Its Friday, July 25 and the Marlins (48-53) are in Milwaukee to open a series against the Brewers (61-41).
Cal Quantrill is slated to take the mound for Miami against Freddy Peralta for Milwaukee.
No team in baseball is playing better than the Milwaukee Brewers. Winners of 12 of their last 13 games, Milwaukee not only sits in first place in the National League Central but owns the best record in baseball.
Winners of six of their last ten, the Marlins have climbed into third place in the National League East and within 6.5 games of a wildcard berth.
These teams met the week of July 4th in Miami and the Brew Crew took two of the three 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 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.
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Game details & how to watch Marlins at Brewers
Date: Friday, July 25, 2025
Time: 4:10PM EST
Site: American Family Field
City: Milwaukee, WI
Network/Streaming: FDSNFL, FDSNWI, MLBN
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 Marlins at the Brewers
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Marlins (+192), Brewers (-233)
Spread: Brewers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Marlins at Brewers
Pitching matchup for July 25, 2025: Cal Quantrill vs. Freddy Peralta
Marlins: Cal Quantrill (3-8, 5.24 ERA) Last outing: July 19 vs. Kansas City - 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
Brewers: Freddy Peralta (12-4, 2.85 ERA) Last outing: July 19 at Dodgers - 7.20 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 4 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 Marlins at Brewers
With Freddy Peralta starting the Brewers have won 8 of their last 10 games
The Brewers' last 6 games have gone over the Total with Freddy Peralta as the starting pitcher
The Brewers have covered in 5 of their last 5 games with Freddy Peralta as the starter to return 3.42 units
Jackson Chourio was 5-12 in the Seattle series and is riding a 17-game hitting streak
Jackson Chourio has at least 1 hit in every game this month with the exception of July 2
Eric Wagaman is without a hit in his last 6 games (0-19) and is just 5-43 this month (.116)
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 today’s game between the Marlins and the Brewers
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
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 Friday's game between the Marlins and the Brewers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Milwaukee Brewers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Miami Marlins at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 8.0.
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Its Friday, July 25 and the Blue Jays (61-42) are in Detroit to take on the Tigers (60-44) in Game 2 of their four-game weekend series.
José Berríos is slated to take the mound for Toronto against Keider Montero for Detroit.
The Blue Jays were dominant in the series opener taking out the Tigers 11-4. It was Detroit's 11th loss in their last 12 games. Vlad Guerrero Jr. continued his recent hot streak with three hits.
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.
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Game details & how to watch Blue Jays at Tigers
Date: Friday, July 25, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Comerica Park
City: Detroit, MI
Network/Streaming: Sportsnet, FDSNDT
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 Blue Jays at the Tigers
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Blue Jays (-114), Tigers (-106)
Spread: Blue Jays -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Blue Jays at Tigers
Pitching matchup for July 25, 2025: José Berríos vs. Keider Montero
Blue Jays: José Berríos (6-4, 3.87 ERA) Last outing: July 20 vs. San Francisco - 6.35 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
Tigers: Keider Montero (4-2, 4.28 ERA) Last outing: July 19 at Texas - 8.31 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 5 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 Blue Jays at Tigers
The Blue Jays have won 4 of their last 5 series
The Under is 4-1 in the Tigers' last 5 games
The Blue Jays have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 2.79 units
Vlad Guerrero Jr. is enjoying a 6-game hitting streak (12-24)
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 Blue Jays and the Tigers
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
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 Friday's game between the Blue Jays and the Tigers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Toronto Blue Jays on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Detroit Tigers at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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Its Friday, July 25 and the Dodgers (60-43) are in Boston to begin a weekend series against the Red Sox (55-49).
Emmet Sheehan is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Brayan Bello for Boston.
The Dodgers remain firmly in first in the American League West but have been scuffling for the better part of a month winning just seven times in the month's first 18 games.
The Red Sox were white hot prior to the All-Star Break winning ten in a row. They have won just twice in the six games since the Break, though. Currently, Boston is 6.5 games out in the American League East and possesses the league's final wild card spot.
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.
