Category: MLB

Shohei Ohtani has added a new title to his already decorated résumé: father.

The Los Angeles Dodgers’ two-way superstar announced the birth of his first child, a daughter, in an Instagram post Saturday. Ohtani, 30, shared a photo of the newborn’s tiny feet cradled in two hands, along with a message expressing his gratitude and wonder at becoming a parent for the first time.

“Welcome to the Ohtani Family!” he wrote. “I am so grateful to my loving wife who gave birth to our healthy beautiful daughter. To my daughter, thank you for making us very nervous yet super anxious parents.”

Ohtani is currently on Major League Baseball’s paternity list and missed the Dodgers’ weekend series against the Texas Rangers. He is eligible to miss up to three games, with the club off Monday before heading to Chicago for a series with the Cubs starting Tuesday.

The baby’s arrival marks the latest milestone in a whirlwind 16 months for Ohtani. After signing a record-shattering $700m contract with the Dodgers in December 2023, the three-time AL MVP revealed he had quietly married Mamiko Tanaka, a former professional basketball player in Japan. The couple had kept their relationship private, with Ohtani only confirming their marriage after joining the Dodgers.

Tanaka, 28, played collegiately at Waseda University before joining the Fujitsu Red Wave of the Women’s Japan Basketball League, where she competed from 2019 to 2023. The couple also share a dog, Dekopin, who has become a fan favorite on Ohtani’s social media accounts.

In his Instagram post, Ohtani extended his thanks beyond family. “I would also like to thank the Dodgers organization, my teammates, and the fans for their constant support and kind words of encouragement,” he wrote. “I would also like to express my sincere gratitude to all the medical professionals and everyone who dedicated their support to us, up until this wonderful day.”

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts announced the birth on Saturday’s game broadcast from Arlington, Texas. “Congratulations Sho!” Roberts said, adding with a smile that he wasn’t yet sure of the baby’s name.

Ohtani, who helped lead the Dodgers to a World Series title last fall, is off to a strong start in his second season with the club. Through 21 games, he’s batting .288 with six home runs, eight RBIs, and a .930 OPS.

Shohei Ohtani announced the birth of his first child on Saturday, posting on Instagram that he and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, welcomed a baby girl.

“I am so grateful to my loving wife who gave birth to our healthy beautiful daughter,” Ohtani wrote in his post. “To my daughter, thank you for making us very nervous yet super anxious parents.”

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Shohei Ohtani | 大谷翔平 (@shoheiohtani)

Ohtani has been on the paternity list since Friday, and stayed back in Los Angeles during the Dodgers’ trip to Texas to face the Rangers this weekend in anticipation of the birth.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday afternoon — before learning the baby had arrived — that it remained possible Ohtani could be back in the lineup for Sunday’s series finale, though no plans had been finalized.

“I’m hopeful,” Roberts said.

Ohtani first announced that he and Tanaka were expecting back in December. The couple got married the same winter Ohtani signed his 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers.

During an in-game interview on Saturday's Fox broadcast, Roberts said: "All of the baseball world, the Dodger family, is so excited for Shohei and Mamiko. Congratulations, Sho!"

Read more:Yoshinobu Yamamoto outduels Jacob deGrom, makes statement in Dodgers' win over Rangers

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza spoke to reporters prior to Saturday's game against the St. Louis Cardinals and addressed a number of different topics...

Confidence in Brett Baty and Luisangel Acuña

Despite riding a five-game hitting streak, Brett Baty is on the bench Saturday and Luisangel Acuña is starting at second base. Mendoza talked about his decision with the Cardinals starting LHP Matthew Liberatore, making it clear both players understand they will have plenty of chances to play.

"I don't necessarily go and tell them why, by now they both know that they are both going to get opportunities," Mendoza said. "And it doesn't necessarily have to be against the lefties or the righties. I think I gave Acuñathe other day a couple of starts against right-handed pitching. And there'll be days with Baty, he'll stay in there with lefties, too.

"I think it just comes down to continuing to build the confidence for both of them. Not only Baty, who's playing really, really well. Acuña's been playing really, really well. Just continuing to communicate with those guys that they are good major league players. And now we're seeing that... I think everybody's different and you can manage a lot of different ways."

