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Yankees closer Luke Weaver is expected to be placed on the injured list due to a hamstring injury, according to ESPN's Jeff Passan.

He suffered the injury on Sunday while warming up and wasn't available to pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Weaver underwent an MRI on Monday and could miss four-to-six weeks, but the official timetable will be determined on Tuesday, Passan notes.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone was planning on using the right-hander in the ninth inning, but said he felt discomfort while warming up in the bullpen.

While Boone hoped the injury wasn't too serious, it appears New York will be without their closer for the foreseeable future. Weaver has recorded eight saves while pitching to a stellar 1.05 ERA with 24 strikeouts in 25.1 innings.

The Yankees will likely turn back to former closer Devin Williams, who was removed from the role at the end of April. Williams has five saves on the year, but only one (on May 27) since blowing a save opportunity on April 25 against the Toronto Blue Jays. The two-time All-Star went 2-0 with a 4.22 ERA over 10.2 IP (12 games) in May and has been even better as of late, owning a 2.70 ERA with nine strikeouts over his last seven games.

Yankees supporters are accustomed to Dodger Stadium being hostile ground, but being hit by a chunk of concrete falling from the stadium ceiling is beyond what fans steel themselves to encounter.

That is indeed what one Yankees fan says happened to him at Friday's Dodgers-Yankees game.

Ricardo Aquino of Mexico City told the Athletic via a translator that a piece of the ceiling hit him in the back while he was seated in the top deck of the stadium during the third inning of the game. A photo showed the piece to be roughly the size of a baseball.

Aquino said he was in pain but applied an ice pack and soldiered on through the rest of the game, which the Dodgers ultimately won, 8-5, the news outlet reported.

A day later, a piece of concrete netting was installed in the area of the ceiling in the Section 10 reserve where the incident was reported, The Times confirmed.

"We had professionals and experts at Dodger Stadium this past weekend to examine the facility and ensure its safety," Dodgers spokesperson Ally Salvage told The Times. "We will also be undertaking a longer-term review."

Dodger Stadium, which opened in 1962, is the oldest Major League Baseball stadium west of the Mississippi and the third oldest in the nation, after Fenway Park in Boston and Wrigley Field in Chicago — both of which have also experienced issues with aging concrete.

Read more:Dodger Stadium timeline: Key moments in the stadium's 60-year history

In July 2004, there were three reports of chunks of concrete tumbling from the upper deck at Wrigley Field, prompting the Chicago Cubs to install protective netting and review stadium infrastructure, according to the Associated Press.

A major $100-million renovation project was completed at Dodger Stadium before the 2020 season. It included a new center field plaza with food and entertainment areas, more elevators and new bridges allowing fans to walk the entire perimeter of the stadium from any level inside the venue.

More renovations were completed in advance of this year's season, this time focused on upgrading the clubhouse.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Dodgers’ lineup should be back at full strength soon.

When they’ll be able to say the same about their pitching staff is anyone’s guess.

First, the good news for the team: After fracturing the fourth toe on his left foot (the one closest to the pinky toe) last week and missing all three games against the New York Yankees, shortstop Mookie Betts went through a full slate of pregame hitting, baserunning and defensive drills on Monday and seemed probable to be available off the bench for the Dodgers in their series-opener against the New York Mets.

Assuming he continues to feel good, Betts should also return to the starting lineup on Tuesday, manager Dave Roberts said.

Read more:Mookie Betts dealing with fractured toe, won't start against Yankees this weekend

“That’s all contingent on if he recovers well tonight,” Roberts said.

Based on Betts’ activity level Monday, he certainly appeared to be ready to return. As one of the first Dodgers players on the field before the game, he spent several minutes running the bases, then went through a full session of infield grounders at shortstop. Betts also took batting practice, a day after Roberts said his swing in the batting cage “wasn’t compromised at all” by the freak injury.

“For me, I just want to make sure I move to make plays for those guys,” Betts said Sunday. “Hitting, hopefully that comes along. I just want to make sure I can play defense."

As for the less encouraging update: A week after throwing his first bullpen session since going on the injured list in April with shoulder inflammation, Tyler Glasnow has been feeling general body discomfort, Roberts said.

Glasnow has continued to play catch, including on Monday afternoon in the outfield of Dodger Stadium. But Roberts said he is “not sure when he’s gonna get back on a mound.”

“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.”

