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

New York Daily News | Peter Sblendorio: Austin Wells made his return yesterday after a two-week stint on the IL due to cervical headaches. Wells went 0-for-2 and was lifted in the sixth inning, but said he felt good about his first day back. “I felt solid,” Wells said afterward. “I saw the ball well, so I feel good.” The Yankees are relying on better health getting Wells back to his prior standards. Though he’s never been a great hitter in the majors, Wells combined fringe-average offense with quality defense at catcher over his first few seasons, before cratering to a 50 OPS+ in his first 47 games this year.

In some good injury news (also in the Sblendorio article), Trent Grisham appears to be progressing well in his recovery from a hamstring injury. The center fielder performed agility drills on the field yesterday ahead of the Yankees’ 4-1 loss to the Reds. “We’re really encouraged by how well he’s doing,” Aaron Boone said. Grisham missing minimal time would be a boon to a Yankee offense that, though it’s done well on the whole since Aaron Judge went down, could use a little more depth.

New York Post | Dan Martin: The Yankees have been deploying Jasson Domínguez in right field in light of Aaron Judge’s injury, and the Martian is still a work in progress out there. He’s made a couple nice plays, but also had some adventures, overrunning a ball on Friday night, while also having trouble with a fly ball down the line yesterday. The Yankees have high hopes for Domínguez, who they hope will adapt to the new position. “I’m very confident in him feeling very comfortable quickly,’’ outfield instructor Luis Rojas said. “Obviously, you want more experience for him there. Our right field [at Yankee Stadium] plays a lot different than a lot of other places in the big leagues, but with his tools… I think it’s gonna work well for him.”

Bryan Hoch via X/Twitter: For the second time this month, J.C. Escarra will likely see a quick return to the majors following a demotion. The Yankees optioned him when Wells was activated from the IL, choosing to keep Ali Sánchez as the backup catcher. However, Sánchez will soon go on the paternity list, opening the door for Escarra to report back to the team — though there will again be a clock ticking on how long that will last. Escarra was optioned with a .188/.239/.271 triple slashand a a 42 OPS+ in 32 games.

PHILADELPHIA — Francisco Lindor’s next stop could be Citi Field but perhaps not to rejoin the Mets roster just yet.

After the shortstop played in a rehab game for Triple-A Syracuse on Sunday, manager Carlos Mendoza indicated there is a possibility Lindor will play in a simulated game before the Mets open their series against the Cubs on Monday — serving the purpose of giving Lindor back-to-back “games” given the minor league schedule is dark.

The earliest Lindor would likely play for the Mets is Wednesday — he would receive a day off after the back-to-back outings.

Mendoza was encouraged that Lindor, who is rehabbing a right calf strain that has kept him sidelined since April 22, played a full game for Syracuse. Lindor played a rehab game for Double-A Binghamton on Friday before receiving a day off Saturday.

“He’s getting close,” Mendoza said before the Mets lost 6-2 to the Phillies on Sunday night.

Mendoza gave Luis Torrens a second straight start at catcher with Francisco Alvarez as the DH, allowing the Mets to play their best defensive option behind the plate while keeping Alvarez’s higher-upside bat in play. Torrens went 1-for-3 with a strikeout while Alvarez was 0-for-4 with three strikeouts.

Luke Weaver has a 20-inning scoreless streak over his previous 18 appearances. Over that stretch, he allowed 10 hits with four walks and 25 strikeouts.

Knicks broadcaster Mike Breen will throw out a ceremonial first pitch before Monday’s game at Citi Field. The Yonkers native and Fordham alum — a longtime Mets fan — has been the voice of the NBA Finals for the past two decades.

Sunday was the 62nd anniversary of Jim Bunning’s Father’s Day perfect game for the Phillies against the Mets at Shea Stadium.

Austin Wells was behind the plate for the Yankees for the first time Sunday since hitting the injured list with cervical headaches.

The catcher went 0-for-2 with a strikeout, but both Wells and manager Aaron Boone are confident that his ability to work on his approach at the plate while on a rehab stint with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre will be beneficial.

The Yankees hoped the time in the minors might serve as something of a “reset” for Wells, according to Boone.

Wells has continued to wear a one-piece face mask, which resembles a hockey goaltender’s mask, instead of the more traditional two-piece mask he’d worn throughout his career.

He made the switch shortly before being sidelined and used it in the minors.

While rehabbing, Wells said he took “one or two” foul balls off the helmet and noticed an improvement from his previous headgear.

He also hasn’t experienced any more headaches, which he hopes are behind him.

The Yankees certainly could use more offense from the catcher position, since Wells, J.C. Escarra and Ali Sánchez have mostly struggled.

Escarra was optioned to SWB after Saturday’s game, as the Yankees preferred to keep the righty-hitting Sánchez around with several left-handed pitchers lined up to face them in the coming week — including Framber Valdez and Tarik Skubal in Detroit.

Boone added that Sánchez and his wife are expecting, which could lead to Sánchez landing on the paternity list and a return of Escarra.

“Ali has earned some opportunities,’’ said Boone, who’s been impressed with Sánchez’s work on defense, as well.

Gerrit Cole, originally scheduled to start Sunday, was pushed back to Monday in Detroit, as the Yankees looked to give their rotation a break in the middle of a 16-day stretch without an off day.

Cole has made five starts since returning from Tommy John surgery and said he feels good and the extra day was the team’s suggestion.

“It’s not that big a deal,” Cole said, adding it didn’t impact his preparation between starts.

The Yankees felt that with Cole, along with Carlos Rodón, coming back from elbow surgeries, and young pitchers like Cam Schlittler and Will Warren in the rotation, a break was beneficial.

The transition of Carlos Lagrange to the bullpen — at least for now — continued Sunday, with the right-hander tossing a scoreless inning for SWB. He hit 100 mph twice in the outing as the Yankees prepare him to pitch as a reliever for the rest of this season.

The Yankees have said they want him to be able to pitch on back-to-back days before bringing him to The Bronx, which he still hasn’t done, but it’s becoming clearer that Lagrange will likely be part of a new-look bullpen with the Yankees fairly soon.

Trent Grisham has been doing on-field agility drills, and Boone said he’s “encouraged” by how the center fielder is recovering from a right hamstring strain.

“Maybe a little surprised he’s moving as well as he is,” Boone said.