Over the last seven games, Baty is 8-for-25 (.320) with two doubles, one triple, two RBI, one walk, and one steal while Acuña is batting .368 (7-for-19) with four runs, two doubles, one RBI, three walks, and four steals.

Jeff McNeil getting close to return

Mendoza was asked if Jeff McNeil would be ready in time to play on Monday when the Mets begin a three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies, and said they will wait and see. He's scheduled to play with Double-A Binghamton on Saturday and Sunday.

"We'll see," Mendoza said. "He's scheduled to play today and tomorrow, back-to-back. And we'll see where we're at after that."

McNeil played center field for the first time on Friday night during his rehab assignment with Single-A St. Lucie, logging six innings of action.

Of course, when McNeil does return, the Mets will need to make a roster decision. Mendoza gave a similar answer when asked if there's a scenario in which Baty and Acuña would both be able to stay with the team after McNeil returns.

"We'll see, we'll make that decision when we get there, we're still a few days away," Mendoza said. "The good thing is, if we are having this discussion, it's a good thing. That means Baty continues to play well, that means Acuña continues to play well and they're making that decision very tough on us. That's what we want. So hopefully that's the case in a few days from now where we got get in that room and make a difficult decision. They're both earning playing time and they're both proving they're big league players."

Plan for Francisco Alvarez

Catcher Francisco Alvarez, who's recovering from a broken hamate bone in his left hand,is nearing his return to the majors and will catch again on Saturday for Double-A Binghamton.

"Scheduled to catch nine innings today, maybe he'll DH tomorrow," Mendoza said. "As far as from the medical staff, he's going to be clear. It's now, 'Do you need more at-bats just to get your timing right? Or are you ready to come up and start playing big league games?'

"I think after he plays today, he caught nine innings last night, after he plays today, I think maybe DH tomorrow. And then after that, knock on wood, from a medical standpoint he's going to be clear."

Over six games with St. Lucie and Binghamton, Alvarez is 4-for-22 (.182) at the plate with one home run and three RBI.

Mendoza had said Thursday that Alvarez's return date will depend on if he needs more at-bats to feel ready for big league action, but he could return during the team's homestand. He also noted Luis Torrens will continue to see playing time

"They're both going to play," Mendoza said. " I got to take care of Alvy, too, I'm not going to run him into the ground. And Luis is playing well. That's a luxury to have, when you got two guys that you feel good about your chances, doesn't matter who's in the lineup. That's credit to Alvy and that's credit to Luis.

"I could see a scenario here where they both will play. Schedule will dictate a lot of that, where you're playing a lot of games in a row, day games, night games. All of that factors into the decision making, but I could see both of them playing."

José Azócar making season debut

With Jose Siri on the IL, Mendoza is giving José Azócar a chance in the starting lineup after he was added to the roster on Thursday.

"He's here and we're going to use him," Mendoza said. "It's something that I always put a lot of value, using the whole roster. Obviously giving TT (Tyrone Taylor) a day here, he's been playing a lot too and I got to protect him a little bit."

Mendoza likes what he's seen from Azócar, who hit .250 with one home run over 44 at-bats in spring training after playing the past three seasons with the San Diego Padres. He owns a .243 average with 21 RBI over 214 career major league games.

"Good ballplayer, he's a guy that can play defense, can play all three (outfield spots), can run the bases, and can give you good at-bats too," Mendoza said. "He's got some big league experience, brings a lot of energy. Yeah, I'm excited to have him here."

Dodgers star Shohei Ohtani announces birth of his daughter with heartwarming post originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Congratulations are in order for Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani and his wife, Mamiko Tanaka, who gave birth to their daughter.

Ohtani made the aww-inducing announcement in an Instagram post on Saturday, sharing that he and his wife are now the proud parents of a baby girl. This marks the first child for Ohtani and Tanaka, who was a professional basketball player in their native Japan.

“I am so grateful to my loving wife who gave birth to our healthy, beautiful daughter,” Ohtani wrote in his post. “To my daughter, thank you for making us very nervous yet super anxious parents.”

