Could Witherspoon pitch for Boston in 2026? His college coach thinks so

Could Witherspoon pitch for Boston in 2026? His college coach thinks so originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox selected one of the most MLB-ready prospects in the 2025 MLB Draft with their first-round pick.

Oklahoma right-hander Kyson Witherspoon, widely considered a top-10 draft prospect, fell into Boston’s lap at No. 15 overall. The 20-year-old was arguably the No. 1 right-handed pitcher in his class.

Witherspoon boasts a fastball that peaks at 99 mph, and his curveball, slider, and cutter each are 60-grade pitches that fooled college hitters last season. He finished the 2025 campaign with a 2.65 ERA, 1.01 WHIP, 124 strikeouts, and just 23 walks over 16 starts (95 innings).

Baseball America listed Witherspoon as one of 12 prospects from this year’s draft who could make their MLB debut in 2026. Oklahoma head baseball coach Skip Johnson agreed with that assessment, citing Witherspoon’s impressive pitch repertoire and work ethic.

“A hundred percent, I think he can do that,” Johnson told NBC Sports Boston. “His fastball command and his secondary command really will help him a lot with that, and there’s no doubt about that. … I think he’s got that mindset of, he’s got so much conviction in what he does and how he goes about his business. He’s really routine-oriented. I mean, he’d get to the field to do his mobility. It was really unique watching him. He would stay in there hours after a start, you know, a Friday night, and get his mobility stuff, get his work done.

“What was really unique, I took a video of him, it was three weeks after our season, we had a recruit in. He came up there, and on a Sunday, it was like 1, 1:30, 2:00 in the afternoon, and (Witherspoon) was working on his mobility, working on doing his workouts and stuff like that, getting him ready to play. I was like, ‘Wow, his mindset is elite.'”

Witherspoon’s stuff speaks for itself, but he’ll have to clean some things up in the minors before the Red Sox feel comfortable putting him on a big-league mound. Johnson identified areas for Witherspoon to work on as he transitions to pro ball.

“I think one thing is holding runners. He’ll get better at that,” Johnson said. “It’s a really simple thing for him. Continue to develop a tunneling system for him that works for him. Anything that could happen into a game. I kind of always looked at it like, Tiger Woods. Tiger Woods back in his heyday, he could get up and down from anywhere. That’s kind of like Kyson. When you get to the big leagues, you gotta be able to learn how to pitch with your C game and get five or six innings. Learn how to pitch with your B game and get six or seven innings. When your A game’s going, it doesn’t matter, you’re gonna throw six, seven, eight, nine already.

“So understanding those things, because that’s gonna happen to you. The crazy thing about baseball, you make a quality pitch and it might hit off the end of the bat and things might happen in the game. Just understanding it’s really just about one pitch and continue that mantra going in, ‘Hey, I’m just trying to win as many pitches as I can as I go through this game and control myself.”

Witherspoon started his college career at Northwest Florida State College in 2023. After one season, he transferred to Oklahoma and began working with Johnson on improving his secondary pitches.

“We had a lot of work to do coming in from junior college,” Johnson said. “He had fastball command, that’s one thing that he always had. He had a good arm, he had fastball command. He didn’t really have a breaking ball. He kind of started working on the slider. That got him through the first year, and his growth really kind of started then.”

In his first season with the Sooners, Witherspoon recorded a 3.71 ERA with a 1.36 WHIP, 90 strikeouts, and 40 walks. He took his game to another level in 2025, and his college coach believes he’ll only continue to grow from here.

“We kind of started working on the mental game, understanding how to go pitch to pitch, understanding what releases are when something bad happens to you, to release and get to the next pitch,” Johnson added. “I think that’s what really separated. Learned a cutter, changeup’s still a work in progress. And then, in January, we’re sitting there, and we actually talked about it his freshman year, his slider’s really conducive for him to throw a curveball. In November he played with it, in January we started adding to his bullpens and kind of adding to his game. And at the end of the spring, he used it a lot more.

“So it was kind of one of those deals they couldn’t sit on just one pitch or two pitches. He could go through the lineup and understand, this is what I’m gonna go through, show them right here in the first time through the lineup, second time through the lineup. I think that’s the biggest thing is he grew so much in how he adapted from pitch to pitch and inning to inning, lineup for the first time, the second time. And his will is what’s really incredible, and his poise is what really makes him unique.”

The Red Sox shouldn’t rush Witherspoon to the majors, but all signs point toward him being Boston’s most exciting pitching prospect since Brayan Bello. Johnson also described Witherspoon as a “culture changer,” so it sounds like the young gun is close to MLB-ready both on and off the field.

Witherspoon was the first of 15 pitchers selected by the Red Sox in the 2025 MLB Draft.

4 Mets prospects on Baseball Prospectus' new top 50 list, including Jonah Tong and Carson Benge

The midseason top 50 prospects list is out at Baseball Prospectus, and four Mets made the cut.

The names:

INF/OF Jett Williams: No. 17
RHP Jonah Tong: No. 29
OF Carson Benge: No. 32
RHP Nolan McLean: No. 34

Williams, 21, is having a terrific season for Double-A Binghamton, where he's slashing .288/.396/.495 with eight homers, 24 doubles, five triples, 26 stolen bases, 52 runs scored, and 31 RBI in 334 plate appearances over 78 games.

He will very likely get promoted to Triple-A Syracuse before the season is over.

Tong, 22, continues to lay waste to hitters in Double-A. He has a 1.83 ERA and 0.92 WHIP with 125 strikeouts in 78.2 innings (14.3 K's per nine) over 15 starts.

It's fair to believe that Tong will be promoted to Syracuse relatively soon.

Benge, the Mets' first-round pick (19th overall) in the 2024 MLB Draft, is excelling for Binghamton after spending the first 60 games of the season with the High-A Brooklyn Cyclones.

Overall this season, the 22-year-old is slashing .302/.422/.485 with six homers, 21 doubles, five triples, 57 runs scored, 44 RBI, and 17 stolen bases.

McLean, who turns 24 on July 24, has been dominating for Syracuse and could be on the doorstep of his big league debut.

Overall this season, McLean has a 2.17 ERA and 1.17 WHIP with 95 strikeouts in 87.0 innings for Binghamton and Syracuse.

Red Sox got ‘culture changer' in Kyson Witherspoon, college coach says

Red Sox got ‘culture changer' in Kyson Witherspoon, college coach says originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Oklahoma head baseball coach Skip Johnson has no doubt that Kyson Witherspoon will be a difference-maker for the Boston Red Sox, both on and off the field.

The Red Sox selected Witherspoon with the 15th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, making him the first pitcher Boston has taken in the first round since Tanner Houck in 2017. The Oklahoma right-hander was ranked No. 7 on Baseball America’s draft board and No. 10 by MLB Pipeline, so the Red Sox were fortunate to have him fall into their lap at No. 15.

Johnson believes Boston was an ideal landing spot for his former ace.

“I was excited for him,” Johnson told NBC Sports Boston. “I thought he would go earlier, and that’s OK. He’s in a great place. Boston’s always good. I mean, the organization’s always been good.

“I had (Brandon) Workman (at Texas), he was a (Minor League) Pitcher of the Year, two World Series rings with them. So I mean, nothing but good things to say about that organization and how they go about their business, how they develop pitchers for sure.”

Draft experts loved the Red Sox’ selection of Witherspoon, and it’s easy to see why. The 20-year-old boasts a fastball that touches 99 mph and a handful of 60-grade secondary pitches that made college hitters look silly last season. Some believe he could be ready to pitch in the majors as soon as next year.

But scouting reports don’t capture what makes Witherspoon just as impactful off the field. Johnson, who coached him during his two seasons with the Sooners, raved about his leadership and clubhouse presence.

“I think he’s a culture changer,” Johnson said of Witherspoon. “He’s really professional in what he does. He’s a good teammate.

“An example I can use, I had a young kid, a freshman that I was working with, kind of shortening up his arm stroke in the bullpen. He throws his bullpen, the kid goes over there. We have a wall that they work out on, it’s a big cement wall next to our player development area. Kyson goes over there on his own and kind of started working with him. He didn’t have to do that. It was just, that’s who he is. He’s willing to help, he’s willing to do those things. It shows you what kind of character he’s made of.”

The Red Sox’ farm system has been loaded with high-upside position player prospects in recent years. Homegrown pitching talent has been harder to come by, though Houck, Brayan Bello, and Hunter Dobbins stand out as recent exceptions who have shown promise at the big-league level.

Why should fans believe Witherspoon can develop into a frontline starter? According to Johnson, he’s a “true professional” who fits the Boston mold.

“Well, one thing is he’s a good person,” Johnson said. “And whatever organization he’s with, he’s got a lot of pride in that, and he cares extremely a lot. I think that’s one thing that they can rest assured he’s gonna give them everything he’s got every time he walks out there. Sometimes it’s not perfect, but a lot of times it is.

“He’s a professional, a true professional. He’s gonna take care of his business. He’s really good off the field. I mean, he’s got that kind of pride. He’s got that Boston pride that people talk about. Like, I can remember the (aftermath of the Boston Marathon bombings) and David Ortiz, he’s like that. He’s about that, and he’s cut from that cloth. I think that’s what’s really unique about Kyson, more so than anything. Not only is he a good person and a good player and really good at what he does, but he cares a lot and he’s gonna give you everything he’s got.”

Witherspoon posted a 2.65 ERA and 1.01 WHIP with 124 strikeouts and just 23 walks over 16 starts (95 innings) for the Sooners last season to solidify himself as arguably the best right-hander in his draft class. There are many words to describe a prospect of Witherspoon’s caliber, but we asked Johnson to narrow it down to one.

