Category: Baseball

How Logan Webb, Robbie Ray have kept Giants afloat amid inconsistent season originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

WEST SACRAMENTO – The Giants have two legitimate Cy Young Award contenders. Ironically, neither is the guy on San Francisco’s pitching staff who already owns three of them.

Two days after Robbie Ray threw another in a long line of pitching gems this season, Logan Webb kept his name in the discussion with solid outing in the Giants’ 7-2 win over the Athletics on Friday night at Sutter Health Park.

Pitching about 30 minutes from where he grew up, Webb spun 6 2/3 innings and allowed two runs and seven hits.

Like Ray did on Thursday in the series finale in Arizona, Webb was in control from the start and kept an A’s lineup that has been surprisingly good this season from putting together much of a threat.

“I told Robbie the other day, I was like ‘That looked fun and I’m going to try to do it,” Webb said. “I love watching Robbie throw so much, especially after all the stuff he had to come back from. I know he wasn’t happy with last year.

“I just enjoy it every time he’s out there, the tight pants, the grunts. He’s one of the best pitchers in baseball and it’s a pleasure to watch him throw every five days.”

Webb and Ray have a combined record of 17-9 this season and have essentially carried the Giants’ rotation on their backs while nine-time All-Star Justin Verlander searches for a way to get his season on track.

Both pitchers have respectable ERAs. Ray has a solid 2.68 ERA while Webb’s mark rose slightly to 2.61 after Saturday’s game when he pitched in front of several friends and family at a park he had made only one previous appearance at, and that was while he was in the minor leagues.

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes (2.03 ERA, 0.919 WHIP) is the obvious front-runner for the NL Cy Young. As long as they continue to pitch how they have so far this season, Webb and Ray should have a case to be among the finalists.

At the very least both Ray and Webb should be voted into the 2025 MLB All-Star game, along with one or two of the Giants’ relievers. Webb’s 120 1/3 innings pitched are tops in the National League while Ray’s 107 innings are fourth-most in the NL.

“We both see how good this team can be and we both want to contribute,” Ray told NBC Sports Bay Area. “We’re both competitors and we both want to give our best effort every single time we go out. Watching the other guy kind of gives you that drive, that edge. When he goes out and has a great outing you want to come up behind him and do the same.

“I wouldn’t say it’s a competition or anything. It’s more of just feeding off each other, feeding off the energy.”

Webb had a lot of energy behind him at Sutter Health Park. There were several of his family and friends in the stands, and the right-hander was cheered loudly throughout the night.

“You could feel the interest in him being on the mound,” Giants manager Bob Melvin said. “Every time he came into the dugout there were a lot of people cheering for him., which typically you don’t hear (on the road). He throws a Logan Webb game. It’s pretty typical of what he’s done all year.”

Webb welcomed the once-in-a-lifetime moment and embraced it the same way he’s been embracing feeding off Ray’s pitching.

“It was really cool,” Webb said of the ovations he was greeted with. “I heard it the minute I walked out there, people yelling at me. It was a blast. I love being here and happy I was able to get the win here.”

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The Mets put on a power show at Citi Field on Saturday, hitting three home runs, two by Pete Alonso and a grand slam by Brandon Nimmo to rout the Yankees, 12-6, and win a second straight Subway Series game. 

As a result, the Mets assured themselves of winning this three-game series and have now won three of the five Subway Series games this season.

It was also their fourth straight win overall and the Yankees’ sixth straight loss.

Here are the takeaways...

- For the second time in this four-game winning streak, Nimmo ignited the Mets’ offense with a grand slam as he took Carlos Rodón deep in the first inning for an early 4-0 lead. 

- The Mets tacked on runs from there, thanks mostly to Alonso’s two home runs. He hit a two-run opposite-field shot in the fifth inning, giving the Mets a 7-2 lead, and then essentially put the game on ice with a three-run shot to left off reliever Jayvien Sandridge who was making his MLB debut.

The two home runs give Alonso 20 for the season and 246 for his career, six behind Darryl Strawberry’s club record of 252.

