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

Yankees starter Marcus Stroman is not progressing as the club hoped during his rehab of a knee injury, manager Aaron Boone said Sunday.

Stroman, who was placed on the injured list with left knee inflammation in early April, was still feeling discomfort after throwing a live session on Friday in Tampa, and the next step in the process for the right-hander remains unclear, Boone noted before Sunday’s series finale win over the Athletics.

“He’s got a lot of treatments on it and stuff, and he just can’t kind of get over that final hump to really allow him to get to that next level on the mound,” the manager said, via The New York Post. “We’ll try and continue to get our arms around it and try and make sure we get that out of there.”

Stroman struggled in all three of his starts this season, and lasted just nine batters in his most recent start on April 11 before landing on the IL. On a rainy night in The Bronx against San Francisco, he allowed five runs on four hits and three walks in just 0.2 innings. 

Boone added that it was “definitely possible” the knee ailment contributed to his poor start to the year.

“Certainly his last start, I think he just couldn’t really step on that front side like you need to,” the manager said. “I talk about these guys that are like race cars — a little thing off, it can affect just that last level of command or that last level of extra stuff that you need.”

Overall, he has surrendered 12 runs on 12 hits in 9.1 innings for an 11.57 ERA and 2.036 WHIP in his second season in pinstripes.

And that’s been a big problem for New York, as outside of Max Fried, who has been excellent (1.05 ERA in 51.2 innings) and Carlos Rodon, who has been solid (3.29 ERA in 54.2 innings), the Yanks’ rotation has simply not been reliable.

With Gerrit Cole out for the year after Tommy John surgery and Luis Gil still a ways away from his season debut, Carlos Carrasco has already been DFA'd after six ineffective starts (5.91 ERA), and Will Warren (4.75 ERA in 36 innings) and Clarke Schmidt (4.79 ERA in 20.2 innings) haven't pitched in a way the club would have hoped.

The Yanks did get a big boost on Sunday with Ryan Yarbrough going five innings and allowing two runs, working as an opener pressed into a spot starter role as he was efficient, needing just 67 pitches to get 15 outs.

That has temporarily cooled the fire, but getting Stroman back and hoping the 34-year-old, when healthy, can match last year's form (4.31 ERA and 1.468 WHIP) would be a huge boost to the rotation.

In addition to the big question of "if" he will be able to match that level of performance, the matter of "when" is equally unanswerable.

Playing for a team and a city where the first grand ballpark was built on the back of a man who ended up being more myth than man, where the great ghosts of the past physically loitered beyond the centerfield wall, the belief that if anybody could measure up to what it meant to be the next Yankee great, Aaron Judge looked the part.

The home runs came right away and in bunches for the six-foot-seven, hulking outfielder, showing he was a true slugger. In the last few years, since turning 30, a high on-base percentage arrived, demonstrating he could be a great, disciplined batter.

This year, with a batting average above .400 after a quarter of the season, Judge showed that he had the final piece of the puzzle, that he was truly a great hitter.

After striking out his first time up on Sunday, Judge had four hits in his next four at-bats in the Yanks' 12-2 win over the Athletics, driving in two runs in the process. Smoking three balls harder than 99.8 mph, increasing his 57.1 hard-hit percentage he had entering the game.

Ben Rice, who notched his first career grand slam in the game, could only shake his head about the right fielder.

“Just another day at the office for him,” Rice said. “It’s crazy you sometimes catch yourself taking it for granted what he’s doing. It’s been so impressive to watch, so fun to watch him hit every day and go out there and help us win.”

For Judge, the series against the Athletics helped right the ship after three games against the Padres in The Bronx saw him collect just one hit (a solo home run) in 10 at-bats with two walks, three strikeouts, and one double play. In West Sacramento, he tallied seven hits in 14 at-bats, including two doubles, two home runs, and five RBI to give him the third-highest batting average for a Yank through 40 games, trailing Paul O'Neill in 1994 (.465) and Mickey Mantle in 1956 (.430).

