Category: MLB

Mets prospect Jett Williams continues to excel with Double-A Binghamton and he showed off his power on Wednesday night.

Going up against the Flying Squirrels, Williams took Richmond pitching deep twice. The first came in the fourth inning with the score knotted a 0-0. Williams launched a Manuel Mercedes pitch deep over the center field wall to give the Rumble Ponies a 1-0 lead. The Mets' No. 1 prospect would give the Rumble Ponies the lead again in the sixth after launching another solo shot.

Off of Mercedes again, Williams took the fifth pitch of the at-bat to left-center field for his second homer of the game.

It was the first multi-homer game of the season for Williams and he finished 2-for-3 with a walk.

Although Binghamton would drop the game to Richmond, 5-2, Williams was able to boost his stats with his performance. His batting average rose to .288 and he now has six homers this season.

After 51 games in Double-A this season, Williams is slashing .288/.397/.497 with a .894 OPS.

It wasn't an offensive outburst from Binghamton, which had just four hits total. Williams had two of them, but Ryan Clifford went 1-for-4, driving his 10th double of the season on Wednesday.

Drew Gilbert goes yard for Syracuse

Up in Triple-A, Gilbert continues to show his potential power with his fourth homer since returning to Syracuse.

Gilbert finished 1-for-4 with a walk in Syracuse's 7-5 loss to Scranton/Wilkes-Barre but has now reached base in four of his last five games. In 45 games with Triple-A, Gilbert is slashing .210/.332/.347 with an oPS of .679, but has had bursts of power.

Gilbert's two-run homer in the third came after Travis Janikowski, playing with Syracuse for the first time since signing a minor league deal this week after spending this season with the Rays and White Sox.

Travis Jankowski with a base hit in his first game for Syracuse in 2025 and Drew Gilbert follows with a long home run! pic.twitter.com/naFPEaarGG

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 11, 2025

While the spotlight and laurels belonged to David Peterson on Wednesday night -- and deservedly so -- his complete-game shutout against the division-rival Nationals wouldn't have been possible without a comfortable lead.

So, one of the few Mets teammates Peterson can thank for his gem is Brandon Nimmo. He provided the needed cushion.

The summer wind came blowing into Citi Field, but the ball was fortunately blowing out for Nimmo. The veteran outfielder delivered a pair of homers in the Mets' 5-0 win, and it was the first time that he smacked two long balls in one game since doing so against the same Nationals, back in late April. That day, he tied the Mets' club record with nine RBI.

Nimmo's first dinger of the night came in the fifth inning, as he took a changeup from Nationals starter Jake Irvin deep to left-center to push the Mets' lead to 4-0. Then, in the seventh, he crushed a solo shot to right field off reliever Jackson Rutledge to make the score 5-0.

Peterson only needed one run -- the first came on an upper-body strength RBI double from Pete Alonso -- but the insurance was welcomed and appreciated. Nimmo finished 2-for-3 with a walk and raised his average to .236.

"It's crazy how this field just flips a switch, but I'll take it," Nimmo said when asked about the humid weather. "I'll take every single one of [the homers]. The funny part is, the ball I hit the hardest was an out. So, that's the irony of baseball. But it's fun. I'll take it. I'm so glad I was able to help contribute tonight."

The warmer temperatures are playing to Nimmo's advantage. He's slashing .310/.385/.569 with four homers and nine RBI over his last 15 games (58 at-bats), and the month of June has produced the second-most long balls and second-highest OPS of his career. Signs of good things to come.

"Sometimes you're just going to go through some bad luck, and you should just stay the course," Nimmo said. "A lot of the stuff we go by now is expected numbers. If all of that stuff is pointing to having success, then we kind of lean on that to play out over the course of seven months. You have to understand you go through different seasons, and the weather's going to heat and cool down."

The first complete game that David Peterson pitched as a professional didn't satisfy him or come close to meeting the traditional requirements. It was a rain-shortened, five-inning outing back in April 2023, and the Mets happened to lose at home that night to the division-rival Braves.

But that semi-achievement from Peterson is empty knowledge, even if he actually knew about it. After all, the left-hander now has a true and memorable complete game on his ledger, as he delivered nine shutout innings in the Mets' 5-0 win over the division-rival Nationals on Wednesday night at Citi Field.

