Category: Baseball

I might be one of the few writers here that has no experience in radio, but I remember my old journalism classes and one of the things they taught us is that the average audience turns over every 15 to 20 minutes. That was literally in the last century and I’m sure that ballpark has changed some, but the concept is still very much the same. I try to take the same concept to the writing game. There will be new readers all the time, so it pays off to revisit concepts every now and then.

Offensive efficiency is a very simple stat. You simply take the total percentage of base runners that have crossed home plate. Obviously, it’s not absolutely perfect. You get hitters that reach on an error and baseball-reference.com doesn’t keep track of those. It is what we in the stats world would call noise where we assume it is fairly constant throughout the 30 teams and simply move on. So, you add up hits, walks, and hit by pitches and then divide runs into that.

The results are important, but the why is probably more important. The main reason we do it is to guard against what we might call regional bias. In other words, we watch the Astros and mainly the Astros. So, it often seems they are bad at leaving runners on base and on third with less than two outs in particular. Are they really bad in comparison with the rest of the league? That’s where offensive efficiency comes in.

Of course, tracking this data tells us many other things. Where do the Astros rank in total base runners? Where do they rank in walks? Is this a good offense overall? They were one of the worst offenses in the AL last season and that was particularly true in terms of offensive efficiency. They ranked 13th out of 15 AL teams in that department and it got both hitting coaches fired. So, are the new hitting coaches doing any better? The stats below are the team stats coming into the fourth of July.

The average is pretty telling here and we can break this down with all kinds of regression analysis, but we should probably pair this down and keep it simple. The Astros have an above average offense in the American League. They are above average in runs scored, hits, total base runners, and offensive efficiency. They only really lag in one major category and that is walks. Of course, lagging needs to be put in air quotes. They are more or less league average in that category.

Numbers are always the easiest part of statistical analysis. The whys and what fors are the hardest. Are the gains primarily because of the hitting coaches or are they because Yordan Alvarez is healthy and playing the best baseball of his career? Most would probably point towards the latter. In fact, if you do nothing but look at Alvarez and Christian Walker then you probably have seen all of the gains the Astros have made between 2025 and 2026.

Do the hitting coaches deserve credit for that? That’s a harder question. Is Walker’s resurgence due to adjustments he has made or simple regression to the mean? It’s always some of both in these instances. In other words, Walker was probably not going to be as bad regardless of who the hitting coach was. Suffice it to say, this is the Walker the Astros thought they were signing. When you couple that with Alvarez and a healthy Isaac Paredes and you have the bulk of your offense right there.

Our default expectation is always a regression to the mean. In other words, teams will eventually tighten and get closer to the average. In the Astros case, the expectation is some form of slowing down. Of course, the components can change and if they do then the results can change. Adding Lamont Wade and Taylor Trammel to the starting lineup could change that some. A trade down the line could change that some as well. Getting Jeremy Pena back and hitting the way he was before he went on IR could change that calculus some.

The worry is that both the Texas Rangers and Seattle Mariners are due for positive regression. The Astros have worked very hard to get back into the race, but their finish depends not only on their ability to keep their head above water but on the other teams in the AL West continuing to struggle. A large part of that is going to be to see what the other teams in the division do at the trade deadline.

Next time around we will look at the pitching side of this equation. We know (or think we know) that the Astros are one of the worst pitching teams in baseball. Is that simply a function of allowing too many base runners or have they been inefficient in limiting those base runners from crossing home plate? Stay tuned for the next lab. In the meantime, what do you think is the best way to avoid falling back to the pack? What changes would you make?

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A fresh week of Major League Baseball is loaded with plenty of opportunities to keep things green, is in front of us, with eight MLB contests to keep us busy on this fine Monday. 

Here are my favorite MLB picks for tonight’s MLB slate.

MLB moneyline picks for July 6

Matchup	Pick
Phillies vs Royals	-199
Yankees vs Rays	-108
Astros vs Nationals	+108
Mets vs Braves	-120
Brewers vs Cardinals	-111
Diamondbacks vs Padres	-106
Blue Jays vs Giants	+102
Rockies vs Dodgers	+203

Prices courtesy of Polymarket as of 7-6.

Expert MLB moneyline picks for July 6

Phillies vs Royals: Phillies (-199)

Phillies win probability: 66%

It is hard to justify laying nearly 2/1 odds, but aside from Bobby Witt Jr. and Jac Caglianone, the Kansas City Royals' lineup has been lifeless. Over their last 12 games, they own a 71 wRC+, .269 wOBA, and .608 OPS. Meanwhile, the Philadelphia Phillies send their ace to the mound and continue to swing the bats well. Lay the run line.

Yankees vs Rays: Rays (-108)

Rays win probability: 52%

I do not give a single hoot that Cam Schlittler is on the mound tonight for the New York Yankees. Their offense owns a 49 wRC+ over its last 12 games. Forty-nine.

There is no more lifeless offense in baseball right now than the Yankees'.

This could end up being one of my biggest misreads; it certainly would not be the first. But the Tampa Bay Rays are one of baseball's hottest offenses, and the -108 odds feel like an absolute steal.

Astros vs Nationals: Astros (+108)

Astros win probability: 48%

This sets up as a battle between two very mediocre starting pitchers in Mike Burrows and Miles Mikolas. Of the two, Mikolas has been the worse arm, both on the season and over his last three starts.

The Washington Nationals' offense has been humming lately, but the Houston Astros have been swinging it well too. When both starters are this shaky, I will gladly take the plus money with the better value.

Mets vs Braves: Braves (-120)

Braves win probability: 55%

They are finally awake. The Atlanta Braves are finally turning things around.

Now they draw a struggling Freddy Peralta, who owns a 10.95 ERA over his last three starts. Meanwhile, Atlanta's offense has posted a 111 wRC+, .329 wOBA, and .743 OPS over its last six games. Take the Braves to beat the New York Mets. 

Brewers vs Cardinals: Brewers (-111)

Brewers win probability: 52%

Is there a world where Dustin May holds it down for 5-plus innings against the St. Louis Cardinals? Sure. But we do not live in that world.

May owns an 8.49 ERA over his last three starts and a 5.40 ERA across his last five.

Meanwhile, Milwaukee Brewers southpaw Shane Drohan has been nails over his last five outings, and Milwaukee's offense has been right there with him, posting a 132 wRC+, .362 wOBA, and .819 OPS.

Brew Crew!

Diamondbacks vs Padres: Padres (-106)

Padres win probability: 52%

The Arizona Diamondbacks' offense is still frozen solid, posting an 82 wRC+, .292 wOBA, and .652 OPS over its last 12 games. Meanwhile, the San Diego Padres have been humming, posting a 130 wRC+, .354 wOBA, and .806 OPS over their last six games.