Even after the San Diego swoon, his slash line ballooned to .409/.494/.779 for a 1.273 OPS by Sunday. Not only is he first in all of baseball in each of those four categories, but he's blowing away the competition.

Judge is first in batting average by 60 points (Paul Goldschmidt at .349 is next closest), in OBP by 60 (Pete Alonso at .434), slugging by 138 (Shohei Ohtani at .641), and OPS by 222 (Ohtani at 1.051).

And for good measure, he’s put himself in position for a shot at history. He's in the conversation to be the 11th player to win the American League triple crown and first since Miguel Cabrera in 2012. And by leading the AL with 63 hits (ahead of Jacob Wilson by nine) and home runs (ahead of Cal Raleigh by two), he could be the first player to lead the league in both categories since Jim Rice in 1978.

And yet, both manager Aaron Boone and Judge agree he is still not as locked in as he would like to be.

“Still not where we want to be,” Judge said after Sunday's game. “But we’re improving. I think that’s the beauty of this game: there’s always room for improvement. There’s always areas of your game that you can try to get a little bit better at. That’s just a constant chase in the game that we play.”

Always room for improvement. Always another mountain to climb. Always another chance to be 'the first player since...'

On the field in Queens, the Mets scored a 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs, but that wasn't the only bit of action on Sunday.

---

Paul Blackburn makes second rehab start at Triple-A

The Mets hope that the injury bug has stopped biting Blackburn as the right-hander pitched for the second time with the Syracuse Mets as he continues to work his way back from knee inflammation that flared up at the end of spring training and kept him off the Opening Day roster.

The 31-year-old got the start Sunday against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp and had issues with his command while allowing three runs on four hits and three walks with two strikeouts in three innings. Blackburn threw 60 pitches (31 strikes).

He used his sinker on half of his offerings and got five whiffs (12 swings) and six called strikes. The curveball and slider accounted for nine balls on 10 pitches.

Blackburn's average velocity was up for his sinker (0.8 mph to 92) from his previous start at Jacksonville on Tuesday. He had better success on that occasion, allowing one run on three hits and a walk in 3.2 innings with five strikeouts, throwing 35 of 54 pitches for strikes.

His rehab assignment began with two outings at High-A Brooklyn, where he allowed three runs on six hits and two walks over 5.0 innings with seven strikeouts and two home runs.

Manager Carlos Mendoza said Friday that the goal is for Blackburn to reach 70-75 pitches (which would be after one to two more starts after Sunday), before the Mets make a decision.

Ryan Clifford goes yard

Leading off the bottom of the ninth inning on Sunday, Clifford got a 2-1 breaking pitch that hung around the middle of the plate and did not miss it, launching it deep over the right-center wall for a 400+ foot dinger.

It was his third home run of the series against the Reading Fightin Phils and sixth in his first 30 games with Double-A Binghamton. And after an RBI single earlier in the game, he now has 19 batted in on the year. He is heating up, going 9-for-19 with nine RBI and five runs scored in his last five games.

The 21-year-old, who entered the season as the Mets' No. 4 prospect per Joe DeMayo, is now batting .248 (25-for-101) with a .820 OPS.

Ryan Clifford demolished this one 🚀

@ryanclifford21 this series: 5 G | .474 AVG (9-for-19) | 3 HR | 9 RBI | 5 R

🎠 x #NeedForSteed x @MetsPlayerDevpic.twitter.com/d5noa8ww20

— Binghamton Rumble Ponies (@RumblePoniesBB) May 11, 2025

Ronny Mauricio talks knee, getting back to MLB

It has been 19 months since Mauricio last played a big league game, after suffering a torn ACL while playing winter ball in December 2023. Speaking to Matt Levine of the Binghampton Rumble Ponies, the infielder said his knee feels "really good" as he continues to build back toward rejoining the Mets.

