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

Big first inning dooms Phils in 6-3 loss to Brewers originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

MILWAUKEE – It was Bark at the Park Night at Milwaukee’s American Family Field on Wednesday and canines were plentiful throughout the stands.

Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola got dogged for five runs in the first inning as the Brewers beat the Phillies, 6-3.

Just ten batters in, Nola had allowed a walk, hit a batter, gave up two singles, a triple, a home run and those five runs as the Phillies fell to 80-59 on the season but kept their lead in the National League East at five games as the New York Mets also lost.

In his previous outing last Thursday, Nola allowed three hits, two walks and three runs in his first inning. Not really what anyone wanted to see from Nola, especially after Zack Wheeler was lost for the season.

“My command was off to start out,” said Nola, who fell to 3-8. “They did a good job of putting the bat on it and putting it where we weren’t. I just kind of felt off, especially in the first. Felt like I settled in a little bit.

You saw it out there in the first. I wasn’t that crisp. I just got to make pitches. I think the first inning is kind of biting me in the butt the past couple of times. I feel like it’s been all year, even before I was hurt. Usually through the game it’s that one inning that’s kind of given me trouble.”

Milwaukee star outfielder Christian Yelich was a late scratch to the lineup with a lower back strain. It didn’t seem to matter much to his teammates, especially in the big first inning.

Brice Turang started it off with a walk before Jackson Chourio, who filled in for Yelich, was hit by a pitch. A William Contreras single loaded the base before Sal Frelick singled to center in front of Harrison Bader, scoring Turang. The Phillies centerfielder’s throw to third skipped past Alec Bohm and allowed Chourio to also score. Isaac Collins then smashed his second home run of the series to right field for a 5-0 lead.

In his last start, Nola was aided by his teammates who scored 19 runs and belted 20 hits, including seven home runs, four by Kyle Schwarber.

He didn’t get that support on Monday.

After Milwaukee (86-54) got their sixth run on an RBI double by Turang in the fourth, the Phillies countered with a run in the fifth. Nick Castellanos and Edmundo Sosa singled to start the inning and Castellanos scored on a single by Trea Turner. But Schwarber struck out and Bryce Harper hit into a fielder’s choice to end any threat of a bigger comeback.

“We have to figure that one out where he comes out and he’s got his command,” said Thomson of Nola. “In the first inning he was getting behind in the count and almost like he’s trying to make that perfect pitch and getting further behind in the count. We’ll figure that one out. But after that he settled in and gave us five innings and he was better. Not quite Nola-like but he was better.

Does Thomson have the confidence that Nola will become Nola-like before the playoffs?

“Full confidence, really,” he said. “I think in ’22 or ’23, one of the years we were coming into the playoffs he wasn’t throwing all that well. As soon as the playoffs started he got it going. I always have confidence in him because he’s always prepared and he competes. The bright lights don’t affect him.”

Weston Wilson hit a 444-foot bomb to left in the seventh, his fourth of the season, with Castellanos on first to cut the lead to 6-3. But that was all the bark the Phillies had left in them as they’ll try to win this three-game series Thursday afternoon.

“I think it shows we’re resilient,” said Wilson, who collided with Harrison Bader in left center as the two were chasing a double in the gap. “I think even though we get down early it’s not over for us. We’re going to play baseball and just try to grind our way back.”

Having used six relievers in Monday’s wild win, manager Rob Thomson had to have Nola eat up some innings, and he did after the woeful first. Nola went five innings and allowed six hits, six earned runs, walked two and struck out six. Going into the game, Nola had a 7-2 record with a 2.64 ERA in 14 starts against the Brewers since 2016.

Milwaukee starter Jose Quintana improved to 11-5 as he was pulled after Wilson’s home run. In his six and one/third innings, he gave up seven hits, three earned runs and struck out six.

The Phillies had nine hits on the night but left eight on base. Turner, J.T. Realmuto and Castellanos each had two hits.

Mets reliever Ryan Helsley had another rough outing in Wednesday's loss to the Tigers, giving up a three-run home run in the seventh inning to put Detroit up for good, 6-2.

The former two-time All-Star closer's ERA has ballooned to 11.45 over 14 appearances with New York since being acquired at the trade deadline from St. Louis. Overall, he's given up 14 earned runs in just 11.0 IP.

It's hard to make sense of Helsley's performances since joining the Mets, as he was pitching to a 3.00 ERA over 36 appearances with the Cardinals. Even manager Carlos Mendoza is confused by the poor outings, but the team will continue to look for answers to solve the right-hander's struggles.

"Yeah, I mean that's the frustrating part here," Mendoza said. "This is a guy, you look up and it's 102 [mph] and they continue to take some really good swings. Then the way they're taking the breaking ball, too. And I don't think it's tipping-related; he's made some adjustments.

"Talking to Hef [Jeremy Hefner], how do we help this guy? Because right now we're not doing it. When you got that type of stuff and they keep hitting it, something's going on here."

Mendoza pointed out that some of Helsley's issues come from not getting the right amount of elevation on his fastballs. The home run to Kerry Carpenter was a 100 mph fastball low and inside, allowing the lefty to turn on it with a 106.3 mph exit velocity and send it into the right field stands.

"I think for me, that's the biggest thing, his ability to elevate the fastball," Mendoza said. "We saw it again today, that homer there is a fastball in the power zone for the lefties. When he's effective, when he's at his best, he's able to elevate the fastball and right now we're not doing that."

Helsley said it's tough to figure out what's wrong when "everything's falling," but he knows he has to keep working when given the chance to pitch.