With Brandon Pfaadt on the mound for Arizona, this is a great spot for the Padres to feast.

Blue Jays vs Giants: Giants (+102)

Giants win probability: 50%

Yet another frozen offense that needs to be faded. The Toronto Blue Jays have gone ice cold across the board, posting just a 48 wRC+, .237 wOBA, and .522 OPS over their last six games.

Kevin Gausman is on the mound, and he owns a 9.00 ERA over his last three outings. Meanwhile, the San Francisco Giants have been seeing the ball extremely well over the last week.

Give me the plus money.

Rockies vs Dodgers: Rockies (+203)

Rockies win probability: 33%

Chase the value!!!!

The Colorado Rockies' offense has caught fire over the last two weeks, so getting them at better than 2/1 feels like a fun sprinkle. The Los Angeles Dodgers send left-hander Eric Lauer to the mound, and he owns a 5.63 ERA at home this season.

Meanwhile, the Rockies counter with Kyle Freeland.

It will be sweaty, but I think chasing the value on the Rockies is worth the sprinkle.

This article originally appeared on Covers.com, read the full article here and view our best betting sites or check out our top sportsbook promos.

With three wins in their last 15 games, the Mets have all but sealed their fate as sellers at this year’s trade deadline. At this point, they need a miracle to revive their postseason hopes, and the chance for a present-day miracle is not worth surrendering the chance at a more functional future. So the Mets will sell, which is not exactly news.

But what exactly selling looks like for this high-priced bunch is still unclear. Are they tearing this down? Will they start sooner than later? Who will be key to a brighter future and whose departure will clear the way for it?

SNY talked to multiple people familiar with the front office’s thinking to get some answers to these and other questions that will hover around the Mets between now and next month’s trade deadline. The answers, in most cases, appear to be both rational and evolving.

How far will this sell-off go? Are the Mets tearing this down completely?

The Mets plan to contend next year, so they are not approaching this deadline as the first domino to fall in a lengthy rebuild. They are not determined to trade everyone, but they will listen to offers on almost everyone. Players on expiring contracts -- Freddy Peralta, Clay Holmes, Brooks Raley, A.J. Minter, and Tyrone Taylor – will be available, unless something changes their long-term status with the club.  Should the Mets pitch Holmes on an extension, for example, that could obviously change their plans.

As for those players under control beyond this season, the Mets will listen to any offers that might help them long-term without any pressure to accept them. Carson Benge, A.J. Ewing, Nolan McLean, Christian Scott, and other rookie-aged players are all but completely untouchable, given that those are precisely the type of assets a team intending to contend next year would be seeking in deadline deals. But outside of the true youngsters, everyone from Luke Weaver (under control through next season) to Francisco Alvarez (under control for three more seasons) could draw interest in a market that currently looks like it might have more buyers than sellers.

What will the Mets be prioritizing in return?

The Mets are going to chase the best talent available regardless of position, minor league level, or major league readiness, according to people familiar with their thinking. They will not be prioritizing major league needs (like, say, controllable starting pitching) or any specific position, which does not mean they might not find themselves acquiring it if that is the best talent offered them. A top prospect is as valuable to them long-term as it could be to a potential trade partner as the Mets try to improve their major league roster this offseason. 

This approach is emblematic of the way the Mets seem to be thinking about this deadline and roster more broadly: they are not going to overreact to a bad season by giving up on pieces that contributed to it at a discount, and they are not trying to fix all their problems in August knowing how different things could be for them and others by the time the calendar hits November.

Will they try to trade Juan Soto and/or Francisco Lindor?

Steve Cohen told the New York Post last week that he does not anticipate trading Soto or Lindor, and that he is happy to have two superstar players to build around. Toss in the money they’re making and the fact that they are two of the most productive players on an unproductive roster, and deals for either seem even more unlikely than a 2026 Mets turnaround – which is to say, highly unlikely, but it is always safest not to rule out anything completely.

Could they trade Bo Bichette?

People familiar with the Mets' thinking say they still do not have a sense of whether Bichette will opt out of his three-year, $142 million deal after this year. If he finishes strong, he will probably want to take advantage of a weak free agent hitters’ class. If he doesn’t, he will probably want to stay and prove he deserves a long-term deal. In either case, he is an asset on what might be an expiring contract, which means it is fair to ask whether the Mets will explore trading him.

The answer seems to be somewhere between probably and definitely not, though the Mets seem willing to listen on just about anyone in case the market yields unexpected value. But with the money Bichette is making and the fact that he is a former American League batting champ who could remain under control for two more seasons, he is not the kind of player the Mets will feel needs to be moved urgently – particularly when they have not yet seen him at his best for an extended period.

Will they tear down the bullpen?

The bullpen has been the Mets’ best unit by far, and it is loaded with pitchers contenders would love to have. Raley is having one of his best seasons. Weaver is, too. And before his blow-up Sunday, Huascar Brazoban was quietly establishing himself as the kind of versatile, swing-and-miss-capable type that all bullpens would love to have.

Since he has multiple years of team control remaining, Brazoban could be a coveted asset for contenders hoping to bolster their bullpen without making the financial investment in more expensive back-end types. Weaver, too, could be one of the better relievers available if the Mets are willing to part with him. Devin Williams would, too, though two years remaining at roughly $17 million each might scare some teams away.

But as of this week, it seems that while the Mets are open to moving controllable relievers like Brazoban or even Austin Warren, they are not necessarily comfortable starting from scratch in the bullpen in 2027. It seems more likely that one or two of those under team control beyond this season would go, rather than all of them.

Are there any potential trade candidates on the roster flying under the radar?

As much as Mets fans might wish they could offload struggling young players like Brett Baty, Mark Vientos, and Ronny Mauricio in exchange for future Mets saviors, none of those three is likely to yield a substantial return. That does not mean they are untradable, and in fact, multiple people with rival organizations said Mauricio’s name was brought up in trade discussions as recently as earlier this season.

Still, some within the Mets front office still believe Baty will emerge as a lineup staple, which means they will not part with him for nothing. Mauricio still hasn’t gotten enough major league playing time to render a final verdict. He could certainly entice another team to take a chance. Vientos has been the most confounding member of that trio. Maybe a change of scenery could help him if someone is willing to take the chance.

But the most likely member of that baby Mets generation to be traded might be Alvarez, who has demonstrated an ability to produce as a designated hitter even if his catching has not necessarily evolved into a defensive asset. Given how rare power-hitting catchers are these days, and particularly in this year’s market, Alvarez would represent a cost-controlled asset to a contending team that could pair him with a better defensive catcher and maximize his at-bats as a designated hitter.

