Severino set to face former teammates in Athletics’ series finale against Mets

WEST SACRAMENTO, Calif. — Athletics right-hander Luis Severino greeted some of his former New York Mets teammates Friday before the teams opened a three-game series at Sutter Health Park.

“I was really happy to see those guys. They’re like family to me,” the 31-year-old pitcher said. “Even (though) it was one year, I feel like I was there for a long time.”

Severino (0-2, 4.74 ERA) is scheduled to face the Mets in the series finale on Sunday.

In December, Severino signed a two-year, $45 million deal with the Athletics with a player option for 2027. He went 11-7 with a 3.91 ERA with the Mets in 2024. Severino said he had hoped to remain with them.

“I actually asked for less money to stay there,” Severino said, “but I was not in their plans. At the beginning, I was shocked, but at the end, I knew that it was a business and it needs to take care of itself.”

Severino began his career with the New York Yankees and spent nine years with them before joining the Mets for last season. He is now with an Athletics team that is sharing a ballpark with the Sacramento River Cats, the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A club. The A’s spent 57 years in Oakland before leaving after last season. They hope to begin play in Las Vegas in 2028.

Severino was asked what it’s like to be at Sutter Health Park after previously playing at Yankee Stadium and Citi Field.

“What do you think? It’s way different,” Severino said. “The situation we have right now is not good, but this is what we have right now. So, we have to just adjust to what we have and try to do the best job we can.”

He went 54-37 with a 3.79 ERA with the Yankees, including All-Star selections in 2017 and ’18. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was a coach for the Yankees from 2018-23.

“I had a really good relationship with (Severino) even when we were both with the Yankees,” Mendoza said. “He’s proud of the fact that he got a nice contract. The hard work paid off and I’m proud of him.”

And on Sunday, Mendoza and the Mets will take on Severino, who will be looking for his first win with the Athletics.

“It’s going to be fun facing those guys,” Severino said. “I’m going to bring my best, and best of luck to them.”

On Saturday, J.T. Ginn will start for the Athletics against New York. The 25-year-old right-hander was selected by the Mets in the second round of the 2020 draft before being traded to the Athletics as part of the Chris Bassitt deal.

Freddie Freeman returns to Dodgers’ lineup after missing nine games with shower ankle injury

LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers slugger Freddie Freeman came off the injured list Friday after missing nine games with a right ankle injury that resulted from slipping in the shower at home.

Freeman said an MRI showed fraying of the scar tissue in his surgically repaired ankle, but he was back to running bases a few days ago.

“I hate to say it, but I might have needed the 10 days,” said Freeman, who loathes missing games. “I feel the best I’ve felt since I’ve gotten hurt.”

The 35-year-old first baseman went 0 for 3 with two strikeouts, was hit by a pitch and scored a run in the Dodgers’ 3-0 win over the Chicago Cubs, his first game since March 29.

“Got on base by way of hit-by-pitch and it was just his first game back,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He does a lot of great things, but this was a tough one. He’ll be back in there tomorrow.”

Fans chanted “Freddie! Freddie!” as he came to the plate for the first time in the series opener against the Chicago Cubs on his bobblehead night.

Freeman saw fans waiting outside the stadium when he arrived 6 1/2 hours before gametime. Not quite the madness of a Shohei Ohtani giveaway, but impressive nonetheless.

“That was kind of crazy,” he said. “I do appreciate it. I just want to say thank you. My family is really excited about this bobblehead, too.”

Charlie Freeman, the oldest of Freeman’s three sons, threw a ceremonial first pitch. The 8-year-old has a locker next to his father in the Dodgers clubhouse.

Charlie nonchalantly walked to the rubber on the pitcher’s mound and fired a strike, just like he did last year. The crowd cheered and he walked off and into the arms of his father, who scooped him up.

The Freeman family, including wife, Chelsea, and father, Fred, gave the traditional pregame call of “It’s time for Dodger baseball!”

The World Series MVP has played in just three games so far. He missed the opening series against the Cubs in Tokyo with left rib discomfort and sat out last week’s three-game series against his old team, the Atlanta Braves. Freeman has batted .250 with two home runs and four RBI.

Then came the shower incident.

Freeman slipped and fell on March 30 in what he called a “freak accident.”

It was another mishap involving the same ankle Freeman sprained on a play at first base in late September. He struggled in the first two rounds of the postseason, but it was hardly evident during the World Series. He homered in the first four games and had 12 RBIs as the Dodgers beat the New York Yankees in five games.

He had debridement surgery in December to remove loose bodies in the ankle.

Utilityman Kiké Hernández filled in at first during Freeman’s absence.

“When you lose Freddie to have a backfill like Kiki has been huge for us,” Roberts said. “Certainly in preventing runs and making plays defensively.”

Freeman said he feels good enough to steal a base.

But he doesn’t have the green light.

“No,” Roberts said. “It’s as red as it can be, fire engine red.”

Marcus Stroman goes to hospital for knee tests after getting chased in five-run first inning

NEW YORK — Yankees pitcher Marcus Stroman went to a hospital for tests on his left knee after he gave up five runs before getting chased in the first inning of a 9-1 loss to the San Francisco Giants on a cold and rainy Friday night.

New York manager Aaron Boone had just about finished his postgame news conference when he revealed Stroman was not in the clubhouse to speak with reporters.

