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Yankees swept by Blue Jays, fall out of first place with fourth straight loss

The Yankees' struggles with runners in scoring position continued, going 2-for-14 and leaving 12 on base, in an 8-5 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays on Thursday night for their fourth straight loss.

It's just the third time they have been swept by the Blue Jays in a four-game series (2003 and 2021) and first time ever in Toronto.

The Yankees (48-39) are now a game behind the Blue Jays (49-38) for first place in the AL East.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Clarke Schmidt found himself in an early 1-0 hole as Addison Barger drove in George Springer (walk) from first base with a two-out double in the bottom of the first inning. He bounced back for a quick second inning, issuing just a two-out walk. The right-hander gave up a leadoff double to Nathan Lukes in the third and then Springer continued his hot stretch with a two-run homer to make it a 3-1 game -- it was his third HR and ninth RBI of the series.

Schmidt let up another double to Barger but got a flyout and groundout to escape the third inning. He didn't head back out for the fourth inning, ending his night after 55 pitches, as Clayton Beeter replaced him on the mound. Overall, Schmidt allowed three runs on four hits with two walks and a strikeout. It was later announced that Schmidt left the game with right forearm tightness.

-- The Yankees went 0-for-4 with runners in scoring position and left three on base over the first two innings. Aaron Judge (hit by pitch) and Cody Bellinger (single) were left stranded as Jazz Chisholm Jr. struck out to end the top of the first inning. Jasson Domínguez led off the second inning with a single and advanced to second base after a balk by Chris Bassitt, but Anthony Volpe, Austin Wells, and Oswald Peraza failed to drive in the run.

-- Trent Grisham came through with a solo home run to tie the game at 1-1 in the top of the third inning. It's homer No. 16 on the year for the outfielder -- one shy of his career-high of 17 HRs in 2022 with the Padres.

-- The cold streak of hitting with RISP snapped in the fourth as Domínguez tripled with one out and scored on Volpe's single, cutting the Toronto lead to 3-2. Wells doubled to give the Yanks more scoring opportunities and Volpe scored from third on a wild pitch to tie it up at 3-3. That's all they could get across the plate, however, as Peraza and Ben Rice both struck out.

New York got another chance in the fifth after Judge walked and Domínguez singled and stole second, but Volpe popped out into foul territory to end the frame.

-- Beeter's season debut didn't go as planned as he let up a two-run double to Lukes in the fourth and a solo homer to Barger in the fifth. The righty was pulled after 1.2 IP, allowing three runs to give the Blue Jays a 6-3 lead. Jonathan Loáisiga struck out Davis Schneider to end the fifth inning.

-- New York rattled off three straight hits in the seventh from Judge, Bellinger, and Chisholm, whose double scored Judge to make it a two-run game. Volpe drove in another with a groundout as the Yanks trailed, 6-5. After Wells walked to give the team runners at the corners, Giancarlo Stanton pinch-hit for Peraza, but grounded out back to the pitcher to end the inning.

Judge was intentionally walked for a record fifth time in the series in the eighth with two outs and the move paid off as Bellinger struck out to end the inning. Judge now has 23 intentional walks on the year, tied with Mickey Mantle in 1957 for the most in a season in Yankees history.

Game MVP: George Springer

Barger had a good argument with two doubles and a homer, but Springer's second HR of the night (a two-run blast in the eighth) gives him the honor. He dominated the Yanks during the four-game series, going 8-for-14 with four home runs and 11 RBI.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees and head back to New York for a Fourth of July weekend Subway Series with the Mets on Friday at Citi Field. First pitch is at 3:10 p.m. on SNY.

Marcus Stroman (1-1, 8.16 ERA) takes on his former team. The Mets have yet to announce a starting pitcher.

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Mets pitching holds down Brewers, win first series in three weeks after 3-2 victory

David Peterson pitched into the seventh and the Mets bullpen did the rest as New York defeated the Brewers, 3-2, on Thursday night at Citi Field.

After a 35-minute rain delay to start the game, the Mets had their best pitching performance in a while and the offense did just enough to take the series against the Brewers.

Here are the takeaways...

-After the success of Game 2 on Wednesday, Carlos Mendoza kept Francisco Lindor in the two-hole but had Starling Marte lead off in this one. But it was Brandon Nimmo who got the Mets' scoring started. Hitting in the five-hole, Nimmo launched a first-pitch sinker from Jose Quintana just over the right field wall.

Quintana would keep the Mets in check until the sixth inning when Marte and Lindor hit back-to-back singles with one out to put runners on the corners for Juan Soto. The Player of the Month for June hit a seeing-eye single just under the second baseman's glove to put the Mets up 2-1. Pete Alonso followed with a first-pitch double off the wall to score Lindor. The Mets failed to tack on after Nimmo and Mark Vientos struck out to leave two runners stranded.

