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It may be too little, too late, but there’s a chance Francisco Lindor is back with the Mets on Wednesday, according to Carlos Mendoza.

The Mets have been waiting for Lindor to return from a strained left calf since April. After picking up a pair of hits and playing eight innings at shortstop in a minor league rehab game for Triple-A Syracuse in Lehigh Valley on Tuesday, Lindor could be part of Wednesday’s doubleheader at Citi Field against the Cubs.

After the Mets lost 9-6 Tuesday, Mendoza said he would talk to the front office and trainers to see if Lindor could “potentially” play Wednesday.

With his return imminent, his teammates are ready.

“It’s exciting,” Bo Bichette said. “We haven’t played at full strength pretty much the whole season, and we’re still not, but having him back is a huge boost.”

Bichette said that in Lindor’s absence, he has stayed focused on shortstop rather than working at third base as well, and president of baseball operations David Stearns said that although Lindor is “a big part of” the Mets possibly turning their season around, “We also can’t put everything on Francisco to come back at a time where he hasn’t been playing baseball very much and expect him to put us on his back.”

When he returns, Lindor will play shortstop, but he will likely get days off and games at DH to try to keep him healthy.

The Post reported in the offseason about issues within the Mets clubhouse last season, including an incident involving Lindor and Jeff McNeil, now with the A’s, and as a chilly relationship between Lindor and Juan Soto.

Stearns said Tuesday that despite the team’s struggles so far this season, he’s not aware of any problems with the team’s chemistry.

“My observation is those guys have meshed pretty well,” Stearns said of the team’s roster, which got an overhaul in the offseason. “I think we’re playing hard. That doesn’t mean we’re always playing well. I think the guys care about winning. I have not seen a clubhouse cohesion issue.”

Much of Stearns’ success as an executive came in small-market Milwaukee.

Now, as he said Tuesday, “The benefit of this job [with the Mets] is we have access to everyone in the player universe. It’s very different [from] some other markets. That’s a benefit for us. It requires me — and us — to do work a little bit differently.”

That’s produced mixed results so far, with Soto playing at an elite level, but other expensive additions either playing poorly or dealing with extensive injuries.

Luis Robert Jr. (lumbar spine disc herniation) and Jorge Polanco (Achilles bursitis) are doing baseball activities, with Robert taking normal batting practice, but Polanco is still having “some good days, not so good others” while running.

The Mets claimed outfielder Jared Oliva off waivers from the Giants. The 30-year-old was optioned to Syracuse. He’s appeared in 33 games over parts of three seasons in the majors, including seven with San Francisco this year.

Cubs manager Craig Counsell was tossed after a bizarre play in the seventh inning. Michael Busch walked with Pete Crow-Armstrong on first.

Crow-Armstrong was attempting to steal and briefly slid off the bag, where Bichette tagged him. Crow-Armstrong was ruled out after the Mets challenged the call because he touched second and then left the base.

For the vast majority of the night, this game was trending like so many others we have grown all too familiar with this season. Starting pitcher throws a great game, bullpen does their job, but the offense just couldn’t come through with the big hit with runners in scoring position. Fortunately for the Dbacks, that narrative changed in the 9^th inning as they were able to get a couple of big hits and hold on for a 4-3 win to even the series against the Cardinals.

Eduardo Rodriguez shoved yet again for the Dbacks tossing 6.2 innings and holding the hot Cardinals offense scoreless. He was able to lower his season ERA to a minuscule 2.27 today following his 16th start of the season which is simply increadible. ERod’s changeup was filthy tonight generating a staggering 50% whiff rate and has really been a tremendous pitch for the veteran lefty. Juan Morillo, Kevin Ginkel, and Brandyn Garcia were sharp tonight in relief. The only blemish on this game from the pitching side was Paul Sewald who inexplicably still struggles mightily in non-save situations.

The Dbacks offense was all too quiet for 8 innings and as I mentioned earlier, struggled mightily with runners in scoring position. Going into the 9^th inning, the Dbacks were 0-8 with runners in scoring position until Nolan Arenado came up and doubled home the games first run. Arenado put together a great 7 pitch at bat and fought off some tough pitches to get a mistake right down the middle, and he did not miss it driving it into the left field corner.  Lourdes Gurriel Jr followed that at bat with a 2 run single up the middle, and finally after doing nothing for 8 innings, the Dbacks had a 3-0 lead. In addition, a passed ball proved to ultimately be the game deciding run a couple of batters later when pinch runner Jorge Barrosa scored.

Then came the bottom of the 9^th and Paul Sewald with a 4-run lead continued with his struggles in non-save situations and made the game pretty interesting. Sewald allowed 2 doubles and 2 singles to allow the Cardinals to come within 1 run of spoiling the rare clutch hitting from the half inning before. Fortunately, Brandyn Garcia was able to come to the rescue and strikeout the red-hot JJ Wetherholt to kill the rally and secure the win for the Dbacks and record his first major league save.

