The Yankees fell to the Toronto Blue Jays by a score of 12-5 on Tuesday afternoon, and have now dropped three of their last four games and have just six wins in their last 18 games.
New York fell to 48-37 on the year. Toronto improved to 47-38 with back-to-back wins to start the four-game series.
Here are the key takeaways....
-A pivotal moment came in the bottom of the seventh, as Luke Weaver appeared to strike out pinch-hitter Addison Barger looking on a check swing in a 4-4 game. However, the Blue Jays challenged that J.C. Escarra committed catcher's interference, and that turned out to be the case, loading the bases with one out. Next up, Ernie Clement atoned for an earlier error by bouncing a single just off of Anthony Volpe's glove, giving Toronto a 5-4 lead.
Next up, George Springer launched a grand slam to left-center, and his second homer of the game blew things wide open at 9-4. While two of the runs were charged to Mark Leiter Jr., Weaver came into the game with the score tied and exited with the Yankees trailing by five runs.
Springer would come through with another big hit, a two-run single in the eighth, as the game turned into a laugher.
-MaxFriedhas been the stopper for the Yankees all season, coming into the game with a 0.93 ERA in 10 starts following a Yankees loss this season. He lived up to that billing early, retiring eight straight hitters after a Springer first-inning walk.
The first hit -- and run -- allowed by Fried came on a Springer home run in the bottom of the fourth, and that turned out to be the start of a disastrous inning for Fried, who later allowed a three-run homer to Andres Gimenez, just over the wall in center field.
Fried went 6.0 innings, and while he only allowed three hits, two of them were homers, as he allowed four earned runs while striking out two and walking two.
-The Yankees took advantage of an early opportunity against Kevin Gausman. After the right-hander loaded the bases by allowing a single and a pair of walks, Jasson Dominguez delivered with a single up the middle, scoring a pair of runs and giving the Yankees an early 2-0 lead. Dominguez added an RBI groundout in the top of the ninth to finish 1-for-5 with three RBI.
-The Bombers had a chance to add on in the fourth, as a Paul Goldschmidt double (his second hit of the afternoon) put runners at second and third with two outs. This time, though, Gausman was able to get out of the jam, as Cody Bellinger flew out to deep right-center to end the threat.
Again, in the fifth, the Yankees had traffic on the bases, but couldn't find a way to push any runs across. Gausman's afternoon ended there, as he turned in 5.0 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits with four walks and three strikeouts.
-Finally, the Yanks delivered with runners in scoring position in the top of the seventh, with some help from the Jays. With runners on corners and one out, Giancarlo Stanton hit a chopper to third that ate upClement, and the error allowed the Yanks' third run to score on what should have been an inning-ending double play. Next up, Dominguez chopped a ball to Vladimir Guerrero Jr. at first, who was poised to throw home, but the ball bounced out of his glove, allowing the tying run, at that time, to score.
-Aaron Judge finished the day 2-for-2 with a double, three walks, and two runs scored. He raised his slash line to .358/.466/.722 for a 1.188 OPS.
-As a team, the Yankees went just 2-for-17 with runners in scoring position and left 11 runners on base. Toronto, on the other hand, went 5-for-7.
Game MVP
Springer, who finished with a pair of home runs and seven RBI.
PHOENIX — Hayden Birdsong is 23 years old and made just 38 starts in the minor leagues before the Giants called him up last season. They felt strongly that he was one of their best 26 this spring, so when he didn’t make the rotation initially, they kept him in their bullpen.
The right-hander is inexperienced and learning at the big league level, but sometimes, the fix is not an easy one.
Birdsong briefly skidded off the rails Tuesday night, and that’s become a theme since he returned to the rotation. He threw 10 straight balls to open the fourth inning, and when he got back in the zone, he gave up a three-run homer. The Diamondbacks pulled away from there, winning 8-2 to get within 1 1/2 games of the Giants in the NL West standings.
“It’s the same thing every single time,” Birdsong said of his struggles. “I don’t know what it is. It almost feels like a forcefield. I don’t know why, it’s the same mindset, arm feels good — I’ve just got to find something. I don’t know what it is, but we’ll find it.”
Birdsong has allowed 21 earned runs in 37 1/3 innings since returning to the rotation, with 18 walks being the main culprit. After striking out five in the first three innings, he opened the fourth with back-to-back four-pitch walks. Afterward, he had no explanation for why his command occasionally just completely disappears.
“It needs to flip soon,” Birdsong said. “It’s getting annoying.”
Birdsong’s stuff still is good, and his fastball velocity was back in his normal range six days after he saw a slight dip. He said he feels right mechanically, but he’ll sit down with the staff and look at that to see if there’s something wrong that he’s not seeing.
Manager Bob Melvin said the issue might be something else entirely. He feels Birdsong’s blips are “more mental than anything.”