-David Peterson, after back-to-back rough starts, was back to form on Thursday night. However, the defense betrayed him in the fourth inning. Brett Baty dropped a liner at second base to put runners on first and second with one out and then Vientos dove in front of Lindor, causing the shortstop to only get one out instead of a double play. The run would score on a soft chopper to third and tie the game.

The defense would help out Peterson in the next few innings, converting two double plays to get Peterson through six innings. Peterson is the first Met since June 17 to get through six innings (14 games), when Peterson did it.

With a two-run lead, Peterson started the seventh and got the first two outs before Andruw Monasterio hit his first homer of the season and Sal Frelick hit an infield single to knock the Mets left-hander out of the game. Ryne Stanek, working his second consecutive day, got the final out of the inning to put a bow on Peterson's night.

The Mets southpaw threw 103 pitches (69 strikes) over 6.2 innings, allowing two runs (one earned) on five hits and three walks while striking out four batters.

-Stanek was impressive in relief. After getting the final out in the seventh, he struck out the side in the eighth. His four-out appearance is the longest outing of the season for Stanek.

Edwin Diaz pitched the ninth and after a strikeout, Christian Yelich picked up a pinch-hit single. Yelich attempted to steal second and looked to have it, but after a replay, it was deemed that Luis Torrens' throw and Lindor's tag got Yelich for the second out. Diaz would strike out the pinch-hitting Brice Turang to nail down the save.

Game MVP: David Peterson

After all the injuries and bullpen usage, Peterson gave the Mets exactly what they needed.

Highlights

What's next

The Mets welcome the Yankees to Citi Field for the second Subway Series of the season. First pitch is set for 3:10 p.m.

Marcus Stroman (1-1, 8.16 ERA) will take the mound for the Yankees while the Mets have yet to announce a probable pitcher.

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Max Muncy heads to IL with what Dodgers are calling a left knee bone bruise

LOS ANGELES, CA - JULY 2, 2025: Los Angeles Dodgers third base Max Muncy (13) grimaces as he holds his left knee after colliding with Chicago White Sox outfielder Michael A. Taylor (21) after he tagged Taylor out trying to steal third base in the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium on July 2, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Dodgers third baseman Max Muncy grimaces as he holds his left knee after colliding with Michael Taylor of the White Sox after he tagged Taylor out trying to steal third in the sixth inning of Wednesday's game. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The Dodgers will be without Max Muncy for approximately six weeks after the third baseman was placed on the injured list Thursday with what the team is calling a bone bruise in his left knee. Muncy was injured in the sixth inning of Wednesday’s walk-off win over the Chicago White Sox when Chicago’s Michael Taylor slid headfirst into third on an unsuccessful attempt to steal third base.

The Dodgers now have 13 players on the injured list.

Taylor’s helmet hit Muncy’s knee, bending it sideways and flipping the infielder to the ground. The collision was so gruesome, SportsNet LA, which was broadcasting the game, did not show replays. Muncy writhed on the ground in obvious pain before being helped to the clubhouse.

Muncy, who entered the Dodger clubhouse Thursday afternoon wearing a blue elastic support bandage on his left leg, said he originally feared the worst, but an MRI found no structural damage.

“It was tough news, but it was also great news,” he said. “I still get to play baseball this year instead of coming back next year around April. So it was kind of best-case scenario.”

Read more:'Super grateful' Clayton Kershaw, Dodger teammates bask in glow of 3,000th strikeout

Muncy, who said his knee felt stiff but not painful, was scheduled to meet the Dodger doctors later Thursday but said he intended to embark on an aggressive rehabilitation process.

“Everybody's body is different,” he said. “You know, some guys heal extremely fast, some guys heal extremely slow. Traditionally, I've always healed fairly fast.”

Taylor also left the game with a shoulder contusion. The White Sox have listed his status as day to day.

Muncy’s place on the roster was taken by outfielder Esteury Ruiz, who was acquired on April 2 from the Athletics in exchange for minor league right-handed pitcher Carlos Duran. Ruiz appeared in 66 games for triple-A Oklahoma City, batting .292 with eight homers, 37 RBIs and 38 stolen bases.

Muncy’s absence will leave a big hole in the Dodgers’ lineup. He led the team with a .333 average and 24 RBIs in June, when he matched Shohei Ohtani for the lead in home runs with seven. He is hitting .250/.375/.457 for the season and is third on the team with 55 RBIs.

“He's huge,” pitcher Clayton Kershaw, who was on the mound when the injury happened, said of Muncy. “I don't really know why he stole there. It just seemed unnecessary. We're all holding our breath that Munc is going to be OK.

