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

Traditionally, when a member of the Dodgers is honored with a bobblehead night at Dodger Stadium, someone from their family will throw out the ceremonial first pitch.

But on Saturday, on the night of his bobblehead commemorating the final out of last year’s World Series championship, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had a different idea for the pregame guest.

Four months ago, in the weeks after the devastating wildfires that ravaged Pacific Palisades, Roberts received a message from a friend involved with the Palisades Charter High School baseball team, inviting him to speak at one of their preseason practices.

It was the start of a personal connection between Roberts and the school’s resilient baseball program; making the World Series-winning manager a source of moral support amid their catastrophic circumstances, and more simply one of their biggest fans.

“When all this happened, I got emails from people all over the country, everybody wanting to help out and all that stuff,” Palisades baseball coach Mike Voelkel said. “But Dave is one of the few who has stuck by us … I don’t think they’ve invented an adjective yet to describe how appreciative and how thankful [we are].”

Thus, when it came time for Roberts’ bobblehead celebration Saturday, he helped coordinate a Dodger Stadium surprise for the Palisades players.

During the Dodgers’ batting practice Saturday afternoon, the Palisades’ varsity and junior varsity teams were invited down to field level, where they watched the Dodgers in awe from behind home plate.

“This has been the coolest thing ever,” senior pitcher Ian Sullivan said, one of more than a dozen players in the program whose family was displaced by the fires. “I don’t have words.”

The ceremonial first pitch was delivered by junior infielder Jett Teegardin, whose family has bounced between living out of hotels and with friends in the area since their home was lost in the flames.

“I just spoke with Dave Roberts!” he exclaimed after Roberts came by to greet the team before the game — not even knowing Roberts would be behind the plate hours later to catch his throw from the mound. “How many people can say they’ve had a full conversation with him? It’s so cool.”

Even the traditional call of “It’s Time for Dodgers Baseball” had a Palisades twist, recited by a group of other players who were personally impacted by the tragedy.

“Just with what they’ve been going through, I just kept in touch with them,” Roberts said. “And then the bobblehead night comes up, and I was like, 'I want to do something. I want to make this a special night for them.'”

Long before then, though, Roberts’ impact had already been felt.

In the immediate aftermath of January’s Palisades fires, which wiped out more than 6,800 structures and much of the neighborhood’s iconic high school, there was doubt about whether the baseball program would even survive.

“When this happened, people were telling our kids we’re not going to have a team, and to transfer to other schools, and stuff like that,” Voelkel said. “But we were a little bit stubborn. We made sure we were gonna have a team.”

Read more:Covering disaster from the inside: Pali High journalists face their own story

Once the season started weeks later, many around the baseball world quickly volunteered to help.

Hall of Fame manager Joe Torre and entertainer Billy Crystal made a surprise visit to one of their early practices. Texas-based baseball equipment company Bruce Bolt donated hundreds of dollars worth of gear for each player.

But few days were as meaningful as Roberts’ visit in late January, when he spent almost two hours with the team during their practice at a park near Century City.

“It was brutal,” Roberts said. “But they were having fun. And I was so excited.”

“It was definitely something to bring up the mood,” Teegardin said. “Because it was still kind of recent to everything that was happening [with the fires]. So I think it was one of the coolest things that has happened [this season].”

Roberts’ message to the team that day was simple: “Don’t make excuses.”

Voelkel appreciated such sincerity, finding Roberts’ words refreshing ahead of what he knew would be a daunting season.

“It was just like sitting in your backyard, talking baseball,” Voelkel said of Roberts’ interaction with the players. “I think that was a different kind of communication than those forums normally take on.”

Ever since, Roberts has stayed in regular contact with Voelkel for team updates.

“He’s wanted to know how our kids are doing,” Voelkel said. “I communicated with him when he was over in Japan.”

Read more:'I haven't given my Japanese side its due': Dave Roberts reflects ahead of Dodgers' Tokyo opener

And shortly before first pitch Saturday, the entire program gathered near the third base line — wearing their blue “Palisades” jerseys — and were greeted by Roberts with a brief address.

“He has been absolutely golden during this whole process,” Voelkel said.

Baseball alone has been a welcome distraction for the Palisades players.

“It’s like a normalcy in my life,” Sullivan said. “Something that hasn’t changed.”

But the complexities of this season have not been easy.

Early in the year, Teegardin recalled having to scramble to simply find gear for practice.

“I didn’t have anything, I didn’t have any baseball clothes,” he said. “So my friends came and dropped me off some stuff.”

Standing next to him, Sullivan solemnly nodded his head.

“Yeah, me too.”

Practices have been a logistical nightmare, with the program finding refuge at several local parks after their on-campus field was damaged in the fires — and officially leveled just this past week.

“A smack in the mouth,” Voelkel called that news.

And while the team’s play has been up-and-down this season, entering Saturday 13-9 in an almost entirely road schedule in the CIF Los Angeles City Section, Voelkel said the simple fact that they’re even still playing together remains a point of pride.

Read more:Los Angeles has never seen this level of destruction: 'Everything is burned down'

“If you look at it realistically, it’s a victory just having a team,” said Voelkel, who last month was recognized by the CIF with a Model Coach Award. “That supersedes anything.”

Still, with a few weeks to go until the playoffs, the Palisades’ varsity team has a singular goal in mind: To return to Dodger Stadium for the City Section finals next month.

“Now being so close to it, it’s like a need at this point,” Sullivan said, his eyes wide as he gazed toward the diamond. “That would be the best way to cap off our season. So this is kind of an insane experience, and just another motivator for us.”

If they get there, few will be happier to see it than Roberts.

“I cannot tell you how valuable he’s been to the growth and stability of our program,” Voelkel said. “When you have the World Series champion manager give you their time and authentic care, it’s priceless."

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Takeaways from Giants' impressive 17-game early season stretch originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — There was a hell of a reward waiting for the Giants after they finished a stretch of 17 games in 17 days. They flew to San Diego on Sunday evening instead of Monday, giving players, coaches and former Padres manager Bob Melvin a full off day in one of this country’s best cities. 

