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Like the rest of the Mets' offense lately, Brett Baty had been struggling over his last seven games. So when manager Carlos Mendoza was asked pregame about his decision to have Baty in the lineup with Garrett Crochet, one of the tougher left-handers in the game, on the mound, the skipper said it was more about Baty's defense.

Naturally, Baty got a hit off Crochet in just his eighth at-bat against a lefty this season in the second inning -- an RBI single with a runner in scoring position after New York failed five times prior in that spot through the first two innings.

"That’s really good to see," Mendoza said after the Mets' 5-1 win. "Especially the at-bats against Crochet. The first one picking us up big time after second and third, nobody out and two pitches two outs there and then for him to come through there."

But Baty wasn't finished.

In the seventh inning, with the game tied 1-1, the 25-year-old came up to the plate with the bases loaded and nobody out. Already utilizing their bullpen, the Red Sox turned to Brennan Bernardino, a left-hander, to take over for Liam Hendriks, a righty.

How did Baty respond? With a two-run opposite field single on a 2-2 pitch that broke the tie and gave the Mets their second lead of the game, one they wouldn't relinquish this time.

"That one in the seventh, I think it was, staying in there, going the other way and coming through big time, it’s just really good to see one of your young players perform and continue to play with confidence," Mendoza said.

"I was just on the heater, but yeah, my plan was to try to see him deep," Baty added.

Baty finished the night 2-for-4 with three RBI and all four of his at-bats came against a left-hander. The two hits were his first off lefties this season (2-for-11, .182 average).

Despite some of his struggles this season, Baty has also had some big moments, including some big hits for a team that, despite their record in the standings, have lacked in that department.

He's also done everything the Mets have asked of him, whether it be learn a new position, come off the bench, or go back down to the minors. Not to mention -- the reason he was in the lineup on Wednesday in the first place -- his defense at third base has been extraordinary.

"I’m just trying to come in and be a good player for the New York Mets and just hit the ball hard, play good defense and try to help the team win," Baty said.

For the time being, Baty is certainly doing that.

"I think we’ve been hitting the ball hard the past couple of days, it just hasn’t been falling," he added. "But it was huge to go back in [the dugout after the seventh inning] and have the excitement of the team and the guys and everything. We felt like we were in a good spot right there."

As for getting the starting assignment against a tough lefty, Baty was excited and clearly ready for the challenge.

"It was awesome for sure. I always love playing," he said.

Jasson Dominguez's walk-off home run gave the Yankees a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night in The Bronx.

Here are the takeaways...

-In his third start since assuming the fifth starter's spot in a rotation that has endured injury after injury, Ryan Yarbrough pitched his best game in pinstripes and was outdueling two-time Cy Young award winner Jacob deGrom through the first four innings.

Fully taking advantage of the opportunity, Yarbrough pitched five innings for the second consecutive outing, except this time he struck out eight, walked none and allowed just a run on three hits. The only run came by way of a Jake Burger solo home run in the fifth inning that tied the game at 1-1.

The left-hander lowered his ERA to 3.38 and aside from one poor performance out of the bullpen in early April, he's been a tremendous help for New York in the swingman role.

-Meanwhile, deGrom ended up dominating in his return to New York. The right-hander, looking to remain healthy for a full season for the first time in five years, finished the night by going seven strong innings, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out nine on 103 pitches (68 strikes).

The first run he allowed came in the second inning after Anthony Volpe tripled to lead off and came around to score the game's first run on a groundout. The second one came on a Cody Bellinger solo shot in the seventh.

Since leaving the Mets, deGrom had made only nine starts from 2023 and 2024. He's already made 10 starts this season and continues to be one of the best pitchers in the game with a 2.33 ERA.

-Burger made it a double by smashing his second solo homer of the night to lead off the top of the seventh against Tim Hill, who got a huge bases-loaded out to end the sixth, that gave Texas a 2-1 lead. Burger would add a side of small fries in the eighth with a single and got a shake to boot with his first stolen base of the season.

-After Burger's home run, the lefty Hill retired the next two batters before giving way to Ian Hamilton. But much like Hill before him, Hamilton served up a solo shot on the first pitch he threw to Sam Haggerty that extended the Rangers' advantage.

-Yerry De los Santos got into a heap of trouble in the eighth inning trying to keep it a one-run game, but he managed to leave the bases loaded and give his team a chance to rally. Which they did.

