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David Stearns said prior to Tuesday night’s game that the Mets were going to need more consistency from their starting rotation if they hoped to turn things around. 

For the first three batters, Kodai Senga appeared to be up for the challenge. 

Senga was a much different pitcher than in his previous few outings, pounding the zone with consistent heat as he struck out two Cubs en route to a perfect top of the first. 

From there, though, things quickly changed. 

The righty completely lost his groove as he loaded the bases and walked in a run before giving up a three-run blast to former Mets prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Just like that, New York found itself in another early hole. 

“That’s the frustrating part,” Carlos Mendoza said. “He goes out there in that first inning and that’s the guy you hope that he’s capable of being, just blowing that fastball by people.

“Then the second inning he gets away from it, and we’re sitting there in the dugout kind of asking ourselves like what’s going on here, it happens so quick, it’s hard to explain -- just frustrating.”

And the frustration only grew from there, as Senga was hurt by another free pass in the top of the fourth, with the struggling Dansby Swanson immediately following it with a two-run homer. 

He ended up being pulled without completing that frame, leaving with seven runs on his line via just three hits and a season-high five free passes in just 3.2 innings of work. 

At this point, even Senga is left searching for answers regarding his command issues. 

“It’s hard to pinpoint,” he said via an interpreter. “When I’m trying to find the zone, that’s when I’m not in the zone, when I’m trying to throw freely, that’s when the pitches are in the zone.”

Now sitting 7.0 GB of a wild card spot, though, the Mets don’t have time to keep hoping for answers. 

With losses in each of his last five outings and an ugly 10.08 ERA on the season, Senga appears to be back on the outside looking in at a spot in the starting rotation. 

“David was pretty clear before the game that performance matters here,” Mendoza said. 

“Having outings like this is not going to cut it, I’m pretty sure we’re going to have decisions, but that ain’t gonna do it -- we need better, they know that, but we get to a point where you have to go out there and earn it.”

Cubs pitcher Edward Cabrera was carted off the field Tuesday night at Citi Field in the bottom of the fifth inning after he injured himself making a play at first base against the Mets. 

Chicago revealed after its 9-6 win that Cabrera strained both his left hamstring and left adductor while stretching out to make a catch on a throw to first by second baseman Nico Hoerner, who had to slide to make a play on the line drive hit by Jared Young. 

Cabrera caught the throw to end the inning, but he quickly rolled over and grabbed at his leg, clearly in pain. 

The Cubs right-hander hobbled as he got up and attempted to walk before only getting several steps and falling back down to the ground. 

Chicago’s medical staff came racing out to see if Cabrera was alright. 

He eventually had to be helped to the cart and was taken off the field. 

Following the game, Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters that it was a left hamstring injury and that it would require Cabrera to go on the injured list. 

“We’ll have imaging done tomorrow and see where that takes us,” he said. 

The Cubs are already down several members of their Opening Day starting rotation, with lefty Matthew Boyd and right-handers Cade Horton and Jameson Taillon also out. 

Counsell said that he was “concerned” about the state of the team’s pitching and depth and that they were in a “tough spot.” 

Cabrera pitched five innings on Tuesday night in Queens, giving up two runs and striking out four while throwing 99 pitches. 

He had entered the game with a 4-4 record and 5.21 ERA in his 13 starts. 

Cabrera was acquired by the Cubs in a trade with Miami back in January. 

The righty has dealt with several injuries this season, including a June 16 issue when he had to come out of a game with a right-hand cramp and was on the IL on May 21 due to a blister on his middle finger.

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We all know that the San Francisco Giants have underperformed to a massive degree this season. And we also all know that president of baseball operations Buster Posey is always willing to make a big splash.

And so, armed with those pieces of information, it seemed fair to assume the Giants would look to unload one of their larger contracts. Posey all but confirmed that on Tuesday, when he met with the media and basically said that every play save for Logan Webb was available.

We’ve heard rumors for a few weeks that the Giants will look to unload one of their extra-large contracts: first baseman Rafael Devers, shortstop Willy Adames, and third baseman Matt Chapman. That’s easier said than done: Devers is having a huge down year on offense, and owed an ungodly sum of money, while Adames and Chapman are both having down years at the plate, while possessing no-trade clauses.

But still, it seems likely that Posey will try his darndest to unload at least one of those deals, and open up some money to play with in future years. So which of those three do you think is most likely to be dealt in the next month?

Konnor Griffin is nearing a return to the Pirates’ infield.

The former No. 1 prospect and 20-year-old shortstop sensation will begin a rehab assignment in Double-A with the Altoona Curve beginning on Wednesday.

Manager Don Kelly confirmed to the media that Griffin will play his first game since May 30.

