TORONTO — This weekend is turning into quite a homecoming for Denzel Clarke.
The Athletics’ 25-year-old rookie hit his first major-league home run Saturday, going deep at Rogers Centre in his hometown of Toronto.
Clarke told reporters last week he expected 150-200 friends and family to attend the four-game series, and he’s given them plenty to cheer so far.
After going 1 for 19 with 15 strikeouts over his first six games as a big-leaguer, he singled twice and recorded his first major-league RBI in an 11-7 loss Friday night. He also made a flashy defensive play when he leapt at the center field wall to rob Alejandro Kirk of a home run in the fourth inning.
Oakland was down 4-3 in the top of the second Saturday when Clarke, batting No. 9 in the order, stepped to the plate against Braydon Fisher with a man on base and one out. Clarke hammered Fisher’s first pitch 406 feet into the left-field seats for a 5-4 lead.
Clarke, the cousin of Arizona Diamondbacks first baseman Josh Naylor and Cleveland Guardians catcher Bo Naylor, played college baseball at Cal State Northridge and was a fourth-round draft pick of the Athletics in 2021.
He was playing at Triple-A Las Vegas when he was called up to the majors on May 23.
NEW YORK — Struggling Colorado Rockies first baseman Michael Toglia was optioned to Triple-A Albuquerque prior to Saturday’s game against the New York Mets.
Toglia appeared to establish himself as the Rockies’ first baseman last year, when he hit .233 with 21 homers following his June recall from Triple-A. He produced his first multi-homer game July 14, when he went deep three times against the Mets at Citi Field.
But Toglia began this season in a 2-for-23 slump and didn’t homer until his 65th plate appearance. He hit .247 with six homers in 26 games from April 16 through May 14 before hitting .125 with 22 strikeouts in his next 40 at-bats.
He leads the majors with 81 strikeouts in just 186 at-bats.
Interim Rockies manager Warren Schaeffer said he wants Toglia to “go down and control the strike zone better.”
“He just needs to get better overall offensively,” he said.
The 24-year-old was 0-for-4 with two strikeouts while serving as the Rockies’ No. 8 hitter in Friday’s 4-2 loss which dropped Colorado to 9-48 — the worst record through 57 games in the modern era.
“It wasn’t working out right now for him and he knows that,” Schaeffer said. “In the future, we expect big things from Mike.”
To replace Toglia on the roster, the Rockies selected the contract of infielder Keston Hiura from Albuquerque. Schaeffer said Hiura, who reached double figures in homers for the Milwaukee Brewers three times from 2019 through 2022, would likely see the bulk of the playing time at first, though Kyle Farmer drew the start at the position Saturday.
The Rockies also designated infielder Aaron Schunk for assignment.
LOS ANGELES — Los Angeles Dodgers starter Tyler Glasnow has been transferred to the 60-day injured list.
The team made the move Saturday when catcher Chuckie Robinson was claimed off waivers. The 30-year-old was designated for assignment this week by the Angels.
Glasnow first went on the 15-day IL on April 28 with right shoulder inflammation. With the current move, the right-hander would be eligible to return in late June. He threw his first bullpen session last week.
Glasnow has made five starts this season, going 1-0 with a 4.50 ERA in 18 innings. His first season with the Dodgers was cut short last year because of right elbow tendinitis.
Robinson was batting .272 with one home run and 18 RBIs with Triple-A Salt Lake City. He debuted in the majors with Cincinnati, playing 25 games and hitting two homers and driving in five runs. He also spent time with the Chicago White Sox last year.
Robinson has a .992 fielding percentage and is 12-for-48 in runners caught stealing.
SEATTLE — The Seattle Mariners promoted infield prospect Cole Young from Triple-A Tacoma ahead of their game against the Minnesota Twins on Saturday.
Right-hander Bryce Miller was also reinstated from the 15-day injured list and is expected to start. Infielder Leo Rivas and right-hander Casey Legumina were optioned to Triple-A Tacoma in corresponding moves. The Mariners also designated right-hander Will Klein for assignment.
