PITTSBURGH — White Sox rookie Shane Smith was placed on the 15-day injured list with a sprained left ankle on Saturday, four days after the right-hander pitched in the All-Star Game as Chicago’s lone representative.
The White Sox did not immediately provide details on how or when the injury occurred. Smith faced two batters in the eighth inning of Tuesday night’s Midsummer Classic in Atlanta, hitting one and retiring the next on a fielder’s choice. His move to the IL was retroactive to Wednesday.
Smith pitched three innings in a loss to Cleveland on July 11, an abbreviated start that manager Will Venable said was planned.
The 25-year-old Smith is 3-7 with a 4.26 ERA in 18 starts. Chicago selected him in the Rule 5 draft in December, and he became the second player to make an All-Star team in the year immediately after being taken in that draft.
The White Sox recalled right-hander Wikelman González from Triple-A Charlotte to take Smith’s roster spot. Also Saturday, Chicago reinstated infielder/outfielder Brooks Baldwin from the 10-day IL and optioned outfielder Will Robertson to Charlotte.
David Wright is officially a part of forever, as the Mets unveiled the beloved third baseman's No. 5 into the rafters on Saturday afternoon at Citi Field.
He became the eighth player in franchise history to have his number retired, and also joined legendary pitcher Tom Seaver as the only members to be enshrined into the team's Hall of Fame on the same day.
"Whether or not I earned this love, this respect, can probably be debated," Wright humbly said at the podium before a sold-out crowd. "I never accomplished my goal of bringing a World Series back to Queens, but I promise you I gave it everything I had and wanted it just as badly as you did.
"I think this fanbase recognized that, and was willing to genuinely have my back and support -- support me unconditionally through the good and the bad. And for that, I'll always be thankful... Thank you so much for allowing me to live out my dream in front of you each night. I love you so much. Let's go Mets."
"Whether or not I earned this love, this respect, can probably be debated. I never accomplished my goal of bringing a World Series back to Queens, but I promise you I gave it everything I had and wanted it just as badly as you did. I think this fanbase recognized that, and was willing to genuinely have my back and support -- support me unconditionally through the good and bad. And for that, I'll always be thankful."
A first-round pick in 2001 who blossomed into a seven-time All-Star at the hot corner, Wright wrapped up his 14-year career as the Mets' all-time leader in hits (1,777), doubles (390), RBI (970), and runs scored (949). He also ranks second in games played (1,585) and third in home runs (242).
Wright became the Mets' fourth captain in 2013, joining team greats Keith Hernandez (1987-89), Gary Carter (1988-89), and John Franco (2001-04). While his career was cut short due to serious neck, back, and shoulder injuries, he hung up his cleats in 2018 with a laudable .296 average.
"We have truly formed something extraordinary in this game," Wright said. "An 18-year-old kid from Virgnia, having the privilege of being a lifelong Met and developing an unbreakable bond with the best fanbase in baseball."
Here are highlights from the pregame celebrations and festivities...
Congratulations to David Wright on having his number 5 retired by the Mets! 👏
"I never accomplished my goal of bringing a World Series back to Queens, but I promise you I gave it everything I had and wanted it just as badly as you did."
"I've known David since 2001, he's like my brother. To be here and this team do that for him, that's unbelievable" @SteveGelbs talks with @lamelaza_7 following David Wright's jersey retirement ceremony:
Cincinnati Reds outfielder TJ Friedl tied a major league record Friday night when he was hit by a pitch three times — by three different New York Mets hurlers.
The 5-foot-8 Friedl was plunked on the left forearm by a 91 mph fastball from left-hander Sean Manaea in the third inning and on the left foot by an 85 mph slider from right-handed reliever Alex Carrillo in the fifth.
Mets lefty Brandon Waddell then drilled Friedl on the left hand with a 91 mph sinker in the eighth.
“The lefties, it makes more sense because everything is away and I’m trying to stick my nose in there,” Friedl said. “The last one, that one stung!”
It was the 39th time in the modern era (since 1901) that a hitter got nailed three times in one game. It’s happened to 34 different players — the only previous Reds batter was Derek Dietrich at Milwaukee on June 21, 2019.