Griffin has been sidelined for nearly a month due to a forearm injury that has hampered his ability to throw.

What was once considered day-to-day required an IL stint, and the Pirates treated the injury with significant caution.

Griffin served as the designated hitter against the Minnesota Twins on May 29 and 30, but the Pirates didn’t want to risk future injury.

Pirates pregame and postgame host Dan Zangrilli of 93.7 The Fan believes Griffin could return during the three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds this home stand. 

In 51 games with the Bucs, Griffin is slashing .270/.327/.402 with nine doubles, two triples, four home runs, and 22 RBIs over the course of 189 at-bats.

Griffin has also stolen 14 bases and has been deployed as high as the Pirates’ leadoff hitter or in the bottom third of the lineup. 

The Pirates did not find any structural damage for Griffin or anything that required serious attention outside of rest. He took ground balls last week and continued to rehab his forearm by throwing 90 feet, to bases, and getting back into the swing of throwing the ball with regularity.

The team extended their star shortstop with a nine-year, $140 million contract that marked one of the best days in recent Pirates history. 

Lacking offense and Griffin’s five-tool ability at short, the Pirates have slipped below .500 (39-40).

They desperately need Griffin back, and it appears to be only a matter of time.

When he does return soon, Griffin will immediately be relied on as the difference maker and embrace the weight of the franchise at only 20 years of age.

The Pirates play the Mariners and Reds before going across the state and to the nation’s capital over the next two weeks before the All-Star Game.

Right-hander Koen Moreno was promoted from High-A South Bend to Double-A Knoxville.

Right-hander Luis Rujano was promoted from rookie ball ACL Cubs to South Bend.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were stampeded by the Buffalo Bison (Blue Jays), 11-10 in ten innings.

Paul Campbell pitched the first five innings and gave up four runs on four hits. Campbell walked two and struck out five.

Corbin Martin pitched the top of the tenth, gave up three runs and took the loss when Iowa only scored two runs in the bottom of the inning. Martin’s final line was three runs, two earned, on three hits. He struck out one and walked no one.

DH BJ Murray tied the game 1-1 with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. It was his ninth home run on the year. Murray went 3 for 5 with a triple and the home run. He also walked once. Murray scored two runs and drove home two.

Third baseman Owen Miller hit a grand slam in the sixth inning, his fourth home run of the year. Miller went 2 for 5.

Catcher Moisés Ballesteros was 2 for 4 with a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly. He had three RBI.

Murray’s home run.

Miller’s slam.

An RBI double for Mo Baller.

Ballesteros gets the I-Cubs to within a run in the tenth.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies toppled the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 5-3.

Starter Connor Schultz pitched 3.1 innings and gave up three runs on two hits. He had some control issues as he walked six. Schultz struck out five.

Erian Rodriguez handled the next 2.2 innings and collected the win after not allowing a run. Rodriguez gave up just one hit. He walked two and struck out three.

Tyler Schlaffer pitched the final three innings and got just his second career save. Schlaffer retired the first eight batters he faced and then allowed a two-out double in the ninth. He then ended the game by getting the next batter to pop out. Schlaffer struck out three.

In the second inning, left fielder Andy Garriola cracked his team-high 14th home run with the bases empty. Garriola was 3 for 4 with a double, the home run and a walk. He had two total runs batted in.

Catcher Owen Ayers connected for his 19th home run on the year with the bases empty in the seventh. It was his 13th home run with the Smokies. Ayers was 1 for 4 with a walk.

Second baseman Ed Howard was 2 for 4 and scored once.

Garriola’s home run.

The Ayers home run.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs arrested the Quad Cities River Bandits (Royals), 6-2.

Kevin Valdez started and allowed two runs on two hits over 4.1 innings. Both runs came on a home run in the fifth inning. Valdez walked three and struck out a career-high nine batters.

Ben Johnson threw the next 1.2 innings, did not give up a run on one hit, and got the win. He struck out one and walked no one.

Left fielder Jose Escobar had a huge night. He went 4 for 4 with two doubles and a two-run home run in the fourth inning. It was Escobar’s second home run with South Bend and fourth overall. He finished the night with three runs batted in.

Shortstop Ty Southisene was 2 for 4 with a double and two steals. He scored one run.

Third baseman Matt Halbach went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI single in the first inning. Halbach also scored once.

Second baseman Angel Cepeda was 2 for 4. He drove in one and scored one run.

Escobar’s home run.

RBI single for Cepeda.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans herded up the Salem RidgeYaks (Red Sox), 7-2.

Starting pitcher Yoendris Gonzalez did not allow a hit or a run over the first three innings. Gonzalez walked two and struck out four.

