Prior to the Mets game on Saturday against the Washington Nationals, manager Carlos Mendoza gave a handful of updates on the team...
Sunday's pitching plan
Sean Manaea will return from the paternity list and start New York's final home game of the regular season on Sunday against the Nats with Clay Holmes available out of the bullpen.
New York flipped things around compared to last time both players pitched, as Holmes started and threw four innings with Manaea coming in to finish the final five innings of the game.
In Manaea's last start on Sept. 9 against the Philadelphia Phillies, he gave up two home runs and allowed four runs on five hits over 5.0 IP. The lefty bounced back with his bullpen performance, allowing one run on a solo HR over 5.0 IP.
"It helps when we're making these decisions, the fact that they've done it in the past," Mendoza said. "But again, they want to start and we consider them starters. But given where we're at, they're all on board, they understand. When it comes down for us making those decisions, they know what it takes to come out of the bullpen. It's a completely different routine, but they've done it before, so that helps."
Megill has been out since June 14 and started his rehab in the minor leagues on Aug. 12. He went 1-1 with a 4.95 ERA over six starts in Double-A and Triple-A, having last allowed five runs over 2.0 IP on Sept. 7.
The 30-year-old would likely miss the entire 2026 season if he gets UCL surgery. He has two more years of arbitration on his contract before becoming a free agent ahead of the 2028 season.
Megill finished the 2024 season with a 5-5 record, 3.95 ERA, and 89 strikeouts over 68.1 IP across 14 starts. The righty owns a career 26-26 record with a 4.46 ERA, 1.39 WHIP, and 435 strikeouts.
"Reed Garrett, we haven't heard anything," Mendoza said. "We know he's got a ligament strain there, but there's a couple of options that are being recommended. We're still waiting for a couple of other doctors to review it and give us more information there."
The reliever landed back on the IL after just being activated on Sept. 7 while dealing with right elbow inflammation.
Mendoza said Thursday that Garrett is experiencing similar issues as he did with his last IL stint and "continues to have a hard time recovering after every time he pitched."
Senga to throw live BP
Mendoza spoke Friday about the next steps for Kodai Senga, saying he will face hitters again, but they weren't sure in what environment that would take place.
The team made a decision Saturday and will have Senga throw a live BP next week.
"Stuff-wise was down. Whether it was the velo, execution, the secondary pitches weren't sharp," Mendoza said Friday. "That's the report I got, and watching film, you could see it. That's probably one of the reasons why he's asking for one more time to face hitters, to continue to work through those issues."
Taylor getting close to returning
Tyrone Taylor (hamstring strain) played in a rehab game with Triple-A Syracuse on Friday night and will do so again Sunday.
He was seen taking batting practice at Citi Field on Saturday and told reporters that he's feeling "100 percent."
Taylor went 1-for-4 with an RBI single in the sixth inning and was subbed out in the bottom of the seventh.
"He's playing tomorrow again in Triple-A," Mendoza said. "We just got to build up volume, making sure that he continues to play. Like he told you guys, he feels good physically. Now it's more getting him to be able to play nine innings back-to-back."
Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...
Mets Notes
Juan Soto is slashing .368/.462/.829 with 10 home runs, three doubles, one triple, 24 RBI and 20 runs over his last 20 games since Aug. 29. During that span, leads the majors in home runs, RBI, SLG, total bases (63) and OPS (1.291, min. 50 plate appearances).
Francisco Lindor extended his hitting streak to eight games with a single in the first inning and finished 3-for-4. His 20 games with three or more hits this season are tied with Trea Turner for the most in the majors.
Nolan McLean looks to stay hot, having tossed six scoreless innings with seven strikeouts against the Texas Rangers on Sept. 14
Prior to the game, the Mets selected LHP Richard Lovelady to the major league roster and designated RHP Wander Suero for assignment.
NATIONALS
METS
James Wood, LF
Francisco Lindor, SS
CJ Abrams, SS
Juan Soto, RF
Josh Bell, 1B
Pete Alonso, 1B
Daylen Lile, DH
Brandon Nimmo, LF
Robert Hassell III, CF
Starling Marte, DH
Dylan Crews, RF
Jeff McNeil, 2B
Riley Adams, C
Francisco Alvarez, C
Brady House, 3B
Brett Baty, 3B
Nasim Nunez, 2B
Cedric Mullins, CF
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PHOENIX — As the sun rises and the heat builds to uncomfortable levels here in the desert, eight more regular-season games await the Phillies before their playoff march in what they hope will result in the organization winning its third World Series.
And it is a good time for the team. It has won 16 of its last 21 games. A first-round playoff bye is almost a certainty as the No. 2 seed, with the possibility of catching the Brewers for the top seed. Injuries are healing in a timely fashion, starting pitching has been more than solid, the bullpen is good and deep and possesses one of, if not the, best closers in the game. The hitting has been productive, particularly the outfield. Since the trade deadline, that group is hitting .282 with 55 extra-base hits, which is third most in all of baseball.
