Category: MLB

Chapman, Giants continue resilient theme in comeback win vs. Rockies originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants were three innings away from yet another inexcusable loss against the historically bad Colorado Rockies on Saturday afternoon.

But San Francisco values momentum like no other major league club.

Luis Matos’ solo homer in the third inning was the only run scored by either team through five innings. That changed in the sixth.

Luis Matos' solo shot gets the Giants on the board first 🚀 pic.twitter.com/JittXj4sVn

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

Colorado took advantage of a worn out Jordan Hicks, who was solid through five innings. The Rockies scored three runs and took a 3-1 lead as the Oracle Park crowd grew anxious.

But the Giants didn’t.

With bases loaded and one out for the Giants, Jung Hoo Lee stepped to the plate. He singled to center, bringing Matos home and shrinking the deficit to one with still just one out.

Matt Chapman, who entered Saturday’s game hitting just .149 over the past two weeks, approached the plate next with the same opportunity. On the second pitch, Chapman took a 94 mph sinker to center for a go-ahead grand slam.

MATT CHAPMAN GRAND SLAM 😤 pic.twitter.com/mRiuUjHkpC

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

“Obviously, it was the hit of the game,” Giants manager Bob Melvin told reporters postgame. “But this is something we’ve been doing for a while now. When we do get down, we don’t really fret. We continue to push and grind on it. And [against] their best reliever.”

It was Chapman’s third career grand slam and first for the Giants this season.

He joined “Giants Postgame Live” and explained that he wasn’t sure if the ball was going to go over the fence.

“I think I was in suspense. You never quite know here,” Chapman told Greg Papa and Rod Brooks. “There’s not too many cheap home runs here. I knew I hit it hard. I knew it was going to be close. But I’ve hit a few balls here that I thought were out and weren’t, so I definitely don’t want to count on them going until I see it going over the fence. So I was excited.”

Chapman also explained what he saw during the at-bat as he exceeded his expectations.

“With [Lee] hitting in front of me, getting that base hit, and then having the bases loaded, I just wanted to make sure I could get that run across to tie the game,” Chapman told Papa and Brooks. “I fouled off that first pitch slider. Thought he might come back with a sinker to try and get me into a double play. So I was really just trying to get something out there to centerfield.

“Luckily, I was able to drive it a little further than just centerfield. So that was a big swing for us. I was glad to get the runs in and help us win the game.”

After breaking out of a bit of a funk, Chapman now is tied with Wilmer Flores for the team lead in home runs (seven) after going yard in back-to-back games.

That, combined with a big hit from Matos, certainly are encouraging signs for the Giants as they enter Sunday’s series finale against the Rockies with at least a four-game split, but will look for more.

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Blade Tidwell’s pregame sheet looked a bit different this week. 

Instead of receiving information on the Yankees’ Triple-A club ahead of his scheduled start this weekend in Syracuse, the note had a much more impactful message for the talented young right-hander. 

“You’re going to the big leagues, kid.”

In need of a sixth starter this time through the rotation, the Mets decided to call upon Tidwell to make his highly anticipated big league debut during Game 1 of Sunday afternoon’s doubleheader with the St. Louis Cardinals. 

Tidwell knew he was getting close to receiving the call, but didn’t know how close. 

He admitted that he was a bit surprised when he found out on Friday -- he grabbed his 12-week-old puppy named Bentley and paced around barefoot for a few moments before calling his parents to tell them the good news. 

“It was a complete surprise, but it’s pretty exciting,” he said.

Tidwell is one of the high-upside pitching prospects in the organization. He showcased some of his potential during spring training, striking out five and tossing an immaculate inning during an appearance against the Rays. 

He hasn't quite been able to carry that success over to his first few outings in the hitter-friendly confines of the International League, pitching to a 5.00 ERA -- but if you dig deeper, you’ll see he's run into some tough luck.

