Why Posey, Giants are making massive gamble with Devers trade

Why Posey, Giants are making massive gamble with Devers trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LOS ANGELES — Long before he made the decision to take over the Giants baseball operations department, Buster Posey was fascinated by the trade deadline. He watched all sorts of moves during his time as a player, and he saw the kind of impact that a lead executive can have without ever taking the field. 

Two weeks ago, as the calendar turned to June and Posey watched his lineup struggle to score runs, he admitted he felt the need to make a splash. He wasn’t sure if he would be able to, but he felt there was something special building if the Giants could just score a bit more consistently. 

“I think there’s pressure to put this team in a position to win ball games, because, as you mentioned, the pitching staff is really good and I believe that that’s going to continue through the year,” he said on the Giants Talk Podcast. “Yeah, I think there’s urgency from everybody to provide these guys with run support.”

Six weeks before his first deadline, Posey delivered. 

The Giants are acquiring Boston Red Sox star Rafael Devers in a blockbuster that shook up the baseball world minutes before a game at Dodger Stadium, sources confirmed to NBC Sports Bay Area. Kyle Harrison, the scheduled starter Sunday, is the main piece of the deal, and according to Robert Murray of FanSided — who first reported the shocking details — he’ll be joined by Jordan Hicks, 2024 first-round draft pick James Tibbs III and 20-year-old pitching prospect Jose Bello

The Giants, Posey declared Sunday, are going for it. 

They are doing so in a fascinating way, and not just because the deal happened six weeks before anyone expected real movement, and was centered around a player who was once supposed to be a pillar in Boston. They’re pushing all their chips to the middle with a slugger who is in some ways an imperfect fit in San Francisco.

Devers has been a third baseman his entire career, but the Red Sox added Alex Bregman in the offseason and Devers was not pleased, both publicly and privately. When they lost their starting first baseman, he indicated he didn’t want to play there either, and he has been a DH in all 72 appearances this season. 

The Giants appear to have bigger holes elsewhere — Wilmer Flores has been their everyday DH — but they can work around that this season. Flores can play first and Devers likely can, too, and the hope is surely that he’s more willing in a new home to pick the glove back up. Short term, Matt Chapman is on the IL, although it might be asking a lot of Devers to return to third base right away, and for just three weeks or so. 

Long term, the Giants will have to sort through the Devers-Bryce Eldridge fit. Their top prospect is a first baseman, but may also need DH time at the big league level if the glove doesn’t develop as hoped. This offseason, when Flores hits free agency, the Giants will have to figure out who their 2026 starting first baseman is.

If Devers ends up at DH, they’re taking on a lot — he’s in the second year of a 10-year, $313.5 million deal — for a bat-only player, but that bat might be worth it. 

Devers comes to San Francisco with a 145 wRC+, .905 OPS, 15 homers and an AL-leading 56 walks. He’s a three-time All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger Award winner who is a career .279 hitter. In three different seasons, Devers has cleared 30 homers, and he hit 28 last season. 

Devers immediately becomes the team’s best hitter, and joins a core that includes Chapman, Willy Adames, Heliot Ramos, Jung Hoo Lee and, eventually, Eldridge. If there are any clubhouse concerns — and it’s hard right now to know if that was just a Boston thing — Posey is surely counting on Adames and Chapman to smooth things over. 

Posey and general manager Zack Minasian have spent weeks scouring the market for offensive upgrades, and they came away from their early searching with the impression that they might have to be patient. The president of baseball operations recently met with the coaching staff to make sure they relayed the message that a lot of fixes had to come from what they already had. 

“There’s never any certainty,” he said recently. “I do know this, even though this is my first year doing this, there’s never any certainty that you’re going to be able to improve even if you wanted to.”

On Sunday, he found a way to ensure some certainty. As a player, Posey was known for lining balls softly into center field. As an executive, he has proven to be someone who takes some of the biggest swings imaginable.

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Giants' trade for Devers sends MLB world into shock on social media

Giants' trade for Devers sends MLB world into shock on social media originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

It’s safe to say no one saw that coming.

That was the general consensus on X after the Giants reportedly made a blockbuster trade to acquire three-time MLB All-Star Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox on Sunday. The slugger comes to San Francisco in exchange for Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, James Tibbs and Jose Bello, FanSided’s Robert Murray reported, citing sources familiar with the deal.

Understandably, MLB fans everywhere were stunned. Giants fans celebrated, Red Sox fans wept and baseball fans in general couldn’t contain their shock, likening the deal to the NBA’s Luka Dončić-Anthony Davis trade that shook the sports world in February.

Let’s take a look at some of the best reactions.

That last post is us right now.

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Nezza says she sang national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium against team's wishes

Nezza extends her arm while singing the national anthem in Spanish before the Dodgers played the Giants Saturday
Nezza sings the national anthem in Spanish before the Dodgers played the Giants at Dodger Stadium on Saturday. (Jessie Alcheh / Associated Press)

Singer and social media personality Nezza sang the national anthem in Spanish at Dodger Stadium on Saturday night.

And, according to a video the performer later posted to social media, she did so against the wishes of the Dodgers organization.

In a video Nezza, whose full name is Vanessa Hernández, posted to TikTok, an unidentified Dodgers employee is heard telling her before Saturday’s performance that “we are going to do the song in English today, so I’m not sure if that wasn’t relayed.”

Then, the video cuts to Nezza — who was wearing a Dominican Republic shirt — signing a Spanish version of the "Star-Spangled Banner" on the field ahead of the Dodgers’ win against the San Francisco Giants.

Read more:Hernández: Cowardly Dodgers remain silent as ICE raids terrorize their fans

The video’s caption: “So I did it anyway.”

In a separate video, Nezza, 30, said the version of the song she sang was commissioned in 1945 by the U.S. State Department under President Franklin D. Roosevelt, and that she wanted to sing it amid the recent unrest in Los Angeles stemming from raids by ICE agents.

“I didn’t think I would be met with any sort of no, especially because we’re in LA and with everything happening,” she said. “But today out of all days, I just could not believe when she [the Dodgers employee] walked in and told me 'no.' But I just felt like I needed to do it. Para mi gente.”

The Dodgers did not issue a public comment on the situation, but a team official said there were no consequences from the club regarding the performance and that Nezza would be welcome back at the stadium in the future.

Nezza reacts emotionally after singing the national anthem prior to a game between the Dodgers and the Giants.
Nezza reacts after singing the national anthem prior to a game between the Dodgers and Giants in at Dodger Stadium on Saturday. (Jessie Alcheh / Associated Press)

In general, the Dodgers have largely been quiet about the raids and resulting protests in the city over the last week.

Manager Dave Roberts has been asked about the situation twice. On Monday, he said that, “I just hope that we can be a positive distraction for what people are going through in Los Angeles right now.”

