Category: Baseball

Nine months after his death, Fernando Valenzuela stands immortalized in a new mural on the loge‑level wall at Dodger Stadium — a vibrant fusion of art and legacy unveiled Saturday.

Painted by Mexican American artist Robert Vargas, the mural shows Valenzuela tipping his cap to the sky in a Dodgers Mexican‑heritage jersey — featuring a green sleeve, red sleeve, white center — alongside two striking images of Valenzuela in his pitching stance. Vargas said the mural is meant to symbolize unity within the Latino community.

“I felt it very important to show that the Latino community has a place within these walls and has had a place within these walls,” Vargas said.

He wanted to reflect Valenzuela’s spirit that still lives in the hearts of many fans and feature the man behind the player.

For 34.

Prior to tonight’s game, the Dodgers unveiled a mural dedicated to Fernando Valenzuela in the Left Field Loge Terrace. His family and former teammates also joined the unveiling. pic.twitter.com/Kn4W1yze9L

— Los Angeles Dodgers (@Dodgers) July 20, 2025

“What he did in the community, is what resonates so much more for me than just the player — but the man, the person that he was,” Vargas said.

Valenzuela played for the Dodgers from 1980 to 1990. He grew up in Etchohuaquila, a small town in Mexico, and took Major League Baseball by storm in 1981, earning rookie of the year and Cy Young honors. Latino fans who previously felt little connection to the Dodgers were thrilled to see one of their own winning, sparking Fernandomania. Valenzuela wore No. 34 and it remains a popular jersey worn by fans at Dodger Stadium.

Claudio Campo choked up as he gazed at the tribute. Traveling from Phoenix with his son to celebrate the boy's 11th birthday, Campo shared memories of a player whose greatness felt deeply personal. Valenzuela's nickname, "El Toro," are inked on Campo's left arm.

“He was a staple for the people that didn't have anything and then where he came from showed that anything is possible if you go ahead and revive what you are,” Claudio said.

Read more:Plaschke: Fernando Valenzuela was the man who connected L.A. to the Dodgers

Fans holding Valenzuela bobbleheads given away by the Dodgers took their pictures in front of the new mural Saturday night.

Longtime fan Dulce Gonzalez held back emotion as she showed off her shirt with the name “Valenzuela” written across it, describing the reason she started watching baseball.

“He was the first Latino player I could truly connect with and be proud of,” she said.

For Gonzalez, Valenzuela’s story resonated because he came from the same roots, offering representation she had longed for.

“We are a melting pot of races here, people love baseball from all races, but because I am Latina, I feel a little bit more connected," she said.

Read more:Dodgers star Fernando Valenzuela, who changed MLB by sparking Fernandomania, dies at 63

Her son, Nicolas, dressed in a red and green Dodgers Mexican-heritage jersey, said Valenzuela helped heal some wounds after Mexican American families were displaced from their homes in Chavez Ravine shortly before Dodger Stadium was built on the same land.

“He really opened the city up to the Dodgers after a long difficult entry and he really represented triumph over adversity,” Nicolas said.

Read more:Everybody wants to have a hero | 'Fernandomania @ 40' Ep. 1

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Dodgers' recently slumping offense was better Saturday night.

But for a team that has struggled to gain traction and string together wins for almost a month, even a seven-run, 10-hit performance wasn’t quite enough.

In an 8-7 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers, the Dodgers put a badly-needed crooked number on the board early, scoring four runs in the bottom of the third to answer the Brewers' four-run rally in the top half of the inning.

The Dodgers manufactured another run in the sixth, keeping the game close on a night Emmet Sheehan struggled in a season-worst start and the bullpen yielded three costly runs late. They even hit back-to-back home runs in the eighth, trimming what had become a three-run deficit back to one.

Read more:Dave Roberts gives Mookie Betts a day off as season-long slump continues

But every time it seemed like they were truly ready to break out, like their long-slumbering lineup was about to roar back to life, the Dodgers still came up ever-frustratingly short.

And no sequence epitomized those headaches like the end of the third.

After a Shohei Ohtani two-run homer, a Teoscar Hernández RBI double and a run-scoring wild pitch from Brewers starter Freddy Peralta, the Dodgers had the go-ahead run at third with no outs. They were 90 feet away from flipping the momentum entirely, and completing the kind of ruthless offensive onslaught that has evaded their $400-million roster for the last several weeks.

But then, in an immediate return to their uninspired form of late, the lineup went missing, squandering the opportunity with three quick outs — moments before the Brewers retook a lead their premium pitching staff wouldn’t again relinquish.

“I thought it was good, seeing some life,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Unfortunately, we still came up short.”

So goes life for the Dodgers (58-41) these days, when even a largely productive day at the plate couldn’t prevent another series defeat to the Brewers or a ninth overall loss in their last 11 games.

Saturday could have been a more profound breakthrough. A game of not just incremental progress, but a total offensive turnaround.

Ohtani had a three-RBI day, starting with his towering 448-foot opposite-field blast, his 33rd this season. Hernández’s double was one of the best swings he has taken in the last couple months, a line drive into the right-center field gap that one-hopped off the wall. Tommy Edman broke an 0-for-29 skid with a sixth-inning single and eighth-inning home run. Miguel Rojas, one of the few who has impressed during the Dodgers’ recent struggles, followed Edman’s solo blast with one of his own in the next at-bat, completing a two-hit night that also included a walk.

