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

Carlos Rodon bounced back from a rough first inning to give the Yankees seven innings and the offense launched three homers in their 9-1 win over the Twins on Tuesday night.

With the win, the Yankees clinched a series win after losing five of their last six series.

Here are the takeaways...

- It was a rough start for Rodon. The first pitch he threw, his spikes got stuck on the mound and he looked uncomfortable ever since. A hit, walk and HBP loaded the bases with no outs for rookie Luke Keaschall. The second baseman struck out swinging and got Royce Lewis to ground into a fielder's choice after beating out the double play attempt, which pushed across a run, and then struck out Kody Clemens to get out, just allowing one run, but he threw 31 pitches.

The southpaw would settle down in a big way, retiring 16 straight Twins at one point and pitching seven innings. Rodon is the first Yankee starter to go at least seven since he pitched eight innings against the Cubs on July 11. 

Rodon threw 96 pitches (61 strikes) through seven innings, allowing one run on one hit, two walks and striking out five batters.

- Aaron Judge hit his first home run since returning from the IL, his 38th homer of the season and got the Yankees even. Anthony Volpe will put the Yankees in front in the second with a three-run shot. It's the shortstop's eighth home run since the All-Star break.

Giancarlo Stanton launched a 447-foot blast to left-center field to put the Yanks up 5-1. It's Stanton's 441st career home run, surpassing Jason Giambi for 44th all-time. It's Stanton's 12th home run since July 2; only Kyle Schwarber has more.

- The Yankees continued to put pressure on the Twins throughout. They loaded the bases with one out in the third inning and forced starter Travis Adams out of the game. Paul Goldschmidt struck out and Ryan McMahon grounded out to end the threat. It was a recurring theme for the Yankees on this night, they were 1-for-11 with 10 left on base in the seventh when Cody Bellinger walked with the bases loaded before Stanton lined a two-run single to put the Yanks up 8-1. 

J.C. Escarra hit a single to drive in Jazz Chisholm Jr. -- who led off the inning with a triple -- to cap off the offensive onslaught. The Yankees finished 3-for-14 with RISP and left 12 on base.

Not only did Stanton finish 4-for-5 -- his first four-hit game since 2023 -- with three RBI, he also played a competent right field. He pushed his batting average to .300 on the season.

- The combination of Tim Hill and Yerry De Los Santos struck out three batters in the final two innings.

Game MVP: Carlos Rodon

The offense (and Stanton especially) were great, but if Rodon implodes in the first inning, it could have been a very different game.

Highlights

What's next

The Yanekes and Twins complete their three-game series on Wednesday night. First pitch is for 7:05 p.m.

Cam Schlittler (1-2, 4.38 ERA) takes the mound with Joe Ryan (11-5, 2.79 ERA) on the bump for the Twins.

Solo homer for Aaron Judge gets the Yankees on the board! 🙌 pic.twitter.com/P1WlcHR122

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) August 12, 2025

Anthony Volpe launches a 3-run homer 🚀

pic.twitter.com/KrOazvDqUa

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) August 12, 2025

Giancarlo Stanton sends it 447 feet 💣 pic.twitter.com/OqpfWATuRF

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) August 13, 2025

Cody Bellinger draws a walk with the bases loaded to bring in another run! pic.twitter.com/RAj7Sp1W6b

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) August 13, 2025

Pete Alonso and the Mets should savor this, the longball that put the Polar Bear atop the Mets' all-time homer list. Alonso has broken Darryl Strawberry’s club record with his 253rd career blast, and it’s a grand accomplishment for a remarkable Met, one of the best in franchise history.

The big blow came in the bottom of the third on Tuesday night, as Alonso crushed a 95 mph first pitch fastball from Braves right-hander Spencer Strider 394 feet the other way into the bullpen.

Amidst relishing Alonso’s milestone, however, it’s hard not to think about his future in Flushing, too. He can opt out of the two-year, $54-million deal he signed before spring training this year and take what should be a more satisfying swig from the free agent chalice than last winter, when he lingered on the market.

The Mets shouldn’t let that happen. This record has only strengthened already-deep bonds between Alonso, the Mets, and Mets fans and the club should do what it takes to keep Alonso in Queens long-term.

Make him a Forever Met.

There is something about nurturing a franchise icon. The Mets’ past is littered with divorces from their boldface names, including the previous record-holder in home runs, Strawberry. Tom Seaver should never have worn another uniform. Ever. The club got it right with David Wright and the Mets enjoyed a great feel-good day last month when Wright’s No. 5 was retired and that was just a slice of what Wright being an Only Met brings the franchise.

