Schwarber hits his 42nd homer as Phillies rally past Reds

CINCINNATI — Kyle Schwarber hit his 42nd homer of the season, a two-run shot that highlighted a four-run eighth inning, as the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-1 Monday night, extending their winning streak to four games.

Schwarber’s 42nd homer moved him past Shohei Ohtani and into the NL lead. The Dodgers faced the Angels later Monday night. Seattle’s Cal Raleigh leads the AL and MLB with 45 homers. Schwarber has 97 RBIs this season.

Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott (8-3) allowed only three hits through seven innings. But, with two outs in the eighth, he allowed RBI doubles by Weston Wilson and Trea Turner. Schwarber followed with a two-run shot off Tony Santillan to complete the rally.

Abbott bounced back after a rough outing on Wednesday when he allowed four earned runs and a pair of homers in a 6-1 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Against the Phillies, he retired the first 12 batters he faced before J.T. Realmuto doubled leading off the fifth.

The Reds went ahead 1-0 when TJ Friedl doubled and scored on Gavin Lux’s single in the first. It was the only run allowed by Phillies starter Taijuan Walker in his six innings.

Orion Kerkering retired the Reds in order in the ninth for his third save in seven chances. Jordan Romano (2-4) earned the victory for Philadelphia, which moved six games ahead of the idle New York Mets in the division.

Key moment

With one out in the seventh, Reds right fielder Noelvi Marte prevented the tying run from scoring when he threw out Bryce Harper attempting to score from third on Nick Castellano’s fly ball.

Key stat

Schwarber, who was born in nearby Middletown, Ohio, has 13 career home runs at Great American Ball Park, the most of any road ballpark.

Up next

Phillies LHP Ranger Suárez (8-5, 2.94 ERA) will face Reds RHP Brady Singer (9-9, 5.43 ERA) on Tuesday.

Yankees ace Gerrit Cole throws off flat ground as he recovers from Tommy John surgery

NEW YORK — Yankees ace Gerrit Cole took another step in his recovery from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow by making 20 throws off flat ground on Monday.

“It felt really good today,” Cole said before New York opened a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium. “I was fairly accurate and I had a good time.”

Cole began his throwing program five months after getting an internal brace inserted into his elbow in an operation by Los Angeles Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

The normal rehabilitation time is about 14 months and Cole had been building up to getting off flat ground for the past few weeks. Cole said his initial progressing will last for a few months before he can off a mound, and then he will get shut down and expects a normal offseason.

“It’s a big one, first day throwing,” Cole said. “I’ve been building up to it for a few weeks. So It’s nice to get outside and get it accomplished and have it go well.”

A 34-year-old right-hander with a 153-80 career record and 3.18 ERA over 317 starts, Cole’s arm initially was in a cast following the surgery and then a brace. The brace was removed in mid-April and Cole had been undergoing about 90 minutes to two hours of rehab.

Cole has thrown 1,954 innings over 12 major league seasons, plus an additional 133 1/3 innings in 22 postseason starts. His procedure was reconstruction of the ligament with an internal brace, which is designed to promote stability.

Cole is signed to a $324 million, nine-year contract through 2028, and is in the dugout for home games. He also joined a YES Network broadcast for a few innings during a game against the Los Angeles Angels on June 17.

“Excited for him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s done a good job with the rehab and this is one of those cool markers along the way that is significant to hit. So excited for him.”

Cole’s 2024 season debut was delayed until June 19 because of nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow. He went 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts for New York and was 1-0 with a 2.17 ERA in five postseason starts.

Cole went for tests after allowing a pair of home runs in his second spring training start this year, against Minnesota on March 6.

Yankees blast four home runs to beat Twins, 6-2

The Yankees bounced back after dropping their third series in a row over the weekend by beating the Minnesota Twins on Monday night, 6-2.

Here are the takeaways...

-All or nothing seemed to be the biggest theme in this one with five different players hitting five solo homers. Cody Bellinger got things started by hitting his 21st bomb of the season in the bottom of the first inning. The solo shot off Zebby Matthews was the first hit of the game and gave New York a 1-0 lead.

Matthews would allow two more home runs in his 5.2 innings of work -- back-to-back solo shots by Giancarlo Stanton and Ben Rice in the third. Stanton lifted his 11th of the season on the first pitch he saw while Rice crushed his 17th of the year on a 2-2 slider and sent it 415 feet to right field.

When Matthews wasn't letting up long balls, though, he was striking out New York's hitters, finishing with nine strikeouts to match his career high. His night was over after issuing his first walk of the game and throwing 99 pitches (68 strikes).

-On the other side was Will Warren who had a similar performance as Matthews. Like Matthews, Warren's night mostly consisted of strikeouts or solo home runs. To his credit, the rookie right-hander was slightly better than his competition and only allowed two solo shots -- one to Byron Buxton in the sixth and another to Trevor Larnach in the seventh -- in 6.2 innings. He also struck out seven while walking none on 85 pitches (60 strikes).

Warren left the game with a 3-2 lead and his outing was good enough to secure his seventh win of the season (7-5). It was also the fourth straight start where he's allowed two earned runs or fewer.

The offense relied less on the long ball in the bottom half of the seventh and strung together three hits and a walk against reliever Brooks Kriske, who got the final out of the sixth, to start the frame which resulted in two more runs. Ryan McMahon doubled to lead things off, Anthony Volpe walked (after a wild pitch advanced McMahon to third) followed by Trent Grisham and Aaron Judge singling them home.

