SAN FRANCISCO – It took a few days but it finally happened. Rafael Devers notched his first home run with the Giants, a solo blast in the third inning that helped pace the Orange and Black to a 3-2 victory over the Boston Red Sox on Saturday.
Devers has been welcomed with open arms since the Father’s Day trade landed his powerful bat in the Bay. The slugger had put together some strong at-bats but hadn’t been able to really get into one until Saturday when he hit a two-run drive off Red Sox starter and former teammate Brayan Bello.
Devers’ homer came two batters after Andrew Knizner reached base on an error.
The Giants didn’t do much else offensively but made the scoring stand up with a solid day from their bullpen.
After starter Landen Roupp pitched six strong innings, manager Bob Melvin used three relievers to mop things up.
Randy Rodriguez and Tyler Rogers each threw a scoreless inning before closer Camilo Doval pitched in and out of a jam in the ninth.
Here are the takeaways from Saturday’s win:
Devers Drives It
Of course Devers’ first home with the Giants came against his former ballclub. It was straight out of a Hollywood movie script.
Six days after being acquired from Boston in a deal that included Kyle Harrison and Jordan Hicks, Devers gave Giants fans what they had been eagerly waiting for since his arrival with an opposite-field home run.
It was Devers’ second extra-base hit and second RBI in five games with the Orange and Black. Predictably, he received a standing ovation from the Oracle Park crowd as he crossed home plate.
Roupp Rebounds Nicely
Nearly two weeks after his worst outing of his career Roupp bounced back with one of his best stats of the season.
The Giants’ right-hander pitched six scoreless innings and allowed only three hits – the fewest Roupp has given up in any of his 15 starts this season. He has six strikeouts and three walks before giving way to reliever Randy Rodriguez.
It was exactly the type of game that the Giants needed from Roupp after he gave up six runs and retired only five batters in an 11-5 loss to the Dodgers on June 8.
Dicey Day For Doval
The days of Torture are back whenever the Giants’ close takes the mound. Saturday was just the latest chapter in Doval’s roller-coaster season.
Doval gave up three consecutive hits to open the ninth, allowing the Red Sox to score a pair of runs and avoid being shut out.
Just when things looked like they were going to go the wrong way, Doval gathered himself and recorded three consecutive groundouts to earn his 12th save of the season.
The Mets (45-31) play the Philadelphia Phillies(46-30) Saturday at 7:15 p.m. on FOX.
Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...
Mets Notes
With Friday's 10-2 series-opening loss, the Mets are on a season-long seven-game losing streak. New York suffered consecutive three-game sweeps in this past week's sets against the Tampa Bay Rays and at the Atlanta Braves. Previously, the Mets' longest skid of the season was three games between May 18-20 -- losses at the Yankees (one) and Boston Red Sox (two).
The Phillies have a one-game lead over the Mets in the National League East Division and are 8-2 in their past 10 games. New York, meanwhile, is 3-7 in its past 10 games. The Mets' last win was a 4-3 victory against the Washington Nationals, which completed a series sweep and extended New York's six-game streak. Earlier this season, the Mets swept the Phillies in a three-game set April 21-23.
To watch Mets games online via FOX, you will need a subscription to a TV service provider or the FOX Sports app. This will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone browser, or via the FOX Sports app.
CHICAGO — Cal Raleigh broke Hall of Famer Johnny Bench’s 1970 record for home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, hitting his major league-leading 28th and 29th in the Seattle Mariners’ 9-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday.
Raleigh put Seattle ahead and moved past Bench in the seventh inning with No. 29, a drive to the back of the left-field bleachers off Caleb Thielbar.
“Any time you’re mentioned in even the same sentence with one of the best, if not the best ever do it is a special thing,” Raleigh said. “I’m just very grateful. He’s one heck of a player or was one heck of a player. And like I said, just very, very happy about it.”
Raleigh needed only 73 games to break the record that Bench set in 87 games. The Seattle star shattered the mark with 22 games to spare before the All-Star game. Barry Bonds holds the overall record with 39 for San Francisco in 2001.
Raleigh sent his first homer just over the basket in the first off Matthew Boyd.
The 28-year-old slugger had three hits in his sixth multi-homer game of the season. He drove in three runs to push his season total to 63.