Alonso deserves something similar. If he sticks around for the rest of his playing career, he’ll probably put the franchise’s homer mark out of reach for everyone, maybe even Juan Soto, who’s going to be around for another 14 years.  

Alonso’s power credentials are impeccable. It’s only right that he holds the career home run record for the Mets, since he has many of their other big fly marks, too.

Most in a single season? Yep – he hit 53 in 2019 to set the club record and the MLB record for home runs by a rookie. Mets to homer in the All-Star Game? Check – Alonso did it this year in Atlanta to join Lee Mazzilli (1979) and Wright (2006) as the only Mets to homer in the Midsummer Classic.

He’s the first Met to have five 30-homer seasons. Every single season he’s completed as a Met, Alonso has led the team in home runs. In his six full seasons prior to this one, here are his ranks among the National League home run leaders: first, third, third, second, third, fifth.

He was the fifth player in MLB history to have three 40-homer seasons in the first five years of his career, joining Ralph Kiner, Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols and Eddie Mathews.

Any list he’s on is a who’s who of brawn. After his second season – remember, 2020 was shortened by the pandemic – he had 69 career home runs. Only five players had more after their first two seasons and all of them played many more games than Alonso in that span. The players? Four Hall-of-Famers (Joe DiMaggio, Kiner, Mathews and Pujols) and a former MVP (Ryan Braun).

Alonso has always seemed to “get” New York. He’s embraced being a Met and embraced the city, from his goofy phrasemaking – “The boys are hot” – to his 9/11 cleats. It hasn’t all been perfect, nothing is. He even fell out of favor with some Met fans toward the end of last season, which was not his most productive campaign. Some were anticipating him going elsewhere in free agency and were fine with it.

Then he crushed the Brewers’ souls with that dramatic home run in the finale of the Wild Card Series in Milwaukee. It’s one of the biggest hacks in franchise history and it was the calling card of a big postseason in which Alonso had a .999 OPS, four home runs and 10 RBI in 13 games. Fans who were ambivalent about Alonso warmed up to a return.

The real conversations about Alonso’s future may not take place until the winter. Hopefully, Alonso, the Boras Corporation and the Mets can work it out. Both sides have to want it.

But, from the Mets’ standpoint, this should not be about “winning” the transaction. This is not about roster construction or siphoning value out of an under-appreciated part of the player market.

Yes, Alonso is on the wrong side of 30 (he’ll be 31 in December) and he is not the kind of versatile, athletic, youthful player that makes front offices swoon nowadays. So what? There are qualities beyond value that can bolster an organization. The Steve Cohen Mets have the kind of money and the willingness to spend it that they can gamble on Alonso wanting to be great into his mid-30s. And maybe beyond.

Barely anyone in the Majors has the kind of power Alonso does. Only Aaron Judge (269 home runs entering play Aug. 5) and Kyle Schwarber (252 entering play Aug. 5) have hit more home runs since Alonso entered the majors.

And give Alonso credit for something else he’s done this year – in a season where few Mets are producing with runners in scoring position, which has held the team back, he is batting .328 with a 1.164 OPS in such situations (entering play Aug. 5).

Alonso has been a great Met for years and him grabbing Strawberry’s record is a reminder that there’s a looming decision for Alonso, for both sides. A new deal in Queens would not just be paying him for what he’s done in the past. Power can age well, too. What if Alonso has five more 40-homer seasons in his bat?

There’s plenty of value in retaining a franchise icon. Historically, the Mets have missed some big chances. They’ve got an opportunity now to keep one in Alonso.

Do it.

The Dodgers announced that starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin underwent season-ending elbow surgery on Tuesday — and that wasn’t even the most troubling injury update of the day.

Instead, in what manager Dave Roberts described as the latest “big blow” to the club’s reeling bullpen, right-hander Brock Stewart was placed on the injured list with what Roberts said was shoulder inflammation.

The Dodgers are hopeful that they caught Stewart’s injury early. Both Roberts and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman expressed confidence he would be back for the stretch run of the season.

Still, Stewart was acquired at the trade deadline less than two weeks ago in order to bolster a struggling relief corps already missing Michael Kopech, Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates and Brusdar Graterol. Now, just four outings into his return to the organization, Stewart represents yet another question mark for a team that has been short on answers amid a recent 12-19 skid.