"Just trying anything and everything," Helsley said. "Feels like [I] make a good pitch and it gets hit and then mistakes obviously get hit as well. Seems like everything's falling. Obviously can't walk guys and got to compete out there. Just keep trying to get after it when I'm out there."

The reliever then noted that he needs to "get back to the basics" to improve his pitch execution.

"Yeah, I would say it's been OK, could probably be a little better," Helsley said. "Feels like guys are swinging at 100 like it's 91 right now, so when you feel like you got to be perfect out there, it's not a good thing. Just trying to get back to the basics and start at square one. Try to get back to form and be myself and help the team win."

Helsley was also asked about changes he's made to his delivery to avoid tipping pitches, saying they've gone well and he'll become more comfortable with those adjustments over time.

"A few things, I'm trying to work on it all," Helsley said. "Obviously, the hands have changed and the positioning has changed. It's felt pretty good, honestly, overall. I didn't love it at first and I think obviously the more I do it, the more I get comfortable with it."

Mendoza thought today's situation, with the Mets down 3-2 in the seventh, would have been a good spot for Helsley to right his previous outings. He still believes in him going forward and shot down any notion that pitching in New York has anything to do with his issues.

"I wouldn't say New York, this guy is a closer," Mendoza said. "Closers, especially when you're that good... Whether it's New York, St. Louis, whatever the case might be, big league players are going to go through stretches where it's hard. But I wouldn't put it on New York, this guy's built for it."

Starter Clay Holmes, who also struggled over 4.2 IP on Wednesday, spoke from experience as a closer about Helsley's rough stretch and expressed his and the team's belief in him.

"I've been traded midseason, I've been a closer, I've had a lot of success there, had some failures there," Holmes said. "I mean, there's a lot that goes with all this stuff. Especially moving teams, moving roles. You're in a playoff chase. There's a lot that goes on there. The game's never as easy as it is. When you add some of those things, there are times you may not be your best.

"I think we all have a lot of confidence in Ryan. Obviously, his stuff's still there, he has the makeup, he has the work ethic. You've got to keep moving forward and keep believing in yourself and finding ways to get better... Like I said, he has the makeup, he's putting the work in, he wants it. Guys like that, you can see him coming out the other end really good. It's just times like this can get rough."

Matt Chapman puts suspension appeal aside with multi-homer game in Giants' sweep originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

There was no doubt about it: despite picking up a one-game suspension hours prior to first pitch, Giants infielder Matt Chapman was going to do whatever it took to play on Wednesday night at Coors Field.

An appeal later, Chapman was eligible to play, which he did in grand style, hitting two home runs that powered San Francisco to a 10-8 win and a sweep of the Colorado Rockies.

In other words, it was Chapman’s revenge game. 

“It’s obviously unfortunate that I have to get suspended probably, but I wanted to appeal it to see what we can do,” Chapman told reporters after the Giants’ win. “I want to be out there and help this team no matter what. 

“Every game is super important for us, so the fact that I was able to be out there and make an impact is huge.” 

"I want to be out there and help this team no matter what."

Matt Chapman reflects on the decision to appeal his one-game suspension pic.twitter.com/txEswfxXWG

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 4, 2025

The impact was felt early on. Chapman gave the Giants a 1-0 lead in the second with a 450-foot shot to center field off Germán Márquez.

Chappy suspends a ball 450 feet 💥 pic.twitter.com/MidFFl0OAZ

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 4, 2025

Chapman’s second home run came after San Francisco had retaken Colorado’s 5-4 lead. It was his second multi-home run game this season and the 14th of his career.

You CAN'T stop Matt Chapman 😈 pic.twitter.com/n2gqMnDQs8

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 4, 2025

The Giants, now four games behind the New York Mets in the National League wild-card race, have homered in a San Francisco era-record 17 straight games.

Finally, the bats undeniably are hot for Chapman and Co.

“It’s good. Better late than never, I guess, right? It’s been a lot of fun,” Chapman added. 

“We obviously hit a rough patch, but I feel like we’re coming into our own right now and playing good baseball. We’re just trying to keep it rolling.” 

A final verdict on Chapman’s suspension has yet to be made, but in the meantime, there’s no doubt the Giants will need him as they look to keep their postseason dream alive.

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Jordan Hicks' Red Sox tenure goes from bad to worse in ugly outing vs. Cleveland originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Jordan Hicks had a rough couple of months to start the season with San Francisco. He switched coasts in the Rafael Devers trade, yet the change of scenery didn’t help. In his first month with his new team, the right-handed reliever had a 4.91 ERA a 1.636 WHIP.

Yet Hicks felt encouraged after something clicked in Houston. He told reporters that he’d “take some ownership, throw the pitch I know is right and have that conviction.”

Nearly a month later, that new approach has not helped.

Hicks was called upon to replace Brennan Bernardino with two outs in the top of the first on Wednesday night at Fenway Park, a planned bullpen game for Alex Cora’s team after winning the first two games of the series against the visiting Cleveland Guardians. With Cleveland already up 1-0 and with a runner on first base, Hicks actually came through with a strikeout to end the inning, needing just three pitches to retire Jhonkensy Noel.

It was a positive step, but the good feelings were short-lived.

With Hicks being sent back out for the second inning, Bo Naylor led off with a double before No. 7 hitter Gabriel Arias sent a 414-foot homer flying over the left field wall.

Can’t stop climbing The Monster.#GuardsBallpic.twitter.com/gyo9oJ53Lw

— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) September 3, 2025

C.J. Kayfus then followed that one with a ground-rule double to right, and then No. 9 hitter Brayan Rocchio singled.

