Luis Severino addresses Athletics trade rumors, recent ballpark comments

Luis Severino addresses Athletics trade rumors, recent ballpark comments originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Athletics ace Luis Severino on Sunday addressed the trade rumors involving him and his controversial comments about playing at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento.

“I mean, if they trade me or not, I’m going to keep grinding, trying to be my best self, going out there,” Severino told reporters in New York before the A’s 12-5 loss to the Yankees. “I can’t do nothing about if they get mad or not. If you ask me how I feel about pitching at home, I’m not going to lie to you, because in the end, you guys are going to figure out if it’s a lie or not. So my job here is to pitch, and every time you ask me a question, [I am] honest with you guys, so that’s what I did.

“I was not trying to hurt nobody’s feelings by saying that. But I think I’m not the only one who feels the same way. As I said, I’m going to try my best to focus on what I need to do and improve. I feel pretty good; I feel healthy; I feel like the movement on my pitches is there. I just need to get in a good stretch.”

Severino, 0-7 with a 6.79 ERA at home during the 2025 MLB season, didn’t hold back. 

He clearly isn’t a fan of the big-league experience at Sutter Health Park, also the home of the Sacramento River Cats, the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A affiliate. Severino, too, suggested that other A’s players feel similarly.

Severino’s latest comments align with what he told The Athletic’s Brendan Kuty on Friday before the A’s dropped the series-opener against the ace’s former team.

“It feels like a spring training kind of game every time I pitch, and every time other guys pitch,” Severino said about playing at Sutter Health Ballpark.

“We don’t have that at home right now,” Severino added about the environment in West Sacramento. “It’s not the same. It’s not the same atmosphere. We don’t have a lot of fans. Our clubhouse is in left field. So, when we play day games, we have to just be in the sun. There’s no air conditioning there, too. It’s really tough.”

The 31-year-old Severino couldn’t have changed his stance more since signing a three-year free-agent contract worth up to $67 million with an opt-out after the second season — an A’s franchise-record deal — in the winter. 

Then, Severino was optimistic about the A’s temporary home, and general manager David Forst was proud of what the partnership signaled toward MLB players skeptical about pro ball in West Sacramento. 

“We’ve sent plans to players so they can see what we’re building,” Forst said at Severino’s introductory press conference on Dec. 6. “We’re doing the best we can to make this a Major League facility. We’ve embraced it. The fact Luis is here today hopefully sends a message around the game.”

Well, Severino might not be around for much longer.

The vibes around Severino’s standing with the A’s are murky. And USA Today MLB insider Bob Nightengale reported on Sunday that the Green and Gold plan to move on from Severino.

“The Athletics, who gave starter Luis Severino a three-year, $67 million contract, are now open to trading him after he continues to bash the environment in Sacramento, agitating the organization,” Nightengale wrote. “He’s 0-7 with a 6.79 ERA in 10 starts in Sacramento and 2-1 with a 2.27 ERA in seven starts on the road. … “It may come as a surprise if he’s still with the organization come August.”

Severino’s time with the A’s might be coming to an end sooner rather than later. And maybe, it would be best for the two parties to split, as neither side has gotten what they wanted thus far.

The A’s are 34-52 with a month before the MLB trade deadline on July 31.

Top Giants pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt selected to All-Star Futures Game

Top Giants pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt selected to All-Star Futures Game originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Carson Whisenhunt, the Giants’ No. 2 prospect, is set to represent the organization on a bigger stage.

The 24-year-old left-handed pitcher was named to MLB’s 2025 All-Star Futures Game roster at Truist Park in Atlanta on July 12. 

Each year, top minor-league prospects compete as part of the All-Star festivities, and the No. 65 overall pick in the 2022 MLB Draft has done enough in Triple-A to get the nod.

Whisenhunt leads the River Cats with a 7-5 record this season, posting a 4.55 ERA while winning PCL Pitcher of the Week twice.

Like Whisenhunt, San Francisco’s top prospect, Bryce Eldridge, also was selected to the Futures Game next month. 

Eldridge, however, is nursing a “moderate” right hamstring strain and will rehab for at least another three weeks at the organization’s minor-league facility in Scottsdale.

