Its Thursday, June 5 and the Tigers (41-22) are in Chicago to take on the White Sox (19-43).
Casey Mize is slated to take the mound for Detroit against Sean Burke for Chicago.
The Tigers have won two of the first three games of this series following last night's 5-4 win. Riley Greene went 3-5 and drove in two runs as Detroit won their 41st game of the season. Chase Meidroth went 3-4 in the loss for the Sox.
Lets dive into this afternoon's matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Tigers at White Sox
Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
Time: 2:10PM EST
Site: Rate Field
City: Chicago, IL
Network/Streaming: FDSNDT, CHSN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Tigers at the White Sox
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Tigers (-218), White Sox (+180)
Spread: Tigers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at White Sox
Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Casey Mize vs. Sean Burke
Tigers: Casey Mize (6-1, 2.82 ERA) Last outing: 5/30 at Kansas City - 3.1IP, 3ER, 8H, 2BB, 4Ks
White Sox: Sean Burke (3-6, 4.20 ERA) Last outing: 5/30 at Baltimore - 6IP, 2ER, 5H, 1BB, 6Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Tigers at White Sox
The Tigers have won 4 of their last 5 series
Each of the White Sox's last 3 home games against the Tigers have gone over the Total
The White Sox are showing a profit of 2.22 units on the Run Line in their last 5 games at Rate Field
Riley Greene is enjoying a modest 4-game hitting streak with 8 hits in 16ABs (.500) in June
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Tigers and the White Sox
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Tigers and the White Sox:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Detroit Tigers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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It's Thursday, June 5 and the Padres (35-25) are in San Francisco to take on the Giants (34-28). Dylan Cease is slated to take the mound for San Diego against Robbie Ray for San Francisco.
The Padres had their three-game winning streak snapped in a 6-5 loss to the Giants yesterday. San Diego took the first meeting, so this will be the rubber match between the two featuring two of the best pitchers they have to offer.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Padres at Giants
Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
Time: 3:45PM EST
Site: Oracle Park
City: San Francisco, CA
Network/Streaming: SDPA, NBCSBA
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Odds for the Padres at the Giants
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Padres (+106), Giants (-126)
Spread: Giants -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Giants
Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Dylan Cease vs. Robbie Ray
Giants: Robbie Ray, (7-1, 2.43 ERA) Last outing: 7.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 9 Strikeouts
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Padres and the Giants
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Padres and the Giants:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the San Francisco Giants on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the San Diego Padres at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Padres at Giants
The Giants have won 12 of their last 20 home games
The Under is 4-1 in the Giants' last 5 games
The Giants are 10-2 in Ray's 12 starts, but 1-2 in the last three games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
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Its Thursday, June 5 and the Royals (32-29) are in St. Louis to take on the Cardinals (33-27) for a doubleheader following last night's rainout.
Cole Ragans is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Matthew Liberatore for St. Louis in Game 2.
The series opened Tuesday with a 10-7 Royals' win. Bobby Witt Jr. drove in four to pace the offense which overcame an awful start from Michael Lorenzen who allowed seven runs in just 2.2 innings.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Royals at Cardinals - Game 2
Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
Time: 7:45PM EST
Site: Busch Stadium
City: St. Louis, MO
Network/Streaming: FDSNKC, FDSNMW
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Royals at the Cardinals - Game 2
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Royals (-102), Cardinals (-117)
Spread: Cardinals 1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Cardinals - Game 2
Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Cole Ragans vs. Matthew Liberatore
Royals: Cole Ragans (2-3, 4.53 ERA) Last outing: 5/16 vs. St. Louis - 5IP, 4ER, 5H, 0BB, 7Ks
Cardinals: Matthew Liberatore (3-4, 3.08 ERA) Last outing: 5/30 at Texas - 5IP, 4ER, 7H, 1BB, 5Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Cardinals - Game 2
The Cardinals are showing a 129% return on investment at home on the Money Line
Each of the Royals' last 3 games in St. Louis have gone over the Total
The Royals have covered the Run Line in 10 of their last 12 road games against the Cardinals
Bobby Witt Jr. is 3-8 to open June after closing May with just 2 hits in his final 18 ABs
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Royals and the Cardinals
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's Game 2 between the Royals and the Cardinals:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the St. Louis Cardinals on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Kansas City Royals at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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It's Thursday, June 5 and the Mets (39-23) are in Los Angeles to take on the Dodgers (37-25). David Peterson is slated to take the mound for New York against Landon Knack for Los Angeles.