Without Grisham, they used José Caballero in center after some pinch-hitting moves in the bottom of the sixth, and he was slow to get to Spencer Steer’s grounder up the middle and then threw wildly, which allowed Steer to get to third.

David Peterson struggled again during the Mets' loss to the Philadelphia Phillies, and manager Carlos Mendoza acknowledged they'll need to have conversations about the starting rotation.

New York lost the rubber match of its three-game road set Sunday, 6-2, with the left-hander allowing four earned runs in four innings.

"Right out of the gate, there were a couple of walks that ended up hurting him," Mendoza lamented, referring to Peterson issuing free passes to Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber in the bottom of the first. 

Both Turner and Schwarber came around to score in the inning thanks to two infield singles.

The skipper also felt that Peterson "was inconsistent with the two-seamer execution, and [the Phillies] got him."

Philadelphia's 2-0 lead ballooned to 5-0 the very next inning, when Schwarber tomahawked a slider which hung up and inside for a three-run homer.

"[Peterson] tried to go inside, but didn't get inside enough," Mendoza said of the game's most impactful moment.

Peterson reflected on that at-bat, stating "I made a good pitch to Schwarber, it was where I wanted it to go, but gotta tip the cap."

The southpaw did battle back after digging the early hole, at one point retiring eight straight Phillies batters.

"I felt like myself, pounding the zone, getting the ball on the ground, getting some strikeouts and whiffs," Peterson explained postgame.

When asked whether he expects to get the starting nod for his next turn in the rotation, Peterson replied, "My job, regardless of the role, is to put good work in and be ready when I'm given the ball."

"I'll get back home, talk to [Mendoza] about the plan going forward and go from there," he concluded.

From Mendoza's perspective, especially with Christian Scott and Clay Holmes still out injured, the Mets have no other choice but to band together and find ways to win, regardless of what the starting rotation looks like.

"There's no other way to look around it. These are the guys that we're counting on, and we need to help them."

However, the manager did concede that the current results on the mound aren't cutting it, and a shakeup could be in the works.

"We have no off-days, so people need to step up. We'll have conversations. We expect more out of them."

The Yankees stole six bases Sunday, the most they’d swiped in a game since 2013.

But it was one they didn’t get that bothered Anthony Volpe most in a 4-1 loss to the Reds at the Stadium.

After walking to open the bottom of the third, Volpe was picked off first by right-hander Chase Burns.

Volpe was originally called safe on the play, but Cincinnati challenged the call and it was overturned.

Even before the ruling, Volpe argued with first base umpire Brian O’Nora that first baseman Sal Stewart blocked his path back to the base with his foot.

“I had nowhere to go,” Volpe said of the play. “In spring training, at shortstop receiving throws [to second base], we try to be spot on with that rule. It’s not from us. The league tells us.”

Volpe’s argument fell on deaf ears.

“He told me he didn’t want to watch [the replay] on the screen,” Volpe said. “He said the throw took him there. It’s up to him.”

To make matters worse, Ben Rice followed with a home run to give the Yankees a one-run lead.

“It’s a huge play in the game,” Volpe said. “It took a run off the board.”

The rule, Volpe added, also exists to help prevent injuries.

“You don’t want to mess up your shoulder sliding back into first,” the shortstop said.

Boone sympathized with Volpe but was not surprised by the outcome.

“By the letter of the law, he’s blocking the base,” Boone said. “Are you really gonna get that call very often? Probably not.”

The Yankees were still able to capitalize on Burns being slow to home plate to steal six bases — despite Burns having a good pickoff move. But their lack of hitting with runners in scoring position meant that none of those swipes led to a run.

The six stolen bases came from just three players, as Cody Bellinger, Jasson Domínguez and Jazz Chisholm Jr. each swiped a pair.

Only José Caballero was thrown out — and that’s because he overslid second base in the second inning and shortstop Edwin Arroyo kept the tag on him.

The Yankees have stolen 80 bases this year, their most through 76 games since 2002.

But it wasn’t enough Sunday.

“As an infielder, you’ve got to be locked in on that rule,” Volpe said.

PHILADELPHIA — David Peterson barely gave his team a chance Sunday night, becoming the latest Mets starting pitcher to bury the team early.

Over the past week it’s a list that also included Kodai Senga and Freddy Peralta, both of whom also got knocked around early, creating a significant deficit. It’s getting too repetitive for the Mets.

On this night, Peterson surrendered five runs over the first two innings, sending the Mets to a 6-2 loss to the Phillies. The loss was their second straight, completing a 2-4 road trip.

“It’s very tough to give up the lead right away,” Juan Soto said of the team’s starting pitching woes. “But it’s part of the game. We have just got to be better. We have got to play better baseball and go out there and execute.”

There isn’t much to like about the team, save for a bullpen that consistently gives the Mets a chance in close games. The Mets (34-43) just aren’t playing enough of them.

“The record is the record,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “For us, [starting pitching] is where it starts. Our job as a coaching staff is to help these guys get through it.”

In just his latest clunker, Peterson lasted only four innings and allowed five runs (one unearned) on six hits and two walks with five strikeouts over four innings. In three appearances this month the lefty owns a 12.15 ERA. His ERA for the season is 6.09.

Peterson walked Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber to begin his night before striking out Bryce Harper on a full-count pitch at his ankles. But Peterson still paid for the walks: Alec Bohm hit a grounder that went for an infield single, with Brett Baty’s errant throw bringing in the first run. Edmundo Sosa’s ensuing slow grounder to Bo Bichette went for an infield single, extending the Phillies lead to 2-0.

“I wasn’t too pleased with walking the two guys, but after that I felt I made an adjustment, challenged them in the zone, got some ground balls and weak contact,” Peterson said. “Kind of the way I finished, I felt like myself.”

Bryson Stott and Turner singled in succession to start the second before Schwarber launched a three-run homer that buried the Mets in a 5-0 hole. It was the fourth homer of the series for Schwaber, who blasted three in the Phillies’ 15-3 victory a night earlier. Schwarber has 29 homers only 77 games into the Phillies’ schedule.

“We obviously have not put ourselves in a situation we want to be in, but it’s not for lack of effort or lack of commitment,” Peterson said. “I think it’s just 1-26 getting the job done. At the end of the day, do we come away with the win or loss, and that is something that we all need to focus on, whether it’s pretty or not.”