- Frankie Montas gave the Mets a solid start and actually pitched better than his final line showed, thanks mostly to a couple of soft-contact hits in the sixth inning that cost him two runs. He wound up going 5.2 innings, giving up four runs on five hits, no walks, and two strikeouts. Montas gave up solo home runs to Jazz Chisholm Jr. and Austin Wells. 

The right-hander was leading 7-2 after five innings before giving up two in the sixth, thanks in part to a bloop single by Trent Grisham and a well-placed fly-ball double to left-center by Cody Bellinger. 

All in all, it was a much better start than last time out in Pittsburgh where he gave up five first-inning runs. In the days afterward, Montas said he believed he was ambushed early that day because he was tipping pitches. His performance on Saturday made the case that he may have been right.

- With the Mets’ bullpen thinned out by injury and illness, they got four outs from Richard Lovelady and Chris Devenski, which got them to the eighth inning and Ryne Stanek. 

Devenski got a very important out in the seventh inning. With two runners on, two outs, the Mets leading 7-5, and Aaron Judge on deck, Devenski fooled Trent Grisham with a change-up and got a weak comebacker to escape the inning. 

Stanek was shaky but got through the eighth, allowing one run, and even with a six-run lead manager Carlos Mendoza brought in Edwin Diaz to close it out.

- On the Yankees’ side, it was a very disappointing start for Rodón. He came in with a 2.95 ERA, having a strong first half, but fell behind early on Saturday thanks to a first-inning grand slam by Nimmo and wound up giving up seven runs in five innings, including another home run to Alonso and a ton of hard-hit balls. 

As a result, Rodon’s ERA jumped to 3.30. With Saturday’s news that Clarke Schmidt will likely need Tommy John surgery, Rodón looms as crucial to the Yankees' hopes in the second half. 

- The Yankees hit three solo home runs, by Chisholm, Wells, and Anthony Volpe.

Game MVP: Pete Alonso

Nimmo’s grand slam set the tone but with the Yankees chipping away at the early lead, Alonso’s home runs proved decisive, accounting for five runs. 

With five RBI, Alonso has 73 for the season, tied for third in the majors, pending other action on Saturday. 

Highlights

Starling Marte's 1,600th-career hit is a leadoff double! pic.twitter.com/Bv2Q3ahPr2

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 5, 2025

ANOTHER GRAND SLAM FOR BRANDON NIMMO!!!!!! pic.twitter.com/McrnlmP2Bx

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 5, 2025

Starling Marte rips an RBI single to bring home Tyrone Taylor! 💪 pic.twitter.com/miB5l5BIe8

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 5, 2025

Juan Soto reaches up to make the catch in front of the wall! pic.twitter.com/1rn0IkWuUv

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 5, 2025

PETE ALONSO GOES THE OTHER WAY FOR A TWO-RUN SHOT! pic.twitter.com/T9X1eP3Q88

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 5, 2025

RONNY SPARKS THE RALLY.

Ronny Mauricio stretches a ground ball up the middle into a double and Francisco Lindor brings him home ⚡ pic.twitter.com/rJDOSD1BRx

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) July 5, 2025

FORGET THAT!

PETE ALONSO'S SECOND HOME RUN OF THE DAY! pic.twitter.com/IDtYkb5kQ9

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 5, 2025

Juan Soto rockets a single off the wall and brings home Francisco Lindor with the Mets' 12th run! pic.twitter.com/eFKTM99rXs

— SNY (@SNYtv) July 5, 2025

What's next

The crosstown rivals will play their Subway Series finale on Sunday afternoon, with first pitch scheduled for 1:40 p.m. on SNY.

The Mets have yet to announce their starter, while ace Max Fried (10-2, 2.13 ERA) is slated to take the mound for the Yanks.

The Yankees have signed veteran infielder Jeimer Candelario to a minor-league deal, the team's Triple-A affiliate has announced.

Candelario was released by the Cincinnati Reds on June 29 after a rough season that included a lumbar spine strain that forced him on the IL. In 22 games, the 32-year-old slashed .113/.198/.213 with two home runs and 10 RBI.