-With deGrom finally out of the game, the Yanks managed to put two runners on in the bottom of the eighth via walks by Robert Garcia, sandwiched between a strikeout and flyout. Luke Jackson entered the game to face Aaron Judge, who was held in check against deGrom, but with a runner in scoring position, Judge did what he does best and singled in the tying run.

Trent Grisham got thrown out trying to reach third base to end the inning, but it happened before the run crossed home plate. It was also a smart play because it's possible Paul Goldschmidt would've been thrown out at home if Grisham hadn't gone to third base, which forced the throw from the outfield to be cut off.

-Luke Weaver pitched a scoreless top of the ninth, aided by a nifty pickoff move to second base for a caught stealing that ended the inning. That set the stage forDominguez to hit his walk-off home run and give the Yanks their third straight win.

-Jonathan Loáisiga made his third appearance of the season since returning from injury, matching his total from last year, and after 0.2 scoreless innings, he's remained unscored upon so far in 2.2 innings.

Game MVP: Yerry De los Santos

Maybe not who you'd expect, but getting into trouble in the eighth inning and managing to get out of it helped keep New York within striking distance and pull off the eventual win.

Highlights

The Yankees get a run off Jacob deGrom in the second!

(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/qJOqaJiyEs

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 21, 2025

Tim Hill comes in and gets the Yankees out of trouble 👏 pic.twitter.com/6dURguKuGM

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 22, 2025

Cody Bellinger homers to get a run back for the Yankees!

(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/abzPe2vuRk

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 22, 2025

Aaron Judge ties the game in the 8th!

(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/BwG7jL11qC

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 22, 2025

LUKE WEAVER GOT HIM!

(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/IorOoqBji1

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 22, 2025

What's next

The Yankees end their three-game series against the Texas Rangers with a Thursday matinee to close out a six-game homestand. First pitch (weather permitting) is scheduled for 12:35 p.m.

LHP Carlos Rodon (5-3, 3.17 ERA) opposes RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 1.61 ERA).

Brett Baty drove in three runs and Francisco Lindor homered to help the Mets beat the Red Sox, 5-1, on Wednesday night in Boston to salvage a game in the series.

The win snapped the team's season-long three-game losing streak.

Here are the takeaways...

-Runners in scoring position have been a bugaboo for the Mets of late. Entering Wednesday, the Mets were 9-for-54 (.167) with RISP over their last seven games.Lindor gave his team an instant RISP chance with a leadoff double but Starling Marte (flyout), and Juan Soto and Pete Alonso (strikeouts) left him stranding.

The Mets had another chance in the second after Mark Vientos walked and Luis Torrens doubled to start the inning. Again, the Mets had a tough time with runners on base. Tyrone Taylor popped out on the first pitch he saw and Luisangel Acuña grounded to third on the first pitch to leave Vientos and Torrens stranded. But it was Baty -- who had just seven at-bats against lefties this season -- who lined a single to right field to score Vientos, but Torrens was gunned out at home by centerfielder Ceddane Rafaela on the send from third base coach Mike Sarbaugh.

-The big inning for the Mets' offense came in the seventh against reliever Liam Hendricks. After back-to-back singles by Torrens and Taylor, Acuña hit an infield single to load the bases with no outs for Baty. Hitting against the lefty Brennan Bernardino, Baty went the other way, lining a single toward the left field corner to drive in two. Unfortunately, Acuña got a bad read and had to stay on second. Lindor reached on a fielder's choice and Marte walked to load the bases to bring up Soto. The slugger hit a long sacrifice fly to bring in the Mets' fourth run of the game.

For the game, the Mets went 3-for-12 with RISP and left eight on base.

-Tylor Megill was on his game in his first start at Fenway Park. The big right-hander struck out nine of the first 14 batters he faced, but faced trouble in the fifth inning. After two infield singles -- both thanks to misplays on defense -- and a HBP, Megill had to face the bases loaded with one out. Jaren Durran jumped on the first pitch and launched it into right-center field. The wind brought it back in for Soto to make the out, but the Red Sox tied the game at 1-1 on the sacrifice fly. After a walk to Rafael Devers to load the bases again, Mendoza pulled his starter for Huascar Brazoban. The reliever would get Alex Bregman to strike out on a check swing to end the 10-pitch at-bat and the threat.

Brazoban's heroics put an end to Megill's night. Megill threw 85 pitches (55 strikes) across 4.2 innings, allowing one run on four hits, one walk and tying a career high with 10 strikeouts.