“He came out. His knee was bothering him, so he went to get some tests done on his knee, so we’ll see what we have from there,” Boone said. “He said his left knee was bugging him so he got some X-rays here and I think he went to the hospital to get some more testing, and so we’ll see what we have tomorrow.”

Jung Hoo Lee hit a three-run homer and LaMonte Wade Jr. a two-run double in the first inning as the Giants won for the ninth time in 11 games. The game was played on a cold night with rain throughout and was called in the top of the sixth inning after conditions deteriorated.

New York has lost four of five following a 6-2 start and its starting rotation has a 5.46 ERA, worst among the 30 teams. While Max Fried has a 1.56 ERA, Carlos Rodón is at 5.19, Will Warren at 6.00, Carlos Carrasco at 7.71 and Stroman at 11.57.

“We got to do better,” Boone said. “Obviously we’re coming off a great start with Max. But we’ve struggled to this point. ... It’s 13 games in, but we’ve got night in and night out to pitch a little bit better to put us in a good situation.”

Stroman lasted nine batters, throwing 46 pitches and getting two outs while allowing four hits and three walks.

Clarke Schmidt is slated to rejoin the Yankees on Tuesday or Wednesday after recovering from right rotator cuff tendinitis that has sidelined him since spring training, Boone wouldn’t address who would be dropped from the rotation.

Stroman’s ERA would be the highest in the major leagues if he had enough innings to qualify.

“He’s dotting off the plate,” Boone said, “and then when he came into the zone he got hurt.”

A right-hander who turns 34 on May 1, Stroman (0-1) is in the second season of a two-year contract guaranteeing $37 million. His deal includes a $16 million conditional player option for 2026 that could be exercised if he pitches in at least 140 innings this year.

He skipped the Yankees’ first two spring training workouts at a time when he didn’t have a projected rotation role behind Gerrit Cole, Fried, Rodón, Luis Gil and Schmidt. He arrived on Valentine’s Day, eight days ahead of the mandatory reporting date.

“I won’t pitch in the bullpen. I’m a starter,” Stroman said, repeating ”I’m a starter” seven times in a 13-second span. Injuries to Cole, Gil and Schmidt created an opportunity.

A two-time All-Star, Stroman hasn’t pitched through the fifth inning this season and has a 2.04 WHIP. Batters are hitting .467 (7 for 15) against him in the first inning with four walks.

“The movement qualities are there. Again, it’s less margin for error and there’s probably some adjustments we can all make,” Boone said. “The stuff’s not much different than the first half of last season to the second half to now, so just we got to execute a little better.”

Cardinals reserve C Yohel Pozo making most of first trip back to majors since 2021

ST. LOUIS — Reserve catcher Yohel Pozo will remember his first time being in St. Louis.

Pozo came off the bench in the second inning against the Philadelphia Phillies on Friday night after teammate Masyn Winn left after one inning with lower back spasms, sliding into the shortstop’s No. 9 position in the batting order.

And, he played a big role helping the Cardinals to a 2-0 victory over the Phillies. Pretty amazing stuff for a player who recently returned to the major leagues for the first time since 2021.

“When I played in the big leagues in ’21, I was in the American League,” said Pozo, who was with the Texas Rangers. “I have never been to St. Louis before. This is beautiful here. It feels great to play in front of a lot of people. It’s really nice.”

Getting into the game unexpectedly didn’t bother Pozo, who had never caught winning pitcher Andre Pallante previously.

“I sitting on the bench talking to Willson (Contreras), and (Daniel) Descalso came over to me and said you’re going to catch next inning. You don’t have time to do anything,” Pozo said. “If you’re mind is right, you’re ready to go anytime.”

He hit an RBI double in the fifth inning that ended a scoreless game. It was the first of his three hits, just the second in his 22-game big league career. He scored five batters later on a bases-loaded walk by Aaron Nola.

“He takes a really good at-bat,” St. Louis manager Oliver Marmol said. “He does a nice job behind the plate. He’s done a nice job for us.”

Pallante agreed.

“I mean, it’s not easy,” Pallante said. “He wanted to know what we’re doing. I just went over everything really briefly and he learned it really fast. He hit great. He was great back there.”

Pozo’s wife, Paola, and his two sons were in St. Louis to see him, as they are every game.

“My family is in the stands and I’m happy for that,” Pozo said.

The 27-year-old Pozo, a native of Venezuela, joined the Cardinals to replace injured catcher Ivan Herrera, who is out with a bone bruise on his left knee.

He made his debut with the Cardinals — and return to the major leagues — on Monday in Pittsburgh after being called up from Triple-A Memphis.

In that game — his major league debut — in front of 15 family members, Pozo hit a home run in the 8-4 loss. The home run came three years, seven months and 25 days since his last MLB homer on Aug. 13, 2021, against Oakland.

Mets at Athletics: How to watch on SNY on April 12, 2025

The Mets (9-4) face the Athletics (5-9) in Sacramento on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. on SNY.

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


Mets Notes

  • After a 3-for-3 night, including a home run, Pete Alonso is slashing .378/.482/.778 with 10 extra-base hits in 45 at-bats over 13 games this season
  • LHP David Peterson will make his third start of the season and hopes to have more control after walking five in his last outing as the 29-year-old tries for his second win
  • Luisangel Acuña went 2-for-4 with a double, walk and a stolen base while scoring a run on Friday
  • RHP JT Ginn, former Mets prospect traded to the A's in the Chris Bassitt deal, will start on Saturday which gives the struggling Brett Baty the start at second base

METS
ATHLETICS

Francisco Lindor, SS

Jacob Wilson, SS

Juan Soto, RF

Brent Rooker, RF

Pete Alonso, 1B

Tyler Soderstrom, 1B

Brandon Nimmo, LF

Shea Langeliers, DH

Starling Marte, DH

Miguel Andujar, LF

Mark Vientos, 3B

JJ Bleday, CF

Brett Baty, 2B

Luis Urias, 3B

Jose Siri, CF

Max Muncy, 2B

Hayden Senger, C

Jhonny Pereda, C


What channel is SNY?