That outfield group, which has been shuffled endlessly since the deadline by manager Rob Thomson, has been stabilized with the addition of Harrison Bader in center. Since early May, Brandon Marsh is hitting .306 and has belted eight hits in 16 at-bats as a pinch-hitter this season. Max Kepler has hit .289 over his last 25 games with 10 extra-base hits, 17 RBI and 17 runs scored. And Nick Castellanos had two hits, a home run (the 250th of his career) and three RBI in Friday’s win over the Diamondbacks.
Castellanos didn’t start the game, coming in as a pinch-hitter for Kepler in the sixth inning. He has been held out of the lineup numerous times by Thomson over the past month, even though the manager did say around the trade deadline that Castellanos is an “everyday player.”
But things have changed. And, not surprisingly, Castellanos is not happy.
After Friday’s game, Castellanos was made available to the media. Much has been made of the questioning, his answers and everything in between. I’m here to say it’s all OK. Reporters weren’t trying to ruin what should be good times, as many have stated on social media, and Castellanos wasn’t being anything but honest with his feelings.
Let’s take a look at it from a 10,000-foot view.
The shuffling of the outfield has been going on since the Phillies were swept by the Mets in New York back in late August. Thomson, who is made available to the media before and after each game, has been asked endlessly about it and his reasonings have been reported. The manager has basically said that he’s riding the hot bats, and Castellanos hit .180 in the month of August with two home runs and three RBI in 89 at-bats.
There is also the defensive factor. Simply stated, the outfield of Marsh in left, Bader in center and Kepler in right is a solid one. Better hitting and better fielding is probably the way Thomson looks at it and that’s why Castellanos’ at-bats have been limited of late.
From a pure baseball standpoint, that seems pretty logical.
Now to the reaction by Castellanos to the questions posed on Friday.
It was the first time since he’s been platooned that reporters have spoken to Castellanos after a game as a group, so, naturally, the questions about his feelings on not being the everyday outfielder were posed. It probably is the biggest subject surrounding the team and getting answers to it is our job.
“I don’t know, man. It’s still brand new,” Castellanos said. “I’m just making stuff up as I go along. I hit batting practice today, maybe I’ll hit it again tomorrow. I think anything that I do more often, I’ll get better at it, for sure. I’m here to do whatever I can to make sure that Philadelphia wins a World Series ring. So whatever role that looks like, just do the best I can with that. Any time that I step into the box, there’s a chance that something good can happen.”
Pressed further about it and how it has all been handled, Castellanos continued:
“I don’t really talk to Rob all that often. I play whenever he tells me to play, and then I sit whenever he tells me to sit. Communication over the years has been questionable, at least in my experience. But also, I grew up communicating with somebody like my father which was really blunt and consistent.
“There’s been times when things have been said and then over the course of years I’ll have expectations because I’ll latch to what’s being said and then actions will be different. And then I’m kind of left, just thinking and whatnot. It is what it is. I have to do what I can. At the end of the day, we’re here to win the World Series. I have a good relationship with the guys in this clubhouse. I’m here to win. John Middleton is paying me money so that I can help the Philadelphia Phillies win the World Series.”
So, here’s a person who has been an everyday player for almost all of his 13-plus seasons in the league, trying to deal with not being that right now. Should we be surprised that he’s disappointed? Wouldn’t you be?
Castellanos did say the right things about wanting to win, about how he gets along with his teammates, about how he’ll do what’s told. His tone and irritability with reporters may have told a bit of a different story, but so what? The man wants to play the game he loves to play. That’s been taken away from him. It’d be a real problem if he didn’t care.
The communication thing probably isn’t ideal. When asked about it before, Thomson said, “Nick hasn’t said a word.” That could be interpreted as the two don’t talk or there has been no complaining from Castellanos. Whatever the case is behind closed doors, again, it doesn’t seem ideal.
But if we look at this with a longer lens, the breakdown really comes down to this: the manager of the team is fielding what he thinks is the lineup that gives his club the best chance to win the game on that day. It has worked well enough to produce the second-best record in baseball and a real chance to grab that coveted World Series ring.
In doing that, a player is disappointed that he isn’t a part of that lineup as much as he would like to be or believes he deserves to be. It’s a tough time for Castellanos, who has one more year remaining on his contract and will be 34 at the beginning of next season. But his part-time status hasn’t appeared to affect his play at all.
The coldness of sports is that winning is the main thing and keeping everyone happy in trying to do so is a rarity. That’s just normal. Just like the reaction of Nick Castellanos on Friday.
With eight games remaining in the regular season, the Mets are looking to hold off a handful of teams for the final Wild Card spot in the National League.
Here's everything you need to know ahead of play on Sept. 20...