The couple, who routinely guard their privacy, did not share their daughter’s name or a photo of the newborn, but did share an image of the couple holding their daughter’s tiny feet. Decoy, the pair’s beloved Kooikerhondje, made a cameo in the announcement with a small photo of the pooch on the corner of the post.

In addition to showering his family with his gratitude, Ohtani also expressed his thanks to the Dodgers and the medical staff that has been supporting the new parents.

The two-way athlete announced in December that his wife was expecting their first child. Ohtani did not specify when the baby was born.

On Friday, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Ohtani was placed on MLB’s paternity list. Under the organization’s rules, Ohtani can miss up to three games during his paternity leave.

Phillies rip 18 hits, hang on for victory over Marlins originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies’ bats sure enjoyed an 80-degree April afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. 

The Phils piled up a season-high 18 hits Saturday and just about held on for an 11-10 win over the Marlins. Even many of their outs were loud. 

Taijuan Walker started for the Phillies. He didn’t have great command out of the gates but used his splitter well and escaped a first-and-third, no-out jam in the third inning. 

The Phillies had several near misses and hard-hit balls early against Miami’s Cal Quantrill, including J.T. Realmuto’s second-inning knock off the left field wall. 

They waited until the third to post a crooked number. Johan Rojas doubled to lead off the inning, darted to third base on Bryson Stott’s grounder to shortstop and cruised home on Trea Turner’s line-drive hit to left. 

Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber’s walks loaded the bases for Nick Castellanos with one out. Harper’s walked seven times over the past five games. Castellanos produced a sac fly and Max Kepler delivered a two-RBI double to put the Phils up 4-0. 

Miami got a run back in the fourth inning, but the Phillies’ offense kept the pressure on and Quantrill couldn’t complete the fourth.

After a Bohm single, Rojas lay down a bunt. Quantrill fielded the ball and considered going to second base, but he decided against it and Rojas wound up sprinting through first without a throw. Stott ripped a double to right-center that scored Bohm, and Rojas was (successfully) hot on his heels. Turner followed with a double that gave the Phillies a 7-1 lead. 

Both the bottom and top of the Phillies’ lineup were tremendous Saturday. Rojas and Stott picked up RBI hits in the fifth. Bohm recorded his first multi-hit game of April and Rojas notched his first three-hit game of the season. Stott was 3 for 5 with three RBIs and Turner went 4 for 5 with two RBIs. 

Phillies manager Rob Thomson pulled Walker after just 56 pitches, turning to Matt Strahm for the fifth inning. Walker’s final line was four innings, one run, one hit, three walks and two strikeouts. 

He dealt with shoulder stiffness throughout the day.

“Just couldn’t really get extended too much on the glove side, especially in that fourth inning with my cutter and four-seamer into the lefties,” Walker said. “Couldn’t really get it there all the way. And we had that other long inning the next one.

“It kind of sucks because I feel like I was in a pretty good groove, getting a lot of ground balls. My splitter was working really well today. It just sucks having the bullpen have to cover for me.”

Walker’s slated to start next Friday against the Cubs and expected he’d be ready to pitch.

Carlos Hernandez had a rough sixth inning and Jordan Romano seriously struggled in the ninth, conceding six runs. The game suddenly became tense and Jose Alvarado was needed for the final out.

“I felt great out there, actually,” Romano said. “That’s the best my arm has felt in a long time. … I felt confident, honestly, in all my pitches. I don’t know. They were seeing it really well today. Everything I threw in there, it felt like they were pretty comfortable with it and obviously putting pretty good swings on it.

“But again, not exactly sure. Obviously, when I’m up in the count, need to make better pitches — 1-2, 0-2. But I still felt great out there, just got crushed.”

Romano said he’d review the video and look into whether he was tipping his pitches.

“I’ve got a lot of confidence in him,” Thomson said. “He’s got a great track record. As long as the stuff is good, you’ve got to believe in him.”

Alvarado ultimately sealed the deal. Miami’s Xavier Edwards lined out to right field, cementing the Phillies’ third win in a row. They’re now 13-8 on the season.