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

How can I stream the game?

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

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

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

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

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

How can I watch the game on the MLB App? 

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

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

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

Boone on rainy night: 'Probably the worst conditions we’ve ever experienced'

NEW YORK — Yankees manager Aaron Boone, after speaking with bench coach Brad Ausmus, didn’t mince words about what they had just seen New York and the San Francisco Giants endure.

“That’s probably the worst conditions we’ve ever experienced and we’ve been doing this for a long time,” Boone said.

On a cold night when play started after a 26-minute delay, umpires suspended the game with the bases loaded in the top of the sixth inning, then called it after the minimum 30-minute wait. San Francisco had burst to a 5-0, first-inning lead and went on to a 9-1 victory.

It was 44 degrees at game time and windy, and the rain was steady throughout.

Boone had discussed the conditions with umpire crew chief Lance Barksdale and grew concerned as rookie Yoendrys Gómez had trouble gripping the ball in the sixth, when he walked four batters. Gómez’s fastball averaged 90.1 mph, down 3 mph from his season average.

“Lance, obviously, has been around a long time, myself, I was like: It’s pretty rough right here,” Boone said. “My concern was when the velo really dropped off and then it starts turning into a completely different game and that’s what I want to avoid.”

Boone said player safety was on his mind throughout the game. Yankees catcher Austin Wells said pitcher control was impacted by the conditions, causing some up and in pitches.

“That’s not fun. Definitely not something you want to see,” Wells said.

Gómez didn’t blame the conditions for his rough inning but admitted he had some difficulty.

“If it’s raining a lot there comes a point where it’s probably not the best to play the game,” he said through a translator.

ICYMI in Mets Land: New York hangs on for win in Sacramento; Jeff McNeil begins rehab

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


Snakebit Bohm on slump and outside noise: ‘Guess the game's trying to teach me a lesson'

Snakebit Bohm on slump and outside noise: ‘Guess the game's trying to teach me a lesson' originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

ST. LOUIS — Alec Bohm came to the plate against Andre Pallante in the top of the seventh inning Friday night looking to do anything to spark the Phillies’ offense and break himself out of a two-week funk.

He hit a ball hard, over 102 mph toward the middle of the diamond. Cardinals shortstop Thomas Saggese was positioned well and ranged to his left to field it and throw to first.

So ended another hitless night for Bohm, who is 4-for-43 since the third game of the season despite a batted-ball profile that says he should be hitting .272 rather than .151.

Bohm has hit 14 balls this season at over 100 mph. The league average on batted balls at that exit velocity is approximately .600. Bohm is batting .286 on them, 4-for-14. And that’s after starting the season 3-for-4. The last 10 times Bohm has hit a ball harder than 100 mph, he has one hit.

He’s frustrated and he wants it to turn, but he’s also more experienced now and not beating himself up over things outside his control.

“I barreled up everything I swung at last night too,” he said. “It’s really hard. Obviously it’s nothing to do with the swing and everywhere I turn, it’s look at your expected numbers, look at this, keep your head up, it’s gonna be OK. But I just keep hitting balls hard and they keep going right at people. There’s really nothing I can do about it.

“I know eventually everything sort of evens out and I know that I’ve hit well over .400 for an entire month in this league at times. As far as me being worried about anything, no, but I’d like it to end. I certainly would like it to turn in my favor a little bit. I watched back-to-back broken-bat hits last night.

“Results are not happening right now. At some point this year, they’re gonna happen and I’ve got to think for some extended period of time I’m gonna get some luck too. I think when we look up at the end of the year, I’m gonna be right around .280, right around 100 RBIs, right around everywhere I’m supposed to be.

“I guess the game’s trying to teach me a lesson, maybe.”

Bohm was dropped from fourth to seventh in the Phillies’ batting order Friday night. He was moved a spot lower on Saturday to eighth when J.T. Realmuto returned to the lineup after a night off. It doesn’t mean Bohm will hit at the bottom of the order for the rest of the season, but right now manager Rob Thomson is looking for a way to strip some pressure off him while also better protecting Bryce Harper.

But it’s not as if Bohm has even been having particularly poor at-bats these last few nights. In the second inning of Thursday’s extra-inning loss to the Braves, he had his second-hardest-hit ball of the year, 105.3 mph off the bat against Spencer Schwellenbach. It was directly at second baseman Ozzie Albies for another lineout.

“Yeah, against Schwellenbach. It was like all right, I guess we’re doing this,” Bohm said. “If I’m gonna try to change anything or do anything different, it’s not being wise at this point. Really the only at-bats that aren’t good are the ones that I’m swinging out of the zone, and I’m not doing that a ton. Get the pitch that I should swing at and I’ve put that ball in play, for the most part hitting that ball hard.

“If there’s an obvious answer like I’m doing this, I’m continuing to swing at the high pitch, something glaring and obvious that I’m getting exposed on it, but that’s not the case. So there’s really nothing to spin your wheels about. Just see how many at-bats it takes to get lucky, I guess.”