On Friday, he offered little further comment: “I know that when you're having to bring people in and deport people, all the unrest, it's certainly unsettling for everyone,” he said, “But I haven't dug enough and can't speak intelligently on it."

Veteran Kiké Hernández spoke out on Instagram on Saturday, writing that “I cannot stand to see our community being violated, profiled, abused and ripped apart. ALL people deserve to be treated with respect, dignity and human rights.”

The Dodgers, however, have not issued any team-level statement, and a club executive told The Times’ Dylan Hernández on Friday that they did not plan to make any comment.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Wheeler, Bohm and bamboo (?) lead Phillies to Father's Day sweep over Blue Jays

Wheeler, Bohm and bamboo (?) lead Phillies to Father's Day sweep over Blue Jays originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Father’s Day at the ballpark can be one of the most treasured days of the year because, for many, baseball and dads go hand in hand.

And if you were taught or introduced to the game because of your dad, the pair are intertwined for life.

So while it was an uncharacteristically cold and damp June Sunday in South Philadelphia, the Phillies made sure to send fans home celebrating the day … and a win.

With Zack Wheeler leading the way, the Phillies bested the Blue Jays, 11-4, and collected their fifth sweep of the season. Wrapping the homestand 5-1, the consecutive series wins improved their season series record to 16-7-1, which only trails the Detroit Tigers as best in MLB.

Wheeler went 6.0 innings and allowed four hits and two runs, only one was earned and punched out nine. It’s now the fourth time this season he’s had at least nine strikeouts without allowing a walk.

The Phillies wasted no time snagging a lead for Wheeler to work with. Seriously, if you blinked in the bottom of the first inning, you might have missed it.

The first pitch Trea Turner saw from Toronto’s José Berríos was a double down the leftfield line; Kyle Schwarber drove him in with a single on the very next pitch.

Otto Kemp has settled in nicely since playing his first game at Citizens Bank Park Monday (that’s an understatement). Alec Bohm drove him home after leading off the third inning with a single.

Just one inning later, Kemp was on the opposite end and tacked on two RBI for the Phillies. In the six games at home, he had 10 hits and four RBI. Kemp said after the club’s walk-off win against the Cubs he specifically waited to be called up to experience the home crowd — the Philly faithful have lived up to his expectations — just as he has to theirs.

Kemp wasn’t the only one putting up impressive numbers this past week — Bohm has been on an offensive tear (also, somehow an understatement).

Bohm had his fourth multi-hit game in the homestand Sunday, with three RBI and a two-run homerun he clobbered 344 ft. Overall, he had 10 hits, two home runs and nine RBI. That lowly .217 average that lingered in the beginning of May is clearly a thing of the past as his average has climbed to .283.

There are ebbs and flows throughout a baseball season — it’s expected when there’s 162 games to be played. Getting hot at the right time is key … but it never hurts to have a little bit of luck as well.

When reporters filed into Rob Thomson’s office for his pregame availability, it felt like we were transported six years into the past.

Why? Bamboo.

This isn’t the first time bamboo has graced the clubhouse vicinity. “Bamboo” Brad Miller, a utility player who joined the club in the midst of the 2019 season, brought bamboo to Citizens Bank Park. It just so happened to coincide with the offense finding life again during a dreary stretch.

Now, in Thomson’s office, a small stalk was resting in a cup in front of a massive bamboo plant.

Topper went on to tell the lore of the two plants, and how hitting coach Kevin Long’s wife, Marcey, was in the office May 29. Check the date — a day before the Brewers came to town.

“She said, ‘Let me take that home, get it some sunlight and bring it back to you,'” Thomson said.

During the bamboo-less stretch, the Phillies were swept twice and lost all three series to the Brewers, Blue Jays and Pirates.

“The last day in Pittsburgh, Long called Marcey, and he said, ‘You better get that damn thing back in (Thomson’s) office,'” Thomson said.

Since the status of the mini plant was still unclear, Marcey also brought one that is clearly thriving.

“That’s the story of our success,” Thomson said with a laugh.

Sweeps are uncommon but they do happen … and the Phillies were well on their way to sweeping Toronto by the sixth inning. Capping it off with a Nick Castellanos grand slam though? That might’ve been the bamboo luck.

Who knows, maybe a little magic has found its way back to the Phillies.

Listen, they’re 5-1 since it returned. Can it really be a coincidence twice?

It was an exhilarating day at the ballpark … and one I look forward to debriefing with my dad.

After all, he did introduce me to the game.

Red Sox trade Rafael Devers to Giants in shocking move: Report

Red Sox trade Rafael Devers to Giants in shocking move: Report originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Boston Red Sox made a stunning, franchise-altering move on Sunday, just hours after completing a three-game sweep of the New York Yankees at Fenway Park.

Veteran slugger Rafael Devers was traded to the San Francisco Giants in exchange for right-handed pitcher Jordan Hicks, left-hander Kyle Harrison, and minor-leaguers James Tibbs and Jose Bello, per multiple reports.

The shocking move ends Devers’ eight-plus-year tenure with the Red Sox. Devers signed a 10-year, $313.5 million contract extension with Boston before the 2023 campaign.

Devers was in the midst of a stellar season as the Red Sox’ designated hitter. The 28-year-old has slashed .271/.400/.494 with 14 homers, 57 RBI, and an American League-leading 55 walks over 72 games.

Those impressive numbers, however, were overshadowed by off-the-field drama. After the Red Sox signed star third baseman Alex Bregman in the offseason, Devers scoffed at the idea of moving from third to DH. He eventually acquiesced, but tensions boiled over again when the team asked him to play first base in the wake of Triston Casas’ injury.

Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe reports that the Red Sox “had enough” of Devers’ attitude.

“The team’s feeling was that a $313.5M contract comes with responsibilities to do what is right for the team and that Devers did not live up to those responsibilities,” Abraham wrote on BlueSky. “They had enough and they traded him.”

The Giants will pay the remainder of Devers’ contract — roughly $254 million — according to reports.

Devers, a three-time All-Star, initially signed with the Red Sox as an international free agent out of the Dominican Republic in 2013, when he was only 16 years old. He helped Boston to a World Series title in 2018 and has since been one of the faces of the franchise.

As for the players headed to Boston, Hicks and Harrison are high-upside pitchers who underwhelmed in San Francisco. The hard-throwing Hicks has a 6.47 ERA and 1.54 WHIP in 13 appearances (nine starts) this season. Harrison, a former top Giants prospect, has a 4.56 ERA and 1.27 WHIP in eight games (four starts).

The 22-year-old Tibbs, selected 13th overall in the 2024 draft, notched 12 homers and 32 RBI with a .857 OPS in 56 games with San Francisco’s High-A affiliate, the Eugene Emeralds.

