How much better can Schmidt get? After 7.2 scoreless IP in this past Monday's 1-0 11-inning loss to the Los Angeles Angels, Schmidt delivered a no-hit encore. Schmidt (4-3, 2.84 ERA), who threw a career-high 103 pitches (70 strikes), fanned five and walked two before manager Aaron Boone pulled him for right-hander JT Brubaker. The reliever's first batter in the eighth inning, former Yankee Gary Sánchez, broke up the combined no-hit bid by singling a 95 mph sinker up the middle and into center field on a 3-2 count. Regardless, Schmidt continues to trend up as he delivered his career-best outing.
Four home runs, starting with Trent Grisham turning on Zach Eflin's 2-2 curveball at 78 mph and over the short porch for his 15th long ball of the season, were more than enough to support Schmidt. J.C. Escarra and Ben Rice added a solo shot apiece in the second and third innings to push the Yankees' 3-0 lead ahead before Anthony Volpe's fifth-inning leadoff blast buried the Orioles (33-43), 7-0.
Volpe's ninth home run of the season was an exclamation point and came in an afternoon where he broke free from his 0-for-24 slump. Volpe's 3-for-4 day brings his slash line to .236/.308/.424 with 41 RBI through 75 games and figures to serve a much-needed confidence boost as he looks to build in the summer months of his third season.
The Yankees (44-32) are 1.5 games ahead of the Tampa Bay Rays (43-34), who won Saturday's 8-3 game against the Detroit Tigers (48-30), for first place in the American League East Division. New York has a chance to take the three-game set from the Orioles and win its first series since June 10-12's sweep of the Kansas City Royals.
Who's the MVP?
Schmidt, who got all the run support that he needed with Grisham's first-inning home run before his dominant start.
In a corresponding move, the Mets optioned right-handers Blade Tidwell and Justin Garza to Triple-A Syracuse.
In 23.2 IP over 21 Triple-A games this season with Syracuse, Zuber, 30, has allowed 16 runs (all earned) on 27 hits (three home runs) while striking out 21 and walking 11.
The 34-year-old Garza, meanwhile has allowed 11 runs (10 earned) on 20 hits (six home runs) while striking out 15 and walking four in 22.2 IP over 20 games this season for Triple-A Syracuse.
Originally, the Mets acquired Zuber in a July 30, 2024, trade with the Tampa Bay Rays for right-handed pitcher Paul Gervase.
Zuber's 2024 season with the Mets saw him log 16 games for Triple-A Syracuse, where he allowed 23 runs (22 earned) on 28 hits (two home runs) while striking out 18 and walking 15 in 16 IP.
He appeared in two games with the Rays last season, allowing one run on three hits (one home run) while striking out four and walking two over 3.1 IP.
Zuber's career started as a sixth-round pick by the Kansas City Royals at No. 180 overall in the 2017 MLB Draft. He spent most of the 2020-21 seasons in the big leagues with the Royals before the Arizona Diamondbacks claimed him off waivers Oct. 26, 2022.
The Cleveland Guardians signed Zuber on a minor league contract Jan. 31, 2024, and invited him to spring training. The Rays signed him to a minor league contract May 14, 2024,
CHICAGO — Left-hander Shota Imanaga will rejoin the Chicago Cubs early next week in St. Louis following a sharp Triple-A rehab start on Friday, manager Craig Counsell said Saturday.
Counsell wasn't sure when Imanaga would be slotted into Chicago's rotation but said before the Cubs' game against the Seattle Mariners that the 31-year-old “is gonna make his next start in the big leagues."
Imanaga, who was 15-3 with a 2.91 ERA as a rookie last season, is coming back from a left hamstring strain. He got hurt covering first base during the sixth inning of a 4-0 loss at Milwaukee on May 4.
Imanaga is 3-2 with a 2.82 ERA in eight starts for the Cubs this season. His return is expected to provide a lift to the NL Central leaders, who entered Saturday 4 1/2 games in front of Milwaukee and St. Louis.
Imanaga tossed 4 1/3 scoreless innings of two-hit ball for Triple-A Iowa at Nashville on Friday night. He struck out eight and walked two.