Not every fan or observer of a baseball team knows the advanced metrics and for some, a slump is a slump whether or not the player is dealing with bad luck. For Bohm, the criticism is often even louder because of all that he’s been through as a Phillie. The “I hate this place game,” which for him ended up being a launchpad rather than rock bottom. The strong first half last season, when he looked like he might lead the National League in doubles and RBIs. The September and October skid after his hand strain, which resulted in him being benched in Game 2 of the NLDS.

Bohm has gotten better at blocking out the noise as he’s grown up, but he still acknowledges that his every action seems to be under the microscope.

“Definitely. I feel like everything is very, very overanalyzed that I do on the baseball field from the moment I step on it to the moment I step off it,” he said. “But again, that’s out of of my control.

“The longer you play in the big leagues and the more experience you get and the more comfortable you get with who you are and that you belong here, the less anything really affects you. Other peoples’ opinions and whatnot, the more you’ve been here, the more you know you’re gonna be here, the more confident you are in what you’ve done here, the more that stuff kinda fades away. People are gonna say what they’re gonna say, people are gonna think what they’re gonna think and that’s their thoughts, their opinions. We just kinda stay in this dugout and play the game.”

Hernández: Yoshinobu Yamamoto can be the first Japanese pitcher to win the Cy Young

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 11: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws.
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws from the mound against the Chicago Cubs during the second inning at Dodger Stadium on Friday. (Kevork Djansezian/For The Times)

Yoshinobu Yamamoto can win the National League Cy Young Award.

The possibility of Yamamoto doing that has felt increasingly real every time he has stepped on the mound this season, reaching the point in the Dodgers’ 3-0 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday night to where the previously-reticent right-hander readily embraced it.

“I’ve heard no Japanese pitcher has won it yet, so I’m awfully interested in it,” Yamamoto said in Japanese. “I think that concentrating on each and every game and performing at my best is what will lead to a wonderful award like that, so I’d like to do my best every day.”

The statement was a reflection of how much has changed for the 26-year-old Yamamoto over the last year.

Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium on Friday.
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws against the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium on Friday. (Kevork Djansezian/For The Times)

The apprehension he exhibited in his first major league season has been replaced by assertiveness, leading to him terrorizing hitters of whom he used to be overly respectful.

He pitched six scoreless innings against the Cubs to improve his record to 2-1 and lower his earned-run average to 1.23.

Yamamoto completely overwhelmed the Cubs, not giving up a hit until the fourth inning and not issuing a walk until the sixth. He struck out nine batters, giving him 37 punchouts in 28 innings for the season.

As reluctant as manager Dave Roberts was to compare Yamamoto to another Japanese pitcher, he said Yamamoto reminded him of Hideo Nomo because of his reliance on his fastball and splitter.

Read more:Tommy Edman continues to reveal his inner slugger in Dodgers' win over Cubs

“You have hitters guessing,” Roberts said. “It’s just a split that’s a strike, then it’s a ball that’s a swing and miss or a strikeout there. There’s a good fastball that’s commanded and that’s a lot like Hideo. He doesn’t have the tornado delivery, but it’s a lot like that.”

The start against the Cubs was noteworthy in how comfortable Yamamoto was on the mound. He looked almost as if he was toying with them.

“I think I was able to control my fastball really well and I was able to throw my breaking balls in a good zone, which allowed me to pitch in good counts,” he said. “I think that gave me a lot of options.”

Even when Kyle Tucker advanced to third base in the fourth inning, Yamamoto looked as if he was in control of the situation. Even when Michael Busch worked the count full in that inning, Yamamoto looked as if he was in control.

And he was.

Yamamoto struck out Busch with a splitter for the third out of the inning. The pitch was in the strike zone, meaning that Busch would have still struck out if he had kept the bat on his shoulder.

Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto celebrates with teammates in the dugout following the sixth inning
Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto celebrates with teammates in the dugout following the sixth inning during a win over the Chicago Cubs on Friday at Dodger Stadium. (Jayne Kamin-Oncea / Associated Press)

Yamamoto’s control is so precise, Fuji Television reporter Yu Suzuki said in Japanese, “He has the luxury of throwing a strike with a 3-2 count.”

Suzuki would know.

A former pitcher for the Orix Buffaloes, the 28-year-old Suzuki was Yamamoto’s teammate for five seasons.

From Suzuki’s vantage point, Yamamoto is “starting to look like the Yoshinobu who pitched in Japan.” Throughout Yamamoto’s injury-plagued rookie season with the Dodgers, Suzuki insisted this would happen.

Suzuki has observed Yamamoto’s greater comfort in the major leagues, noticing how Yamamoto has started changing the intervals between pitches and the speed of his delivery. Suzuki pointed to how Yamamoto is also throwing a wider variety of pitches, which has given him a greater number of ways he can attack hitters.

“This year, he’s mixing in his cutter or two-seamer more,” Suzuki said. “Take tonight. He got a strikeout with a 95-mph two-seamer. When he mixes in a pitch like that, it makes it harder for hitters to sit on particular pitches.”

The ability to throw any pitch in any count is what made Yamamoto a three-time most valuable player in Japan. His showdown against Busch in the fourth inning was one of three at-bats in which the hitter worked the count full. He struck out the batter in each of them.

Yamamoto will continue to improve, Suzuki said.