-Jazz Chisholm Jr. ended the scoring with a bang by smacking another solo shot to lead off the eighth inning. It was the Bronx Bombers' fourth home run of the game and Chisholm's 20th of the season.

-The Yanks finished with 10 hits on the night with every player in the starting lineup besides Paul Goldschmidt getting at least one hit. Stanton and Rice each had two hits.

-Following Warren, Luke Weaver and David Bednar combined for 2.1 perfect innings while striking out four.

-Both teams combined for six home runs and 23 strikeouts.

Game MVP: Will Warren

The righty turned in another quality start and is pitching the best he has all season.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees continue their series with the Twins on Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

LHP Carlos Rodón (11-7, 3.35 ERA) will go for New York while Minnesota has yet to announce a starter.

Correa plays 1st game in Houston since trade as Bregman visits for 1st time since joining Red Sox

HOUSTON — Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman were back at Daikin Park on Monday.

But while Correa was making his triumphant return home after the recent blockbuster trade that brought him back to the Houston Astros from the Minnesota Twins, Bregman was in the ballpark for the first time as a visitor after signing with the Boston Red Sox this offseason. Monday is the opener of a three-game series between the teams.

“That adds an extra little bit of what it’s going to mean for our fans,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “Both players, what they’ve done for this organization, it’s incredible, right? Bregman, he’s one of the best players that ever wore this uniform, and now we get Carlos back, coming in here and (helping) us win the division. It’s going to be electric here.”

Bregman, drafted second overall by the Astros in 2015, spent his first nine seasons in Houston where he helped the team to eight playoff berths, including seven trips to the AL Championship Series, four World Series appearances and two championships. The third baseman was named an All-Star twice in Houston, won a Gold Glove last season and a Silver Slugger Award in 2019 when he came in second in AL MVP voting.

Bregman was asked about the timing of them both returning to Houston on the same day.

“I was shocked at the news during the trade deadline and it was awesome and it looks like he’s fit right back in,” Bregman said. “He’s a great player, a leader, great teammate. It’s always difficult to compete against him because he’s such a good competitor, but we’re gonna give it our best shot today.”

Correa, who waived his no-trade clause to return to Houston, is back after playing for the Twins since 2022. The top pick in the 2012 draft, he spent his first eight seasons with the Astros, pairing with Bregman for many of those years to transform the Astros from league laughingstock to perennial contender. He’s been great in the nine games since the trade and entered Monday batting .405 with 15 hits, including two homers and six RBIs.

He said returning to the team where his career began after being gone for four years is surreal.

“It’s a second chance to come back here and put on this uniform and it’s a chance that I will never take for granted,” he said. “I’m gonna go out there and give it my best every single day I go out there.”

Correa, who has been slowed by injuries in recent years, said he’s feeling rejuvenated since rejoining the Astros and moving to third base after spending his entire career playing shortstop.

“Being at third base I don’t get as tired, so I feel like my legs are a lot fresher,” he said.

Bregman, who spent years playing third base in Houston while Correa was at shortstop, has no doubt that he’ll excel at his new position.

“He’s going to do great over there,” Bregman said. “He’s got an incredible arm. We always used to say if he catches the ball, the guy is out because of how good the arm is and he’s going to make the transition great. He’s a Platinum Glove winner at shortstop, so third base should be pretty easy for him.”

Though Bregman faced the Astros recently in Boston when the Red Sox swept a three-game series, he admitted that Monday would be emotional because of all the memories he made here. He spoke of what stuck out to him the most from his time in Houston.

“I’d say the championships and just seeing how resilient the city is and how it comes together when times are tough,” he said. “And the people are great, my teammates, the coaches, everything, all the memories in the clubhouse, busting our tail trying to find a way to win a baseball game every single day, the everyday grind of it, it was fun for us.”

As for Correa, he’s soaking up every minute of being back with the team. The best part, he said, is reuniting with close friend and second baseman Jose Altuve.

“As soon as I got to Boston, I gave him a big hug and I told him I missed him,” Correa said. “He’s an unbelievable player, but the human side of it, I get to hang out with him after the games, we get to go eat after the games (and) we just talk shop. It’s something that I definitely missed a lot and I get to do it again so I’m not gonna take it for granted.”

Altuve shares his sentiments.

“I’m really excited he’s back,” he said. “I really enjoyed my time playing with him and I’m going to enjoy playing with him again and we’re all excited about him.”

Yankees not yet sure when Aaron Judge will return to outfield

Aaron Judge continues to work towards a return to right field, but the Yankees do not yet know if he will be able to man the position this weekend in St. Louis.

Before Monday’s game, manager Aaron Boone ruled out Judge for the outfield during this week’s series at home against Minnesota.

Ever since Judge hit the injured list last month with a right flexor strain, the team has been optimistic that he would return to the field before long. “Sooner rather than later” continues to be the public messaging.

But privately, the team is genuinely unsure when it might happen. The timing is important because as long as Judge is limited to designated hitter duties, right field is Giancarlo Stanton’s only path to playing time. The reeling Yankees are hardly in a position to sit Stanton, one of their best hitters.

The location of the Yankees’ next series could create extra incentive for Judge to return this weekend.

Right field at Yankee Stadium is relatively small, which is suited to Stanton’s current level of speed and range. Busch Stadium in St. Louis presents far more ground to cover.