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Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Red Sox
Date: Friday, July 25, 2025
Time: 7:10PM EST
Site: Fenway Park
City: Boston, MA
Network/Streaming: SNLA, NESN
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 Dodgers at the Red Sox
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Dodgers (-122), Red Sox (+102)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5
Total: 10.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Red Sox
Pitching matchup for July 25, 2025: Emmet Sheehan vs. Brayan Bello
Dodgers: Emmet Sheehan (1-1, 4.41 ERA) Last outing: July 19 vs. Milwaukee - 15.00 ERA, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
Red Sox: Brayan Bello (6-4, 3.23 ERA) Last outing: July 19 at Cubs - 4.50 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 4 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 Dodgers at Red Sox
The Dodgers have won 7 of their last 8 games against the Red Sox
7 of the Red Sox's last 8 games against the Dodgers have gone over the Total
The Dodgers have failed to cover the Run Line in 6 of their last 8 games
Mookie Betts is 3-21 since the All-Star Break
Freddie Freeman was 4-11 in the series against the Twins
Alex Bregman was 2-10 in the series against the Phillies
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 Dodgers and the Red Sox
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
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 Friday's game between the Dodgers and the Red Sox:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Los Angeles Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Boston Red Sox at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the under on the Game Total of 10.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC
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Its Friday, July 25 and the Phillies (58-44) are in the Bronx to open a series against the Yankees (56-46).
Taijuan Walker is slated to take the mound for Philadelphia against Will Warren for New York.
The Phillies just concluded a six-game homestand that saw them lose two of three to the Angels and win two of three against the Red Sox. All-Star Kyle Schwarber leads a Philadelphia attack with four home runs since the All-Star Break.
The Yankees return home after a six-game home stand that saw them take two of three in Atlanta but subsequently lose two of three in Toronto. Aaron Judge was 1-10 in the series against the Jays.
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 Phillies at Yankees
Date: Friday, July 25, 2025
Time: 7:05PM EST
Site: Yankee Stadium
City: Bronx, NY
Network/Streaming: Apple TV+
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 Phillies at the Yankees
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Phillies (+132), Yankees (-158)
Spread: Yankees -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Phillies at Yankees
Pitching matchup for July 25, 2025: Taijuan Walker vs. Will Warren
Yankees: Will Warren (6-5, 4.91 ERA) Last outing: 12.27 ERA, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 5 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 Phillies at Yankees
The Phillies have won 4 of their last 5 games against AL East teams
The Under is 61-36-2 for the Phillies' road games and the Yankees' home games combined this season
The Phillies have failed to cover the Run Line in their last 4 games against the Yankees
Aaron Judge continues his quest for the Triple Crown currently ranking 1st in batting average (.345), second in home runs (37), and second in RBIs (84)
Bryce Harper has hit safely in 3 straight games (4-12) and in 9 of his last 10 games (16-40)
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 Phillies and the Yankees
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
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 Friday's game between the Phillies and the Yankees:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Philadelphia Phillies at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.
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:
Its Friday, July 25 and the Mets (59-44) are in San Francisco to open a series against the Giants (54-49).
Clay Holmes is slated to take the mound for New York against Logan Webb for San Francisco.
The Giants won their last two in their series against the Braves in Atlanta earlier this week. Rafael Devers is suddenly hot. The former Red Sox "not a first baseman" is 8-18 over his last four games.
The Mets have reclaimed first place in the National League East following a sweep of the Angels earlier this week. New York has won four in a row. The bottom of the batting order has started to hit for the Mets. Brett Baty has hit in six straight games with 7 hits in 19 ABs.