“Everything went great,” Counsell said. “Did what we hoped he would do. He's in a position to be ready. So he's going to join us in St. Louis and we'll figure out the next steps.”
Before the transition to Iowa, Imanaga pitched six scoreless innings over two rehab starts in the Arizona Complex League. He had a bullpen session in Arizona last Tuesday.
Imanaga signed a $53 million, four-year contract with Chicago in January 2024. He often dazzled in 29 starts last season, making the NL All-Star team and finishing fourth in balloting for the NL Rookie of the Year.
Also Saturday, the Cubs recalled right-hander Nate Pearson from Iowa and designated lefty Génesis Cabrera for assignment.
Pearson is 3-1 with a 2.22 ERA in 19 appearances since he was optioned to Iowa on April 15.
Cabrera had an 8.68 ERA in nine games with the Cubs. He signed with Chicago on May 29 after being designated for assignment by the Mets.
SAN FRANCISCO – Ever since being traded to the Giants last weekend, Rafael Devers has been greeted with loud, prolonged ovations at Oracle Park nearly every time he strolls to the plate.
Facing his former Boston teammates on Saturday, the two-time Silver Slugger gave the home fans something to really cheer about in San Francisco’s 3-2 win over the Red Sox on Saturday afternoon.
After grounding out in his first at-bat, the 28-year-old slugger smashed an 0-1 fastball from Boston starter Brayan Bello into the left field stands, Devers’ first home run with the Orange and Black.
“Really happy that I was able to contribute to the win,” Devers said through interpreter Edwin Higueros. “Hopefully I will continue to contribute, give my 100 percent and hopefully we get some more wins.”
Devers made history with his 16th home run of the season. He is the seventh player in MLB history to hit his first 200 home runs with one team then have their first home run with a new team come against their former team.
Devers was just 3-for-16 (.187) with one RBI during his first four games with the Giants, although it did little to slow the groundswell of support that has been growing for Devers over the past week.
Fans continued to cheer his every move, elevating him to a fan favorite position that up to this point had been focused primarily on Jung Hoo Lee.
Seeing Devers finally get that much-anticipated home run surely made fans fall even deeper in love with the Giants’ newcomer, who has been welcomed in the Bay with open arms.
“They certainly have,” manager Bob Melvin said. “That’s kind of typical him, can just let it travel and catch it late and block it out to left field. He’s done it so many times in Boston, and this park kind of plays that way to lefties as well.
“To get that one of his back, feel good about that. Now (he) can kind of settle in and do his thing.”
Devers has tried to downplay the scuttle about facing his former team so soon after the trade. He was humble after Saturday’s game, too, insisting that homering against the Red Sox was not a huge thing for him indivually.
“Nothing more special than any other home run that I hit,” Devers said. “(Bello is) my brother out there but we know that once we cross that line we’re competing with each other. Whoever wins wins, and it was us this time.”
“I appreciate it very much but as we know San Francisco and Boston have the greatest fans both,” Devers said. “Now that I’m on this side I really do appreciate how they have received me.”
Hjelle didn’t get into specifics and said he plans to release an official statement on the matter in the coming weeks.
“I feel confident in saying that I will have one eventually,” Hjelle said following San Francisco’s 3-2 win over the Boston Red Sox at Oracle Park. “I don’t have an exact timeline on that but I would like to actually get with the people that are handling the situation with me and for me before I make an actual statement.”
Caroline Hjelle’s post on TikTok on Friday included a caption that read: “When my MLB husband abandons us on Mothers Day a week after this (video was taken) once I finally found about his affairs and stopped putting up with his abuse, so I’ve been raising two boys alone.”
According to Hjelle, the couple have not been together for awhile and have been in the process of divorcing for about a year. Clerical and legal procedures have held matters up.
“We reached an agreement in mediation this offseason,” Hjelle said. “In the state of Virginia we had to wait a full year of separation, which was filed last May. So the official divorce decree has been delayed because of me starting in Sacramento, and per the terms of the agreement there were some nuances and what not.