Similarly, Luis Torrens is widely respected as one of the game’s most steady defensive catchers and is now under control through the 2028 season after the Mets signed him to a very reasonable $11.5 million extension earlier this season. Obviously, he would be an asset to a contending 2027 Mets team, too. But if a 2026 contender is willing to overpay, the Mets will listen.

When will the Mets start selling?

While the Mets are no longer within striking distance of a winning record by the trade deadline, they do not seem to be in a rush to start trading away players, either. They, like other teams, are inundated with draft preparation ahead of that event next weekend. Once the draft passes, they anticipate the trade market to solidify and the phone calls to pick up.

In other words, while it is not impossible that the Mets will start trading players prior to the All-Star Break, it would qualify as a surprise. But once the draft is behind them and their competitors, expect the move-making to begin.

Toledo Mud Hens 6, Iowa Cubs 2 (box)

The Toledo Mud Hens took Sunday’s game against Iowa, 6-2, to split the series against the Cubs.

Dylan File was outstanding in this one, giving the Mud Hens five innings of one-hit ball. He went 1-2-3 in every frame but the second and didn’t allow any free bases. File only threw 61 pitches, but he also started on Tuesday. Smart to not overdo it and take him out after he’s in line for the win.

File left with a four-run lead, thanks to a three-spot in the first. Max Clark led the inning off with a walk and stole second — his 18th of the year — and Max Anderson drove him in with a double (initially ruled an error) right after. Gage Workman kept things going with an RBI single up the middle, and Trei Cruz scored him on a sac fly.

Clark scored again in the third after leading off with a single. He stole second, again, and moved to up a bag on another Workman single. Brett Callahan drove Clark in with a base hit. 4-0, Toledo.

Iowa got a run back in the sixth after Yilber Diaz took over for File. Other than that two-out RBI double, Diaz was fine. Luke Taggart relieved him in the seventh and got five straight outs. Toledo turned to Ricky Vanasco for the four-out save.

Vanasco got the job done, but it wasn’t exactly efficient. He walked a batter in the eighth and gave up a pair of singles in the ninth. The Mud Hens traded a run for an out, and they could afford to because of a two-run eighth.

Workman was at the center of the scoring again, doubling in Anderson, stealing third and scoring on another sac fly from Cruz.

Trade: Woo-Suk Go was sent to Minnesota for cash considerations. He has an assignment clause in his contract and will join the Twins on Tuesday, according to Dan Hayes.

Clark: 1-3, 2 R, BB

Anderson: 2-4, 2B (13), 2 R, RBI, 2 K

Workman: 3-4, 2B (24), 2 R, 2 RBI

File (W, 5-5): 5.0 IP, H, 0 R, 0 BB, 6 K

Coming Up Next:The Mud Hens are on the road next week against the Indianapolis Indians, starting Tuesday at 7:05 p.m. ET.

(F/10) Erie SeaWolves 4, Akron RubberDucks 3 (box)

Erie finished off the sweep with its eighth straight on Sunday, but it took extra innings for the SeaWolves to take down the Akron RubberDucks, 4-3.

Hayden Minton went 3.1 innings to start. Besides a solo homer in the fourth, he was fine. Four hits, two walks and three strikeouts. Nothing special, but also not anything bad.

Just after Minton gave up the lead, Erie took it back on a Garrett Pennington double and Max Burt two-run homer.

Minton left the game after getting the first out of the fourth. Tyler Owens replaced him and got the next two outs. Carlos Pena was next, and he worked the same four innings he’s gone in each of his previous relief outings with Erie. A solo homer in the sixth was his only blemish. He had five strikeouts to one walk and allowed just two more hits in the outing. Unfortunately, that homer tied up the game and gave him a blown save.

Both offenses stalled until the ninth. Garrett Pennington finally broke the tie with a leadoff home run, but Wandisson Charles gave the run back in the bottom of the inning, sending the game to extras.

Bennett Lee drove in Viandel Pena from second, but Erie couldn’t add an insurance run. Chris Meyers also got hurt while swinging. It looked like his back, and he was in obvious pain, running to first on a single. Peyton Graham replaced him in the outfield, which is nice because he was hit in the arm with a pitch yesterday and left the game.

Charles closed things out with a 1-2-3 10th, including a pair of strikeouts. Bring out the brooms!

Pennington: 2-4, HR (2), 2B (4), 2 R, RBI, 2 K

Burt: 1-4, HR (3), R, 2 RBI

Bigbie: 2-5, 2B (14), K

Pena (BS, 2): 4.0 IP, 3 H, R, ER, BB, 5 K, HR

Coming Up Next:The SeaWolves are at home next week against the Harrisburg Senators, starting Tuesday at 6:05 p.m. ET.

Lake County Captains 6, West Michigan Whitecaps 4 (box)

West Michigan dropped the series against Lake County, 4-2, with a 6-4 loss on Sunday.

Rayner Castillo had another up-and-down start. He started out fine, going 1-2-3 in the first, but Castillo hit a batter and walked another in the second, which served as a bad omen.

Lake County got to him in the third. A pair of singles and a walk loaded the bases for Nolan Schubart, who cleared them with a double down the right-field line. Castillo worked around a pair of baserunners in the fourth, but that was it for him.

Carlos Lequerica took over on the mound in the fifth. He got into three straight three-ball counts, but only one of them resulted in a walk. The other two were punchouts, both coming on the changeup.

West Michigan threatened in the bottom of the fifth, with men on the corners and only one out, but nothing came of Andrew Sojka’s double.

Ethan Sloan got the sixth. He gave up three straight singles to open the frame. Samuel Gil made a nice diving stop on the third, but the throw was a tad late and forced the first baseman off the bag. A pair of sac flies made it 5-0.

Luke Stofel also had some trouble in the seventh, allowing back-to-back one-out singles, but he worked his way out of it. The Whitecaps finally got some runs on the board in the bottom half of the inning, scoring three on four singles and a walk. Woody Hadeen and Jackson Strong had RBI base knocks, and Clayton Campbell drove one in on a sac fly.

Eliseo Mota gave a run back to the Captains in the eighth, allowing back-to-back hits with two outs. Ryan Harvey faced the minimum in the ninth despite walking the leadoff man, aided by a 4-6-3 double play.

Hadeen reached on an error that could have been ruled a base hit in the ninth. Rainer and Campbell walked to load the bases. Strong cut the deficit to two runs with a sac fly, but the next two batters went down to end the game.

Rainer: 1-4, BB, K

Strong: 2-3, 2 RBI, BB

Sojka: 2-4, 2B (9), R, 2 K

Castillo (L, 1-6): 4.0 IP, 4 H, 3 R, 3 ER, 3 BB, 4 K

Coming Up Next:The Whitecaps are at home next week against the Fort Wayne TinCaps, starting Tuesday at 12:05 p.m. ET.