Young, 21, was a No. 21 overall pick in the 2022 MLB amateur draft and was the Mariners’ No. 3 overall prospect, per MLB Pipeline, at the time of his promotion. He was off to a solid start to the year in the Pacific Coast League.
For the season, Young was hitting .277 with an .853 OPS for the Rainiers. In May, though, Young was particularly excellent, hitting .366 with a .467 on-base percentage, as well as 10 doubles, three triples and five home runs.
BOSTON — Boston Red Sox relief pitcher Liam Hendriks has been placed on the 15-day injured list with inflammation in his right hip.
The Red Sox announced Friday the move is retroactive to Wednesday and that right-handed pitcher Nick Burdi had been recalled from Triple-A Worcester.
Hendriks has made 14 appearances this season, posting a 6.59 ERA with 12 strikeouts over 13 2/3 innings. He has 116 saves in 490 career games with six teams since 2007.
Burdi, 32, has thrown 2 1/3 scoreless innings over two relief appearances for Boston. He was 4-0 with four saves and an 0.48 ERA in 15 appearances for Worcester.
Hendriks took to social media May 22 to express his displeasure about death threats he says he received following a loss to the New York Mets. The 36-year-old right-hander previously battled non-Hodgkin lymphoma and, in a post on Instagram, said comments were directed at him and his family and that people said they wished he would have died from cancer.
How long it will take for Ronny Mauricio to be recalled to the big leagues is now a daily conversation among Mets fans.
With the offense not firing on all cylinders and Mauricio playing very well in Triple-A, the powers that be in Flushing have consistently been bombarded with questions about the young prospect’s future, and it’s easy to see why.
In seven games since returning to Triple-A Syracuse after a rehab assignment, Mauricio is batting .560 with three home runs and an OPS of 1.546. It’s a small sample size, but it’s enough to get the buzz around the Mets prospect to become louder and louder.
So when manager Carlos Mendoza was asked about the reports he’s getting about Mauricio prior to Saturday’s game against the Rockies, the second-year skipper tempered expectations but was honest in what he’s heard.
“We’re watching. The reports are really good, actually. Not so much about the results, just how he’s moving,” he said. “The way he’s running around the bases, moving in the infield, first step, going after baseballs, recovering well and we’ve seen the results from the offensive side where he’s impacting the baseball from both sides of the plate. Good player, we will continue to watch him.”
There are a few factors holding Mauricio back in Triple-A. First and foremost being his health. Mauricio is on the road back from multiple knee surgeries following the 2023 season and the organization wants him to get back into playing shape, which means playing as many games in the minors as possible.
Mauricio hadn’t played back-to-back games with Syracuse until this past Wednesday-Thursday, so the reports about his fielding and recovery are very positive signs.
The other roadblock is the Mets’ current roster. Mauricio has started at second and third base in Syracuse, spots being held by the combination of Mark Vientos, Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña.
Acuña and Baty are the only two of that quartet with minor league options remaining, but both are currently vital to the team's success of late. Baty swinging a hot bat and playing great defense, while Acuña's speed and defense as a bench player gives Mendoza some much-needed flexibility.
With that logjam, the Mets want Mauricio to continue to play the field and get at-bats as often as possible and the only way to do that is by playing in the minors, for now. But, as Mendoza put it Saturday, there’s going to be a time when decisions will have to be made.
"Right now, we want him to continue to get everyday reps,” he said. “Pretty sure we're going to get to a point where he's going to force us here, but in the meantime, just let him play."
Carlos Mendoza says he and the Mets have gotten "really good" reports on Ronny Mauricio:
"Right now, we want him to continue to get everyday reps. Pretty sure we're going to get to a point where he's going to force us here, but in the meantime, just let him play." pic.twitter.com/GmRxXT3giA
The veteran right-hander will come off the injured list and make his season debut on Monday in Los Angeles, Mendoza told reporters. Blackburn will join a six-man starting rotation and the rest will follow after him.
"Yeah, it's gonna be Game 1 versus LA, Blackburn will pitch on Monday and then everybody will fall in line," Mendoza said.
