Author: MLB Baseball News, Scores, Standings, Rumors, Fantasy Games

MOORESVILLE, N.C. — In celebration of Major League Baseball‘s 2025 jewel event, the MLB Speedway Classic presented by BuildSubmarines.com in Bristol, Tennessee, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Budweiser and MLB are teaming up to bring a NASCAR Hall of Famer, American beer and America‘s favorite pastime to fans by recreating and paying homage to the iconic No. 8 Budweiser / MLB All-Star Game paint scheme.

The legendary scheme will be showcased at the MLB Speedway Classic on Aug. 2 and will be raced by Earnhardt Jr. in the zMAX CARS Tour event at South Carolina’s Anderson Motor Speedway on Aug. 16.

In July 2001, the original Budweiser / MLB All-Star Game paint scheme cemented its place in racing history when Earnhardt Jr. raced the red and white No. 8 design to an emotional victory in his first trip to Daytona International Speedway following the tragic loss of his father at the track earlier that year.

“It is an incredible opportunity to reunite with Budweiser and Major League Baseball,” Earnhardt Jr. said. “I‘ve watched that July 2001 race at Daytona so many times. It‘s such a great memory for me. I am excited that we have this chance to collaborate with Bud and MLB to bring that scheme back again because of what it means to me and so many others.”

This partnership follows Budweiser and Earnhardt Jr.‘s reunion last November, when they brought back one of the most recognizable paint schemes in racing history, the red Bud No. 8 made famous by Earnhardt Jr. from 1999 to 2007.

RELATED: Memorable Dale Jr. paint schemes

Furthermore, as the longest-tenured sponsor of Major League Baseball, Budweiser has been a staple in the sport‘s traditions and game-day experience for 21+ fans for decades. This August, Budweiser, MLB and Earnhardt Jr. are helping fans celebrate another historic milestone by promoting the MLB Speedway Classic that will be held at Bristol Motor Speedway. One of NASCAR‘s most popular tracks will host a special regular season contest between the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds, marking the first Major League game to be played in the state of Tennessee. Attending fans can also view the No. 8 Budweiser / MLB Speedway Classic show car at the event.

“The incredible fan response to Budweiser‘s reunion with Dale Jr. last November reminded us just how special this partnership is to racing fans,” said Todd Allen, SVP of Marketing at Budweiser and Bud Light. “This No. 8 Budweiser / MLB All-Star Game-inspired paint scheme pays tribute to one of the most iconic moments in the storied history of Dale Jr. and Budweiser‘s partnership. The MLB Speedway Classic is the perfect stage to revive this fan-favorite design, uniting an American racing icon and American beer at a first-of-its-kind MLB event.”

In addition to enjoying the action at the MLB Speedway Classic and Anderson Motor Speedway, fans can commemorate the return of this iconic paint scheme with limited-edition merchandise available now on shopjrnation.com and coming soon to additional select retail locations.

Anheuser-Busch has proudly supported and elevated NASCAR through Budweiser, Busch and Busch Light for more than 40 years. Its long-standing commitment to the motorsports industry has included driver partnerships — notably as the primary sponsor of Earnhardt Jr. for nine seasons — key event sponsorships and media investments in motorsports.

Follow along on Budweiser‘s social channels for more details about its partnership with Earnhardt Jr. and programming at MLB Speedway Classic in Bristol, and stay up to date on the racing events at the JRM X account or watch the Anderson Motor Speedway race on www.FloRacing.com.

If you only tuned into the biggest headlines about him, you might be convinced that Juan Soto’s first quarter of a season with the New York Mets has been a complete flop.

Last December, the Mets guaranteed Soto $765m on a 15-year contract, the most lucrative deal in professional sports history. In the early going of his time with the Mets, Soto has been the subject of a handful of viral stories, ranging from the mundane to the bizarre. None of them have been positive. Last Sunday, Soto did not hustle out of the box on a ground ball up the middle, and his casual trot to first base cost him a chance at an infield hit, in the eighth inning of a tied game against the crosstown rival Yankees. The very next night, Soto jogged out of the box on a fly ball at Fenway Park that he thought was a home run. It was not, and another news cycle about Soto’s effort followed. “I think I’ve been hustling pretty hard,” he told reporters.