“Obviously, he’s a big part of what we’re trying to do,” Roberts said. “So to not have him available hurts.”

According to Roberts, Stewart had been dealing with shoulder soreness over the last four days, coinciding with his most recent outing last Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Read more:Dodgers welcome deadline additions, hopeful arrival ‘raises the floor for our ballclub’

Stewart is scheduled to be more thoroughly examined Wednesday, but Friedman noted that initial manual testing on his shoulder was encouraging.

"Sounds like we caught it at the very front end,” Friedman said. “So from our standpoint, we felt like, let's be smart here, take him off line. We're optimistic that he'll be back.”

Hard-throwing right-hander Edgardo Henriquez was called up in Stewart’s place.

Stewart, who began his career as a starting pitcher with the Dodgers from 2016-2019 before reinventing himself as a hard-throwing reliever with the Minnesota Twins over the last three years, represented the Dodgers’ only bullpen upgrade at the deadline.

At the time, the lack of further action felt like a risk for a club that ranks 21st in the majors in reliever ERA this season (4.23).

But in Stewart, who was acquired at a relatively low cost, with only outfielder James Outman going back to Minnesota in return, the Dodgers’ hoped they’d not only found a right-handed replacement for Evan Phillips, who is out for the season because of a Tommy John surgery, but someone capable of shoring up one of the biggest weak spots on the roster.

"I think so much of this is about knowing the person you're acquiring,” Friedman said. “And the history we had with Brock, obviously, was really helpful with that.”

Read more:Dodgers place starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin on the injured list

However, Stewart took a loss in his second game with the team, giving up a tie-breaking run in the ninth against the St. Louis Cardinals last week. He was tagged for another run his next time out. And though he bounced back with a scoreless inning against the Blue Jays over the weekend, his shoulder flared up, marking the third time since the start of last year that shoulder troubles have forced him onto the injured list (he twice went on the 60-day IL last year because of shoulder injuries).

“From our standpoint, we felt like the upside, and hopefully we still have the chance to realize that, far outweighed the risk,” Friedman said when asked how much concern the team had over Stewart’s injury history before acquiring him. “But yeah, definitely came with some risk. That's where betting on the person helps. It doesn't guarantee an outcome, but it at least increases your chances. We're optimistic we'll still get there."

Indeed, the Dodgers are expecting Stewart, Kopech (who is eligible to return from the 60-day IL in about two weeks), Yates (who will throw a live batting practice Wednesday), Scott (who will throw a live BP on Thursday) and Graterol (who is still expected back from offseason shoulder surgery in September) will all be back before the end of the season.

But having so many guys battling injuries, Roberts conceded, is “an added layer of uncertainty.”

Stewart’s arrival was supposed to help quell concerns. Now, his injury has only added to their troubles.

Gonsolin out for year

In the other big injury news Tuesday, Friedman said that Gonsolin underwent an internal brace and flexor tendon surgery that will sideline him for at least the next eight to 10 months.

Out since early June because of elbow discomfort, Gonsolin was already a long shot to return this season. And given the relative health of the current rotation (as well as Roki Sasaki’s impending return from a shoulder injury), he was unlikely to factor heavily into their postseason plans.

Still, it represents yet another setback for the former All-Star right-hander, who missed the end of 2023 and all of last season with a Tommy John surgery.

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 snapped their losing streak with a 13-5 win over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night at Citi Field.

Here are some takeaways...

- The Mets' offense absolutely exploded to end the losing skid at seven games. They chased Braves starter Spencer Strider after just four innings and then forced them to turn to a position player on the mound in the bottom of the seventh inning -- scoring 13 runs on 16 hits and six homers.

- The biggest blast of the night came in the bottom of the third when Pete Alonso crushed a first-pitch fastball from Strider over the right-center fence for a two-run shot, giving him 253 for his career and officially passing Darryl Strawberry's franchise record.  

It didn't take the big man very long to extend that record, as he lifted a solo shot for No. 254 in the sixth -- Alonso has now gone deep three times over the last three games, and he's tied for the team lead with 28 long balls on the year. 

- Alonso wasn't the only Met to enjoy a multi-homer night, Francisco Alvarez did as well. He had an opposite-field two-run shot in the second and then a solo shot to deep right in the sixth, the latter of which Brett Baty followed with an oppo blast of his own.  

Alvarez also had a run-scoring double, giving him three hits and four RBI on the night. 