"He's working so hard, being in that situation that he's in right now, that the knee feels really well," Mariano Duncan, Binghamton's bench coach, said, who was serving as Mauricio's interpreter for the interview.

The 24-year-old has played just seven games in his rehab stint so far, but is "very excited" to have moved up the ranks to Double-A and continue progressing.

"The process has been a lot of ups and downs," Mauricio said, via Duncan. "There's a lot of setbacks since the injury. In the beginning, after the first surgery, the knee felt swollen, and they had to go to the second surgery."

But he's "so happy" to have worked hard and made it back to the field. And during the time out rehabbing, Mauricio "dedicated more time to his body," and he learned a lot about how to take care of it.

"Really tough, but so glad that everything is over," he said.

As far as some of the other young Mets – Mark Vientos, Brett Baty, Francisco Alvarez – Maurico said he's "very happy to see them perform at the Major League level" and that is making him "push a little bit harder to try and go back an stay healthy" and join them in the big leauges.

In two games at Double-A so far, Mauricio has one hit (a double) in six at-bats with an RBI and a strikeout.

At the end of a grueling 10-game trek around the country, and in search of their first winning trip this season, the Dodgers got exactly what they needed Sunday afternoon.

A strong start from right-hander Tony Gonsolin. A huge performance from the top of their lineup. And a thorough 8-1 rout of the Arizona Diamondbacks, splitting a four-game series at Chase Field this weekend to return home from this week-and-a-half-long trip with a 6-4 record that keeps them in first place in the National League West.

“Really good team win,” manager Dave Roberts said.

In a battle of two former All-Stars on Sunday, Gonsolin outdueled Arizona right-hander Zac Gallen, tossing five scoreless innings to earn his second win in three starts since returning from Tommy John surgery — and a back injury that forced him to miss the first month of the season — this year.

“His delivery looks really good,” Roberts said of Gonsolin, who has a 2.80 ERA in his first three starts this season while looking much closer to the 2022 All-Star version of himself than he did while pitching through his elbow injury in 2023. 

“I think that what he's doing right now is signs of 2022,” Roberts added. “You have the experience of a guy that is seasoned [and] really knows what he's capable of.”

Gonsolin faced little stress Sunday, scattering three hits and two walks while striking out four. Only twice did the Diamondbacks (21-20) get a runner in scoring position against him, stranding two runners aboard in the first and third. After that, Gonsolin finished his 84-pitch outing — one shortened given his recent return from injury, and because he was the first Dodgers pitcher this year to make a start on four days’ rest — by retiring six of his final seven batters.

“I'm feeling pretty good,” Gonsolin said, noting that “the shapes and the velos and everything around my stuff have really come around” after spending much of the last two years rehabbing from his Tommy John procedure.

Gallen, on the other hand, had trouble with the Dodgers (27-14) and the three superstars at the top of the their lineup.

Read more:Dodgers continue ‘to bet on’ Michael Conforto, but can he break unthinkable early slump?

In the first inning, Mookie Betts singled and scored all the way from first on a Freddie Freeman double in the gap. In the fifth, Shohei Ohtani and Betts led with consecutive singles, setting up Freeman for a sacrifice fly and Will Smith for an RBI single through a drawn-in infield.

The next time the top of the order came up, with a runner on third and two out in the sixth, Arizona manager Torey Lovullo went to his bullpen, summoning left-hander Joe Mantiply to face Ohtani. It didn’t work, with Ohtani roping an RBI single to right to make it 4-0. When Mantiply returned to the mound in the seventh, it was Freeman’s turn to tee off, hitting his ninth home run of the year into the Chase Field pool for a 5-0 lead.

In a three-run ninth, Betts tacked on another home run before Freeman completed a four-for-four day with a single, later scoring on Smith’s RBI double.

“It was a long road trip. A lot of late flights, late ‘get-ins.’ And to have a winning road trip, that was good,” Freeman said. “Especially after getting shut out yesterday, to come out and score some runs.”