Elsewhere, rumors flew around the internet last week that Soto had an arrangement with the Mets to fly to road games on a private plane, separate from his teammates. That was made up; Soto flies with his teammates, just like every other player in the league. Michael Kay, a broadcaster for the Yankees – who Soto ditched for the Mets in free agency after one year – added fuel to the fire on his radio show. Kay, citing conversations with “people on the Mets side” of the rivalry (Grimace?), said that Soto had been “very, very glum around the clubhouse” in Queens. He had wanted to remain a Yankee, Kay said, before family pushed back and urged him to sign with the Mets. (Nobody has substantiated any of Kay’s reporting.)

Soto’s results in the batter’s box have induced a bit of anxiety, too. In mid-April, Soto was so downtrodden that Mets fans greeted him for a run-of-the-mill at-bat with a standing ovation, hoping their support would lift him up. How bad had Soto been to that point? Well, his adjusted on-base plus slugging percentage (OPS+) was 118, meaning he was “only” 18% better than the league average hitter to date. In Soto’s career up to this year, his adjusted OPS was 60% better than average.

Related: Pete Rose returns to the Hall conversation as baseball embraces his original sin

For Soto, those few weeks of being a well above-average hitter rather than a great one must have been like torture. Even now, Soto’s OPS+ of 134 through Tuesday’s game has not quieted much of the anxiety around him. Soto’s first 49 games haven’t felt like a fairytale, even as the Mets have raced to one of the best records in baseball (their form, and batting, have slumped in the last week). But perhaps anyone feeling tense about Soto should take a wider lens: Soto’s first seven weeks with the Mets have been good, not great, but he had dozens of less productive spans over his first seven big league seasons. 2025 hasn’t even been his slowest start by OPS; that was 2022, when Soto posted a .795 OPS (compared to this year’s .815) over the season’s first 48 games.

And what did Soto do that year? Well, what he does every year: He made the National League All-Star team and won a Silver Slugger in the outfield, putting up a typically elite year split between the Washington Nationals and San Diego Padres. In other words, the solution to any anxieties about Soto’s opening stint as a Met is simple: Everyone should just calm down for a few months. As the club’s owner, Steve Cohen, posted this week on X: “Welcome to the ups and downs of a baseball season.”

Soto has damned himself to a lifetime of enormous expectations, and he has 765m reasons to suck it up and deal with it. But Soto has been so consistently good for so long – and is still so young – that he is graded on an outrageous curve. Soto posted at least an OPS+ of 140 in each of his first seven big league seasons, something that only Albert Pujols and Ted Williams have done while qualifying for the batting title in each of those years. (Soto missed qualification by a few at-bats as a teenager in 2018.)

It isn’t just that Soto delivers year in and year out, but that his 26-year-old body and his approach to hitting make it seem so implausible that he would ever struggle. Soto has never played fewer than 150 games in a full major league season, save for his rookie year (when he was a midseason callup) and the shortened 2020 campaign. Soto has a slugger’s frame but not such a big one that he looks like he is likely to break down anytime soon. And so little of his success at the plate owes to luck or variance. Soto may have the keenest eye for pitches of any hitter who has ever lived. Plate discipline isn’t just about letting unfavorable pitches go, but about destroying meaty ones, and Soto has mastered both of those skills.

And, indeed, a look under the hood suggests that Soto will soon revert back to his normal, elite self, instead of being the merely very good hitter he has been so far as a Met. Soto’s batted-ball statistics, tracked in Statcast, look a lot like they do every year: He’s hitting the ball hard, laying off balls better than practically anyone else, and holding a top-five walk-to-strikeout ratio in Major League Baseball.

Soto is also playing in New York, an atmosphere for athletes only a little less hostile than the surface of Venus. The rumors and behindbacks that have circulated around him are also part of playing in the city, where the slightest dip in form will be endlessly debated in the press. That wasn’t really a problem when Soto was with the Yankees and everything was going well. But now he is struggling a little, all while walking away from a team who are not used to being jilted, and signing a contract worth nearly $1bn. It would be understandable if he’s feeling the pressure a little, all while adjusting to a new clubhouse and teammates.

Does that mean any concern about Soto is fantastical? Certainly not. He has looked uncharacteristically unsure of himself at times at the plate this season – on Wednesday against the Red Sox he struck out twice in his first two bats without offering a swing, his excellent eye seeming to desert him.

While he’s nowhere near there yet, even the greatest hitters will eventually decline, and Soto won’t be an exception. His defense in right field has drawn mixed reviews from various metrics during his career. This year, numbers place Soto somewhere between “very bad” and a bit below average in the field. He’s dead last among right fielders in Outs Above Average and has posted a Defensive Runs Saved total of negative-1. Yankees fans surely enjoyed Soto failing to get to a sinking fly ball off Aaron Judge’s bat last weekend. It’s possible that as Soto ages further into his contract, his defense will become a more substantial liability and cut into his value.

