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Mets' Francisco Lindor hits 250th career home run in historic fashion: 'We’re witnessing a special player'

It was a special night at Citi Field on Friday, and Francisco Lindor made it historic with his walk-off homer that sent Mets fans home happy.

Yes, the longball catapulted the Mets to a 5-4 win after a seesaw battle with the Cardinals, but the home run was history-making in its own right. Not only was it Lindor's first walk-off homer as a member of the Mets, but it was his 250th career home run. In doing so, he became the 254th player in major league history to reach that milestone, but he was the first to accomplish the feat with a walk-off.

"That’s why he’s an elite player and a special player," manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game. "A moment is not too big for him. He lives for those moments and he came through for us again."

"I gave it everything I had," Lindor said of his home run before calling Friday's game a "fantastic team win," crediting everyone from starter David Peterson to the bullpen to the guys who put runs on the board (Tyrone Taylor, Juan Soto and Luis Torrens).

But while Friday showed how so many pieces helped the Mets win, the night was about Lindor.

"It’s a great number. It’s a number I never thought I was going to get to, as a little kid who just wanted to play baseball on TV so my mom and dad can watch me," Lindor said. "It's really cool. I’m blessed..a lot of good teammates that I had helped me and hitting coaches that helped me along the way. And to my dad that, who never thought I could hit. It's good, it's good."

"It takes a lot [to get to 250]. He’s been in the league for a long time, having success. It’s not easy, especially playing a premium position at an elite level," Mendoza said of the accomplishment. "On top of that, you add the offense. Not just batting average, or hitting doubles but hitting for power. Not too many shortstops in the history of the game, there are only a few of them. We’re witnessing a special player and a special career here."

Lindor is just the 19th active player to have 250-plus home runs, but to Mendoza's point, he's just the fifth shortstop EVER to reach that mark (minimum 60 percent of career games at shortstop).

Although his walk-off homer had Citi Field rocking and made history, Lindor says he didn't even see it land. He just wanted to see his teammates.

"I kept my face in the dugout, with the guys," he said. "Everyone was running wild like we’re all little kids."

That selfless and team-first attitude is why he's the unofficial captain of the Mets. And his career will be defined not just by his accomplishments on the field, but off of it.

"There’s a lot that defines him. Not only moments like this but as soon as he gets to the ballpark, he influences people in a positive way," Mendoza explains. "His presence, his interactions. The way he pushes people, encourages people. And not just players,  but coaches, support staff, everyone in this building. His presence, you can feel it every time he’s around. I’m glad I have him."

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Juan Soto receives Citi Field ovation before game-tying single in Mets' win vs. Cardinals

Juan Soto entered Friday's matchup with the Cardinals in a bit of a slump.

The outfielder, who signed a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets this offseason, was hitting just .221 with an OBP of .361 and just three home runs in his first 19 games in Flushing. But it's not just the statline he hasn't been able to cash in on.

We've seen him strike out with men on base, ground into inning-ending double-plays with the bases loaded, and so forth. It hasn't always been pretty, but Mets fans showed support for their newest slugger on Friday night.

After Soto grounded out in his first two at-bats, he came up in the fifth inning with a chance to tie the game. After Tyrone Taylor's triple plated Brett Baty, Francisco Lindor flew out to shallow right, failing to get Taylor home. Soto came up next with one out and the potential to do something positive. As the slugger made his way to the batter's box, the Citi Field crowd got on its feet and gave Soto a standing ovation.

Soto took a first-pitch curveball for a ball, and then lined an 84 mph changeup from Miles Mikolas to right field to tie the game, sending the Mets faithful into a frenzy.

The RBI single snapped a 0-for-12 skid and gave the Mets new life, which they parlayed into a 5-4 win.

"That’s who we are, that’s who the Mets fans are. We feel it and the other team feels it. I’m sure Juan felt it," manager Carlos Mendoza said of the moment. "He’s a really good player. We’ve seen it so many times here, especially when they’re struggling.

"We saw it last year with Lindor and he took off. I’m not going to say that’s going to happen every time... It’s good to have that kind of support."

As Mendoza alluded to, Friday was a scene reminiscent of what the Citi Field crowd did a calendar year ago with another MVP-caliber player. Lindor was mired in one of the worst slumps of his career, batting just .098 through his first 51 at-bats of 2024.

The fans embraced their shortstop, and by the end of the year, Lindor was the NL MVP runner-up and helped lead the Mets on an improbable run into the postseason.

"The crowd is embracing Soto, and I love that," Lindor said. "He’s going to be with us for a very long time, he’s a fantastic player. I know at any point he’s going to make something happen. Every at-bat, he’s in the moment. You kind of expect it, he’s that good…I’m glad he was able to come through today.

"He picked me up. That at-bat, I popped up and he singled…RBI. It’s passing the baton. I’m happy the fans are embracing him and showing love. He deserves it."

Despite Soto's struggles, he is still getting on base and helping his team. He finished 1-for-3 with that RBI single and a walk on Friday, making it the ninth game this season where he had at least one hit and one walk. That's tied with Aaron Judge for the most such games in the majors.

