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Mets' gut-check win over Yankees signals a team beginning to turn a corner

In the clubhouse after a gut-check win that featured a depleted pitching staff, the Mets weren’t trying to play it cool. They were jazzed, if you will, about beating the Yankees 6-5 with a late comeback in front of a raucous Citi Field crowd, convinced it said a lot about who they are as they pull themselves out of their June swoon.

And no one said it better than Reed Garrett, who came to the rescue with a six-out save on a day when Edwin Diaz and Ryne Stanek were unavailable, and reacted to the last out as if it were October.

“This is a huge series,” Garrett said. “To get those outs was big for me but it was also a great team win. I think it shows that if you back us into a corner, we’re going to fight our way out of it.”

Garrett wasn’t just speaking of Friday’s win, of course, but also the 3-14 stretch that had them reeling going into July. Suddenly they’ve won three straight games, however, and while they’re still very short on starting pitching, with no obvious starter for Sunday’s game, they’re feeling a lot better about themselves.

Beating the Yankees, even at a time when the team across town is in the midst of a five-game losing streak with worrisome bullpen problems, always seems to have that effect on the Mets.

“This was a huge game,” was the way Jeff McNeil put it, after delivering the go-ahead two-run home run in the seventh inning off Luke Weaver. “It’s always a battle with them. It’s emotional. It’s a playoff atmosphere.”

The Subway Series games do always have that feel, with the crowd providing added energy and intensity, but this one seemed to have a little extra edge, maybe because of the Juan Soto factor.

He was playing in his first Subway Series games as a Met at Citi Field, and not only put on a show with three hits but changed the complexion of the game in his very first at-bat.

By then the Yankees had already stunned the Mets with home runs from the first two batters of the game, Jasson Dominguez and Aaron Judge, and with journeyman right-hander Justin Hagenman on the mound, there was plenty of reason to believe the game could turn into a rout.

But then up came Soto in the first inning, with Brandon Nimmo on third. The crowd, which sounded like 70-75 percent Mets fans, seemed to rise as one to give Soto a huge ovation, as if to remind Yankee fans that he’s their guy now and they love him.

When Soto promptly delivered on that ovation with a home run to left-center off Marcus Stroman, the crowd went bananas.

“Juan responded right away with a setting-the-tone moment,’’ manager Carlos Mendoza said. “It was like, they punch us, we’re going to punch back.”

From there it was on. Cody Bellinger went deep to make it 3-2. Soto doubled and Alonso singled to tie it again at 3-3. Dominguez hit another long ball to make it 5-3 Yankees, then Brett Baty hit a bomb, and Citi Field was electric.

Mendoza was asked if he could appreciate the entertainment level even while living and dying with each pitch in the dugout.

“One hundred percent,” he said. “You appreciate the show. “You’re aware something special is happening, with the back and forth, the big crowd. It’s what you expect out of games like this.”

Of course, for a long time that looked like it might be small consolation, with the Mets trailing and short on arms. Mendoza went to Austin Warren to relieve Hagenman in the fifth and he promptly gave up the two-run shot to Dominguez.

In the seventh he turned to Huascar Brazoban, a disaster lately mostly because he couldn’t throw strikes. Yet on this day Brazoban found the form -- and the strike zone -- that made him such a weapon early in the season, and struck out both Judge and Bellinger to put up a scoreless seventh.

Still down 5-4, the Mets rallied, as Alonso worked a two-out walk off Weaver, and McNeil yanked a 3-2 change-up at the knees into the second deck in right field, saying afterward he had a feeling he might get the off-speed pitch in that spot.

“It’s his best pitch,” McNeil said.

Without Stanek or Diaz available, Mendoza then gave the ball to Garrett, who has been struggling as well lately. But like Brazoban, he found his form and worked a 14-pitch scoreless eighth, leading Mendoza to pull Garrett aside and say, “give me everything you’ve got” as he sent him back out for the ninth.

“The initial plan wasn’t for Garrett to go two innings,” Mendoza said in the interview room.

“What was the initial plan?” a reporter asked.

Mendoza smiled sheepishly, ducked his head, and said, “I’m just glad it worked out the way it did.”

He didn’t want to diss anyone but his best option at that point, and the only reliever warming up, was left-hander Richard Lovelady, a recent waiver-wire pick-up who would have been a bad matchup against the Yankees.

Instead, Garrett delivered another clean inning. It was a tense ninth, all the more so because Judge loomed as the fourth batter up. That made McNeil’s one-out diving play on DJ Lemahieu’s one-hopper in the hole feel almost like something of a game-saver.

“If that ball gets through it’s a completely different inning,” Mendoza said.

“I knew Judge would get up if anybody got on,” said McNeil. “So I knew it was a big play.”

Sure enough, Garrett then got Dominguez on a routine ground ball to McNeil and the game ended with Judge in the on-deck circle.

Gut-check win, indeed. It might be too early to say the Mets have officially turned the corner after their three-week nightmare, but on Friday it clearly felt that way to them.

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Reed Garrett bounces back, gives Mets' overworked bullpen two huge innings in Subway Series save

The Mets didn't have a lot of options on the mound in Friday's Subway Series opener against the Yankees, but they were able to patch things up towards the end with Reed Garrett the big hero as the struggling reliever got the last six outs and closed out the 6-5 win.

With his outing, Garrett was able to overcome some demons that have plagued him lately after an unbelievable two months to begin the season.

In 7.1 innings across the month of June, Garrett owned a 7.36 ERA and 2.05 WHIP before things really came crashing down on him in his previous outing against the Milwaukee Brewers on July 2 where he allowed four earned runs on three hits and a walk in 0.2 innings of what began as a close game.

Two days later, Garrett was right back out there in a one-run game late against the Yanks at Citi Field. But after pitching a clean eighth inning in what would've been a job well-done, manager Carlos Mendoza -- without Edwin Diaz or Ryne Stanek and a bullpen that has generally been taxed recently -- asked Garrett in between innings if the right-hander was up for one more.

"I was just making sure that he was physically feeling fine," Mendoza said of his conversation with Garrett in the dugout. "We’ve asked a lot out of him as of late."

When Garrett gave his skipper the go-ahead, Mendoza, who admitted that having Garrett pitch two innings wasn't his initial plan, told his pitcher, "give me everything you got here."

Garrett responded with a 1-2-3 inning, thanks to a nifty play by Jeff McNeil who hit the go-ahead, two-run homer in the seventh, to strand Aaron Judge on deck and earn his third save of the season while giving the Mets the first win of the weekend series.

"It’s been a grind. The month of June was a grind," Garrett said. "…This is a huge series. This is what everybody in New York looks forward to so to get the last six (outs) was big for me and a little subtle reminder to keep going, keep fighting."

New York (NL) has now won three straight and improved to 32-13 at home. Meanwhile, New York (AL) dropped its fifth consecutive game as it manages problems of its own.

"I think we’ve shown a lot over the last month of just, like, who we are as a team," Garrett said. "I think if you back us into a corner, we’re going to fight our way out of it."

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How Justin Verlander plans to rebound from 'embarrassing' outing in Giants' loss

How Justin Verlander plans to rebound from 'embarrassing' outing in Giants' loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

WEST SACRAMENTO – Earlier in his career Justin Verlander was so dominant that he could blow teams away on days when he didn’t have his best stuff. Now at 42 years old and suffering through arguably the worst stretch of his storied career, Verlander has to work a bit harder and craftier than he once did.