In 16 games with the River Cats, Eldridge had a .710 OPS, three homers and 13 RBI.

Not only will the injury make Eldridge miss the seven inning outing, but it also will delay his push for a promotion this season.

The game will air on MLB Network on Saturday, July 12.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Cardinals at Pirates Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 30

Its Monday, June 30 and the Cardinals (46-38) are in Pittsburgh to take on the Pirates (34-50). Erick Fedde is slated to take the mound for St. Louis against Andrew Heaney for Pittsburgh.

Pittsburgh earned its second sweep of the season on Sunday with a blistering game from Oneil Cruz, who homered twice. The Buccos offense stayed hot against the Mets in a 12-1 win and scored 30 runs over three games to New York's four.

St. Louis is coming off a three-game sweep of the Guardians. The Cardinals outscored the Guardians 21-6 over three games and shutout Cleveland's offense twice. The Cardinals are 10-3 over the previous 13 contests and 3-0 against the Pirates this season.

Let's 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 how to catch 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 Cardinals at Pirates

  • Date: Monday, June 30, 2025
  • Time: 6:40PM EST
  • Site: PNC Park
  • City: Pittsburgh, PA
  • Network/Streaming: FDSNMW, SNP

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 Cardinals at the Pirates

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Cardinals (-125), Pirates (+105)
  • Spread:  Cardinals -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Cardinals at Pirates

  • Pitching matchup for June 30, 2025: Erick Fedde vs. Andrew Heaney
    • Cardinals: Erick Fedde, (3-7, 4.11 ERA)
      Last outing: 3.2 Innings Pitched, 7 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
    • Pirates: Andrew Heaney, (3-7, 4.48 ERA)
      Last outing: 4.0 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 3 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!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Cardinals 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 Monday’s game between the Cardinals and the Pirates:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the St. Louis Cardinals on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Pittsburgh Pirates 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.

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

  • Both the Pirates and Cardinals have won three straight
  • The Cardinals have won 5 straight road games
  • The Under is 13-9-1 in the Cardinals' matchups against NL Central teams this season
  • The Pirates are up 2.71 units on the Run Line in their last 5 games at PNC Park
  • St. Louis is 3-0 on the ML against Pittsburgh this season

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!

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

Yankees at Blue Jays Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 30

It's Monday, June 30 and the Yankees (47-35) are in Toronto to take on the Blue Jays (44-38). Carlos Rodón is slated to take the mound for New York against Max Scherzer for Toronto.

Toronto is coming off a 5-3 win over Boston on Sunday and are 3-1 in the past four games. The Blue Jays are coming off a six-game road trip where they went 4-2 with a one-run extra inning loss.

The Yankees followed up a 7-0 loss on Saturday with a 12-5 drumming of the Athletics on Sunday. Aaron Judge homered twice after going hitless in the first two games of the series.

Let's 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 how to catch 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 Yankees at Blue Jays

  • Date: Monday, June 30, 2025
  • Time: 7:07PM EST
  • Site: Rogers Centre
  • City: Toronto, ON
  • Network/Streaming: YES, Sportsnet

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 Yankees at the Blue Jays

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Yankees (-156), Blue Jays (+130)
  • Spread:  Yankees -1.5
  • Total: 8.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Yankees at Blue Jays

  • Pitching matchup for June 30, 2025: Carlos Rodón vs. Max Scherzer
    • Yankees: Carlos Rodón, (9-5, 2.92 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 4 Hits Allowed, 1 Walk, and 5 Strikeouts
    • Blue Jays: Max Scherzer, (0-0, 5.63 ERA)
      Last outing: 5.0 Innings Pitched, 3 Earned Runs Allowed, 6 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 4 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!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Yankees and the Blue Jays

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 Monday’s game between the Yankees and the Blue Jays:

  • Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the New York Yankees on the Moneyline.
  • Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Toronto Blue Jays 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.

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Yankees at Blue Jays

  • The Blue Jays have lost their last 3 games against teams with better records
  • The Yankees' last 6 matchups against AL East teams have gone under the Total
  • The Blue Jays have covered in 4 of their last 5 games showing a profit of 1.78 units
  • The Yankees were on a 16-0 run to the game total Under, but went Over yesterday in a 12-5 win versus the Athletics

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!