Blackburn went 2-2 with a 3.68 ERA over seven minor league games during his rehab assignment, including a 2-1 record with a 2.70 ERA and 17 strikeouts over 20.0 innings with Triple-A Syracuse.
Mendoza isn't concerned over Blackburn making his season debut against a strong Dodgers lineup, crediting his MLB experience.
"Not really because he's been in this league for a long time now," Mendoza said. "He knows what it takes. This is not a situation where you're calling up a rookie or a guy that's been up and down. He's been in this league for quite a bit now and has had some success. He knows what's at stake. He knows he's going to be facing a good lineup. And he's ready.
"He feels good, feels healthy, he's throwing the ball well. As far as the competition and all that, he's been there before."
Blackburn pitched in five games for New York in 2024 after coming over from the Athletics, going 1-2 with a 5.18 ERA. He owns a 22-28 record with a 4.85 ERA across 85 games over his eight big league seasons.
Manaea (right oblique strain) threw a live bullpen session on Thursday that "went well," and he'll throw another on Monday.
"It'll be an up-and-down live BP," Mendoza said. "Last time, which was one time up, he threw almost 20 pitches. Now he's gonna go where he goes two innings, basically, facing batters."
Mendoza added that the left-hander could throw another live BP before a rehab start.
As for Montas (right lat strain), Mendoza said that the team is looking for him to pitch another rehab game on Tuesday, depending on the weather.
It's been a tough second full season in the bigs for Vientos, who's hitting just .231 with six home runs, seven doubles, and 21 RBI over 51 games. Many expected him to take another huge step forward following his 27-homer season in 2024, but that hasn't been the case.
"I feel like he's going through it," Mendoza said. "There will be stretches where he's hitting the ball hard consistently, but there's also stretches where he chases. Maybe a little bit in between at times. That's part of the grind, part of the 162. Second year in the big leagues, where people are adjusting to him and he's got to continue to make adjustments.
"He's working hard, he's watching film, he's talking to the hitting coaches, he's doing extra work. He's got to keep going."
Vientos has turned things around slightly after a poor April (.225 batting average) with a .256 batting mark in May, but his inconsistent performance has opened the door for others. The 25-year-old is not in the lineup Saturday as Brett Baty gets the start at third base and Jared Young at DH. Mendoza was then asked about balancing reps for Vientos to help him break out of the slump.
"When you got 13 guys, you feel good about your chances," Mendoza said. "It makes it a challenge, but there's a balance. Trying to use everyone as much as possible, keep everyone fresh. But in the case of Mark, he's getting playing time. Yes, maybe he plays one day, sits the other, but he plays three, sits one -- he's still active.
"I'm not worried about that at all, that's part of establishing yourself here at the big league level. Everybody goes through it. And he's going through it right now where he's got to learn where it's like, 'Hey man, you're probably gonna play a couple games and then sit one.' Every one of them is going through it I guess. Again, we got 13 really good players."
LOS ANGELES — Reigning MVPs Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani blasted historic home runs in the first inning as the New York Yankees and Los Angeles Dodgers met Friday night in a rematch of last year’s World Series.
Judge got the fireworks going with a 446-foot solo shot to dead center on a 1-1 pitch from Tony Gonsolin. The Yankees slugger’s 19th homer of the season tied him with Kyle Schwarber for third in the majors.
Ohtani matched him in the bottom of the frame with a 417-foot homer to center on the first pitch from Max Fried in front of a sellout crowd of 53,276.
“I felt like he was copying me,” a smiling Judge said.
It’s the first time reigning MVPs homered in the first inning of a game in major league history. Barry Bonds of San Francisco and Miguel Tejada of Oakland were the first reigning MVPs to homer in the same game, including the World Series, on June 30, 2002.
“I really thought it was important to be able to score another run in that situation, knowing that momentum is really important,” Ohtani said through a translator.
Judge downplayed the tit-for-tat with Ohtani.
“Try not to think about it,” he said. “I got a job to do on the field. I got to make plays, score some runs for the team. You try not to get too hyped into that.”
Ohtani led off the sixth with a solo shot to right-center, scurrying back to step on first base after missing it. That sparked a four-run rally that carried the Dodgers to an 8-5 victory, their 19th come-from-behind win of the season.