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 Mets at Giants
Date: Friday, July 25, 2025
Time: 10:15PM EST
Site: Oracle Park
City: San Francisco, CA
Network/Streaming: WPIX, NBCSBA
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 Mets at the Giants
The latest odds as of Friday:
Moneyline: Mets (+119), Giants (-141)
Spread: Giants -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Mets at Giants
Pitching matchup for July 25, 2025: Clay Holmes vs. Logan Webb
Mets: Clay Holmes (8-5, 3.48 ERA) Last outing: July 19 vs. Cincinnati - 6.75 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
Giants: Logan Webb (9-7, 3.08 ERA) Last outing: July 19 at Toronto - 6.00 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 11 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 Mets at Giants
The Giants have lost 7 of their last 10 games
Giants' pitcher Logan Webb has an ERA of 3.09 and a WHIP of 1.17 this season
Willy Adames was 5-11 in the series against the Braves
Brandon Nimmo has hits in 6 of his last 7 games (8-24)
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 Mets and the Giants
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
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 Friday's game between the Mets and the Giants:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the New York Mets at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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:
The caps are designed by New Era and will feature a retro or retro-inspired logo with a vintage look and feel. The caps will also have a commemorative Hall of Fame patch stitched to the right side of the hats.
Sportslogos.net had an opportunity to speak with a New Era rep about each team's hat concept and here's what they had to say about the Yankees' retro cap:
"A midnight navy blue cap with a version of the interlocked Yankees’ 'NY' logo that more closely resembles the style worn during the early 1910s and ’20s."
It should be noted that the jerseys will remain the same for all the teams, the caps will be the only change this weekend. The hat can be purchased on the official MLB shop and comes in a fitted and adjustable style.
The 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on Sunday, July 27, in Cooperstown. The inductees include former Yankees starter CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki and Billy Wagner.
Major League Baseball is planning a special weekend for the 2025 Hall of Fame ceremony, which includes all 30 teams wearing retro-style caps.
From July 25-27, each team will wear these new hats, and the Mets have their own retro version of the iconic blue and orange cap, which you can see below.
Here’s the retro cap the Mets will be wearing for Hall of Fame weekend vs. the Giants.
The NY and blue button is taken from the cap the Mets wore from 1962-1992.
The caps are designed by New Era and will feature a retro or retro-inspired logo with a vintage look and feel. The caps will also have a commemorative Hall of Fame patch stitched to the right side of the hats.
Sportslogos.net had an opportunity to speak with a New Era rep about each team's hat concept and here's what they had to say about the Mets' retro cap:
"Nearly identical to their usual cap, but with a wider 'NY' and a blue button, this version was worn from 1962 to 1992, spanning both Mets championships."
It should be noted that the jerseys will remain the same for all the teams, the caps will be the only change this weekend.
The 2025 Baseball Hall of Fame ceremony will take place on Sunday, July 27, in Cooperstown. The inductees include CC Sabathia, Ichiro Suzuki and former Mets reliever Billy Wagner.
PHOENIX (AP) The Seattle Mariners acquired first baseman Josh Naylor from the Arizona Diamondbacks on Thursday as the franchise tries to beef up its lineup ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.
The 28-year-old Naylor is hitting .292 with 11 homers and 59 RBIs this season, which was his first with the D-backs. He was acquired from the Cleveland Guardians in a trade during the offseason.
Naylor hit a winning grand slam against the Mariners in June.
“We are thrilled to add Josh as we make a push for the postseason,” Seattle general manager Justin Hollander said in a statement. “Josh’s ability to hit for both average and power is unique and we are excited to not face him anymore.”
The D-backs acquired left-hander Brandyn Garcia, who has two appearances for the Mariners this season, and minor-league lefty Ashton Izzi.
The Mariners currently have a 54-48 record, which is good for second place in the AL West. They are in the second wild-card position.
The D-backs - who have a disappointing 50-53 record - are expected to continue dealing players ahead of next week's trade deadline. Third baseman Eugenio Suarez and pitchers Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen are among the players with expiring contracts who could be on the move.
Naylor was an All-Star last season with a career-high 31 homers and 108 RBIs for the Guardians.
The Mets' duo of pitching prospects shone on Thursday evening as Nolan McLean and Jonah Tongprovided their respective teams with strong starts in the minors.
At Double-A Binghamton, Tong pitched five innings (79 pitches/53 strikes), allowing one run on three hits, no walks and striking out six batters. It's the ninth consecutive start where Tong went at least five innings.
