Category: MLB

What we learned as Jung Hoo Lee bounces back in Giants' extra-inning win originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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PHOENIX — As Wednesday’s game got into extra innings, Bob Melvin started managing as if it was a playoff game. Given how the last week has gone, it might as well have been. 

Camilo Doval pitched two innings for the first time in three years, closing out a 6-5 win in the 10th a few minutes after he blew the save in the ninth. It was a marathon outing from Doval, but the Giants didn’t have many options left and desperately needed to snap their four-game losing streak.

With the tying run on third in the bottom of the 10th, Doval struck out Jake McCarthy and Alek Thomas. The usually calm closer screamed as he hopped off the mound. 

The Giants jumped ahead early on Tuesday and then shut it down. On Wednesday, they again looked energetic early. Mike Yastrzemski hit a leadoff homer, giving him three in the last nine games, and Jung Hoo Lee added an RBI triple in the first. Rafael Devers made it 3-0 with a hard single in the top of the fifth. 

Yaz starts the game off in style 😎 pic.twitter.com/Bf85dCpxcO

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) July 3, 2025

Jung Hoo Lee knocks in another early run 💨 pic.twitter.com/ZazsE0tN8c

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) July 3, 2025

The Diamondbacks cut the deficit to one, but Patrick Bailey and Brett Wisely brought insurance runs home in the top of the eighth. That would be crucial, as an error led to a third Diamondbacks run in the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the ninth, the comeback was completed. 

Geraldo Perdomo led off with a single and Ketel Marte — who was named an All-Star starter earlier in the day — smoked a hanging slider from Doval into the seats in right, tying the game. 

Bailey’s sac fly put the Giants back on top in the 10th. Having already used all of his trusted high-leverage arms, Melvin sent Doval back out for a second inning. 

Back In Black

The Giants have started to wear their black road jerseys on occasion. Lee might ask that they do it the rest of this trip, even in the Sacramento heat this weekend. 

He followed the triple with a double his next time up, giving him his first multi-hit game since June 4. When he later got an infield single, he had his first three-hit game since May 6. 

Lee had been hitless on the road trip (0-for-14), but hitting coach Pat Burrell was encouraged by his swings in recent days and felt better days were coming. He came up a cycle shy of the cycle, hitting a deep fly ball in his final at-bat. 

Lee’s prolonged slump might be the biggest reason for the team’s overall offensive dip. The Giants want him at the top of the order, but he hit just .143 in June. 

Back Where It Started

Landen Roupp won a big league job in Arizona last spring, and during his two months in the desert this spring, he won a rotation spot. He hasn’t given it up, and he’ll take a 3.48 ERA into the final week of the first half. 

Wednesday’s outing was a mixed bag. Roupp was sharp early, but he gave up a solo shot to Thomas in the fifth and then walked a pair. He left with the bases loaded, but Erik Miller got him out of the jam, leaving Roupp with just two runs on his line. He walked four, struck out four and allowed five hits. 

Bounceback 

Miller’s last outing helped lead to a no-decision for Justin Verlander, but he came up huge in a tight spot Wednesday. He entered with the bags full, no outs and the heart of the lineup coming up, but the Diamondbacks sent rookie Tim Tawa up for the left-handed Pavin Smith and Miller struck him out. Josh Naylor hit a sacrifice fly, but Miller struck out the dangerous Eugenio Suarez to limit the damage. 

Some of Miller’s peripheral numbers are concerning, and given his walk rate, the dugout couldn’t have felt comfortable when he went 2-0 on Tawa to start his night. But he continues to get results, and that’s all that matters. He has a 1.50 ERA through 36 appearances.

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With the Mets clinging to a one-run lead in the top of the sixth inning, manager Carlos Mendoza decided to pull starter Clay Holmes after 5.1 innings to go to his bullpen.

That decision ultimately decided the game as Reed Garrett entered and immediately allowed a game-tying double before the roof caved in on the reliever following a grand slam that broke the game wide open.

