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Juan Soto, Pete Alonso homer but Mets fall to Twins, 6-3

Juan Soto and Pete Alonso homered but the rest of the Mets lineup was held in check by the Twins in their 6-3 loss in Minnesota on Tuesday night.

Here are the takeaways...

-A day after Soto's comments set the baseball world ablaze -- sarcasm -- both he and Alonso showed off their power. Alonso got the scoring started for the Mets, taking Bailey Ober deep in the first for his fifth longball of the season. With the Mets down 2-1 in the fourth, Soto launched a 351-foot blast off Ober to tie the game.

But after the Alonso homer, Ober settled in retiring seven straight Mets at one point and the Mets had just three hits entering the seventh inning but then began to get to the right-hander. Mark Vientos hit a one-out single before Luis Torres doubled. Carlos Mendoza pinch-hit Jesse Winker for Tyrone Taylor. The Twins countered with a lefty reliever and got Winker to fly out to right, plating Vientos on the sac fly. After Luisangel Acuña walked, Francisco Lindor grounded out to end the threat.

-The Mets had one last gasp in the ninth. The Twins' defense allowed Vientos to reach on an error and failed to complete a couple of double plays, allowing Acuña to single and get Lindor up as the tying run. Lindor had a 3-1 count but eventually struck out to end the game.

-The Mets had seven hits, with Alonso being the only one with multiple hits.

-Tylor Megill was solid in the early going, scattering hits until the third inning. With one out and runners on the corners, Megill got DaShawn Keirsey Jr. to pop out on a safety squeeze and Ty France hit a grounder to Lindor, but the Mets shortstop booted it, allowing the tying run. Carlos Correa followed up with an RBI single to put the Twins up 2-1.

It's Lindor's fourth error this season. He had just 12 all of last year.

The Twins threatened again in the fourth. After an HBP, Ryan Jeffers hit a double that was nearly a home run -- it was initially called one but overturned. Megill struck out Willi Castro, but Harrison Bader hit a hard grounder to Vientos that the third baseman could not get his bearings on and everyone was safe, and a run scored. A double play allowed Megill to escape with just one run scored.

Megill would allow one run in the fifth but it was an odd game for the big right-hander. He pitched five innings, throwing 95 pitches (60 strikes) while allowing four runs (two earned) on eight hits and striking out three batters. His ERA rose to 1.40, which is eighth-best in the majors among qualified pitchers.

-Max Kranick has been amazing this season, but the Twins got to the young right-hander. He allowed a leadoff double -- just the third hit allowed this season -- before Edouard Julien spoiled Kranick's perfect ERA, lining a two-out single into left field to extend the Twins' lead to 5-2.

Kranick would allow a solo shot in the seventh. He surrendered two runs on four hits in his 1.2 innings of work. Before Tuesday, Kranick allowed no runs over his previous 10.0 innings.

Game MVP: Ryan Jeffers

The catcher has been hampered with a thumb injury this season, but it didn't affect him Tuesday. He went 3-for-3 and reached base four times.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets finish their three-game series with the Twins with an afternoon showdown on Wednesday. First pitch is set for 1:05 p.m.

Griffin Canning was originally scheduled to start but came down with an illness that had him scratched. The Mets have yet to announce a starter. Minnesota will send David Festa to the mound.

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Mets' Francisco Alvarez homers in rehab game with Double-A Binghamton

Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez played his first rehab game with Binghamton, the team's Double-A affiliate, on Tuesday night and showed off the power.

Alvarez grounded out in his first at-bat but launched a home run in his second plate appearance. The backstop singled in his third at-bat and then had a scary moment in his fourth time up. In the sixth, Alvarez was hit in the same hand he fractured by the first pitch thrown by Eiberson Castellano. The Binghamton training staff took a look at Alvarez and he was seemingly ok, running the bases and catching the next inning.

Overall, Alvarez went 2-for-3 and caught six innings.

Jeff McNeil continued his rehab down in Single-A St. Lucie and reached base three times. He singled and walked twice in his five at-bats.

Mendoza said McNeil will continue to play down in St. Lucie before eventually going to Triple-A to get more at-bats. It's possible McNeil will stop off at Binghamton, but the utility infielder/outfielder should be back soon.

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Jasson Dominguez's three-run double powers Yankees past Royals, 4-2

Jasson Dominguez notched a go-ahead three-run double in the sixth inning in a 3-for-3 performance and Max Fried delivered a quality start as the Yankees took down the Kansas City Royals, 4-2, on Tuesday night in The Bronx.

New York improved to 10-7 on the year. Kansas City fell to 8-9.

Here are the takeaways...

- Fried needed just 11 pitches in the first and 16 in the second for a perfect start, tallying two strikeouts on the four-seam fastball in the process. 

The second pitch of the third innings was a bad one for the lefty as MJ Melendez clobbered a 94 mph four-seamer to the Yankee bullpen in center (107.2 mph, 429 feet). With two down, a slow dribbler to third wasn't barehanded by Oswald Peraza, and that infield hit came around to score when Bobby Witt Jr. smacked a first-pitch fastball off the wall in right-center for a double.

Fried’s first-pitch curveball to start the fourth went right into the leftfield gap for a double off Salvador Pèrez’s bat, but three balls on the infield stranded the runner. The first-year Yank allowed the leadoff man to reach for the third-straight inning with an infield single to first in the fifth. But Fried escaped without further damage, adding his fifth strikeout of the night in the process.

A leadoff walk and a two-out walk in the seventh ended Fried's night. Luke Weaver needed just two pitches to end the threat. Fried's final line: 6.2 innings, five hits, two runs, two walks, seven strikeouts on 94 pitches (60 strikes).

