LOS ANGELES — Dustin May took the mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers a changed man.
Making his first major league start since May 17, 2023, he allowed just one hit and an unearned run over five innings in the Dodgers’ 3-1 victory over the Atlanta Braves. He struck out six and walked three.
“Even if it would have went bad I still would have been having a good time just being back on a big league mound,” May said. “It literally meant the world to me just to be back on the mound because eight months ago I didn’t know if I would be.”
May spent all of last season rehabbing from a torn flexor tendon in his right arm and a life-threatening esophageal tear after eating a salad at dinner with his wife in Arizona. A piece of lettuce got caught in his throat and May sipped some water trying to clear it.
He felt a painful sensation in his throat and stomach, and later learned the lettuce had perforated his esophageal tube.
“It’s kind of one of those stories you just make up but it was actually true,” teammate Mookie Betts said. “God was just working his magic.”
May underwent emergency surgery that same night, with doctors later telling him he had sought medical attention just in time.
“After the esophagus thing happened it was like a total reset,” he said. “There’s nothing I can do at the moment, so playing baseball was at the very back of my mind. I was just trying to get healthy, get home and be able to see the next morning.”
The 6-foot-6 right-hander nicknamed Big Red closed his eyes and tilted his head toward the darkening sky before warming up.
“I was thanking the Lord for the opportunity to be back,” he said. “There’s been a lot of praying and a lot of devotion to him in the last two years of my life and I attribute all of my success to him.”
May’s first pitch was a 96 mph sinker to Braves leadoff hitter Michael Harris II for a strike. He again leaned his head back and looked skyward. Harris struck out looking.
Up came Austin Riley, who went down swinging on five pitches. Matt Olson was next and he took a called third strike. May skipped off the mound and was greeted with high-fives from his teammates in the dugout.
“It means the world knowing that my stuff still plays,” he said. “It was good to actually get big league hitters out in a big league game.”
The noisy crowd of 50,182 welcomed him back.
“That felt great,” he said.
May appeared to induce an inning-ending double play with two on in the second, but Betts bobbled the ball and threw it away at first to let a run score. It was Betts’ first error at shortstop this season.
“I didn’t get a good grip on it,” Betts said. “Just a dumb play.”
May’s emotions used to run as hot as his flowing red hair when he first came up to the majors.
“Every pitch everything would be super high or super low,” he said.
Cheating death calmed him down.
“Just being able to stay a little bit more level-headed throughout life in general has been one of my biggest things probably in the last six months,” he said.
In 2023, May was 4-1 in nine starts with a 2.63 ERA, 34 strikeouts and 16 walks before having Tommy John revision surgery.
Little did he know that would be the least of his troubles. And never did he think eating a salad would threaten his life.
“There wasn’t really a very bright light at the end of the tunnel at the time,” he said. “I had to scratch and claw my way out and find my way back.”
You don’t have to talk to many folks in the Yankees clubhouse to hear whispered admissions that the team misses Juan Soto and wishes he were still around. Who wouldn’t feel that way after losing arguably the best left-handed hitter in the game, and a nice young man to boot?
But four games into the season, it is becoming evident that while the team thinks about its erstwhile mate, the 2025 lineup is dynamic, not to mention deeper and more athletic.
No roster is perfect, though, and the hole in this one popped up in the ninth inning of Tuesday’s 7-5 loss to Arizona.
Down 7-4 in the ninth inning and facing the D-backs’ left-handed closer A.J. Puk, manager Aaron Boone had already removed switch hitter Jasson Dominguez for outfield defense. That left three lefty hitters -- Austin Wells, Trent Grisham, and Ben Rice -- to face Puk. Switch hitter Oswaldo Cabrera, who is much better against righty pitching, was due up fourth.
Here is where the Yanks remain one threatening righty bat short. The two on the bench were Pablo Reyes and Oswald Peraza. After Rice homered to make it 7-5, Boone hit Reyes for Cabrera. Reyes lined the first pitch from Puk to center, ending the game.
The context that led to this moment:
-- The Yankees entered spring training without a full-time third baseman or high-end righty utility guy, in large part because they opted to exhaust their remaining budget at first base instead. The Paul Goldschmidt signing concluded the heavy lifting of a very busy and productive offseason.
-- All through spring training, the team scouted other camps for a righty bat, but the right player and deal did not materialize. They remain open to making this acquisition, but can’t create the player they need out of thin air; at the moment, this player doesn’t appear to exist.