Bench was a 14-time All-Star in his 17-season career with the Cincinnati Reds. In 1970, at age 22, he became the youngest player to win the National League MVP award. He led the NL with 45 homers and drove in 148 runs.
Seattle's Mitch Garver, a catcher by position, hit two homers and drove in five runs as a designated hitter. The duo stole the thunder from the NL-Central leading Chicago on a day when Sammy Sosa returned to Wrigley Field for the first time in over 20 years.
Raleigh and Garver are the first pair of primary catchers for a team to each homer twice since Joe Ferguson and Steve Yeager did it for the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 1979 home victory over Houston.
SAN FRANCISCO – The Giants acknowledged Saturday that Major League Baseball is investigating claims of abuse by the wife of right-handed pitcher Sean Hjelle recently on social media.
Hjelle was unavailable to comment on the post, but the Giants released a statement indicating the alleged abuse is being looked into.
“We are aware of these serious allegations,” the Giants said in the statement. “We have been in contact with MLB. These type of allegations fall under their jurisdiction and we won’t be commenting further.”
Caroline Hjelle’s post on TikTok on Friday included an on-screen caption that read: “When my MLB husband abandons us on Mothers Day a week after this once I finally found out about his affairs and stopped putting up with his abuse so I’ve been raising two boys alone.”
Manager Bob Melvin was asked about Hjelle’s situation before Saturday’s game against the Boston Red Sox at Oracle Park.
“Obviously, we’re aware of it,” Melvin said. “He told me about it last night. We talked to MLB. At this point, it’s in their jurisdiction right now so I really can’t comment on it further.”
The Giants selected the 28-year-old Hjelle in the second round of the 2018 MLB Draft, and he has appeared in 87 games over four big-league seasons.
Federal agents stage outside Gate E of Dodger Stadium on Thursday. The Dodgers would not let them into the parking area. (Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
The current incarnation of Dodger ownership is not your grandfather's Dodgers. In lieu of private, family ownership, you have one behemoth corporation, the Guggenheim Group, predicated on maximizing profit potential, and not giving a twit regarding social or moral imperatives. Doing the "right thing" might threaten their bottom line. After all, in their way of thinking, the business of America is business." ICE thugs terrorizing part of their fan base's families is not on their radar. It's all about money.
Bob Teigan Santa Susana
Why would Dylan Hernández be surprised by the Dodgers’ silence over the Trump Administration’s efforts to terrorize the Hispanic residents of greater Los Angeles? Never forget that Dodger Stadium stands on land acquired through similar tactics directed toward the Hispanic residents of Chavez Ravine.
BW Radley Mission Viejo
So let me get this right. Seven months ago the Los Angeles Times editorial section declined to endorse either one of the candidates running for president of the United States, but today, Dylan Hernández, a columnist (which means he gives his opinion about topics) slammed the Dodgers for not taking a political stance on the current events in Los Angeles. Mr. Hernández, the Dodgers are a pro sports franchise, not a political party. Maybe if you want to continue to write about politics you should transfer to the Op-Ed department and leave the sports section to sports
Russell Morgan Carson
Mr. Hernández's diatribe in The Times is yet another example of his inability to comprehend legal from illegal status. He would have the Dodgers condemn the removal of those illegally in our country. The Dodgers ownership made the correct decision to remain silent. Do not reward the law breaker who was aware of the possible consequences from the beginning.
Bill Tewksbury Marion, Mont. .
Thank you, Kiké Hernández, for standing up for Angelenos while they are being targeted because of the color of their skin. There is no larger supporter of the Dodgers than the Mexican-American community. The Dodger ownership should show that support works both ways.
Mike Gamboa Buena Park
Win-win situation
Watching the NBA Finals it was clear that the Lakers would have no chance against the new, younger, more athletic players.
Seeing what they’ve done with the Dodgers, it would be entirely reasonable to believe that the new ownership will be bringing the entire Lakers organization into the 21st century.
The best part of the sale: Lakers valued at $10 billion. Celtics valued at $6 billion.
Victory!
Paul D. Ventura Mission Viejo
The Lakers move now from a Mom and Pop operated organization to corporate, with TWG Global group. Bill Plaschke writes about how great this will be for the Lakers since they will now be managed and have the same resources as the Dodgers, who went this same route back in 2012. That's great to look forward to but the immediate need is, who will play the center position for the Lakers? Is there a player for sale in Japan, maybe?