“Tonight was probably the best offensive performance we've had in a while,” Roberts said. “Just good at-bats, some slug in there, some walks, and against a really good pitcher in Freddy Peralta.”

But every time the Dodgers put the Brewers (58-40) on the ropes, they failed to land the necessary knockout blow.

“It's one of those days we had some good at-bats,” Hernández said. “But we didn't execute what needed to be executed … and we lost the game.”

In a game they needed their lineup to pick up the slack left by a lackluster pitching performance, they repeatedly ran out of rope.

On the verge of taking the lead in the third, the Dodgers instead watched Andy Pages take a called third strike (which he reacted angrily to, despite the pitch being well in the zone), Michael Conforto ground out against a drawn-in infield on a first-pitch fastball and Edman hit a can of corn to left to retire the side.

And to make matters worse, the 4-4 tie was broken in the next inning, when Isaac Collins hit a leadoff home run over the short wall in right field to chase Sheehan from the game.

“Tonight was one of those nights where the offense showed life, and just on the pitching side, we just didn't do a good job,” Roberts added.

It wouldn’t be the last time the offense failed to bail out the pitching.

Trailing by two in the sixth, the Dodgers threatened again. Edman and Rojas both singled, setting up Ohtani for an RBI knock in left field. But then Will Smith grounded out to second to retire the side.

The final tease came in the eighth, after the Brewers opened up an 8-5 lead.

Edman lifted his home run to the left-field bullpen. Rojas went deep on a similar trajectory.

That brought up Ohtani, representing the potential tying run. But he watched a soaring fly ball die at the warning track in center.

Close, but not enough. Too little, once again coming frustratingly too late.

The bats, of course, were not the Dodgers’ primary problem Saturday.

Sheehan saw his recently promising return from Tommy John surgery derailed in a five-run, three-plus inning outing. During the Brewers' four-run third, he missed wildly with an array of breaking pitches, and gave up three hits on sliders that Roberts said lacked enough depth.

The defense wasn’t sharp either. Hernández and Pages failed to cut off balls in the gaps at various points, leading to extra bases for the Brewers. Hernández — who has looked limited defensively ever since returning from an adductor injury in May — also was slow getting to the short right-field wall on Collins’ home run, where he might have had a play on the front-row line drive.

Still, the lack of consistently timely offense remains the most confounding issue for the Dodgers.

Read more:‘As lucky as we could be.’ Dodgers’ Max Muncy already recovering better than expected

That was the case even before the game, when Roberts gave Mookie Betts — the most glaring underperformer among Dodgers hitters this season — a day off just two games into the second half in hopes it would allow him to clear his mind and work on his swing.

It felt just as prescient in the aftermath of yet another defeat, with the team still searching for a winning formula amid its most disappointing stretch of the year.

“I think that's how it's been the whole season,” Hernández said. “Sometimes the pitching is there and the offense is not there. Sometimes the offense is there, the pitching is not there. We're just going to continue to keep pushing, keep working hard, keep putting things together and just trying to, when the pitchers do their job, trying to do our jobs and just win games."

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The Yankees were once down by five runs, but Trent Grisham's ninth-inning grand slam completed the team's come-from-behind win over the Braves, 12-9, in Atlanta on Saturday night.

New York was down 5-0 in the fifth before the team chipped away and tied the game at 8-8 entering the ninth. Paul Goldschmidt led off with a double before Aaron Judge was intentionally walked with one out. Giancarlo Stanton worked a walk to load the bases before Jazz Chisholm Jr. hit a rocket at third baseman Nacho Alvarez Jr. for the second out. That set up Grisham, who took a 1-1 slider over the middle of the plate from Raisel Iglesias over the right field wall for the lead.

The Yankees (54-44) with the win, remain 3.0 games behind the Blue Jays -- who won earlier in the day -- for first place in the AL East.

Here are the takeaways...

-After the bullpen game went wrong on Friday, Will Warren was called upon to give the Yankees a quality start. The young right-hander was solid in his first start out of the All-Star break, but the third-inning homer to Michael Harris III allowed the Braves to take a 1-0 lead. Harris entered the game with the second-worst wRC+ (48) and fourth-worst SLG (.316) among qualified hitters this year.

Despite the solo shot, Warren was really good for 3.2 innings but it would unravel quickly in the fourth. Six straight Braves reached base with two outs, which included a three-run shot from Ozzie Albies -- the second straight game he's hit a three-run bomb off the Yankees. Warren just couldn't get the final out as the Braves worked walks and ended the youngster's night with an infield single that was a result of Warren not covering first base, allowing another run to score.

Warren threw 41 pitches in the fourth and his night was done after throwing 78 pitches (47 strikes) through 3.2 innings, allowing five runs on five hits and three walks while striking out five batters.

-Albies wasn't done, though. In the fifth, Albies hit a two-run single with two outs. The hit was set up by a wild pitch from Scott Effross, and a curious decision to pitch to the left-handed Albies with a base open.

Unfortunately, the Yankees' bullpen just couldn't keep the Braves from scoring. Jonathan Loaisiga, after giving up one run in his first inning of work, allowed the Braves to load the bases with one out in his second frame. Luke Weaver came on and got out of the inning without allowing another run to score and keeping the score 8-7.

Weaver was clutch, pitching 1.2 scoreless innings to get the ball to Devin Williams in the ninth with the lead. Williams, however, wasn't dominant, allowing the Braves to score a run on a hit and a walk, but he eventually locked down the win.