The second-round pick misses a ton of bats with his deep arsenal and his BABIP of .369 through six outings is the fifth-highest among all qualified minor league staters -- which is why he was never worried about the numbers. 

“I’m just trying to stick to the process,” Tidwell said. “I don’t really look too far into the statistics this early into the season. The BABIP was high, usually that’ll equal out over time. If I keep throwing the way I am down there, it would’ve all equalled out.”

Tidwell’s last two outings were perhaps his best of the season -- he walked just one batter while striking out a total of 18 across 9.0 innings of work, a strong impression that helped seal the deal.

“He earned it,” Carlos Mendoza said. “We know the stuff is there -- we saw flashes of it in spring training. Some of the numbers are inflated a little bit, but he's throwing strikes, using all of his pitches. He put himself in a good position and he's getting the call.”

Marsh back in Phillies' lineup but Rojas will still get chances originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Brandon Marsh was activated from the injured list Saturday afternoon and returned to the nine-spot, starting in center field for the Phillies against Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt.

Will Marsh resume starting against all right-handers as he did before his hamstring injury?

“Not necessarily,” manager Rob Thomson said. “(Johan) Rojas is playing so well. We’ll just pick and choose, see where we’re at on a day-to-day basis.”

Rojas hit .310 with a double, triple, homer, three walks and three stolen bases in the 14 games Marsh missed with a right hamstring strain. He had a couple of lapses in the field and on the basepaths over those two weeks but Rojas’ sensational ninth-inning catch in the gap in left-center preserved Friday’s win and was an example of how he can impact a game.

“Rojas is incredible and I’m not just saying this because he’s sitting next to me,” Marsh said Saturday afternoon from the Phillies’ clubhouse. “He’s a phenomenal outfielder so we expect nothing less from him.”

The Phillies expect more offense from Marsh than they received in April and hope he is in a better place at the plate. He went 4-for-9 in his final two games with Triple A Lehigh Valley, homering and driving in five runs. He is just 4-for-42 (.095) with one extra-base hit in the majors this season.

“The last two games have been really good,” Thomson said. “Staying through the ball, hit an opposite-field home run. I thought the at-bats were a lot better.”

Marsh last played in the majors on April 16 against the Giants, when he suffered a mild right hamstring strain. He began a rehab assignment eight days later at Triple A but it was paused on Sunday when he experienced cramping in the area of the injury.

“It was just a late night game to early day game, it was a little tight, a little crampy, nothing major,” Marsh said.

The Phillies sat him down for three days before Marsh restarted the rehab assignment on Thursday with the IronPigs, had two productive games and made the trip early Saturday morning from Rochester to Philadelphia.

“It feels awesome (to be back),” he said. “It was a good time in Rochester, the boys are playing really well down there and the vibes are up, so it was a lot of fun.”

The Phillies talked in the spring about wanting to play Marsh more against left-handed pitching but the bigger priority now is his finding a rhythm against righties. That’s Marsh’s best path to long-term playing time. He hit .276/.363/.463 vs. right-handers in 2023 and 2024 but is just 2-for-29 this season.

Rojas will be back in the lineup Sunday against lefty Eduardo Rodriguez. He avoided injury when colliding into the wall in left-center after the ninth-inning robbery Friday night.

“Good, I think he was just a little banged-up running into the wall,” Thomson said. “But he came out of it fine and said he’s all good today.”

Marsh back in Phillies' lineup but Rojas will still get chances originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Brandon Marsh was activated from the injured list Saturday afternoon and returned to the nine-spot, starting in center field for the Phillies against Diamondbacks right-hander Brandon Pfaadt.

Will Marsh resume starting against all right-handers as he did before his hamstring injury?

“Not necessarily,” manager Rob Thomson said. “(Johan) Rojas is playing so well. We’ll just pick and choose, see where we’re at on a day-to-day basis.”