That’s not likely to be a major 2025 problem, however, and it speaks to Soto’s excellence that a solid start by almost anyone else’s standards has prompted doubts. The Mets are just a shade behind the Philadelphia Phillies in the NL East, and their early success has come despite a handful of difficulties – an injured starting rotation, a slow start for now-rounding-into-form closer Edwin Díaz, and Soto not yet operating to his usual standard. Soto is only 2% of the way into his 15-year contract. It’s just a matter of time until he shows why the Mets invested their future in him.

On Tuesday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts made a decision.

A day after Teoscar Hernández returned to the Dodgers’ lineup, activated from the injured list Monday following a two-week absence because of an adductor strain, Roberts decided to sit the veteran slugger for the second of a three-game series against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

It was a surprise choice, but with a simple reason.

Knowing Hernández would play only twice this week coming off his injury, Roberts wanted to ensure he would be available Wednesday to face former Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes.

“I just felt like having him in there tomorrow,” Roberts said Tuesday, “I feel good with.”

Twenty-four hours later, the result was even greater than he expected.

In the Dodgers’ 3-1 rubber-match victory over the Diamondbacks, Hernández delivered the night’s biggest swing in the bottom of the sixth, taking a wrecking ball to what had been a flawless outing from Burnes with a three-run home run that turned the game upside down.

Entering the sixth, the Dodgers (31-19) had managed just one hit against Burnes, the four-time All-Star and 2021 Cy Young winner who had just blanked them over six innings at Chase Field two weekends ago. They were in danger of squandering their own strong start from right-hander Dustin May, whose only blemish in a six-inning, eight-strikeout outing came on a solo home run by Ketel Marte in the fourth. And they were staring down a potential series defeat to the Diamondbacks (26-24), one that would have further underscored the tight early-season battle they are facing in a competitive National League West.

“Obviously,” Hernández said, “we're not playing the baseball that we know we can play.”

But on Wednesday, all they needed was one big inning to steal another win.

Miguel Rojas led off the inning with an infield single. Mookie Betts rolled another base hit through the left side to put two runners aboard. And with two out, up stepped Hernández, the second-year Dodger who has endeared himself in Los Angeles with his ability to produce clutch hits and game-changing moments.

“He relishes those spots,” Roberts said. “He's really in the elite class of the ability to drive in runs.”

After a first-pitch ball, Burnes beat Hernández with his trademark cutter, dialing up the pitch for consecutive whiffs that put Hernández in a two-strike hole.

Hernández, however, didn’t panic, even though he later acknowledged he’s still working to get his feel for his swing back. 

After his second empty hack, Hernández walked a lap around the hitting circle, called for a timeout and took a deep breath. 

“I chased two out of the strike zone after the first pitch,” Hernández said, “so [I was] just trying to walk around, talking to myself. Stay calm and just try to hit the ball."

When Hernández dug back in, Burnes fired a slider that didn’t have nearly enough break. The pitch stayed over the outer half. Hernández barreled it up with a one-handed finish. And as the ball sailed out to straightaway center, he admired it all the way, watching his 10th long ball of the season travel every bit of 413 feet.

“I think that was the only pitch that he missed all night,” Hernández quipped.

It was the only scoring the Dodgers did Wednesday, finishing the game with just five hits.

But between May’s solid start (which dropped his ERA to 4.09), a four-out relief appearance from Lou Trivino (a recent minor league signing called into action with the Dodgers woefully short on right-handed relief options), and a bounceback save from closer Tanner Scott (who gave up two home runs in Tuesday’s come-from-behind win), it proved to be just enough — Hernández’s well-timed day off resulting in an even better-timed home run.

"It worked out that way, yeah,” Roberts laughed postgame. “It was certainly helpful for him to hit a three-run homer."

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Mets have gotten off to such a great start this season in large part due to their pitching, especially the bullpen. One big bullpen piece this year has been veteran right-hander Huascar Brazoban.

Brazoban entered Wednesday's series finale against the Boston Red Sox nearly unhittable. In May (seven appearances), Brazoban allowed just three hits, two walks and no earned runs, and the Mets needed that dominance Wednesday. After starter Tylor Megill cruised through four innings, he worked the bases loaded in the fifth.