-- Peraza entered camp with the chance to finally turn his potential to results and dazzle the Yankees. He could have become -- and still has the tools to be -- the righty bat about whom we’re talking. But he hit .160 in spring, and made the team in large part because he is out of minor league options and the Yanks aren’t quite ready to lose him on waivers.
-- Peraza’s lackluster spring left Reyes as Boone’s choice to hit for Cabrera on Tuesday.
New York Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) walks off the field after being ejected in the seventh inning against the Atlanta Braves at Yankee Stadium. / Wendell Cruz-USA TODAY Sports
Now, a few potential solutions to this problem:
-- Dominguez could improve his defense to the point where Boone is eventually comfortable forgoing the defensive replacement. Had this been the case on Tuesday, he would have batted in the ninth instead of Grisham.
-- Dominguez could also improve from the right side. At present he is a switch hitter who is significantly better from the left side. His continued development could at some point give the Yankees another righty bat.
-- Peraza could step up. Time is running out there.
-- An appealing trade could somehow pop up, though it hasn’t yet.
This issue aside, the Yankees’ post-Soto lineup redesign is looking not just hot to start the season, but sustainably good -- and that’s without two future Hall-of-Famers in Soto and, for now, Giancarlo Stanton.
Forget the 18 home runs through four games for a moment. Consider what happened in Tuesday’s game, started by Corbin Burnes, one of the best pitchers in the sport:
-- Wells worked a brilliant 13-pitch at-bat in a fifth inning that set in motion a chain of events that ended in first baseman Josh Naylor’s two-run throwing error. Yes, the runs were unearned, but this was a classic case of a team making its own luck.
Wells appears on his way to the upper echelon of catchers in the game; who could have imagined a year ago that it would be legitimate to debate if a team would rather have Wells, Baltimore’s Adley Rutschman, the Mets’ Francisco Alvarez or Arizona’s Gabriel Moreno? But here we are.
New York Yankees catcher Austin Wells (28) hits a solo home run against the Milwaukee Brewers during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. / Brad Penner-Imagn Images
-- Cody Bellinger stole a base, his first of the season. The highly athletic Bellinger swiped 20 bags in 2023, and is a threat while on the bases.
-- The youngsters hit balls hard: A bulked-up Rice smashed a double at 111 mph and a groundout at 105 mph. Dominguez homered and made solid, 97 mph contact on a single to left. And Anthony Volpe took Burns way deep to left, smashing a homer at 107 mph. Volpe had three homers on the season before the curtain closed on April Fools Day.
-- In addition to those specific events, the Yankee lineup features several elements that should help it all year. Dominguez, Bellinger, Rice, Goldschmidt and Wells all bring swings naturally tailored to Yankee Stadium’s dimensions.
-- Chisholm is far more athletic than his predecessor at second base, Gleyber Torres. He already has three home runs and a helpful high-tech bat.
-- We haven’t even mentioned that the Yankees continue to employ the best position player to grace New York City in perhaps a generation or more, Aaron Judge.
-- Another green shoot appeared in the clubhouse before the game, when Stanton confirmed what we heard from sources last week: His tennis elbows are improving, and he won’t miss nearly as much time as many of us assumed in spring training after Stanton declared his injury "severe."
One note on Will Warren:
The Yankees are excited about Warren’s potential, and loved his performance in five strong innings in Tuesday’s start. But one thing to note: Warren did not hold his fastball velocity for all five frames. He was within his normal range for most of the game, sitting 90-92 mph and touching 94 mph twice, according to a scout.
But Warren’s 3-1 fastball to Jake McCarthy leading off the fifth inning flashed on the scoreboard as 89 mph. It actually came in above 89.5 mph, according to a scout, so it could be called 90. But it did get a few people’s attention.
Possible explanations: 1) Warren threw 85 pitches, more than he had in a spring training game. He is still building stamina; 2) he might have been focusing on throwing a strike, resulting in a tiny velocity reduction; 3) it was freakin' freezing out there.
Not a significant concern at all. Warren pitched well. Just an observation.
SAN DIEGO — All-Star outfielder Jackson Merrill and the San Diego Padres agreed to a nine-year, $135 million contract covering 2026-34.
Merrill’s deal includes a $30 million team option for 2035 that would convert to a player option if he has a top five finish in MVP voting at any point during the contract.