In all, the Dodgers' Big 3 went nine for 14 with six runs scored and five runs driven in. Freeman’s four hits raised his batting average to .376 and his OPS to 1.171 — both second in the majors, among hitters with 100 at-bats, behind only Aaron Judge.

“Just seeing strikes and hitting them,” Freeman said of his hot start, which has come even with the right ankle he had surgery on this offseason still not 100%. “I wish there was more I could give you. I do the same routine every day, try to hit strikes. And they’re just falling right now.”

Check-ins for Snell, Glasnow

When Blake Snell accompanied the Dodgers on this 10-game trip, the expectation was that he would begin a throwing progression after missing the last month with shoulder inflammation.

But after having the start of his catch play pushed back once last week because he was feeling under the weather, Snell did not play catch as expected Sunday, either, because of continued discomfort in his left throwing shoulder.

“We felt that it was best to let him see our team doc before we make any other moves,” Roberts said.

That check-in with head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache will come Monday, in what had been a pre-scheduled evaluation. Tyler Glasnow, who is also on the injured list with shoulder inflammation but did begin playing catch again this week back in Los Angeles, will have a check-in Monday as well.

Read more:Hernández: Shohei Ohtani pitching this season initially felt like a luxury. Now it's a necessity

Since first getting hurt, Snell attempted to restart his throwing program once last month, but stopped because of continued shoulder pain. He had one pain-relieving injection after that, but has evidently not improved enough to begin working his way back to action yet.

Asked if his concern with Snell’s injury has risen amid the pitcher’s continued shoulder pain, Roberts was coy.

"I guess I'll know more [after tomorrow],” Roberts said. “I can answer that question more once he sees our team docs."

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 Yankees’ batters continued to stay hot with Aaron Judge adding four hits and Ben Rice smacking a grand slam, and Ryan Yarbrough delivered five strong innings in New York’s 12-2 shellacking of the Athletics Sunday in West Sacramento.

In the three games, the Yanks pounded out 29 runs and took two of three to improve to 23-17 on the year. The A's fell to 21-20 (8-13 in their minor-league accommodations). The Yankees hit 16 balls with exit velocities over 99.8 mph, with 11 going for hits (five for extra bases).

Here are the takeaways...

- In the second, Paul Goldschmidt got the Yanks going with a leadoff double off ex-Yank Luis Severino. A wild pitch moved Goldschmidt to third as Jasson Dominguez worked a walk and Anthony Volpe’s single through the left side of the inning plated the first run of the game. Austin Wells stayed on a low and away 0-2 changeup for a single to load the bases and Oswaldo Cabrera tallied an RBI walk, leading to a mound visit. After Jorbit Vivas traded an out for a run on a grounder to short, Severino hit Rice on the back foot, missing on a 1-2 sweeper.

Judge, who struck out his first time up, ripped a two-RBI single to right on a sinker that leaked right over the plate. Cody Bellinger’s soft liner to second and Goldschmidt’s liner to right ended the frame with the visitors up 5-0.

- After Severino’s 37-pitch second, Dominguez smashed a single off the glove of a diving second baseman for a first-pitch base hit in the third. Severino got Volpe to line out and Wells swinging, but on Cabrera's double to the left-center gap, Dominguez ran through a late stop sign at third and got in with a head-first dive, beating the tag to score from first. 

- The Yanks chased Severino in the fifth with Dominguez singling to right and Volpe to left that put runners on the corners with nobody out. Mitch Spence would hit Wells to load the bases. Cabrera grounded out, Vivas went down swinging, but Rice took a 3-1 cutter down and in and clobbered it 398-feet (111.2 mph off the bat) down the right field line for a grand slam, the first of his career.

After Judge and Bellinger singled, Goldschmidt lined a double off the left field wall for an RBI double before Dominguez couldn’t check his swing to end the inning with two in scoring position. But the damage was done; it was 11-1 Yanks. 