The Mets earned another victory over the Dodgers yesterday, 6-1, giving New York the season edge 4-2 with today being the final matchup. New York is 5-1 over the last six games and 9-2 in the past 11 outings.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Mets at Dodgers
Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
Time: 4:10PM EST
Site: Dodger Stadium
City: Los Angeles, CA
Network/Streaming: SNY, SNLA, MLBN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Mets at the Dodgers
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Mets (+106), Dodgers (-124)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Mets at Dodgers
Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: David Peterson vs. Landon Knack
Mets: David Peterson, (4-2, 2.69 ERA) Last outing: 5.2 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 5 Strikeouts
Dodgers: Landon Knack, (3-2, 4.59 ERA) Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 6 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Mets and the Dodgers
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Mets and the Dodgers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Mets at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Mets at Dodgers
The Mets have won 4 of their last 5 matchups against NL West teams
The Under is 4-1 in the Dodgers' last 5 matchups against National League teams
The Dodgers have failed to cover the Run Line in 5 of their last 7 games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
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Its Thursday, June 5 and the Royals (32-29) are in St. Louis to take on the Cardinals (33-27) in a day/night doubleheader following yesterday's rainout.
Let's talk about Game 1. Noah Cameron is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Miles Mikolas for St. Louis.
The Royals opened the series with a 10-7 win. The ten runs were the most KC scored since a 10-0 win on May 8. Savor the moment Royals' fans as this is a team that is the third-worst in baseball producing only 204 runs on the season. Only Colorado and Pittsburgh have scored fewer runs.
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Royals at Cardinals - Game 1
Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
Time: 1:45PM EST
Site: Busch Stadium
City: St. Louis, MO
Network/Streaming: FDSNKC, FDSNMW
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Royals at the Cardinals - Game 1
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Royals (+110), Cardinals (-131)
Spread: Cardinals -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Cardinals - Game 1
Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Noah Cameron vs. Miles Mikolas
Royals: Noah Cameron (2-1, 1.05 ERA) Last outing: 5/28 vs. Cincinnati - 6.1IP, 1ER, 6H, 2BB, 2Ks
Cardinals: Miles Mikolas (4-2, 3.90 ERA) Last outing: 5/28 at Baltimore - 4IP, 4ER, 9H, 0BB, 3Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Cardinals - Game 1
Willson Contreras is riding a modest 4-game hitting streak (4-15)
Salvador Perez is 4-9 to open June
St. Louis is 6-4 over their last 10 games to keep pace in the NL Central sitting 4.5 games behind the Cubs
Kansas City is 4-6 over their last 10 games to drop 8 games behind Detroit in the AL Central
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for today’s Game 1 between the Royals and the Cardinals
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Royals and the Cardinals:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the St. Louis Cardinals on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the St. Louis Cardinals at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
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It's Thursday, June 5 and the Astros (33-28) are in Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates (23-39). Framber Valdez is slated to take the mound for Houston against Mitch Keller for Pittsburgh.
Pittsburgh took Game 2, 3-0 yesterday, a day after Houston won 3-0 in Game 1, so the series is split. The Pirates are going for the seventh two-game winning steak of the season today (tied for longest of the season).
Houston has won five straight starts with Valdez on the mound. He is coming off a complete game performance that earned him the win over the Rays (3 hits, 1 ER).
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Astros at Pirates
Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
Time: 6:40PM EST
Site: PNC Park
City: Pittsburgh, PA
Network/Streaming: SCHN, SNP
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Astros at the Pirates
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Astros (-161), Pirates (+135)
Spread: Astros -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Astros at Pirates
Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Framber Valdez vs. Mitch Keller
Astros: Framber Valdez, (5-4, 3.12 ERA) Last outing: 9.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 9 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Astros and the Pirates
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday’s game between the Astros and the Pirates:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Houston Astros on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Pittsburgh Pirates at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Astros at Pirates
The Astros have won 7 of their last 10 games
With Mitch Keller as the opener 4 of the Pirates' last 5 games have gone under the Total
The Astros are 5-0 in the last five Valdez starts
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
Its Thursday, June 5 and the Diamondbacks (30-31) are in Atlanta to take on the Braves (27-33).
Brandon Pfaadt is slated to take the mound for Arizona against Grant Holmes for Atlanta.
Arizona made it two in a row over Atlanta with a 2-1 win last night. Merrill Kelly won his sixth game of the season with seven shutout innings. Ketel Marte and Lourdes Gurriel Jr. accounted for the Diamondbacks' offense with an RBI each.
Lets dive into today's series finale and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
Game details & how to watch Diamondbacks at Braves
Date: Thursday, June 5, 2025
Time: 12:15PM EST
Site: Truist Park
City: Atlanta, GA
Network/Streaming: ARID, FDSNSO, MLBN
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Diamondbacks at the Braves
The latest odds as of Thursday:
Moneyline: Diamondbacks (+117), Braves (-138)
Spread: Braves -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Diamondbacks at Braves
Pitching matchup for June 5, 2025: Brandon Pfaadt vs. Grant Holmes
Diamondbacks: Brandon Pfaadt (7-4, 5.05 ERA) Last outing: 5/31 vs. Washington - 0IP, 8ER, 6H, 0BB, 0Ks
Braves: Grant Holmes (3-4, 3.78 ERA) Last outing: 5/30 vs. Boston - 5.2IP, 3ER, 6H, 1BB, 9Ks
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Diamondbacks at Braves
NL West teams have won 5 of their last 6 matchups against NL East sides
Yesterday's game went under the Game Total snapping a streak of 4-straight overs in games between the Braves and the Diamondbacks
The Diamondbacks have covered the Run Line in 4 straight road games
Austin Riley has at least 1 hit in 8 of his last 10GP (10-39)
Josh Naylor is 0-11 to open June after closing May on a 9-game hitting streak (13-37)
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for today’s game between the Diamondbacks and the Braves
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Diamondbacks and the Braves:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Arizona Diamondbacks at -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Game Total under 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani pitches in the bullpen before Wednesday's game against the New York Mets at Dodger Stadium. Ohtani has continued to build up his arm strength with weekly live batting practices. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers’ biggest question this season is an eerily familiar one.