Mentioning how Yamamoto threw 103 pitches in the six innings he pitched against the Cubs, Suzuki said, “In Japan, he used to pitch eight or nine innings like this, except he would do it in 110 pitches. I still think the pitch count is a little high by Yoshinobu’s standards. The real Yoshinobu can throw this many pitches and get through eight or nine innings.”

That wouldn’t just make him a candidate for the Cy Young Award. That would make him a lock.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Mets Notes: Pete Alonso playing freely, Jose Siri's walk sparks rally

Following the Mets' 7-6 win over the Athletics on Friday night, manager Carlos Mendoza and some of the players spoke about the ebbs and flows of the victory...

Jose Siri sparks rally

The Mets entered the sixth inning only up 3-1. Despite having multiple opportunities to score, the Mets just could not capitalize until the sixth. With one out, Siri came to the plate. He was hitless up to that point and had been struggling so far this season, but he rewarded Mendoza's confidence to start him with a great nine-pitch at-bat that resulted in a walk.

Mendoza called it the at-bat of the night as it set the table for what would come after. Francisco Lindor reached on an error, Juan Soto walked setting up Pete Alonso. The slugger didn't get much on the 3-1 cutter over the plate but he hit it to shallow right field for Lawrence Butler. Despite that, Siri was going and sped his way to home to push the Mets' lead to 4-1.

"This is something we’ve been talking with him since day one in spring training," Mendoza said of Siri. "Making sure you control the strike zone. Once you get to two strikes, stay short control the strike zone, put the ball in play. To work that walk, and get the rally going was pretty impressive. In a time when things aren’t going his way but when the bottom of the lineup is getting on base, what’s behind is a dangerous offense."

"I felt comfortable in that at-bat," Siri said through an interpreter. "I was also comfortable with the way [Mitch Spence] was throwing the slider I was able to get a good read. I felt like I had taken a good at-bat earlier in the game but In that situation like that I was really able to focus in on my approach and I was able to get the results I wanted there."

Mendoza called Siri's decision to go for home "great" and pointed out how Butler wasn't in position to throw a runner out. Siri echoed his manager's critique.

"I saw the right fielder was a little flat-footed there," Siri explained. "When I saw him like that, he needed to get in the right position to throw., he just wasn’t in the right position and I knew I could score there.

"When a runner like me is on base I think they need to be more prepared for the situation that I am actually going to go home," he added.

Alonso called Siri's run and slide "slick" and that it was a huge run for the team at the time. He also pointed out how although Starling Marte's two-run double later in the inning put an exclamation point on that rally, it was Siri who started it. And the team felt the momentum shift.

"From the at-bat that I had it switched some momentum," Siri said. "There was only one out and I was able to get on base. Then Lindor comes up, Soto comes up and they were able to take more comfortable at-bats because they needed to focus on throwing strikes in that situation. I felt the momentum shift over to our side there."

Edwin Diaz gets job done

It was another adventure for Diaz on Friday night. Following his clunker in the series finale against the Marlins, Diaz was tasked with finishing the save against the Athletics.

With a three-run lead, Diaz walked batters and allowed some hard-hit balls, resulting in two runs. But when he needed it, Diaz got the final out and secured the first win on the road trip.

"He got the job done. That's the bottom line," Mendoza said of Diaz. "On a night where he had a hard time feeling the strike zone. He was missing, especially against the left-handed hitters. I thought the experience, he was able to calm down, continue to make pitches and got the third out and we got the W."

Diaz is a perfect 3-for-3 in save opportunities this season, but in six total appearances, he's allowed five earned runs in 5.2 innings.

Pete Alonso playing freely at the plate

Although the Siri walk and Marte double were big, it was Alonso's performance that put the Mets over the top. He not only got three hits, he hit his fourth home run of the season and drove in three runs.

When asked if there's any difference in his mechanics that has gotten him off to such a great start, the slugger put it plainly.

"Just feeling like myself pitch to pitch at-bat to at-bat," Alonso explained. "I just want to make quality swing decisions and put the ball in play hard when pitchers come over the plate."

When asked to elaborate on "feeling like myself", Alonso said it meant he could "play freely and feel like I’m in control." 

In addition to his four home runs, Alonso has driven in 18 runs while hitting .378 through the first 13 games of the season. On Friday, he had some lengthy at-bats, showcasing how well he's seeing pitches at the plate. Alonso said he prefers to not let his at-bats go that long.

"I'd rather hit it hard when I get the opportunity," he said. "I just want to make good swings on good pitches whenever they come over the plate. When they're not, just take and let it be a ball."

Mets hit two home runs, hold on for 7-6 win over Athletics

The Mets were cruising in Sacramento when the Athletics made a furious comeback late, but Pete Alonso's eight-inning home run gave New York enough juice to pull out the 7-6 victory on Friday night.

Alonso's fourth home run of the season followed three unanswered runs from the Athletics, and his three RBI were the difference in Friday's game. The Mets bullpen also collected 2.2 scoreless innings before Edwin Diaz allowed two runs in the ninth before finally closing it out.

Here are the takeaways...

-Entering Friday, there have already been 18 home runs in Sutter Health Park, and the Mets added to that total. Brandon Nimmo demolished a 92 mph fastball from lefty JP Sears that went 400 feet to give the Mets a 1-0 lead in the second.

The Mets would add on in the inning with back-to-back one-out doubles from Luisangel Acuña and Luis Torrens. Alonso added another run in the fifth with a booming double that scored Juan Soto from first. Alonso's extra-base hit chased Sears who threw 101 pitches in just 4.2 innings -- he did pick up seven strikeouts though.