- Two runners reached against Michael Wacha in the first, but he cruised to five scoreless innings, needing just 58 pitches. The wheels came off in the sixth. After a leadoff infield single, Wacha got the next two batters before back-to-back walks saw the Royals summon Angel Zerpa, but the lefty promptly walked Austin Wells on four pitches to score a run.

That brought Dominguez to the plate, and the young left fielder got a 96 mph fastball on the inside corner and didn’t miss it, yanking the 1-2 pitch over the third baseman for a bases-clearing double to give the Yanks a 4-2 lead.

It was Dominguez’s third hit in three at-bats after he stayed on a breaking ball for a first-pitch single through the right side in the second and laced a single (106.4 mph) to the right of second base in the fifth.

He exited the game for the top of the seventh – manager Aaron Boone said after the game Dominguez "lost his contacts" when he was running the bases – and Trent Grisham came in to play defense. And it didn’t take long for Grisham’s defense to pay dividends as he tracked down a hard-hit ball for the first out in the inning, robbing Melendez of extra bases.

- Weaver needed just nine pitches for a 1-2-3 eighth inning with a strikeout. Devin Williams needed just 16 for a perfect ninth (with a strikeout) to earn his third save of the year.

- Aaron Judge, 1-for-21 with no extra-base hits against Wacha, rocketed a single (108.6 mph off the bat) that one-hopped the wall in right-center. Judge notched a second hit off Wacha, an infield single to start the sixth when Perez at first mishandled a throw from shallow center. He finished the day 2-for-3 with a walk.

- Cody Bellinger went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout swinging. The outfielder is now 5-for-40 (.125) with one extra-base hit and two RBI in the month of April

- Paul Goldschmidt reached on catcher’s interference in the first but finished the day 0-for-3 with a strikeout.

- Jazz Chisholm Jr., wearing high socks and baggy pants in honor of Jackie Robinson, had a big chance in the first with two on and two out, but popped out in foul ground down the line in right. Went 0-for-3 with a walk and a strikeout looking. He is now stuck in a 2-for-28 stretch.

- Wells made a bid for extra bases his first time up, but Hunter Renfroe tracked down the 369-foot flyout to the warning track in right-center. Finished 0-for-2 with a strikeout and RBI walk.

- Ben Rice, who has been swinging a mighty bat, hit just one ball hard as he finished 0-for-5 with a strikeout.

- Anthony Volpe had just one hit in his last 22 at-bats before cracking a leadoff single (100 mph) in the eighth. He finished 1-for-3 with a strikeout and a walk.

- Members of both teams – and across all of baseball – wore No. 42 for Jackie Robinson Day in honor of his April 15, 1947 debut for the Brooklyn Dodgers, which ended segregation in the modern era of MLB. After Robinson’s debut, it would be another eight years – 1,233 regular season games – before the Yanks became the 13th team out of 16 to integrate when Elston Howard appeared in pinstripes for the first time on April 14, 1955.

Game MVP: Dominguez

When Kansas City presented the Yanks with the opportunity to win the game, it was Dominguez – in his first at-bat from the right side – who seized the moment.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees look to complete the three-game sweep of the Royals on Wednesday, first pitch is set for 7:05 p.m.

Right-hander Clarke Schmidt will make his season debut and face off against Kansas City left-hander Kris Bubic (0.96 ERA, 0.964 WHIP in 18.2 innings).

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Bohm and Marsh humble, Harper introspective after Phillies win

Bohm and Marsh humble, Harper introspective after Phillies win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The only Phillie who needed a productive night more than Alec Bohm on Tuesday was the hitter behind him, his lockermate and best friend on the team, Brandon Marsh.

Bohm entered the night riding a 5-for-45 slump. Marsh was hitless in his last 26 at-bats. Bohm was dropped from fourth to eighth in the Phillies’ lineup last week, and Marsh was benched on Monday night against a right-handed pitcher because manager Rob Thomson felt the centerfielder needed a night to clear his head.

Both were instrumental in Tuesday’s win over the Giants, driving in a run apiece in a game that was decided by two. Marsh drove in the Phillies’ second run with a sacrifice fly in the bottom of the second, and Bohm overcame an earlier failure with one out and runners on the corners to hit the go-ahead RBI single in a 6-4 win.

“That’s the game right there,” Bohm said of rebounding two innings after grounding into an inning-ending 4-6-3 double play. “You think, ‘Oh, there goes my chance.’ You can either let that go one way and ruin the rest of the day or just keep playing the game and the game gives you another opportunity.”

Bohm and Marsh were introspective in the Phillies’ clubhouse postgame.

“It’s a very humbling game and I’m feeling very humble right now,” Bohm said.

“The game’s very tough. It’ll knock you down and bring you back up when you least expect it,” Marsh added.

Bryce Harper was even more philosophical.

“I just want them to enjoy the game,” he said of Bohm and Marsh. “Life can be a lot harder, life can be a lot tougher, we get to play this beautiful game every day. I was standing in the on-deck circle in the third inning thinking about it — it’s a great game we get to play. Obviously, you’re going to go through ups and downs in life and in the season and it’s a hard thing to do. But at the end of the day, we’re all healthy, we’re all strong.

“Just go out there and enjoy it because it’ll go quick and you’ll start thinking to yourself why did I take it so serious and it’s gone now.”

Bohm and Marsh have taken their slumps seriously because they care. They care that they’ve been unable to produce or help the Phillies win for most of April. They’re not the primary reasons why the Phillies lost five of seven before Tuesday but were pieces of it.