Peterson needed 106 pitches to accomplish the feat, but that final tally doesn't tell the story of how efficient he was from start to finish. Despite allowing six hits, he struck out six of the 31 batters he faced, induced 13 groundouts, and threw 75 strikes. He never lost control or composure.

"It's awesome, you dream of doing stuff like this," Peterson said after the win. "We try to go as deep as we can into the game. To be able to go all nine was something very special, and something I couldn't have done without Luis [Torrens] and defense, and obviously the offense putting up runs... The plan all along was to go after them. We knew they liked to swing the bat, put the ball in play. So, I trusted my defense and tried to execute my pitches."

Peterson couldn't have felt much sweat dripping down his uniform during the early innings. He faced the minimum through the first three frames, and threw a career-low 32 pitches across that stretch. By the time he completed the sixth with a four-run lead -- three homers between Brandon Nimmo and Juan Soto offered the necessary breathing room -- he'd allowed just two hits and logged 66 pitches.

The Nationals placed some pressure on Peterson in the seventh, as he gave up back-to-back singles to start the inning. But the two-on, no-out threat didn't faze the Mets' southpaw. He proceeded to retire the side with an impressive pair of punchouts and a groundout.

It wasn't until the eighth that Peteson nearly lost his shutout bid. After a one-out double from Luis Garcia Jr., a single to center from Jacob Young prompted a bang-bang play at the plate on a relay throw from Tyrone Taylor to Luis Torrens. While the play was initially ruled an out, replay review was required to eliminate the catcher's interference and confirm Torrens' tag on Garcia before he touched home.

Once the review was settled, Peterson got the third out on a fly ball, with his pitch count at 97. When he returned to the dugout, he told Carlos Mendoza that he wanted to complete the job and pitch the ninth, and the Mets' manager acquiesced.

"He came into the dugout and didn't want to give me a look. That, for me, is a sign that he wants to go back out," Mendoza explained. "When a pitcher comes back to the dugout and doesn't want you to even look at him... I called him down into the tunnel and said, "Man, this is a tough one.' He's like, 'Let me finish it, let me finish it.' I said, 'Alright, it's yours.'"

Suffice to say, the decision paid off. Peterson needed just nine more pitches to seal the deal. And while the entire Citi Field crowd gave him a rousing ovation after the final out was made, his teammates mobbed him near the mound and extended him a well-deserved Gatorade bath.

Of course, complete-game shutouts aren't rarer than no-hitters, or given their own chapter in the history books. But what Peterson authored is nevertheless special in today's modern age, with pitchers vulnerable and coddled. He became the Mets' first southpaw to pull off the stunt since 2019.

"I just felt like I had a chance all night. I felt like I was efficient, pitch count stayed low," Peterson said. "It's definitely very special. It's a personal accomplishment, something I've wanted to do. But this doesn't happen without Luis, the communication and being on the same page... I feel like I get the attention for it, but this was a huge team win."

Peterson now owns a 2.49 ERA -- second-best on the Mets -- through 13 starts this season, and he's pitched seven-plus innings in three of his last four outings. His next start will come on the road next week against the Braves, and he'll be handed the impossible task of trying to live up to the shutout level that he finally reached.

Clarke Schmidt threw six scoreless innings and the Yankees used a five-run inning to defeat the Royals, 6-3, on Wednesday night in Kansas City.

Here are the takeaways...

-Royals LHP Kris Bubic came into Wednesday's game leading MLB with a 1.43 ERA, so the Yankees had to take advantage of any opportunities to score runs and they did in the second inning. Cody Bellinger led off the second inning with a triple and after a Jazz Chisholm Jr. walk, Anthony Volpe grounded into a fielder's choice, beating out a double play attempt to drive in Bellinger.

A few batters later, Austin Wells drove in Volpe with a double to right-center. Paul Goldschmidt followed with a two-run single and Ben Rice drove in Goldschmidt -- who took second on the throw home -- to push the Yankees' lead to 5-0.

Bubic allowed a season-high five runs in that 41-pitch second inning, but the left-hander settled down afterward, pitching into the fifth inning before being pulled after just 4.1 innings.