-On the other side, the Braves started their bulk pitcher out of the bullpen Joey Wentz. Wentz, making his first start since 2023, kept the Yankees at bay with just two hits and one walk allowed in four innings.

However, the Yankees would finally get on the board in the fifth against the Braves' bullpen. After a leadoff double fromGrisham, Anthony Volpe launched a two-run shot 420 feet over the left-field wall. It was his 11th homer of the season and his first home run since July 5. It wouldn't be his only one, though. Volpe launched a 411-foot solo shot to tie the game at 8-8 in the eighth.

Volpe finished 2-for-4 and had his first career multi-homer game.

The Yankees sent 10 batters to the plate in the sixth and scored four runs to cut the Braves' lead to 7-6. The Yankees scratched runs across once they loaded the bases with no outs, thanks to the small ball, with the only hit coming from aChisholm single. The big moment came when Matt Olson had a fielding error that would have at least gotten one out.

Cody Bellinger would add another run with his solo shot in the seventh. The outfielder went 2-for-4.

Game MVP: Trent Grisham

Volpe was great, and Weaver is an unsung hero, but Grisham's grand slam kept the Yankees from falling four games back of the Jays. His 17 homers ties a career high.

Highlights

Anthony Volpe with a two-run blast to get the Yankees on the board pic.twitter.com/hkphVMNv5B

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) July 20, 2025

Jazz Chisholm Jr. with an RBI single! pic.twitter.com/iyVOB6rrbv

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) July 20, 2025

ANTHONY VOLPE TIES THE GAME WITH HIS SECOND HOME RUN OF THE NIGHT! pic.twitter.com/SIxZnUGlby

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) July 20, 2025

TRENT GRISHAM HITS A GO-AHEAD GRAND SLAM IN THE 9TH!!!!!!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/G9IrvNzwKF

— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) July 20, 2025

What's next

The Yankees and Braves finish up their weekend series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1:35 p.m.

Marcus Stroman (1-1, 6.66 ERA) will go up against Grant Holmes (4-8, 3.77 ERA).

If you’re searching for the sunny side of things out of Mets Land on Saturday, well, the David Wright ceremony was delightful, Brooks Raley pitched for the first time since April 2024 and was very sharp, and the Mets at least put a jolt into the ninth inning, though only of the “What if?” variety.

Beyond that, though, the 5-2 loss to the Reds was mostly filled with unpleasant reminders of Mets weaknesses, also known as fodder for David Stearns’ trade deadline to-do list.

Mets starter Clay Holmes got only 16 outs, which means their beleaguered bullpen had another long workday. The relievers excelled, throwing 3.2 scoreless innings, but the recurring theme of them having to get bushels of outs every day isn’t sustainable. The Mets need shutdown relief help. Perhaps some in the rotation, too.

And they were 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and left 11 men on base – it’s the 10th time they’ve left 11 or more on this season, the sixth-most in the majors. Maybe they need an offensive jolt, too.

Then there were sloppy moments – a bum pickoff throw by Luis Torrens that led to a Reds run, a poor relay to second by Ronny Mauricio that kept a Reds rally alive. Talk about bad fundies.

Brandon Nimmo, who played with Wright, admitted it was a bummer not to play crisply on a day Wright, whom he counts as one of his mentors, was honored.

“Definitely disappointing to lose on his day,” said Nimmo, who added that it didn’t make the ceremony any less special. Nimmo admitted to “trying to hold back tears” himself.

“You could see how much the fans appreciate everything he did,” Nimmo said.

Trouble was, once the game started and the Mets squandered an early 2-0 lead, those fans, a sellout crowd of 42,605, turned their attention to the Mets' shortcomings. They got restless as the Mets left runners on. They booed occasionally, too.

The Mets are now 55-44, but back on June 12, their record stood at 45-24. Their under-the-radar pitching finds were being widely celebrated and they were counted as one of the best teams in baseball. They are 10-20 since, the lower rungs of the bullpen are a revolving door and they still haven’t fixed the hitting with RISP – they ranked 27th in MLB at .230 following the loss.

Nimmo said there’s daily urgency, along with the knowledge that losses like Saturday have to be let go, too.

“The guys that were here last year know that we made the playoffs by one game, so one game can decide whether we get into the playoffs or whether we don’t,” Nimmo said. “Every day there’s an urgency to try and win and try and come through.”

And, to be fair, the Mets looked like there was urgency in the ninth. They put the first two runners on and Juan Soto hit a deep drive to right that had fans buzzing. It looked like enough to be a huge highlight on a big Mets day – SNY cameras caught Wright with a huge grin, leaning out to watch the ball’s flight. But Soto’s shot curved foul. He then struck out on a check swing and their attempt at a rally ultimately fizzled.

“Obviously, Juan came within feet of tying the game,” Nimmo said. “Thought he had a really quality at-bat. If we keep putting pressure on, it’ll come. It’ll happen. We just have to keep putting pressure on and believing in ourselves.”

And getting more length from their starters. Holmes acknowledged, “If I could finish the sixth, that would put the team in a much better position to win that game.” Carlos Mendoza said Holmes had given the Mets a chance, but the Reds had made him work very hard on a day his sweeper was not effective.

Raley was terrific – he struck out Elly De La Cruz and TJ Friedl in his spotless inning. “Pretty good,” Mendoza said. “Typical Brooks Raley. It was good to see him back out there.”

Raley should help the pen. The Mets need more than just his return, though.

And, even on a nice day in Mets history, there were plenty of reminders of that.