Mets: 80-74, 2.0 games up on Reds for third Wild Card
Next up: vs. Nationals, Saturday at 4:10 p.m. on SNY (Nolan McLean vs. Cade Cavalli) Latest result: 12-6 win over Nationals on Friday Remaining schedule: 2 vs. WSH, 3 @ CHC, 3 @ MIA Odds to make playoffs: 89.8 percent *Mets hold tiebreaker over Giants by virtue of winning the season series, while Reds hold tiebreaker over Mets. The tiebreaker between the Mets and Diamondbacks is TBD, and will likely be based on intradivision record since the two clubs split the season series
Reds: 78-76, 2.0 games back of Mets
Next up: vs. Cubs, Saturday at 6:40 p.m. (Zack Littell vs. Javier Assad) Latest result: 7-4 win over Cubs on Friday Remaining schedule: 2 vs. CHC, 3 vs. PIT, 3 @ MIL Odds to make playoffs: 8.8 percent
Diamondbacks: 77-77, 3.0 games back of Mets
Next up: vs. Phillies, Saturday at 8:10 p.m. (Zac Gallenvs. Aaron Nola) Latest result: 8-2 loss to Phillies on Friday Remaining schedule: 2 vs. PHI, 3 vs. LAD, 3 @ SD Odds to make playoffs: 1.4 percent
Giants: 76-78, 4.0 games back of Mets
Next up: @ Dodgers, Saturday at 9:10 p.m.(Kai-Wei Teng vs. Tyler Glasnow) Latest result: 6-3 loss to Dodgers on Friday Remaining schedule: 2 @ LAD, 3 vs. STL, 3 vs. COL Odds to make playoffs: 0.2 percent
Clayton Kershaw will retire at the end of this season, his 18th with the Dodgers. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Congratulations to class act Clayton Kershaw on a great career now that he's decided to retire. Hopefully Kersh goes out on top the way John Elway did in his final season — leading the team to a championship.
Ken Feldman Tarzana
I have been a know-it-all Dodger fan since the late 1950s and after last season I thought, and hoped, Clayton Kershaw would retire. I was wrong.
Paul Burns Granada Hills
I am so happy with Clayton Kershaw's decision to finally retire. Now I hope the Dodgers make the right decision and make him an offer he can't refuse by making him the highest-paid pitching coach of all time, Whom better?
Russell Morgan Carson
Clayton Kershaw’s retirement is bad timing for the Dodgers and manager Dave Roberts. Obviously, they will need three or four starters in the playoffs and Kershaw is now fifth or sixth in the rotation. If Roberts does not use Kershaw, the manager will be called a heel, and if he does start Kershaw and he’s bombed, then Roberts will be considered a bad manager.
Utilizing the pitch count as a preventative measure may or may not work. After all, three lights-out pitching prodigies in Walker Buehler, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin were on restricted pitch counts. They were lights-out prospects, now they're just out.
It's impossible to predict when an injury will occur. And there may be something to the theory that more pitches will make for stronger arms, provided they have adequate rest between starts.
Ron Brumel West Los Angeles
If the Dodgers manage to get to the World Series this year, it will be in spite of Dave Roberts' obvious incompetence that was fully on display in Tuesday night's game against the Phillies.
Not only won't he let Ohtani pitch more than five innings, despite a low pitch count, but, as he has done on eight other occasions, completely ignores the fact his pitcher was pitching a no-hitter. With his bullpen in shambles, why does he pull his starter so early?
Ken Blake Brea
Finally, Dave Roberts showed confidence in a pitcher and Blake Snell responded. Roberts has spent his whole managerial career pulling pitchers every time they throw high. Pitchers build arm strength by pitching, not by growing splinters on their collective butts.
Steve Trocino Simi Valley
No relief needed
The first two games of the recent series against the Phillies said it all. The Dodger bullpen is a five-alarm fire, an unmitigated disaster, a total catastrophe. I side with the recent letter writer who offered a solution to this mess: a two-starter approach. Please instigate a “no call zone” that covers the Dodger bullpen. For two starters to work the playoffs in a three-game rotation, the team needs six quality arms. We have them: Tyler Glasnow, Clayton Kershaw, Shohei Ohtani, Emmet Sheehan, Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
Craig Rosen Los Angeles
Most of the time only a four-man pitching rotation is necessary for the MLB playoffs. If the Dodgers make the playoffs, I have a suggestion for their rotation: Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and the combination of Shohei Ohtani and Clayton Kershaw. You would still have Emmet Sheehan for long relief and spot starting for injuries.
Neal Rakov Santa Fe, N.M.
Bill Plaschke’s column on the bullpen brought to light in my mind, a notable quote by the late Howard Cosell. Although I never met the man, “Plaschke tells it like it is.” I’m amazed by the way Bill summarized Dodgers weaknesses.
Patrick Kelley Los Angeles
A fond farewell
There is an obituary in Sunday's sports section. It is about Mike Kupper, written by Mike Kupper.
A few additional things need to be said, because Kupper wouldn’t say them himself.