Rojas hit .310 with a double, triple, homer, three walks and three stolen bases in the 14 games Marsh missed with a right hamstring strain. He had a couple of lapses in the field and on the basepaths over those two weeks but Rojas’ sensational ninth-inning catch in the gap in left-center preserved Friday’s win and was an example of how he can impact a game.

“Rojas is incredible and I’m not just saying this because he’s sitting next to me,” Marsh said Saturday afternoon from the Phillies’ clubhouse. “He’s a phenomenal outfielder so we expect nothing less from him.”

The Phillies expect more offense from Marsh than they received in April and hope he is in a better place at the plate. He went 4-for-9 in his final two games with Triple A Lehigh Valley, homering and driving in five runs. He is just 4-for-42 (.095) with one extra-base hit in the majors this season.

“The last two games have been really good,” Thomson said. “Staying through the ball, hit an opposite-field home run. I thought the at-bats were a lot better.”

Marsh last played in the majors on April 16 against the Giants, when he suffered a mild right hamstring strain. He began a rehab assignment eight days later at Triple A but it was paused on Sunday when he experienced cramping in the area of the injury.

“It was just a late night game to early day game, it was a little tight, a little crampy, nothing major,” Marsh said.

The Phillies sat him down for three days before Marsh restarted the rehab assignment on Thursday with the IronPigs, had two productive games and made the trip early Saturday morning from Rochester to Philadelphia.

“It feels awesome (to be back),” he said. “It was a good time in Rochester, the boys are playing really well down there and the vibes are up, so it was a lot of fun.”

The Phillies talked in the spring about wanting to play Marsh more against left-handed pitching but the bigger priority now is his finding a rhythm against righties. That’s Marsh’s best path to long-term playing time. He hit .276/.363/.463 vs. right-handers in 2023 and 2024 but is just 2-for-29 this season.

Rojas will be back in the lineup Sunday against lefty Eduardo Rodriguez. He avoided injury when colliding into the wall in left-center after the ninth-inning robbery Friday night.

“Good, I think he was just a little banged-up running into the wall,” Thomson said. “But he came out of it fine and said he’s all good today.”

Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt has been scratched from Saturday's start due to left side soreness.

Schmidt's been dealing with the mild soreness since throwing a season-high 90 pitches in his last appearance, which came Sunday afternoon against the Blue Jays.

He still hoped to be able to take the mound in this one after throwing all week and undergoing an MRI, which came back clean, but instead the Yanks opted to give him an extra few days.

He'll now start Tuesday against the Padres, and Aaron Boone doesn't expect it to be an issue moving forward.

"Clarke was a little concerned with what he's been through," the skipper said. "Being a little behind, having some minor things pop up and everything, so it was definitely a relief things came back clean and we should be okay."

Schmidt, of course, missed time earlier this season due to right rotator cuff tendinitis.

Ironically enough, his last appearance was actually his best one to this point -- as he limited Toronto to just one run on one hit while walking four and striking out six across five innings of work.

In his place, the Yankees will turn to Ryan Yarbrough to start Saturday afternoon against Tampa Bay.

The southpaw has only been used in relief during his first season in the Bronx -- but he threw a season-high 3.2 innings his last time out and has served as an opener and bulk reliever in the past with the Rays and Dodgers.

"He can pitch man," Boone said. "It's a different look than what you typically see. He's been doing this kind of role for a long time now -- obviously, we've seen him over the years with Tampa as an opener and that type of stuff. He just has a real good idea of pitching out there.

"He's been a key figure for us this year on a number of days that have kind of set us up for the week. He's fairly built up, so hopefully he can go out there and get us off to a good start today."

The Mets continue their three-game series with the Cardinals in St. Louis on Saturday at 2:15 p.m. on SNY.