That’s been the case all season since the three-time Cy Young Award winner inked a one-year deal, $15 million contract with the Giants in the offseason, and was the case Friday in Sacramento.

Coming off one of his most encouraging starts of the season – six innings, one run against the Chicago White Sox – Verlander’s momentum came to an abrupt halt on Friday night in the Giants’ 11-2 loss to the Athletics at Sutter Health Park, where the A’s tagged him for six runs and seven hits in just three innings, his second-shortest start of the 2025 MLB season.

“I felt like I was pretty easy to hit tonight,” said Verlander, who characterized his outing as ‘frankly embarrassing.’

“I need to be better than that. I thought I found something between starts that was going to help and send me in the right direction. It didn’t, so back to the drawing board.”

That’s been the sense around Verlander’s starts all season. For every step of improvement that he seems to make, there are two or three other mistake pitches that get pounded.

“His stuff looked pretty good. I think just every mistake he’s making he’s paying for it,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “He’s throwing some balls down the middle, and (opponents) are getting some good swings. And other pitches, he’s making good pitches on and he’s not really getting away with much.”

Asked if Verlander might trying to be too fine with his pitches because his mistakes are getting hammered so well, Melvin didn’t think that is the case.

“He’s had a history of being able to recover but today just couldn’t do it,” said Melvin, referring to Verlander giving up all six of his runs in the first two innings. “I think he’s just making mistakes. I don’t think he’s trying to be too fine.”

Verlander bears a resume that will surely get him into the Hall of Fame but the pitcher he was during his dominant days is not the same pitcher he is now.

Rather than getting by on sheer athletic talent, Verlander is having to put in more work between starts and plans to continue down that path until he gets that elusive first win with the Orange and Black.

“I’m just not deceptive enough,” he said. “My stuff is OK. I know that I can still be successful with the given stuff that I have at this level. I’m just not deceptive enough right now, and I need to figure that out. I need to figure out how to blend stuff better. Mechanically I’m not delivering the pitch the way that I’m capable (of) to deceive the hitter. I’ve been working hard to figure that out since the start of the season.”

Part of that means getting comfortable with the pitches that are working and not stressing over the ones that aren’t.

“You have to adjust to what you have at that given time,” Verlander said. “The converse of looking at it that objectively is that I do think my stuff can be consistently great enough to be a great pitcher in this game, given the current landscape. But I need to make some adjustments. I’m trying everything I know how to do.”

As tough as the season has been – Verlander dropped to 0-5 with a 4.84 ERA following the loss to the A’s on the 4th of July – the nine-time All-Star is confident that he still has time to turn things around for himself and the Giants.

“I’ve had a lot of crappy starts in my career,” Verlander acknowledged. “You work on something, and the only person that can really tell you if it’s going to be beneficial or not is the hitter in that situation where they’re reacting to the pitches in a real time situation. The reactions I saw tonight wasn’t good enough so that was not the answer.”

During his 20-year career in the majors, one of the most important lessons that Verlander has learned is to not let things linger, good or bad.

“I’m already on to the next thing,” Verlander said. “Threw some balls against the wall and felt some different mechanics that I’ve been thinking about. I’m optimistic that that’s going to be the next thing that works. This isn’t the first time. I’ve had two or three instances in my career where I’ve kind of had to reinvent the wheel and everything that I’ve known to try to fix something doesn’t work. I feel like I’m kind of there where it’s like, ‘Alright it’s time to throw (stuff) against the wall and see what works.”

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Denzel Clarke's 471-foot homer vs. Giants is evidence of his offensive progress

Denzel Clarke's 471-foot homer vs. Giants is evidence of his offensive progress originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Athletics rookie Denzel Clarke has been wowing the baseball world with his unreal catches, but his bat hasn’t kept up with his glove.

However, Clarke’s performance Friday night in the Athletics’ 11-2 win over the Giants at Sutter Health Park might be a sign that his bat is turning a corner.

The 25-year-old demolished a 471-foot homer off Giants reliever Mason Black in the seventh inning to push the Athletics’ lead to 11-0.

The ball landed in the netting above the clubhouses in left-center field.

“I tagged that ball, which was dope,” Clarke told Jenny Cavnar and Dallas Braden on “A’s Cast” after the game. “Happy to help the team win on both sides of the ball today. So, it was dope.”

Clarke entered Friday’s game slashing .189/.239/.264 with two homers and six RBI, but after going 2-for-4 with a triple and the longer homer, he’s now slashing .200/.248/.318.

For Clarke, playing in his 36th big-league game, his approach has been simple.

“I think the biggest thing is just simplifying,” Clarke told Canvar and Braden. “The stuff is good here. These are the best pitchers in the world, so I’ve got to make sure I’m as simple as possible. And the biggest thing is I have long arms, long legs, I’m a tall dude, so I’ve got to make sure everything is compact. Totally just making the adjustments.”

After a game in which starter JP Sears pitched six shutout innings and the Athletics’ offense pounded out 12 hits — including six doubles — the first question to manager Mark Kotsay was about Clarke and the progress he’s making.

“Great day by Denzel,” Kotsay told reporters. “Outside of him not catching the ball that went over the wall — I asked him where his web was, but it didn’t come out — but then the very next play, he robs a line-drive base hit in the right-center gap. Overall, the way he’s swinging the bat, the continued progress he’s making, the ball to right center, for him to drive a ball that way and 2-0, have the ability to get the head out and hit a ball a really long way over the building shows the progress he’s making, for sure.”

Clarke still has a long way to go with the bat, but Friday’s performance proves he’s capable of being a two-way force for the Athletics.

The keys are simplifying and finding consistency.

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Jeff McNeil's late go-ahead homer lifts Mets to 6-5 win over Yankees

The Mets pulled off a late-inning comeback, thanks to a seventh-inning home run by Jeff McNeil, to defeat the Yankees, 6-5, on Friday afternoon at Citi Field in the opener of Subway Series Round 2.

It was the Mets’ third straight win, and the Yankees’ fifth straight loss. The crosstown rivals are now 2-2 across four Subway Series games this season.

Here are the takeaways...

-- After trailing much of the day, the Mets rallied in the seventh on a two-out walk by Pete Alonso and the go-ahead homer by McNeil, who pulled a 3-2 changeup from Luke Weaver into the second deck of the right field seats. It was a huge win for the Mets, considering their pitching has been decimated by injuries.

-- Justin Hagenman, Austin Warren, and Huascar Brazobán kept them in the game, and then Reed Garrett closed it out with a six-out save. Garrett's role was crucial, considering that Ryne Stanek and Edwin Diaz were both unavailable after pitching the last two days.

-- Juan Soto had a monster day, going 3-for-4 with a two-run blast, a double that led to him scoring, and a single as well. He also just missed a second homer, just getting under a pitch from Tim Hill in the seventh that he mashed at 106.8 mph off the bat. Soto’s first-inning shot tied the game at 2-2 and changed the complexion of the game.

-- As noted by Sarah Langs of MLB.com, Soto’s first-inning homer was his 60th career opposite-field blast. Since the start of the 2018 season, that’s second-most in the majors, behind only Aaron Judge’s total of 90. The second-highest mark from a left-handed hitter during this span is 50, set by Bryce Harper.