Tong's lone run allowed came early in the game. In the first inning, Aidan Miller of the Fightin Phils picked up a leadoff single off of Tong before stealing second and advancing to third base on a throwing error by catcher Kevin Parada. Tong bounced back to strike out the next batter, but a Hendry Mendez groundout allowed Miller to score from third base. After a two-out single by Paul McIntosh, the first inning was done and the Fightin Phils would get just one more baserunner off of Tong the rest of the game.
Tong punctuated his night by striking out the side in the fifth inning.
Despite his performance on Thursday, Tong's ERA actually went up a tick to 1.72, but he still remains one of the best pitchers in Double-A.
Jonah Tong struck out the side tonight for Double-A Binghamton in his final inning of work in Reading
With Triple-A Syracuse, McLean helped the team win their fourth straight game on Thursday.
The right-hander pitched a career-high 7.1 innings (85 pitches/55 strikes), allowing two runs on four hits, no walks and striking out six batters. McLean is now 4-4 in 13 games (10 starts) with Triple-A, pitching to a 3.01 ERA and a 1.13 WHIP.
Similar to Tong down in Double-A, the opponent got all their runs in one inning off of McLean. In the second, Cavan Biggio doubled off of McLean to lead off the inning. Peyton Wilson drove in Biggio with a two-out double. Nick Pratto followed with a single to drive in Wilson to give Omaha the early 2-0 lead.
But that's all Omaha would get off of McLean, who would allow just one more hit the rest of the game.
On the Syracuse offensive side, prospect Drew Gilbert went 0-for-4, but veteran Joey Meneses hit a three-run bomb off of former Cy Young winner Dallas Keuchel to give Syracuse the lead for good and help McLean pick up his fourth win.
Nolan McLean's outing for the @SyracuseMets tonight on SNY:
CLEVELAND — Baltimore Orioles closer Félix Bautista, who is tied for sixth in the American League with 19 saves, was placed on the 15-day injured list Thursday with right shoulder discomfort.
Interim manager Tony Mansolino said the right-hander felt uncomfortable while stretching in the bullpen Wednesday during a 3-2 loss to the Cleveland Guardians. Bautista will undergo an MRI when the Orioles return home Friday.
“The (dugout) phone rang in the seventh inning last night and I thought, ‘That is not good,’” Mansolino said. “Then I heard it get slammed down and knew it wasn’t good.
“Félix had started his process of getting loose and that’s when it flared up.”
Bautista did not pitch in the first three games of the series in Cleveland, last seeing action on Sunday at Tampa Bay when he earned his 19th save in 20 opportunities. He missed the entire 2024 season while recovering from Tommy John surgery.
The 30-year-old Dominican has a 1-1 record and 2.60 ERA in 35 appearances, limiting opponents to a .134 batting average over 34 2/3 innings. Bautista has struck out 50 and walked 23.
“We just have to hope it’s not too serious,” Mansolino said.
The Orioles will use a closer-by-committee in the short term with righty setup men Seranthony Domínguez and Yennier Cano at the front of the line.
“We’re going to have to bump up their roles,” Mansolino said. “We’ll figure it out.”
Bautista will not enter free agency until 2028, but is eligible for arbitration following this season. The 6-foot-8, 285-pounder is in the final year of a two-year, $2 million contract.
With the Orioles out of wild-card contention, they are expected to be active sellers before the July 31 trade deadline.
Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz added to his strong American League Rookie of the Year candidacy on Thursday night in Houston.
The 2024 first-round draft pick doubled twice in the Athletics’ 5-2 win over the Astros at Daikin Park, giving him 38 total extra-base hits in his first 65 career MLB games.
Kurtz surpassed Philadelphia Athletics star and Hall of Famer Nap Lajoie for the most extra-base hits in the first 65 games in franchise history.
Most extra-base hits in an A's player's first 65 career games (since 1901):
Two innings later, Kurtz doubled to center with two outs, but was stranded when designated hitter Brent Rooker grounded out to end the frame.
“I mean, there’s not much more that’s going to wow me in terms of what he does,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay told reporters after the game. “He’s a special player. He’s showing that continually, the way he prepares himself and the way he carries himself. You can’t say enough good things about Nick.”
Kurtz finished the game with three hits in five at-bats, raising his season numbers to .288/.360/.622 to go along with 51 RBI.
