Category: MLB

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.

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 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.”

Red Sox 2025 draft tracker: Boston loads up on pitching in early rounds

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 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.

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.

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

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.

Ryan O'Hearn delivers a 3-run blast to put the @Orioles ahead 😤 pic.twitter.com/LkvgQ7cdM4

— MLB (@MLB) May 28, 2025

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.

Josh Naylor gets the @Dbacks started with a 2-run jack! 💪 pic.twitter.com/l0QF8YB3xP

— MLB (@MLB) June 25, 2025

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.

Rhys Hoskins sends one the opposite way to add to the @Brewers lead 💪 pic.twitter.com/PSROqvuR1z

— MLB (@MLB) May 21, 2025

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 best pop time from yesterday also had the fastest exchange. Christian Vazquez recorded this 1.84 pop time, with a velocity of 79.7 and an exchange time of .57 seconds. pic.twitter.com/yTv9g62iSW

— Xan Barksdale (@xanbarksdale) June 26, 2025

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.

KOREY LEE! 💥 pic.twitter.com/KoQxRZG46X

— Chicago White Sox (@whitesox) September 26, 2024

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.

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.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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.

#AllStarGame Swing-off
AL – 3
NL – 4

Kyle Schwarber GIVES THE NL THE LEAD! pic.twitter.com/NPZJciVTYn

— MLB (@MLB) July 16, 2025

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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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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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. 

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.

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.

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.