With the score tied 1-1 and two outs, manager Carlos Mendoza pulled Megill for Brazoban to hold the line. The Mets have struggled to score runs -- scoring just eight runs over their last five games entering Wednesday -- so a big inning by the Red Sox could send New York to their fourth straight loss. And Boston had Alex Bregman,arguably their best hitter so far this season, at the plate.

Brazoban got ahead 0-2, but the All-Star third baseman worked the count full. On the ninth pitch of the at-bat, Brazoban threw a sinker tailing away from Bregman, who took a half-swing. The pitch was painted on the outside corner for strike three to end the threat.

Huascar Brazobán strikes out Alex Bregman to escape the bases-loaded jam in the 5th pic.twitter.com/q0ciNFFvWN

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 22, 2025

"He’s been killing it. Been a guy who's been heavily trusted on. He’s just coming out and filling up the strikezone and doing what he’s doing right now," Megill said of Brazoban. "Big situation right there, came in to get Bregman. Saved me, saved the team. He’s been killing it. Happy to see his success."

When the Mets acquired Brazoban from the Marlins for cash considerations, they were getting a pitcher who hadn't had much success in the big leagues. He had a 4.14 ERA in 50 appearances in 2023 and struggled in his 19 games with the Mets last year, pitching to a 5.14 ERA. But this season has been completely different for the 35-year-old.

Brazoban says the biggest difference for him this year is how he's been attacking the zone and how he prepares for hitters before and during games. He absorbs as much information and data from the Mets' coaching staff and analytics team, and that has helped him pitch this season, especially in high-leverage situations.

"Confidence is high right now, but it’s also easier to prepare when [the team] communicates that to me before the game," Brazoban said through an interpreter. "I know the role that I’m going to come in, when I’m able to prepare that way, in the bullpen, I’m able to get the results that I want.

"It’s not that difficult [to pitch with bases loaded] when you already have the information on the hitter, especially a hitter that I’ve faced. I showed him the changeup, but I was predominantly sinker and I was able to get him out."

On the Bregman at-bat, Brazoban said he noticed the hitter was in between on the changeup he threw with the count 2-2, which went for a ball. That's when he knew Bregman was waiting for the changeup and went with the sinker instead.

After getting out of the bases-loaded jam, Brazoban pitched two more shutout innings to give the Mets a chance to win, which they would eventually do by a score of 5-1.

"He knows his stuff plays and he did it again today," Mendoza said of Brazoban. "Came in on a tough spot, bases loaded against a pretty good hitter in Bregman there and to execute on the 3-2 pitch. Stayed poised, calm, and not trying to do too much gives us two more [innings]. That was the game right there. He continues to put himself in a good position and we're going to need him."

The Mets salvaged the third game of their series with the Red Sox, snapping their three-game losing streak. It was a much-needed win after a 2-6 road trip. Now they get an off day before the Dodgers come to town this weekend.

And like Mendoza said, the Mets will need Brazoban this season to continue to pitch the way that he has, and Brazoban is confident he can, thanks to the organization.

"Since I’ve been here, the analytics team, the coaches have helped me gather more information, more data on how my pitches work," Brazoban said. "I’ve been able to take that out on the mound and have the success that I’ve had."

Like the rest of the Mets' offense lately, Brett Baty had been struggling over his last seven games. So when manager Carlos Mendoza was asked pregame about his decision to have Baty in the lineup with Garrett Crochet, one of the tougher left-handers in the game, on the mound, the skipper said it was more about Baty's defense.

Naturally, Baty got a hit off Crochet in just his eighth at-bat against a lefty this season in the second inning -- an RBI single with a runner in scoring position after New York failed five times prior in that spot through the first two innings.

"That’s really good to see," Mendoza said after the Mets' 5-1 win. "Especially the at-bats against Crochet. The first one picking us up big time after second and third, nobody out and two pitches two outs there and then for him to come through there."

But Baty wasn't finished.

In the seventh inning, with the game tied 1-1, the 25-year-old came up to the plate with the bases loaded and nobody out. Already utilizing their bullpen, the Red Sox turned to Brennan Bernardino, a left-hander, to take over for Liam Hendriks, a righty.

How did Baty respond? With a two-run opposite field single on a 2-2 pitch that broke the tie and gave the Mets their second lead of the game, one they wouldn't relinquish this time.

"That one in the seventh, I think it was, staying in there, going the other way and coming through big time, it’s just really good to see one of your young players perform and continue to play with confidence," Mendoza said.

"I was just on the heater, but yeah, my plan was to try to see him deep," Baty added.

