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Mets ace Kodai Senga unmoved by NL-best ERA through May: 'I don't really think about my stats'

The Mets weren't lucky enough to have a fully healthy and reliable Kodai Senga at their disposal last October, but enough of that old and tired news. What matters is they have a valuable version of him now, and his dominance on the mound deserves league-wide recognition.

Senga wrapped up his laudable May slate with yet another gem, completing 6.1 innings of two-run ball with seven strikeouts in the Mets' 8-2 beatdown of the lowly Rockies on Saturday afternoon at Citi Field. Check the leaderboard -- he owns an NL-best 1.60 ERA through 11 starts.

While he added to his list of first-inning mistakes this season, allowing a home run to the game's second batter, it didn't take long for Senga to settle in and find a groove. He proceeded to retire 17 straight batters, and ultimately walked off the field to a standing ovation midway through the seventh.

"Ideally, I'd like to get through without giving up any runs," Senga said after the win, via his interpreter. "I don't really think about my stats. A lot more games left in the season. In terms of my innings, give it a few days and I'm no longer on the leaderboard anymore. We have a lot more left to do, and I want to finish my outings on a strong note, unlike today. So, we have a lot of work to do."

With an average salary of $15 million, Senga isn't being paid like one of MLB's elite pitchers. But there's no disputing the ace-level production the right-hander has offered. He matched his stellar April (1.26 ERA) by delivering an excellent May (1.89), and he's now allowed three runs or fewer in 28 consecutive starts.

If the league isn't ready to give Senga worthy praise, at least his rotation mates are. Upon entering the dugout in the seventh, he was swarmed by the Mets' starting pitchers and Francisco Lindor. They huddled around Senga and jumped in celebration of his second-longest start of the season.

"The forkball, that was a pitch he had right away," Mendoza said postgame. "They kept swinging at it and he kept going. And then he made the fastball look 98-99 mph when it was 95-96 with how much he was throwing [the fork]. The cutter was good, the sweeper, all of his pitches. He attacked, got ahead, got some chases. He was solid today."

It's still too early to declare which aces will start this summer's All-Star Game in Atlanta, but the short list of candidates undoubtedly includes Senga. He's held opposing hitters to a .203 average, which ranks seventh best in the NL. It's also worth mentioning his career regular-season ERA now sits at 2.62.

Senga can only hope June treats him as well as springtime did -- he's lined up to face the vaunted Dodgers next week. Perhaps there's some added motivation to step up in Los Angeles, as he allowed six runs across three uninspiring innings during two NLCS meetings at Chavez Ravine last fall.

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Mets offense explodes, Kodai Senga dominates in 8-2 win over Rockies

The Mets' offense hit three home runs and Kodai Senga struck out seven, pitching into the seventh to beat the Rockies, 8-2, on Saturday afternoon at Citi Field.

Every starter had at least one hit in the game while Mets pitchers allowed just three hits.

Here are the takeaways...

-It was an odd start for Senga. After striking out Jordan Beck on a pitch-clock violation to start the game, Ezequiel Tovar lofted a ghostfork over the left field wall to give the Rockies a 1-0 lead. It's just the third home run Senga has allowed this season, all coming in the first inning. It's just the second homer allowed on the ghostfork in Senga's career. Senga bounced back to strike out Hunter Goodman and Ryan McMahon to end the first.

-The Mets offense would get the run back, and then some. Francisco Lindor and Brandon Nimmo led off with back-to-back singles, and starter Antonio Senzatela walked Juan Soto to load the bases. Pete Alonso struck out swinging but Brett Baty picked him up with a bases-clearing triple. Tyrone Taylor singled to put the Mets up 4-1.

The longball would be kind to the Mets in the fourth with Nimmo driving a two-run shot, and Soto followed with an opposite-field blast to put the Mets up 7-1. It's the first time this season the Mets hit back-to-back homers. It's Soto's first home run since May 9. The 66 at-bats between homers was the second-longest drought of his career.

Jeff McNeil will get in on the fun in the eighth with a solo shot to push the Mets' lead to 8-2.

-Senga would settle in, retiring 17 straight batters at one point. But he started to tire in the seventh, walking Tovar to lead off and pitching out of the stretch for the first time. Goodman hit a bullet to third, but Baty snagged it for the first out. McMahon walked and after a mound visit, Thairo Estrada hit a single through the left side to push across the Rockies' second run.