Holmes was taken out after 90 pitches and holding the Brewers to just one run -- a Sal Frelick solo shot to start the game. The right-hander did issue four walks, a trend lately, including three in a row in the fourth to three straight lefties.

After escaping that bases-loaded jam with a huge double play, Holmes began the sixth by walking another lefty in Christian Yelich. He retired Jackson Chourio, but that was it for the 32-year-old with Milwaukee due up three more lefties.

"I thought the lefties were giving him a little bit of a tough time, especially after watching that fourth inning and you watch that Yelich leadoff walk with three lefties coming up and at 90 pitches there, I thought he did his part there," Mendoza said after the loss.

Over his last three starts, Holmes has walked 14 batters in 15 innings. It hasn't necessarily caught up to him as he's allowed just six earned runs during that time, however it hasn't allowed him to pitch deeper into games.

With New York in desperate need of length out of its starters -- Wednesday's Game 1 of the doubleheader was the first time a Met starter pitched into the sixth inning in 17 days -- the walks (not just from Holmes) need to be fixed.

"That’s part of the decision," Mendoza said regarding Holmes' increased walk total factoring in his choice to pull the right-hander. "... I just felt like, especially today, he was trying to use the secondary [pitches], the slider, sweeper as backdoor pitches as opposed to land[ing] it below the strike zone and get chases there. He was trying to be maybe a little bit too fine there and that’s when he started losing it and walk some of the lefties."

The skipper also mentioned that he didn't think Holmes' changeup was "in play today against the lefties" and that it's an important pitch that he'll need this season.

Holmes was asked about that changeup and agreed with his manager that he "didn't really have it today" and saying it's been "hit or miss" for him lately.

"I think early on I was getting a lot of swing and miss out of the strike zone," he said. "The profile has kinda been a little bit inconsistent, the feel’s been a little bit inconsistent so I think it’s one thing that I definitely need to work on and need to find that pitch so I can go in the zone and still get the chase with it when I need to as well.

"It’s definitely a pitch that was very useful early on and it’s kinda been hit or miss here lately so it’d be nice to have it back."

And although Holmes said he never wants to get pulled, he said the decision is out of his control. He also mentioned that it was "definitely a hot day" and that he felt like he was tiring towards the end.

Mendoza was asked if the Mets went into the game with a pitch count on Holmes (who was supposed to pitch in Tuesday's rain out) for whatever reason like they've had on him in the past, particularly after his start in Colorado where he threw just 79 pitches over 5.0 innings, and he said "not necessarily" but pointed to the game and how he looked for the reasoning.

"When you got a guy that’s at 90 pitches in 5.1 [innings], you know, like, you’re asking what? 100 [pitches]? 10 more pitches? That wasn’t gonna be the case," Mendoza said. "We got some other guys that can cover 18 innings."

Sánchez deals against Padres as Phillies collect another series win originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The fireworks celebration the Phillies wonderfully put on at this time every year were almost threatened to be delayed Wednesday night in Game 2 of a doubleheader with the San Diego Padres.

Surprisingly, not because of rain or even the threat of it. No, it was all Christopher Sánchez’ fault. The left-hander mowed through the Padres lineup time and time again with such quick efficiency that it was feared the game would be completed well before darkness set upon Citizens Bank Park.

The threat of a delay was put to rest, really in one at-bat by the Padres, and while it differed from the efficiency of Sánchez, it featured his resilience.

With Gavin Sheets on first and two outs, Sánchez and Padres third baseman Jose Iglesias had an epic 10-pitch battle that had Iglesias foul off six pitches. With the count 2-2, Sánchez froze Iglesias with a 96-mile-an-hour sinker for the final out of the inning. He threw 7.0 innings on an 85-pitch gem.

He allowed just five hits, one earned run, struck out five and didn’t allow a walk in the Phillies 5-1 win. Sánchez improved to 7-2 on the season and the Phillies to 51-36 after the day/night split.

“He’s been, just like the rest of them, just wonderful,” said manager Rob Thomson of Sánchez’ night. “The changeup is swing and miss and the sinker… He had some balls hit hard off him but so much soft contact. He’s just attacking. Attacking the zone, trusting his stuff.” 

Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm each pitched a scoreless inning as the Phils took two of three from the Padres.

First baseman Bryce Harper was not in the lineup for Game 2, as he continues to ease back from the wrist injury that kept him sidelined for 22 games. So far in his two starts since his return on Monday, Harper is 1-for-6 with a couple of strikeouts, a walk and was hit by a pitch. More importantly, he has taken hard cuts at the plate and has shown no hesitation in doing so. There has been no apparent flinching after a swing, no matter the result.

“I didn’t want to risk it,” Thomson explained. “He was available to pinch-hit. He felt fine. I just didn’t want to get him heated up again. Now if the game’s on the line, we’d go. That was the only reason, just precaution.”

Otto Kemp took over first base in the nightcap and provided a couple of singles, a walk, and some nice fielding plays.

Sánchez, like others on the starting staff, had a phenomenal month of June. In his five starts totaling 34 innings, he allowed just 25 hits and seven earned runs (1.85 ERA), while he struck out 33 and walked just six.

Normalcy returned to the Phillies starting rotation in the form of Cristopher Sánchez after a shaky start from Mick Abel in Game 1. Abel allowed five earned runs after getting just five outs in the 6-4 loss, while seven of the first nine batters Sánchez faced were retired on ground balls. 

Sánchez breezed through the Padres lineup to start the game on just 23 pitches. He then gave up a run in the fourth, though through no fault of his, really.

Fernando Tatis, Jr. led off the inning by beating out a dribbler to third. Sánchez then had him picked, but Otto Kemp’s throw to Trea Turner at second was awry and wound up in center field. Tatis went to third then scored when Jackson Merrill squeezed a single through the right side on a drawn-in infield for a 1-0 Padres lead. 

“I always go out and compete and do the best that I can and I always aim to not walk anyone,” said Sánchez through the team interpreter. “The important part is that we (starting pitchers) all act the same when we’re doing well and when we’re not. We’re just out here to support our team and to be the best of ourselves and go out and compete.”

The Phillies responded to the Padres’ go-ahead run immediately, as Alec Bohm led off the bottom of the inning with a single, moved to second on a groundout by Nick Castellanos and scored. Then came Max Kepler, who launched a bomb into the seats in right for a 2-1 lead. Kepler perfectly back-footed a 2-2, 90-mile-an-hour slider 379 feet off starter Dylan Cease for his 10th home run of the season. 

After Sánchez worked his way out of a two on, one out jam with consecutive strikeouts to end the fifth, Brandon Marsh led off the bottom of the fifth with a bomb to dead center for a 3-1 lead. Trea Turner reached on an infield single. He moved to second on a foul out by Bohm on a wonderful, sliding snare by third baseman Iglesias near the tarp. Turner scored on a Nick Castellanos single for a seemingly commanding 4-1 lead, considering the way Sanchez was waltzing through the San Diego lineup. 

“I like the way that I’m attacking,” said Marsh of his at-bats. I can definitely  improve a lot more on a lot of things. But, for what it’s worth, I like where I’m at personally and just have to continue to take it day-by-day and at-bat by at-bat.”

The Phillies added another in the seventh when Kyle Schwarber worked a two-out walk. Pinch-runner Johan Rojas stole second then crossed home on a triple to right by Bohm. 

The Phillies secured a 5-1 victory over the Padres, closing out Wednesday’s doubleheader and another series win.

They have Thursday off before welcoming the Cincinnati Reds in for a three-game series, beginning Friday at 1:05 p.m.

Emmanuel Fernandez admits he "was shocked" that a club as "huge" as Rangers were interested in his services before signing a four-year contract and exiting Peterborough United.

The 23-year-old centre-half was in a side that finished 18th in League One last season but now has the prospect of playing in the Champions League.

"I am honoured," he told Rangers' website. "It is a huge club with a great fanbase and I think I can kickstart my career and have a good journey here.

"I was shocked when I heard about Rangers, because it is such a big club, but it was the place I wanted to be.