“So that part has actually been delayed. But for all intents and purposes the divorce is a signature away from being officially finalized.”
The Giants released a statement earlier Saturday acknowledging that Major League Baseball has begun investigating the incident.
Hjelle hadn’t spoken publicly about it until Saturday and wants to wait until he gathers more information before making any further comments.
“I would like to talk with my agent, my lawyer,” Hjelle said. “This has been something that’s been going on for over a year now in terms of our relationship and our divorce and our separation and everything. But I don’t have any official comment right now.
“I just want to talk to the appropriate people, figure out what the steps are (and) just kind of take it in stride.”
Yankees right-hander Luis Gil faced live batters before Saturday's 1:05 p.m. game against the Baltimore Orioles and "looked really good" in what was an "important" step for the 2024 American League Rookie of the Year's road to a 2025 season debut, New York manager Aaron Boone said.
"I think he was 95, 96 (mph)," Boone said of Gil's fastball velocity. "It looked every bit of that. Just the metrics on the four-seam was really good, too.
"And I thought he was in control of himself, too. So, free and easy. I thought he executed some really good changeups."
Gil has been on the 60-day injured list since March 24 with a right lat strain.
"It's important," Boone said of Gil facing live batters. "Fortunately, after the setback, it's been a slow buildup, but it's gone well, it feels like, every step of the way. So, that's been encouraging.
"And now, we start to build. Now we start to build lives, pitch counts and then eventually, now, getting into rehab games. So, definitely another important box to check."
While Boone does not yet know the number of live batting practices that Gil will have as he ramps up his rehab, an end-of-July target is "reasonable."
"I think, right now, it's a little slower buildup than that," Boone said of late July. "But yes, that's reasonable. I mean, the biggest thing is when do you get him to 75, 80 pitches. And I know we'll be methodical with that and careful with that.
"I don't know the schedule yet. I haven't looked that far ahead of how they have it built to when the date is. I would assume they have it built now, but it can be adjusted, too, along the way."
Gil, 27, was 15-7 with a 3.50 ERA and 1.19 WHIP in 151.2 IP over 29 regular-season starts for the Yankees' 2024 campaign.
"It is still a ways off, but yes, obviously, what he could bring would definitely be a good shot in the arm and kind of maybe one of those trade-deadline adds," Boone said.
"Obviously coming off of a really special season last year where he was so important for us, and I just think went through a lot of really good growth moments, too -- like, for winning the Rookie of the Year and having an outstanding year, he had some struggles along the way, too, and kind of navigated those, I think grew from those things.
"And now going through an injury, too, where not necessarily a major injury or surgical injury but certainly an injury that cost him enough time -- those things that can be learning things, too, for a young player."
SAN FRANCISCO – It took a few days but it finally happened. Rafael Devers notched his first home run with the Giants, a solo blast in the third inning that helped pace the Orange and Black to a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
Devers has been welcomed with open arms since the Father’s Day trade landed his powerful bat in the Bay. The slugger had put together some strong at-bats but hadn’t been able to really get into one until Saturday when he hit a two-run drive off Red Sox starter and former teammate Brayan Bello.
Devers’ homer came two batters after Andrew Knizner reached base on an error.
The Giants didn’t do much else offensively but made the scoring stand up with a solid day from their bullpen.
After starter Landen Roupp pitched six strong innings, manager Bob Melvin used three relievers to mop things up.
Randy Rodriguez and Tyler Rogers each threw a scoreless inning before closer Camilo Doval pitched in and out of a jam in the ninth.
Here are the takeaways from Saturday’s win:
Devers Drives It
Of course Devers’ first home with the Giants came against his former ballclub. It was straight out of a Hollywood movie script.
Six days after being acquired from Boston in a deal that included Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks, Devers gave Giants fans what they had been eagerly waiting for since his arrival with an opposite-field home run.
It was Devers’ second extra-base hit and second RBI in five games with the Orange and Black. Predictably, he received a standing ovation from the Oracle Park crowd as he crossed home plate.
Roupp Rebounds Nicely
Nearly two weeks after his worst outing of his career Roupp bounced back with one of his best stats of the season.