-Schmidt was on the bump for the Yankees and outpitched Bubic. The young right-hander shut out the Royals, twirling his breaking stuff for five strikeouts and keeping the Kansas City batters off balance.

He was also helped by the defense behind him, especially Trent Grisham, who made an incredible diving catch and threw out Maikel Garcia at second, trying to stretch a single into a double.

Otherwise, Schmidt cruised through the Royals' lineup. He threw 91 pitches (54 strikes) across six scoreless innings, allowing two hits and three walks while striking out seven.

-The combination of Brent Headrick and Fernando Cruz got the Yankees into the ninth, but Mark Leiter Jr. had a tough ninth and wasn't helped out by his defense. Oswald Peraza called off Wells on a pop-up in the infield and couldn't grab it, and then Salvador Perez launched a two-run homer to end the shutout. After a groundout, the Royals hit back-to-back singles to drive in another run, the second hit coming on a grounder that struck Leiter Jr. and the reliever threw away.

Aaron Boone was forced to bring in Devin Williams to try and close this game. Williams struck out Mark Canha swinging on his airbender changeup and got Jonathan India to ground out to end the game.

-The Yankees' offense, outside of the second, couldn't push across any runs until Aaron Judge came up in the seventh. To lead off, the captain launched a 99 mph fastball the opposite way, 413 feet over the right-center field wall. Judge, how hitting .394, finished 1-for-4 and is the second player (Cal Raleigh) to reach 25 homers this season and is currently on pace for 61.

Chisholm went 0-for-1 with two walks but was pulled in the fifth inning for Peraza. The Yankees announced Chisholm left with left groin tightness. After the game, Boone said the initial strength tests on Chisholm's groin were good, and he isn't too concerned about the issue.

Game MVP: Clarke Schmidt

Schmidt was dominant and the Royals couldn't get any rally going, allowing the Yankees' offense to get to Bubic and the Royals' bullpen.

Highlights

Cody Bellinger with a triple!

He came around to score later on an Anthony Volpe RBI fielder’s choice pic.twitter.com/Mcm67Ax4ru

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) June 12, 2025

RBI double for Austin Wells! pic.twitter.com/LmZf3ysdnS

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) June 12, 2025

2-RBI single for Paul Goldschmidt! pic.twitter.com/ksxXrDmkLk

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) June 12, 2025

Ben Rice drives in the 5th run of the 2nd inning! pic.twitter.com/z32HOqTRkT

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) June 12, 2025

Trent Grisham with the diving catch! pic.twitter.com/unqZEinD6Z

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) June 12, 2025

What's next

The Yankees and Royals complete their three-game series on Thursday night. First pitch is set for 7:40 p.m.

Will Warren (4-3, 5.34 ERA) will take the mound while the Royals will send Seth Lugo (3-5, 3.46 ERA) to the bump.

The Mets extended their winning streak to five games on Wednesday night, as a masterful performance from David Peterson helped them defeat the division-rival Nationals, 5-0, at Citi Field.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Pete Alonso entered the game with MLB's fourth-highest slugging percentage (.589), and he wasted no time in raising that mark. Showing off some impressive upper-body strength, he punched a two-out, first-inning double to center off Nats starter Jake Irvin that somehow one-hopped the wall and drove in Brandon Nimmo from first to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. It was Alonso's league-best 63rd RBI of the season -- his 20th just this month -- and 39th extra-base hit.

-- The Mets inflicted further damage on Irvin in the third. After a one-out double to right from Francisco Lindor -- his 12th of the season -- Juan Soto launched a two-out, two-run homer to right-center to bump their lead to 3-0. The towering 408-foot blast from Soto extended his on-base streak to 13 games and raised his OPS to .854. He's also smacked five homers in his last 11 games.

-- Nimmo became the third Met to go yard in the fifth, when he took an Irvin changeup deep to left-center to push the lead to 4-0. He then belted another in the seventh, a solo shot to right off reliever Jackson Rutledge, to make the score 5-0. The long balls marked Nimmo's second multi-homer game of the season -- his first came against the Nats back on April 28, when he delivered a whopping nine RBI in Washington, D.C.