Two other major leaguers have been plunked three times in a game this season: Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams on May 31 at Arizona, and Colorado’s Tyler Freeman on June 17 at Washington.
Batting leadoff, Friedl finished 0 for 2 but scored twice in an 8-4 victory over the Mets. He expects to be in the lineup Saturday and joked that he didn’t want a day off anyway.
NEW YORK — Mets reliever Max Kranick is expected to have season-ending surgery on his right elbow, the latest blow to New York’s injury-depleted bullpen.
Kranick was placed on the 15-day injured list June 19 with an elbow strain. He had Tommy John surgery in June 2022 and is facing a second major operation on his pitching arm in 37 months.
“He’s going to have a Tommy John,” manager Carlos Mendoza said Friday before his team’s 8-4 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. “I don’t think we have a date yet, but he’s going to have the surgery.”
New York’s bullpen did get a boost Friday when left-hander Brooks Raley was reinstated from the 60-day injured list after recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Raley had been sidelined since early in the 2024 season. He finished his minor league rehab assignment with eight scoreless outings across three levels.
“We saw it last year for the first couple of months — how special it is to have a guy like that that not only can get lefties out, (but) he’s a guy that, the way he spins the baseball, you feel good about whether it’s a righty or a lefty,” Mendoza said.
To make room for Raley on the roster, lefty reliever Richard Lovelady was designated for assignment.
Kranick, who turns 28 on Monday, was claimed off waivers by the Mets from Pittsburgh in January 2024 and spent nearly all of last season in the minors.
He made his New York debut on March 29 — his first time on a major league mound since 2022. The rookie right-hander was 3-2 with a 3.65 ERA in 24 appearances covering 37 innings this year, though he allowed three runs over his final 4 2/3 innings before getting hurt.
Mendoza also provided updates on injured designated hitters Jesse Winker and Starling Marte.
Winker (back) received an epidural Friday and will be shut down from baseball activities for another seven to 10 days. Marte (bruised right knee) will continue to do baseball activities for another three to five days.
Saturday will be a massive celebration at Citi Field.
The Mets are retiring David Wright's No. 5 and inducting him into the team's Hall of Fame in a ceremony that kept the former Mets captain awake the night before.
Wright, who spent his entire 14-year career with the Mets, is still in disbelief at the generosity and support from the organization and former teammates and coaches -- plenty are in attendance -- as he spoke with the media before the ceremony on Saturday afternoon.
“Just the support, whether it’s my family, friends...the support walking around the city the last few days. Seeing No. 5 on the backs of so many people in New York is humbling," Wright said of the experience the last few days leading up to Saturday. "Former teammates, got a chance to hang out with them the last couple of days. As us old players like to do, reminisce about the good ol’ days. Just an amazing time. Just an amazing experience that's only going to get better.
"Thanks to the organization. Steve and Alex [Cohen]. They made this nothing but first class. They’ve gone over the top… and just welcomed me and my family with open arms, along with the rest of the alumni."
Wright will be the eighth Met to have his number retired, joining Tom Seaver (No. 41), Mike Piazza (No. 31), Jerry Koosman (No. 36), Keith Hernandez (No. 17), Willie Mays (No. 24), Dwight Gooden (No. 16), and Darryl Strawberry (No. 18).
It's an honor befitting of Wright, who captained the team less than 10 years after debuting in 2004. In 1,374 games from 2004-13, Wright slashed .301/.382/.506 (.888 OPS) with 222 home runs, 345 doubles, 876 RBI, 853 runs scored, and 183 stolen bases. He was one of the best players in baseball, but back injuries shortened Wright's career.
At the end, Wright was one of the greatest Mets to wear the uniform. He's first in hits (1777), doubles (390), RBI (970), runs (949) and third in home runs (242).
"Special day for the organization, for all of us here. We get to witness one of the best players, one of the Mets greats," current Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said. "Special career, obviously, but what a special human. Over a year and a half ago, I got with the organization and one of the highlights for me was meeting David last year in spring training. The humble, the quality of the person. It was pretty incredible. I was a big fan of his, watching him throughout his career and today we get to celebrate him, his family. And it’s an honor for all of us."