- Ryan Yarbrough needed eight pitches for a 1-2-3 first. The lefty surrendered a bloop single, but cleaned up his mess with a room service 6-4-3 double play and a comebacker meant another quick inning on 10 pitches. He walked ex-Yank Gio Urshela with two down, but got Jacob Wilson, who entered the game batting .358, swinging on a half swing.

A seeing-eye single past Cabrera and Volpe and a first-pitch single to left put two runners on off Yarbrough in the fourth. A flyout to right saw the runner tag and take third as the ball carried a bit on Bellinger. Miguel Andujar lobbed an RBI bloop single to center, but Vivas made a diving stop on a grounder to second and a pop fly to right ended the threat with two in scoring position.

With the lead at 10, Yarbrough got the fifth to look for a chance to earn a win, as his pitch count was 59. JJ Bleday launched a first-pitch homer to right and Urshela singled to left, but the lefty got around that without any further damage.

It looked like this would be the second start as an opener on the year, but thanks to some efficient work, Yarbrough did the business. His final line: 5 innings, two runs, six hits, one walk, two strikeouts, on 67 pitches (43 strikes).

- New York tacked on another run in the seventh, after Rice got plunked for the second time, Judge cracked a single and with one out, Goldschmidt plated a run with a ground-rule double to right.

Judge, who added a hustle double in the alley in left-center in the fourth, finished the day 4-for-5 with two RBI and saw his slashline balloon to .409/.494/.779 for a 1.273 OPS.

Goldschmidt finished 3-for-5 with two RBI and is now batting .349 with a .898 OPS. Dominguez (2-for-4) with a walk and three strikeouts and Volpe (2-for-5) with an RBI and a strikeout also had multi-hit days.

- Out of the bullpen, Yerry De Los Santos pitched three scoreless frames with two walks and a strikeout on 34 pitches (22 strikes). Lefty Tyler Matzek, with Rice working behind the dish, allowed a hit and added a strikeout in the ninth, needing 21 pitches (14 strikes).

Game MVP: Aaron Judge

Last year's AL MVP continues to be a menace in the batter's box through 40 games this year.

Highlights

Anthony Volpe gets the Yankees on the board with an RBI single! pic.twitter.com/8UHaEy0dEP

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 11, 2025

Aaron Judge with a 2 RBI single to extend the lead! pic.twitter.com/atRllDXEnA

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 11, 2025

BEN RICE GRAND SLAM 💣

First of his career! pic.twitter.com/BB8uQPwLfH

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 11, 2025

RBI double for Goldschmidt makes it 12-2! pic.twitter.com/c1oTYCykqk

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) May 11, 2025

What's next

New York continues the road trip heading up to Seattle for a three-game series with the Mariners. The Yanks have yet to name starters for the series.

Right-hander Emerson Hancock (5.70 ERA, 1.563 WHIP in 23.2 innings) gets the ball for the M's in the series opener on Monday, 9:40 p.m. EDT first pitch.

The NL's top pitcher and power hitter lead Phillies to series win in Cleveland originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The best pitcher in all of Major League Baseball since the day he signed with the Phillies in December 2019, Zack Wheeler showed again Sunday night how much of an advantage his dominance can provide in the deciding game of a series.

And just like Tuesday in Tampa to begin this week’s road trip, the Phillies broke through in the eighth inning to turn a one-run game into a more comfortable lead, winning 3-0.

Kyle Schwarber went solo in the top of the second to extend his on-base streak to 46 games, then provided the insurance with a two-run shot in the eighth. His 14 home runs are tied with Aaron Judge for the most in MLB.

Wheeler bookended the 5-1 road trip with wins. He went seven innings on Tuesday and exited after just 84 pitches because the Phillies scored four times in the eighth inning to open up a five-run lead. He threw 93 on SUnday.

The pitches Wheeler saved in Tampa helped in Cleveland, an example of why a manager must consider more than just that night’s game.