“They’ve really earned it with the way they’ve played baseball during this stretch,” Mike Krukow said on the broadcast Sunday. 

As grueling as this stretch was, it’s actually kind of normal for MLB teams this season. The Giants are one of 12 to have a stretch of 17 consecutive games this season, although only them and the Kansas City Royals have had to do it in April. While that would seem to be more difficult given how much time it takes to fully build up starters these days, the Giants actually might have benefited from the timing.

They left camp remarkably healthy, and they have lost just one player — backup infielder Casey Schmitt — to the IL this season. They made their first roster move during the stretch of 17 consecutive games, but that’s still the only one they’ve needed all year. 

At some point, the injuries will hit. They always do. But at the moment, the Giants are healthy, happy, and ready to find some good tacos in San Diego. As they head for a well-deserved day off, here are 17 notes from the impressive 17-day stretch, which ended with a 10-7 record and the Giants in first place: 

RBI Guy

Wilmer Flores went 4-for-35 on the road trip, but still managed to drive in nine runs in 10 games. The overall production was much better once he returned home, and with a bases-loaded walk Sunday, he finished with 14 RBI over the 17 games. Flores, who missed much of last year with a knee injury, also appeared in every game.

“It’s amazing, especially after last year,” Melvin said of the run production. “It shows you, it doesn’t take ultimate bat speed, it doesn’t take 110 (mph) off the bat to impact the game. His track record of being up there in big situations kind of speaks for itself.”

Flores heads into the off day leading the majors with 28 RBI. He’s one ahead of some guy named Aaron Judge and two ahead of Pete Alonso. 

The Little Things

The biggest difference for the Giants early on might be the fact that they’re finally — after years of talking about it — playing fundamentally-sound baseball. They’re ranked seventh in FanGraphs’ all-encompassing baserunning metric and they have made just 10 errors all year, tied for the least in baseball. 

The advanced metrics haven’t been as kind, with Outs Above Average ranking them 27th and Defensive Runs Saved also having them in the bottom third, a lot of which is because of a slow start at short. Willy Adames has been worth negative six DRS and negative five OAA. 

But overall, the Giants aren’t kicking the ball around nearly as often as they did in previous seasons, and that’s a big step in the right direction. They’re reminded of that every time they watch a team do what the Rangers did Sunday. 

2021 Vibes

For 162 games — and 107 wins — four years ago, just about everything went right. It’s hard not to feel like some of that magic has returned. Here’s Exhibit A:

HELIOT RAMOS WALK-OFF LITTLE LEAGUE HOMER 🤯 pic.twitter.com/Ceh9c3ZjPq

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) April 27, 2025

Lineup Holes

There have been a lot of positives early on, but there are also a few key Giants who can’t wait for the calendar to turn to May. 

Adames is hitting .202 and has one homer a year after crushing 32 of them. Patrick Bailey is hitting .164, slugging .247, and still looking for his first homer. Somehow, neither has the lowest OPS of the regulars; LaMonte Wade Jr. is at .460. There are struggles on the bench, too, most notably with Luis Matos, who has two hits in his last 28 at-bats and was 1-for-21 with no walks in six starts during this 17-game stretch.

The Giants are hopeful the off day will clear some heads, and they need it to happen. Winning games with late walk-offs is fun, but at some point the lack of production from key spots is going to catch up to them. 

Who’s On First?

With the bases loaded in the first inning Sunday, Wade jumped on a sinker and hit one into the arcade — but it was foul by about 20 feet. Three pitches later, he missed a two-run double by a few feet. Two pitches after that, he smoked a 107 mph liner — right at second baseman Marcus Semien. 

When you’re cold, you’re cold, and nobody has had a rougher month than Wade, who lost the leadoff job and is hitting just .110. The Giants will stick with him, in part because there’s simply been a lot of bad luck. Wade’s walk rate is in line with previous years and he has struck out just once in his last eight games after some early concerns. He’s sitting on a .135 BABIP, about 140 points below his career average. 

The Giants also will be patient because there are no clear solutions. Schmitt is on the IL, joining Jerar Encarnacion, who will start taking swings this week but isn’t eligible to return until May 23. Veteran Jake Lamb is struggling in Triple-A. Top prospect Bryce Eldridge hit a homer in his first at-bat of the year, but then missed two games with an illness. He’s 2-for-13 so far in Double-A and the Giants plan to be extremely patient with his development. 

The starts will continue to be there for Wade, who could use a little luck as he tries to come out of this. 

Stressful Job

In New York, two-time All-Star Devin Williams has temporarily been removed from the closer role. In Cleveland, Emmanuel Clase — who finished third in Cy Young voting last year — has a 7.15 ERA. 

It’s extremely difficult to find a closer who churns out one strong season after the next, and when those guys falter, there’s no safety net. It often costs you a game, and Ryan Walker lived that at the end of the road trip. Walker gave up four runs in Anaheim and then was pulled after nearly blowing another save against the Brewers, but he looked much better over the weekend, and the Giants are hopeful this will just be a two-game blip. 

“I know it’s been a few rough outings in a row but the stuff has been there all year,” Bailey said Saturday. “It happens, it happens to the best of them — and he is one of the best of them.”

Walker’s fastball velocity is right in line with 2024 and his slider has been just about as effective, but hitters are batting .348 against his fastball. He made some mechanical adjustments last week and felt his command got much better, and it seems the Giants avoided any additional questions about their closer.

A Helping Hand

The Giants have the luxury of having a former All-Star closer who wants to return to the ninth at some point, and he shined when Walker needed some backup. Camilo Doval had three saves in the series against the Brewers and picked up the win on Sunday after a clean ninth. 

During the 17-game stretch, Doval threw 7 2/3 shutout innings over eight appearances, allowing just one hit with two walks and eight strikeouts. Prior to that, he had allowed runs in three straight appearances. 

Walk This Way

Matt Chapman has reached base in 25 of 29 games, including 16 of 17 during this stretch. He drew 18 walks in the 17 games and is tied for the lead in the Majors with Atlanta’s Marcell Ozuna with 26. 