For the Dbacks, 95% of this game was much of the same, but you really have to hope that the big hits from the veterans Arenado and Gurriel Jr. spark this offense and give this group some kind of momentum that they can build upon. Gurriel Jr also had another hit earlier in the game for a solid double, so maybe this is the beginning of Gurriel Jr. beginning one of his trademark heaters this team is so desperately in need of.

Lets see if the offense can continue this momentum tomorrow as Mitch Bratt will be making his major league debut, and it would be great for him to get some early run support to ease the nerves. The lefty has been a really exciting young arm in this Dbacks system after coming over in the Merrill Kelly trade last season, and it would be huge for him to step up and lead his team to victory tomorrow.

Metaphorically speaking, some needed sunshine peeked through late in the black-cloud day the Mets endured Tuesday. 

After their 9-6 loss to the Cubs at Citi Field, Carlos Mendoza said the club would have nighttime discussions about whether a rehabbing Francisco Lindor could be activated for Wednesday’s doubleheader.

It’s a possibility, the manager said, and anything that tilts positive rates highly in a blue-and-orange world where so much has gone wrong. Especially if it’s a little weightier than a few successful challenges or some cosmetic ninth-inning runs, both of which were basically the pluses emanating from the Mets’ third-straight loss.

Otherwise, the Mets got yet another clunker from their rotation, that chronic trouble spot. Kodai Senga looked like his old self in a spotless first inning, but thereafter looked mostly like his more recent self, which is not a good thing.

AndJuan Soto left with back tightness. 

“His back locked up,” Mendoza said, and Soto came out after the fourth inning. But even if Soto is considered day-to-day, as Mendoza said, it still feels ominous that the manager also said Soto could really feel it when he was trying to get to his “A” swing. The Mets will determine if Soto needs further testing.

If Lindor, who had two hits and two runs for Triple-A Syracuse on Tuesday, can return and be a threat, perhaps the Mets can find some equilibrium as they try to prove that David Stearns shouldn’t look to sell at the trade deadline. Math and baseball’s generous wild card system dictate that they deserve some time, even at 10 games under .500, but their starting pitching must improve.

Nolan McLean and Sean Manaea, in that order, will start against the Cubs in the doubleheader, and they’re probably the starters pitching the best right now. Christian Scott, who had begun to blossom nicely, could return soon, too.

Senga, however, is a wreck, toting a 10.08 ERA. He’s trending toward being un-pitchable after giving up seven runs on three hits in 3.2 innings against the Cubs.

“David was pretty clear before the game that performing matters here and having outings like these is not going to cut it,” Mendoza said of Senga’s performance. “We need better.”

“That first inning version of myself, if I can replicate that over and over again, I think I absolutely do belong in the rotation,” Senga said through an interpreter. “However, if I’m struggling to find the strike zone, then it becomes a tougher conversation. That’s a decision that Mendy and the front office will make and I’ll just continue to do what I can and continue to prepare so that I can, when I do go back out there the next time, I can perform at the highest level possible.”

Seven runs on only three hits? Yes, walks were a huge factor for Senga – again. He walked five and three of those scored, along with the one batter he hit. Mets starters came into the game with the third-worst walk rate in baseball. Overall, the Mets walked seven, a continuation of a problem that dates back several seasons, including in 2024 when they went to the NLCS.

“It (walks) is absolutely something we’re talking about internally,” Stearns said before the game. “We’ve got to more consistently throw strikes.”

Even before Senga’s outing, the Mets had the fourth-worst starter ERA in baseball. Losing Clay Holmes in May certainly hurt.

Freddy Peralta, brought in to top the rotation, has had some struggles and owns a 4.83 ERA. Stearns noted that Peralta has been missing locations he’s hit in the past, which has hindered his effectiveness. Peralta is “working on some mechanical things,” Stearns said.

“We haven't gotten the level of consistent performances from most of our rotation that we expected and that our players expected coming into the season,” Stearns added. “I think each of our starters would say that there's another level of performance in there, and it's our job as an organization to do everything we can to try to get the best versions of each of those players out.”

Obviously, the Mets need the rotation to begin soaring, and fast. They’ve stuck with struggling pitchers such as Senga and David Peterson because there aren’t alternatives.

It puts a strain across the roster. The Mets have given up so many early runs when their starters crater that they often play from behind, supersizing the burden on what can be a spotty offense.

And they’re not even deep enough into the season for the rotation’s deficiencies to blast chaos through what’s been a good bullpen so far. Last season, the starters failed to pitch deep into games and the resulting reverberation through the relievers helped wreck the Mets’ season.

For now, the Mets might have to console themselves with Lindor’s return. He’ll certainly lengthen the lineup and help the defense.

“We also can’t put everything on Francisco to come back at a time when he hasn’t been playing baseball very much and expect him to put us on his back,” Stearns said.