Wayne Muramatsu Cerritos
Management decision?
I will no longer question manager Dave Roberts' pitching decisions. There are more important issues to raise. When asked about the deportation and rounding up of profiled people in L.A., he said, “Honestly, I don’t know enough” and “I haven’t dug enough and can’t speak intelligently on it.” Do you read your own newspaper? Have you looked into the crowd that pays your $10-million salary and seen who is most loyal? Don’t you honor Jackie Robinson every year and talk to your players about his legacy and standing up for one’s rights? Well apparently he’s either the team’s PR manager, tone deaf or has been ordered to act dumb by management. The world is more than balls and strikes.
David Bialis San Diego
Clayton clarification
So on June 8, we get two letters suggesting that Clayton Kershaw stop pitching because he is "hurting the team." Over his next two starts, he pitches 12 innings, giving up one run, while striking out 12, walking one, and earning two wins. Did Bill Plaschke ghost-write these letters with his usual accurate predictions/suggestions? If so, keep up the great work, Bill!
Richard Brisacher Mar Vista
Spaun-ing controversy
What am I missing here? A relatively unknown golf pro, J.J. Spaun, who graduated from San Dimas High wins one of the most prestigious and exciting golf majors in years; and he gets five paragraphs (and not even a quote) plus a photo on page 2. You gave LPGA winner Carlota Ciganda more coverage (in the same combined story) after recording her first win in 15 years for winning something called the Meijer (NOT Major) LPGA Classic. May I suggest a special profile column on the local major winner when you are "Dodger'd" out and have a slow news day.
Richard Whorton Studio City
It was bad enough that you barely mentioned Scottie Scheffler’s dominating victory in the PGA Championship last month. But you lowered the bar even further in the U.S. Open.
The first three days of the event rated only a short notebook, but J.J. Spaun’s thrilling final round, topped by one of the greatest putts in golf history, should have been an above-the-fold front-page story. You blew it. And to top it off, your story referred to Spaun’s having a resemblance to Franco Harris? Please. If Adam Scott had won, would he have resembled, say, Ryan Gosling? I don’t think so.
Steve Horn Glendale
Right on target
What a terrific story by Gary Klein on Rams receiver Puka Nacua, with a good history of Polynesian players in the NFL! Although I have been following the NFL for many years, the growth in the number of Polynesian players is something I sort of overlooked even though I remember many of these players going back to Charlie Ane, who I also recall played at USC in the 1950s.
Bill Francis Pasadena
Not his day
After watching Shohei Ohtani strike out four times Tuesday night, I found myself thinking, "It's a good thing this guy can pitch."
John Amato Sherman Oaks
The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.
The Boston Red Sox did a Baltimore Orioles veteran a favor by trading slugger Rafael Devers to the Giants.
On Tuesday’s episode of “Foul Territory,” Orioles first baseman Ryan O’Hearn expressed his appreciation to Red Sox Chief Baseball Officer Craig Breslow for the blockbuster trade, one which could vault him into a starting role at the 2025 All-Star Game in Atlanta next month.
“I just want to shout out Craig Breslow real quick,” O’Hearn humorously shared on Tuesday. “Appreciate you, man, [for] getting me in the standings. What a wild deal. That was crazy, huh?”
"I just wanna shoutout Craig Breslow real quick. Appreciate you, man." 😂
Ryan O'Hearn leads among AL DHs in All-Star voting after the Red Sox traded Rafael Devers. pic.twitter.com/izBJQ43rhK
Before Devers got traded to the Giants on Sunday, the three-time MLB All-Star clearly was the frontrunner to serve as the American League’s starting designated hitter in Atlanta, having received significant support from the fans.
Devers racked up 796,382 votes from fans during his time with the Boston Red Sox, per the first All-Star return.
Now, the 28-year-old slugger is the Giants player with the most votes, but becomes a distant second to Los Angeles Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani in the designated hitter category.
That was twice as many as O’Hearn’s 353,029 votes, which, with Devers now in the National League, makes the 31-year-old the highest vote-getter at the position in the AL.