Riely Huntsaker pitched the next four innings and got the win. Huntsaker allowed just one unearned run on three hits. He struck out three and walked no one.

Jhon Rosario threw the final two innings in a non-save situation. He gave up just one hit, but it was a solo home run to the first batter he faced in the eighth. Rosario allowed one run on one hit and one walk. He struck out two.

For the fourth straight game, catcher Logan Poteet homered. This one came with a man on in the seventh inning and was his 14th home run overall. Poteet came a double shy of the cycle, as he was 3 for 5 with a triple and the home run. He scored twice and had two runs batted in.

Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy went 3 for 5 with a stolen base. He singled home two in the fourth inning.

Third baseman Yahil Melendez was 2 for 5 with a double.

Lumpuy’s two-run single.

Poteet’s home run.

ACL Cubs

Lost to the Giants, 6-4.

It would seem the Colorado Rockies used up most of their magic last night. After an exciting walk-off finale, the Rockies fell back to earth this evening with a quiet game against the Boston Red Sox in which the offense struggled to gain any momentum.

A gutsy start by Sean Sullivan

Left-handed rookie Sean Sullivan’s first three starts have certainly been unique. The first came under the scorching Nevada sun while he was visibly ill and he worked just three innings. In his second start he worked for innings, but also gave up seven earned runs in a single inning against Chicago.

Making his third start tonight, and his first at Coors Field, Sullivan certainly wasn’t sharp. He struggled with command and location—the opposite of what his calling card has been in the minors—walking five batters and throwing 94 pitches in five innings of work. However, it was both the longest start of his career and an incredibly gutsy one. Despite dealing with self-inflicted wounds, Sullivan largely kept his mistakes from haunting him and kept the Rockies within reach. He gave up just three earned runs on five hits and the aforementioned walks, struck out three batters, and tallied ten whiffs. Six of those whiffs came on his four-seam fastball despite the pitch averaging just 87.7 MPH. He gave up just one home run, a solo shot off the bat of Wilyer Abreu in the fifth inning.

“At the end of the night he gave us a chance to win,” said manager Warren Schaeffer after the game. “He battled, but [fell] behind in too many counts. Too many walks.”

Mixed results from the bullpen

Righty Zach Agnos took the ball from Sullivan for three innings of relief work, the first of which exemplified the struggles the Rockies bullpen have faced lately. In the sixth inning, Agnos gave up two earned runs on three hits to put the Rockies down by four runs. All three of those hits came with two outs already on the board.

However, Agnos was very solid the rest of the way. Over his next two innings of work he allowed just two more hits and a walk while keeping the Red Sox off the board.

Agnos gave way to Juan Mejia for the top of the ninth inning. Mejia entered the game with a 6.95 ERA and in the middle of a painful slump. Over his last ten appearances and 9.1 innings, Mejia had posted an ERA of 14.46 with eight strikeouts and seven walks.

Mejia gave up one hit but pitched an otherwise clean inning, lowering his ERA on the season to 6.75.

Windy Gray

There seemed to be a bit of a breeze in the air tonight at Coors Field, largely stemming from the swinging of Rockies’ bats against veteran right-handed pitcher and three-time All-Star Sonny Gray. Gray was very efficient tonight, making it through seven innings on 93 pitches. While he did give up six hits and three walks, he generally kept the Rockies offense stymied with a season-high 11 strikeouts—the most he’s tallied in a game since June 27th, 2025. His sweeper was particularly effective and accounted for 13 of his 16 whiffs.

For most of the game the Rockies had just one run on the scoreboard. It came in the second inning courtesy of Willi Castro sending a solo home run over the right field wall. Castro finished the night 1-for-3 with a walk.

Jake McCarthy extended his hitting streak to 12 consecutive games while TJ Rumfield and Troy Johnston both had multi-hit nights, but there was very little else of note coming from the offense for most of the contest. One final gasp of fight game off the bat of Ezequiel Tovar in the bottom of the ninth inning when he hit his sixth home run of the season.

Coming Up Next

The series finale against the Red Sox is tomorrow afternoon, and the Rockies still have a chance to clinch a series win and send Boston packing. Kyle Freeland will toe the rubber for the Rockies while fellow lefty Ranger Suárez will take the mound for the Red Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 PM MDT.

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Box Score

While the Brewers’ offense didn’t exactly have a get-right game, it didn’t matter. Behind a dominant performance from Brandon Sproat and the pitching staff, Milwaukee held the Reds to just two hits in a 2-0 shutout victory, their third straight win.