“Me and Brandon, if we’re playing up to three-quarters of what we’re capable of and we’re hitting eighth and ninth, we have a really good lineup because we’re not eight- and nine-hitters. It’s just that simple,” Bohm said. “I think lately, we’ve kind of just been outs. That’s why we’re so frustrated about it, because we know we’re way better than we’ve been. I think when this thing all comes together, you’re gonna see a pretty deep lineup.”

It was uncertain whether or not Marsh would be in Tuesday’s lineup. Thomson on Monday sounded like he wanted to give the centerfielder multiple days to reset. But Marsh had a good day of work on Monday in the cage. The Phillies faced another righty on Tuesday in Justin Verlander and knew they’d see a lefty Wednesday in Robbie Ray, so Marsh got the nod over Johan Rojas.

“It just felt like I was me again, just feel like dancing into the box,” Marsh said. “Just smooth and in rhythm. Yesterday was a good day, today was a good day, just got to keep going.

“We’re scuffling a little bit, Bohmer and I, but we’ll be just fine. A lot of other guys are carrying the weight of this team right now which is great, but when the tide turns me and Bohmer are gonna be there.”

They’ve been there in past. Marsh hit .276 with an OPS well over .800 vs. right-handed pitching in 2023 and 2024. Bohm has hit .277 the last two years, driving in 97 runs each time. It’s been a wretched start to 2025 but it’s also barely even mid-April.

The win over the Giants was a step in the right direction for Bohm, for Marsh and for a Phillies offense that was 3-for-44 with runners in scoring position from Thursday through the sixth inning Tuesday night.

“We’re all in this together,” Bohm said. “Everybody knows that over the course of 162 games, we’re all gonna have our moments, we’re all gonna have our struggles. It’s a rollercoaster. It feels good to have 26 guys behind me and the rest of the staff and the whole stadium.

“… Whether it’s tomorrow or a week from now or a month from now, I’m gonna be a different player for sure. Just having faith in that, knowing that, trusting everything I’ve done.”

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Yankees’ Aaron Judge is made aware of stupid, fake Juan Soto controversy

Aaron Judge, glancing up at the approaching horde of reporters on Tuesday afternoon, did not know at first what we wanted. He wondered aloud if he had missed something.

Yes, in fact, he had.

Judge had missed it when a former teammate,Juan Soto,answered a fair question with honesty and intelligence. He had then missed it when the least rational corners of New York sports fandom became loud online and on the radio, acting as if Soto had no right to be human.

This stupid fake controversy started on Monday afternoon when veteran Mets reporter Mike Puma of the New York Post quoted Soto about no longer hitting in front of Judge.

“It’s definitely different,” Soto told Puma. “I had the best hitter in baseball hitting behind me. I was getting more attacked and more pitches in the strike zone, less intentional walks and things like that. I was pitched differently last year.”

No problem with Puma’s question or execution. Unfortunately for Soto, those words spent the better part of a day bouncing around online and ultimately landed in the Yankees clubhouse.

“I’m not really going to go back and forth with this,” Judge said as he prepared to face the Kansas City Royals. “He’s got probably one of the best hitters in the game behind him right now in what [Pete] Alonso is doing. It has been fun to watch. He’s hitting close to .400. He’s driving the ball all over the field, driving guys in. So they’re gonna be good.”

Judge then referenced his own slow start last season and said that Soto’s production during that stretch showed that he didn’t need Judge. The captain batted .207 in March and April of 2024, while Soto batted .325.

“You can look at what I did last April as an example of how he just needs to keep being himself and he’ll be good,” Judge said.

Soto’s words banged around Yankeeland a bit on Tuesday. Other folks with the team recalled Soto as extremely well-liked and felt it a shame that a loud segment of the public discourse couldn’t handle the complexity of several facts:

1) Soto’s time with the Yankees was deeply meaningful to him; 2) he made a difficult decision to sign elsewhere; 3) it takes people time to fully adjust to new circumstances; 4) he is fitting in nicely with the Mets and is already popular with his new team.

This does not have to be binary. Soto can treasure his time with Judge and the Yankees and commit with his whole heart to this new chapter in Queens. Any fan who does not accept this dehumanizes Soto by expecting him not to feel.

Soto critics also forget that he personally lobbied owner Steve Cohen to sign Alonso as lineup protection for him. This meant a great deal to the Polar Bear and informed how he feels about his new teammate.

Around the Yankees, people who care about Soto note that he is playing a much different role for the Mets than he did here. After the Yanks traded for Soto, Judge told him privately that he didn’t have to be the guy, that the roster was loaded with talent and that Juan just had to be Juan. The pair rode that perfect balance all the way to the World Series.

The Mets then made Soto the richest athlete in the history of North American professional sports, shining a brighter spotlight in his face and perhaps placing a $765 million target on his back.

Soto is a big boy, and scrutiny is part of his job. But money can’t change a person’s basic character. Soto is a brilliant baseball player and fun teammate. He is fortunate to have Francisco Lindor just as he was fortunate to have Judge; those two are more interested than he is in vocal leadership. Today in the Yankees clubhouse, Soto’s adjustment to the expectation of being “the guy” in a personality sense was viewed as more relevant than his ability to perform in a lineup without Judge.

Fortunately, the Mets have a strong support system. In addition to Lindor in the clubhouse, Carlos Beltran is a member of the front office; he knows a thing or two about being dehumanized during his early days as a high-profile Met. Owner Alex Cohen is authentically interested in fostering an atmosphere that makes Citi Field feel like a home and the Mets like a family.

Good things are coming for Soto and the Mets. It’s just a shame that New York had to run the young man through the wringer today for the sin of offering a thoughtful answer.

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Mets' Griffin Canning scratched from Wednesday's start due to illness

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced on Tuesday that right-handerGriffin Canning will not make his scheduled start on Wednesday against the Minnesota Twins due to an illness.