“Warrior,” Johnson answered. “I would have said rattlesnake, too.”

Why rattlesnake?

“Because if you get bit by him, you’re gonna get hurt. If you get bit by Kyson, it ain’t fun.”

It’ll be fun to watch Witherspoon’s rise through the Red Sox organization over the next year, along with their many other pitchers selected in the 2025 draft. A whopping 15 of Boston’s 21 draft picks were pitchers.

The late Hank Aaron provided one of MLB All-Star Game's most memorable moments

Fireworks go off over a giant video board showing Hank Aaron highlights. The number "715" appears in lights on another board
A high-tech tribute to Hank Aaron and his historic 715th home run took place Tuesday during the MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park in Atlanta. (Brynn Anderson / Associated Press)

The 2025 MLB All-Star Game had plenty of big moments, as the National League let a six-run lead slip away in the late innings but emerged victorious after a home run “swing-off” determined the outcome of the 95th annual event for the first time.

One of the biggest moments from the game, however, actually occurred 51 years, three months and one week earlier. That's when the legendary Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's longstanding MLB record with his 715th home run — a milestone event that was re-created in dramatic fashion after the sixth inning Tuesday night (July 15, a.k.a, 7/15) at Truist Park in Atlanta.

Read more:'It was awesome.' Clayton Kershaw is the All-Star among All-Stars as NL defeats AL

The actual milestone event took place about 10 miles from there on April 8, 1974, when Aaron and the Atlanta Braves hosted the Dodgers at the since-demolished Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. A crowd of 53,775 was on hand, with millions more watching on national TV, when Aaron launched a fourth-inning pitch by Al Downing over the left-center-field wall to make baseball history.

This week, a crowd of 41,176 — again with millions more watching on TV or streaming — witnessed the moment come back to life through video and audio clips (yep, that's legendary Dodgers announcer Vin Scully you hear, along with Braves announcer Milo Hamilton), pyrotechnics and lots of modern technology.

It was really a sight to behold as Aaron and the others somehow appeared on the field as the events unfolded just like they did more than a half-century ago. A firework was launched from home plate and scorched through the air marking the trajectory of Aaron's landmark blast. Lighted footprints traced the Hall of Famer's every step around the basepath.

The tribute included part of Scully's call from that day. "What a marvelous moment for baseball," he said, "what a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia, what a marvelous moment for the country and the world."

(Although it wasn't included in the tribute, Scully went on to explain one of the reasons the moment was so significant: "A Black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. And it is a great moment for all of us, and particularly for Henry Aaron.”)

Aaron died in 2021 at age 86, but his wife Billye Aaron was on hand for the festivities.

"I think people can look at me and say, 'He was a great baseball player, but he was even a greater human being,'" Aaron said in a clip that played at the end of the tribute.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Royals reacquire Adam Frazier in an All-Star break trade with the Pirates

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Kansas City Royals reacquired veteran utility player Adam Frazier in an All-Star break trade with the Pittsburgh Pirates.

Kansas City sent minor league infielder Cam Devanney to Pittsburgh.

Frazier, 33, has played in 78 games this season split between second base, left field and right field, hitting .255 with 21 RBIs. He spent last season with KC after bouncing around the majors following his start with the Pirates and has played every position except catcher and pitcher during his career since debuting in 2016.

Frazier joins the Royals as they are 4 1/2 games back of the American League’s final wild-card spot. They are 12 games behind Detroit for first in the AL Central.

Devanney, 28, has spent this season at Triple-A Omaha and has not yet made his major league debut.

Top 10 New York Athletes Right Now: 2025 Edition

SNY's staff cast ballots to rank the top 10 New York athletes right now.

To be considered for the list, a player must have already played for a New York team (meaning a new signing isn't eligible).

Additionally, if a player has played sparingly since coming to New York or has missed most or all of this season (Gerrit Cole for example), they were not included in this ranking.

How a player has performed most recently had the biggest impact on his/her placement on the list, but their entire career in New York was factored in -- as was postseason performance.

Without further ado, here is the list...


No. 10: Dexter Lawrence, Giants

"Sexy Dexy" has done nothing but continue to get better since receiving his big-money contract extension two years ago. Lawrence missed some time due to injury last year, but he remained a force in the middle of Big Blue's defense when healthy. He earned his third consecutive Pro Bowl appearance after racking up 16 quarterback hits and a career-high 9.0 sacks. There's no reason to believe his production will slow down with rookie Abdul Carter joining the Giants' already-loaded defensive front.

No. 9: Sabrina Ionescu, Liberty

Ionescu was a big reason why New York City saw its first professional basketball title since 1973 as she helped the franchise win its first-ever WNBA championship last year. Ionescu's game-winning shot in Game 3 of the WNBA Finals will go down as the biggest shot in Liberty history, and she's arguably having her best season in 2025, with career highs in points and steals. The former first-overall pick is the most recognizable star on the team, thanks to her regular season performances, four-time All-Star selections, setting the WNBA record with 37 points in 2023's three-point contest, and taking Steph Curry to the limit in the "Sabrina vs. Stephen" competition last year.

No. 8: Malik Nabers, Giants

Longevity be damned. Nabers needed just one NFL season to prove that he is the most electric playmaker the Giants have had since Odell Beckham Jr. Nabers racked up 1,204 receiving yards on 109 catches even as Giants QBs struggled all season. Pairing Nabers with Russell Wilson, and eventually Jaxson Dart, could take his ridiculously high ceiling even higher.

No. 7: Garrett Wilson, Jets

Wilson just cashed in with a $130 million extension, and it’s hard to argue against the Ohio State product being viewed as one of the most talented young receivers in the NFL. Despite shaky quarterback play, Wilson has eclipsed 1,000 yards in all three of his pro seasons, and he’s as dynamic a weapon as there is in the NFL, as evidenced by his ridiculous one-handed touchdown grab against the Texans last season. Just imagine what his numbers could look like with a consistent presence throwing him the ball.

No. 6: Pete Alonso, Mets

After a down year in 2024, Alonso is in the midst of the best season he's had since his rookie campaign and his most well-rounded one ever. An All-Star for the fifth time, Alonso has thrust himself into the MVP conversation just a few months before he'll again hit the free agent market. How his Mets future will unfold remains to be seen, but he will soon become a part of Mets history when he passes Darryl Strawberry on the franchise's all-time home run list.

Jun 25, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) is greeted by first baseman Pete Alonso (20) after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field.
Jun 25, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets right fielder Juan Soto (22) is greeted by first baseman Pete Alonso (20) after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning against the Atlanta Braves at Citi Field. / Wendell Cruz - Imagn Images

No. 5: Karl-Anthony Towns, Knicks

KAT was acquired in last offseason's blockbuster deal with the Mavericks with the expectation that he'd provide Jalen Brunson with a much-needed No. 2 -- and that's exactly what he did. The big man earned his fifth career All-Star nod and All-NBA third team honors after averaging 24.4 points, 12.8 rebounds, and 3.1 assists across 72 games during his first year in the Big Apple.

No. 4: Juan Soto, Mets

Soto had a relatively slow first month and change with the Mets, but became supercharged once the calendar flipped to June. He was somehow left off the All-Star team despite entering the break with an OPS+ of 161, which is a tick better than his career average. After making the switch from the Bronx to Queens, Soto remains one of the best and most entertaining hitters on the planet.

No. 3: Francisco Lindor, Mets

Lindor is known mostly for being a game-changing offensive player at one of the premium positions in the sport. But he's also a truly elite defender, a leader in the clubhouse, and perhaps the future captain of the Mets. A perennial MVP candidate who almost always posts up, Lindor continues to shine in what is already his fifth season in New York.

No. 2: Jalen Brunson, Knicks

What more is there to say about Brunson? Since signing in New York, Captain Clutch has delivered whenever the team has needed it. He put the Knicks on his back time and time again down the stretch this past season, leading them to the Conference Finals for the first time since 2000. He finished in the top-15 in MVP voting for the third consecutive season, and finally has the Knicks among the top contenders in the NBA.

No. 1: Aaron Judge, Yankees

The captain of the Yankees has overtaken Brunson for the top spot on this list, thanks in large part to his 2024 MVP season -- while helping the Yanks make it back to their first World Series since 2009 -- and his historic first half of the 2025 season. Judge remains the one constant in the Yankees' lineup and is not only threatening his AL home run record, but is the frontrunner for the MVP award. Judge also has a shot to win the Triple Crown this year, which would make him the first Yankee to do so since Mickey Mantle nearly 70 years ago.

Honorable Mention:

Igor Shesterkin, Rangers
Breanna Stewart, Liberty
Max Fried, Yankees
Edwin Diaz, Mets
Sauce Gardner, Jets

How did things shake out differently this year? Here's our list from 2024

X-rays are negative after Diamondbacks’ Eugenio Suárez is hit by a pitch on left hand at All-Star Game

ATLANTA — Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suárez appears to have dodged a major injury after he was hit by a pitch on his hand during the All-Star Game.

Suárez dropped to his knees in obvious pain after being hit by Chicago White Sox right-hander Shane Smith in the eighth inning.

NL manager Dave Roberts said Suárez got X-rays that came back negative. Suárez remained in the game but did not participate as planned in the first tiebreaking home run swing-off. He was replaced by Miami’s Kyle Stowers as the NL won the swing-off 4-3.

The pitch appeared to hit Suárez on his left pinkie finger at the end of the bat handle. He was examined by a trainer before staying in the game and jogging to first base.

Suárez, who is hitting .250 with 31 homers and 78 RBIs, is considered a possible top target at baseball’s trade deadline. A serious injury could impact that trade outlook.