Carson Benge’s homer against Zack Wheeler in the third cut the Phillies lead to 5-1. The homer was the rookie Benge’s ninth this season. The inning concluded with Soto thrown out at second base by plenty attempting to stretch a single into a double.

Harper hit a line drive into the right field seats leading off the fifth against Austin Warren to give the Phillies a 6-1 lead. A night earlier, Harper hit for the cycle for the first time in his career.

A.J. Ewing’s RBI fielder’s choice in the sixth cut the Mets deficit to 6-2. Ewing was the final batter faced by Wheeler, who left to a standing ovation. Wheeler loaded the bases on walks to Benge, Soto and Jared Young. The inning concluded with Marcus Semien striking out against Jonathan Bowlen.

“[Wheeler] is a really good pitcher, and the reason he’s really good is he’s able to limit damage,” Mendoza said. “In order to beat guys like that, not only do you have to create traffic, but you have got to hit. Against arms like that, they get the lead, and it’s going to be hard.”

The Milwaukee Brewers are headed to Cincinnati to take on the Reds in what is the first of five out of six series to be played against NL Central foes heading into the All-Star break. While any series could technically “make or break” a season, this stretch of 21 games (18 of them against the division) over the next 21 days just feels more important.

Milwaukee is fresh off a disappointing series loss in Atlanta, as the Brewers lost the first two games by one run each before the offense exploded for nine runs in a win on Sunday. On the other side, the Reds are coming off a 4-2 week in which they took two of three from both New York teams — they outscored the Mets 26-12 at home to begin the week before outscoring the Yankees 14-8 in the Bronx over the weekend. Cincinnati sits in last place in the division, 9.5 games behind the first place Crew.

The Brewers are currently without pitchers Brandon Woodruff (expected to return for the series opener — more on him below), Logan Henderson (early July return), Jared Koenig (late June/early July), Coleman Crow (July), DL Hall (late July), Rob Zastryzny (late June/early July), Brian Fitzpatrick (TBD), Carlos Rodriguez (TBD), Angel Zerpa (out for season), and Quinn Priester (out for season). Outfielder Brandon Lockridge is the lone position player on the IL, and he’s reportedly close to a rehab assignment after a setback in the last few weeks.

The Reds are without position players Elly De La Cruz (expected to return either Monday or Tuesday) and Ke’Bryan Hayes (TBD), as well as pitchers Pierce Johnson (expected to return on Monday), Brandon Williamson (second half), Emilio Pagán (late June/July), Hunter Greene (July), and Graham Ashcraft (second half).

Jake Bauers leads the Brewer offense with 13 homers this year, with Brice Turang (11 homers) and Jackson Chourio (10 homers) right behind him. Chourio, Andrew Vaughn, and William Contreras lead the regulars in batting average, as Chourio is hitting .301, Vaughn is hitting .352, and Contreras is hitting .299 after a 4-for-5 day on Sunday. Gary Sánchez, Garrett Mitchell, Christian Yelich, Sal Frelick, Cooper Pratt, and David Hamilton also play key roles offensively, with Joey Ortiz and Blake Perkins rounding things out. As a team, the Brewers are hitting .256/.340/.394 (.734 OPS ranks ninth), with 68 homers (tied for 27th), 397 runs (third), and 75 steals (fourth).

Rookie Sal Stewart leads the Cincy offense with 14 homers this season, with JJ Bleday (13 homers), De La Cruz (12 homers), and Spencer Steer (12 homers) not far behind him. Speaking of De La Cruz, his return will be big for a Reds’ offense that has scuffled over the last month or so, as he’s hitting .280/.346/.509 and is always a threat to steal bags. Nathaniel Lowe, Matt McLain, Eugenio Suárez, Tyler Stephenson, and Dane Myers are the other regulars for the Reds, with Noelvi Marte, Blake Dunn, Will Benson, Edwin Arroyo, and Jose Trevino serving as depth. As a team, the Reds are hitting .229/.311/.395 (.706 OPS ranks 21st), with 96 homers (11th), 325 runs (22nd), and 59 steals (11th).

The Brewer bullpen is led by Aaron Ashby, who just took his first loss after 10 wins on Saturday evening. Grant Anderson, Abner Uribe, and Trevor Megill have also been effective, with Chad Patrick serving in a long-relief role. Joel Kuhnel, Drew Rom, and Craig Yoho serve as Milwaukee’s “B” bullpen as it stands. As a staff, the Brewers have a 3.45 team ERA (third), including a 3.37 starter ERA (fourth) and a 3.55 bullpen ERA (seventh). They’ve struck out 736 batters (first) over 670 2/3 innings.

Brock Burke and Sam Moll lead the Reds bullpen, as Burke has a 3.00 ERA and 31 strikeouts over 36 innings and Moll has a 3.19 ERA and 34 strikeouts over 31 innings. Tony Santillan has struggled to a 5.10 ERA, but Tejay Antone (2.75 ERA) and Caleb Ferguson (1.50 ERA) have both been effective. Zach Maxwell (9.90 ERA), Chris Paddack (6.04 ERA), and Chase Petty (4.41 ERA) have also struggled, and with Johnson expected to return, one of them seems like the most likely odd man out. As a staff, the Reds have a 4.58 team ERA (24th), including a 4.43 starter ERA (24th) and a 4.81 bullpen ERA (16th). They’ve struck out 597 batters (26th) over 678 innings.

Probable Pitchers

Monday, June 22 @ 6:10 p.m.: RHP Brandon Woodruff (2-1, 3.60 ERA, 3.97 FIP) vs. RHP Brady Singer (3-6, 5.32 ERA, 6.15 FIP)

Woodruff is slated to make his return in the series opener, as he’s missed nearly two months after a shoulder injury that became blatantly clear in his last start due to diminished velocity. For the season, he’s made six starts, totaling 30 innings with a 3.60 ERA, 3.97 FIP, and 25 strikeouts. In a pair of rehab appearances with the ACL Brewers and High-A Wisconsin Timber Rattlers, Big Woo totaled nine innings, allowing six runs on 10 hits and three walks while striking out 11. In 15 career appearances (13 starts) against the Reds, Woodruff is 7-4 with a 3.48 ERA and 106 strikeouts over 75 innings.