"We’re going to wait until after the game," Mendoza said about any potential roster move. "The reason is Griffin Canning will not make the start tomorrow. He’s under the weather a little bit and feeling weak, so we’re going to give him an extra day or so. So, we’ve just got to get through today, and instead of inserting a sixth starter on Friday, most likely, it will be tomorrow.

"We’ve just got to get through today’s game, and then we’ve got to make a couple of moves here."

Mendoza was a bit coy about the team's options to start on Wednesday, but he said there are a lot of moving pieces that need to be figured out, indicating that a series of roster moves, like placing outfielder Jose Siri on the IL, could be coming after Tuesday's game.

Canning has made three starts for the Mets this season, pitching to a 4.20 ERA over his 15.0 innings of work.

Whoever the Mets tab to make Wednesday's start will need to get to Minnesota quickly, as the Mets and Twins play at 1:10 p.m. ET to close out their series.

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Reds activate Diaz, McLain and Hays off injured list ahead of series opener against Mariners

CINCINNATI (AP) — The surging Cincinnati Reds will have all their key players for the first time this season after making a series of roster moves before Tuesday night’s game against the Seattle Mariners.

The Reds activated right-hander Alexis Diaz, infielder Matt McLain and outfielder Austin Hays. Cincinnati goes into the three-game series with Seattle after wins in five of its last six, including its first series sweep of the season this past weekend against Pittsburgh.

Diaz, who was dealing with a left hamstring strain since the start of spring training, made a pair of rehab appearances in Triple A Louisville last week. He was projected to be the team’s closer going into the season, but Emilio Pagán has converted all four of his save opportunities and has a 1.23 ERA in eight games.

McLain missed last year with a shoulder injury but got off to a strong start this season with home runs in three of his first four games. He went on the IL retroactive to April 5 with a slight left hamstring strain after going 1 for 12 in four April games.

McLain will play second base and is batting second in Tuesday’s game.

Hays will make his Reds debut at designated hitter and bat fifth. He missed the first 16 games with a left calf strain that occurred on the final day of spring training.

Hays signed a one-year, $5 million deal Cincinnati during the offseason after spending last season with Baltimore and Philadelphia.

Outfielder Jacob Hurtubise and infielder Noelvi Marte were optioned to Louisville to make way for McLain and Hays. Diaz takes the roster spot that opened after left-hander Sam Moll was placed on the 15-day injured list Monday due to left shoulder impingement.

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Harper and Realmuto homer, Bohm and Marsh drive in runs in Phillies win

Harper and Realmuto homer, Bohm and Marsh drive in runs in Phillies win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It wasn’t an explosion, it wasn’t a perfect game, but all the Phillies have needed over the past week has been a timely knock or two and they finally came in a 6-4 win over the Giants.

The Phils entered the bottom of the sixth inning Tuesday night trailing by a run and had made an out in 41 of their last 44 at-bats with a runner in scoring position, hitting .068 since Thursday. They’d lost five of seven. They had two hitters at the bottom of the order, Alec Bohm and Brandon Marsh, slumping so badly that Bohm was dropped four spots in the lineup last week and Marsh was benched in Monday’s series opener.

Despite going a combined 1-for-7 on Tuesday night, both Bohm and Marsh came through, accounting for a pair of RBI in a two-run win. Marsh put a sweet swing on a low-and-in slider from Justin Verlander for a sacrifice fly in the second inning, and Bohm delivered a two-out RBI single to give the Phillies a lead in the seventh.

Twice earlier in the night, Bohm came up with a man in scoring position and was unable to drive him in, grounding out to second with a man on second and grounding into an inning-ending double play with runners on the corners in the fourth. This has been a grueling stretch for both Bohm and Marsh and the Phillies hope the duo has already reached rock bottom. There’s really only one direction either can go given how rough the first three weeks have been.

Bryce Harper made a close game more comfortable with a towering two-run homer on a 3-0 count in the seventh, his third of the year. This was a difficult night to drive a ball. The wind was swirling upwards of 20 mph at first pitch, and by the end of the first inning, Trea Turner had flung his bat into the netting beyond third base, rain clouds had rendered Center City invisible and roughly 1,000 fan scorecards had made their way onto the field.

The elements subsided as the game went on but still made a difference. In the bottom of the seventh, J.T. Realmuto popped a ball up to medium left field but Heliot Ramos was unable to track it down as it danced in the wind. It fell in to tie the game.

Four innings earlier, Ramos hit a soft infield fly with a man on first just over Harper’s head but it changed direction multiple times in the air and eluded Harper’s mitt. The first baseman didn’t panic, though, picking up the ball up and calmly firing to second for the force-out.

The conditions made Realmuto’s second-inning home run to left-center field, directly into the wind, even more impressive. It was Realmuto’s first at-bat since a frustrating called strike three ended the Phillies’ seventh inning Monday night with two men on and two out, down four runs. The pitch Realmuto was rung up on Monday was well off the plate and he let home plate umpire Tony Randazzo know about it.

There was more frustration on Tuesday after the Phillies relinquished an early lead for the second straight night, gave the Giants costly free bases and ran into two outs on the basepaths themselves. The Giants tied the game in the top of the fourth after slow-footed Matt Chapman and Wilmer Flores executed a double-steal on Jesus Luzardo’s first move to the plate. It was the third time already in the game that the Giants ran on Luzardo’s first move but the first two pitches were fouled off. They seemed to have something on him. Luzardo’s next pitch after the double steal was lined into left field by Casey Schmitt for a two-run single. When the Giants later took the lead briefly in the sixth, a run scored on a groundout just after Orion Kerkering threw a wild pitch to advance him to third.