"I haven't played at this level, there will be a lot of life changes for me, but it is something I want to be part of and I can't wait to get started."

Starting as a youth with Brentford, Fernandez signed senior terms with Gillingham but was released after loan spells with Sheppey United and Margate.

He then spent a year with Ramsgate before joining Peterborough in 2021, but it was not until after further loans to Spalding United and Barnet that he became a first-team regular, making 42 appearances last season.

Rangers head coach Russell Martin believes Fernandez has "a huge amount of potential".

He said: "He has a strong physical presence, is a commanding defender and I believe, in this environment, we can help him develop and provide him with the opportunities to take his game to the next level."

Sporting director Kevin Thelwell added that Rangers "have been impressed with his development and journey from non-league football to League One".

Dodgers utility player Kiké Hernández was not born and raised in Los Angeles.

A North Hollywood mural seemingly inspired by the San Juan, Puerto Rico, native's stance on immigration sweeps shows that doesn't matter.

Hernández began a June 14 Instagram post by stating, "I may not be Born & Raised, but this city adopted me as one of their own."

Local artist Louie Palsino has cemented the second part of that statement in a new mural on the side of the Noho Tires & Wheels building on the 5600 block of Lankershim Boulevard. It features Hernández's image surrounded by the words "Born X Raised" and "Los Angeles."

Read more:Dodgers Dugout: It's time for Kiké Hernández to retire ... as a pitcher

Hernández said plenty more in the post, which seems to have inspired Palsino. The two-time World Series champion expressed support for his adopted city's immigrants and dismay at how many of them were being treated in a series of sweeps by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement. The sweeps in Los Angeles have sparked protests locally and elsewhere in the country.

"I am saddened and infuriated by what’s happening in our country and our city," Hernández wrote. "Los Angeles and Dodger fans have welcomed me, supported me and shown me nothing but kindness and love. This is my second home. And I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights."

Under the name Sloe Motions, Palsino has painted a number of high-profile murals, including one in the Fashion District of Kobe and Gianna Bryant that was vandalized, restored, then vandalized again all within the last few months.

Read more:He created the beloved Kobe and Gianna Bryant mural. L.A. taggers keep defacing it. 'It hurts me'

He declined to discuss the Hernández mural for this story, instead directing The Times to a statement he posted about it on Instagram last week.

"Thank you @kikehndez for standing up for what is right and for Los Angeles," Palsino wrote. "this ain’t a political post or anything to stir up any government agenda to divide us. this is just paying homage to standing up for what is right and a real one.god over government."

Palsino painted the Hernández mural on a building that already featured two of his other Dodgers-themed pieces — one of legendary broadcaster Vin Scully on an adjoining wall and one of iconic Mexican pitcher Fernando Valenzuela on the gate in front of the garage's driveway

When the gate is pulled open, a split image of Valenzuela and Hernandez is created.

Hernández has been a Dodgers fan favorite since his first stint with the team in 2015-20. In 2017, he hit three home runs, including a grand slam, in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series against the Chicago Cubs to help send the Dodgers to the World Series.

Read more:Here are 11 Fernando Valenzuela murals to visit in L.A.: 'He did so much for the Mexican community'

He signed with the Boston Red Sox as a free agent after the Dodgers' 2020 World Series championship, but returned to L.A. in a July 2023 trade. Hernández hit .262 in 54 games with the Dodgers that season, helping him earn a one-year, $4-million contract for 2024.

Last postseason, Hernández was a key member of another Dodgers championship team. He hit one of the Dodgers' two solo home runs in a 2-0 win against the San Diego Padres in the decisive Game 5 of the NL Division Series. He then contributed seven hits and four RBIs in the NLCS against the New York Mets and five hits against the New York Yankees in the 2024 World Series.

Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw joins MLB's 3,000-strikeouts club. Here's the full list originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Clayton Kershaw’s longevity has seen him reach another milestone.

The Los Angeles Dodgers star threw the 3,000th strikeout of his career against the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday, joining an exclusive list of MLB pitchers.