When Wright wrapped up his career at the end of the 2018 season, he was emotional then and hopes he can be less so on Saturday. Although that's not likely, Wright reminisced about that day and how today will feel different.
"It’s certainly different. The biggest difference for me is, I hope I can keep it together better today," Wright said with a grin. "There’s something about taking off that uniform for the last time. I view this day as an incredible, organic relationship between me and my family, the organization, this fanbase. To me, the Mets fanbase is a blue-collar, bring your lunchpail to work type of fanbase. That’s how I was raised and that’s how I try to approach each day, coming to the ball park. Provide that blue-collar mentality. That’s why that relationship with the Mets fanbase has become so special."
That embrace from the fans and the organization has made Saturday feel more like a natural visit than a special moment for Wright, and he appreciates it.
"It feels like it was yesterday," Wright said. "It was a neat feeling. It’s the feeling when you come home from a long trip…seeing the familiar faces from ownership down to the team and the different smiles that you’re accustomed to seeing on a daily basis, now you see once a year or whenever you come back. It brings back a lot of memories…I catch myself reminiscing more than I ever did when I played."
Wright expects to feel the love from everyone when he steps out on the field Saturday. For someone who was the face of the organization for so long, days like this still make the All-Star infielder uncomfortable. But what he's looking forward to most from the ceremony is celebrating with those who helped him on his journey.
"[I'm looking forward] to sharing it with my family, friends, the organization, the fanbase," Wright said. "It’s an uncomfortable feeling for me to be the center of the spotlight. I like to share it with everybody that’s had an impact in getting me to this point. That includes more people than I can name."
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza shared insight on a few topics before Saturday's game against the Reds.
Celebrating the Wright Way
David Wright will become the 10th player in franchise history to have his jersey retired when the Mets unveil his No. 5 in the rafters at Citi Field during a pregame ceremony. While his tenure in New York ended years before Mendoza's arrival, the skipper praised the former third baseman's legacy.
"It's a special day for the organization, for all of us," Mendoza said. "A special career, but what a special human. Over a year and a half now with the organization, one of the highlights for me was meeting David last year in spring training... I was a big fan of his, watching him throughout his career... It's an honor for all of us. Congrats to David, I'm going to be a big fan today."
When asked about the attributes he looks for in a clubhouse leader, Mendoza stressed humility. And it didn't take long for him to see how Wright treats people with respect and represents the Mets with class.
"The first thing that sticks out to me is, humble," Mendoza said. "You've got to be able to communicate and meet people where they're at. From the very first second I met David, I was like, 'Wow, this guy's impressive.' It was easy to see why he was able to do what he did, on and off the field... Accountability, responsibility. The care. Being around him, it's pretty easy to see it."
Alvarez keeps mashing in Triple-A
It's only a matter of time until Francisco Alvarez is called up from a weeks-long stint with Triple-A Syracuse that's allowed him to correct offensive and defensive flaws. At some point, the Mets won't be able to ignore the power he's producing.
Alvarez crushed his ninth homer in Triple-A on Friday, a 427-foot blast to left with an exit velocity of 111.8 mph and a launch angle of 23 degrees. Since his demotion in late June, the 23-year-old catcher has slashed .250/.329/.691 with 20 RBI across 68 at-bats (19 games).
Mendoza didn't put a timeline on when Alvarez's promotion will happen, but he's fully aware of the power numbers and particularly pleased with the progress reports on his efforts behind the plate.
"He continues to be in the conversation. He's doing everything we're asking him to do," Mendoza said. "[A promotion] could happen at any moment... We've seen the power, obviously, with the way he's been driving the ball to all fields. But the defense, the reports we're continuing to get are pretty impressive.
"The receiving, the blocking... We just wanted to see some consistency there. The framing, the blocking, just in general, as a catcher. And he's doing that. So, again, he's putting himself in a position where we continue to have those conversations. We'll see what happens here."
Bullpen carousel keeps spinning
The latest shakeup to the relief unit, made official on Saturday morning, featured right-hander Kevin Herget signed to the big league roster and left-hander Brandon Waddell optioned to Triple-A.
