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Ke’Bryan Hayes returns to Pittsburgh after being traded to the playoff-chasing Reds

PITTSBURGH — Ke’Bryan Hayes said he thought he might be in Pittsburgh to stay before the Pirates traded him July 30 to NL Central rival Cincinnati.

He returned to Pittsburgh on Thursday for the first time since he was dealt, with the Pirates opening a four-game series against the Reds.

Hayes’ future with the Pirates looked secure after he signed a $70 million, eight-year contract in 2022.

“The reason I signed the contract here in Pittsburgh, I wanted to be here and maybe play here my whole career,” Hayes said. “But baseball’s a business at the end of the day.”

The Pirates played a video tribute to Hayes when he came to bat in the third inning. As the crowd cheered, with many fans standing, Hayes doffed his batting helmet.

The Gold Glove third baseman went from an organization that was well outside the playoffs race to a Reds team competing for a wild-card spot. Pittsburgh was 49-66 heading into Thursday’s game and last in the division; Cincinnati was 60-55 and three games out of a playoff spot.

“It’s been great over here,” Hayes said. “They’ve welcomed me with big arms. We’re in playoff contention.”

Hayes, the son of former major leaguer Charlie Hayes and a first-round draft pick by the Pirates in 2015, struggled to find consistency at the plate following his splashy debut during the final month of the COVID-19-shortened season in 2020. He hit .376 with five homers in 24 games immediately after being called up, numbers that he didn’t come close to matching while playing a full 162-game schedule.

Hayes hit .236 with two home runs and 36 RBIs this season for the Pirates. Through six games with the Reds, he was batting .211 with a homer and three RBIs.

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Red Sox prospects update: Roman Anthony graduation means new face tops list

Red Sox prospects update: Roman Anthony graduation means new face tops list originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The farm looks different these days.

The Red Sox no longer have the top prospect in baseball after Roman Anthony earned an early-June call-up and performed so well that Boston signed him an eight-year extension. They no longer have Marcelo Mayer nor Kristian Campbell headlining their list either, despite the fact neither are currently taking the field in Boston. Even the top prospect Boston acquired in the Rafael Devers trade, James Tibbs III, no longer has his sights set on Fenway Park after being traded before the July 31 deadline.

There’s been quite a bit of turnover at the top, to say the least.

With that said, here’s a look at the ballclub’s current top 10 prospects, courtesy of MLB Pipeline:

1. Franklin Arias, SS/2B

2025 stats: .346/.407/.397, 0 HR, 9 RBI, 6 BB, 12 SO (19 games at Single-A Salem); .269/.316/.394, 5 HR, 40 RBI, 18 BB, 26 SO (67 games at High-A Greenville)

MLB ETA: 2027

The 19-year-old infielder, who ranked No. 76 in Baseball America’s top 100 before the 2025 campaign, was elevated from Single-A Salem to High-A Greenville in late April. Arias recorded a .804 OPS in 78 at-bats against Single-A competition before the promotion.  

2. Jhostynxon Garcia, OF

2025 stats: .256/.355/.393, 3 HR, 17 RBI, 18 BB, 29 SO (33 games at Double-A Portland); .305/.375/.587, 15 HR, 44 RBI, 22 BB, 65 SO (54 games at Triple-A Worcester). 

MLB ETA: 2026

Garcia, also known as “The Password,” has upped his character count since he arrived in Triple-A Worcester on May 20. The 22-year-old outfielder looks like the club’s next big bat, and represents a potential late-season call-up.

3. Payton Tolle, LHP

2025 stats: 1-3, 3.62 ERA, 1.168 WHIP, 14 BB, 79 SO (11 games, 10 starts at High-A Greenville); 1-1, 2.67 ERA, 0.741 WHIP, 7 BB, 37 SO (6 games, 5 starts at Double-A Portland)

MLB ETA: 2026

Tolle’s rapid ascension continued with his promotion to Triple-A Worcester on Tuesday. The 22-year-old left-hander is widely considered the top pitching prospect in the organization, and arguably the top prospect in the entire farm system. Red Sox manager Alex Cora has been impressed by his rise.

4. Brandon Clarke, LHP

2025 stats: 0-2, 4.85 ERA, 0.414 WHIP, 2 BB, 17 SO (3 games at Single-A Salem); 4.85 ERA, 1.346 WHIP, 22 BB, 40 SO (10 games at High-A Greenville)

MLB ETA: 2028

The hard-throwing left-hander is creating early excitement after he was viewed as one of the top JUCO prospects in the 2024 MLB Draft. Clarke was not listed among the team’s top-10 rankings in late June. MLB Pipeline had him ranked 30th in late April.

5. Connelly Early, LHP

2025 stats: 7-2, 2.51 ERA, 1.13 WHIP, 29 BB, 96 SO (15 games, 12 starts at Double-A Portland); 0-0, 0.00 ERA, 1.91 WHIP, 5 BB, 2 SO (1 game at Triple-A Worcester)

MLB ETA: 2026

Promoted to Triple-A Worcester in early August, chief baseball officer Craig Breslow name-dropped Early as a potential late-season elevation. Early, the team’s No. 10 prospect in late June, carved up Portland during a three-month period before he made the jump to Worcester.

6. Justin Gonzalez, 1B/OF

2025 stats: 0.00/0.00/0.00, 0 HR, 0 RBI, 0 BB, 2 SO (1 game with FCL Red Sox); .285/.375/.402, 3 HR, 24 RBI, 30 BB, 43 SO (65 games with Single-A Salem);

MLB ETA: 2029

The 18-year-old, who recently earned the organization’s Latin Program Player of the Year award, possesses raw power as a product of 6-foot-4, 210-pound frame. He’s making his first appearance in the top 10 after a strong stretch in Single-A Salem.

7. Mikey Romero, SS/2B

2025 stats: .254/.315/.440, 8 HR, 40 RBI, 23 BB, 74 SO (66 games at Double-A Portland); .200/.200/.500, 2 HR, 6 RBI, 0 BB, 5 SO (5 games at Triple-A Worcester)

MLB ETA: 2026

A first-round pick in 2022, Romero is looking healthy again. He was granted a well-earned call-up in early August and proceeded to hit a pair of home runs and record six RBIs in a single game for Triple-A Worcester.

8. Luis Perales, RHP

2025 stats: N/A

MLB ETA: 2027

The 22-year-old has dropped down the rankings a bit with the emergence of other healthy hurlers. Perales, who had Tommy John surgery in June, will miss the entire 2025 campaign.