Palm Beach Cardinals 5, Lakeland Flying Tigers 3 (box)

Despite outhitting the Palm Beach Cardinals 11-5, the Lakeland Flying Tigers couldn’t claim a series win on Sunday, losing 5-3 to split the series.

Connor Fenlong had a nearly identical start to his first with Lakeland a week ago. He went 4.2 innings, struck out eight and walked one. The only differences for him were allowing a pair of runs (one earned) on three hits instead of five. The stuff is clearly good enough to think about High-A. He’s 26 years old, and a recent Indy league signing, so while the Tigers have him in Lakeland tuning some things up, he should be pushed as rapidly as he can handle.

Before those runs scored off Fenlong, Lakeland took a 3-0 lead. In the third, Jesus Pinto hit his third triple of the year to score Jack Goodman (walk), and Beau Ankeney drove in Pinto with a single up the middle.

Hunter Dobbins tripled and scored in the fourth for the other run. Goodman got the RBI this time.

Fenlong left the game with two on and two out in the fifth, giving way to Xiomer Guacache. A single and an error from Pinto in right field cleared the bases, hence the unearned runs. Guacahe gave up another run in the sixth. This one was earned after back-to-back walks to open the frame.

Lakeland kept getting on base, but the Flying Tigers went 2-for-12 with runners in scoring position, stranding eight batters. Clutch hits matter more in games like these.

Donye Evans got the seventh and worked around a one-out walk. Jan Carballo pitched the final two frames, dealing with multiple baserunners in each. Palm Beach scored its fifth run off him in the eighth, and that was the game.

Ankeney: 2-5, RBI

Dobbins: 2-4, 3B (2), R

MacDonald: 2-4

Fenlong: 4.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, ER, BB, 8 K

Coming Up Next: The Flying Tigers are on the road next week against the Dunedin Blue Jays, starting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

The Yankees have their biggest series of the year lined up starting tonight, and they could not be in a worse state entering it. Losers of eight of their last nine, New York has surrendered the AL East to the Rays who went on a big winning streak of their own at the same time to carve out a four-game lead. Conveniently, they’re now set to open a four-game against Tampa that could bring them right back, but entering their house of horrors at the level of play they’ve shown over the past two weeks is a recipe for disaster. The worst-case scenario for this matchup feels like it could fare just like that fateful series against the Blue Jays last year to open up July that saw them fall out of first place for good, and though the Yankees built themselves a decent lead in the Wild Card race that gap isn’t looking too big anymore either.

Nick opens the day up for us with a look at the pitching matchups that we’ll see in this Rays series, and Kevin follows up with the Rivalry Roundup featuring the Astros besting those Rays to do the Yankees a small favor. Jonathan wishes Willie Randolph a happy birthday and relives his legacy of success as a player and coach with the Yankees. Josh looks over the Giants to see if there’s a reasonable trade the two teams could work towards, Michael examines the inability of the team to work walks of late, and finally I’ll be back later in the day to open up the mailbag for this week.

Today’s Matchup:

New York Yankees at Tampa Bay Rays

Time: 6:40 p.m. EST

TV: YES Network, Rays.TV

Venue: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, FL

Questions/Prompts:

1. Get your predictions in now: will the Yankees win zero, one, two, three, or all four of these games in Tampa?

2. Will the USA defeat Belgium tonight to advance to the quarterfinals? Will Folarin Balogun make an impact after getting his one-game suspension reversed?

WASHINGTON – They are the tacit representatives in Major League Baseball’s fight to install a salary cap during collective bargaining negotiations, the embodiment of “what fans want” when the league claims widespread socialism must exist among its billionaire owners for the game to survive.

Yet the Pittsburgh Pirates might be proving a different point as they head toward the All-Star break with a winning record: Spending just a little bit of money can make a big difference.

Two offseason moves – signing designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn to a two-year, $29 million contract and trading for second baseman Brandon Lowe – played significant parts in turning one of the game’s least productive lineups into one of its most potent. And as the 46-45 Pirates remain in the thicket of the National League wild card race, they’re proving one of baseball’s axiom’s to very much be true.

“You have to spend money to win. That’s really what it is,” veteran outfielder Bryan Reynolds tells USA TODAY Sports. “Spend smart money. It doesn’t have to be a ton.

“We spent some money. And it’s paying off.”

Let’s be clear: It wasn’t a lot. O’Hearn’s signing and the $11.5 million due Lowe after a three-way trade sent him from Tampa Bay to Pittsburgh helped nudge the payroll to $102 million, 22^nd among 30 teams.

It’s the highest the Pirates’ payroll has ranked since 2016, when they had the 20^th-highest the year after winning 98 games. Yet their payroll that season was $100 million. That means the Pirates payroll jumped 2% as industry revenues grew 31%, from an estimated $9.5 billion in 2016 to $12.8 billion in 2025.

Certainly, the Pirates’ piece of that pie didn’t grow in lockstep, but they benefited from greater revenue sharing as well as increases in national TV contracts, among other shared revenues.

And while they may be painted as the small market, underdog anti-Dodgers, it’s also clear early proposals shared by MLB run counter to some of their 2026 success.

Wake me up when December ends

O’Hearn knows his way around medium markets. A Kansas City Royals draftee, he broke out as an All-Star in his third season in Baltimore and now totes an .807 OPS with 13 homers for Pittsburgh.

He also knows what saber-rattling looks like when MLB and the MLB Players’ Association lock horns early in negotiations.

“I read the emails. I have an idea what’s going on,” says O’Hearn. “But this’ll be my third CBA. I would be shocked if anything came to a solution before crunch time. So I’m not going to get lost in the day-to-day of it, because I have seen this before.

“The league said they’re going to lock us out. So, OK. Things don’t really happen until crunch time, from my experience. I’ll stick with that.”

That Dec. 1 lockout date can wait just a minute, though.

The Pirates’ offensive turnaround has been startling. In 2025, their payroll was a mere $86 million and the lineup resembled such neglect as they ranked 30^th in OPS (.655) and runs (583).

This year? They are second in OPS (.762), trailing only the Dodgers, third in runs (475) and lead the majors with 829 hits.

Many hands have had a part in the uprising, including rookies Konnor Griffin and Esmerlyn Valdez, along with big steps forward from players like infielder Nick Gonzales that manager Don Kelly says began last year under first-year hitting coach Matt Hague.

It’s foolhardy to downplay O’Hearn and Lowe’s impact, though. Lowe’s 42 extra-base hits rank fifth in the major leagues, and his 21 homers already surpass Oneil Cruz’s team high from 2025.