-- Much to the Mets' delight, Peterson didn't break much of a sweat on the mound. The left-hander faced the minimum through the first three innings, throwing a career-low 32 pitches across those frames, and allowed just two hits through six scoreless. He quickly found himself in a seventh-inning jam after allowing back-to-back singles, but rallied to retire the side by fanning two and inducing a groundout.

-- With a five-run cushion and an economic pitch count, Peterson returned for the eighth... and nearly lost the shutout bid. After a one-out double from Luis Garcia Jr., a single to center from Jacob Young produced a bang-bang play at the plate that required an umpire review for catcher's interference on Luis Torrens. Luckily for the Mets, the tag from Torrens came just before Garcia touched home, and the initial ruling of an out was confirmed by a dramatic replay, and interference was disregarded. Peterson then induced a flyout, becoming the first Met to complete eight innings this season.

-- The Mets kept Peterson in for the ninth, and he made light work of the Nats. He induced a lineout from Amed Rosario, a strikeout from James Wood, and a groundout from Andres Chaparro. After the final out, Peterson received a rousing ovation from the crowd, hugs from several teammates, and a surprise Gatorade bath from Sean Manaea and Tyrone Taylor while speaking to SNY's Steve Gelbs near the dugout. It was the Mets' first shutout from a lefty since Steven Matz in 2019.

Game MVP: David Peterson... who else?

Even those who dig the long ball above all else couldn't dispute Peterson's worthiness for this accolade. He threw nine scoreless innings, striking out six and allowing six hits. His season ERA is now 2.49. He's gone seven-plus frames in three of his last four outings.

Highlights

David Peterson finishes an 8-pitch first inning with a strikeout pic.twitter.com/SaFpqvklFb

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 11, 2025

Pete Alonso opens the scoring with an RBI double!

An MLB-leading 63 RBIs, and 20 in the month of June! pic.twitter.com/G87VVp2qUp

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 11, 2025

ANOTHER JUAN SOTO HOMER! pic.twitter.com/c2vIwWPWda

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 11, 2025

David Peterson strands two leadoff runners in the 7th and gets through 7 scoreless innings! pic.twitter.com/U0xrLIj1zS

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 12, 2025

BRANDON NIMMO'S SECOND HOMER OF THE GAME! pic.twitter.com/hqsY4mujvs

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 12, 2025

Tyrone Taylor gets Luis Garcia Jr. trying to score and preserves the shutout! pic.twitter.com/xX20sx3LJV

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 12, 2025

David Peterson is the first Mets pitcher to toss 8 innings in 2025! pic.twitter.com/0AhW5lNTTj

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 12, 2025

The scenes as David Peterson completes his shutout! pic.twitter.com/XYx1aAvdu7

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 12, 2025

What's next

The Mets (44-24) will look to sweep the Nationals on Thursday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 1:10 p.m. on SNY.

Kodai Senga (6-3, 1.59 ERA) is slated to take the mound in the matinee, opposite veteran Mike Soroka (3-3, 4.86 ERA).

Dave Roberts wasn’t pretending to be calm. He was calm.

None of this was new to him, the depleted starting rotation, the fatigued bullpen, the division rivals within striking distance.

Under similar circumstances in past seasons, Roberts pointed out, “We’ve gotten to the other side.”

The Dodgers won a World Series like this last year. They have won the National League West in 12 of the last 13 seasons.

They usually reach “the other side.”

So rather than panic, Roberts waits. He waits for the end of a particularly difficult 26-game stretch, and when Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell can pitch again.

Roberts won’t say this publicly, but the Dodgers just have to tread water until they are whole.

They claimed a 5-2 victory over the San Diego Padres on Wednesday to win for the second time in their three-game series at Petco Park, preserving their lead in the NL West.

The Dodgers host the second-place San Francisco Giants in a three-game series that starts Friday and the third-place Padres in a four-game series that opens Monday, after which their schedule will become noticeably softer.

Read more:Teoscar Hernández's home run helps lift Dodgers to series win over Padres

Their remaining opponents before the All-Star break: the Washington Nationals, Colorado Rockies, Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros and Milwaukee Brewers. The post-All-Star Game schedule is extremely manageable as well.