Both of the runners left on base by Hicks scored, giving him the ugliest of final lines: four hits, four runs (all earned) in just 1/3 of an inning.

(Of note: Cleveland entered the game with an MLB-worst .224 team batting average, scoring the fourth-fewest runs in baseball this season while ranking second-to-last in team OPS.)

On a night when the Red Sox could have used an emotional lift after learning that Roman Anthony is likely out of the rest of the season with an oblique strain, Hicks’ outing ensured that the team — and the home fans — would be in for a long, painful evening. After taking a 7-1 lead in the second inning, the Guardians went on to win 8-1.

Hicks entered the game with a 6.38 ERA since joining the Red Sox. That ERA is now up to 8.20. His WHIP with the Red Sox is at 1.982.

Including his 13 appearances with the Giants, his ERA sits at 6.95 on the year.

Clearly, the “dominant late-inning reliever” that chief baseball officer Craig Breslow welcomed back in June has not panned out for the Red Sox.

To a large extent, that should have been expected. Despite elite velocity, Hicks has never fulfilled the dreams that numerous GMs have had for him in the big leagues. From 2018-23, he made 212 appearances and posted a 3.85 ERA with a 1.299 WHIP. His strikeout totals were high, but so were his walk totals.

Regardless, the Giants gave Hicks a four-year deal in free agency in 2024, reportedly outbidding Boston for the reliever’s services. Yet just a year later, after Hicks had compiled a 5-12 record, 4.83 ERA and 1.478 WHIP, the Giants were comfortable shipping him to Boston in the Devers deal.

It’s most likely his inclusion in that franchise-altering trade and the two years left on his contract that have kept Hicks on the roster to this point. He hasn’t pitched like a big league pitcher, and as the season has gone on, he’s made it increasingly clear that Alex Cora can’t trust him in any big moments … or even, apparently, in the second inning of a 1-0 game.

The Dodgers have had an illness running through their clubhouse lately.

And on Wednesday, it forced an alteration in their pitching plans.

While Shohei Ohtani was in the Dodgers’ lineup as designated hitter for their game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, the two-way star was scratched from his scheduled pitching start at PNC Park after feeling “under the weather” the past few days, according to manager Dave Roberts.

“When you’re sick and potentially dehydrated, the tax of pitching in a game wasn’t worth it,” Roberts said.

Read more:‘Want to see that edge.’ How Dodgers hope Teoscar Hernández turns around difficult season

Instead, Emmet Sheehan will take the mound for Wednesday’s game, while Ohtani’s next pitching appearance will be pushed to “sometime this weekend” against the Baltimore Orioles.

“Just to give him a few more days to recover,” Roberts said.

Ohtani’s sickness certainly didn’t seem to hamper him at the plate Tuesday, when he had two doubles and a career-high 120 mph exit velocity on a solo home run — his 46th of the season and 100th as a Dodger.

However, Roberts said Ohtani’s pregame catch play on Tuesday was cut short, and that the risk of overexerting the reigning National League MVP by having him make a full-length start Wednesday wasn’t worth it.

“The toll of taking four or five at-bats versus pitching five innings, there’s no comparison,” Roberts said.

Ohtani’s symptoms have included chest and sinus "stuff" as well as “a deep cough,” Roberts added.

Several other Dodgers players have dealt with similar issues recently. Max Muncy was so sick last week, the team sent him home to rest and delayed the start of his minor-league rehab assignment to this week.

“We’re trying to manage it,” Roberts said. “But there are guys that are just not feeling great right now.”

Roki Sasaki unlikely to rejoin Dodgers this season

When rookie pitcher Roki Sasaki began a rehab assignment last month, in an attempt to return from a shoulder injury that cost him most of his debut MLB season, Roberts said the calculus would be simple for the Japanese phenom.

If he performed like one of the Dodgers’ best 13 pitchers, they’d find a spot for him on the big-league roster. If not, they wouldn’t.

After four triple-A outings, the latter has become the somber reality for the 23-year-old right-hander. And now, his chances of rejoining the big-league roster this season look all but dashed.

On Tuesday, Sasaki once again underwhelmed with the club’s Oklahoma City affiliate, giving up four runs (on a pair of first-inning two-run homers) in a five-inning, two-walk, two-strikeout performance. His fastball, which was advertised as a 100 mph weapon when he signed with the Dodgers this offseason, dipped back down to a 94.4 mph average. Overall, he now has a 7.07 ERA during his recent rehab stint. And on Wednesday, Roberts said there are no plans for Sasaki to rejoin the major-league team for now.

“The performance, the stuff hasn’t been there," Roberts said. "Against triple-A hitters, you would expect more."

Sasaki, of course, still figures to be a key piece in the Dodgers’ long-term pitching plans.

Because he signed as an international free agent, the team was able to secure him for six seasons of control at the cost of only a $6.5 million signing bonus. In time, they remain hopeful he can realize his potential as a possible MLB ace.

This year, however, has become a lost cause.

In eight MLB starts at the beginning of the season, Sasaki suffered from a lack of velocity and wild command while posting a 4.72 ERA in 34 1/3 innings. The theory then was that his nagging shoulder injury was partially to blame. But lately, Sasaki has continued to struggle even after returning to what Roberts said was 100% health.

“Roki has gone through a lot this year, and he still has a ton of talent,” Roberts said. “We just want to see more.”