However, the switch-hitter is just one year removed from hitting 20 homers in 112 games for Cincinnati and is a career .237 hitter with 110 home runs and a .726 OPS.

Candelario's best seasons came when he played for the Detroit Tigers from 2017-2022, but he's also played for the Chicago Cubs and Washington Nationals.

Mostly a third baseman in his career, Candelario has also played first base.

He will report to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and will act as infield depth for New York.

What we learned as Willy Adames' big night powers Giants' win over Athletics originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

WEST SACRAMENTO – What a difference a day makes.

Twenty-four hours after Justin Verlander absorbed another loss and received very little help on the offensive side during the Giants most lopsided loss of the season, San Francisco flipped the script on both ends and beat the Athletics 7-2 on Saturday to even the series with their former Bay Bridge rivals.

Logan Webb led the charge with another yeoman work effort on the mound while pitching about 30 minutes away from where he grew up. The right-hander scattered seven hits and two runs over 6 2/3 mostly solid innings, striking out six and walking three to get his third win in his last seven starts.

For the third consecutive day, manager Bob Melvin didn’t have to reach too deep into his bullpen.

That’s nothing new when Webb starts.

Randy Rodriguez replaced Webb and retired one batter. Tyler Rogers set down three, and Spencer Bivens worked the ninth to complete the game.

The Giants also showed signs of breaking out of their collective offensive funk in third baseman Matt Chapman’s return from the Injured List.

Heliot Ramos hit his 14^th home run of the season, Willy Adames had three hits and drove in four runs and Brett Wisely added a pair of hits ad two RBIs. Rafel Devers reached base four times.

Heliot says adiós 👋 pic.twitter.com/9n0cBmKv0O

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) July 6, 2025

Here are the takeaways from Saturday’s win:

CHAPMAN’S RETURN

Before the game Melvin insisted Chapman’s return to the lineup was advantageous in multiple ways, and the third baseman certainly made things happen Saturday.

Batting in the clean-up spot behind Rafael Devers, Chappy was hit by a pitch and scored on an Adames single in the first inning. In the third Chapman beat out an infield single then took third on Jung Hoo Lee’s single to center and scored on another Adames’ two-out hit.

Chapman reached on a fielder’s choice in the fifth, flew out to center in the sixth then drew a six-pitch walk in the ninth.

More importantly as far as Melvin is concerned, having Chapman back in the lineup adds another experienced veteran voice in the clubhouse. That, as much as his glove and bat, is exactly what the Giants at this juncture.

ADAMES SHINES IN THE 6 HOLE

Chapman’s return enabled manager Bob Melvin to juggle his lineup a little more, including dropping Adames down to No. 6 in the batting order. That’s a spot where Adames has had some of his best production this season, and he kept that roll going against the A’s.

Just when it looked like the Giants were going to waste a huge opportunity in the first inning, Adames laced a two-out, two-run single up the middle to give Webb some early run support.

Adames knocks in a pair to put the Giants on top 💪 pic.twitter.com/aeEF69bwEf

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) July 6, 2025

Adames came through with another two-out hit in the third that knocked in two more runs.

Adames, who has been San Francisco’s No. 2 hitter most of the season, has driven in 22 of his 42 RBIs while batting No. 6.

RAMOS REGAINS POWER STROKE

Ramos ended his second-longest power outage with his solo home run off Severino leading off the fifth. It was Ramos’ team-leading 18^th homer and first since June 21, a span of 13 games.

Ramos had been ill for the final two games in Arizona and was in a 5-for-34 rut before crushing Luis Severino’s first pitch in the fifth for a 416-foot home run.

The Giants slugger, who came short of a second home run when he doubled to center in the eighth. was hit by a pitch, grounded out in his other at-bats.

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If the Mets can survive the next week with a patched-together pitching staff, they might find their way back to relative stability before the All-Star break.

Here is reporting on current and possible future members of the Mets rotation. Information is from league sources.

-- If all goes well, Sean Manaea could make his season debut next Sunday in Kansas City, the day before the All-Star break.