“He's obviously a huge part of our team, especially the last two months.”

Max Muncy tags out Michael Taylor trying to steal third base as Muncy gets injured on the play in Wednesday's game.
Michael Taylor's helmet collided with Max Muncy's left knee on his unsuccessful attempt to steal third base, injuring Muncy in the process. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

Miguel Rojas, who hasn’t played since injuring his left hand on an attempted steal Sunday, started at third base Thursday. Kiké Hernández, who took Muncy’s place Wednesday, is also likely to see some time at third in Muncy’s absence.

Hernández is hitting .204/2.70/.383 while Rojas, primarily a second baseman, is batting .250/.289/.380.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Mets prospect Nolan McLean strikes out 10 in latest start for Triple-A Syracuse

Nolan McLean continues to dominate with Triple-A Syracuse.

In his latest start on Thursday, the Mets prospect struck out a career-high 10 batters in five innings of work against the Worcester Woo Sox. The right-hander threw 89 pitches (58 strikes), allowing two runs on seven hits and one walk. His ERA now stands at 2.80 on the year.

McLean was rather dominant, allowing one run in the first after what should have been the third out but a bloop fly ball from Blaze Jordan that dropped out of Syracuse shortstop Yonny Hernandez's glove. McLean's second run allowed came in the fifth after Red Sox rookie Kristian Campbell hit a two-out double.

The young right-hander left Thursday's game with a 5-2 lead after Pablo Reyes drove in three runs thanks to a solo shot and a two-run double. Mets outfield prospect Drew Gilbert slugged a two-run shot in the third inning to give Syracuse more insurance. It's the second consecutive day Gilbert hit a home run and it's the fourth homer in five games for the outfielder.

With the Mets' starting rotation dealing with massive injuries to Tylor Megill, Griffin Canning and now Paul Blackburn, the team may need to lean on their younger arms -- like they've done with Blade Tidwell -- until Sean Manaea and Kodai Senga return from the IL. However, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Thursday that he prefers not to call up McLean or Brandon Sproat for a spot start.

He did not entirely rule out a call-up but the situation continues to remain fluid.

So far, McLean has proven he can handle Triple-A hitting, and now it's only a matter of time until the 23-year-old gets the call.

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Robbie Ray's complete-game gem secures Giants' crucial series split vs. D-backs

Robbie Ray's complete-game gem secures Giants' crucial series split vs. D-backs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

PHOENIX — After the bottom of the eighth inning, Robbie Ray walked slowly back to the visiting dugout at Chase Field and made eye contact with manager Bob Melvin. The left-hander had thrown just 78 pitches, but you never know in today’s game.

The complete game has just about been washed out of modern baseball. There have been just 10 of them in the National League this season, and no pitcher has done it twice. The math says you’re not even supposed to let a guy face a lineup a third time, let alone a fourth. Most front offices these days would rather see a random reliever soak up that last inning or two of a blowout and save a few bullets for the starter. Occasionally in 2025, teams throw position players out on the mound to further save arms.

But there was no doubt for Melvin and Ray. The manager knew his bullpen was gassed and needed a break. Ray hadn’t thought much about how it had been eight years since his last CG, but he knew he felt great and had been on the attack for eight innings. When the two made eye contact, no words were exchanged.
“He deserved it,” Melvin said after Thursday’s 7-2 win. “He wanted it.”

Melvin had his contract option picked up before this series, but this has not been a generally positive stretch for the manager, and not just because of all the losing. Every night is stressful on the top step of the dugout, but the last couple of months have been filled with extra heartburn. The Giants seemingly play a one-run game every night. Even when they’re up by two or three late, they always seem to give runs back. On Wednesday, a 5-2 lead late turned into an extra-innings win that required using closer Camilo Doval to get six outs.

The win on Thursday looked relatively easy on paper, but Melvin still had to sweat in the ninth. Ray gave up a solo homer with one out and then issued a walk. With Spencer Bivens and Erik Miller getting loose, pitching coach J.P. Martinez came out and told Ray to empty the tank. There was a pop-up on the next pitch, and as Ray’s pitch count climbed past 100, he figured he was facing his final batter. Melvin had him down for two more, maximum.

On his 102nd pitch, Ray reached back for 95 mph. He had good stuff all night, but that game-ending strikeout was still his sixth-hardest pitch of the night. It was his 39th four-seamer, and like many of the others, it stayed true to the top rail.

“I felt really good today,” Ray said. “This year, just kind of all around, it’s a full year of being healthy. That’s the biggest thing. That’s allowed me to do what I’ve been able to do this year. I always knew that it was in there. It takes time after the (Tommy John) surgery — you know, talking to guys, they said 18-20 months is kind of where the sweet spot is and you kind of feel like yourself again. I hit that around spring training. That’s when I started feeling like myself again.”