9. Yoeilin Cespedes, SS/2B

2025 stats: .228/.363/..642, 6 HR, 42 RBI, 25 BB, 77 SO (84 games at Single-A Salem)

MLB ETA: 2028

The 19-year-old Cespedes is one of the few prospects on this list who has spent the season in one place. His numbers are down across the board since starting the season in Single-A Salem.

10. Dorian Soto, SS

2025 stats: .319/.366/.457, 2 HR, 18 RBI, 12 BB, 22 SO (38 games DSL Red Sox Red)

MLB ETA: 2030

The 17-year-old is a switch-hitting infielder who’s played second base, shortstop and third base during his campaign in the Dominican Summer League. He’s tearing it up at the plate since arriving in early June, too.

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How many Schwarbombs can Kyle Schwarber hit? 50? 60? Phillies slugger on-team record HR pace

PHILADELPHIA — Ryan Howard hit home runs as far and as fast as any slugger of his era. He’s still the only player to sock one completely into the third deck in 22 years of Citizens Bank Park — and he did it twice.

So how about it, Ryan.

Who would win in a home run derby in their primes between two of the best Phillies to ever launch ’em over the fence? Howard — the only Phillie to top 50 homers in a season, when he totaled 58 in 2006 — or current sensation Kyle Schwarber? Schwarber leads the National League with 40 homers, and No. 40 came in style, a grand slam as he dug in to roaring “MVP! MVP!” chants.

“It’d be a tight one,” Howard said. “Young Howie put some balls in the seats. Schwarbs is nothing to sneeze at.”

Schwarber’s 40 homers this season put him well ahead of the pace to best his career-high of 47 set in 2023, one better than the 46 he hit in 2022 in the first season of a four-year, $79 million free-agent contract.

Howard’s team mark of 58 remains in play if Schwarber keeps scorching balls like he has since he won All-Star Game MVP honors after he hit three homers in the game’s first-ever swing-off. Schwarber has 10 homers — dubbed Schwarbombs that have made him arguably the most popular franchise star — since the break for the Phillies, who lead the NL East as they get set to open a 10-game road trip in Texas.

Howard hit 198 homers from 2006 to 2009 and helped the Phillies win the 2008 World Series before his career was cut short by injury. It’s the ring he treasures most these days. But he looks back now in admiration of his record 2006 season, a feat he didn’t necessarily enjoy as much in real time, just as he expected Schwarber to do of this season well after retirement.

“I think he’ll look back and one day say, ‘I hit 50 home runs, and have no clue how I did,’” Howard said.

Howard might be on to something. Schwarber indeed says he has no clue why his home run total has been going, going, gone through the roof at this point of the season.

“You go into every year in the offseason and you try and find ways to keep getting better,” he said. “It’s not like I went into the offseason saying I want to try and hit more home runs or anything like that. I think it’s just trying to be consistent with what you’re doing. The more consistency you can find in your swing and in your work, I think that will lead to results on the field.”

His results are a key reason why the Phillies are on track to make the playoffs for the fourth straight season.

He hit 40 homers in the Phillies’ first 112 games — one more than Howard over the first 112 games of 2006. His .965 OPS is third in baseball and he leads baseball with 94 RBIs. Schwarber has played every game this season, almost exclusively as the designated hitter.

Perhaps no moment so far this season has been as automatic an entry into the season highlight video as his game against Baltimore. Schwarber already had connected on a two-run home run deep in the second deck. The crowd of 41,099 fans were in a Schwarbomb frenzy when he came to the plate in the sixth. He heard the MVP chants as he sent one into the right-center seats off Yaramil Hiraldo for his ninth career grand slam and second of the season.

“Those are the moments that you take in as a player,” Schwarber said. “Those are special things that happen and that kind of just go in the back of the memory. Hold on to those things for a while. It was obviously a really cool thing and I appreciate it.”

Schwarber’s production raises two pivotal questions down the stretch; Can a designated hitter in the National League not named Shohei Ohtani win MVP and just how much of the bank will Schwarber break when the impending free agent signs his new deal?

Schwarber and the Phillies failed to reach a deal ahead of the season and contract talks were tabled until after the season. Phillies managing partner John Middleton has remained steadfast in his commitment to wanting Schwarber back.

“We need no motivation whatsoever when it comes to Kyle Schwarber,” Middleton said in July. “He’s great. We thought he was great when we signed him years ago. We thought he was great consistently through the years. There’s nothing Kyle does that surprises us.”

Schwarber could command a new deal that would place him among the highest-paid players in the game. Fair enough, perhaps, for what’s he accomplished over his four seasons in Philadelphia. But can a player who turns 33 ahead of next season really be counted on to club 40-plus homers a season deep into his 30s without adding any defensive value?

Maybe if that player wins an MVP (oh, and a World Series).

Ohtani last season became the first primary designated hitter and first player who didn’t appear defensively for a single inning to win an MVP. The Los Angeles Dodgers star remained the favorite in 2025 to win another one, with Schwarber a distant second, per BetMGM Sportsbook.

But hitting 50 homers — do we hear 60? — is still very much in play for Schwarber even if he’s not sure how he’s doing it.

“Sometimes it’s just one of those things where you’re just in it,” Howard said, “and it just happens.”

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Max Scherzer vs. Clayton Kershaw: A rare showdown between 3,000-strikeout pitchers

LOS ANGELES — Max Scherzer vs. Clayton Kershaw sounds like an enticing postseason matchup in October. Fans won’t have to wait that long. The likely Hall of Famers square off in a rare contest between the most recent members of baseball’s 3,000-strikeout club.

“You probably aren’t going to see that very often these days,” Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “I have a lot of respect for Max. It’ll be good to see him and hopefully we can have our way with him.”

Scherzer is, alongside his left-handed opponent, perhaps one of this generation’s greatest pitchers. He and Kershaw have each won World Series titles and are three-time Cy Young Award winners. Scherzer, 41, is an eight-time All-Star, while the 37-year-old Kershaw has 11 All-Star appearances, including this year as a Legend Pick by Commissioner Rob Manfred.

Scherzer became the 19th member of the 3,000-strikeout club while pitching for the Dodgers in September 2021. Kershaw joined him as the 20th member. The duo, along with Justin Verlander, are the only active pitchers to reach the 3,000-strikeout mark.

“I loved playing with him. I love competing against him. I have all the respect in the world for him,” Scherzer said from Colorado, where the Toronto Blue Jays earned a sweep. “We’ve been pitching for so long, you don’t know how many more chances you are going to get at this, to face somebody of his ilk. This is what you dream of, facing the best. It should be a lot of fun.”

But such a high-stakes duel doesn’t always live up to the anticipation.