5 position players Red Sox could target before trade deadline

5 position players Red Sox could target before trade deadline originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox will prioritize pitching upgrades ahead of the MLB trade deadline, but two other positions could also be on chief baseball officer Craig Breslow’s radar as the club gears up for a postseason push.

If the Red Sox pursue position players over the next two weeks, their focus should be on first base and catcher. Triston Casas’ season-ending injury has forced a platoon of Abraham Toro and Romy Gonzalez at first, and while rookie backstop Carlos Narvaez has been excellent, backup catcher Connor Wong has struggled mightily all season.

That said, the Toro/Gonzalez platoon has performed well enough that finding a full-time first baseman is no longer atop Breslow’s to-do list.

“At one point, we would have said, ‘Our first baseman is out for the year.’ But then you look at what (Abraham) Toro and Romy (Gonzalez) have been able to do platooning over there and that’s the equivalent of a really good first baseman,” Breslow said, via MassLive.com’s Chris Cotillo. “We’ll be open-minded but based on the performance we’re getting right now, I don’t think it’s a massive, glaring hole.”

At this point, catching depth may take precedence over first basemen. Wong is slashing just .149/.235/.149 with no homers and one RBI in 34 games. Narvaez has stepped up as one of the league’s best catchers this season, but he shouldn’t be expected to maintain that pace throughout the grueling second half of his rookie campaign.

So, which position players could the Red Sox target before the July 31 trade deadline? Here are five that stand out as potential options:

Ryan O’Hearn, 1B/DH, Baltimore Orioles

O’Hearn struggled for his first five seasons in Kansas City, but he immediately blossomed into a legitimate offensive threat upon being traded to Baltimore in 2023. He just played in his first All-Star Game after entering the break with a .286/.382/.458 slash line, 11 homers, and 34 RBI in 82 games.

O’Hearn would be an upgrade over Toro, though the 31-year-old has struggled against left-handed pitching this season. In this scenario, Boston would continue to let Gonzalez rake against southpaws.

The last-place Orioles could be motivated to move O’Hearn as he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent this upcoming offseason.

Josh Naylor, 1B/DH, Arizona Diamondbacks

Like O’Hearn, Naylor is a left-handed-hitting first baseman who tends to struggle against southpaws. His numbers this season are eerily similar to O’Hearn’s: a .294/.361/.456 slash line with 11 homers and 58 RBI for the fourth-place Diamondbacks.

Naylor, 28, is also set to become a free agent after this season. He was an All-Star last year with the Cleveland Guardians.

Rhys Hoskins, 1B, Milwaukee Brewers

If the Red Sox prefer a right-handed-hitting first baseman, Hoskins could be their guy. The 32-year-old veteran is slashing .242/.340/.428 with 12 homers and 42 RBI in 82 games for Milwaukee, and his swing could play well in Fenway Park.

Hoskins is enjoying a bounce-back year with the Brew Crew. He struggled in 2024 after missing all of 2023 due to a torn ACL.

He’s a free agent after this season.

Christian Vazquez, C, Minnesota Twins

Vazquez has always been more of a defensive backstop, but he had some solid offensive seasons during his tenure in Boston. He won’t be counted on to provide much offensively if he returns for a second stint, but his defense and veteran leadership would undoubtedly make him an upgrade over Wong as the Red Sox’ backup catcher.

The two-time World Series champion would be an invaluable voice in the Red Sox clubhouse for their playoff push. He’d be a great mentor for Narvaez, who will face pressure to match his impressive first-half performance over these last few months.

Vazquez’s contract is set to expire after this season.

Korey Lee, C, Chicago White Sox

The White Sox have a surplus of catchers. They acquired Blake Sabol from the Red Sox earlier this week and traded for their top catching prospect Kyle Teel in the offseason. Perhaps they’ll send a backstop Boston’s way this time.

If Chicago parts ways with one of its catchers, it appears Lee would be the odd man out. The soon-to-be 27-year-old has spent most of his time in Triple-A this year, tallying six homers with a .781 OPS in 34 games. He notched 12 homers in 125 games last season for the big-league club.

While Lee still has plenty of developing to do at the plate, he’s considered a glove-first catcher with a cannon arm. That, and the fact he’s under team control through 2029, should intrigue a Red Sox organization that has a glaring lack of catching depth.

Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitcher Rankings: All-Star break update

Starting pitcher rankings are tremendously difficult for somebody who's a bit of a perfectionist and an over-thinker. That's why I try to do them just a few times a year. However, now is certainly one of those times. After publishing my Top 150 in the final week of March, I'm back now with a mid-season update, which you can treat as my rest of season starting pitcher rankings.

A big change for me has been a shift to being a little less aggressive with injured or inconsistent starters. I've learned the hard way this season that I may have leaned into risk a bit too much earlier in the season. I still believe starting pitchers are inherently risky due to the unnatural motion of pitching; however, I acknowledge that there are pitchers who are riskier, and I need to be less cavalier about how I rank those players. Depending on your risk appetite or how big of a swing you need to take with your team, you may want some of those riskier arms to be ranked higher, and that's OK. Just adjust for your team context.

I've included currently injured pitchers who I think will return at some point this season, and I've tried to update you below on their potential return dates and how impactful I expect them to be. If you want updates on all of that, make sure you bookmark the Rotoworld Baseball Player News Page, which we update almost 24/7.

As always, the pitchers are divided into tiers, which I’ve named to help you understand why they are ranked where they are. The tiers themselves are more important than the rankings inside the tiers, so I wouldn’t split hairs over a few spots in the rankings.I’ve also ranked these pitchers as if I’m doing a 12-team league, so safe but boring low-end starters take a hit in value, etc.

Fantasy Baseball Rest of Season Starting Pitcher Rankings

The Stud Studs

1Tarik SkubalTigers
2Zack WheelerPhillies
3Garrett CrochetRed Sox
4Paul SkenesPirates
5Jacob DeGromRangers

These guys are all aces. There's not much to say. Jacob deGrom has managed to stay healthy this late into the season by modifying his max velocity, but he does have the most checkered injury part of the group. Paul Skenes is on the worst team, which has limited his wins upside, and you may be surprised to know that he's fourth among these pitchers in strikeout rate by a considerable margin. In fact, his 27.9% strikeout rate in the first half is lower than Nick Pivetta, Tylor Megill, and Jack Flaherty, among others.

Aces

6Yoshinobu YamamotoDodgers
7Max FriedYankees
8Logan GilbertMariners
9Hunter BrownAstros
10Joe RyanTwins

These guys are all fantasy aces; they're just not quite on the same level as the guys above.

Both Yoshinobu Yamamoto and Max Fried have arguments to be in that top group, but I just think their ceiling is a notch below the top five. Both of them are posting elite ratios on good teams, but Yamamoto has a bit more strikeout upside to me, and Fried is also battling a blister issue, which can sometimes lead to an IL stint. That's how I differentiated between the two of them.

Hunter Brown and Joe Ryan have both had tremendous seasons, but have some inconsistent elements to their pitch mixes. They both have really good fastballs, but have yet to be able to establish a consistent secondary offering week in and week out. That gives me some pause going forward, but they're both top-8 among qualified starting pitchers in strikeout rate, WHIP, and SIERA, so the results have certainly been there, and it's hard to find pitchers I would rather have in my lineup over these two.

Logan Gilbert is more of a pick based on the underlying metrics. Gilbert has battled injury this season and has a 3.39 ERA in his 61 innings. That being said, his K-BB% and his SIERA are second-best of any starting pitcher in baseball with at least 30 innings pitched this season. We know how talented Gilbert is when he's healthy, so I'm going to leave him up here in the Aces tier even though I can see an argument for him to be in the tier below or with the more inconsistent starters in the tier below that. I'm just betting on Gilbert "figuring it out" over the final two-plus months.

Ace Upside

11Logan WebbGiants
12Carlos RodonYankees
13Bryan WooMariners
14Framber ValdezAstros
15Robbie RayGiants
16Shota ImanagaCubs

These guys all have the potential to be fantasy aces, and kind of have been with all the injuries to pitchers who would normally rank ahead of them; however, they also have concerns about health or strikeouts, or consistency.

Logan Webb has been elite this season, and his 27% strikeout rate is a nice improvement for him. It's only 0.8% worse than Paul Skenes' strikeout rate, but I don't think we put the two of them in the same room when it comes to swing-and-miss upside. Webb has an argument to be in the group above, but I think his ceiling is just a bit lower.

Robbie Ray, Carlos Rodon, Framber Valdez, and Shota Imanaga are all left-handed, so they're here together. I'm kidding. I mean, they are all left-handed, but that's not why they're here. All of them have shown ace-level upside this season, but they either battle consistency issues (Ray and Rodon) or home run issues (Imanaga) or don't have quite an elite strikeout upside. I love having all of these guys on my roster, but I would feel a little uncomfortable if they were the ace of my staff.

Bryan Woo has shockingly remained healthy despite all of his elbow and forearm issues, and he's missing more bats than last season. However, his 24% strikeout rate is a notch below what we'd normally like to see from a true fantasy ace. I have a little bit of a concern that his approach seems to be "I bet you can't hit my fastball," but that approach is working for him so far, and he does have a really good fastball. Part of me wanted to put him in the tier below, but the truth is that I only anticipate that he'll have some volatility in the second half; there is nothing he has done in the first half to suggest he's a volatile pitcher.

Rollercoaster Rides

17Dylan CeasePadres
18Tyler GlasnowDodgers
19Spencer StriderBraves
20George KirbyMariners
21Kodai SengaMets
22MacKenzie GoreNationals
23Jacob MisiorowskiBrewers
24Cristopher SanchezPhillies

Rollercoaster rides are super fun. They can also be scary and a little dangerous. That's how I feel about rostering most of these pitchers.