In just about every way, Ray’s numbers are in line with his 2021 season. He won the Cy Young Award that year, but he wasn’t an All-Star despite having a good first half.

Ray said he hasn’t thought much about making this year’s team, and he’s trying not to get his hopes too high. He knows that strange things can happen when MLB accounts for every team having an All-Star, but three days before the announcement, Ray is tied for the NL lead in wins, fourth in innings, fifth in strikeouts and eighth in ERA. If the Giants get what they believe they deserve, Ray will join Logan Webb and Randy Rodriguez on the team.

That’s a conversation for Sunday and the following week. If the Giants elect to protect their young pitchers, Ray could come back to start the final Sunday of the first half, which would make him ineligible to pitch in the All-Star Game. Still, he can be named, and the hope is that honor comes Sunday.

On Thursday night, there was simply joy about a good all-around win. Willy Adames reached base four times to pace the offense and backup catcher Andrew Knizner worked well with Ray. Brett Wisely did a Matt Chapman impersonation at third base, too, as the Giants got a series split.

It was a wild week in the desert, one that started with the surprising announcement about Melvin’s status. The Giants lost the next two games, briefly giving the Diamondbacks hope that they could grab third place in the NL West by the end of the series. Instead, the Giants left Arizona in a tie for the final NL Wild Card spot.

“We’re feeling really good,” Ray said. “To be able to split the series, to be able to come back and win this, it’s huge. We’ve been grinding these past two weeks. Even last night’s game, having to come back in extras and win it, to be able to do that and grind and win, and then the bats get hot tonight, it was really fun to watch.

“They gave me an early lead which allowed me to attack the zone more. We’re looking forward to getting back home and keep grinding.”

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Mets signing RHP Zach Pop to major league deal: report

The Mets are signing another reliever to help their beleaguered bullpen.

According to FanSided's Roberty Murray, the Mets are signing right-hander Zach Pop to a major league contract.

Pop, 28, was recently designated for assignment by the Seattle Mariners. The Canadian native appeared in four games for the Mariners this season, allowing nine runs (eight earned) across 5.1 innings pitched. He's pitched much better in the minors this season, allowing five runs (three earned) across 7.2 innings (nine appearances) with the Mariners' Triple-A affiliate.

The news comes the same day the Mets placed Dedniel Núñez on the IL with an elbow strain that could result in Tommy John surgery. Signing Pop to a major league contract means room will need to be made on the Mets' 40-man roster. However, moving Nunez to the 60-day IL would open up a spot for Pop.

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Start of Thursday's Mets-Brewers game delayed due to impending weather

The start of Thursday's series finale between the Mets and Brewers at Citi Field will be delayed due to impending weather in the area, the team announced.

No new start time was announced at the time of the delay.

David Peterson (5-4, 3.30 ERA) is the Mets starter set to take the mound when the game begins. For the Brewers, it's former Met Jose Quintana (6-2, 3.30 ERA) as both teams look to take the rubber game of their three-game set.

This is the second game affected by the weather this week. Tuesday's game was postponed due to rain and was made up as a split-doubleheader on Wednesday. The Mets let a late lead slip away in Game 1 in their eventual 7-2 loss, but bounced back in the nightcap. A Brandon Nimmo grand slam set the tone for the Mets to win, 7-3, in game two to set up the pivotal third game of this series.

Manager Carlos Mendoza took Francisco Lindor out of the leadoff spot in Game 2 of the doubleheader and it paid off. The Mets skipper will keep Lindor in the two-hole on Thursday but will have a different leadoff hitter. After Nimmo led off last night, Mendoza has penciled in Starling Marte -- starting at DH -- to bat in the one-hole.

After Thursday's series finale, the Mets will welcome the Yankees for a three-game series for the final time this season.

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Young players having key roles in Marlins’ surprising improvement

MIAMI — After Eury Pérez struck out his season-high seventh batter on Thursday, the 6-foot-8 Marlins right-hander pumped his fist and looked up at the stands at Miami’s loanDepot Park.

It was another win for the Marlins — their ninth in 10 games — and the first victory of the season for Pérez after returning last month from Tommy John surgery that sidelined him all of 2024.

Pérez allowed just one hit in six shutout innings against the Minnesota Twins on Thursday, the longest start of his career and one of the most dominant. At just 22 years and 79 days old, Pérez is the youngest starter in the majors this season to complete at least six scoreless innings while allowing no more than one hit.