Baty finished the night 2-for-4 with three RBI and all four of his at-bats came against a left-hander. The two hits were his first off lefties this season (2-for-11, .182 average).

Despite some of his struggles this season, Baty has also had some big moments, including some big hits for a team that, despite their record in the standings, have lacked in that department.

He's also done everything the Mets have asked of him, whether it be learn a new position, come off the bench, or go back down to the minors. Not to mention -- the reason he was in the lineup on Wednesday in the first place -- his defense at third base has been extraordinary.

"I’m just trying to come in and be a good player for the New York Mets and just hit the ball hard, play good defense and try to help the team win," Baty said.

For the time being, Baty is certainly doing that.

"I think we’ve been hitting the ball hard the past couple of days, it just hasn’t been falling," he added. "But it was huge to go back in [the dugout after the seventh inning] and have the excitement of the team and the guys and everything. We felt like we were in a good spot right there."

As for getting the starting assignment against a tough lefty, Baty was excited and clearly ready for the challenge.

"It was awesome for sure. I always love playing," he said.

Jasson Dominguez's walk-off home run gave the Yankees a come-from-behind 4-3 win over the Texas Rangers on Wednesday night in The Bronx.

Here are the takeaways...

-In his third start since assuming the fifth starter's spot in a rotation that has endured injury after injury, Ryan Yarbrough pitched his best game in pinstripes and was outdueling two-time Cy Young award winner Jacob deGrom through the first four innings.

Fully taking advantage of the opportunity, Yarbrough pitched five innings for the second consecutive outing, except this time he struck out eight, walked none and allowed just a run on three hits. The only run came by way of a Jake Burger solo home run in the fifth inning that tied the game at 1-1.

The left-hander lowered his ERA to 3.38 and aside from one poor performance out of the bullpen in early April, he's been a tremendous help for New York in the swingman role.

-Meanwhile, deGrom ended up dominating in his return to New York. The right-hander, looking to remain healthy for a full season for the first time in five years, finished the night by going seven strong innings, giving up two runs on three hits and a walk while striking out nine on 103 pitches (68 strikes).

The first run he allowed came in the second inning after Anthony Volpe tripled to lead off and came around to score the game's first run on a groundout. The second one came on a Cody Bellinger solo shot in the seventh.

Since leaving the Mets, deGrom had made only nine starts from 2023 and 2024. He's already made 10 starts this season and continues to be one of the best pitchers in the game with a 2.33 ERA.

-Burger made it a double by smashing his second solo homer of the night to lead off the top of the seventh against Tim Hill, who got a huge bases-loaded out to end the sixth, that gave Texas a 2-1 lead. Burger would add a side of small fries in the eighth with a single and got a shake to boot with his first stolen base of the season.

-After Burger's home run, the lefty Hill retired the next two batters before giving way to Ian Hamilton. But much like Hill before him, Hamilton served up a solo shot on the first pitch he threw to Sam Haggerty that extended the Rangers' advantage.

-Yerry De los Santos got into a heap of trouble in the eighth inning trying to keep it a one-run game, but he managed to leave the bases loaded and give his team a chance to rally. Which they did.

-With deGrom finally out of the game, the Yanks managed to put two runners on in the bottom of the eighth via walks by Robert Garcia, sandwiched between a strikeout and flyout. Luke Jackson entered the game to face Aaron Judge, who was held in check against deGrom, but with a runner in scoring position, Judge did what he does best and singled in the tying run.

Trent Grisham got thrown out trying to reach third base to end the inning, but it happened before the run crossed home plate. It was also a smart play because it's possible Paul Goldschmidt would've been thrown out at home if Grisham hadn't gone to third base, which forced the throw from the outfield to be cut off.

-Luke Weaver pitched a scoreless top of the ninth, aided by a nifty pickoff move to second base for a caught stealing that ended the inning. That set the stage forDominguez to hit his walk-off home run and give the Yanks their third straight win.

-Jonathan Loáisiga made his third appearance of the season since returning from injury, matching his total from last year, and after 0.2 scoreless innings, he's remained unscored upon so far in 2.2 innings.

Game MVP: Yerry De los Santos

Maybe not who you'd expect, but getting into trouble in the eighth inning and managing to get out of it helped keep New York within striking distance and pull off the eventual win.

Highlights

The Yankees get a run off Jacob deGrom in the second!