It was another disappointing game out of the Mets' offense, even on David Wright's number retirement ceremony, on Saturday afternoon, as New York lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 5-2.

Just as they did on Friday night, the Mets got the tying run to the plate in the ninth inning, but for the second straight game, they were unable to get the big hit, with Juan Soto striking out and Pete Alonso flying out to end the game.

Overall, New York went 1-for-10 with runners in scoring position and after getting out to a 2-0 lead, the offense went dark just as it did on Friday night.

But despite the lack of production, the Mets still have confidence that they can turn things around.

"Obviously, we’d like to put up a few more runs on the board," Brandon Nimmo said. "We’ve had streaks in both games where we put a lot of pressure on, just not able to get the big hit right now, but we’ve had a few guys come through… but there’s some really, really quality at-bats."

Nimmo himself went 1-for-4 in the leadoff spot -- one of seven hits on the night. The big boppers in the lineup? Brett Baty and Luis Torrens, who each had two hits out of the No. 8 and 9 spots in the order.

Nevertheless, New York made it interesting in the ninth inning, especially after Soto hit a ball five feet foul that would've been a game-tying home run had it stayed fair. Soto ended up striking out, his third of the game, and Alonso flew out to deep left field to give the Mets their second loss out of the All-Star break.

"If we keep putting pressure on, it’ll come, it’ll happen," Nimmo said. "We just have to keep putting the pressure on and keep believing in ourselves."

Saturday's loss hurts even more with the festivities of Wright's number retirement coming right before.

It was a special moment as the organization honored its former captain, who enjoyed a wonderful career in the orange and blue.

"Special day, obviously," manager Carlos Mendoza said. "I was a fan right there, I had tears in my eyes. It’s just incredible, you know, the whole thing. And then just watching David enjoying it with his family and his teammates, coaches, managers, the fanbase, yeah, it was just special there."

Nimmo, one of the few current members of the team who played with Wright before his retirement, was particularly saddened that they couldn't come away with a win on the former third baseman's day, and spoke about what Wright meant to him as a teammate and a mentor.

"(I) was always trying to be like him, coming up and, so, definitely disappointing to lose on his day, but it made it no less special," Nimmo said. "That ceremony beforehand, I think, was amazing – not just for him, but for the fanbase to share it with him. I was over there trying to hold back tears because it just was such a special moment and you could see how much the fans appreciate everything that he did and leaving his heart out onto the field.

"To be able to have that relationship in this game with the fans is something special and should definitely be treasured and celebrated. (The loss) did not take away from his day at all."

In Wright's speech before the game, Nimmo was shouted out as a player that Wright would want his son to play like. Nimmo called that moment "surreal" and continued his praise for the former captain.

"(Wright) was the guy that you wanted to be like. He would probably laugh at this, but the MLB game that I played when I was younger had him on the cover. He was it and to be able to, when I got in this organization, to even talk with him and pick his brain.

"And then he was so kind to me and had dinners with me and set things up for my family and I and passed wisdom onto me, and I just was so thankful for him. So for him to express that he’d like his son to play like me, that’s surreal to me. It’s full-circle and it’s the biggest compliment I could receive."

As for the loss, which puts New York just 11 games over .500 and 1.5 GB of the Philadelphia Phillies for the NL East lead, the Mets know they can't afford to keep giving away games as they look to make the playoffs for the second straight season.

"There is a sense of being able to flush today and move on to tomorrow that you have to have in baseball in order to succeed for a long time and I think we got a lot of guys that are very good at that here," Nimmo said. "But there’s a sense of urgency every day because the guys that have been here and the guys that were here last year know we made the playoffs by one game. So one game can decide whether we get into the playoffs or whether we don’t."

Trade deadline season is here and the Yankees have reportedly already begun putting out feelers to teams, including the Arizona Diamondbacks.

According to the New York Post's Jon Heyman, the Yankees are among the teams that have inquired about third baseman Eugenio Suarez. Other teams reaching out to the Diamondbacks include the Seattle Mariners and Chicago Cubs, among "many others."

A Suarez deal makes sense for the Yankees. New York needs an everyday third baseman, especially one with power and hits from the right side.

Entering Saturday, Suarez is hitting .251 with 31 homers, 78 RBI and a .888 OPS. Through four innings of Saturday's game against the Cardinals, Suarez already has two bombs, bringing his season total to 33, which leads the National League.

The Yankees need more than a third baseman. They have needs in the bullpen and starting rotation thanks to a litany of injuries that have befallen their pitchers. That's why the Yankees are preparing for the deadline by sending out pro scouts to different teams over the last few weeks.

According to Newsday's Erik Boland, the Yankees currently have, or recently had, scouts visit a list of teams this month. Those teams include the Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates, Baltimore Orioles, Cincinnati Reds, Atlanta Braves, Colorado Rockies, and the Diamondbacks.

The 2025 MLB trade deadline is set for July 31.

It took just one game coming out of the All-Star break for Dave Roberts to know Mookie Betts still wasn’t right.

A week ago, Roberts was hopeful that Betts — coming off his first missed All-Star Game in a decade — would return from the break refocused and rejuvenated; ready to snap out of a career-worst start to his season and rediscover a swing that has eluded him for much of the campaign.

Instead, in the Dodgers’ second-half opener Friday night, Betts went 0 for 4 with two strikeouts. His batting average dipped to .241 (more than 20 points worse than he has ever posted in a full season) while his OPS fell to .688 (the worst it has been all year). And, as has been the case for most of the summer, his signs of frustration were abundantly clear, with the 32-year-old looking lost at the plate.