Given Glasnow’s extensive injury history, such a setback qualifies as only mildly surprising. The 31-year-old has never made more than 22 starts or pitched over 134 innings in a major league season. And while he set both of those high-marks in his first season with the Dodgers last year — arriving in Los Angeles via a trade from Tampa Bay two winters ago and an ensuing five-year, $136.5-million extension — he never returned from an elbow tendonitis injury he suffered in August, despite repeated attempts to comeback in time for the playoffs.

“I know he's just as frustrated as we all are [that] the process since we've had him, it just hasn't been linear, as far as getting him back,” Roberts said. “He's champing at the bit, so that's a good thing. He's very anxious to get back out here and help his team.”

Read more:Dodgers put Tyler Glasnow on injured list unsure on when he'll return

Of the Dodgers’ injured quartet of star pitchers — which also includes Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki and Shohei Ohtani — Glasnow was initially expected to return first.

Now, however, he and Snell might be on more similar timelines. Snell made notable progress in his throwing progression this week and could begin throwing bullpens early next week.

“He’s in a really good spot physically and mentally,” Roberts said of Snell.

Sasaki has also been throwing lately, though Roberts noted it has been low-intensity. Ohtani, meanwhile, threw his second live batting practice over the weekend, and remains on track to return sometime after the All-Star break.

Read more:Dodgers place starting pitcher Blake Snell on injured list

In the bullpen, the Dodgers should get a couple of reinforcements in the coming days.

Hard-throwing right-hander Michael Kopech (out since the start of the season with a shoulder injury) will be in Los Angeles this week after completing a minor-league rehab assignment, though exactly when he will be activated remains to be seen. Kopech yielded 11 runs and 11 walks in 6 ⅓ innings with triple-A Oklahoma City, and Roberts said the club wants to “evaluate, see how he is” up close before having him make his MLB season debut.

Another veteran right-hander, Kirby Yates, threw his second bullpen session on Monday since suffering a hamstring strain last month. He will next throw a live batting practice on Wednesday, and could be activated as soon as next weekend.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Each day that goes by, Mets left-hander Sean Manaea gets closer and closer to returning to the team.

He took another positive step in that direction on Monday after throwing 29 pitches in a live bullpen that "went well," according to manager Carlos Mendoza.

"We just gotta wait and see how he responds in the next couple of days and then we’ll have that discussion whether he’s gonna need another live BP or he’s ready to go on a rehab assignment," the skipper added.

Of course, a rehab assignment would be the last hurdle for Manaea to cross before joining the Mets for the first time this season since he suffered a right oblique strain at the start of spring training after re-signing with New York on a three-year, $75 million contract.

Still, given how long he's been out (after experiencing a setback in April with discomfort and inflammation), the 33-year-old will likely need some more time pitching in rehab games when he does eventually take that next step.

Another injured pitcher is also on his way back to the Mets as reliever Brooks Raley, who signed a one-year deal earlier this season, has already thrown three live bullpen sessions.

"He’s already facing hitters and all that so yeah he’ll continue to face hitters and then he’ll get to a point where he’ll go on a rehab assignment," Mendoza said.

The lefty reliever is recovering from Tommy John surgery he got at the beginning of the 2024 season.

Meanwhile, Jose Siri (fractured tibia) is with the team on their West Coast road trip as the trainers continue to monitor the outfielder as he continues to do more baseball activities. However, "he's not close yet" to re-joining the team.

"He’s gotta continue his running progression, build volume and then once he clears that hurdle then we’ll start talking about a potential rehab assignment, but I don’t think that’s happening soon," Mendoza said.

As for Monday night's starter, Paul Blackburn is making his season debut after multiple injuries kept him off the field since the end of last year. It will be Blackburn's first start in the majors since Aug. 23 against the San Diego Padres.

Mendoza noted that the right-hander will have no limitations on the mound after the Mets took their time with him, letting him make seven rehab starts between three minor league levels where he finished with a 3.68 ERA (1.09 WHIP).

"We took our time to make sure that he was fully built up and he’s making this start and he’s going there as a normal pitcher," Mendoza said. "I’m gonna treat it the same and hopefully he goes out there and does what he usually does -- give us a chance to win a baseball game."

Giants cautiously frustrated as offensive struggles persist vs. Padres  originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO – They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, and that’s no different for one video that captured the Giants dugout just after their 1-0 shutout loss to the San Diego Padres on Monday night.

Just as Jerar Encarnación lined out to first to end the game in the 10th inning, the NBC Sports Bay Area broadcast caught Patrick Bailey, Heliot Ramos and Matt Chapman’s visible frustrations on camera. No words were said – or heard, at least – but none had to be.