-- Hagenman was roughed up by the Yankees in his fill-in start, giving up four runs in 4.1 innings. He was hurt mostly by the long ball, as Jasson Dominguez, Judge, and Cody Bellinger all hit solo homers against him. Dominguez and Judge led off the game with home runs, while Bellinger delivered his shot in the fourth.

-- Hagenman was pulled after a one-out single by DJ Lemahieu in the fifth, and then Austin Warren promptly gave up a two-run homer to Dominguez, his second of the game.

-- Marcus Stroman went five innings for the Yankees, allowing three runs on seven hits and one walk while striking out four (81 pitches). While he pitched okay, he couldn’t get Soto out. Soto’s two-run dinger and double led to all three runs against the veteran right-hander.

-- Dominguez is smoking-hot for the Yankees. His two homers on Friday followed a four-hit game against the Blue Jays on Thursday and gives him eight for the season. Since June 10, Dominguez is hitting .361 with five homers and 11 RBI. 

Game MVP: Jeff McNeil

He’s not the ideal No. 5 hitter behind Alonso, except he was on this day. He battled Weaver to a 3-2 count and then got a changeup, at 87 mph, that stayed up just enough for him to launch for his ninth homer this season. McNeil also made a great play in the ninth, diving to smother a high chopper off the bat of Lemahieu, and scrambling to his feet to throw him out for the second out of the inning.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets (51-38) and Yankees (48-40) will play the middle game of their holiday weekend set on Saturday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m. on SNY.

RHP Frankie Montas (0-1, 6.00 ERA) will pitch against his former team, while the Yankees counter with LHP Carlos Rodón (9-5, 2.95 ERA).

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What we learned as Justin Verlander, Giants' offense ineffective vs. Athletics

What we learned as Justin Verlander, Giants' offense ineffective vs. Athletics originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

WEST SACRAMENTO – The Justin Verlander saga added another disappointing chapter on the 4th of July, as the Athletics hammered the nine-time All-Star for a season-high six runs en route to an 11-2 blowout over the Giants on Friday night at Sutter Health Park.

Verlander gave up seven hits and had five strikeouts, while his ERA rose from 4.26 to 4.84. It all happened on the 20th anniversary of Verlander’s MLB debut.

Already viewed as one of the premier pitchers of his era, Verlander is making history for all the wrong reasons now. At 0-5, he’s off to the worst start of his 20-year MLB career and hasn’t won since Sept. 28, 2024, when he was still pitching with the Houston Astros.

After giving up a run in the first inning Verlander was tagged for four runs and four doubles in the second inning when the A’s extended their lead to 5-0.

The Giants weren’t expecting Verlander to be the dominant pitcher he had been previously but they certainly didn’t expect to go into July still waiting for the three-time Cy Young Award winner to get his first win with the Orange and Black.

Verlander began the game much more aggressively than he has been, throwing first-pitch strikes to seven of the first 11 batters he faced. The problem was that Verlander kept throwing the ball in the zone and the A’s were able to square him up and had several hard-hit balls in the first two innings, including four doubles and five runs.

Verlander threw 60 pitches in his brief night of work, 45 for strikes.

The Giants didn’t do much at the plate, either.

In what has been a season-long story, the Giants offense was mostly muted with Verlander on the mound.

Brett Wisely homered for San Francisco. Rafael Devers, Luis Matos and Dom Smith each doubled.

Instead of capitalizing on the momentum they built the last two days in Arizona, the Giants lost for the first time in four games this season against their former Bay Area rivals in front of the Athletics’ largest crowd at Sutter Health Park – 12,322.

Looking ahead, the Giants will have ace Logan Webb pitching on Saturday in what is a welcome-home game for the Rocklin native.

Here are the takeaways from a loss that drops the Giants to 47-42:

No support, no surprise

Verlander got Cain’d again.

All season long the Giants have failed to back the nine-time All-Star with much offense – 26 runs over his previous 13 starts, third-fewest in the National League – and Friday was no different.

A’s starter JP Sears, a solid but not necessarily an overwhelming pitcher, carried a perfect game into the fourth inning before Heliot Ramos drew a leadoff walk. Willy Adames followed with a single to break up the no-hit bid.

Things got really bad for the eyes in the fourth and fifth when the Giants got two on with no outs in both innings and failed to score.

Six of San Francisco’s nine hitters in the starting lineup struck out at least once. Patrick Bailey had a golden sombrero with four Ks.

Not even the small uprising in the ninth was enough to put a positive spin on this one.

Wisely ends shutout bid

Called up from the minors two weeks ago, Wisely helped the Giants avoid being shut out for the ninth time this season when he crushed a 1-0 fastball from A’s reliever for a 415-foot home run, Wisely’s first of the season.

Wisely, who flashed some nifty glove work a night earlier while filling in for injured third baseman Matt Chapman, hasn’t shown a lot of pop in his bat during his first two seasons in the bigs, but with the offense in the extended slump that it is, the Giants will take anything they can get.

San Francisco tacked on a second run when Smith doubled in the ninth and scored on an error.

Been here before

The Giants were the visiting team, although nearly every player on the 26-man roster had previously played at Sutter Health Park either with the Sacramento River Cats – San Francisco’s Triple-A affiliate – on their way to the bigs or made a rehab appearance here.

Eight players alone have played with the River Cats this season, while 20 of the 26 on the roster played here with the River Cats at some point during their career. Assistant hitting coach Damon Minor and bullpen coach Gavrin Alston also worked with the Cats during their careers.

The one person with the least experience at the Sacramento ballpark is manager Bob Melvin, who never coached here while managing the Oakland A’s. He has coached a pair of exhibition games here but none in the regular season.

The Giants’ roots were evident in the crowd, too. Several fans wore bright orange shirts and cheered for the away team.

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Mets pitcher José Buttó goes on 15-day injured list with unspecified illness

NEW YORK — New York Mets reliever José Buttó was put on the 15-day injured list Friday with an unspecified illness, the team’s 13th pitcher on the IL.

“We’re not going to get into the details of it out of respect of Buttó, but we don’t anticipate this being a long term,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “We expect him to be back right after the All-Star break.”

Mendoza said he didn’t anticipate that Buttó will need to go on a minor league injury rehabilitation assignment. A 27-year-old right-hander, Buttó is 2-1 with a 2.47 ERA in 31 relief appearances, the last a two-inning outing at Pittsburgh last Saturday.

New York recalled right-hander Chris Devenski from Triple-A Syracuse. Brought up for the fourth time this season, the 34-year-old right-hander has made four appearances for the Mets.

Right-hander Kodai Senga, sidelined since June 12 by a strained right hamstring, is to start a rehab assignment Saturday with Double-A Binghamton. He is to throw 60-65 pitches, according to Mendoza, and soon could return to New York’s injury-ravaged rotation.

“We’ll see how it goes tomorrow and then see how he responds and we’ll have a decision after that,” Mendoza said.

New York didn’t have an update on reliever Dedniel Núñez, who was put on the IL on Thursday because of a sprained right elbow sprain and could require Tommy John surgery for the second time.

“He’s going to to visit a doctor next week because of a holiday weekend,” Mendoza said.

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Matt Chapman's expected return to Giants lineup from IL outlined by Bob Melvin

Matt Chapman's expected return to Giants lineup from IL outlined by Bob Melvin originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

WEST SACRAMENTO – Giants manager Bob Melvin said that he expects third baseman Matt Chapman to be activated off the Injured List in time to play against the Athletics on Saturday.