“It’s very helpful,” says Reynolds, in the fourth year of an eight-year, $106.75 million deal that averages $13 million a season. “We’ve got one of the best offenses in baseball now, in big part to those two guys, and some other guys too. It’s been great.”

Lowe leads all major league second basemen in homers, RBIs (63) and slugging, making his omission from the All-Star Game something of a surprise. He put the capper on the Pirates’ Sunday, July 5 conquest of the Nationals, ripping a three-run homer in the eighth inning of their 11-5 victory to cap a winning road trip.

“It’s a blast being a part of this lineup,” says Lowe. “One through nine, and even with guys not starting that day, there’s damage to be found and runs to be scored.

“It’s fun coming to the ballpark understanding that I hit behind (Griffin) or in front of (Reynolds), we got O’Hearn and Valdy behind me.”

Indeed, while Lowe and O’Hearn have had huge hands in the Pirates’ success, another newcomer is simply fortunate an MLB CBA proposal wasn’t already adopted.

The kid stays in the picture

On a single, steamy 94-degree afternoon, Griffin’s play constantly demands attention. One moment, he’s laying out headlong to reel in a fly ball to shallow left field; a couple innings later, he’s going horizontal to reel in another dying quail.

And then with the game on the line, he’s fighting off a pair of two-strike pitches to slash a go-ahead two-run single in the eighth inning Sunday, a knock that preceded Lowe’s game-breaking three-run homer.

Griffin is 20 years old. And if one of MLB’s proposals in early rounds of CBA negotiating was already gospel, he wouldn’t be here.

Griffin reclassified to the 2024 draft class – he was selected ninth overall by Pittsburgh – and was bought out of a commitment to LSU. But an early proposal from MLB to the union included a stipulation that high school players would no longer be draft-eligible, that they’d have to be two years removed from high school graduation and at least 20 years old to be drafted.

Griffin wouldn’t be a Bucco, then, instead serving time in Baton Rouge. The proposal seems all the more drastic when you see Griffin take over a major league game.

He certainly took notice when MLB and the union exchanged proposals June 19 and the high school draftee ban was floated.

“It makes me think, ‘Dang, what if I couldn’t have gotten drafted out of high school?’” Griffin tells USA TODAY Sports. “It’s definitely a different situation, but I’m just thankful I was able to be a part of that and glad it worked out for me.”

Some guys are just ready.

Griffin was still 19 when he made his debut April 3, and four days later agreed to a nine-year, $140 million contract extension – a term that would also be limited under MLB’s proposals.

Instead, he is a Bucco through most of his 20s, continuing a pattern of moving quickly: Griffin is already married, and already putting down roots in Pittsburgh.

“It’s just cool seeing a lot of my jerseys, my last name in the stands,” he says. “It’s pretty neat seeing all that. I wanted to be somewhere to try to help change a club where we become a winning baseball team.

“I want to do some special things in Pittsburgh, so it’s been really cool to see how the fans have shown me the love.”

He has rewarded them, too, becoming the fastest Pirate in club history to notch 20 steals, and accruing 1.7 WAR in just 59 games, despite missing nearly a month with a forearm strain.

“Being 20 years old and a rookie, he’s way mature beyond his years,” says Kelly, in his first full season as Pirates manager. “He’s going to have huge moments like that, yes, and also understanding that he’s 20 and learning.

“There’s not too many 20-year-olds in the big leagues. It’s the work ethic, the way he goes about it – he’s a mature kid to begin with and when you put the talent on top of that, it’s hard to beat.”

Says Griffin: “I’ve had to grow up pretty quick. Getting drafted out of high school, reclassed a year early, been living on my own a while now, got married, just adapting to what life is throwing at me.”

Lowe says he likes to give Griffin a hard time when he sprawls out for catches as he did Sunday, when sweat mottled the lenses of his sunglasses, he went sans eyewear and then had to lay out for a fly in shallow left field.

TAKE IT AWAY, KG. 😤 pic.twitter.com/5iXVEMYNjk

— Pittsburgh Pirates (@Pirates) July 5, 2026

At 6-3, 222 pounds, Griffin is an imposing physical figure, featured on ESPN’s “You Got Mossed” segment when he was a Mississippi high school freshman.

“That wide receiver’s coming out on those plays,” says Lowe. “It shows the athleticism and why he’s up here. Not just a hitter or glove. He’s got it all going on.”

Tempting to say the Pirates do, as well. While reigning Cy Young Award winner Paul Skenes and veteran Mitch Keller have scuffled of late, the rotation remains stout. They’re just three games out of a wild card and more important, a biscuit above .500 as the trade deadline nears in less than a month.

At year’s end, they’ll be on the back nine of Skenes’ contractually obligated time with the team. A new CBA may frame just what he can pursue come free agency in 2029, and will certainly set a course of action for the Pirates to pursue.

In the current system, the Pirates – with a TV market size ranked No. 27 – should be more concerned with catching Milwaukee (38^th-biggest Nielsen market) than the Dodgers.

But at least the Pirates are in the conversation, proof positive that spending a few bucks can provide an immediate dividend.

“I came into this and it was like, ‘Hey, this team has great pitching but was 30^th in offense last year.’ A pretty big turnaround offensively,” says O’Hearn. “I’m proud of what we’ve done so far.

“We’ve got a long way to go, but we’ve got the players to score runs.”

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: The Pirates finally spent some money. You'll never guess what happened next.

Even when they dig themselves out from the lowest point of their season, the Boston Red Sox can't win.

After sinking to their lowest point of the season - 15 ½ games out of first, 14 games under .500 - the Red Sox proceeded to win eight of their next 10 games. They were still in last place - but you could almost see fourth place from there.

Yet throughout that period, second-year lefty Connelly Early was diagnosed with elbow inflammation, went for an MRI, received "some good news," according to manager Chad Tracy - yet now is headed for a second opinion with noted orthopedist Keith Meister. Those often don't end well - and the Red Sox's season doesn't figure to, either.

Oh, they've moved up three spots in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings. Yet Early's loss would put even more of an onus on a lineup that's surprisingly averaged five runs per game in this hot streak. They best keep it up to avoid a wholesale sell-off by the trade deadline.

A look at our updated rankings:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (-)

• Edwin Diaz - remember him? - aiming for a return shortly after All-Star break.

2. Milwaukee Brewers (-)

• Kyle Harrison suddenly likelier than Jacob Misiorowski to pitch in the All-Star Game - and Harrison isn't on the roster yet.

3. Tampa Bay Rays (+1)

• Junior Caminero's crazy home run stretch - 11 in 11 games - deserved more attention.