Merrill, who turns 22 on April 19, made his major league debut last season and became an All-Star, hitting .292 with 24 homers, 90 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. He finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting to Pittsburgh pitcher Paul Skenes.
He has an $809,500 salary while in the major leagues this year after earning the $740,000 minimum last year and gaining $1,191,534 from the pre-arbitration bonus pool.
Merrill would have been eligible for arbitration after the 2026 season and for free agency after the 2029 World Series.
SAN DIEGO (AP) — All-Star outfielder Jackson Merrill and the San Diego Padres agreed Wednesday to a $135 million, nine-year contract covering 2026-34.
Merrill’s deal includes a $30 million team option for 2035 that would convert to a player option if he has a top five finish in MVP voting at any point during the contract.
Merrill, who turns 22 on April 19, made his major league debut last season and became an All-Star, hitting .292 with 24 homers, 90 RBIs and 16 stolen bases. He finished second in NL Rookie of the Year voting to Pittsburgh pitcher Paul Skenes.
He has an $809,500 salary while in the major leagues this year after earning the $740,000 minimum last year and gaining $1,191,534 from the pre-arbitration bonus pool.
Merrill would have been eligible for arbitration after the 2026 season and for free agency after the 2029 World Series.
Its Wednesday, April 2 and the Diamondbacks (3-2) are in the Bronx to take on the Yankees (3-1) in Game 2 of this three-game series.
Zac Gallen is slated to take the mound for Arizona against Carlos Rodón for New York
Last night, Eugenio Suarez hit a grand slam in the top of the eighth inning as the Diamondbacks rallied for a 7-5 win over the Yankees. In his debut for Arizona, Corbin Burnes gave up four runs (two earned) in 4.1 innings. Anthony Volpe homered again for the Yankees. The Shortstop has three hits this season...all are home runs.
Lets dive into today's 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.
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Game details & how to watch Diamondbacks at Yankees
Date: Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: New York, NY
Network/Streaming: Dbacks.TV, YES
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Odds for the Diamondbacks at the Yankees
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Arizona Diamondbacks (+113), New York Yankees (-133)
Spread: Yankees -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Diamondbacks at Yankees
Wednesday’s pitching matchup for April 2, 2025: Zac Gallen vs. Carlos Rodón
Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen (0-1, 9.00 ERA) Last outing: 3/27 vs. Cubs - 4 IP, 4 ER, 4 Hits, 4 BB, 4 Ks
Yankees: Carlos Rodón, (1-0, 1.69 ERA) Last outing: 3/27 vs. Brewers - 5.1 IP, 1 ER, 4 Hits, 2 BB, 7 Ks
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Diamondbacks at Yankees
The Yankees went 21-15 (.583) last season with Carlos Rodon as the starting pitcher
The Under has cashed in 6 of the Yankees' last 7 home games with Carlos Rodon as the starter
Arizona has covered the spread in 3 of their 5 games this season
Jasson Dominguez hit his first home run of the season las tnight
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 Diamondbacks and the Yankees
Rotoworld Best Bet
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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 Wednesday's game between the Diamondbacks and the Yankees:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Yankees -1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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The Boston Red Sox have agreed to sign one of their top young players, Kristian Campbell, to a long-term contract extension.
The team announced Wednesday that Campbell’s deal spans eight years with club options for 2033 and 2034. ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported the extension is worth $60 million and could reach as high as $100 million.
Kristian Campbell's deal with the Red Sox includes club options for 2033 at $19 million and 2034 at $21 million, per source. That would take the full guarantee of the contract to $100 million over 10 years. If both options are exercised, Campbell would reach free agency at 32.
This is a great move by the Red Sox, who have locked up a potential star to a very team-friendly contract well into the next decade. If Campbell doesn’t reach his potential, this is a contract the Red Sox can easily stomach. But if Campbell does reach his potential, this contract should be one of the best in baseball.
Campbell entered the 2025 season as the No. 7 prospect in the sport, per MLB.com’s rankings. He opened the year as the Red Sox’s starting second baseman, and he has been one of their best players through five games.
Campbell is batting .375 (6-for-16) with one home run, two RBI, four runs scored, four walks and five strikeouts so far this season.
This contract for Campbell comes a few days after the Red Sox signed starting pitcher Garrett Crochet to a six-year, $170 million extension that begins in 2026.
The Red Sox resume their series against the Orioles in Baltimore on Wednesday night.