Read more:Dodgers are shut out by Brewers, but Tyler Glasnow shows signs of growth

Thus, when Roberts set his team’s lineup for Saturday, the manager made a surprise decision to leave Betts out of it, giving his superstar shortstop an unplanned day off after calling Betts on Saturday morning to discuss the state of his game.

“Talking to him, seeing where his head is at, seeing where he’s at mechanically, I just thought tonight was a night where I felt he needed to be down,” Roberts said hours later, ahead of the Dodgers’ game against the Milwaukee Brewers.

“He was more than willing and wanted to be out there. But for me, I wanted to take it out of his hands [so he could] have a day. I’ve talked about this before, just having players watch a baseball game. And I understand we just had four days off at the break. But still showing up at the ballpark, and not participating, watching, that’s a different mindset, psyche than being at home. So for him to come here, show up, not play, know he’s not going to play, I feel good about the work he’s going to put in today. Also, I think, for the mind it will be beneficial.”

Betts did not talk to reporters Saturday, but did go through his normal set of pregame infield drills at shortstop — further confirming that, indeed, his absence from the lineup had nothing to do with any sort of injury-related issue.

While Roberts said his "expectation" is that Betts will be back in action Sunday, he left the door open to giving Betts another day off for the series finale.

“It’s going to be a day-to-day thing,” Roberts said. “It’s going to be my decision on how I feel he is mentally to take on that night’s starter.”

There was no specific moment from Friday’s game that convinced Roberts such a break was warranted. Instead, it was the fact that so little had seemingly changed from where Betts was before the All-Star break, when he reached the midway mark in a three-for-24 slump and batting just .185 over his previous 31 games.

“He’s not used to struggling like this,” Roberts said of Betts, who also has only 11 home runs and a .377 slugging percentage. “There’s a part of it where you feel like you’re letting people down, letting the team down. That weight that is just natural for him to carry is there. That’s a little bit from last night, just seeing him.”

Betts has struggled to identify the cause of his decline — one so stark, he has a below-league-average mark of 95 in the all-encompassing OPS+ metric (effectively meaning he has been 5% less productive than a league average hitter).

In an interview before Friday’s game, he said he has cycled through various “feels” with his swing in hopes of getting his mechanics realigned. Hitting coach Robert Van Scoyoc pointed to inefficiencies in the way Betts “loads” his arms and hands, which he believes have impacted the slugger’s bat path and swing sequence.

“There’s no exact [fix], where you can do this, this and this,” Van Scoyoc said, “because he has to find something for him that works organically that gets him lined up.”

Read more:‘As lucky as we could be.’ Dodgers’ Max Muncy already recovering better than expected

To that end, Roberts’ hope is that Saturday’s day off will help.

That it comes just two days into the second half signals how urgent Betts’ struggles have become.

“He understood,” Roberts said. “He’s a guy that wants to be out there every single day. But I think he understood that it was my decision and I think it’s best for him, I think it’s best for our ball club. He’ll be ready when called upon.”

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

The actual Mets game on David Wright’s number retirement day certainly didn’t go as they would have hoped. The Mets lost to the Cincinnati Reds, 5-2, at Citi Field after a mostly lackluster performance from their offense. 

Until the final inning, anyway. With one out and two on, Juan Soto hit a long drive down the right-field line that would have tied the score had it been fair. But the potential three-run homer was foul, even after an umpire review. Soto struck out and then Pete Alonso followed with a long fly out to right that was exciting for a moment, too, but was ultimately the final out. 

The Mets, who have now lost three straight dating back to the final game before the All-Star break, heard some boos from the sellout crowd of 42,605 after several early lineup failures. 

The Mets, who entered the day batting just .232 with runners in scoring position, a season-long issue, were 1-for-10 in such situations Saturday. They left 11 runners on base, including leaving the bases loaded twice. They had two on and no out in the ninth but did not score.

Over the past four games, the Mets have scored 11 runs. 

Clay Holmes was the starter and loser for the Mets, allowing five runs (four earned) in 5.1 innings. He is now 8-5 this season with a 3.48 ERA.

Here are the takeaways...

-The Mets opened the scoring in the first inning, taking a 1-0 lead, but left the bases loaded. Mark Vientos hit a two-out RBI single to drive in Brandon Nimmo, who had led off with a single. Alonso went to second on Vientos’ single and Jeff McNeil walked to put a Met on every base. But Ronny Mauricio grounded out and the Mets couldn’t cash in. 

-In the second inning, Brett Baty extended the Mets' lead to 2-0 with a solo homer that traveled 393 feet to right and had an exit velocity of 110.2 mph off the bat. Baty, who also had a single in the fourth inning, came into the game batting .333 in his previous nine games and .296 over his previous 20.

-Holmes allowed two runs in the third inning, but only one of them was earned, thanks to Luis Torrens’ throwing error. Jake Fraley led off with a double and Noelvi Marte was hit by a pitch. Torrens threw away a pickoff attempt and Fraley raced home while Marte went to third. One out later, Matt McLain hit an RBI single to knot the score at two. It was the fourth error of the season in 60 games behind the plate for Torrens.

-Holmes walked the leadoff hitter in the fourth inning and that hurt. He got the next two batters out, but gave up a single to Tyler Stephenson and then an RBI single to Fraley, which gave the Reds a 3-2 lead. 