The Phils went ahead with four singles in the bottom of the sixth and received an important shutdown inning from Jordan Romano. The first-year Phillie seems to be settling in — he’s faced the minimum nine batters over his last three outings, allowing just one baserunner.

Jose Alvarado had a dicey eighth inning, allowing three straight singles to the top of the Giants’ order but recovered with a popup, strikeout and flyout to the warning track. Matt Strahm closed it out as the Phillies improved to 10-7.

Wednesday’s assignment goes to Aaron Nola, who is 0-3 with a 5.51 ERA and looking to find a rhythm himself.

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Mets starters shine, Jose Siri out, and Pete Alonso keeps raking | The Mets Pod

Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo are back with a new episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, as the Mets continue their strong start.

Connor and Joe look at the strength of the bullpen, the early impact of Kodai Senga, and share some injury updates for guys like Jose Siri and Francisco Alvarez.

Later, the guys go Down on the Farm to check in on Drew Gilbert and Jett Williams, preview Ronny Mauricio's long-awaited return to action, do another round of The Scoreboard bets, and answer Mailbag questions about Eli Serrano III and the Mets' struggles with runners in scoring position.

Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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Giants' sixth-inning Verlander decision backfires in loss to Phillies

Giants' sixth-inning Verlander decision backfires in loss to Phillies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

PHILADELPHIA — On the first night of this Giants road trip, Robbie Ray picked up a win despite pitching just four innings, a rarity that was possible only because the game was called early when a storm arrived. On the first night in Philadelphia, Landen Roupp gave up three runs in the first and nearly got knocked out, but he walked away with the win after the Giants rallied.

This is a fun time to be a Giants starting pitcher, and the rotation already has seven wins during this surprisingly strong start. But somehow the winningest active pitcher in baseball still is looking for his first in orange and black. 

Justin Verlander picked up his first decision as a Giant, but it was a loss after a shaky sixth inning put the Giants behind for good. They fell 6-4 to the Philadelphia Phillies, and it was easy to pinpoint where the game turned. 

With the Giants leading 3-2 in the bottom of the sixth, Verlander gave up back-to-back one-out singles. Randy Rodriguez, who has been as good as any reliever in the NL early on, was warming up, but manager Bob Melvin stuck with Verlander. 

A catchable fly ball to left field tied the game. Two batters later, Alec Bohm lined a 95-mph fastball onto the grass to bring the go-ahead run home. Melvin said repeatedly after the loss that he wanted to give Verlander a shot to finish and get out of the jam. 

“I wanted to give him a chance there,” Melvin said. “The inning before was probably his best inning.”

Verlander was at 84 pitches after a 1-2-3 fifth. In his mind, there was no doubt about what was ahead. 

“If I’m at 84 through five, that should be my inning,” Verlander said of the sixth. 

The decisions came when the Phillies threatened right away in the sixth. Melvin stuck with Verlander against J.T. Realmuto, who already had homered, and for a moment it appeared that would pay off. Realmuto hit a fly ball to left that was in the air for 5.6 seconds, but Heliot Ramos was playing all the way over in the gap in left-center. That’s where the Giants have played Realmuto all series, and that’s exactly where his homer went. 

The fly ball, though, landed much closer to the line. Ramos ran 108 feet, but his slide came up short. 

“I thought I had it. I was playing in the gap and I tried my best,” Ramos said. “The wind took it. I didn’t know what to do right there.”

The single tied the game, and Max Kepler followed with a liner to short that nearly led to an inning-ending double play. Again, Melvin had a decision to make, but he stuck with Verlander. His 104th pitch was knocked into left for a fourth Phillies run, and the Giants never caught up. 

“The decision was after Kepler lined out,” Melvin said. “The ball that falls in left field, he makes a good pitch and it just ended up falling. It was after the Kepler at-bat that I had a decision to make and I gave him one more guy.”

Verlander ended up getting charged with four runs on eight hits and three walks in 5 2/3 innings. He’ll carry a 6.75 ERA into his next start, although the peripheral numbers say he has pitched much better than that. Verlander has a 4.75 FIP and 4.52 xFIP, but it’s hard to lean on expected statistics too much when you’re still waiting to join the early-season party.

“You find yourself in a situation where the team gives you a chance to win and then you give up a couple singles that aren’t really well-struck, and the wheels kind of fall off a little bit. It’s tough. It’s tough,” Verlander said. “I’m just being tested here. I’m not sure why I’m being tested so hard, but I’ll keep working hard and trying to make my pitches.

“I’ll do everything I can do and just try to make pitches and try to get guys not to hit the ball hard and let the results happen.”

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Yankees’ Jasson Dominguez shows learning curve in left field

NEW YORK — The Martian is tracking down fly balls on Mother Earth.

Maligned for dubious defense when the New York Yankees first moved him to left field last year, Jasson Dominguez made their best catch of the early season when he robbed Salvador Perez of an extra-base hit in a 4-1 win over the Kansas City Royals.

Dominguez leaping, backhand grab at the warning track of Perez’s 106.4 mph, 347-foot drive had a 60% catch probability, according to MLB Statcast. That was the lowest of any Yankees catch this season.

“Got a good jump on it, the speed, the action of the ball,” Dominguez said. “At that point, you don’t even know how tough. You just come get it.”

He added a running catch to the glove side on the warning track of Jonathan India’s 102.9 mph shot in the sixth.

“Those are two really good ones. What I like is the ease in the routes and the ease that he’s getting to those balls,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “I feel like that’s where he’s really — even since the start of the season, I feel like he’s grown and just the right footwork, the right move to the ball, and that’s when you’re going to start to see his range with his speed show up.”

Nicknamed “El Marciano” as a teenager in the Dominican Republic for his out-of-this-world talent, Domínguez signed with the Yankees as a 16-year-old in 2019 for a $5.1 million bonus.