Sunday’s series finale will start at 1:35 p.m. The pitching matchup is Jesus Luzardo (2-0, 2.31 ERA) vs. Connor Gillispie (0-2, 6.63 ERA). 

Castellanos gets a DH day 

Castellanos served as the Phillies’ designated hitter Saturday. Schwarber played left field and Kepler slid over to right. 

Thomson has been cautious with Castellanos since he exited the Phillies’ win Thursday over the Giants because of left hip flexor tightness.

“We’re just trying to keep him off his feet for a day, limit as much running as we can. … Schwarbs is happy he gets to play (the field),” Thomson said. 

Brandon Marsh remained out with a right knee injury. According to Thomson pregame, Marsh was feeling “a little bit better” and likely would’ve been available in an emergency scenario. 

Another step for Painter 

Andrew Painter made his second rehab start Friday night for Single A Clearwater, throwing three scoreless innings. Thomson was pleased with his outing. 

“The velocity was good, he threw strikes, the secondary pitches were good. … Forty-nine pitches. Three hits, four strikeouts, no walks. It’s good,” Thomson said. 

Painter is scheduled to start next Thursday in Clearwater. He’ll again be around 50 pitches. 

Thomson said he envisions Painter hitting “120, 130” innings this season between the minors and majors, but “we don’t really know the number.” 

Ranger Suarez is set to continue his rehab progression with a start next Tuesday for Triple A Lehigh Valley. He was in Philadelphia on Saturday for a bullpen session.

Phillies rip 18 hits, hang on for victory over Marlins originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies’ bats sure enjoyed an 80-degree April afternoon at Citizens Bank Park. 

The Phils piled up a season-high 18 hits Saturday and just about held on for an 11-10 win over the Marlins. Even many of their outs were loud. 

Taijuan Walker started for the Phillies. He didn’t have great command out of the gates but used his splitter well and escaped a first-and-third, no-out jam in the third inning. 

The Phillies had several near misses and hard-hit balls early against Miami’s Cal Quantrill, including J.T. Realmuto’s second-inning knock off the left field wall. 

They waited until the third to post a crooked number. Johan Rojas doubled to lead off the inning, darted to third base on Bryson Stott’s grounder to shortstop and cruised home on Trea Turner’s line-drive hit to left. 

Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber’s walks loaded the bases for Nick Castellanos with one out. Harper’s walked seven times over the past five games. Castellanos produced a sac fly and Max Kepler delivered a two-RBI double to put the Phils up 4-0. 

Miami got a run back in the fourth inning, but the Phillies’ offense kept the pressure on and Quantrill couldn’t complete the fourth.

After a Bohm single, Rojas lay down a bunt. Quantrill fielded the ball and considered going to second base, but he decided against it and Rojas wound up sprinting through first without a throw. Stott ripped a double to right-center that scored Bohm, and Rojas was (successfully) hot on his heels. Turner followed with a double that gave the Phillies a 7-1 lead. 

Both the bottom and top of the Phillies’ lineup were tremendous Saturday. Rojas and Stott picked up RBI hits in the fifth. Bohm recorded his first multi-hit game of April and Rojas notched his first three-hit game of the season. Stott was 3 for 5 with three RBIs and Turner went 4 for 5 with two RBIs. 

Phillies manager Rob Thomson pulled Walker after just 56 pitches, turning to Matt Strahm for the fifth inning. Walker’s final line was four innings, one run, one hit, three walks and two strikeouts. 

Carlos Hernandez had a rough sixth inning and Jordan Romano seriously struggled in the ninth, conceding six runs. The game suddenly became tense and Jose Alvarado was needed for the final out.

He got it. Miami’s Xavier Edwards lined out to right field, cementing the Phillies’ third win in a row. They’re now 13-8 on the season.

Sunday’s series finale will start at 1:35 p.m. The pitching matchup is Jesus Luzardo (2-0, 2.31 ERA) vs. Connor Gillispie (0-2, 6.63 ERA). 

Castellanos gets a DH day 

Castellanos served as the Phillies’ designated hitter Saturday. Schwarber played left field and Kepler slid over to right. 

Thomson has been cautious with Castellanos since he exited the Phillies’ win Thursday over the Giants because of left hip flexor tightness.