Manaea has so far responded well to the cortisone shot intended to treat the discomfort caused by a bone fragment, or “loose body,” in his left elbow. He is scheduled to make a final rehab start on Tuesday for Triple-A Syracuse. The team will then decide whether to start him on Sunday or wait until after the break. The prediction here is that Manaea will close out the first half.

Kodai Senga is also a solid possibility to return from the IL next weekend in Kansas City.

-- The Mets are actively scouring the trade market for pitching. But they are unlikely to land an impact starter much before the trade deadline, because -- like all buying teams -- the Mets are at the mercy of the market. David Stearns could choose to get ripped off today, or he could wait until late July for prices to settle at their actual level.

-- The Mets have a better chance of trading for a reliever earlier in the month. Those can occasionally become more readily available than starters in mid-July. The Mets acquired Phil Maton last year on July 10.

-- As first reported by the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, the Mets have expressed interest in starter Mitch Keller. The context for that is that the Mets have made a call on just about every potentially available starter. Nothing is close on any front.

Keller is making $15 million this season and $52.5 million from 2026-2028. Because of that hefty price tag, he is not expected to fetch a top prospect/young position player with years of club control, like Ronny Mauricio.

-- A reunion between the Mets and Luis Severino has to be considered unlikely -- but we wouldn’t call it impossible.

Severino left the Mets because the Mets -- even though they liked the player and person -- didn’t consider the three-year, $67 million contract he signed with the Athletics to be a reasonable deal for him. It made a bit more sense for the A’s, who had to overpay a free agent in order to convince him to play in their minor league ballpark in Sacramento.

But Severino has publicly complained about that ballpark, leading to an industry belief that the A’s would eat money to trade him. If the team absorbs enough of the contract, or takes on a bad contract in return, he could appeal to the Mets. Again, New York liked Severino and would gladly have retained him at a lower price point.

The Yankees are reportedly calling on one of their young talents after losing Clarke Schmidt to an injury.

New York is planning on promoting young right-hander Cam Schlittler to make his MLB debut on Tuesday or Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners, according to Joel Sherman of the NY Post.

Schmidt left his start this week after just three innings due to elbow tightness, and after undergoing an MRI, he is expected to have season-ending Tommy John surgery.

Aaron Boone said pregame Saturday that they are still sorting through their replacement options for the rotation, but it appears they've settled on the hard-throwing 24-year-old.

Schlittler was roughed up his last time out, but he's enjoyed a ton of success this season, posting a 2.82 ERA and 1.21 WHIP in 15 appearances between Double-A Somerset and Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre.

He's done a good job of consistently keeping the ball on the ground, recording a 47.8 percent groundball rate over his minor league career.

The Massachusetts native can touch 97 mph on his fastball and he's been developing a sweeper.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza provided some updates prior to Saturday’s game against the Yankees…

---

The plan for Brooks Raley

Raley took the next step in his rehab assignment on Friday night. 

The southpaw jumped up to Triple-A and put together another strong outing, taking home the victory after working around a hit and a walk over 1.1 scoreless innings. 

He has now punched out 11 batters and is yet to allow a run over six appearances (6.2 innings). 

Things continue to go well, but it will be a bit longer before we see the veteran back on the big-league mound. 

“We still want to see back-to-back, two out of three,” the skipper said. “So most likely it won’t be until after the break. But he’s putting himself in a good position, bouncing back well. Now it’s just preparing him for scenarios how we’ll use him.

"We don’t want the first time he’s going back-to-back to be at the big-league level, especially after what he’s been through.”

Brandon Sproat finding his groove

The young right-hander had a bit of a rough start to the season, but of late, he’s begun to find a groove down in Syracuse. 

Sproat put together his second consecutive strong outing on Friday night, allowing just two singles and a walk while striking out eight over five scoreless innings. 

He’s now gone 11 consecutive frames without giving up a run. 

Brandon Sproat struck out eight over five scoreless innings tonight 🔥 pic.twitter.com/u8gLV6TvQH

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) July 5, 2025

“It’s really good to see,” Mendoza said. “We’re keeping an eye on all of those guys. I was talking to Dickey Scott before the outing yesterday, not only the life on the fastball but the conviction of the way he’s throwing the baseball. It looks like he’s turning the corner here. 