The Giants’ right-hander pitched six scoreless innings and allowed only three hits – the fewest Roupp has given up in any of his 15 starts this season. He has six strikeouts and three walks before giving way to reliever Randy Rodriguez.
It was exactly the type of game that the Giants needed from Roupp after he gave up six runs and retired only five batters in an 11-5 loss to the Dodgers on June 8.
Dicey Day For Doval
The days of Torture are back whenever the Giants’ close takes the mound. Saturday was just the latest chapter in Doval’s roller-coaster season.
Doval gave up three consecutive hits to open the ninth, allowing the Red Sox to score a pair of runs and avoid being shut out.
Just when things looked like they were going to go the wrong way, Doval gathered himself and recorded three consecutive groundouts to earn his 12th save of the season.
The Mets (45-31) play the Philadelphia Phillies(46-30) Saturday at 7:15 p.m. on FOX.
Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...
Mets Notes
With Friday's 10-2 series-opening loss, the Mets are on a season-long seven-game losing streak. New York suffered consecutive three-game sweeps in this past week's sets against the Tampa Bay Rays and at the Atlanta Braves. Previously, the Mets' longest skid of the season was three games between May 18-20 -- losses at the Yankees (one) and Boston Red Sox (two).
The Phillies have a one-game lead over the Mets in the National League East Division and are 8-2 in their past 10 games. New York, meanwhile, is 3-7 in its past 10 games. The Mets' last win was a 4-3 victory against the Washington Nationals, which completed a series sweep and extended New York's six-game streak. Earlier this season, the Mets swept the Phillies in a three-game set April 21-23.
To watch Mets games online via FOX, you will need a subscription to a TV service provider or the FOX Sports app. This will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone browser, or via the FOX Sports app.
CHICAGO — Cal Raleigh broke Hall of Famer Johnny Bench’s 1970 record for home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, hitting his major league-leading 28th and 29th in the Seattle Mariners’ 9-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
Raleigh put Seattle ahead and moved past Bench in the seventh inning with No. 29, a drive to the back of the left-field bleachers off Caleb Thielbar.
“Any time you’re mentioned in even the same sentence with one of the best, if not the best ever do it is a special thing,” Raleigh said. “I’m just very grateful. He’s one heck of a player or was one heck of a player. And like I said, just very, very happy about it.”
Raleigh needed only 73 games to break the record that Bench set in 87 games. The Seattle star shattered the mark with 22 games to spare before the All-Star game. Barry Bonds holds the overall record with 39 for San Francisco in 2001.
Raleigh sent his first homer just over the basket in the first off Matthew Boyd.
The 28-year-old slugger had three hits in his sixth multi-homer game of the season. He drove in three runs to push his season total to 63.
Bench was a 14-time All-Star in his 17-season career with the Cincinnati Reds. In 1970, at age 22, he became the youngest player to win the National League MVP award. He led the NL with 45 homers and drove in 148 runs.
Seattle's Mitch Garver, a catcher by position, hit two homers and drove in five runs as a designated hitter. The duo stole the thunder from the NL-Central leading Chicago on a day when Sammy Sosa returned to Wrigley Field for the first time in over 20 years.
Raleigh and Garver are the first pair of primary catchers for a team to each homer twice since Joe Ferguson and Steve Yeager did it for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1979 home victory over Houston.
SAN FRANCISCO – The Giants acknowledged Saturday that Major League Baseball is investigating claims of abuse by the wife of right-handed pitcher Sean Hjelle recently on social media.
Hjelle was unavailable to comment on the post, but the Giants released a statement indicating the alleged abuse is being looked into.
“We are aware of these serious allegations,” the Giants said in the statement. “We have been in contact with MLB. These type of allegations fall under their jurisdiction and we won’t be commenting further.”
Caroline Hjelle’s post on TikTok on Friday included an on-screen caption that read: “When my MLB husband abandons us on Mothers Day a week after this once I finally found out about his affairs and stopped putting up with his abuse so I’ve been raising two boys alone.”
Manager Bob Melvin was asked about Hjelle’s situation before Saturday’s game against the Boston Red Sox at Oracle Park.