Chapman, a five-time Gold Glove Award winner, has been out since June 9 with right hand inflammation. The 32-year-old had a .243 batting average with 12 home runs and 30 RBIs before he got hurt.

The Giants have missed both his bat and glove, although Brett Wisely made a Chapman-esque play to get an out during the Giants’ win over the Diamondbacks on Thursday in Arizona.

Melvin said Chapman has been taking live batting practice and hitting off a high-velocity pitching machine. The veteran third baseman lobbied to be activated Friday so that he could play against his former team.

Instead, Chapman remained with the Giants’ Triple-A affiliate and is scheduled to play Friday in Reno with the River Cats because the coaching staff wanted him to get some playing time before rejoining the big-league club.

“Obviously, he wanted to get back right away but it’s been a month,” Melvin explained. “We want to get him on the field, get some at-bats and see how he feels the next day. We anticipate him being here tomorrow to play. That’s what we anticipate.”

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Mets Notes: José Buttó joins list of injured pitchers; another Subway Series with fireworks

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza spoke to the media ahead of Friday's home series opener with the crosstown rival Yankees. Here's what he said...

Buttó lands on IL with illness, update on Núñez

Another day, another pitcher on the injured list. The latest victim is José Buttó, who's been placed on the 15-day IL (retroactive to July 1) with what the Mets are calling an undisclosed illness. Mendoza doesn't fear the right-handed reliever will miss extended time -- they expect him back right after the All-Star break. In a corresponding move, Chris Devenski was called up from Triple-A Syracuse.

The announcement of Buttó's illness comes less than 24 hours after the Mets announced 15-day IL stints for both Paul Blackburn (shoulder impingement) and Dedniel Núñez (elbow sprain). The news is far worse for Núñez -- MRI results revealed some significant ligament damage and he could undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery.

A decision on Núñez won't come until next week, however. Mendoza said the 29-year-old reliever will meet with a doctor then, due to the holiday weekend. As for Blackburn, who was slotted to face the Yankees on Friday, he's in the midst of a shutdown period of three-to-five days.

Pitching plan remains fluid

While the Mets could've turned to a few top prospects like Nolan McLean or Brandon Sproat to contribute on the mound this weekend, they've tasked Justin Hagenman with starting Friday's game. Frankie Montas is still slated to make his third start of the season on Saturday, but the pitching plan for Sunday's series finale remains up in the air.

"We've got to get through today, we've got to get through tomorrow. And then after the game Saturday, we'll have a better idea for Sunday," Mendoza said of their mindset.

The good news is that rotation reinforcements aren't too far away. Kodai Senga (hamstring strain) will begin his rehab assignment on Saturday with Double-A Binghamton and throw between 60-65 pitches, according to Mendoza. If all goes well in the outing, the Mets could bring him back before the All-Star break.

The Mets also shared a positive update on Tylor Megill, who's been shut down for three weeks with an elbow sprain. The veteran right-hander is expected to restart a throwing program on Saturday, playing catch off flat ground.

Alvarez rediscovering pop in Triple-A

The Mets still have a long-term vision with catcher Francisco Alvarez, who was demoted to Triple-A Syracuse in late June due to inadequate big-league production this season. But the change in scenery appears to be paying off for the 24-year-old, as he's showcasing some long-lost power at the plate.

In eight games (27 at-bats) with Syracuse, Alvarez has collected four extra-base hits -- three home runs and one double -- and Mendoza is pleased with the progress reports that he's received from the coaching staff.

"Very encouraging. Not only the results they've seen, but just how he's going about his business," Mendoza said. "We know he's an extremely hard worker. Since Day 1, the mentality has been, 'Okay, let's get to work.' Defensively, the receiving and blocking. Offensively, driving the baseball. There's a lot of positive coming out of Triple-A...

"When you watch his at-bats the past few games, it's like back to the old version of when he first came up to the big leagues. But as far as what he's trying to do, he's hitting the ball hard, consistently to all fields... As far as the batting stance, it looks like he's going back to what he used to do... But again, positive results."

A new Subway Series with fireworks

Coming off back-to-back wins against the Brewers, in which they clinched their first series win in three weeks, the Mets are looking for three straight victories for the first time since June 10-12. So, it's only fitting that the rival Yankees -- limping into this weekend's highly-anticipated series after losing four straight against the Blue Jays -- stand in the way of a long-craved winning streak.

June was a month to forget for both teams. The Mets and Yankees endured losing skids of six-plus games, fell out of first place in their respective divisions, and struggled to regain dominant form amid slumps and injuries. Call it a Big Apple circus with concerns from fans in Queens and the Bronx.

At the moment, the Mets are riding momentum. But meetings with the Yankees always feature drama, and Mendoza is fully aware of the stakes and bragging rights.

"We're facing a lot of adversity, but every team goes through it," Mendoza said. "Here we are, the beginning of another Subway Series, and our job is to compete and win a baseball game... [The Yankees are] dealing with injuries as well, from what I can tell. But still a really good team... When you look at that roster, that's a really good team. I know they've been through a stretch like what we've been going through."

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Phillies demote rookie pitcher Mick Abel to Triple-A two months after MLB debut

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia Phillies demoted rookie right-hander Mick Abel, who has struggled since he struck out nine in his major league debut, to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.

The Phillies also recalled reliever Seth Johnson from Lehigh Valley ahead of Friday’s game against Cincinnati.

The 23-year-old Abel made six starts for the Phillies and went 2-2 with 5.04 ERA with 21 strikeouts and nine walks.

“Mick needed to go down and breathe a little bit,” manager Rob Thomson said. “Just get a little reset. It’s not uncommon.”

A 6-foot-5 right-hander selected 15th overall by the Phillies in the 2020 amateur draft, Abel dazzled against Pittsburgh in May when his nine strikeouts tied a Phillies high for a debut, set by Curt Simmons against the New York Giants on Sept. 28, 1947.

He hasn’t pitched beyond the fifth inning in any of his last four starts and was rocked for five runs in 1 2/3 innings on Wednesday against San Diego.

Abel was 3-12 with a 6.46 ERA last year for Lehigh Valley, walking 78 in 108 2/3 innings. He improved to 5-2 with a 2.53 ERA in eight minor league starts this year, walking 19 in 46 1/3 innings.

“This guy’s had a really good year,” Thomson said. “His poise, his composure is outstanding. He’s really grown. We just need to get back to that. Just attack the zone and get through adversity.”

The Phillies will give Taijuan Walker another start in Abel’s place against San Francisco. Walker has bounced between the rotation and the bullpen over the last two seasons. He has made eight starts with 11 relief appearances this season and is 3-5 with one save and a 3.64 ERA.

Thomson said he had not made a final decision on who will be the fifth starter after the All-Star break. Top prospect Andrew Painter has two more scheduled starts in Triple-A before the MLB All-Star break and could earn a spot in the rotation.

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Cubs starter Jameson Taillon goes on injured list, will miss more than month with calf strain

CHICAGO — Chicago Cubs starter Jameson Taillon may miss “more than a month” with a right calf strain, manager Craig Counsell said Friday after the team placed the veteran right-hander on the injured list.

Taillon is 7-6 with a 4.44 ERA and a mainstay in the NL Central leader’s rotation despite some ups and downs in his ninth major league season. The 33-year-old has lost three straight games, with a 10.66 ERA in that span, after winning five in a row.