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Its Wednesday, April 2 and the Red Sox (1-4) take the field at Camden Yards against the Baltimore Orioles (3-2) in Game 2 of their three-game series.
Garrett Crochet (0-0, 3.60) and Zach Eflin (1-0, 3.00) are set to take the ball for Boston and Baltimore accordingly.
These teams opened the series on Monday with the Orioles winning, 8-5. Tyler O’Neill continued his torrid start collecting four hits and one RBI in four at bats to push his average to .571 and pace the O’s attack. Boston’s struggles are epitomized by their captain’s inability to make contact and put balls in play. Rafael Devers did walk twice but he struck out three times in three at bats. He has now struck out 12 times in 16 trips to the plate. Ouch!
Lets dive into today's 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.
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Game details & how to watch Red Sox at Orioles
Date: Wednesday, April 2, 2025
Time: 6:35PM EST
Site: Oriole Park at Camden Yards
City: Baltimore, MD
Network/Streaming: NESN, MASN
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 Orioles
The latest odds as of Wednesday:
Moneyline: Boston Red Sox (-114), Baltimore Orioles (-105)
Spread: Red Sox -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Red Sox at Orioles
Pitching matchup for April 2, 2025: Garrett Crochet vs. Zach Eflin
Red Sox: Garrett Crochet (0-0, 3.60 ERA) Last outing: 3/27 @ Texas - 5 IP, 2ER, 3.60 ERA, 5 Ks
Orioles: Zach Eflin (1-0, 3.00 ERA) Last outing: 3/27 @ Toronto - 6 IP, 2ER, 3.00 ERA, 2 Ks
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 Orioles
Baltimore Game Totals have cashed to the OVER in 4 of their 5 games
Baltimore is 3-2 on the Run Line this season
Boston's lack of offense is a big part of why their Game Totals have cashed to the UNDER in 4 of their 5 games
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 Orioles
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 Wednesday's game between the Red Sox and the Orioles:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Baltimore Orioles on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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You can’t win the division in April, but you can lose it if you’re not careful.
The Phillies had high expectations for this season, especially considering how brief their stay was in last year’s playoffs. Similarly, their division rivals, the Atlanta Braves, expected big things in 2025, after a season frought with injuries to star players, and an early postseason exit of their own.
But while the Phillies have been pretty much as advertised thus far this season, the bottom has just about fallen out for the Bravos.
Atlanta is now 0-6 on the young season after a 3-1 loss late Tuesday night to the Dodgers. Unsurprisingly, they sit in last place in the NL East, already four games behind the front-running Phils.
Their offense, right about at league average last season, is easily the worst in the game to this point. They have scored a total of nine runs so far this season, and their average of 1.5 per game is worst in MLB. Also ranked 30th: team batting average (.137), on-base percentage (.238), and slugging percentage (.220).
Only three teams all-time have had a worse team batting average in their first six games to a season: the 2003 Tigers (.133), who finished 43-119, the 2021 Cubs (.124, 71-91), and the 2013 Pirates, who hit .119 as a team through six games, yet somehow turned things around to win 94 games and get to the NLDS.
I’ve heard a baseball adage that “You can’t win the division in April, but you can sure lose it.” I don’t know if that applies to April *second,* but consider this: in baseball history, only three teams lost their first six games and went on to play postseason baseball: the 2011 Tampa Bay Rays, the 1995 Reds, and the 1974 Pirates.
According to bet365.com, the Braves were +135 favorites to win the NL East just nine days ago. They are now third-favorites, behind the Phillies and Mets, at +270.
The Braves will not have left fielder Jurickson Profar – whom they signed this offseason to to 3-year, $42 million contract – for 80 games after Profar tested positive for PEDs. Profar also cannot play if the Braves make the postseason as a result of the suspension.
The 2023 NL MVP, Ronald Acuña, who missed most of 2024 with an ACL tear, is taking batting practice, but hasn’t done any outfield drills. He is not expected back until mid-to-late May. That’s two big boppers at the top of the lineup who aren’t coming through the clubhouse door anytime soon.
2025 began as a three-team race for the NL East crown. If the Braves can’t turn things around quickly, the Phillies will only have the Mets to contend with.
All-Star outfielder Jackson Merrill reportedly agreed to a nine-year, $135 million extension with the Friars that is guaranteed to run through the 2034 season.
“This is exactly where I want to be,” Merrill said during a press conference Wednesday morning.
That realization came during his first conversation with Padres President of Baseball Operations A.J. Preller before Merrill was even drafted in 2021.