4. Atlanta Braves (-1)

• Some of that starting pitching magic is dissipating.

5. New York Yankees (-)

• For the first time this year, they feel like a not very good team.

6. Philadelphia Phillies (-)

• Bryce Harper says he'll do the Home Run Derby "if he can find someone to pitch to him."

7. Chicago Cubs (-)

• Pete Crow-Armstrong is their lone All-Star, but he's been as good as three players.

8. Miami Marlins (-)

• Who needs a perfect game when you're in a virtual tie for the third wild card in early July?

9. St. Louis Cardinals (-1)

• Non-All-Star JJ Wetherholt leads the majors with 17 outs above average.

10. Chicago White Sox (+2)

• The joyride continues as they escape Cleveland with a tenuous grip on first place.

NY Post | Jake Nisse: Yankees’ left-hander Max Fried continues to trend towards a rehab assignment, as he completed another live batting practice session on Sunday. The $218-million man is recovering from an elbow issue that sidelined him in May. He threw 36 pitches and faced Ryan McMahon and Alí Sánchez.

“It’s been good, it’s been a good run-up for him, and obviously another step today,” manager Aaron Boone said. The 32-year-old star boasts a 3.21 ERA in 61.2 innings this season.

NY Post | Mark Sánchez: With their loss on Sunday, the Yankees have now dropped nine of their last 10 games and 13 of their last 17 games. On top of the horrible, sloppy play, second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. had to be removed from Sunday’s finale after the fifth inning with discomfort in his right toe. The team announced that X-rays were negative and said he’ll be reassessed Monday. “Kinda nags him from time to time,” Boone explained after the game.

NJ.com | Adam Zagoria: The Yankees are down right now, but they’ve got their biggest series of the year in front of them. They’re traveling down to Tampa for a massive four-game series against the Rays starting tonight, with a four-game deficit in the AL East that could either be closed entirely or grow to a massive gap. If anything’s going to get this team to wake up and get their season on a lifeboat, this challenge needs to be the one to do it.

SNY | Colin Martin: The Yankees recalled Ángel Chivilli on Sunday morning, and he made his first MLB appearance since April 19th. He pitched well, completing 1.1 scoreless innings in low-leverage duty, allowing one hit, and striking out one to lower his ERA to 2.45 in a tiny sample in the majors. He had posted a 1.08 ERA over 16.2 innings in Scranton, with 17 punchouts.

ATLANTA — Huascar Brazobán’s worst performance of the season threatened to send the Mets to a doozy of a loss Sunday.

That was before Devin Williams recorded the final two outs in the ninth inning and the Mets escaped with a 10-9 victory over the Braves.

Brazobán, who began the day with a 1.94 ERA, was working with a seven-run lead as he began the final frame. He departed after allowing five earned runs, including a Drake Baldwin grand slam.

It’s possible that rust — Brazobán was working for the first time in eight days — played a factor.

“There’s waves of usage throughout the season, so guys get used a ton,” interim manager Andy Green said, referring to Brazobán’s 36 appearances.

“He has been used a ton, and then you have stretches where your situation doesn’t arise. He’s a guy that has been ridden all year. He had a gap in the number of times he’s been on the mound. He can handle all that. He’s that type of a pitcher.”

Brazobán allowed four hits and a walk in the ninth. He also committed a throwing error on a pickoff attempt that allowed Mauricio Dubón to score. Baldwin’s grand slam was the first homer allowed by Brazobán since June 2.

“He’s been unbelievable for us all year,” Green said. “His ERA is at [3.00] after what just happened; that just tells you how good he’s been for us all year, and it wasn’t his day out there.”

Williams entered with the Mets ahead 10-8 and struck out Ozzie Albies for the second out. But Matt Olson doubled and Michael Harris II followed with an RBI single. Dubón’s ensuing single — he took second on the throw — put the tying run at third and the winning run at second. Williams then struck out Dominic Smith to end it.

The Mets received shutdown appearances earlier from Brooks Raley and Luke Weaver, each of whom pitched a scoreless frame. Weaver extended his scoreless streak to 25 innings since May 1.

“There’s a lot of good things to take out of this baseball game,” Green said. “We’re going to take the good out of it.”

It’s another West Coast late start, and I want to go to bed. Unfortunately, I’m bound to my duties as the Sunday recap guy, so we’re going to do another live blog so I can push publish as soon as this bad boy wraps up. Join me for the next three or so hours as I live-react to the Red Sox, the World Cup, and whatever else is going on in Jake-land on this Sunday evening.

8:53 PM: One of my roommates recently moved out, and his room was much bigger than mine, so I moved in today. The only problem is, my dog is terrified of the beeping noise an air conditioner makes, and every time my roommate would walk in here, he would turn on the AC or a space heater, and my dog would run. Now, she doesn’t want to come into this room even though there’s no AC unit set up. The point is, I’m doing this from my new room for the first time, which is exciting for me because I could pretty much touch all four walls at the same time in my old room.

8:56 PM: My neighbors gave me a Rice Krispie treat that may or may not be infused with other ingredients. I’m not normally one to eat special Rice Krispie treats, but tonight feels like it would make for a fun recap.

8:59 PM: My girlfriend said it was a bad idea.

9:04 PM: I shared this document with her, and she told me I should add that she’s always right. She’s not, but I’m telling her that I’m adding it.

9:15 PM: Just learned that Connelly Early is getting a second opinion. You only get a second opinion if you don’t like the first opinion. Gulp.

9:19 PM: It’s going to be very hard for me to flip over to the Red Sox from the World Cup game at 9:30. There’s nothing I’d like to watch more than Mexico get the boot at their home stadium where they never lose.

9:30 PM: Screw it, soccer is staying on the big screen.

9:32 PM: Is my Peacock playing tricks on me or is this game actually starting even later than advertised?

9;36 PM: GOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. Suck it, Mexico.

9:36 PM: What is Ryan Johnson doing? How is he throwing 92 mph like that? What a weirdo.

9:37 PM: GOLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL. Dos a cero.

9:38 PM: Lots of sports going on, Wilyer Abreu spoils an immaculate inning with an 0-2 foul ball on the ninth pitch of the inning.

9:41 PM: Johnson strikes out the side in the top of the first after a 12-pitch battle with Abreu. Mexico has a free kick in a dangerous position and pulls one back to make it 2-1. Great finish.

9:45 PM: Back-to-back bloop singles give the Angels runners at first and third with nobody out.

9:48 PM: Ranger Suarez strikes out Vaughn Grissom with a curveball for the first out, but Caleb Durbin can’t get a handle on a ground ball to third, and the Angels get a run. 1-0, Angels as Mexico has opportunity after opportunity in front of the England net. What a game.