The long balls extended Ohtani’s major league-lead to 22. He tied the Dodgers record for most in a month with 15.
“We always seem to obviously play really well when Shohei’s obviously playing well,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “I heard the chants for MVP, and he’s really well on his way to doing that again.”
Ohtani has 60 runs this season, making him the first player since 1901 to reach the mark before June, according to OptaSTATS.
The Japanese superstar has hit five homers in his last five games, with four coming on the first or second pitch.
Judge is most impressed by Ohtani’s consistency at the plate.
“Year after year continue to go up there and put up the numbers he does,” he said. “Every single at-bat, you don’t know if he’s going to rip a ball to me in right field or if he’s going to take a Max Fried first pitch heater opposite field.”
The Dodgers beat the Yankees in five games to win their eighth world championship in 2024.
Bryce Harper will try to swing a bat in the Phillies’ indoor cages Saturday afternoon for the first time since being hit on the right elbow by a 95 mph Spencer Strider fastball on Tuesday.
He’ll also try to throw. Harper took grounders on the field before Friday’s series opener against the Brewers but was limited to underhand flips to first base.
“It’s really bruised today, the bruising has started to come,” manager Rob Thomson said Saturday. “The swelling is down a little bit.”
Thomson reiterated that he still doesn’t think Harper will need time on the injured list. Saturday was the fourth straight game Harper has missed and it is unclear if he’ll be able to return to the lineup on Sunday. An IL stint can be backdated by a maximum of three days.
Still, Thomson said he doesn’t think the Phils will have to make a decision one way or another by Sunday. If Harper still isn’t ready then but the potential exists that he could play in Toronto Tuesday through Thursday, the Phillies could just play a man short on their bench for another game or two. It’s not ideal but neither would be IL-ing Harper and having him miss time on the back end unnecessarily.
Kyle Schwarber fielded grounders at first base on Friday. That wasn’t a coincidence.
“Every once in a while he does,” Thomson said. “He’s ramping it up a little bit because of the Harper situation, we don’t really know where we’re at with that.”
Schwarber last played first base in the 2021 postseason with the Red Sox, though he did spend 24 innings there this spring to better prepare him in case of a Harper injury.
No rotation news yet
Thomson had nothing to divulge about the Phillies’ rotation on Saturday but said an update would come Sunday.
Taijuan Walker allowed four runs in four innings in a loss Friday as right-hander Mick Abel continued his strong run at Triple A. Abel has a 1.08 ERA over his last seven starts, six at Triple A and one in the majors.
Optioned to Lehigh Valley on May 19, Abel is eligible to be called back up to the majors in time for his next start, if the Phillies so choose. The next time Walker’s rotation spot comes up is Thursday in Toronto but the Phillies could also push that start back to Saturday in Pittsburgh because of an off-day Monday.
Aaron Nola (right ankle sprain) is the other element in this equation. Nola will throw 45-to-50 pitches in a bullpen session Sunday. If it goes well, he could face hitters in live batting practice later in the week, potentially Friday. The step after that would be a rehab assignment, which might last only a start or two. Two more weeks seems realistic for Nola.
Walker will be shifted back to the bullpen for the duration of the season once Nola is ready to return. If the Phillies go with Abel the next turn through, they’d only be speeding up that transition by 1-2 starts.
There’s no guarantee Walker will work out as a reliever but the Phillies’ bullpen would welcome the boost. In two relief appearances this season, Walker has allowed two earned runs and five baserunners in six innings with nine strikeouts.
“My goal is to help any way I can,” Walker said Friday night. “I’m pretty confident in my stuff.
“If I have one inning to blow it out, whatever it is, I feel like my stuff would play up just a little bit more. Knowing that I’ve got one inning, just let it eat.”
Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices.
Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”
To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.
For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.
ESPN's "Around the Horn" is ending after a 23-year run that featured sportwriters from across the nation sharing their thoughts. The format sounded simple, but it is what made it a success. Real-life sportswriters, who many no longer read, expounding real-life opinions became a novelty. As for L.A. Times' writer Bill Plaschke, thank you for always having Los Angeles' back, as spoken by local WNBA legend Diana Taurasi.
