stolen bases. But Chisholm's power and athleticism would be missed, especially as a left-handed hitter against the Blue Jays' right-handed starters. 

Can the bullpen get right?

The Yankees' bullpen has been an Achilles heel for the team all season and this week especially. The Yanks were on the verge of winning their series against the Astros on Wednesday, but the bullpen blew a three-run lead. Devin Williams' meltdown -- with the help of a certain home plate umpire -- led to their defeat.

Aug 5, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Devin Williams (38) reacts after leaving the game during the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field.
Aug 5, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; New York Yankees relief pitcher Devin Williams (38) reacts after leaving the game during the eighth inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

It was a bit shaky on Thursday. Luke Weaver allowed a run on three hits in his 0.2 innings of work, and the Astros almost came back on David Bednar after the closer allowed the tying run to the plate with a five-run lead heading into the ninth. 

The bullpen will need to be better against a dangerous Toronto lineup.

What version of Anthony Volpe will we see?

Remember when Volpe was killing it at the plate in Chicago? In the four-game set on the Southside, Volpe went 6-for-14 with a home run and five RBI. In the three games against Houston, the young shortstop went 1-for-11 with five strikeouts.

The Yankees' offense is good enough that Volpe's offense isn't needed, but when he's on, it lengthens the lineup. He's also coming up with runners in scoring position a lot and falling short. When the longball isn't working for the Yanks, they need to manufacture runs, and even moving runners over with productive outs seems to be tough for Volpe at the moment.

For a huge series like this, the Yanks will hope the Chicago version of Volpe shows up.

Cam Schlittler setting the pace

The Yankees will have Schlittler, Luis Gil and Max Fried starting for them in this series, and a good start from Schlittler could set the tone for the weekend. Schlittler has been on fire, pitching at least six innings in three straight starts while allowing just one run in that span (18.2 IP). The young right-hander has jumped Will Warren as the team's third-most reliable starter, and a strong performance on Friday could cement him as a potential Game 3 starter in a playoff series.

Although that potential is a ways away still, the Yankees hope the youngster can give them the best chance to win the series opener and put the pressure on Toronto.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Trent Grisham

After going against a trio of right-handers and driving in seven runs in Houston, Grisham will continue his hot stretch.

Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?

Max Fried

The southpaw has been excellent in his last few starts and that will continue when he takes the mound on Sunday.

Which Blue Jays player will be a thorn in the Yankees' side?

George Springer

Springer has been a thorn for the Yankees since his Astros days. But this season, he's been amazing. In his last seven games against the Yankees, he's 12-for-24 with four home runs and 12 RBI. 

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Mets at Reds: How to watch on SNY on Sept. 5, 2025

The Mets open a three-game series against the Reds in Cincinnati on Friday at 6:40 p.m. on SNY.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

Mets Notes

  • Juan Soto is hitting .301/.463/.710 with 12 home runs, 28 RBI, 30 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases in 123 plate appearances over his last 26 games dating back to Aug. 6
  • Francisco Alvarez is returning from the IL. Before getting injured, Alvarez had been a force at the plate following his brief stint in the minor leagues. In 71 plate appearances over 21 games from July 21 to Aug. 17, he slashed .323/.408/.645 with four homers, six doubles, one triple, 13 RBI, and 14 runs scored
  • David Peterson is looking to rebound from his worst start of the season, when he allowed eight runs in just 2.0 innings against the Marlins on Aug. 30
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For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.