While shortstop Jacob Wilson got all the early-season Rookie of the Year hype, Kurtz might be in the pole position with just over two months remaining in the 2025 MLB season.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have been scouting the Mets’ Double-A team for a potential deal for third baseman Eugenio Suarez, league sources say.
That does not necessarily mean that talks between the teams are hot. In fact, the D-Backs are also “all over” the Yankees system right now, according to sources. Arizona also has pitching to sell.
But those scouts following Binghamton are reminders that we shouldn’t totally rule the Mets out on trades for position players, even as they focus much of their energy on upgrading the bullpen in advance of the July 31 trade deadline.
Even more so than third base -- where Brett Baty is hot, Ronny Mauricio is promising, and Mark Vientos possesses the type of power that can carry a team, even though that power is currently latent -- the Mets should focus on finding a center fielder.
Earlier this week, president of baseball operations David Stearns publicly downplayed the need to upgrade that position.
"I really like the defense that Tyrone Taylor brings and how he contributes to this team, and I also think Jeff [McNeil] is growing more comfortable out there," Stearns said.
"The bar to improve center field has probably risen over the past, let’s say two weeks, because of Jeff’s comfort level a little bit more out there and also continuing to recognize the secondary skills that Tyrone can provide.”
Can the Mets win a World Series with a combination of McNeil and Taylor in center?
Sure. Maybe.
But should they try?
Stearns has always been smart about the value of elite defense in center field. McNeil deserves massive credit for the athleticism and high baseball IQ that has made him playable at the position. Taylor is a high-level defender but does not hit enough to play every day.
Baseball people, surely including those employed by the Mets, know that neither is the October answer for that position
Trade options are limited. Baltimore’s Cedric Mullins, a consideration for the Mets, hasn’t been hitting. Boston’s Jarren Duran raises makeup concerns in rival front offices, whether or not that’s fair.
The view from here is that Minnesota’s Harrison Bader fits nicely. The Mets chose Jose Siri over a Bader return last winter in large part because of a significant difference in price, despite similar profiles. In fact, if Siri’s broken leg had healed faster, he would probably be the answer.
But now that Bader is available, and surely wouldn’t cost much in prospects, why not bring him back for a few months to track down fly balls and contribute the occasional home run and clutch hit?
As for third base, I’ve gotten the sense for months that this was not a high priority for the Mets. Baty’s recent production has made an upgrade even less urgent. But it’s also more than possible that infielders such as Baty, Vientos and Luisangel Acuña will be on the move in a trade this month (it’s harder to see Mauricio moving).
If the Mets thinned their depth at that position in order to upgrade elsewhere -- remember, it’s all about pitching -- could they then add a third base rental like Suarez?
Those are a lot of “ifs,” which is typical for July 24. The Diamondbacks are collecting updated scouting reports on the B-Mets just in case.
The Yankees’ prized prospect is known for his power, and it was on full display on Thursday against Rochester, as the slugging outfielder belted three home runs in the first five innings.
All three home runs came off of Rochester starter Bryce Conley and traveled more than 400 feet, with the third one carrying 433 feet to dead center.
Jones, the Yankees’ No. 4 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline, has torn the cover off the ball since his promotion to Triple-A Scranton Wilkes-Barre in late June.
The 24-year-old now has 13 home runs to go along with a .405 average and a 1.424 OPS in just 19 games.
A first-round pick of the Yankees in 2022, the left-handed hitting Jones has fans wondering what could be in the majors, especially with Yankee Stadium’s short porch in right field, but he is also very likely to have his name included in any potential major deals ahead of the July 31 trade deadline.
Here’s a look at Jones’ third homer of the afternoon:
Dodgers pitcher Kirby Yates, above reacting to being lifted from the game against the Twins Wednesday, has the worst ERA (4.45) among Dodgers relievers with more than 30 appearances this season. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“Coming into the season,” general manager Brandon Gomes recalled this week, “we were talking about how we’ve ruined baseball with all the talent we’ve got.”
Now, however, the narrative has shifted.