A center fielder as he moved through the minors, he made an instant impact at the plate two years ago. But following his shift to left, Dominguez's defensive struggles in left made highlight shows in 2024 and ’25.

“He talks about winning a Gold Glove,” said Luis Rojas, the Yankees third base and outfield coach. “I think he has the tools to do it and we just got to keep working.”

The switch-hitting Dominguez was promoted to the Yankees on Sept. 1, 2023, and became the fifth-youngest player to homer in his first plate appearance, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. He had four homers and seven RBIs in his first eight games, then tore a ligament in his right elbow and had Tommy John surgery that Sept. 20.

He returned to the minors last May 14, but was sidelined between June 15 and July 26 by an oblique strain and was limited to two homers and four RBIs in 18 late-season games with New York. He made 13 appearances in left field and four in center, and struggled to a minus-3 Outs Above Average, according to Statcast.

Dominguez reported early to spring training and worked on defense at the Yankees minor league complex with minor league outfield and infield coordinator Dan Fiorito and minor league infield and outfielder coordinator Ryan Hunt. Dominguez was criticized by Yankees fans when he lost Colt Keith’s fly ball in the sun on Feb. 23 against Detroit, then let Andy Ibanez’s shot one inning later drop for an RBI scoring double. A ball by Philadelphia’s Edmundo Sosa fell for an RBI double on Feb. 27.

“It didn’t look great. There was a little noise about it,” Rojas said.

Adjusting to left was a slow process. Boone said Dominguez would be fine with time as he learned to judge balls.

“Left field is nothing like center field. Center field you get less action,” Rojas said. “The sound. The exit velo(city), those things, the more accurate he’s going to be with his reads and the routes and the angles that he needs to take to the ball according to a kind of action the ball is going have off the bat.”

Jazz Chisholm Jr. understood what Domínguez was going through. An All-Star second baseman in 2022, Chisholm was moved to center field by Miami from 2023 until he was traded last summer to the Yankees, who shifted him to third and then moved him back to second this spring training.

“You hear a crack of the bat and you might think it’s 110 miles per hour and it’s 86 miles per hour,” he said. “It’s making that adjustment with your eyes and always being ready out there. I would say that and first step.”

Dominguez is hitting .229 with one homer and five RBIs. Boone has removed him for a defensive replacement or pinch hitter in five of 12 left-field starts.

Dominguez's Outs Above Average has improved to 0 this season and the latest game boosted his defense from the 18th to 36th percentile. He’s confident he will get better.

“I had a tough moment at first,” Dominguez said, “but I knew with the reps it would be good.”

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What we learned as Verlander, Giants suffer windy loss to Phillies

What we learned as Verlander, Giants suffer windy loss to Phillies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

PHILADELPHIA — Justin Verlander makes no secret of the fact that he wants to join the 300-win club at some point. Right now, the Giants pitcher is having more trouble than he expected in his bid for his first in orange and black. 

The Philadelphia Phillies put four runs on Verlander’s line, knocking him out with a string of singles in the sixth, when Verlander extended his pitch count. He ended up taking the loss as the Giants fell 6-4 in the second game of a four-game series Tuesday at Citizens Bank Park. 

The Phillies’ lead was three heading into the top of the eighth, but the Giants pushed back. 

Singles by Heliot Ramos and Willy Adames got their dugout stirring, and Jung Hoo Lee yanked a 100-mph sinker from lefty reliever Jose Alvarado into right. The Giants had the tying run on first with no outs, but went down in order from there, and again in the ninth.

Here are three takeaways from a loss that dropped the Giants to 12-5.

“He’s The Fastest Kid Alive”

There was a stretch of about 20 minutes in the middle of the game when it seemed the Phillies thought they were still playing spring training games — and the Giants were happy to take advantage. 

Verlander walked two of the three batters he faced in the bottom of the third, but Trea Turner was cut down trying to steal second and Bryce Harper inexplicably tagged on a fly ball to deep center. Lee made a strong throw to end the inning.

In the top of the fourth, Matt Chapman and Wilmer Flores caught Jesus Luzardo napping and executed a double-steal. Both scored right away on a single by Casey Schmitt, with Flores sliding in safely in part because J.T. Realmuto didn’t try to put down a tag on a close play at the plate. 

The steal was Flores’ first since 2021 and just the sixth of his MLB career. He now has five-and-a-half months to try and get another one and set a career-high at the age of 33. 

The Wait Continues

Through four starts, Verlander remains stuck on 262 career wins. He entered the sixth Tuesday with a 3-2 lead, but back-to-back singles by Kyle Schwarber and Nick Castellanos got the Phillies going. Randy Rodriguez was warming up in the bullpen, but manager Bob Melvin stuck with Verlander, who initially looked like he would get out of the jam.

Verlander induced a pop-up to left from Realmuto, but Ramos was shading over toward the left-center gap to account for the craziest wind the Giants have seen this season. Ramos might have thought the ball would float back to him, but it never did, dropping in front of him after he ran 108 feet toward the line and went into a slide. That tied the game, and Alec Bohm’s single gave the Phillies the lead on Verlander’s final pitch.

The oldest player in the majors threw 104 pitches and hit 95 mph in his final inning, but again the results weren’t really there. Verlander gave up eight hits and walked three, and the four earned runs in 5 2/3 innings left him with a 6.75 ERA on the season. 

No Longer Perfect

Hayden Birdsong’s 0.00 ERA disappeared in the bottom of the seventh when Harper hit a high fly ball that landed five rows into the seats in right. Birdsong tried to sneak a 3-0 slider across the inner half to get back in the count, but Harper was ready for it. 