Will their pitching ever get back to full (or at least, significantly improved) health? And will it be as productive as expected if or when that happens?
To this point, the team remains confident on both fronts.
Injured starters Tyler Glasnow, Blake Snell and Roki Sasaki are all in throwing progressions. Two-way star Shohei Ohtani is continuing to build up his arm through weekly live batting practices, and Emmet Sheehan is on a rehab assignment with triple-A Oklahoma City. And a whole litany of relievers are also expected back at some point, with Kirby Yates and Michael Kopech likely to return this weekend, and Blake Treinen and Brusdar Graterol possibilities over the coming couple of months.
Still, as this last week has epitomized, there is an ever-present lack of certainty hanging over the state of the staff as well, with the recovery of any injured pitcher seemingly liable to shift at any moment.
“I’m very confident we’re going to get them all back,” manager Dave Roberts said Wednesday. “I just don’t know when.”
This week, Glasnow became the latest example of that unpredictable dynamic.
On Monday, Roberts offered a seemingly troublesome update on the oft-injured right-hander. After Glasnow had thrown one bullpen session a week and a half earlier, a bout of back tightness had kept him from throwing off a mound again since.
“There was one ‘pen and, then [his] body didn't respond,” Roberts said. “So we're trying to figure out when we can ramp him back up.”
On Tuesday, however, Glasnow presented a more optimistic version of events. Yes, his back became “a little tight” after his initial bullpen session, he said. But he described the resulting pause in his throwing progression as nothing more than a “precaution,” adding that he plans to resume throwing bullpens in the coming week.
“I feel totally fine, totally normal,” said Glasnow, who initially went on the injured list in April because of shoulder inflammation. “My shoulder’s totally fine. That issue, I haven’t felt since I started throwing. It was fine. [The back tightness] really was just, I think, a precaution. I felt totally fine. I’m good to go.”
During his time on the IL, Glasnow believes he found a middle ground between the pitching mechanics he had last year (when his season ended early with elbow tendinitis) and the changes he made over the winter (which he felt contributed to his more recent shoulder issue).
Dodgers pitcher Roki Sasaki watches a game against the Arizona Diamondbacks from the dugout at Dodger Stadium on May 21. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“Trying to meld a best-of-both worlds situation,” he said. “But right now, I feel really, really good mechanics-wise, to just be athletic and throw. It’s enabled me to just be myself more now.”
And though he is still weeks, if not a month or more, away from being activated, Glasnow said he’s confident about having enough time over the second half of the season to rediscover a rhythm ahead of the playoffs.
“I’m trying to get back as soon as I can,” Glasnow said. “But we’re on the same wavelength of, ‘Let’s get you back out as healthy as possible as soon as possible, in a healthy way.’”
Snell, who has also been out since early April because of shoulder trouble, has endured his own stop-and-start recovery process.
After first going on the injured list two starts into the season — because of shoulder pain that he later said had been bothering him since spring training — Snell started to ramp up a few weeks later, progressing to a bullpen session on April 19.
His shoulder, however, didn’t respond well in the days following that step. Thus, he was shut down from throwing again, and received an injection to help alleviate his lingering discomfort.
Since then, Snell has been on a more methodical throwing plan. Recently, his shoulder has finally started to feel normal. And, like Glasnow, he is hoping to begin throwing bullpens once more over the next week.
“I can’t wait [to get back],” Snell told AM 570 last weekend. “Having to wait, it sucks. It’s a long process. But I’m gonna go slow. I’m gonna make sure I’m ready. So when I start pitching, I can get going and do my thing.”
This remains the Dodgers’ company line with most of their injured arms — the team wanting to purposely take their progressions slowly in the short term, to ensure they are available in the long run later this year.
“As far as return to play, there’s certainly a cautiousness to it,” Roberts said. “Because as you start getting into the middle of the year, then any setback could be detrimental for the rest of the season.”
In the meantime, uncertainty on the mound — where the Dodgers currently rank 22nd in the majors with a 4.10 team ERA — will continue to loom.
There is always the threat of setbacks; like what happened with Evan Phillips, who underwent season-ending Tommy John surgery Wednesday for an injury that was initially expected to sideline him for only two weeks.
And even once pitchers do come back, their levels of performance are subject to variance. That’s been the case recently with Kopech, who struggled so much during a rehab stint in Oklahoma City (where he gave up 11 runs and 11 walks in 6 ⅓ innings) that the Dodgers had him throw a live batting practice session in front of their big league coaching staff Wednesday to help him work through some mechanical adjustments.