Despite his struggles this season, Reds starter Nick Lodolo was dealing out of the gate, holding the Brewers hitless the first time through the lineup. Jackson Chourio broke up the no-hitter in the top of the fourth with a comebacker that got Lodolo on the pitching hand. He was pretty shaken up, but ended up staying in the game after members of the Reds’ training staff came out to check on him.

After Chourio reached, Lodolo began to unravel, allowing another single to Brice Turang and walking Andrew Vaughn in between a William Contreras strikeout. Vaughn’s walk gave the Brewers bases loaded with only one out, but Jake Bauers struck out looking (after unsuccessfully challenging the ruling of a strike), and Gary Sánchez lined out to center field to end the inning with the Brewers still scoreless.

Lodolo managed to get through the fourth, but didn’t look right. Shortly after reliever Julian Garcia came out for the top of the fifth, the Reds announced that Lodolo had been pulled due to a left wrist contusion.

Despite losing their starter, the Reds kept the Brewers off the board for another inning. Neither team scored until the top of the sixth, when Andrew Vaughn worked a two-out walk against Garcia. Left-hander Caleb Ferguson then entered to face Jake Bauers, who hit a high chopper down the first-base line and over the head of first baseman Sal Stewart. Vaughn came all the way around to score as Bauers raced into third with his first triple of the year.

While the Reds’ pitching held strong through six innings, the Brewers matched them inning for inning. Sproat delivered what was probably the best outing of his career so far, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning and racking up 10 strikeouts without walking a single batter. The one hit he allowed — a single to Jose Trevino to start the bottom of the sixth — was quickly nullified by a great throw from Sánchez on a steal attempt (by Edwin Arroyo, who replaced Trevino at first on a fielder’s choice).

Sproat has experienced some growing pains during his rookie year, but starts like Tuesday’s are a glimpse of why the Brewers remain so excited about his long-term potential.

The Brewers got another run in the top of the eighth off Chase Petty after Turang and Contreras hit back-to-back one-out singles and Andrew Vaughn knocked in Turang with a sacrifice fly. Abner Uribe faced three batters in the bottom of the eighth, and Trevor Megill faced three batters in the bottom of the ninth as the Brewers held on for the shutout.

Despite scoring just four runs in two games, the Brewers will look for the series sweep tomorrow in Cincinnati. Shane Drohan will go for Milwaukee opposite righty Rhett Lowder. First pitch is slated for 6:10 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO — As if the Giants’ season couldn’t become more cursed.

Luis Arraez, one of the few bright spots and San Francisco’s top trade chip, fouled a ball off his foot Tuesday night and was forced to exit the Giants’ series opener against the A’s.

The good news is that Arraez appears to have averted the worst.

Only “a little sore,” according to manager Tony Vitello.

X-Rays came back clean, Vitello said after the 3-1 win. He is considered day-to-day.

“If he can go (Wednesday), he’ll go,” Vitello said. “We’ll touch base with him in the morning.”

Arraez was wearing a shin guard in his first-inning at-bat against Aaron Civale, but the ricochet off his bat apparently missed the protective gear as the Giants’ second baseman was clearly in pain. The game was paused while Vitello and a trainer checked on him.

“I think (J.T.) Realmuto got his in that exact same spot, right on the arch,” Vitello said. “He’s as tough as they come too and it was like an inning [he stayed in the game] and he had to go. Then he couldn’t go the next couple days. It’ll be interesting to see how the swelling is in the morning.”

Arraez initially remained in the game. He finished the at-bat, flying out to left, but had a noticeable limp as he made his way up the first base line. 

He stayed in the game, even ripping his customary single on a line drive on the ninth pitch of his next at-bat, until the top of the fifth. Casey Schmitt, who started the game in left field, took over at second base.

“He always wants to be out there. The good thing is he’s honest with us,” Vitello said. “It was tightening up right away, but he stayed out there and got a base hit. … He just needed to come out.”

It ended up being a good outcome given an injury to Arraez couldn’t have come at a worse time, just over a month out from MLB’s trade deadline. The Giants, 15 games below .500 entering Tuesday, are obvious sellers, and with Arreaz’s stellar two-way play on a one-year deal, he is a clear candidate to be moved.

Not only has the three-time batting champ reclaimed his position among the league’s best hitters for average, the notoriously poor defender has been a revelation at second base.

The combination of those qualities could entice a contender to part with a considerable package of prospects to acquire his services for the stretch run. The bloated contracts and underperformance of the Giants’ other trade candidates means Arraez could net them a better return than Matt Chapman, Willy Adames or Rafael Devers.

Had X-Rays revealed the worst, the Giants may not have gotten the chance to cash in.

DETROIT — Almost every night, Cody Bellinger finds a way to impact the game.

On Tuesday, he did it with his arm.