True enough. The starting pitching will have to help. And quickly. 

Can it? Not if the rotation keeps having nights like Tuesday.

David Stearns said prior to Tuesday night’s game that the Mets were going to need more consistency from their starting rotation if they hoped to turn things around. 

For the first three batters, Kodai Senga appeared to be up for the challenge. 

Senga was a much different pitcher than in his previous few outings, pounding the zone with consistent heat as he struck out two Cubs en route to a perfect top of the first. 

From there, though, things quickly changed. 

The righty completely lost his groove as he loaded the bases and walked in a run before giving up a three-run blast to former Mets prospect Pete Crow-Armstrong.

Just like that, New York found itself in another early hole. 

“That’s the frustrating part,” Carlos Mendoza said. “He goes out there in that first inning and that’s the guy you hope that he’s capable of being, just blowing that fastball by people.

“Then the second inning he gets away from it, and we’re sitting there in the dugout kind of asking ourselves like what’s going on here, it happens so quick, it’s hard to explain -- just frustrating.”

And the frustration only grew from there, as Senga was hurt by another free pass in the top of the fourth, with the struggling Dansby Swanson immediately following it with a two-run homer. 

He ended up being pulled without completing that frame, leaving with seven runs on his line via just three hits and a season-high five free passes in just 3.2 innings of work. 

At this point, even Senga is left searching for answers regarding his command issues. 

“It’s hard to pinpoint,” he said via an interpreter. “When I’m trying to find the zone, that’s when I’m not in the zone, when I’m trying to throw freely, that’s when the pitches are in the zone.”

Now sitting 7.0 GB of a wild card spot, though, the Mets don’t have time to keep hoping for answers. 

With losses in each of his last five outings and an ugly 10.08 ERA on the season, Senga appears to be back on the outside looking in at a spot in the starting rotation. 

“David was pretty clear before the game that performance matters here,” Mendoza said. 

“Having outings like this is not going to cut it, I’m pretty sure we’re going to have decisions, but that ain’t gonna do it -- we need better, they know that, but we get to a point where you have to go out there and earn it.”

Cubs pitcher Edward Cabrera was carted off the field Tuesday night at Citi Field in the bottom of the fifth inning after he injured himself making a play at first base against the Mets. 

Chicago revealed after its 9-6 win that Cabrera strained both his left hamstring and left adductor while stretching out to make a catch on a throw to first by second baseman Nico Hoerner, who had to slide to make a play on the line drive hit by Jared Young. 

Cabrera caught the throw to end the inning, but he quickly rolled over and grabbed at his leg, clearly in pain. 

The Cubs right-hander hobbled as he got up and attempted to walk before only getting several steps and falling back down to the ground. 

Chicago’s medical staff came racing out to see if Cabrera was alright. 

He eventually had to be helped to the cart and was taken off the field. 

Following the game, Cubs manager Craig Counsell told reporters that it was a left hamstring injury and that it would require Cabrera to go on the injured list. 

“We’ll have imaging done tomorrow and see where that takes us,” he said. 

The Cubs are already down several members of their Opening Day starting rotation, with lefty Matthew Boyd and right-handers Cade Horton and Jameson Taillon also out. 

Counsell said that he was “concerned” about the state of the team’s pitching and depth and that they were in a “tough spot.” 

Cabrera pitched five innings on Tuesday night in Queens, giving up two runs and striking out four while throwing 99 pitches. 

He had entered the game with a 4-4 record and 5.21 ERA in his 13 starts. 

Cabrera was acquired by the Cubs in a trade with Miami back in January. 

The righty has dealt with several injuries this season, including a June 16 issue when he had to come out of a game with a right-hand cramp and was on the IL on May 21 due to a blister on his middle finger.

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We all know that the San Francisco Giants have underperformed to a massive degree this season. And we also all know that president of baseball operations Buster Posey is always willing to make a big splash.

And so, armed with those pieces of information, it seemed fair to assume the Giants would look to unload one of their larger contracts. Posey all but confirmed that on Tuesday, when he met with the media and basically said that every play save for Logan Webb was available.

We’ve heard rumors for a few weeks that the Giants will look to unload one of their extra-large contracts: first baseman Rafael Devers, shortstop Willy Adames, and third baseman Matt Chapman. That’s easier said than done: Devers is having a huge down year on offense, and owed an ungodly sum of money, while Adames and Chapman are both having down years at the plate, while possessing no-trade clauses.

But still, it seems likely that Posey will try his darndest to unload at least one of those deals, and open up some money to play with in future years. So which of those three do you think is most likely to be dealt in the next month?

Konnor Griffin is nearing a return to the Pirates’ infield.

The former No. 1 prospect and 20-year-old shortstop sensation will begin a rehab assignment in Double-A with the Altoona Curve beginning on Wednesday.