Mendoza pulled his starter and brought in Jose Butto. Butto got the last two outs of the inning to put an end to the threat and Senga's day.

The right-hander threw 92 pitches (55 strikes) across 6.1 innings, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out seven batters. Senga has now pitched 28 straight starts allowing three runs or fewer.

The combination of Butto and recently-recalled Chris Devenski combined to get the final eight outs, allowing just two walks and one hit.

-A day after Lindor hit two homers, he reached base four more times on Saturday. He went 2-for-3 with two walks. Soto had just the one hit, but reached base twice

Game MVP: Kodai Senga

While the offense had its best offensive day in a while, Senga continued his dominance in 2025.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets complete their series with the Rockies on Sunday at 1:40 p.m. on SNY.

Clay Holmes (5-3, 2.98 ERA) will take the mound and go up against LHP Carson Palmquist (0-3, 8.78 ERA).

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Athletics rookie Denzel Clarke’s first major league home run comes in native Toronto

TORONTO — This weekend is turning into quite a homecoming for Denzel Clarke.

The Athletics’ 25-year-old rookie hit his first major-league home run Saturday, going deep at Rogers Centre in his hometown of Toronto.

Clarke told reporters last week he expected 150-200 friends and family to attend the four-game series, and he’s given them plenty to cheer so far.

After going 1 for 19 with 15 strikeouts over his first six games as a big-leaguer, he singled twice and recorded his first major-league RBI in an 11-7 loss Friday night. He also made a flashy defensive play when he leapt at the center field wall to rob Alejandro Kirk of a home run in the fourth inning.

Oakland was down 4-3 in the top of the second Saturday when Clarke, batting No. 9 in the order, stepped to the plate against Braydon Fisher with a man on base and one out. Clarke hammered Fisher’s first pitch 406 feet into the left-field seats for a 5-4 lead.

Clarke, the cousin of Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor and Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor, played college baseball at Cal State Northridge and was a fourth-round draft pick of the Athletics in 2021.

He was playing at Triple-A Las Vegas when he was called up to the majors on May 23.

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Rockies demote first baseman Michael Toglia to Triple-A Albuquerque

NEW YORK — Struggling Colorado Rockies first baseman Michael Toglia was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque prior to Saturday’s game against the New York Mets.

Toglia appeared to establish himself as the Rockies’ first baseman last year, when he hit .233 with 21 homers following his June recall from Triple-A. He produced his first multi-homer game July 14, when he went deep three times against the Mets at Citi Field.

But Toglia began this season in a 2-for-23 slump and didn’t homer until his 65th plate appearance. He hit .247 with six homers in 26 games from April 16 through May 14 before hitting .125 with 22 strikeouts in his next 40 at-bats.

He leads the majors with 81 strikeouts in just 186 at-bats.

Interim Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said he wants Toglia to “go down and control the strike zone better.”

“He just needs to get better overall offensively,” he said.

The 24-year-old was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts while serving as the Rockies’ No. 8 hitter in Friday’s 4-2 loss which dropped Colorado to 9-48 — the worst record through 57 games in the modern era.

“It wasn’t working out right now for him and he knows that,” Schaeffer said. “In the future, we expect big things from Mike.”

To replace Toglia on the roster, the Rockies selected the contract of infielder Keston Hiura from Albuquerque. Schaeffer said Hiura, who reached double figures in homers for the Milwaukee Brewers three times from 2019 through 2022, would likely see the bulk of the playing time at first, though Kyle Farmer drew the start at the position Saturday.

The Rockies also designated infielder Aaron Schunk for assignment.

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Dodgers transfer pitcher Tyler Glasnow to 60-day injured list, claim catcher Chuckie Robinson

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.

The team made the move Saturday when catcher Chuckie Robinson was claimed off waivers. The 30-year-old was designated for assignment this week by the Angels.

Glasnow first went on the 15-day IL on April 28 with right shoulder inflammation. With the current move, the right-hander would be eligible to return in late June. He threw his first bullpen session last week.

Glasnow has made five starts this season, going 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in 18 innings. His first season with the Dodgers was cut short last year because of right elbow tendinitis.

Robinson was batting .272 with one home run and 18 RBIs with Triple-A Salt Lake City. He debuted in the majors with Cincinnati, playing 25 games and hitting two homers and driving in five runs. He also spent time with the Chicago White Sox last year.