Bellinger unleashed a 95.5 mph throw from left field on one hop to the plate to nail a runner trying to score in the fourth inning before the Yankees came back to beat the Tigers 4-3 at Comerica Park.

“What a great throw,” said Carlos Rodón, who was on the mound. “I was surprised they sent [the runner], because Cody’s got a good arm. He’s a great defender. And of course he comes up and throws it right on the money.”

The Tigers led 2-1 at the time and were threatening for more, with Riley Greene on second base and two outs. Hao-Yu Lee hit a single to left field, where Bellinger fielded it cleanly and fired home to Austin Wells, who caught it on a bounce and then slid over to his left to tag Greene.

“Obviously I wanted to get a good beat on it and set my feet and make a good throw,” Bellinger said. “It was a pretty good throw, but Wellsy did a great job of getting the ball and putting a quick tag on him.”

Wells snapped an 0-for-18 skid (that dated back to before his injured-list stint) by roping an RBI double off lefty Tyler Holton in the sixth inning, extending the Yankees’ lead to 4-2.

“Really good swing off a tough at-bat,” Bellinger said. “He’s a huge part of this team and excited to have him back.”

Wells was making his second start since being activated off the IL for cervical headaches.

The Yankees’ catcher position continues to be in flux, as Ali Sánchez went on the paternity list Tuesday (replaced by J.C. Escarra) but looks like he might avoid the injured list after taking a 98 mph fastball to his right wrist on Monday. X-rays and a CT scan were both negative.

“Hoping off of the testing and everything that he’ll be a player for us when he gets back, whether that’s Thursday or Friday,” Boone said.

The Yankees announced Tuesday they have signed 18-year-old right-hander Chien-Fan Lai out of Taiwan as part of their international signing class. The team said Lai was the “highest-rated Taiwanese pitcher in the 2026 class,” though it was not immediately clear whose ratings those were.

But the 6-foot, 180-pound Lai became the third Taiwanese player in franchise history to sign with the Yankees, joining right-hander Chien-Ming Wang (2000) and infielder Fu-Lin Kuo (2009). Lai is expected to soon report to the Yankees’ Dominican Summer League Academy to begin his pro career.

“The signing of Chien-Fan represents our renewed commitment to players in Taiwan, and in Asia as a whole,” Mario Garza, who took over as the club’s new director of international scouting in January, said in a statement. “As I have gotten to know Chien-Fan, I have seen a focused and self-assured individual with great aptitude and a desire to improve.

“Through a scouting lens, he has an impressive multi-pitch mix, including a heavy fastball and quality off-speed pitches with solid command. This combination of traits allows us to believe that he will acclimate himself well in our development system, maximize his on-field potential and eventually become a productive Major League pitcher.”

Ryan McMahon was initially supposed to be in Tuesday’s lineup at third base against Tigers righty Casey Mize, but an ear/throat infection that he has been battling the last few days changed those plans.

“He’s still pretty banged up today,” said Boone, who was hoping to at least have him available off the bench.

Instead, Boone moved José Caballero from shortstop to third base and inserted Anthony Volpe into the lineup at shortstop. Volpe delivered a pair of singles in the win.

Major League Baseball says it has no concerns about Dodgers and Rams head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache working with players.

ElAttrache was questioned by MLB on June 12 following a detailed report by the New York Times that the renowned surgeon and sports medicine expert supported the therapeutic use of performance-enhancing drugs by UFC star Conor McGregor.

“MLB took our responsibility to conduct due diligence in this matter seriously. We interviewed Dr. Neal ElAttrache last week, covering multiple topics, and he answered our questions thoroughly,” MLB said in a statement obtained by The Times Tuesday night.

“Based on our interview, the review of relevant records, Dr. ElAttrache’s long history of support for and cooperation with the Joint Drug Program and the fact that no Therapeutic Use Exemption requests of this nature have been submitted by Dr. ElAttrache or anyone else, we do not have any concerns regarding Dr. ElAttrache’s treatment of MLB players, or his adherence to the Joint Drug Programs and related rules.

“We consider this matter closed.”

Read more:Dodgers, Rams physician Neal ElAttrache explains referring UFC star Conor McGregor to steroids specialist

ElAttrache performed surgery on McGregor in July 2021, inserting a rod, plates and screws into his left leg after the fighter broke his tibia and fibula during a mixed martial arts bout against Dustin Poirier in Las Vegas.

McGregor’s recovery was lengthy and arduous. ElAttrache told the New York Times that while he did not prescribe steroids for McGregor, he referred him to a specialist who did. Furthermore, ElAttrache wrote a letter supporting McGregor’s request for a therapeutic use exemption from UFC drug policies.