Singer, 29, has had a rough second season in Cincinnati after being acquired in the Jonathan India trade last offseason. After putting up a 14-12 record with a 4.03 ERA in 2025, he’s 3-6 with a 5.32 ERA and 6.15 FIP over 66 innings this season. He’s looked a bit better in his last two outings, though, allowing three runs on nine hits and four walks with 10 strikeouts over 11 innings in a win over the Mets and a no-decision against the Padres. Singer has made four career starts against Milwaukee — including three last season — with a 2-2 record, a 4.82 ERA, and 20 strikeouts across 18 2/3 innings.

Tuesday, June 23 @ 6:10 p.m.: RHP Brandon Sproat (1-4, 5.94 ERA, 5.52 FIP) vs. LHP Nick Lodolo (2-2, 6.12 ERA, 5.80 FIP)

Sproat has a 5.94 ERA and 5.52 FIP with 63 strikeouts across 63 2/3 innings this season, and he’s been about as inconsistent as those numbers indicate — he’s shown flashes of top-of-the-rotation stuff, but he’s also struggled with homers and walks. His last start was a microcosm of his season, as he went three perfect innings before allowing a pair of walks and a pair of hits — including a grand slam — in the fourth inning against the Guardians. He struck out six but exited after just 63 pitches in that fourth, as he dealt with cramps (something that seems to be a larger issue among Milwaukee’s young pitching staff). Sproat’s only appearance against the Reds came last year in his MLB debut while with the Mets. He took the loss in that one, allowing three runs on three hits and four walks with seven strikeouts over six frames.

Lodolo, who had the numbers of a top-of-the-rotation guy last season with a 3.33 ERA, 3.81 FIP, and 156 strikeouts, has struggled mightily in eight starts thus far this year, with a 6.12 ERA, 5.80 FIP, and 32 strikeouts over 42 2/3 innings. The 28-year-old lefty got roughed up big time against the Mets in his last appearance, allowing seven runs on 11 hits and two walks while striking out just two over 4 2/3 innings. Lodolo has made six career appearances (five starts) against Milwaukee, with a 1-1 record, 2.84 ERA, and 29 strikeouts over 31 2/3 innings.

Wednesday, June 24 @ 6:10 p.m.: LHP Shane Drohan (3-2, 3.40 ERA, 3.17 FIP) vs. RHP Rhett Lowder (3-4, 4.82 ERA, 4.46 FIP)

Drohan has turned into a reliable five-inning guy for the Brewers over the last month, as he has a 3.40 ERA, 3.17 FIP, and 47 strikeouts over 47 2/3 innings this season. He took a no-decision in his last outing against the Guardians, going five frames with one run allowed on three hits and three walks, striking out three on 91 pitches. This marks Drohan’s first career start against Cincinnati.

Lowder, 24, is a former No. 7 overall pick who debuted at just 22 in 2024, pitching to a 1.17 ERA with 22 strikeouts over 30 2/3 innings that year. After missing all of 2025 due to injuries, he hasn’t looked quite the same in 2026 through 11 starts. He has a 4.82 ERA, 4.46 FIP, and 42 strikeouts over 52 1/3 innings. He took the loss in his last appearance against the Yankees, allowing four runs on six hits and three walks with five strikeouts over 5 1/3 innings. Lowder made his lone career start against Milwaukee back in August 2024. He took the loss, allowing one run on two hits and four walks with six strikeouts across four innings.

How to Watch & Listen

Monday, June 22: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Tuesday, June 23: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Wednesday, June 24: Brewers TV; listen via radio on the Brewers Radio Network (620 WTMJ in Milwaukee)

Prediction

The Brewers hit a tough rut in Atlanta over the weekend, but this Reds team has been struggling after jumping out to a hot start. I’ll take the Crew to win two of three to wrap up the road trip.

If you watched yesterday’s game, today’s game was pretty much the same game again, as the Mets fell to the Phillies 6-2 to lose the series in Philadelphia. Sure, the score was not quite as lopsided. But the story of the game was much the same, even down to the solo home run by Carson Benge. A potent Phillies lineup feasted on the Mets’ starter early, the Mets played poor defense, and the Phillies sent an ace-level pitcher to the mound able to cruise through the game and throw strikes, given more than enough cushion to work with.

After Zack Wheeler struck out the first two batters he faced, Juan Soto worked a nice at-bat, as is his wont, and made a bid for the Mets’ first hit, but Bryson Stott made an excellent diving play to deny him. The Mets’ defense did not do David Peterson the same favor in the bottom of the frame, but he didn’t do himself any favors either by walking back-to-back hitters to lead off the game. Bryce Harper then helped Peterson out by waving at ball four to strike out, but Alec Bohm then hit a slow bouncer to third base on which Brett Baty tried to make a leaping throw to first base, but threw it errantly, plating Trea Turner for the game’s first run. Edmundo Sosa then rolled a slow grounder to short, which he beat out for a hit to score Kyle Schwarber and give the Phillies a quick 2-0 lead. Peterson managed to navigate out of the rest of the inning without further damage, striking out Brandon Marsh and getting J.T. Realmuto to line out to first to end the inning. But, fear not, reader. Further damage will come.

The Mets made their best attempt at punching back in the top of the second when Jared Young and A.J. Ewing led off the inning with back-to-back singles. But Wheeler made quick work of Marcus Semien, Brett Baty, and Francisco Alvarez in order to quash the rally before you could even rub two sticks together to begin to kindle some hope. With one out in the bottom of the frame, Peterson gave up back-to-back base hits to Bryson Stott and Trea Turner. Kyle Schwarber strolled to the plate and friends, we’ve seen this movie before. You don’t have to have watched the game to know what happened next. He launched one into orbit, of course, to extend the Phillies’ lead to 5-0. And for the second consecutive night, the game felt over already with questions of who the Mets would even send out to the mound to finish this nightmare.

With a safe five-run lead to work with, Wheeler was able to fill the strike zone, but Carson Benge denied Wheeler and the Phillies the shutout with a solo homer with one out in the third to put the Mets on the board. The Mets may have gotten something cooking in that inning, as Soto laced a two-out single, but he tried to stretch it into a double and was thrown out by a mile, adding “incredibly embarrassing base running gaff” to the Mets’ growing list of indignities aired on national television for everyone to see.