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)

Padres at Phillies Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends and stats for June 30

Its Monday, June 30 and the Padres (45-37) are in Philadelphia to take on the Phillies (48-35). Matt Waldron is slated to take the mound for San Diego against Zack Wheeler for Philadelphia.

The Phillies are coming off a 2-1 win over the Braves on Sunday that set them up with a series win after being swept by the Astros. Despite being 3-5 in the past eight games, the Phillies are now in first place of the NL East.

The Padres dropped a contest 3-2 to the Reds on Sunday and lost two out of three in that series. San Diego continues its east coast road trip with its first meeting of the season against Philly and Waldron's 2025 season debut.

Let's 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 how to catch 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 Padres at Phillies

  • Date: Monday, June 30, 2025
  • Time: 6:30PM EST
  • Site: Citizens Bank Park
  • City: Philadelphia, PA
  • Network/Streaming: SDPA, NBCSP, 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 Padres at the Phillies

The latest odds as of Monday:

  • Moneyline: Padres (+179), Phillies (-217)
  • Spread:  Phillies -1.5
  • Total: 9.0 runs

Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Phillies

  • Pitching matchup for June 30, 2025: Matt Waldron vs. Zack Wheeler
    • Padres: Matt Waldron, (0-0, 0.00 ERA)
      Last outing: Making his 2025 season debut
    • Phillies: Zack Wheeler, (7-3, 2.46 ERA)
      Last outing: 6.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Run Allowed, 3 Hits Allowed, 3 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!

Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Padres and the Phillies

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 Monday’s game between the Padres and the Phillies:

  • 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 San Diego Padres at +1.5.
  • Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play 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.

Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Padres at Phillies

  • The Phillies have lost 4 of their last 5 games against teams with winning records
  • The Under is 35-29-1 in the Phillies' matchups against National League teams this season
  • Philadelphia is 11-5 on the ML when Wheeler is pitching this season
  • San Diego is 7-8 on the ML this season when playing on the East Coast

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!

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)

MLB rumors: Giants sign catcher Austin Barnes to minor-league contract

MLB rumors: Giants sign catcher Austin Barnes to minor-league contract originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants added some experienced depth at the catcher position.

San Francisco signed veteran catcher Austin Barnes to a minor-league contract on Friday, according to his MLB.com page.

Barnes, 35, played 10-plus seasons with the Dodgers from 2015-2025 before he was designated for assignment and later released by Los Angeles in May.

In 612 career games, Barnes batted .223/.322/.338/.660 with 35 home runs and 162 RBI in 1,757 plate appearances.

According to his MLB.com transaction log, Barnes was assigned to the Giants’ rookie ball team in Arizona, which, perhaps not-so-coincidentally, is where San Francisco is set to begin a four-game series against the Diamondbacks on Monday at Chase Field.

Perhaps Barnes might be joining his new team at the big-league level soon?

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Former Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes signs minor-league contract with Giants

Former Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes signs minor-league contract with Giants originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants added some experienced depth at the catcher position.

San Francisco signed veteran catcher Austin Barnes to a minor-league contract on Friday, according to his MLB.com page.

Barnes, 35, played 10-plus seasons with the Dodgers from 2015-2025 before he was designated for assignment and later released by Los Angeles in May.

In 612 career games, Barnes batted .223/.322/.338/.660 with 35 home runs and 162 RBI in 1,757 plate appearances.

According to his MLB.com transaction log, Barnes was assigned to the Giants’ rookie ball team in Arizona, which, perhaps not-so-coincidentally, is where San Francisco is set to begin a four-game series against the Diamondbacks on Monday at Chase Field.

Perhaps Barnes might be joining his new team at the big-league level soon?

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

James Wood becomes first since Barry Bonds to be intentionally walked 4 times in a game

ANAHEIM, Calif. — Washington slugger James Wood became the first major leaguer since Barry Bonds to be intentionally walked four times in a game in the Nationals’ 7-4, 11-inning win over the Los Angeles Angels on Sunday.

Bonds was intentionally walked four times in four different games in 2004. The only other players since at least 1955 to be intentionally walked four times in a game are Wood, Roger Maris, Garry Templeton, Manny Ramirez and Andre Dawson — who drew five intentional passes for the Chicago Cubs against Cincinnati on May 22, 1990.