“Reading his report from last night it’s the same thing -- just attacking, life on his pitches, using all of his pitches, the changeup was better. That’s what we want to see out of these kids. They continue to put themselves in a position and we’ll watch them.”

David Stearns said earlier this week that the team would prefer to not bring up one of their talented young arms in a spot start situation.

Sproat certainly has been building his case, though, lowering his ERA to 5.05 on the year.

New addition to the roster

New bullpen addition Zach Pop officially joined the roster prior to Saturday’s Subway Series matchup. 

Pop is active and will be available out of the bullpen for the contest. 

In a corresponding move, Austin Warren was sent back down to Triple-A. 

Reliever Tyler Zuber was designated for assignment to make room for Pop on the roster. 

Zuber was acquired from the Rays ahead of last year’s trade deadline in exchange for relief prospect Paul Gervase, who made his big-league debut this year. 

Suárez eases into yet another tremendous outing, Phillies even series with Reds originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The ease in which Phillies pitcher Ranger Suárez approaches his profession brings to mind many past and current athletes whose results seem to far outweigh their efforts.

Like a Fred Couples golf swing or a Steph Curry 35-foot jumper, Suárez goes about his business as if every outing is just a 60-foot, six-inch game of catch with J.T. Realmuto. 

Suárez wanders off the mound with all the non-hastiness as if he’s been called to the principal’s office. After a foul ball is corralled by one of the ball girls, he’ll make sure they are all set before he throws his next pitch. He flips the ball in the air to himself before a pitch, seemingly oblivious to the fact a runner could advance if he misses his own toss. He doesn’t really wind up, more like he steps forward to the rubber and begins his pitch there.

No one is complaining about the ways Suárez goes about his business, of course, as he has been one of the best pitchers in baseball the past couple of months.

Not much changed with him on Saturday at Citizens Bank Park against the Cincinnati Reds, as the left-hander strolled through five innings and 80 pitches using a curveball in the mid to low 70-mile-an-hour mark, a changeup that hovered around 80 and a rarely used four-seam fastball that was low 90s. His pitches don’t pop Realmuto’s mitt the way his fellow starters do, rather his balls kind of land.

Saturday’s performance by Suárez was slowed even more due to him being on an 85-pitch count because of some soreness after his last outing against Atlanta. Still, in his limited time, he allowed just one run on a Will Benson home run and struck out six. Three of the Phillies five hits left the yard en route to a 5-1 victory.

“I felt it in my last start in Atlanta, my body wasn’t feeling 100 percent so the pitch limit was because of that just to see how we progress and how we go forward, said Suárez. “It’s my shoulder and my back overall. I felt a little bit better, that’s why they told me we were going to have a pitch limit. But today was good overall. I felt way better.”

It’d be hard to tell if he had no feeling at all with the nonchalant, robotic way he goes about his business. Now in his last 11 starts, Suárez has a 1.23 ERA over his last 11 starts and hasn’t allowed more than one earned run in his last five games.

To say he’s earned a little bit of a break at this point of the season is a huge understatement.

“It was designed,” said manager Rob Thomson. “In June he had six starts. Five of them were seven innings, one of them six innings, all of them 94 pitches or more. So we went in today just trying to pull back a little bit. So we had an 85-pitch limit today.” 

Before finding out that the pull back was planned, there was wonder if something more was wrong. In his last few outings the velocity of Suárez’ pitches had gone down a little bit and yesterday it still wasn’t peak. But that doesn’t seem to matter to the pitcher nor his boss.

“I’m just looking up at the board but I saw a 93. So that was a good sign,” Thomson said. “I don’t really concern myself with that because he pitches. That’s what he did today. He threw strikes, first pitch strikes. The changeup was really good. A lot of soft contact, other than the (Will) Benson home run. He just missed location on that. I thought Ranger was really good today and I thought the bullpen was outstanding as well.”