The Dodgers are a contender, yes, but riddled with the kind of flaws other front offices across the sport are trying to address in the run-up to next Thursday’s trade deadline.
As a result, the behemoth talk has subsided. The worries about Dodger domination have ceased.
“I haven’t heard anything about that lately,” Gomes quipped.
And it’s against this backdrop that the Dodgers will approach the deadline — trying to square their lofty preseason expectations with what has proved to be an imperfect start to the year, and needling to decide exactly how drastic of changes they’ll make for the rest of the way.
Internally, the Dodgers still see the foundation of a potential superteam.
Their lineup has struggled this month, yet continues to pace the majors in runs scored thanks to MVP-type seasons from Shohei Ohtani and Will Smith.
Their pitching staff has been battered by injuries to the rotation and disappointments in the bullpen, yet has done enough to keep the team in a top-two National League seed, trailing the Milwaukee Brewers by only 1½ games for the best record in the majors.
“This group is really talented,” Gomes said. “I would argue it’s better than the team that won the World Series last year.”
Dodgers catcher Will Smith has been one of the team's most productive hitters this season. (Luke Johnson / Los Angeles Times)
At the plate, they are banking on Mookie Betts to rediscover his swing, Freddie Freeman to continue emerging from his slump, Max Muncy to pick up close to where he left off before suffering a knee injury, and other established veteran stars to produce closer to career norms than they have this season.
The bullpen, to this point, has been an undeniable weakness — but one that will almost assuredly be bolstered by a late-inning, high-leverage option before the July 31 deadline.
It’s whether or not the Dodgers seriously pursue any other significant moves — or keep the faith in a roster they’ve spent many hundreds of millions to build — where the more complex calculus lies.
“It's really about our internal guys, and the fact that these are veteran guys that have well-established watermarks,” president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman said this week when discussing the club’s recent struggles, with their recent 4-11 slide fueling speculation about their deadline plans.
“I think the fact that we see the work they put in, how much they care, just makes it easier to bet on.”
Back in the winter, when some corners of the sport were bemoaning their heavy spending, they were imagining a world in which they’d actually be able to sell superfluous pieces.
Tanner Scott and Kirby Yates signed for a combined $85 million to shore up the back end of the bullpen, but have the worst ERAs (4.14 and 4.45 respectively) among Dodgers relievers with more than 30 appearances this season.
Michael Conforto was added on a $17-million deal to round out the outfield, but currently has the worst batting average among 159 qualified MLB hitters.
Roki Sasaki arrived as a much-hyped phenom from Japan, but struggled with his mechanics and command en route to a 4.72 ERA before suffering his own shoulder injury.
To this point, the only new addition who has been worth even one win above replacement, according to Baseball Reference, is utilityman Hyeseong Kim (who had to start the year in the minors to revamp his swing after arriving from South Korea).
And when coupled with the regression endured by Betts, Freeman, Teoscar Hernández and Tommy Edman, it has left the club in the kind of position that usually prompts more wide-ranging activity at the trade deadline.
“It’s always tricky when you’re in the midst of a swoon in team performance, because in those moments you feel like we need everything,” Friedman acknowledged. “So for us, it’s about, all right, let’s look ahead to August, September. Let’s look at what our best-case scenario is. Let’s look at, if we have a few injuries here and there, what areas are we exposed? What areas do we feel like we have depth?”
The bullpen has already been exposed as an area of need. And it’d be a shock if the Dodgers don't land a high-leverage right-hander.
Beyond that, however, it remains unclear just how urgent the Dodgers will be to add in the next seven days.
The rotation, they feel, is still in good shape. Yamamoto has pitched like a Cy Young contender. Glasnow has been impressive since returning from a shoulder injury a few weeks back. Snell should be back in action soon, likely needing just one more minor-league rehab start before rejoining the team. And Ohtani has flashed elite-level stuff in his small sample size as a pitcher since returning from a second career Tommy John surgery.
Injuries always loom as a risk. But for now, Friedman argued, the Dodgers “feel like we’re gonna get to a place where we’re not gonna have enough starting pitcher spots for our starting pitching.”