We know how good Tyler Glasnow, Dylan Cease, George Kirby, and Spencer Strider can be, but they aren't those guys right now. The underlying metrics - and generally clean bill of health - suggest that Cease is the safest of the group. He's 13th among qualified starters in K-BB% and 16th in SIERA while posting a career-high 16.1% swinging strike rate (SwStr%). He's giving up more hard contact than before, but his lack of BABIP luck feels unfortunate, and I think the swing and miss stuff will eventually shine through. All of the other three guys have battled arm injuries in the first half of the season and have not been nearly as crisp as we've seen them in the past. Could it all click back into place? Yes, that's why I have them ranked here, but right now, they are not aces and likely won't be true aces this season.

Kodai Senga has also been elite when healthy this season. And, frankly, during his entire MLB career. After a slow start to his career, Senga made a huge change midway through the 2023 season to lean into the cutter more as a strike pitch, and he was lights out in the second half of the season. He then battled injuries in 2024 and again this season, but he also has a 1.39 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, and 74/33 K/BB ratio in 77.2 innings this season. He's healthy now and pitching for a really good team in a pitcher-friendly ballpark, and I could easily see him finishing the season as a top-20 arm.

Discussions about his inclusion in the All-Star Game aside, Jacob Misiorowski has been so good since being promoted. He's posted a 2.81 ERA, 0.90 WHIP, and 33/11 K/BB ratio in 25.2 innings. He has elite swing and miss stuff and passes the eye test in every way imaginable. When you watch him pitch, it's easy to see how he could be one of the most dominant pitchers in the game. But he's also made just five MLB starts and has a history in the minors of inconsistent command. This feels a little bit like hedging my bet against a small sample size.

Both MacKenzie Gore and Cristopher Sanchez have taken big steps forward this season in believable ways. Sanchez didn't add the cutter we heard so much about in the spring, but his velocity is up, while Gore has added a cutter that has given him a deeper and more stable pitch mix. Gore has more strikeout upside and the higher ceiling, but Sanchez feels like a better bet for solid ratios with slightly less volatility. They both don't feel "safe" enough to be in the next tier, but they also have too much upside to be in the tier below the injured starters.

Safe SP2s

25Ranger SuarezPhillies
26Nathan EovaldiRangers
27Sonny GrayCardinals
28Kris BubicRoyals

These pitchers all feel safe to me, but lack the upside of the pitchers above. I know Nathan Eovaldi and Ranger Suarez are pitching better than a lot of the pitchers ranked ahead of them, but both of those guys also have long track records of success, and we know where their true talent lies. Eovaldi has leaned into the curveball more this year and could arguably be in the tier above, but I just feel better about both of them as top-tier SP2s in fantasy. Similar to Sonny Gray, who is 11th in SIERA among starters with at least 30 innings pitched this season and also 12th in K-BB%. However, he gives up a lot of contact, and I buy his 3.50 ERA more than his 3.05 SIERA.

Kris Bubic has been a revelation this season for the Royals and probably the best "sleeper" pick from the pre-season. However, his 3.56 SIERA is not as convinced by his early-season performance, and his strikeout upside is fine but not great. Pair that with an average walk rate and being 12 innings away from hitting his career high, and I think we're going to get some regression from Bubic in the second half.

Could End the Season as an Ace

29Cole RagansRoyals
30Michael KingPadres
31Hunter GreeneReds
32Blake SnellDodgers
33Eury PerezMarlins
34Shohei OhtaniDodgers

These pitchers all have the upside to be top 15 starters in fantasy leagues, but they're either currently hurt or recovering from injuries. As of now, Cole Ragans has just begun a throwing program, so he likely won't be back until mid-August. Michael King expects to be back in the early to middle part of August, and Hunter Greene just had a setback with his groin that wasn't a setback but was also kind of a setback. Blake Snell began his rehab assignment on Tuesday, and Shohei Ohtani is already up to three-inning starts in MLB action, which means he could be a traditional five-inning starter by the beginning of August.

Eury Perez is the only guy who is currently pitching in big league games and pitching deep into games, but he also missed all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and so I expected some volatility over the final few months of the season. His last three starts have shown us that he has ace upside, which is why he's in this tier, but he feels far less safe than the pitchers ranked above him. I recorded a video about him today, so make sure you visit the NBC Sports website to check that out.

Volatile Veterans with K Upside

35Freddy PeraltaBrewers
36Jesus LuzardoPhillies
37Sean ManaeaMets
38Nick PivettaPadres

All four of these guys are veterans who have showcased legitimate strikeout upside in their recent starts, but also are prone to some blow-up starts or prolonged periods of mediocre results, which makes them a little more volatile as fantasy assets. Jesus Luzardo has ridden that rollercoaster within this season alone, and while Nick Pivetta has been tremendous this season, he has also never posted an ERA under 4.00 in his career. Could his new home park have mitigated his home run risk enough to change that? Sure, but we also have to acknowledge his streaky track record. Same goes for Freddy Peralta, who no longer has the elite four-seam fastball he showcased in 2021 and 2023.

Sean Manaea might be the biggest risk of this group because he has made only one start this season due to oblique injuries, and much of his success came from an angle arm and pitch mix change the Mets made last year. However, Manaea also looked really good in his first innings on Sunday, and I'm willing to buy in big time.

Upside Second Half With Risk

39Drew RasmussenRays
40Jack FlahertyTigers
41Ryan PepiotRays
42Brandon WoodruffBrewers
43Tanner BibeeGuardians
44Yu DarvishPadres
45Lucas GiolitoRed Sox
46Luis CastilloMariners

All of these pitchers have, at one point, flashed ace upside. Some of them, like Brandon Woodruff, Yu Darvish, and Luis Castillo, have perhaps aged out of their role as aces; however, I do think all three veterans still have value. Woodruff came back from injury with a new pitch mix that I think will help him to continue to post strong ratios and decent strikeout totals, even without his previous level of stuff. Darvish was good when healthy last season, and his pitches look good right now from a raw movement and velocity standpoint. Castillo is probably my least favorite of the three, but he has a long enough track record of success and has produced solid enough results this year, even without his usual strikeout upside.

Jack Flaherty rebounded from his potential stretch of pitch tipping, and his curveball remains a really solid pitch, which I think will carry him through the season as a useful starting pitcher in all league types.

Ryan Pepiot hasn't consistently built on the mini-breakout he had last year in his first season in Tampa Bay. His ERA has improved, but the strikeouts have dropped, and he's allowing more hard contact than last season. His fastball is missing fewer bats and getting hit harder, and the slider to righties is in the zone more and not getting as many swings and misses. Could he get back to more of what he was doing last season? Of course, but I'm not sure if he will. It's a similar story for Tanner Bibee, who doesn't deserve to be pitching as poorly as he does. His strikeout rate has plummeted, but he's allowing less hard contact, and I think he's just adjusting to a new pitch mix that has him throwing three fastball variations and a re-shaped slider. I like the idea of him using the four-seamer less often, and his command is still solid. I really do think he gets back on track in the second half.

I guess you can consider me a Lucas Giolito "guy" because I was optimistic about him coming into last season, and I'm a believer in what he's doing this year. I never truly believed he was as bad as many thought coming into 2024 before his injury. He was good for the first half of 2023 before the trade deadline and some off-field issues. The Red Sox have now gotten his velocity back up and revamped his slider, which has raised Giolito's floor again. His once elite changeup has been inconsistent, but he also hasn't pitched in an MLB game since 2023, so we should expect inconsistency. However, Giolito, with a good fastball, remains a solid starting pitcher.

Can You Establish Consistency?

47Shane BazRays
48Gavin WilliamsGuardians
49Edward CabreraMarlins
50Nick LodoloReds
51Chase BurnsReds
52Landen RouppGiants
53Matthew BoydCubs

Here is where we get to pitchers that I really like, who I may have ranked higher in the pre-season because I was focusing primarily on their upside. Now, I want to acknowledge their inconsistency and the risk that comes with that. If you want to lean into risk to chase upside, then this is the list of names for you to target in trades coming out of the All-Star break.

Shane Baz, like Jack Flaherty, had some issues with pitch tipping earlier in the season, but he has rebounded from that and put together a good stretch of production. He has added a cutter, which is a good third pitch for him, but it's not an exciting one. It's just a pitch he can command for strikes. He will still live and die with the four-seam fastball and curve, but those are both good pitches, so I'm OK with it.

Gavin Williams was my preseason pick for just about every pitcher breakout or sleeper question. It hasn't come to fruition yet, but we've also seen him integrate his cutter back into the mix and now add a sinker that he can throw for strikes to righties. The pieces are there, and we see them come together in some starts, but in others, the command is all over the place. It's clear that Williams is still learning how to pitch instead of just throw, and I didn't expect that to be the case this deep into the season. If it all clicks, it's going to be glorious, but that might not be until 2026.

Nick Lodolo has stayed healthy this year, but has seen his strikeout rate continue to drop for the second straight season. The decrease in walk rate is great, but can we get some of those strikeouts back, please? Edward Cabrera has also shown better command since he went to the sinker as his primary fastball, but he's now battling an arm injury on top of his consistency issues, so there's a chance he lands on the IL at some point. Or he remains healthy and gets traded to the Mets or Cubs, as is rumored, and takes off in the second half. He's a tough rank.