Taillon, who had been scheduled to start Saturday, sustained the injury while running after a bullpen session on Thursday.

“He felt a grab yesterday,” Counsell said. “He’s going to miss a pretty significant amount of time.”

The IL move is retroactive to Tuesday. In a corresponding move, the Cubs recalled lefty Jordan Wicks from Triple-A Iowa before their game against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Wicks is expected to work from the bullpen, although 11 of his 12 appearances for Iowa were starts. He was 1-3 with one save and 4.06 ERA with the Triple-A affiliate.

Wicks appeared in two games with the Cubs in April, pitching two innings and going 0-1 with a 13.50 ERA.

“He’s got to come up here and attack the strike zone and get himself in favorable counts ... to be effective,” Counsell said.

Taillon’s injury left the Cubs scrambling to plug another hole in their rotation.

Left-hander Justin Steele, an All-Star in 2023 with a 16-5 record, made only four starts this season before undergoing elbow surgery that will sideline him for the rest of 2025.

Lefty Shota Imanaga has won two starts since returning from a hamstring strain that kept him out for seven weeks.

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Luzardo roughed up against Reds, knows there's ‘no excuse' for recent struggles

Luzardo roughed up against Reds, knows there's ‘no excuse' for recent struggles originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

You just don’t expect that kind of starting pitching performance. Not the way things have gone this season. And that has nothing to do with anything on the Phillies staff. No, that’s just how good of a season Reds’ lefty Andrew Abbott is having. He didn’t have it Friday, though, at sun-soaked Citizens Bank Park.

Problem was, Phillies starter Jesus Luzardo had even less of it and when it was all totaled, an expected pitcher’s duel turned into a slugfest that fell the way of the Reds, 9-6.

Abbott entered Friday having allowed more than one earned run in a game just twice, while boasting a 1.79 ERA. The most runs he had allowed in an inning was three, which happened to him just twice this season. So when the Phillies’ righty-heavy lineup jumped on him for three runs in the first, including a two-run homer by Nick Castellanos, something more than America’s birthdays seemed to be on the celebration list for Phillies’ fans. 

Whether pitch-tipping was an issue again for Luzardo or the fact that he was facing a very sturdy Reds lineup – or a combination of the two – wasted the Phillies opening inning onslaught. Luzardo gave up one in the second before allowing the first six runners of the third inning to reach base, with five of them scoring. He exited after not recording an out in the frame.

While we have become starting pitching spoiled with the performance of that crew in the month of June, there is legitimacy in having some concerns for the 27-year-old. His pitch count over his last five starts has been very high – 466 pitches in 24.2 innings – and he’ll be close to 100 innings pitched on the season when the team welcomes the All-Star break after next weekend. Luzardo has gone over 100 innings in a season just twice in his seven seasons.

“My breaking ball wasn’t landing for strikes and basically had to go at the zone with fastballs later on, so I need to find ways to limit that and obviously find the zone a lot more,” said Luzardo. “I feel great. I still feel strong and healthy, which is a positive. But I need to find a way to limit deep counts and the pitch count and try to get out of innings as fast as possible.

“When my breaking ball isn’t landing for strikes that’s a big avenue for me to getting strikes throughout counts. So I think that when that’s not falling it makes it a lot tougher. I just need to find ways to make it work.” 

A smattering of boos, quickly drowned out by “appreciate the effort” applause greeted Luzardo when he gave the ball to Thomson and headed to the showers. The boos were no doubt coming from an understandable spoiled bunch, as they watched the Phillies starters combine for a 2.35 ERA in 27 starts during June. It is the 5th-lowest ERA by any Phillies rotation in a full month since 1969.

“I thought he was real good in the first inning,” said Rob Thomson of Luzardo. “In the second he had that long inning and they were laying off his slider a little bit, and his changeup and he just lost command.

“He shouldn’t be (uncomfortable pitching with runners on base). He’s experienced. He needs to get back in the zone a little bit more. Induce some swings and some contact. I don’t think he’s hunting strikeouts. He has to be a little bit more efficient.”

The Phillies offense did its part, posting 14 hits, including two each by Trea Turner, Kyle Schwarber, Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto.  With two on and one out in the eighth against righty Tony Santillan, Schwarber hit a laser, no more than 10-feet high, but directly to right right fielder Rece Hinds. After a walk to Harper – the unintentional-intentional kind – loaded the bases, Alec Bohm struck out looking on a 2-2 fastball that ended the threat and sent many home to enjoy their holiday barbecues.

“I still have all the confidence in the world in Luzardo,” Thomson said. “Everybody’s going to have bad outings here and there. I think we’re still fine.”

It helps to look ahead a bit and know that Ranger Suarez and Zack Wheeler will be closing out the series against Cincinnati. In the meantime, getting Luzardo right is a priority.

“We tinkered a lot with coming out of the stretch with the whole pitch tipping thing,” Luzardo said. “We made a big change in terms of my hands. So it’s just more of getting comfortable. We’re already midseason so there’s no adjustment period, just have to figure it out. But I think out of the stretch, maybe the change caused a little as opposed to my windup being the same that it’s always been. There’s no excuse for it.”

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Nationals place pitcher Trevor Williams on the injured list with an elbow sprain

WASHINGTON — The Washington Nationals placed starter Trevor Williams on the 15-day injured list with a right elbow sprain Friday, two days after the veteran right-hander gave up a season-high seven runs in an 11-2 loss to Detroit.

Williams is 3-10 with a 6.21 ERA in 17 starts this season and is tied for second in the National League in losses. He agreed to a two-year, $14 million deal after going 6-1 with a 2.03 ERA last year despite being limited to 13 starts because of strained muscle in his throwing arm.

Washington recalled right-hander Ryan Loutos from Triple-A Rochester, a day after demoting him. Loutos is 1-0 with a 13.50 ERA in eight games with the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Nationals this season.

The Nationals also activated catcher Keibert Ruiz from the injured list and optioned catcher Drew Millas to Rochester. Ruiz had been sidelined with a concussion after getting hit by a foul ball on June 23. Millas hit .143 with an RBI in three games.

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Two-start pitchers: Hunter Brown leads the list of strong options for the final week of the first half

Hello and welcome to the 15th 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:

We still aren’t sure what’s going to happen with the Guardians next week as Luis L. Ortiz has been placed on the restricted list while the league is investigating gambling allegations. Joey Cantillo made a spot start in his place on Friday and pitched well, meaning that he could stick around to take the ball twice next week. He would draw a tough matchup against the Astros in Houston to start the week before finishing things up with softer matchup against the White Sox in Chicago to finish it out. If you’re hunting for cheap wins in deeper formats, he may be worth a look.

We’re still waiting on some clarity regarding what the Brewers plan to do with their rotation now that they’re incorporating Brandon Woodruff back in on Sunday. They may go with a six-man rotation for the final week of the first half just to give everyone an extra day of rest and re-evaluate things heading into the break. If that’s the case, no one would start twice. If they choose to bump Jose Quintana, Chad Patrick or Jacob Misiorowski, then Freddy Peralta would take the ball twice – vs. the Dodgers and vs. the Nationals. There’s no decision to be made though, as the Brewers’ ace should be locked into fantasy lineups each week regardless.

Without further ado, let's dig into the options for the week of July 7.