(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/qJOqaJiyEs

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 21, 2025

Tim Hill comes in and gets the Yankees out of trouble 👏 pic.twitter.com/6dURguKuGM

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 22, 2025

Cody Bellinger homers to get a run back for the Yankees!

(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/abzPe2vuRk

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 22, 2025

Aaron Judge ties the game in the 8th!

(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/BwG7jL11qC

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 22, 2025

LUKE WEAVER GOT HIM!

(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/IorOoqBji1

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 22, 2025

What's next

The Yankees end their three-game series against the Texas Rangers with a Thursday matinee to close out a six-game homestand. First pitch (weather permitting) is scheduled for 12:35 p.m.

LHP Carlos Rodon (5-3, 3.17 ERA) opposes RHP Nathan Eovaldi (4-2, 1.61 ERA).

Brett Baty drove in three runs and Francisco Lindor homered to help the Mets beat the Red Sox, 5-1, on Wednesday night in Boston to salvage a game in the series.

The win snapped the team's season-long three-game losing streak.

Here are the takeaways...

-Runners in scoring position have been a bugaboo for the Mets of late. Entering Wednesday, the Mets were 9-for-54 (.167) with RISP over their last seven games.Lindor gave his team an instant RISP chance with a leadoff double but Starling Marte (flyout), and Juan Soto and Pete Alonso (strikeouts) left him stranding.

The Mets had another chance in the second after Mark Vientos walked and Luis Torrens doubled to start the inning. Again, the Mets had a tough time with runners on base. Tyrone Taylor popped out on the first pitch he saw and Luisangel Acuña grounded to third on the first pitch to leave Vientos and Torrens stranded. But it was Baty -- who had just seven at-bats against lefties this season -- who lined a single to right field to score Vientos, but Torrens was gunned out at home by centerfielder Ceddane Rafaela on the send from third base coach Mike Sarbaugh.

-The big inning for the Mets' offense came in the seventh against reliever Liam Hendricks. After back-to-back singles by Torrens and Taylor, Acuña hit an infield single to load the bases with no outs for Baty. Hitting against the lefty Brennan Bernardino, Baty went the other way, lining a single toward the left field corner to drive in two. Unfortunately, Acuña got a bad read and had to stay on second. Lindor reached on a fielder's choice and Marte walked to load the bases to bring up Soto. The slugger hit a long sacrifice fly to bring in the Mets' fourth run of the game.

For the game, the Mets went 3-for-12 with RISP and left eight on base.

-Tylor Megill was on his game in his first start at Fenway Park. The big right-hander struck out nine of the first 14 batters he faced, but faced trouble in the fifth inning. After two infield singles -- both thanks to misplays on defense -- and a HBP, Megill had to face the bases loaded with one out. Jaren Durran jumped on the first pitch and launched it into right-center field. The wind brought it back in for Soto to make the out, but the Red Sox tied the game at 1-1 on the sacrifice fly. After a walk to Rafael Devers to load the bases again, Mendoza pulled his starter for Huascar Brazoban. The reliever would get Alex Bregman to strike out on a check swing to end the 10-pitch at-bat and the threat.

Brazoban's heroics put an end to Megill's night. Megill threw 85 pitches (55 strikes) across 4.2 innings, allowing one run on four hits, one walk and tying a career high with 10 strikeouts.

-Brazoban continued his dominance, striking out four batters in a season-high 2.1 innings to help bridge the gap to Edwin Diaz. Brazoban's ERA this season dropped to 0.90. Reed Garrett pitched a scoreless eighth, working around a one-out single and capping his night off by striking out Bregman. It was the third baseman's fourth strikeout of the evening, the first time Bregman has earned the "Golden Sombrero" in his 10-year career.

Diaz worked around a leadoff walk to nail down the win. Mets pitchers struck out 16 batters on Wednesday.

-Manager Carlos Mendoza changed up the lineup, batting Marte in the two-hole, Soto in the three-hole and Alonso at cleanup behind Lindor. And, for at least one night, it worked out. Marte finished 0-for-3 with a walk, while Soto went 0-for-3 with a walk and an RBI. Alonso went 1-for-5 with two strikeouts.

Lindor went 2-for-5 with a home run. Lindor's long ball, which came in the ninth inning to put a cap on the night, is his 10th of the season and now leads the team. It also snapped the team's 217 at-bats between home runs.

Soto struck out looking twice in his first two at-bats on seven pitches without swinging the bat. It was the first time in his career that Soto struck out twice in a row without swinging the bat. Garrett Crochet would strike out Soto for the third time in the sixth, this time swinging.