Robinson has a .992 fielding percentage and is 12-for-48 in runners caught stealing.

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Mariners promote infield prospect Cole Young from Triple-A Tacoma

SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners promoted infield prospect Cole Young from Triple-A Tacoma ahead of their game against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.

Right-hander Bryce Miller was also reinstated from the 15-day injured list and is expected to start. Infielder Leo Rivas and right-hander Casey Legumina were optioned to Triple-A Tacoma in corresponding moves. The Mariners also designated right-hander Will Klein for assignment.

Young, 21, was a No. 21 overall pick in the 2022 MLB amateur draft and was the Mariners’ No. 3 overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, at the time of his promotion. He was off to a solid start to the year in the Pacific Coast League.

For the season, Young was hitting .277 with an .853 OPS for the Rainiers. In May, though, Young was particularly excellent, hitting .366 with a .467 on-base percentage, as well as 10 doubles, three triples and five home runs.

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Red Sox place Liam Hendriks on injured list, recall Nick Burdi from Triple-A Worcester

BOSTON — Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks has been placed on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his right hip.

The Red Sox announced Friday the move is retroactive to Wednesday and that right-handed pitcher Nick Burdi had been recalled from Triple-A Worcester.

Hendriks has made 14 appearances this season, posting a 6.59 ERA with 12 strikeouts over 13 2/3 innings. He has 116 saves in 490 career games with six teams since 2007.

Burdi, 32, has thrown 2 1/3 scoreless innings over two relief appearances for Boston. He was 4-0 with four saves and an 0.48 ERA in 15 appearances for Worcester.

Hendriks took to social media May 22 to express his displeasure about death threats he says he received following a loss to the New York Mets. The 36-year-old right-hander previously battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma and, in a post on Instagram, said comments were directed at him and his family and that people said they wished he would have died from cancer.

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Mets receiving ‘really good’ reports on Ronny Mauricio but want prospect to get more reps: 'We're watching'

How long it will take for Ronny Mauricio to be recalled to the big leagues is now a daily conversation among Mets fans.

With the offense not firing on all cylinders and Mauricio playing very well in Triple-A, the powers that be in Flushing have consistently been bombarded with questions about the young prospect’s future, and it’s easy to see why.

In seven games since returning to Triple-A Syracuse after a rehab assignment, Mauricio is batting .560 with three home runs and an OPS of 1.546. It’s a small sample size, but it’s enough to get the buzz around the Mets prospect to become louder and louder.

So when manager Carlos Mendoza was asked about the reports he’s getting about Mauricio prior to Saturday’s game against the Rockies, the second-year skipper tempered expectations but was honest in what he’s heard.

“We’re watching. The reports are really good, actually. Not so much about the results, just how he’s moving,” he said. “The way he’s running around the bases, moving in the infield, first step, going after baseballs, recovering well and we’ve seen the results from the offensive side where he’s impacting the baseball from both sides of the plate. Good player, we will continue to watch him.”

There are a few factors holding Mauricio back in Triple-A. First and foremost being his health. Mauricio is on the road back from multiple knee surgeries following the 2023 season and the organization wants him to get back into playing shape, which means playing as many games in the minors as possible.

President of baseball operations David Stearns said on Friday that Mauricio’s health is their No.1 priority.

Mauricio hadn’t played back-to-back games with Syracuse until this past Wednesday-Thursday, so the reports about his fielding and recovery are very positive signs.

The other roadblock is the Mets’ current roster. Mauricio has started at second and third base in Syracuse, spots being held by the combination of Mark Vientos, Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña.

Acuña and Baty are the only two of that quartet with minor league options remaining, but both are currently vital to the team's success of late. Baty swinging a hot bat and playing great defense, while Acuña's speed and defense as a bench player gives Mendoza some much-needed flexibility.

With that logjam, the Mets want Mauricio to continue to play the field and get at-bats as often as possible and the only way to do that is by playing in the minors, for now. But, as Mendoza put it Saturday, there’s going to be a time when decisions will have to be made.

"Right now, we want him to continue to get everyday reps,” he said. “Pretty sure we're going to get to a point where he's going to force us here, but in the meantime, just let him play."

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Luzardo allows a month's worth of runs, Hoskins goes off, Phils drop 3rd straight

Luzardo allows a month's worth of runs, Hoskins goes off, Phils drop 3rd straight originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Jesus Luzardo’s 12th start as a Phillie wasn’t just his first dud, it was the worst outing of his career, a 17-7 loss to the Brewers that had Rhys Hoskins’ fingerprints all over it.