“He’s got to get through it,” Melvin said. “He’s got to just keep pitching through it. We’ve seen this guy (be) really good, we’ve seen him pitch really well out of the bullpen, come in late in games. Yeah, it’s been a little bit of a tough period for him, for whatever reason.”
The same is true of the whole team, but it’s not hard to pinpoint why the Giants keep losing, or why they went down so easily Tuesday. The lineup scored just two runs and has nine in five games on this trip. Patrick Bailey had two costly passed balls, the result, Melvin said, of trying too hard to frame pitches.
The loss was the seventh in eight games and came a few hours after a very public vote of confidence from president of baseball operations Buster Posey. The front office picked up Melvin’s 2026 option, a move that was popular in the clubhouse, and Melvin said the energy in the dugout after the two early runs was as good as he has seen all year.
“Then we just, for whatever reason, didn’t play good baseball after that,” he said.
PHOENIX — The Giants briefly moved into a tie for first in the NL West two and a half weeks ago. At the moment, their biggest concern is trying to avoid a drop to fourth place.
Another night of offensive ineptitude was matched by poor pitching and sloppy defense, leading to an 8-2 loss, the seventh in eight games. The Giants are now just four games above .500 and only 1 1/2 games ahead of the Arizona Diamondbacks. Any longshot hopes of contending for the NL West title are gone; they’re 8 1/2 back of the Los Angeles Dodgers all of a sudden.
The latest loss looked like so many others in recent weeks. Willy Adames hit an early homer and the Giants took a 2-0 lead — and then went completely silent against right-hander Zac Gallen, a longtime ace who has had a down year and entered with a 5.75 ERA.
Hayden Birdsong gave up four runs and Carson Seymour allowed four more, although both young right-handers had unearned runs on their line after Patrick Bailey passed balls.
The Giants have scored just nine runs in five games on this road trip. Over their last 41 games, they have scored four runs or fewer an astounding 30 times.
Here are the takeaways from the Giants’ fourth consecutive loss:
Roller Coaster
The first time through the order, Birdsong allowed just one baserunner and struck out five. The second time through, he put six on base and struck out none.
It was a strange outing for the young right-hander, who showed his normal velocity a week after a slight dip but also dealt with serious command issues. Birdsong threw 10 consecutive balls to open the fourth inning, and when he grooved one at the top of the zone, Jake McCarthy took a massive swing and hit a three-run homer. Birdsong didn’t come back out for the fifth.
The start was Birdsong’s eighth, and his return to the rotation hasn’t been smooth. He has allowed 21 earned runs and walked 18 in 37 1/3 innings, and he has given up at least four runs in each of his past three starts.
Second Time Out
Seymour had some bad luck in his debut in Chicago, and that carried over to his first inning out of the bullpen Tuesday. Bailey couldn’t handle a low pitch that would have been an inning-ending strikeout, and the next batter blasted a two-run homer to left. Because of the passed ball, both runs were unearned — but there was nothing flukey about the two runs in the next inning. Seymour elevated a sinker and then hung a slider, and both left the yard.
Seymour went three innings out of the bullpen and allowed four runs — two earned — on five hits. His sinker reached 97 mph, but he also gave up two homers on the pitch.
Back At The Corner
Coming into Tuesday, Wilmer Flores had played third base just twice since the Giants signed Matt Chapman. The last time came 14 months ago, and he smiled Tuesday afternoon and admitted he would be uncomfortable, but that that was fine. Flores figured he would borrow a glove from Chapman and give it his best.
The Diamondbacks have plenty of speed in their lineup, but they didn’t even try to test Flores, who hasn’t even played that much first base this season. He didn’t touch a ball until the seventh, when Lourdes Gurriel Jr. hit a hard chopper that Flores fielded smoothly for the final out.
Flores will be the primary third baseman until Chapman returns in a week or so. Manager Bob Melvin doesn’t want to strain him too much physically, but on Tuesday, that wasn’t an issue. Mostly, he just watched fly balls soar over his head and into the seats in left.
Tuesday's game between the Mets and Brewers at Citi Field has been postponed due to weather.
The game will be made up as part of a split doubleheader on Wednesday.
First pitch for Game 1 is set for 1:10 p.m, while Game 2 will begin at 7:10 p.m., both games will be broadcast on SNY.
Clay Holmes (8-4, 2.97 ERA) was set to start Tuesday's series opener against Milwaukee. Freddy Peralta (8-4, 2.90 ERA) was the scheduled starter for the Brewers.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza announced Holmes will pitch Game 1 but has not decided who will take the mound for the nightcap.
The Mets (48-37) enter their three-game series with the Brewers amid a three-game losing streak. The Phillies, who are two games ahead of the Mets in the NL East standings, also had their game against the San Diego Padres rained out.
Senga, who has been out since injuring his hamstring on June 12, faced hitters on Sunday during "an up-and-down" live bullpen session, manager Carlos Mendoza said on Tuesday.