In September 2023, Scherzer and Verlander squared off for the first time in a matchup of 200-game winners. Scherzer, then with Texas, didn’t make it to the fourth inning. Verlander, also a three-time Cy Young Award winner who was then with Houston, scattered six hits over seven innings.

Rookie left-hander Jack Dreyer has a locker just a few feet from Kershaw’s in the Dodgers clubhouse. He also played against Scherzer last season in a rehab outing.

“The way they go about their business is what separates them. To an extent there’s the talent, but they also just work harder than everybody else, especially Kersh,” Dreyer said. “It’s not always easy to listen to guys if they’re talking to you about how to get better but you don’t see them doing it. With him, it’s just so easy because I see him working his butt off every single day. He’s the easiest guy in the world to learn from.”

Blue Jays bench coach Don Mattingly will be watching Scherzer and Kershaw, who he managed in LA from 2011-15.

“They work. They are detailed in what they want to do,” Mattingly said in Colorado.

Mattingly credits then-Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt for helping Kershaw develop a slider to add to the primary fastball-changeup mix that he used early in his 18-year career.

“Just that two-pitch combo is tough. Umps miss that curveball because it is big. So they’d ‘ball’ it on him,” Mattingly said. “Then he came with the slider, which really changed him, being able to get down under the right-hander. Speed them up a little bit, and then that curveball was kind of a putaway when he had that going.”

The series opener at Dodger Stadium is a matchup of division leaders. The Blue Jays lead the AL East by four games over Boston. The Dodgers’ NL West lead over San Diego has shriveled to two.

And that’s ultimately what matters to Scherzer.

“If you start putting the importance on this matchup with them and put your attention toward this, you are going to overlook some other things,” he said. “They won the World Series last year. They’re the champs. You want a shot at the champs. You want to beat them. That’s what this game is about.”

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3 ways the Mets can turn their 2025 season around

The trade deadline has passed, but the Mets still need help. I’m here with some suggestions that may fit the bill.

But first, let’s spell out how badly Carlos Mendoza’s team is playing, to the point where he called out his hitters after Wednesday’s near no-hitter by Gavin Williams for not making the necessary in-game adjustments to the way they were being pitched.

Here are some key stats:

  • Since June 13, the Mets are 18-28, even with a seven-game winning streak during that time, so at this point it feels like more than simply a bad stretch.
  • For the season, their .231 team batting average with runners in scoring position ranks 27th in MLB, and if you’ve watched closely, that number probably even feels too high.
  • Since the All-Star break, their team OPS is .639, dead last in MLB, and their .213 batting average ranks 29th.
  • Their .225 batting average against left-handed pitching ranks 25th in MLB.

And lest we think it’s all about the offense, since June 14, their starting pitchers are averaging 4.7 innings per start, which is why they’ve almost certainly spent more money than any team in baseball shuttling relievers back and forth from Triple-A to replenish the bullpen on a daily basis.

Yep, it’s bad, and in truth, the only way out of this extended run of bad baseball is if their stars start playing like stars, above all Juan Soto, Francisco Lindor and Pete Alonso on the hitting side, and Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga on the pitching side.

But it doesn’t mean a few changes wouldn’t help.

With that in mind, I offer these ideas...

Jun 13, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez (28) reacts after hitting a ninth inning walkoff two run home run against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field.
Jun 13, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets designated hitter J.D. Martinez (28) reacts after hitting a ninth inning walkoff two run home run against the Miami Marlins at Citi Field. / Brad Penner - USA TODAY Sports

1. Hire J.D. Martinez as a sounding board/troubleshooter of sorts for the Mets’ hitters

The Mets can use this as a way to address the problems of making the in-game adjustments that Mendoza brought up Wednesday.

Why not take a shot with the retired Martinez as some form of supplemental hitting coach? The guy was known throughout baseball as a hitting savant during his career, after all, and he seemed to have a positive effect on the Mets’ clubhouse last season, even if age seemed to catch up with him as a DH late in the year.

Ideally, the current hitting coaches, Eric Chavez and Jeremy Barnes, would welcome the knowledge Martinez would bring. If not, well, they don’t have much room for complaint after Mendonza, unwittingly or not, essentially raised questions about whether they’re doing what’s necessary to help players make the in-game adjustments the manager deemed as lacking.

Maybe Steve Cohen could be convinced to make it worthwhile for Martinez to put his burgeoning pickleball career (he signed a deal in July to play professionally) on hold for a couple of months in pursuit of a World Series ring.

2. Bring back Luisangel Acuña from the minors

Brett Baty’s not hitting (again) and for a team struggling to score runs, Acuña offers more ways to help win low-scoring games, coming off the bench as a base-stealer and quality defender.

Hey, it’s not like there are other obvious solutions for this offense. At this point, it’s nothing short of mystifying as to why Lindor, Alonso, Soto and others have been so streaky and worse, shrinking at big moments this season.

This is largely the same offense that thrived in clutch situations when it counted most last September and October. The addition of the great Soto was supposed to be the final piece, yet he hasn’t hit in the clutch, and lately he’s slumping the way he did early in the season, even chasing pitches out of the strike zone, negating his biggest strength.

And so, with no assurance these Mets will break out in a big way, recalling Acuña could be a way of trying to win on the margins.

Jun 15, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Luisangel Acuna (2) runs out a single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Jun 15, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets shortstop Luisangel Acuna (2) runs out a single against the Tampa Bay Rays during the third inning at Citi Field. Mandatory Credit: Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images / © Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images

As one small example, had Acuña been pinch-running in the ninth inning on Monday night, and not Tyrone Taylor, there’s a good chance the Mets would have won the game. Taylor is fast, but not as fast as Acuña, and that likely would have been enough for third base coach Mike Sarbaugh to send him home on Lindor’s double, rather than hold Taylor as he did.

Baty offers more offensive potential than Acuña, but he’s slumping lately, continuing his pattern of running hot and cold with the bat, so why not take advantage of Acuña’s baserunning and superior defense to help win close games?

3. Get Brandon Sproat or Nolan McLean up here pronto and put Frankie Montas in the bullpen as a multi-inning reliever

Then, maybe sooner than later, make room for the second of the kid pitchers, either as a starter or a bulk reliever, depending on whether Clay Holmes can build on his good start on Tuesday, albeit only five innings.

As for the pitching, there were opportunities for McLean and/or Sproat to make spot starts in recent weeks, but now it’s different. It’s August, both have pitched well in Triple-A, with Sproat on Wednesday being named International League Pitcher of the Month for July, and Montas has a 6.68 ERA in seven starts.