-After the Mets' offense squandered some opportunities to score runs, they would finally break things open in the sixth. Jose Siri (walk), Francisco Lindor (reached on error) and Soto (walk) loaded the bases with one out before Alonso hit a sac fly to increase the Mets' lead to 4-1. Starling Marte, starting at DH, blasted a two-run double to give the road team a nice five-run cushion, one Griffin Canning would not be able to hold.

-After a 1-2-3 first inning, the Athletics would square up Griffin Canning in the second. A leadoff walk was followed by a single but Jacob Wilson swung at the first pitch and grounded into a double play. Miguel Andujar hit a sharp single into right field to score the Athletics' first run, and Gio Urshela followed with a single of his own. Max Muncy -- unrelated to the Dodgers' Max Muncy -- then hit a sharp liner toward Nimmo in left and the outfielder lept up to snag the ball before falling backward, averting potential disaster for the third out.

Brent Rooker smashed a one-out triple that missed being a home run by just a few feet in the third. Rooker was running on contact when Tyler Soderstrom hit a hard grounder to first base but Alonso quickly threw it home to get Rooker out by a large margin.

There have only been four games where a Mets starter recorded an out in the sixth inning, and Friday was the fifth but it unraveled quickly for Canning. He entered the sixth with a 6-1 lead, but the Athletics began to hit him. Shea Langeliers led off with a double before Wilson's one-out single drove in the Athletics catcher. Andujar then followed with a laster down the left-field line for a two-run homer that cut the Mets' lead to two runs.

Canning's night was done after that. He threw 86 pitches (53 strikes) across 5.1 innings allowing four runs on seven hits and four walks while striking out three batters.

-Reed Garrett was first out of the bullpen and he had trouble in the sixth. After getting a strikeout, he allowed a double and two walks to load the bases for Soderstrom. The big lefty lined a bullet (109.3 mph off the bat) on a 3-2 pitch into right field, but right at a waiting Soto to end the threat.

The rest of the Mets bullpen would steady the ship. Ryne Stanek dominated in a 1-2-3 seventh and A.J. Minter did the same for the eighth.

After a disastrous last outing, Edwin Diaz came out for the save in the ninth. The closer allowed a leadoff walk, but after Diaz got a strikeout he walked Soderstrom. Langeliers lined a double into left field to cut the Mets' lead to 7-5. A sac fly pushes across another run but got Wilson to ground out and complete the save.

-With Jeff McNeil rehabbing, Acuña's time with the Mets could be coming to an end. The young infielder did get the start against the left-handed starter and had a solid day at the dish. He finished 2-for-4 with a walk (on nine pitches) and a stolen base.

Torrens made his first appearance in a few games after being down with a strained forearm. The catcher had the big RBI double but went hitless (1-5) the rest of the way.

Mark Vientos, in an early-season slump, finished 0-for-4 with a walk and a strikeout. He was robbed of a potential hit when Soderstrom dove to smother a groundball that would have likely gone into the outfield.

Game MVP: Pete Alonso

The Mets bullpen was great, but when the momentum seemed to be shifting, Alonso's home run felt like the nail New York needed. Alonso also drove in three of the team's seven runs.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets continue their weekend series with the Athletics on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m.

David Peterson will be on the mound for New York while the Athletics have yet to announce a starter.

Tommy Edman continues to reveal his inner slugger in Dodgers' win over Cubs

LOS ANGELES, CA - APRIL 11: Los Angeles Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani throws sunflower seeds.
Tommy Edman celebrates with Shohei Ohtani after hitting a three-run home run in the sixth inning of a 3-0 win over the Chicago Cubs at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. (Kevork Djansezian / For The Times)

Tommy Edman never hit more than 13 home runs in any of his six previous seasons.

After 15 games this year, he’s almost halfway there.

With an easy swing on a knee-high changeup in the sixth inning Friday night, Edman ended what had been a pitchers duel between Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Chicago Cubs left-hander Matthew Boyd. Edman turned a blank scoreline into a three-run Dodgers lead. And, in perhaps the most unexpected twist of the team’s blistering start, Edman joined a five-way tie for the major league lead in home runs, belting his sixth to lift the Dodgers to a 3-0 win at Dodger Stadium.

“He’s got a really good routine to keep his body strong. He does a good job of controlling the strike zone and finding pitches he can drive. And he’s taking good swings,” said manager Dave Roberts, who described himself as both “surprised” and “impressed” by Edman’s power display. 

“I don’t think he’d ever say he’s a power hitter,” Roberts added. “But he’s finding a way to backspin the baseball and hit some homers.”

Read more:Dodgers' Andy Pages trying to avoid sophomore slump and cement lineup spot

Home runs are not why the Dodgers long coveted Edman early in his career with the St. Louis Cardinals. Power is not one of the primary traits they thought they were acquiring when the 29-year-old arrived in a three-way trade at the deadline last summer.

His positional versatility, switch-hitting abilities and Gold Glove-caliber defense across the diamond are what club executives treasured most. Plays like the one he made in the top of the sixth inning Friday, when he sprinted some 50 feet from a shifted position behind second base to reach a ground ball in the hole and make a spinning throw from the shallow outfield grass to first, are what they envisioned.

But moments later, on a night the Dodgers had struggled to apply any pressure on Boyd, Edman flipped the script with one timely swing.