Mendoza added that Senga is scheduled to throw another bullpen session on Wednesday, which will include some fielding practice for the right-hander.
According to Mendoza, a rehab assignment could be the next step for Senga following Wednesday's BP session.
Senga was leading the majors with a 1.47 ERA at the time of his injury.
After Senga went down, both Tylor Megill (elbow) and Griffin Canning (season-ending Achilles injury) suffered injuries that have thrown New York's rotation into disarray.
The rotation has recently featured regular members Clay Holmes and David Peterson and just got Frankie Montas back, but has also been relying on an inefficient and ineffective Paul Blackburn and rookie Blade Tidwell.
If Manaea and Senga make it back when anticipated and no one else in the rotation suffers an injury before then, it's fair to believe they'll take the rotation spots of Blackburn and Tidwell.
It’s a big number for one of the biggest baseball stars of this generation — three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw is closing in on 3,000 strikeouts.
He needs just three more punchouts to reach the mark, meaning it likely will happen in front of an adoring home crowd at Dodger Stadium when Los Angeles hosts the Chicago White Sox. Kershaw would become just the 20th pitcher in MLB history — and one of three active pitchers along with Justin Verlander and Max Scherzer — to hit the milestone.
It’s a time for celebration. It’s also a time for wistful contemplation.
Are we nearing the end of these kinds of career celebrations — particularly for pitchers?
Kershaw is one of the final holdovers from his generation, one that included guys who threw at least 200 innings year after year, piling up wins and strikeouts thanks to consistent excellence. In his prime from 2010 to 2015, the 6-foot-4 lefty led the National League in ERA five times, in strikeouts three times and wins twice.
His peak arguably came in 2014, when he finished with a 21-3 record, 1.77 ERA and 233 strikeouts to win both the Cy Young and Most Valuable Player in the National League.
Kershaw, now 37, isn’t the same pitcher these days, though his success over the past month is a testament to the knowledge, grit and sheer willpower that only an 18-year veteran can possess. He is 4-0 with a 3.03 ERA through eight starts since returning from injury, providing an injury-riddled Dodgers rotation with a spark despite a fastball that barely hits 90 mph on a good day.
“He has given us a shot in the arm,” manager Dave Roberts said. “We’re sort of ailing on the starting pitching side. Coming in and giving us valuable innings. I just love that kind of edge that he gives on start day.
“We certainly feed off that.”
Kershaw’s twilight is coinciding with the final years of Verlander and Scherzer, and the trio is primed to join the Hall of Fame over the next decade. The group symbolizes what might be the last gasp of long-term excellence on the pitcher’s mound.
The 42-year-old Verlander has won 262 career games while Kershaw and Scherzer — who turns 41 — both sit at 216. After that, the career leaderboards fall off dramatically.
It’s fair to wonder if any other MLB pitcher ever will reach 200 career wins again, much less 300, which was the gold standard for generations and last reached by the likes of Randy Johnson, Tom Glavine, Greg Maddux and Roger Clemens in the 2000s and 2010s.
Consider this: The current career wins leader for a pitcher under 30 is the 28-year-old Logan Webb, who has a grand total of 62.
Getting to 3,000 strikeouts is a little more realistic given the sport-wide increase in pitch velocity, but even that’s in question. Atlanta’s Chris Sale (2,528 Ks) is 36 and could get there with a few more healthy seasons. New York’s Gerrit Cole (2,254) has a chance, too — if the 34-year-old can bounce back from elbow surgery.
But again, the list of pitchers piling up strikeouts in their 20s is conspicuously absent.
The 29-year-old Dylan Cease is the under-30 leader with 1,133 career Ks, but he likely will need a decade of good health to get close. By comparison, Kershaw had 2,120 strikeouts entering his age-30 season.
There are some young, promising arms that might emerge in the future — think Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal — but the trends aren’t pointing in the right direction.
It seems like every few days, another star pitcher goes down to Tommy John elbow surgery or a similar procedure, leaving them out of action for at least a year.
Surely, career-altering injuries have been a part of baseball forever, but this feels different.
To dominate in today’s game, velocity is paramount. So is movement. The main goal is to make the baseball move as quickly and violently as possible, and today’s pitchers are throwing nastier pitches than ever before. A big fastball used to be anything in the 90s just a few decades ago. Now, that number is closer to 100.
The big problem is that most human arms don’t seem to be able to handle the stress — particularly for the lengthy amounts of time needed to chase 300 wins, 3,000 strikeouts or many of the other career milestones that once defined greatness.
Over the next generation, the metrics that determine which pitchers enter Cooperstown will likely change dramatically. Arizona righty Zac Gallen — who has 58 career wins and turns 30 in August — said last year that it’s possible some pitchers from the current generation will be left out of the Hall of Fame as the definition of excellence changes.