Manager Don Kelly confirmed to the media that Griffin will play his first game since May 30.

Griffin has been sidelined for nearly a month due to a forearm injury that has hampered his ability to throw.

What was once considered day-to-day required an IL stint, and the Pirates treated the injury with significant caution.

Griffin served as the designated hitter against the Minnesota Twins on May 29 and 30, but the Pirates didn’t want to risk future injury.

Pirates pregame and postgame host Dan Zangrilli of 93.7 The Fan believes Griffin could return during the three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds this home stand. 

In 51 games with the Bucs, Griffin is slashing .270/.327/.402 with nine doubles, two triples, four home runs, and 22 RBIs over the course of 189 at-bats.

Griffin has also stolen 14 bases and has been deployed as high as the Pirates’ leadoff hitter or in the bottom third of the lineup. 

The Pirates did not find any structural damage for Griffin or anything that required serious attention outside of rest. He took ground balls last week and continued to rehab his forearm by throwing 90 feet, to bases, and getting back into the swing of throwing the ball with regularity.

The team extended their star shortstop with a nine-year, $140 million contract that marked one of the best days in recent Pirates history. 

Lacking offense and Griffin’s five-tool ability at short, the Pirates have slipped below .500 (39-40).

They desperately need Griffin back, and it appears to be only a matter of time.

When he does return soon, Griffin will immediately be relied on as the difference maker and embrace the weight of the franchise at only 20 years of age.

The Pirates play the Mariners and Reds before going across the state and to the nation’s capital over the next two weeks before the All-Star Game.

Right-hander Koen Moreno was promoted from High-A South Bend to Double-A Knoxville.

Right-hander Luis Rujano was promoted from rookie ball ACL Cubs to South Bend.

Iowa Cubs

The Iowa Cubs were stampeded by the Buffalo Bison (Blue Jays), 11-10 in ten innings.

Paul Campbell pitched the first five innings and gave up four runs on four hits. Campbell walked two and struck out five.

Corbin Martin pitched the top of the tenth, gave up three runs and took the loss when Iowa only scored two runs in the bottom of the inning. Martin’s final line was three runs, two earned, on three hits. He struck out one and walked no one.

DH BJ Murray tied the game 1-1 with a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning. It was his ninth home run on the year. Murray went 3 for 5 with a triple and the home run. He also walked once. Murray scored two runs and drove home two.

Third baseman Owen Miller hit a grand slam in the sixth inning, his fourth home run of the year. Miller went 2 for 5.

Catcher Moisés Ballesteros was 2 for 4 with a double, a walk and a sacrifice fly. He had three RBI.

Murray’s home run.

Miller’s slam.

An RBI double for Mo Baller.

Ballesteros gets the I-Cubs to within a run in the tenth.

Knoxville Smokies

The Knoxville Smokies toppled the Birmingham Barons (White Sox), 5-3.

Starter Connor Schultz pitched 3.1 innings and gave up three runs on two hits. He had some control issues as he walked six. Schultz struck out five.

Erian Rodriguez handled the next 2.2 innings and collected the win after not allowing a run. Rodriguez gave up just one hit. He walked two and struck out three.

Tyler Schlaffer pitched the final three innings and got just his second career save. Schlaffer retired the first eight batters he faced and then allowed a two-out double in the ninth. He then ended the game by getting the next batter to pop out. Schlaffer struck out three.

In the second inning, left fielder Andy Garriola cracked his team-high 14th home run with the bases empty. Garriola was 3 for 4 with a double, the home run and a walk. He had two total runs batted in.

Catcher Owen Ayers connected for his 19th home run on the year with the bases empty in the seventh. It was his 13th home run with the Smokies. Ayers was 1 for 4 with a walk.

Second baseman Ed Howard was 2 for 4 and scored once.

Garriola’s home run.

The Ayers home run.

South Bend Cubs

The South Bend Cubs arrested the Quad Cities River Bandits (Royals), 6-2.

Kevin Valdez started and allowed two runs on two hits over 4.1 innings. Both runs came on a home run in the fifth inning. Valdez walked three and struck out a career-high nine batters.

Ben Johnson threw the next 1.2 innings, did not give up a run on one hit, and got the win. He struck out one and walked no one.

Left fielder Jose Escobar had a huge night. He went 4 for 4 with two doubles and a two-run home run in the fourth inning. It was Escobar’s second home run with South Bend and fourth overall. He finished the night with three runs batted in.

Shortstop Ty Southisene was 2 for 4 with a double and two steals. He scored one run.

Third baseman Matt Halbach went 2 for 4 with a double and an RBI single in the first inning. Halbach also scored once.

Second baseman Angel Cepeda was 2 for 4. He drove in one and scored one run.

Escobar’s home run.

RBI single for Cepeda.

Myrtle Beach Pelicans

The Myrtle Beach Pelicans herded up the Salem RidgeYaks (Red Sox), 7-2.