The Dodgers certainly don’t need Sasaki to make a World Series run. They currently have six starting pitching options on the big-league roster, and a bullpen that is getting closer to full health thanks to this week’s activation of Michael Kopech and the expected returns of Alex Vesia (who will begin his own rehab assignment with Oklahoma City on Wednesday) and Brock Stewart later this month. Brusdar Graterol could also be a late-season option after missing all of this year recovering from shoulder surgery, but his outlook remains unclear.

Read more:'We’ve got to find ways to win.' Inconsistency haunts Dodgers again in loss to Pirates

“The bar is high right now, because we’re in a pennant race,” Roberts said.

Still, when Sasaki arrived as a much-hyped (albeit still-developing) prospect in the offseason, the idea was that he could immediately contribute in the big leagues.

Instead, his fastball is still lacking life, his performances remain inconsistent, and his plan for the rest of this season is up in the air. Roberts said the organization is set to “huddle together and figure out what’s best for Roki and how we can get the most out of him."

“To warrant pitching on our staff right now, there’s got to be urgency on his part and really dominant performance,” Roberts added. “That’s the level of where we’re at.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

What we learned as Matt Chapman homers twice to give Giants sweep vs. Rockies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

• BOX SCORE

SAN FRANCISCO — Given how historically bad the Colorado Rockies have been this year, every series at Coors Field has felt like a borderline must-sweep for MLB playoff hopefuls. But for the Giants this week, there was no doubt. 

They needed to take all three in Denver to keep their playoff hopes alive and they did, capping an energetic and surprisingly interesting series with a 10-8 win on Wednesday.

The Giants have won 10 of 11 and they crept a game closer to the postseason race a few hours after the New York Mets lost in Detroit. They have won four consecutive series for the first time all season, choosing a hell of a time to do so. 

The charge in the finale was led by Matt Chapman, who homered twice on the same day he found out that he has been suspended for one game for his role in Tuesday’s benches-clearing incident. Chapman is appealing and likely will try to kick that can down the road as long as possible. Right now, the Giants are playing like a team that’ll need him through the final game of the season.

You CAN'T stop Matt Chapman 😈 pic.twitter.com/n2gqMnDQs8

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 4, 2025

Chappy suspends a ball 450 feet 💥 pic.twitter.com/MidFFl0OAZ

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 4, 2025

They’ll head to St. Louis just four games behind the Mets in the wild-card race, although New York does hold the tiebreaker, so it’s essentially a five-game deficit with 22 to go. They’re also just five games behind the slumping San Diego Padres, although again, the Giants would need to finish a game up because they don’t own the tiebreaker. 

Stranger things have happened, and right now the Giants certainly are feeling dangerous. Here are three things to know from the final night at Coors this season … 

Unlikely Record-Breakers

If you look at the lineup, it’s not necessarily a huge surprise that this group became the first in San Francisco Giants history to homer in 17 consecutive games. Rafael Devers already has 30 homers and Willy Adames looks like he’ll be next. Chapman’s two got him to 20 and Heliot Ramos could get there, too. There’s a good amount of power out there every day.

But … if you remember July and early August, this makes absolutely no sense. 

The Giants put themselves in a deep hole by going 2-13 over a span of 15 home games right before and after the MLB trade deadline, and over that stretch they homered in back-to-back games just once. For weeks, they had trouble just scoring a second run most nights, and now they’re taking turns rounding the bases. During this streak, they’ve gotten homers from 12 different players. 

The Giants are just two games away from tying the franchise record, set by the 1947 club in New York. That group got a 51-homer season from Hall of Famer Johnny Mize and had three other players hit at least 29. 

Tip Your Cap

During the Farhan Zaidi years, the Giants gained a reputation for finding gold where others saw a pile of rocks. But the reality is that they were doing a great job with minor league free agents and older flyers long before Zaidi was hired. They have continued to do well in the first year under Buster Posey and Zack Minasian, who formerly headed their pro scouting department, giving him an intimate knowledge of other organizations. 

Dom Smith is the best example this year, but recently, the Giants have gotten good work from Joel Peguero, a 28-year-old who signed in the offseason. Peguero recorded four outs Wednesday and has thrown nine scoreless innings since debuting in San Diego last month. He topped out at 101.5 mph in the thin Denver air. 

JT Brubaker contributed two scoreless innings on Wednesday — helping to settle things down after the Rockies rallied — before running into trouble with one out in the ninth. Ryan Walker entered to finish it off.

It’s a team effort when you find unexpected help, and Posey and Minasian lean heavily on assistant GM Jeremy Shelley, who has a strong reputation when it comes to digging up unlikely contributors. The analytics and pro scouting groups deserve a lot of credit, too.

Rough for Ray

Left-hander Robbie Ray started to walk off the mound in the bottom of the fifth, thinking a strikeout had held a 4-1 lead. He didn’t get the call and he ended up not making it out of the inning. 

Ray was charged with five runs — four earned — in 4 2/3 innings. Coors, man. 

He struck out eight, which moved him back into the top 10 in the NL. Teammate Logan Webb currently ranks second in the league in strikeouts to Zack Wheeler, who is done for the year.

Ray dealt with tough luck, but he should still be relatively happy with the night. His fastball velocity had been down in recent starts but he maxed out at 95.8 mph on Wednesday. 