Wood’s intentional walks came with men on second and third in the fifth, a man on second in the seventh, a man on third in the ninth and a man on third in the 11th.

Angels miss chance to move above .500, losing to Nationals

Nationals fielder Jacob Young avoids a pitch while trying to bunt during the fifth inning of a game against the Angels.
Nationals fielder Jacob Young avoids a pitch while trying to bunt during the fifth inning of a game against the Angels Sunday at Angel Stadium. (William Liang / Associated Press)

Young Angels fans who lined the infield for autographs as the team jogged onto the field Sunday, may not know the thrilling, heart-racing suspense of the postseason — nor the captivating, religious-like fervor the Rally Monkey could bring.

Neither did the Angels who took their places in the field, combining for zero postseason appearances — a group that hadn’t even made their major-league debuts when Mike Trout last led the Angels to the playoffs.

2014 represents the longest postseason drought in MLB. Meanwhile, the 2002 World Series title may read more as a story told by parents to the kids who ran back up into the shaded seats away from the blistering sun after receiving signed baseballs from a group featuring some present-day Angels — Nolan Schanuel, Christian Moore and Logan O’Hoppe.

Does the pressure of holding a postseason spot, potentially hitting a benchmark goal before the All-Star break, change the short-term focus of the franchise? When asked about the expectations before Sunday’s game, interim manager Ray Montgomery said he’s just focused on the now, a message he’s been trying to instill in the clubhouse since spring training.

“If we worry about ourselves and playing the day that we're scheduled to play, and not worry about the other stuff, we'll continue to be fine,” Montgomery said.

On Sunday, however, focus collapsed in the late innings, a winning record remaining just past arm's length in the Angels' 11-inning, 7-4 defeat to the Nationals (35-49). Closer Kenley Jansen blew his first save of the season in the ninth while up one run. The Nationals' rally was started by a leadoff double that could have been deemed an error by Schanuel on a bouncing ground ball that got past him at first.

“I think it's a ball you should probably come in on and come after right away, instead of kind of laying back,” Montgomery said of Schanuel, who also made a defensive mishap in the sixth that caused the Nationals to take a 2-1 lead, “because you're going to get a tough hop on that one after that. And we saw that.”

And despite a scoreless 10th from Connor Brogdon, he gave up three runs (two earned) in the 11th after a CJ Abrams triple broke the game open.

The sun, in the seventh, also made it hard for shortstop Kevin Newman. A two-out pop fly, ruled a double for Abrams, dropped in left when Newman couldn't find the ball. The play knotted the game at three.

“Really frustrating,” Newman said. “Especially just being a pop-up, really not a difficult play by any means, and it just found its way right into the middle of the sun.”

The Angels (41-42) still had plenty of opportunity to hold on to secure their first winning record since April 20. Outfielder Taylor Ward had a career-high three doubles, the first of which scored Schanuel — who reached on a walk — in the first to give the Angels a 1-0 lead. In the sixth, down 2-1, Ward led off the bottom half with a double, on a ground ball deflected by a diving attempt by Nationals third baseman Brady House.

Read more:Angels' Ron Washington will remain on medical leave for rest of season

The eighth-year Angels veteran scored on a single from Jo Adell — extending his hit streak to a career-high 11 games — in the next at bat. Moore, who got his first taste of stardom Saturday with a fan meet-and-greet in Tustin, treated the home crowd to a go-ahead single scoring Adell later in the inning.

Quickly becoming a fan favorite for the Angels faithful, Moore capped his introductory homestand with another clutch at-bat — in a week that started with a bang thanks to his two home run spectacle Tuesday against the Red Sox. The rookie second baseman collected five tying or go-ahead hits across the homestand.

Ward had a chance to end the game in the 10th with runners on first and second with one out but struck out on three pitches. He looked at two fastballs up in the zone, and froze on a Kyle Finnegan splitter for strike three.

“It can’t happen,” Ward said. “I don’t know why I didn’t pull the trigger on the first two pitches. Something I’m going to be kicking myself over.”