“We’re just trying to keep him off his feet for a day, limit as much running as we can. … Schwarbs is happy he gets to play (the field),” Thomson said. 

Brandon Marsh remained out with a right knee injury. According to Thomson pregame, Marsh was feeling “a little bit better” and likely would’ve been available in an emergency scenario. 

Another step for Painter 

Andrew Painter made his second rehab start Friday night for Single A Clearwater, throwing three scoreless innings. Thomson was pleased with his outing. 

“The velocity was good, he threw strikes, the secondary pitches were good. … Forty-nine pitches. Three hits, four strikeouts, no walks. It’s good,” Thomson said. 

Painter is scheduled to start next Thursday in Clearwater. He’ll again be around 50 pitches. 

Thomson said he envisions Painter hitting “120, 130” innings this season between the minors and majors, but “we don’t really know the number.” 

Ranger Suarez is set to continue his rehab progression with a start next Tuesday for Triple A Lehigh Valley. 

Villar returns to big leagues with Giants; Schmitt on IL originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants on Saturday made their first roster move of the 2025 MLB season.

San Francisco selected David Villar to the major league roster and placed Casey Schmitt on the IL with a left oblique strain. Jerar Encarnacion, who fractured his left hand in spring training, was moved to the 60-day IL to make room on the roster.

David Villar is back in the big leagues and on the 40-man roster. Casey Schmitt has a left oblique strain and Jerar Encarnacion went on 60-day IL to clear a 40-man spot. Villar has impressed front office with the quality of his at-bats since he was sent back to Triple-A.

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) April 19, 2025

Just two days before Opening Day, the Giants added veteran right-handed reliever Lou Trivino to the roster and designated Villar for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster. Last month, Villar cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Sacramento, keeping him as a backup option when needed this season.

For his career, Villar slashed .200/.288/.400 with 15 home runs and 40 RBI. His offensive numbers haven’t remained consistent with his debut 2022 season with San Francisco.

Last year, he started the season at Triple-A Sacramento after Matt Chapman joined the club to take the third base job. He did appear in 11 games with San Francisco, slashing .257/.270/.457 with one home run and four RBI.

His potential is undeniable, but his inconsistencies have made it difficult for him to keep a firm role in the big leagues. Perhaps this latest call-up can serve as a reminder of what he can bring to the table for the Giants looking to get back in the win column.

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The Mets (13-7) continue their series with the St. Louis Cardinals (9-11) on Saturday at 4:05 p.m. on FOX.

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

Mets Notes

• Kodai Senga looks to continue his strong start to the season, as he tossed seven scoreless innings last time out on April 13 against the A's
• Francisco Lindor is slashing .333/.412/.500 with three RBI, including his walk-off HR on Friday, over his last seven games
• After two straight hitless games, Juan Soto broke out with a clutch RBI-single to tie Friday's game in the fifth inning
• New York relievers have combined to post a 2.10 ERA this season (third-best in the majors) with Max Kranick (1.35 ERA) and Ryne Stanek (0.00 ERA) both throwing scoreless outings in Friday's win
• Mark Vientos homered for the second straight game (the first time of his career), extending his hitting streak to six games (tied for second-longest of career)

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

• Francisco Lindor crushed a no-doubt, walk-off homer to power the Mets to a 5-4 win over the St. Louis Cardinals
• After the win, Lindor reflected on his 250th career blast, making him just the fifth shortstop to reach the milestone
• Juan Soto received an ovation from the fans at Citi Field before recording a game-tying single in Friday's win
• WATCH: Carlos Mendoza and David Petersontalk dramatic Mets win thanks to "special" Lindor
• Prior to the game, Mendoza said he's been impressed with Max Kranick so far this season and gave updates on Dedniel Núñez and Jeff McNeil
• Top prospect Brandon Sproattossed six scoreless innings in his third straight strong Triple-A outing

This is Star Wars weekend at Angel Stadium, and on Friday the Angels activated their best player from the injured list, so the graphics on the video board pretty much wrote themselves: “Return of the Neto.”