Landen Roupp is another pitcher that I like who has seen his strikeout rate decline. He changed his pitch mix this year to combat his struggles against lefties, and he has a 2.44 ERA over his last 13 starts. Can he get back some of that minor league strikeout upside? It's kind of a similar story for Chase Burns, who has found that his four-seam fastball is far more hittable at the big league level because of its mediocre shape and extension. The slider is great, so maybe he can make adjustments to thrive against MLB hitters, but it's hard to ask young pitchers to do that on the fly.

Matthew Boyd has been great this year, and maybe I should have him higher. However, he's almost thrown more innings than he did COMBINED over the last three years, and we've already seen him go through stretches where his changeup and four-seam fastball command falters. I'm skeptical that he can keep this up over the remainder of the season.

Already Rehabbing With Upside

54Shane McClanahanRays
55Shane BieberGuardians
56Spencer ArrighettiAstros
57Luis GilYankees

Yes, Shane McClanahan began his rehab assignment, and yes, he is an ace, so he could be in the tier with guys like Michael King, but we haven't seen McClanahan on a big league mound since 2023, and he had both Tommy John surgery and a nerve issue, so I have no idea what we're going to get from him. I expect him to pitch for Tampa Bay by mid-August, but it wouldn't surprise me if he were inconsistent and hard to use in fantasy leagues until his final two or three starts of the season. Same goes for Shane Bieber, who also began his rehab assignment this week, but also missed most of last season with Tommy John and had a setback this year.

Luis Gil has begun his rehab assignment and looked good in Double-A, so while he doesn't have the upside of McClanahan and Bieber, I think he's safer than them for this season, which is why they're in the same tier. Along with Spencer Arrighetti, who has the lowest upside of the group (well, maybe slightly better than Gil), but he also doesn't have an arm injury since he fractured his thumb while getting hit by a ball in batting practice. I have the most confidence in him remaining healthy for the remainder of the season, which means he could make six or seven good starts for the Astros.

Safe Pitchers With Modest Ceilings

58Seth LugoRoyals
59Merrill KellyDiamondbacks
60Grant HolmesBraves
61Zach EflinOrioles
62David PetersonMets
63Andrew AbbottReds

You'll have no issues with these pitchers. They're all pretty solid arms on pretty solid teams, and they'll hardly ever get lit up, but they also don't have the upside of the guys in the tiers above them. In deeper formats, you may want to put these "safer" pitchers above the "upside" pitchers, and that's totally fine. Adjust for your context.

Seth Lugo has done this before, and we know what to expect from him. He's just rock solid. As is Merrill Kelly, who may be the best pitcher on the Diamondbacks team right now. Zach Eflin should be back from the IL when the All-Star break is over, and I'm not reading too much into his 2025 stats as he's battled multiple injuries already this year. If he's healthy, we know that he can be a fine but not elite starter. David Peterson and Andrew Abbott have both had nice starts to the season, but their modest strikeout rates will always limit their ceiling and increase their risk a bit. Peterson also has some innings concerns, and Abbott has his home park concern as well.

Lastly, we have Grant Holmes, who has pitched well for Atlanta this year and is locked into their rotation. However, he has a bad four-seam fastball, so his entire pitch mix is based on hiding that. When his secondaries are cooking, he's really good, but it's hard to consistently rely on a pitcher with a bad fastball because that's the foundation of a pitcher's success at the big league level. That's what limits Holmes' upside in my eyes, but this is not a bad tier to be in.

Quality Innings But Volume Questions

64Clay HolmesMets
65Will WarrenYankees
66Emmet SheehanDodgers
67Joe BoyleRays

I like all of these pitchers, and if they were in more secure roles, they'd likely be higher up in these rankings.

Clay Holmes and Will Warren are both in their first year as starting pitchers at the MLB level, and we know their teams are going to monitor their innings. It has been said publicly. Will that mean phantom IL stints? Will that mean skipped starts? Will that mean piggybacking? We have no idea, but we do know there will be some maneuvering in the second half, and so that has to be taken into account when we do rest-of-season rankings.

Emmett Sheehan has looked great in his MLB appearances this season, but he's coming back from missing all of last season after undergoing Tommy John surgery, and the Dodgers are set to get Blake Snell back and expand Shohei Ohtani's pitch count so that he can be a traditional five-inning starter. Where does that leave Sheehan? There's too much uncertainty for me to rank him higher.

Joe Boyle was the hardest pitcher for me to rank. As of now, the rumors are that the Rays are sticking with their original five-man rotation and Drew Rasmussen will go back to being a five-inning starter, which means Boyle loses almost all of his value. But there are also trade rumors around Taj Bradley and Zack Littell. Could one of those pitchers be dealt and then have Boyle inserted into the starting rotation again? What if the rumors about Ramussen working five innings again are wrong? We'll probably have our answer in a week or two, but as of right now, I'm holding onto Boyle until I know for sure what Tampa Bay is planning to do.

Rough First Half But With Upside

68Zebby MatthewsTwins
69Yusei KikuchiAngels
70Ryne NelsonDiamondbacks
71Bubba ChandlerPirates
72Reese OlsonTigers
73Trevor RogersOrioles
74Michael SorokaNationals
75Sawyer Gipson-LongTigers
76Jose SorianoAngels

All of these pitchers are guys who I think can put together a really strong second half, but I also have to acknowledge that their first half was not particularly strong.

Both Yusei Kikuchi and his teammate, Jose Soriano, have put together dominant outings, but they have also gotten hit hard by teams they should have handled. When it's hard to rely on a pitcher from start to start, it's hard to rank them higher than this, but we know that both of these guys can go on a run where they are truly valuable for you.

Zebby Matthews, Sawyer Gipson-Long, and Reese Olson have all battled injuries in the first half of the season, which limited innings and effectiveness. I think Olson has the lowest ceiling of the three, but probably the safest floor. Gipson-Long is intriguing and talented, but he also missed all of last season following Tommy John surgery, so I have no idea how much Detroit is willing to push him. I love Zebby Matthews. In the off-season, I said he had the talent to be a top 25 starting pitcher. He has been hurt and stuck in the minors, but he's begun his rehab assignment and could return to the Twins' rotation in a week or two. I'm more than happy to take a gamble on him.

Michael Soroka has underlying metrics that suggest he should have had much better success than he has so far, and I think he could become a solid streamer that you hold on your roster and just bench when he faces one of the better offenses in the league. Trevor Rogers has also pitched his way back into the Orioles' rotation, and while this is still not the 2021 version of Rogers, what we're seeing from him, with increased velocity, is better than the version of him we saw for the last two seasons.

Lastly, Ryne Nelson is now in the Diamondbacks' rotation but really only has one pitch, so I like him, but I don't love him, and Bubba Chandler has to be getting promoted soon. Right? RIGHT!?

Solid Arms With Modest Excitement

77Bryan BelloRed Sox
78Matthew LiberatoreCardinals
79Kevin GausmanBlue Jays
79Casey MizeTigers
80Max ScherzerBlue Jays
81Zac GallenDiamondbacks
82Charlie MortonOrioles
83Mitch KellerPirates
84Jose BerriosBlue Jays
85Michael WachaRoyals

These guys are pitchers that I like for deeper formats. They're not pitchers who I think have high upside, and they're also not pitchers I trust against really good offenses.

Yes, I know Casey Mize, Matthew Liberatore, and Jose Berrios have had strong seasons so far, but they don't miss a lot of bats, and they are prone to giving up hard contact when their command falters, so I think of them more as 15-team league options. If you're in a 15-team league, you may very well have them ranked ahead of the two tiers above them, and that's totally understandable and likely the right way to approach it.

Brayan Bello has made huge strides this year, and I have been a fan for a while, so I'm trying to keep my expectations in check. Right now, this version of Bello features 85% usage of three types of fastballs and no secondaries that consistently miss bats. That has led to lots of groundballs and good ratios, but limited strikeout upside. Maybe one of those secondaries emerges and he truly takes off, but if it doesn't, then I think he's a solid arm who will give up a lot of contact, which can always make him at risk of getting dinked and dunked into a bad statline.

Kevin Gausman found his splitter for a time this season, and Charlie Morton has found his curve now, but both of these guys are veterans who rely on one pitch for basically all of their success. When it's clicking, they'll be good, but we've seen them both be harmful in fantasy leagues just this season when that pitch leaves them. That makes them hard to trust.

Zac Gallen just gives up too much hard contact for me. He has for the last few seasons. He just relies so much on location and pitch sequencing for success, and when those are off, then it doesn't matter who he's facing. That's why he dominated against the Giants and Padres but got lit up by the White Sox and Angels. He just walks such a tightrope every time he pitches.

Returning Soon But How Healthy Are You?

86Bailey OberTwins
87Aaron NolaPhillies
88Nestor CortesBrewers

All three of these pitchers should return soon after the All-Star break, but I have no idea how healthy or effective they will be. I think a lot of Bailey Ober's struggles were because of his hip impingement, but if I'm wrong, he was just awful for about 4-6 weeks. Aaron Nola has struggled before landing on the IL. Was he hurt the whole time, or are they using this lengthy absence to help correct some mechanical or pitch mix issues that caused his struggles? Does Nestor Cortes even have a rotation spot to return to? Will he be traded?

Intriguing, Young SP With Tenuous Rotation Spots

89Brandon WalterAstros
90Noah CameronRoyals
91Richard FittsRed Sox
92Cade HortonCubs
93Jack LeiterRangers
94Joey CantilloGuardians
95Kumar RockerRangers
96Slade CecconiGuardians
97David FestaTwins
98Taj BradleyRays
99Quinn PriesterRed Sox
100Cam SchlittlerYankees

I like all of these pitchers for different reasons, but they also all have clear flaws that will lead to some poor starts, and they also have tenuous rotation spots. All of them could be bumped from their respective rotations by the end of July, and it wouldn't surprise me, so I have to take that into account while ranking them.