Provided a couple of their starting pitchers return as anticipated, the Dodgers should be able to not just win their division but also secure a top-two seed in the NL, which would give them a first-round bye in the playoffs. As it is, the Dodgers are 41-27, only ½ game behind the Chicago Cubs, the league’s current No. 2 team.

Dodgers players have taken on Roberts’ understated confidence and make-do-with-what-you-have approach, which explains how the team has survived a 19-game stretch in which every opponent had a winning record. The Dodgers were 10-9 in those games.

“Character,” Roberts said.

Roberts specifically pointed to Teoscar Hernández, who broke out of a slump Wednesday to hit a key three-run home run; to Freddie Freeman, who he revealed is now dealing with a quadriceps injury in addition to his ankle problems; to Mookie Betts, who has continued to play high-level shortstop while playing with a broken toe.

“Guys are not running from the middle part of the season, the stretch we’re going through,” Roberts said. “We’re just finding ways to win.”

The series win against the Padres was also a credit to Roberts’ ability, and willingness, to play the long game.

With Tony Gonsolin put on the injured list last week, the Dodgers were forced to schedule two bullpen games in San Diego. By punting on the first and refraining from using any of his go-to relievers in a loss, Roberts ensured his team would be positioned to win the series finale.

Again, this was nothing new, as Roberts basically forfeited games in both the NL Championship Series and World Series last year with the remainder of the series in mind.

Roberts elected to send opener Ben Casparius back to the mound to pitch a fourth inning on Wednesday rather than replace him with Jack Dreyer, whom Roberts has grown to trust. The extra inning made a difference. Lou Trivino pitched to the bottom of the Padres’ lineup in the fifth inning, allowing Roberts to deploy Dreyer against the heart of the order in the sixth.

When Michael Kopech walked the bases loaded in the seventh inning, Roberts responded with the necessary degree of urgency rather than allow the recently activated Kopech to try to pitch his way out of trouble. Roberts summoned Anthony Banda, who retired Luis Arráez and Manny Machado to maintain the Dodgers’ 4-2 advantage.

“The bullpen has certainly been used and pushed,” Roberts said. “I just think it speaks to the character.”

And it says something about the manager as well.

Roberts is now in his 10th season as the manager of the Dodgers. He has managed 1,426 games for them in the regular season and another 100 in the postseason. At this point, there’s not much he hasn’t seen, including what the team is dealing with now.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

There was a one-handed finish. A slow stroll out of the batter’s box. And a leisurely, long-awaited trip around the bases.

It’d been a while since Teoscar Hernández last admired such a momentous home run ball.

It was a sight the struggling Dodgers had come to sorely miss.

Ever since returning from an adductor strain last month, Hernández had endured one of his coldest stretches at the plate since joining the Dodgers last year. He was batting .171 over 20 games since his mid-May return to the lineup. He had just three hits in 38 at-bats over his last 10 contests.

Read more:'Very awkward.' Dodgers wave the white flag historically early in rout to Padres

That slump, which also included only one home run since April 28, finally they finally reached a tipping point ahead of Wednesday’s series finale against the San Diego Padres, with manager Dave Roberts moving Hernández out of his customary cleanup spot in the batting order in favor of hot-hitting catcher Will Smith.

“I love him in the four [spot] when he’s right,” Roberts said pregame. “But clearly the last few weeks, he’s been scuffling.”

With one swing in the top of the sixth, however, Hernández finally started to look right again.

In what was a tie game at Petco Park, on a day first place in the National League West was up for grabs, Hernández delivered the decisive blow in the Dodgers’ 5-2 win over the Padres, belting a three-run home run to straightaway center that sent the club a pivotal series victory.

“It was a big hit,” Roberts said. “The last few weeks, he’s … felt like he hasn’t contributed. But he has a knack for getting big hits. And that’s as big as they get, so far at this point in the season.”

Hernández’s sixth-inning at-bat was everything his recent trips to the plate hadn’t been during his weeks-long slump.

Read more:Dodgers-Padres lives up to the rivalry hype as L.A. prevails in 10th inning

He finally got ahead in a 2-and-0 count — something Roberts had noted was a rarity for the 32-year-old slugger of late, in large part because of his inability to punish mistakes in his hitting zone.