-Brazoban continued his dominance, striking out four batters in a season-high 2.1 innings to help bridge the gap to Edwin Diaz. Brazoban's ERA this season dropped to 0.90. Reed Garrett pitched a scoreless eighth, working around a one-out single and capping his night off by striking out Bregman. It was the third baseman's fourth strikeout of the evening, the first time Bregman has earned the "Golden Sombrero" in his 10-year career.

Diaz worked around a leadoff walk to nail down the win. Mets pitchers struck out 16 batters on Wednesday.

-Manager Carlos Mendoza changed up the lineup, batting Marte in the two-hole, Soto in the three-hole and Alonso at cleanup behind Lindor. And, for at least one night, it worked out. Marte finished 0-for-3 with a walk, while Soto went 0-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. Alonso went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts.

Lindor went 2-for-5 with a home run. Lindor's long ball, which came in the ninth inning to put a cap on the night, is his 10th of the season and now leads the team. It also snapped the team's 217 at-bats between home runs.

Soto struck out looking twice in his first two at-bats on seven pitches without swinging the bat. It was the first time in his career that Soto struck out twice in a row without swinging the bat. Garrett Crochet would strike out Soto for the third time in the sixth, this time swinging.

Game MVP: Brett Baty

With the offense scuffling, especially with runners in scoring position, Baty helped alleviate that pressure with his two big hits. He finished 2-for-4 with a stolen base.

Highlights

Francisco Lindor leads off the game with a double pic.twitter.com/phFIVrGtEN

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 21, 2025

2 strikeouts for Tylor Megill in the first inning pic.twitter.com/E8MWbPyI3S

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 21, 2025

Brett Baty comes through and gets the Mets on the board

It's Baty's first hit off a left-hander in 2025 pic.twitter.com/e0V9w7WjXX

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 21, 2025

Huascar Brazobán strikes out Alex Bregman to escape the bases-loaded jam in the 5th pic.twitter.com/q0ciNFFvWN

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 22, 2025

A 2-RBI single the other way from Brett Baty for the lead!

He's driven in all 3 Mets runs so far! pic.twitter.com/M6rDd7v2oT

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 22, 2025

A Juan Soto sac fly makes it 4-1 Mets! pic.twitter.com/7rpmNZ7WDY

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 22, 2025

Francisco Lindor blasts his 10th home run of the season off the Green Monster light tower! pic.twitter.com/3zDkHw55oh

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 22, 2025

What's next

The Mets have an off day on Thursday before starting a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on Friday. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m.

Griffin Canning (5-1, 2.47 ERA) will take the mound while the Dodgers will send Clayton Kershaw, making just his second start this season, to oppose him.

Turner, Harper and Phillies' lineup put on a show again in 6th straight win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

DENVER — It was the Trea Turner and Bryce Harper Show early on Wednesday night at Coors Field, another dynamic night for the Phillies’ offense in a sixth straight win.

Turner and Harper singled on consecutive pitches in the top of the first and homered on consecutive pitches in the top of the third, scoring the first four of the Phillies’ runs in a 9-5 win over the Rockies.

The duo put instant pressure on lowly Colorado by executing a double-steal in the first inning. Turner and Harper had both bags stolen easily on rookie left-hander Carson Palmquist but bat-first Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman still tried to throw Turner out at third, sailing the ball into left field. The play created two runs for the Phils, allowing Turner to score on the errant throw, Harper to advance to third and Harper to score on Nick Castellanos’ sacrifice fly.

Turner is 5-for-5 stealing third base this season, 28-for-28 since 2020 and has been caught just three times in 59 career attempts. Goodman should’ve just eaten it.

“I try to be a smart baserunner and not be overly aggressive because I feel like I’ll score on basically any hit,” Turner said. “So a lot of times I just try to pick my spots.”

The Phillies’ offense, top to bottom, has taken advantage of the thin air of Denver, the Rockies’ awful pitching staff and penchant for physical and mental errors. They had 17 hits in each of the first two games and 12 more on Wednesday.

The Phillies are a National League-best 31-18. They’re 18-5 overall and 10-1 on the road dating back to the final weekend of April.

“It feels like everyone’s contributing,” Turner said. “It just feels like everyone’s kinda hot right now, swinging it good. Even the outs feel like good swings.”

Turner has been on fire for a month and now Harper is, too. Turner has multiple hits in 13 of the last 22 games, batting .371 over that span with 19 runs scored. The power is starting to come, too — Turner has two doubles, two triples and a homer these last two series against the Pirates and Rockies.