- The other homer was a much-needed big hit delivered by Brandon Nimmo. The Braves rallied to even things up in the fourth, but in the bottom half of the inning, Francisco Lindor beat out a bunt single and Juan Soto drew a walk, before the slugger lifted a three-run shot to put the Mets in front for good.

Nimmo had two hits -- both he (0-for-20) and Lindor (0-for-21) snapped dreadful stretches.

- Clay Holmes struggled with his command as he worked through another up-and-down outing. He escaped a second and third nobody out jam in the first, allowing just one run to score, and then worked around two second-inning hits thanks to a 4-6-3 double play. 

Holmes issued a leadoff walk in the third, and this time was helped out by some bad fundies on the bases. Things caved in on him in the fourth, though, as Atlanta broke through for four runs to tie things up and chase him from the ballgame. 

Holmes finished with a final line of five runs on six hits and five walks while striking out four in 4.2 innings, bringing his ERA up to 3.71 for the year.

- Behind him, Gregory Soto stranded a pair in a scoreless inning of work, then with the game out of hand Justin Hagenman did a tremendous job of eating the final four innings, allowing just one baserunner.  

- Cedric Mullins put together a big night at the ballpark with a single, double, and two runs scored. After a bit of a slow start following the trade from the Orioles, he now has five hits and three RBI over his last three games.

- New York scored all 13 of their runs with two outs on the night. 

Game MVP: Pete Alonso

There were plenty of MVPs in this one, but it's hard not to pick the record-breaker. 

Highlights

Clay Holmes gets back-to-back strikeouts to end the first inning and avoid further damage pic.twitter.com/7Bm29dXb3Z

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 12, 2025

McNeil ➡️ Lindor ➡️ Alonso for the double play! pic.twitter.com/7CRvAmPBGm

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 12, 2025

Cedric Mullins brings home Pete Alonso to tie the game! pic.twitter.com/wID5FiA64P

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 12, 2025

Francisco Alvarez gives the Mets the lead with a two-run blast! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/8tYC1ngQTN

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 12, 2025

BAD FUNDIES BY THE BRAVES.

The Mets turn two! pic.twitter.com/gUe0Oaiatf

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 12, 2025

PETE ALONSO IS THE METS' ALL-TIME HOME RUN KING!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/YzATzLUGtq

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 12, 2025

Pete Alonso gave the fans at Citi Field a tip of his hat after they gave him an extended ovation after his record-breaking home run pic.twitter.com/ECM89ePYlq

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 13, 2025

BRANDON NIMMO PUTS THE METS BACK IN FRONT WITH HIS 20TH HOME RUN OF THE YEAR! pic.twitter.com/Wxk0kDglF5

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 13, 2025

CAREER HOME RUN NO. 254 FOR PETE ALONSO! pic.twitter.com/kjtgVz5tQg

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 13, 2025

FRANCISCO ALVAREZ'S SECOND HOME RUN OF THE NIGHT!

The Mets have scored all 12 of their runs with two outs! pic.twitter.com/EldAdy0myG

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 13, 2025

BRETT BATY AND FRANCISCO ALVAREZ GO BACK-TO-BACK! pic.twitter.com/OADGd9pJrY

— SNY (@SNYtv) August 13, 2025

What's next

David Peterson (7-5, 2.98 ERA) takes the ball against old friend Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 6.18 ERA) as the Mets and Braves continue their series at Citi Field at 7:10 p.m.

Pete Alonso stands alone in the record books. 

The slugger crushed his 253rd career home run in the bottom of the third on Tuesday night, officially passing Darryl Strawberry for the Mets franchise record. 

Alonso tied Strawberry’s mark this weekend in Milwaukee, and he didn’t waste any time jumping in front of him back in the home ballpark. 

Strawberry took a minute to congratulate the big man in a video shared on the team’s social media pages. 

“I just want to say congratulations on breaking the home run record,” he said. “You have worked hard, you have stood up in the pressure of New York City, and you have played well -- it is well deserved, you are a homegrown player.

“Again, congratulations and continue to have great success.”

Darryl Strawberry congratulates Pete Alonso on breaking his Mets home run record 🤝

(via @Mets) pic.twitter.com/ly8rDtYl6G

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) August 13, 2025

Frustration gets the best of Suarez as Phillies see winning streak come to end originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CINCINNATI — It wasn’t just one pitch that threw off the night for Phillies pitcher Ranger Suarez, though it certainly did seem to play a big part.