As for who the Mets would send out to the mound to finish this nightmare, the answer turned out to be Austin Warren, who was greeted in the fifth with a solo homer by Bryce Harper to bring the Phillies’ lead back up to five runs. The Mets didn’t build any semblance of a rally until the sixth when Wheeler, pitch count crossing into triple digits, began to show signs of fatigue and walked the bases loaded with one out. Don Mattingly came out to the mound, but opted to leave Wheeler in for one more batter. A.J. Ewing hit it sharply, but on the ground to first, which scored Carson Benge from first base to bring the Mets within four. Jared Young was thrown out at second, but the Phillies were unable to turn two, prolonging the inning. Mattingly then finally made the pitching change, bringing in righty specialist Jonathan Bowlan, who promptly struck out Marcus Semien to keep the Mets from clawing their way back into the game.

José Alvarado worked around a two-out single by Luis Torrens to pitch a scoreless seventh inning. After Warren gave the Mets two innings of work, Brooks Raley came in to face the lefties at the top of the order in the bottom of the seventh and was able to navigate around a single by Bryce Harper and a hit by pitch to log a scoreless frame. Unfortunately that hit by pitch did end Edmundo Sosa’s night, as he was pinch run for after being plunked in the elbow area and went into the dugout to get some ice on what will surely be quite the shiner tomorrow morning, but hopefully nothing more severe. Orion Kerkering made quick work of the Mets in the eighth, needing just 11 pitches to complete a 1-2-3 inning and A.J. Minter similarly dispatched the Phillies in just nine pitches in the bottom of the inning. Despite throwing last night to get work in after not throwing for a week, Jhoan Duran was asked to finish the game for the Phillies in a non-save situation. He gave up a leadoff hit to A.J. Ewing, but then struck out the next three batters he faced to slam the door.

After awhile, one simply runs out of words to write about this team that haven’t already been written. Every time they build some semblance of momentum that makes you think maybe, just maybe, they have a miracle in them, they use the platform provided by the national stage to remind us all exactly who they are.

SB Nation GameThreads

Amazin’ Avenue
The Good Phight

Box scores

MLB.com
ESPN

Win Probability Added

What’s WPA?

Big Mets winner: Jared Young, +6% WPA
Big Mets loser: David Peterson, -27% WPA
Mets pitchers: -27% WPA
Mets hitters: -23% WPA
Teh aw3s0mest play: A.J. Ewing’s leadoff single in the top of the second inning, +6% WPA
Teh sux0rest play: Kyle Schwarber’s three-run homer in the bottom of the second inning, -14% WPA

The Colorado Rockies are fast approaching the midpoint of the 2026 season.

It’s clear this is a team doing some serious rebuilding, and with that comes moments of greatness and some moments of despair.

Here at Purple Row, we’re beginning work on our mid-season “State of the Position” series, which you can expect to roll out during the All-Star Break.

But we’re curious to hear from you as to the players who have most surprised you so far this season. You can decide if that surprise is a good thing or a not so good thing.

Let us know your choices in the comments.

Please keep in mind our Purple Row Community Guidelines when you’re commenting. Thanks!

After splitting the first two games, the Mets failed to win the series-clinching game against the Phillies on Sunday night, 6-2 the final at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia.

The Mets record is now 34-43, last in the NL East division by 5.5 games and 6.0 games out of an NL Wild Card spot.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Former Met Zack Wheeler was on the bump tonight for the Phillies. The righty has been on fire lately, and he wasted no time getting to work on Sunday evening, generating swinging strikeouts to sit down Carson Benge and Bo Bichette before putting away Juan Soto on a groundout.

-- Mets southpaw David Peterson was handed the ball for this rubber match in Philadelphia. He opened the bottom of the first by walking Trea Turner and Kyle Schwarber, but hung tough to strike out Bryce Harper on a 3-2 count. Mets third baseman Brett Baty cleanly fielded a sharply hit ground ball by the foul line, but his off-balance throw was wild. Alec Bohm reached first base safely and the speedy Turner took advantage of the misplay and came around to score. Moments later, Phillies utility player Edmundo Sosa legged out an infield single on a dribbler to Mets shortstop Bo Bichette. The first inning ended with the Phillies leading 2-0 after Peterson struck out Brandon Marsh and J.T. Realmuto lined out.

-- First baseman Jared Young batted cleanup for the Mets tonight, and started off the second inning with a single up the middle. A.J. Ewing kept things rolling by punching a Wheeler sinker into right field, moving Young to second base. Six pitches later, Wheeler and the Phillies defense were jogging back to their dugout with no harm done to the scoreboard. Third baseman Bohm recorded all three outs, handling a soft lineout from Marcus Semien, a pop out in foul territory from Baty, and a groundout from Francisco Alvarez.

-- With two men on and one out in the bottom of the second, Schwarber blasted a hanging breaking ball from Peterson 418 feet to deep right field. Schwarber's 29th home run of the season extended Philadelphia's early lead to 5-0. This was Schwarber's fourth homer in his last five at-bats, all of which came against the Mets during this series.

-- Benge cut into the lead with an opposite-field solo shot in the third inning. Soto singled to right-center field, but was gunned trying to stretch the hit into a double by Philadelphia center fielder Derek Hill for the third out.

-- After surrendering a double to Harper one batter after Schwarber's three-run blast, Peterson put away each of the next eight batters he faced, before being relieved ahead of the fifth inning by Austin Warren. 

-- Peterson's final line of five runs allowed (four earned) on six hits in four full innings represents yet another rough outing for the lefty veteran, and his ERA climbs to 6.09 on the season as a result. He struck out five batters and walked two across 79 pitches.

-- The first batter Warren faced was Harper, who mashed a sweeper into the right field bleachers to make it a 6-1 ballgame. The right-handed reliever rebounded to get through the inning without allowing any further damage to the scoreboard.

-- Wheeler walked the bases loaded in the sixth inning while recording just one out. Phillies manager Don Mattingly called time to meet with his pitcher on the mound, giving him some words of encouragement and a pat on the back. Wheeler responded by getting Ewing to ground into a fielder's choice, with Benge scoring from third base on the play to make the score 6-2 Phillies. Ewing was the final batter Wheeler would face, and he was relieved by Jonathan Bowlan, who struck out Semien to end the inning.

-- Wheeler's solid start was 5.2 innings and 104 pitches long. He struck out seven and walked three, allowing two earned runs on four hits against his former ballclub.

-- Eric Wagaman was summoned as a pinch hitter in place of Baty. He was struck out by flamethrowing lefty reliever Jose Alvarado.