I would say my best bets for maintaining a rotation spot and fantasy value for the remainder of the season are Slade Cecconi, Richard Fitts, and Brandon Walter. If you're just looking for a few weeks of good production, I do think Cam Schlittler is good, and Quinn Priester has proven himself to be a solid, high-floor, low-ceiling option.

If this Luis L. Ortiz investigation leads to a suspension or to Joey Cantillo being in the Guardians rotation for good, then I would be more than happy to roll the dice on his strikeout upside.

Rotation Spot But Potentially Harmful Results

101Sandy AlcantaraMarlins
102Brandon PfaadtDiamondbacks
103Justin VerlanderGiants
104Walker BuehlerRed Sox
105Eduardo RodriguezDiamondbacks
106Lance McCullersAstros

All of these guys have shown us flashes of excellence in their careers, but it's truly hard to trust them based on how they're pitching right now. I'm sure you'll add them or stream them for a time, but they're not guys I'm excited to roster right now.

Injured with Unclear Timelines But Previous Upside

106Chris SaleBraves
107Grayson RodriguezOrioles
108Pablo LopezTwins
109Cristian JavierAstros
110Bryce MillerMariners
111Tyler MahleRangers

When will these guys be back? Will they be back this season? Will they be good when they're back? Just far too many questions here for me to confidently rank any of these guys ahead of pitchers who are healthy or closer to a return.

Solid Arms With Little Excitement

112Chris BassittBlue Jays
113Brady SingerReds
114Tyler AndersonAngels
115Zack LittellRays
116Clayton KershawDodgers
117Frankie Montas Jr.Mets
118Jameson TaillonCubs
119Janson JunkMarlins

These are deep-league arms that are fine but unlikely to be a clear asset for your fantasy team. They'll be helpful in those formats if you can pick the right matchups for them.

Young Arms Without a Starting Role

120Kyle HarrisonRed Sox
121Nolan MacLeanMets
122Andrew PainterPhillies
123Michael McGreevyCardinals
124Justin WrobleskiDodgers

All of these guys could have fantasy relevance if they wind up in an MLB starting rotation, but they're not currently there, and no call-ups are imminent, so, for now, they're just names to keep in the back of your head.

Previous Potential But Innings Concerns

125Roki SasakiDodgers
126Tanner HouckRed Sox
127Dustin MayDodgers
128Tobias MyersBrewers
129Luis L. OrtizGuardians
130Shane SmithWhite Sox
131Hayden BirdsongGiants

All of these guys have major innings concerns for me based on exceeding previous workload (Dustin May, Shane Smith) not currently being in their MLB rotations (Tobias Myers, Luis L. Ortiz), not currently being healthy or having been good when they were healthy (Roki Sasaki, Tanner Houck), or potentially being booted from their rotation after a trade (Hayden Birdsong).

Deeper League Veterans With Consistent Innings

132Jake IrvinNationals
133Tomoyuki SuganoOrioles
134Nick MartinezReds
135Luis SeverinoAthletics
136JP SearsAthletics
137Jeffrey SpringsAthletics
138Andre PallanteCardinals
139Chris PaddackTwins
140Dean KremerOrioles

These guys have rotation spots, and I doubt they lose them. They're also not very exciting for fantasy leagues, but sometimes, consistent innings are just the most important thing to you.

Hernández: 'Time heals everything.' Freddie Freeman, Braves fans find peace at All-Star Game

Los Angeles Dodgers Freddie Freeman waves to the crowd after leaving the game during third inning at the MLB baseball All-Star game between the American League and National League, Tuesday, July 15, 2025, in Atlanta. (AP Photo/Mike Stewart)
Freddie Freeman waves to the crowd after being lifted from Tuesday's All-Star Game during the third inning. (Mike Stewart / Associated Press)

There were no tears.

There were no tears when he addressed the crowd in a Fox interview that was played over the Truist Park sound system.

There were no tears when manager Dave Roberts removed him from the game in the top of third inning so the fans could salute him once final time.

Freddie Freeman didn’t cry Tuesday at the All-Star Game.

“I didn’t know how it was going to go,” Freeman said.

Read more:Shaikin: How to revitalize baseball's All-Star Game? Bat flips

This was the kind of setting that could have very easily turned the emotional Freeman into a sobbing mess, and he admitted as much the previous day. He was returning to the market in which he spent the first 12 years of a career to play in the kind of event that is often a source of reflection.

The absence of tears represented how much can change in four years, especially four years as prosperous as the four years Freeman has played for the Dodgers.

“Time,” Freeman said, “heals everything.”

For both sides.

The same fans who watched him transform from a 20-year-old prospect to a future Hall of Famer warmly cheered for him during pregame introductions — just not with the kind of back-of-the-throat screams they once did.

The same fans who used to chant his name chanted his name again — just not as long as they used to, and definitely not as long as the fans at Dodger Stadium now chant his name.

Freeman will never be just another visiting player here. He won an MVP award here. He won a World Series here.

Braves fans appreciate what he did for them. They respect him. But they have moved on to some degree, just as Freeman has.

“You spend 12 years with Atlanta, you pour your heart into it,” Freeman said. “Now I poured my heart into four years with the Dodgers and still got many more hopefully to go.”

Gaining such a perspective required time.

Freeman acknowledged he was wounded by the decision the Braves made after they won the World Series in 2021. They didn’t offer him the six-year contract he wanted and traded for Matt Olson to replace him as their first baseman. Freeman signed a six-year deal with the Dodgers.

“To be honest, I was blindsided,” Freeman said at the time. “I think every emotion came across. I was hurt.”

He carried that hurt with him into his return to Atlanta, which came a couple of months into his first season with the Dodgers. He spent much of the weekend in tears.

Now looking back, Freeman said, “It does feel like a lifetime ago.”

So much so that Freeman said it was “a little weird” to be back this week in the home team’s clubhouse at Truist Park.

“I was sitting with [Braves manager Brian Snitker] in the office and seeing him and talking to him, seeing all the home clubhouse guys and then it kind of just comes all flying back that, like, well, it has been four years,” Freeman said.

Freeman has since returned to Southern California, where he was born and raised. He’s been embraced by an entirely new fan base that supported his family when his now-five-year-old son was temporarily paralyzed last year because of a rare disease. His postseason heroics — particularly his walk-off grand slam in the Game 1 of the World Series last year — has made him one of the most beloved players on a stacked roster.

“Now, everything’s in the past,” he said. “I get to play in front of my family every single day and we won a championship, so everything’s OK.”

His experience in Los Angeles has liberated him from the negative feelings associated with his breakup with the Braves, allowing him to focus on his positive memories with the organization.

Because of that, Freeman was grateful he was offered a chance to speak directly to the fans before the game.

Read more:‘Put a ‘W’ next to Dino's name.’ NL wins All-Star Game swing-off, with help from Dino Ebel

“From the bottom of my heart, thank you,” he told them.

He was also thankful of how Roberts replaced him with Pete Alonso at first base while the American League was batting. The crowd gave Freeman a standing ovation. Freeman saluted the crowd in return.

“I really appreciate the moments,” Freeman said.

Freeman grounded out in his only at-bat, which was preceded by respectful applause and a brief chant of his name. Another NL first baseman elicited louder cheers when he stepped into the batter’s box, however. That player was Olson, his successor in Atlanta. Freeman wasn’t the only one who had moved on.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Giants' Logan Webb, Robbie Ray were shocked by MLB All-Star Game swing-off

Giants' Logan Webb, Robbie Ray were shocked by MLB All-Star Game swing-off originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

MLB might have hit it out of the park with one of its newest rule changes.

Yeah, pun intended.

With Tuesday’s 2025 MLB All-Star Game at Truist Park tied 6-6 after nine innings, the league finally was unable to unveil its swing-off tiebreaker format, which was implemented in 2022 for All-Star Games that were tied after nine innings.

The concept is simple: Both the National and American League managers select three players (and one alternate) to participate in a mini home-run-derby-style competition where each hitter gets three swings, with the team collecting the most home runs after three rounds winning the swing-off and, in turn, the All-Star Game.

On Tuesday night, it was the National League, led by Philadelphia’s Kyle Schwarber, the New York Mets’ Pete Alonso and Miami’s Kyle Stowers, who bested the American League lineup of the Athletics’ Brent Rooker, Seattle’s Randy Arozarena and Tampa Bay’s Jonathan Aranda 4-3 to win the competition.

Giants starting pitchers Robbie Ray and Logan Webb, two of San Francisco’s three representatives, including reliever Randy Rodriguez, were among a handful of players who were caught off guard by the new rule, and spoke to reporters after the game about what unfolded in the National League’s dugout during the ninth inning. (h/t The San Francisco Standard’s John Shea)

“[Dodgers manager] Dave Roberts comes down and goes, ‘Guys, you won’t believe this. If the game ends in a tie, I pre-selected three guys for a Home Run Derby. That’s how we’re going to finish it,” Ray said.

“Nobody knew. We were all like, ‘Is this really how all this is going to happen?’ ”

“I honestly had no clue this was a thing,” Webb added. “We heard who was going to do it, and I was super excited to see Stowers in it, and then they said Schwarber and Pete. and I’m like, ‘All right we’re going to win.’ ”

And that’s exactly what the National League did, thanks to Schwarber hitting all three of his pitchers over the wall for home runs.

“I told Scharber afterward, ‘Dude, you’re just cool, you’re just a cool dude,’ ” Webb shared.

The format, while it elicited mixed reactions online, was an overwhelming success in the eyes of Webb and other MLB players.

“I have a group text with other players around baseball,” Webb said, “and they said we should never play an extra-inning game again. We should always end games just like that. It should be just straight Home Run Derby.”