While Soto isn't putting up numbers like he did a season ago when he finished third in AL MVP voting, he's still contributing and the Mets are winning. And the Mets fans know those MVP-type numbers will come -- they are willing to wait for them.

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Yankees' Carlos Rodón 'grinded his way through' encouraging six-inning gem

Yankees manager Aaron Boone isn't willing to label Carlos Rodón as a feast-or-famine pitcher. He dismissed that notion and conjecture on Friday afternoon, arguing that ample dominance from the veteran left-hander should be acknowledged more than the back-breaking pitches that have spoiled his recent outings.

The pregame message from Boone couldn't have reached Rodón prior to his first pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays, but the comments were undoubtedly validated. In spite of profuse sweat on his uniform and some slippage on the mound, Rodón delivered six shutout innings with a season-high nine strikeouts in the team's 1-0 win at Steinbrenner Field.

By no means was Rodón's performance clean. He struggled with control throughout the night due to sweat and footing issues, and received a mid-inning towel break that helped dry his left arm and hand. But the southpaw overcame inconveniences, generated enough whiffs, and buckled down for his first quality start of 2025.

"I thought it was a little bit of a grind for him, actually, tonight," Boone said of Rodón after the win. "His last two [starts] were actually better -- they just put two swings out of the ballpark. He kind of grinded his way through. His stuff was good. But I just liked how he kept moving -- next pitch, next pitch. Some command issues at times with him, but he was able to make a big pitch, it seemed like, all night long."

While the main theme of Rodón's shortcomings has been his propensity for the untimely home run, walks have also been a huge concern. He entered Friday with the fifth-highest walk percentage in the league, and his outing on Friday began with a four-pitch walk.

But he didn't allow the two-on, no-out jam in the first inning to overwhelm him. With a four-pitch mix centered around his slider and changeup, Rodón induced three straight strikeouts to escape trouble. He allowed another leadoff walk in the second and a leadoff double in the fifth, but the Rays were unable to build rallies.

It was a gutsy effort -- both physically and mentally -- from Rodón, who let out a scream after throwing his 102nd and final pitch. The 32-year-old lowered his season ERA, raised his strikeout percentage, and, for at least a week, silenced doubters questioning his reliability.

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Yoshinbou Yamamoto continues stellar start, out-dueling Jacob deGrom in Dodgers win

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto throws a pitch to the Texas Rangers.
Dodgers starting pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers during the fourth inning of a 3-0 win over the Texas Rangers on Friday. Yamamoto threw seven shutout innings. (Julio Cortez / Associated Press)

One of the starting pitchers Friday night has won two Cy Young Awards.

The other is making an early case to win one of his own.

For years, Jacob deGrom has (when healthy) been the gold standard of major league pitching. He has a career ERA of 2.54. He is a four-time All-Star and two-time strikeout king. In 2018 and 2019, he won back-to-back Cy Young honors.

In the Dodgers’ 3-0 win over deGrom’s Texas Rangers, however, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was the best pitcher.

Read more:Anticipating birth of first child, Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani goes on paternity leave

Although deGrom gave up just one run over seven strong innings, Yamamoto spun seven scoreless innings at Globe Life Field. Where deGrom struck out seven and walked a batter, Yamamoto had 10 strikeouts and no free passes.

It helped the Dodgers win this series-opening matchup between the last two World Series champions, even though they were without Shohei Ohtani, who went on the paternity list in anticipation of the birth of his first child.

And it further cemented one of the most promising early storylines of this Dodgers season — continuing to affirm Yamamoto, in just his second MLB season, as someone who could be competing for hardware this fall.

Friday presented a new challenge for Yamamoto, who entered the game with a 1.23 ERA in his first four starts. His fastball didn’t have its usual life, sitting a tick lower than normal at 95 mph. His splitter, while still wicked, was a little wilder than typical.

So, the 26-year-old Japanese star dug deeper into his bag of tricks. What he came up with kept the Rangers off balance.

A rare area of weakness for Yamamoto early this season had been his curveball. Though manager Dave Roberts last year called it one of the best he’s seen from a right-hander, opponents entered the night batting .429 against it. Yamamoto hadn’t registered a strikeout with it once.

On this night, though, Yamamoto snapped off a flurry of big-bending curves to the Rangers. It generated four whiffs on 11 swings. It accounted for two of his strikeouts, including one to Joc Pederson that stranded runners at second and third in the third. And of the seven that Texas put in play, only two fell for hits.

As Yamamoto worked deeper into the game, he also mixed in his rarely used slider, giving Rangers hitters a different look the second and third time through.

He fanned Jake Burger with one to end the fourth, stranding yet another runner at second. He used it again on his 102nd and final pitch, recording a strike ‘em out, throw ‘em out double-play to complete seven innings for only the third time in his MLB career.

Yamamoto’s splitter was still effective, totaling seven whiffs (four of them strikeouts) on 17 swings. And with his four-seamer playing down, he incorporated more sinkers and cutters into his arsenal.

It all served as a reminder that Yamamoto — whose 0.93 ERA is now best in the National League — is much more than a two-weapon pitcher. That, after brief flashes of brilliance last year, he is starting to put all the pieces together for a breakout sophomore season.