He was hired because the massive Times sports section during the 1984 Olympics needed a master word editor. Once he arrived, you dared not use “that” when “which” was correct. Restrictive and unrestrictive clauses were mostly interchangeable for the rest of us. Not for Kupper.
His title was senior assistant sports editor. It could have easily been Staff Conscience Editor. We were not allowed shortcuts, lazy phrases, vague sources and insufficient attribution. He made all of us better in a quiet, firm way. When he fixed a story, we remembered how and why and dared not repeat the mistake.
He knew sports, loved its stories, loved writing many of them himself. He covered and wrote about everything. Each story was to the point, accurate, entertaining and without a whiff of the current “look at me” approach of so many writers. His specialty was auto racing. When he arrived at The Times, that specialty was already being handled by Hall-of-Fame auto writer Shav Glick. Without a hint of jealousy, Kupper walked side by side with Glick in the best one-two punch racing journalism has ever seen.
In retirement, he wrote dozens of obituaries, each entertaining and meticulously reported. Today, the one about himself, is the same. Those of us who worked with him would have expected no less.
Bill Dwyre Baltimore, Md.
Conflicted much
It’s amazing that it took a shot of Tom Brady in the coaches booth at the recent Raiders game for most to understand that the NFL and Fox have a serious conflict of interest on their hands. This seemed glaringly apparent from the get-go, but now that it’s finally come to the forefront, it should allow Fox to rectify a wrong when they demoted Greg Olsen in favor of Brady.
Dump Tom and his mediocre broadcasting abilities and bring back Greg and his superb in-game analysis.
Axel Hubert Santa Monica
Lock him up
Dear Chargers,
Can we please lock up defensive coordinator Jesse Minter with a lucrative contract and keep him paired with coach Jim Harbaugh for the long run? Do not let this man out of the building.
Chip Kelly left UCLA in a bad position in February 2024. The coaching carousel had already stopped. DeShaun Foster, who had a nice gig as running backs coach for the Raiders, fell on the grenade that was UCLA football. He probably won’t be remembered for that sacrifice, but he should be.
Hans Ghaffari Encino
The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.
Clayton Kershaw acknowledges the crowd after pitching in what might have been his final start at Dodger Stadium during a 6-3 win over the San Francisco Giants on Friday night. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
On the scoreboard in right field, it was 7:08 p.m. in the City of the Angels: Los Angeles, California. And a crowd of 53,037 was just sitting in Friday to see the greatest pitcher of his generation take the mound at Dodger Stadium, perhaps for the final time.
Tonight
We are young
So let’s set the world on fire
We can burn brighter than the sun
The band Fun. released what would become Clayton Kershaw’s signature song on Sept. 20, 2011. That night, he beat Tim Lincecum and the San Francisco Giants 2-1 to become a 20-game winner for the first time, in the year Kershaw would become a Cy Young Award winner for the first time.
If success means leaving someplace better than you found it, Kershaw triumphed spectacularly.
On Friday, the day after Kershaw announced he would retire at season’s end, the Dodgers beat the Giants again. For good measure, the Dodgers clinched a postseason berth for the 13th consecutive season, and with it the chance for Kershaw and Co. to win a third championship in six years.
Fun. broke up 10 years ago. Kershaw played 18 years, all in Dodger blue.
“Eighteen years of memories you can’t just put into words in one night,” Kershaw said, “or feel all the feels that you can possibly feel.”
What distinguishes Kershaw in the pantheon of Dodgers greats is that he was the guiding light through the darkest of times.
“The Dodger culture has been established long before me, and it will be established long after I’m gone,” he said. “That’s the cruel thing about baseball: your career will be gone in an instant, and the game keeps going. But that’s also the beautiful thing about it too.
“This game doesn’t need anybody. I’m so grateful I got to be a small part of Dodger history for as long as I’ve been here.”
In the 1960s, the Dodgers had Koufax, Drysdale and Wills. In the 1970s: Garvey, Lopes, Russell and Cey. In the 1980s: Valenzuela, Hershiser and Gibson. In this run of success: Seager, Bellinger and Turner; and now Ohtani, Freeman and Betts.
In between: Kershaw, a metronome of excellence every fifth day, and not nearly enough else. When he made his major league debut on May 25, 2008, the Dodgers had not won a postseason series in 20 years.
The Dodgers! Twenty years!
That is what can happen when you trade away Pedro Martinez and Mike Piazza, and when Rupert Murdoch buys your team for television content, not championships.
That is what can happen when Frank McCourt buys your team and returns the Dodgers to the league championship series but pays for advice from a Russian physicist who knew next to nothing about baseball but claimed he had “diagnosed the disconnects” in the organization while watching on television and channeling his energy toward improving the team.
That is what can happen when McCourt takes the Dodgers into bankruptcy court to take on Major League Baseball and — three days after Kershaw beat Lincecum for that 20th win — the commissioner’s office threatens to kick the team out of the league.