“The stuff was good,” Roberts said of Kopech, out since the start of the year because of a shoulder impingement. “Just curious to see what the pitching guys and the training staff feel, and what he thinks of how he felt today. And we’ll kind of move forward after that.”
Yates, who has not required a rehab stint recovering from a hamstring strain, also threw live BP on Wednesday.
“We’ll see how they feel tomorrow,” Roberts said. “And then I think we’ll have a much better decision on this weekend for both guys.”
The good news for the Dodgers is that they do have depth. They don’t need every one of their injured pitchers to return to health and previous form. Even if only half of the arms currently on the IL get back to where they were before, they could still have a pitching staff capable of contending for another World Series title.
Because of that, it seems unlikely they’ll make overly aggressive moves on the trade market leading up to the July 31 deadline. They could use another right-handed reliever to replace Phillips but might be wary of a high-cost splash for a front-line starter (especially after doling out more than half a billion dollars the last two winters to Glasnow, Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto).
For now, they continue to trust that pitchers such as Snell, Glasnow and Ohtani will be impact contributors for the stretch run of the season. They are confident that Sasaki (who has continued regular catch play while battling his own shoulder issue), Sheehan and Graterol will give them more pitching coverage as well.
But until then, they will nonetheless face a precariously familiar situation: hoping enough injured pitchers are able to regain health over the course of the season, and that more unforeseen setbacks won’t continue to leave them shorthanded on the mound.
“I think we’re very confident that we’re going to get the guys we’re talking about back,” Roberts said. “Then once we get them back, we got to make sure we keep them back too.”
Sometimes, as the saying goes, the best deals are the ones you don’t make.
It’s a small sample size and very early in the process, but so far, the New York Yankees are fortunate to have not signed Juan Soto. Soto chose the New York Mets for a 15-year, $765 million contract, shunning an offer to return to the Yankees for 16 years, $760 million.
No question the Yanks wanted to keep Soto. They went to the World Series last fall for the first time since 2009 with Soto hitting ahead of Aaron Judge in the lineup, but lost to the Los Angeles Dodgers in five games. When Soto then became a free agent and signed with Mets, the Yankees pivoted and spent a portion of that money elsewhere, signing Max Fried and Paul Goldschmidt as free agents and trading for Cody Bellinger and Devin Williams for a projected outlay of $283 million.
The team they built is running away with the American League East at a fraction of the long-term cost of a deal with Soto. They lead the fourth-place Boston Red Sox by nine games already and are playing them for the first time in 2025 this weekend at Yankee Stadium.
Soto is batting .232 with 11 homers, 31 RBIs and an .802 OPS so far this season; he will get better and is doing so already with three homers in his last five games through Wednesday night. Judge, playing without him, is having another monster season as the Mets have been jockeying for first place in the National League East with the Philadelphia Phillies. Judge’s OPS: 1.237.
Thus far, advantage Yankees.
“It seems that way now,” David Cone, the former Yankees pitcher and currently ESPN and Yes Network color analyst, said in an interview this past weekend at Dodger Stadium. “Ten years from now we’ll make that judgment, but this year, the first half of the season? Absolutely.”
For the Yanks, of course, this is a very short-term snapshot. Fried is signed for eight years, $218 million. But he has his own history of left arm problems, including Tommy John ligament replacement surgery that caused him to miss 2015 as a prospect with the San Diego Padres and a forearm issue that cost a month last season with the Atlanta Braves.
Bellinger ($26.7 million), Goldschmidt ($12.5 million) and Williams ($8.6 million) can all walk away after this season. Goldschmidt and Williams are unrestricted free agents on one-year deals. Bellinger has the second of two player options his agent Scott Boras threaded into the three-year, $80 million deal he signed in 2024 with the Chicago Cubs. Bellinger is the fourth highest-paid player this season on the team behind Judge ($40 million), Fried ($27.3 million) and Carlos Rodon ($27 million).
Those potential departures give the Yankees some maneuverability next offseason in the free agent market and financial room this year to upgrade at the July 31 trade deadline.
The Yankees have the third-highest payroll in Major League Baseball for luxury tax purposes at $310.9 million, according to Spotrac, and the team is putting on a master class in short-term roster construction under today’s collectively-bargained system. The Yanks spent $74.6 million on Fried, Bellinger, Goldschmidt and Williams, while Soto is earning $61.2 million alone from the Mets for luxury tax purposes.
“They’ve done very well with the money they spent this year, no question about it,” Cone said. “The Yankees are much more well-rounded defensively. [Former Yanks, Mets and current A’s pitcher] Luis Severino said the Yankees last year were a team with only two hitters: Judge and Soto. They’ve caught up with the Dodgers offensively and depth-wise.”
Fried wouldn’t be in New York had Soto chosen the Yankees.
At the time, the contract conversations with both players were occurring on concurrent tracks. Fried was New York’s second choice. It was universally considered that Fried wanted to play where he grew up, in the Los Angeles area. But he also let it be known to the Yanks he was very much in favor of playing in the Bronx.