“Balls that he should move forward, he’s not,” Roberts said. “And with that, there’s more chase, because he’s getting behind.”

And when Padres reliever Jeremiah Estrada did serve up a mistake over the plate, Hernández didn’t miss it, clobbering a 2-and-1 fastball down the middle for a 420-foot drive that broke open the game.

“[It felt] really good, especially because I put the team in front,” said Hernández, whose home run was his 11th of the year and extended his team lead in RBIs with 47. “I’ve been working really hard, every at-bat, trying to get good pitches to hit … trying to get back the feeling that I had before I got injured.”

The Dodgers (41-28) got other heroics in Wednesday’s rubber-match triumph, one that gives them a two-game lead in the division over the Padres (38-29).

Ben Casparius gave up just one run in a four-inning start, replacing originally listed starter Justin Wrobleski in what could be a permanent move to the starting rotation for the rookie right-hander (or, at least, until the rest of the Dodgers’ banged-up pitching staff gets healthy in the coming months).

“He obviously came up as a starter … [and] where we are at now currently, he’s certainly showing that he’s 1 of 5,” Roberts said of Casparius, who had a 2.93 ERA as a swingman out of the bullpen to start the year. “The next time he’s on the mound, it will be as a starter.”

Andy Pages saved Casparius from another run along the way, throwing out a runner at home plate in the second inning with a 99 mph strike from center field. It was Pages’ fifth outfield assist of the season, tied for fifth-most in the majors.

“He's been doing it all year,” Casparius said. “I haven't seen anybody play in the outfield at a level he has this year. It's honestly, at this point, something that I think we all expect. And he picked me up big time right there."

Michael Conforto, meanwhile, got the game tied at 1-1 with an opposite-field homer in the fifth, marking just his second long ball since April 5.

Read more:'Big brother, little brother.' How Teoscar Hernández, Andy Pages bond is helping Dodgers

And even at the start of the sixth inning, the Dodgers did some little things right to set up Hernández’s go-ahead blast. With one out, Freddie Freeman legged out an infield single, despite playing through not only his gimpy right ankle but also “a little quad thing” Roberts said he has been dealing with in recent days. Then, Smith reached base for the first of three times on the day by drawing a key one-out walk.

The Padres didn’t go away down the stretch. A Hyeseong Kim throwing error led to one run in the sixth, trimming the Dodgers’ lead back down to two runs. Then in the seventh, the command problems that plagued recently activated reliever Michael Kopech during his minor-league rehab stint last month reared their ugly head, with the right-hander issuing three-straight one-out walks in the seventh to load the bases.

Recently surging left-hander Anthony Banda, however, escaped that jam with the help of an impressive play by Mookie Betts at shortstop, who got to Manny Machado’s 3-and-0 grounder in the hole and made an on-time, one-hop throw to Freeman at short.

“Securing it, being able to throw from different arm angles, that’s something he just didn’t do well last year, given the lack of reps,” Roberts said. “But that’s a play that, in a big spot, time of game, the stakes right there, to make that play was huge.”

Tanner Scott and Alex Vesia then took care of the eighth and ninth innings, ensuring the Dodgers left San Diego in first place in the division.

“It’s fun playing these guys,” Roberts said of the Padres, who will make a return visit to Dodger Stadium next week for a four-game series. “They know they’re talented. We know we’re talented. It’s a fun series. It’s a big series. It’s not the end-all, be-all in June. But it was fun.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Schmitt has Giants feeling ‘lucky' as he steps up in Chappy's absence originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

When Matt Chapman landed on the injured list Tuesday with a right hand sprain, it looked as though the Giants’ win streak could be in jeopardy with their home run leader and star third baseman sidelined.

But two games later and San Francisco now has won seven in a row, the latest another thrilling comeback victory over the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday night at Coors Field — and the player who has taken over for Chapman on the hot corner helped lead the 10-7 win.

Casey Schmitt got it done with the bat, the glove and on the base paths in the victory and is taking advantage of his chance to play every day with Chapman out. On a two-RBI night that also featured a Chapman-esque play at third, Schmitt scored the go-ahead run with a dazzling slide in the eighth inning after drawing a pivotal bases-loaded walk that gave the Giants belief they could come back yet again.