Starting pitcher Yoendris Gonzalez did not allow a hit or a run over the first three innings. Gonzalez walked two and struck out four.

Riely Huntsaker pitched the next four innings and got the win. Huntsaker allowed just one unearned run on three hits. He struck out three and walked no one.

Jhon Rosario threw the final two innings in a non-save situation. He gave up just one hit, but it was a solo home run to the first batter he faced in the eighth. Rosario allowed one run on one hit and one walk. He struck out two.

For the fourth straight game, catcher Logan Poteet homered. This one came with a man on in the seventh inning and was his 14th home run overall. Poteet came a double shy of the cycle, as he was 3 for 5 with a triple and the home run. He scored twice and had two runs batted in.

Center fielder Alexey Lumpuy went 3 for 5 with a stolen base. He singled home two in the fourth inning.

Third baseman Yahil Melendez was 2 for 5 with a double.

Lumpuy’s two-run single.

Poteet’s home run.

ACL Cubs

Lost to the Giants, 6-4.

It would seem the Colorado Rockies used up most of their magic last night. After an exciting walk-off finale, the Rockies fell back to earth this evening with a quiet game against the Boston Red Sox in which the offense struggled to gain any momentum.

A gutsy start by Sean Sullivan

Left-handed rookie Sean Sullivan’s first three starts have certainly been unique. The first came under the scorching Nevada sun while he was visibly ill and he worked just three innings. In his second start he worked for innings, but also gave up seven earned runs in a single inning against Chicago.

Making his third start tonight, and his first at Coors Field, Sullivan certainly wasn’t sharp. He struggled with command and location—the opposite of what his calling card has been in the minors—walking five batters and throwing 94 pitches in five innings of work. However, it was both the longest start of his career and an incredibly gutsy one. Despite dealing with self-inflicted wounds, Sullivan largely kept his mistakes from haunting him and kept the Rockies within reach. He gave up just three earned runs on five hits and the aforementioned walks, struck out three batters, and tallied ten whiffs. Six of those whiffs came on his four-seam fastball despite the pitch averaging just 87.7 MPH. He gave up just one home run, a solo shot off the bat of Wilyer Abreu in the fifth inning.

“At the end of the night he gave us a chance to win,” said manager Warren Schaeffer after the game. “He battled, but [fell] behind in too many counts. Too many walks.”

Mixed results from the bullpen

Righty Zach Agnos took the ball from Sullivan for three innings of relief work, the first of which exemplified the struggles the Rockies bullpen have faced lately. In the sixth inning, Agnos gave up two earned runs on three hits to put the Rockies down by four runs. All three of those hits came with two outs already on the board.

However, Agnos was very solid the rest of the way. Over his next two innings of work he allowed just two more hits and a walk while keeping the Red Sox off the board.

Agnos gave way to Juan Mejia for the top of the ninth inning. Mejia entered the game with a 6.95 ERA and in the middle of a painful slump. Over his last ten appearances and 9.1 innings, Mejia had posted an ERA of 14.46 with eight strikeouts and seven walks.

Mejia gave up one hit but pitched an otherwise clean inning, lowering his ERA on the season to 6.75.

Windy Gray

There seemed to be a bit of a breeze in the air tonight at Coors Field, largely stemming from the swinging of Rockies’ bats against veteran right-handed pitcher and three-time All-Star Sonny Gray. Gray was very efficient tonight, making it through seven innings on 93 pitches. While he did give up six hits and three walks, he generally kept the Rockies offense stymied with a season-high 11 strikeouts—the most he’s tallied in a game since June 27th, 2025. His sweeper was particularly effective and accounted for 13 of his 16 whiffs.

For most of the game the Rockies had just one run on the scoreboard. It came in the second inning courtesy of Willi Castro sending a solo home run over the right field wall. Castro finished the night 1-for-3 with a walk.

Jake McCarthy extended his hitting streak to 12 consecutive games while TJ Rumfield and Troy Johnston both had multi-hit nights, but there was very little else of note coming from the offense for most of the contest. One final gasp of fight game off the bat of Ezequiel Tovar in the bottom of the ninth inning when he hit his sixth home run of the season.

Coming Up Next

The series finale against the Red Sox is tomorrow afternoon, and the Rockies still have a chance to clinch a series win and send Boston packing. Kyle Freeland will toe the rubber for the Rockies while fellow lefty Ranger Suárez will take the mound for the Red Sox. First pitch is scheduled for 1:10 PM MDT.

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Box Score

While the Brewers’ offense didn’t exactly have a get-right game, it didn’t matter. Behind a dominant performance from Brandon Sproat and the pitching staff, Milwaukee held the Reds to just two hits in a 2-0 shutout victory, their third straight win.