Either one is likely a better option and even if they wouldn’t necessarily solve the problem of length for Mets’ starters, as their innings likely would be limited, either or both could present an opportunity for Montas and even Holmes to slide into roles as bulk relievers. And that is very much needed since the Mets now have a bullpen full of high-leverage relievers, which these days means primarily one-inning relievers.

David Stearns himself indicated the looming presence of Sproat and McLean was the reason he wasn’t willing to pay the high prices being asked for starting pitchers at the trade deadline, so the Mets must feel they’re about ready.

If their success in Triple-A translates to the big league level, it would eventually give the Mets the flexibility to create those quality bulk relievers they need. If a spot in the pen needs to be opened, the Mets could certainly live without Ryne Stanek and his inconsistency.

All in all, why not? It’s time to try something different. 

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Yankees vs. Astros: 5 things to watch and series predictions | Aug. 8-10

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Yankees and Houston Astros play a three-game series at Yankee Stadium starting on Friday night...

Preview

Can Aaron Judge return to form and right field?

Judge has played two games since returning from the IL and hasn't looked like himself at the plate. In those games, Judge went 1-for-6 with three strikeouts. His season batting average has dropped to .339 and the Yankees' offense has suffered for it. But there's nothing like a little home cooking to get you back on track. 

Judge is slashing .333/.445/712 with a 1.157 OPS in 50 games this season to go along with 17 home runs and 40 RBI. While the Astros will have tough pitchers on the mound this weekend, the homestand could be the turnaround Judge needs.

There's also how Judge handles his throwing program. Will we see Judge in right field in this series? There's a distinct possibility it happens, which would also open up Giancarlo Stanton -- who was the Yankees' hottest hitter before Judge returned -- to return to the lineup.

Astros starters could be a problem

The Astros are having a great season even though many predicted they'd take a step back, and a big part of that is the starting rotation. That rotation could give the Yankees fits this weekend.

Hunter Brown (9-5, 2.47 ERA) will take the mound in the series opener and Framber Valdez (11-5, 2.83 ERA) follows on Saturday. While the Astros haven't announced a starter for Sunday's series finale, those two arms are enough to win a series. 

Interestingly enough, Judge is 2-for-3 with a home run against Brown but is just 2-for-10 against Valdez. The Yankees who have the best track record against Valdez are Stanton (5-14, HR, 2B) and Jose Caballero (4-10, HR). Ryan McMahon (2-4) is the only other Yankee who has more than one hit against the Astros' southpaw.

Aug 3, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park.
Aug 3, 2025; Miami, Florida, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Luis Gil (81) delivers a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at loanDepot Park. / Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

Can Luis Gil bounce back?

Gil had a tough season debut last weekend. He allowed five runs across 3.1 innings against the Marlins, but it was good to see the 2024 AL Rookie of the Year get back on the mound. His home/road splits from a year ago were very similar, so it's not necessarily an advantage to pitch at Yankee Stadium but like Judge, it could benefit the young rookie as he prepares for his biggest test since last October. 

Gil does have a start against the Astros in his career. In one start, he allowed just one run across six innings. He's starting Saturday's game opposite Valdez, and it'll be one to watch, if for nothing else, to see if Gil can be a viable starter for this team down the stretch.

Who will be closing?

Devin Williams should not see a save opportunity anytime soon. 

David Bednar's five-out save in Wednesday's series finale against the Rangers likely won him the job, but Aaron Boone could try and be cute in this series. He does have options, as Luke Weaver and Camilo Doval both have experience closing games, so how Boone deploys his relievers is something to watch; it'll give a good indication of how it will be in the final months. 

But if Bednar is successful, it'll be his job to lose.

Win and stay in

The Yankees avoided the unthinkable, falling out of the playoff picture, with Wednesday's win. 

If they were swept by the Rangers, the Yankees would have been 0.5 games behind Texas for the final wild card spot. Now that that was avoided, it's time for the Yankees to stack wins and prepare for October. While the Astros are a tough opponent, it's a good test to see if they can take the series against a playoff team. 

If the Yankees can take care of business, they can root for some teams to give them some help in the standings. The Guardians and Rangers, two teams that trail the Yankees, take on the White Sox and Phillies, respectively. The two teams the Yankees are chasing, the Mariners and the Red Sox, take on the Rays and the Padres, respectively.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Anthony Volpe

Volpe has been sneaky good since the All-Star break. Over his last 15 games, Volpe is hitting .264 with five home runs and eight RBI.

Which Yankees pitcher will have the best start?

Luis Gil 

Gil needed his first start to get into the flow of the major leagues. Second time's the charm for the young righty.

Which Astros player will be a thorn in Yankees' side?

Jose Altuve

There's a reason he gets the Bronx cheers. In his career, Altuve is hitting .269 with 13 home runs against the Yankees.

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Mets at Brewers: 5 things to watch and series predictions | Aug. 8-10

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Brewers play a three-game series in Milwaukee starting on Friday at 8:10 p.m. on SNY.

5 things to watch

The Frankie Montas situation

Montas allowed seven runs on seven hits during his last start, leading manager Carlos Mendoza to be non-committal after that game about the right-hander's immediate future.

But Montas will pitch on Saturday against the Brewers in a role that's to-be-determined, with Mendoza explaining that it's possible New York will use an opener in front of him.

Despite continued dominance from Nolan McLean and Brandon Sproat, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearnssaid on Monday that New York is not quite ready to call either of them up.

If Montas keeps struggling, though, something is going to have to give soon.

Montas has a 6.68 ERA (5.07 FIP) and 1.54 WHIP in 33.2 innings pitched over seven starts, has allowed a whopping 11.2 hits per nine, and is averaging nearly two home runs allowed per nine.

Cedric Mullins' playing time

Mullins has mostly struggled against left-handers during his career, but has excelled against them this season -- slashing .291/.382/.465 in 103 plate appearances.

Despite that, it was Tyrone Taylor who was in the lineup on Tuesday night against Guardians left-hander Logan Allen.

"Cedric will play against lefties, too," Mendoza said before Tuesday's game. "I just thought today was, looking what's ahead and where we're at, I thought it was a good day for TT. But Cedric, he's not going to be in a strict platoon here where if we're facing a lefty he's not going to play; he will play."

Taylor has struggled badly at the plate this season, with a .546 OPS and 57 OPS+.

Can Kodai Senga find his form?

Senga was strong in his first start after coming back from a hamstring injury, tossing 4.0 scoreless innings against the Royals on July 11.

Since then, things have not gone well.

New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) throws a pitch during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park
New York Mets pitcher Kodai Senga (34) throws a pitch during the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park / Bob Kupbens - Imagn Images

Over his last three starts, Senga has allowed 11 runs on 13 hits in 12.0 innings while walking 11 and serving up four home runs. His ERA over that span is 8.25.