That would be Zach Neto, not Mike Trout. It could be Trout again, but for last year and again in his season debut Friday, the Angels’ best player was Neto.

For Ron Washington, the Angels’ manager, young players earn their stripes, then they earn them all over again. On Friday, Neto batted seventh.

“When you have a superstar like Mike, when he gets going, he’s the type of guy who can carry the team,” Washington said. “We’re not expecting Neto to carry this team.”

Read more:Tyler Anderson shines and Zach Neto makes an impact in Angels' win over Giants

There is nothing controversial in that statement. Trout is bound for Cooperstown, a three-time most valuable player. The idea that a third-year shortstop would be the guy on which Angels fans were waiting did not sit well with Neto.

“I'm not the savior,” Neto said. “I'm just here to do my job.”

He might be a savior, if not the savior. As Neto completed his rehabilitation from shoulder surgery, the replacement shortstops in Anaheim batted .159 with a .372 OPS. In 2021, the last season before the adoption of the universal designated hitter, Angels pitchers batted .150 with a .377 OPS.

Neto put up 5.1 WAR last season, according to Baseball Reference, bettered among American League West players only by Oakland slugger Brent Rooker (5.6) and Houston slugger Yordan Alvarez (5.4).

You may have heard of the two players immediately behind Neto: Texas shortstop Corey Seager (5.0), winner of a World Series championship with the Dodgers and another with the Rangers; and ex-Houston outfielder Kyle Tucker, now with the Chicago Cubs, who could be the winner of a half-billion dollars in free agency in the coming winter.

“If what he did last year is his ceiling, we’re in trouble,” Washington said of Neto, “meaning that there’s a lot more.”

In his first at-bat of the season, against San Francisco Giants ace Logan Webb, Neto rocketed a 106-mph one-hopper that sent Giants shortstop Willy Adames staggering.

As the ball headed into the left-center field alley, Neto raced around first base and dove headfirst into second. The hustle double drove in Nolan Schanuel with the game’s first run, and Neto subsequently scored the game’s second run on an error by Giants third baseman Matt Chapman.

Final score: Angels 2, Giants 0.

The Angels had returned home dragging a four-game losing streak, and Trout said Neto was just what the doctor ordered. For the past week, as Neto completed his minor league rehabilitation assignment, Trout said Neto repeatedly texted him.

“He was bugging me to go to the front office and tell them to bring him back,” Trout said.

“His energy, you can feed off that. The last couple games, the energy has been down a little bit, unlike the first week and a half of the season. We’ve got to pick it up. He’s got some talent, and he knows it.”

Zach is back!!! pic.twitter.com/bHhbSa9P5d

— Los Angeles Angels (@Angels) April 19, 2025

Said Neto: “Everybody has a bad road trip. Every team is bound to have one. The Dodgers had one. And unfortunately, it was our turn. So, you know, we're just here to come back in the homestand, kind of get back on the winning side of it. And keep everything rolling.”

The season is 19 games old, far too soon to draw any conclusions, but the early signs for Trout have leaned toward the unfavorable. Of the nine players in Friday’s lineup, Trout was the only one who finished the game with a batting average below .200.

He leads the team with six home runs. But he is batting .171, and he struck out in all three at-bats Friday. In his last six games, he has two hits — both singles — with one walk and 13 strikeouts in 22 at-bats.

The Angels lead the AL in attendance, with a fireworks show and Star Wars giveaway item on deck Saturday. They are one game above .500, in second place in a division in which every team has given up more runs than it has scored.

As former major league pitcher Joaquin Andujar once said, “You can sum up the game of baseball in one word: You never know.” We don’t yet know about these Angels, but we know their chances are better with Neto.

Read more:Championship blues: Dodgers games used to be affordable family entertainment. No more.

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.

We asked for your views on whether Barry Ferguson should remain Rangers manager beyond this season.

Here's what some of you said:

Robert: Barry is a Rangers legend but the job is far too big for him. I hope the takeover happens and we get a massive overhaul on players, especially top defenders, as we need it.

Wullie: Yes, keep Barry as manger or in some role at the club, Rangers need a Rangers man there. The other side across the city have done this with John Kennedy for years and it seems to have worked with them.