“The Padres were the first team that ever reached out to me, ever scouted me. They believed in me from day one,” Merrill said. “They believed in me, they trusted me and they wanted me.”
The deal can max out at $204 million depending on incentives, plus it includes a $30 million club option for a 10th season (2035) that can be converted to a player option with a top-five finish in MVP voting.
His goals during the length of that contract are simple.
“Winning and just winning only,” Merrill said. “My goal is to win. It’s always been to win, it’s always been to dominate with my boys on the field and I’m just happy I get to do it for a long amount of time now.”
Merrill, still just 21 years old, is well on his way to already reaching that incentive after breakout out last season. He hit .292 with 24 home runs, 90 RBIs, 31 doubles and 16 stolen bases over 156 games, finishing second in Rookie of the Year voting and being named a Silver Slugger.
The Padres are off to a 6-0 start this season, with Merrill headlining their offense alongside Fernando Tatis Jr. and Manny Machado. Through six games, the center fielder is batting .400 with a home run and six RBIs.
“There’s always a positive energy here. I’ve never felt a negative energy, even when we lose games. It’s just like how can you be so upset about where you are right now? You’re playing in the big leagues, you’re playing in San Diego. There’s really not much to complain about.”
San Diego will look to wrap up a perfect homestand on Wednesday against the Cleveland Guardians, with first pitch set for 1:10 p.m. PT.
The Athletics parted ways with one of their talented youngsters on Wednesday.
The Green and Gold traded speedy outfielder Esteury Ruiz to the Los Angeles Dodgers for right-handed starting pitcher Carlos Duran, ESPN’s Alden González first reported before the team made the move official shortly after.
The A’s have acquired RHP Carlos Duran from the Dodgers in exchange for OF Esteury Ruiz.
Ruiz, 26, has been back and forth between Triple-A Las Vegas and the major leagues over the past season-plus after stealing an American League-most 67 stolen bases during the 2023 MLB season, which also broke Rickey Henderson’s Athletics rookie record.
In 178 games at the major-league level, Ruiz is batting .243/.297/.343 with seven home runs, 57 RBI and 73 stolen bases in 598 plate appearances.
Duran, whom the Athletics acquired for Ruiz, is a 23-year-old starting pitcher who signed with Los Angeles as a 16-year-old international prospect in 2018.
In 19 starts last season, Duran posted a 3.71 ERA in 53 1/3 innings pitched with 73 strikeouts and 32 walks for the Dodgers’ Triple-A affiliate.
Major League Baseball updated its rulebook in 2023 to increase the pace of action on the field. But the changes put concessionaires on the clock, too.
Rishav Dash, senior director of analytics for Delaware North’s sports business, remembers the lead-up to that year’s Opening Day—months spent modeling the potential ramifications and discussing them with the company’s 10 MLB clients.
MLB games were 24 minutes shorter on average in 2023 than they were in 2022, and games were another four minutes faster last season, a roughly 15% deduction in all. But the condensed time ultimately “had only a marginal effect on consumer behavior,” a white paper published by Aramark Sports + Entertainment found.
Ballparks were prepared for the new status quo, it turned out, because they’d already undergone a revolution. Teams optimized operations for the same reason MLB added a pitch clock: Fans could no longer stand to wait. This year, baseball’s Ballpark app is testing new concession-buying functions—including using digital wallets—in search of even speedier delivery.
The hot dog cannon is no longer just a jumbo-sized novelty gag. It represents the apotheosis of MLB teams’ quest to serve food, fast.
Some clubs responded to shrinking game times by extending beer sales through the eighth inning. But most found game-goers buying about as often as they did before, most commonly just before the first pitch and often sometime again about a third of the way through a game.
If anything, the larger impact was likely the 10% jump in attendance baseball saw in 2023, in part thanks to the rule changes. An endless tally of concession analytics has also altered the game.
Aramark VP of Data Science Scott McDade said the company tracks the ratio of sales locations to fans, especially in the upper decks, to ensure quick food access. One hundred fans-per-register represents a rough baseline target. At Delaware North, purchase tracking data allows Dash’s team to narrow in on specific sections that aren’t selling to expectations. Changes range from menu updates to additional automation.