Bello, a 20-year-old right-hander, posted a 2.00 ERA and 0.72 WHIP in eight appearances (18 innings) at the Arizona Complex League.

The Red Sox will visit the Seattle Mariners for a three-game series starting Monday night. They will then take on Devers and the Giants in a three-game series in San Francisco starting on Friday.

Mets Notes: Francisco Lindor's toe won't be year-long issue, Kodai Senga not shut down completely

Manager Carlos Mendoza is getting Francisco Lindor some time “off his feet” for Sunday’s series finale with the Tampa Bay Rays, but the Mets’ leader wouldn’t take a full day off.

“As you guys know, how hard it is to get him to take an off day or take him out of the lineup,” Mendoza said with a smile. “We went back and forth [Saturday] night after the game, and we settled in on the DH [role].”

With the Mets having an off day on Monday, the skipper hoped to give Lindor two days of rest and “buy some extra time there,” but lost the battle and had to settle for keeping his bat in the lineup and having Luisangel Acuña get his first start in 10 days at shortstop. 

This is Lindor’s first day not playing the field since he returned to action after not starting in two games following sustaining a broken pinky toe. But Mendoza said the injury is improving.

“I wouldn’t say significantly, but it’s getting better,” the manager said in response to a reporter’s question about whether the injury had significantly improved. “It’s all about pain tolerance. He feels like, day by day, he’s getting. There’s better days than others. What I’m getting from the trainers is, hopefully, in the next couple of weeks, it will be a lot better. 

“I don’t think this is something that he’s gonna have to play through the whole year. We feel like at some point, the fracture will heal and he’ll be close to a hundred percent. They’re never a hundred percent. But he’s getting better.” 

Lindor missed just one game with the toe before entering as a pinch-hitter to deliver a go-ahead, game-winning hit in the first game in Colorado. He has nine hits in his last 30 at-bats (.300) with three doubles and two RBI over eight games.

Kodai Senga already improving

Mendoza spoke with the starter on Saturday and said he was in “a good spirit” after MRI results revealed a low-grade hamstring injury, which the manager called “relatively good news.”

“He understands, obviously, but also knows that we got a little bit of good news here,” Mendoza said. “He’s gonna continue and try to keep his arm moving, which is a good sign. He’s not gonna be completely shut down.”

The manager reported the righty said on Saturday that he had “already felt better than he did the day before.” 

“Definitely, he’s in a better place,” Mendoza said.

Senga was forced out of Thursday's start against Washington after 5.2 innings, sustaining the injury while running to cover first base. On the year, he has pitched to a league-leading 1.47 ERA with a 1.113 WHIP over 73.2 innings and 13 starts. He had 70 strikeouts to 31 walks.

On the rotation, Mendoza said he feels good despite the injury to Senga and a rough outing on Saturday from Tylor Megill.

“But overall, I feel good, especially with guys like [Frankie] Montas, Sean [Manaea], where they’re at in their rehab process,” he said. “WE have some reinforcements coming, too. But, again, gotta keep going and we feel good with what we have.”

Mark Vientos headed for Syracuse

The third baseman will begin his rehab assignment with the Triple-A club on Tuesday as he works his way back from a hamstring issue.

Mendoza did not know how many games he would play before he could return to the big league club. “We’ll see how that goes,” he added.

Vientos last appeared in a game on June 2 in Los Angeles. He has been struggling at the plate compared to last year, with six home runs and 21 RBI and a .230/.298/.380 slash line for a .678 OPS over 208 plate appearances and 53 games.

Giants acquire All-Star slugger Rafael Devers in blockbuster trade with Red Sox

Giants acquire All-Star slugger Rafael Devers in blockbuster trade with Red Sox originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Giants made an Earth-shattering trade on Sunday afternoon.

San Francisco acquired All-Star third baseman Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for pitchers Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison and prospects James Tibbs III and Jose Bello, the teams announced.

Fansided’s Robert Murray first reported news of the deal, with details later confirmed by NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic.

Harrison, who was slated to start for the Giants on Sunday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers, was informed of the deal while warming up in the bullpen at Dodger Stadium.

Devers hit .272 with 15 home runs and 58 RBI in 73 games for the Red Sox during the 2025 MLB season.

The 28-year-old slugger is in the second season of a 10-year, $313.5 million contract that likely secures his place as a foundational Giants piece for years to come.

Harrison departs after spending parts of three seasons in San Francisco after the Giants selected the local southpaw from De La Salle High School in Concord No. 85 overall in the 2020 MLB Draft.

San Francisco selected Tibbs No. 13 overall in the 2024 MLB Draft, and the 22-year-old outfielder recorded a .246 batting average with 12 home runs and 32 RBI for the Giants’ High-A affiliate Eugene Emeralds during the 2025 season.

Bello made eight appearances this season for the Giants’ Arizona Complex League team, logging a 2.00 ERA with 28 strikeouts and a 0.72 WHIP in 18 innings of work.

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Mets option RHP Justin Garza to Triple-A, call up RHP Ty Adcock

The Mets optioned right-hander Justin Garza to Triple-A Syracuse, the team announced ahead of Sunday's series finale against the Tampa Bay Rays.

In a corresponding move, righty Ty Adock has been called up.

Garza appeared in three games since the Mets acquired him in a cash deal with the San Francisco Giants earlier this month. The 31-year-old allowed four hits over three scoreless appearances, striking out two in 3.2 innings, including working an inning in Saturday's loss to Tampa.

In his first action in the big leagues in two years, Garza showed some good life on his fastball, averaging 96.4 mph, and used his cutter the majority of his pitches, averaging 89.2 mph.

Adcock, 28, made one appearance with the Mets earlier this season, allowing a walk and a hit in 0.1 inning on May 1. He has a fastball that sits in the mid-90s, low-90s cutter, and rounds out his arsenal with a slider in the upper-80s and a mid-90s sinker.

In 18 appearances out of the bullpen with Syracuse, he has allowed 15 runs (11 earned) on 14 hits and seven walks with 21 strikeouts in 22 innings, pitching to a 4.50 ERA on a 0.955 WHIP. The home runs have been his issue, allowing three on the year.

Adcock made three appearances in relief a year ago, surrendering seven runs on seven hits (four homers) and two walks with three strikeouts in 4.1 innings pitched.

Contreras catchers become first pair of brothers to homer in same inning as opponents since 1933

MILWAUKEE — Catchers Willson and William Contreras became the second pair of brothers to homer in the same inning as opponents in baseball’s modern era on Saturday.

Both went deep in the ninth inning of the St. Louis Cardinals’ 8-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers that snapped the Cards’ six-game skid.

Willson Contreras’ ninth homer of the season, a solo shot to right-center, gave St. Louis an 8-4 lead in the top of the ninth. William Contreras led off the bottom half of the inning with his sixth homer of the season, to left field.