“One of the best outings of the year,” Pérez said through an interpreter. “That’s what we’ve been working for. I can see the results. I feel very happy for the outcome. I feel great, healthy, and we will continue to keep working for more outings like that.”

Thursday’s 4-1 win gave the Marlins their fourth straight series victory going back to June 20. During that span, Miami won series at home against the Twins and Braves, as well as on the road against San Francisco and Arizona.

The Marlins also went on an eight-game winning streak for the first time since 2008 during that 12-game stretch. That winning streak was snapped in Wednesday’s 2-1 loss to the Twins, but Miami’s 10 wins overall during the frame were the most in the league.

“Very happy with the way we’ve been playing this recent stretch,” manager Clayton McCullough said. “And even going back before the winning streak ... our strike throwing as a whole has trended up, and that’s made a big difference. The at-bat quality, the plan guys are taking into the box, being able to string at-bats together. They’ve continued to get better and better in their belief in that. And finally, the defense that we’ve played as a whole for me has been a lot better, a lot cleaner.”

This season was meant to be a continuation of Miami’s rebuild under President of Baseball Operations Peter Bendix, who replaced most pieces from year’s 100-loss team and hired McCullough to lead an overhauled roster of prospects and mostly unknown players.

What was supposed to be a year solely focused on finding which one of Miami’s young additions would be key pieces to build around has brought forth a gritty squad that has far exceeded expectations.

Miami is 39-46 entering a three-game series against Milwaukee, the final series of a six-game homestand. Entering Thursday night, the Marlins have the same record as the Braves for third place in the NL East.

McCullough indicated that the team’s place in the standings isn’t necessarily as important as continuing to string together quality wins.

“Where we are right now, record-wise, who’s in front, behind,” he said, “less concerned with that, and just very pleased and proud of how we’ve played baseball. If we continue to play this brand, this style of clean baseball, then we’re going to continue to win games.”

Miami has gotten key contributions all over its lineup, from outfielder Kyle Stowers and second baseman Xavier Edwards to rookie catcher/designated hitter Agustín Ramírez, who was one of the top prospects acquired when Miami traded star Jazz Chisholm Jr. to the New York Yankees last summer.

Stowers entered Thursday on a nine-game hitting streak and in the middle of his second 10-plus game on-base streak of the season.

Ramírez’s impressive rookie season has included a six-game hitting streak last month and the MLB lead among rookies in extra-base hits (29). The 23-year-old hit a two-run homer in the first inning Thursday, giving him 13 on the season, which also leads all MLB rookies.

“I think since I got here, the team, we were doing things the right way,” Ramírez said through an interpreter. “The coach is doing an excellent job. We were doing a great job as well. It’s just the results were not there. ... But I think what’s going on now is that we were steady with our plan and things are coming up the right way now.”

Ramírez added that there are some aspects of being underdogs that fuel this Marlins team. Miami has the lowest payroll in baseball and has lost 80-plus games in four of the past seven seasons.

“It does feel good that we are working really hard,” he said. “We’re trying our best. And now with these outcomes, we can show everybody the results of that.”

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Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez’s setback not as serious as first feared, GM says

DENVER — Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez’s setback to his recovery from a fractured right hand is not as serious as first feared, general manager Dana Brown said Thursday.

Alvarez, who suffered the injury on May 2, was shut down after experiencing pain in his right hand. He had taken some swings at the team’s spring training complex in West Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday and when he arrived there on Tuesday the area was sore.

He was examined by a specialist, who determined inflammation was the issue and not a setback with the fracture.

“It had nothing to do with the fracture, or the fracture not being healed,” Brown said before Houston’s game at Colorado. “The fracture at this point is a non-factor, which we’re very glad about. And so during the process of him being examined by the specialist, we saw the inflammation, and Yordan did receive two shots in that area.”

Alvarez first experienced issues with his hand in late April but stayed in the lineup. He was initially diagnosed with a muscle strain but a small fracture was discovered at the end of May.

Brown said there has not been an update on the timetable for Alvarez’s return but said with the latest update it “could be in the near future.”

“Yordan is going to be in a position where he’s going to let rest and let the shot take effect, and then as long as he’s starting to feel better, we’ll put a bat in his hand before we start hitting, but we’ll just let him feel the bat feels like,” Brown said. “And then we’ll get into some swings in the near future, but I felt like it was encouraging news. Now, with this injection into the area that was inflamed, we feel a lot better.”

Alvarez, who averaged 34 home runs over the previous four seasons, has just three in 29 games this year and is batting .210. He was the 2021 ALCS MVP for the Astros and finished third in the AL MVP voting for 2022.