This is all somewhat new for Chapman, who is 32 and in his ninth big-league season. He is just about doubling his previous best walk rate in the majors and he’s more than double last year’s rate of 9.9 percent. 

A Red Flag

The 2025 Giants have a .311 on-base percentage and are slugging .377. The 2024 Giants had a .305 OBP and slugged .396. The 2023 Giants had a .312 OBP and slugged .383. 

The Giants averaged 4.6 runs over the 17 games, but their OPS actually was lower than their season-ending mark in each of their last two campaigns. In a lot of ways, this offense isn’t any better than the one that was an issue under the previous regime, but they’ve been good with runners in scoring position and their bullpen has been outstanding, which allowed them to win five one-run games over the past 17 days. 

Right now, this is a top-heavy lineup that is leaning very, very heavily on Jung Hoo Lee, Mike Yastrzemski, Chapman and Flores’ ability to drive in runs in key spots. If there’s anything that keeps team officials up at night, even at 19-10, it’s probably this. They’re one or two injuries to key starters away from having one of the worst offenses in the league. 

The Long Man

The Giants haven’t made a single move with their pitching staff this season, which is remarkable given how the previous five years looked. Buster Posey wants continuity, and it certainly helped that several starters — especially in Philadelphia — avoided blowups that would have led to a fresh arm being added. 

It also helped that Spencer Bivens took on such a heavy workload over these 17 games. The right-hander threw 8 1/3 innings over five outings, and on three occasions he gave Melvin at least six outs. After allowing a run in each of his first three appearances this season, Bivens has given up just two hits over his last five, all of which have been scoreless. 

Birds Flying High

While he waits for a rotation spot to open up, Hayden Birdsong is helping to win a lot of games as a high-leverage reliever who is giving Melvin length. Birdsong pitched twice on the homestand, throwing three shutout innings each time and striking out nine. He has 18 strikeouts in 16 innings this year and is sitting on a 1.13 ERA. 

As a reliever, Birdsong is averaging 96.5 mph with his fastball and holding opposing hitters to a .130 average. They’re even worse (.111) against his new changeup. 

Eventually, Birdsong will return to starting, likely for good, but right now he’s a heck of a weapon in close games. He entered in the sixth or seventh inning four times during this 17-game stretch and helped the Giants close out three wins. 

Keeping The Door Closed

When a Giants starter struggles, it’s impossible to ignore the fact that Birdsong is literally right there. Thus far, the Giants haven’t seemed at all close to making a move, including with Jordan Hicks, who pitched four times during the 17 days and allowed 20 runs. Just two of those came Sunday, though, and it looks like Hicks might have found something. 

Hicks’ velocity was down across the board Sunday, including 3.4 mph on his sinker, which was sitting at 99 mph on the road trip. But he changed it up Sunday and went slider-heavy, getting eight swinging strikes on the pitch. There are some within the organization who also believe it wouldn’t be the worst thing if he dialed it back on the velocity; he found a lot of success early last season while focusing on having good command and getting plenty of movement on his sinker. 

Sunday seemed to be a step in the right direction for Hicks, who needed the break in the schedule as much as anybody. 

No Production Loss With Koss

Christian Koss stepped in over the weekend after Tyler Fitzgerald bruised his chest on a dive and the rookie contributed in both of his starts. His single on Sunday tied the game in the bottom of the fourth, and he had a hit in all five starts during the 17 games. One of the reasons the Giants put him on their bench was their belief that his simple swing and approach would allow him to contribute even if he had to sit four or five days in a row, and that’s been the case. 

“I’m just trying to have consistent, quality at-bats and put good swings on balls,” Koss said Sunday. 

Koss also became the first position player to take the mound for the Giants this year and threw a scoreless inning. He joined Brandon Crawford and Pablo Sandoval atop the franchise’s ERA leaderboard. 

Rising Randy

Randy Rodriguez went a week without pitching recently, but it had nothing to do with his performance or any minor ailment. Melvin wants to use him as the bullpen’s “fireman” and Rodriguez got up several times, only to see a starting pitcher get himself out of a jam. 

This is similar to the role Walker had before getting elevated to the ninth, and Rodriguez looks capable of following that path down the road. He has started his season with 11 straight appearances without allowing a run or a walk, the longest season-opening streak ever by a Giants pitcher. Rodriguez is the first MLB pitcher to do it since Baltimore’s Yennier Cano in 2023. Cano went 17 straight scoreless/walkless appearances to start that year and ended up making the All-Star team. 

Hey Now, You’re … 

Speaking of All-Stars, if the team were picked today, Tyler Rogers would have one of the strongest cases in the clubhouse. His 0.63 ERA is the best among pitchers with at least 14 innings pitched this season and he has held the opponent scoreless in 14 of 15 outings. 

Rogers pitched eight times over the 17 games and is tied for the National League lead in appearances. Opponents are hitting just .156 against his fastball, which averages 82.7 mph. 

Playoffs? Playoffs?

Per FanGraphs, the Giants’ odds of making the postseason currently are 58.6 percent, although that’s not a monumental jump from their last off day. After winning nine of their first 12 games, they were at 48.9 percent. The lack of major movement is in part because they’re in a division with four teams that are currently above the 40 percent mark. 

The NL West is where the Giants have seen some real changes, though. They entered the year with a 2.3 percent chance of winning the division and were at 6.1 percent on their last off day. Currently, they’re at 10 percent, which is well ahead of what anyone projected during the spring, but also still well behind the Dodgers’ 75.7 percent. 

The NL Best

Before you finish this, take a moment and send some kind thoughts Colorado’s way. The Rockies are 4-23, and they have five more months to go in the best division in baseball. 

The Giants are 19-10, and they would be smart to keep pushing while some of their division rivals are trying to get right. The Padres have been one of the best teams in baseball all year, but they have 11 players on the IL, including Jackson Merrill, Luis Arraez and Jake Cronenworth, and that started to show in recent days. They’ve lost seven of nine as the Giants come to town. 

Since the start of this 17-game stretch for the Giants, the Dodgers have gone 8-6. Both Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are dealing with shoulder discomfort, and the heavy, heavy favorites certainly look more vulnerable than anyone expected. 