The 37-year-old Kershaw entered the game just three strikeouts away from the milestone, and is now the 20th pitcher to reach the mark. He’s also the third active player in that category alongside two other all-time greats.

Here is the full list of MLB pitchers who have thrown 3,000 strikeouts or more:

Who has the most strikeouts in MLB history?

Nolan Ryan has the most strikeouts in MLB history with 5,714 tallied across 27 seasons. He played for the New York Mets, Houston Astros, the then-California Angels and Texas Rangers.

Which MLB pitchers are in the 3,000-strikeouts club?

Here’s the list of the pitchers above 3,000 strikeouts in chronological order (year achieved in parentheses):

• Walter Johnson, Washington Senators: 3,508 (1923)
• Bob Gibson, St. Louis Cardinals: 3,117 (1974)
• Gaylord Perry, San Diego Padres: 3,534 (1978)
• Nolan Ryan, Houston Astros: 5,714 (1980)
• Tom Seaver, Cincinnati Reds: 3,640 (1981)
• Steve Carlton, Philadelphia Phillies: 4,136 (1981)
• Ferguson Jenkins, Chicago Cubs: 3,192 (1982)
• Don Sutton, Milwaukee Brewers: 3.574 (1983)
• Phil Niekro, New York Yankees: 3,342 (1984)
• Bert Blyleven, Minnesota Twins: 3,701 (1986)
• Roger Clemens, Toronto Blue Jays: 4,672 (1998)
• Randy Johnson, Arizona Diamondbacks: 4,875 (2000)
• Greg Maddux, Chicago Cubs: 3,371 (2005)
• Curt Schilling, Boston Red Sox: 3,116 (2006)
• Pedro Martinez, New York Mets: 3,154 (2007)
• John Smoltz, Atlanta Braves: 3,084 (2008)
• CC Sabathia, New York Yankees (2019)
• Justin Verlander, Houston Astros: 3,471 and counting (2019)
• Max Scherzer, Los Angeles Dodgers: 3,419 and counting (2021)
• Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers: 3,000 and counting (2025)

Which active MLB pitchers are in the 3,000-strikeouts club?

Alongside Kershaw, Justin Verlander of the San Francisco Giants and Max Scherzer of the Blue Jays are the active pitchers in the club.

Artemi Panarin has one year remaining on his seven-year, $81.5 million contract with the New York Rangers as he’s set to become an unrestricted free agent during the 2026 offseason. 

Are the Rangers open to the idea of signing Panarin to a contract extension and have negotiations officially begun? 

Rangers general manager Chris Drury addressed the media on Wednesday, and he wouldn't comment on whether he and Panarin's camp have started extension talks.

There are two sides to this story. 

On the one hand, Panarin is still playing at an elite level as he recorded a career-high 120 points during the 2023-24 campaign, and he’s coming off of an 89-point season. 

Aside from maybe Igor Shesterkin, Panarin was the Rangers’ most impactful and valuable player, which has been the case since he arrived to The Big Apple in 2019. 

Possibly losing Panarin could be extremely costly for a Rangers team that relies on him for a large chunk of their offensive production. 

However, committing long-term to a 33-year-old forward, soon to be 34-year-old forward may ultimately be a detriment for the Rangers down the road. 

Sure, Panarin is producing at a high level now, but who’s to say what he'll be as a player in two, three years from now.

K'Andre Miller Admits That The Constant Noise Surrounding Him And The Rangers Was On His MindK’Andre Miller’s departure from the New York Rangers was a long time coming. 

Drury has shown a desire to reshape the team’s core, and it’s unclear where Panarin fits in that whole picture. 

Panarin could very well be entering the 2025-26 season without a contract extension, which leads to more questions about the Rangers’ direction and Panarin’s future.

The Mets continue a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers at Citi Field in Game 2 of a doubleheader on Wednesday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...

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Mets Notes

• New York has lost four straight and 14 of its last 17 games
• With the Game 1 loss, the Mets were overtaken by the Brewers by a half game for the first Wild Card spot in the National League
• The Mets will face rookie RHP Jacob Misiorowski who has made three starts in his young career. He has a 1.13 ERA and 0.63 WHIP
• For the first time since May 17, 2024, Francisco Lindor is not batting leadoff. He's DHing and batting second, behind Brandon Nimmo

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What channel is SNY?