-Holmes pitched into the sixth inning, but found trouble. This part was his fault: he walked Austin Hays leading off. This part wasn’t: One out later, Spencer Steer swung at a Holmes sweeper and hit it off the end of his bat, a 55.5 mph bouncer down the third-base line. It went for an infield hit and turned out to be Holmes’ final pitch. Reed Garrett came in and gave up an RBI fielder’s choice that could’ve been a double play, but Mauricio’s throw pulled Baty off the second base bag. Fraley followed with an RBI double and the Reds had a 5-2 lead.

-Holmes threw 92 pitches and worked 5.1 innings, but it’s another game in which the Mets did not get terrific length from their starting pitcher, an ongoing problem that will continue to be a topic swirling around the team, especially with the trade deadline looming at the end of July.

-The Mets staged a huge threat in the sixth inning, but left the bases loaded again. McNeil and Baty sandwiched walks around an out and then Torrens had a 12-pitch battle with reliever Scott Barlow, which ended in a walk to stuff the bases. Overall in the at-bat, Torrens hit seven foul balls. But Barlow struck out Nimmo and broke Francisco Lindor’s bat on an easy grounder to first. 

-Lefty Brooks Raley entered the game in the seventh inning, making his season debut and first appearance since April 19, 2024. Raley, who was out after having Tommy John surgery, threw a 1-2-3 inning, including two strikeouts. After he caught Elly De La Cruz looking at a third strike, Raley walked off the mound, clapping his glove. Pitching coach Jeremy Hefner hugged him in the dugout afterward. Raley, who had terrific seasons in 2022-23 for the Rays and then the Mets, could give the current Mets bullpen a real boost.

Star of the Day:

David Wright, for his engaging pregame speech and evident joy in reminiscing about his terrific Mets career and his bond with fans. What, you thought we’d pick someone from this game?

Highlights

Mark Vientos brings home Brandon Nimmo! pic.twitter.com/wnUz6Mybjt

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 19, 2025

BRETT BATY LAUNCHES A HOME RUN!

David Wright approves! pic.twitter.com/EEopm2cRYs

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 19, 2025

Two strikeouts in a 1-2-3 inning for Brooks Raley in his return pic.twitter.com/RHjCTIsXaB

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 19, 2025

What's next

The Mets and Reds complete their weekend series on Sunday afternoon. First pitch is set for 1:40 p.m. on PIX.

David Peterson (6-4, 3.06 ERA) will take the mound while Andrew Abbott (8-1, 2.07 ERA) will climb the hill for Cincinnati.

If you followedDavid Wright’s career, watched how he ascended from mega-prospect to All-Star to Mets captain and beyond, what happened Saturday afternoon at Citi Field was no surprise at all. Throughout his time in Flushing, Wright handled most things deftly, from whatever happened on the field to a debilitating back injury that derailed what seemed like a rocket ride headed for Cooperstown. 

So why would it be any different on the day Wright’s No. 5 jersey was retired and he was inducted into the Mets Hall of Fame? The Captain did everything right, as usual, appearing as natural as ever, as if he were scooping grounders at third base in his prime. Well, maybe with more tears. 

Wright was self-deprecating, serious, funny, emotional and more during the pre-game ceremony and at a press conference beforehand. He was clearly touched by the applause, going over to third base and standing on the bag when he was first introduced. But, he admitted, the attention made him a tad uncomfortable, too. 

It was obviously his day – even the Home Run Apple had his No. 5 on it and it was also cut into the grass in center field. But Wright seemed delighted, and determined, to share it all with the Met teammates, mentors and friends who showed up to help him celebrate his big day, along with his wife, Molly, his three kids and family. Wright and his two daughters and son threw out the ceremonial first pitches before the Mets played host to the Cincinnati Reds.

But Wright also didn’t shy from what were obvious disappointments in his career, either. Early on in his speech, he noted to fans, “I never accomplished my goal of winning the World Series. But I wanted it just as badly as you did.” 

Fans, he said, realized that. As a result, “You supported me unconditionally, good and bad,” Wright added. For that, I will always be thankful.” The crowd erupted then, one of several times throughout the ceremony that fans roared, an obvious marker of their deep connection to Wright. 

And he talked more about that, too. He said during his press conference that he felt Met fans were “bring your lunch-pail to work” types, and that worldview jibed with his own. He learned quickly that there was “no pixie dust to make the Major Leagues, to become the third baseman of the New York Mets. Looking back, the recipe was pretty simple – want it more than everybody else and be willing to work harder than anybody else.” 

During his speech, a light rain began to fall. Wright didn’t stop talking and few, if any, stirred in their seats. No sparse shower was going to dampen the day. It dissipated quickly. Good vibes 1, Weather 0.

Near the end of his speech, Wright, tears in his eyes, borrowed a phrase from his kids: “This sure doesn’t feel like the for-real life,” Wright said. “Thank you for allowing me to live out my dream.”

At the press conference 90 minutes or so before the ceremony, Wright enjoyed some of the clubhouse-type banter he excelled at during his career. It’s something he says he’s missed about being retired. 

At one point, Wright was asked a question about a story Terry Collins has told recently, where Wright and Jose Reyes, after spring workouts, would race. Did Wright ever win one with his speedy teammate? In the back of the room, Reyes, who has known Wright since both were teenagers in the Mets system, chuckled. 

Wright then noted that he could certainly beat one of the people standing next to Reyes. Daniel Murphy, the man next to Reyes, replied, “How am I catching strays?” Everybody in the room laughed. 