The Contreras brothers are the first to homer in the same inning as opponents since Rick (Boston Red Sox) and Wes Ferrell (Cleveland Indians) accomplished the feat on July 19, 1933, when Rick’s home run came off Wes.

As he rounded first base after his homer, Willson Contreras stared into the Brewers’ dugout but didn’t say anything to his brother as he crossed home plate.

William Contreras shrugged off the tensions between his brother and his teammates, saying, “When we’re out there during the game, it’s not exactly like we’re family members. We’re out there competing.

“So yeah, if there’s something to be discussed between him and anyone else, they do it,” William added. “But yeah, we’re out there to compete and he’s playing his game and we’re playing ours.”

The last brothers to homer in the same inning of a game were Josh and Bo Naylor for Cleveland on April 10, 2024.

Shohei Ohtani hits two home runs against Giants, ending 10-game drought

LOS ANGELES — Shohei Ohtani had never gone 10 games without hitting a homer for the Los Angeles Dodgers until this month.

The three-time MVP ended his drought Saturday night — and then started making up for lost time.

Ohtani hit two homers against the Giants, emphatically reaching 25 homers for the fifth consecutive season during Los Angeles’ 11-5 victory over San Francisco.

Ohtani led off the game with his 24th, hammering Landen Roupp’s fourth pitch 419 feet deep into the right-field bleachers with an exit velocity of 110.3 mph.

The slugger had gone 10 for 40 with no RBIs since his most recent homer June 2 — although he still had an eight-game hitting streak during his power outage.

“It did feel like I hadn’t hit a homer in a while,” Ohtani said through his interpreter. “In terms of the context of the two homers, I think the first homer was more significant, just being able to score early in the game.”

Ohtani then led off the sixth with his 25th homer, sending Tristan Beck’s breaking ball outside the strike zone into the bleachers in right. Dodgers fans brought him home with a standing ovation for his third multihomer game of the season and the 22nd of his career.

He also moved one homer behind the Yankees’ Aaron Judge and Seattle’s Cal Raleigh for the overall major league lead.

“I didn’t realize that,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said when informed of Ohtani’s homer drought. “He has a way of making up for things and leveling things out, so hitting two homers tonight gets him, I guess, back on track. ... I think it seemed like a while. I think there was a lot of chase down below in the last 10 days, so tonight he got the ball up, used the big part of the field and put some big swings together. But yeah, when he goes, it makes life a lot easier for all of us.”

Ohtani had slowed down a bit over the past two weeks since he was named the NL Player of the Month for May, racking up 15 homers and 28 RBIs.

He was back in formidable form against the Giants: Ohtani reached base four times and scored three runs in his first four at-bats, drawing two walks to go with his two homers.

Ohtani hadn’t played in 10 straight games without hitting a homer since 2023 in the final 10 games of his six-year tenure with the Los Angeles Angels. He has hit at least 34 homers and driven in at least 95 runs in the past four consecutive seasons.

While his OPS (1.023) is nearly identical to last year’s effort, Ohtani is behind the pace in several statistical categories compared to last season, when he became the first player to record 50 homers and 50 stolen bases before the Dodgers won his first World Series title. Most notably, Ohtani has only 41 RBIs in 69 games this season after driving in 130 runs in 159 games last year.

But the two-way superstar doesn’t believe his numbers at the plate are due to his increased workload on the mound as he prepares to pitch for the first time since 2023.

Ohtani threw three simulated innings in San Diego last Tuesday, and Roberts has said there’s now a chance Ohtani will pitch in a game before the All-Star break in mid-July.

“The live BP is really an important part of the progression,” Ohtani said. “The intensity is different, so how that feels to my body is going to be different as well, but it’s something that I do have to go through to make sure that my body feels right.”

Ohtani remains firmly committed to resuming his career as a pitcher. The Dodgers have always been supportive, despite his value as a designated hitter — and they also could really use his talents now to help out a staff that had 14 pitchers on the injured list to begin the week.

“I do feel like just being the two-way player that I used to be was the norm,” Ohtani said when asked if his two-way work this season is tough on him. “So last year really was the abnormal year. For me, it’s just about getting back to what I used to do.”

Mets vs. Rays: How to watch on June 15, 2025

The Mets look to avoid a three-game sweep at the hands of the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday with a 1:40 p.m. start on PIX11.

Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...


Mets Notes

  • After a three-hit day in Saturday's defeat, Brandon Nimmo's nice run in June continued as he has 11 hits in his last 30 at-bats (four for extra bases) with a 1.106 OPS over the last seven games
  • Griffin Canning looks to bounce back from a half-decent outing against the Nationals (four runs over 5.1 innings) and find his form from earlier in the year, as he has pitched to a 4.83 ERA over his last five starts (22.1 innings)
  • Francisco Lindor is slashing .333/.410/.611 for a 1.021 OPS in his last 61 times up over the 14 games entering Sunday with three doubles, four home runs, and seven RBI
  • With Lindor serving as the DH, Luisangel Acuña gets his first start in 10 days. He has just two hits in his last 22 at-bats over 19 games (four starts)
  • The Mets carry a 30-38 record on Father's Day

RAYS
METS
Josh Lowe, RFFrancisco Lindor, DH
Brandon Lowe, 2BBrandon Nimmo, LF
Junior Caminero, DHJuan Soto, RF
Jonathan Aranda, 1BPete Alonso, 1B
Jake Mangum, LFJeff McNeil, 2B
José Caballero, 3BTyrone Taylor, CF
Kameron Misner, CFBrett Baty, 3B
Danny Jansen, CFrancisco Alvarez, C
Taylor Walls, SSLuisangel Acuña, SS

How can I watch the game online?

To watch Mets games online via PIX11, you will need a subscription to a TV service provider and live in the New York City metro area. This will allow fans to watch the Mets on their computer, tablet or mobile phone browser.

To get started on your computer, go to the PIX11 live stream website and follow the site's steps. For more FAQs, you can go here.

ICYMI in Mets Land: Mark Vientos, Sean Manaea on the mend; Jett Williams stays hot

Here's what happened in Mets Land on Saturday, in case you missed it...


Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire: Shelby Miller is closing again, Abraham Toro is on fire

Welcome to Waiver Wire Watch, where I review my favorite waiver wire adds and drops for each week of the MLB season.

The premise is pretty straightforward. I’ll try to give you some recommended adds each week based on recent production or role changes. When I list a player, I’ll list the category where I think he’ll be helpful or the quick reason he’s listed. I hope it will help you determine if the player is a fit for what your team needs.

For a player to qualify for this list, he needs to be UNDER 40% rostered in Yahoo! formats. I understand you may say, “These players aren’t available in my league,” and I can’t help you there. These players are available in over 60% of leagues and some in 98% of leagues, so they’re available in many places, and that can hopefully satisfy readers who play in all league types.