“Mostly I had a bunch of meetings, but before making a decision, I was just waiting for Soto to sign,” Fried said this past weekend at Dodger Stadium.
Soto announced his decision on Dec. 8 at the Winter Meetings in Dallas and two days later Fried signed with the Yankees. The dominoes then started to fall. On Dec. 13 Williams was obtained in a trade with Milwaukee and Bellinger came over from the Cubs four days later. Goldschmidt was the last to sign on Dec. 30.
While Williams has struggled at times in his back of the bullpen role, the other three have exceeded expectations. Fried, for one, replaced the injured Gerrit Cole and opened 7-0 with a 1.28 ERA before losing to the Dodgers this past Friday.
His experience pitching at Yankee Stadium has exceeded his expectations.
“I love it,” Fried said. “I’m very happy with where I’m at. Everything happened for a reason. I’m just happy I’m here with the Yankees.”
The Yankees are happy to have him. In this case, sometimes the best deals are the ones you make.
SAN FRANCISCO — During his playing days, Buster Posey always found himself fascinated by the action leading up to the MLB trade deadline, and it’s easy to see why that was the case. Posey’s first few seasons were marked by flurries of activity at the end of July.
In 2011, his first full Giants season, Brian Sabean tried to fill the void left by Posey’s leg injury by dealing Zack Wheeler for Carlos Beltran. A year later, Posey won a title because Sabean went out and got Hunter Pence and Marco “Blockbuster” Scutaro at the deadline. The 2013 deadline might have been the most interesting of all; Sabean stubbornly stood pat, holding pending free agents Pence, Tim Lincecum and Javier Lopez because he found the offers to be insulting and thought all three could help the Giants win again in 2014. They did.
A couple years later, Posey watched the clubhouse try and make sense of the Matt Duffy-Matt Moore swap. In his final big league season, Kris Bryant arrived to try and lead an aging group to one more title.
Posey experienced just about every type of approach over his 12 big league seasons, but he’s now the man in charge, and that brings a different set of emotions. He smiled this week and said this trade deadline will be a lot more stressful, but he’s also excited to tackle it. He cannot guarantee that he’ll be able to make a splash, but that’s the goal, at least, in large part because the Giants have the type of pitching that can carry you through October.
“I think there’s pressure to put this team in a position to win ball games, because, as you mentioned, the pitching staff is really good and I believe that that’s going to continue through the year,” he said on Thursday’s “Giants Talk” podcast. “Yeah, I think there’s urgency from everybody to provide these guys with run support.”
There’s just one problem right now: It’s June 5.
In 2012, Pence arrived from Philadelphia on deadline day. Scutaro was picked up four days earlier, on July 27. The Moore trade happened just minutes before the deadline in 2016, and the Bryant deal was such a last-minute scramble that a team official raced around the ballpark at one point to try and find Joey Bart and let him know he wasn’t in it.
As he chatted with beat writers on Tuesday, a day before making three roster moves, Posey said he has found in recent weeks that “we’re at a strange point of the season as far as other teams’ willingness to make trades.”
With the addition of the third wild-card spot, executives generally aren’t ready to make moves in June. And if they do have a big piece to sell, they know they might do better by waiting until the deadline when they can get a true bidding war going.
This year’s market is complicated by the fact that the upcoming free-agent class is considered weak. In a deadline preview for ESPN, Jeff Passan wrote that there “is no obvious best player available” and executives believe there won’t be a lot of top-end talent changing teams.
The available pool always changes the closer you get to July 31. But there’s nothing Posey can do about the calendar.
“I think it’s a real thing. It’s the nature of markets, right?” he said. “There’s going to be more of an urgency the closer you get to whatever the deadline is. I was talking to the coaches today — and they’ve done such a great job with the group and just relaying the message, and it’s one that they do already, but we’ve got to go with what we’ve got here.
“There’s never any certainty. I do know this, even though this is my first year doing this, there’s never any certainty that you’re going to be able to improve even if you wanted to. We can’t sit around and wait for somebody to come in via trade. We’ve got to go out and get the job done with this group.”
Posey mixed things up Wednesday by adding Dominic Smith, Andrew Knizner and Daniel Johnson to the roster, but all three are veterans who were in Triple-A. The Giants will have to wait until much closer to the July 31 deadline to gain true traction in trade talks, but they should at least be in a good position to negotiate with any team ready to sell.
There are few things more valuable than controllable starting pitching, and the Giants have plenty of it. They have three young starters in their rotation right now, and top prospect Carson Whisenhunt leads a talented Triple-A rotation. The Giants also have more than enough bullpen depth to deal a reliever or two and not take a step backwards.
This year’s deadline is July 31, giving Posey, general manager Zack Minasian and the rest of the front office two months to keep surveying the market. It’s not even close to the time when the calls really pick up, but Posey said the front office continues to explore all options.
“I believe in consistency. I think that that’s a positive, to have a consistent roster,” he said. “But it’s almost negligence if you’re not at least looking.”
Remember when Pete Alonso had a 16-game, career-long 65 at-bat, homerless streak?