Luzardo entered the day with the lowest home run rate in the National League and had not allowed more than three runs as a Phillie. Four batters into the game, the Brewers changed that with two singles and a walk before Hoskins extended his arms to blast a 97 mph fastball over the wall for a three-run bomb.

“Again starting off early putting us down in a hole, frustrating that it’s back-to-back starts,” Luzardo said. “Then kind of unraveled in the fourth. Just not being able to get back on track and give length to the team put the bullpen in a bad position and us in a hole.”

The fourth inning was the Phillies’ ugliest of 2025 and included the first ejection of the season for manager Rob Thomson. It began with a ball bouncing out of Nick Castellanos’ glove in right-center for a leadoff double. It was centerfielder Brandon Marsh’s ball but Marsh pulled off it late despite not being called off by Castellanos.

“Marsh needs to call Casty off there,” Thomson said. “(Castellanos) did not call the ball. Marsh has to keep going, call the ball and call him off because he has priority.”

The next batter, Caleb Durbin, hit a dribbler to the right of the mound and Luzardo threw it low past first baseman Alec Bohm, an error that allowed a runner to come around to score. Then came back-to-back walks, consecutive singles and another three-run homer from Hoskins, whose six RBI matched his most in any game.

Luzardo allowed a career-high 12 runs on 12 hits and his ERA rose from 2.15 to 3.58 — from second-best in the majors to 23rd. No Phillies starter has given up more runs in a game since Al Jurisich in 1947.

“When he didn’t execute, they hit the ball hard. When he did execute, the ball seemed to find a hole,” Thomson said. “You’re thinking the way he grinds, the way he battles and competes, that he’s gonna get out of it. And also want to save the bullpen.

“Statistics matter. You want your guys to have great years but at some points too, you’ve got to battle through things and do it for your teammates.”

The Phils have lost three in a row and dropped the series to the Brewers after ripping off 11 wins in 12 games. Their only other series loss since April 25 was in mid-May to the Cardinals.

Thomson’s ejection came after Luzardo appeared to pick Sal Frelick off of first base in the fourth. Following the initial call, third-base umpire Derek Thomas motioned that Luzardo balked and Frelick was awarded second base. Thomson ran out to argue, and beyond the balk itself, he and Luzardo took issue with it being called by the third-base umpire, not the home-plate or first-base umpires who have better vantage points of a lefty’s pick-off move.

“The third-base umpire’s explanation to me was that at the top of his leg lift, he stopped,” Thomson said. “That’s the first time I’ve ever heard that. My question was why didn’t the umpire at first base call it?”

Luzardo was peeved because it’s something he’s done for six years.

“That’s what I told him, that was my frustration, that I’ve done this since 2019 and never been called for a balk on it,” he said. “I think they did a great job of not throwing me out. In the heat of the moment, I was probably a little hot-headed. I just wanted an explanation as to what was the balk. I felt I gained ground even as I fell toward the plate, always kept my body moving even though it was slow. 

“Basically, I got couple of different answers, saying that I stopped at the top of my delivery, which I didn’t. And the call coming from third base is what frustrated me the most. If it was the first-base umpire, I’d understand it a little more. But it is what it is. Not everyone’s perfect. But I think that frustration kind of caused me to unravel a little bit more as opposed to step back, cool myself and get back to it.”

Regression was going to hit Luzardo at some point. He began the day averaging more than 6.0 innings per start, by far a career-high. His most 100-pitch outings in any season is five and he’d done that in five of his last six starts entering the weekend. The Phillies have pushed him, and until Saturday, he’d passed every test.

They know they must strike a balance rest-of-season between riding Luzardo when he’s effective and preserving his arm for October when it matters most. There are ways to do it — dialing him back by an inning, skipping a start at some point, going to a six-man rotation when Andrew Painter is ready.

The Phillies turn to Ranger Suarez on Sunday looking to avoid being swept at home for the first time since last July 29-31 vs. the Yankees. Suarez has pitched four straight gems, three of them scoreless starts of at least six innings. They’ll need another.

“I told Zeus as soon as he steps off the mound, this one’s over,” catcher J.T. Realmuto said. “Same thing as a team. It’s obviously an embarrassing loss, you never want to lose like that. We’ve just got to flush it and move on to tomorrow.”