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The Mets (75-65) fell to the Detroit Tigers (81-60) by a score of 6-2 on Wednesday afternoon at Comerica Park.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Clay Holmes allowed an early unearned run thanks to a Hayden Senger catcher's interference call that extended the second inning, but the right-hander was mostly effective, if not efficient. Holmes had some good swing-and-miss stuff, striking out six Tigers, but he ran his pitch count up to 85, and his afternoon ended after his second walk of the fifth inning. Lefty Gregory Soto was called upon to try to get out of the jam, but a wild pitch and two-run single by Riley Greene gave the Tigers a 3-1 lead.

Holmes went 4.2 innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on five hits while striking out six and walking three.

-- It was a good day at the dish for Pete Alonso. After grounding a single in his first at-bat, Alonso put the Mets on the board in the third inning thanks to a two-out RBI double to right-center -- his 35th two-bagger of the season. Alonso ended up with three hits on the afternoon, the only Met with multiple base knocks.

-- Starter Casey Mize limited the Mets to one run over 5.0 innings, but the visiting squad had a prime opportunity against the Tigers' bullpen in the top of the sixth. A Juan Soto walk and Alonso's third hit of the game put two runners on with nobody out, and Mark Vientos would cash in with an RBI single to left off of Tommy Kahnle to cut the lead to one run. But with the bases loaded and one out, Starling Marte went after the first pitch he saw, grounding into a 5-4-3 inning-ending double play. 

-- Ryan Helsley's nightmare tenure with the Mets continued in the bottom of the seventh. After allowing a leadoff single and walk, Helsley, while struggling with his command, grooved a fastball to Kerry Carpenter, who lined a three-run homer just over the wall in the right, making it a four-run game. 

Helsley has now given up 14 earned runs in 11.0 innings since being acquired at the trade deadline. 

Game MVP

Carpenter, whose three-run blast broke the game open and killed any momentum the Mets had been building.

Highlights

 

Jeff McNeil gets Spencer Torkelson trying to advance! pic.twitter.com/tVPubOIabw

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 3, 2025

Pete Alonso's 113th RBI of the season ties the game at 1! pic.twitter.com/EmrKT0nbPX

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 3, 2025

Two strikeouts for Clay Holmes in a 1-2-3 third inning 💪 pic.twitter.com/vGeXBBENFR

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 3, 2025

Mark Vientos gets the Mets within a run after an RBI single pic.twitter.com/92rYTFD9fA

— SNY (@SNYtv) September 3, 2025

Upcoming Schedule

The Mets are off on Thursday before beginning a three-game series against the Reds in Cincinnati on Friday at 6:40 p.m. on SNY. 

David Peterson will face fellow lefty Andrew Abbott.

Dodger Stadium might not be the first ballpark in Southern California served by a gondola, if that comes to pass. In Anaheim, city planners are considering whether to pursue a gondola that would serve Angel Stadium.

For more than a decade, the city has explored how to connect its two main visitor hubs along Katella Avenue, with Disneyland and the Anaheim Convention Center about three miles west of Angel Stadium and Honda Center.

The effort has accelerated recently, spurred by city approval of a plan that allows Disney to expand its theme parks and add nearby attractions as well as the construction of OC Vibe, a dining, entertainment and residential village surrounding Honda Center.

In May, the chief executive of the local tourist agency told Spectrum News that a gondola was one of the transit options under consideration. On Tuesday, the Anaheim Investigator posted public records regarding the gondola option, including a study the city had paid a gondola company $20,000 to produce.

Read more:State legislators heed L.A. mayor and council, spurn McCourt on gondola legislation

Among the possibilities the company pitched, according to the Investigator: the gondola’s towers, which hold the support cables in place, could be flared to resemble the Big A, the landmark that gives the ballpark its beloved nickname.

“It is fun and exciting to think about something like a gondola,” said Mike Lyster, the city spokesman. “We know Dodger Stadium’s has generated a lot of interest. To suggest it’s anything more would give the wrong impression.”

Lyster said Anaheim officials also have been in touch with Tesla and Waymo about options for driverless shuttles or trams, and with a company called Glydways that pitches small driverless vehicles operating along dedicated pathways.

The gondola company, called Swyft Cities, does not have gondolas in commercial operation but has discussed a similar option with the city of Irvine for use in its emerging Orange County Great Park neighborhoods.

Lyster said the possibility of expanding the Disneyland monorail has not come up in “recent discussions,” since the newer options might turn out to be environmentally friendlier and less costly.

“We have to evaluate these emerging technologies to determine which ones may have staying power, which ones may be cost-effective,” Lyster said. “We’re too early to say this one or that one may be a strong candidate."

Read more:Mitch Farris has strong debut, Jo Adell homers as Angels beat Royals

Swyft Cities estimated a gondola construction cost of roughly $35 million last year and increased the cost to $125.7 million this year, the Investigator reported. The estimated cost of the proposed Dodger Stadium gondola, which would involve construction over hillside terrain, has risen from $125 million when former Dodgers owner Frank McCourt first pitched the plan in 2018 to about $500 million now.

In its presentation to Anaheim, Swyft Cities said the next step would be for the city to commission a “detailed analysis, preliminary engineering, and implementation strategy.”

The estimated cost of that study, should the city choose to want it: $350,000 to $500,000.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

With Roman Anthony out, who can step up for Red Sox over final month? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

One of the reasons Craig Breslow offered for his extended delay in elevating Roman Anthony to the major league roster earlier this year was that he and the organization simply did not want to place too much pressure on the shoulders of a 21-year-old rookie.

Over the course of three-plus months, that rookie proved that pressure would not be a problem.

Anthony played both corner outfield spots and batted in the top four spots in the order, quickly making himself invaluable to a team making a run at the AL East.