The Angels ended the afternoon two-for-13 with runners in scoring position, failing to score in the ninth, 10th and 11th with at least one runner on in each inning.

Angels starting pitcher Jack Kochanowicz was drilled in the left leg with a comebacker in the first inning, but pitched into the fifth until Montgomery pulled the sinkerballer after a walk and double. He gave up two runs and five hits and two walks, while striking out two.

The Angels bullpen was solid after Kochanowicz removal, combining for five strikeouts, three walks, three hits and two runs before extra innings began. Reid Detmers highlighted the combined effort, striking out three across 1 ⅓ innings, and helping Ryan Zeferjahn escape the seventh with just one run to his name (when Newman couldn’t find the ball in the sun). The southpaw was in line for the victory before Jansen's blown save sent the game to extra innings.

Jumping for Jo(y)

Adell has strung together a potential AL Player of the Month-level campaign in June, socking 11 home runs — best in the AL — as well as .284 batting average and 18 RBIs.

So far, Adell is already on pace for a career-high in wins above replacement rating with 1.0 entering the game, according to Baseball Reference, and is on track for career-best marks in on-base percentage and slugging percentage as well.

“I'm rooting for him,” Montgomery said. “The home runs are nice, and it's a byproduct of being on the field every day, the work he's doing. But everything defensively, base running, he's contributing every way possible.”

Etc.

Zach Neto pinch-hit in the seventh inning for Newman and then played the remainder of the game — his first time back fielding since jamming his shoulder Tuesday.

Montgomery said before the game that conversations with Neto and the medical staff leaned to giving him a full off day, along with having the Monday off day, rather than just being in the lineup as the designated hitter.

But when push came to shove in a then-tied game, Neto (0-for-2) and Mike Trout — who began the game on the bench — had an at-bat.

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.

Mets receiving ‘good reports’ as Brooks Raley progresses in rehab assignment

The Mets have heard nothing but good things about Brooks Raley as he continues working his way back from Tommy John surgery.

That certainly doesn’t come as a surprise -- as the lefty put together another strong outing Saturday night in Double-A. 

Raley stretched out to a second up for the first time since returning -- and he allowed just one baserunner while punching out a pair across 1.2 innings of work. 

He needed just 17 pitches to get through the outing, 12 of which were strikes. 

“Everything is good,” Carlos Mendoza said. “He went two ups, obviously he continues to feel well and that’s important for him to just get that out of the way when he has to go two ups and throw strikes. The ball is coming out fine right now, so far we’ve gotten good reports.”

Raley has now allowed just four hits while striking out eight batters over his first four outings.

The veteran southpaw still has a ways to go as he continues building his workload up in the minors, but eventually getting him back in the mix will provide a huge boost to the Mets’ struggling pitching staff. 

Raley was a key contributor when he was last healthy, posting a 2.80 ERA over 66 appearances.

Yankees’ Marcus Stroman ‘got after it real good’ in strong return from IL

The Yankees needed a big outing from Marcus Stroman on Sunday, and he delivered. 

The right-hander was shaky at times during his minor league rehab stint, but taking the big-league mound for the first time since April 11 he looked strong as he limited the Athletics to just one run over a season-high five innings of work. 

“I thought he was terrific today,” Aaron Boone said. “He was a little bit of an unknown going out there coming off his buildup out -- I know he’s coming off a tough one down there in Triple-A, but I thought he got after it really good today.

“He got pitches where he needed to, I thought he had a presence on both sides of the plate, was a little unpredictable using his sinker, his cutter and the different breaking balls -- but he got after it in the zone when he needed to and gave us everything we needed.”

Stroman cruised through the first but then had a bit of a scare in the second, as he was struck by a Max Muncy liner right back through the box, but after a brief discussion with trainers he was able to stay in the game. 

The Athletics pushed a man into scoring position with a leadoff walk and single in the third, but he got star rookie Jacob Wilson to roll into an inning-ending double play. 

Stroman then worked around a two out walk in the fourth, but his lone blemish came in the fifth as he allowed the A’s to get on the board with Willie MacIver’s second home run of the season to deep left.

He ended his afternoon on a high note by retiring the next two, and with the Yankees’ offense providing more than enough support, he was able to pick up his first win since August of 2024. 