Frazer: Barry should get the job, time and again Rangers have made the wrong decision in terms of management. When you watch Barry and the staff, you just see that touchline oozing passion. Whether we're 2-0 up or 2-0 down, the staff are driving that Rangers energy into the players and I've been pleased with their game management. I'd much rather that spirit than a fancy CV. I think that they know the Scottish game better than most that we can bring in, they just need time and investment.

Chris: Ferguson isn't fit to be the manager. His previous experience is pathetic so how does he even get a chance at this job? Inexperienced and inept and will lean on his past to try and get the job. Serious retrograde step if he was appointed.

David: Ferguson hasn't exactly had a stellar career as a manager. This Rangers team were already somehow getting it together in Europe before he came along, so not much of it is down to him. He was brought in to appease the supporters at a difficult time, that shouldn't be the basis for a permanent position.

It was a special night at Citi Field on Friday, and Francisco Lindor made it historic with his walk-off homer that sent Mets fans home happy.

Yes, the longball catapulted the Mets to a 5-4 win after a seesaw battle with the Cardinals, but the home run was history-making in its own right. Not only was it Lindor's first walk-off homer as a member of the Mets, but it was his 250th career home run. In doing so, he became the 254th player in major league history to reach that milestone, but he was the first to accomplish the feat with a walk-off.

"That’s why he’s an elite player and a special player," manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game. "A moment is not too big for him. He lives for those moments and he came through for us again."

"I gave it everything I had," Lindor said of his home run before calling Friday's game a "fantastic team win," crediting everyone from starter David Peterson to the bullpen to the guys who put runs on the board (Tyrone Taylor, Juan Soto and Luis Torrens).

But while Friday showed how so many pieces helped the Mets win, the night was about Lindor.

"It’s a great number. It’s a number I never thought I was going to get to, as a little kid who just wanted to play baseball on TV so my mom and dad can watch me," Lindor said. "It's really cool. I’m blessed..a lot of good teammates that I had helped me and hitting coaches that helped me along the way. And to my dad that, who never thought I could hit. It's good, it's good."

"It takes a lot [to get to 250]. He’s been in the league for a long time, having success. It’s not easy, especially playing a premium position at an elite level," Mendoza said of the accomplishment. "On top of that, you add the offense. Not just batting average, or hitting doubles but hitting for power. Not too many shortstops in the history of the game, there are only a few of them. We’re witnessing a special player and a special career here."

Lindor is just the 19th active player to have 250-plus home runs, but to Mendoza's point, he's just the fifth shortstop EVER to reach that mark (minimum 60 percent of career games at shortstop).

Although his walk-off homer had Citi Field rocking and made history, Lindor says he didn't even see it land. He just wanted to see his teammates.

"I kept my face in the dugout, with the guys," he said. "Everyone was running wild like we’re all little kids."

That selfless and team-first attitude is why he's the unofficial captain of the Mets. And his career will be defined not just by his accomplishments on the field, but off of it.

"There’s a lot that defines him. Not only moments like this but as soon as he gets to the ballpark, he influences people in a positive way," Mendoza explains. "His presence, his interactions. The way he pushes people, encourages people. And not just players,  but coaches, support staff, everyone in this building. His presence, you can feel it every time he’s around. I’m glad I have him."

Francisco Lindor. pic.twitter.com/g0JgPXOaKP

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) April 19, 2025

Juan Soto entered Friday's matchup with the Cardinals in a bit of a slump.

The outfielder, who signed a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets this offseason, was hitting just .221 with an OBP of .361 and just three home runs in his first 19 games in Flushing. But it's not just the statline he hasn't been able to cash in on.

We've seen him strike out with men on base, ground into inning-ending double-plays with the bases loaded, and so forth. It hasn't always been pretty, but Mets fans showed support for their newest slugger on Friday night.

After Soto grounded out in his first two at-bats, he came up in the fifth inning with a chance to tie the game. After Tyrone Taylor's triple plated Brett Baty, Francisco Lindor flew out to shallow right, failing to get Taylor home. Soto came up next with one out and the potential to do something positive. As the slugger made his way to the batter's box, the Citi Field crowd got on its feet and gave Soto a standing ovation.