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Mets Notes: Paul Blackburn to make season debut Monday vs. Dodgers; next steps for Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza gave some updates on the team ahead of Saturday's game against the Colorado Rockies...

Paul Blackburn to start Monday vs. Dodgers

The veteran right-hander will come off the injured list and make his season debut on Monday in Los Angeles, Mendoza told reporters. Blackburn will join a six-man starting rotation and the rest will follow after him.

"Yeah, it's gonna be Game 1 versus LA, Blackburn will pitch on Monday and then everybody will fall in line," Mendoza said.

Blackburn went 2-2 with a 3.68 ERA over seven minor league games during his rehab assignment, including a 2-1 record with a 2.70 ERA and 17 strikeouts over 20.0 innings with Triple-A Syracuse.

Mendoza isn't concerned over Blackburn making his season debut against a strong Dodgers lineup, crediting his MLB experience.

"Not really because he's been in this league for a long time now," Mendoza said. "He knows what it takes. This is not a situation where you're calling up a rookie or a guy that's been up and down. He's been in this league for quite a bit now and has had some success. He knows what's at stake. He knows he's going to be facing a good lineup. And he's ready.

"He feels good, feels healthy, he's throwing the ball well. As far as the competition and all that, he's been there before."

Blackburn pitched in five games for New York in 2024 after coming over from the Athletics, going 1-2 with a 5.18 ERA. He owns a 22-28 record with a 4.85 ERA across 85 games over his eight big league seasons.

What's next for Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas?

Manaea (right oblique strain) threw a live bullpen session on Thursday that "went well," and he'll throw another on Monday.

"It'll be an up-and-down live BP," Mendoza said. "Last time, which was one time up, he threw almost 20 pitches. Now he's gonna go where he goes two innings, basically, facing batters."

Mendoza added that the left-hander could throw another live BP before a rehab start.

As for Montas (right lat strain), Mendoza said that the team is looking for him to pitch another rehab game on Tuesday, depending on the weather.

Montas showed improvement in his second rehab start on Thursday night for High-A Brooklyn, allowing two runs on two hits and two walks while striking out three over 3.0 IP. He threw 49 pitches with 28 for strikes.

Mark Vientos 'going through it'

It's been a tough second full season in the bigs for Vientos, who's hitting just .231 with six home runs, seven doubles, and 21 RBI over 51 games. Many expected him to take another huge step forward following his 27-homer season in 2024, but that hasn't been the case.

"I feel like he's going through it," Mendoza said. "There will be stretches where he's hitting the ball hard consistently, but there's also stretches where he chases. Maybe a little bit in between at times. That's part of the grind, part of the 162. Second year in the big leagues, where people are adjusting to him and he's got to continue to make adjustments.

"He's working hard, he's watching film, he's talking to the hitting coaches, he's doing extra work. He's got to keep going."

Vientos has turned things around slightly after a poor April (.225 batting average) with a .256 batting mark in May, but his inconsistent performance has opened the door for others. The 25-year-old is not in the lineup Saturday as Brett Baty gets the start at third base and Jared Young at DH. Mendoza was then asked about balancing reps for Vientos to help him break out of the slump.

"When you got 13 guys, you feel good about your chances," Mendoza said. "It makes it a challenge, but there's a balance. Trying to use everyone as much as possible, keep everyone fresh. But in the case of Mark, he's getting playing time. Yes, maybe he plays one day, sits the other, but he plays three, sits one -- he's still active.

"I'm not worried about that at all, that's part of establishing yourself here at the big league level. Everybody goes through it. And he's going through it right now where he's got to learn where it's like, 'Hey man, you're probably gonna play a couple games and then sit one.' Every one of them is going through it I guess. Again, we got 13 really good players."

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What we learned as Ray gem wasted in Giants' shutout loss to Marlins

What we learned as Ray gem wasted in Giants' shutout loss to Marlins originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO — The odds are pretty good that Robbie Ray will be named National League Pitcher of the Month for May. The left-hander posted a 1.38 ERA in six starts, and when he walked off the mound on Saturday in Miami, he led the league in innings pitched this month. 

Ray went 4-1 in May, but it very easily could have been 6-0.

For the second time in his last three starts, Ray dominated but watched the lineup struggle. He allowed just one run, but the Giants were shut out for the second time in their last seven games, losing 1-0 to the last-place Miami Marlins. The two shutout losses are part of a stretch of 13 consecutive games without scoring more than four runs. 