Check your TV or streaming provider's website or channel finder to find your local listings.

How can I stream the game?

The new way to stream SNY games is via the MLB App or MLB.tv. Streaming on the SNY App has been discontinued.

In order to stream games in SNY’s regional territory, you will need to have SNY as part of your TV package (cable or streaming), or you can now purchase an in-market SNY subscription package. Both ways will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone. 

How can I watch the game on my computer via MLB? 

To get started on your computer, click here and then follow these steps: 

• Log in using your provider credentials. If you are unsure of your provider credentials, please contact your provider. 

• Link your provider credentials with a new or existing MLB.com account. 

• Log in using your MLB.com credentials to watch Mets games on SNY. 

• Select the SNY Mets game you wish to view from the Multimedia Center. 

How can I watch the game on the MLB App? 

MLB App access is included for FREE with SNY. To access SNY on your favorite supported Apple or Android mobile device, please follow the steps below.  

• Download the free MLB App.

• Open “MLB” and tap on “Subscriber Login” for Apple Devices or “Sign in with MLB.com” for Android Devices. 

• Type in your MLB.com credentials and tap “Log In.”  

• To access live or on-demand content, tap on the "Watch" tab from the bottom navigation bar. Select the "Games" sub-tab to see a listing of available games. You can scroll to previous dates using the left and right arrows. Tap on a game to select from the game feeds available.  

For more information on how to stream Mets games on SNY, please click here. 

The Mets dropped their fourth straight game, falling to the Milwaukee Brewers by a score of 7-2 in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader at Citi Field.

Here are the key takeaways...

-For the first time in 17 days, the Mets had a starting pitcher pitch into the sixth inning, as Clay Holmes overcame some early command issues to turn in a solid start. But after a walk to Christian Yelich and a Jackson Chourio flyout, Holmes was pulled with the Mets holding on to a 2-1 lead.

Unfortunately, Reed Garrett was immediately greeted by Brice Turang, who doubled into the left field corner to quickly tie the game. From there, things snowballed on Garrett, and a 2-1 Mets lead turned into a 6-2 deficit after Joey Ortiz smacked a grand slam to left to quiet the Citi Field crowd. Garrett was charged with four earned runs on three hits and a walk while recording just two outs.

Holmes’ final line: 5.1 innings, three hits, two earned runs, four walks and one strikeout.

-Offensively, the Mets weren't able to muster much of anything against Brewers starter Freddy Peralta. They were able to use the running game to get things going in the third as Luis Torrens and Jeff McNeil executed a hit-and-run to put runners on the corners. McNeil would score on a Brett Baty sac fly. The next inning, Juan Soto singled, stole second, and came in to score on a Pete Alonso single, but Peralta limited the Mets to just two hits over his 6.0 innings of work.

-Francisco Lindor remains mired in a slump, going 0-for-4 with a strikeout. The Mets' leadoff hitter is now slashing just .133/.172/.267 with 13 strikeouts in his last 15 games.

-If there was any sliver of a silver lining in this game, it's that Brandon Waddell did a decent job of saving the rest of the bullpen, which could be a nice boost for the second game of the twin-billing. Waddell went 3.0 innings, throwing 50 pitches while allowing one earned run on four hits with two walks and two strikeouts.

-As a team, the Mets mustered just two hits all afternoon, with the top three hitters in the lineup -- Lindor, Starling Marte, and Soto -- going 0-for-11 with a walk.

Game MVP

Ortiz, who turned the tide of the game completely with one swing of the bat.

Highlights

Brett Baty brings the Mets even with a sac fly pic.twitter.com/aT9XcSBz9e

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 2, 2025

Clay Holmes works into and gets out of trouble in the fourth! pic.twitter.com/0R76B7hiDH

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 2, 2025

Pete Alonso gives the Mets a 2-1 lead with an RBI single! pic.twitter.com/RXytYfZZgM

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 2, 2025

Upcoming schedule

The Mets and Brewers play the second game of a split doubleheader against the Brewers at 7:10 p.m.