Game MVP: Brett Baty

With the offense scuffling, especially with runners in scoring position, Baty helped alleviate that pressure with his two big hits. He finished 2-for-4 with a stolen base.

Highlights

Francisco Lindor leads off the game with a double pic.twitter.com/phFIVrGtEN

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 21, 2025

2 strikeouts for Tylor Megill in the first inning pic.twitter.com/E8MWbPyI3S

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 21, 2025

Brett Baty comes through and gets the Mets on the board

It's Baty's first hit off a left-hander in 2025 pic.twitter.com/e0V9w7WjXX

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 21, 2025

Huascar Brazobán strikes out Alex Bregman to escape the bases-loaded jam in the 5th pic.twitter.com/q0ciNFFvWN

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 22, 2025

A 2-RBI single the other way from Brett Baty for the lead!

He's driven in all 3 Mets runs so far! pic.twitter.com/M6rDd7v2oT

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 22, 2025

A Juan Soto sac fly makes it 4-1 Mets! pic.twitter.com/7rpmNZ7WDY

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 22, 2025

Francisco Lindor blasts his 10th home run of the season off the Green Monster light tower! pic.twitter.com/3zDkHw55oh

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 22, 2025

What's next

The Mets have an off day on Thursday before starting a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Citi Field on Friday. First pitch is set for 7:10 p.m.

Griffin Canning (5-1, 2.47 ERA) will take the mound while the Dodgers will send Clayton Kershaw, making just his second start this season, to oppose him.

Turner, Harper and Phillies' lineup put on a show again in 6th straight win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

DENVER — It was the Trea Turner and Bryce Harper Show early on Wednesday night at Coors Field, another dynamic night for the Phillies’ offense in a sixth straight win.

Turner and Harper singled on consecutive pitches in the top of the first and homered on consecutive pitches in the top of the third, scoring the first four of the Phillies’ runs in a 9-5 win over the Rockies.

The duo put instant pressure on lowly Colorado by executing a double-steal in the first inning. Turner and Harper had both bags stolen easily on rookie left-hander Carson Palmquist but bat-first Rockies catcher Hunter Goodman still tried to throw Turner out at third, sailing the ball into left field. The play created two runs for the Phils, allowing Turner to score on the errant throw, Harper to advance to third and Harper to score on Nick Castellanos’ sacrifice fly.

Turner is 5-for-5 stealing third base this season, 28-for-28 since 2020 and has been caught just three times in 59 career attempts. Goodman should’ve just eaten it.

“I try to be a smart baserunner and not be overly aggressive because I feel like I’ll score on basically any hit,” Turner said. “So a lot of times I just try to pick my spots.”

The Phillies’ offense, top to bottom, has taken advantage of the thin air of Denver, the Rockies’ awful pitching staff and penchant for physical and mental errors. They had 17 hits in each of the first two games and 12 more on Wednesday.

The Phillies are a National League-best 31-18. They’re 18-5 overall and 10-1 on the road dating back to the final weekend of April.

“It feels like everyone’s contributing,” Turner said. “It just feels like everyone’s kinda hot right now, swinging it good. Even the outs feel like good swings.”

Turner has been on fire for a month and now Harper is, too. Turner has multiple hits in 13 of the last 22 games, batting .371 over that span with 19 runs scored. The power is starting to come, too — Turner has two doubles, two triples and a homer these last two series against the Pirates and Rockies.

Turner said after Wednesday’s win that he made a small mechanical adjustment earlier this week at Coors Field. He was hit by pitches in nearly the same spot of the elbow on April 17 and April 20 and said it caused bad habits because he couldn’t physically do what he’s used to at the plate.

“Made a little adjustment the first day here working in the training room,” he said. “I think when I got hit by that pitch earlier in the season, I think that kinda created bad habits for driving the ball. I’ve been taking my hits and whatnot but the last few days it’s been better about hitting the ball in the air and getting it in the gaps.”

Harper is 15-for-30 (.500) over his last eight games with four doubles, a homer, nine RBI, four walks and just one strikeout. He’s raised his batting average from .232 to .276 and his OPS from .771 to .852 in a week.

But it was a full team effort. J.T. Realmuto, 0-for-10 in the first two games, singled, doubled, homered and drove in four. Castellanos singled and scored twice. By the fifth inning, 10 different Phillies had already reached base.

“I think it’s important when you’re winning games consistently, it’s usually a different guy every night,” manager Rob Thomson said. “You’ve got one or two guys that are on a heater but then it’s different guys contributing every night and that’s what we’re getting right now.”