Despite his struggles this season, Reds starter Nick Lodolo was dealing out of the gate, holding the Brewers hitless the first time through the lineup. Jackson Chourio broke up the no-hitter in the top of the fourth with a comebacker that got Lodolo on the pitching hand. He was pretty shaken up, but ended up staying in the game after members of the Reds’ training staff came out to check on him.

After Chourio reached, Lodolo began to unravel, allowing another single to Brice Turang and walking Andrew Vaughn in between a William Contreras strikeout. Vaughn’s walk gave the Brewers bases loaded with only one out, but Jake Bauers struck out looking (after unsuccessfully challenging the ruling of a strike), and Gary Sánchez lined out to center field to end the inning with the Brewers still scoreless.

Lodolo managed to get through the fourth, but didn’t look right. Shortly after reliever Julian Garcia came out for the top of the fifth, the Reds announced that Lodolo had been pulled due to a left wrist contusion.

Despite losing their starter, the Reds kept the Brewers off the board for another inning. Neither team scored until the top of the sixth, when Andrew Vaughn worked a two-out walk against Garcia. Left-hander Caleb Ferguson then entered to face Jake Bauers, who hit a high chopper down the first-base line and over the head of first baseman Sal Stewart. Vaughn came all the way around to score as Bauers raced into third with his first triple of the year.

While the Reds’ pitching held strong through six innings, the Brewers matched them inning for inning. Sproat delivered what was probably the best outing of his career so far, carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning and racking up 10 strikeouts without walking a single batter. The one hit he allowed — a single to Jose Trevino to start the bottom of the sixth — was quickly nullified by a great throw from Sánchez on a steal attempt (by Edwin Arroyo, who replaced Trevino at first on a fielder’s choice).

Sproat has experienced some growing pains during his rookie year, but starts like Tuesday’s are a glimpse of why the Brewers remain so excited about his long-term potential.

The Brewers got another run in the top of the eighth off Chase Petty after Turang and Contreras hit back-to-back one-out singles and Andrew Vaughn knocked in Turang with a sacrifice fly. Abner Uribe faced three batters in the bottom of the eighth, and Trevor Megill faced three batters in the bottom of the ninth as the Brewers held on for the shutout.

Despite scoring just four runs in two games, the Brewers will look for the series sweep tomorrow in Cincinnati. Shane Drohan will go for Milwaukee opposite righty Rhett Lowder. First pitch is slated for 6:10 p.m.

SAN FRANCISCO — As if the Giants’ season couldn’t become more cursed.

Luis Arraez, one of the few bright spots and San Francisco’s top trade chip, fouled a ball off his foot Tuesday night and was forced to exit the Giants’ series opener against the A’s.

The good news is that Arraez appears to have averted the worst.

Only “a little sore,” according to manager Tony Vitello.

X-Rays came back clean, Vitello said after the 3-1 win. He is considered day-to-day.

“If he can go (Wednesday), he’ll go,” Vitello said. “We’ll touch base with him in the morning.”

Arraez was wearing a shin guard in his first-inning at-bat against Aaron Civale, but the ricochet off his bat apparently missed the protective gear as the Giants’ second baseman was clearly in pain. The game was paused while Vitello and a trainer checked on him.

“I think (J.T.) Realmuto got his in that exact same spot, right on the arch,” Vitello said. “He’s as tough as they come too and it was like an inning [he stayed in the game] and he had to go. Then he couldn’t go the next couple days. It’ll be interesting to see how the swelling is in the morning.”

Arraez initially remained in the game. He finished the at-bat, flying out to left, but had a noticeable limp as he made his way up the first base line. 

He stayed in the game, even ripping his customary single on a line drive on the ninth pitch of his next at-bat, until the top of the fifth. Casey Schmitt, who started the game in left field, took over at second base.

“He always wants to be out there. The good thing is he’s honest with us,” Vitello said. “It was tightening up right away, but he stayed out there and got a base hit. … He just needed to come out.”

It ended up being a good outcome given an injury to Arraez couldn’t have come at a worse time, just over a month out from MLB’s trade deadline. The Giants, 15 games below .500 entering Tuesday, are obvious sellers, and with Arreaz’s stellar two-way play on a one-year deal, he is a clear candidate to be moved.

Not only has the three-time batting champ reclaimed his position among the league’s best hitters for average, the notoriously poor defender has been a revelation at second base.

The combination of those qualities could entice a contender to part with a considerable package of prospects to acquire his services for the stretch run. The bloated contracts and underperformance of the Giants’ other trade candidates means Arraez could net them a better return than Matt Chapman, Willy Adames or Rafael Devers.

Had X-Rays revealed the worst, the Giants may not have gotten the chance to cash in.

DETROIT — Almost every night, Cody Bellinger finds a way to impact the game.

On Tuesday, he did it with his arm.

Bellinger unleashed a 95.5 mph throw from left field on one hop to the plate to nail a runner trying to score in the fourth inning before the Yankees came back to beat the Tigers 4-3 at Comerica Park.