It should be a fascinating transition.
But for at least one more night — probably in Los Angeles in front of roughly 50,000 fans — Kershaw will carry the torch for traditional pitching greatness.
Enjoy it, because that light appears to be fading fast.
It's Tuesday, July 1 and the Giants (45-40) are in Phoenix to take on the Diamondbacks (42-42). Hayden Birdsong is slated to take the mound for San Francisco against Zac Gallen for Arizona.
The Diamondbacks took game one of the series yesterday 4-2. Ryne Nelson was dominant on the mount. He struck out seven batters and only gave up two earned runs in 6.2 innings pitched.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Giants at Diamondbacks
Date: Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Time: 9:40PM EST
Site: Chase Field
City: Phoenix, AZ
Network/Streaming: Dbacks.TV, NBCS BA
Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out.
Odds for the Giants at the Diamondbacks
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Giants (+115), Diamondbacks (-137)
Spread: Diamondbacks -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Giants at Diamondbacks
Pitching matchup for July 1, 2025: Hayden Birdsong vs. Zac Gallen
Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen, (5-9, 5.75 ERA) Last outing (Chicago White Sox, 6/25): 5.1 Innings Pitched, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 2 Strikeouts
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Giants at Diamondbacks
With Zac Gallen starting the Diamondbacks have won 5 of their last 7 home matchups against the Giants
The Under has cashed in 6 of the Diamondbacks' last 8 games with Zac Gallen starting
The Giants have failed to cover the Run Line in 12 of their last 15 games
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Giants and the Diamondbacks
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Giants and the Diamondbacks:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Arizona Diamondbacks on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the San Francisco Giants at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 9.0.
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It's Tuesday, July 1 and the Royals (39-46) are in Seattle to take on the Mariners (44-40). Michael Lorenzen is slated to take the mound for Kansas City against Emerson Hancock for Seattle.
The Mariners took game one of the series 6-2. George Kirby picked up the win. He struck out five batters in 6.0 innings pitched, while only giving up one earned run on three hits.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Royals at Mariners
Date: Tuesday, July 1, 2025
Time: 9:40PM EST
Site: T-Mobile Park
City: Seattle, WA
Network/Streaming: ROOTNW, FanDuel Sports Network Kansas City
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Odds for the Royals at the Mariners
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Royals (+113), Mariners (-135)
Spread: Mariners -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Royals at Mariners
Pitching matchup for July 1, 2025: Michael Lorenzen vs. Emerson Hancock
Royals: Michael Lorenzen, (4-8, 4.91 ERA) Last outing (Tampa Bay Rays, 6/26): 5.2 Innings Pitched, 4 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 4 Strikeouts
Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions and news type!
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Royals at Mariners
The Royals have lost 8 of their last 10 games
Each of the last 4 matchups between the Royals and the Mariners have gone over the Total
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Royals and the Mariners
Rotoworld Best Bet
Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700.
Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Royals and the Mariners:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Seattle Mariners on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Kansas City Royals at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
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On the latest episode of The Mets Pod presented by Tri-State Cadillac, Connor Rogers and Joe DeMayo recap another tough week for the Mets, while looking ahead to the Brewers at Citi Field and the second round of this season’s Subway Series.
First things first, the guys go through the team’s struggles hitting with runners in scoring position, how much the hitting coaches should or should not be to blame, as well as the multiple issues with the starting rotation.
Later, Connor and Joe go 'Down on the Farm' to check in on Francisco Alvarez, Brandon Sproat, Nolan McLean, and Jonah Tong – while also addressing which prospects they would be willing to include in potential trades.
The show then wraps up by announcing the winners of the Mets Pod hat giveaway, and then answering Mailbag questions about the return of injured Mets, the potential of trading for Byron Buxton, and if the Mets offense can flip the switch back to “on.”
Be sure to subscribe to The Mets Pod at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you get your podcasts.
Clayton Kershaw, above walking off the field with Will Smith after pitching seven scoreless innings on June 14 against the San Francisco Giants, is 4-0 with a 3.03 ERA this season and sits three strikeouts away from 3,000 for his career. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The transformation happened quickly in May 2009.
Early into his second year in the majors, a young Clayton Kershaw was enduring a sophomore slump with the Dodgers. Looking for a way to complement his predominantly fastball/curveball mix, he began toying around with a slider in his between-starts bullpen sessions.
When Brad Ausmus, the well-traveled 40-year-old backup catcher on that year’s Dodgers team, heard about the experiment, he didn’t initially think much of it. That a raw 21-year-old talent would be tinkering with a new pitch didn’t come as much of a surprise.
But when Ausmus asked the club’s bullpen catcher, Mike Borzello, how Kershaw’s new pitch looked, he got his first inkling it might be special.