After striking out Matt McLain to start the third inning, Suarez allowed consecutive singles before getting TJ Friedl to bounce into a fielder’s choice. After going 0-2 on Spencer Steer, Suarez appeared to freeze him with a sinker. The pitch appeared to be in the strike zone, so much so that Suarez made his way to within about 10 feet of catcher Rafael Marchan and home plate umpire Will Traynor.

Three pitches later, Steer hit a two-run double to plate the Reds’ first runs in what would become a 6-1 loss for the Phillies at Great American Ballpark.

That lack of a strike call may have started a bad night for Suarez, who again jawed with Traynor in the sixth, but it wasn’t the only thing that was wrong with the left-hander on this night.

In fact, things haven’t been going well for quite some time for Suarez. In his last six starts, which have composed of 35 1/3 innings, Suarez has given up 46 hits and 24 earned runs for a 6.11 ERA during that span.

“I think I could have gotten out of those innings with way less damage than we did,” Suarez said. “I think I just mentally blocked at that point and I just stopped trying to execute those pitches. I think I was just throwing the ball.”

His manager didn’t like the reaction from his pitcher too much, either.

“You got to shut that down. If it did (affect Suarez), you can’t let that happen,” Rob Thomson said. “You got to stay focused, stay composed and keep pitching. Those things are going to happen. The iPad on the bench, it just barely ticked that, but who knows how those boxes are. I don’t know if they’re accurate or not. But, that’s something you can’t control and you’ve just got to keep pitching.

“Because of his last few outings, I think he wants to do well and maybe he’s just off a little bit. But he’s got to shut that down.”

Before the game, Thomson was answering a question about the possible availability of starter Aaron Nola. Thomson said they’d have to wait on how Nola pitched and felt after starting Tuesday in Lehigh Valley, then said the organization would “have to see where Ranger is at after tonight’s game.”

Suarez insisted that he’s fine.

“I felt good,” he said. “I felt better than last time out. Overall, I felt better and look what happened. I missed a couple, that’s the game. I wouldn’t say it’s fatigue. I feel good, actually. I know I’ve had a couple of rough starts and I realize wondering if it could be fatigue, but it’s not. I just think about it as having to look back at those pitches that were missed, that I missed, and getting better at that point.”

And Nola appears ready, if not just about ready, to rejoin the team after being out since May 14. Tuesday against Buffalo, Nola pitched 5 2/3 innings and allowed four hits, two earned runs. He didn’t walk anyone and struck out 11.

“He says he’s fine and he was really good the first two innings,” Thomson said of Suarez. “And then his command was off. The rest of his outing, really, he was getting ahead the first two innings. The third through the sixth, he was a lot of behind in the count, then he’s got to come in with too many pitches in the middle of the plate and he paid for it.”

The loss snapped a four-game win streak by the Phillies, with all the wins coming at the beginning of this 10-game road trip. The only thing that slowed down Cincinnati was a 28-minute rain delay following the sixth.

After getting through the first seven batters of the game without a hitch, Suarez allowed 12 of the next 21 batters to get on base via hits or walk. There was a home run, a bunch of singles, a couple of doubles, a hit batter, a pair of walks. Pretty much any way there was to get on base, the Reds did it off Suarez, who fell to 8-6 and had his ERA climb to 3.28, the first time it’s been that high since his fourth start of the season.

“Other than fatigue, I don’t think so, because he hasn’t complained of anything,” Thomson said of what could be behind Suarez’s struggles. “That’s the only thing I can really attribute it to. We’ll see.

“Nola had a good game tonight so we’ll see how he’s feeling tomorrow. Punched out the side in the first, third and fifth. Really threw well, 84 pitches so we’ll see how he is tomorrow. We’ll go to a sixth man, or bump him (Suarez), or something.”

There’s been a lot of news surrounding the Phillies’ pitching staff of late. It was revealed last week that Zack Wheeler was having shoulder soreness, though he and the team insist he’s fine. They picked up closing sensation Jhoan Duran at the trade deadline. Veteran David Robertson made his debut with the team on Monday. Reliever Jose Alvarado will come back from his suspension in about a week and Nola seems to have completed his rehab. And now they will have to figure out what is going on with Suarez.

After winning eight of their last 10 and playing such good baseball, a dud was bound to happen at some point. That’s somewhat expected in a 162-game season. But the supposed red flag on Suarez put a damper on what was already a damp night all around. A Bryce Harper home run in the ninth, his 18th of the year, saved the Phillies from being shut out.