It's a second cup of coffee for Herget in Queens, as the 34-year-old began the 2025 season with the Mets but appeared in only one game before being claimed off waivers by the Braves in mid-May. He then logged a single inning with the Braves before receiving another demotion in early July.
Waddell's move to Triple-A comes as little surprise, as he registered 3.2 innings of relief in Friday's loss to the Reds and the Mets prefer a fresh arm in his place. Overall, the 31-year-old has produced a 4.00 ERA with 28 strikeouts across 10 appearances (27 innings).
The Phillies placed Alec Bohm on the 10-day injured list with a fractured left rib prior to Saturday’s game against the Angels.
The club recalled Weston Wilson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to replace Bohm on the 26-man roster.
Bohm aggravated the injury during Friday’s loss to the Angels.
“He felt the rib thing last night in his last at-bat,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said Saturday afternoon. “He came in today and he still felt it so he’s going to see the doctor.”
Turns out that visit to the doctor resulted in an IL stint.
Bohm sustained the injury when he was hit by a pitch last Saturday in San Diego. He missed the final game before the All-Star break. The hope was that he would be good to go following the break.
Bohm is hitting .278 with eight home runs and 42 RBI in 92 games this season. He’s hitting .304 in his last 64 games following a poor April.
Wilson hit .194 in 20 games with the Phillies earlier this season before being demoted to Triple-A on June 19th.
Otto Kemp will play third base on Saturday. The Phillies will likely use a combination of Kemp, Edmundo Sosa, Wilson and potentially Bryson Stott at third base while Bohm is sidelined.
Sosa gets the start at second base on Saturday against Angels lefthander Yusei Kikuchi. Brandon Marsh moves over to left field with John Rojas playing center field.
It’s a rare start against a lefty for Marsh.
“I like the way Marsh is swinging the bat,” Thomson said. “And we get really good defense out there (with Marsh and Rojas in the outfield).”
Good news for Nola
Aaron Nola’s live batting practice session on Saturday was a success.
“Very good,” Thomson said when asked how Nola looked. “34 pitches, two ups (innings). Command was really good. Curveball was really good.”
Nola will throw a bullpen session either Monday or Tuesday. If that goes well he could head out on a minor league rehab assignment.
Signs point towards an early August return for Nola.
Walker’s next opportunity
Taijuan Walker will make his 10th start of the season Saturday. Walker has spent his third season with the Phillies bouncing back and forth between the starting rotation and the bullpen. He’s made 11 relief appearances and has a 3.55 ERA overall.
Thomson raves about Walker’s team-first mentality.
“He’s been great,” Thomson said. “He’s been throwing the ball well, he really has. He’s battled. I felt for him last year and all the stuff that he went through. This year he’s done everything that we’ve asked him to do. And along the way, whatever situation he’s been in, he’s thrown the ball pretty well. Hopefully it continues.”
Walker threw a bullpen session in Arizona during the All-Star break and should be more stretched out for tonight’s outing. He threw 63 pitches in his last start 11 days ago in San Francisco.
The fifth starter spot appears to be Walker’s to lose until Nola returns. Mick Abel and Andrew Painter are currently pitching for Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Progress for Painter
Speaking of Andrew Painter – the Phillies’ top prospect will start on Thursday for Lehigh Valley. Painter has a 5.01 ERA in 12 starts in Triple-A this season.
Thomson discussed Painter’s progress prior to this weekend’s series.
“He’s healthy,” Thomson said. “I think his command isn’t quite where it normally is for him. But his stuff is good… we’ll just go start by start.”
Before the season Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski mentioned ‘July-ish’ as a potential Phillies debut date for Painter.
That timeline seems far-fetched with just 12 days left in the month.
“You can’t put a date on it,” Thomson said. “I’ve always said the whole time that he’s got to be healthy and he’s got to be performing and there’s got to be a spot here. I think he’s going to get to the point where he’s Andrew Painter, the normal Andrew Painter. I don’t think he’s quite there yet.”
Phillies managing partner and CEO John Middleton echoed Thomson’s sentiments on Painter’s command issues.