“He was like, ‘It’s really good,’” Ausmus recalled recently. “I said, ‘Oh, so maybe he’ll throw it in a couple more bullpens before taking it into the game.’ And he’s like, ‘Ehh, I think he might take it into the game his next start.’”
A few weeks later, Ausmus got his first chance to see it up close, calling it sporadically in a Freeway Series game at Angel Stadium. That day, Kershaw spun a gem, throwing seven scoreless innings in a Dodgers victory.
But it was afterward, as Kershaw, Ausmus and longtime Dodgers pitching coach Rick Honeycutt reviewed the outing, that the longtime catcher started to understand that Kershaw wasn’t just any young pitcher. That his tantalizing talent was matched by a preternatural aptitude. That his precocious battery mate was both a physical force and pitching prodigy.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw, left, talks with former teammate Brad Ausmus, right, and coach Matt Martin before a game in 2019, when Ausmus was the manager of the Angels. (Alex Gallardo/AP)
“Keep in mind, this is a rookie, basically, talking to a guy who’s been in the big leagues 17, 18 years,” Ausmus said. “And he goes, ‘Brad, I wish you would call more sliders.’”
Initially surprised, Ausmus thought to himself: “Really? This is a brand new pitch. We probably threw 10 or 15 of them.”
But Kershaw could already see the bigger picture. He immediately sensed how the new pitch might profoundly impact his game.
“If you think about it, the fastball was 95, the curveball was probably in the low-to-mid 80s, so there was a lot of separation in terms of velocity. It almost gave the hitter time to reload before swinging,” Ausmus said. “The slider did not allow the hitters to do that.”
Seventeen years, three Cy Young Awards, two World Series titles, and — very nearly — 3,000 strikeouts later, the rest has been singularly impressive history.
“It speaks to not only his knowledge, but his ability and his confidence,” said Ausmus, now bench coach for the New York Yankees. “He has an aptitude for the game. He adjusts. And he continues to perform at a high level. It really is remarkable … I miss having that guy as a teammate.”
When Clayton Kershaw takes the mound on Wednesday night at Dodger Stadium, he will need just three strikeouts to become the 20th member of Major League Baseball’s 3,000 strikeout club.
And, just as it was almost two decades ago, it will be the same primary three-pitch mix that is all but certain to lift him into such rarified air.
For better or (very rarely) worse, at full strength or in ailing health, the now 37-year-old future Hall of Famer has managed to perfect one of the sport’s all-time signature plans of attack on the mound:
Establish the fastball on the edge of the plate for a strike. Tunnel the slider on the same trajectory to get awkward swings when it tails off late. Mix in a curveball when a change of pace is needed. And never be afraid to change the sequence and tendencies of that infallible trio of pitches, using instinct and feel to amplify his physical talent.
“It’s what's upstairs [that makes him special],” current Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior said. “He’s always a step ahead.”
Countless big-league pitchers have used a similar fastball-slider-curveball repertoire. Even in Kershaw’s prime years, there were always others who could throw harder, or produce more break, or manipulate the ball with more gravity-defying spin.
What separates Kershaw are more foundational skills. His unwavering execution, in seasons he threw 200-plus innings or those in which he battled increasingly persistent injuries to his back, shoulder and even a bothersome left big toe. His unflappable persistence to move from one pitch, one start, one year to the next; never satisfied with his best moments nor shaken by his rare failures.
“He just knows the ins and outs of baseball, and has such good feel,” longtime teammate and backstop Austin Barnes said. “He’s like a train that comes at you consistently.”
That’s why, when Kershaw does inevitably cross the 3,000-strikeout threshold, it will be equal parts a testament to his talent and durability — an accomplishment that required him to continually reinvent his game without ever changing his fundamental nature as a pitcher.
“Clayton has everything the right way, on the field, off the field, over a long period of time,” manager Dave Roberts said last week.
“It’s hard to wrap your head around what it takes,” he added, “as far as longevity, and greatness.”
"He's like a train that comes at you consistently," former Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes, center, said of pitcher Clayton Kershaw, left. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Few players have produced the kind of prolonged period of greatness Kershaw did during the peak of his career. Starting in that 2009 season, he went on a run of sub-3.00 ERA campaigns in 11 of his next 12 years. In seven of them, he had 200 or more strikeouts, including a career-high 301 punchouts in 2015. Eight of his 10 All-Star selections came in that stretch, as did his three Cy Young Awards and a 2014 National League MVP (still the last time a pitcher won the game’s highest individual honor).
His only blemishes in that time were repeated disappointments in the playoffs. But even in most of those, he was tasked with trying to save the team’s season while pitching on short rest or desperately-needed outings out of the bullpen.
“Even with all the pressure he’s had as the Dodgers’ ace … he’s always out there, he’s always willing to take the ball,” Barnes said. “I think that goes underappreciated. He’s willing to put himself out there, even when he doesn’t feel his best.”