Turner said after Wednesday’s win that he made a small mechanical adjustment earlier this week at Coors Field. He was hit by pitches in nearly the same spot of the elbow on April 17 and April 20 and said it caused bad habits because he couldn’t physically do what he’s used to at the plate.

“Made a little adjustment the first day here working in the training room,” he said. “I think when I got hit by that pitch earlier in the season, I think that kinda created bad habits for driving the ball. I’ve been taking my hits and whatnot but the last few days it’s been better about hitting the ball in the air and getting it in the gaps.”

Harper is 15-for-30 (.500) over his last eight games with four doubles, a homer, nine RBI, four walks and just one strikeout. He’s raised his batting average from .232 to .276 and his OPS from .771 to .852 in a week.

But it was a full team effort. J.T. Realmuto, 0-for-10 in the first two games, singled, doubled, homered and drove in four. Castellanos singled and scored twice. By the fifth inning, 10 different Phillies had already reached base.

“I think it’s important when you’re winning games consistently, it’s usually a different guy every night,” manager Rob Thomson said. “You’ve got one or two guys that are on a heater but then it’s different guys contributing every night and that’s what we’re getting right now.”

Taijuan Walker allowed single runs in the first and second innings in his return to the rotation but went mostly into shutdown mode after the Phillies went ahead in the third, recording the next six outs on just 17 pitches.

Walker is starting in the spot usually occupied by Aaron Nola, who is on the 15-day injured list with a right ankle sprain. Walker will have at least one more start. Nola long-tossed Wednesday at Coors Field but hasn’t yet thrown off a mound since being placed on the IL last Friday. The Phillies hope to have him throw a bullpen session this weekend in Sacramento, and manager Rob Thomson said that Nola wouldn’t need a traditional ramp-up process if he misses only a couple of cycles through the rotation.

Walker allowed three runs over five innings and has a 2.97 ERA in seven starts.

“Bouncing back and forth is tough. He did a great job tonight,” Thomson said.

“He’s been huge. He’s given us good starts, his ERA is under 3.00. He’s given us some length at times and did a great job out of the bullpen, too. He’s a huge factor on this club, he really is.”

The Phillies used Tanner Banks, Joe Ross and Carlos Hernandez after Walker. They’ve not only won all three games so far in Colorado, they’ve done so without using their top three relievers, Jordan Romano, Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering.

The Phillies go for their second straight sweep on Thursday afternoon with Ranger Suarez (2-0, 5.09 ERA) opposing veteran right-hander German Marquez (1-6, 8.78).

On the heels of getting shut out against the Boston Red Sox and scoring just 10 runs in their last seven games, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza shuffled his lineup for Wednesday's series finale, facing a tough lefty on the mound in Garrett Crochet.

Francisco Lindor is still batting leadoff, but Juan Soto and Pete Alonso were both dropped one spot in the order and are hitting third and fourth, respectively. Starling Marte will hit second against the left-hander.

And while Mendoza is not a guy that likes to overreact, evidenced by his unwavering belief all season that his offense will pick up because of the quality of hitters in the lineup, he wanted to try something different and "shuffle some things around."

"I just felt today was a day to move some people around, especially the guys at the top," Mendoza said. "Facing a lefty, I knew I was gonna go Soto third and Pete fourth. Looking for a right-handed bat to hit in that two-hole, and it came down to Mark [Vientos] or Marte, and I decided to go with Marte today. That’s why he’s here, especially against a left-handed pitcher."

Because the skipper likes consistency, it's likely this new lineup configuration will be more than just a one-time thing against a good left-hander.

"Ideally, I’d like to take a look at it," Mendoza said. "But it depends on teams we’re facing, how their bullpen is set up, whether I wanna go a lefty in the two hole and then you take your chances left, left second and third. Or do you want to insert a righty there? It depends on who we’re facing, but we’ll see. There’s a good chance I’ll keep those guys three and four and then we’ll go from there."

For what it's worth, Alonso has the most experience hitting cleanup in his career. In 509 games hitting fourth (more than double the next closest spot), the first baseman is slashing .248/.336/.515 with 137 home runs.

Perhaps a move to his most-used spot in the order can also help Alonso snap out of a recent cold streak after such a prolonged hot start.

As for Soto, while he has vast experience hitting two through four in the lineup, he has the most plate appearances hitting second. However, not far behind for the 26-year-old is the three-hole where he actually has better numbers (.986 OPS compared to .881 OPS in the two hole).

Nevertheless, Wednesday will be the first time Soto hits in the three-spot since 2023 because he spent all of last season hitting in front of No. 3 hitter Aaron Judge with the Yankees.