Blade Tidwell is scheduled to pitch after Huascar Brazoban starts the game as an opener. Rookie sensation Jacob Misiorowski starts for the Brewers.

Frankie Montas knew it from the jump during his season debut versus Atlanta on April 24: He was tipping his splitter.

The good news?

That discovery — along with another that surfaced Sunday in Pittsburgh — suggests that Montas and the Mets have a path forward. Despite early struggles, Montas still has high-end stuff and now believes he can pitch more effectively.

“I’m not going to say exactly what I was doing,” Montas told SNY. “But I was tipping the split. We got it cleaned up.”

In that game, Montas pitched five scoreless innings, but the Braves swung at just one of the nine splitters he threw -- a strong indicator that they knew what was coming.

Then, after Montas’ first few pitches on Sunday, folks on the Mets bench noticed that runners on second base were picking up a tell on Montas’ sliders and/or sweepers, and using a signal to relay their findings to the batter (this is not cheating, but long accepted gamesmanship when a pitcher reveals what he is going to throw).

Like the issue of tipping his splitter, Montas believes that he has addressed the tells on the breaking ball.

“I feel good about the new pitch, the sweeper,” Montas said. “A hundred percent I was tipping it [in Pittsburgh]. We’re good. We’re definitely trying to clean it up.”

Montas’ first inning on Sunday ended up a disaster. He allowed five runs en route to a 12-1 loss against one of baseball’s worst offenses. But the tipping revelation offers a legitimate explanation for it, and reason for hope that Montas will stabilize in the near future.

It makes sense: In his first two starts for the Mets, Montas’ stuff has actually been high-end, particularly his heavy sinker and mid-90s fastball. The four-seam fastball was down an average of one mile per hour from the first start to the second, but it did not appear that the quality of Montas’ pitches were the problem.

Tipping wasn’t the entire issue. In Pittsburgh, Montas also threw a handful of pitches in unwise sequences. But that is good news, too, in that it is as fixable as tipping.

At a dark time for the Mets’ rotation, consider this a small reason for hope.

Giants still confident in Hayden Birdsong but no guarantee in his rotation spot originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Zack Minasian believes Giants starter Hayden Birdsong eventually will turn it around.

The 23-year-old has struggled in his last few outings, including a rough game against the Arizona Diamondbacks, which has made his spot in the rotation uncertain moving forward.

“In this sport, I don’t think there are ever guarantees [about having a spot in the rotation],” Minasian said Wednesday on KNBR’s “Murph and Markus” show. “It’s a super competitive industry. We’re in the business of winning games. When I say that, I don’t want it to come off as negative towards Birdy because, like I’ve said about the team in general, we know how good he can be this year. I think he flashed it last year and earlier this season.”

While the young righty has flashed plenty of brilliance, his control issues flared up during an 8-2 loss to Arizona, where he threw 10 consecutive balls in the fourth inning before giving up a three-run home run.

The San Francisco general manager understands there will be growing pains for a young pitcher adjusting to the rigors of the major leagues.

“I think that’s where the frustration sets in, you see it and then it kind of goes away,” Minasian explained. “And I was watching some of his comments on the postgame show just on my phone, and I think there’s a mechanical component to this…but there’s also the mental component of a young pitcher, first full season in the big leagues.

“My expectation is [that] guys are going to go through things. It’s just trying to shorten that timeframe as much as possible, so the downs don’t last very long.”

Birdsong and the Giants have been slumping ever since trading for slugger Rafael Devers, with spotty pitching and weak offensive production being the main culprits.

A season that started with so much promise quickly is turning into a disaster, with San Francisco continuing to freefall in the National League West standings, now nine games back of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers. While the team has plenty of talent, things will need to start going in a more positive direction fast.

Birdsong and the rest of the pitching staff are crucial to this turnaround task as the season approaches its halfway mark.