That population included many former teammates or mentors, some of them Met royalty. In addition to Reyes, Collins and Murphy, Howard Johnson, a significant Wright mentor, was there; so were Michael Cuddyer, Cliff Floyd, Josh Satin and Joe McEwing and others. Rob Butcher, the PR man for the Team USA squad that Wright played for in the World Baseball Classic, was there, too. So was Dave Racaniello, the Mets bullpen catcher who is one of Wright’s best friends. 

Carlos Mendoza, after his own pregame press conference, sat in the crowd for a while before he left to prepare for the game. His seat was taken by former Met manager Willie Randolph. 

At another point, Wright joked that Reyes is getting “emotional in his old age” and would start crying any moment. “And he’s gonna make me cry, so this is going to be a whole thing,” Wright cracked. Wright, a prankster of some renown during his playing days, even joked that the ultimate prank would be if he went to the podium to make his speech and someone yelled “Psych!”

There were touching moments, too. Wright reflected on his close relationship with Shannon Forde, the Mets’ beloved PR executive who died in 2016 following a long battle with breast cancer. “Every time I walk in the building, I think about Shannon,” Wright said. 

He talked about his heartbreak over the Mets’ collapse at the end of the 2007 season, when they blew the division title. It’s evident that it still stings – he brought it up, unbidden, when asked about thanking fans at the end of the 2015 World Series.

“It was a lot easier to go on the field and thank the fans after winning the National League as opposed to, you know, coughing up a seven-game lead,” Wright cracked.

There will always be a bittersweet note to Wright’s career because of his back injury, which forced him to retire. He recently had another procedure about 18 months ago, he said, and he still performs a routine of exercises for his back. 

He wanted to play one final game in 2018, a sweet farewell, and did serious work to get ready. The man who had authored some terrific Met moments – his World Series homer, his barehanded catch, the walk-off RBI against Mariano Rivera – just wanted to play one last time. 

“There was nothing that I could do to, you know, do the thing anymore,” Wright said. “It was done. It took a while for my brain and my heart to kind of match up with that. But I think that very few athletes get the ending that they want, that storybook ending.

“I certainly wouldn't call mine a storybook ending, but it's better than 99 percent of what most athletes get, and I'll forever be thankful for getting that opportunity. I think that the send-off that the organization, that the fans, gave me, I guess I truly realized at that moment the bond that I'm going to have with this city and this organization for the rest of my life.”

On Saturday, Wright got honors that will only strengthen that bond, exactly what a forever Met deserves.

David Wright said that Saturday felt like being back home after a long trip -- ”when you’ve been away, seeing the familiar faces.”

It is true that this place -- Metsland, both physical and spiritual -- is a lifelong home for Wright, full of all the love and history that defines the word.

But the homecoming to mark Wright’s number retirement and induction into the Mets Hall of Fame was more than just a warm and fuzzy lovefest. It was a reminder that Wright’s impact on the organization remains tangible, even across vastly different eras, rosters and ownerships.

The years since Wright’s last game in 2018 have been ones of staggering turnover. And yet, his influence remains in the air.

Two of the young men who stand on the infield dirt in Wright’s former position can certainly feel it.

“I’ve gotten to speak with him a lot these past couple of years, and he’s an amazing guy,” Brett Baty said. “And I have seen what he has done for the organization and the type of leader he was.”

As a young player, Baty made a point to read Wright’s memoir, The Captain, written with Anthony DiComo.

“I read that book, and I was like, man, he was someone who everyone loved playing with, and who I would have loved playing with, too,” Baty says. “I could tell how hard a worker he was, and to bring that to the organization is huge, because that’s what everyone speaks on, how hard he worked. I didn’t witness it personally, obviously, but you know about it.”

“I grew up watching David Wright,” adds Mark Vientos. “My dad was a big Mets fan and the games were always on at home. He was the captain -- and now being on the same team and playing the same position is an honor.”

It’s more than that, too. Wright has taken time in spring training to talk about the specifics of the position with Vientos. He left a lasting impression on a young David Peterson with a similar conversation about the game. He called Max Kranick, another lifelong Mets fan, when Kranick made the team out of spring training this year.

Wright has dabbled in an even more active type of involvement.

For a brief time, he was an influential member of the front office. He attended the 2018 Winter Meetings as part of then-GM Brodie Van Wagenen’s inner circle. After that, he scaled back to spend as much time as possible with his family in California.

Several GMs later, Billy Eppler wanted Wright to come back to the fold in time to help the organization choose a manager. But while Wright is happy to be involved from a distance, and occasionally in person, he maintains that family is the priority for now.

The Mets will be fortunate if Wright ever decides to increase his time and influence, as Carlos Beltran has by joining the front office. But fortunately for the team, Wright’s initial impact, the one he made as a player, remains impactful.

“No one exemplifies more what it means to be a Met than David Wright,” says Dave Racaniello, the Mets' longtime bullpen catcher and one of Wright’s closest friends.

“The way he goes about his business both on and off the field, with his head down and his lunch pail, I think that has played a big part in why he’s so popular. That blue-collar attitude resonates so much with the people of New York, and especially the people of Queens.”

As a longtime Met himself, Racaniello is positioned better than anyone to describe the specifics of the legacy that linger into the 2020s.