O’Hearn’s humorous gratitude towards Breslow is entirely understandable. The Red Sox, single-handedly, put him that much closer to a big trip to Atlanta in July.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw delivers in the first inning of a 6-5 win over the Washington Nationals on Friday night. Kershaw has 2,992 career strikeouts. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
It’s hard not to count as the strikeouts go by.
Clayton Kershaw’s first strikeout Friday night came on his "Cooperstown curveball" — a pitch that’s dazzled since its first appearance at Dodger Stadium on May 25, 2008. Two strikeouts on sliders that dove into the dirt like paper airplanes curtailing in the wind brought his chase to single digits.
The milestone is inevitable. Kershaw will all but certainly reach the 3,000-strikeout mark, etching his name on a list that features just 19 other pitchers. But he'll have to wait a little while longer.
“There's a few pitches tonight where it clicked,” Kershaw said, moving his earned-run average to 2.49 in June. “It’s just not every one. So hopefully it’ll get there.”
Kershaw struck out four batters against the Nationals, tossing five innings and giving up two solo home runs as the Dodgers took the series opener 6-5.
“It's really special knowing that he's approaching 3,000,” said infielder Miguel Rojas, who played third base Friday like he did for Kershaw’s no-hitter in 2014. “Every pitch... every strikeout counts. But for him, I feel like it's more important to win games, and for him to be 3-0 and with really good numbers overall, I'm happy for him — that he's healthy, happy and able to contribute."
Kershaw brought his career strikeout total to 2,992, just eight away from 3,000. Strikeout 3,000 could come Thursday in Colorado or Friday in Kansas City when he’s next expected to toe the mound.
“It’s hard not to appreciate how close he is to the 3,000 mark,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “My guess is that he just wants to get this thing over with as soon as possible, right? … He wants it over as quick as possible, I'm sure."
Kershaw still doesn’t feel his sharpest in his seventh start of the season. He walked two and 33 of his 78 pitches were balls. His fastball was more than a tick down from his season average as he flailed with his command early.
And yet, Kershaw battled through five innings.
“I can still get people out,” Kershaw said. “I just want to do it a little bit better."
Clayton Kershaw delivers in the third inning against the Washington Nationals on Friday night. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
If the Dodgers’ previous four-game series against the Padres had the energy and animosity of postseason baseball, then the Nationals coming to town felt like a true mid-June game. Coming off an 11-game losing streak — broken Thursday in Colorado — the Nationals (31-45) fell out of an early lead because of self-inflicted gaffes.
After the Dodgers knotted the score 1-1 when bench coach Danny Lehmann’s first successful challenge (stepping in at manager for the suspended Roberts) brought home a run after Mookie Betts was deemed safe at first on a fielder’s choice, Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams made what looked to be an inning-ending force play.
Abrams dove to his right on an infield single from Andy Pages, stabbed the ball and used his glove to flip to Amed Rosario at second base. The ball never reached Rosario, and Betts hustled home from second base without a throw.
Rojas extended the Dodgers' lead to 6-2 in the bottom of the sixth when he hit his third home run of the season, a two-run shot, to score Kiké Hernández (two for three, two doubles). When the Nationals threatened in the top of the seventh — with runners on second and third, down by two — Michael Conforto came to the Dodgers’ rescue by making a diving catch to keep his team ahead.
“It's a long season, and you're going to receive more opportunities to contribute, and it's nice to finally get one game like this where you feel part of it,” Rojas said, adding that he was glad to showcase his hitting against a left-hander such as Washington ace MacKenzie Gore.
Abrams homered in the ninth, but Dodgers closer Tanner Scott buckled down to secure his 15th save.
The Dodgers (47-30) will turn to right-hander Dustin May against the Nationals on Saturday as they attempt to clinch their fourth consecutive series. Neither Roberts nor Lehmann was made available to reporters after the game.
Miguel Rojas, left, is gets a hand slap from Dodgers first base coach Chris Woodward after hitting a two-run home run in the sixth inning against the Nationals on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Etc.
Right-hander Tyler Glasnow (shoulder inflammation) is set to throw two innings in a rehabilitation assignment with triple-A Oklahoma City on Sunday, while left-hander Blake Snell (shoulder inflammation) is set to throw a bullpen in the next few days, Roberts said.