-- Brooks Raley handled the bottom of the seventh for the Mets. He got into some trouble in the inning, allowing a single to Harper and plunking Sosa with a pitch that got away from him, but he escaped unscathed after Brandon Marsh flied out to center field. A.J. Minter relieved Raley, and the lefty a conducted a clean eighth inning, retiring the side in order.

-- Bichette was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts on Sunday night. The shortstop struggled mightily across the entire series in Philadelphia, tallying just one hit in 12 at-bats.

-- The Mets offense couldn't come to life in the eighth and ninth innings, shut down by Orion Kerkering and Jhoan Duran, and the game ended 6-2 Phillies.

Game MVP: Bryce Harper

One game removed from a historic cycle, Bryce Harper notched everything but the triple on Sunday night, going 3-for-4 with one RBI.

Highlights

Home runs on back-to-back days for Carson Benge pic.twitter.com/NHxoN9UqWU

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 22, 2026

What's next

The Mets return to Citi Field on Monday night to kick off a four-game series with the Chicago Cubs, with first pitch scheduled for 7:10 p.m.

For the Mets, Kodai Senga (9.00 ERA, 1.88 WHIP in 24 innings) is set to make his second start since returning from injury.

Fellow Japanese starter Shota Imanaga (4.26 ERA, 1.06 WHIP in 86.2 innings) is slated to start for Chicago.

Rafael Devers went from an 0-2 hole to working a key lead-off walk in the 9th.

He hadn’t done his job, per se. Devers didn’t knock a game-tying shot through the roof of Miami’s Loan Depot Park, a shot with the force and consequence of a pair of proton torpedoes colliding with a main reactor, effectively blasting that awful surf n’ turf fish bowl off the face of the earth while absolving thestar of his many sins at the plate so far. No, Devers did not hit a walk-off, 2-run homer with no one on base as a member of the visiting team — but he did get on base. 

For the fourth time over the final five frames, San Francisco’s leadoff batter reached base. The previous three times, the offense did nothing with the opportunity. The 5th, 6th, and 7th innings ended with that runner standing in the same place he started, on first, twiddling his thumbs. The last time a Giants runner reached scoring position was way back in the 3rd inning. 

Down 2-1, down to their final three outs, someone needed to make something happen. The issue of scoring had to be forced. So after Devers worked an admirable walk, Tony Vitello signaled for speedster Jonah Cox to take his place as a pinch runner. 

That’s when the finger got wagged. 

Seeing Cox make his way out onto the field, helmet on, Devers emphatically gestured back to Tony Vitello, trying to get his manager’s attention to tell him that he was staying put. The rookie slowed his trot down first, looked back to the dugout and back to the veteran Raffy, like a kid caught between two parents in an argument.  Devers gave Cox a thumbs up, told him I’m good, I’m good as he nodded sheepishly, not wanting to impose himself on the base Devers had earned, nor wanting to return to the dugout against the wishes of his manager. Eventually the first base umpire stepped in, and Devers acquiesced, covering his face in the hollow of his helmet as he walked back to the dugout, muttering words meant for no soul to hear. In an attempt to calm himself, he stretched his arms out and exhaled. Bench coach Jayce Tingler greeted him with a butt tap that Devers rejected with a shimmy and squirm.

He was pissed. 

Pissed about what exactly? As someone who notoriously does not talk to the media, we might never know. There was possibly a misunderstanding in which Devers, who had been dealing with some leg soreness over the weekend, felt healthy enough to run. I’m sure there’s an emotional cocktail of pride mixed with frustration rearing its ugly head here too. No, Raffy didn’t punch a hole through the roof. In fact, he had gone hitless in three official at-bats and flew out to center with two runners on in the 3rd. Zooming out a bit, yes, the team stinks, and he’s partially to blame for this stinkiness considering how off-and-on-and-off-again he’s been in what is shaping up to be the worst offensive season in his career. Devers wants to be a competitor, and neither he, nor his team, are competing. He worked a walk, but some pitches got by that he wanted back. He wanted a do-over, probably at all of it. Staying on the field was his way of getting a second chance at changing the game. Vitello said as much when asked about it after the game: he’d rather have players arguing to remain on the field than begging to be taken off of it (maybe we’ll get to that point sometime soon).  

That’s a diplomatic approach to what many on the outside perceived as a dollar diva on a bad team showing up a rookie manager. We nearly witnessed a mutiny.  

In terms of strategy, there isn’t much of an argument for Devers to stay at first. Sacrificing Devers’ bat for some basepath speed makes sense, especially if the plan was to steal second. From that vantage point, any hit that finds its way to the outfield would surely allow Cox to tie the game. If he advances on that first at-bat, the Giants heart of the order has three chances to force a bottom of the 9th. 

Based on what Vitello said, that was the thinking. The only problem: Cox never broke for second. Jung Hoo Lee saw three pitches, flying out on the third, and the runner never even flinched towards second. Two pitches to Willy Adames, same deal. No attempt. Cox stayed at first and was routinely forced out on a game-ending double play. Devers could’ve done that! Maybe that’s what he was saying when he shooed away the pinch runner: It doesn’t matter. You ain’t going anywhere. You or me, we’ll both just be standing here when the game ends.  

Considering what occurred, it’s only fair to question what happened. Was there a signal given on a specific pitch, a more general green light given, and the kid just couldn’t shift into gear? Or was the plan to see if an opportunity to swipe second presented itself, and if not, feel good about Cox’s ability to score from first on a double in the gap? Or was there no real plan at all? Just vague suggestions from the coaching staff that sound too much like wishes and hopes: Wouldn’t it be cool if you stole a base here? If only we could figure out how… 

I guess this is the problem of a team in the middle of a long downward spiral — you can’t make heads-or-tails out of reality. Devers wagged his finger in the face of logic. He poo-pooed it. Then Cox took over and got stuck in a similar stagnancy. He had trouble remembering the number of outs before, this time, he touched first and blacked out. 

It’s a sorry state of affairs made all the more sorry when next to excellence.

Logan Webb was excellent. Maybe not excellent excellent, but way better than a lot of other things we’re seeing done in a Giants uniform. Webb limited Miami to 2 runs (the most he’s allowed in a start since his return from the IL) on five hits while striking out 5 over 8 innings pitched.