“What a great throw,” said Carlos Rodón, who was on the mound. “I was surprised they sent [the runner], because Cody’s got a good arm. He’s a great defender. And of course he comes up and throws it right on the money.”

The Tigers led 2-1 at the time and were threatening for more, with Riley Greene on second base and two outs. Hao-Yu Lee hit a single to left field, where Bellinger fielded it cleanly and fired home to Austin Wells, who caught it on a bounce and then slid over to his left to tag Greene.

“Obviously I wanted to get a good beat on it and set my feet and make a good throw,” Bellinger said. “It was a pretty good throw, but Wellsy did a great job of getting the ball and putting a quick tag on him.”

Wells snapped an 0-for-18 skid (that dated back to before his injured-list stint) by roping an RBI double off lefty Tyler Holton in the sixth inning, extending the Yankees’ lead to 4-2.

“Really good swing off a tough at-bat,” Bellinger said. “He’s a huge part of this team and excited to have him back.”

Wells was making his second start since being activated off the IL for cervical headaches.

The Yankees’ catcher position continues to be in flux, as Ali Sánchez went on the paternity list Tuesday (replaced by J.C. Escarra) but looks like he might avoid the injured list after taking a 98 mph fastball to his right wrist on Monday. X-rays and a CT scan were both negative.

“Hoping off of the testing and everything that he’ll be a player for us when he gets back, whether that’s Thursday or Friday,” Boone said.

The Yankees announced Tuesday they have signed 18-year-old right-hander Chien-Fan Lai out of Taiwan as part of their international signing class. The team said Lai was the “highest-rated Taiwanese pitcher in the 2026 class,” though it was not immediately clear whose ratings those were.

But the 6-foot, 180-pound Lai became the third Taiwanese player in franchise history to sign with the Yankees, joining right-hander Chien-Ming Wang (2000) and infielder Fu-Lin Kuo (2009). Lai is expected to soon report to the Yankees’ Dominican Summer League Academy to begin his pro career.

“The signing of Chien-Fan represents our renewed commitment to players in Taiwan, and in Asia as a whole,” Mario Garza, who took over as the club’s new director of international scouting in January, said in a statement. “As I have gotten to know Chien-Fan, I have seen a focused and self-assured individual with great aptitude and a desire to improve.

“Through a scouting lens, he has an impressive multi-pitch mix, including a heavy fastball and quality off-speed pitches with solid command. This combination of traits allows us to believe that he will acclimate himself well in our development system, maximize his on-field potential and eventually become a productive Major League pitcher.”

Ryan McMahon was initially supposed to be in Tuesday’s lineup at third base against Tigers righty Casey Mize, but an ear/throat infection that he has been battling the last few days changed those plans.

“He’s still pretty banged up today,” said Boone, who was hoping to at least have him available off the bench.

Instead, Boone moved José Caballero from shortstop to third base and inserted Anthony Volpe into the lineup at shortstop. Volpe delivered a pair of singles in the win.

Major League Baseball says it has no concerns about Dodgers and Rams head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache working with players.

ElAttrache was questioned by MLB on June 12 following a detailed report by the New York Times that the renowned surgeon and sports medicine expert supported the therapeutic use of performance-enhancing drugs by UFC star Conor McGregor.

“MLB took our responsibility to conduct due diligence in this matter seriously. We interviewed Dr. Neal ElAttrache last week, covering multiple topics, and he answered our questions thoroughly,” MLB said in a statement obtained by The Times Tuesday night.

“Based on our interview, the review of relevant records, Dr. ElAttrache’s long history of support for and cooperation with the Joint Drug Program and the fact that no Therapeutic Use Exemption requests of this nature have been submitted by Dr. ElAttrache or anyone else, we do not have any concerns regarding Dr. ElAttrache’s treatment of MLB players, or his adherence to the Joint Drug Programs and related rules.

“We consider this matter closed.”

Read more:Dodgers, Rams physician Neal ElAttrache explains referring UFC star Conor McGregor to steroids specialist

ElAttrache performed surgery on McGregor in July 2021, inserting a rod, plates and screws into his left leg after the fighter broke his tibia and fibula during a mixed martial arts bout against Dustin Poirier in Las Vegas.

McGregor’s recovery was lengthy and arduous. ElAttrache told the New York Times that while he did not prescribe steroids for McGregor, he referred him to a specialist who did. Furthermore, ElAttrache wrote a letter supporting McGregor’s request for a therapeutic use exemption from UFC drug policies.

“I felt it would be appropriate to consult other physicians with expertise in bone healing/bone metabolism,” ElAttrache told the New York Times via text. “I recommended the consultations but not the course of treatment.”

ElAttrache said he told McGregor to check with UFC drug testers about prescriptions the consultant gave him. “I purposely wasn’t involved with his evaluation by the consultant nor with prescribing medication,” ElAttrache said.