In addition to the control problems and run-prevention issues is the fact that Senga has been averaging 4.0 innings per start since returning -- something that is a serious problem when you factor in that every other Mets starter except David Peterson has also been failing to provide length.

Senga gets the ball on Friday night for the series-opener.

The Brewers are banged up, but on fire

The Brewers are without one of their best hitters (Jackson Chourio), their designated hitter (Rhys Hoskins), and their young ace (Jacob Misiorowski), but they're continuing to roll over every team in their way.

Entering play on Wednesday, the Brewers were riding a five-game winning streak, had an 8-2 record of their last 10 games, and has the best record in baseball at 69-44.

Milwaukee's run differential of +126 is the best in baseball, and their 565 runs scored rank fourth.

Over their last 24 games, the Brewers are a ridiculous 20-4.

Brandon Woodruff has been dominant

Since returning from shoulder surgery, Woodruff has been lights out.

In 28.1 innings over five starts, he has a 2.22 ERA and 0.63 WHIP.

Woodruff is striking out a career-best 11.8 batters per nine and walking a career-low 1.3 batters per nine.

If there's one knock on him, it's that he's been susceptible to the home run ball, allowing five dingers.

Woodruff gets the start on Friday.

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Francisco Alvarez

Alvarez has been a different hitter since returning from Triple-A Syracuse.

Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?

Sean Manaea

Manaea hit a wall in the sixth inning of his most recent start, but has been largely dominant in his five appearances this season.

Which Brewers player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?

Sal Frelick

Frelick is having the best offensive season of his young career, entering play Wednesday with an OPS+ of 116.

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ICYMI in Mets Land: Losing streak reaches four games; top prospects impress

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

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Marlins at Braves Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for August 7

Its Thursday, August 7 and the Marlins (56-57) are in Atlanta to begin a series against the Braves (47-66).

Eury Pérez is slated to take the mound for Miami against Carlos Carrasco for Atlanta.

The Braves' struggles continue. The Brewers swept a three-game set in Atlanta earlier this week. Last night, Jose Quintana and Milwaukee completed the sweep with a 5-4 win. Miami scratched out a 6-4 win yesterday in their series finale against Houston to avoid being swept. Xavier Edwards picked up four hits to lead the Marlins to victory and keep them on the fringe of the Wild Card chase.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Marlins at Braves

  • Date: Thursday, August 7, 2025
  • Time: 7:15PM EST
  • Site: Truist Park
  • City: Atlanta, GA
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNFL, FDSNSO, MLBN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Marlins at the Braves

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Marlins (-119), Braves (-101)
  • Spread:  Marlins -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Marlins at Braves

  • Pitching matchup for August 7, 2025: Eury Pérez vs. Carlos Carrasco
    • Marlins: Eury Pérez (4-3, 2.70 ERA)
      Last outing: August 2 vs. Yankees - 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
    • Braves: Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 5.91 ERA)
      Last outing: July 31 at Cincinnati - 4.50 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Marlins at Braves

  • The Braves have lost 6 of their last 8 games
  • 5 of the Marlins' last 6 games (83%) have gone over the Total
  • The Marlins have covered in 4 of their last 5 on the road, profiting 1.37 units
  • Ozzie Albies was 7-14 (.500) over the final 3 games in July but is just 3-19 (.158) through 5 games in August
  • Kyle Stowers is 6-25 (.240) with 2 HRs and 8 RBIs through the month's first 6 games

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Marlins and the Braves

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Marlins and the Braves:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Miami Marlins on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Atlanta Braves at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Reds at Pirates Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for August 7

Its Thursday, August 7 and Paul Skenes is on the mound tonight as the Pirates (49-66) welcome Elly De La Cruz and the Reds (60-55) to the Steel City for the first of a four-game series.

After closing out July with wins in eight of their last nine games, the Bucs have cooled off in August losing for of their first six. Yesterday, they closed out their series with San Francisco with a 4-2 loss. Pittsburgh's bullpen failed them once again as the Giants rallied for one in the eighth and two in the ninth.

The Reds come to town fresh off a series win at Wrigley Field against the Cubs. They did, however, lose the finale yesterday, 6-1. TJ Friedl collected two of the Reds' four hits in the game. Cincinnati as a team struck out 12 times in 32 trips to the plate in the game.

Lets dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Reds at Pirates

  • Date: Thursday, August 7, 2025
  • Time: 6:40PM EST
  • Site: PNC Park
  • City: Pittsburgh, PA
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNOH, SNP, MLBN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Reds at the Pirates

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Reds (+150), Pirates (-181)
  • Spread:  Pirates -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Reds at Pirates

  • Pitching matchup for August 7, 2025: Brady Singer vs. Paul Skenes
    • Reds: Brady Singer (9-8, 4.36 ERA)
      Last outing: August 1 vs. Atlanta - 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 10 Strikeouts
    • Pirates: Paul Skenes (6-8, 2.02 ERA)
      Last outing: August 2 at Colorado - 7.20 ERA, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 8 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Reds at Pirates

  • The Reds have won 28 of 54 games following a loss
  • The Under is 4-1 in the Reds' last 5 games against NL Central teams
  • Paul Skenes has struck out 8 and 9 hitters in his last 2 starts covering 11 innings
  • Bryan Reynolds is 2-13 over his last 4 games

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Reds and the Pirates

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Reds and the Pirates:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Cincinnati Reds at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
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Athletics at Nationals Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends and stats for August 7

Its Thursday, August 7 and the Athletics (50-66) are in Washington to wrap up their three-game series against the Nationals (45-68).

Jacob Lopez is slated to take the mound for Oakland against Mitchell Parker for Washington.

One night after giving up 24 hits and 16 runs in a 16-7 loss, the Nationals rebounded limiting the Athletics to four hits and just a single run in winning by the score of 2-1 to even the series at one game apiece. Cade Cavalli and four relievers combined on the gem for Washington. The Nats' offense managed just four hits as well but they plated two including Riley Adams' seventh home run of the season.