Wheeler put just five Guardians on base over seven scoreless innings to improve to 4-1 with a 2.95 ERA and 0.91 WHIP. He’s struck out 74 strikeouts and walked 11 in 58 innings. He snapped an uncharacteristic string of eight straight starts allowing a home run.

Jose Alvarado pitched the eighth and Jordan Romano the ninth to earn his third save, both going 1-2-3. Romano has made five straight scoreless appearances.

The Phillies come home with a 24-16 record and are 9-3-1 in 13 series, the best among any National League club.

Their next three games are against the Cardinals, the only NL team hotter with eight consecutive wins. Cristopher Sanchez, Jesus Luzardo and Aaron Nola start in that order, and in the opener, the Phillies will face a left-handed starter (Matthew Liberatore) for the first time in over a week.

Mark Vientos’ early-season struggles appear to officially be behind him. 

The Mets' young slugger is finally settling into a groove at the plate -- putting together back-to-back multi-hit showings to helpsecure a big three-game series victory over the first-place Cubs. 

Vientos’ first knock on Sunday was a huge one -- he put New York back in front in the sixth after Chicago evened things up on a solo shot from former Mets prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong during the top half of the inning. 

It was Vientos' seventh homer of the year, which continued his Mother’s Day success. 

“That’s mommy power right there,” he joked postgame. “That one was for my mom. Crazy stat for you, but I feel like the past five years I’ve hit four home runs on Mother’s Day, so mommy power is real.”

Real or not, the Mets will certainly take it -- and the rest of the lineup was able to use some mommy power of their own later in the contest to regain the lead after the Cubs evened things up for a second time.  

Francisco Lindor crushed a go-ahead home run into the bullpen leading things off, then Pete Alonso laced a double into the left-field corner and Vientos drove him home with a single, before Brandon Nimmo capped off a four-run inning with a two-run shot. 

Mark Vientos brings home Pete Alonso on an RBI single!

(Via @TheRokuChannel) pic.twitter.com/mWufn8VXEI

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 11, 2025

Vientos finished the day 2-for-4 with a pair of runs driven in.

After looking extremely lost at the plate early on this season, he’s now hitting a strong .311 with five home runs and a .912 OPS over his last 20 games.

“I’ve just been competing,” Vientos said. “I’m just trying not to give away any pitch or any at-bat. It’s contagious that our whole team isn’t giving any ABs away and I’m just going up there trying to do the same thing.”

“His at-bats have been a lot better,” Carlos Mendoza added. “We’ve seen a lot of that this year he just wasn’t getting the results, finally today it was there -- it’s good to see him being the player we know he’s capable of.”

The turnaround comes at a perfect time for Vientos, as Brett Baty has returned to the big leagues with a power surge -- crushing three home runs in two games since being called back up from Triple-A. 

Though playing time may become a bit tricky with so many hot bats and only a handful of open lineup spots, the skipper is confident they’ll find way to get it done. 

“We’ll find room,” Mendoza said. “I’ve been saying it, there’s 13 guys there. It doesn’t matter the nine that you put out there you feel good about your chances. That’s my job and that’s our job to continue to put these guys in good positions -- we have a lot of good options.”

One of those options is using Vientos as the designated hitter while Baty slots in at the hot corner -- the route they took on Saturday night when Baty hit two of those homers and drove in five runs. 

Vientos says he’d absolutely be open to the idea: “Whatever gets the team wins, I’m all for it.”

Francisco Lindor had a chance to win the game for the Mets on Saturday night. 

After Jeff McNeil worked a tremendous 10-pitch walk leading off the bottom of the ninth facing Cubs closer Porter Hodge, the superstar shortstop stepped to the plate looking to provide some more late-inning magic. 

However, he rolled into a 1-6-3 double play before Juan Soto grounded out to end the game.

Fast forward just a few hours, and Lindor found himself in a similar spot. 