Those 2011 Dodgers had no chance, outspent by the Minnesota Twins and outdrawn by the Milwaukee Brewers. Kershaw pitched well enough to endure, and Mark Walter and the Dodgers’ current ownership group made sure he did not have to endure Octobers in which he pitched on short rest because the team had little choice.
“It is great that he has been a stalwart,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “He has seen the organization where it was, and there were some lean times 18 years ago.
“To see where we’re at the last 10, 12 years and where we’ve been, he’s been right there in the middle of it.”
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw delivers against the Giants on Friday night. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
It is easy to glance at the back of Kershaw’s baseball card, or at his Baseball Reference page, and pick whatever statistic you like to illustrate his greatness. He led the league in earned run average four years running. He won the Cy Young award three times and finished in the top five for seven consecutive years.
That might have been the only thing he did not do. His career 2.54 earned-run average is the lower than the career ERA of Cy Young himself. No pitcher in the last 100 years has thrown as many innings with a better ERA.
In his final season, when a 90 mph fastball was a rarity, Kershaw (10-2) still led the Dodgers’ starters in winning percentage. He did not win on Friday, but the Dodgers did.
These Dodgers, unlike the Dodgers of his early years, had superstars to pick him up. After Kershaw left the game in the top of the fifth, with the Dodgers trailing by one run, Ohtani and Betts homered in the bottom of the inning to put the Dodgers ahead to stay.
When a reliever enters the game, Dodger Stadium public address announcer Todd Leitz simply introduces the new pitcher. On Friday, before introducing Edgardo Henriquez, Leitz delivered a proper preface and farewell all in one.
“On in relief,” he said, “of the great Clayton Kershaw.”
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw acknowledges the crowd after pitching in what might have been his final start at Dodger Stadium on Friday night against the San Francisco Giants. (Ronald Martinez / Getty Images)
Clayton Kershaw blew a kiss to his family, pounded a fist in his glove, then made the familiar trot from the Dodgers’ dugout to the Chavez Ravine mound.
This time, however, he did it alone.
In what was his final regular-season start at Dodger Stadium, coming one day after he announced that he would retire at the end of this year, Kershaw took the field while the rest of his teammates stayed back and applauded.
On a night of appreciation for his 18-year career, the moment belonged to him — and an adoring fan base that has watched his every step.
The first time Kershaw ever pitched at Dodger Stadium, he was a much-hyped and highly anticipated 20-year-old prospect. His talent immense. His Hall of Fame future in front of him.
When he did it for potentially the last time on Friday night, he was a much-beloved and long-admired 37-year-old veteran. Hardened by the failures that once defined his baseball mortality. Celebrated for the way he had learned to overcome.
Few athletes in modern sport play for one team, for so long. Fewer still experience the emotional extremes Kershaw was put through, or manage still to weather the storm.
When Kershaw was asked about Dodgers fans during his retirement news conference Thursday, that’s the dynamic he quickly pointed to.
“It hasn’t been a smooth ride,” he said. “We’ve had our ups and downs for sure.”
Between boundless cheers and intermittent boos, historic milestones and horrifying heartbreaks, triumphant summers and torturous falls.
In regular-season play, baseball has maybe never seen a more accomplished pitcher. Kershaw’s 2.54 ERA is the lowest in the live-ball era among those with 100 starts. He is one of the 20 members of MLB’s 3,000 strikeout club. He is one of four pitchers to win three Cy Youngs and an MVP award.
In October, however, no one’s history has been more checkered. There were implosions against the St. Louis Cardinals in 2013 and 2014. The infamous fifth game of the 2017 World Series against the sign-stealing Houston Astros. The nightmare relief appearance in 2019 against the Washington Nationals. Nine trips to the playoffs in his first 11 seasons, without winning a championship.
In those days, it made Kershaw’s relationship complicated with Dodger Nation. He was heroic until he wasn’t. Clutch until the autumn. It didn’t matter that he was often pitching on short rest, or through injuries and strenuous workloads, or in situations no other pitcher would have ever been tasked. He was the embodiment of the Dodgers’ repeated postseason failings. The face of a franchise that could never clear the final hurdle.
In Kershaw’s case, though, that’s how such an enduring bond was built.
By persevering through such struggles. By coming back every season. By finally getting over the hump with World Series titles in 2020 and 2024. By never shying away and never backing down.
“With that responsibility as the ace, you've got to take on a lot of scrutiny or potential failures,” manager Dave Roberts said. “Everything wasn't optimal for him. But he never complained about it. Never made an excuse for it.
“I think the fans, certainly at his highest moments, have shown their love for him and support. In those other times, I think it's just, the fans have been hurting along with him. Wanting so much for a guy that's been such a stalwart and a great citizen and person for this city and organization.”
"I think the respect, the universal respect, is certainly warranted 10 times over.”