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

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Mets Notes

• The Mets' team ERA of 2.69 remains the lowest in baseball
• After put together back-to-back multi-hit showings, Juan Soto is hitting .291 over his last 15 games
• Pete Alonso has reached base safely in 14 consecutive games and 17 of his last 18
• Alonso's put together a 1.042 OPS in 16 career at-bats against Cardinals starter Erick Fedde
• Tylor Megill pitched to a strong 1.74 ERA and 1.13 WHIP across six April starts

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What channel is SNY?

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How can I stream the game?

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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? 

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

Here's what happened in Mets Land on Friday, in case you missed it...

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• Pete Alonso and Brandon Nimmo homered to plower the Mets to a 9-3 win over the Cardinals
• Clay Holmes delivered six strong innings on the mound after being handed the cushion
• Francisco Alvarez put together one of his best games since returning from the IL, producing three hits
• Alonso says he's ready to take on May after winning the NL Player of the Month for April
• Nimmo credited the Mets' 'controlled aggression' at the plate for their red-hot stretch
• Luisangel Acuña was named the NL Rookie of the Month for April
• We'll see another young talent on display on Sunday, as 23-year-old Blade Tidwell will be called up to make his big-league debut
• Right-hander Austin Warren has been recalled from Triple-A to provide a fresh arm in the bullpen
• Paul Blackburnresumed his rehab assignment on Friday night, tossing three innings in High-A
• The Mets' foundation for pitching success has been a process five years in the making -- with many to thank

Pete Alonso's roaring start to the 2025 season earned him NL Player of the Month honors from MLB on Friday afternoon, and just a few hours after the Mets' slugger received the accolade, he hinted that his May could look even better than his April.

While there was no shortage of offense for the Mets in their 9-3 win over the Cardinals at Busch Stadium, it was typical power from Alonso that sparked a mid-innings outburst. The veteran first baseman delivered a clutch go-ahead, two-run homer off of Sonny Gray in the fifth that shifted momentum and helped New York secure a franchise-record ninth straight victory over St. Louis.

The calendar flipped, but Alonso didn't. He moved into sole possession of fifth place on the Mets' all-time RBI list (616) with a 2-for-5 night at the plate, and he's now 19 homers shy of surpassing icon Darryl Strawberry and becoming the club's new power king.

With an NL-best .473 on-base percentage and 20 extra-base hits, Alonso has been the catalyst to a first-place club. But he's not focused on the recognition and acclaim for a stellar April. He only wants to "contribute to winning." So far, so good.

"His ability to control the strike zone is probably the best I've seen it over last year and this early on," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of Alonso after Friday's win. "We know the power is there and we know he's a good hitter. But he gets in trouble when he starts chasing. I feel like now, he's taking his walks and getting pitches to hit, and he's not missing them."

Holmes appreciates run support

Clay Holmes didn't wield his best stuff on Friday. While he completed six innings and earned a quality start for the second time this season, he allowed three runs on a season-high eight hits and struck out only three. The closer-turned-starter was required to navigate some jams -- he couldn't dodge a comebacker that struck his ankle in the second inning, however.

But ample and opportune run support placed Holmes in the win column for a fourth time, and he appreciated that cushion as a pressure reliever while his outing stretched to a season-high 92 pitches. Through seven starts (36.2 innings), the veteran right-hander has produced a sharp 2.95 ERA with 39 strikeouts.

"It's a team that puts the ball in play a lot -- I'm a contact guy," Holmes said. "I was able to start mixing my pitches, use the four-seam and cutter a little bit, the slider. Really trying to generate some weak contact and make the defense work. Huge response by our offense there...

"As long as I don't give free passes, it usually takes a few hits to beat me. It's a balancing act. I want to be in the zone and trust the weak contact and keep pitching to it. Maybe there's times when I could've gone for more chase with the slider or sinker..."

Best game yet for Alvarez

When the Mets were in desperate need of offense against the Nationals last weekend, they relied on power from Francisco Alvarez to narrowly escape with a win. And when the runs came in bunches against the Cardinals on Friday, Alvarez made sure that he was smack in the middle of their hit parade.