Effortless without result was much of the Phillies offense early in the game and the reason Suárez departed without a decision. The only mustered two hits off Reds’ lefty starter Nick Lodolo, both by Trea Turner, in the first four innings. But Edmundo Sosa deposited a home run into the right field seats to tie it at 1-1, then Alec Bohm drove in Kyle Schwarber with a 400-foot bomb to left-center for a 3-1 lead. Not to be let out of the home run fun, Schwarber went the opposite way off Reds lefty Brent Suter on a 2-0 count in the 8th with Turner on first and the Phillies busted it open to a 5-1 lead.

It helped that Thomson was able to use his high-leverage guys out of the pen as Jordan Romano, Tanner Banks, Orion Kerkering and Matt Strahm kept the Reds off the board for the final four. Though things got a little dicey in the eighth when Kerkering enticed Austin Hays into a tailor-made double play that was bobbled by Turner. But on the very next at-bat, Turner made a solid play to his left, stepped on second and threw to first for the rally-killing double play.

As for Suárez, there will be one more start before next week’s All-Star break and probably him going to Atlanta as part of the National League pitching staff. If he does get the nod, he said he’d love it and that he’d want to pitch in the game. But you just get the feeling that if he doesn’t, he’ll still have the same demeanor either way.

For now, the health of him and the other starters who have been so great in this “first half” of the season is a major focus of Thomson’s. Asked if any other starters might get some pitch limitations in the coming week, Thomson responded, “you’ll know when you see it.”

What we do know is that when we see Suárez take the mound of late, there is nothing but goodness that comes out of it.

“Last season during the second half I got hurt, so the pitch limit was to see how we can progress to keep feeling better going forward,” Suárez said. 

“I think I’ve felt pretty good overall throughout the season. I didn’t feel as good during my last start in Atlanta but it’s just that one thing that’s holding me back. I think we’re going to be able to go forward without (pitch limits). I think it’s more about being careful and not trying to rush it to the end of the season.

“I felt really good today. Great, actually. My changeup was great, the curveball and cutter too. Overall I think all of my pitches were fantastic today.”

And again, so was he. 

The Mets will be in the market for starting pitching ahead of the trade deadline. 

One arm they are reportedly already showing interest in is Pirates right-hander Mitch Keller, according to Noah Hiles of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 

Keller has also been connected to the Cubs over the past few weeks. 

After a rough start to the season, Pittsburgh has won six of their last seven games. But according to Hiles, a source believes the chances of the veteran starter being moved are as high as 70 percent. 

That certainly doesn’t come as a surprise, as Keller has been one of the biggest bright spots for the last-place Pirates so far this season. 

Despite a 3-10 record, the one-time All-Star has actually pitched extremely well on the year, putting together a quality start in 12 of his league-high 18 outings while pitching to a 3.64 ERA.

The Mets are set to receive a big boost in their rotation, with Kodai Senga and Sean Manaeaclosing in on a return to the club, but they certainly need to add some reliable arms to the mix over the next few weeks. 

Keller would likely cost a pretty penny in a potential deal, as he is under contract through 2028. 

The Mets' rotation depth has been tested considerably over the last month due to a laundry list of injuries, but a pair of valuable and dependable pitchers could make their awaited return to the mound just before the All-Star break arrives.

While the situation remains fluid, manager Carlos Mendoza said ahead of Saturday's game against the Yankees that the earliest injured starters Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea would be able to pitch in uniform again is next week's road series against the Royals, which begins on Friday.

Senga, who suffered a hamstring strain on June 13, is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment with Double-A Binghamton on Saturday. Mendoza said on Friday that the goal is for the right-hander to throw around 60 pitches, and if all goes well, he would be in line to rejoin the Mets' staff on normal rest.

As for Manaea -- who's been sidelined all season due to elbow and oblique ailments -- he's slated to make one more Double-A rehab start next Tuesday. The veteran left-hander received a cortisone shot last week after test results revealed a loose body in his elbow, but he's already been cleared to pitch.

The upcoming appearance with Binghamton will mark Manaea's sixth rehab outing, and he's expected to stretch out to 75-plus pitches. He last threw on Wednesday, allowing two runs on six hits and a walk while striking out three across three frames in Binghamton. Overall, he's pitched to a 6.00 ERA (15 innings).