Yet now he’s gone, placed on the injured list with an oblique strain and likely to miss the rest of the regular season and perhaps a week or two of the postseason. Alex Bregman, the only position player who’s been more valuable to the Red Sox since Anthony’s call-up, described it as a “gut punch.”

And while that emotional component will be difficult for the Red Sox to overcome, they’ll still have to take the field 22 times without Anthony to finish the regular season. That means manager Alex Cora will have to mix and match his lineups each night to try to maximize his roster and make up for the significant vacancy at the top of the order.

With that in mind, here’s a look at the picture who may — and may not — be able to step up in Anthony’s absence.

Refsnyder vs. righties

Rob Refsnyder and Romy Gonzalez have been lefty killers all season long. It’s a bit absurd how well they’ve mashed against southpaws, with Gonzalez posting a .994 OPS against lefties and Refsnyder not far behind at .950.

Cora has carefully managed his usage of Refsnyder, who has more than twice as many plate appearances against lefties than he does against righties this season. That may have to change, as Refsnyder is the most logical option to get more playing time in right field.

But Refsnyder will have to prove he can be better against righties. He’s hitting just .234 against them this year (compared to .300 vs. lefties) with a .620 OPS. Those numbers are in line with his career numbers vs. righties (.231 average, .634 OPS in 738 plate appearances), so it may be unreasonable to expect him to suddenly become a different player.

Yet in the midst of a tight playoff roster, Refsnyder and his 10 years of big league experience should at least make him comfortable in some big spots.

Where is Wilyer?

The Anthony absence would be much less of a concern if Wilyer Abreu was nearing a return. Alas, the Gold Glove right fielder has not had a quick recovery from his calf injury, and his return to the field does not seem at all imminent.

Cora told WEEI on Wednesday that Abreu is “not close” to returning, noting that Abreu still has not run since going on the IL in mid-August.

Abreu was in the midst of an excellent year, batting .253 with 22 home runs, 69 RBIs and an .811 OPS in his second full season in the majors. His return would be a major boost to the lineup and in the field, but he hasn’t played since Aug. 17, and the clock is ticking on him being able to return at all.

The Password

When Abreu went to the IL, the Red Sox called up their top outfield prospect, Jhostynxon Garcia — aka “The Password.” The 22-year-old saw the field in five games with Boston, and he went just 2-for-7 with two walks and five strikeouts in his limited opportunities.

Garcia has handled the transition to Triple-A well this year, as he has a .904 OPS with 17 homers in 69 games for the WooSox.

Yet Garcia may not quite be ready for a regular role on a team making a playoff run in September, and Cora likely won’t be eager to have Garcia on the field in big spots down the stretch.

Remember Kristian Campbell?

It wasn’t all that long ago that Kristian Campbell became the first of the “Big Three” to make it to the majors, making the team out of camp and signing an eight-year extension shortly thereafter.

Yet after a hot start (.313/.420/.515 in his first 28 games), Campbell batted just .154 with a .451 OPS in his next 39 games. Campbell was sent down to Worcester in late June and has yet to return to Boston.

Campbell has played well for Worcester, with an .831 OPS while playing second base, left field and center field being moved to first base as part of the potential solution to that Red Sox problem in the wake of Triston Casas’ season-ending injury.

While Campbell has seemingly proven himself at the Triple-A level, Cora didn’t sound eager to have Campbell rejoin the Red Sox when discussing the 23-year-old in mid-August.

“It’s the same things he struggled here with,” Cora said, per MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. “Pitch recognition, covering certain shapes of fastballs. That’s something that’s hard because he’s not gonna get that down there. He’s not. The velo here is harder, it’s faster. Locations are on point here. With all due respect to the players down there, the gap is a big gap. Just one of those where we’ve got to keep working. He’s got to keep working and see what the future holds.”

Clearly, Cora was of the belief that Campbell still had work to do. Will the losses of Abreu and Anthony change his mind?

And lastly … Nate Eaton

The person who literally replaced Anthony on Tuesday night was Nate Eaton, and he actually came through with a big hit to set the stage for Boston’s four-run eighth inning.

Eaton has been a minor contributor for the Red Sox this year, playing in 21 games and batting .275 with a .658 OPS. Eaton has posted good numbers for Worcester (.290/.373/.483) and given his speed, he makes sense as a bench option for Cora to use in certain spots.

But at 28 years old, Eaton is well-established as a fringe major leaguer and thus won’t see extended usage over the final four weeks of the season.

Former Mets left-handed reliever José Castillo, who was designated for assignment on Aug. 30, was claimed off waivers by the Seattle Mariners and added to their 40-man roster on Wednesday.

Castillo, 29, was acquired by New York from the Arizona Diamondbacks on May 15 in exchange for cash, and pitched in 16 games for the Mets.

He had  a 2.35 ERA and 1.76 WHIP over 15.1 innings, tallying 19 strikeouts and six walks. The lefty last pitched in the bigs on Aug. 29 against the Miami Marlins, allowing one run on four hits over 2.0 innings.

Those appearances brought his season ERA down to 4.98 after he struggled with the D-backs, pitching to an 11.37 ERA over 6.1 innings in five games earlier this season.

Castillo also pitched in 10 games for Triple-A Syracuse while with New York, posting a 1.69 ERA and striking out 16 in 10.2 innings.

In honor of their 100th season, the New York Rangers have added a 100th anniversary logo to centre ice at Madison Square Garden.

This logo features a 100 in the Rangers’ familiar red-with-white-shadow sweater number style, set above the Rangers’ shield logo.

Throughout the course of the 2025-26 season, there expected to be different events to celebrate this unique milestone.