Former Met Johan Santana named Team Venezuela's pitching coach for 2026 World Baseball Classic

Former Met Johan Santana is joining Team Venezuela's coaching staff as their pitching coach for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Santana, who pitched for the Mets from 2008-2012, is a two-time Cy Young award winner and four-time All-Star. He won both of his Cy Young awards with the Minnesota Twins where he began his career and spent eight seasons.

In his first season in New York, the left-hander led MLB with his 2.53 ERA and led the NL with 34 starts and 234.1 innings pitched. Santana went on to go 46-34 during his career with the Mets and pitched to a 3.18 ERA. He also threw the first no-hitter in franchise history on June 1, 2012 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Now 46 years old, this will be Santana's first opportunity as a coach for professional players. And although rosters have not been released yet, some possible pitchers that will play for manager Omar Lopez and Team Venezuela include starters Pablo Lopez, Ranger Suarez, Eduardo Rodriguez and Martin Perez, as well as relievers Jose Alvarado, Robert Suarez, Jose Buttó and Brusdar Graterol.

With a lineup that could feature players such as Ronald Acuña Jr., Jose Altuve, Salvador Perez, Eugenio Suarez and more like Francisco Alvarez and Luisangel Acuña, Team Venezuela will likely be a formidable team in the tournament.

Giants' offense once again lacks energy as team's Oracle Park skid continues

Giants' offense once again lacks energy as team's Oracle Park skid continues originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — As Drew Gilbert’s floater to left field dropped softly onto the grass on Monday night, members of his family started to rise. They weren’t alone. 

The Giants prospect got a nice ovation after picking up his first big league hit in the third inning, but he didn’t let any big-picture thoughts creep into his head. Gilbert said afterward that he immediately went into baserunner mode. He didn’t spend much time soaking up the cheers or the applause coming from his dugout. 

“For maybe, like, a second,” he said.

The ovation came a day after Giants fans showered Justin Verlander with love following his 3,500th strikeout. This is a fan base that is desperate for something to cheer for, and once again, the Giants gave them very few reasons to get on their feet. 

Rafael Devers brought some juice with a solo homer, but other than that and the Gilbert single, there was nothing. The Giants lost 4-1 to the San Diego Padres, striking out 10 times while losing for the 11th time in their last 12 games at Oracle Park. 

A team that had eight walk-off wins through June 7 all of a sudden is incapable of bringing life to a ballpark that has seen a notable attendance boost this season. The Giants have scored three total runs in their last three home games and 23 runs over the 1-11 stretch. 

“Giants fans are one of the best and they’ve been showing up for us and we just haven’t been doing a good job,” staff ace Logan Webb said. “We score a run today and tie the game and I go back out for the seventh and the momentum shift — it’s just bad. It’s kind of the way it’s going.”

Webb gave up three runs right after the Devers homer and took that hard, although he probably shouldn’t have. After throwing 219 pitches in his two previous starts, he was sent back out for the seventh with 88 on his line. The inning unraveled quickly, with a Freddy Fermin homer putting the game away.

The Giants always have pushed Webb, and perhaps they felt getting seven strong out of him on Monday was the only way. They certainly weren’t going to win a battle of the bullpens. 

That wasn’t the case in the first half, when they seemingly came back every time they fell behind at home. The deficits are the same, but the comebacks have dried up, and with Monday’s loss, they fell to .500 at Oracle Park this season. 

Manager Bob Melvin was asked about the home skid before the game and said it’s hard to figure out what’s going on. Players have said the same, but they need to put it together quickly. The first half built momentum and attendance surged, but Monday’s crowd of 30,018 was the smallest at Oracle Park since June 13. It was 5,000 less than what the Giants drew two weeks earlier on a Monday night against the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates. 

It was an energetic crowd early on, though. At least until the lack of offense sucked the life out of the ballpark. Even Gilbert, who should have been celebrating, found reasons for frustration.

“I know I’m a rookie, but I want to win,” he said. “Hits are awesome, but wins are better.”

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Phils make quick work of Reds to win fourth straight, climb 20 games over .500

Phils make quick work of Reds to win fourth straight, climb 20 games over .500 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CINCINNATI — While the collective musical preference of the Phillies and Cincinnati Reds isn’t known, the two teams played with a quickness Monday as if they were huge Snoop Dogg fans.

Fo shizzle.

The immensely popular entertainer performed following the game at Great American Ballpark, and you had to wonder if the players wanted to get to it as quick as possible. A quick game of two hours and 20 minutes and a concert are much better if a win is attached, and the Phillies got that with a 4-1 triumph over the Reds.

The only real delay in the game came in the top of the eighth when the Reds decided to challenge whether Kyle Schwarber’s monster two-run homer was fair or foul. The call stood as fair and Schwarber’s 42nd home run of the season gave the Phillies a 4-1 lead.

Phillies starter Taijuan Walker struggled in the first inning as he allowed a run on three hits while throwing 27 pitches. The big right-hander found a groove, however, and didn’t allow another run during his six innings of work in which he allowed six hits, just that run, a walk and struck out two while throwing a manageable 93 pitches in his duel with Reds starter Andrew Abbott.

“I started getting quick outs, a lot of ground ball outs today, which was key,” Walker, who now sports a 3.39 ERA this season, said. “The biggest thing is just keeping the team in the game. That first inning could have got away but only let up the one run and after that just kind of got into a little groove and started being aggressive and just started pounding the zone.