The Arizona Diamondbacks are without star Ketel Marte and their vaunted rotation is underperforming. They’re 15-13 and in fourth place. 

The West is very likely to be the best division in baseball for 162 games, but last week was a rough one. As the Giants start seeing some division rivals, this is the time to keep banking wins. 

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

The Yankees swept Sunday's doubleheader against the Toronto Blue Jays by taking the second game by a score of 5-1.

Here are the takeaways...

-Coming off a clunker in his second start of the season, Clarke Schmidt rebounded and turned in a solid outing against the Blue Jays. Still trying to get his legs under him after starting the season on the IL, the right-hander tossed five innings and allowed one run on one hit and four walks while striking out six. He threw 90 pitches (52 strikes).

The lone hit Schmidt allowed was a solo shot to Anthony Santander in the third inning that tied the game at 1-1 at the time. The 29-year-old didn't factor into the decision as he left the game with the score still knotted at one apiece. It wouldn't be until the sixth inning when the Yankees took the lead.

-Facing Chris Bassitt who was locked in a pitcher's duel with Schmidt for the first half of the game, Aaron Judge led off the inning with a solo home run, his eighth of the season, to put New York up by one. It was Judge's only hit of the game as the designated hitter.

With two outs and a runner on second, Bassitt had a chance to escape the inning without further damage but allowed an RBI double to Jasson Dominguez that doubled the Yanks' lead and knocked the right-hander out of the game. Dominguez finished 2-for-4 and is hitting .238 this season.

-A third run in the inning came around to score after J.C. Escarra singled off reliever Brendon Little. The backup catcher had an even cooler moment in the eighth inning, hitting a no-doubter for his first career home run to put the Yankees ahead 5-1. Escarra had two hits in four tries as he continues to try and find it at the plate in his first MLB season.

-New York's bullpen was nails as the combination of Tim Hill, Mark Leiter Jr., Fernando Cruz and Luke Weaver pitched four scoreless innings. Leiter Jr. struck out the side in his inning of work while Weaver has still yet to be scored upon in 14 innings this season.

-Trent Grisham got things started with a leadoff home run in the opening frame, already his seventh home run in just 57 at-bats. To put that into perspective, Judge has hit eight in 106 at-bats. In a reserve role, Grisham is now hitting .298 with a 1.069 OPS and is making his case to manager Aaron Boone to put him in the lineup on a more consistent basis.

-After hitting a home run in Game 1, Anthony Volpe went 2-for-4 in Game 2 to finish off a four-hit day for the shortstop.

-Cody Bellinger continues to struggle in his first season in New York after an 0-for-4 game lowered his batting average to .191 to go along with a .570 OPS.

Game MVP: Yankees pitching

Despite the offense hitting three home runs, New York's pitching is what really stood out by holding the Blue Jays to one run on three hits.

Highlights

Trent Grisham homer! 🔥

(via @Yankees) pic.twitter.com/DiWzchi6s6

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) April 27, 2025

AARON JUDGE HOME RUN 💣

Yankees take the lead! pic.twitter.com/f6fQnTmKDV

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) April 27, 2025

J.C. Escarra with an RBI single to bring in Jasson Domínguez!

(via @Yankees)pic.twitter.com/KHQgKqS14P

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) April 27, 2025

J.C. ESCARRA HITS HIS FIRST MLB HOMER 👏pic.twitter.com/hihE3AtDov

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) April 27, 2025

What's next

The Yankees head to Baltimore for a quick road trip to take on the Orioles for three games starting on Monday night. First pitch is scheduled for 6:35 p.m.

RHP Will Warren (1-0, 4.79 ERA) pitches for New York while the O's have yet to announce a starter.

Tylor Megill had allowed just one hit – a solo home run – and had retired 13 of the last 14 batters he faced when it came to the bottom half of the seventh inning. And the Mets' right-hander was pitching with a 7-1 lead, thanks to a five-run inning his offense gave him before he had to throw a pitch on Sunday afternoon.

“He was pretty dominant today,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of the starter who struck out nine Nats in 6.1 innings.

But by the early evening, he was left reflecting on a no-decision after the Nationals put together a five-run seventh and scored two more in the ninth to doom the visitors to an 8-7 loss after a second blown save of the series.

“Attacked the strike zone, got ahead of a lot of hitters, and everything else followed,” a subdued Megill said of his 105-pitch outing (a career high) that saw him throw 75 strikes.

The manager heaped praise on the starter: “He was electric, attacking, everything was in the strike zone, all of his pitches – live on his fastball, the secondary pitches – the way that he mix. He was dominant. He was pretty unbelievable.”

“Everything was working really well today,” Megill said after getting 13 whiffs and 26 called strikes (13 on his four-seam fastball) while allowing just three runs on three hits and a walk.

But the bullpen couldn’t preserve the lead, allowing an inherited runner of Megill’s to score and five of their own in the loss.

“Tough one there,” Mendoza said. “Let that one get away, especially after that outing from Megill. Lotta good things offensively early in the game and then for us to be there, 7-1 in the seventh, and let that one go away. That’s a tough one.”

“Got to turn the page and get ready for tomorrow.”

Juan Soto fought the sun and the sun won

It was a near-cloudless sky in Washington, apt for the day called Sunday, and the wind was swirling at times. And at the start of the bottom of the seventh, a pop fly to shallow right went for a double to end Megill’s run of 10 straight nationals retired when Juan Soto failed to see the ball.

Mendoza said that “you could tell right away” that Soto didn’t see it off the bat.“As soon as that ball went up, he had no idea where the ball was. It was a tough play there.” 

“That one just got me,” Soto said.

“It was a tough ball, it just got in the sun,” he added. “Every time I take a step forward, it was getting in and out of the sun, pretty hard fly ball.”

Soto wasn’t the only victim of the sun and wind. Earlier in the game, Nationals first baseman Nathaniel Lowe had a foul pop-up hit the turf on a ball he seemed to have trouble tracking. And a fly down the right-field line foul found the ground as it blew away from Alex Call.