“The New York Rangers are one of the premier franchises, not just in the National Hockey League, but in all of professional sports,” Rangers President and General Manager Chris Drury said when the centennial mark was first revealed in March 2025. “As we approach our Centennial year, we are proud and excited about the opportunity to honour our legacy with our fans.”

Why This Upcoming Season Will Be Critical For Matt RempeThe 2025-26 campaign will be the biggest season of Matt Rempe’s career. 

The 2025-26 campaign is set to start for the Rangers on Oct. 7, against the Pittsburgh Penguins at Madison Square Garden.

Matt Chapman suspended one game, fined for Kyle Freeland shove in Giants-Rockies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants received some bad news on Matt Chapman before their series finale against the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday at Coors Field.

San Francisco’s third baseman has been suspended one game and fined an undisclosed amount for his role in Tuesday night’s first-inning scuffle, MLB announced Wednesday afternoon, noting Chapman’s punishment comes as a result of “pushing” Rockies pitcher Kyle Freeland.

Additionally, Willy Adames, Rafael Devers and Freeland all have been issued fines for their “inappropriate actions” during the incident, MLB added.

Chapman, Adames and Freeland all were ejected in the first inning of the Giants’ 7-4 win over the Rockies on Tuesday for their part in an on-field incident following a booming Devers home run. Freeland took issue with how long Devers took to get to first base, and chaos ensued.

Rafael Devers' massive homer leads to a benches-clearing brawl at Coors Field 😲 pic.twitter.com/3difBlh3tR

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) September 3, 2025

Chapman’s suspension was scheduled to begin Wednesday, but per MLB, the Giants infielder has elected to appeal the decision and will not be disciplined until that process is complete.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Roman Anthony headed to IL, likely to miss remainder of regular season originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Roman Anthony is hitting the injured list.

Red Sox manager Alex Cora announced that news Wednesday on WEEI Afternoons and said the rookie is potentially looking at a recovery timetable of four to six weeks.

“Yeah, he’s going to the IL. He has an oblique strain,” Cora said on WEEI.

Cora added the Red Sox “don’t know” the exact recovery timeline but “it usually takes from four to six weeks.”

Four weeks from Tuesday is Sept. 30, which is the first day of the postseason, with the Wild Card series running through Oct. 2. Six weeks from Tuesday is Oct. 14, which will be after the completion of the ALDS.

“He’s one of our best offensive players,” Cora said. “It sounds harsh, but we have to move on. We’ve got to put that uniform on today and try to win a game. And we’ve been through this before, right? [Triston] Casas and we traded [Rafael Devers]. There’s been a lot of stuff with this team, and we’ve been able to keep going. So I expect the group to do the same thing.”

The rookie outfielder left Tuesday night’s game vs. Cleveland due to oblique tightness and was sent for an MRI on Wednesday.

The 21-year-old Anthony has been exceptional since earning his call-up to the majors in early June.

In 71 games, he’s batted .292 with an .859 OPS, recording 18 doubles, a triple and eight home runs while driving in 32 runs. After being moved into the leadoff spot of Boston’s lineup, Anthony has in late July, he has hit .320 and reached base at a .411 clip, posting a .931 OPS.

While Anthony alone hasn’t been responsible, his call-up represents a pretty stark turnaround for the Red Sox. They were 32-35 when Anthony was elevated from Triple-A Worcester, and they’ve gone 46-27 since he made his debut.

The Red Sox recalled utility man Nick Sogard from Worcester on Wednesday to fill their open roster spot.

It was not quite a benching. But it served as a reminder nonetheless.

Last year, in many ways, Teoscar Hernández was the heart and soul of the Dodgers. Not their best player. Nor their biggest star. But someone who provided effervescent vibes in the clubhouse, veteran leadership in the dugout and clutch hits in several of the season’s biggest moments at the plate.

"Teo is a guy that we counted on a lot last year,” manager Dave Roberts said. “He's a guy that I really admire, because he can balance the fun part of baseball but also have that edge.”

This year, however, frustration has doused much of the fun. Struggles have dulled his usual edge.

Read more:'We’ve got to find ways to win.' Inconsistency haunts Dodgers again in loss to Pirates

Between injuries, slumps, defensive miscues and mechanical swing flaws, Hernández has endured one of his worst career seasons. He is batting just .247, his lowest since 2019. He has a .734 OPS, the lowest of his career and just a smidge above league-average. His limited range in right field has led to a flurry of dropped balls and some of the poorest defensive metrics of any big leaguer at the position. And going back to the last week of June, no other Dodger player (not even Michael Conforto) has been worth fewer wins above replacement than Hernández’s negative-0.5 mark, according to Fangraphs.

“For me, not being the same as last year is a little frustrating,” Hernández said. “I don't want to be like that. I want to be better than last year. But it's baseball. It's life. You just have to keep working, keep trusting in yourself and the things that you can do to help the team."

Last weekend, however, Roberts had a different idea. In the midst of Hernández’s latest cold spell, the outfielder was unexpectedly benched for Sunday’s series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks.

“He's an every-day guy,” Roberts said that day. “But I do think that where we're at, you've got to perform, too, to warrant being out there every single day.”

The move wasn’t punitive, with Roberts also accounting for Monday’s off day in hopes “a two-day reset could help” the two-time All-Star.

But still, with the stretch run of the season nearing, the manager was dropping a hint to his star slugger as well.

“I think we've lost a little bit of that edge over the last couple months,” Roberts said Tuesday of Hernández, having had “numerous conversations” to communicate the same message with him personally.