The left-hander pitched 4 ⅓ innings of two-run ball, striking out six batters on four hits and four walks, but it wasn’t his stats that mattered. He struggled with his command, averaged only 89 mph with his fastball, and left the mound with the Dodgers trailing, but the memories from this night will go far beyond that.
From the moment Kershaw emerged on the field at 6:23 p.m., fans rose to their feet. They cheered and chanted his pregame routine in the outfield and bullpen. They roared when his name was introduced shortly before first pitch.
They knew this could be his Dodger Stadium send-off, a sentimental opportunity to say thank you for all he accomplished and all he endured.
So, when he then emerged for the start of the first inning, they serenaded him with an extended ovation. Alone on the field, he smiled and waved from the top of the mound.
“This is one of those moments where Dodger fans, you all have seen him for 18 years and watched his career grow and everything that he's gone through,” Roberts said. “People are going to back and go, 'I was there for the last time he started a home game at Dodger Stadium.'”
From there, the night was surprisingly tense.
Kershaw gave up a home run on the third pitch of the game to Heliot Ramos. He spent the next four innings battling traffic, stranding two runners later in the first, another two in the second, and two more in the third after a Wilmer Flores RBI single.
By the fourth, it was clear Kershaw was not long for the evening. His pitch count was rising. The bullpen was active. And with two outs in the inning, Willy Adames was extending a two-strike at-bat.
On the ninth pitch of that battle, however, Kershaw finally got a whiff on a slider. For the first time since first pitch, Dodger Stadium erupted once again. When Kershaw returned to the dugout, he had enough left in the tank to face at least one more batter.
When he returned to the mound to begin the fifth, he struck out Rafael Devers with a knee-high fastball for a called third strike.
With that, Kershaw’s night was over. Roberts started to the mound. The infield swarmed him with a line of hugs.
In the stands, applause echoed through a sell-out crowd of 53,037 — which included former teammates Austin Barnes, Andre Ethier, Russell Martin, Trayce Thompson and AJ Pollock; as well as other Los Angeles sports icons from Magic Johnson to Matthew Stafford (a childhood friend of Kershaw’s from Texas).
Then, after an embrace with a smiling Roberts, Kershaw made the slow walk back off the field.
He took a deep breath. He gave a hugging motion to his family sitting in the loge level. Then he donned his cap, and repeatedly said thank you as he looked around the stadium. After more hugs with coaches and teammates in the dugout, he reemerged into view for a raucous curtain call.
“I’m super grateful to every single Dodger fan who’s come through the stalls here at Dodger Stadium, and everyone that I’ve gotten to meet along the way,” Kershaw had said the day before. “It’s been pretty special to have that fan base behind us all these years. There’s nothing better than having a full Dodger Stadium and getting to pitch in front of it.”
Now, one more October awaits — with the Dodgers (87-67) officially clinching a postseason berth Friday after roaring to the lead on back-to-back home runs from Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts in the bottom half of the fifth.
Kershaw’s role in this last title chase is uncertain. With a loaded rotation, but shaky bullpen, the Dodgers' best use for him could come in a relief role. Roberts said he envisions Kershaw fitting somewhere on the playoff roster, but has stopped short of any guarantees.
Either way, Kershaw has already left his mark this season, finishing Friday with a 10-2 record and 3.55 ERA. His legacy with the Dodgers, and its forever indebted fan base, has long been cemented.
“I think the only thing I can say right now is thank you so much,” Kershaw said in an on-field postgame interview amid one last stadium-wide ovation. “It hasn’t always been a smooth ride, but you guys have stuck with me. Thank you so much. We got another month to go.”
Mets fans are excited to see their three young arms pitch for their team, especially at Citi Field. But Brandon Sproat's outing was short on Friday as the right-hander lasted just four innings against the Washington Nationals.
It started great, with Sproat striking out three of the first six batters he faced, but defensive miscues -- one of his own -- resulted in a four-run third inning for Washington.
Despite that one hiccup, Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was impressed with Sproat's start.
"The first two innings, he was pretty nasty, especially the way he was using the breaking ball," he explained. "The sweeper, the curveball, he used a lot of them for strikes to get chases, swing and misses, get back in counts, The sinker was playing up. The third inning, he lost it a little bit. It got away from him a little bit because he lost the strike zone there for a minute. One batter from getting out of that inning, then they hit some balls really hard there."
"First two innings were good. Leadoff walk, not a recipe for success," Sproat said of his outing. "Threw the ball away there. Frustrated with myself, make that play nine times out of 10…the second walk. Walks are never good."
Sproat allowed four runs on four hits and two walks while striking out five batters across his four innings, but at just 71 pitches, it's curious that Mendoza decided to pull Sproat. The second-year skipper explained that with the Mets fighting to hold on to a playoff spot, he didn't want to risk the game getting away from them.
"I like what I saw. Even though he only gave us four, I was aggressive with him," Mendoza continued. "I thought he could have kept going, but where we’re at every game, I’m going to be aggressive when we need to. It was a positive outing for him."