“He’s getting there,” Middleton said. “It’s hard. I remember years ago talking to some trainers and some orthopedic surgeons and they said ‘when you have Tommy John surgery you lose five miles per hour off every pitch and you lose command. The velocity comes back pretty quickly. Command can take a while.’ I think he’s just experiencing as he’s gotten up into the higher ranks now, it’s testing his command. And that’s good, he’ll learn.”
Middleton was asked if he’s excited for Painter’s eventual big league debut.
“I’ll be excited when he’s shutting people down,” Middleton said. “Which he will. He’s a smart guy, he’s a determined guy. So he’ll get it right and he’ll get it when he gets it. And hopefully he’ll get it sooner rather than later for us.”
Logan Webb starts coming after a loss typically signal a get-right day for the Giants, and it appeared Saturday would be no different as San Francisco’s ace held a potent Toronto Blue Jays lineup scoreless through five innings despite plenty of traffic on the basepaths .
Blue Jays starter Eric Lauer was perfect through four innings himself before a towering Willy Adames solo shot gave the Giants a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth, and jolt of confidence that would be short-lived in San Francisco’s 6-3 loss to Toronto at Rogers Centre.
Toronto had runners on first and second with no outs in each of the first two innings, but San Francisco’s All-Star right-hander found a way to escape both jams.
Webb induced a double-play ball from American League All-Star Vladimir Guerrero Jr. in the first inning, before logging his only strikeout of the game by punching out Blue Jays third baseman Will Wagner with runners on second and third with one out in the second inning.
In the sixth inning, Webb’s magic ran out. Blue Jays shortstop Bo Bichette and right fielder Addison Barger led off the frame with a single and a double respectively, once again placing Webb in a precarious spot.
For a brief moment, it looked like Webb once again was going to limit the damage after getting left fielder Joey Loperfido to pop up to short. With the bottom of Toronto’s order coming up, it would’ve been completely reasonable to envision a scenario where Webb and the Giants got back into the visitor’s dugout unscathed.
Instead, the 7-8-9 hitters ended up delivering the game’s decisive blow, recorind three straight hits to give Toronto a 4-2 lead that the Blue Jays wouldn’t relenquish for the remainder of the contest.
“Balls just started finding holes,” Webb told reporters about the sixth inning after Saturday’s loss. “They were swinging a lot, putting loud contact on balls throughout the game. Just that inning, didn’t make any good pitches, really … I thought I threw pitches where I wanted to, just seemed like they were on everything. So, I don’t know.”
It appeared the Blue Jays’ scouting report emphasized jumping on Webb early, as it seemed every Toronto batter would swing at Webb’s first pitch of each at-bat, creating a difficult outing for the two-time MLB All-Star.
“They don’t strikeout much. It seemed like they swung at every first pitch I threw. It seemed like they were on every first pitch I threw, so it wasn’t fun.”
Webb ended up surrendering 11 hits across six innings of work Saturday, allowing four earned runs — a figure which easily could’ve been astronomically higher given the amount of traffic Toronto had on the bases throughout his start.
Giants manager Bob Melvin lauded Webb’s ability to work out of trouble and give San Francisco a fighting chance as its offense attempted to decode Lauer’s stuff early on.
“He gave up some hits, but he also pitched around most of it until the sixth. He got a double-play ball early on when he needed it,” Melvin told reporters. “The one strikeout he had [came with a man on third, less than two outs. It was the guys at the bottom of the order who ended up getting him and doing all their damage. I mean, he goes into the sixth without giving up a run, they just made him pay in the sixth.”
There's a real chance the Yankees welcome Luis Gil back into their starting rotation before the calendar turns to August, considering last year's AL Rookie of the Year just passed another test on his minor league rehab assignment.
In his second start with Double-A Somerset on Friday, the 27-year-old right-hander looked sharp, striking out seven in 3.1 innings against the Rockies' affiliate. While the outing wasn't blemish-free -- he gave up a two-run home run in the first inning plus a pair of walks -- Gil threw 39 of 57 pitches for strikes and touched 97 mph on his fastball.
The latest rehab outing from Gil mirrors his first, as he punched out six across 3.1 frames of one-run ball for Somerset on July 13. He's logged 6.2 innings in the minors thus far, and held opponents to a .167 average.