On the backside of his career at age 36, deGrom was almost as good in what turned into a vintage pitcher’s duel. He yielded just three hits, and retired 13 of the final 14 batters he faced. But back in the first inning, he threw an elevated fastball to leadoff man Tommy Edman (who was filling in for Ohtani at the top of the batting order). Edman whacked it for his NL-leading seventh home run.

It proved to be deGrom’s only real mistake.

But the way Yamamoto was dominating, it was one too many.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Francisco Lindor's walk-off homer lifts Mets to 5-4 win over Cardinals

Francisco Lindor hit his first Mets walk-off home run in the team's 5-4 win over the Cardinals at Citi Field on Friday night.

It was Lindor's 250th career homer.

The Mets (13-7) have now won consecutive games after losing two stright for the first time this season.

Here are the takeaways...

-Cardinals starter Miles Mikolas held the Mets' offense down for the first four innings, allowing just four baserunners in that span. However, the Mets' bats woke up in the fifth with Brett Baty's leadoff double and Tyrone Taylor's RBI triple. AfterLindor's shallow fly ball failed to bring Taylor home, the Citi Field crowd gave Juan Soto a standing ovation in hopes of urging their new star to drive in the tying run. The left-hander slugger obliged, pulling a single into right field to tie the game, 2-2.

Soto snapped an 0-for-12 skid and finished 1-for-3 with a walk on the night.

-With the Mets down 3-2 in the sixth, Mark Vientos found the seats for the second straight night with a solo shot. He turned on the eighth pitch of the at-bat -- a 95.4 mph fastball up and in -- depositing it 371 feet into the left field seats. According to MLB's Sarah Langs, Vientos’ home run came on a pitch 4.14 ft above the ground, which is the third-highest pitch a Mets player has homered on in the pitch-tracking era (2008), behind:

  • 8/27/17 Amed Rosario: 4.17 ft
  • 9/22/20 Robinson Cano: 4.16 ft

-The bottom of the eighth was a wild one. After Vientos' leadoff single, Luisangel Acuña pinch-ran and stole second. Brandon Nimmo hit a chopper to third base and the young infielder tried to get a jump to third, but Nolan Arenado hadn't thrown the ball to first yet and it created a foot race for third. Acuña initially beat the tag, but he slid off the bag and the Gold Glover put the tag on to get the first out, which was confirmed by replay.

With Nimmo on first, former Met reliever Phil Maton threw to keep the veteran outfielder on but it hit Nimmo, allowing him to get to second. Luis Torrens then made the Cardinals pay with a double down the left field line, giving the Mets their first lead of the night.

-David Peterson was effective on Friday night, but the Cardinals were able to use small ball to get to the talented lefty. Three singles, which were hit softly but not where fielders were, allowed the Cardinals to score the first run of the game in the second. They then pushed across another after Brendan Donovan took second on a passed ball. Jordan Walker then scorched a liner toward first base that Pete Alonso knocked down but trickled into the outfield.

Peterson would continue to overcome this scrappy Cardinals team and rack up the strikeouts, but St. Louis would push their third run across thanks to a leadoff double from Willson Contreras and a single by Arenado.

Carlos Mendoza pulled Peterson with one out in the sixth and called on Max Kranick to limit the damage. And as the right-hander had done for most of the season, he left ducks on the pond to keep the score 3-2.

Peterson was dominant in spurts, but the Cardinals were able to string hits together in three separate innings. The left-hander went 5.1 innings on a season-high 99 pitches, allowing three runs on seven hits with no walks and a season-high nine punchouts.

-With Edwin Diaz unavailable due to pitching consecutive games, Huascar Brazoban was called to get the final three outs, but on the second pitch, Donovan launched a game-tying homer off the netting on the right-field foul pole. Brazoban bounced back, however, striking out the next three batters to send it to the bottom of the ninth.

-Baty continued to look good at the plate, picking up his first walk of the season in his first at-bat and then swiping second for the third stolen base of his career. He doubled in his second at-bat and finished 1-for-3 with the walk and run scored.

Baty now has a five-game hitting streak.

-Nimmo hit in the No. 6 hole on Friday, his lowest place in the lineup since 2021. He looked good, too, despite his 1-for-4 night.

-After going hitless in Thursday's series-opener -- his last hitless game came on April 13 --Alonso got on the board with a first-inning triple. It was his first three-bagger since 2023. The slugger went 1-for-2 with two walks.

Game MVP: Francisco Lindor

In a back-and-forth affair, Lindor's walk-off sent the crowd home happy and is the logical choice.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets and Cardinals continue their four-game set with an afternoon tilt on Saturday. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m.

Kodai Senga (2-1, 1.06 ERA) will take the mound against Matthew Liberatore (1-1, 3.93 ERA) of the Cardinals.

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Carlos Rodón delivers six gutsy shutout innings in Yankees' 1-0 win over Rays

The Yankees extended their winning streak to five games on Friday night, as they outlasted the division rival Tampa Bay Rays, 1-0, at Steinbrenner Field.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Carlos Rodón entered Friday with the fifth-highest walk percentage in the league, and fittingly walked Rays leadoff batter Yandy Díaz on five pitches before allowing a single to Junior Caminero four pitches later. But the veteran southpaw managed to escape the two-on, no-out jam in the first inning by striking out three straight with his slider and changeup. Rodón needed 28 pitches to work out of the early trouble.