Since he recovered from his power outage in the Mets' series finale against the Dodgers at Citi Field on May 25, the slugging first baseman has hit four more bombs over his next nine games, including two in Wednesday's 6-1 win over these same Dodgers in Los Angeles.
"Two good shots. Two-run homer in the first inning to set the tone, added on late to put the game away," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game. "Was good to see."
After a tough extra-inning loss on Tuesday, Alonso got things going with a 392-foot blast off of Tony Gonsolin that gave the Mets a 3-0 lead. While that was more than enough for Griffin Canning and the Mets bullpen, Alonso's 447-foot three-run shot in the eighth put away any doubts of the eventual result.
"It was a great team win," Alonso said of the win. "Griffin executed all his pitches, sequenced well, [Jose] Castillo did a great job, [Ryne Stanek] did a good job holding it down. Pitching staff was nasty tonight and gave us a chance to put up runs on the board as an offense. Big time from those guys. Glad to get this one, but we’ve got a big one tomorrow."
Alonso's two jacks put him at 240 for his career, 12 behind Darryl Strawberry's all-time Mets record. Alonso also tied Strawberry for 22 multi-homer games in his Mets career with his performance on Wednesday.
And while the slugger continues to move up Mets history books, Alonso is only worried about what it meant to the team and the win.
"Felt good, but for me, I was more excited to grab some insurance runs," Alonso said of his homers. "That’s a very high-octane offense over there. Those insurance runs are big for us, and gives our pitching staff a breather. From the circumstances of the game and the series, we’re just happy to come through as a team."
While Alonso came through for the team on Wednesday, there was that stretch where he wasn't. After getting out to a scorching start, slashing .358/.483/.684 with seven home runs in March/April, Alonso had a rough May. He hit just .234 in May and smashed just four homers but since that series against the Dodgers at the end of the month, Alonso has turned his offensive game around.
He's had just one hitless game over his last 11 games and has driven in 15 runs over that span.
“I just feel consistent. I feel like myself," Alonso said. "I've felt like myself the entire year so far. Pitch to pitch and AB to AB. That's all I'm trying to do. Trying to be the same guy every day."
Mendoza said that up-and-down output is just a part of the long baseball season but is encouraged by what he's seeing from Alonso.
"Part of the grind. When you’re playing 162 you’re going to go through stretches where they are going to make you chase and you have to make adjustment and that’s what he did," Mendoza said. "That’s what makes him a great hitter, his ability to adjust. Earlier in the season, he wasn’t missing pitches, he wasn't chasing and then he went through a stretch where they made him chase. And now he’s back to that hitter we saw in the beginning and when he’s doing that, he’s pretty dangerous."
There was a vibe all game in the Mets' dugout on Wednesday night in Los Angeles.
Against the rival Dodgers, Mets players kept it light and loose in between innings and during at-bats, showcasing that the good times from a year ago are still here.
First, Luisangel Acuna donned some catcher’s gear to protect the dugout from any foul balls headed their way, but it was in the top of the ninth with the Mets batting when the joy of the game shone through the players.
With the Mets up 6-0 thanks to two Pete Alonso home runs, a group of players that included Jose Siri, Starling Marte, among others, began to play “bottle flip.” After the players could not get the water bottle to stand up, Juan Soto appeared and made his lone attempt.
The first-year Met flipped the bottle and it landed perfectly. The group all jumped at the feat while Soto, with a big smile, ran through the dugout.
“Was it Soto who got it?” SNY broadcaster Gary Cohen asked. “It was. Of course it was.”
While Soto didn’t have a great night at the plate -- he finished 0-for-1 with three walks and an RBI groundout -- Mets fans saw the return of the “Soto shuffle” earlier in the game and it seems Soto is starting to look like himself again.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was asked about the sudden return of the Soto Shuffle and the second-year skipper echoed what he's been saying about his star player all season.
"It’s Juan Soto being Juan Soto," he said. "I’ve been saying it even through the 'tough times,' he’s been the same guy. A guy that comes in, prepares, competes, and as long as we’re winning games, that’s all that matters to him. He knows he’s too good of a player, too good of a hitter and at the end of the year, the numbers will be there. We know that."
The Mets' 6-1 win on Wednesday night clinched the season series against the Dodgers, something Mendoza downplayed but when it was a great win considering they let Tuesday's loss in extra innings slip away. Mendoza was asked about how the team can play so loose even against a tough team like the Dodgers, and he
"That’s who we are," he said. "After a tough loss last night, tough game, come back the next day and we did that again today. We know we’re good. You’re going to go through times where it’s not going to be easy and just to keep it the same. Don’t get too high, don’t get too low. Understand you have a long ways to go, but also understanding we have a good team here."
The Mets may have won the season series, but they can win the four-game set when they take on the Dodgers on Thursday afternoon.
In this week's Closer Report, Devin Williams is getting another ninth-inning audition with the Yankees as Luke Weaver heads to the injured list with a left hamstring strain. And in Chicago, Daniel Palencia is making the most of his opportunity as the Cubs' closer.
Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings
Tier 1: At the Top
Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Hader locked down two more saves this week, striking out two batters in a clean frame each time out. The 31-year-old left-hander sits alone at the top of the rankings with a 1.38 ERA, 0.73 WHIP, and a 39/6 K/BB ratio across 26 innings while going a perfect 16-for-16 in save chances.
Tier 2: The Elite
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres Edwin Díaz - New York Mets Jhoan Duran - Minnesota Twins Emmanuel Clase - Cleveland Guardians Mason Miller - Athletics
Muñoz surrendered his first runs of the season, giving up three runs to blow the save chance on Friday against the Twins. He followed with another blown save on Sunday, giving up one run on a walk and a hit. Still, he struck out two batters each time out and should get back on track.
Suarez had a big week on the mound, picking up two saves and a win over four games. With the night off on Tuesday, Jeremiah Estrada stepped in to pick up his second save in extras against the Giants. Suarez is up to a league-leading 19 saves with a 1.98 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and a 29/8 K/BB ratio across 27 1/3 innings.
Díaz added two saves against the Rockies, striking out the side in both appearances. Then, pitching for the third time in four days, he gave up a run on two hits to blow a save against the Dodgers on Monday.
Duran made two clean appearances against the Mariners, picking up a win on Friday before pitching in a non-save situation Saturday. The 27-year-old right-hander now has a 0.95 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and a 34/11 K/BB ratio across 28 1/3 innings.
Clase continues to chip away at his ratios, tossing two more scoreless innings this week for a pair of saves. The 27-year-old right-hander is up to 13 saves on the season with a 3.96 ERA, 1.32 WHIP, and a 26/5 K/BB ratio across 25 innings.
Miller made just one appearance this week, striking out one batter in a clean inning against the Blue Jays. He has just three saves since the start of May as the Athletics have completely fallen apart, winning just seven games since May 1.
Tier 3: The Solid Options
Ryan Helsley - St. Louis Cardinals Tanner Scott - Los Angeles Dodgers Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays Camilo Doval - San Francisco Giants Will Vest/Tommy Kahnle - Detroit Tigers Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays Devin Williams - New York Yankees Justin Martinez - Arizona Diamondbacks Félix Bautista - Baltimore Orioles Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs Kyle Finnegan - Washington Nationals Emilio Pagan - Cincinnati Reds Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals
Helsley struck out two batters in a perfect inning for a save in his lone appearance this week, picking up his 13th of the season to go with a 3.00 ERA, 1.43 WHIP, and a 23/11 K/BB ratio across 21 innings. Meanwhile, Scott took a loss on Monday, giving up two runs in the tenth inning against the Mets. He then came back with a scoreless frame on Tuesday, striking out two and falling in line for a win.
Megill locked down back-to-back saves in a pair of scoreless outings against the Phillies and Reds. The 31-year-old right-hander has converted 12 saves with a 2.21 ERA, 1.23 WHIP, and a 22/11 K/BB ratio across 20 1/3 innings. A couple of three-walk outings have inflated his walk rate, but Megill's skills are right in line with where he was last year when he posted a 2.72 ERA with 21 saves.
Chapman pitched three times in five days, striking out four batters over three scoreless innings while picking up one save. He's up to nine with a 1.80 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and a 33/9 K/BB ratio across 25 innings. In Tampa, Fairbanks tossed a clean inning against the Rangers in a non-save situation on Tuesday and converted his 11th save on Wednesday.
Doval had made 21 consecutive appearances without allowing a run going into Tuesday's contest against the Padres. He broke that streak, giving up two runs to blow the save chance. He had locked down two saves earlier in the week after being named the team's closer going forward. Doval should continue to operate as the primary ninth-inning reliever in San Francisco. With Doval getting the night off Wednesday, Ryan Walker stepped in for the save chance but allowed two runners on with one out before Randy Rodríguez cleaned up the inning for his first career save.
Vest converted two save chances for the Tigers in the last week. He gave up a run against the Royals on Friday before working a clean inning for his ninth save on Sunday. Vest then pitched the seventh and eighth on Wednesday against the White Sox, falling in line for a win before Kahnle recorded his eighth save.
Hoffman gave up a two-run homer against the Athletics on Saturday but held on for his 13th save before striking out two in a clean inning during a non-save situation on Sunday.
In New York, Luke Weaver was placed on the 15-day injured list with a left hamstring strain he suffered while warming up to enter a game on June 1. He's expected to miss 4-6 weeks. Devin Williams is set to step back into the closer role for the Yankees. He's struggled in save situations this year and gave up a run against the Guardians on Tuesday before recording the save.
Martinez struck out two in a perfect inning against the Nationals on Sunday for a save. He then worked a five-out save against the Braves on Wednesday, giving up one run on four walks while striking out four batters. Meanwhile, Bautista recorded saves on back-to-back days against the White Sox, then tossed a clean frame in a non-save situation against the Orioles on Tuesday.