Going Twice…

Note: Probable pitchers as of Friday, July 4, and are subject to change.

American League

Strong Plays

Hunter Brown, Astros, RHP (vs. Guardians, vs. Rangers)

Brown has been one of the most dominant pitchers in all of baseball over the first half of the season, putting together a magnificent 1.82 ERA, 0.90 WHIP and a 126/29 K/BB ratio over 104 innings in his first 17 starts. The proud alumni of Lakeview High School, Brown is a lock to make his first American League All-Star squad. He gets to close out the first half with two strong matchups at home, meaning that he should be able to notch his 10th victory of the season while continuing to deliver the minuscule ratios and huge strikeout totals that fantasy managers have become accustomed to. Brown may be the top overall play on the board this week.

Jacob deGrom, Rangers, RHP (@ Angels, @ Astros)

It has been heartwarming to see the resurgence of Jacob deGrom this season. Fantasy managers balked at the idea that deGrom could avoid the injured list and remain elite while intentionally pitching at a slightly diminished velocity. Well, the veteran right-hander has proven all of the skeptics wrong thus far, going 9-2 with an elite 2.13 ERA, 0.89 WHIP and a 100/21 K/BB ratio across 101 1/3 innings. He’s an obvious start in every league, every week for as long as he’s healthy enough to take the ball. Fantasy mangers should continue to reap the rewards this week.

Logan Gilbert, Mariners, RHP (@ Yankees, @ Tigers)

When Gilbert has been able to take the mound this season, he has been the ace that fantasy managers expected him to be – posting a 3.40 ERA, 0.95 WHIP and a 74/11 K/BB ratio over just 50 1/3 innings in his first 10 starts. Whenever he’s active, he should be locked into lineups without question. That doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy this week. He wraps up the first half with a pair of brutal matchups, having to take on the Yankees in New York before finishing up with the Tigers in Detroit. The strikeouts and WHIP should still be there, but his chances of landing in the win column will be diminished due to the matchups. He should still be started in every league.

Jack Flaherty, Tigers, RHP (vs. Rays, vs. Mariners)

Another week, and another time that a scheduled double for Jack Flaherty got pushed back – this time due to a rain out against the Nationals on Tuesday. He continues to struggle with the long ball, leading to an elevated 4.84 ERA on the season, though his 1.24 WHIP and 109/37 K/BB ratio over 89 1/3 innings are still solid. He gets the benefit of making each of these two starts at home in the spacious confines of Comerica Park and I’d be shocked if he didn’t earn at least one more victory heading into the All-Star break. The strikeouts will be there regardless, making him an easy start in all leagues.

Noah Cameron, Royals, LHP (vs. Pirates, vs. Mets)

The 25-year-old southpaw has experienced some growing pains after his terrific start to the season, going 0-3 with a 4.74 ERA over 24 2/4 innings in his last five starts. To be fair though, the damage done against him came primarily from the Dodgers and the Yankees. The matchups this week are much more enticing, especially the home tilt against the Pirates to kick off the week. Don’t let the recent struggles sway you, Cameron makes for a strong option in all fantasy leagues for the upcoming week.

Nathan Eovaldi, Rangers, RHP (@ Angels, @ Astros)

The Rangers have been easing Eovaldi back into action since returning from the injured list, pitching just a total of 10 innings over his first three starts. They should let him go a bit deeper this time around after throwing five innings and 72 pitches his last time out, just don’t expect him to return to workhorse status until after the All-Star break. There’s no denying that Eovaldi has been elite this season when he has been able to take the hill and there’s no reason that fantasy managers should shy away from him this week, even with a tough matchup against the Astros in Houston to close out the first half.

Jose Soriano, Angels, RHP (vs. Rangers, vs. Diamondbacks)

Soriano has had an absolutely wild run over his last five starts. He has four absolute gems against strong opponents during that stretch – a 12-strikeout masterpiece against the A’s, seven shutout innings against the Yankees in New York, 10 strikeouts in a victory over the Astros and seven scoreless with seven K’s in a win over the Braves in Atlanta. He also has a clunker in the weak matchup, giving up eight runs over four innings against the Nationals. We’re going to ride the hot hand as he has shown he can dominate in any matchup, and hope that he can continue to pile up the strikeouts while limiting the ratio damage. Fire up Soriano in all leagues this week.

Ryan Pepiot, Rays, RHP (@ Tigers, @ Red Sox)

Pepiot has done a great job through his first 18 starts for the Rays this season, compiling a 3.34 ERA, 1.15 WHIP and a 101/33 K/BB ratio over 102 1/3 innings of work. He rarely delivers disaster starts, which is good since the matchups this week are both extremely difficult. His chances of earning a victory are lower than they would be on most weeks, but Pepiot still makes for a fine option in leagues of all sizes for the upcoming week.

José Berríos, Blue Jays, RHP (@ White Sox, @ Athletics)

Overall, the 31-year-old right-hander has done a nice job for the Blue Jays this season, posting a 3.64 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and a 92/37 K/BB ratio across 106 1/3 innings of work in his first 18 starts. Somehow that has only led to four victories though. He should change that this week with a pair of strong matchups on tap – though pitching against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park isn’t the most ideal of circumstances. The strikeouts will be there for sure, especially with the added volume of a two-start week, and the chances of earning a win are elevated by the matchups. That makes Berríos a strong option this week.

Decent Plays

Jeffrey Springs, Athletics, LHP (vs. Braves, vs. Blue Jays)

The 32-year-old southpaw has really turned his season around after a rough start, registering a 3.26 ERA, 1.07 WHIP and a 52/21 K/BB ratio over 69 innings dating back to May 1. He does have one disaster during that stretch though – giving up six runs on six hits over two innings against the Blue Jays in Toronto. Taking them on in a smaller ballpark to wrap up the first half doesn’t seem ideal, but is it enough to move off of Springs for the week? That’s up to fantasy managers to decide. I’d still use him in 15 teamers and may do so in 12’s as well depending on my alternatives.

Richard Fitts, Red Sox, RHP (vs. Rockies, vs. Rays)

Fitts had a lot of steam late in fantasy draft season as someone who could be a nice late-round value. His overall numbers in the Red Sox’ rotation look fine on the surface – a 4.50 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and a 22/9 K/BB ratio over 28 innings – it’s just the workload limitations that have been concerning. Fitts needed 83 pitches to labor through four innings against the Angels in Los Angeles two starts ago, then was limited to three innings due to rain his last time out. The matchup against the Rockies is enticing if you’re hunting for victories and he’s unlikely to hurt your ratios. I’d be fine using him in all formats this week.

Sean Burke, White Sox, RHP (vs. Blue Jays, vs. Guardians)

Burke has done a decent job in the White Sox’ rotation this season, compiling a 4.03 ERA, 1.40 WHIP and a 73/38 K/BB ratio across 87 innings of work. That overall line has been dragged down also by one disastrous outing against the Astros in early May. He’s not going to win many games pitching for the White Sox, and the WHIP isn’t going to fall in the area that fantasy managers should be looking for, but Burke should be able to get you 10+ strikeouts on the week, which may be enough to call his name in 15 team leagues. I’d hope that you have better options in 12 teamers.