“Our head strength coach, Dustin Clarke, and [trainer] Brian Chicklo -- these guys got here after David and, especially Dustin, has talked to me about how he remembers seeing David going about his business and thinking, ‘Okay, this is how it’s done here.’ And those expectations that Dustin now has for players were set because of how David conducted himself.

“So yes, the impact can run for generations.”

Schwarber continues monster week with grand slam in Phillies' win over Angels originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

It was tough to tell what was louder Saturday night at Citizens Bank Park – the crack of the bat on Kyle Schwarber’s go-ahead grand slam in the sixth inning or the MVP chants that cascaded down on the Phillies designated hitter.

Schwarber’s blast turned a 4-3 deficit into a 7-4 lead and propelled the Phillies to a 9-5 victory over the Angels. They extended their lead in the NL East to 1.5 games after the Mets lost again to Cincinnati.

“I knew I hit it kind of hard,” Schwarber said of his grand slam. “I saw it kind of go up and it looked like it kind of hit a force field there for a second. I was just hoping it had enough where it was going to hit the wall or something. But when it goes over the fence, you’re excited, you’re happy that you got the job done in a big way.”

Bryce Harper was asked about his view of Schwarber’s grand slam from the on-deck circle. “It was awesome,” Harper said. “What a moment for him. Sold out crowd, big opportunity obviously and he continues to come through for us. Just really cool for him and really excited for him.”

In a Phillies season marked by inconsistency, Schwarber has been the constant. His eighth career grand slam was his 32nd home run of the season, tied with Shohei Ohtani for the most in the National League. Schwarber added a double in the first inning and has 74 RBI and a .945 OPS in 98 games. He’s on pace for a career-high 53 home runs.

“I don’t know where we’d be without him,” manager Rob Thomson said. “It seems like there’s a moment every other night. There’s a lot of moments. Thank God we got him. He’s really something… He’s been huge. He’s really a solid hitter and a solid man.”

It’s been a banner year for Schwarber but this week stood out. His ‘swing-off’ performance in Tuesday’s All-Star Game earned him MVP honors. He homered in his first at-bat after the break on Friday. Then he rescued the Phillies from a potential third straight series loss with one swing of the bat on Saturday.

“It’s been a crazy week, a whirlwind,” Schwarber said. “It was fun, I had the boys (his sons Kade and Asher) down on the field for the Home Run Derby. Obviously the game and the whole swing-off thing, able to come home with the trophy. Went to Avalon there for a couple days and got some rest. You come back and get honored on the field (during Friday’s pregame ceremony) with a lot of great players here that have been All-Stars and have the fans go crazy, special moment.”  

Schwarber wasn’t the only big bat that made noise on Saturday. Harper continued his torrid pace with a double in the third inning and a two-run home run in the eighth. Harper now has 11 extra base hits in his last six games, including three home runs in the first two games after the break. He has 12 hits in his last 24 at-bats.

But it was Schwarber’s grand slam that flipped the script on what had been a frustrating night for the Phillies. They squandered numerous scoring chances early in the game. There was a baserunning blunder in the first inning that resulted in Schwarber and Turner both being caught in rundowns. There were runners left on base in each of the first five innings.

Then there was Taijuan Walker. The veteran righthander held the Angels scoreless through the first three innings before his outing unraveled quickly in the fourth. Los Angeles erupted for three runs on six hits in the inning, highlighted by back-to-back solo home runs by Taylor Ward and Jo Addell.

“I made some pitches,” Walker said of the fourth inning. “A lot of base hits, singles. It was one of those innings where I’m glad to get away with just three runs and still kept the team in it and give them a chance to win.”

Walker exited after allowing three runs on nine hits in just four innings. His ERA ballooned to 3.75. It was the type of frustrating performance that has typified his three seasons with the Phillies.

But on this night, what mattered most was Schwarber. The soon-to-be free agent has made it virtually impossible for the Phillies not to re-sign him. We’re approaching blank check territory.

“I think management knows that, I think Dombo (Dave Dombrowski) knows that as well,” Harper said of the growing sentiment to bring Schwarber back at all costs. “Obviously he should be here. He’s been great for us, he’s our leader. He’s the guy that talks on the bus and everything else. He’s one of the best teammates I’ve ever had. And one of the better guys I’ve ever played with. I can’t see him in any other uniform and I think he deserves it.”

Schwarber appreciates the support he’s getting from teammates and fans when it comes to his future after this season.

He was asked whether a contract extension could get done before he reaches free agency.

“It’s probably something that you just wait ‘til the end,” Schwarber said. “You just want to feel like you’re pouring everything you have into your team and you don’t want to be distracted by anything else, whether it’s numbers getting exchanged or what you’re thinking about what’s coming next. You would do everyone a disservice where you could be thinking about something else besides trying to help these guys in here win a game.”

The Phillies will turn to another pending free agent, Ranger Suarez, to deliver a series win in Sunday’s rubber match.

Update on Alec Bohm

The Phillies placed Alec Bohm on the 10-day injured list with a left rib fracture before Saturday’s game. The club recalled Weston Wilson from Triple-A Lehigh Valley to take Bohm’s place on the 26-man roster.

Bohm sustained the injury when he was hit by a pitch last weekend in San Diego. He aggravated the rib during his last at-bat of Friday’s game against the Angels.

Rob Thomson didn’t want to speculate about a timeline for how long Bohm might be out. But it’s fair to assume Bohm will miss more time than the minimum 10 days. Thomson said the Phillies will use both Otto Kemp and Edmundo Sosa at third base while Bohm is sidelined.