“Obviously, we’re aware of it,” Melvin said. “He told me about it last night. We talked to MLB. At this point, it’s in their jurisdiction right now so I really can’t comment on it further.”
The Giants selected the 28-year-old Hjelle in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft, and he has appeared in 87 games over four big-league seasons.
Federal agents stage outside Gate E of Dodger Stadium on Thursday. The Dodgers would not let them into the parking area. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
The current incarnation of Dodger ownership is not your grandfather's Dodgers. In lieu of private, family ownership, you have one behemoth corporation, the Guggenheim Group, predicated on maximizing profit potential, and not giving a twit regarding social or moral imperatives. Doing the "right thing" might threaten their bottom line. After all, in their way of thinking, the business of America is business." ICE thugs terrorizing part of their fan base's families is not on their radar. It's all about money.
Bob Teigan Santa Susana
Why would Dylan Hernández be surprised by the Dodgers’ silence over the Trump Administration’s efforts to terrorize the Hispanic residents of greater Los Angeles? Never forget that Dodger Stadium stands on land acquired through similar tactics directed toward the Hispanic residents of Chavez Ravine.
BW Radley Mission Viejo
So let me get this right. Seven months ago the Los Angeles Times editorial section declined to endorse either one of the candidates running for president of the United States, but today, Dylan Hernández, a columnist (which means he gives his opinion about topics) slammed the Dodgers for not taking a political stance on the current events in Los Angeles. Mr. Hernández, the Dodgers are a pro sports franchise, not a political party. Maybe if you want to continue to write about politics you should transfer to the Op-Ed department and leave the sports section to sports
Russell Morgan Carson
Mr. Hernández's diatribe in The Times is yet another example of his inability to comprehend legal from illegal status. He would have the Dodgers condemn the removal of those illegally in our country. The Dodgers ownership made the correct decision to remain silent. Do not reward the law breaker who was aware of the possible consequences from the beginning.
Bill Tewksbury Marion, Mont. .
Thank you, Kiké Hernández, for standing up for Angelenos while they are being targeted because of the color of their skin. There is no larger supporter of the Dodgers than the Mexican-American community. The Dodger ownership should show that support works both ways.
Mike Gamboa Buena Park
Win-win situation
Watching the NBA Finals it was clear that the Lakers would have no chance against the new, younger, more athletic players.
Seeing what they’ve done with the Dodgers, it would be entirely reasonable to believe that the new ownership will be bringing the entire Lakers organization into the 21st century.
The best part of the sale: Lakers valued at $10 billion. Celtics valued at $6 billion.
Victory!
Paul D. Ventura Mission Viejo
The Lakers move now from a Mom and Pop operated organization to corporate, with TWG Global group. Bill Plaschke writes about how great this will be for the Lakers since they will now be managed and have the same resources as the Dodgers, who went this same route back in 2012. That's great to look forward to but the immediate need is, who will play the center position for the Lakers? Is there a player for sale in Japan, maybe?
Wayne Muramatsu Cerritos
Management decision?
I will no longer question manager Dave Roberts' pitching decisions. There are more important issues to raise. When asked about the deportation and rounding up of profiled people in L.A., he said, “Honestly, I don’t know enough” and “I haven’t dug enough and can’t speak intelligently on it.” Do you read your own newspaper? Have you looked into the crowd that pays your $10-million salary and seen who is most loyal? Don’t you honor Jackie Robinson every year and talk to your players about his legacy and standing up for one’s rights? Well apparently he’s either the team’s PR manager, tone deaf or has been ordered to act dumb by management. The world is more than balls and strikes.
David Bialis San Diego
Clayton clarification
So on June 8, we get two letters suggesting that Clayton Kershaw stop pitching because he is "hurting the team." Over his next two starts, he pitches 12 innings, giving up one run, while striking out 12, walking one, and earning two wins. Did Bill Plaschke ghost-write these letters with his usual accurate predictions/suggestions? If so, keep up the great work, Bill!