“I felt it would be appropriate to consult other physicians with expertise in bone healing/bone metabolism,” ElAttrache told the New York Times via text. “I recommended the consultations but not the course of treatment.”

ElAttrache said he told McGregor to check with UFC drug testers about prescriptions the consultant gave him. “I purposely wasn’t involved with his evaluation by the consultant nor with prescribing medication,” ElAttrache said.

Read more:Surgeon Neal ElAttrache helps Rams and Dodgers get back on the field after injuries

The exemption request was denied by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, the drug testing organization the UFC used at the time, triggering a split between the two organizations. McGregor withdrew from the UFC anti-doping program shortly thereafter and no longer was required to undergo testing for banned substances.

The report prompted MLB to talk with ElAttrache about his approach to treating players.

ElAttrache, operating primarily out of the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles, has performed elbow or shoulder surgeries on prominent Dodgers past and present, including Shohei Ohtani, Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin and Walker Buehler as well as former Rams stars Cooper Kupp and Cam Akers.

Among the hundreds of surgeries performed over three decades by ElAttrache, his patients include the four 2024 MLB most valuable player and Cy Young Award winners — Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Chris Sale and Tarik Skubal. ElAttrache’s patients include 18 of 29 players who won the MVP or Cy Young awards over the past 10 years.

“I have spoken with MLB and I am very comfortable with the process that the league and I will complete to assure the public that I have followed every rule and regulation in my medical treatment of athletes without exception,” ElAttrache said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times earlier this month. “My record is completely clean, including in this case.”

Times staff writers Steve Henson, Bill Shaikin, Sam Farmer and Gary Klein contributed to this report.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Red Sox 5, Rockies 2

Leverage index and box score

Graphics via FanGraphs.

Sonny Skies: Sonny Gray, +0.34 WPA

Nothing’s Free, man: Tyler Freeman, -0.18 WPA 

Game thread comment of the day

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MINNEAPOLIS — They don’t homer, they don’t win.

That’s normally the case for the Dodgers.

Tuesday was an exception.

In their 12-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins, the Dodgers built their lead in unorthodox fashion.

They piled up hits.

Of their 17 hits, only one was a home run and it didn’t come until the ninth inning when Alex Call launched a sinker by reliever Taylor Rogers over the left-field wall at Target Field.

How unusual was this?

The Dodgers are 7-17 in games in which they don’t homer.

In games they do?

They’re 44-12.

Freddie Freeman led the Dodgers’ balanced attack, as he was 3-for-4 with a walk and was involved in the team scoring in three separate innings.

Freeman doubled in the third inning and scored when Tommy Edman reached base on a throwing error by Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall. The run tied the game at 2-2.

A single by Freeman drove in the second of the three runs the Dodgers scored in the fourth inning to move in front, 5-2.

Freeman doubled again in the sixth inning to drive in Andy Pages and extend the Dodgers’ lead to 6-2.

Justin Wrobleski provided the majority of the pitching, limiting the Twins to two runs and five hits over seven innings. Wrobleski improved his record to a team-best 9-2 and lowered his earned-run average to 2.71.

What it means

The Dodgers’ record of 51-29 is the best record in baseball.

Last year, the Dodgers finished the regular season with the third-best record in the NL, which complicated their World Series title defense.

Because they weren’t one of the two NL teams to receive a first-round bye, they had to play the Cincinnati Reds in a best-of-three wild-card round. In each of the next three rounds of the postseason, including the World Series, their opponents had home-field advantage.

This year, they could do what they did in 2024 when they enjoyed a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Who’s hot

Journeyman Chuckie Robinson started at catcher in place of Dalton Rushing, who was tested before the game to rule out a concussion.

Robinson entered the game 0 for 11 on the season.

His fourth-inning single was his first hit in the major leagues since Sept. 14, 2024. He finished the game 2 for 4 with a run scored and a run batted in, making this his first multi-hit game since Oct. 4, 2022. 

The series marks a homecoming for outfielder Alex Call, who grew up about 40 minutes away in River Falls, Wisc.

With Kyle Tucker sidelined with back spasms, Call was 2-for-4 with a homer, two walks and three runs. In the series opener on Monday, Call pinch-ran for Tucker in the second inning and went on to collect two hits in that game.

Who’s not

The Twins remain within striking distance of a wild-card spot, but they might as well be sellers at the trade deadline. Even if they reach the postseason by some miracle, they simply don’t have the team to compete in October. Their bullpen is terrible, and based on their performance so far in this series, their lineup can’t do anything against half-decent pitching. In their two games against the Dodgers, the Twins have scored only three runs.