“I said before, I busted my butt in the offseason. I wanted to come back this year and show them that I worked hard and I was ready to get back into the rotation. I think I proved that and especially going back and forth staying calm and under control and within myself and going out to do whatever they want me to do. I’m comfortable as a starter and I’ve done it for a long time, so hopefully keep going.”

Abbott was lights out against the Phillies for seven innings and began the eighth by striking out Harrison Bader and Otto Kemp. As has been the norm for the Phillies on this road trip, the offense did what it needed to do to secure the team’s eighth win in the past 10 games. The Phillies are now 69-49, their first time to 20 games over .500 this season. They lead the idle New York Mets by six games in the National League East.

Edmundo Sosa got a two-out single in the eighth and then Weston Wilson, one of the plethora of platoon outfielders manager Rob Thomson has at his disposal, lined a double down the left-field line that bounced around for a bit, allowing Sosa to score from first and tie the game at one. Sosa then scored on a single by Trea Turner and then Schwarber hit that monster shot to right, just inside the foul pole.

It was the second game in a row that Wilson came up big at the plate. His single in the fifth Sunday gave the Phillies a 3-2 lead in an eventual 4-2 win over the Rangers. Monday, he did it again.

“It’s something I’ve been accustomed to the last couple of years,” Wilson said of platooning. “That’s my role, playing against lefties and just doing the same thing that I’ve been doing, getting prepared in the cage. Trying to simulate reaction time with heaters and everything. I think when game time rolls around you kind of just go compete.

“It’s huge. I have confidence in myself and I think everybody has confidence in each other. Just being able to come up big in those moments has been awesome. Being able to take some pressure off the top of the lineup and the bottom is doing it as well now.”

With the luxury of his bullpen pitching so well of late, the game seems to get shorter and shorter for Thomson. Although closing sensation Jhoan Duran was unavailable Monday after having had saves the previous two games against the Rangers, the trio of Jordan Romano, David Robertson and Orion Kerkering brought it home as they combined to allow just one hit, walked one and struck out three in their three innings. The bullpen has now allowed just one earned run over the last 23 2/3 innings.

“Romano hasn’t had a full inning in a long time. He came in and threw strikes,” Thomson said. “His stuff was really good, sharp slider. D-Rob getting his feet wet in pretty high-leverage, I guess. Walked the leadoff hitter on four pitches but then he settled in and pitched great and Kerkering was fantastic. Sometimes you’re forced into it (putting in pitchers in high-leverage situations) and you can’t do anything about it. I would have liked to put [Robertson] into a little easier spot.”

Before his collapse in the eighth, Abbott had allowed just three hits to the Phillies. Oddly, all three hits, including doubles by J.T. Realmuto and Bryce Harper, led off innings, but the left-hander worked out of trouble each time.

“His pitch count was getting up there so maybe he wasn’t quite as sharp,” Thomson said of Abbott. “I think this club is so resilient, they never believe they are out of a game, they just keep fighting and that’s what I love about them.”

Thomson ended the postgame talk yelling “Snoop.” Asked if he was going to watch the concert, the manager said, “No, I’m going home and watching TV.”

There was plenty of time for that, too.

What we learned as Logan Webb runs out of gas late in Giants' loss to Padres

What we learned as Logan Webb runs out of gas late in Giants' loss to Padres originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — Two months ago, when Logan Webb and Yoshinobu Yamamoto faced off at Dodger Stadium, the game ended with two teams atop the NL West standings. 

Webb and Yamamoto were back in action Monday night, one in San Francisco and one in Anaheim, and once again, the Dodgers are looking at potentially having a partner atop the division. But the Giants now are nowhere near that race. 

It’s the San Diego Padres — 4-1 winners on Monday night — who are closing in on the Dodgers, with just 1 1/2 games separating them. The Giants once hoped to catch the Padres in the wild-card race, but they now sit eight games back. 

Webb cruised through the first five innings, getting 11 outs on the ground and striking out a pair. The Padres pushed a run across in the sixth, but Rafael Devers immediately countered with a rocket to left-center, his third homer in four games on this homestand. 

The blast brought some juice back to the ballpark, but it didn’t last long. A double and RBI single gave the Padres the lead a few pitches into the seventh, and Freddy Fermin blasted a two-run shot down the left field line, handing a healthy lead to the league’s best bullpen. 

On The Board

The old “it’ll be a line drive in the box score” joke probably doesn’t apply in 2025, but Drew Gilbert at least can try it out. His first big league hit left the bat at just 65 mph and dropped softly between three Padres in shallow left, but a hit is a hit, and Gilbert officially has an MLB batting average.

Gilbert had been hitless in 10 at-bats through his first four starts, but the Giants are going to take a long look at the recently acquired prospect, and he showed off some tools Monday. After the single, he stole second, although he was thrown out at third as he tried to advance on a poor throw. Gilbert became the first Giant since Jason Vosler in 2021 to pick up his first hit and stolen base in the same game, and at the very least, he’s bringing some energy to a team that needs it. 

The longest hitless streak to start a Giants career, by the way, belongs to Edwards Guzman. He went 21 hitless at-bats between stints in 1999 and 2001.

Those Guys Again

The Padres have given Webb a lot of trouble in recent years, although he dominated them at Oracle on June 2. Early on Monday, this looked like another gem, and Webb needed just 66 pitches to get through five scoreless innings. The only hit through the first four was a single that came on a slow roller that took a weird bounce when it hit first base. 