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What we learned as Robbie Ray's dominant start fuels Giants' win over D-backs

What we learned as Robbie Ray's dominant start fuels Giants' win over D-backs originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

BOX SCORE

PHOENIX — Bob Melvin shrugged and grimaced on Thursday afternoon when asked if Camilo Doval and Randy Rodriguez would be available for the series finale. The bullpen had to work hard in Wednesday’s extra-innings win, and Melvin knew he would have to get creative if he was protecting a lead a day later. 

Robbie Ray told his manager not to worry about it. 

Making his first start at Chase Field as a visitor, the left-hander was perfect until a solo homer from Eugenio Suarez in the fifth. That was one of just three hits from the Diamondbacks, as Ray led a dominant 7-2 win that secured a series split that seemed unlikely at multiple points this week. 

Ray cruised through the night, throwing just 57 pitches through six innings. He was at 78 after eight, allowing him to chase his first complete game since 2017, when he was a Diamondback. 

A soft groundout opened the ninth before Ketel Marte yanked a solo homer down the line. After a walk of Geraldo Perdomo, pitching coach J.P. Martinez came out for a mound meeting. Lourdes Gurriel Jr. popped the next pitch up and Ray struck out Eugenio Suarez to end the night.  

Ray Day = Win Day

Ray was likely in line to make his second All-Star team anyway, but you never know how things will shake out when MLB has to account for having one player from every team. His dominant start Thursday was well-timed, giving him one last push three days before teams are announced. Now, it should be a no-brainer. 

Ray finished the night ranked eighth in the NL in ERA and tied for fourth in innings. He is one of three National League pitchers with nine wins and the Giants are 14-4 in his starts. 

Back In Black (Jerseys)

Willy Adames took much better swings in June, but he still had just a .675 OPS in the month. In July, the production has arrived. 

Adames hit a 425-foot rocket in his second plate appearance that would have been a home run in 29 ballparks. At Chase Field, where there’s a mammoth wall in center and an elevated yellow line, it was a very, very long double. Umpires reviewed it, but it hit the wall a few feet under the yellow line. 

Adames later yanked a double down the left field line, giving him his first multi-double game as a Giant. Two days after a loud homer, he also had a walk and infield single. 

That’s Sick, Dude

Heliot Ramos was under the weather early in the series and it showed. Melvin gave him Wednesday off to recover, and when the clubhouse opened on Thursday, Ramos was all smiles. Whatever it was — and he didn’t know — had passed. 

Ramos looked like himself Thursday. He had an RBI double in his first at-bat and an RBI single in the third as the Giants jumped out to a 4-0 lead.

The left fielder is unlikely to make a second straight All-Star team given the depth at outfield in the National League, but he’ll take a .277 average and .804 OPS back to California. 

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Mets' David Stearns: 'My preference is to not bring up a top prospect for a spot start'

As the Mets deal with a growing list of injuries to their starting rotation, president of baseball operations David Stearns said on Thursday that while “every option is on the table,” his preference is to not call up one of the club’s top pitching prospects like Brandon Sproat or Nolan McLean to make a spot start.

“My preference is to not bring up a top prospect for a spot start,” Stearns said. “I also understand this is a unique circumstance and I can’t take anything off the table right now, but my preference would be to figure out a way to do it without doing that.”

While Kodai Senga (hamstring) and Sean Manaea (oblique) continue to take positive steps in their individual recoveries and could each be back in the rotation before the All-Star break, the Mets come into this weekend’s Subway Series against the Yankees with question marks when it comes to both Friday and Sunday’s starters.

Paul Blackburn had been scheduled to start on Friday, but he’s since landed on the IL with a shoulder impingement. Sunday’s game, meanwhile, has been up in the air all week, but Stearns made it seem pretty evident that neither Sproat nor McLean will get called up, though it’s not entirely out of the question.

“I think from a developmental standpoint we prefer -- again, it’s not always possible -- but we prefer and I’ve seen over my career that it’s often beneficial for pitchers who you expect to pitch in your rotation for years to come to have a little bit of runway when they break into the major leagues,” Stearns said. “It’s not easy to come up here and perform right away. Sometimes it takes two, three, four, five starts to get your feet under yourself at the major league level, and I think allowing a pitcher, especially a top prospect pitcher, to have that runway can be helpful sometimes, both from a physical and a psychological standpoint. There’s also the reality of a baseball season that you have to get through, so you don’t always get to follow the perfect path.”

“The clear downside to giving someone the ball and having them not have a good outing, a short start, whatever it is, is you put your major league team in a hole,” Stearns added later. “So step one is we’d like to avoid that outcome. For the individual player’s development, you never know. I’m certain there are pitching prospects and prospects in general who will handle that just fine, and there are others who it probably impacts a little bit more, and trying to figure out which is which can be difficult. It’s also perfectly possible that you call someone up, they give you five good innings, and then go back down and continue their development.