-- It didn't take too long for the Yankees to draw first blood against Rays starter Drew Rasmussen. After a leadoff single from Paul Goldschmidt and a one-out walk from J.C. Escarra in the second, Trent Grisham smacked a two-out RBI single to shallow center, giving them their lone run. The backup outfielder was also robbed of extra bases in the fourth, when his slicing fly to deep left was snagged on a terrific diving catch by Christopher Morel.

-- Anthony Volpe was no match for Rasmussen in their first two matchups -- he whiffed on three straight pitches in both at-bats. But his woes at the plate didn't disrupt his defensive groove and range. In the bottom half of the fourth, the Yankees' shortstop took an infield single away from Curtis Mead with an impressive across-the-body throw deep in the hole that was nicely scooped up by Goldschmidt at first.

-- Before the game, Aaron Boone insisted that Rodón -- who's developed a knack for back-breaking mistakes -- hasn't resembled a feast-or-famine pitcher this season. The comments were validated, as the left-hander wound up completing six shutout innings with nine strikeouts on 102 pitches. Rodón also overcame profuse sweat and footing issues -- he threw a few wild pitches and received a mid-inning towel break.

-- Mark Leiter Jr. entered in relief of Rodón in the seventh, and nearly gave up a leadoff triple to Jose Caballero. But the deep fly off the center field wall induced a stellar relay between Grisham and Volpe that ended with Oswaldo Cabrera securing the tag at third. The Rays' baserunning blunder shifted momentum -- Leiter settled down after the huge play, striking out two.

-- Cabarello somehow made up for his mistake in the eighth, as he robbed Ben Rice of a two-run home run to right with a stunning leaping catch at the wall. The line drive had a 105 mph exit velocity and a 74 percent chance of becoming a hit, but if not for the clear robbery, Rice easily would've had his sixth homer of the season. He was as shocked as everyone else in the ballpark.

-- The Yankees relied on Fernando Cruz and Luke Weaver to record the final six outs, and neither right-hander disappointed. Cruz logged a pair of strikeouts with his nasty splitter and fastball, while Weaver produced a 1-2-3 ninth with two punchouts for his second save. It was yet another clutch performance from the bullpen, which had to complete 7.1 innings in Thursday's win.

-- Grisham's second-inning RBI single was the only blemish on Rasmussen's record -- Tampa's right-hander lowered his ERA to 0.87 by striking out seven across a season-high 5.2 innings. While the Yankees nearly added two runs on Rice's deep lineout, they struggled overall to muster offense. The only player who found success was Goldschmidt, who produced three of their five total hits and is now tied with Aaron Judge for the team lead in knocks (28).

-- It was another forgettable night at the plate for Jazz Chisholm Jr. He went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts, lowering his season average to .160. The Yankees' second baseman will most likely be forced to sit on Saturday, as MLB issued him a one-game suspension and fine for actions that followed his ejection from Thursday's game. Chisholm appealed the league's ruling on Friday afternoon.

Game MVP: Carlos Rodón

While the sweat on his uniform and arms caused some disruptions on the mound, Rodón delivered his strongest start of the season thus far. He struck out a season-high nine batters, walked four, and gave up two hits. His ERA now sits at 4.34 through five starts.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees (13-7) continue their four-game weekend series in Tampa on Saturday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 4:10 p.m.

Carlos Carrasco (2-1, 5.94 ERA) is slated to take the mound, opposite Shane Baz (2-0, 1.42 ERA).

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Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. suspended 1 game following ejection, violation of social media policy

TAMPA, Fla. — New York Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. was suspended for one game and fined by Major League Baseball on Friday following his ejection during a game at the Tampa Bay Rays and violation of MLB’s social media policy.

MLB senior vice president of on-field operations Michael Hill announced the decision.

Chisholm appealed, delaying any penalties until after a resolution. He was in the starting lineup for the second game of the four-game series.

Chisholm was ejected in the seventh inning on Thursday night by plate umpire John Bacon when Chisholm argued after a called third strike on a full-count pitch from Mason Montgomery that appeared low. It was his fifth career ejection and first with the Yankees.

Chisholm then posted on his X account, “Not even ... close!!!!!” with a profanity mixed in, then deleted the post.

MLB’s regulations ban the use of electronic devices during games. The social media policy prohibits “displaying or transmitting content that questions the impartiality of or otherwise denigrates a major league umpire.”

“I didn’t think before I had anything that I said was ejectable but after probably,” Chisholm said after the game. “I’m a competitor, so when I go out there and I feel like I’m right and you’re saying something to me that I think doesn’t make sense, I’m going to get fired up and be upset.

“I lost my emotions. I lost my cool,” he added. “I got to be better than that. ... I’m definitely mad at myself for losing my cool.”

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Giants' offense again fails to reward stellar Webb outing vs. Angels

Giants' offense again fails to reward stellar Webb outing vs. Angels originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Giants ace Logan Webb pitched very well, recording double-digit strikeouts and no walks.

But San Francisco lost 2-0 to the Los Angeles Angels on Friday night at Angel Stadium.