To Barnes, who has caught more Kershaw starts than anyone other than A.J. Ellis, the way Kershaw strives to always be better is what has made it all possible. It was a trait he noticed in one of his first games catching him in 2017 against the San Diego Padres.
“I kind of went against the scouting report, and I called a fastball that froze the guy,” Barnes, who signed a minor-league deal with the San Francisco Giants this week after being released by the Dodgers earlier this year, recalled recently. “I remember him coming up to me after, kind of sizing me up and down, like, ‘Why’d you call that?’ I just said, ‘I just kind of felt it.’”
It was a small example of how Kershaw’s pitch mix — unchanged over the years, outside of an occasional flirtation with a variety of changeup grips — could be weaponized in ways opposing batters have long struggled to expect.
“Not everybody gets to his caliber of pitching and stuff,” Barnes said. “But the work he puts in, in the weight room, in the video room, for him to go out there and have clarity and conviction in what he needs to do, I think that’s what helps most. And the level of competitor he is. He can do it all.”
Even, in recent years, as his stuff has gradually diminished.
At the start of this season, Kershaw was just 32 strikeouts away from the 3K club — an exclusive fraternity that includes only three other left-handed pitchers, and two who spent their entire career with one team.
In past seasons, that would’ve been a total he could clear in less than a month.
But now, he joked early in his return from offseason foot and knee surgeries: “Maybe by September I’ll get there. We’ll see.”
After all, Kershaw barely touches 90 mph with his fastball even on a good day now. His slider and curveball don’t always have as much bite as they once did. Such has been the case for much of the last three seasons, as the miles on Kershaw’s arm and body have steadily caught up to him.
At the end of 2020, when Kershaw finally won his first World Series and began more seriously starting to contemplate when he might retire, he was less than 500 strikeouts away from 3,000. He seemed like a virtual lock to get there, perhaps as the last new entrant for the foreseeable future.
"He's always a step ahead," Dodgers pitching coach Mark Prior, left, said recently about pitcher Clayton Kershaw when discussing the key to his success. (Ross D. Franklin / Associated Press)
Since then, however, he had a season-ending elbow injury in 2021 that nearly required Tommy John surgery; back and shoulder problems that limited him in what were nonetheless All-Star seasons in 2022 and 2023; consecutive offseasons of surgical rehabs each of the past two winters, first on his shoulder and then his lower-body ailments; all on top of the normal aches and pains that come with pitching into someone’s late 30s.
His three-pitch arsenal remains unchanged, but figuring out ways to maximize it has been an ongoing challenge.
“He’s doing it the same way, but he’s having to figure out different ways to do it, if that makes sense,” Prior said.
Just like when he first broke into the majors, it has required him to trust what’s working best and adjust on the fly to his ever-weakening capabilities.
And yet, entering Wednesday’s potential milestone outing, Kershaw is 4-0 with a 3.03 ERA in his eight starts this season (the second-best ERA among Dodgers starters behind only Yoshinobu Yamamoto). He is coming off a particularly productive June, giving up just seven earned runs in 27 ⅔ innings over the entire month. And, while they don’t come as frequently as they once did, the strikeouts are still present, with Kershaw averaging 7 ½ per nine innings over his last five starts.
To Prior, it’s a testament to Kershaw’s enduring ability to still pitch his way through a start.
“He knows when guys are looking hard and he can get them with the slider. The fastball and slider still do look the same, when he’s on, so he can pull the trigger on one or the other … And he has the equalizer with the curveball, to be able to use that to change speeds like he has his whole career.”
“Again, it’s the same pitch mix,” Prior added, “but he’s still finding ways to do it at this stage.”
To Roberts, it’s made Kershaw an example for the rest of the team to follow.
“It’s a lesson in life,” the manager said. “You don’t always have to feel perfect to be productive. I have a lot of respect for him.”
The great irony, once Kershaw does eclipse the 3,000-strikeout mark, is that punchouts have never been his primary objective.
“No, no,” Barnes said with a laugh. “He cares about winning the game and throwing up zeroes. That’s the biggest thing for him. The strikeouts are just a byproduct of him getting ahead of hitters, and being able to have [the pitches in] his mix playing off each other.”
But once that moment does arrive — fittingly, as things have lined up, likely on the Dodger Stadium mound he has dominated for almost two decades — the total will be indicative of all he has accomplished in a career of unmatched excellence, and the way he has elevated himself as one of the best pitchers in the history of the sport.
“He’s teaching me that so much of this game is still about mindset,” Prior said. “There’s so much object data, which is helpful in all aspects of our game. But part of it is still so unquantifiable. He’s just someone who has willed himself to be better than everybody else.”
PHOENIX — Bob Melvin is in his 22nd season as a manager for his fifth different organization. He knows as well as anybody that it can be an unpredictable job, one that has you on top of the baseball world one year and on the hot seat the next, and this season he has experienced plenty of highs and lows.