Roki Sasaki (right shoulder impingement), who stopped throwing after a recent flare up stymied his progression, threw in the outfield Friday afternoon.
“I don't know if it was 60, 90 feet, with the baseball,” Roberts said of Sasaki, who was moved to the 60-day injured list Friday. “That was a bonus. That was a plus. Chatted with him briefly afterward. He was excited about it."
On how Sasaki was feeling, Roberts said: "I would say pain-free. Now it's just getting the build-up. But most important, he's pain-free."
The timing couldn't be worse for New York, which is in the middle of playing 10 straight games against its two biggest National League East Division threats, the Phillies and Atlanta Braves. And so far, the nosedive has already resulted in the Mets getting dethroned from their perch atop the standings.
This all started a day after Kodai Senga injured his hamstring covering first base against the Washington Nationals in a game that the Mets ultimately won for their sixth straight victory despite an unnerving ninth inning. But after the week that followed, that all seems like a lifetime ago for the spiraling Mets.
Even though Senga's injury isn't considered serious, it'll still be a while before he returns to the team which is a serious blow for New York who is now without its ace for a period of time. Plus, the domino effect that Senga's absence has caused the Mets has left them reeling and searching for answers -- and not just for starting pitching.
In fact, manager Carlos Mendoza listed what's been going wrong for his team at the moment.
"We’re going through it right now," he said. "I think it’s a little bit of everything. Whether it’s a starting pitcher not going deep in games, we got a couple of games where the bullpen [gives up] an inning like (Friday), an inning like the first game in Atlanta, offensively we’re having a hard time scoring -- so I think right now every area we’re fighting through it. It’s hard, but we gotta continue to fight, continue to grind and get through it and find a way."
Also without Tylor Megill for the immediate future due to his elbow sprain, New York was forced to replace his spot in the rotation on Friday with Blade Tidwell, who made his second MLB start. And although the right-hander only lasted 3.2 innings, he allowed just two earned runs and held the Phillies scoreless for the first three innings, matching Zack Wheeler.
Still, the short outing has become a theme for the Mets lately and started to wear on the bullpen. On Friday, it was Reed Garrett and Justin Garza who were touched up in a six-run seventh inning that blew the game open.
Before that, the game was tied 2-2 as New York's offense continues to struggle to score consistently, ending the night with just those two runs (off back-to-back solo shots by Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil) and seven hits.
"I wouldn’t be able to lay my finger on one thing," Alonso said about the team's struggles. "I just think collectively as a group, whether it’s defensively, offensively, we’re not necessarily in sync on either side of the ball right now.
"... As a group, we’re not playing clean baseball, we’re not playing up to our potential. It’s not our standard. How we’ve been playing doesn’t match the talent or the standards that we set for ourselves. ... It’s been a poor showing the past seven games."
So what can the Mets do about it?
"You just have to strap it on and get ready to go and do whatever you can (Saturday)," Alonso said. "Thankfully, we don’t have an off day -- we can go out and have a chance and opportunity to learn from our mistakes (Friday) and go and execute (Saturday). I think that’s the beautiful thing where you can either keep the momentum going or you have a chance to stop the bleeding and play better baseball (Saturday)."
Of course, that's easier said than done, especially when nothing seems to be going New York's way currently.
"I think everything is happening at the same time," Mendoza said.
When a guy hasn’t pitched in 18 days, you usually try to find them a relatively soft return.
That certainly would’ve been the ideal scenario for Yankees manager Aaron Boone on Friday night, but the game had other plans.
With things knotted up at three apiece, the skipper turned to right-hander Luke Weaver to make his highly-anticipated return from a two-week stint on the injured list, and things didn’t quite go as planned.
Baltimore’s offense welcomed the All-Star closer back rudely, as third baseman Ramon Urias cracked a go-ahead solo homer over a leaping Aaron Judge into the short porch leading off the top of the eighth.
“It was a good at-bat,” Weaver said postgame. “I threw a solid pitch, he just put a pretty good swing on it and I was pretty devastated to see it go over -- obviously not the start that I was looking forward to, felt like I let the team down in that moment.”
The Orioles would knock him around a bit more from there -- picking up two more hard-hit singles before ultimately chasing him from the game with just two outs recorded.