If that sounds familiar, it’s because almost the exact same script played out in last week’s 2-0 loss to the Cincinnati Reds at Oracle Park.

It’s not a new phenomenon for Giants fans, who affectionately refer to it as “getting Cained.”

On April 7, Webb’s stat line read seven innings, four hits, no runs and 10 strikeouts; he was credited with a no decision after departing a 0-0 ballgame.

Eleven days later, Webb tied a career high with 12 strikeouts in six innings of work and again allowed four hits. But this time, he gave up two runs (only one earned) to earn his first loss of the 2025 MLB season.

“It feels like a wasted pitching effort the way he pitched tonight,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said postgame of his star right-hander. “That’s a really good performance. We’re seeing him with the added pitches being able to strike some guys out, too. So, kind of next-level stuff for him. …

“He pitched great — good enough to win a game.”

Webb has shown off a new-look pitch mix this spring, but it was ol’ reliable — his world-class changeup — that was particularly effective on Friday. Webb used his changeup as the knockout pitch for six of his 12 strikeouts.

“Yeah, super excited about the changeup,” Webb told reporters after the game. “That’s probably the most confident, the best I’ve felt in a long time on that pitch.”

If there’s any solace for Webb, tonight’s outing put him in elite company among Giants pitchers. Only Madison Bumgarner, Tim Lincecum and Juan Marichal have as many games with at least 10 strikeouts and no walks in franchise history, per MLB’s Sarah Langs.

“I grew up in the area, and I grew up watching those guys,” said Webb, a Rocklin native who looked up to Lincecum and Bumgarner. “Anytime you’re on a list with those guys, I think you’re doing alright.”

Unfortunately for Webb, none of those players — or anyone in Giants franchise history — ever struck out at least 12 batters without a walk while also being on the hook for the loss.

So perhaps it was apt that Webb’s postgame interview in the clubhouse was interrupted by, well, a stinky deed.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

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Anticipating birth of first child, Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani goes on paternity leave

LOS ANGELES, CA - MARCH 27: Los Angeles Dodgers two-way player Shohei Ohtani (17) is introduced.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani is introduced before the team's home opener against the Detroit Tigers on March 27. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Shohei Ohtani has had plenty of milestone moments on the field in the last year.

This weekend, he’s about to have one off of it.

The Dodgers slugger and reigning National League MVP was placed on the paternity list, the team announced, in anticipation of the birth of his first child this weekend.

Ohtani stayed back in Los Angeles with his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, according to manager Dave Roberts, and was replaced on the roster during the Dodgers' series against the Texas Rangers by veteran outfielder Eddie Rosario, who was called up from triple A.

Read more:Dodgers coach Chris Woodward is ‘proud’ of Rangers managerial stint, despite 2022 firing

“I don’t know when they’re going to have the baby,” Roberts said. “But obviously they are together in anticipation.”

Ohtani can stay on the paternity list for up to three days — which means he would be back for the team’s series next week against the Cubs at Wrigley Field at the latest — but Roberts said it’s possible he could rejoin the team later this weekend in Texas.

To make room on the 40-man roster for Rosario, the Dodgers transferred reliever Edgardo Henriquez to the 60-day injured list.

Read more:Pitching help on the way, improved bats, too? | Dodgers Debate

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Mets top prospect Brandon Sproat throws six scoreless innings in third straight strong Triple-A outing

Mets pitching prospect Brandon Sproat appears to have found his stride in Triple-A. 

The young right-hander has now recorded three consecutive strong outings after putting together six efficient innings of work in Game 1 of Friday afternoon’s doubleheader with the Buffalo Bisons.

Sproat allowed leadoff singles in each of the first two innings, but he used a double play to erase the threat both times. He was then helped out by a caught stealing and worked around a two-out walk in the top of the third.

The 24-year-old began cruising from there, retiring the next eight batters before allowing Jonatan Clase to reach on a two-out infield single in the sixth. Sproat then retired the next batter to end his day on a high note.

Overall, he allowed just four hits and a walk while striking out one across six shutout innings.

He touched 99.5 mph with his fastball and leaned heavily on his sweeper, throwing it 38 percent of the time.

Sproat was knocked around toward the end of last season with Syracuse, but he's settled in at the new level, allowing just two runs while striking out nine in 14.1 innings over his last three appearances (1.26 ERA).

While the Mets likely want to see him continue this stretch of strong pitching, he's certainly knocking on the door.

According to reports, he was among the options New York was considering as a spot starter against the Cardinals before Griffin Canning was scratched Wednesday due to an illness. Justin Hagenman came up instead.

If Sproat can continue pitching like this, it likely won't be long before he receives the call too.

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Yankees' Jazz Chisholm Jr. receives one-game suspension for ripping umpire on social media

Just moments after being ejected for arguing a strike-three call on Thursday, Yankees second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. voiced his frustation with home-plate umpire John Bacon via social media, posting on his X/Twitter account that the seventh-inning pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays was, "Not even f---ing close."

While the message was deleted shortly thereafter, it still caught MLB's attention and called for punishment. Yankees manager Aaron Boone revealed on Friday afternoon that Chisholm has received a one-game suspension and fine from the league for the incident, and that the veteran infielder intends to appeal the decision. Chisholm is in Friday's lineup.