But the Fermin homer left Webb with four runs on his line in 6 1/3 innings. He allowed eight hits, walked one and struck out three. Webb has now given up at least four earned in three of his last four home starts. 

Dominating

On the ninth pitch of his first at-bat, Dominic Smith redirected a Yu Darvish splitter up the middle, getting the first hit of the night for the Giants. The single extended Smith’s hitting streak to 14 games, the longest active one in the big leagues and longest of his career. 

Smith is the first Giant to reach 14 games since another left-handed first baseman, Brandon Belt. The longtime Giant did it during a 2021 MLB season that was his best as a big leaguer. 

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Yankees' Gerrit Cole begins throwing program

Gerrit Cole took a big step on his road to recovery on Monday, throwing 20 pitches off of flat ground.

Manager Aaron Boone confirmed the news, which was first reported by YES Network's Meredith Marakovits.

"He’s done a good job with rehab," Boone said. "This is one of those cool markers along that way that’s significant to hit, so excited for him."

The Yankees ace underwent Tommy John surgery on March 11, opting for the internal brace procedure that could potentially shorten his recovery time.

The 34-year-old appeared in two spring training games for the Yankees this year, and it was clear something wasn’t right, as the former Cy Young winner allowed seven earned runs on seven hits over 6.0 innings of work. Cole ended up having season-ending surgery just five days after his final spring start.

"It’s a big one, first day throwing," Cole told reporters on Monday. "Been building up to it for a few weeks so it’s nice to get outside and get it accomplished and have it go well."

The right-hander also mentioned that it "felt really good" to be out there and that he was "fairly accurate."

While it's great to see Cole throwing again, he still has a long way to go before pitching for New York once again. Nevertheless, he'll continue his throwing program through the rest of the season before shutting it down again entering the offseason phase.

"This initial progression should take at least a few months so we’re right at the beginning of it," Cole said.

With Cole missing the entire season, free agent addition Max Fried has stepped into the ace role nicely, pitching to a 2.94 ERA with a 1.10 WHIP. It’s clear, however, that the Yankees have missed Cole, who has pitched to a 3.12 ERA and made three All-Star Games in a Yankees uniform.

The Yankees currently find themselves in third place in the AL East, and hold just a half-game lead over the Cleveland Guardians for the third and final Wild Card spot.

MLB Power Rankings: Brewers and Mariners streaking, reeling Mets fall out of top 10

Featured in this week’s MLB Power Rankings, the final "ace-off" between Clayton Kershaw and Max Scherzer, the Astros, Padres, and Reds are all getting help down the stretch, the Red Sox keep locking up their young core, the waiting game continues for top prospects for the Pirates and Orioles, and A's rookie Carlos Cortes unlocks the new achievement of "switch-fielder."

(Please note these power rankings are a combination of current performance and long-term projected outlook)

Let’s get started!

Note: Rankings are from the morning of Monday, August 11.

1) Milwaukee Brewers

Last week: 1

The Brewers can do no wrong right now. Capped by a walk-off homer from Isaac Collins against the Mets on Sunday, Milwaukee has won nine straight games and currently find themselves on pace for a 101-win season.

I could show you the walk-off homer from Sunday, but it doesn’t get much better than this picture perfect throw from Blake Perkins to seal Friday’s win.

2) Philadelphia Phillies ⬆️

Last week: 6

The Phillies have won six out of seven to build a 5 1/2 game lead over the Mets in the NL East. Jhoan Duran has been exactly what the doctor ordered as the team’s new closer, as he’s gone 4-for-4 in save chances with just one hit allowed through his first four appearances since the trade from the Twins.

3) Los Angeles Dodgers

Last week: 3

With this blast, Shohei Ohtani became the fastest player in Dodgers history to reach 40 homers in a season. He now has four 40-homer seasons to his credit, which leads all active players. Of course, Aaron Judge is just three homers away from joining that club.

4) Toronto Blue Jays

Last week: 4

One last time for the road? Max Scherzer and Clayton Kershaw squared off on Saturday for likely the final time in their respective Hall of Fame careers. Scherzer did his part with two runs allowed over six innings, but Kershaw was just a little bit better six innings of one-run ball. What a treat.

5) Detroit Tigers

Last week: 5

Kerry Carpenter is one of the most aggressive hitters in the majors, but it’s working for him. Despite the lowest walk rate among players with at least 300 plate appearances, he’s hitting .361 (13-for-36) with five homers and a 1.313 OPS since returning from the injured list late last month.

6) Chicago Cubs ⬇️

Last week: 2

Rookie Matt Shaw is beginning to find his footing in the big leagues. He’s slashing .328/.349/.770 with seven homers, 15 RBI, three steals, and 12 runs scored over 20 games since the All-Star break.

7) Houston Astros ⬆️

Last week: 9

Can the Astros hold off the red-hot Mariners? At least they have help en route. After Spencer Arrighetti made his first start in four months last week, Christian Javier is set to make his return from Tommy John surgery on Monday. Luis Garcia, also on his way back from Tommy John surgery, is currently rehabbing in Triple-A.

8) Seattle Mariners ⬆️

Last week: 11

The Mariners are rolling. With a sweep of the Rays over the weekend, they’ve now won seven straight and sit just a half-game behind the Astros in the AL West. Cal Raleigh crushed his 45th homer on Sunday as he continues to chase history and perhaps the AL MVP Award.