It was interesting that Birdsong was even in the game, and a sign that he truly is being treated like a normal reliever, at least for the time being. Birdsong had just one day of rest after pitching at Yankee Stadium in Sunday’s win; his previous outings came on three, three and five days of rest. Given how good Birdsong has been, Melvin likely figured that was his best way to keep it a one-run game.

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Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Jonathan Aranda's power, Shane Smith's changeup, and speed in LA

As the early season dust has settled and more of the obvious breakout players and impact rookies are unavailable, we need to look a bit deeper to find gems on the waiver wire.

Fear not, becausethere are still a handful of gems that are widely available and have the chance to be difference-makers in both the short and long term.

MLB: NLCS-Los Angeles Dodgers at New York Mets
A healthy David Peterson looks to cement himself in the Mets rotation
Eric Samulski talks to David Peterson about his healthy offseason and the changes he made for 2025

Here are three players that are under 40% rostered on Yahoo leagues that you should strongly consider adding.

If you want a larger list, Eric Samulski wrote his extended waiver wire pieceon Sunday.

Jonathan Aranda, 1B Rays

(19% Rostered on Yahoo)

The Rays’ offense erupted for a whopping 16 runs on Tuesday and Aranda was directly in the middle of that onslaught. He went 2-for-5 with a double, two runs scored, two RBI, and three batted balls hit harder than 104 mph.

Games like this have become the norm for Aranda this season, who leads all qualified hitters with a .395 batting average and trails only Aaron Judge with a 1.158 OPS.

It’s great to see him succeeding in what’s finally been his first real chance to play regularly. Still fresh off his ‘prospect’ status, Aranda is 26 years old and has taken over 1,000 plate appearances at Triple-A with a .959 OPS down there.

He was also a borderline league-average hitter through his first handful of times up with the Rays that came over the last three years.

The best of which was last season, when he cut down his strikeout rate, had one of the best barrel rates in the league over a nearly 100 batted ball sample, improved his max exit velocity from 108.0 mph to 110.4 mph, and began to pull the bulk of his fly balls.

Now, practically no one in the league is hitting the ball as hard and as consistently as Aranda. He’s in the 95th percentile or better in hard-hit rate, barrel rate, and average exit velocity. Again, he’s improved upon his max exit velocity, up to 111.4 mph, and pulling a greater share of his fly balls than last season in what’s still a small sample.

A key reason for this additional step forward is improved pitch selection. Aranda has always been able to take his walks, but sometimes was caught in between which pitches he should be swinging at. That often made him too passive on pitches in the strike zone.

So far this season, he’s swinging more often at pitches in the zone overall and more at pitches in the heart of the zone while offering at fewer in the shadow of the zone or on the edges. It feels like something has clicked in a big way with his pitch selections.

The only thing holding Aranda’s fantasy value back is the Rays’ strict platoon plan for him. He is yet to play a game against a left-handed pitcher this season and likely won’t get many opportunities to do so.

That makes it a bit annoying to manage him in weekly leagues, knowing he will miss a game or two every week. Still, his breakout feels real and he’s quickly moving himself up the ranks of first basemen.

Shane Smith, SP White Sox

(15% Rostered on Yahoo)

An early-season surprise with a 2.04 ERA through three starts in his first taste of major league action, Smith has a few big things going for him right now.

First off, his changeup may be one of the nastiest pitches in the league. It’s averaging a cool 90 mph with plus-plus drop. So much so that sometimes Statcast mismarks the pitch as a curveball.

And visually, it’s stunning.

That pitch alone is enough for Smith to stifle any left-handed batter, and it has so far with a 3.1 Run Value per 100 pitches, third-highest in the league for a righty starter’s changeup.

Past that pitch, the White Sox have shown that they trust Smith to work relatively deep into games. He completed six innings in two of his three starts and worked 5 2/3 innings in his other, which is great for his fantasy value.

That being said, he’s clearly paid a third-time-through-the-order-tax. Of the 14 total batters he’s faced for a third time in a particular game, seven have reached base and four have come around to score.

While that’s cause for mild concern, the White Sox seem willing to throw him in the pool and see if he can actually swim. Mostly because they took him in the Rule 5 draft this offseason, so either he stays on the 26-man roster for all 162 games or must be returned to the Brewers.

Also, what else do they have to lose? They are dreadful with no end in sight. May as well give your new pitcher – who has a true outpitch and roster mandate – the chance to see if he can figure things out himself on the fly. It’s not like they have a better option to start anyway.

Still, Smith has some more things to prove before he’s a slam-dunk type of starter. Besides his changeup, the rest of his repertoire leaves a bit to be desired.

His fastball has some natural cut – which also helps him against left-handed batters – but just average velocity. He has a tight slider that’s totally fine, and flashes a curveball with plus-drop. He also showed a sinker for the first time in his most recent start.

His strikeout rate sits at just 17.6% through his three starts and tells us he’s a huge candidate for ERA regression.

Overall, it’s just OK stuff that plays up because of one fantastic pitch and what’s been very good command so far. He gets a bump in fantasy value as the White Sox allow him to pitch relatively deeply into games and is worth a roster spot in certain leagues on the chance he can build on this early season success.

Hyseong Kim, 2B LAD

(10% Rostered on Yahoo)

For as hot as the Dodgers started the season, they’ve been nearly as cold over the past week and a half. As of Tuesday morning, they’re 4-6 over their past 10 games while scoring just 3.4 runs per contest.

A key reason for this blip has been the total lack of production from the bottom of their lineup.

Max Muncy is stuck in a 1-for-15 stretch and has struck out in more than 40% of his PA this season. Andy Pages went through a 1-for-25 stretch, had a two-hit game, and is now 1-for-14 since. Enrique Hernández is struggling too and has only been a better than league-average hitter one time in the last seven seasons.