Webb has gone 8 innings in each of his last three starts, becoming the first Giant to do so since Madison Bumgarner in 2015. He was nearly the first Giant since Juan Marichal in 1966 to throw 8 innings in three consecutive starts without giving up a walk, but Kyle Stowers broke his streak at 21.2 innings with two outs in the 4th.

A rare free base from Webb, and in keeping with the weekend trend, one that came back to haunt him when Otto Lopez punched a low liner past Luis Arraez into right-center. What looked like a simple single, setting up runners at the corners, just took forever to get wrangled and returned to the infield. Centerfielder Drew Gilbert, positioned towards left, had to sprint a long way and slide to keep the ball from getting past him. He overthrew his first relay man in his haste and Adames’s throw home was rushed and offline. Stowers scored easily from first to put Miami up for good.

It was probably this play that Vitello had in mind when he swapped Devers for Cox. A well-placed, hard-hit ball that doesn’t even need to roll to the wall can score a run — only for Miami, only if you’re Stowers. While the rest of his team scuffled against Webb, the lefty bat bested him twice. Before the walk, he ambushed a first pitch sinker in the 2nd for the first run of the game.

Casey Schmitt was the Giants’ off-brand Stowers, going 2-for-4 with an RBI. He’s now logged multiple hits in six straight games and gone 14-for-27 across his last seven. He punched in San Francisco’s only run off Miami starter Ryan Gusto with two outs in the 3rd.

With two outs in the 8th, he torched a Michael Petersen fastball 399 feet to dead center that most people in the building had thought tied the game. But the ball died at the warning track, knocked down by the stiff breeze of the stadium’s A/C.

Schmitt thought he had got all of it and then some. Shocked at the unfortunate turn, all Schmitt could do at inning’s end was hang his helmet and gloves on first base coach Shane Robinson and cry out in disbelief.  

After watching this weekend sweep, we’re all wondering the same thing, Schmitty.

The injury bug struck again and Nelson is out. Who would you like to see be first in line to replace him?

James Attwood: Brandon Pfaadt. Pfaadt’s future is as a starter, whether that is as a #3 or as a #5, he’s still a starter for now. Pfaadt has also had some modest success at the MLB level, where the other candidates have not yet had the chance. Given that the team’s injury issues have gone critical, Pfaadt goes from mop-up duty in blowouts to mop-up duty in the rotation. They need a pitcher who can go 5-7 innings and they need him now.

samath: I think we’ll have seen Nelson’s spot in the rotation come up by the time this publishes, so it’s kind of a moot point.

Makakilo: In the minors, Brandon Pfaadt had time to stretch out and make minor tweaks to his pitching. It will be exciting to see his progress, even if his first starts are short.

DBacksEurope: “Like” is a push. Despite the ERA he has, I’m pretty high on Ryne Nelson. He has been a good rotation arm the past few years and between all those multimillion dollar arms we’ve seen the past seasons, probably one of the most reliable though not spectacular. I think it is a hard loss. He might get back at the end of the season, but with Nelson gone, an important member of the team is gone and it might costs us wins. Who do I want to see? Right now Yilber Diaz is the one. The most logical option is Pfaadt though I think Pfaadt is a sunk cost. Let’s see what the young arms have to offer.

Ben: I would like to see Corbin Burnes replace him, but that’s obviously not happening. I would have guessed that Brandon Pfaadt would be in line to replace him, but he’s only up to around 50 pitches in his last start. The same goes for Mitch Bratt, the highest pitching prospect who could reasonably step up, but is also coming back from injury.

Soroka left Friday night’s game early (ultimate result unknown at time of question writing). If he misses time, who should be the second in line to take over a rotation spot?

James Attwood: Soroka is headed to the IL. It’s just a matter of how long he will be there. If it is going to be for more than two or three starts, then it will be time to promote Mitch Bratt or Kohl Drake. Drake has been getting shelled in Reno, but that is not necessarily indicative of his talent. At the same time, if he has low confidence from getting shelled, he may need some more work.

samath: Wasn’t the point of sending Pfaadt down to Reno to get him stretched out so he could start again? If that’s really not possible, bullpen games until he’s ready?

Makakilo: If he misses time, I hope that Diamondbacks have been developing an out-of-sight but very talented pitcher in the minors that they can call up.

DBacksEurope: I think Soroka will be fine, that is what he said and what I want to believe. If we lose him too, well, the Diamondbacks are doomed.

Ben: In the alternate world where Burnes is still available, I’d pick him. Instead, it looks like it will be Jose Cabrera, who has made just three starts with Reno, who will at least initially take Soroka’s start. Maybe the team’s plan is to use Yilber Diaz in some kind of piggyback situation with someone else?

Is there a point where you would believe that the Diamondbacks need to reevaluate how they train their players due to ongoing injury, or does it all just come down to bad luck?

James Attwood: I think there is probably an argument to be made that the team needs to make some adjustments when it comes to rehabilitating players. This is far from a new phenomenon for Arizona. With the excessive pressure on the front office to win this year, and the lacks of organizational depth across the board, it may be that some timetables have been pushed forward a bit more than they should have been. Some of that is on players trying to get back or push through. Some of that is on the team for allowing them to.

samath: Eh, pitchers get injured all the time, MLB-wide.

Makakilo: First, an unsurprising fact. Then let’s consider three top-level views on team injuries.

UNSURPRISING FACT: The Dodgers lead the Majors in days lost to the injured list. “The Dodgers, who have had the oldest average age of MLB hitters in that span [2024 to 2026], and the game’s biggest payroll, unsurprisingly led the league in days missed on the big-league IL.” Per the following linked article.

Some MLB organizations are more injury-prone than others. Is that bad luck or a system issue?

VIEW ONE. Injuries are correlated to team age. Two 2026 facts from SpoTrac back that up that view. FACT 1. The Diamondbacks’ team age of 29.3 years ranked as 9th oldest (SpoTrac) FACT 2. The Diamondbacks’ cumulative injury cash payroll of $25.8 Million ranked as the 10th highest in the Majors (SpoTrac). VIEW TWO. Consistency over time enhances the effectiveness of procedures to minimize injuries. Backing that up are the following facts.

FACT 1. From 2024 to 2026, the Cardinals had the least days lost to the injured list per this article.

Some MLB organizations are more injury-prone than others. Is that bad luck or a system issue?