Taijuan Walker allowed single runs in the first and second innings in his return to the rotation but went mostly into shutdown mode after the Phillies went ahead in the third, recording the next six outs on just 17 pitches.

Walker is starting in the spot usually occupied by Aaron Nola, who is on the 15-day injured list with a right ankle sprain. Walker will have at least one more start. Nola long-tossed Wednesday at Coors Field but hasn’t yet thrown off a mound since being placed on the IL last Friday. The Phillies hope to have him throw a bullpen session this weekend in Sacramento, and manager Rob Thomson said that Nola wouldn’t need a traditional ramp-up process if he misses only a couple of cycles through the rotation.

Walker allowed three runs over five innings and has a 2.97 ERA in seven starts.

“Bouncing back and forth is tough. He did a great job tonight,” Thomson said.

“He’s been huge. He’s given us good starts, his ERA is under 3.00. He’s given us some length at times and did a great job out of the bullpen, too. He’s a huge factor on this club, he really is.”

The Phillies used Tanner Banks, Joe Ross and Carlos Hernandez after Walker. They’ve not only won all three games so far in Colorado, they’ve done so without using their top three relievers, Jordan Romano, Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering.

The Phillies go for their second straight sweep on Thursday afternoon with Ranger Suarez (2-0, 5.09 ERA) opposing veteran right-hander German Marquez (1-6, 8.78).

On the heels of getting shut out against the Boston Red Sox and scoring just 10 runs in their last seven games, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza shuffled his lineup for Wednesday's series finale, facing a tough lefty on the mound in Garrett Crochet.

Francisco Lindor is still batting leadoff, but Juan Soto and Pete Alonso were both dropped one spot in the order and are hitting third and fourth, respectively. Starling Marte will hit second against the left-hander.

And while Mendoza is not a guy that likes to overreact, evidenced by his unwavering belief all season that his offense will pick up because of the quality of hitters in the lineup, he wanted to try something different and "shuffle some things around."

"I just felt today was a day to move some people around, especially the guys at the top," Mendoza said. "Facing a lefty, I knew I was gonna go Soto third and Pete fourth. Looking for a right-handed bat to hit in that two-hole, and it came down to Mark [Vientos] or Marte, and I decided to go with Marte today. That’s why he’s here, especially against a left-handed pitcher."

Because the skipper likes consistency, it's likely this new lineup configuration will be more than just a one-time thing against a good left-hander.

"Ideally, I’d like to take a look at it," Mendoza said. "But it depends on teams we’re facing, how their bullpen is set up, whether I wanna go a lefty in the two hole and then you take your chances left, left second and third. Or do you want to insert a righty there? It depends on who we’re facing, but we’ll see. There’s a good chance I’ll keep those guys three and four and then we’ll go from there."

For what it's worth, Alonso has the most experience hitting cleanup in his career. In 509 games hitting fourth (more than double the next closest spot), the first baseman is slashing .248/.336/.515 with 137 home runs.

Perhaps a move to his most-used spot in the order can also help Alonso snap out of a recent cold streak after such a prolonged hot start.

As for Soto, while he has vast experience hitting two through four in the lineup, he has the most plate appearances hitting second. However, not far behind for the 26-year-old is the three-hole where he actually has better numbers (.986 OPS compared to .881 OPS in the two hole).

Nevertheless, Wednesday will be the first time Soto hits in the three-spot since 2023 because he spent all of last season hitting in front of No. 3 hitter Aaron Judge with the Yankees.

"It also makes my decision a lot easier when I go up to someone like Pete Alonso and kind of like 'hey man, this is what I'm thinking' and he's like 'I'm all up for it'," Mendoza said. "'Soto, this is what I'm thinking,' and he's like 'whatever you need, skip'. It makes my job a lot easier when I'm making these decisions."

Asked whether he thinks this lineup change can catch lightning in a bottle and reverse the Mets' offensive misfortunes -- similar to the Lindor lineup change of 2024 -- Mendoza is hopeful, but he knows it's up to the players, no matter where they hit, to execute.

"It comes down to them executing," the skipper said. "They’re too good of a player… at the end of the year the numbers are gonna be there, regardless of where they’re hitting, but I just felt like switching it up a little bit here might help the whole team and we’ll see and go from there."

As for the rest of the lineup, Vientos, Luis Torrens, Tyrone Taylor, Luisangel Acuña and Brett Baty are batting five through nine.