Not to mention, the Dodgers are both one of the slowest and worst defensive teams in the league in the early going. They rank fourth-worst in average sprint speed and second-worst in Outs Above Average as a team so far.

So, it would make sense for them to promote the surging Kim from Triple-A to give their roster a much needed infusion of athleticism and challenge that struggling trio for playing time.

Kim has already hit three home runs with Oklahoma City – including a 462 ft monster shot – along with seven doubles, a triple, and four stolen bases. He’s also spent time at shortstop, second base, and center field: two positions of need for the Dodgers and one where Mookie Betts could use an occasional day off without Miguel Rojas needing to take an at-bat.

It would make a lot of sense for them to demote Pages so he can get himself right in Triple-A and call Kim up to take his spot. If so, he would be a must-add player as a member of the Dodgers’ lineup with serious stolen base upside and enough power to not be a zero there.

For now, he’s worth a short term stash if you can afford the roster spot for a few days in preparation.

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Braves at Blue Jays Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for April 15

It's Tuesday, April 15 and the Braves (5-11) are in Toronto to take on the Blue Jays (9-8).

Spencer Schwellenbach is slated to take the mound for Atlanta against Kevin Gausman for Toronto.

Atlanta won Game 1 of the season yesterday, 8-4. Grant Holmes went 7.2 innings and allowed three earned runs, which allowed the Braves to use Aaron Bummer for 1.1 innings to clean up. The Braves scored all eight runs in the first five innings and Toronto scored all four of theirs from the sixth on.

Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long

Game details & how to watch Braves vs. Blue Jays live today

  • Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2025
  • Time: 7:07PM EST
  • Site: Rogers Centre
  • City: Toronto, ON
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNSO, Sportsnet

Never miss a second of the action and stay up to date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day NBA schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game.

Game odds for Braves vs. Blue Jays

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Odds: Braves (-130), Blue Jays (+109)
  • Spread:  Braves -1.5
  • Over/Under: 8.0 points

That gives the Braves an implied team point total of 4.42, and the Blue Jays 3.64.

Want to know which sportsbook is offering the best lines for every game on the NBA calendar? Check out the NBC Sports’ Live Odds tool to get all the latest updated info from DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM & more!

Probable starting pitchers for Braves at Blue Jays

  • Pitching matchup for April 15, 2025: Spencer Schwellenbach vs. Kevin Gausman
    • Braves: Spencer Schwellenbach, (1-0, 0.45 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 innings pitched, one earned run, seven hits allowed, two walks and five strikeouts.
    • Blue Jays: Kevin Gausman, (1-1, 2.33 ERA)
      Last outing: 8.0 innings pitched, zero earned runs, four hits allowed, zero walks and 10 strikeouts.

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Yankees

  • Bo Bichette had a season-high three strikeouts and zero hits yesterday in four at-bats.
  • Vladimir Guerrero Jr. recorded zero hits in four at-bats yesterday.
  • Austin Riley rocketed two homers yesterday and Sean Murphy hit one. Both are tied for a team-high four home runs.
  • Spencer Schwellenbach has allowed one earned run over 20.0 innings and three starts.
  • Kevin Gausman is coming off zero earned runs over 8.0 innings pitched (10 Ks to 0 BB).

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Braves and the Blue Jays

Rotoworld Best Bet

Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) likes the Under between Atlanta and Toronto:

"Atlanta jumped out to an early 8-0 lead yesterday and use its pitching to set themselves up for a day of bullpen availability. Toronto has Kevin Gausman on the mound after an 8.0 innings performance in his previous start. I don't think homers will be as frequent today and both pitchers can keep this low-scoring through five-to-six innings. It's Under or pass for me."

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Braves and the Blue Jays:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Atlanta Braves on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Toronto Blue Jays at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Red Sox at Rays Prediction: Odds, expertpicks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for April 15

Its Tuesday, April 15 and the Red Sox (8-10) are in Tampa to take on the Rays (8-8). Walker Buehler is slated to take the mound for Boston against Ryan Pepiot for Tampa Bay.

The Red Sox are coming off an embarrassing loss in the series' first meeting. The Rays won 16-1, and were dominant from the opening inning.

The Rays scored four runs in the second inning and another nine in the third inning. Tanner Houck was horrible in his four games of the season. He gave up 12 runs and only made it 2.1 innings.
 
Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
 
Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.
 
Game details & how to watch Red Sox at Rays

  • Date: Tuesday, April 15, 2025
  • Time: 7:05PM EST
  • Site: George M. Steinbrenner Field
  • City: Tampa, FL

  • Network/Streaming: FanDuel Sports Sun, NESN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Red Sox at the Rays

The latest odds as of Tuesday:

  • Moneyline: Red Sox (+109), Rays (-129)
  • Spread:  Rays -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Rays

  • Pitching matchup for April 15, 2025: Walker Buehler vs. Ryan Pepiot
    • Red Sox: Walker Buehler, (1-1, 5.75 ERA)
      Last outing: Innings Pitched, Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, Walks, and Strikeouts
    • Rays: Ryan Pepiot, (1-1, 3.38 ERA)
      Last outing: Innings Pitched, Earned Runs Allowed, Hits Allowed, Walks, and Strikeouts

 
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Red Sox at Rays

  • The Rays have won 4 of their last 5 home series against the the Red Sox
  • 5 of the Rays' last 6 home games have gone over the Total

 
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Red Sox and the Rays
 
Rotoworld Best Bet
 
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
 
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
 
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
 
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Red Sox and the Rays:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Tampa Bay Rays on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Boston Red Sox at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
 
Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)