"It also makes my decision a lot easier when I go up to someone like Pete Alonso and kind of like 'hey man, this is what I'm thinking' and he's like 'I'm all up for it'," Mendoza said. "'Soto, this is what I'm thinking,' and he's like 'whatever you need, skip'. It makes my job a lot easier when I'm making these decisions."

Asked whether he thinks this lineup change can catch lightning in a bottle and reverse the Mets' offensive misfortunes -- similar to the Lindor lineup change of 2024 -- Mendoza is hopeful, but he knows it's up to the players, no matter where they hit, to execute.

"It comes down to them executing," the skipper said. "They’re too good of a player… at the end of the year the numbers are gonna be there, regardless of where they’re hitting, but I just felt like switching it up a little bit here might help the whole team and we’ll see and go from there."

As for the rest of the lineup, Vientos, Luis Torrens, Tyrone Taylor, Luisangel Acuña and Brett Baty are batting five through nine.

Mets great Mike Piazza knows a thing or two about early season struggles and not immediately living up to fans' expectations.

Despite starting his Mets tenure with a nine-game hitting streak (13 games total counting his brief stint with the Marlins), Piazza struggled hitting in the clutch with runners in scoring position and was booed at Shea Stadium during an August 1998 series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Sounds kind of familiar...

As expected, Yankees fans booed Juan Soto last weekend during his first Subway Series as a Met. The outfielder was expecting it and even tipped his hat to the fans. He's gotten out to a slow start with his new team, hitting just .247 with nine homers as of Wednesday, but Piazza is confident he will turn it around.

"It was a character builder, for sure," Piazza told the New York Post's Joel Sherman. "It made me better."

"I think what he’s going through is a rite of passage," Piazza added.

When Piazza was booed, it served as a motivator for the slugging catcher. He hit a home run in Game 2 of the doubleheader against St. Louis to lead a comeback win and received a curtain call. He even said at the time, "You have to block everything out. I try to. And I think I do a pretty good job." Piazza went on to have a number of clutch hits the rest of the season and throughout his Mets career, becoming one of the most loved players in team history.

"One of the best stories in sports is the comeback story," Piazza told the Post.

He believes Soto can start writing that story this season.

Piazza noted that teammates John Franco, Al Leiter, and Brian McRae helped him block out the distractions and focus on just playing baseball. He believes that Francisco Lindor, who went through a rough stretch early on in New York, can help Soto flip his season. SNY MLB Insider Andy Martino recently wrote how veteran Starling Marte is also helping Soto acclimate to his new team.

Piazza went on to acknowledge the high expectations for Soto, saying "his spotlight is really bright now," and thinks Soto can change the narrative if he simply plays "the game hard."

"Obviously, the expectations are high for him, and coming from the Yankees makes it all the bigger story, I get it," Piazza told the Post. "But this is just part of playing in New York. You have to get through it. You have to rely on your teammates to have your back. Body language is important. They are watching everything you are doing. Frustration is part of the game. I lived it. He didn’t forget how to hit the baseball. The game is tough and his spotlight is really bright now.

"My advice to him would be just relax, make it a team thing, not about you. I just followed the advice that Roy Campanella told me when I was a rookie — just play the game hard, let everything else take care of itself."

On the latest episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo take on their first tough one of the season, as the Mets have hit a tough stretch.

The guys cover the woes of the offense, the struggles of Brandon Nimmo, all the drama surrounding Juan Soto, and the continued success of the starting rotation.

Then they go Down on the Farm to discuss Jonah Tong and Jett Williams, as both prospects continue to make noise at Double-A Binghamton.

The show wraps it up by unloading the Mailbag for questions answered about Nimmo’s place in the batting order, and a potential place for Ronny Mauricio on the big league club.

Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Mets prospect Ronny Mauricio continued his hot start in Triple-A, hitting a home run for the second straight game during Syracuse's 5-2 win over the Rochester Red Wings on Wednesday.

The 24-year-old had two hits in his first game with Syracuse on Sunday and followed that up with a three-hit game on Tuesday, including his first home run of the season.

Serving as the designated hitter on Wednesday, Mauricio hit the two-run homer on a 2-1 breaking ball with one out in the seventh inning, crushing it to right field.

Mauricio finished 2-for-2 with two RBI and two walks (one intentional). He also picked up a stolen base after being walked in the fifth inning -- it's his second stolen base in Triple-A.