Luckily for Senga, there's nothing wrong with his arm, and the Mets are equally excited to have him back in the fold. He's produced a stellar 2025 campaign thus far, with a pristine 1.47 ERA over 13 starts. He's also struck out 70 batters, while holding opponents to a .195 average.

It looks like the Yankees will be without another valuable rotation arm for an extended period.

An initial MRI on Clarke Schmidt's right elbow revealed that the starter is likely dealing with a torn UCL, which is expected to require Tommy John surgery.

The team is sending him for further testing on Saturday to confirm the disappointing news.

"He's gonna have to have surgery," manager Aaron Boone said. "He's getting second opinions and things now, but obviously not great news on that front -- we'll see what goes on here in the next couple of days."

Schmidt left Thursday's outing against the Blue Jays after just three innings, and he was placed on the injured list just one day later with what the team called right elbow tightness.

“Earlier on in the game it felt okay,” the righty told reporters. “As the game progressed, it sort of tightened up a little bit on me. I felt like the whole night I was kind of guarding it a little bit on the breaking balls, really not ripping them or trying to get a lot behind them."

While the beginning to Schmidt's season was delayed a few weeks due to rotator cuff tendinitis, he's produced numbers reflective of a new and improved pitcher.

As one of the Yankees' most reliable starters, the 29-year-old has logged a 3.32 ERA across 14 starts, and he wrapped up June with a laudable 1.95 ERA across five outings.

"He's become a real good starting pitching in this league," Boone said. "It's a tough blow, but every team has their share of these things that happen and we've gotta be able to absorb it and hopefully get some guys back in the mix soon."

The team is still working through who will take his spot in the rotation.

Former MLB pitcher, World Series champion Bobby Jenks dead at 44 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Former Chicago White Sox closer Bobby Jenks has died at the age of 44 after a battle against a terminal form of stomach cancer.

Jenks, who won a World Series championship with the White Sox in 2005, had been diagnosed with adenocarcinoma earlier this year, and passed away Friday in Portugal, the White Sox announced in a press release.

“We have lost an iconic member of the White Sox family today,” said White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “None of us will ever forget that ninth inning of Game 4 in Houston, all that Bobby did for the 2005 World Series champions and for the entire Sox organization during his time in Chicago. He and his family knew cancer would be his toughest battle, and he will be missed as a husband, father, friend and teammate. He will forever hold a special place in all our hearts.”

Jenks spoke to The Athletic about being diagnosed with Stage 4 stomach cancer earlier this year, which came just weeks after his southern California home burned down in the Palisades Fire in the Los Angeles area in January.

“I’ve come to the realization that it could be six months, or it could be three years,” he said in an interview with The Athletic. “But I’m ready. And however long it takes, I’m going to be here fighting it.”

He made his MLB debut with the White Sox during the remarkable 2005 season, with six saves and a 2.75 ERA during the regular season. He was especially critical in the playoffs, racking up four more saves and closing out the final game of the World Series, which gave the team their first title in 88 years.

Jenks had 173 saves during six seasons with the White Sox.

The California native pitched the 2011 MLB season with the Boston Red Sox.

Jenks is survived by his wife Eleni Tzitzivacos, their two children, Zeno and Kate and his four children from a prior marriage, Cuma, Nolan, Rylan and Jackson, according to the White Sox.

Phillies notes: Difficulties of bouncing Walker around, All-Star talk, more originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Phillies pitcher Taijuan Walker started his first six appearances of the season due to a sore lower back injury to Ranger Suarez. When Suarez was healthy enough to return to the starting rotation about a month into the season, Walker was moved to the bullpen for a couple of games, and even earned a save. Then out of necessity, manager Rob Thomson had to re-insert the 32-year-old back to the starting five for a pair of starts at the end of May. After posting a 2.54 ERA in his first six starts, Walker allowed seven earned runs in a total of nine innings his next two starts.