Yankees manager Aaron Boone recently said there's no intention of rushing Gil, who's been on the injured list since spring training with a right lat strain. But the expectation is for him to pitch next for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on July 23, and if all goes well, he could be activated shortly thereafter.
Of course, the Yankees will exercise caution with Gil once his return to the majors arrives. But he should certainly boost a top-heavy rotation that's endured season-ending injuries and felt back-end vulnerabilities.
Sweet Lu 🔥@Yankees RHP Luis Gil punched out SEVEN in his second start of 2025!
Dodgers third base Max Muncy (13) grimaces as he holds his left knee after colliding with Chicago White Sox outfielder Michael A. Taylor (21) after he tagged Taylor out trying to steal third base in the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium on July 2. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
But, when doctors explained how close he came to suffering something so much worse, from when Michael A. Taylor slid into his leg at third base on July 2, even Muncy was amazed by the infinitesimal margins.
“If the timing was just a millisecond different either way,” he was told, “you’re probably looking at surgery, and done for a long time.”
Instead, barely two weeks removed from having the outside of his knee bent inward on that play, Muncy was out doing early work at Dodger Stadium on Friday afternoon; running in the outfield, playing catch with coaches and performing agility drills in front of trainers without any obvious signs of pain or discomfort.
“We’re pleasantly, not surprised, but happy with the spot that I’m in right now,” Muncy said afterward, having also taken swings for the first time since his injury earlier on Friday afternoon. “It feels great. I’m moving well. Progressing quickly. We’re trying to be smart about it, and understand where we’re at, and what it’s gonna take to get back on the field. But we’re in a really good spot … We’re kind of right where we think we should be at.”
If not, it seems, already a few steps ahead.
While Muncy was initially expected to miss roughly six weeks with his left knee bone bruise, manager Dave Roberts struck a more optimistic tone as the Dodgers opened the second half of their season.
“He’s in great shape right now,” Roberts said Friday. “I don’t really know a timeline. But I do know … it’s going to be a lot sooner than anticipated, which is good for all of us.”
Since Muncy — who was one of the hottest hitters in baseball in May and June — got hurt, the Dodgers have not looked like the same offense. In their last 11 games entering Saturday, the club was 3-8, averaging less than three runs per game, and struggling to fill the gaping hole their slugging third baseman has left in the middle of the lineup.
Since the start of July, only the penny-pinching Pittsburgh Pirates have been worse than the Dodgers in batting average (.205) and OPS (.594).
“We've still got a lot of good players,” Roberts said. “But yeah, there's a certain line of demarcation when Max is not in the lineup, what happens to our offense.”
The Dodgers’ problems, of course, go beyond Muncy’s absence. Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have all been slumping of late (or, in Betts’ case, for much of the season). Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman have been nowhere near their typical standard since returning from injuries in May. And the depth options the Dodgers have called upon have provided few sparks of life.
Still, Muncy figures to be a linchpin in the Dodgers’ long-term potential at the plate — with his recovery growing ever steadily in importance as the rest of the lineup flounders in his wake.
“We got to figure out how to get something going," said outfielder Michael Conforto, chief among the Dodgers’ underachievers this season. "Every time we go out there, we expect to score, and that's what we've been doing all year. It's just one of those stretches [where it’s] a little bit tougher to get runs in. But, you know, obviously, we have faith in our guys, and some big names in here that made their careers on scoring runs and driving guys in. I think we'll be OK."
Muncy, of course, is one of those proven names.
And in another fortunate stroke with his recovery, he remains confident his injury won’t significantly impact his swing once he does come back.
“If [the injury] was on the inside of the knee, it’d probably be a different story,” Muncy said. “But just being on the outside, I think it’s a good spot, knowing that I don’t feel it at all when I’m pushing off on the backside.”
Muncy tested that theory for the first time Friday, taking some light swings in the cage that he said “felt fine.”
“It’s a lot of work, more work than actually playing in the game, which always sucks,” Muncy said of his rehabilitation process. “But it’s that way for a reason … You don’t want to have any other injuries that are a side effect from it.”
So far, even that latter concern has been quelled, with Muncy noting that “there’s no lingering side effects with it.”