Lets dive into this afternoon's matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch Athletics at Nationals

  • Date: Thursday, August 7, 2025
  • Time: 12:05PM EST
  • Site: Nationals Park
  • City: Washington, DC
  • Network/Streaming: NBCSCA, MASN, MLBN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the Athletics at the Nationals

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: Athletics (-129), Nationals (+109)
  • Spread:  Athletics -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Athletics at Nationals

  • Pitching matchup for August 7, 2025: Jacob Lopez vs. Mitchell Parker
    • Athletics: Jacob Lopez (4-6, 3.99 ERA)
      Last outing: August 1 vs. Arizona - 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts
    • Nationals: Mitchell Parker (7-11, 5.35 ERA)
      Last outing: August 1 vs. Milwaukee - 18.00 ERA, 8 Earned Runs Allowed, 12 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Athletics at Nationals

  • The Athletics have won 5 of their last 6 road games, while the Nationals have lost 6 of 9 at home
  • The Athletics have covered the Run Line in 3 straight road games against the Nationals
  • Mitchell Parker has not struck out more than 4 opposing hitters since the end of June
  • Nick Kurtz has hit in 4 straight games (7-15)

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for today’s game between the Athletics and the Nationals

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the Athletics and the Nationals:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Oakland Athletics on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Washington Nationals at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Posted on

White Sox at Mariners prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, trends, and stats for August 7

Its Thursday, August 7 and the White Sox (42-72) are in Seattle looking to salvage at least the finale of their three-game series against the Mariners (62-53).

Shane Smith is slated to take the mound for Chicago against Logan Gilbert for Seattle.

Wednesday night saw the Mariners take out the Sox, 8-6. Josh Naylor and Julio Rodriguez each went yard early as Seattle raced out to a 7-1 lead after just two innings against Jonathan Cannon and the Sox. Chicago rallied but the Mariners held them off for the win that pulled them to within two games of Houston in the American League West.

Lets dive into this afternoon's matchup and find a sweat or two.

We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on the how to catch the first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.

Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long.

Game details & how to watch White Sox at Mariners

  • Date: Thursday, August 7, 2025
  • Time: 4:10PM EST
  • Site: T-Mobile Park
  • City: Seattle, WA
  • Network/Streaming: CHSN, RSNW, MLBN

Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.

Odds for the White Sox at the Mariners

The latest odds as of Thursday:

  • Moneyline: White Sox (+226), Mariners (-281)
  • Spread:  Mariners -1.5
  • Total: 7.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for White Sox at Mariners

  • Pitching matchup for August 7, 2025: Shane Smith vs. Logan Gilbert
    • White Sox: Shane Smith (3-7, 4.25 ERA)
      Last outing: August 1 at Angels - 4.15 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 4 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
    • Mariners: Logan Gilbert (3-4, 3.45 ERA)
      Last outing: August 1 vs. Texas - 4.50 ERA, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts

Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of White Sox at Mariners

  • The Mariners have won 5 of their last 6 games at home against American League teams
  • The Mariners' last 4 games against American League teams have gone over the Total
  • Logan Gilbert has struck out at least 7 batters in all but 3 starts this season
  • Julio Rodriguez is 5-12 with 2 HRs over his last three games

If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!

Expert picks & predictions for today’s game between the White Sox and the Mariners

Rotoworld Best Bet

Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.

Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.

Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.

Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Thursday's game between the White Sox and the Mariners:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Seattle Mariners on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Chicago White Sox at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.

Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC

Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff:

  • Jay Croucher (@croucherJD)
  • Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper)
  • Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports)
  • Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
Posted on

Fantasy Baseball Closer Report: Yankees continue search for late-inning consistency

In this week's Closer Report, we examine more of the fallout from the trade deadline, including changes in the Yankees' bullpen, Kyle Finnegan stepping up in Detroit, and Phil Maton seizing an opportunity in Texas. That and more as we review the last week in saves.

Fantasy Baseball Closer Rankings

Tier 1

Josh Hader - Houston Astros
Andrés Muñoz - Seattle Mariners
Edwin Díaz - New York Mets

No save chances for Hader this week. He made a pair of scoreless appearances in non-save situations, giving him a 2.13 ERA, 0.85 WHIP, and a 76/15 K/BB ratio across 50 2/3 innings while converting 28 saves. Meanwhile, Muñoz is up to 26 saves after converting two this week. He gave up a run before closing out the game against the White Sox on Wednesday. The 26-year-old right-hander holds a 1.43 ERA, 0.98 WHIP, and a 56/21 K/BB ratio across 44 innings.

It wasn't the best week for Mets relievers, as Díaz, Ryan Helsley, and Tyler Rogers all took a loss. Díaz had given up an unearned run in the tenth inning against the Giants on Friday before bouncing back with a scoreless inning against the Guardians on Monday. The 31-year-old right-hander has posted a 1.41 ERA, 0.92 WHIP, and a 67/17 K/BB ratio across 44 2/3 innings.

Tier 2

Aroldis Chapman - Boston Red Sox
Jhoan Duran - Philadelphia Phillies
Trevor Megill - Milwaukee Brewers
Robert Suarez - San Diego Padres

Chapman continues his stellar season with two more saves this week, giving him 21 to go with a 1.21 ERA, 0.76 WHIP, and a 65/13 K/BB ratio across 44 2/3 innings. In Philadelphia, Duran made two perfect appearances to convert a pair of saves for his new team to give him 18 on the year. With Duran giving the Phillies a lockdown closer, Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm shift to setup roles.

Megill made two appearances this week, picking up a pair of saves against the Braves. Shelby Miller, acquired from the Diamondbacks at the trade deadline, struck out the side in his first rehab outing and should slot into a setup role next to Abner Uribe once he's activated from the injured list.

Suarez continues to work as the Padres' closer following their acquisition of Mason Miller from the Athletics at the trade deadline. Suarez made three scoreless appearances, picking up two saves and a win this week. Meanwhile, Miller has slotted into a setup role behind Suarez. He was charged with a blown save on Tuesday, giving up a game-tying homer in the eighth inning against the Diamondbacks. Still, he remains the clear next in line. Suarez got the day off Wednesday after pitching in three of the last five days. Miller stepped in against Arizona, bouncing back with three strikeouts for the save.

Tier 3

Daniel Palencia - Chicago Cubs
Emilio Pagán - Cincinnati Reds
Randy Rodríguez - San Francisco Giants
Kenley Jansen - Los Angeles Angels
Pete Fairbanks - Tampa Bay Rays
Cade Smith - Cleveland Guardians
Jeff Hoffman - Toronto Blue Jays
David Bednar/Camilo Doval/Devin Williams - New York Yankees
Kyle Finnegan - Detroit Tigers
Carlos Estévez - Kansas City Royals
Jojo Romero - St. Louis Cardinals
Dennis Santana - Pittsburgh Pirates

Palencia converted a save with a scoreless inning against the Orioles on Friday. He then gave up a run to blow a save chance against Baltimore on Sunday before falling in line for a win, breaking a 12-outing scoreless streak. The 25-year-old right-hander is up to 15 saves with a 1.73 ERA, 0.94 WHIP, and a 44/11 K/BB ratio across 41 1/3 innings.