After Teoscar Hernández singled and Freddie Freeman was hit by a pitch — the latter returning from the injured list after what he described as a hugely beneficial 10-day rest for his ailing right ankle — Edman jumped on a 1-and-0 changeup for a 423-foot blast halfway up the left-field pavilion.

“I’m really not trying to hit homers,” the 5-foot-9, 193-pound Edman said with a laugh. “More a side result of putting in some good work in the cage and having a better plan at the plate, doing my preparation and knowing how I’m trying to attack a pitcher.”

Suddenly, MLB’s home run leaderboard reads as follows:

T-1st: Mike Trout (who is closing in on 400 career home runs)

T-1st: Aaron Judge (the three-time American League home run king)

T-1st: Kyle Schwarber (the 2022 National League home run king)

T-1st: Tyler Soderstrom (a power-hitting Athletics prospect)

And, T-1st: Edman (who hit four home runs in his college career)

Tommy Edman a three-run home run in the sixth inning against the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
Tommy Edman a three-run home run in the sixth inning against the Chicago Cubs on Friday. (Kevork Djansezian / For The Times)

“It’s a lot of guys who kind of look the same,” Edman joked. “And then there’s me.”

The Dodgers (11-4) also were backed up by superb pitching in their first shutout of the season, one keyed by a nearly flawless six-inning effort from Yamamoto.

The right-hander was perfect through his first three innings. He gave up his only two hits in the fourth but managed to strand a runner at third. And he racked up nine strikeouts with a lethal combination of splitters, curveballs and precisely located mid-90s fastballs.

“He was just dotting tonight,” said Freeman, who aided Yamamoto’s cause on a relay play that caught Chicago's Seiya Suzuki in a rundown during the fourth inning. “Down and away. The splitter was down. Two-seamer running in on the righties' hands. He just had everything going tonight. He’s looked like that since spring training. Looks like he’s on a mission this year.” 

Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers against the Cubs in the second inning Friday.
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers against the Cubs in the second inning Friday. (Kevork Djansezian / For The Times)

Yamamoto’s lone walk came to his penultimate batter, missing with a full-count curveball to Ian Happ with two outs in the sixth. But in another full count to star Cubs slugger Kyle Tucker in the next at-bat, Yamamoto snapped off a swing-and-miss cutter, getting a standing ovation from the crowd and a long hug from Roberts in the dugout after lowering his earned-run average to 1.23 through four starts (fourth best in the NL).

“Each time out you see his confidence growing,” said Roberts, who removed Yamamoto only because his pitch count climbed to 103 (the second-highest of his MLB career). 

“He holds his adrenaline. He makes pitches when he needs to. Right now, he’s in a place where he’s really unflappable.”

Boyd, a veteran left-hander who entered the night having not given up a run in two starts for the Cubs (9-7), wasn’t so lucky in the sixth.

Hernández battled back from an 0-and-2 count to poke a full-count changeup to center for a single. Freeman — who said before the game that the ankle he had surgically repaired this offseason, then reaggravated this month by slipping in the shower, was “the best [it has] felt” since he sprained it late last season — then took a wide sinker off the side of his hip.

That brought up Edman, the undersized utility man who began showing signs of power last season by hitting six home runs in 37 games following his trade, earning the nickname “Tommy Tanks.”

In less than half that time this season he’s matched that total. And now, a player who never topped 13 long balls in a season is on pace for more than 60.

“I got the under on the 60,” Roberts joked. “But he just takes good at-bats. ... He just has the knack for getting the big hit.”

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Yankees' Marcus Stroman can't get out of first inning in 9-1 rain-shortened loss to Giants

The Giants jumped all over Marcus Stroman in the first inning and the Yankees could not recover in their 9-1 loss during a rain-shortened game on Friday night at Yankee Stadium.

The game started after a 30-minute delay, but the rain continued throughout. Couple that with strong winds, and it was a bear to deal with for both sides. The game would be delayed again in the sixth inning before it was finally called after another 26 minutes.

Here are the takeaways...

- Stroman probably wishes the game was rained out. He allowed the first five batters to reach base, as the Giants started the game with a double, walk and then a three-run shot by Jung Hoo Lee. Back-to-back walks forced the Yankees to get their bullpen up before Lamonte Wade Jr. drove a double down the line to score two more.

Stroman would get the next two batters out but Tyler Fitzgerald's single chased the veteran right-hander out of the game after getting just two outs.

Manager Aaron Boone called on Ryan Yarbrough to try and give the team length. The southpaw would get Mike Yastrzemski -- in his second at-bat of the inning -- to strike out and end the first.

Stroman's night was done after recording just two outs on 46 pitches (23 strikes), allowing five runs on four hits and three walks and striking out just one batter. The right-hander's ERA on this young season is now 11.57.

- Yarbrough did his job, pitching 2.2 scoreless innings while allowing just one hit and one walk and striking out three batters. However, the Giants broke the game open in the fifth.

Ian Hamilton walked the first two batters before striking out Heliot Ramos. Boone brought Tim Hill in to get out of the jam, but the sidearmer just couldn't find the zone. After walking the bases loaded, Hill took the out at first base after a Wilmer Flores chopper back to the mound. He then thew a wild pitch on the first pitch of the next at-bat that scored a run before giving up a run-scoring double to Patrick Bailey.

- Things went off the rails in the sixth with the Giants already up 8-1. Yoendrys Gomez could not grip the baseball and walked three straight batters to start the inning. Twelve of his first 13 pitches were balls.