“All in all,” he reiterated, “we’re about as lucky as we could be.”
Before the game begins, the Mets will retire David Wright's No. 5 jersey in a ceremony that will start at 2:30 p.m., with coverage of the event happening on SNY.
Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...
Mets Notes
Juan Soto is tied for ninth in MLB in home runs this season (24) and is slashing .284/.411/.627 over his last 30 games
Brandon Nimmo reached base three times on Friday and is hitting .333 with six XBH during a 12-game on-base streak
Edwin Diaz has allowed one earned run since April 21, and his season ERA of 1.66 ranks tied for third among MLB closers
Clay Holmes will take the mound and look to lower a 5.28 ERA and 1.37 WHIP registered through three July starts (15.1 IP)
REDS
METS
TJ Friedl, CF
Brandon Nimmo, LF
Matt McLain, 2B
Francisco Lindor, SS
Elly De La Cruz, SS
Juan Soto, RF
Austin Hays, DH
Pete Alonso, 1B
Gavin Lux, LF
Mark Vientos, DH
Spencer Steer, 1B
Jeff McNeil, CF
Tyler Stephenson, C
Ronny Mauricio, 3B
Jake Fraley, RF
Brett Baty, 2B
Noelvi Marte, 3B
Luis Torrens, C
What channel is SNY?
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How can I stream the game?
The new way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv. Streaming on the SNY App has been discontinued.
Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices.
Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”
To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.
For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here.
Sir Alex Ferguson was a guest at Rangers' training centre on Friday [Getty Images]
Russell Martin says the support he has had from Sir Alex Ferguson since taking over as Rangers head coach has been "incredible".
The former Manchester United manager paid his first visit to the club's Auchenhowie training centre on Friday, in the company of Rangers great John Greig.
Ferguson, 83, played for two seasons at Rangers from 1967-69, while Greig, 82, spent his entire career at Ibrox before a five-year spell as manager.
"Any team talk or message I give is done when those two speak about this club and what it means to them," Martin told RangersTV.
"They are both really behind us and what we are doing. They are desperate for this team to do well.
"They feel the same way as the fans. They want to see a team that fights and works for everything and has a way about them on the pitch that exemplifies what they believe this club to be about."
Martin played under Sir Alex's son Darren Ferguson at Peterborough United who made him captain when he was just 21.
"He reached out and said his dad wanted to give me a call," Martin added.
"I said 'of course' and since then Sir Alex has been in tough regularly. He's been great. He's been so supportive of me personally, which is incredible.
"It's the first time he's been here and it was just brilliant for everyone to see him."
Milwaukee Brewers relief pitcher Trevor Megill, left, and catcher William Contreras celebrate after a 2-0 win over the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
If you’re a Dodgers fan, of course, you would love to see the Dodgers win the World Series again. If you’re a baseball fan above all, though, you ought to be pulling for the Milwaukee Brewers.
The Dodgers served as a convenient bogeyman for owners of many other major league teams last winter. To fans pointing a collective finger at the owner of their local team, all too many of those owners pointed a finger in our direction: It’s not us. It’s them.
“The Dodgers are the greatest poster children we could’ve had for how something has to change,” Colorado Rockies owner Dick Monfort told the Denver Gazette last March.
How, those owners shrugged, can we compete against a team playing in a major market and spending half a billion dollars on a star-studded roster?
The Brewers play in the smallest market in the major leagues — Sacramento included, Denver definitely included.
The Brewers are 57-40.
This is not about a sprinkling of fairy dust. The Brewers have made the playoffs six times in the past seven years, prospering even beyond the financially motivated departures of star shortstop Willy Adames, Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes and two-time National League reliever of the year Devin Williams, and even after manager Craig Counsell and president of baseball operations David Stearns left for teams in major markets.
“It’s not really an abnormal year,” said designated hitter Christian Yelich, the Brewers’ franchise anchor. “Each year, we’re picked to finish last or second-to-last in our division, regardless of what happened the year before.”