Elsewhere in the NL Central, Pagán gave up two runs before holding on for a save Friday against the Braves, then struck out two batters in a clean inning against the Cubs on Monday for his 24th save of the season to go with a 2.98 ERA over 48 1/3 frames.

After picking up his first save as the Giants' primary closer on Friday against the Mets, Rodríguez blew a save and took the loss against the Pirates on Monday. He bounced back with a clean inning on Wednesday for his third save. The 25-year-old right-hander should be a steady saves option with upside through the rest of the season with a 1.51 ERA, 0.86 WHIP, and a 64/11 K/BB ratio across 47 2/3 innings.

Jansen picked up a win with a scoreless inning against the White Sox on Sunday before tossing a scoreless inning in a non-save situation against the Rays. Meanwhile, Fairbanks struck out six batters over three perfect innings of work this week, picking up his 19th save against the Angels on Wednesday. Griffin Jax allowed one run on a walk and a hit in his first outing with the Rays before recording holds with scoreless appearances on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Smith had an excellent week at the top of the Cleveland bullpen, picking up two wins and a save with three scoreless appearances. The 26-year-old right-hander has converted four saves on the season with a 2.86 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 70/18 K/BB ratio across 50 1/3 innings. With Smith unavailable on Wednesday, Hunter Gaddis stepped in for a save against the Mets.

Hoffman struck out two batters in a clean inning against the Royals on Saturday for a save before pitching a scoreless inning in a non-save situation on Sunday. The 32-year-old right-hander has posted a 4.56 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, and a 64/11 K/BB ratio across 47 1/3 innings. However, his underlying skills suggest he's pitched much better than his surface stats indicate, with a 3.56 xERA.

It's been another rough stretch for Williams in New York. He's given up runs in each of his last four outings that include two blown saves. Manager Aaron Boone has indicated that he'll likely cycle through relievers in the ninth inning, opting for a committee approach for now. Had Williams been able to get one more out in the eighth inning on Tuesday, Boone stated he'd have likely gone to Bednar to attempt a four-out save. Instead, Bednar was used for a five-out save Wednesday against the Rangers. He worked around two walks and a hit, striking out five for his 18th save. The 30-year-old right-hander has had the most success of anyone the Yankees can deploy for saves, posting a 2.55 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 59/12 K/BB ratio across 42 1/3 innings.

Finnegan has locked down two saves for the Tigers since he was acquired from the Nationals at the trade deadline. It appears Detroit is going with the 33-year-old veteran right-hander for most save opportunities, shifting Will Vest to a high-leverage setup role. Vest does have the better skills and could still get occasional save chances, but it makes sense to give Finnegan clean innings to work with.

Estévez gave up two runs in a non-save situation against the Blue Jays on Sunday, then tossed a clean inning against the Red Sox on Wednesday. The 32-year-old right-hander has converted 28 saves with a 2.59 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and a 40/17 K/BB ratio across 48 2/3 innings. While he's gotten the job done, it's come with scary underlying numbers, including a 3.77 FIP and 4.99 xFIP.

Romero locked down his first two saves of the season, taking a hold of the closer role in St. Louis following the trade of Ryan Helsley to the Mets. The 28-year-old left-hander may not get every save opportunity, as he pitched the eighth and earned a win on Wednesday. Still, he should lead the team in save chances over the final stretch. Romero has been solid all season, posting a 2.09 ERA, 1.24 WHIP, and a 37/17 K/BB ratio across 38 2/3 innings.

Santana's first week without Bednar in town did not go great. He surrendered five runs to blow the lead and take the loss in the ninth inning against the Rockies on Friday, then blew a save and took the loss with two runs allowed against the Giants on Wednesday. The 29-year-old right-hander should still have some leash on the closer role given his overall success this season, but keep an eye on setup man Isaac Mattson down the stretch.

Tier 4

Raisel Iglesias - Atlanta Braves
Phil Maton/Robert Garcia - Texas Rangers
Blake Treinen/Alex Vesia/Ben Casparius - Los Angeles Dodgers
Ronny Henriquez/Calvin Faucher - Miami Marlins

Iglesias made two scoreless appearances against the Reds, picking up two saves to bring his total to 14 to go with a 4.53 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 50/10 K/BB ratio across 45 2/3 innings.

We may be seeing a change in Texas. Garcia was charged with two blown saves this week, then surrendered the lead to the Yankees in the seventh inning on Wednesday. Maton, acquired from the Cardinals at the trade deadline, stepped in for a save on Tuesday against New York and may be the best man for the job through the rest of the season. The 32-year-old right-hander is having an outstanding year, posting a 2.18 ERA, 1.09 WHIP, and a 51/16 K/BB ratio across 41 1/3 innings.

Tanner Scott threw a bullpen session on Tuesday as he's progressing through his rehab process from an elbow injury. His next step may soon be a minor league rehab assignment. Meanwhile, the Dodgers continue to utilize a committee approach in the ninth inning, with Ben Casparius picking up a save this week.

It's been a committee pretty much all season in Miami. Faucher picked up his team-leading 11th save on Saturday against the Yankees. Henriquez has had the best season in the Marlins bullpen, converting six saves with a 2.85 ERA, 1.16 WHIP, and a 74/22 K/BB ratio across 53 2/3 innings.

Tier 5

Justin Topa/Cole Sands - Minnesota Twins
Kendall Graveman/Kyle Backhus - Arizona Diamondbacks
Corbin Martin/Keegan Akin - Baltimore Orioles
Sean Newcomb - Athletics
Jose Ferrer - Washington Nationals
Grant Taylor - Chicago White Sox
Victor Vodnik - Colorado Rockies

Sands was a popular add last week as the speculative closer in Minnesota following the trade deadline. However, it was always unlikely the Twins would hand the job to one reliever through the rest of the season. It was Topa who got the team's first save chance on Tuesday against the Tigers. And in Arizona, yet another closer goes down as Kevin Ginkel hit the 15-day injured list with a sprained right shoulder. Like with most situations in this tier, saves just aren't worth chasing here.

Posted on

Mets prospect Ryan Clifford homers twice, Carson Benge drives in three at Double-A

A quartet of highly-touted Mets prospects put on a show for the Double-A Binghamton in a 6-1 win over the Yankees’ Somerset Patriots on Wednesday night.

Ryan Clifford got things started by smacking a solo home run to right field that just got over the wall against a stiff breeze in the top of the second. The 340-foot blast off right-hander Ben Hess, the Yanks’ No. 7 prospect making his first Double-A start, was his first homer in his last 25 at-bats.