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Giants will be ‘very active' ahead of MLB trade deadline, per GM Zack Minasian originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants made the biggest trade of the 2025 MLB season by acquiring star slugger Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox last month, but they might not be done.

Giants general manager Zack Minasian joined KNBR’s “The Executive Show” on Wednesday morning to discuss where the team stands ahead of MLB’s July 31 trade deadline.

“I definitely think we’ll be active,” Minasian said. “As far as completing trades, it’s just difficult to say because it takes two. But as far as making calls and checking around and seeing what’s available, I definitely think we’ll be very active. One of the things that teams who are finding themselves in the race are going to face is so many teams are bunched together. So it might create this stagnant market for what’s actually available.

“As far as needs and what we need to get, I think we’re still kind of fact-finding when it comes to things like that. Still getting a sense of where we are from a health standpoint. If [Matt] Chapman comes back and [Casey] Schmitt comes back, it obviously changes our offense a little bit. Hopefully, [Hayden Birdsong] can get back on track and how that looks with our starting pitching. Our bullpen’s been a strong suit.

“But I like to try to prepare for the trade deadline almost in a vacuum. Give me all the major league players available, let’s rank all the minor league systems, all the information is there. We’re prepared for whatever may come our way. And try to get as much information as you can obviously on your own team and then move forward.”

Since acquiring Devers, San Francisco has gone 4-10 with him in its lineup and is on track to lose their third consecutive series after being swept by the Miami Marlins and dropping two against both the Chicago White Sox and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Just two weeks ago, the Giants were neck-and-neck with the reigning World Series Champion and divisional rival Los Angeles Dodgers in the NL West standings.

They now are nine games back of Los Angeles, and Arizona slowly is creeping behind them as they are just 1.5 games back of San Francisco.

The Giants are making it clear that something needs to change — soon — or Minasian and Co. might have to roll up their sleeves and adjust things themselves.

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Giants option Carson Seymour to Triple-A Sacramento, recall Mason Black originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants made a roster move Wednesday, optioning right-handed pitcher Carson Seymour to Triple-A Sacramento, while recalling pitcher Mason Black.

#SFGiants roster moves:
– RHP Carson Seymour optioned to Triple-A Sacramento postgame yesterday.
– RHP Mason Black recalled from Triple-A Sacramento.

— SFGiants (@SFGiants) July 2, 2025

After recording his first career strikeout Tuesday, Seymour is headed back down to the minors. The 26-year-old righty was roughed up in his first two outings, giving up four hits in seven innings pitched.

“It’s for some length”, Melvin told reporters before Wednesday’s game, “We’re in pretty good shape with our bullpen today, but you know you always need somebody that could give you some length. Obviously, using Seymour like we did yesterday … you know replace that and have someone that could give us multiple innings on either side of a … backend of a game if we need it.”

The Kansas State alum made his major league debut Sunday, holding the White Sox scoreless in one inning, allowing two hits.

“They just made him work, you know the [Randal] Grichuk at-bat kind of was the same pitch,” Melvin told reporters. “I think it was six or seven of them … made him look bad on a couple of them … kind of tried to stay in with the two-seamer … and then finally got one over the plate and got him. So, I think those are all just experiences at the big league level that you learn from.”

Black’s call-up will be his first stint of the season with the big league club. Last year with the Giants, the former No. 85 overall pick posted a 6.44 ERA in 8 starts. The 25-year-old righty will be used out of the bullpen, for now.

“Good games, bad games,” Melvin told reporters. “You know … sometimes it’s hard to evaluate the PCL just because the ball flies … you know typically there’s some runs scored … he’s been here before he has some experience … it’s not like we’ll be using him in a role where we’ll be pitching him eight or ninth inning of a plus game so … it’s more about length with him and they felt like he was the guy at this point.”

Carson Seymour was optioned. Mason Black is back. Some depth for the bullpen in middle of a long trip.

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) July 2, 2025

San Francisco’s skid has been hard to watch, as they have dropped seven of their last eight games, and the Giants are hopeful that Black can be the spark they need to get back on track.

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