The vibe was understood.

Giants manager Bob Melvin didn’t hold back the truth while disclosing the frustration level in the clubhouse.

“Yeah, we’ve been frustrated for a while,” Melvin said, “but the combination of hitting some balls hard and then having nothing to show for it, when we were up against it, against a really good bullpen late in the game to have our best at-bats. 

“So that just kind of adds to the frustration.”

The Giants had plenty of opportunities to do some damage, including a bases-loaded no-outs chance in the second, but finished the game 1-12 with RISP. They now are 6-57 with RISP over the last nine games.

San Francisco also has scored four runs or fewer in 15 consecutive games, their longest streak since 1965. 

It took less than one minute into Bailey’s postgame media availability to utter the word “frustrating” to reporters. He applauded Logan Webb’s eight shutout innings and knows the offense has to do a better job backing the recent stellar pitching.

“I thought we competed at the end there,” Bailey said. “Obviously it’s frustrating that the big boys go out on the mound and complete like that. Thankfully they’ve kept us in the games and I know we’re going to step it up eventually. Obviously we hit a lot of balls hard off one of the best pitchers in the game. And it just doesn’t go our way. 

“But we got to be better for sure.”

After blowing three bases loaded opportunities, the Giants had one final chance in the bottom of the 10th to at least tie it up and force an 11th after Christian Koss did his job with a sacrifice bunt that moved Jung Hoo Lee to third.

Matt Chapman nearly got the job done when his powerful grounder to third was met with an impressive defensive play by Padres infielder Jose Iglesias. Then Encarnación, making his season debut, had the chance to play hero. The final chance.

Encarnación cracked one right into the glove of Padres first baseman Luis Arraez to end the ballgame.

“The last couple innings were probably our best at-bats throughout the course of the game,” Melvin said. “We had some opportunities early on and that ended up biting us that we couldn’t push one across. We had bases loaded a couple times, we left 12 on base. 

“But I thought our bats were good and a little unlucky in the last inning. We hit two balls that hard.”

Even after pitching another masterclass with nothing to show for it, Webb, per usual, was in good spirits in the clubhouse.

The guy who probably should be the most frustrated wasn’t panicking, and despite the Giants’ recent funk, Webb’s belief in his team hasn’t wavered.

“This is a hard game,” Webb said. “Baseball’s a game of ebbs and flows, some of the best teams in history have gone through stretches where they have struggles like this. But everyone in this room believes in ourselves and I think we’re going to be just fine. It’s the beginning of June, we got four months of baseball left. We really love our guys in here and we’re a really united team. We’re going to be fine.

“We play 162 of these. No other sport plays as many games as we do, you’re going to go through stretches where I struggle, but honestly, I think those things make your team closer. We’re going to be just fine. I know it. Everyone in here knows it. You just got to keep grinding.”

When asked where this stretch compares to other rough patches he’s been a part of in his career, Webb offered a unique perspective.

“I can tell you right now there’s been a lot lower points that I’ve gone through in the past couple of seasons,” he said. “This is not a low point. It’s June 2. We have a lot of baseball to play. I do think there’s a belief in this group and this team, it started on the first day of spring training. I’ve been very outspoken about that. This is just part of baseball. You go through stretches where pitching might not be great, defense might not be great, offense. But it’s getting through those things.

“You hope it’s three or four days, and sometimes it lasts a little longer, but at the end of the day, all we have in this clubhouse is each other and we really believe in this group that we have. We just have to keep our heads up and try to battle. This is a great opportunity for us, we have four games against one of the best teams in baseball. We get to come back tomorrow and try to beat them again.”

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What we learned as Giants waste another Webb gem in loss to Padres originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO – The Giants opened a crucial four-game divisional clash on the wrong foot, falling to the San Diego Padres in a 1-0 extra-inning loss Monday night at Oracle Park.

Logan Webb pitched eight shutout innings with seven strikeouts, but he received no run support from the Giants’ struggling offense once again.

San Diego’s offense also struggled, not scoring a run until the top of the 10th inning. That ended up being the only run of the game.

Just one game separated the Padres and Giants in the NL West standings heading into Monday’s series opener in San Francisco, but San Diego was able to create a little separation with three games remaining in the four-game set.

The Giants (33-27) have been one of MLB’s better teams at home this season, but they dropped to 17-10 at Oracle Park.