Wayne Muramatsu Cerritos
Bill Plaschke is proud of his time on "Around the Horn?" Twenty-three years of a smug, smarmy host, and a bunch of sportswriters desperate for sound bites and attention.
Another reason why ESPN and so-called sports commentary is currently unwatchable. He should apologize for reaching so low.
James L. Pearle Corona del Mar
Great article by Bill Plaschke regarding "Around the Horn." However, contrary to his claim that he "always stunk," because there were four panelists on each show, Plaschke’s winning percentage of 24.3% is just about what one would expect. Even Woody Paige — the Cy Young of ATH — had a lower winning percentage. Bill, thanks for so eloquently representing the City of Angels.
Ken Feldman Tarzana
Taylor-made treasure?
It's been said that one man's leftovers are another man's steak dinner. And that's all you need to know about the difference between the Dodgers organization and the Angels. Two days after the Dodgers released a washed-up Chris Taylor, he was starting in center field for the Angels. Nothing else needs to be said.
Bob Kargenian Yorba Linda
Heavenly duo
As Bill Shaikin writes, Angels announcers Wayne Randazzo and Mark Gubicza are great. As a long-suffering Angels fan, its a pleasure to at least be able to listen to them. Randazzo is particularly excellent. He doesn’t overdo the chatter like most do, is bright, witty, knowledgeable and subtly tells truths about the woeful team he covers. He is the best since Dick Enberg, who was one of the greatest ever.
Alvin S. Michaelson Marina Del Rey
Need more relief
Tanner Scott, a $72-million pitcher, has blown a third of his save opportunities this year. Eric Gagne, where are you?
Mike Schaller Temple City
I got excited about the Dodgers adding another former All-Star, Alexis Díaz, to their ravaged pitching staff, even more so upon learning he began this season on the IL. Seems like a perfect fit.
Steve Ross Carmel
Escape to Detroit
I think I know why Jack Flaherty left the Dodgers for Detroit in free agency: He didn't want to go on the IL.
Rhys Thomas Valley Glen
Resist temptation
The new flood of name, image and likeness money (NIL) is indeed sending high school sports into a “black hole” of misplaced priorities, as Eric Sondheimer’s column pointed out. The L.A. Times should do its part to resist this trend by ceasing coverage of sports at that vulnerable level.
Patrick Frank Venice
Battle of the exes
Former Lakers Alex Caruso, Julius Randle and Josh Hart all had deep runs in the 2025 playoffs. Next season, while the Lakers are on vacation, are we going to see Austin Reaves in the playoffs wearing another team’s uniform because the Lakers traded him while coddling an aged star?
I sure hope not.
Paul D. Ventura Mission Viejo
Still streaking
The defending champion L.A. Galaxy have started the MLS season with a 16-game winless streak?
Bill Plaschke must have picked them to repeat as champions.
John Schiermeier Valencia
The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.
Ohtani will give them a chance in October regardless of what their roster looks like, just as he did on Friday night in an 8-5 victory over the New York Yankees.
How can a player who takes four or five at-bats on most nights have such an oversized influence on games? How can a player who bats once only two or three innings bring opponents to their knees? How can a three-time MVP be a better offensive player than he was in his historic 50-homer, 50-steal season last year?
When Aaron Judge homered in the top of the first, Ohtani answered with a homer of his own in the bottom half of the inning.
When the Dodgers were down by three runs, Ohtani led off the sixth inning with another homer, this one making Yankees starter Max Fried strike the Kershaw Pose, back to the plate, hands on knees, head down. The blast one ignited a four-run surge by the Dodgers that produced their first lead of the night.
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani, left, watches his solo home run leave Dodger Stadium as New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried, center, reacts and catcher Austin Wells watches during the sixth inning Friday. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Playing with a diminished roster, manager Dave Roberts did what he could before the game to downplay the significance of the World Series rematch against the Yankees, but Ohtani recognized the contest for what it was.
This was a statement game, and Ohtani made a statement.