Richard Brisacher Mar Vista
Spaun-ing controversy
What am I missing here? A relatively unknown golf pro, J.J. Spaun, who graduated from San Dimas High wins one of the most prestigious and exciting golf majors in years; and he gets five paragraphs (and not even a quote) plus a photo on page 2. You gave LPGA winner Carlota Ciganda more coverage (in the same combined story) after recording her first win in 15 years for winning something called the Meijer (NOT Major) LPGA Classic. May I suggest a special profile column on the local major winner when you are "Dodger'd" out and have a slow news day.
Richard Whorton Studio City
It was bad enough that you barely mentioned Scottie Scheffler’s dominating victory in the PGA Championship last month. But you lowered the bar even further in the U.S. Open.
The first three days of the event rated only a short notebook, but J.J. Spaun’s thrilling final round, topped by one of the greatest putts in golf history, should have been an above-the-fold front-page story. You blew it. And to top it off, your story referred to Spaun’s having a resemblance to Franco Harris? Please. If Adam Scott had won, would he have resembled, say, Ryan Gosling? I don’t think so.
Steve Horn Glendale
Right on target
What a terrific story by Gary Klein on Rams receiver Puka Nacua, with a good history of Polynesian players in the NFL! Although I have been following the NFL for many years, the growth in the number of Polynesian players is something I sort of overlooked even though I remember many of these players going back to Charlie Ane, who I also recall played at USC in the 1950s.
Bill Francis Pasadena
Not his day
After watching Shohei Ohtani strike out four times Tuesday night, I found myself thinking, "It's a good thing this guy can pitch."
John Amato Sherman Oaks
The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.
The Boston Red Sox did a Baltimore Orioles veteran a favor by trading slugger Rafael Devers to the Giants.
On Tuesday’s episode of “Foul Territory,” Orioles first baseman Ryan O’Hearn expressed his appreciation to Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow for the blockbuster trade, one which could vault him into a starting role at the 2025 All-Star Game in Atlanta next month.
“I just want to shout out Craig Breslow real quick,” O’Hearn humorously shared on Tuesday. “Appreciate you, man, [for] getting me in the standings. What a wild deal. That was crazy, huh?”
"I just wanna shoutout Craig Breslow real quick. Appreciate you, man." 😂
Ryan O'Hearn leads among AL DHs in All-Star voting after the Red Sox traded Rafael Devers. pic.twitter.com/izBJQ43rhK
Before Devers got traded to the Giants on Sunday, the three-time MLB All-Star clearly was the frontrunner to serve as the American League’s starting designated hitter in Atlanta, having received significant support from the fans.
Devers racked up 796,382 votes from fans during his time with the Boston Red Sox, per the first All-Star return.
Now, the 28-year-old slugger is the Giants player with the most votes, but becomes a distant second to Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani in the designated hitter category.
That was twice as many as O’Hearn’s 353,029 votes, which, with Devers now in the National League, makes the 31-year-old the highest vote-getter at the position in the AL.
O’Hearn’s humorous gratitude towards Breslow is entirely understandable. The Red Sox, single-handedly, put him that much closer to a big trip to Atlanta in July.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw delivers in the first inning of a 6-5 win over the Washington Nationals on Friday night. Kershaw has 2,992 career strikeouts. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
It’s hard not to count as the strikeouts go by.
Clayton Kershaw’s first strikeout Friday night came on his "Cooperstown curveball" — a pitch that’s dazzled since its first appearance at Dodger Stadium on May 25, 2008. Two strikeouts on sliders that dove into the dirt like paper airplanes curtailing in the wind brought his chase to single digits.
The milestone is inevitable. Kershaw will all but certainly reach the 3,000-strikeout mark, etching his name on a list that features just 19 other pitchers. But he'll have to wait a little while longer.
“There's a few pitches tonight where it clicked,” Kershaw said, moving his earned-run average to 2.49 in June. “It’s just not every one. So hopefully it’ll get there.”
Kershaw struck out four batters against the Nationals, tossing five innings and giving up two solo home runs as the Dodgers took the series opener 6-5.