Entering Friday's series opener, the Mets (79-74) were 2.0 games ahead of the Diamondbacks and Reds with nine games remaining. Every game matters at this time of the year, but Mendoza also pointed out that the Nationals hitters, especially the lefties, were starting to get to Sproat. He wanted to avoid them facing Sproat a third time.
"Watching those lefties in that third inning. After [James] Wood, [CJ] Abrams, all the lefties, there was some hard contact from them," Mendoza explained. "Wasn’t going to take chances there, especially after we got back. Wanted to give [Huascar Brazoban] or whoever a clean inning. That was the reason there."
But both Mendoza and Sproat were happy with how the fourth inning went. After the Mets cut their deficit to 4-2, Spraout got a groundout and struck out Paul DeJong and Jorge Alfaro to end his night.
"Had a good bounceback in the fourth. I was pleased with it, control what I can," Sproat said. "If I dwell on [the third inning], it’s not going to do anything for me. Told myself it’s the past, put it in the past, it is what it is, gotta move forward for this team. And that’s what I was able to do."
Sproat said there was no conversation with Mendoza about being taken out and respected his manager's decision. But Sproat, now after his third big league start, is experiencing in real time that in the majors, pitchers need to go pitch by pitch.
"That’s the beauty of this game, you’re never really out of it," Sproat said. "Runners first and second, no one out and you’re one pitch from a doubleplay. Gotta take it pitch by pitch and you’re only as good as your next one."
In three starts since his debut, Sproat has pitched to a 3.94 ERA and a 1.19 WHIP while striking out 15 batters across 16.0 innings.
The Mets defeated the Nationals, 12-6, in their series opener but while the score may appear lop-sided, it wasn't always. In fact, the defense of the Mets could have cost them this matchup and a chance to keep their ground in the wild-card race.
With youngster Brandon Sproat on the mound in the third inning, the right-hander was struggling. His throwing allowed the tying run to score and he had runners on first and second with no outs. Sproat, however, induced a clutch double play before allowing a double to give the Nationals the lead. Then going up against Josh Bell, Sproat threw a 1-0 sinker that Bell lined into left-center field but Jose Siri seemed to have a beat on it. Siri got to his spot on the run and reached out for the ball. The ball hit the inside of his glove and popped out, allowing another run to score.
The very next hitter, Daylen Lile, hit a grounder into center field and Siri took a bad route to the ball, allowing it to go to the wall and Lile ended up on third with a triple and scored the fourth Nationals run of the inning.
Siri didn't help himself at the plate either, going 0-for-3 with a pair of strikeouts. The Citi Field crowd booed the first-year Met as he struck out in the fourth when the Mets tried to retake the lead.
"He didn’t have a good day, obviously," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game. "All I was telling him was to keep your head up. Mistakes happen, he went a long ways for that ball got there and dropped it, and then a poor route on the grounder in the gap. I know it could get hard, but not putting your head down and keep competing, that was my messaging to him. They’re going to make errors; it’s going to happen. What I don’t like is guys putting their head down, that was my messaging to him."
Sproat was a lot more forgiving of Siri's attempt in the outfield.
"Props to Siri for running after that ball," he said. "It was a long run, heck of an effort for it."
Since his return to the team on Sept. 9 after fracturing his leg back in April, Siri has only appeared in four games and is 1-for-12 with nine strikeouts over that span.
Sep 1, 2025; Detroit, Michigan, USA; New York Mets pitcher Ryan Helsley (56) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers in the seventh inning at Comerica Park. / Lon Horwedel-Imagn Images
The return of Helsley?
Aside from the win, Ryan Helsley's performance on Friday was encouraging. The big trade deadline acquisition has struggled mightily since coming to Queens, but has strung together some good outings of late.
Over his last three appearances, he's allowed just one hit and one walk across three innings with one strikeout. Friday was extra impressive as he came in in a high-leverage situation. With the Mets only up 8-6 in the seventh, Mendoza called on Helsley and the veteran delivered, getting a ground out, a strikeout looking and a line out to finish the 1-2-3 frame.
"There’s a lot to like. The way the slider, below the strike zone, getting chases and swings and misses there," Mendoza said of Helsley's outing. "Tried a few times to elevate the fastball, even though he didn’t get swing and miss on the nine-hole hitter, it was effective enough with the fastball. Throwing strikes but executing when he needs to.
"I’ve been saying, we need him. This is a guy that’s proven before in this league. It’s good to see him out there in that situation, up two in the seventh in high-leverage for him to get three outs was huge."
Raley continues to give Mets options
Speaking of the Mets' bullpen, they used six relievers, including Brooks Raley, who continues to give New York exactly what they need whenever they call upon him.
Raley got three outs, two in the fifth after Huascar Brazoban struggled and then one to start the sixth. His performance helped him pick up his second win of the season.