Batting out of the eighth spot, the young catcher finished the night 3-for-5 with a team-high three RBI, and his average now sits at .269 through 26 at-bats. Alvarez also helped Holmes settle down behind the dish in the second inning by gunning down Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn, trying to steal second.

Mendoza is pleased to see Alvarez allowing the ball to travel deep through the zone and properly timing his swing for impactful opposite-field knocks. Two of the 23-year-old's three hits against Cardinals pitchers were sent to right field.

"It's a good sign. We saw it a little bit in spring training before he went down," Mendoza said. "And not just flipping balls the other way -- hitting it hard. That's a good sign for a good hitter, and hopefully he takes off from there."

The Mets haven't spent much time searching for answers at the plate this season. Just in the last 15 games, their lineup has amassed 87 runs for nearly six on average, and their whopping 148 total hits has almost produced a laudable double-digit average. Suffice to say, they're clicking on all cylinders.

While the constant has been crossing home at a high rate, the variable has been the method of choice. Yes, there was a handful of timely home runs and extra-base knocks in the Mets' 9-3 road win over the Cardinals on Friday night, but some of their successful at-bats required some patience and persistence.

Of the 17 hits that New York stockpiled against St. Louis, seven of them came with two strikes in the count. The most important one arrived in the fifth inning, when Pete Alonso demolished an 0-2 changeup from Sonny Gray that landed in the center-field bleachers for a go-ahead, two-run homer. The clutch 417-foot blast gave the Mets a lead that they didn't relinquish.

Brandon Nimmo didn't need to fall behind in order to launch his seventh long ball of the season. He led off the seventh inning by swinging at a first-pitch sinker, bumping the Mets' lead to 7-3. But when asked about the team's two-strike approach after the game, the veteran outfielder aptly labeled that strategy as "controlled aggression."

"It's just trying to look for your pitch and be ready at any time. Whether that's the first pitch or last pitch of the at-bat, or an 0-2 count, whatever it is. Just being ready. It's something that we've talked about -- even through the organization, but especially here in the big leagues -- trying to always be ready and you're never out of an at-bat."

Each player in the Mets' lineup collected at least one hit on Friday, and it was Nimmo and catcher Francisco Alvarez who tied for the team lead with three apiece. The scoring spree helped them improve their first-place record to 22-11, and dating back to last season, they've won nine straight games against the Cardinals. It's never happened before.

Smack in the middle of New York's offensive outburst is Nimmo, who's sticking to his process and reaping the benefits of a late-April and early-May hot streak. Sure, his .229 batting average isn't up to snuff. But quality at-bats are always noticable, and Mets manager Carlos Mendoza believes that Nimmo is finally being rewarded for his discipline.

"He's been locked in. Again, a good hitter who's finally getting results," Mendoza said after the win. "I don't think he's doing anything differently. Now the ball is falling, the power is right there. Not suprised by it."

The Mets scored four runs in the fifth inning and recorded 17 hits to beat the St. Louis Cardinals, 9-3, on Friday night.

Here are the key takeaways...

- Clay Holmes got out to a funky start, allowing a leadoff double to Lars Nootbaar who then stole third base and scored on Masyn Winn's infield single to put the Cardinals up 1-0. Francisco Alvarez helped Holmes by throwing out Winn trying to steal second, and the righty got Nolan Arenado to pop up for the third out. Holmes then carried that momentum for a scoreless second inning, including his first strikeout of the night.

Holmes let up a leadoff single to Victor Scott II in the bottom of the third, as he advanced to second on a groundout. Scott stole third and came around to score on Alvarez's throwing error, tying the game at 2-2. Holmes then gave up an RBI-single to Willson Contreras as St. Louis took a 3-2 lead. The righty bounced back with two consecutive 1-2-3 innings through the fifth and retired a total of eight straight Cardinals into the sixth inning.