“We try to win each and every game, of course, but I think it’s a special atmosphere [against the Yankees,]” Ohtani said in Japanese. “I think it was huge to have taken the [first game] of the series.”
The homers were Ohtani’s 14th and 15th of May, which tied a single-month franchise record previously shared by only Pedro Guerrero and Duke Snider. The homers were Ohtani’s 21st and 22nd of the season, meaning Ohtani is on pace for a career-high 63 bombs.
The value of Ohtani’s homers extend beyond the numbers, however.
“You don’t want to miss any of his at-bats,” Conforto said. “You want to be in the dugout. You want to see it in person. That’s kind of what it is being his teammate. You want to be there.”
They inspire confidence.
“Every time he comes up to the plate, we’re expecting something awesome to happen,” Gonsolin said. “And he doesn’t let us down a lot of the time. Really cool to have someone like that on our team.”
They inspire a contagious form of courage.
“He would probably say it’s like any other game, but I do think when you see the reigning MVP [Judge] on the other side going out there and performing, that brings out even more of a competitor in Shohei,” Roberts said.
They inspire victories — the Dodgers are 14-6 when Ohtani homers.
“We always seem to play really well when Shohei’s playing well,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “I heard the chants for MVP and he’s really well on his way to doing that again.”
This is what the Dodgers will need in October, especially in a season in which little has gone according to plan. At this point, they can’t count on Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow to both be healthy for the remainder of the year. They can’t expect their bullpen to be as spectacular as it was last year. But they can rely on Ohtani to make up for their shortcomings.
He will soon be able to affect the game from the mound, as the Dodgers expect him to return to pitching after the All-Star break. Rather than revel in the victory Friday night, Ohtani said in an on-field postgame interview with Apple TV that he was already looking ahead to his next day’s assignment.
“Live bullpen is scheduled for tomorrow,” Ohtani said. “The game is over now and I’d like to get my body in order for the live BP.”
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts will not play against the New York Yankees this weekend after sustaining a fractured toe. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts will not start in any of this weekend’s games against the New York Yankees after sustaining a fractured toe this week, but the team is hopeful he will be able to avoid a stint on the injured list.
Betts told the Times on Friday night that he fractured his toe at home this week, after the Dodgers returned from a road trip on Wednesday night.
“I was just going to the bathroom in the dark and hit my toe on a wall,” he said.
The Dodgers were originally still planning to have Betts in the lineup Friday for their series opener against the New York Yankees, but he was ultimately scratched after his toe continued to give him problems before the game.
Despite the diagnosis, Roberts and Betts said they were confident the former MVP wouldn’t be out more than a few days.
“I know it’s at the tip of his toe, so it’s going to be one of those situations [that is] per his [pain] tolerance,” Roberts said. “I don’t expect an IL. We’ll probably have him down for the series and hopefully he’ll be available to hit in a big spot. And then we’ll kind of see. But I think for me right now it’s just day to day.”
“It’s just pain,” Betts added. “Get the swelling out, it’ll be all right.”
Betts had started in each of the Dodgers' past 20 games, and appeared in each of their last 51 overall, having not missed any time since recovering from a two-week stomach virus at the start of the season.
While his defense had been much-improved during his second season as the club’s everyday shortstop, the 32-year-old was struggling at the plate, batting just .254 on the season with eight home runs, 31 RBIs and a .742 OPS.
In Betts’ absence on Friday, veteran Miguel Rojas took over at shortstop. Tommy Edman and Hyeseong Kim are also options to fill in for Betts at shortstop over the rest of the weekend.
“I’m gonna be all right,” Betts said. “It is what it is.”
Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani hits a solo home run off New York Yankees starting pitcher Max Fried during the sixth inning of an 8-5 Dodgers win Friday at Dodger Stadium. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
But, in the opening game of a World Series rematch at Chavez Ravine on Friday night, the Dodgers mounted a sixth-inning rally against the New York Yankees that carried its own profound importance.
The only real difference: They didn’t need the Yankees' help to do it.