Sidearming left-hander Tim Hill entered and allowed another run to score on a Gunnar Henderson single, but was able to avoid further damage thanks to some shoddy base running.
Still, the damage was done and the Yanks ended up dropping another frustrating one.
“The whole outing was just about two strikes,” Weaver said. “It was just about trying to put them away and it’s hard sometimes to find that just line where that swing-and-miss is and they’re putting together good at-bats and having good takes.
“When you’re not quite where you want to be it gets hard, you feel like you’re pitching defensive and it gets hard to get that swing-and-miss from there.”
While the results weren’t there, the most important thing was that the 31-year-old felt healthy.
Weaver is expected to jump back into the mix in the later innings alongside Devin Williams -- who stepped up tremendously with four saves and a 1.35 ERA in his absence.
“The only thing that hurts is my head and my heart,” Weaver said following the loss. “At the end of the day my leg feels great, the velocity is there, all of my pitchers were there -- I had everything I needed to be successful, it’s just a game that didn’t happen.”
May 27, 2025; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dennis Santana against the Arizona Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images
NEW YORK (AP) — Pittsburgh Pirates pitcher Dennis Santana was suspended four games and fined an undisclosed amount by Major League Baseball on Friday, a day after he was involved in an altercation with a fan.
Santana is appealing the decision by the league and can continue to play while the situation is being reviewed.
During the second game of the Pirates’ doubleheader with the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, Santana was in the bullpen when he was seen at one point leaping and swiping at the person.
“You guys know me — I’m a calm demeanor type of person,” Santana said after the game through an interpreter. “I’ve never had any issues for any of the teams I’ve played for. This guy crossed the line a few times.”
Santana declined to disclose what the fan said.
“He crossed the line, and I’d like to leave it at that,” he said. “I’ve never had anything like this happen in my eight years in baseball.”
Santana can be seen in videos posted on social media pointing out the fan to a police officer before jumping and swinging at the person who’s in the front row above Pittsburgh’s bullpen at Comerica Park.
After jumping at the fan, Santana was escorted away by Pirates bullpen personnel and held back by a teammate. He entered the game in the ninth inning and pitched to one batter before the game was delayed by rain. The Pirates won 8-4.
Jun 19, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Diego Padres bench coach Brian Esposito (82) looks on as elief pitcher Robert Suarez (75) is ejected from the game after hitting Los Angeles Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani (17) with a pitch in the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
NEW YORK (AP) — San Diego Padres reliever Robert Suarez was suspended for three games and fined an undisclosed amount Friday for intentionally hitting Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers with a pitch in the ninth inning Thursday night.
Suarez appealed the suspension that was scheduled to begin Friday night when the Padres faced Kansas City at home.
Padres manager Mike Shildt and Dodgers manager Dave Roberts also received one-game suspensions and undisclosed fines.
Ohtani took a pitch to the back of his right (pitching) shoulder from Suarez in the Padres’ 5-3 victory Thursday in Los Angeles. With Dodgers players starting to move over the dugout railing, Ohtani waved back his teammates.
In need of a spot start with the rotation banged up, the Mets decided to call upon Blade Tidwell to make his second big-league start.
The young righty played a similar role earlier this season but things didn’t quite go as planned, as he allowed six runs on nine hits over just 3.2 innings while slotting in for a doubleheader against the Cardinals for his debut.
Fortunately for him and the Mets, Friday’s outing in Philadelphia was a bit better.
Tidwell did enough to keep New York in the ballgame, as he worked his way efficiently and effectively through the red-hot Phillies lineup before running into some trouble with two outs in the bottom of the fourth.
A pair of singles from Nick Castellanos and J.T. Realmuto, then a Bryson Stott walk loaded the bases with one out -- Tidwell then got Otto Lopez to roll into a fielder’s choice before his night came to an end.
José Castillo entered and allowed another run scoring hit but was able to close the youngster’s line with just the two runs allowed on four hits while walking three and striking out four across 3.2 innings of work.
While Tidwell didn’t provide the Mets with the length they were hoping for, and the bullpen ended up blowing things up behind him, he was still solid.