Holmes completed six innings of work, allowing a season-high eight hits, but just three runs. He struck out three and didn't allow a walk.

- New York loaded the bases withno outsin the top of the second inning against Sonny Gray, as Jeff McNeil hit into a fielder's choice, allowing a run to score to tie the game at 1-1. Alvarez then drove in Winker on a grounder to short, beating out the 6-4-3 double play to give the Mets a 2-1 lead. They had a chance to add more to the lead after Luisangel Acuña and Francisco Lindor walked, but Juan Soto struck out to end the frame.

- Pete Alonso hit a leadoff single in the top of the third, but was caught trying to steal second by Gray on his first attempt of the season. He's now 17-for-20 on steals in his career.

- The bats woke up in the fifth, as Soto crushed a double (114.3 mph exit velocity) on an 0-2 pitch to right field with one away and scored on Alonso's eighth home run of the season, a 417-foot blast to center field to put the Mets up 4-3. Brandon Nimmo and Jesse Winker made it four straight hits to knock Gray out of the game. Mark Vientos hit into what should've been an inning-ending double play, but Contreras dropped the ball at first, allowing the run to score. Alvarez went the other way against Chris Roycroft to drive in another, making it 6-3.

- New York tacked on two more runs in the seventh -- Nimmo launched his seventh homer of the season and Alvarez drove in his third run of the game with another opposite-field hit, driving in Tyrone Taylor from second.

- Acuña's double in the seventh gave every Mets starter (plus Taylor) at least one hit, as the team finished with 17 total hits -- their second most in a game (21 in 19-5 win over Washington Nationals) this season. Acuña later added another run on a sacrifice fly in the ninth to go up 9-3.

- José Buttó tossed a 1-2-3 seventh inning and worked around a little trouble to escape the eighth inning, keeping the score intact. Ryne Stanek pitched a scoreless ninth inning.

- Following a four-game sweep of the Cardinals in April, New York has now defeated St. Louis in nine straight contests -- the first time in Mets franchise history.

Who was the game MVP?

Despite his throwing error that resulted in a run, Francisco Alvarez had his best game at the plate so far this year. He finished 3-for-5 with a season-high three RBI. Plus, he threw out the speedy Winn, helping settle down Holmes on the mound.

Highlights

Francisco Alvarez throws out Masyn Winn trying to steal 💪 pic.twitter.com/U64r1XqI68

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 3, 2025

The Mets tie the game on a fielder's choice! pic.twitter.com/t49Gw9QDLT

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 3, 2025

Francisco Alvarez beats the relay throw to first and the Mets take the lead! pic.twitter.com/yd6xKQaT74

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 3, 2025

Brandon Nimmo goes to the ground to make the catch! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RC7kA37tQR

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 3, 2025

Juan Soto rifles a 114.3-MPH double to right 💪 pic.twitter.com/GlYaa9j3Lo

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 3, 2025

PETE ALONSO GIVES THE METS THE LEAD WITH A TWO-RUN BLAST! pic.twitter.com/CeaEaBWbQw

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 3, 2025

Willson Contreras drops the ball and Brandon Nimmo comes home with another Mets run! pic.twitter.com/oe8dsJm3cx

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 3, 2025

Francisco Alvarez comes through!

An RBI single brings home Mark Vientos for the fourth run of the inning! pic.twitter.com/4Qz5516gli

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 3, 2025

Clay Holmes wins a 13-pitch battle against Masyn Winn pic.twitter.com/kfYNgR7BUY

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 3, 2025

YOU BETTER CALL TYRONE.

Tyrone Taylor makes the running catch to end the inning! pic.twitter.com/PSVLNu9heb

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 3, 2025

BRANDON NIMMO'S 7TH HOME RUN OF THE YEAR! pic.twitter.com/Oep73ANopw

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 3, 2025

It's a 3-RBI game for Francisco Alvarez!