“I’m certainly aware of all of these outcomes, and we’re sorting through it.”

 While nothing is set in stone in regards to this weekend’s pitching plans, Stearns and the Mets will explore every possible avenue, including bullpen games, using an opener with a bulk option to follow, as well as looking at the Triple-A and other major league rosters, in order to fulfill their current needs on the mound.

“I think every option is on the table, and we’re discussing all of them,” Stearns said, ‘whether that’s more days like [Wednesday] with an opener followed by a length option followed by the bullpen, whether we go straight bullpen days, whether we call up additional starters from the minor leagues, whether we seek external help, we’re going to evaluate everything.

“We’ll get through it. I do think we have options to get through this, and this is more of a short-term need than a longer-term need. We feel good about where Senga is in his process. We feel good about where Sean is, getting back, so clearly this weekend we have decisions to make, and then we have an off day and we get into next week and it becomes a little cleaner.”

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Mets' Kodai Senga to make rehab start over weekend, could return before All-Star break

Mets ace Kodai Senga, whohas been out since June 12 due to a hamstring injury, appears ready to take another step forward in his rehab.

Manager Carlos Mendoza said prior to Thursday's game that Senga is expected to take the mound Saturday or Sunday for Double-A Binghamton.

"He was going through PFPs, some running drills, and all that," Mendoza said. "The goal is for him to pitch in a minor league game, I think it's in Double-A, either Saturday or Sunday. He's going to make an appearance there and we'll go from there."

Mendoza mentioned on Tuesday that Senga faced hitters on Sunday during "an up-and-down" live bullpen session and was scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Wednesday.

When asked how many rehab starts Senga will need before he could return to the bigs, Mendoza was optimistic on the right-hander's timeline.

"One at a time," Mendoza said. "Hopefully it's the one here this weekend. He might be in play for us before the break, too."

Senga's return would be huge for New York, as they are in need of healthy starting pitchers. Paul Blackburn (shoulder impingement) hit the IL Thursday, joining the recently added Tylor Megill (right elbow sprain) and Griffin Canning (season-ending Achilles injury). Mendoza did note that Sean Manaea is expected to have another rehab start after tossing 60 pitches over three-plus innings on Wednesday and could also be back before the All-Star break.

The Mets wrap up their three-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers on Thursday, followed by a weekend Subway Series at Citi Field, a three-game set in Baltimore, and three more games in Kansas City before the All-Star break, starting on Monday, July 14.

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The Rangers' ‘Busy And Exciting’ Offseason Has Been A Grand Success So Far

Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

New York Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury accomplished everything he wanted to do during the 2025 offseason.

Drury called these past few weeks“busy and exciting” as the Rangers have made a slew of moves over the past few weeks.

What exactly has made this offseason such a grand success so far?

The Blueshirts opened the summer with arguably the most monumental choices by trading longtime Ranger forward Chris Kreider.

It seemed at one point that Kreider would finish his career in New York, but it didn’t quite work out that way. 

Kreider struggled with injuries and saw a steep decrease in his overall stats during the 2024-25 season. On top of it all, he was the subject of trade rumors throughout the year, which certainly didn’t help make matters any better. 

While the 34-year-old should still have some quality hockey in his arsonal, Kreider’s decline was obvious to all watching the Rangers and he’s still under contract for another two seasons at an average annual value of $6.5 million. 

Drury is no stranger to dumping salary as he traded Jacob Trouba without retaining any of his salary and waived Barclay Goodrow when he was still under contract for another couple of seasons. 

The goal was not to retain any of Kreider’s salary, and that’s exactly what Drury did, trading him to the Ducks, who took on his entire contract. 

Speaking to the media on Wednesday, Drury confirmed the Kreider trade had a lot to do with the ability to have more cap space. 

“It’s not always the easiest thing to do,” Drury said about trading Kreider. I could tell you that Chris himself and his agent were terrific to deal with in trying to figure out a solution here… A big piece of it was salary cap. There’s only so much to go around in trying to figure out the pieces that fit under the cap as we tried to rework the roster.”

The next big decision came at around the time of the 2025 NHL Draft when the Rangers had to decide whether to keep their 12th overall pick this year or 2026 first-round pick. 

As part of the J.T. Miller trade, the Rangers had to relinquish either their 2025 or 2026 first-round pick. 

Drury ultimately decided to keep his 2026 first rounder and transfer the 2025 12th overall pick to the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

Despite not holding a selection in the opening round, the Rangers were able to draft forward Malcolm Spence with the 43rd overall pick, a player many predicted would be off the board by the end of the first round, further validating New York’s big decision. 