They could be more likely to deal from their rotation surplus (Dustin May, who has been up and down in his contract year, has come up in rumors as a potential trade chip) or eventually reassign excess starters (perhaps like Emmet Sheehan) to the bullpen.
Dodgers pitcher Dustin May hands the ball over to manager Dave Roberts as he exits during the fifth inning of a game against the San Francisco Giants on July 11. (David Barreda / Los Angeles Times)
On the offensive side, Conforto’s spot in left field is the one position where the Dodgers could use an impact upgrade.
But Dave Roberts voiced the team’s continued confidence that the veteran slugger can improve down the stretch, insisting better performance is “still in there.”
And even if the Dodgers do pursue an external option, they might be limited by an underwhelming market.
Steven Kwan of the Cleveland Guardians and Jarren Duran of the Boston Red Sox are the top two outfield options that could be moved — but it would take a hefty package to convince either of their teams to pull the trigger on a deal.
Cedric Mullins of the Baltimore Orioles, Luis Robert Jr. of the Chicago White Sox, and Adolis García of the Texas Rangers headline the next tier of outfield talent, but they have all posted below-league-average production at the plate this year.
When asked about the need for offensive improvements this week, Roberts also looked internally first — arguing that if the Dodgers get the late-season surges they expect from their established stars, “those are essentially four or five trade pickups in itself.”
“We're going to bet on the comeback, the performance of those guys,” Roberts added.
There could be ways for the Dodgers to do something more on the margins.
As things currently stand, their depth roles come October would be filled by Kim, Kiké Hernández and Miguel Rojas.
Perhaps adding a cheaper rental bat — Twins veterans Harrison Bader and Willi Castro are two options they just saw up close — would provide better insurance.
But on the whole, the Dodgers are at least posturing as if, outside of bolstering bullpen, they would be content with relatively leaving things be.
“The best way to address [our recent struggles] is for our guys to get back to some semblance of normalcy,” Friedman said. “And when that happens, in our opinion, we’re the best offense in baseball.”
It doesn’t mean they won’t look for another big move beyond the bullpen. As Friedman noted, “anytime a needle-moving player is available, we’re gonna get involved.”
But, even in the wake of a somewhat underwhelming first four months, the Dodgers still believe in a roster that had some predicting a 120-win season this year.
They still think that, even in light of all that’s gone wrong to this point, they possess the kind of otherworldly potential that caused so much consternation back before the season.
TORONTO — Yankees manager Aaron Boone said his team’s defensive performance was “just not good enough” after New York made four errors in an 8-4 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays.
“We’ve got to, obviously, tighten it up,” Boone said. “Confident we will. We’ll continue to work at it. We have good defenders here, but tonight was obviously a rough night for us.”
Left-hander Max Fried and second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. made throwing errors, while first baseman Ben Rice and outfielder Jasson Domínguez made fielding errors.
The Yankees also made several miscues that didn’t count as errors, including Cody Bellinger losing a flyball in the twilight and no one covering the plate after Fried’s errant throw in the fifth inning.
“Today was a little shaky,” Bellinger said.
Davis Schneider scored from third base when Fried bounced his throw home on Vladimir Guerrero Jr.’s chopper.
“Tough angle and just not a good throw,” said Fried, a three-time Gold Glove winner with Atlanta.
George Springer scored from second base after the ball rolled away from catcher J.C. Escarra.
The Yankees made seven errors in the three-game series, including a pair of poor throws that led to runs for Toronto in the series opener, a 4-1 Blue Jays win.
“We haven’t been playing that well on defense,” slugger Aaron Judge said. “We’ve got a lot of things we’ve got to clean up.”
New York also struggled defensively while getting swept in four games at Toronto from June 30 to July 3 as the Blue Jays leapfrogged the Yankees atop the AL East.
“Obviously, we’ve had two (crummy) series up here,” Boone said. “There’s no way around it. Maybe we’ll get a chance to come back here at some point and flip that script.”
New York has committed 52 errors in 102 games. The Yankees are 41-22 when they play error-free baseball but 15-24 when they make at least one miscue.
“It’s in our control so we’ll take care of it,” Judge said.