“I think it’s mostly about getting on track on my starts and trying to replicate whatever we did during the first half of the season,” Suarez said. “As far as the mentality, it’s more about throwing those bad starts away and trying to start fresh and be better. I feel good.”

Tylor Megill took a big step towards a potential late-season return on Tuesday.

The big Mets starting pitcher made his first rehab appearance down with Double-A Binghamton, though he wasn’t particularly sharp.

Megill retired the first two batters he faced, then struggled to put the inning away as the next two reached on a walk and single, but he punched out the cleanup hitter to escape without any damage.

He needed 23 pitches to battle his way through the opening frame. 

Binghamton’s offense handed Megill a 3-0 lead in the bottom half of the inning, and he picked up two more strikeouts in the second, but ended up being pulled after allowing a pair of singles. 

Luis Moreno entered and retired the next batter easily to close his line with no runs allowed on three hits and a walk while striking out four in just 1.2 innings of work.

Megill did mix in his full arsenal as he threw 41 pitches, 27 of which were strikes.

The right-hander has been sidelined since the middle of June due to a right elbow sprain. 

He was putting together another inconsistent campaign prior to the injury, pitching to a 3.95 ERA and 1.36 WHIP with 89 strikeouts across 14 big league starts.

It’ll be interesting to see how the Mets utilize Megill when he is ready to return. 

Frankie Montas' spot in the rotation is open at the moment with him sliding to the bullpen, but all signs point to the team calling up top prospects Brandon Sproat or Nolan McLean to jump into the mix. 

Megill has just seven appearances in his career as a reliever. 

What we learned as Giants' hopes of chasing Padres down fade with lifeless loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO — As the season started to collapse on the last homestand, the Giants at least could lean on one fact. They had seven games left against a San Diego Padres team they were hoping to chase down.

Their destiny was in their own hands, but it now looks like the Padres might instead put the final nail in the coffin. They have dominated the first two games of this stretch of seven meetings in 10 days, getting a 5-1 win Tuesday after a similar performance Monday.

The Giants are two games under .500 for the first time all year. They’re now nine games behind the Padres, who are a game behind the Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West race. 

The long first inning Monday included a strange run on both sides. Robbie Ray got two quick outs, but Tyler Fitzgerald slipped on a popup to right, letting it fall for a two-out bloop. After a double put two in scoring position, Ray stumbled on the mound and got called for a balk that brought a run home. 

The Giants countered in the bottom of the inning after two-time Gold Glove Award winner Manny Machado couldn’t handle a line drive hit right at him. That put two on for Wilmer Flores, who hit a swinging bunt that died in front of Machado, tying the game. 

Wilmer with a PERFECT swinging bunt to tie it 🤌 pic.twitter.com/6wfUH3jmZ9

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 13, 2025

From there, it was all Padres.

The Giants scored one run for the second consecutive game and have totaled just four over their last four games, failing to reward the 145,000 fans who have come through the gates at Oracle Park. They have dropped 12 of 13 at home and fell under .500 in home games, which seemed impossible to accomplish earlier this year when it seemed they were walking someone off every other night. 

Long Day For Ray

Ray became just the 10th big leaguer to throw at least 113 pitches in a game this season and the first Giant. It was his highest count since he came back from Tommy John surgery and the fifth-highest of his career. Ray had thrown 110-plus pitches just one other time since turning 30. 

The Giants have pushed Ray and Logan Webb hard in recent weeks, in part because they traded away two of their best relievers. This was Ray’s fourth consecutive start of at least 100 pitches, and he hasn’t seemed to wear down at all. The Padres put four runs on his line, but three of them came in the first couple of innings, with Jose Iglesias doing most of the damage with a two-run homer that hit the top of the wall and bounced over. 

Welcome Back

Before Saturday, Fitzgerald had never played a game in right field at any level. The Giants got him some experience in center and left the previous two seasons, but the need right now is in right, where they have been going with left-handed hitters Drew Gilbert and Grant McCray. Desperate for offense and a better matchup against Cortes, they recalled Fitzgerald, who started in right field for Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday and Sunday. 

It was a somewhat windy night, and Fitzgerald misjudged the popup in the first. He looked much more comfortable after that and resembled a seasoned right fielder in the fifth when Manny Machado smashed one to the track. Fitzgerald got a good jump and easily got into position to make the catch. 