“Malcolm is an excellent winger, power play, PK (penalty kill), plays the game the right way,” Rangers director of player personnel John Lilley said. “He doesn't cheat the game. We’ve valued him for a few years now… I think he was projected to go quite a bit higher, so when the opportunity presented itself, we were thrilled to get him in that spot, and we think he's got a lot of potential and a high-character player.”

When it came to free agency, the Rangers were able to fetch one of the most sought-after players available on the market. 

There’s no doubt that the Blueshirts struggled from a defensive standpoint this past season, which is why the team went out and gave Vladislav Gavrikov a seven-year, $49 million contract.

“It starts in our D-zone,” Drury said when explaining the Gavrikov signing. “We have to be better in our zone, we have to be better in front of (Igor Shesterkin) and (Jonathan Quick). To me, that’s the mindset he shows up with every single day. 

Vladislav Gavrikov Is The Most Important Piece Of The Rangers' Massive Defensive Reconstruction Vladislav Gavrikov Is The Most Important Piece Of The Rangers' Massive Defensive Reconstruction The New York Rangers made a substantial financial commitment, giving defenseman Vladislav Gavrikov a seven-year, $49 million contract. 

“The size, the reach, the competitiveness, the way he defends and the way he is able to complement his partner, whether that’s Fox or any other of our right-shot D that we have, that’s what excited all of us in targeting this player. Thrilled to be able to have him as a key part of that D corps.”

The addition of Gavrikov made K’Andre Miller more expendable whom the Rangers were hesitant to give a long-term contract extension to. 

K’Andre’s lack of growth made it difficult for the Rangers to fathom committing a large amount of money to him. 

The Hurricanes were interested in the 25-year-old defenseman, and the two teams completed a sign-and-trade where the Rangers were able to acquire Scott Morrow, a conditional 2026 first-round pick, and a 2026 second-round pick. 

“With a young player that’s a year or a couple years away from free agency, it’s not always the easiest thing to come to an agreement on a long-term contract,” Drury said about Miller. “We just felt at this time it was best to allow him to explore a different opportunity.”

The last major order of business was to sign Will Cuylle to a two-year contract extension worth $3.9 million per season.

Cuylle is an emerging young talent for the Rangers who has shown a lot of potential. The Blueshirts were able to escape not giving Cuylle a long-term contract extension just yet, while no other teams attempted to offer-sheet him.

Now, the Rangers will be able to evaluate Cuylle’s progression even further and assess whether they want to commit to him long-term.  

So to recap it all, the Rangers dumped off some necessary salary, keeped their 2026-first round pick while drafting a high-quality prospect in the second round, signed a defensive anchor, got a quality return for a player they did not want to give a long-term extension to and, signed one of their most high-coveted young players to a team-friendly deal.

All of Drury’s goals have been fulfilled, and now the Rangers will have to build upon this impressive offseason.

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Nationals' James Wood joins Ronald Acuña Jr., Cal Raleigh as Home Run Derby participants

WASHINGTON — Washington Nationals outfielder James Wood became the third player to announce he will take part in the Home Run Derby.

The derby will be held on July 14, the night before the All-Star Game, at Truist Park in Atlanta. Wood joins Braves outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. and Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh, who leads the majors with 33 homers, in the contest.

Wood has 22 homers this season. He’s the third Nationals player to take part in the Home Run Derby, joining Juan Soto (2022) and Bryce Harper (2013 and ’18).

The 22-year-old Wood has 12 homers that have been hit harder than 110 mph. It’s the second most in the league behind Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani’s 13. Wood also has four dingers that have been launched longer than 445 feet.

Wood was acquired from San Diego in August 2022 as part of the blockbuster deal that sent Soto to the Padres.

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Yankees signing INF Nicky Lopez to minor-league deal: report

The Yankees are reportedly bolstering their infield depth.

According to FanSided’s Robert Murray, the Yankees are adding infielder Nicky Lopez on a minor-league deal.

Lopez, 30, has played for five different teams during his seven-year big league career. This season alone, Lopez has been with the Angels, Cubs, and Diamondbacks, appearing in 14 games with the Cubs and four with the Angels.

Though Lopez has never been a great hitter (career 72 OPS+ with a .245 batting average), he’s always been a wizard defensively. A Gold Glove finalist with the Royals in 2020 and the White Sox in 2024, Lopez ranked in the 88th percentile last season with 5 Outs Above Average.

While it’s no sure thing that he’ll make his way to the major league roster, Lopez gives the Yankees a very interesting potential bench player who could come into games late as a defensive replacement. Between Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe, and DJ LeMahieu, the Yankees have had their issues along the infield, and Lopez, who can play just about anywhere, could be an instant defensive upgrade.