Soto took a first-pitch curveball for a ball, and then lined an 84 mph changeup from Miles Mikolas to right field to tie the game, sending the Mets faithful into a frenzy.

The Citi Field crowd rose to its feet as Juan Soto came to the plate.

He delivered with an RBI single. pic.twitter.com/5T6lHu1xFV

— SNY (@SNYtv) April 19, 2025

The RBI single snapped a 0-for-12 skid and gave the Mets new life, which they parlayed into a 5-4 win.

"That’s who we are, that’s who the Mets fans are. We feel it and the other team feels it. I’m sure Juan felt it," manager Carlos Mendoza said of the moment. "He’s a really good player. We’ve seen it so many times here, especially when they’re struggling.

"We saw it last year with Lindor and he took off. I’m not going to say that’s going to happen every time... It’s good to have that kind of support."

As Mendoza alluded to, Friday was a scene reminiscent of what the Citi Field crowd did a calendar year ago with another MVP-caliber player. Lindor was mired in one of the worst slumps of his career, batting just .098 through his first 51 at-bats of 2024.

The fans embraced their shortstop, and by the end of the year, Lindor was the NL MVP runner-up and helped lead the Mets on an improbable run into the postseason.

"The crowd is embracing Soto, and I love that," Lindor said. "He’s going to be with us for a very long time, he’s a fantastic player. I know at any point he’s going to make something happen. Every at-bat, he’s in the moment. You kind of expect it, he’s that good…I’m glad he was able to come through today.

"He picked me up. That at-bat, I popped up and he singled…RBI. It’s passing the baton. I’m happy the fans are embracing him and showing love. He deserves it."

Despite Soto's struggles, he is still getting on base and helping his team. He finished 1-for-3 with that RBI single and a walk on Friday, making it the ninth game this season where he had at least one hit and one walk. That's tied with Aaron Judge for the most such games in the majors.

While Soto isn't putting up numbers like he did a season ago when he finished third in AL MVP voting, he's still contributing and the Mets are winning. And the Mets fans know those MVP-type numbers will come -- they are willing to wait for them.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone isn't willing to label Carlos Rodón as a feast-or-famine pitcher. He dismissed that notion and conjecture on Friday afternoon, arguing that ample dominance from the veteran left-hander should be acknowledged more than the back-breaking pitches that have spoiled his recent outings.

The pregame message from Boone couldn't have reached Rodón prior to his first pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays, but the comments were undoubtedly validated. In spite of profuse sweat on his uniform and some slippage on the mound, Rodón delivered six shutout innings with a season-high nine strikeouts in the team's 1-0 win at Steinbrenner Field.

By no means was Rodón's performance clean. He struggled with control throughout the night due to sweat and footing issues, and received a mid-inning towel break that helped dry his left arm and hand. But the southpaw overcame inconveniences, generated enough whiffs, and buckled down for his first quality start of 2025.

"I thought it was a little bit of a grind for him, actually, tonight," Boone said of Rodón after the win. "His last two [starts] were actually better -- they just put two swings out of the ballpark. He kind of grinded his way through. His stuff was good. But I just liked how he kept moving -- next pitch, next pitch. Some command issues at times with him, but he was able to make a big pitch, it seemed like, all night long."

While the main theme of Rodón's shortcomings has been his propensity for the untimely home run, walks have also been a huge concern. He entered Friday with the fifth-highest walk percentage in the league, and his outing on Friday began with a four-pitch walk.

But he didn't allow the two-on, no-out jam in the first inning to overwhelm him. With a four-pitch mix centered around his slider and changeup, Rodón induced three straight strikeouts to escape trouble. He allowed another leadoff walk in the second and a leadoff double in the fifth, but the Rays were unable to build rallies.

It was a gutsy effort -- both physically and mentally -- from Rodón, who let out a scream after throwing his 102nd and final pitch. The 32-year-old lowered his season ERA, raised his strikeout percentage, and, for at least a week, silenced doubters questioning his reliability.

Three straight strikeouts for Carlos Rodón! pic.twitter.com/zXN0WwRYlJ

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) April 18, 2025