“You saw pretty much everyone fighting out there,” Mendoza said about the sun.

And while both those instances helped the Mets, including in the five-run first, the late-inning double snowballed to take the game away. 

Ninth inning pinch-hit decision

With Soto on third and Pete Alonso on second and one out in the ninth, Mendoza had a decision to make: pinch-hit Jesse Winker or let Starling Marte bat?

Mendoza, who had Winker standing next to him with his elbow guard and batting gloves on in the dugout, allowed Marte to face Washington right-hander Jackson Rutledge.

“It was a pretty even matchup there,” Mendoza said. “I trust Marte in that situation to get the job done, it just didn’t happen this time.”

With the infield drawn in, Rutledge got the veteran to ground a ball right at shortstop CJ Abrams for the second out of a scoreless inning.

Mendoza said that with the cutter being an “effective pitch” for the righty, he decided not to go with Winker.

“When you look at the matchup, it was pretty close,” he said. “Even though it was right-on-right, the cutter I think is a pitch now that is giving Winker some trouble and I stick with Marte there.”

No update on A.J. Minter's MRI

A.J. Minter was placed on the 15-day Injured List ahead of Sunday’s game, but Mendoza did not have any information on the results of an MRI the left-hander underwent after he exited Saturday’s game with an injury.

“We’re waiting for the doctor to read it,” the manager said, indicating an update will come on Monday.

Phillies end tough trip with ‘great win' led by 3 guys who needed a night like this originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CHICAGO — All 26 players in the Phillies’ clubhouse needed a weekend like this after what transpired at Citi Field to begin their road trip but it had to be sweeter for three in particular.

Aaron Nola, Trea Turner and Jordan Romano have been maligned through the season’s first month and were among the most important players in Sunday’s 3-1, extra-inning win.

Nola entered 0-5 with a 6.43 ERA and pitched seven innings of one-run ball. He had his best four-seam fastball, two-seamer and cutter of the season, his best velocity and command. He generated a season-high 16 swinging strikes and worked ahead of 17 of the 24 hitters he faced. He lowered his ERA by more than a full run to 5.40.

Turner began the night hitting .245 with only five extra-base hits in 111 plate appearances. He went 3-for-5, driving in two of the Phillies’ three runs. His 10th-inning RBI infield single was massive in giving Romano one more run of breathing room. Turner hit a groundball to third base but Vidal Brujan was playing back, which allowed the speedy shortstop just enough time to reach first safely.

And Romano, who’s allowed so many runs already that his ERA would still be above 3.00 even with 30 straight scoreless innings, rebounded after taking the loss in extras Wednesday with a 1-2-3 bottom of the 10th.

“That was a great win tonight, it really was,” manager Rob Thomson said.

It sent the Phillies back home at 15-13 and snapped a streak of three straight road series losses.

“We were just looking for a break,” Turner said. “Yesterday in that inning with six runs, we got some lucky hits there. Sometimes you need things to fall your way to build some momentum. Sometimes you need a little light at the end of the tunnel to build that confidence. Hopefully that’s the start of some pretty good baseball.”

Sunday was Turner’s 99th multi-hit game as a Phillie. They’ve gone 70-29. He can make so much happen with his bat and legs when he’s in rhythm at the plate and has proven for three different teams that he can carry an offense. He’s been as streaky as any Phillie in his three seasons and started the year colder than the previous two.

This game, in front of a national audience, was a reminder of the skill set that landed him a $300 million contract.

“That’s what he can do — he can change a game with his legs, with his power, with his hitting ability,” Thomson said. “He can change a game and that’s what he did tonight. Got the base-hit through the 5-6 hole and then beats out an infield hit to add on. It was huge.”

Especially so because on Wednesday, the Phillies scored the ghost runner but no one else in top of the 10th, ultimately falling to the Mets when Romano allowed two in the bottom half. Pitching under these extra-inning rules is completely different with a multi-run lead than the narrow one-run margin.

“It’s huge, it really is,” Romano said. “The boys get that extra run across and you don’t have to worry about the guy on second base. The tying run is at the plate but you’re not too concerned about the bunt, about being quick to the plate. You can kinda take your time on your pitches.”

Romano was the last of four pitchers the Phillies used on Sunday. Nola, Orion Kerkering, Jose Alvarado and Romano combined to allow three hits and a walk in 10 innings against a Cubs offense that leads the league in runs scored, on-base percentage, slugging and stolen bases.

For Nola, it was the kind of start that should calm down some of his many critics and reinforce that he can still pitch at a high level regardless of the opponent.

“That was vintage Noles,” Turner said. “All his pitches were working, curveball was really good. He’s had some tough luck with the weather. Today was slightly better. He was back to his old self. He’s gonna be good for us, not worried about him at all.”

The velocity is creeping up. Nola threw three of his four fastest pitches of the season — 93.4 mph, 93.4 and 93.2 — and was mostly 92. His two-seamer was up by more than 1 mph. This has always been the case for Nola, whose career velocity before May 1 is 91.4 and after May 1 is 92.3.

But it’s about command more than anything for him. Cubs manager Craig Counsell was interviewed in-game and emphasized that Nola wasn’t just throwing strike zone but throwing a quality pitch for strike one.

“That’s Noles — he doesn’t get fired up about much,” Thomson said. “He doesn’t panic. He just goes about his business. He knows he’s good and that if he has a bad outing, he’s gonna bounce back. He’s got a slow heartbeat all the time.”

The Phillies are off Monday before hosting the Nationals for three games. Zack Wheeler gets the ball Tuesday as they look to make it three in a row.

The Mets needed just nine outs to grab a win over the Nationals as the fans stood to stretch on Sunday afternoon in Washington. And carrying a 7-1 advantage, thanks to a five-run top of the first inning, things should have been comfortable.

The Nats’ five-run seventh made things tight, but it wasn’t fatal as the 98.6 percent win probability was still at 83.5 percent come the bottom of the ninth, per ESPN Analytics. 

With closer Edwin Diaz unavailable after pitching on Saturday, it was up to Ryne Stanek to end it.