“A perfect way to end this All-Star Game,” Webb said.

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5 biggest Mets storylines to watch in second half of 2025 MLB season

The Mets enter the second half of the 2025 MLB season in playoff position -- currently in a Wild Card spot while neck and neck with the Phillies for first place in the NL East.

But the group that has gotten New York to this point will be changing in the coming weeks, with the trade deadline rapidly approaching and New York having a handful of big needs.

Here are the five biggest storylines to watch as the second half unfolds...

What happens at the trade deadline?

If the 2024 deadline was the Mets' dipping their toe in the water during a season where the team exceeded expectations, this deadline should see them diving in.

The Mets have two huge needs (center field and the bullpen), one big need (the starting rotation), and one moderate need (third base).

And it would be shocking if the first two needs aren't addressed.

The current situation in center field has Tyrone Taylor starting some days and Jeff McNeil others. That situation is not tenable, with Taylor posting a .580 OPS and McNeil better suited for the infield dirt. Among the options who could be available? Cedric Mullins of the Orioles and Jarren Duran of the Red Sox, though the cost to acquire Duran would be relatively massive.

In the bullpen, New York is getting a dominant season from Edwin Diaz but remains in need of a true setup man. The return of Brooks Raley will help, but more is needed.

While the rotation is finally at full strength, there are questions surrounding Sean Manaea (health) and Clay Holmes (a potential innings limit), so New York should absolutely be looking to bolster its starting staff -- perhaps with a trade for a pending free agent like Zac Gallen or Seth Lugo.

Unless a true blockbuster develops, the Mets won't have to part with prized prospects like Jett Williams, Jonah Tong, or Nolan McLean in order to address their deficiencies.

Francisco Alvarez's potential impact

Since being sent down to Triple-A Syracuse to -- in David Stearns' words -- work on things that were "not statistical," Alvarez has nevertheless gone off power-wise while also working to refine his defense and other aspects of his game.

Jun 17, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) walks against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Truist Park.
Jun 17, 2025; Atlanta, Georgia, USA; New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez (4) walks against the Atlanta Braves in the second inning at Truist Park. / Brett Davis - Imagn Images

In 64 at-bats over 18 games, Alvarez has hit .250/.333/.672 with eight home runs.

He's still striking out at a high clip (22 times in those 18 games), but Alvarez is getting very close to a return to the majors.

Given how young Alvarez is, it's easy to forget that he's still coming into his own as a hitter. It's also easy to forget that he blasted 25 homers in 123 games as a rookie in 2023, and still possesses massive power potential.

The Mets don't need Alvarez to be a game-changer at the plate for them in the second half, though. They just need him to be a consistent threat.

Possible debuts of Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat

It's fair to argue that both McLean and Sproat should've been called on to start games at the end of the first half, when the Mets instead chose to have a bunch of bullpen games.

Both pitchers have top of the rotation upside, and are developing and performing in a way where their big league debuts could be around the corner.

When McLean and/or Sproat are called on could have a lot to do with whether the Mets add to the staff at the deadline and how often they employ a six-man rotation.

In the event the team suffers a long-term injury to any of its regular starters, though, it's McLean or Sproat who should get the call.

Pete Alonso's historic home run chase and future

Alonso has 247 career home runs, putting him six away from passing Darryl Strawberry for the most in Mets history.

New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) celebrates in the dugout with his teammates after scoring in the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field.
New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets first baseman Pete Alonso (20) celebrates in the dugout with his teammates after scoring in the seventh inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citi Field. / Wendell Cruz - Imagn Images

There's a chance Alonso passes Strawberry by the time the Mets wrap up a homestand against the Giants and Guardians in early August. But with one patented power surge, he could get there quicker.

New York opens the second half with a six-game homestand against the Reds and Angels before heading on the road for six games against the Giants and Padres.

This is also around the time when Alonso's future will start to become a topic again, with him all but certain to opt out of the two-year deal he signed during the offseason.

Alonso said during All-Star week that it would be "special" to stay with the Mets long-term, and a majority of the fan base feels the same way.

The NL East race

Winning the division is important, though it hasn't mattered a ton when it comes to which teams advance to the LCS (like the Mets did last year after earning a Wild Card spot) and World Series.

Still, the Mets' goal should be to win the division, which would at the very least guarantee them home field in the three-game Wild Card Series.

If they win the division and finish with one of the top two records in the NL, they will get a bye to the LDS.

With the Braves on the verge of selling in what has been a shockingly down year for them, and both the Marlins and Nationals not close to contention, this will be a two-team race between New York and Philadelphia. And the remaining head-to-head matchups could decide it.

The Mets and Phillies have seven regular season games left against each other -- Aug. 25 to 27 at Citi Field and Sept. 8 to 11 at Citizens Bank Park.

5 biggest Yankees storylines to watch in second half of 2025 MLB season

The Yankees entered the All-Star break with a 53-43 record but have seen their place atop the AL East slip away.

Although the Yanks have done a good job of pivoting away from Juan Soto and their additions have borne fruit, there are still plenty of holes to fill on this roster if the team hopes to win the division and make it back to the World Series.

Here are five storylines to watch as the Yankees begin the second half of the 2025 season...

Luis Gil's return

The 2024 AL Rookie of the Year has not thrown a pitch in a major league game this season and it has really hurt the rotation.

Combine that with the loss of Gerrit Cole before the season started and the recent season-ending injury to Clarke Schmidt, and New York could use the boost from a returning Gil.

However, how will Gil perform after nearly a year on the shelf?

The 27-year-old had his first rehab start this week, allowing one run on two hits and one walk over 3.1 innings (50 pitches/36 strikes) with Double-A Somerset. Gil was dominant in limited work, striking out six batters in what can only be seen as an encouraging start for the young right-hander.

As for Gil's timeline, manager Aaron Boone said the starter's buildup will be "more conservative." Until Gil is built up to throw 85-90 pitches, the Yankees won't see him on a big league mound. But once they do, it'll be like a trade deadline acquisition.

May 9, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez celebrates after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field.
May 9, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks third baseman Eugenio Suarez celebrates after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Chase Field. / Mark J. Rebilas - Imagn Images

What moves will Brian Cashman make at deadline?

Speaking of trade deadline acquisitions, the Yankees have a laundry list of moves they need to make.

Cashman said that he is prioritizing pitching, both in the starting rotation and bullpen, but also admitted that they need a third baseman. Whatever moves Cashman makes, they'll need to be significant if the Yanks hope to return to the World Series.

Arizona's Eugenio Suarez could be a great fit at third, while starters like Zac Gallen or Merrill Kelly could also make their way to the Bronx from the desert.

Last season, Cashman's big move was bringing over Jazz Chisholm Jr., and it helped solidify the infield. This season, the longtime GM will have to do more.

Race for the AL East

The Yankees enter the second half of the season on a two-game losing streak and two games back of the Toronto Blue Jays for first place in the division.

The road for New York won't be easy, though.

After a three-game set in Atlanta to start the second half, the Yanks will travel to Toronto to take on the Blue Jays for three games. The last time they were in Canada, the Yankees were swept in a four-game series. They will hope to avoid a repeat of that, but they'll need to find more offensive consistency to overcome their recent pitching woes.

New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) hits a double during the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium.
New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge (99) hits a double during the fourth inning at Yankee Stadium. / Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

Aaron Judge Triple Crown/MVP watch

One player the Yankees can count on this season is Judge.

Judge leads the league in just about every category, but his performance in the second half will be one to watch. He's currently on pace for 59 home runs, but we've seen the Yankee Captain get on a homer streak that can threaten his AL home run record (62).

There's also the MVP race to watch. The only potential player to threaten Judge going back-to-back is Mariners backstop Cal Raleigh. The 2025 Home Run Derby winner leads the majors in home runs (38) and is on pace to hit 64, which would set a new AL record. He also leads the league in RBI (82) while ranking second in slugging and OPS.

Judge leads the league in average (.355), OBP (.462), hits (125), OPS (1.195) and is second in homers (35) and RBI (81). If he can overcome Raleigh in homers and RBI, he'll be the first Triple Crown winner since Miguel Cabrera in 2012 and the first Yankee to do so since Mickey Mantle in 1956.

Max Fried's health/Cy Young aspirations

Fried has been everything the Yankees have asked for and more.

When Cole went down, Fried stepped up to be the ace and is in the conversation for the Cy Young award. The southpaw is first in the AL in wins (11), tied for fourth in ERA (2.43) and tied for eighth in strikeouts (113).

However, Fried left his last start early due to a blister and it could lead to some missed time for the ace. While that could hinder his Cy Young chances, the Yankees are hoping Fried is healthy and available for the postseason run. Fried has thrown 122 innings across 20 starts, and his career-high was 185.1 in 30 starts back in 2022. Fried is on pace to pass those numbers, which could lead to some issues for the oft-injured pitcher.

Perhaps the blister will give Fried the reprieve he will need to go deep into October. But we'll need to watch how the workload is affecting him.

Pros and Cons: Should Mets trade for Cedric Mullins?

Who doesn’t love a summer rental? Few strings attached, could result in lifelong memories. Perhaps the Mets should look into one to add to their outfield mix. 

Cedric Mullins is a nifty power-speed combo who would give the Mets a lefty-hitting option for center field, a position where they could use an offensive uptick. Mullins is a free agent after this season, so he’d likely be in Flushing just for the rest of this season, which, of course, likely tempers what level of talent the Baltimore Orioles can ask for in return. 

So is Mullins, who has a 30-homer, 30-steal season on his resume, a Met match?