Seven months to the day since the Dodgers’ historic comeback against the New York Yankees in last year’s World Series finale — when three Yankees errors keyed an infamous five-run fifth that propelled the Dodgers to their eighth championship in franchise history — the team produced an inning of similarly unexpected magic in the opener of this weekend’s Fall Classic rematch, scoring four times in the bottom of the sixth to turn a three-run deficit into an eventual 8-5 win at a sold-out Dodger Stadium.
The inning started with a Shohei Ohtani home run, his second of the night and MLB-leading 22nd of the season. It included a momentum-swinging double from Freddie Freeman, the MVP of last year’s Fall Classic reprising the role of Yankees killer again. What had once been a three-run New York lead officially evaporated when Andy Pages lined a tying single against a drawn-in infield. The Dodgers then went in front for the first time all night when Michael Conforto drew a bases-loaded walk three at-bats later, giving the Dodgers a lead they continued to add on.
For the Dodgers, nothing will compare to the ecstasy of last year’s fifth inning in Game 5; when a dropped ball from Aaron Judge, errant throw from Anthony Volpe and calamitous miscommunication between Gerrit Cole and Anthony Rizzo keyed the largest comeback in a title-clinching game in World Series history.
But, given the team’s sub-.500 play over the last three weeks, and a rash of injuries that got worse Friday when Mookie Betts was scratched with a toe problem and Evan Phillips was ruled out for the rest of the season because he'll need Tommy John surgery, Friday injected this trying stretch of the regular season with a sorely needed jolt of life.
For much of Friday, the Dodgers seemed headed to the kind of loss that had become commonplace over their 10-11 slide entering the night.
Their starting pitcher struggled, with Tony Gonoslin giving up four home runs in the first four innings — including a mammoth blast from Judge two batters into the game — to hand the Yankees a 5-2 lead.
Their lineup was struggling against a premium pitcher, putting major-league ERA leader Max Fried under little stress after an Ohtani homer to start the night.
And when the sixth inning began, there were few signs the tide was about to turn; the surging Yankees seemingly on a glide path to their 17th win in their last 21 games.
But then, as they did so many times during last year’s World Series, the Dodgers (35-22) flipped the script.
It started with Ohtani, the reigning National League MVP hitting a sky-high fly ball to right that just kept carrying for his 15th home run in the month of May (tying Pedro Guerrero in June 1985 and Duke Snider in August 1953 for the most in a single month in Dodgers history).
Then, the Dodgers just kept chipping away. Teoscar Hernández and Will Smith lined back-to-back singles. Freeman chased Fried from the game with an RBI double to left that got over Cody Bellinger’s head. Then, after the Yankees turned to right-hander Jonathan Loáisiga to face Pages, he hammered a ground ball single through a drawn-in infield to bring home the tying run.
A chess match ensued from there.
Tommy Edman hit into a fielder’s choice grounder in the next at-bat, but some heads-up baserunning by Freeman in a rundown between third base and home plate still got the team’s other two baserunners into scoring position.
With first base open, the Yankees intentionally walked Max Muncy, and summoned left-hander Tim Hill to face the left-handed hitting Conforto. But Conforto drew a full-count walk to plate the go-ahead score — giving the Dodgers their first lead of the night at 6-5.
The sixth inning ended on a Miguel Rojas double play. Yet, the Dodgers tacked on again in the seventh, when another double from Freeman set up Pages for a two-out, two-run single, Freeman racing home on his battered right ankle to score on a bang-bang play.
The Dodgers' bullpen, meanwhile, skirted danger a couple of times, throwing three scoreless innings after Gonsolin (who settled down after his early long ball struggles) got through the sixth.
Judge hit a one-out double against Jack Dreyer in the seventh, but Dreyer and fellow rookie Ben Casparius combined to get through the inning.
The Yankees put runners on the corners with two outs in the seventh against Casparius, but embattled closer Tanner Scott escaped it by getting pinch-hitter DJ LeMahieu to fly out.
Then, in the ninth, Alex Vesia atoned for the deciding three-run homer he surrendered in Cleveland on Wednesday by picking up his second save of the season — and securing one of the Dodgers’ most important, and unlikely, victories of the season.