He brings home Tyrone Taylor to make it 8-3 Mets! pic.twitter.com/uEIDR4pbHP

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 3, 2025

Francisco Alvarez gets his third hit of the game! pic.twitter.com/cScpQKfwuX

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 3, 2025

Luisangel Acuña with a sacrifice fly to make it 9-3 Mets! pic.twitter.com/0yNLt17Nga

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 3, 2025

Upcoming schedule

The Mets continue their three-game series with the Cardinals on Saturday. First pitch is scheduled for 2:15 p.m. on SNY.

RHP Tylor Megill (3-2, 1.74 ERA) gets the start for New York and will pitch opposite RHP Erick Fedde (1-3, 4.68 ERA).

Hours before first pitch Friday, Yoshinobu Yamamoto was honored with the National League’s pitcher of the month award for March and April.

Given how he looked in a scoreless six-inning, six-strikeout, one-hit gem against the Atlanta Braves hours later, it might not be the last award he vies for this year.

After establishing himself as a breakout star in the opening month, Yamamoto continued his ascent up the hierarchy of major-league starters in the Dodgers’ 2-1 win Friday at Truist Park.

He carried a no-hitter into the sixth inning. He held an opponent without a run for the third time in his last four starts. And he dropped his early-season ERA to an MLB-best 0.90, having yielded just four earned runs in his first 40 innings of the season.

Read more:Why the Dodgers' Max Muncy has started wearing glasses in games: 'Anything that can help'

“I’ve been able to perform at a very high level,” Yamamoto said through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda after the game. “I think it’s really close to my best times in Japan.”

Already in recent weeks, manager Dave Roberts has referred to Yamamoto — the three-time Japanese league MVP who signed for $325 million two offseasons ago — as the ace of the Dodgers’ pitching staff.

But now, with the Dodgers (22-10) missing two other nine-figure rotation signings in Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow because of shoulder injuries, Yamamoto’s value might be even greater than just that.

“When you look at the handful of guys in the big leagues that when they take the ball, you know they're going to go six innings, you're going to get a chance to win, a good chance to win, they can manage some stress, they're always the best option — he’s putting himself in that category,” Roberts said. “I think there's just been so much consistent performance from Yoshi in big games that it’s real. He does think he’s one of those guys.”

Yamamoto didn’t look like that caliber of pitcher in his previous start, a season-worst five-inning, three-run outing against the Pittsburgh Pirates last week in which he issued a career-high four walks.

But after a mental “reset” — something Yamamoto says he does between every start — the 26-year-old right-hander responded with one of his best outings of the season against the resurgent Braves (who are 14-17, but had won nine of their previous 12).

"He dominated today, and I feel like it wasn't even the best version of Yama, which is crazy,” reliever Evan Phillips said. “When you talk about routine and work ethic and the talent, this guy's one of the best in the game, for sure. It's fun to watch."

In Yamamoto’s first three innings, the only real danger he encountered was to his own person. With two outs in the first inning, he ducked out of the way of a 107-mph line drive from Matt Olson that Mookie Betts snared at shortstop. To lead off the second, Sean Murphy rifled a 106-mph comebacker that Yamamoto snagged with his glove.

His pitching counterpart, Grant Holmes, wasn’t so lucky.

After matching Yamamoto zero for zero (in both runs and hits) in the early going, the Atlanta right-hander suffered a bad break in the fourth, when Betts smoked a 94-mph comebacker off his backside for the night’s first hit. That was followed by a single from Freddie Freeman, who hit a ground ball that Olson failed to snare at first base, and a walk to Teoscar Hernández, loading the bases with one out. Will Smith then lifted a sacrifice fly to right, opening the scoring.

Not until the sixth inning, when Betts continued his resurgence from a deep April slump with a solo home run to left field, did the Dodgers get to Holmes again.

But the way Yamamoto was dealing, the lack of run support posed little problem.