The umpires all walked up to Gomez after the third walk to discuss with him before calling Boone and the groundskeeper to the mound. After a conversation, the officials let Gomez continue. To Gomez's credit, the right-hander struck out the next two batters but walked in the Giants' ninth run of the game.

Boone walked to the mound again and after some discussion, the umpires brought in the tarp.

- The Yankees' first and only run came in the second off the bat of Austin Wells. The left-handed catcher launched a pitch from LHP Robbie Ray that was projected to go 408 feet -- according to the YES Network broadcast -- but the wind, which was gusting in from right to left, had it go just 358 feet and off the top of the right-center field wall for a double that scored Anthony Volpe from second.

New York had chances to slowly cut into the Giants' lead but just couldn't get the hit. They were 1-for-5 with runners in scoring position and left six men on base.

The Yankees had just two hits: the Wells double and Volpe's infield single. Aaron Judge went 0-for-1 but walked twice.

- The Yankees' bullpen was taxed on Friday but the Giants were on the verge of being in the same boat after starter Robbie Ray could only get through four innings. San Francisco used just one reliever to get one more inning to make it an official game.

Game MVP: Lamonte Wade Jr.

The first baseman went 1-for-2 with two walks but drove in three runs. He was on base for all of the Giants' big innings.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees and Giants continue their three-game set on Saturday afternoon. First pitch is scheduled for 4:05 p.m.

Will Warren will take the mound for the third time this season and will be opposed by Jordan Hicks.

Mets' Jeff McNeil picks up hit in first rehab game; Carlos Mendoza details next steps

Jeff McNeil got into an actual game on Friday evening with Port St. Lucie, and the Mets infielder had a successful rehab start.

Starting at second base, and leading off, McNeil went 1-for-2 with a walk and a run. He played the field for five innings before being subbed out.

The former NL batting champion is hoping to continue his form from the second half of last season, which allowed him to salvage his 2024 campaign. After a dreadful start, McNeil finished the year with a .238 batting average after hitting .216 in the first half of the season. His second half saw him hit a respectable .289.

"It’s a tricky injury with the oblique but the fact he’s already playing in-game, that’s a good sign," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said Friday. "He’ll play today, then he’ll play Sunday, play Tuesday and then we have to get him to play back-to-back games. How he’s going to respond to that and then we’ll check with him if he needs more at-bats or not. He got more at-bats than Alvarez did in spring training so that’s good there but we’re going to play it by ear."

The Mets skipper said McNeil's next rehab game will be with St. Lucie on Sunday before eventually going to Triple-A Syracuse to continue getting at-bats.

Latest on Francisco Alvarez 

As for Alvarez, he started at catcher hitting behind McNeil in Friday's game at Port St. Lucie.

The Mets backstop caught seven innings going 0-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. It's Alvarez's second rehab start after catching five innings on Wednesday.

Mendoza said the plan for Alvarez is to play one more game at St. Lucie on Sunday before heading back to Citi Field on Monday to check in with the doctors. And then he'll head up to Syracuse for a game on Tuesday.

Update on Paul Blackburn

Mendoza also detailed what the next steps for Blackburn are.

"He threw a live BP today, one inning," he said. "Depending on how he feels the next couple of days, the next step will be another live BP on Tuesday, two ups live BP and then we’ll go from there. He threw in Brooklyn today."

Luis Severino discusses offseason negotiations with Mets before landing with Athletics

Luis Severino was hoping to return to the Mets this offseason. 

The hard-throwing right-hander was coming off a bounce-back campaign in which he stayed healthy for the first time in a long time and returned to the dominant form he showed during his early days with the Yankees. 

The two sides had discussions on a potential reunion during the winter -- and Severino told the Mets that he’d be willing to accept a two-year deal worth $40 million to stay, but as things played out they had other plans.

The 31-year-old told reporters Friday that New York was only willing to offer him the two-year, $34 million pact that they signed Frankie Montas to this offseason, which ultimately led to them going their separate ways. 

“I was told I had a chance,” Severino said. “I was trying to stay with the Mets. I asked for less money to stay there but, like I said, I wasn’t in their plans. At the beginning I was shocked but at the end, I knew it was business, and they need to take care of themselves.”

While things didn’t quite go as planned, all worked out well for Severino -- as he ended up signing with the Athletics on a three-year, $67 million deal, the largest guarantee in franchise history.

“I’m proud of him,” Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. “He was really good for us. I had a really good relationship with him even when we were both with the Yankees. I’m proud that he got a nice contract, the work paid off.”

Severino received interest from numerous clubs before he signed with the A’s -- and while they aren’t exactly in the most ideal of circumstances at the moment -- he felt they were a perfect landing spot.

“The last two offseasons I’ve had a meeting with my agent and discussed what I’m looking for. At the end, [the Athletics] was the closest to what I was looking for. Having a young team that has talent and wants to go out there and play baseball.

“Last year nobody thought we were going to the playoffs and we made it. I’ve played for a lot of teams that had something to show and I feel this is one of those teams.”

The Mets will get their first look at that young and hungry team this weekend. 

Severino, who has thrown six or more innings in each of his first three starts, is lined up to face Kodai Senga in the series finale on Sunday -- a tough matchup that he certainly is looking forward to. 

“I'm really happy to see those guys, they were like family to me," he said. "Even though it was one year I feel like I was there for a long time -- so yeah, it's going to be fun. I’m going to bring my best, best of luck to them.”