FACT 2. Roster Resource shows that 8 of the 9 players in the Cardinals batting lineup were drafted by the Cardinals. My conclusion is that whatever they are doing to prevent injuries has been consistently done over many years.

VIEW THREE. My view is that in 2025, the Diamondbacks had an injury problem. It may be obvious, but I strongly suspect the same will be said about 2026. Supporting that view: In 2025, the Diamondbacks lost 11.9 WAR, which was the 6th highest in the Majors, per this link to a FanGraphs article. https://blogs.fangraphs.com/which-teams-have-suffered-the-most-from-injuries/

DBacksEurope: It is probably a case of bad luck but the problem is that there is no strong starting pitching in the pipeline unless we acquire it from elsewhere. That is the problem the Diamondbacks need to address.

Ben: If Mike Hazen and the entire coaching staff is fired at the end of the season – a definite possibility if the team misses the playoffs again – then I’m sure everything about the staff will be reevaluated. But outside of that extreme situation, I think it has more to do with bad luck than anything else. I understand that these are athletes at the height of their capabilities, but Jordan Lawlar’s run down first base that eventually resulted in an IL-worthy hamstring pull looked about as routine as one could be. He even jogged off the field with no support. Afterwards, Torey remarked that Lawlar’s body might have some uniqueness to its soft tissue. I don’t quite know how the training and conditioning staff could have done anything differently that would have prevented an injury on that play.

The Owners took another big swing and announced their desire to change the MLB Amateur Draft (LINK). Thoughts?

James Attwood: I can think of few suggestions coming from the owners or the Commissioner’s Office that would be worse for the game than this proposal. It’s almost like the owners are actively trying to tear everything down.

samath: The owners are very straightforwardly trying to exploit the mess at the top of MLBPA to their own advantage, aiming to take a greater slice of the economic pie themselves. They’re ramping up their ask in these lesser-publicized areas like the draft in the hopes that MLBPA doesn’t have its act together in time, can’t contest all of these fronts, and is forced to give in somewhere. Whatever wisdom there is in things like an international draft, it’s swamped by a clear attempt to stop paying as much to the players, particularly young superstars.

Makakilo: My concern is that athletes without academic talent or inclination, will be forced to struggle in college, where they have no chance of success.

DBacksEurope: Unless you blow up the arbitration process, every proposal is bollocks. Players need to earn money when they are at their best I.e. the early years. We don’t want to see players into well of their 40s just because they got their fat contract when they were already over their top. Players and clubs should make sure that players get paid when they deliver value for money. So, that proposal isn’t addressing the real issue.

Ben: It’s a bit of a mixed bag leaning towards a bad deal in my opinion. On the positive side, the owners’ proposal to institute an international draft is badly needed. There’s not only blatant corruption throughout the current system, but there’s also significant abuse of children that has caused irreparable harm to innumerable families and communities.

But that’s pretty much the only positive I see in it. Every other part of the proposal seems geared towards reducing labor costs and minimizing the opportunities for players to earn a megadeal. I think I’ve pretty definitively demonstrated that I land on the side of labor for most of these discussions and this proposal does little to change my stance.

Rangers 4, Padres 3

• That was a good game that the Texas Rangers should’ve won, and did won.
• I like when that happens.
• Especially given how down the vibes were coming into the game.
• Nathan Eovaldi was scratched from his start on Saturday, then the Ranger bullpen blows a lead and the Rangers lose a winnable game in demoralizing fashion.
• Then, before this game, we learn that Jack Leiter is headed to the injured list. The bullpen is struggling, Eovaldi’s health is up in the air, and now Leiter is on the i.l.? Might as well start fielding phone calls from buyers in anticipation of the deadline…
• But Nathan Eovaldi, once again, came up big when the team needed him.
• Eovaldi went six innings, five of them very good, one problematic. Eovaldi allowed seven hits in the game, with six of them coming in the top of the fourth, when the Padres scored three runs, and could have scored more, had Gavin Sheets not been thrown out at home on a one out Xander Bogaerts single.
• Eovaldi had given up a single to start the game, then retired the next nine batters in a row before things went sideways in the fourth. He retired the side in the fifth and issued a two out walk as the only baserunner in the sixth.
• Eovaldi struck out nine batters in all. His splitter was especially effective — he got 10 swings and misses on it, while his curveball generated another 5 whiffs.
• Peyton Gray and Robbie Ahlstrom got the Rangers to the ninth, where Jakob Junis allowed a pair of singles to start the inning, prompting all sorts of nail biting and glue sniffing, though Junis retired the next three batters to secure the win.
• Offensively, the Rangers were having good enough at bats that you feel like they should have put more than four runs and five hits up on the board.
• Wyatt Langford accounted for three runs with a three run homer in the third, his sixth of the season. He also had a single as part of a 2 for 4 afternoon.
• One of the very positive things from this weekend is that the “what’s wrong with Wyatt Langford” discussions we’ve been having the last week or so on here should die down, at least for a while.
• Langford is currently slashing .271/.311/.479, good for a 119 wRC+. As a point of reference, last year, Langford had a 118 wRC+.
• Josh Jung, Jake Burger and offensive catalyst Nicky Lopez all had two hit games, with Jung driving in Lopez with a fourth inning single for what was ultimately the winning run.
• On the flip side, the 5th through 8th spots in the order went 0 for 12 with a pair of walks.
• One of the walks was by Justin Foscue, pinch hitting for Alejandro Osuna. Jarred Kelenic was sent in to pinch run for Osuna, and promptly got caught stealing to end the inning.
• Not the way to impress upon management the need to keep you up with Corey Seager and Evan Carter return.
• Nathan Eovaldi topped out at 94.9 mph with his fastball, averaging 93.6 mph. Peyton Gray reached 95.4 mph with his fastball. Robby Ahlstrom’s fastball maxed out at 95.2 mph. Jakob Junis got to 94.8 mph with his fastball.
• Brandon Nimmo had a 108.9 mph GIDP. Wyatt Langford had a 105.4 mph home run and a 103.2 mph single. Joc Pederson had a 104.9 mph GIDP. Jake Burger had a 102.5 mph single. Josh Jung had a 101.9 mph single and a 101.5 mph fly out. Nicky Lopez had a 101.2 mph single.
• The Rangers now start a ridiculous road trip that will see them play 10 games in 10 days, followed by a one game at home before their next off day, on Friday, July 3 (thank the World Cup for that Friday off day).