“You’re getting breaking ball after breaking ball, and then to be able to take a fastball for a ball on the last pitch, that’s a great at-bat,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said after the game of Schmitt’s “huge” walk. “And then the next time up, hits a ball in the hole and gets us another RBI. So, it’s a great opportunity for him, and he made a great play defensively.

“He’s got a real opportunity to do some good things while Chappy’s out. We’re lucky to have him.”

Schmitty drives in Willy 👏 pic.twitter.com/4fhiegVgzx

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 12, 2025

After Mike Yastrzemski drove in the tying run as San Francisco rallied in the eighth, Tyler Fitzgerald laid down a perfect bunt that allowed Schmitt to dive in under the tag at home. Though he initially was called out, Melvin successfully challenged the call and the comeback was complete.

“We knew we were going to bunt there,” Schmitt told Laura Britt and Ron Wotus on “Giants Postgame Live” after the win. “Talked to [Giants third base coach Matt Williams] before, just make sure I see it down. I saw it down and just took off, and luckily I got in there.”

Schmitt is SAFE after BoMel's challenge, and the Giants lead 🙌 pic.twitter.com/vj2Gqv71oY

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 12, 2025

Earlier in the fifth inning, Schmitt threw out Keston Hiura from foul territory after the grounder forced him to make a one-legged throw all the way across the diamond and into Jerar Encarnacion’s glove at first.

What a play by Casey Schmitt 🤯 pic.twitter.com/DbK56KYuDu

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 12, 2025

While Chapman and his Gold Glove are a tough act to follow, Schmitt is a stellar defender in his own right and earned the 2022 Minor League Baseball Gold Glove as the best defensive third baseman in the minors during his time with the Eugene Emeralds.

But now, he gets to take notes from one of the greatest ever to do it at the major-league level. And with Chapman himself expecting to miss more than 10 games, Schmitt will be able to learn plenty.

“I’m feeling good,” Schmitt told Britt and Wotus of returning to third base in Chapman’s absence. “Just there filling in for Chappy, and he’s right there helping me out with everything, too. I get to be out there, and I’m learning form the best as well. It’s been awesome just to be here and to be a part of it.”

The Giants are riding high, even though the wins haven’t come easy. Wednesday’s victory was their MLB-leading ninth comeback this season of three or more runs, and the first of their current win streak that they’ve won by more than one — and everyone is contributing.

Willy Adames, who has underproduced so far this season, is 4-for-7 with five RBI and five runs this series, and Schmitt had a big night in the Giants’ 6-5 series-opening win Tuesday, too, with a solo homer that put San Francisco back in the game. Jung Hoo Lee, who had hit a bit of a dry spell after a red-hot start, has scored five runs and smashed two triples in Colorado, just to name a few contributors.

The Giants also lost starting catcher Patrick Bailey to the 10-day IL with a neck strain earlier on Wednesday, but right now, they feel like they’re in every game — even with two of their best defensive players injured.

“You can never count us out,” Schmitt told Britt and Wotus. “Every time we step out there, we’re expecting a war. It’s just been so much fun, and we’re all sticking together. It’s been great to be able to come back in late games like that.”

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Yankees right-hander Marcus Stroman began his rehab assignment with Double-A Somerset on Wednesday afternoon, and the results from his start were encouraging.

In the first game of a home doubleheader against Double-A Portland, Stroman looked comfortable on the mound, striking out four across 3.1 innings while allowing one run on one hit and two walks. He retired five of six batters to begin the outing, induced four groundouts plus a flyout, and threw 27 of his 46 total pitches for strikes.

Stroman's appearance was his first taste of game action in exactly two months, as he landed on the injured list back on April 12 with left knee inflammation. The 34-year-old veteran struggled prior to the injury, producing a ghastly 11.57 ERA across 9.1 innings (three starts). He gave up five runs on four hits and three walks and logged only two outs against the Giants on April 11.

It's unclear when Stroman will return to the Yankees' active roster -- or what his future role will look like, with existing competition in the rotation -- but he'll need a handful of rehab starts to build up his workload after a lengthy absence.