“It's really special knowing that he's approaching 3,000,” said infielder Miguel Rojas, who played third base Friday like he did for Kershaw’s no-hitter in 2014. “Every pitch... every strikeout counts. But for him, I feel like it's more important to win games, and for him to be 3-0 and with really good numbers overall, I'm happy for him — that he's healthy, happy and able to contribute."
Kershaw brought his career strikeout total to 2,992, just eight away from 3,000. Strikeout 3,000 could come Thursday in Colorado or Friday in Kansas City when he’s next expected to toe the mound.
“It’s hard not to appreciate how close he is to the 3,000 mark,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “My guess is that he just wants to get this thing over with as soon as possible, right? … He wants it over as quick as possible, I'm sure."
Kershaw still doesn’t feel his sharpest in his seventh start of the season. He walked two and 33 of his 78 pitches were balls. His fastball was more than a tick down from his season average as he flailed with his command early.
And yet, Kershaw battled through five innings.
“I can still get people out,” Kershaw said. “I just want to do it a little bit better."
Clayton Kershaw delivers in the third inning against the Washington Nationals on Friday night. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
If the Dodgers’ previous four-game series against the Padres had the energy and animosity of postseason baseball, then the Nationals coming to town felt like a true mid-June game. Coming off an 11-game losing streak — broken Thursday in Colorado — the Nationals (31-45) fell out of an early lead because of self-inflicted gaffes.
After the Dodgers knotted the score 1-1 when bench coach Danny Lehmann’s first successful challenge (stepping in at manager for the suspended Roberts) brought home a run after Mookie Betts was deemed safe at first on a fielder’s choice, Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams made what looked to be an inning-ending force play.
Abrams dove to his right on an infield single from Andy Pages, stabbed the ball and used his glove to flip to Amed Rosario at second base. The ball never reached Rosario, and Betts hustled home from second base without a throw.
Rojas extended the Dodgers' lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the sixth when he hit his third home run of the season, a two-run shot, to score Kiké Hernández (two for three, two doubles). When the Nationals threatened in the top of the seventh — with runners on second and third, down by two — Michael Conforto came to the Dodgers’ rescue by making a diving catch to keep his team ahead.
“It's a long season, and you're going to receive more opportunities to contribute, and it's nice to finally get one game like this where you feel part of it,” Rojas said, adding that he was glad to showcase his hitting against a left-hander such as Washington ace MacKenzie Gore.
Abrams homered in the ninth, but Dodgers closer Tanner Scott buckled down to secure his 15th save.
The Dodgers (47-30) will turn to right-hander Dustin May against the Nationals on Saturday as they attempt to clinch their fourth consecutive series. Neither Roberts nor Lehmann was made available to reporters after the game.
Miguel Rojas, left, is gets a hand slap from Dodgers first base coach Chris Woodward after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning against the Nationals on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Etc.
Right-hander Tyler Glasnow (shoulder inflammation) is set to throw two innings in a rehabilitation assignment with triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday, while left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder inflammation) is set to throw a bullpen in the next few days, Roberts said.
Roki Sasaki (right shoulder impingement), who stopped throwing after a recent flare up stymied his progression, threw in the outfield Friday afternoon.
“I don't know if it was 60, 90 feet, with the baseball,” Roberts said of Sasaki, who was moved to the 60-day injured list Friday. “That was a bonus. That was a plus. Chatted with him briefly afterward. He was excited about it."
On how Sasaki was feeling, Roberts said: "I would say pain-free. Now it's just getting the build-up. But most important, he's pain-free."
The timing couldn't be worse for New York, which is in the middle of playing 10 straight games against its two biggest National League East Division threats, the Phillies and Atlanta Braves. And so far, the nosedive has already resulted in the Mets getting dethroned from their perch atop the standings.
This all started a day after Kodai Senga injured his hamstring covering first base against the Washington Nationals in a game that the Mets ultimately won for their sixth straight victory despite an unnerving ninth inning. But after the week that followed, that all seems like a lifetime ago for the spiraling Mets.
Even though Senga's injury isn't considered serious, it'll still be a while before he returns to the team which is a serious blow for New York who is now without its ace for a period of time. Plus, the domino effect that Senga's absence has caused the Mets has left them reeling and searching for answers -- and not just for starting pitching.