“Compared to that last outing, a lot better,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “The fastball had life, the cutter and slider to go with the sweeper a lot better as well -- obviously in the fourth he left a pitch up to Realmuto and then we knew we were going to keep him to that pitch count.”
This continues a stretch of strong pitching for the 24-year-old former second-round pick -- who had put together five consecutive outings with three earned runs or fewer prior to his rough last start before the unexpected call-up.
While it’s an encouraging sign, he knows he just has to keep grinding when he returns to Syracuse.
“I thought I executed the ball better tonight,” Tidwell said. “I had command of the fastball, but wish I had a couple of pitches back. Overall I thought it went better than the last, but there’s still more work to be done.”
The Mets played another dreadful game against a division rival, this time losing to the Philadelphia Phillies, 10-2, on Friday night. New York is now one game behind the Phillies for the NL East lead.
Here are the takeaways...
-In just his second career start in the majors, Blade Tidwell faced off against two-time Cy Young award runner-up Zack Wheeler and did well -- matching the former Met by going the first three innings without allowing a run. During that stretch, the 24-year-old gave up just two hits and two walks while striking out three to keep it a scoreless game.
Things got messy for Tidwell to start the fourth after singles by Nick Castellanos and JT Realmuto sandwiched a strikeout to put runners on first and second with one out. Following a mound visit by pitching coach Jeremy Hefner, Tidwell lost Bryson Stott to a walk with all four balls not even close. With the bases loaded, New York kept the rookie in for one more batter and the righty got the ground ball he was looking for for a potential inning-ending double play, but the Mets couldn't turn two on the high chopper to third base which resulted in the game's first run.
Tidwell's night was done after that after throwing 74 pitches (43 strikes). Despite not being able to give New York more length, the youngster's second major league start went far better than his first back on May 4 when he allowed six earned runs on nine hits (also in 3.2 innings) against the St. Louis Cardinals.
After Tidwell's exit, the Phillies scored another run in the fourth on Brandon Marsh's RBI single. The run was charged to Tidwell whose final line looked like: 3.2 IP, 4 H, 2 ER, 3 BB, 4 K. His ERA went from 14.73 to 9.82 through 7.1 innings.
-On the other side, Wheeler wasn't at his sharpest over his five innings of work, but he kept runs off the board against his former club and struck out eight, including Juan Soto as the tying run with a runner on second base to end his outing.
-With Wheeler out of the game, the Mets went to work immediately on the Phillies' bullpen, namely another former Met in Taijuan Walker. Pete Alonso greeted his former teammate with a solo shot to dead center leading off the inning that cut New York's deficit in half. Jeff McNeil erased it entirely with a solo jack three pitches later as the Mets went back-to-back to tie the game.
-That's where the game stood until the bottom of the seventh inning. Reed Garrett entered to keep things where they were as he's done so well and so often this season, but it turned into a disaster for the reliever. The right-hander allowed back-to-back doubles that gave Philadelphia the lead, walked a batter and then served up a run-scoring single before exiting without recording an out.
Both of Garrett's baserunners came into score against Justin Garza who had a rough inning of his own which included a double, single and a walk. All told, the Phillies scored six runs in the inning -- four charged to Garrett and two to Garza -- as the Mets have made it a habit of allowing crooked innings lately. Garrett's season ERA almost doubled from 1.23 to 2.45 after his outing.
For good measure, Philadelphia tacked on two more in the eighth on Castellanos' two-run homer off Garza who was tasked to finish the game.
-Offensively, the Mets had seven hits and scored just the two runs. During their seven-game losing streak, the offense has gone ice cold, scoring 16 runs during that span and just seven runs over their last four games -- all against NL East opponents.
-Francisco Lindor went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts and hasn't had a hit in his last 18 at-bats (five games) which has seen his average drop to .264.
Game MVP: Nick Castellanos
He finished 3-for-5 with three RBI and three runs scored.
Highlights
After Carlos Mendoza came out to argue, umpires came together and overturned home plate umpire Jonathan Parra's call of a Francisco Lindor strikeout
The Yankees were defeated by the Baltimore Orioles, 5-3, on Friday night at Yankee Stadium.
Here are some takeaways...