MLB: Tampa Bay Rays at Arizona Diamondbacks
Roman Anthony makes a big jump after getting the call to Boston, and CES returns to the rankings.

Waiver Wire Hitters

Roman Anthony - OF, BOS: 65% rostered
(TOP PROSPECT, RECENT CALL-UP)

Anthony doesn't qualify for this list, but he was just promoted on Monday, so it feels like I need to at least address my expectations for the top prospect in baseball. The 21-year-old hit .288/.423/.491 with 10 home runs, 45 runs scored, 29 RBI, and three steals in 58 games at Triple-A, which should be enticing on its own. Anthony has also never posted a swinging strike rate above 9% at any point in the minors, except for 50 games at High-A in 2023, which will aid his adjustment to the big leagues. He has already demonstrated the ability to hit MLB pitching hard, and I believe he can be a solid asset with a decent batting average, power, and the ability to swipe 5-10 bases. He's going to sit against most lefties, at least for now, so keep that in mind, but he should be added in all formats.

Evan Carter - OF, TEX: 32% rostered
(POST HYPE PROSPECT, HOT STRETCH)

Kennedi Landry had a good piece on Evan Carter the other day, highlighting some of the changes that have led to his strong performance since coming off the IL...again. He admitted to putting a lot of pressure on himself after his injury, and cited playing looser and feeling like he had a better mental approach at the plate. In the 10 games since being activated, he's gone 11-for-27 with three homers, eight RBI, two steals, and a 4/4 K/BB ratio. He's now hitting .283/.368/.517 on the season, with four homers, 10 RBI, 13 runs scored, and five steals. We do know that Texas is not likely to play him against many lefties, so that could limit his value in weekly leagues, and he seems to get banged up quite frequently, so he remains an injury risk, but Carter is just 22 years old and has plenty of fantasy juice if he can stay healthy. Another underrated platoon outfielder is Trevor Larnach - OF, MIN (20% rostered). Larnach is hitting well over the last month and will bat in the middle of the order against all right-handed pitchers, but it can be hard to roster players that we know are going to sit against lefties.

Alejandro Kirk - C, TOR: 32% rostered
(CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, BELATED BREAKOUT?)

We've been waiting for the Alejandro Kirk breakout for quite some time, but the 27-year-old has been on fire of late, going 19-for-46 (.413) over his last 11 games with two home runs, nine RBI, and six runs.We know he's going to play at least 75% of the games for Toronto, and this is a team that has been playing well of late as well. Hitting fourth in the order now gives him plenty of opportunity for RBIs, and I like Kirk as an add in all formats if you need a catcher, but just keep expectations in check for his power ceiling.

Abraham Toro - 1B/2B/3B, BOS: 31% rostered
(CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, HOT STRETCH)

Listen, we know this isn't likely to last, but Toro is just 28 years old and was an intriguing prospect when he was coming through the minors. He's had some hot stretches before, and he's on a pretty good run of late, batting .350 over his last 23 games with four home runs, 14 runs scored, and 11 RBI.More importantly, he's starting regularly at first base for Boston and likely will continue to do so as long as he's hitting well. As we get closer to the trade deadline, it's possible that Toro could be replaced by somebody the Red Sox trade for, but if Toro is still starting and producing in a month, you'll have already earned value on picking him up. A deeper league multi-position add is Otto Kemp - 2B/3B, PHI (3% rostered). The 25-year-old has gotten off to a slow start since being called up by the Phillies, but he's playing first base pretty much every day while Bryce Harper is on the IL. Kemp has been a fixture in our Rotoworld blurbs because he has been crushing Triple-A to the tune of a .313/.416/.594 slash line in 58 games with 14 home runs and 11 steals. He has always posted high swinging strike rates in the minors, and the overall contact rate was just 67% in Triple-A, so don't expect a good batting average, but the power and speed are legit.

Jo Adell - OF, LAA: 28% rostered
(POWER UPSIDE, POST-HYPE PROSPECT)

I know we've done this a bunch with Adell in the past, and I'm not sure I buy it, but I do feel the need to point out that he's been playing well of late. Over his last 35 games, Adell is batting .276/.372/.612 with 10 home runs, 17 runs scored, and 19 RBI. More importantly, he has just a 23% strikeout rate over that span, with a 50% hard-hit rate and 11 barrels. We've seen Adell have short stretches of improved contact in the past, so there's no guarantee that this sticks, but if it does, he will be a huge fantasy asset, so he's worth adding while he's running hot. A deep league option primarily for batting average is Jake Meyers - OF, HOU (8% rostered). Earlier this season,I published an article on hitters who were being more aggressive and swinging at the first pitch more often this year than last year. Myers popped up for me on that leaderboard, and I explained in detail why I’m a fan of his new approach, so you should read that article to check out the analysis; however, I think he’s a solid add for steals and something close to a .280 batting average.

Nick Kurtz - 1B, ATH: 24% rostered
(RETURN FROM THE IL, POWER UPSIDE)

Nick Kurtz didn't set the world on fire this week in his return from the IL, but there is plenty of talent in his bat. He was heating up before landing on the IL with a strained oblique, hitting four home runs in his last five games before the injury. The talented rookie returned to the lineup on Monday, and we know that offense is going to pick up in Sacramento as the weather warms, so I'd be trying to add him in any leagues where he's still available. I'm actually surprised Kurtz is rostered in so many fewer leagues than Christian Encarnacion-Strand - 1B, CIN (35% rostered). Kurtz is a higher-rated prospect and is in a similarly strong environment. We know CES is going to play almost every day for the Reds, and we know that he flashed solid power skills in the minors. However, he has also had strikeout issues since being promoted to the big leagues and is not a lock to produce, given his career stats. He came off the IL like a house on fire and then went 3-for-17 in his next five games, which is emblematic of what we should expect from him. He's well worth a gamble given his power upside now that he's back and healthy, but I'd still rather have Kurtz.

Chase Meidroth - 2B/3B/SS, CWS: 23% rostered
(EVERY DAY JOB, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

I've had Meidroth in this column for weeks, and I'm going to keep him here because he has multi-position eligibility and great batting average upside with some steals thrown in for good measure. In 30 games since May 11th, Meidroth is hitting .310/.385/.397 with 13 runs scored, five steals, two home runs, and a 16/14 K/BB ratio. He’s another hitter I’m highlighting on here who is making good swing decisions and succeeding due to a strong understanding of the strike zone. He had never stolen more than 13 bases in a season at the minor league level, so that number is a bit shocking to me, but he can run a bit and is a smart baseball player on a bad team that has no problem taking chances on the bases. Meidroth is also hitting leadoff and playing every day, so he could accumulate runs and steals while hitting for a solid batting average. Another option for similar skills is Ernie Clement - 2B/SS/3B - TOR (19% rostered). Over the same period since May 11th, Clement is hitting .316/.352/.500 with four home runs, 18 runs scored, 12 RBI, and an 8/6 K/BB ratio in 31 games. Even with Andres Gimenez back, Clement is still an everyday player, just at 3B now. The 29-year-old has proved himself to be a solid batting average asset last season, and his multi-position eligibility makes him valuable in deeper leagues.