Through it all, he tried not to think about his future, and he had no expectation that his contract would be discussed in July, or anytime soon. That changed Monday, when president of baseball operations Buster Posey informed him that the Giants were picking up an option for 2026 that will bring Melvin back for a third season.
The move was not made hastily, Posey said. He has been evaluating Melvin since the start of spring training and had spent several weeks discussing his status with ownership and other members of the front office, but the timing was certainly fascinating.
The press release came a day after the Giants lost for the sixth time in seven games. This is the low point of the Posey Era so far, but he certainly made a statement Tuesday. Posey claimed it wasn’t intentional, but it did mean a lot to Melvin.
“It kind of speaks to who Buster is, that he knows what a grind this is and he knows how hard we wear it — myself and the coaching staff — so it doesn’t surprise me,” Melvin said. “It’s probably unique as far as the timing goes, but it doesn’t surprise me with him. He’s been very supportive of us as a staff. Our dialogue has been very good from spring training to now. We’re aligned on how we see things and where this team and where this organization are going, so it’s very much appreciated by me and by the staff, as well.”
That latter part was notable given how the last couple of weeks have gone. This was a vote of confidence in Melvin, but also his hand-picked coaching staff.
Third base coach Matt Williams and hitting coach Pat Burrell have come under fire from segments of the fan base and media lately, but Posey said he has faith in the group. Four years removed from his own playing career, Posey shifted most of the blame to other parts of the organization.
“From my perspective, and also my perspective as a player, sometimes when you’re going through a rough patch there’s a tendency to want to point the finger at coaches, and ultimately I believe we have great players, and I still believe in that group of players, but it boils down to them needing to play better baseball,” Posey said. “If anybody deserves any blame from the top, it should be on me, it shouldn’t be on the manager or coaching staff. I’m the one who sets the roster. I felt like with all those things considered, this was a good time for me to show my belief in Bob and this coaching staff.”
Posey’s words on Tuesday brought back memories of his “it’s go time” declaration last month. He reiterated that he strongly believes in this group, but at some point, the production needs to be there. That’s not a message that will upset any players. The team leaders feel the same way.
“Hundred percent, hundred percent,” Logan Webb said. “At the end of the day, it’s us players that go out there and throw the ball and catch the ball and hit the ball. The coaching staff is there to help out, and these guys work their asses off every single day. They’re the first here and the last to leave.
“When we’re on a plane ride, you’ll see us players in the back playing cards or watching movies or something and those guys are up in the front scouting the next team … these guys put a ton of work in and at the end of the day it’s our jobs to go out there and be better and play better and ultimately win the game.”
Webb said he was hopeful the Giants would pick up Melvin’s option, adding that the clubhouse always has had his back. Fellow team leader Matt Chapman said his longtime manager deserved another year.
“I’m so pumped for him,” Chapman said.
Melvin is 125-122 as the manager of the team he grew up rooting for. He has 1,642 career wins, but he is still looking for his first World Series title. That pursuit will continue in orange and black.
“We have a nucleus going forward,” Melvin said. “To be able to be part of that is a big deal for me, especially in the Bay Area and San Francisco.”
More details are coming out about what may be involved in the potential trade between the New York Rangers and Carolina Hurricanes involving K’Andre Miller.
Now, Vince Z. Mercogliano of USA Today reveals the Miller trade return will center on draft-pick compensation with the Blueshirts reportedly eying one of the Hurricanes' first-round picks.
It’s unclear if the Rangers are also targeting any specific players.
Miller is a restricted free agent, and according to TSN’s Chris Johnston, the Hurricanes are working on finalizing a contract extension with Miller.
The MLB All-Star break is rapidly approaching, which means it’s almost time for the 2025 MLB T-Mobile Home Run Derby. The annual slugfest will take place at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, July 14 at Truist Park in Atlanta, Georgia.
The full group of eight competitors was announced on Thursday, July 10. Check out the full list of sluggers below, as well as highlights of each competitor's power exploits.
Where do the surging Astros and Blue Jays rank this week?
D.J. Short
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Ronald Acuña Jr. - 11 home runs
The hometown favorite, Acuña has been one of the best hitters in the majors since returning from his second ACL surgery. This will be his third career Home Run Derby; he lost to Mets first baseman Pete Alonso in both 2019 and 2022. With the event taking place in Atlanta, the timing is right for him to finally take the prize.
Raleigh has put together a historic first half, both as a catcher and a switch-hitter. On a related note, Raleigh will be the first switch-hitter to participate in the Home Run Derby since Adley Rutschman in 2023. Caleigh’s father, Todd, is slated to throw to the Seattle slugger.
After a solid rookie campaign, Wood has arrived as a superstar and franchise centerpiece for the Nationals this season. The 22-year-old outfielder is elite in the areas of average exit velocity and hard-hit percentage. Tape measure blasts have become the norm for him.