The Giants had plenty of opportunities to break through Saturday, but didn’t take advantage. They loaded the bases with one out in the first but came away with nothing. Willy Adames and Mike Yastrzemski — who was moved out of the leadoff spot — both struck out. 

With a runner on in the fourth, Tyler Fitzgerald hit a high fly ball to left, where Marlins Park used to have a nightclub. But Heriberto Hernandez reached over the wall and pulled back what would have been a go-ahead homer. That was it against hard-throwing righty Edward Cabrera, who entered with a 4.73 ERA but now has back-to-back scoreless starts.

The Giants thought they had tied it in the bottom of the seventh, but center fielder Dane Myers made a tremendous catch to rob Jung Hoo Lee of an extra-base hit with Heliot Ramos on first. 

A defensive misplay and a walk put two on with one out in the eighth, but Yastrzemski flew out and Fitzgerald struck out.

No Offense

You have to go back to 1988 to find the last time the Giants went 13 straight games without scoring more than four, and they’re hardly even getting to that relatively low number. Since the Wilmer Flores Game against the A’s, the Giants have scored four runs just twice. They have just 10 runs over their last seven games. 

The Giants are somehow 6-7 during this ugly stretch, a testament to how good their pitching has been. But on Saturday, they weren’t able to get the two runs Ray needed. 

Changing It Up

The results fit in with the rest of Ray’s season, but the way he got there was different. He threw a career-high 32 changeups, blowing away his previous high of 18. The pitch is one that Ray learned from Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal in the offseason, and it has been a game-changer for him, allowing him to succeed on days when his fastball and slider aren’t quite as sharp.

Ray got 22 strikes with those 32 changeups, including 12 of his 19 swinging strikes. Five of his nine strikeouts came on changeups. 

At Least They Have That Guy

Heliot Ramos was far and away the team’s best position player in May, and on Saturday that led to a lineup change. LaMonte Wade Jr. started the season as the leadoff hitter against righties but he’s down at the bottom of the order now, and might be out of it altogether when Jerar Encarnacion returns. Yastrzemski was hitting .213 in May after Friday’s game, and that got him bumped down, too.

Ramos already was the leadoff hitter against lefties and he’s now at the top of the lineup against righties, too. He reached base four times Saturday, getting two singles, a walk and hit-by-pitch. His on-base percentage for the season is up to .355.

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Judge, Ohtani light up first inning with historic home runs in Yankees-Dodgers rematch

LOS ANGELES — Reigning MVPs Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani blasted historic home runs in the first inning as the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers met Friday night in a rematch of last year’s World Series.

Judge got the fireworks going with a 446-foot solo shot to dead center on a 1-1 pitch from Tony Gonsolin. The Yankees slugger’s 19th homer of the season tied him with Kyle Schwarber for third in the majors.

Ohtani matched him in the bottom of the frame with a 417-foot homer to center on the first pitch from Max Fried in front of a sellout crowd of 53,276.

“I felt like he was copying me,” a smiling Judge said.

It’s the first time reigning MVPs homered in the first inning of a game in major league history. Barry Bonds of San Francisco and Miguel Tejada of Oakland were the first reigning MVPs to homer in the same game, including the World Series, on June 30, 2002.

“I really thought it was important to be able to score another run in that situation, knowing that momentum is really important,” Ohtani said through a translator.

Judge downplayed the tit-for-tat with Ohtani.

“Try not to think about it,” he said. “I got a job to do on the field. I got to make plays, score some runs for the team. You try not to get too hyped into that.”

Ohtani led off the sixth with a solo shot to right-center, scurrying back to step on first base after missing it. That sparked a four-run rally that carried the Dodgers to an 8-5 victory, their 19th come-from-behind win of the season.

The long balls extended Ohtani’s major league-lead to 22. He tied the Dodgers record for most in a month with 15.

“We always seem to obviously play really well when Shohei’s obviously playing well,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “I heard the chants for MVP, and he’s really well on his way to doing that again.”

Ohtani has 60 runs this season, making him the first player since 1901 to reach the mark before June, according to OptaSTATS.

The Japanese superstar has hit five homers in his last five games, with four coming on the first or second pitch.

Judge is most impressed by Ohtani’s consistency at the plate.