The discplinary action was predictable, as MLB rules state that players aren't allowed to use electronic devices during a game. The league's social media policy also mentions that players can't produce or endorse content that questions the "impartiality of or otherwise denigrates" an umpire.

Chisholm addressed the feud after Thursday's win, saying that he was "fired up" after the call from Bacon and didn't feel the ejection was warranted until after he left the field. He owned up to the situation, confirming that he did tweet immediately from the clubhouse and accepting the consequences.

The first month of the 2025 season has been odd for Chisholm, who's displayed notable power at the plate but also struggled to reach base at a tolerable rate. He's slashing just .169/.272/.451 over 81 plate appearances, and his strikeout rate of 32.1 percent is currently a career-high mark. In spite of his pop -- he's tied for fourth in MLB with six home runs -- the consistent whiffs are a concern.

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Phillies start hot again and Wheeler strikes out 13 Marlins in series-opening win

Phillies start hot again and Wheeler strikes out 13 Marlins in series-opening win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

To begin their series with the Marlins, the Phillies carried over exactly what worked for them Thursday vs. the Giants.

The Phils again seized a quick lead and received a strong, strikeout-heavy performance from their starting pitcher. Zack Wheeler struck out 13 Marlins in a 7-2 win Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.

In seven innings, Wheeler allowed five hits and two runs. He walked none.

Wheeler tossed a seven-pitch, all-strike first inning. Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara was in for a much bumpier ride.

Though he lined out to center field, Bryson Stott had an exemplary, eight-pitch leadoff at-bat. Trea Turner walked and Bryce Harper then hammered a slider into the right field second deck. 

A day after grabbing a 5-1 lead in the first inning against San Francisco, the Phillies stretched their advantage to 6-0 in the second. Alcantara needed 53 pitches to get four outs and didn’t reach the third inning. 

Max Kepler opened the bottom of the second with another excellent at-bat and walked. J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm and Johan Rojas all smacked singles and the Phillies kept on scoring with assistance from two Alcantara wild pitches. 

Meanwhile, Wheeler did smooth, no-nonsense work. He leaned on his four-seam fastball early and retired the first seven hitters he faced.

Through five innings, just one Marlin made it to second base. Eric Wagaman broke through for Miami with a two-out, two-run homer off of Wheeler in the sixth, but the Phillies had no trouble seeing their win through. 

Kyle Schwarber provided the team’s only run after the second inning when he cracked a long ball in the fifth off of lefty reliever Anthony Veneziano. Tanner Banks pitched a scoreless eighth and Jose Ruiz handled the ninth. 

Twenty games in, the 2025 Phillies sit at 12-8. 

Injury updates

Nick Castellanos returned to the lineup after leaving Thursday’s win with left hip flexor tightness. He went 2 for 3 before Kody Clemens replaced him in the fifth inning. 

Brandon Marsh missed his second straight game with a right knee injury. Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Marsh did some running pregame and would’ve been available to play in an emergency situation.

With Marsh still out, Rojas started his third consecutive game in center field. He’s gone 3 for 8 with an RBI, a walk and a stolen base during that stretch. 

Weekend slate 

Taijuan Walker (1-1, 2.30 ERA) and Cal Quantrill (1-1, 5.79 ERA) are set to start Saturday at 1:05 p.m. 

Jesus Luzardo (2-0, 2.31 ERA) will pitch against his former team Sunday at 1:35 p.m. Connor Gillispie (0-2, 6.63 ERA) is Miami’s scheduled starter for the series finale. 

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Phillies start hot again and Wheeler strikes out 13 Marlins in series-opening win

Phillies start hot again and Wheeler strikes out 13 Marlins in series-opening win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

To begin their series with the Marlins, the Phillies carried over exactly what worked for them Thursday vs. the Giants.

The Phils again seized a quick lead and received a strong, strikeout-heavy performance from their starting pitcher. Zack Wheeler struck out 13 Marlins in a 7-2 win Friday night at Citizens Bank Park.

In seven innings, Wheeler allowed five hits and two runs. He walked none.

Wheeler tossed a seven-pitch, all-strike first inning. Marlins starter Sandy Alcantara was in for a much bumpier ride.

Though he lined out to center field, Bryson Stott had an exemplary, eight-pitch leadoff at-bat. Trea Turner walked and Bryce Harper then hammered a slider into the right field second deck. 

A day after grabbing a 5-1 lead in the first inning against San Francisco, the Phillies stretched their advantage to 6-0 in the second. Alcantara needed 53 pitches to get four outs and didn’t reach the third inning. 

“We’ve seen him a lot,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “He probably wasn’t as sharp as he normally is, but I thought we were very disciplined. … I really liked our approach against him.”

Max Kepler opened the bottom of the second with another excellent at-bat and walked. J.T. Realmuto, Alec Bohm and Johan Rojas all smacked singles and the Phillies kept on scoring with assistance from two Alcantara wild pitches. 

Meanwhile, Wheeler did smooth, no-nonsense work. He leaned on his four-seam fastball early and retired the first seven hitters he faced.

“Every time he goes out there, it’s special,” Harper said. “He pounds the zone, understands what he needs to do. I thought he was very sharp today.”