“You get to the seventh inning with a pretty comfortable lead there and not be able to finish things off is frustrating,” manager Carlos Mendoza said after Stanek managed to get just one out and allow two runs in the 8-7 loss. “Got to move on.”

Sunday’s script was similar to his blown save on Friday: A leadoff extra base hit (this time a double), a groundout, a single to tie the game on a grounder, a walk to put the winning run at second, and an error from first baseman Pete Alonso to score the winning run.

What went wrong for Stanek? “Execution,” Mendoza said, pointing to the 0-2 pitch that he left up in the zone for a leadoff double in the ninth. “Got too much over the plate and they put it in play and found a hole down the line. Not putting guys away. He’s getting ahead and not finishing hitters.”

Stanek felt like he executed a lot of pitches, but the results weren’t there for him.

“The only thing I can control is executing pitches. I felt like I did an alright job with that. The results just didn’t go my way,” he said. “The main thing over the course of a long season is you just go execute as best you can, and more times than not the ball’s gonna bounce your way.”

In the seventh, Jose Butto was the first man out of the bullpen, entering with the lead at five and a runner on first and one out. After making short work of Dylan Crews on four pitches for a strikeout, Butto allowed back-to-back singles on the next six pitches to score another run.

“Sinker got too much of the plate, couldn’t finish hitters, got a ground ball that found a hole,” Mendoza said.

The big blow came when Riley Adams smacked a 405-foot three-run homer to right center. “Got behind the nine-hole hitter, 3-1 count, and left a four-seamer there to a guy that’s a pretty good four-seam fastball hitter.”

The next step for the bullpen: get back on the horse.

“You just go back to work. That’s the job,” Stanek said. “They get paid to play ball, too. You go out there and you execute your game plan. A couple balls fall or squeak through or whatever happens, that’s out of your control. You go out there and you execute and you move on, go to the next day and execute the next day and that’s it.”

The skipper said the veteran reliever will continue to get opportunities.

“He’s been in the league for a long time and he’s been through it before,” Mendoza said of Stanek. “As long as he’s healthy and feeling well, we’ll get him back on track. The velo’s there, he’s getting ahead, he’s just not finishing hitters. It’s part of it. 

“We’ll watch some film and make some adjustments and he’ll be alright.”

The Mets’ bullpen, which had been a strength early in the year, has been touched up in the series. Could this be a result of some heavy workloads recently?

“Probably, we’ve been using these guys pretty hard,” Mendoza said. “And when you look at the usage, especially today, the guys who pitched were the guys that we had available, we just couldn’t finish the game.

“We will continue to take care of those guys, and guys will continue to get opportunities and they will get the job done.”

For Stanek, the bullpen’s struggles are “a little surprising” because they have “thrown the ball so well” to start the year, but bad runs happen.

“You’re not gonna be perfect,” he said. “It’s just a blip on the radar over the course of a full season. We play 162 and we scuffle for a couple and you forget about it and move on to the next day.”

Cleveland fan ejected for heckling Red Sox star Jarren Duran about suicide attempt​ originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Jarren Duran has found plenty of support from his Boston Red Sox teammates and others outside baseball since he revealed in a Netflix documentary that he attempted suicide three years ago.

His openness has also exposed him to hecklers, though.

Duran said a fan in the front row Sunday near the Red Sox dugout in Cleveland said “something inappropriate” to him after the All-Star left fielder flied out in the seventh inning of a 13-3 victory over the Guardians.

Duran stayed on the top step of the dugout and glared at the fan as the inning played out. During the seventh-inning stretch, before the singing of “God Bless America,” Red Sox teammates and coaches kept Duran away from the area as umpires and Progressive Field security personnel gathered to handle the situation.

The fan tried to run up the aisle, but was caught by security and taken out of the stadium.

“The fans just said something inappropriate. I’m just happy that the security handled it and the umpires were aware of it and they took care of it for me,” Duran said.

After the game, the Guardians released a statement apologizing to the Red Sox and Duran. The team said it has identified the fan and is working with Major League Baseball on next steps.

“We recognize the gravity of the behavior at issue here and take very seriously conduct of this nature,” the statement said. “We strive to provide the best experience to visiting players and fans, and that fell short today.”

Duran said it was the first time he was heckled by a fan about his suicide attempt and mental health struggles since the Netflix series “The Clubhouse: A Year With the Red Sox” was released on April 8.

“When you open yourself up like that, you also open yourself up to the enemies. But I have a good support staff around me, teammates, coaches. There were fans that were supporting me, so that was awesome,” he said.

Boston manager Alex Cora was in the opposite corner of the Red Sox dugout but lauded security for how the incident was handled.

Cora was even prouder of Duran’s restraint. Duran was suspended for two games last season when he directed a homophobic slur at a heckling fan at Fenway Park when the fan shouted that Duran needed a tennis racket to hit.

“There’s a two-way street. That’s something I said last year. We made a mistake last year and we learned from it. We grew up, you know, as an individual and as a group,” Cora said.

The incident dampened what had been a solid game and series for Duran. He went 4 for 6 with an RBI and had at least three hits in consecutive games for the second time in his career.

In Saturday’s doubleheader nightcap, Duran had Boston’s first straight steal of home plate in 16 years.

Duran went 7 for 15 with three RBIs as Boston took two of three games in the weekend series. Six of his hits in the series came against lefties after Duran was just 3 for 31 against southpaws coming into the weekend.

“I’ve been getting some good swings on lefties lately, just hitting it right at guys. I’m trying to stay with my process and it just happened to work good for me this series. So I’m just going to keep at it,” said Duran, who has hit safely in 13 of his last 14 games and is batting .323 (20 for 62) with eight extra-base hits, including a home run, and six RBIs during that span.

NEW YORK (AP) — Max Fried won his fifth straight start, Austin Wells capped a six-run third inning with a three-run double off suddenly wild Kevin Gausman and the Yankees routed the Toronto Blue Jays 11-2 on Sunday in a doubleheader opener.

Fried (5-0) allowed a first-inning RBI groundout and six hits in six innings. He has given up one run over 20 2/3 innings in three starts following Yankees losses, and New York has won all six of his starts.