Knotted in a 2-2 tie in the rubber match of a three-game set, Hodge was brought in to face the top of the order in the bottom of the eighth -- and this time, the Mets' star leadoff man was able to get the best of the matchup. 

Lindor quickly found himself in a favorable 3-1 count before he demolished a middle-middle sweeper deep into the Mets’ bullpen in right-center -- putting them ahead for good to secure the series victory. 

The usually cool, calm, and collected Lindor, no matter how big the moment, was visibly fired up after this dramatic blast -- letting his emotions show as he went back to the dugout and celebrated the go-ahead homer with his teammates.

FRANCISCO LINDOR SOLO HOME RUN!

(Via @TheRokuChannel) pic.twitter.com/ogYQp5u5z5

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 11, 2025

“It was just the moment,” Lindor said. “I wanted that at-bat. I wanted to get on base and make something happen for the boys. Yesterday, I felt like the momentum was on our side and we didn’t capitalize, so today I wanted to make sure I did something for the boys.

“I wasn’t trying to hit a home run there. I was just trying to have a quality at-bat and let the big boys do what they do best, and then the emotions just came out. I definitely had my mom, my sisters, and my wife, who was in the stands, in my mind.” 

And the guys behind him did their job as well -- adding some insurance as Pete Alonso followed him up with a double before Mark Vientos cracked an RBI single and Brandon Nimmo crushed a two-run homer of his own. 

The four-run eighth inning not only pushed the Mets across the finish line to secure a huge series victory over the first-place Cubs, but it also showcased just how scary this deep lineup can be late in ballgames. 

“It’s really cool,” Lindor said. “It’s cool to go up into the 7th, 8th, or 9th inning feeling like one of us is going to get it done. We have a really good lineup, the coaches continue to prepare us the right way day in and day out, and we do a good job talking in the dugout. 

“It feels good to have that feeling of anyone can get it done.”

Have yourself a birthday, Griffin Canning. 

The righty took the ball on his birthday Sunday afternoon, and put together another stellar outing -- allowing just one run on two hits while walking one and striking out five in six innings. 

Canning opened the game perfectly -- setting down each of the first six batters he faced, including striking out the side in the top of the first for just the second time in his big-league career.   

He ran into trouble in the third as the first two batters reached on a single and a walk, but bared down nicely and was able to escape without any damage, picking up a big punch out of Pete Crow-Armstrong. 

The right-hander continued cruising from there, pushing his streak to 10 batters in a row before Crow-Armstrong stuck with one out in the top of the sixth, crushing a game-tying solo homer into the Coca Cola Corner. 

Canning retired the next two batters to end his day strong. While he saw his five-start winning streak come to an end, he once again delivered the Mets the type of performance they were looking for. 

“He was solid,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He had everything going today. It starts with the fastball, especially at the top to get the swing-and-misses, and then we know how good the slider and the changeup can be. 

“All three pitches today, I thought he was in complete control of the game. He used them effectively, mixed, attacked -- he got ahead and then just used them to put hitters away. It was a really solid outing there.”

Canning, a former second-round pick, has shown spurts of potential throughout his big-league career, but he has never quite been able to put it all together. 

He ended up being designated for assignment by the Los Angeles Angels after pitching to a 5.39 ERA last season -- and was picked up by the Atlanta Braves, but was non-tendered after he couldn't crack the big leagues.

Still, the Mets decided to take a chance on him this winter, and after making some tweaks to his pitch usage, he’s delivering some of the best baseball of his career. 

Canning has a tremendous 2.36 ERA through seven starts this season.  

“The change of scenery has been good,” he said. “I fit in well with these guys over here. It’s always fun just going out there and trying to win and playing for the team. Everyone on and off the field have been really helpful.” 

The Mets secured the series victory with a 6-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Sunday afternoon at Citi Field.

Here are some takeaways...