Fitzgerald was hitless in two at-bats, flying out twice. He said before the game that he feels more comfortable than he did in his last big league stint, but he’s still searching for his 2024 power swing. 

Dom Barrels 

It’s tough to get a long hitting streak going when you’re not an everyday player. Sometimes you’ll get just one shot to swing the bat, and that was the case for Dominic Smith on Tuesday. 

Smith pinch-hit for Fitzgerald with two on and one out in the sixth and bounced a single to right, extending his streak to 15 games, the longest of his career and longest active streak in the big leagues. He then was replaced by Gilbert, a pinch-runner. It was the third time that Smith has extended his streak as a pinch-hitter, which had not been done by a Giant since 1936.

The streak is the longest by a Giant since Donovan Solano reached 17 games in 2020. It didn’t lead to any runs, though. Patrick Bailey and Heliot Ramos followed with popups, stranding all three runners. 

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided some updates prior to Tuesday’s game against the Twins…

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Aaron Judge update, Stanton back-to-back in OF

As SNY's Andy Martino reported Monday, the Yankees still don't have an exact date for Judge’s return to the outfield, but Boone said it’s possible he could be back out there during this weekend’s series with the Cardinals.

“Throwing program is going well, he seems to be improving each time, so we’ll see,” he said. 

Judge hasn’t played the field since July 25 due to a flexor strain in his elbow.

He was able to be activated from the IL this week, but has been limited to DH duties.

With that being the case, the team has been forced to run the oft-injured Giancarlo Stanton out in right field for the first time since 2023. 

Stanton has moved around pretty well in his first few opportunities out there, and now Boone is turning to him in back-to-back games for the first time to keep both big bats in the lineup. 

“I was tempted to do it Sunday after the Saturday game,” the skipper said. “He ended up getting a few innings at the end, but he’s responded well to it physically and we want to keep his bat in there too.” 

Ben Rice back behind the plate with Wells struggling

With Rice swinging a hot bat and Austin Wells struggling mightily, Boone decided to turn to the lefty slugger at catcher for the second consecutive game on Tuesday. 

It’s not just his offense that’s caught the team’s eye; they’ve also liked what they’ve seen defensively despite his limited big-league experience at the position. 

“He’s done a really good job,” Boone said. “He hasn’t done it a lot at this level, so there’s still some things to learn, but we’ve been really pleased with how well he’s handled it. Him now from two months ago is a lot different -- he’s gaining confidence and just playing really well.”

Boone hasn’t spoken with Wells about his playing time, but he does expect him to play a big role for this team down the stretch.

Wells is slashing a lowly .130/.186/.204 over his last 16 games. 

After sitting out the last two, he is expected to be back behind the plate for Wednesday’s series finale. 

“We all get consumed with the now and what’s happening,” he said. “This is just a couple of days in the long stretch of the season, part of it is, we have other guys who are really pushing for more playing time. But Austin is going to be fine and will continue to play a big part for us.” 

Loáisiga close to a return

The Yanks could have a bit of a bullpen crunch real soon.

Loáisiga appears to be closing in on a return after throwing a side session Tuesday.

“He should be in play anytime starting soon because he wasn’t down long,” Boone said. “We’ll decide if we want to get him live, in a game, and how long it’ll be, but he should be pretty close to coming back.”

Loáisiga has been sidelined for about a week with mid-back tightness. 

Fernando Cruz and Ryan Yarbrough are also close to being back with the club.

The Mets are moving Frankie Montasto the bullpen, potentially paving the way for Nolan McLeanorBrandon Sproat to join the starting rotation on Saturday against the Mariners at Citi Field.

Manager Carlos Mendoza said McLean and Sproat are in the discussion to come up to pitch on Saturday, but a final decision has not been made regarding who will make that start against Seattle.

Mendoza noted that Paul Blackburn, who is in the midst of a rehab assignment, is not an option to pitch for New York that day.

Both McLean and Sproat have been excelling for Triple-A Syracuse.

McLean last pitched on Aug. 10, tossing 4.0 innings of one-run ball while allowing two hits, walking two, and striking out seven.

He has allowed more than two earned runs just once since May 15.

Split between Double-A Binghamton and Syracuse this season, McLean has a 2.77 ERA and 1.12 WHIP with 127 strikeouts in 113.2 innings.

Sproat's last start came on Aug. 7, when he allowed three tuns on three hits in 6.0 innings while striking out four. He had been on an absolute heater before that start, allowing a total of two earned runs over his last six starts -- a span of 33.0 innings.