Up next

The Dodgers will close out their three-game series against the Twins on Wednesday. Shohei Ohtani (7-2, 1.47 ERA) will start for the Dodgers and take on All-Star Joe Ryan (5-3, 2.99 ERA). who had his start pushed back by a day because of illness.

Kendry Rojas got the start tonight in lieu of Joe Ryan who was sick (he’ll pitch tomorrow, it sounds like), and immediately walked the first two Dodgers. Then, after a couple strikeouts, Tommy Edman hit a liner up the middle, past the glove of Luke Keaschall, to score LA’s first run.

It was a fairly clean, scoreless inning for Rojas in the 2nd, with Victor Caratini hitting a solo HR for the Twins first run in the bottom half.

Newly called up Austin Voth took over for Rojas and allowed a 1-out double to Freddie Freeman. Edman hit a grounder to 2nd and despite Keashcall, Voth, and Lewis converging at first base, no out was recorded, allowing Freeman to score on the error.

In the bottom of the 3rd, Byron Buxton hit a double to left-center with Austin Martin at 1st, who was thrown out at home. However, Josh Bell was able to tie the game up at 2 with a bloop single to center, scoring Buxton.

It did not stay tied for very long, as Alex Call singled, then Chuckie Robinson singled and moved Call to 3rd, then Shohei Ohtani hit a sac fly RBI, then 3 more singles scored 2 more after that, putting the Dodgers up 5-2.

Meanwhile, the Twins bats started faltering against the lefty Justin Wrobleski, earning just a single and a walk in innings 4 through 7. The Dodgers did not stop scoring, with single runs in the 6th and 7th, as well as 5 in the 9th against Taylor Rogers, making this one not even close.

Oh, Brooks Lee hit a solo homer in the 9th, cool. 12-3 is your final.

Studs:

Brooks Lee: 1-4, HR (13)

Victor Caratini: 1-4, HR (6)

Travis Adams: 2 IP, 0 H, 0 R, BB, 4 K

Duds:

Austin Voth: 4 IP, 11 H, 6 R, 5 ER, BB, 2 K

Taylor Rogers: 1 IP, 5 H, 5 ER, 2 BB, HR

Luke Keaschall: 0-2, BB, Error

The Dodgers scored early and often to beat the Minnesota Twins 12-3, picking up a second victory in as many days at Target Field in Minneapolis.

After the start of the game was delayed 28 minutes, the first two Dodgers hitters were walking in the rain against rookie reliever Kendry Rojas. Two outs later, Tommy Edman pushed a single off the glove of second baseman Luke Keaschall for the game’s first run, the third straight game the Dodgers have scored in the first inning.

Rojas was the opener for the Twins bullpen and needed 50 pitches to get through his two innings, only half of them for strikes, with three total walks. But the Dodgers scored just once off of him.

Justin Wrobleski was much more economical, keeping with his theme this season, including three flyouts to right field in a perfect first inning — 9, 9, 9 in your scorecard — on just nine pitches.

Minnesota evened things up in a second inning reminiscent of Monday night’s game, with a solo home run, this one by catcher Victor Caratini.

The Dodgers tapped the Edman-to-Keaschall pipeline for another run in the third, on an easy-peasy would-be inning-ending groundout, but Keaschall’s underhand toss toward first base was way offline, allowing Freddie Freeman to scamper home with a gift run after his 18th double of the season.

Call and response continued with Mookie Betts make an error of his own to open the bottom of the third. Byron Buxton nearly cashed it in with a double to the left center field gap, but Andy Pages cut the ball off quickly then started an 8-6-2 putout with Betts that erased Austin Martin at the plate.

Pages has eight outfield assists this season, most in the majors. This one briefly kept the Dodgers ahead, but Josh Bell quickly singled home Buxton to keep the back-and-forth going.

First things first

Three runs in the fourth inning broke the game open, thanks to five singles — three with two outs — and a sacrifice fly off Austin Voth. The second of those five singles was by Chuckie Robinson, forced into a heavier workload with Will Smith on the injured list and Dalton Rushing exiting Monday to enter concussion protocol. The single was Robinson’s first time reaching base in 16 plate appearances as a Dodger over the last two seasons, and the first major league hit for the 31-year-old since September 21, 2024 while with the Chicago White Sox (off then-Padre Tanner Scott).

For good measure, Robinson singled again in the fifth for the second two-hit game of his career. He also had two hits, including a home run as a Cincinnati Reds rookie on October 4, 2022. Robinson even added a squeeze bunt in the seventh inning for his first major league RBI since that 2022 game.