Parker Meadows - OF, DET: 19% rostered
(POWER/SPEED UPSIDE, RETURN FROM THE IL)

Meadows has struggled a bit since coming off the IL, but I often think that we're too quick to turn away from a player just because he doesn't hit the ground running. Adjusting to MLB pitching is hard, even if you've been at this level before. Meadows was out for almost three months; it's going to take some time for him to get his rhythm back. He's a talented hitter and is playing pretty much every day in Detroit. Scoop him up before he gets hot. On the flip side, Matt Wallner - OF, MIN (13% rostered) has been hot since returning from the IL, or has at least seen his power return to previous form with three home runs in his last 10 games. The power is exactly what you're looking for with Wallner, and he's been batting cleanup against righties, which should provide solid counting stats. I think the batting average will tick up a bit as well and maybe settle closer to about .250.

Marcelo Mayer - 3B/SS, BOS: 19% rostered
(RECENT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

Last week, I mentioned that Mayer was off to a slow start to his MLB career and may be a better real-life player than a fantasy player. While I still think that's true, Mayer has shown a bit more power this season and then put that on display with his two-homer game against the Rays on Wednesday. Sadly, he and Roman Anthony are going to sit versus most left-handed pitchers, which can make it harder to roster him in weekly lineup lock leagues. His teammate, Trevor Story - SS, BOS (32% rostered), is also heating up after a horrible May. Story is hitting over .319 in 12 games in June with two home runs, two steals, and 12 RBI. He's going to be in the lineup every day for Boston and has nine home runs and 10 steals on the year, so there is some power and speed here as well. He's prone to some cold stretches, but he remains a solid fantasy asset.

Jeff McNeil - 2B/OF, NYM: 11% rostered
(CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, SURPRISING POWER)

I think most people wrote off Jeff McNeil as a fantasy-relevant player when he was hurt earlier in the year, but he has been great for the Mets since coming off the IL, hitting .268 with 22 RBI, 13 runs scored, and one stolen base through his first 144 plate appearances this season. However, he has been heating up of late, along with this entire Mets offense, going 16-for-47 (.340) in his last 13 games. The multi-position eligibility is also helpful, and while I think McNeil will be primarily a batting average asset, he is showing some surprising power this year as well. Brooks Lee - 2B/3B/SS, MIN (4% rostered) is another solid multi-position eligible player who has remained in the lineup even as the Twins have gotten healthy. With Royce Lewis seemingly headed to the IL with yet another lower body injury, that should keep Lee as an everyday player in Minnesota. The power and speed numbers aren't going to be great, but he'll chip in a few and then add solid counting stats in a decent lineup.

Kyle Teel - C, CWS: 11% rostered
(PROSPECT CALL-UP, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

Kyle Teel was promoted last weekend and has started every game but one at either catcher or DH. It seems like he's getting a chance to supplant Edgar Quero, who was fairly average in his first 39 MLB games and provided below-average defense. Teel also may have more offensive upside, slashing .295/.394/.492 in 50 games at Triple-A with eight home runs and seven steals. He's gone just 4-for-18 to begin his big league career, but he's worth a look in all two-catcher leagues. If you're looking for an option in a two-catcher format, you can go with Carlos Narvaez - C, BOS (20% rostered), who has not only emerged as the starting catcher in Boston but one of the better rookies in the AL. He was known primarily for his plus defense when he was acquired from the Yankees in a trade this off-season, but he's hitting .347/.448/.541 over his last 30 games with three home runs, 19 runs scored, and 13 RBI. He provides top-tier defense behind the plate and is going to start about two-thirds of the games for the Red Sox while hitting near the middle of the order.

Nolan Schanuel - 1B, LAA: 11% rostered
(BATTING AVERAGE ASSET, POTENTIAL POWER GROWTH)

I've always liked Schanuel. He has tremendous plate discipline. He makes an elite amount of contact. He pulls the ball enough to do damage, and I think he's trying to be more selective in getting pitches he can drive. The power numbers aren't great, but Schanuel now hits at the top of a batting order that includes Zach Neto, Mike Trout, Jorge Soler, Taylor Ward, and Logan O'Hoppe. It's not a bad spot, and if your primary goal isn't power, then I think Schanuel could be a good bet for you. Same goes for Ty France - 1B, MIN (7% rostered), who remains the starting first baseman in Minnesota with a solid 8.4% barrel rate. He has less speed than Schanuel does and similarly modest power, but his batting average will be helpful, and he'll chip in enough in the counting stats to help you in deeper formats.

Christian Moore - 2B, LAA: 8% rostered
(PROSPECT CALL-UP, POWER/SPEED UPSIDE)

The Angels announced on Friday that they would be calling up Christian Moore. Shockingly, Moore is now the FOURTH player from last year's draft class to already make his MLB debut, along with Nick Kurtz, Jac Caglianone, and Cam Smith. Moore struggled to start the season in Double-A, but was playing solid in Triple-A and now has a .279/.374/.422 slash line in 54 games across Double-A and Triple-A with five home runs and eight steals. He also has a 14% swinging strike rate and just a 70% contact rate, so that tells us there will be swing-and-miss issues in the big leagues. Maybe expect a .240 average but with some intriguing power and speed hitting near the bottom of a solid but not great lineup. I get wanting to add him for his upside, but it does feel like more of a deep league target. Ryan Ritter - SS, COL (1% rostered), is another rookie who has stepped into a full-time role with Ezequiel Tovar on the IL with an oblique injury. Ritter was crushing at Triple-A with a .305 average with 16 home runs, 43 RBI, and three steals in 52 games. His contact rate was under 73% in Triple-A, which isn't ideal and makes me think the batting average will be a fair bit lower in the big leagues. I don't think he'll be up for long, but in deeper formats, he could be worth a gamble if you need a MIF.

Mike Tauchman - OF, CWS: 6% rostered
(OFF THE IL, PLAYING TIME GUARANTEE)

Tauchman has been playing every day for the White Sox, batting leadoff and hitting .297/.410/.547 in 18 games since coming off the IL with three home runs, 12 runs scored, and 10 RBI. We've seen Tauchman be a solid deeper league fantasy asset in the past, and his plate discipline metrics are really strong so far this year. He will sit against most lefties, and doesn't play on a really good offense, so that caps some of the counting stats upside. However, in deeper formats, I think Tauchman is worth a look given his solid performance and consistent role. Despite the fact that I think the rule is stupid, Jurickson Profar - OF, ATL (14% rostered) is allowed to play in rehab games even though he was suspended 80 games for breaking league rules. Whatever. It's dumb. But he can return on July 2nd and figures to be the regular left fielder in Atlanta. If you have space to stash him now, that might not be a bad idea in deeper formats.