These days, there’s more than one way to get your peanuts and Cracker Jack. The Texas Rangers cited the pitch clock when rolling out mobile ordering to all visitors in 2023. Fenway Park brought in self-order kiosks to celebrate its 111th birthday. The Pittsburgh Pirates called up computer vision technology from Mashgin to facilitate speedier self-checkouts using cameras that capture what each fan is buying. Across 16 venues, Mashgin estimated it saved baseball fans 14 million minutes of line time in 2023—the equivalent of more than 86,000 extra baseball games viewed. Then, of course, there are still the roving vendors hawking options. Now they wield Square point-of-sale devices, naturally.
Some new concepts digitize the checkout altogether. MLB SVP for ballpark experience and ticketing product Karri Zaremba said the league is testing “a number of new purchase experiences” this season, starting in Cleveland and Philadelphia. There, fans can now order food and pay through the MLB Ballpark app.
The tests build on advancements in the stadium entry process. A hands-free, facial recognition-based experience lets fans better appreciate their moments walking up to historic venues, Zaremba said. It also proved to be 2.5 times as fast as digital ticketing methods. The league is still working with teams to figure out how they might use extra space once reserved for winding lines.
With fans walking in at a faster clip, it is on stadiums to be ready to serve them. More than 40% of in-stadium purchasers made their buys before first pitch, according to Aramark’s study. McDade said some teams have updated their giveaway promotions to encourage earlier arrivals and smooth out that pregame rush.
In Atlanta, the Braves opened a food court just around the corner from their most frequented entrance gate, increasing serving speed as fans enter.
The eight-stall hall also represents an evolution in ballpark design philosophy. Truist Park opened in 2017. But rather than wait 20 years for massive overhauls, the Braves have created a master planning committee that oversees updates on an ongoing basis. Back in 2019, the team tracked food acquisition time throughout the stadium. The venue opened with 100% traditional food counters but has added mobile ordering, self-checkout and Amazon’s Just Walk Out stores to its footprint since. Occupancy tracking sensors improved the flow through the team’s retail store as well.
Atlanta was rated No. 1 in overall guest experience and concessions in an MLB-wide survey last year.
Still, there are human cashiers ready to serve those who prefer the ol’ way—and many do.
“Our fans really equate a baseball game with the food and beverage experience,” Braves SVP for operations Hannah Basinger said. “And doing so in such an automated fashion—I don’t think it’s for everyone.”
The goal then, is not too dissimilar from what the architects of baseball’s modern rules had in mind: The same beloved ball game, just a little bit snappier.
Dodgers pitcher Dustin May delivers during the third inning of the team's 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves at Dodger Stadium on Tuesday. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
Dustin May closed his eyes, took a breath and held his head suspended toward the heavens.
For a brief moment, shortly before he began warming up for the first inning on Tuesday night, the Dodgers' pitcher let himself absorb the significance of his milestone moment — reflecting one last time on the 685-day journey that brought him there.
“There was definitely a lot of emotions that got let out,” May said. “It was just super, super great to be back out there.”
Not since May 17, 2023, had May last stood atop the Dodger Stadium mound. That day, he suffered an elbow injury that led to a flexor tendon surgery and Tommy John revision, the second major arm procedure of his young MLB career.
During the 22 months that followed, the hard-throwing right-hander endured a rehab process of uniquely difficult circumstances, getting close to a return midway through last season before a freak accident at dinner last July forced him into emergency, and season-ending, surgery to repair a frightening esophagus tear.
As May finally worked his way back to full strength this spring, the experience gave the 27-year-old renewed perspective. He was no longer a promising young prospect. He was unable to contribute to the Dodgers’ 2024 World Series championship.
But after so much time away, and such a scary medical saga last summer, he was simply grateful to once again be back on the rubber — making his season debut, and first MLB start since in almost two years, in the Dodgers’ 3-1 win over the Atlanta Braves.
“Even if it would have went bad, I still would have been having a good time,” May said afterward. “It literally meant the world to me just to be back out on the mound.”
Instead, May was clinical during a five-inning start on Tuesday, giving up just one unearned run to help the Dodgers — who also got a go-ahead two-run home run from Mookie Betts in the sixth inning off reigning National League Cy Young Award winner Chris Sale — extend their perfect start to the season to a Los Angeles franchise record of 7-0.
In his outing, May gave up just one hit, struck out six batters and worked around three walks to escape a couple crucial jams.
Most notably, he also displayed a calming demeanor in his return; replacing his old fiery and self-critical disposition with increased poise and, in the view of Dodgers coaches, newfound maturity.