Talent has never been the question for Buxton, but his health hasn't cooperated over the years. So far in 2025, though, he's stayed on the field while showing off his extreme athleticism and power. He's posted the highest hard-hit rate of his career so far this season.
Cruz is not an All-Star, and he has actually underwhelmed so far this season, but he still hits the ball extremely hard and ridiculously far. The 26-year-old ranks first in the majors in average exit velocity this season. You can see why he's tailor-made for an exhibition like this one. Get ready for "Cruz Missles."
Similar to James Wood, Caminero is finding another level during his first full season in the majors. The 22-year-old third baseman has one of the quickest bats in the majors and his power quite literally plays all across the field. It will be fun to see how that approach matches up with this power exhibition.
Junior Caminero hits a LOUD home run off the batter's eye
A stage like the Home Run Derby is a perfect match for Chisholm, who is one of the more exciting and flamboyant players in the game. The 27-year-old has been on a tear at the plate since returning from an early-season oblique injury. He'll try to continue that level of success in Atlanta.
After an unexpected breakout in his age-28 season. Rooker has become one of the game's preeminent sluggers. He's well on his way to his third-straight 30-homer season. We're seeing a reboot of the "Bash Brothers" in Sacramento with rookie slugger Nick Kurtz's arrival.
Mets left-hander Sean Manaea, whose rehab was delayed a bit due to a loose body in his elbow, is set for his next rehab start.
Manaea will take the ball on Tuesday night for Double-A Binghamton, one week after he was shut down for 48-to-72 hours due to the elbow issue.
At the time, president of baseball operationsDavid Stearns said "the goal" was for Manaea to be back pitching in a rehab game either this Tuesday or Wednesday.
"This sets us back a couple of days, but at least right now we don’t anticipate this resetting anything," Stearns noted.
Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said on Tuesday that Manaea is expected to throw around 45-to-50 pitches during Tuesday's outing.
While the Mets expect Manaea to be able to pitch through the issue after he received a cortisone shot, it's possible he'll need surgery during the offseason.
Manaea has been out all year due to an oblique injury.
The Mets' starting pitching -- which was excellent for the first two months of the season -- has been ravaged by injuries over the last few weeks.
May 13, 2025; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets starting pitcher Kodai Senga (34) waves to the crowd after getting taken out in the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citi Field. / Wendell Cruz - Imagn Images
In rapid succession, the Mets lost Kodai Senga (hamstring), Tylor Megill (elbow), and Griffin Canning (season-ending Achilles tear).
The rotation has recently featured regular members Clay Holmes and David Peterson and just got Frankie Montas back, but has also been relying on an inefficient and ineffective Paul Blackburn and rookie Blade Tidwell.
Manaea returning the next time through the rotation would be a big help, and Senga -- who could soon start a rehab assignment -- might follow before too long.
The Mets could also possibly turn to prospects Nolan McLean and/or Brandon Sproat at some point this summer.
Winker will be joining Manaea in Binghamton on Tuesday, as his rehab assignment moves from High-A Brooklyn.
He served as a designated hitter on Sunday for Brooklyn, reaching base three times.
Mendoza said that the plan for Mendoza is for him to play on Tuesday and Wednesday before getting a day off on Thursday. After the day off, Winker could potentially advance to Triple-A Syracuse for the final step of his rehab.
It's possible Winker is used as a designated hitter only while working his way back, which would seemingly mean a relatively quick rehab assignment and return to the Mets.
It's Tuesday, July 1 and the Orioles (37-47) are in Arlington to take on the Rangers (41-44). Brandon Young is slated to take the mound for Baltimore against Jacob deGrom for Texas.
The Orioles picked up the win in game one of the series 10-6. That win snapped a two-game losing streak against the Rangers. It was a game where Gunnar Henderson went 2-5 with a home run and four RBI.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two.
We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Odds for the Orioles at the Rangers
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Orioles (+165), Rangers (-200)
Spread: Rangers -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Orioles at Rangers
Pitching matchup for July 1, 2025: Brandon Young vs. Jacob deGrom
Rangers : Jacob deGrom, (8-2, 2.08 ERA) Last outing (Baltimore Orioles, 6/25): 7.0 Innings Pitched, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 1 Hits Allowed, 2 Walks, and 7 Strikeouts
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Orioles at Rangers
Betting the Rangers on the Money Line is up 1.86 units when Jacob deGrom starts at home on the mound
In his last 5 starts on the mound the Rangers pitcher Jacob deGrom has an ERA of 1.79
The Rangers have covered in 5 of their last 7 games with Jacob deGrom on the mound
If you’re looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports!
Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Orioles and the Rangers
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday's game between the Orioles and the Rangers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Texas Rangers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Baltimore Orioles at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
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D.J. Short