“I feel like this was a good building block,” Stroman said. “It’s not the same being on the side, you feel like you’re left out. So it’s definitely good to be back with the boys, it's an incredible team that we’re a part of we can truly do some special things. I’m just looking to do my part and contribute as much as I can.”

Dodgers pursue record for most MLB All-Star starters as voting resumes for 48 hours

The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani holds a bat and smiles while looking across the field during a game against the Nationals.
The Dodgers' Shohei Ohtani holds a bat and smiles while looking across the field during a game against the Nationals at Dodger Stadium on June 22. (Luke Johnson/Los Angeles Times)

All-Star voting resumes Monday at 9 a.m. PDT for 48 hours with the Dodgers entertaining the possibility of fielding an unprecedented eight position players.

The top two vote-getters at each position through Phase 1 of voting are finalists and moved on to Phase 2, which ends Wednesday at 9 a.m. PDT. The defending World Series champion Dodgers boast a finalist at each infield position and two among six outfielders.

Even though only three Dodgers led National League Phase 1 voting at their position, all eight have an equal chance of starting because votes don't carry over to Phase 2. The player at each position to accumulate the most votes in the two-day window will start the July 15 game at Truist Park in Atlanta.

"Very proud. It's great," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "Obviously we're playing well. As it stands now, we're the best team in the National League, so we should have the most All-Star voting for the team."

Read more:Justin Wrobleski gives Dodgers a surprising boost during win over Royals

Shohei Ohtani locked in an automatic spot as starting designated hitter because he led all National League players with 3,967,668 votes in Phase 1. Catcher Will Smith and first baseman Freddie Freeman are the other Dodgers to lead voting, while second baseman Tommy Edman, shortstop Mookie Betts and third baseman Max Muncy finished second. Among outfielders, Teoscar Hernández and Andy Pages finished second and fifth, respectively.

In American League voting, the Angels' Mike Trout is one of four finalists to secure one of two openings in the outfield. Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees already earned a starting spot by leading all players with 4,012,983 votes in Phase 1.

Trout, who has 13 home runs in 56 games, is competing against Riley Green and Javier Báez of the Detroit Tigers and Steven Kwan of the Cleveland Guardians.

Voting can be done online at MLB.com/vote, all 30 team websites, the MLB app and the MLB ballpark app. The winners will be announced on ESPN at 1 p.m.

Read more:The Sports Report: Clayton Kershaw closes in on milestone

The most position players voted to start an All-Star Game from a single team is five — accomplished by the 1976 Cincinnati Reds ,the 1956 and 1957 Cincinnati Redlegs and the 1939 New York Yankees.

"I hope we get five, six, seven Dodgers," Roberts said. "That'd be great."

MLB All-Star finalists

AL guaranteed spot: Aaron Judge, OF, Yankees — 4,012,983 votes
NL guaranteed spot: Shohei Ohtani, DH, Dodgers — 3,967,668 votes

National League finalists
Catcher: Will Smith (Dodgers), Carson Kelly (Cubs)
First base: Freddie Freeman (Dodgers), Pete Alonso (Mets)
Second base: Ketel Marte (Diamondbacks), Tommy Edman (Dodgers)
Shortstop: Francisco Lindor (Mets), Mookie Betts (Dodgers)
Third base: Manny Machado (Padres), Max Muncy (Dodgers)
Outfield: Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs), Teoscar Hernández (Dodgers), Ronald Acuña Jr. (Braves), Kyle Tucker (Cubs), Andy Pages (Dodgers), Juan Soto (Mets)

American League finalists
Catcher: Cal Raleigh (Mariners), Alejandro Kirk (Blue Jays)
First base: Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays), Paul Goldschmidt (Yankees)
Second base: Gleyber Torres (Tigers), Jackson Holliday (Orioles)
Shortstop: Jacob Wilson (Athletics), Bobby Witt Jr., (Royals)
Third base: José Ramírez (Guardians), Alex Bregman (Red Sox)
Outfield: Riley Greene (Tigers), Javier Báez (Tigers), Mike Trout (Angels), Steven Kwan (Guardians)

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Justin Wrobleski gives Dodgers a surprising boost during win over Royals

Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski throws the ball during the fifth inning of a win over the Kansas City Royals.
Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski throws during the fifth inning of a win over the Kansas City Royals Sunday in Kansas City, Mo. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)

In truth, there was very little notable action on Sunday afternoon at Kauffman Stadium.