“Just knowing that everything that I've been through in the last two years, it was just a huge weight lifted off my shoulders, and it was like I could just kind of relax,” May said. “Being able to stay a little bit more level-headed throughout life in general has been one of my biggest things in the last six months. Just trying to live in the moment. [Knowing] everything is going to be OK no matter what happens.”
May first began to change 10 months ago — when, just weeks away from a big-league return last July, he suffered his torn esophagus on a bite of a salad that got lodged in his throat.
That night, he went to the hospital and was rushed into surgery. Doctors told him that without medical intervention, “I probably wouldn’t have made it through the night.”
Dodgers pitcher Dustin May breathes in deeply after retiring Atlanta Braves leadoff hitter Michael Harris II Tuesday night at Dodger Stadium. (Robert Gauthier/Los Angeles Times)
“I felt like I was really close. And then after the esophagus thing happened, it was just like a total reset,” May added. “Like there's nothing I can even do at the moment. … I was just trying to get healthy, get home and be able to see the next morning.”
The Dodgers were on a road trip to Philadelphia and Detroit when May went through his medical scare. And as word started spreading about what had happened, the team almost couldn’t believe the gravity of the situation.
“We have a message [chat] with medical updates, and got a thing saying, ‘Hey, he had a choking incident. He choked on some salad,’” pitching coach Mark Prior said. “Everybody’s like, ‘Huh? OK, that doesn’t sound great.’ But then we learned, ‘Oh no, it was an emergency surgery.’ We didn’t hear about that for a couple days.”
Echoed Betts: “We didn't understand what that really meant. It was hard to believe. Like one of those stories that you just make up, but it was actually true.”
When the Dodgers next saw May during a road series in Phoenix a couple months later, the pitcher was back on his feet but nowhere near playing shape.
An already lanky right-hander, he looked concerningly skinny after losing roughly 40 pounds from the liquid-only diet he was required to follow in the wake of his surgery. When coaches asked about the scar from his procedure, he lifted his shirt to show a long vertical incision running up the length of his chest.
“It almost looked like an open-heart-type surgery,” Prior said of the scar. “So to see where he’s at now, it’s pretty incredible.”
Despite not returning to full strength until around the turn of the New Year, May showed up to spring training displaying surprisingly impressive form. From the outset of camp, he emerged as a front-runner for the No. 5 spot in the team’s opening day rotation. And as he kept ramping up over the course of the preseason, the team noticed his altered approach to the game.
“To watch him mature and grow up in his own way, he’s just got a nice pro presence around him right now,” assistant pitching coach Connor McGuiness said. “As scary as it was, I think it put some things in perspective for him.”
For example, rather than throwing at “full max effort all the time” to overpower hitters with upper-90s mph heat, McGuiness said, May found increased consistency by “pitching efficiently at a good effort level, without blowing it out every single throw.”
“He can tap into that bigger velo when he needs it,” McGuiness added. “But [without it], he can actually kind of move the ball around, command it a little better.”
May still walked three batters, and threw only 46 strikes in 81 pitches. But he was able to repeatedly execute in the most crucial situations, like when he stranded two aboard in the second inning after Betts’ throwing error at shortstop led to his lone unearned run, or when he got ahead of Nick Allen with two strikes in the top of the fifth to set up his sweeper for an inning-ending double-play
“It was good to see [myself] actually getting big-league hitters out,” May said. “That was the best I’ve felt mechanical-wise and stuff-wise [in a long time] tonight.”
The other big change on Tuesday was May’s in-game emotional state.
Instead of cursing and screaming every time his adrenaline surged, the now sixth-year big-leaguer kept a cooler head. After striking out the side in the first, he simply skipped his way back to the dugout. In moments of frustration, he did little more than crane his neck.
“He's out there, certainly, being grateful that he has an opportunity to pitch and be healthy,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He's not as hard on himself as I recall in years past. He just kind of gets to the next pitch a lot better.”
It was all reflective of the long road May had traveled to get back to this stage, and the adversity-hardened mindset he was forced to evolve along the way.
“I was looking for the positive side of things, even though there wasn’t really a very bright light at the end of the tunnel,” May said. “I had to scratch and claw my way out, and find my way back.”
The Yankees dropped their first game of the season Tuesday night, a 7-5 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The game got away from the Yankees after the bullpen allowed five runs in the eighth inning.