Then up came Mick Abel for six starts and after an impressive beginning, the rookie had faltered of late, allowing nine earned runs his past two starts that totaled just 4.2 innings. Following his latest start on Wednesday against the San Diego Padres, Abel was sent down to Lehigh Valley, creating an opening in the starting rotation. Guess who? That’s right, Walker will take the mound for the start Tuesday in San Francisco.

“I think it can be very difficult,” said Thomson of Walker’s bouncing around. “I think it depends on the guy. I think it can be very difficult. In Walk’s case, I think he’s handled it very professionally. He’s been a great team guy throughout this whole thing. I think it can wear you down.”

The difficulties don’t just land on the player, Thomson admitted. Having to tell his veteran righty that his role is constantly changing isn’t all that much fun, either. “Yeah, I do (feel bad) to tell you the truth. Because you’re asking a guy to be a great teammate, which he is, but it can be uncomfortable for some people.”

In his eight starts this season, Walker has a 2-4 record. In 37.1 innings, he’s allowed 38 hits, 15 earned runs (3.62 ERA), three homers, 16 walks and has struck out 30. 

After Walker’s start on Tuesday, Thomson will have a little time to think about that fifth spot as the All-Star break approaches after next Sunday’s game in San Diego. Thomson has been a bit secretive about the plans for Andrew Painter, but he certainly could be an option.

Aaron Nola is still a ways away and Abel will make starts at Lehigh Valley and if he corrects himself, that could be another possibility. In the meantime, it’s Walker’s turn. Again.

Any worries for Ranger Suárez?

In his last outing against the Atlanta Braves, starter Ranger Suárez was a little down on his velocity. While noted, it really doesn’t seem to concern his manager. How could it? Consider in his last 10 starts heading into Saturday, Suárez has pitched 68.1 innings, allowed 48 hits, struck out 30 and walked just five. His ERA during that time is a ridiculous 1.19. What more could a team want?

“That he pitches just like he’s been pitching, really,” said Thomson on his hopes for Suárez moving forward. “Hopefully there’s more velo, but if there’s not I’m fine with that – him just getting outs (is all I want).” 

Joe Ross won’t be getting Walker treatment

Of the 151 games he’s pitched in the majors going into Saturday, hulking righthander Joe Ross had started 87 of them, including 10 last season in Milwaukee and one this year with the Phillies. But he is not going to do the roller-coaster ride between starting and bullpen work that Taijuan Walker has had to do this season for the Phillies.

“He’s a guy that one of things that we agreed upon when we signed him was that he was either going to start or relieve. We were not going to bounce him back and forth,” said Thomson. “I think if you did it once, like put him in the rotation and left him there he’d be fine with it, but we’re in a spot now with having Mick (Abel) come up, hopefully (Andrew) Painter comes, (Aaron) Nola comes back. I think we’re in a position, unfortunately, some guys have to bounce back and forth.”

But not Ross. He’ll stay in the pen.

“His velo really went up last year when he went to the pen (in Milwaukee). We saw a little bit of it. I think he was 97, 98 last year at times. We haven’t seen that but we’ve seen 95 and 96s. When he’s up there it’s pretty good. He’s had some good outings for us.”

All-Star talk

Obviously the Phillies could send three starting pitchers to the All-Star in Atlanta on July 15 in Zack Wheeler, Ranger Suarez and Christopher Sanchez. After that, Rob Thomson seems pretty confident in two of his players getting there in shortstop Trea Turner and designated hitter Kyle Schwarber.

“I think both those guys have, to tell you the truth (earned it),” he said. “I’m not sure if there’s anybody else but I think those guys have. Turner has hit for average, gets on base, now he’s hit a few home runs lately. And Schwarber, the two of them basically carried the club for a little bit. Some guys were scuffling and those guys were getting hot. Schwarber with all his home runs and his walks, getting on base. Both those guys have had a good year.

Hockey Mentality

Apparently there was a little verbal exchange among Phillies players and one or more people in the stands after Friday’s 9-6 loss to the Cincinnati Reds. It centered around second baseman Bryson Stott.

“I didn’t see it in the moment but I heard about it afterwards, Rob Thomson said. “From what I heard someone said something to Stott or about Stott and his teammates were protecting him.”