The infielder is now hitting .636 (7-for-11) over three Triple-A games, a big improvement from his rehab assignment with St. Lucie and Binghamton where he had just four hits over 10 games.

Prior to being reinstated from the 10-day IL and sent to Triple-A on May 17, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearnssaid Mauricio will stay in the minors "until we have a need."

Meanwhile, starter Paul Blackburn (knee) tossed seven scoreless innings in his sixth rehab start (third with Syracuse) as he works his way back to the majors.

Blackburn allowed just one hit over 87 pitches, striking out six and walking two. It was by far his best rehab appearance this month, having let up nine earned runs over his previous four starts in May.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Tuesday that the goal was for Blackburn to throw 80 pitches and if all goes well, the team will have to make a decision on what's next for him.

Drew Gilbert and Ronny Mauricio start the game off with back-to-back base hits for Triple-A Syracuse pic.twitter.com/YnljlntfhL

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) May 21, 2025

Ronny Mauricio works a walk, steals second base, and advances to third on an overthrow pic.twitter.com/prHAT7qZPT

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) May 21, 2025

Homeruns on back-to-back days for Ronny Mauricio 💣 pic.twitter.com/OtDBzKsbVF

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) May 21, 2025

Three potential Giants rotation options with Verlander headed to IL originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — Justin Verlander has dealt with plenty of bad luck through his first two months as a Giant, watching multiple blown saves wipe out wins that not only would get him on the board in orange and black, but would enhance his chances of one day joining the 300-win club. The latest tough break will cost him at least a couple of weeks. 

Verlander will go on the IL with nerve irritation in his right pectoral muscle, something that popped up in his last start. The Giants are optimistic that he will miss just the two starts before returning to the rotation, which has needed just six starters thus far. 

Verlander played catch Wednesday morning and afterward told trainers that he wasn’t yet 100 percent. He said it was “borderline” for his scheduled start Saturday, and he couldn’t 100 percent guarantee that he would be ready five days later if the Giants skipped one start. That would have left the roster in a tough spot on a three-city trip, so the decision was made to be cautious. 

The 42-year-old missed time last year with nerve irritation in his neck, but said this is not at all related to that injury. 

“That’s really positive,” he said. “It’s just something I need to work through.”

Verlander has a 4.33 ERA through 10 starts, but it’s 2.97 over his last six, and he went at least six innings in four of those games. He lasted just four innings on Sunday, though, and his fastball was down about three mph. Verlander knew before that game that he wasn’t at his best, but he thought he could pitch through it. That changed in the first inning when he looked up and saw 90 mph on the scoreboard. 

“Oh boy,” he told himself. “It’s gonna be a tough day.”

The Giants gave Verlander a couple of days to rest, but they had a pretty good idea all along that he might need more time. That gave them time to prepare some potential fill-in options. 

The frontrunner would appear to be left-hander Kyle Harrison, who has been waiting for his shot since a late start to the spring kept him from competing with Landen Roupp and Hayden Birdsong, both of whom are currently in the rotation. Harrison’s velocity ticked up in Triple-A in late April and he was recalled earlier this month to be a reliever. He hit 97 mph on Tuesday night while throwing 1 1/3 innings. 

Harrison could give the Giants about 50 pitches if needed, manager Bob Melvin said Wednesday morning. That could be enough if the Giants add another depth arm — Tristan Beck, Sean Hjelle, Mason Black and others would be options — to the bullpen. They also could use Thursday’s off day to move others up and give Harrison more time to prepare. 

Jordan Hicks could likely give Melvin about  90 to 100 pitches since he is only a week removed from his last start, although he struggled when he was in the rotation, leading to the Giants giving that spot to Birdsong. Hicks on Wednesday was as sharp as he has been in weeks when he threw one inning out of the bullpen. 

The Giants also could opt for a big promotion. Left-hander Carson Whisenhunt is their best pitching prospect and he was just named Pacific Coast League Pitcher of the Week after throwing 14 shutout innings over two starts. Whisenhunt has thrown seven innings in all four of his May starts and allowed just four earned runs, with 28 strikeouts to two walks. The Giants have two open spots on the 40-man roster and easily could add Whisenhunt, although choosing him would be bypassing Harrison, who is just 23 and viewed as a big piece for future rotations. 

There are options, and that’s the important thing. A year ago at this time, Melvin was patching it together when injuries hit the rotation. 

“I feel like we have eight or nine guys who can come in and start games, which is nice,” staff ace Logan Webb said. “Whoever it is I think is going to do a great job … whoever it is, I’m excited about.”

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