Despite the loss, the Yankees (3-1) are happy with the performance of young right-hander Will Warren. The 25-year-old made his first 2025 start and was impressive. He worked five innings, allowing just two runs to a formidable Diamondbacks lineup.
“That’s an exciting first outing for him," manager Aaron Boone said after the game. "That’s a really good offense to go through and I thought he pitched really well. Even when he had a couple leadoff walks, didn’t come unraveled at all. I thought he did a very good job of changing speeds. His secondary tonight was excellent. But a very encouraging first outing against a good offense there."
Warren made six appearances (five starts) a season ago and struggled. In that time in the big leagues, Warren was 0-3 with a 10.32 ERA. In the past, walks would snowball innings for Warren but Boone was glad to see his young hurler stay composed and get through five, especially in that fifth inning.
After allowing a leadoff walk, Warren got Alek Thomas and Geraldo Perdomo before taking on Corbin Carroll. The former NL Rookie of the Year took Warren deep in the third inning, so this was a hug spot with the Yankees only up 4-2.
Warren fell behind Carroll in the count 2-0 but then got the left-handed hitter swinging on the next three pitches, finishing with a curveball in the dirt. Warren was visibly pumped up as he walked off the mound and into the dugout.
"I loved seeing the emotion out there," Ben Rice, who went 2-for-4 with a home run,said of Warren. "He's got electric stuff and he showed that he's a competitor. That's what we know he's capable of."
"That was nice. Definitely was emptying the tank there in the fifth," Warren said of his final inning. "That was big for me to try and get through five."
Boone said he believes Warren's time in the majors last year and his impressive spring are reasons for Warren's ability to overcome the walks -- which he had four of on Tuesday.
"I do think that next wave of experience for him, I thought he did a good job of controlling the environment around him," Boone said. "Was poised all night. Yea, his stuff was good. There was some adversity along the way but he handled it really well."
With injuries to Gerrit Cole, Luis Gil and Clarke Schmidt, Warren will be asked to play a big role in the Yankees rotation this season.
Clarke Schmidt is starting the 2025 season on the IL with shoulder fatigue but the Yankees now know when they'll the right-hander back.
"He threw yesterday," Boone said after Tuesday's game. "We have him marked April 15/16. He’s got two more starts. He’ll start this weekend with Somerset up in Hartford and then he’ll have one more and the plan is for him to be with us."
Following Schmidt's two minor league starts, and if all goes well, the Yankees will have him back for their home series against the Kansas City Royals.
The 29-year-old was impressive with the Yanks last season, pitching to a 2.85 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in 16 starts. Schmidt's return would bolster a rotation that is, as previously mentioned, without Cole for the entire season and Gil for the first few months.
Yankees bullpen implosion
The Yankees' eight-inning was their downfall. The bullpen allowed five runs including a massive grand slam to Eugenio Suarez.
Tim Hill started off and allowed a scorching double to Randal Grichuk before Geraldo Perdomo hit a single over the first base bag to score Grichuk and bring Arizona within a run.
Hill would rebound by getting Carroll to ground out, and although he struggled, the Yankees skipper felt his southpaw executed well.
"That team creates some challenges for you especially with the platoon advantages they try to create," Boone said. "Grichuk stings the ball up. We want Perdomo on the right side he blocked that chopper over there and then [Hill] gets Carroll and we want to keep Marte on the left side. Overall, I thought Timmy threw the ball fine. Grichuk really stung it on him but he executed well against Perdomo and Carroll there."
Boone relieved Hill to bring in Mark Leiter Jr. with one out. The right-hander walked the first two batters he faced before getting Josh Naylor to strike out. He then had Suarez on a 2-2 count but left a splitter over the middle of the plate, which the third baseman smashed to left field for the lead.
"Can’t walk two guys, that’s really it. That’s all I got for you," Leiter Jr. said. "Can’t really walk those two guys. Trying to keep Ketel [Marte] close and being a little too quick and falling behind. And not landing the offspeed pitches."
"Just not his sharpest outing," Boone said. "He’s been throwing the ball so well the last month or so especially his first couple of outings. I thought he got himself back on track with the Naylor punch and I thought he executed a couple of good pitches in the Suarez at-bat but it wasn’t a good split there, obviously, that he threw there.
"Just one of those nights where he was just a little bit off there."
One of those nights indeed. Entering Tuesday, Leiter Jr. was lights out, pitching two perfect innings with four strikeouts this season. And before that, Leiter Jr. didn't allow a run in 4.2 innings during spring training.