9) San Diego Padres ⬆️

Last week: 10

The Padres made all sorts of improvements at the deadline, but they also got Michael King back from the IL on Saturday after he missed nearly three months with a throracic nerve issue in his right shoulder. He lasted just two-plus innings his his return, but remains capable of providing a big lift down the stretch.

10) Boston Red Sox ⬇️

Last week: 7

Roman Anthony has shown that he belongs during his short time in the majors and the Red Sox are making sure he sticks around for the long haul. The 21-year-old inked an eight-year, $130 extension last week, which ensures that he will be part of a long-term core which also includes long-term agreements with Garrett Crochet, Brayan Bello, Kristian Campbell, and Cedeanne Rafaela.

11) New York Mets ⬇️

Last week: 8

Losers of seven straight and 11 out of 12, the Mets have been more bad than good for an extended period. They are 18-31 dating back to June 12, with the starting rotation being the biggest issue of all.

On a more positive note, with his next homer, Pete Alonso will pass Darryl Strawberry for the Mets' all-time record.

12) New York Yankees

Last week: 12

Including Sunday’s loss against the Astros, Max Fried holds a 6.00 ERA with 15 walks in 36 innings in his last seven starts dating back to the start of July. Not the best timing for the scuffling Yanks.

13) Cincinnati Reds ⬆️

Last week: 14

The Reds are mostly hanging around in the Wild Card race by virtue of the Mets struggling, but they’ll happily take advantage of the opening. Hunter Greene has a chance to be a major difference-maker for the stretch run as he makes his return from the injured list on Wednesday. The 26-year-old had a 2.73 ERA through 11 starts before going down two months ago with a groin injury.

14) Cleveland Guardians ⬆️

Last week: 15

The Guardians won five straight before falling to the White Sox on Sunday, but still find themselves very much in the mix in the AL Wild Card race. Gavin Williams, who carried a no-hitter in the ninth inning against the Mets last week, owns a 1.63 ERA over his last six outings.

15) Texas Rangers ⬇️

Last week: 13

I’ve watched this play at least 10 times and I still think Adolis Garcia caught this ball. Perhaps in the multiverse, he did?

16) Kansas City Royals

Last week: 16

The Royals opted against selling at the deadline after going 15-9 in July, but they’ve lost five out of their last eight games. They have a chance to make some hay this week with series against the Nationals and White Sox.

17) St. Louis Cardinals ⬆️

Last week: 19

Even after trading their closer, Ryan Helsley, as well as Steven Matz and Phil Maton, the Cardinals are still within striking distance in the NL Wild Card race. They get the Rockies to begin the week before a series against the scuffling Yankees, so there’s opportunity this week.

18) San Francisco Giants

Last week: 18

While the Giants lost to the Nationals on Sunday, Justin Verlander became just the 10th player in MLB history to reach the 3,500 strikeout plateau. Just another accolade in his Hall of Fame resume.

19) Arizona Diamondbacks ⬆️

Last week: 22

The Diamondbacks set a new franchise record with nine consecutive hits in Sunday’s 13-6 win over the Rockies. It helps to face bad pitching staffs like the Rockies and the home Athletics, but the D-Backs are tied for fourth in the majors in runs scored this month.

20) Miami Marlins ⬇️

Last week: 17

It’s probably a little too early to call Jakob Marsee the next Mr. Marlin, but he’s well on his way. The 24-year-old rookie is hitting .419 (13-for-31) through 11 games since his call-up.

21) Tampa Bay Rays

Last week: 21

With four homers in the span of three games last week, Junior Caminero is now up to 32 home runs in his age-21 season. He’s on pace to be the second-ever player on the Rays to reach 40 homers. The only other was Carlos Pena, who slugged 46 homers in 2007.

22) Los Angeles Angels ⬇️

Last week: 20

If you are planning what to watch this week, be sure to tune in on Wednesday, as Shohei Ohtani will face the Angels for the first time as a pitcher. Another Ohtani-Trout showdown? Yes please.

23) Baltimore Orioles

Last week: 23

With the Orioles out of contention, the big question at this stage is when we’ll see prospects like Samuel Basallo and Dylan Beavers.

24) Athletics ⬆️

Last week: 25

Carlos Cortes being a member of the “Athletics” is a little too on the nose. The 28-year-old entered Sunday’s game as a left-handed outfielder before serving as a right-handed second third baseman in the ninth inning.

25) Minnesota Twins ⬆️

Last week: 27

The Twins unloaded a good chunk of their roster at the trade deadline, but they’ve swung the bats well in recent days, most notably from rookie Luke Keaschall. The 22-year-old is hitting .455 (10-for-22) with two homers and 10 RBI since coming off the injured list, highlighted by this walk-off blast on Sunday.

26) Atlanta Braves ⬇️

Last week: 24

The Braves won four out of five from the Marlins, so they are picking up some steam just in time to potentially play spoiler against the floundering Mets this week.

27) Pittsburgh Pirates ⬇️

Last week: 26

We’re all waiting for top prospect right-hander Bubba Chandler, but he’s sporting a 6.94 ERA with 11 walks and five homers allowed in 23 1/3 innings over his last five starts. Is the frustration beginning to take a toll on his performance? It would be understandable if it was.

28) Washington Nationals

Last week: 28

It’s been a struggle for James Wood since the All-Star break, but he delivered back-to-back multi-hit games in victories against the Giants this weekend after hitting just .111 (6-for-54) with one RBI over his previous 14 games.