- Both offenses were sleepwalking through the 12:10 start following the Saturday night game. Each of the first 10 batters were set down in order before Starling Marte was hit by a pitch and Luis Torrens brought him home with a two-out RBI triple off the left-center fence.

Torrens was forced to leave the game in the top of the sixth after being struck by a foul ball.

- After breezing through the first two innings, Griffin Canning ran into immediate trouble in the top of the third, allowing an infield single and a walk -- the right-hander dug deep and was able to retire the next three batters in order to escape without any damage.

Canning continued cruising from there, working efficiently through Chicago's lineup. He pushed his streak to 10 in a row before allowing a game-tying homer to former Mets prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong with one out in the sixth -- he finished his day strong, retiring the next two.

Canning was terrific, pitching on his birthday, recording his second quality start of the season. He lowered his ERA to 2.36 after allowing just the one run on two hits while walking one and striking out five in six innings of work.

- The Mets' offense was held in check by Cubs starter Matthew Boyd aside from the RBI triple, but Mark Vientos was finally able to break through in the sixth. He immediately picked up Canning after allowing a game-tying homer, crushing a solo shot of his own to put the Mets back in front.

- Reed Garrett was hurt by a leadoff walk in the seventh -- allowing the Cubs to tie the game again just two batters later on a Nico Hoerner RBI double, but he was able to strand him there. Ryne Stanek kept the score even with a scoreless top of the eighth.

- The Mets were unable to get to Cubs closer Porter Hodge in a one-run game on Saturday, but they jumped all over him in a non-save situation this one. Francisco Lindor crushed a leadoff solo homer, and then Vientos drove in Pete Alonso, who doubled to left.

After a pitching change, Brandon Nimmo launched a two-run homer, capping off a four-run eighth inning. Vientos, Nimmo, and Lindor all had two hits on the day -- Francisco Alvarez also had two singles of his own after entering the game in place of Torrens.

- Edwin Diaz then put the finishing touches on the series win with a 1-2-3 ninth for the second straight day.

Game MVP: Francisco Lindor

Lindor got the party started in the four-run bottom of the eighth.

Highlights

Griffin Canning strikes out the side in the first inning! 🔥

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— SNY (@SNYtv) May 11, 2025

Luis Torrens hits one off the wall for an RBI triple and the Mets take the lead!

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— SNY (@SNYtv) May 11, 2025

Griffin Canning is up to 5 strikeouts through three innings 🔥

(Via @TheRokuChannel) pic.twitter.com/v1N1Vtd8XG

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 11, 2025

MARK VIENTOS LAUNCHES ONE TO RETAKE THE LEAD!

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— SNY (@SNYtv) May 11, 2025

FRANCISCO LINDOR SOLO HOME RUN!

(Via @TheRokuChannel) pic.twitter.com/ogYQp5u5z5

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 11, 2025

What's next

The Mets are back in action on Monday night as they open a three-game set with the lowly Pittsburgh Pirates.

Left-hander David Peterson (3.05 ERA, 1.357 WHIP in 38.1 innings) gets the ball for the home team against right-hander PaulSkenes (2.77 ERA, 0.945 WHIP in 48.2 innings).

Mets catcher Luis Torrens left Sunday afternoon's game against the Chicago Cubs in the top of the sixth.

Torrens remained down for several moments after being struck by a foul ball off the bat of slugger Kyle Tucker.

After talking with trainers and trying to battle through it, Torrens was able to walk off and leave the game. Francisco Alvarez replaced him and caught the remainder of the game -- lining a pair of singles in his two at-bats.

Postgame, Carlos Mendoza said that Torrens was "doing better" and is in a "better spot."

Prior to his departure, Torrens was able to make his mark on the victory -- smacking an RBI triple off the left-center fence to get the scoring started in the bottom of the third.

Francisco Alvarez comes in to replace Luis Torrens after Torrens was hit by a foul ball

(Via @TheRokuChannel) pic.twitter.com/BJkgMmUotF

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 11, 2025