Stroman told the media, including The Athletic's Brendan Kuty, after the game that he's "very open to whatever it may be" when asked about his role when he returns to the Yankees. He also acknowledged that they haven't spoken about it yet, but expects to be built up as a starter with his next rehab start coming next week.

Meanwhile, in the starting lineup for Somerset, veteran slugger Giancarlo Stanton appeared in his second rehab game. Batting second as the designated hitter, he went 1-for-4 with a sharp RBI double to center in the first inning.

Stanton, who's missed the entire season due to lingering tennis elbow injuries, saw game action for the first time on Tuesday. The 35-year-old went 2-for-3 with a walk and three RBI. His return to the big league club is yet to be determined, but it could arrive sooner rather than later.

Claps All Around 👏@Yankees RHP Marcus Stroman wraps up his first rehab outing with Somerset and salutes the crowd on his way to the dugout.

3.1 IP | 1 H | 1 R | 2 BB | 4 K
Pitches (Strikes): 46 (27) pic.twitter.com/XUGSlTVc0R

— Somerset Patriots (@SOMPatriots) June 11, 2025

WATCH: Marcelo Mayer homers twice in Wednesday's game vs. Rays originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Marcelo Mayer’s sweet left-handed swing was on display during Wednesday night’s Boston Red Sox-Tampa Bay Rays matchup at Fenway Park.

Mayer, Boston’s No. 2 prospect, took Rays starter Zack Littell deep twice for the first two Fenway Park homers of his promising career. The first homer came in the second inning and was a 418-foot solo shot down the right field line:

418 ft for Mayer! 😤 pic.twitter.com/CRzkzeDdfc

— Red Sox (@RedSox) June 11, 2025

In the fourth inning, Mayer blasted his second homer 410 feet in the same location:

MARCELO x 2 pic.twitter.com/gWZpXudErr

— Red Sox (@RedSox) June 12, 2025

Mayer, 22, became the youngest Red Sox player with a multi-homer game since Rafael Devers in 2018.

With the “Big Three” of Mayer, Kristian Campbell, and No. 1 prospect Roman Anthony finally on the big-league roster, the youth movement in Boston is in full effect. Anthony was the story of Tuesday’s game vs. the Rays as he propelled the Red Sox to victory with a two-run double for his first MLB hit.

Mayer is up to three homers on the season. His first career homer came at Yankee Stadium on June 6.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza shared injury updates on a pair of veteran starting pitchers before Wednesday's game against the Nationals at Citi Field. Here's what he said...

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Frankie Montas

The Mets aren't ready to add the veteran right-hander (lat strain) to their active roster just yet. He's scheduled to pitch for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday, in what'll be the fifth start of his rehab assignment.

It may not be Montas' final rehab appearance, either -- Mendoza said they could utilize the entire 30-day rehab window to build up his workload even further.

Montas' overall results in the minors haven't exactly been uplifting. While he's reached higher pitch counts and avoided setbacks, he owns a glaring 9.00 ERA across 12 total innings between Syracuse and High-A Brooklyn. In his most recent outing last Thursday, he allowed three runs on four hits and three walks with two strikeouts over 3.2 innings.

Mendoza said pitching coach Jeremy Hefner has discussed mechanics with Montas, but the team isn't bothered by the pitching lines he's produced. He's in the midst of shaking off plenty of rust.

"This is kind of like spring training for him, and hitters now are in midseason form, you know?" Mendoza said. "It's hard to put too much into it, where you're not gameplanning and just going out there. I think we've got to do a better job of that, preparing him and giving him a little bit of an idea. But as far as the results and all that, we're not too concerned right now."

Sean Manaea

While it's still unclear where the veteran left-hander (oblique) will make his next rehab start, Mendoza said the plan is for him to pitch again on Sunday.

Manaea spent Tuesday night with High-A Brooklyn, striking out four with one hit, one walk, and one hit-by-pitch allowed across 2.2 scoreless frames (46 pitches, 31 strikes). Call his second rehab outing progress, considering he gave up four runs (three earned) in 1.2 innings last Friday.

The Mets' rotation has performed exceptionally well without Manaea this season, but the team is eagerly awaiting his return. In 32 starts for New York in 2024, the 33-year-old southpaw posted a 3.47 ERA with 184 punchouts across 181.2 innings.