Which, in effect, is exactly how Justin Wrobleski liked it.

In the Dodgers’ 5-1 win over the Kansas City Royals — a victory that clinched the weekend series and gave the club a 5-1 record on this past week’s road trip — Wrobleski continued to quietly impress as a depth pitching option for the Dodgers, pitching six scoreless innings that were short on flash but long on substance; serving as the latest productive outing in his suddenly auspicious sophomore season.

“Justin's confidence is at an all-time high,” manager Dave Roberts said. “And he's a confident young man already.”

Entering the game behind opener Lou Trivino at the start of the second, Wrobleski made easy work of a struggling Kansas City offense, giving up just three hits and one walk in a six-strikeout showing as the Dodgers (53-32) pulled away at the plate.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani hits 102 mph in another sharp pitching start, but Dodgers fall to Royals

Kiké Hernández hit a two-run homer in the second. Will Smith added a solo shot in the sixth. And by the time the team tacked on two more runs in the seventh, such extra insurance was already looking unneeded.

Instead, Wrobleski further raised his stock in what has been a surprise midseason rejuvenation, turning in his best career performance at the big-league level.

Over his 83-pitch outing, the Royals (39-45) only once managed to even put a runner in scoring position. They squandered all three leadoff hitters who reached base. And during their best opportunity to rally in the third, Wrobleski mowed through the heart of their order, sandwiching one strikeout of Jonathan India and fielder’s choice grounder from Vinnie Pasquantino with a statement-sending punchout of Royals star Bobby Witt Jr., getting him to whiff on a 96-mph fastball and putaway two-strike slider.

“Bobby Witt is one of the best hitters in the game,” Roberts said. “And for him to beat him with the fastball, he wasn't doing that last year.”

Indeed, few saw Wrobleski’s surge coming this season.

After a choppy eight-game debut last year, when he had a 5.70 ERA, the 24-year-old left-hander’s first opportunity in the majors this season was a total disaster, giving up eight runs in five innings to the Washington Nationals back on April 8.

Wrobleski was optioned back to the minor leagues after that, and made only one MLB appearance over the next two months: a four-inning outing in mop-up relief duty during a May 15 blowout of the Athletics.

Read more:Why Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman have struggled at the plate lately for the Dodgers

At the start of June, however, he was called back up to make a spot start in St. Louis, turning in a decent six-inning, four-run effort. And since then, he has continued to get better each time out. In his last 20 innings — all of them coming in bulk relief — he has conceded just four earned runs while striking out 21 batters. His overall ERA in five June appearances was 2.73.

“Having that bad one in Washington, honestly, set me back in a good way,” Wrobleski said. “I had to go back down, make a few adjustments.”

And now, he joked, that D.C. start “feels like it was three years ago.”

The biggest difference with Wrobleski of late has been his fastball. In that April start against the Nationals, it averaged just 93 mph. In every outing since, it has sat around 96-97 mph, and topped out above 99 mph.

Wrobleski credited the improvement with some small mechanical tweaks, having adopted a wider base in his pre-pitch stance and incorporated a rocking motion in his delivery to help him direct his momentum toward the plate.

But also, he said he has simply found a way to throw with maximum effort more consistently — coupling it with an increased reliance on his sinker to attack the zone and induce quick outs.

“I think it just goes back to me being me,” said Wrobleski, an 11th round pick out of Oklahoma State in 2021. "That’s how I got here was doing that. I got away from it a little bit, tried to quote-unquote ‘throw strikes,’ and when you do that, it leads to results that are not desirable. But at the end of the day, [I just want to] throw my best stuff for as long as I can until they take the ball. I think that’s been a major key.”

Read more:Clayton Kershaw moves three strikeouts away from 3,000 as Dodgers finish sweep of Rockies

As a result, Wrobleski’s name is quickly rising among the hierarchy of young Dodgers pitching.

The fact that he was even on this road trip was a sign of the organization’s growing confidence in his abilities.