The Brewers cannot pay the going rate for power, so they do not try. Of the free agents signed by Milwaukee last winter, the most expensive one in the lineup for Friday’s victory at Dodger Stadium: outfielder Jake Bauers, signed for $1.4 million. Shortstop Joey Ortiz was obtained in the trade of Burnes; third baseman Caleb Durbin was acquired in the trade of Williams.
The Brewers rank in the bottom 10 in the majors in home runs, but they rank in the top 10 in walks, stolen bases, sacrifice bunts and fewest strikeouts.
Milwaukee's Caleb Durbin celebrates after hitting a solo home run in the seventh inning of a 2-0 win over the Dodgers at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. (Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
“We know what we are,” Yelich said. “We know we’re not going to have a lineup full of guys that hit 30 homers. You’ve got to force stuff to happen sometimes and try to put pressure on the other team and try to manufacture runs any way you can.”
They are one of two teams — the Detroit Tigers are the other — to rank among the top 10 in runs scored and in earned-run average. No NL team has given up fewer runs than the Brewers.
The Dodgers lead the majors in runs scored. In four games against Milwaukee, the Dodgers have scored a total of four runs.
“They can really pitch,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “The ’pen is lights out. They catch it. They play good defense. In totality, they do a good job of preventing runs.”
Whether they can do a good job of deterring a lockout, well, that might be a whole other ballgame.
The collective bargaining agreement expires after next season. The owners have not explicitly stated a salary cap is their goal but, at least the way the players’ union sees it, why else would commissioner Rob Manfred already be talking about a lockout as a means to an end?
At the All-Star Game, union chief Tony Clark blasted the concept of a salary cap.
“This is not about competitive balance,” Clark said. “This is institutionalized collusion.”
A salary cap would provide owners with cost certainty and potential increases in franchise values, not that fans would care much about either. So, to the extent that owners might settle on a talking point in negotiations, what Manfred said at the All-Star Game would be it: “There are fans in a lot of our markets who feel like we have a competitive balance problem.”
If you’re the union, you’ll say MLB has not had a repeat champion in 25 years. If you’re an owner, you’ll say no small-market team has won the World Series in 10 years.
If you’re the union, you’ll say expanded playoffs offer every team the chance to win a wild-card spot and get hot in October, as the 84-win Arizona Diamondbacks did two years ago. But, should the Brewers win the World Series this year, owners certainly would call it the exception that proves the rule.
Over the past seven years, the Brewers have made the playoffs as many times as the Yankees have. Yet, for all their success in the regular season, the Brewers have not won a postseason series since 2018.
Baseball has not lost a regular season game to a work stoppage since 1995, the last time the owners pushed hard for a salary cap. They might do so again next year, which would jeopardize the 2027 season, but to argue small markets need a salary cap to win after the team in the smallest market won the World Series might ring hollow.
If the Brewers’ success could derail the potential disaster that would be a work stoppage, America ought to be rooting on The Miz.
ATLANTA — Ronald Acuña Jr. caught the New York Yankees off-guard with a spectacular throw to end the third inning in the Atlanta Braves' series-opening 7-3 victory Friday night.
The All-Star right fielder threw out Jorbit Vivas at third base when Vivas was trying to tag up on a deep fly to the corner in right.
“His accuracy is stupid,” Braves manager Brian Snitker said. “He's a weapon in right field. His arm is so strong and accurate, and the ball carries, release is good. He's special out there.”
Acuña caught the ball just in front of the warning track with his back to the infield. He spun and fired a throw that reached third base in the air just in time Nacho Alvarez to tag a slowing Vivas, who ignored third-base coach Luis Rojas' signal to slide.
“I just always try to anticipate those plays,” Acuña said through an interpreter. “That's really what I always try to focus on, anticipating the play before it happens. I really wasn't trying to do anything besides that. Thankfully, I have a good arm.”
Alvarez was casual as the throw approached in an attempt to fool Vivas, who would likely have been safe if he had run hard all the way and slid.
“(Vivas) got deked,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “That just can't happen. I did that all my career at third base. Just kind of play dumb, play dead. And that's what (Vivas) read. The body language of Alvarez there, just deked him. He knew it was a deep fly ball, so it caught up to him. ... It's a lesson that that can't happen on a baseball field, especially in that situation.”