There was much less waiting for his next big fly, which came with absolutely no doubt, as he tattooed a 97 mph fastball from righty Hayden Merda 399 feet and 113.6 mph off the bat to right field.

Clifford, the No. 6 prospect in the Mets' system per Joe DeMayo's latest rankings, now has 23 home runs (tops in the Eastern League) and 72 RBI on the season. He raised his average to .250 and OPS to .866 after going 2-for-5 with a strikeout in his 101st game with Binghamton, with a promotion to Triple-A Syracuse before the end of the year not out of the question.

With one out in the top of the fourth, Carson Benge had a bases-loaded chance against reliever Cole Ayers. And after falling behind in the count 0-2, he looped a flyball into the left-center gap to clear the bases for his fifth double since his promotion in late June.

Benge, the No. 3 prospect in the system and Mets' first-round pick a year ago, finished 1-for-5 with two strikeouts in his first game since he was named Eastern League Player of the Month for July. He is batting .349 (38-for-109) with 23 RBI and a 1.070 OPS in his first 28 games at the Double-A level.

Nick Morabito, the No. 15 prospect and batting in the cleanup spot, laced a double on a shot to the wall in right to score Benge. It was his only hit in five times up with a strikeout, but gave him 23 on the season and 44 RBI. The 22-year-old is batting .279 with a .755 OPS through his first 87 games at Double-A.

Jett Williams added a double to left off Hess in the second and a hard-hit single up the middle in the top of the ninth to go 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored. This was the Mets’ No. 1 prospect's 23rd multi-hit game of the season with Binghamton and helped raise his average to .282 with an .873 OPS.

He also made some good defensive plays at shortstop on a pair of double plays, but was charged with his 12th error of the year when he misplayed a grounder in the fifth.

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Shohei Ohtani's Ruthian feats are not enough as bullpen melts down against Cardinals

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 6, 2025: Shohei Ohtani flips his bat after his 2-run 440-foot home run in the 3rd inning against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium on August 6, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Shohei Ohtani flips his bat after hitting his 39th home run of the season, a two-run shot to center field that traveled 440 feet. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Only one player in the last 110 years has tried to do what the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani is doing this season, which is to pitch and hit successfully at the big-league level.

Babe Ruth twice won more than 20 games and led the American League in ERA and starts before the Red Sox, then the Yankees, decided pitching was distracting from Ruth’s hitting and put him out to pasture in right field.

Over the next three seasons, Ruth broke the major league record for home runs three times.

The Dodgers and Ohtani insist he’ll remain a two-way player for the time being, but recent performances suggests both the Red Sox and Yankees may have been on to something when they took Ruth off the mound.

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Ohtani made his eighth start of the year Wednesday and it was his best as a Dodger, with the right-hander giving up just a tainted run on two hits and striking out a season-high eight in four innings. Perhaps more important, he also slugged his first home run in 10 games in the third inning of a 5-3 matinee loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.

It was the first truly Ruthian two-way performances for Ohtani since he joined the Dodgers but it was one the team’s defense and bullpen wasted, with three relievers combining to yield four runs on 10 hits over the final five innings.

The two most important ones came in the eighth, when the Cardinals turned a one-run deficit into a one-run lead, greeting Alex Vesia with a pair of singles before a two-out hit from Jordan Walker drove in the tying run and the winning one scored on a throwing error by third baseman Alex Freeland.

"It never feels good,” manager Dave Roberts said of the loss, his team’s 17th in 30 games since July 1. “Is there a level of frustration the way the second half has started off? Yeah. We just haven't synced up. We just can't get on track offensively. We're not playing great.”

That can’t be said of Ohtani, although the effort he gave at the plate Wednesday equaled what he's been doing on the mound recently. He has posted a 2.37 ERA and struck out 25 in 19 innings in his eight starts, yet in the same eight games he’s batted .219. In his last six starts on the mound, he’s gone just three for 24 at the plate.

That’s part of a slump that began in mid-June, when Ohtani made his pitching debut for the Dodgers. At the time he led the majors in runs and led the National League in homers and slugging percentage. Since then, his strikeout rate has risen, his average has plummeted more than 20 points and he’s clubbed just 14 homers, one fewer than he had in May alone as a designated hitter.

Ohtani said he can’t explain the difference.

"I don't really try to think too differently on days that I pitch and hit and on days that I only hit," he said through a translator. "I'm thinking of adjusting how I work out and do my work in between my outings. Especially now that I'm going to be throwing more innings."

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Ohtani both pitched and hit on his way to two MVP awards with the Angels. But last season, the first in five years in which he didn’t pitch while recovering from a second elbow surgery, Ohtani sent career highs in virtually every offensive category and led the NL in runs (134), homers (54) and RBIs (130) while becoming the first player in history to hit 50 homers and steal 50 bases in a single season.

That won him a third MVP award and a World Series ring, replicas of which were handed out Wednesday to the 44,621 sun-splashed fans who came to see Ohtani pitch. But in 2021, when he topped 10 starts for the first time with the Angels, he hit a full-season career-low .257 and struck out a career-high 189 times.

For Ohtani, the manager said, the challenge now is finding comfort in the crowed new routine.

“It's not the norm,” he said. “It's been over two years since he's done this, so he's still sort of getting adjusted to this lifestyle, as far as kind of the day to day."

“I don't think he's there yet. It's only going to get better as he gets more time doing it.”

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Ohtani breezed through his longest start as a Dodger, topping 100 mph multiple times and retiring the first six Cardinals in order. It would have been seven but shortstop Mookie Betts and second baseman Miguel Rojas lost Walker’s popout in a high sky leading off the third. That went for a hit and Walker came around to score on a stolen base, a ground out and Brendan Donovan’s infield single.

Ohtani struck out the next four hitters he faced while giving his team the lead in the third, following Alex Call’s leadoff double — his first hit as a Dodger — with a two-run homer to center. The hit was the 1,000th in the majors for Ohtani while the homer was his 39th of the season.

The Dodgers added another run in the fourth when Andy Pages led off with a single, moved to second on a wild pitch, stole third and continued home when the throw from catcher Pedro Pagés hit the bat of Miguel Rojas and ricocheted toward the Dodger dugout.

Then came the daily bullpen meltdown, with the Cardinals pushing a run across against Justin Wrobleski in the sixth, setting the stage for their eighth-inning rally against Vesia. Brock Stewart gave up the final run in the ninth.

“If you look at the last couple weeks, I think our bullpen has been good,” Roberts said of a relief corps that has failed to covert a third of its 52 save opportunities. “We didn't finish it off today. But I think in general, the bullpen in the last couple weeks has been pretty stable.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.