Anthony Volpe homered off Paxton Schultz, and Oswaldo Cabrera drove in a pair of runs with one of the Yankees’ six doubles.

Gausman (2-3) threw 53 pitches in the third, getting just two outs and walking five — one shy of his career high for a game. Cody Bellinger hit a sacrifice fly, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Volpe forced in runs with consecutive walks and Wells doubled off the right-center wall for a 6-1 lead.

Gausman was ejected by plate umpire Chris Conroy as he walked to the dugout when he was removed after 2 2/3 innings. Toronto manager John Schneider was tossed two innings later for arguing a called strike from Fried to Vladimir Guerrero Jr.

Gausman threw the most pitches by anyone in an inning since Pittsburgh’s Cam Vieaux’s 56 in an eight-run eighth against Milwaukee on July 1, 2022, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. Gausman threw seven pitches to Cabrera, eight to Bellinger and nine each to Volpe and Wells.

Ben Rice caught for the first time this year when moved by the Yankees from DH to behind the plate in the ninth inning.

Key moment

Wells fouled off an 0-2 fastball and a pair of full-count fastballs before doubling on another fastball.

Key stat

Playing a day after his 33rd birthday, Yankees slugger Aaron Judge went 2-for-4 and raised his major league-leading batting average to .412.

Up next

Yankees RHP Clarke Schmidt (0-1, 7.45 ERA) and Blue Jays RHP Chris Bassitt (2-1, 1.88 ERA) were scheduled to start the second game.

When Tyler Glasnow left the mound last week at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, because of leg cramps, it was a dreary reminder of the injury struggles he has endured with the Dodgers.

Glasnow missed the postseason, and consequently the Dodgers’ World Series title run, after an elbow sprain last season. After four starts in 2025, was he in danger of seeing his season derailed again?

On Sunday, Glasnow suffered another setback. Warming up before the second inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates — after giving up back-to-back solo home runs in the first — he doubled over to his side after releasing his last pitch. Manager Dave Roberts rushed out to the pitcher’s mound, followed by a trainer.

Glasnow’s day was done. The team announced he left because of right shoulder discomfort.

The Dodgers overcame the departure, collecting nine runs and 14 hits to win 9-2 and claim the series over the Pirates. Often used as a bulk relief pitcher, Ben Casparius took over and excelled — tossing 3⅔ innings no-run ball, striking out five to help bridge the gap to the rest of the bullpen that combined for eight scoreless innings.

Pirates starting pitcher Bailey Falter, who entered Sunday with a 5.19 earned-run average, faltered Sunday. The Dodgers (18-10) tagged Falter for six runs (four earned) and forced Pittsburgh (11-18) to move to the bullpen in the fifth after Teoscar Hernández hit his 200th career home run — a solo shot for his eighth of the season — to give the Dodgers a 6-2 lead in the fifth.

Andy Pages also continued to mash at the plate. The Cuban outfielder entered the series hitting .183 and left his 10-for-12 barrage against the Pirates with a .277 batting average. Pages collected at least three hits in each game. He had four hits, including a two-run home run Sunday, tallying a career-high four RBIs.

Despite the victory, attention will shift to how the Dodgers handle their pitchers.

If Glasnow’s injury is deemed longer-term, he could join Blake Snell on the injured list — with both starters now battling shoulder injuries.

Glasnow signed a four-year, $115-million deal — including a 2028 team option — with the Dodgers after the team acquired him from Tampa Bay in December 2023.

After his injury last season, Glasnow experimented with his hydration, much like his mechanics — being one of the pitchers publicly encouraging using technology to retool pitch shapes, increasing spin and movement. Glasnow previously stated that he chugs pickle juice to help subside cramps. The lanky, 6-foot-8 starter took it one step further Saturday and received an IV to help pump fluids into him before his start against Pittsburgh.

As with last season, pitching health has been an issue for the Dodgers. If Glasnow is sent to the injured list, he’ll be the 13th Dodgers pitcher and sixth starter to miss time this season.

Right-hander Tony Gonsolin is set to return from the 60-day injured list and make his first start since 2023 against the Miami Marlins this week. The Dodgers have spots in the rotation to fill Tuesday and Wednesday against the Marlins — and with Glasnow potentially out of action, they may need another spot starter to avoid consecutive weeks with bullpen games.

Landon Knack pitched Saturday for Oklahoma City, while Justin Wrobleski started Sunday — leaving right-hander Bobby Miller as the only fully rested option should the Dodgers make a roster move for a mid-week start.

Clayton Kershaw likely will be the next starting pitcher off the injured list as he makes his third rehabilitation start for triple-A Oklahoma City on Tuesday. Kershaw is eligible to be activated off the 60-day injured list on May 17.

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 scored five runs in the top of the first and held a six-run lead for the seventh inning stretch, but a bullpen meltdown and second blown save of the series saw New York fall 8-7 to the Washington Nationals on Sunday.

New York opened the game 3-for-6 with RISP, but went 0-for-6 the rest of the game, including failing to score an insurance run in the top of the ninth despite having two on and nobody out. Washington added five runs in the seventh and two in the ninth to grab the win.

The Mets wasted a solid outing from Tylor Megill that saw the right-hander strike out nine and allow three runs over 6.1 innings.

Here are the takeaways...

- Ryne Stanek, with Edwin Diaz unavailable after pitching on Saturday, got the ninth to protect a one-run lead, but allowed a leadoff double to right by Alex Call on an 0-2 fastball. A grounder to second gave Stanek an out, but put the tying run at third for the top of the Nats order. With the infield in, CJ Abrams yanked a base hit past a diving Pete Alonso to tie the game.

Stanek, who blew a save on Friday, walked James Wood to put the go-ahead run at second. A slow tapper to first was fielded by Alonso, but as Stanek was late to the bag, the first baseman airmailed the throw way over the pitcher's head to allow the winning run to score on the error.

- Megill, who had a lead before he threw a pitch, struck out Abrams on three fastballs as part of a quick first frame. The righty added a strikeout and two comebackers, but Dylan Crews continued his fine series with a homer to left in the second. Megill cruised from there, retiring 13 of the next 14 batters with six strikeouts to get him through six frames for the first time on the year.