Tanner Bibee, Guardians, RHP (@ Astros, @ White Sox)

It’s a mixed bag in terms of matchups for Bibee this week, first having to battle the vaunted Astros’ offense in Houston before finishing up the first half with a strong matchup against the White Sox in Chicago. Despite his decent overall line on the season, Bibee sits at just 4-9 through his first 17 starts due to the limited run support that the Guardians have been providing him. Let’s hope they can scratch out a couple of runs against the White Sox on Saturday so he can finish the first half on a high note.

Yusei Kikuchi, Angels, LHP (vs. Rangers, vs. Diamondbacks)

Kikuchi has been a bit of an enigma for fantasy managers this season. He sports an outstanding 2.81 ERA and 106/46 K/BB ratio over 102 1/3 innings through his first 18 starts with the Halos, but that comes with a troublesome 1.37 WHIP and just three victories. He gets a mixed bag in terms of matchups to finish out the first half, getting the attackable Rangers at home to start the week before wrapping up with a tough battle against the Diamondbacks. He should continue to be started in most fantasy leagues due to the strikeouts and the solid ERA, just hope that he starts to see some run support and a correction in the wins column.

Will Warren, Yankees, RHP (vs. Mariners, vs. Cubs)

Warren’s overall line on the season took a massive step backwards last week as he was throttled for eight runs on 10 hits over four innings against the Blue Jays in Toronto. Hopefully it was just a blip in the radar as he had been fantastic otherwise in the month of June. He wraps up the first half with two starts at home and he should be able to pile up double-digit strikeouts once again for fantasy managers. The ratio risk is higher than we’d like, but the punchouts and the shot at earning a victory more than outweigh the risks in my opinion. I’d be using Warren in both 15 and 12 team formats.

Shane Baz, Rays, RHP (@ Tigers, @ Red Sox)

Baz has some of the best pure stuff in all of baseball, yet for some reason it just hasn’t translated to consistent success at the big league level. He’ll show flashes of brilliance only to make mistakes over the heart of the plate that leave fantasy managers tearing their hair out. Look for the strikeout totals to be there this week, but this is a brutal draw overall for a two-step having to take on the Tigers and Red Sox both on the road. You should keep rolling with him in 15 teamers if you have him, in leagues shallower than that it would depend on your alternative options.

At Your Own Risk

Brandon Young, Orioles, RHP (vs. Mets, vs. Marlins)

With the injury to Zach Eflin, it looks like Young will stick around in the Orioles’ rotation for another week at least, giving him a pair of starts to wrap up the first half of the season. Don’t let the intriguing matchup against the Marlins to finish it out sucker you in though. Young has been terrible in four starts for the O’s this season, going 0-3 with a 7.02 ERA, 1.98 WHIP and a 15/11 K/BB ratio across 16 2/3 innings. If your ratios are damaged beyond repair already and you want to add on some strikeouts, by all means take a shot. Otherwise, Young should be avoided here.

Aaron Civale, White Sox, RHP (vs. Blue Jays, vs. Guardians)

I just can’t bring myself to recommend Aaron Civale pitching for the White Sox, even if the matchups don’t look terrible on paper. In four starts with the Pale Hose he’s 0-3 with a 4.29 ERA, 1.62 WHIP and a 14/11 K/BB ratio over 21 innings. If taking on ratio risk with my streaming two-start options, I’m at least looking for upside in wins or strikeouts, preferably both. Civale offers neither. I’d stay away unless I was absolutely desperate to get a live body in there for the final week of the first half.

Simeon Woods Richardson, Twins, RHP (vs. Cubs, vs. Pirates)

The Twins’ rotation has been absolutely decimated by injuries this season, meaning as long as Woods Richardson remains healthy, he’ll continue to take the ball every fifth day. The 24-year-old hurler has produced a middling 4.41 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and a 55/24 K/BB ratio over 63 1/3 innings on the season, and you should expect more of the same over his two starts heading into the break. It’s possible that the Cubs knock him around pretty good in that first start, though it’s also possible that he should shine and earn a victory against the Pirates in his second outing. It all depends on your risk tolerance.

National League

Strong Plays

Paul Skenes, Pirates, RHP (@ Royals, @ Twins)

The probable starter for the National League in the All-Star game, Skenes will wrap up a brilliant fist half with a pair of road matchups against struggling teams from the American League Central. Skenes can always be counted on for elite strikeout totals and strong ratios, but his chances of earning victories is definitely elevated this week based on his opponent. It’s possible that he gets limited in that second start, or that the Pirates mix in a spot starter during the week, just to set Skenes up to start in the All-Star Game, but that’s not a reason to shy away from him here. He’s the best pitcher in the National League and should be started in 100% of leagues every week for the remainder of time.

Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Dodgers, RHP (@ Brewers, @ Giants)

Yamamoto has been a rock in what has otherwise been a tumultuous rotation for the Dodgers in the first half of the regular season. He’s going to make his first National League All-Star squad after registering an outstanding 2.51 ERA, 1.01 WHIP and a 109/32 K/BB ratio across 96 2/3 innings. He should be an automatic start in all fantasy leagues every week, so there’s no decision to be made here. Set it and forget and enjoy the production that he’s going to continue to provide.

Grant Holmes, Braves, RHP (@ Athletics, @ Cardinals)

Holmes has been a man on a mission over the past two months, putting together a stellar 3.04 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and an 87/28 K/BB ratio across 68 innings. He has punched out nine or more batters five times during that stretch, including three times in his last five starts. Look for that strikeout artistry to continue this week with a pair of matchups that have been attackable for right-handed pitchers. It should be all systems go for Holmes this week.

Shota Imanaga, Cubs, LHP (@ Twins, @ Yankees)

Imanaga has been a revelation for the Cubs through his first 10 starts this season, posting a scintillating 2.78 ERA, 1.00 WHIP and a 41/15 K/BB ratio across his 55 innings of work. He should be an automatic start in every league, every week, without question. The fact that he’s lined up to start twice in the final week before the All-Star break is simply a bonus. We don’t love the matchup against the Yankees in the Bronx, but we trust Imanaga to limit the damage there and put his team –and his fantasy managers – in the best position to win.

Christopher Sánchez, Phillies, LHP (@ Giants, @ Padres)

Sánchez has been terrific in 17 starts for the Phillies this season, going 8-3 with a minuscule 2.68 ERA, 1.13 WHIP and a 108/28 K/BB ratio over 100 2/3 innings. He should be a set it and forget it option every week for fantasy managers, meaning his two-start week should just be considered a bonus with extra strikeouts. The matchup against the Padres is a bit tricky, but at least it’s in San Diego. Start Sánchez with complete confidence in all leagues once again this week.

Merrill Kelly, Diamondbacks, RHP (@ Padres, @ Angels)

Kelly has been a model of consistency for the Diamondbacks and for fantasy managers this season, registering a 3.55 ERA, 1.09 WHIP and 103/29 K/BB ratio over 104 innings. The first matchup isn’t great, but pitching at Petco Park actually helps the cause. He then gets to finish the first half on a high note taking on the Angels in Los Angeles. Kelly should be started in all leagues for the final week heading into the break.

Brady Singer, Reds, RHP (vs. Marlins, vs. Rockies)

Singer isn’t one who usually jumps to the top of the list as a strong option for his two-start weeks, but matchups against the Marlins and Rockies will elevate any pitcher’s status. Through his first 17 starts for the Reds he has gone 7-6 with a middling 4.36 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and an 80/38 K/BB ratio over 88 2/3 innings. The strikeouts should be there in spades this week against the free-swinging Rockies and the suddenly red-hot Marlins. He should be a favorite in both starts against Janson Junk and Chase Dollander, making his chances of securing at least one victory quite high. Singer is an easy start in leagues of all sizes.