Wheeler said he “made a couple of adjustments” following a loss to the Cardinals in his last outing.

“Just getting into my front leg a little bit better,” he said. “My fastball was playing well, spinning nice and true how you want it to be. The split was playing well of of that. J.T. called a great game, just keeping them off balance, for the most part.”

Through five innings, one Marlin made it to second base. Eric Wagaman broke through for Miami with a two-out, two-run homer off of Wheeler in the sixth, but the Phillies had no trouble seeing their win through. 

Kyle Schwarber provided the team’s only run after the second inning when he cracked a long ball in the fifth off of lefty reliever Anthony Veneziano. Tanner Banks pitched a scoreless eighth and Jose Ruiz handled the ninth. 

Twenty games in, the 2025 Phillies sit at 12-8. 

Injury updates

Nick Castellanos returned to the lineup after leaving Thursday’s win with left hip flexor tightness. He went 2 for 3 before Kody Clemens replaced him in the fifth inning. 

“At that time I didn’t really want him to run the bases,” Thomson said. “And we were up 7-0, so I felt pretty comfortable with it just to get him out of there and make sure he’s safe.”

Brandon Marsh missed his second straight game with a right knee injury. Thomson said Marsh did some running pregame and would’ve been available to play in an emergency situation.

With Marsh still out, Rojas started his third consecutive game in center field. He’s gone 3 for 8 with an RBI, a walk and a stolen base during that stretch. 

Weekend slate 

Taijuan Walker (1-1, 2.30 ERA) and Cal Quantrill (1-1, 5.79 ERA) are set to start Saturday at 1:05 p.m. 

Jesus Luzardo (2-0, 2.31 ERA) will pitch against his former team Sunday at 1:35 p.m. Connor Gillispie (0-2, 6.63 ERA) is Miami’s scheduled starter for the series finale. 

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Mets Notes: Dedniel Núñez closing in on return, early reports on Jeff McNeil in center

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza discusses a number of different topics prior to Friday night's game against the Cardinals...

Núñez back soon?

Dedniel Núñez continues working his way back to the club.

The hard-throwing right-hander took the ball again on Friday night down in Triple-A and he put together another scoreless inning, striking out two as he worked around a pair of one out walks.

He threw 28 pitches and now has posted a zero in three consecutive appearances.

Núñez won't throw on Friday, but it appears he could be closing in on a return to the Mets' bullpen very soon.

"He continues to do whatever we ask him to do," the skipper said. "Now it's just a matter of when do we call him up. He pitched last night, definitely down today, so we'll see what we have in the next couple of days."

Núñez was optioned to Syracuse at the end of spring training so that he can properly ramp up after suffering a pronator strain in his right forearm last August.

When healthy, he was one of the Mets' most effective relievers, pitching to a 2.31 ERA across 25 appearances.

New York's bullpen has been spectacular thus far this season, but there's no denying that getting him back in the mix would be another big boost.

McNeil impresses in center

Jeff McNeil got his first taste of center field on Friday night and he looked strong.

The versatile defender played six innings for the St. Lucie Mets and he made all of the plays that came his way, including an impressive sliding catch to leadoff the game.

Mendoza likes what he heard from the early reports down in Single-A.

"We all saw the play he made," he said. "Overall, I thought he played well. Talking to some of the guys there, he should be here today so I'll talk to him -- he's going to get checked out again before heading back to Binghamton. But the reports that we got he looked really good."

New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Luisangel Acuna (2) runs up the first base line after hitting an RBI double against the Washington Nationals during the third inning at Citi Field.
New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Luisangel Acuna (2) runs up the first base line after hitting an RBI double against the Washington Nationals during the third inning at Citi Field. / Brad Penner - Imagn Images

It remains to be seen whether or not McNeil will actually see time in center when he makes his return from the injured list, but he's been mentioned in the mix along with Brandon Nimmo and Tyrone Taylor.

With McNeil closing in on his return, it means one of Luisangel Acuña or Brett Baty could potentially find themselves back off the roster soon.

The youngsters struggled early, but they've picked things up of late, making that decision all that more difficult.

"We'll cross that bridge when he have to," Mendoza said. "It's going to be a very difficult decision whether we decide to send one of them or we decide to keep both here because they're playing well -- I hope that's the case."

What Mets have learned about Kranick

Max Kranick didn't pitch for the Mets last season -- but this year he's quickly developed into a weapon for them.

The young right-hander has mastered the transition to the bullpen, building off his strong spring training to allow just two earned runs while striking out seven over his first seven appearances this season.

Mendoza has loved what he's seen from him thus far.

"He's a great kid, a competitor, wants to win," he said. "He's willing to do whatever it takes to help the team win baseball games. The biggest thing for me is his ability to bounce back -- we've asked a lot out of him early on with his ability to throw multiple innings.

"After an off day I'll check with him and he's like I'm ready to go if you need me. On days where I'm probably trying to stay away from him, the fact that he's telling me I'm ready if you need me to go -- that for me has been the biggest thing that I've learned from him. He's adjusting really well."

Because of his past injury troubles, the Mets will continue to monitor his workload moving forward.

But early on, Mendoza has been impressed with his willingness to take the ball whenever called upon.