9:51 PM: Jo Adell singles to center and Ceddanne Rafaela bobbles it twice. Some rough fielding early from the Red Sox put them behind, 2-0.

10:02 PM: Jarren Duran CRUSHES a ball to center field to tie the game. 422 feet. 2-2.

10:03 PM: I really think lefties should be able to hit this guy. He can’t really come inside to lefties, so half the plate is basically eliminated. The second time through the order will be telling.

10:08 PM: The Red Sox thought they turned a 3-6-1 double play, but the Angels challenge, and the call is rightfully reversed. England has a hard time playing out from the back through Mexico’s press. If they can break through, Harry Kane will likely have a chance to make a line-breaking pass. That’s the kind of soccer analysis you don’t get on most baseball blogs.

10:11 PM: Suarez hangs a curveball, and Zack Neto doubles in a run. 3-2, Angels. England has a shot go off the post.

10:14 PM: It’s been 45 minutes, and we’re through two innings. Scorching pace here in Anaheim.

10:15 PM: The referee has been called to the monitor for a possible red card. I think it’s harsh, personally, but when they’re called to the monitor, the call is rarely ever upheld. It’s a red for Jarell Quansah — England will now play with 10 men for 40 minutes.

10:17 PM: Tsung-Che Cheng with a beautiful bunt for a single to begin the inning.

10:20 PM: Great header by Harry Kane to play Anthony Gordon in, who draws the penalty. The Mexican players can’t believe the call, because they’ve never believed they’ve committed a foul in their lives. I hate the Mexican national team, if you can’t tell.

10:21 PM: Zack Neto boots a ground ball at shortstop to give the Red Sox two runners on with two outs.

10:22 PM: Willson Contreras makes them pay for that error by putting the first pitch he sees in the left field seats. 5-3, Red Sox. Harry Kane buries the penalty. 3-1, England.

10:29 PM: We’ve got another VAR check. This time, Mexico looks like they’re going to be awarded a penalty. Jarren Duran strikes out with two runners on, but the Red Sox get three runs in the inning to regain the lead.

10:31 PM: Raul Jimenez converts the penalty. 3-2, England.

10:35 PM: Jo Adell gets an infield single with two outs. That’s the issue with pitching to contact.

10:36 PM: Oh god, Suarez is talking to the trainer and exiting the game. There really is no such thing as too much pitching. We’re gonna be here all night.

10:39 PM: It’s Greg Weissert on in the bottom of the third in place of Suarez.

10:41 PM: He gets the first guy to pop out, and we’re through three innings with the Red Sox leading, 5-3.

10:51 PM: Ceddanne Rafaela is locked in a battle with Johnson and started walking to first base on the 10th pitch of the at-bat. Unfortunately, it was only ball three. He struck out on the next pitch, though he should have challenged the strike three call.

10:53 PM: 11 minutes of added time with England leading by a goal. That’s a lot of added time. England took Harry Kane off for some reason. I’m not sure they know there’s an additional 30 minutes should they concede.

10:59 PM: Greg Weissert retires the Angels in order in the fourth.

11:00 PM: England is defending for their lives, and Mexico is screaming at the referee any time something doesn’t go their way. Three minutes to go.

11:03 PM: I didn’t even notice Jose Fermin took over for Johnson, but he’s got two quick outs in the fifth.

11:05 PM: ENGLAND WINS. SEE YA MEXICO. What a game.

11:08 PM: Tyron Guerrero on in relief of Weissert here in the fifth.

11:10 PM: It was weed in the Rice Krispie treat. I didn’t eat it. I don’t think I would have been able to comprehend both a soccer and baseball game at once if I had, so I’m happy with that decision. Don’t tell my girlfriend that she was right.

11:11 PM: I made a wish, but I will not tell you guys what it was, so don’t even bother asking.

11:15 PM: Guerrero works a scoreless inning. 5-3, Red Sox after five.

11:17 PM: I went to get water, and my dog took the treat bribes I left while I was gone. Apparently she’s not scared of the room but doesn’t want me to know that.

11:19 PM: It’s left adductor tightness for Suarez. If he misses time, Sonny Gray will be the only starting pitcher from the opening day rotation on the active roster.

11:22 PM: Weird play in the sixth. Denzer Guzman bobbled the ball at third, Zack Neto caught it and threw to first to get Carlos Narvaez. In the process, Jarren Duran tried to go first to third and appeared to be caught, but Jose Peraza was called for interference at second base. That all nets to a runner on third with two outs for Cheng.

11:25 PM: Cheng strikes out to end the inning.

11:29 PM: Guerrero quickly gets the Angels to go down, 1-2-3.

11:33 PM: Dave O’Brien is talking about soccer. What kind of lunatic would talk about soccer in baseball content?

11:37 PM: Anthony Seigler and Ceddanne Rafaela with a double steal of second and third. Wilyer Abreu does a good job recognizing the huge jumps and takes the pitch to allow them to advance. Good baseball there.

11:39 PM: Abreu can’t get all the way around the ball, but he muscles it out to center field, and Seigler is able to tag up from third and score. 6-3, Red Sox.

11:39 PM: Willson Contreras almost got hit by a pitch. He did not try to fight anyone. Chants of “sell the team” coming from the outfield.

11:43 PM: Yoshida goes the other way for his third hit of the night. 7-3, Red Sox.

11:46 PM: Durbin strikes out, and the Angels go to a lefty with two outs in the seventh.

11:50 PM: Jarren Duran beats out a broken-bat infield single swinging bunt thing. That was cool.

11:54 PM: Carlos Narvaez strikes out with the bases loaded to end the threat.

11:58 PM: It’s Garrett Whitlock for the bottom of the seventh. I am so tired.

12:01 AM: Happy Monday. Garrett Whitlock got three guys out very quickly. Thanks, Garrett.

12:02 AM: If you read this whole thing, you’re insane, and I appreciate you.

12:06 AM: The Red Sox go quickly in the top of the eighth. Eighth is a weird word to spell. That’s five consonants in a row. I can’t think of many words that have that. In fact, I can’t think of a single other word with five consonants in a row, but I’m far from operating at maximum brain capacity.

12:08 AM: Justin Slaten for the bottom half of the hard-to-spell inning.

12:09 AM: Willson Contreras chased a ball into foul territory and had a nice moment with a Red Sox fan sitting in the front row. Maybe he’s not so scary after all.

12:13 AM: Donovan Walton, whom I have never heard of before today, gets a pinch-hit double with two outs.

12:15 AM: Jo Adell hits a sweeper off the plate down the line; Walton scores. 7-4, Red Sox as Aroldis Chapman begins to stir in the bullpen.