Megill surrendered his second hit of the afternoon to start the seventh when a Luis Garcia pop fly for a double when Juan Soto lost the ball in a very bright Washington sun, which – along with a swirling wind – had been causing problems for fielders throughout the day. After a strikeout, Josh Bell's RBI single to center ended Megill’s day.

- José Butto entered with one on and one out in the seventh and got Crews swinging, but back-to-back singles plated the inherited runner. And after falling behind Riley Adams 3-1, the Nationals' No. 9 hitter cranked a center-cut 95 mph fastball for a 405-foot three-run homer to the right of center to cut the Mets’ lead to one run.

- In the top half of the ninth, the Mets had a great chance to extend the lead and take pressure off the bullpen when Soto singled up the middle, Alonso got hit on the left elbow, and a wild pitch put two in scoring position. But, with the infield in, Mark Vientos and Starling Marte both grounded out to short, with Abrams making a diving stop on the first chance. Ex-Met Jorge Lopez entered and got Brandon Nimmo to ground out to second.

Nimmo had a chance in the seventh with two on and nobody out, but he bounced into a 6-4-3 double play. He finished 0-for-4 with an RBI and the team went 3-for-12 with RISP.

- The Mets got something cooking right away as Francisco Lindor grabbed an infield single on a slow roller to third and Soto and Alonso worked walks to load the bases against Nationals left-hander Mitchell Parker. 

Vientos – just 3-for-26 this year with RISP – attacked a first-pitch fastball for a sacrifice fly to the warning track in right. Marte walked to re-load the bases, setting up Nimmo to punch a sac fly to center. 

Luis Torrens came through with a base hit up the middle that scored Alonso from second, and the throw to third got past Jose Tena to allow Marte to score and put Torrens on third on the error. Luisangel Acuña kept things going by smacking a splitter the other way for an RBI single, and Tyrone Taylor walked before the inning closed on Parker’s 43rd pitch of the afternoon.

In all, 10 Mets went to the plate, scoring five runs on three hits and four walks. And in retrospect, trading the outs for the runs on the sacrifice flies came back to haunt them.

- Soto opened the second by smacking a ball past the second baseman (113 mph off the bat) and hustling into second with a double, and Alonso followed with an infield hit to short. But the Mets only added one more run as Vientos popped out to the second baseman Garcia, who hung on despite right fielder Call taking out his legs, and Marte beat out the double-play on a slow roller to short.

- Torrens added another RBI with a two-out double into the right field corner in the fifth as Marte hustled all the way around for first and, beating the tag with a great slide at the plate as the relay throw was on target for a 7-1 lead. 

Torrens (2-for-4 with two RBI), Vientos (2-for-4 with an RBI), and Soto (2-for-3 with two walks) were the only players with multi-hit days.

- The eighth inning was hairy, but Huascar Brazobán was the lone reliever to not allow a run. A 1-2 changeup got the middle of the plate and Wood hooked it into right for a double to start the inning. The reliever induced a tapper just in front of the plate to get the first out, but walked Nathaniel Lowe to put the go-ahead run at first base.

Brazobán got Bell swinging on three pitches (including a nasty changeup that ran right off the plate) for the second out, but plunked Crews to load the bases. A soft liner caught by Vientos ended the adventurous (and scoreless) frame.

Highlights

Two more first inning runs 🔥

Luis Torrens hits an RBI single to bring in Pete Alonso, and a throwing error brings in Starling Marte! pic.twitter.com/y7SXdlksfU

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 27, 2025

Luisangel Acuña hits an RBI single for the Mets' fifth run of the first inning! pic.twitter.com/otItGWXzcU

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 27, 2025

Three fastballs, three strikes to start the day for Tylor Megill 🔥 pic.twitter.com/9eEOBYIFgb

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 27, 2025

113.0 mph off the bat of Juan Soto for a double 💥 pic.twitter.com/QJPVv2te8y

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 27, 2025

Tyrone Taylor makes the sliding grab for the second out 😮‍💨 pic.twitter.com/2SVrvpYk3X

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 27, 2025

Luis Torrens gets his second RBI of the afternoon on a double to bring in Starling Marte! 👏 pic.twitter.com/HSNoH8LY96

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 27, 2025

What's next

The Mets look to earn a series split in Washington on Monday with a late-afternoon first pitch of 4:05 p.m.

Right-hander Griffin Canning (3.12 ERA, 1.385 WHIP in 26 innings) against righty Trevor Williams (5.11 ERA, 1.581 WHIP in 24.2 innings) is the scheduled pitching matchup.

Phillies playoff legend drags Mets fans: ‘I have no respect' originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

No punches were pulled. The rivalry is SO back.

The Phillies/Mets rivalry is so back.

It never really left, but was newly rejuvenated by the Mets’ win over the Phillies in the NLDS last October. The Mets also swept a 3-game series from the Fightins at Citi Field last week.

But as Chase Utley can tell you, the hate never really goes away, even after playing careers end. Take former Phils playoff hero Jayson Werth.

Werth was a guest on the  “BSBLR show” Podcast, and he shared some strong sentiment regarding New York baseball fans, and which team they should – and should NOT – root for.

pic.twitter.com/CYpHW8V0pM

— DominguezLover (@DominguezLover8) April 27, 2025

“If you live in New York, you have a choice. You have an obvious choice,” Werth said. “You can either be a fan of one of the most storied franchises, one of the greatest franchises in sports history… or the Mets.”

“I have no respect for people that pick the Mets.”

While I appreciate his unvarnished candor, and I get the hate, there is a draw for rooting for the Yankees’ little brother. Maybe you like to root for the perennial underdog, although the 2025 Mets have a payroll of $273 million, second-most in baseball to the Phillies ($274M).

The trophy cases are definitely different. The Mets have two World Series titles, which is dwarfed by the 27 titles won by the Yankees.

Whatever the case, Werth has thrown another log – and maybe even some gasoline – on the Phillies/Mets rivalry debate.