Let’s look at the Pros and Cons of David Stearns potentially trading for the outfielder who has nicknames ranging from "Parking Lot Ced" – for his ability to crush homers completely out of minor league ballparks – to "The Entertainer." 

PROS

At the beginning of this season, Mullins, who turns 31 in October, gave Orioles fans a reminder of his broad skill set. In his first 23 games, he had a slash line of .295/.433/.590 with six homers and five stolen bases. On April 24, his OPS sat at 1.023 and it looked like he was primed for his best season since 2021, when he went 30-30, had an .878 OPS, made the AL All-Star team and finished ninth in AL MVP voting.

Since then? Um, we’ll get into that in the "Cons" section of this piece. 

For now, we move on to how Mullins is a proven source of pop, having hit double-digits in homers in all five seasons as a regular, including 13 so far this year. He’s on pace for his first 20-plus homer season since ‘21. His next home run will be the 100th of his career.

He’s got plenty of derring-do on the bases, too. Mullins has stolen 13 bases in 16 tries this year (81.3 percent) and sits just a shade under 80 percent for his career. In 2022, he became just the fifth Orioles player to record back-to-back seasons of 30-plus steals. His running game would fit nicely on a Mets team that is very efficient at stealing bases – they are 74-for-84 (88 percent).

Mullins, once a switch-hitter who gave it up before his big ‘21 season, could give the Mets a left-handed hitter to pair with Tyrone Taylor, who’s a superior defensive player, in a platoon in center. Mets center fielders ended the first half 24th in average (.223), 25th in on-base percentage (.282), 23rd in slugging (.332) and 24th in OPS (.614). 

Only two teams have fewer home runs than the four the Mets have gotten from their center fielders.

Jun 18, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins (31) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the second inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Jun 18, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins (31) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the second inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. / Nathan Ray Seebeck - Imagn Images

CONS

Mullins has fizzled after his hot start, batting .188 with a .243 on-base percentage and .340 slugging in 56 games. That means he’s at .218/.302/.411 for a .713 OPS at the All-Star break. Still, his OPS is 99 points higher than the MLB average. The MLB average slash line is .245/.315/.400. 

In fairness to Mullins, his first-half numbers in 2024 were not spectacular (.629 OPS), but he roared after the All-Star break, notching an .831 OPS, including a .374 on-base percentage.

Since his big 2021, he’s never had a full-season OPS over .721. If he’s going to offer a platoon option, he’s got to be better against right-handed pitchers (.197 average so far this year).

He’s walking more than ever – he’s got a 10.3 percent walk rate, which would be the first in double-digits in his career – but his 23.4 percent strikeout rate would be the second-highest of his career. 

Some of his defensive metrics have backslid, so he might not be the defender he once was.

VERDICT

Because Mullins is going to be a free agent after the season, his price tag -- should the Orioles move him -- will be more palatable than it would be for a player with years of remaining club control. That’s why Mullins makes more sense for the Mets than, say, a player such as Jarren Duran, the Red Sox outfielder who won’t be a free agent until after the 2028 season.

The Mets, you may have heard, are intent on developing their farm system. Still, true contenders can’t let prospect hoarding stand in the way of improving the big league club in a go-for-it season. Acquiring Mullins, who should not command a strafing of the top end of their prospect list, fits with that boost-the-system mandate while also pumping some power and speed into the major league squad. 

And retaining their best prospects would give the Mets the flexibility to make a bigger deal for pitching, another need. Jeff McNeil could ditch his part-time center field work and concentrate on raking as the second baseman.  

In his career, Mullins has thrived at Citi Field, a noted pitcher’s park, recording a 1.026 OPS. Maybe the Mets should put his Queens comfort to work for them in the second half. 

From Ruth to Rivera: 10 best Yankees All-Star Game moments

Considering the Yankees’ lofty baseball accomplishments and stirring history, it figures that they have authored significant moments in Major League Baseball’s annual All-Star Game.

From the very first edition of the Midsummer Classic in 1933, when at least one milestone unfolded as if it were ordained by the baseball gods, to the last time the All-Star Game was played in 2019, Yankee talent has made an impact in the battle between the leagues.

Here’s a look at some of the best moments and performances by Yankees. Any complaints about the order they’re in? Maybe next year we’ll consider fan balloting, like the game itself.

Ruth goes yard 

First is best, right? Or something like that. In the very first All-Star Game in 1933 -- why the heck did it take so long? -- Babe Ruth blasted the first home run in Midsummer Classic history in the American League’s 4-2 victory over the National League at Comiskey Park. What, you thought Joe Cronin was going to do it? With a runner on in the third inning, Ruth connected off Bill Hallahan of the Cardinals, adding another line to his remarkable baseball biography. Ruth also made a terrific catch in right field in the game and teammate Lefty Gomez twirled three scoreless innings. 

Trivia time: Who hit the first All-Star homer in NL history? 

...

Answer:Frankie Frisch of the Cardinals in the sixth inning. That’s not as good a story as Ruth.

Jeter’s first step to history

In the 2000 game at Turner Field in Atlanta, Derek Jeter got to start because of an injury to Alex Rodriguez, and he made the most of the chance. Jeter was 3-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored. He doubled off Randy Johnson in the first inning, singled off Kevin Brown in the third and hit a two-run single off Al Leiter in the fifth. His performance earned him the game’s MVP award -- he was the first Yankee to claim that hardware. It also set the stage for Jeter becoming the first player in MLB history to be named MVP of the All-Star Game and the World Series in the same season. To date, he’s the only one. It was also the first of two 3-for-3 performances in All-Star Games for Jeter. He also did it in 2004.

Recency bias? No 

There was no All-Star Game in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic, so this one in Cleveland is the most recent one and Shane Bieber of the Indians was the MVP after a blazing fifth inning in which he struck out the side. But pinstriped fingerprints were all over this Midsummer Classic. CC Sabathia, who was retiring at the end of the season, was there as an honorary member. The Yankee lefty, who started his wonderful career in Cleveland, received multiple ovations, including when he threw out the ceremonial first pitch. He even surprised Aroldis Chapman with a mound visit in the ninth. Masahiro Tanaka threw a scoreless inning and was the winning pitcher and Chapman struck out the side in the ninth for the save.

Derek’s last Midsummer stand 

In 2014, Jeter played in his final Midsummer Classic and went 2-for-2 with a run scored. Did Adam Wainwright of the Cardinals groove one for him in the first inning, helping Jeter rip a double? Who cares? It made for a nice capper to 14 All-Star Games for the Yankee captain, who finished with a .481 average (13-for-27) -- third-best all-time.

American League infielder Derek Jeter (2) of the New York Yankees waves to the crowd as he is replaced in the fourth inning during the 2014 MLB All Star Game at Target Field.
American League infielder Derek Jeter (2) of the New York Yankees waves to the crowd as he is replaced in the fourth inning during the 2014 MLB All Star Game at Target Field. / Scott Rovak - USA TODAY Sports

Gehrig goes off

They didn’t invent the All-Star Game MVP Award until 1962, but Lou Gehrig probably would’ve won the trophy if it had existed in 1937. He went 2-for-4 with a two-run homer off Dizzy Dean and four total RBI in the AL’s 8-3 victory. It was his second straight Midsummer Classic with a home run after a slow start to his All-Star career. Entering the ‘36 game, he had been 0-for-9 against the NL’s best.

Who needs the DH?

Vic Raschi threw three scoreless innings of relief to earn the win in the AL’s 5-2 victory in 1948, including a key strikeout of Richie Ashburn with the bases loaded. And, in the days before the designated hitter, he proved adept at the plate, too. Raschi smacked a tie-breaking, two-run single in the fourth inning to give the AL the lead for good. Not bad for someone who was a .184 hitter in his career.

Lefty goes long

This wouldn’t happen today, considering that starters often don’t pitch six innings during regular season games. But Gomez threw six innings of one-run ball in the 1935 All-Star Game, holding the NL to three measly hits. It was part of a remarkable run for Gomez, who still has the ASG record with three wins.

One Mo moment

In 2013, Mariano Rivera made his final All-Star appearance, throwing a scoreless inning at Citi Field to much applause. Maybe his MVP award was partly sentimental, but he certainly deserved as much recognition as possible. After all, he was selected to 13 All-Star teams, had a 0.00 ERA and a record four saves. He also had missed most of 2012 with a knee injury and is the greatest relief pitcher in the history of baseball.

American League pitcher Mariano Rivera (42) of the New York Yankees walks off the field with catcher Salvador Perez (13) of the Kansas City Royals after retiring the National League in the 8th inning.
American League pitcher Mariano Rivera (42) of the New York Yankees walks off the field with catcher Salvador Perez (13) of the Kansas City Royals after retiring the National League in the 8th inning. / USA TODAY-USA TODAY Sports

Joe D, super sub

Joe DiMaggio had only played 12 games before the Midsummer Classic because of injury, but was added to the team as a reserve and then got into the starting lineup when Tommy Henrich was hurt. DiMaggio, seizing the moment, went 2-for-4 with three RBI in an 11-7 AL win.

Second billing

The 1983 game was all about Fred Lynn’s grand slam, the first one in Midsummer Classic history. But Dave Winfield starred, too, going 3-for-3 with two runs and an RBI.

Honorable mentions

All four Yankee home run derby champs: Tino Martinez (1997), Jason Giambi (2002), Robinson Canó (2011) and Aaron Judge (2017)... DiMaggio homered in 1939, the first ASG at Yankee Stadium... Not a performance, but a ballpark: The 2008 game, the last ASG at Yankee Stadium, matched the record for innings (15) and set the record for time (four hours, 50 minutes). Jeter was quoted afterward saying it was like the Stadium itself didn’t want the game to end.