“For me, I want to see that edge, that fight, that fire, and I'll bet on any result. I just want to see that. We're past the mechanical part of [his struggles with his swing]. Let's just get into the fight. I've seen it. And I believe that's what's to come in the next month and beyond."

This is not the position the Dodgers expected to be in when they re-signed Hernández to a three-year, $66 million contract this offseason — a move Roberts described as a “no-brainer” at the time after pushing for the front office to bring the free-agent back to Los Angeles.

He trusted Hernández’s bat, which mashed 33 home runs and 99 RBIs in his debut Dodgers season in 2024. He appreciated Hernández’s heartbeat, and how he delivered one of the season’s biggest swings in the fifth inning of Game 5 of the World Series.

In bringing Hernández back, the Dodgers hoped that his mere presence would elevate the rest of the roster for this year’s championship defense.

Read more:What's behind Clayton Kershaw's pitching revival in his 18th season? 'The bowl'

“He knows his value for our ballclub,” Roberts said. “He knows my expectations of him individually.”

Only, to this point, Hernández has struggled to replicate that same intangible magic.

After a blistering start to the season (.315 average, nine home runs, and an MLB-most 34 RBIs through his first 33 games), the outfielder suffered a groin/adductor strain while stretching for a line drive in Miami, landing him on the injured list for two weeks. When he returned, he looked far from 100%, struggling to rediscover his swing or cover much ground in right. Before long, a slump took hold. And as it stretched on through the summer — compounded by foot contusion on a foul ball he suffered in July — frustration began to mount.

“It's tough when you feel good and then something happens and you have to miss … whatever the amount of games might be,” Hernández said. “It was one of those for me this year. I got injured, then I came back. I fouled it off my foot and then missed games [again].”

He later added: “For me, being hurt is more frustrating than having a bad year. I'd rather be on the field having a bad year, than not being on the field and just fighting back and forth.”

Staying on the field, of course, hasn’t alleviated Hernández’s problems. After the All-Star break, he said his body finally started feeling better. On Tuesday, he proclaimed his groin and foot to be back to full health.

And yet, over his previous eight games, he had batted only three-for-27 leading up to Sunday’s removal from the lineup. Worse than that, he had fallen back into a habit of chasing too much, leading to non-competitive at-bats at a time Roberts had been trying to emphasize the opposite.

“[I want to see] Teo getting back to having that edge,” Roberts reiterated.

In Hernández’s return to the lineup Tuesday, some positive signs finally presented themselves. He fought off a pair of two-strike pitches before lining a second-inning single. He did the same thing in the third inning to drive in a run. Defensively, there was another awkward moment, when Hernández failed to make a sliding catch on a shallow fly ball down the right-field line in the Pittsburgh Pirates’ four-run first inning. But even on that play, Roberts argued postgame, Hernández got a good jump and covered a lot of ground — breaking into the kind of hard-charging sprint that hadn’t always been there earlier this season.

“If I see a good jump getting off the ball, good effort, I’ve got no problem with it,” Roberts said.

Read more:Will Smith's walk-off home run rescues Dodgers from the clutches of an Arizona sweep

Really, that’s all Roberts is hoping for from Hernández moving forward now.

To have the kind of consistent intensity level that has wavered at times this season. To rekindle that balance of having fun and playing with an edge down the stretch run of the season.

“We're going to see that,” Roberts said. “I have no doubt.”

“You just leave everything on the field,” Hernández echoed. “I'm going to keep working, keep doing my routine, keep doing the stuff that I normally do to get back on track. And hopefully I get the results that I want to help the team."

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Houston starter Framber Valdez said he apologized to his catcher César Salazar after hitting him in the chest with a pitch on Tuesday night, but he insisted that he didn’t hit his teammate on purpose.

Salazar appeared to ask Valdez to step off the mound when the bases were loaded in the fifth inning of the Astros’ loss to the New York Yankees. But Valdez declined to do so, and then gave up a grand slam to Trent Grisham in a game Houston lost 7-1. Two pitches later, Valdez hit Salazar in the chest. Salazar appeared surprised by the pitch and started hard at Valdez, who quickly turned his back on his teammate. That led to speculation the Valdez was upset with his catcher about Grisham’s at bat.

Related: A Mets-Yankees-Red Sox super division sounds crazy. Until you think about it ...

“What happened with us, we just got crossed up,” Valdez said. “I called for that pitch, I threw it and we got crossed up. We went down to the dugout and I excused myself with him and I said sorry to him and I take full responsibility for that.”

Valdez was then asked directly if he hit Salazar on purpose. “No,” he said. “It was not intentional.”

There’s speculation that Astros pitcher Framber Valdez purposely crossed up his catcher Cesar Salazar and hit him with this pitch after Salazar told him to step off before allowing a grand slam pic.twitter.com/ds3c9MzQV6

— Jomboy Media (@JomboyMedia) September 3, 2025

Valdez and Salazar were talking when reporters entered the clubhouse after the game and Valdez said they had resolved the issues between themselves.

“We were able to talk through it,” he said. “We spoke after the game … at his locker and everything’s good between us. It’s just stuff that happens in baseball. But yeah, we talked through it and we’re good.”

Salazar was asked about what happened on the pitch where he was hit. “The stadium was loud,” he said. “I thought I pressed the button, but I pressed the wrong button. I was expecting another pitch, but it wasn’t it.”

Salazar said Valdez didn’t hit him on purpose. “No, me and Framber we actually have a really good relationship,” he said.