Outside of two walks to Marcell Ozuna — who won an 11-pitch battle in the first inning, and a six-pitch duel in the fourth — the Braves mustered nothing until a two-out double by Austin Riley in the sixth. And even that was immediately negated when Yamamoto induced a groundout from Ozuna to end the inning in the next at-bat.

“I was thinking about it a little bit,” Roberts said of Yamamoto’s growing no-hit possibility. “Because, yeah, he had no-hit stuff tonight.” 

Instead, with Yamamoto likely to start on five days' rest for the first time this season next week — he had been on a six-days-rest schedule — Roberts ended Yamamoto’s night there, pulling him after 91 pitches.

His replacement, Kirby Yates, gave up a leadoff homer in the seventh to Olson, cutting the Dodgers’ lead in half.

But, even after a 1-hour, 13-minute rain delay at the end of the eighth, the Dodgers held on, with Tanner Scott and Evan Phillips slamming the door to preserve Yamamoto’s fourth victory and improve the team’s record to 5-2 in games he has pitched.

“Just executing all of his pitches. Just making it really hard on the hitters,” Smith said of Yamamoto’s dominance. “Right now, he’s pitching like the best pitcher in the world. We’re just fortunate to have him.”

Read more:How Dodgers' Yoshinobu Yamamoto 'elevated his game to another level' in his second year

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Watch Max Fried pitch when you haven’t focused on him much before. He comes out throwing a fastball at 89-90 mph, and you’re thinking, uh-oh. 

You knew he was a crafty lefty, but you didn’t think he was a touch-and-feel guy, a soft tosser. You wonder if he is injured.

You keep watching and it begins to make sense. Fried stays at 90 for a bit, then pushes it to 92. But this is not a pitcher loosening up in typical fashion. He might touch 94 and then retreat to 91. With two strikes, he hits 97. Then perhaps back to 93.

You get the idea. This is not exactly normal, right?

“No, he definitely does it more [than anyone],” said Fried’s catcher, Austin Wells. Smiling, he adds, “It’s scary because I don’t know when he’s going to do it.”

What does Wells think is happening? Is Fried changing speeds on purpose?

“Yeah,” Wells said. “[After it happens on a pitch] I’m always like, that makes sense.”

Fried, after pitching seven scoreless innings in a 3-0 Yankees win over the Rays on Friday -- improving his record to 6-0 and his ERA to 1.01 (!) -- took a moment near his locker to try to explain this skill. 

“Sometimes it’s conscious and sometimes it’s not,” Fried told SNY. “Sometimes you try to let it go and it’s one speed, and sometimes you time it up good.”

How does one actually change speeds on a four-seam fastball? Is it a matter of grip? A subtle reduction in arm action? Does Fried even know?

He squinted while thinking, then said, “It’s just something that I’ve always done. It’s not something that I can even really explain. My whole life I’ve always been a big fluctuator of velocity in pitches. I'm just leaning into what’s natural for me.”

The most variation within one at-bat on Friday came in the fourth inning against Jonathan Aranda. Fried started at 89, then went 93, 94, 95, and 92. By the time Aranda looked at a 79 mph curveball for a called strike three, he appeared thoroughly confused. Earlier, in a second inning at-bat, Fried showed Kameron Meisner 92 and 96, two pitches apart.

This is not a game plan. This is a person in full control of a spontaneous moment.

“It’s not something that I’m sitting here saying that I’m going to throw 20 percent of my balls under this number of miles per hour,” Fried said. “It’s just a feel of the game. It’s a little of everything.”

Freid paused. He was really trying to explain it. Words failed.

“I wish I could give you a more definitive answer,” he said. “It’s just literally like, it’s just the flow.”

It’s just the flow. That actually did sound like the answer. Changing speeds is not a verbal thing. It’s not an intellectual thing. It’s a flow thing. Fried seemed to like that. “Yeah,” he said, nodding. “Flow. Absolutely.”