Thairo Estrada- 2B, COL: 6% rostered
(OFF THE IL, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

Estrada was a big late-round favorite of mine early in the season after he signed with Colorado. I think he hurt his fantasy value by playing through injury last year, but he’s a .270 15/15 type of talent who will now be playing in Coors Field. A fractured wrist could impact some of that power, and Estrada is certainly going to be a better bet when Colorado is at home. However, I believe he could be a solid source of batting average and speed while being the likely everyday starter at second base for the Rockies. We've also seen Tyler Freeman - SS/OF, COL (3% rostered) emerge as the regular right fielder for the Rockies since being called up. He has hit .299/.367/.448 in 28 games with five stolen bases. Freeman had a solid enough season last year for Cleveland, and moving to Colorado should help him. Freeman makes a lot of contact, but the hard contact is limited, and his BABIP has been low in years past. Coors Field tends to boost BABIP, so Freeman could emerge as a .260-.270 hitter with some decent speed and multi-position eligibility.

Alek Thomas - OF, ARI: 1% rostered
(CONSISTENT PLAYING TIME, BATTING AVERAGE UPSIDE)

I had Thomas on here a bunch earlier in the season and, admittedly, dropped him in a few formats because his lack of power and speed really limit his fantasy viability. However, we have seen his power tick up a bit lately, with him having two home runs in his last 12 games. I don't think Thomas will become a power hitter, so he's probably more of a target if you need some batting average. Wenceel Pérez - OF, DET (1% rostered), who is hitting .280/.315/.540 in 16 games this season with three home runs, six RBI, and eight runs scored. He also hit .242 with nine home runs and nine steals in 112 games as a rookie last season. He's been playing a lot of right field with Kerry Carpenter shifting to DH and Colt Keith riding the bench a lot, and that could be how Detroit approaches this moving forward. He's likely only going to play four games a week, so it's more of a daily moves play or a stash and hope he takes Keith's place permanently.

Waiver Wire Pitchers

Jacob Misiorowski - SP, MIL: 45% rostered
Much like Anthony, Misiorowski doesn't technically qualify for this list, but he made his MLB debut on Thursday, so I wanted to take the time to discuss him here because, man, that was an impressive showing. He regularly hit triple digits with his fastball and had solid command after his cutter/slider, which he can also use to get ahead. The curveball command was spottier, but it has good break, and then he also ripped off a few 90 mph changeups that got some swings-and-misses to lefties. Epect some inconsistency because he's a rookie with a spotty track record of command, but by all mean,s go out and grab him.

Mick Abel - SP, PHI: 39% rostered
It turns out, Abel's stay in the rotation is going to be longer than some assumed when he was called back up last week. Aaron Nola's ribcage strain is going to prevent him from even throwing for the next two weeks, and then he'll need to build back up to bullpens before going on a rehab assignment. That means Abel may have another month before his spot in the rotation is in jeopardy. I'm not sure his ceiling is exceptionally high right now, but he has a deep pitch mix and seems comfortable attacking the strike zone, so I don't see him putting up too many stinkers for you either.

Shane Smith - SP, CWS: 34% rostered
It's rare you see a pitcher with a 2.37 ERA and 23% strikeout rate across 68.1 innings be rostered in so few leagues. But I guess that's what happens when you're on the White Sox. Smith has slowed a little bit of late, with two poor starts against the Mets and Mariners, but bounced back this week against the Tigers a bit. He has gone six innings only three times this season and has only two wins, so that can make him tough to start, but the ratios and strikeouts have been pretty good these past 6 weeks. Also, just some respect for Smith's teammate Adrian Houser - SP, CWS (18% rostered), who has a 2.15 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 22 strikeouts in 29.1 innings for the White Sox this season. It's still Houser, and he pitches for the second-worst team in baseball, so there's not tons of upside here, but he's been really good so far and he'll likely be traded at the deadline, so maybe he ends up somewhere he can be more useful.

Shelby Miller - RP, ARI: 34% rostered
Justin Martinez is out for the season as he deals with a UCL injury, and AJ Puk just suffered a setback in his rehab, so Shelby Miller is going to be the primary closer in Arizona for a while. With Corbin Burnes also out for the season, there's a chance that the Diamondbacks actually sell at the deadline, which means it's unlikely they bring in competition for Miller. The question is whether or not Miller himself gets dealt. It also seems like Calvin Faucher - RP, MIA (9% rostered) has taken the closer role in Miami again. I'm not sure how many saves you're going to get out of this, and Miami can't seem to settle on one guy, but if you're hurting for saves, Faucher could be a solid option.

Quinn Priester - SP, MIL: 26% rostered
Priester has been on a tremendous run of late, pitching to a 2.54 ERA, 0.99 WHIP, and 20 strikeouts in 28.1 innings. He's still more of a match-up play than anything, but I thought he was worth highlighting here.

Edward Cabrera - SP, MIA: 21% rostered
Cabrera looked so good early in his start against Washington on Friday, but then he got stepped on while covering first base and was clearly laboring. He allowed a home run immediately after the injury and was then removed from the game. Provided his injury isn't anything major, I remain very interested here. The right-hander has long tantalized with his upside and disappointed with his command, but he is making some pitch mix changes that caught my attention. I dug into him for my starting pitcher news column last week, so I'd encourage you to check that out for a more detailed breakdown.

Robert Garcia - RP, TEX: 19% rostered
Garcia is now the closer in Texas. I think. I have no idea. He has four saves in the last month and has had the last few save chances for Texas, but his ratios have been really problematic. Now, some of that is connected to a "blown" a save against the Rays last weekend, which was one of the unluckiest blown saves I've seen with TWO runners scoring on THE SAME infield single. Two of the three hits Garcia gave up in that inning were infield singles. It feels like a fluky poor performance. However, Chris Martin - RP, TEX (21% rostered) is also returning from the IL and could get back into the closer conversation as well, but nobody has seemed to want Martin to close during his career, and you have to wonder whether or not that has something to do with his preference.

Michael Kopech - RP, LAD: 14% rostered
Kopech has come off the IL and pitched the ninth for the Dodgers and then also walked three batters in one inning in the seventh. We have no idea what his role is going to be, but Los Angeles seems likely to have a right-handed complement to Tanner Scott, and maybe that's Kopech. However, Alex Vesia - RP, LAD (19% rostered) also picked up a save this week and while that was mainly due to matchups, he's been good this year and maybe can help you with your ratios while getting a handful of saves.