Nick Martinez, Reds, RHP (vs. Marlins, vs. Rockies)

If rotation-mate Brady Singer lands in the strong options section with these strong matchups this week, then certainly Martinez has to as well. While he has shown some inconsistency on the season, Martinez has always been one to protect ratios and he owns a terrific 1.17 WHIP over 100 2/3 innings on the season. The only drawback to Martinez usually is his low strikeout rate, but with the volume of two starts combined with the excellent matchups, he should have no problems delivering there this week. He should be started in all leagues where he’s rostered and actively targeted in shallow formats where he may still be available.

Eury Pérez, Marlins, RHP (@ Reds, @ Orioles)

Maybe it’s a stretch to include Pérez as a strong option given the middling matchups and tough ballpark assignments this week, but I was blown away by what I saw from the 22-year-old right-hander in Thursday’s dominant victory over the Twins, striking out seven batters while allowing just one hit over six shutout innings. He’s going to have some bad starts mixed in as he continues to work his way back from major surgery, but the upside here is unparalleled and we have seen what types of results he’s able to produce. I’d most certainly have him active for this two-start week heading into the break.

Clay Holmes, Mets, RHP (@ Orioles, @ Royals)

Holmes is another pitcher that was lined up for two starts this past week but had things pushed back after rain wreaked havoc on the Midwest and the east coast. He has been outstanding in his move to the rotation this season – posting a 2.99 ERA, 1.24 WHIP and a 76/39 K/BB ratio across 93 1/3 innings. He should be locked into weekly lineups, especially when he pitches twice and neither matchup is particularly worrisome.

Nick Pivetta, Padres, RHP (vs. Diamondbacks, vs. Phillies)

Pivetta has blossomed into an every week starter for fantasy purposes, going 9-2 with a 3.25 ERA, 1.04 WHIP and a 107/24 K/BB ratio over 97 innings through his first 17 starts with the Padres. The matchups are both tough this week, but making both starts at Petco Park will help to offset that risk. It’s certainly not enough to consider benching Pivetta in any format.

Decent Plays

Dylan Cease, Padres, RHP (vs. Diamondbacks, vs. Phillies)

The only thing that Cease has been good for this season is strikeouts, with 121 punchouts in 97 1/3 innings. Those K’s have come with an unappealing 4.62 ERA, 1.33 WHIP and just three victories through his first 18 starts though. Don’t expect much to change this week as Cease gets two difficult matchups to finish up the first half of the season. The strikeouts should be there, which is enough to use him in deeper formats, but the ratios aren’t likely to improve this week and further damage could be on the horizon.

Landen Roupp, Giants, RHP (vs. Phillies, vs. Dodgers)

Decent seems to sum up Roupp’s season in a nutshell thus far, registering a 3.48 ERA, 1.48 WHIP and a 78/38 K/BB ratio across 85 1/3 innings in his first 17 starts. He has been fine to use as a streaming option in good matchups, what makes this week tricky is that both matchups are against some of the best teams in all of baseball. It helps that both starts will be at home – which in theory should add some win equity and limit his risk of a disaster start – but the WHIP should still land in a troublesome area. He’s fine to use in 15 teamers, but I may try to look elsewhere in 12’s if I had viable alternatives.

Brandon Pfaadt, Diamondbacks, RHP (@ Padres, @ Angels)

I’m not sure what exactly to make of Brandon Pfaadt right now. The overall line on the season isn’t pretty – with a 5.42 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and an 80/23 K/BB ratio across 91 1/3 innings. He appears to be figuring some things out lately though, at least in terms of his strikeout rate. Pfaadt has whiffed seven or more batters in each of his last three starts – though he has given up eight runs over 16 innings during that stretch as well. I think he can get you double digit strikeouts on the week and a decent shot at a victory, which is enough for me to use him in 15 teamers for sure. I’d probably be fine rolling the dice in 12’s as well unless I had a plethora of better options.

Janson Junk, Marlins, RHP (@ Reds, @ Orioles)

Junk has pitched well in two of his three starts since joining the Marlins’ rotation, with the lone clunker coming against the Giants in San Francisco. He gets a couple of middling opponents in hitter’s parks this week, which isn’t great for his overall outlook. The Marlins have been red-hot though, elevating his chances of earning a victory in at least one of these starts. He’s a perfectly fine option to use in 15 teamers this week and I don’t even hate the idea in 12 teamers if I’m looking to mitigate ratio risk while still offering some upside.

At Your Own Risk

Austin Gomber, Rockies, LHP (@ Red Sox, @ Reds)

Let’s see if anyone wants to get Gomber’d in the final week of the first half. The 31-year-old southpaw holds a dreadful 5.49 ERA and 1.53 WHIP over 19 2/3 innings through his first four starts on the season while recording a total of just six strikeouts. Six. He does get to pitch away from Coors Field twice, which helps to mitigate the damage somewhat, though Fenway Park and Great American Ballpark aren’t much better. Bad ratios, no strikeouts and minimal shot at earning a victory. There’s literally no reason that any fantasy manager should be looking his way this week. None.

Andre Pallante, Cardinals, RHP (vs. Nationals, vs. Braves)

Pallante continues to do just enough to hold off Michael McGreevy for his spot in the Cardinals’ starting rotation. Every time he’s one disaster away from getting bumped he seems to step up and throw a gem to buy himself some more time. I’m not trusting him for a pair of starts against the Nationals and Braves to finish out the first half, as his poor strikeout rate and middling ratios just don’t do it for me. He’s fine as a filler if you need one final pitcher to round out your lineup, but the upside is minimal.

Trevor Williams, Nationals, RHP (@ Cardinals, @ Brewers)

Never Trevor Williams. It’s as simple as that. He’s not going to help your ratios and he isn’t going to record enough strikeouts to be worth the risk that he could potentially sneak out a victory if things happen to fall his way. There are always better options than Trevor Williams. Don’t do this to yourself. Stay away.

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Drew Fortescue Makes The Decision To Return To Boston College As He Feels It's Best For His Development

Peter Carr/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

One of the big questions going into the New York Rangers’ development camp was the future of Drew Fortescue. 

Fortescue is one of the Rangers’ most promising defensive, prospects and he’s shown a lot of potential through his two years at Boston College. 

Instead of making the jump to professional hockey, where he would likely play for the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, Fortescue will return to Boston College for his junior year. 

The 20-year-old feels that playing another season at the collegiate level will be best for his overall development. 

“I talked to the front office a little bit and kind of just think that’s best for my development going forward,” Fortescue said about his decision to return to Boston College. “Right now I’m just focused on getting bigger and stronger. My plan is to continue to work on that and be ready for the following year.”

The Rangers' ‘Busy And Exciting’ Offseason Has Been A Grand Success So Far The Rangers' ‘Busy And Exciting’ Offseason Has Been A Grand Success So Far New York Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury accomplished everything he wanted to do during the 2025 offseason.

The Rangers selected Fortescue in the third round of the 2023 NHL Draft. 

This past season playing at Boston College with fellow Rangers prospect Gabe Perreault, Fortescue recorded 11 points in 36 games.