Here are the takeaways from Monday’s loss:

No Run Support For Wonder Webb … Again 

Logan Webb did Logan Webb things in his 13th start of the season, and, unfortunately for him, the Giants did Giants things.

Webb, who entered the game with a 2.82 ERA and 2.19 FIP with 84 strikeouts to 17 walks in 73.1 innings pitched over 12 starts, tossed another gem Monday night against a team he historically has dominated.

But once again, he had no run support in San Francisco’s loss.

The Giants ace has dominated the Padres over the years with a 2.76 ERA in 12 career starts.

Webb, who lowered his ERA to 2.55, has given up three earned runs or fewer in each of his starts this season.

Offensive Woes Continue

New month, same issues.

The Giants’ offense continued its season-long theme Monday, and the second inning in particular summed up how things have gone for San Francisco thus far.

With the bases loaded and no outs, Willy Adames was thrown out at home after Tyler Fitzgerald grounded to third.

San Francisco then had another bases-loaded opportunity, this time with Heliot Ramos at the plate and one out.

As “Let’s go, Giants!” chants broke out at Oracle Park, Ramos grounded into an inning-ending double play.

It was early, but the missed opportunity immediately felt like one that would leave a bad taste in the Giants’ mouths. But not without another chance to redeem themselves.

Five innings later, Jung Hoo Lee approached the plate with an opportunity to play hero with the bases once again loaded and two outs. Instead, he struck out swinging.

The offensive woes continued in the eighth. With runners on second and third and two outs, Casey Schmitt struck out swinging and, frustrated, walked back to the dugout.

The exasperation is becoming contagious for the Giants, and patience is running out.

Tensions Rise Early

It didn’t take long for Monday’s game to perfectly display the intensity of this NL West showdown between two teams that are separated by just one game in the standings.

Things got chippy in the third inning, when Webb hit Padres catcher Elias Díaz in the top of the inning before Padres starter Stephen Kolek hit Wilmer Flores in the bottom shortly after.

Flores let Kolek know of his frustrations, yelling a few words at him before slowly and irritably walking to first.

LaMonte Wade Jr. was hit in the same hand area just one inning prior and had to exit the game shortly after. He was replaced by Schmitt.

While Kolek issued the “my bad” signal toward a fuming Flores, it was clear that Flores was fed up.

Flores’ high emotions could have riled up the Giants, but it appears this offense will need much more than an impassioned Wilmer to get the job done.

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Ortiz gets candid on idea of Devers moving to first base originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Rafael Devers has channeled his inner David Ortiz with his recent performance as the Boston Red Sox’ designated hitter, though he has yet to emulate the Hall of Famer in the field.

Ortiz played 278 games as a first baseman in his illustrious 20-year career. Devers, on the other hand, called out the Red Sox front office after being asked to move from DH to first in the wake of Triston Casas’ season-ending injury.

The difference is that Devers already reluctantly moved from third base to DH before the season. The three-time All-Star took issue with the team asking him to return to the infield after telling him to put his glove away.

How would Ortiz have approached Devers’ situation? Speaking at his charity golf event — the David Ortiz Soiree of Hearts — on Monday, Big Papi weighed in on Devers’ refusal to play first base.

“If I was him, I would have put myself available for anything, but that was me,” Ortiz said. “He was a third baseman that was asked to be a DH. Now, all of a sudden, you want him to play first base. You have to give him some time to learn, if he wants to, because he’s doing great as the DH. I don’t want to mess that up. I mean, you’re leading the league in RBIs. …

“So, we cannot just crush a guy every time we feel like. We need to know that he is an important piece for this organization. He is doing what he was asked (to do). But yeah, I think he should just think about what’s better for the organization, him at first or him at DH, and go from there. But we have to give him some time.”

At this point, it would be wise to leave Devers alone. He entered Monday slashing .286/.408/.515 with 12 homers and an MLB-leading 52 RBI in 61 games. His plate discipline has significantly improved as he leads the American League with 47 walks.

Plus, first base has been in good hands as of late with Abraham Toro. The under-the-radar offseason signing has recently provided a spark at the plate and is hitting .310 with three homers in 18 games.

Boston gained another first base option on Monday with Romy Gonzalez’s activation from the injured list. Rookie second baseman Kristian Campbell has taken practice reps at first base and was scheduled to make his first career start at the position on Sunday, but manager Alex Cora opted to keep Toro’s bat in the lineup.