Wrobleski, who nearly allowed three more runs of his own in the third inning on a Brooks Lee drive with home run distance but maybe a few feet foul down the left field line. Lee, who bat-flipped that near-home run, instead flew out later in the at-bat to end the frame and strand a pair of runners on base.

Staked to a three-run lead, Wrobleski retired 10 his final 12 batters faced, and threw 92 pitches in his seven innings, the fifth time he’s pitched at least that long this season. Ten of his 13 starts have lasted at least six frames.

Five runs in the ninth inning doubled the Dodgers’ lead, an inning that saw Alex Call’s first home run of the season and a two-run double by Max Muncy.

Notes

• Freeman tied his season high with three hits, including another RBI double in the sixth inning. Freeman’s 566 career doubles passed Carlos Beltrán for 29th-most in MLB history.
• Austin Voth was the second Twins pitcher of the game and took the brunt of the damage, allowing six runs while recording 12 outs. His 11 hits allowed tied Mike Mikolas on April 3 in Washington D.C. for most Dodgers hits against one pitcher in a game this season.
• Brock Stewart, activated off the injured list on Monday, appeared in his first game for the Dodgers since May 8. He allowed a solo home run, the only tally against him in the ninth inning.
• The Dodgers have won 18 of their last 21 games against the Twins, dating back to 2014, including 9-1 at Target Field during that span.

Tuesday particulars

Home run: Alex Call (1); Victor Caratini (6), Brooks Lee (13)

WP — Justin Wrobleski (9-2): 7 IP, 5 hits, 2 runs, 2 walks, 3 strikeouts

LP — Austin Voth (0-1): 4+ IP, 11 hits, 6 runs (5 earned), 1 walk, 2 strikeouts

Up next

The Dodgers go for the sweep in the series finale (4:40 p.m. PT, SportsNet LA), with Shohei Ohtani making his seventh consecutive Wednesday pitching start, against Twins ace Joe Ryan.

The Mets’ nightmare of a season somehow got worse Tuesday night, and not just because they lost another game at Citi Field or got another bad start from Kodai Senga that might cost him his spot in the rotation.

Juan Soto left their 9-6 loss to the Cubs prior to the top of the fifth with what the team called left-side back tightness.

Carlos Mendoza said the left fielder was day to day after being removed from their third straight defeat because his back locked up and he was in discomfort.

The game itself was no better, as Senga took another step toward potentially pitching himself out of the rotation, as he allowed seven runs in 3 ²/₃ innings in his second start back from the IL.

Mendoza indicated he would speak with team president David Stearns about how they would handle his spot.

“David [Stearns] was pretty clear before the game that performance matters and having outings like this is not gonna cut it,” the manager said. “You get to a point where you have to go out and earn it.”

So much for Francisco Lindor coming to save the day.

The shortstop played perhaps his final minor league rehab game with Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday, having been sidelined since April with a strained left calf.

Now, having both Lindor and Soto in the lineup together again may be in jeopardy.

Soto flied out in both of his at-bats before leaving the game, with Jared Young moving from first base to take Soto’s spot in left, while Mark Vientos entered at first base.

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By then, the Mets already trailed by five runs, thanks to another clunker from Senga.

Stearns said the rotation would be evaluated “turn by turn,” and Senga brought a 14.59 ERA over his past four starts into Tuesday.

The situation did not improve.

Senga struck out the side in order in the first, dominating with his fastball, but fell back into poor habits in the second, walking Seiya Suzuki to open the inning.

A single by Ian Happ and a hit by pitch by Matt Shaw loaded the bases with no one out.

Senga whiffed Nico Hoerner before walking Carson Kelly to force in a run. Dansby Swanson followed with a sacrifice fly before former Mets prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong’s three-run homer made it 5-0.

Afterward, Senga said through an interpreter, “I’ll continue to prepare to pitch in this league.”

But Mendoza was mystified by Senga falling apart in the second.

“That’s the frustrating part,” Mendoza said. “We were in the dugout saying, ‘What’s going on here?’ It’s hard to explain.”

They could get a boost this weekend, with Christian Scott expected to return from his IL stint, but Senga is part of a list that includes Freddy Peralta, David Peterson and Sean Manaea as significant disappointments.

With the rotation a mess and the Mets so far unable to fix it, they can hardly afford another blow to the lineup, especially involving Soto.

While the rest of the team has fallen apart, Soto recovered from the calf injury well enough to enter Tuesday leading the team in most offensive categories, with a .974 OPS — second only to the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani in the National League.

He’s been extremely durable throughout much of his career and missed just five games over the previous three seasons.

Now, the Mets are facing more time without Soto — and perhaps with Senga, despite his continued issues on the mound.

“I’ve never experienced something like this in my career,” Senga said.

Welcome to the 2026 Mets.