29) Chicago White Sox

Last week: 29

This might just be a Colson Montgomery space moving forward. His 452-foot homer against the Guardians on Sunday was the longest at Rate Field this season.

Would you believe that the White Sox are third in the majors in runs scored over the past 30 days?

30) Colorado Rockies

Last week: 30

Kyle Karros delivered an RBI single in his first major league at-bat on Friday against the Diamondbacks. Yep, that's Eric Karros' son. Yep, you should be questioning your own mortality.

Longtime NHL Reporter Believes There's One Clear Option For The Rangers' Captaincy

Danny Wild-Imagn Images

There’s one player who’s beginning to gain momentum for the New York Rangers' captaincy. 

Since the Rangers traded Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks in December, the team has been without a captain, but that could change at the start of the 2025-26 campaign. 

Longtime Rangers reporter and columnist Larry Brooks strongly believes that the Rangers brass should choose J.T. Miller to be the team’s next captain.

“The captain’s sweater is not just another piece of laundry,” Brooks wrote. “It represents the organization’s ethos. The Rangers acquired J.T. Miller to change the team culture. The 32-year-old is hard-edged and can be abrasive. That is the identity the Blueshirts should adopt.”

The Rangers acquired Miller from the Vancouver Canucks this past season, partly due to his immense talent and also because of the energy he brings on a daily basis. 

Miller is known for his competitive and fiery nature, and the goal of bringing him in was to help start a culture shift within the organization that was desperately needed. 

Rangers Rank 10th In The Hockey News’ Exclusive Summer Splash SeriesRangers Rank 10th In The Hockey News’ Exclusive Summer Splash SeriesThe Hockey News’ exclusive summer splash series evaluating the off-seasons of every NHL team is into the final stretch. To put these rankings together, we’ve focused the spotlight on every franchise’s off-season additions, departures, hirings and firings. And we’ve labelled each team as belonging to one of three categories – teams that have improved, teams that essentially stayed the same, and teams that have regressed. 

Making him the captain would demonstrate that the Rangers are fully committed to a change in their overall identity.

It’s unclear when or even if the Rangers plan on naming a captain, but Miller is certainly a candidate to watch out for.

Giants have three players on Baseball America's top-100 prospects list

Giants have three players on Baseball America's top-100 prospects list originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants’ farm system is well represented in Baseball America’s 2025 Top 100 Prospects list released Monday, with three of San Francisco’s top up-and-comers making the cut.

First baseman Bryce Eldridge came in at No. 20, shortstop Josuar Gonzalez at No. 85 and outfielder Bo Davidson at No. 88.

Not too shabby.

Eldridge is expected to be a franchise cornerstone in San Francisco and currently is looking the part for the Giants’ Triple-A Sacramento.

Over 37 games with the River Cats during the 2025 season, the left-handed slugger is slashing .252/.318/.540 with 35 hits, 43 RBI, 12 home runs, 15 walks and a .858 OPS. Eldridge hit his fifth homer of August on Sunday and has a 1.165 OPS over 34 at-bats this month.

First-year Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey is excited for Eldridge’s future in San Francisco as a 6-foot-7, 240-pound slugger.

Gonzalez, a switch-hitting 17-year-old, is the Giants’ No. 2 prospect, according to MLB.com

He is slashing .284/.398/.438 through 45 games of rookie ball with 48 hits, 21 RBI, 32 walks and a .836 OPS. At 6 feet and a light 167 pounds, Gonzalez is quick on his feet, currently with 25 stolen bases.

It only is a matter of time until the baseball world truly discovers what Gonzalez — and his sneaky power — can bring to the Bay.

Davidson, 23, is the Giants’ No. 5 prospect according to the league pipeline.

He has played just 17 games with San Francisco’s Double-A Richmond, but he is slashing a promising .258/.324/.355 with 16 hits and six walks. 

The 6-foot-1, 205-pounder was promoted to Double-A Richmond on July 17 after slashing a dominant .309/.412/.507 with 87 hits, 56 RBI, 10 homers and 12 stolen bases over 72 games for High-A Eugene.

Davidson also has a pretty glove.

San Francisco has high hopes for the left-handed bat, as Davidson was one of four new faces to make Baseball America’s top-100 list.

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Rockies at Cardinals Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends and stats for August 11

Its Monday, August 11 and the Rockies (30-87) are in St. Louis to take on the Cardinals (60-59).

Chase Dollander is slated to take the mound for Colorado for the first time since being recalled from Triple-A Albuquerque against Miles Mikolas for St. Louis. (Dollander has been in the minors for the past month.)

The Cardinals start the week feeling pretty good having taken two of three from both the Dodgers and the Cubs in the past week. Yesterday they knocked off the Cubs, 3-2. Sonny Gray was sharp allowing just two runs (one earned) over seven innings to earn his eleventh win of the season. The offense was efficient tallying just four hits but scoring three times. Pedro Pages had the big blast with his eighth home run of the season in the third inning.