12:16 AM: Wade Meckler, whom I have also not heard of, is now pitching hitting.

12:17 AM: Meckler strikes out to end the inning.

12:22 AM: Went to the bathroom to brush my teeth, et cetera, and came back to two outs in the top of the ninth.

12:24 AM: Here comes Chapman to try to shut the door on the series.

12:27 AM: Caleb Durbin makes a diving stop and throws to first for the out. Willson Contreras stretches and maybe comes off the base, though. I think he held it, but the Angels are challenging.

12:28 AM: Call stands. One down.

12:30 AM: Chapman strikes out Lowe. Two down.

12:31 AM: Zack Neto homers. 7-5, Red Sox.

12:33 AM: Red Sox win! For those of you counting at home, that’s 8 of the last 10. Day off tomorrow before moving on to Chicago to play the White Sox. We couldn’t possibly make a run, could we? I don’t know. But I do know that I’m going to bed. Once again, if you read this whole thing, I appreciate you. It’s 2,000 words of nonsense. Well, actually, it’s 1972 words of nonsense right now. But the official word count really isn’t important, especially because it counts all of my timestamps that aren’t original content. Now it’s 2,000. Goodnight to all.

The MLB trade deadline is rapidly approaching, and Angels interim general manager John Mozeliak is ready for it — just not now.

As Mozeliak appeared on MLB Network Radio on Sunday afternoon, he said the Angels aren’t too focused on the trade deadline and are more focused on the MLB draft.

“I have not had any real substantial conversations with clubs … other than what they might be looking for, no names have been exchanged. Nothing like that,” Mozeliak said. “Most of the general managers that have reached out to me over the last week it’s mostly been via text.”

While Mozeliak said no names have been exchanged, he said once the draft concludes, he expects to hear more from fellow GMs about potential trades.

“In that time we’ll also have a better understanding of where we are, of how we think of this roster and what the market may bear for that,” Mozeliak said. “Because I think that’s the most important part. Obviously, anybody can trade anyone, but it doesn’t really make sense if it’s something that’s not going to have long-term value or change some internal dynamic.”

The Angels are one of MLB’s most intriguing teams at the deadline because they have multiple players they could sell, including Jose Soriano, Reid Detmers and Jo Adell.

Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic recently said the Angels have enough power to control the MLB trade deadline.

In the past, the Angels have been reluctant to be sellers when the deadline approached because they have held on to prospects for far too long, including in 2023 when former GM Perry Minasian had the chance to trade Shohei Ohtani before he signed with the Dodgers in the offseason.

Of course, owner Arte Moreno got in the way of the Angels dealing Ohtani, despite multiple teams having interest in him.

With Mozeliak now taking over as interim GM, he’s been vocal about the Angels needing to change the way they operate.

“My overall take right now is this club is not where we need it to be. We’re not winning baseball games; we’re finding ways to lose instead of win. That can be frustrating for our fans. It can be frustrating for the people that are here every day and for the players,” Mozeliak said. “So we know something has to be done differently.”

It was a tough week for Ryan Weathers.

After recording just five outs Monday — and at some point being afflicted by a teamwide stomach bug or bout of food poisoning — Weathers had another short start in Sunday’s 6-1 loss to the Twins as he was yanked after four-plus 4.0innings.

The lefty said afterwards that he threw up several times during the game, as he tried to “gut out” the issue.

But he was charged with four earned runs and put runners in scoring position in all but one of the innings he appeared in.

“Credit to him, under the weather today, and still went out there and battled,” manager Aaron Boone said after the game.

“I thought his stuff was really good, as good a change-up as I’ve seen from him, a ton of swing-and-miss with that pitch,” he continued, before conceding that Minnesota “battled him throughout to make it challenging all day.”

Weathers did record six strikeouts but didn’t fully bounce back from a difficult start to the game.

A leadoff double from Minnesota’s Austin Martin set the tone for the pitcher’s day (and helped the Twins grab a 1-0 lead soon after), and Weathers was ultimately pulled after beaning Luke Keaschall and walking Martin in the fifth inning.

“I wanna do well for the team and try to win the ballgame,” Weathers said afterwards. “And it just didn’t happen today.”

Weathers got up to 88 pitches — and one was a wild pitch that moved Royce Lewis to second and allowed him to score on shortly after a Brooks Lee single to left.

The 26-year-old, in his sixth MLB season, is well on his way to blowing past his career high of 94 ²/₃ innings from his rookie season in San Diego.

And that mileage won’t make things any easier for a pitcher who has already been sliding over the last couple of months.

His ERA had dropped to a flat 3.00 on May 11 after a two-run, 6 ¹/₃-inning start against the Orioles. That figure is now 4.29 after this latest Yankees defeat, in which boos later rang down for relievers Paul Blackburn and Camilo Doval after the bleeding continued.

Weathers will likely pitch next in the back end of the Rays series or against the Nationals, and neither of those spots is massively favorable for a pitcher trying to get back on track.

ATLANTA — A.J. Ewing is not deterred by left-handed pitching.

The rookie homered and singled — both against lefties — to finish 2-for-4 in the Mets’ 10-9 victory over the Braves on Sunday. It marked the second time Ewing had multiple hits against left-handers in a game this season.

Ewing launched a Martín Pérez sinker for a homer leading off the third inning. The blast, which cleared the center field fence, was the first of his career that he did not pull. Ewing has five homers.

“I think I have always been comfortable against lefties,” he said.

Ewing and Carson Benge, the two rookies in the lineup, have been success stories in a dreary season for the Mets. The 21-year-old Ewing boosted his OPS to .756 with his latest performance.

“I think we have believed he’s going to hit lefties in the long run, and it’s good to see him doing it,” interim manager Andy Green said.

Francisco Lindor is expected to either DH or receive a day off Monday as the team continues to monitor his workload following his return from a calf strain.

“Hopefully, it’s the DH because we love having his bat in the lineup,” Greensaid. “But certainly, we like paying attention to his workload every day. It’s something we talked about [Saturday], and he felt good to go — it puts a good lineup on the field for us, having him at shortstop. He was on the bases quite a bit [Saturday], so it’s good to see him playing well and recovering.”

Green indicated he likely will deploy Kodai Senga behind an opener for Tuesday’s game against the Royals at Citi Field. Senga pitched 2 ²/₃ innings in relief Friday, allowing one earned run. In his other relief appearance since his displacement from the starting rotation, he allowed two earned runs over five innings against the Phillies.

Juan Soto has reached base in 18 of his past 21 games since June 11 and ranks second in MLB among qualifiers in on-base percentage (.500) during that stretch. He’s third in OPS (1.171) and fifth in batting average (.371). Overall, he leads the NL with a .966 OPS.