- Both offenses have been up-and-down of late, but they came out flying in this one. The Orioles loaded the bases and struck for two thanks to a Gary Sanchez single in the first, but the Yankees answered right back and evened things up on a Jazz ChisholmJr. RBI knock and Jasson Dominguez sac fly in the bottom half.
Both Chisholm and Dominguez were able to reach base twice on the night.
- New York jumped in front a few innings later on an Aaron Judge solo homer on his bobblehead night -- it was his 27th long ball of the season and the 48th of his career against Baltimore, which is the most by any player against any opponent since 2017.
Judge was on-base four times on the night with a homer, single, and a pair of walks.
- Max Fried found a feel for his pitches and settled in nicely after his rocky first inning. The ace southpaw went into cruise control as he picked up five punchouts and settled the next nine hitters in order before allowing a two-out double to Coby Mayo in the fourth -- he struck out the next batter to strand him there.
But the Orioles pushed men into scoring position again in back-to-back innings. Fried stranded Jackson Holiday after he walked and then stole second in the fifth, but Baltimore broke through in the sixth as three straight softly hit singles evened things back up at three.
After the lefty talked his way into staying in the game, he retired the next two Orioles to escape further damage and end his night with a final line of three runs allowed on seven hits and seven punchouts over six innings -- his ERA is now at 2.05 on the year.
- After Jonathan Loáisiga put together a scoreless top of the seventh, Luke Weaver entered and was greeted rudely in his return from the injured list. Ramón Urias lifted a solo homer just over a leaping Judge into the short porch, putting Baltimore back in front for the first time since the first inning.
Weaver would allow two more singles and was pulled with two on and two outs in the inning -- Tim Hill allowed another run to score before ending the inning.
- The Yanks offense had numerous opportunities, but they weren't able to scratch anything across against the Baltimore bullpen. Hard-throwing right-hander Felix Bautista put the finishing touches on, recording his ninth consecutive scoreless appearance.
- Anthony Volpe's recent struggles at the plate continued -- he went 0-for-4 with a pair of ugly looking strikeouts, pushing his hitless streak to 24 at-bats dating back to last Saturday's loss against the Red Sox.
- New York has now lost seven of their last eight, and their lead in the AL East is down to 1.5 games.
- They are now 8-12 against their divisional opponents thus far this season, and 35-20 against everyone else.
Game MVP: Ramón Urias
He went just 1-for-5 on the night, but his one knock was the big one against Weaver in the eighth.
May 26, 2025; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington (37) sits in the dugout prior to the game against the New York Yankees at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Los Angeles Angels manager Ron Washington will be out indefinitely because of health issues, and bench coach Ray Montgomery will manage Friday night’s series opener against the Houston Astros.
Washington, 73, experienced shortness of breath and appeared fatigued toward the end of a four-game series against the Yankees. He was cleared by Yankees doctors to fly home with the team Thursday night and underwent a series of medical tests on Friday.
General manager Perry Minasian announced Washington’s status before the game.
The Angels did not specify what symptoms Washington is experiencing, but said the manager was able to address the team in the clubhouse along with Minasian on Friday, and he was planning to watch the game from the GM’s Angel Stadium suite. Washington was not made available to the media.
“Wash has not felt great the last couple of days,” Minasian said. “We want to make sure he’s 100% before he’s back in the dugout and managing. How long it’s going to take, I don’t know. I don’t expect it to be too long.
“We all know how important this is for all of us, but health is more important than anything, and me personally, I’m not letting him back in the dugout until I know he’s 100% OK. I love the guy too much.”
Washington, who managed the Texas Rangers to back-to-back World Series in 2010 and 2011, was hired by Minasian before a 2024 season in which the Angels lost a franchise-record 99 games.
The Angels entered Friday night’s game at 36-38 —- 6 1/2 games behind the Astros in the AL West. The Angels are 15-6 in one-run games, a major league-best .714 winning percentage, and 5-0 in extra innings.
“He wants to manage–I don’t know if he’s ever missed a game–but at the end of the day, you have to make tough decisions,” Minasian said. “For me, I want to make sure the guy is absolutely healthy, and physically, he’s in the right place before we put him back in the dugout.
“We play some close games. They’re not the types of games you can sit back, kick your feet up and just watch. They’re pretty tight games, stressful games, and I want to make sure he’s good to go health-wise before he gets back in the dugout.”