As for Devers, it’s unlikely he’ll be asked to put on a glove again this season. It’s worth noting, however, that he took grounders (at shortstop, for some reason) before Monday’s series opener against the Los Angeles Angels.

If JJ Peterka is in play this summer, the New York Rangers should certainly pursue him. 

During the 2025 NHL Trade Deadline, rumors began to circulate about potential negotiations between the Rangers and the Buffalo Sabres regarding Peterka.

Lance Lysowski of The Buffalo News first reported at the time that the Rangers were among the teams trying to acquire Peterka from the Sabres.

NHL insider Frank Seravalli added the Rangers had “advanced discussions” with the Sabres involving the availability of Peterka.

The Rangers Repordedly Made A Massive Trade Offer For JJ PeterkaThe New York Rangers were reportedly closer to acquiring JJ Peterka from the Buffalo Sabres than many people may actually realize. 

However, The Athletic’s Arthur Staple countered these two reports after stating that the Rangers were not in on Peterka.

Ultimately, Peterka wasn’t traded at the deadline, but there still seems to be speculation of a potential move this upcoming offseason. 

The 23-year-old is set to become a restricted free agent and the Rangers have some options if the team wants to acquire the young forward. 

If he becomes available via trade, the Rangers certainly contain enough assets to acquire him and trading for Peterka would follow the organization's recent mantra to get younger but remain competitive and not go into a full-fledged rebuild. 

If Peterka does not agree to a contract extension by July 1, the Rangers can also offer sheet him in hopes the Sabres don’t match that offer. 

Peterka is a player who’s continuing to improve each season and beginning to blossom into a real quality forward. 

He has All-Star potential written all over him, which is why the Rangers would be foolish not to at least explore the options of bringing him on board to The Big Apple.

Giants activate Encarnacion from IL, option Matos to Triple-A originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — A day after helping the Giants clinch their series in Miami, outfielder Luis Matos is headed back to the minors. 

The 23-year-old was the one to get optioned when outfielder Jerar Encarnacion was activated from the IL on Monday. Matos hit a three-run homer to lead the way for a struggling lineup on Sunday, but overall, he’s hitting .167 with a .572 OPS. 

Jerar Encarnacion is back from IL, Luis Matos was optioned

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) June 2, 2025

It has been a disappointing first two months for a player who had a good offseason, but as the Giants pondered their options, what was most important was the immediate future. 

With Encarnacion back, the Giants didn’t see a whole lot of at-bats for Matos. They’ll face four right-handed pitchers in this series, with Mike Yastrzemski getting the majority of the time in right, and Encarnacion will see time at first base – both corner outfield spots and designated hitter. 

Yastrzemski had a rough May, and manager Bob Melvin admitted that it might cost him some time. But those at-bats will go to Encarnacion, who has missed the entire season with a hand fracture. 

“We’ve seen that when he’s getting a lot of at-bats, he’s productive,” Melvin said of Matos on Monday. “(That happened) last year, as well. For younger players to have to sit around for longer periods of time is really difficult. He hit a big home run for us yesterday but it’s been spotty playing time. It’s probably not great for his development. He even said, ‘I need more at-bats.’ It’s not the last you’ll see of Luis Matos.”

Matos was NL Player of the Week at one point early last season, but he went into a deep slump and finished with a .584 OPS, similar to where he’s at this season. 

Still, he won an Opening Day job after playing well in Winter Ball and having a good spring. The Giants hoped he could be a platoon partner for Yastrzemski in right, but Matos is hitting just .128 against left-handed pitchers. 

The decision leaves both Casey Schmitt and Christian Koss in the big leagues, although the Giants are more comfortable with those two as part-timers. 

Schmitt has been able to carve out a role at first base against left-handers, but the Giants now have a big group there. On Monday, Schmitt took grounders with Wilmer Flores, Encarnacion and LaMonte Wade Jr.

The Giants also could have parted ways with Wade, who has a .542 OPS and just one homer, but they’re not quite ready to make that move. His slump goes back to last season, but moving on from Wade would have left the bench without any left-handed options.

The Giants are still hopeful he can find his stride offensively, although the leash is as short as it has ever been.  

“We hope he starts to take off here. He hasn’t to this point,” Melvin added. “There’s been some periods where his at-bats have been a lot better and he’s got nothing to show for it, and that can weigh on you for a guy that’s used to being a productive guy and getting on base and kind of doing his thing. 

“It’s going to be about performance here. If he starts to take off here he might see more playing time, and if not, you might see Jerar a little bit more.”

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