In fact, manager Carlos Mendoza listed what's been going wrong for his team at the moment.
"We’re going through it right now," he said. "I think it’s a little bit of everything. Whether it’s a starting pitcher not going deep in games, we got a couple of games where the bullpen [gives up] an inning like (Friday), an inning like the first game in Atlanta, offensively we’re having a hard time scoring -- so I think right now every area we’re fighting through it. It’s hard, but we gotta continue to fight, continue to grind and get through it and find a way."
Also without Tylor Megill for the immediate future due to his elbow sprain, New York was forced to replace his spot in the rotation on Friday with Blade Tidwell, who made his second MLB start. And although the right-hander only lasted 3.2 innings, he allowed just two earned runs and held the Phillies scoreless for the first three innings, matching Zack Wheeler.
Still, the short outing has become a theme for the Mets lately and started to wear on the bullpen. On Friday, it was Reed Garrett and Justin Garza who were touched up in a six-run seventh inning that blew the game open.
Before that, the game was tied 2-2 as New York's offense continues to struggle to score consistently, ending the night with just those two runs (off back-to-back solo shots by Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil) and seven hits.
"I wouldn’t be able to lay my finger on one thing," Alonso said about the team's struggles. "I just think collectively as a group, whether it’s defensively, offensively, we’re not necessarily in sync on either side of the ball right now.
"... As a group, we’re not playing clean baseball, we’re not playing up to our potential. It’s not our standard. How we’ve been playing doesn’t match the talent or the standards that we set for ourselves. ... It’s been a poor showing the past seven games."
So what can the Mets do about it?
"You just have to strap it on and get ready to go and do whatever you can (Saturday)," Alonso said. "Thankfully, we don’t have an off day -- we can go out and have a chance and opportunity to learn from our mistakes (Friday) and go and execute (Saturday). I think that’s the beautiful thing where you can either keep the momentum going or you have a chance to stop the bleeding and play better baseball (Saturday)."
Of course, that's easier said than done, especially when nothing seems to be going New York's way currently.
"I think everything is happening at the same time," Mendoza said.
When a guy hasn’t pitched in 18 days, you usually try to find them a relatively soft return.
That certainly would’ve been the ideal scenario for Yankees manager Aaron Boone on Friday night, but the game had other plans.
With things knotted up at three apiece, the skipper turned to right-hander Luke Weaver to make his highly-anticipated return from a two-week stint on the injured list, and things didn’t quite go as planned.
Baltimore’s offense welcomed the All-Star closer back rudely, as third baseman Ramon Urias cracked a go-ahead solo homer over a leaping Aaron Judge into the short porch leading off the top of the eighth.
“It was a good at-bat,” Weaver said postgame. “I threw a solid pitch, he just put a pretty good swing on it and I was pretty devastated to see it go over -- obviously not the start that I was looking forward to, felt like I let the team down in that moment.”
The Orioles would knock him around a bit more from there -- picking up two more hard-hit singles before ultimately chasing him from the game with just two outs recorded.
Sidearming left-hander Tim Hill entered and allowed another run to score on a Gunnar Henderson single, but was able to avoid further damage thanks to some shoddy base running.
Still, the damage was done and the Yanks ended up dropping another frustrating one.
“The whole outing was just about two strikes,” Weaver said. “It was just about trying to put them away and it’s hard sometimes to find that just line where that swing-and-miss is and they’re putting together good at-bats and having good takes.
“When you’re not quite where you want to be it gets hard, you feel like you’re pitching defensive and it gets hard to get that swing-and-miss from there.”
While the results weren’t there, the most important thing was that the 31-year-old felt healthy.
Weaver is expected to jump back into the mix in the later innings alongside Devin Williams -- who stepped up tremendously with four saves and a 1.35 ERA in his absence.
“The only thing that hurts is my head and my heart,” Weaver said following the loss. “At the end of the day my leg feels great, the velocity is there, all of my pitchers were there -- I had everything I needed to be successful, it’s just a game that didn’t happen.”