Palencia has been impressive in his run as the Cubs' closer. He added another save this week with a clean outing against the Reds on Saturday. The 25-year-old right-hander may not give up the role even when Porter Hodge returns from the injured list. He's posted a 1.74 ERA, 0.77 WHIP, and a 22/7 K/BB ratio across 20 2/3 innings.
Finnegan gave up one run before holding on for a save on Friday against the Diamondbacks, then converted his 17th of the season Wednesday against the Cubs. Meanwhile, Pagán recorded the final two outs against the Cubs on Friday, then pitched a scoreless inning against the Brewers on Tuesday for his 15th save.
Estévez worked a pair of scoreless innings to record two more saves. He's up to 17 with a 1.71 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, and a 25/11 K/BB ratio across 26 1/3 innings. The 32-year-old right-hander has allowed just one run over his last 15 1/3 innings.
Tier 4: Here for the Saves
Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves David Bednar/Dennis Santana - Pittsburgh Pirates Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels Jordan Romano - Philadelphia Phillies Robert Garcia - Texas Rangers
Iglesias pitched in two non-save situations. He allowed a run against the Phillies last Thursday before pitching a clean inning against the Red Sox on Sunday. The 35-year-old right-hander has struggled to a 5.79 ERA, 1.37 WHIP, and a 25/5 K/BB ratio across 23 1/3 innings.
Bednar pitched two clean innings in non-save situations against the Padres, then converted his seventh save with two strikeouts in a scoreless frame against the Astros on Wednesday. Meanwhile, Jansen gave up a run in a non-save situation against the Guardians on Friday, then pitched back-to-back days against the Red Sox for a save and a win.
In Philadelphia, Romano worked around three walks and a hit last Thursday before holding on for the save against the Braves. He then gave up one run in a non-save situation against the Brewers on Sunday and took the loss with a run allowed against the Blue Jays on Wednesday. For the Rangers, Garcia continued to be the presumptive closer despite no save chances this week.
Tier 5: Bottom of the Barrel
Calvin Faucher/Ronny Henriquez - Miami Marlins Zach Agnos - Colorado Rockies Jordan Leasure/Steven Wilson - Chicago White Sox
Relievers On The Rise/Stash Candidates
Bryan Baker has been excellent for the Orioles all season, posting a 2.67 ERA, 0.96 WHIP, and an outstanding 35/6 K/BB ratio across 27 innings. The 30-year-old right-hander is throwing harder than he ever has and generating a career-high 14% swinging strike rate. Baker has two holds and a save in the last week as the Orioles start to string together some wins. He's likely elevated himself to the next-in-line for saves behind Félix Bautista.
While Devin Williams is in line to work most save chances for the Yankees in Luke Weaver's absence, he hasn't exactly seen the most success in that role this season. It might be a good idea to keep an eye on Mark Leiter Jr. and Fernando Cruz. Both have recorded a pair of saves this season while generating strong strikeout rates. Cruz was activated from the 15-day injured list on Tuesday after missing a couple of weeks with a shoulder issue.
If the Nationals become sellers at some time this summer, we may finally see the team move on from Kyle Finnegan. With Jorge López out of the picture, after he was released, the door would be wide open for someone to step in to close. Cole Henry could be a name to watch over the next two months. The 25-year-old right-hander has posted a 2.08 ERA, 1.02 WHIP, and a 22/10 K/BB ratio across 21 2/3 innings.
Griffin Canning hit a bit of a rough patch his last two times out.
The right-hander was knocked around by the Dodgers in a rain-shortened outing and then suffered his third loss of the season after issuing four walks and allowing five runs to the lowly Chicago White Sox.
The Mets handed him an early three-run lead and he cruised from there -- holding the high-powered Dodgers lineup to just a walk and two singles while striking out four over the game’s first four innings.
Canning did find himself in some danger in the fifth, as Dalton Rushing lined a one-out single, but he bounced back nicely to punch out Kiké Hernández and his former teammate Shohei Ohtani to end the inning.
He returned for the sixth and finished his night with an easy 1-2-3 frame -- closing his final line with just one walk and three hits allowed while striking out six.
“He was really, really good,” Carlos Mendoza said. “The way he used all of his pitches, I thought he got ahead and executed when he needed to. The fastball was at 97 at one point, he had life on it -- the slider was sharp, the changeup had depth. Pretty impressive for him to go out and do what he did against that lineup.”
These are exactly the type of outings the Mets were hoping they’d receive from the former first-round pick when they took a chance on him on a one-year pact this offseason.
Canning has already won as many games as he did all of last season with the Angels and Braves, and he’s down to an extremely impressive 2.90 ERA on the year -- good enough for the ninth-lowest in the National League.
He’s also pieced together three quality starts and this is the seventh time he’s allowed one or fewer earned runs.
“He’s been awesome for us,” Mendoza said. “The last two outings with the rain against the Dodgers at home and then the rough one against the White Sox, but overall, we feel really good every time he takes the ball.
“You have to give him credit -- he’s been open to the new ideas and the adjustments, whether it’s gripping the baseball and a couple of other things, but it comes down to him going out there and executing the plan.”