The right-hander got off to a rough start this season for Syracuse, but -- as is noted above -- has been dominant for over a month. Overall this year, Sproat has a 4.10 ERA and 1.25 WHIP with 86 strikeouts in 101.0 innings.

As far as Montas, he had struggled badly after making a strong season debut on June 24.

In eight appearances (seven starts), Montas had a 6.38 ERA (5.26 FIP) and 1.55 WHIP in 36.2 innings while allowing 11.0 hits per nine.

He was used behind an opener on Saturday against the Brewers in Milwaukee, but needed 72 pitches as he labored through three innings while allowing three runs (one earned).

Montas signed a two-year, $34 million deal this past offseason that contained a player opt-out after the season. Given his struggles and demotion to the bullpen, it feels all but certain that Montas will not opt out.

Bullpen joining in on the fun for red-hot Phillies originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CINCINNATI — With proven bats littered throughout the lineup and a starting pitching staff that has been among the best in baseball, it’s a real good sign that the Phillies’ bullpen has been more than pulling its weight lately.

It has heavily contributed to a run that has seen the Phillies win five of their last six series and seven of their last eight games heading into Tuesday’s contest with the Cincinnati Reds.

After the Phillies got three scoreless innings from the bullpen in Monday’s 4-1 win over the Reds, the relievers have allowed just one earned run in the past 23 2/3 innings for a 0.38 ERA.

No question the addition of closer Jhoan Duran has been a boost to a group that has had its struggles this year, but that alone can’t be the reason for the good showings of late.

Jordan Romano’s difficulties this year have been numerous, as he’ll be the first to tell you, but he’s gone eight of his last nine outings without giving up a run or a hit. He picked up the win Monday with a perfect seventh inning.

“During the course of the year, every facet of the team goes through ebbs and flows,” Romano said. “I think we’re just kind of flowing right now, everyone is doing their job. Duran has been a huge addition, having that guy in the ninth to lock it down and then everybody just kind of trickles from there, has been a huge help. Everyone just kind of going well right now.”

So well that the team has upped its lead over the Mets to six games and is still looking to get some pitching reinforcements with Jose Alvarado expected to join the bullpen next week after serving his 80-game suspension and starter Aaron Nola perhaps also being back as soon as next week.

“I see a lot of good arms and a lot of guys that don’t have any fear to go in there,” David Robertson, who joined the team on Sunday and made his debut Monday, said. “I’ve only been here two days and so far I feel like I’ve walked in here with open arms and these guys are doing their thing. I’m just so happy to join them and be a part of this ‘pen.”

It’s a good group to be a part of right now.

“I think we’re still getting the good pitching and with the Duran and Robertson additions now we’ve got a lot of length, options in the bullpen,” Rob Thomson said. “We’re getting some timely hitting right now and everybody is contributing. A good little run here.”

Health updates

After throwing on flat surface for a bit Tuesday, hours before the game, Zack Wheeler wandered to the side of the field by himself, in front of the Phillies’ dugout, and worked on his windup. He didn’t throw the ball as it appeared he was more looking at his footwork leading up to going into the windup.

Wheeler has been dealing with shoulder soreness for the past few weeks and his start on Sunday in Texas saw a dip in his velocity on all his pitches. After the game, in which Wheeler went five innings and threw 83 pitches, both he and Thomson said all was good, that there was nothing major to worry about.

Monday, Thomson said Wheeler felt great and is on schedule for his next start, which is scheduled for Friday in Washington. He reiterated that on Tuesday, saying that Wheeler will throw a bullpen Wednesday, then be good to go.

Nola was scheduled to start Tuesday for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs and if all goes well he may be back to Philadelphia very shortly.

“We’re still talking about that one,” Thomson said. “We’re going to wait until he gets through this, talk to him tomorrow, see where he’s at, see where Ranger (Suarez) is at after tonight’s game.”

Thomson said Nola’s limit was 85 pitches.

The reference to Suarez could be a hint that, if Nola is good enough to come up to the big club, Thomson is leaning toward using a six-man rotation at points down the stretch. Suarez has had a dip in velocity his past few outings. Over his last five starts, he’s allowed 18 earned runs in 30 innings (5.40 ERA).

Friday is decision day for the Phillies and third baseman Alec Bohm. Thomson said Bohm will flip-flop between third and designated hitter in Lehigh Valley this week before a decision is made with him.