“Year after year continue to go up there and put up the numbers he does,” he said. “Every single at-bat, you don’t know if he’s going to rip a ball to me in right field or if he’s going to take a Max Fried first pitch heater opposite field.”

The Dodgers beat the Yankees in five games to win their eighth world championship in 2024.

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Harper ‘really bruised' but will try to swing; Phillies rotation options

Harper ‘really bruised' but will try to swing; Phillies rotation options originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Bryce Harper will try to swing a bat in the Phillies’ indoor cages Saturday afternoon for the first time since being hit on the right elbow by a 95 mph Spencer Strider fastball on Tuesday.

He’ll also try to throw. Harper took grounders on the field before Friday’s series opener against the Brewers but was limited to underhand flips to first base.

“It’s really bruised today, the bruising has started to come,” manager Rob Thomson said Saturday. “The swelling is down a little bit.”

Thomson reiterated that he still doesn’t think Harper will need time on the injured list. Saturday was the fourth straight game Harper has missed and it is unclear if he’ll be able to return to the lineup on Sunday. An IL stint can be backdated by a maximum of three days.

Still, Thomson said he doesn’t think the Phils will have to make a decision one way or another by Sunday. If Harper still isn’t ready then but the potential exists that he could play in Toronto Tuesday through Thursday, the Phillies could just play a man short on their bench for another game or two. It’s not ideal but neither would be IL-ing Harper and having him miss time on the back end unnecessarily.

Kyle Schwarber fielded grounders at first base on Friday. That wasn’t a coincidence.

“Every once in a while he does,” Thomson said. “He’s ramping it up a little bit because of the Harper situation, we don’t really know where we’re at with that.”

Schwarber last played first base in the 2021 postseason with the Red Sox, though he did spend 24 innings there this spring to better prepare him in case of a Harper injury.

No rotation news yet

Thomson had nothing to divulge about the Phillies’ rotation on Saturday but said an update would come Sunday.

Taijuan Walker allowed four runs in four innings in a loss Friday as right-hander Mick Abel continued his strong run at Triple A. Abel has a 1.08 ERA over his last seven starts, six at Triple A and one in the majors.

Optioned to Lehigh Valley on May 19, Abel is eligible to be called back up to the majors in time for his next start, if the Phillies so choose. The next time Walker’s rotation spot comes up is Thursday in Toronto but the Phillies could also push that start back to Saturday in Pittsburgh because of an off-day Monday.

Aaron Nola (right ankle sprain) is the other element in this equation. Nola will throw 45-to-50 pitches in a bullpen session Sunday. If it goes well, he could face hitters in live batting practice later in the week, potentially Friday. The step after that would be a rehab assignment, which might last only a start or two. Two more weeks seems realistic for Nola.

Walker will be shifted back to the bullpen for the duration of the season once Nola is ready to return. If the Phillies go with Abel the next turn through, they’d only be speeding up that transition by 1-2 starts.

There’s no guarantee Walker will work out as a reliever but the Phillies’ bullpen would welcome the boost. In two relief appearances this season, Walker has allowed two earned runs and five baserunners in six innings with nine strikeouts.

“My goal is to help any way I can,” Walker said Friday night. “I’m pretty confident in my stuff.

“If I have one inning to blow it out, whatever it is, I feel like my stuff would play up just a little bit more. Knowing that I’ve got one inning, just let it eat.”

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Mets vs. Rockies: How to watch on SNY on May 31, 2025

The Mets continue a three-game series with the Rockies on Saturday at 4:10 p.m. on SNY.

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

Mets Notes

  • Kodai Senga looks to continue his bounce-back season (5-3, 1.46 ERA) as he's allowed one or less runs in four of his last five starts
  • Francisco Lindorslugged two homers in Friday's win to give him 11 HRs on the year -- tied for the team lead with Pete Alonso
  • Brett Baty had a pinch-hit single on Friday night as he's now slashing .365/.462/.545 with eight hits over his last seven games
ROCKIES
METS

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What channel is SNY?

Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.

How can I stream the game?

The new way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv. Streaming on the SNY App has been discontinued.

In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone. 

How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB? 

To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps: 

  • Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider. 
  • Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account. 
  • Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY. 

How can I watch the game on the MLB App? 

MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.  

  • Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices. 
  • Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”  
  • To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.  

For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here. 

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ICYMI in Mets Land: Bats come alive vs. Rockies; injury updates

Here's what happened in Mets Land on Friday, in case you missed it...