Read more:Surgeon Neal ElAttrache helps Rams and Dodgers get back on the field after injuries

The exemption request was denied by the U.S. Anti-Doping Agency, the drug testing organization the UFC used at the time, triggering a split between the two organizations. McGregor withdrew from the UFC anti-doping program shortly thereafter and no longer was required to undergo testing for banned substances.

The report prompted MLB to talk with ElAttrache about his approach to treating players.

ElAttrache, operating primarily out of the Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Orthopaedic Clinic in Los Angeles, has performed elbow or shoulder surgeries on prominent Dodgers past and present, including Shohei Ohtani, Clayton Kershaw, Tony Gonsolin and Walker Buehler as well as former Rams stars Cooper Kupp and Cam Akers.

Among the hundreds of surgeries performed over three decades by ElAttrache, his patients include the four 2024 MLB most valuable player and Cy Young Award winners — Ohtani, Aaron Judge, Chris Sale and Tarik Skubal. ElAttrache’s patients include 18 of 29 players who won the MVP or Cy Young awards over the past 10 years.

“I have spoken with MLB and I am very comfortable with the process that the league and I will complete to assure the public that I have followed every rule and regulation in my medical treatment of athletes without exception,” ElAttrache said in a statement to the Los Angeles Times earlier this month. “My record is completely clean, including in this case.”

Times staff writers Steve Henson, Bill Shaikin, Sam Farmer and Gary Klein contributed to this report.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Red Sox 5, Rockies 2

Leverage index and box score

Graphics via FanGraphs.

Sonny Skies: Sonny Gray, +0.34 WPA

Nothing’s Free, man: Tyler Freeman, -0.18 WPA 

Game thread comment of the day

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MINNEAPOLIS — They don’t homer, they don’t win.

That’s normally the case for the Dodgers.

Tuesday was an exception.

In their 12-3 victory over the Minnesota Twins, the Dodgers built their lead in unorthodox fashion.

They piled up hits.

Of their 17 hits, only one was a home run and it didn’t come until the ninth inning when Alex Call launched a sinker by reliever Taylor Rogers over the left-field wall at Target Field.

How unusual was this?

The Dodgers are 7-17 in games in which they don’t homer.

In games they do?

They’re 44-12.

Freddie Freeman led the Dodgers’ balanced attack, as he was 3-for-4 with a walk and was involved in the team scoring in three separate innings.

Freeman doubled in the third inning and scored when Tommy Edman reached base on a throwing error by Twins second baseman Luke Keaschall. The run tied the game at 2-2.

A single by Freeman drove in the second of the three runs the Dodgers scored in the fourth inning to move in front, 5-2.

Freeman doubled again in the sixth inning to drive in Andy Pages and extend the Dodgers’ lead to 6-2.

Justin Wrobleski provided the majority of the pitching, limiting the Twins to two runs and five hits over seven innings. Wrobleski improved his record to a team-best 9-2 and lowered his earned-run average to 2.71.

What it means

The Dodgers’ record of 51-29 is the best record in baseball.

Last year, the Dodgers finished the regular season with the third-best record in the NL, which complicated their World Series title defense.

Because they weren’t one of the two NL teams to receive a first-round bye, they had to play the Cincinnati Reds in a best-of-three wild-card round. In each of the next three rounds of the postseason, including the World Series, their opponents had home-field advantage.

This year, they could do what they did in 2024 when they enjoyed a first-round bye and home-field advantage throughout the postseason.

Who’s hot

Journeyman Chuckie Robinson started at catcher in place of Dalton Rushing, who was tested before the game to rule out a concussion.

Robinson entered the game 0 for 11 on the season.

His fourth-inning single was his first hit in the major leagues since Sept. 14, 2024. He finished the game 2 for 4 with a run scored and a run batted in, making this his first multi-hit game since Oct. 4, 2022. 

The series marks a homecoming for outfielder Alex Call, who grew up about 40 minutes away in River Falls, Wisc.

With Kyle Tucker sidelined with back spasms, Call was 2-for-4 with a homer, two walks and three runs. In the series opener on Monday, Call pinch-ran for Tucker in the second inning and went on to collect two hits in that game.

Who’s not

The Twins remain within striking distance of a wild-card spot, but they might as well be sellers at the trade deadline. Even if they reach the postseason by some miracle, they simply don’t have the team to compete in October. Their bullpen is terrible, and based on their performance so far in this series, their lineup can’t do anything against half-decent pitching. In their two games against the Dodgers, the Twins have scored only three runs.

Up next

The Dodgers will close out their three-game series against the Twins on Wednesday. Shohei Ohtani (7-2, 1.47 ERA) will start for the Dodgers and take on All-Star Joe Ryan (5-3, 2.99 ERA). who had his start pushed back by a day because of illness.