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Dodgers coach Chris Woodward is 'proud' of Rangers managerial stint, despite 2022 firing

Chris Woodward doesn’t have any hard feelings toward the Texas Rangers.

Just some awkward ones about being back this week.

“I don’t know if I’m looking forward to it,” the Dodgers first base coach said with an uncertain chuckle on Wednesday, ahead of his first return trip to Arlington since his time as Rangers manager ended with a midseason firing in 2022.

“I’m looking forward to seeing a lot of people … just the whole staff, the assistant trainers, just people I haven’t seen,” he added. “But I don’t know if it’s something that’s on my bucket list to go back and do.”

Such conflicting emotions mirror the way Woodward reflects on his Rangers tenure at large — a four-season stint with what was then a rebuilding ball club that taught Woodward much, but ended on a sour note.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani is back on a 40/40 pace. But can Dodgers give him more RBI opportunities?

“I don’t have any regrets or any bad feelings toward anything,” he said. “Obviously, there were some disagreements that led to me not being there anymore. But I have nothing but respect for everybody. I don’t hold a grudge. Life’s too short, man. Honestly, I take that experience as a really positive thing.”

Originally hired by the Rangers in November 2018, after serving as the third-base coach on back-to-back pennant-winning Dodgers teams, Woodward’s first season in charge in Texas began with promise.

Joey Gallo and Hunter Pence led the offense as All-Star selections. Mike Minor and Lance Lynn anchored a veteran core of pitchers. In late June, the Rangers were 10 games over .500, far outpacing modest preseason expectations.

But then, the vagaries of baseball set in.

Gallo and Pence suffered season-ending injuries. The pitching staff began to crumble beneath a lack of reliable depth. What had started as a “decent” year, Woodward said, ended with the Rangers limping to 78 wins.

And after fading following a 10-9 start in 2020, the Rangers never had a winning record under Woodward again.

Instead, Texas entered a rebuild, giving Woodward’s job a much more developmentally focused bent.

Behind the scenes, the organization created entirely new personnel departments, reimagined player development processes and administered ever-changing responsibilities to members of the coaching staff. Woodward had a hand in every bucket, trying to establish everything from hitting style to base-running technique to a roster-wide focus on all-around fundamentals.

Compared to a fully-fledged contender like the Dodgers, it almost felt like building from the ground up.

“Here [with the Dodgers], it’s such a well-oiled machine. Yeah, we make little adjustments to things here and there, but no major changes,” Woodward said.

In Texas, on the other hand, “we added a lot of resources and a lot of things while I was there, which was necessary. Because we had to get caught up to ‘championship standards,’ is what I called it.”

Texas Rangers manager Chris Woodward smiles while returning to the dugout after visiting the mound during a 2022 game.
Chris Woodward managed the Texas Rangers from 2019 until he was fired in Aug. 2022 with one year remaining on his contract. (LM Otero / Associated Press)

“When everything’s a blank canvas,” he added, “it’s not as easy as people think.”

The losses along the way were difficult (the Rangers were 133-203 over Woodward’s final three seasons, finishing in last place twice).

The fire-sale trades of team stalwarts such as Gallo and Lynn were “probably one of the harder things to deal with,” Woodward recalled.

And when the Rangers failed to take a step forward in 2022, despite their marquee free-agent signings of Marcus Semien and Corey Seager (the ex-Dodgers shortstop whom Woodward helped woo to Texas) the previous offseason, discontent among the club reached a boiling point.

In an unexpected move, Woodward was fired on Aug. 15, 2022, with a year remaining on his contract.

“I tell a lot of the staff here that’s never managed, ‘Each year, you feel like you’ve aged five,’” said Woodward, who returned to the Dodgers in a special advisor role the following winter, before rejoining the on-field staff this year as first-base coach following Clayton McCullough’s hiring by the Miami Marlins.

“It’s kind of like being president, in a way,” the 48-year-old Woodward added. “You see guys age right before your eyes.”

But through those trials — which also included the COVID-19 pandemic, and the Rangers’ move into a new stadium during an era of social distancing — Woodward also came to find perspective and growth.

“I know I aged a lot in those four years, but in a good way,” he said. “I think I grew wiser, and understood how to lead and just get better every year.”

It’s part of the reason why, when the Rangers won the World Series in 2023 — in Bruce Bochy’s first season as Woodward’s successor — Woodward felt pride rather than resentment; confident he had left his old club in a better place than he found it.

Read more:Bobby Miller struggles, but Dodgers complete sweep of Rockies

“Those four years, I was really proud of, when I left,” he said. “[The club] was in a much better spot internally, all the way from the staff to the front office to the sports science to all the different things that we did … Everything was in line. And they won. Proud of that.”

It doesn’t mean Woodward will be in for a big ovation when he returns this weekend, during the Dodgers’ three-game series at Globe Life Field. He said his old friends in Dallas joked they should all come to form a cheering section, “because you just don’t know the reaction you’re going to get” from the rest of the crowd.

But when asked to reflect on his time with the Rangers this week, the potential awkwardness of the return didn’t overshadow the silver linings Woodward took from his tenure.

“Tremendous experience. Grateful for the opportunity,” he said. “I just think it’s important that you learn and grow.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.