Colorado has now lost seven straight following a lost weekend in Arizona. The Diamondbacks hammered the Rockies outscoring them 25-12 over the course of the three-game series. That bludgeoning came on the hells of being outscored 45-6 in their series against Toronto. It should come as no surprise that the Game Total UNDER has cashed just once this month in Rockies' games.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Rockies at Cardinals

  • Date: Monday, August 11, 2025
  • Time: 7:45PM EST
  • Site: Busch Stadium
  • City: St. Louis, MO
  • Network/Streaming: COLR, FDSNMW

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Rockies at the Cardinals

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Rockies (+182), Cardinals (-221)
  • Spread:  Cardinals -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Rockies at Cardinals

  • Pitching matchup for August 11, 2025: Chase Dollander vs. Miles Mikolas
    • Rockies: Chase Dollander (2-9, 6.68 ERA)
      Last outing: July 6 vs. White Sox - 7.36 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
    • Cardinals: Miles Mikolas (6-9, 5.11 ERA)
      Last outing: August 5 at Dodgers - 15.00 ERA, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 1 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Rockies at Cardinals

  • The Rockies have lost 8 of their last 10 games
  • The Under is 44-30-3 in the Rockies' games against National League teams this season
  • Willson Contreras was 2-8 (.250) in the weekend series against the Cubs
  • Alec Burleson is 5-15 (.333) over his last 4 games
  • Brenton Doyle is enjoying a 5-game hitting streak (7-19)

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Rockies and the Cardinals

Rotoworld Best Bet

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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Monday's game between the Rockies and the Cardinals:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the St. Louis Cardinals on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Colorado Rockies at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
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  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)

Yankees vs. Twins: 5 things to watch and series predictions | Aug. 11-13

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees and Minnesota Twins play a three-game series at Yankee Stadium starting on Monday night...


Preview

Who has the ninth?

Even after their deadline additions, the late innings remain an adventure for the Yanks. 

Devin Williams has been brutal during his first season in the Big Apple, and his struggles continued into this weekend as he blew a save opportunity against the Astros. 

"I'm not making pitches, it's pretty simple, I stink right now," Williams said following the loss.

Williams is 17-for-20 in save opportunities on the year, but he has an ugly 5.73 ERA. 

And one day later it was David Bednar who was handed the ball in the late innings -- he blew a save chance of his own, but the offense picked him up and he ended up taking home the victory. 

The righty has struck out 10 batters in six innings since being acquired from Pittsburgh. 

It’ll be interesting to see who Aaron Boone decides to turn to if a save opportunity should arise during this three-game set in the Bronx. 

The AL playoff race

The Yanks appeared to be a lock for the playoffs earlier this season, but their recent struggles have made that future a bit murkier. 

They currently sit in third place in the AL East, behind the Blue Jays and Red Sox. 

The Bombers do remain in possession of the third Wild Card spot in the American League, but their lead has been trimmed all the way down to just 0.5 game over the Guardians.

Minnesota sold heavily prior to the deadline, but even they remain in the mix just 5.5 back. 

Losers in seven of their last 10, the Yanks have to get going again if they hope to make some noise this year.

"Obviously, we're feeling it right now and we know we have to be better," Boone said Sunday. "We know we have a much higher standard for ourselves and expectations -- at the same time, we're in control of this. 

"I wholeheartedly believe we are going to get rolling and turn this thing around. When it does, you start to really build that next layer of confidence where guys are kind of feeding off each other. It's all just talk right now, but that's how I feel about it. We've got to go do it."

Jul 27, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Yankee Stadium.
Jul 27, 2025; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees pitcher Carlos Rodon (55) pitches against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. / John Jones-Imagn Images

Can Carlos Rodon tighten things up?

Rodon has been spectacular for the most part this season, but he’s hit a bit of a rough patch of late. 

The southpaw has struggled to get the ball over the plate consistently, issuing at least three free passes in five of his last seven outings. 

He’s pitched to a subpar 4.50 ERA and 1.42 WHIP over that span.

When the Yanks were rolling Rodon and Max Fried were leading the way atop the rotation. 

They’ll need the both of them to turn things around if they hope to make some noise down the stretch -- starting with Rodon’s outing in the middle game on Tuesday night. 

Minnesota's rookie is red hot

The Twins were big-time sellers ahead of the deadline, which has created opportunities for some of their young talent. 

One of those players receiving an extended look down the stretch is Luke Keaschall

The rookie slugger has been on an absolute heater since returning to the big leagues earlier this month, posting a .455 average and 10 RBI across just five games. 

He finished 3-for-5 on Sunday against the Royals, including a walk-off two-run homer. 

“The guy’s special, this guy's young,” Twins manager Rocco Baldelli told Patrick Donnelly of MLB.com on Sunday. “He’s going to play a long time in this game -- you’re getting a chance to see a young player who is really doing it before our eyes.”

With Byron Buxton sidelined, Minnesota’s offense isn’t exactly loaded with talent, but the red hot Keaschall is certainly one to keep an eye on during this three-game set. 

Buxton's expected back

Speaking of Buxton, the Yanks may have to contend with him in this one after all. 

The All-Star outfielder has been sidelined since July 29 with a rib injury, but Baldelli said that he is expected to return at some point during this series. 

Buxton resumed hitting early last week and appears to have bypassed a potential rehab assignment, completing all the tests put in place by the training staff.

Getting him back into the mix certainly is a huge boost for this Twins offense. 

Prior to the injury he was enjoying a tremendous campaign with 23 homers, 17 stolen bases, 59 RBI, and a .905 OPS through 85 games. 

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Aaron Judge

Judge has struggled a bit since returning from the IL, it's only a matter of time before he gets going.

Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?

Cam Schlittler 

Schlittler has held opponents to three runs or fewer in each of his five outings thus far.

Which Twins player will be a thorn in Yankees' side?

Royce Lewis

Lewis has struggled this year, but it's not too long ago he was one of the games rising young stars.