David Festa - SP, MIN: 7% rostered
With Pablo Lopez and Zebby Matthews both hurt, David Festa is locked into a rotation spot in Minnesota. Perhaps more importantly, he was also allowed to pitch six innings in his last start, and it seems like Rocco Baldelli may loosen the leash on him a bit. There remain some command concerns, but Festa has upside if you're swinging for the fences.

Hunter Dobbins - SP, BOS: 4% rostered
Dobbins was featured in an article I wrote this weekthat highlighted starting pitcher targets for the second half of the fantasy baseball season. Check that out for the details on why I like Dobbins, but you maybe also saw that for yourself last night.

Grant Taylor - SP/RP, CWS: 3% rostered
The White Sox flame-throwing prospect is up and pitching out of the bullpen for now. Taylor has legit electric stuff, and I think he could be closing for the White Sox in short order.

STREAMING STARTER PITCHERS

MUST BE 40% ROSTERED ON YAHOO OR UNDER (ranked in loose order)

Week of 6/16

Strong Preference

PitcherRoster%Opponent
Jack Leiter39%vs KC, at PIT
Tomoyuki Sugano35%at TB
Mick Abel37%at MIA, vs NYM
Cade Horton31%vs SEA
Mitchell Parker9%vs COL
Landen Roupp33%vs BOS

Fairly Confident

Erick Fedde20%at CWS
Shane Smith34%at TOR
Ryan Yarbrough30%vs LAA
Sawyer Gipson-Long6%at TB
Slade Cecconi4%at SF, at ATH
Jeffrey Springs29%vs CLE
Trevor Williams3%vs COL
Lucas Giolito8%at SEA, at SF
Walker Buehler39%at SEA
Keider Montero2%vs PIT
Ryne Nelson5%at TOR
Ben Casparius14%vs SD
Bowden Francis24%vs CWS

Some Hesitation

David Festa7%at CIN, vs MIL
Hunter Dobbins5%at SF
Brayan Bello16%at SF
Quinn Priester11%at MIN
Brandon Walter6%at LAA
Luis L. Ortiz25%at ATH
Chase Dollander3%at WAS
Chris Paddack34%at CIN
Nick Martinez36%vs MIN
Mitch Keller36%vs TEX
Miles Mikolas14%vs CIN
Patrick Corbin16 %vs KC
Colin Rea15%vs SEA
Edward Cabrera25%vs PHI

If I'm Desperate

Dean Kremer9%at TB, at NYY
Adrian Houser23%vs STL
Bailey Falter20%at DET, vs TEX
Logan Allen4%at SF
Justin Wrobleski1%vs SD, vs WAS
Paul Blackburn1%at ATL
Aaron Civale5%at TOR
Jose Soriano20%at NYY, vs HOU
Eduardo Rodriguez8%at TOR
Davis Martin6%vs STL
JP Sears15%vs HOU, vs CLE

The Times' 2025 All-Star baseball team

A look at the Los Angeles Times’ 2025 All-Star baseball team:

Pitcher, Seth Hernandez, Corona, Sr.: He struck out 105 in 53 1/3 innings while walking seven and giving up 19 hits. He had an 0.39 ERA and went 9-1 this season and 18-1 in two years.

Pitcher, Hunter Manning, West Ranch, Sr.: The UC Irvine commit went 10-0 with an 0.74 ERA and was the Foothill League player of the year; threw a no-hitter in the Division 2 playoffs on the way to the title.

Utility, Jack Champlin, St. John Bosco, Jr.: Had five saves and two victories while giving up no runs in 11 2/3 playoff innings in helping the Braves win the Southern Section Division 1 and Southern California Division 1 regional titles.

Catcher, Landon Hodge, Crespi, Sr.: The Louisiana State commit and Mission League player of the year batted .386 with 32 hits while supplying outstanding defense for the Mission League champions.

Infielder, Billy Carlson, Corona, Sr.: The Tennessee commit and top pro prospect batted .365 with 34 RBIs and six home runs while known for his outstanding fielding.

Infielder, James Clark, St. John Bosco, Jr.: The Trinity League MVP batted .411 with 46 hits while filling key roles at shortstop and leadoff hitter for the Division 1 section and region champions.

Infielder, Matthew Witkow, Calabasas, Sr.: The Harvard commit had 45 hits, a .489 batting average and struck out just four times in 92 at-bats and had 30 RBIs.

Infielder, Quentin Young, Oaks Christian, Sr.: A top pro prospect, he set a school record with 14 home runs while batting .390 with 34 RBIs as the Marmonte League MVP.

Read more:The Times' 2025 All-Star baseball and softball coverage

Outfielder, Trevor Goldenetz, Huntington Beach, Sr.: The Long Beach State commit led the Sunset League champions with a .409 average, including 36 hits.

Outfielder, James Tronstein, Harvard-Westlake, Jr.: The Stanford commit had 41 hits and batted .414 with four home runs and 20 RBIs while playing center field.

Outfielder, Anthony Murphy, Corona, Jr.: He led Corona in hitting with a .415 average, including 49 hits and 11 home runs, and 35 RBIs.

Sign up for the L.A. Times SoCal high school sports newsletter to get scores, stories and a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prep sports so popular.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Verlander could return from injury in Giants' upcoming homestand

Verlander could return from injury in Giants' upcoming homestand originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LOS ANGELES — The Giants received promising news before their blowout 11-5 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers on Saturday night at Dodger Stadium.

San Francisco manager Bob Melvin told reporters that Justin Verlander, who was placed on the 15-day injured list with nerve irritation in his right pectoral muscle after a May 19 start against the Athletics, potentially could return during the Giants’ upcoming nine-game homestand at Oracle Park, which begins against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday.

“Every time he throws, we see how he feels the next day, but I think there’s a chance we’re going to see him at home,” Melvin said about Verlander, adding that the 42-year-old felt good after throwing roughly 65 pitches during his latest bullpen session.

Verlander said after that start against the A’s that he was dealing with “something physically that the team was aware of” and hoped it would just be a “blip on the radar.” It seems the three-time Cy Young Award winner and the Giants are distancing themselves from said blip.

It is unclear who will be removed from the rotation when Verlander returns; when a reporter asked Melvin if it would be lefty Kyle Harrison, who most recently allowed four hits and three earned runs over five innings in San Francisco’s 6-5 win over the Colorado Rockies on Tuesday, the Giants skipper was blunt.

“We haven’t talked to any of those guys,” Melvin said. “I’m not going to say what’s going to happen and when until we get home, we get through this series here.”

Melvin will cross that bridge when Verlander meets him there.

Nevertheless, the nine-time MLB All-Star has a 0-3 record and 4.33 ERA during the 2025 MLB season after his first 10 starts with the Orange and Black. At 262 career wins, Verlander still has a bit to go before earning his first with San Francisco and a lot to go before reaching his end goal of 300.

But he appeared closer to both goals on Saturday, and the Giants certainly will take the good news.

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