During the team’s last homestand, fellow young talent Emmet Sheehan returned from Tommy John surgery with four sharp innings, and seemed primed to occupy an open spot in the Dodgers’ rotation moving forward. However, with Sheehan not yet fully built up, the club elected to option him back to triple A and have Wrobleski pitch twice in a six-day span this week, with a five-inning, two-run outing in Colorado on Tuesday preceding Sunday’s gem in Kansas City.

Sheehan should be back in the majors soon, having pitched six perfect innings with 13 strikeouts in a start with Oklahoma City on Wednesday (manager Dave Roberts said Sheehan’s next outing will also be with OKC, though he could still rejoin the Dodgers before the end of their upcoming homestand).

But now, he’s not the only former prospect showing flashes of being an impact option in the majors.

“He’s changed a lot,” Roberts said of the team’s evaluation of Wrobleski. “We’ve always valued him and thought a lot of him as far as the talent. But right now, he’s getting major league hitters out … And in the spirit of getting opportunities while earning them, he’s doing that.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Rangers And K'Andre Miller Are At A Stalemate Which Leaves The Team With One Clear Solution

Brad Penner-Imagn Images

The New York Rangers have one clear option regarding how to handle K’Andre Miller’s future. 

Whether Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury likes it or not, he has to keep Miller, at least for now. 

Since the 2024-25 season ended, Miller has been the subject of trade rumors as the team has been attempting to shop him. 

Now though, the draft has come and gone and Miller remains a Ranger and that’s no coincidence. 

Answers about what the future holds for Miller have not been answered and chatter about the situation has been quiet over the past few days. There are two reasons for that. 

First off, the Rangers don’t like what they’ve been offered so far for Miller, which has held up a potential trade. 

On the other side of things, the Rangers don’t want to give Miller a long-term contract extension, slowing down negotiations between the two sides. 

The Rangers and Miller are essentially at a stalemate right now. Both signing a long-term contract extension and finding a feasible trade that the Rangers could be content with continue to seem more and more difficult. 

It’s critical the Rangers don’t panic though and trade Miller for an underwhelming return because the 25-year-old defenseman still has a ton of potential and it would be foolish to give up on him for nothing. 

A Bridge Deal For K'Andre Miller With The Rangers Is A Possibility With The Clock Ticking A Bridge Deal For K'Andre Miller With The Rangers Is A Possibility With The Clock Ticking The New York Rangers’ situation with K’Andre Miller may end up being resolved in the short term but not necessarily in the long term. 

At this point, the wisest move for the Rangers would be to give Miller a one-year bridge contract and let the 2025-26 season play out with him on the roster and determine later if he’s worthy of a long-term extension. 

So for now, the Rangers should keep Miller and avoid a potential disaster where they don’t maximize his full value.

Mets’ Francisco Alvarez leaves yard for second straight game down in Triple-A

Francisco Alvarez appears to be finding his groove down in Triple-A. 

The Mets' young backstop lifted a 434-foot three-run shot on Saturday night, and he followed that up with another strong showing on Sunday. 

After failing to reach in each of his first two plate appearances, Alvarez stepped to the plate with Syracuse trailing by a run in the fifth, and he ripped a double over center fielder Robert Hassell III’s head. 

It left the bat at an impressive 109.6 mph and one-hopped the fence. 

He would score the game-tying run just three pitches later, as the red hot Pablo Reyes tripled down the left-field line as part of a three-hot effort. 

Alvarez was called out on strikes with a man in scoring position in the seventh, but he was able to do more damage two innings later, as he crushed a go-ahead two-run homer to deep left-center. 

This one left the bat at 107.2 mph and traveled 412 feet. 

The 23-year-old has now gone deep on back-to-back days after going hitless in each of his first three games following his demotion from the big-league level. 

Luisangel Acuña reached base for the sixth time in seven games since he was sent back down -- lining a one out single in the top of the seventh, and he picked up his third stolen base of the season at the level. 

On the pitching side of things Syracuse’s bullpen was pretty impressive -- youngster Dom Hamel tossed two scoreless innings, Rico Garcia put up a zero of his own, Austin Warren struck out the side in the eighth, and Justin Garza locked down the save.