"This is a guy who is coming off Tommy John surgery," Mendoza said of Raley. We’re using him for two ups, multiple innings. As early as the fifth inning, sixth, seventh, eighth. He’s a total pro. He’s very honest with us in letting us know how he’s feeling every day. To have a guy like that in that bullpen where you can shoot him anywhere is a luxury. We’re going to continue to need him, but we have to continue to take care of him as well."
Raley returned to the Mets in mid-July and has been great. He's pitched to a 2.42 ERA and a 0.85 WHIP across 25 games (22.1 IP).
Juan Soto's first year with the Mets is becoming more and more legendary by the game, and Friday saw another milestone set for the outfielder.
Soto's fourth-inning blast not only gave the Mets an 8-4 lead, but it was the 42nd long ball of his season, a new career high. It's the third-most ever by a Met in a single season, and his 21 homers at home are tied for fourth-most by a Met.
Considering how Soto's inaugural season in Flushing started, it's impressive how far the slugger has come, to the point that he's having one of his best statistical seasons ever. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza was asked after Friday's 12-6 win over Soto's former team, the Nationals, what impressed him the most about Soto.
"When you talk about the numbers, that is something special," Mendoza said. "For me, it’s just the person. It’s how consistent he has been the whole year. It was hard for him in the beginning, going through the ups and downs, tough stretches…Never panicked, the impact he has with the boys, that for me is what makes him who he is.
"Special guy, special player, man, it’s pretty unbelievable what he’s doing."
"Feels great," Soto said of reaching his new milestone. "A lot of hard work day in and day out since the offseason and to get results it’s really good for any player. It feels great that we got the win. It was good."
After the blast, Soto trotted out to left field, where the Citi Field crowd chanted and showed him love. It doesn't feel like too long ago Soto wasn't getting that reception from the home crowd, but he's flipped his season on its head and is helping the Mets push their way into the postseason.
Over his last 20 games, dating back to Aug. 29, Soto has a .368/.462/.829 slashline with 10 home runs, three doubles, one triple, 24 RBI and 20 runs. During that span, he leads the majors in home runs, RBI, SLG, total bases (63) and OPS (1.291).
"This crowd has been unbelievable," Soto said. "The whole year they’ve been showing up, Nothing else we can ask for."
In his eighth big league season, Soto continues to push the heights of the production he can put up. After setting a career high in homers in his final season with the Padres, he eclipsed that with the Yankees a year ago, en route to finishing third in MVP voting. But in 2025, Soto continues to produce power that we haven't seen from him.
What goes into it?
"A combination of everything that he does at the plate," Mendoza explained. "His ability to control the strike zone. His bat-to-ball skills, his power, his ability to drive the ball to all fields. His ability to hit righties and lefties and on top of that, the awareness and understanding of the situation. What the pitcher is trying to do to him, it’s a complete package at the batter’s box. At this point, nothing surprises me anymore. He’s going to continue to get better, that’s pretty unbelievable."
Soto finished Friday's game going 2-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base. His walk is the 121st of the season and is now just four shy of tying John Olerud's franchise record for a season. His 34th stolen base, another career high, are the most by a Met in a single since since Eric Young Jr. in 2013.
With eight games to go, and just six stolen bases needed, Soto can become the first Met to go 40/40 and just the seventh player in MLB history to do it.
The regular season is winding down for Triple-A Syracuse, but two of the Mets' top prospects aren't squandering the few opportunities they have left to improve their standing within the organization.
There was no shortage of offense in Syracuse's 8-1 road win over Lehigh Valley on Friday night, and Jett Williams and Carson Benge inflicted the most damage. The pair of highly-touted youngsters delivered three combined extra-base hits, and drove in two runs apiece.
Benge broke the ice in the first inning with an RBI single to right, and then in the fourth, his triple to the right-center field gap bumped Syracuse's lead to 2-0. It was the 22-year-old outfielder's first Triple-A three-bagger, and seventh across three minor-league levels this season.
Williams then flaunted some pop in the sixth, crushing a two-out fastball to deep left field for a two-run shot -- his sixth homer with Syracuse. It also wasn't the only extra-base knock for the 21-year-old infielder, as he collected a triple of his own with one out in the eighth.
Call it welcomed production from Williams and Benge, who've both hit near the Mendoza Line since receiving the Triple-A promotion in mid-August. The Mets' expectations for them remain sky-high, of course -- Benge was recently named the franchise's Minor League Player of the Year.
In between Benge and Williams in Syracuse's lineup was outfielder Tyrone Taylor, recovering from an early September hamstring strain. He began his rehab assignment on a positive note, finishing 1-for-4 with an RBI single in the sixth. He was subbed out in the bottom of the seventh.
Juan Soto set a new career high for homers in a season as the Mets took advantage of mistakes to defeat the Nationals, 12-6, at Citi Field on Friday night.
Soto went 2-for-3 with three RBI, two walks and a stolen base as the Mets have won four of their last five games.
Here are the takeaways...
-Brandon Sproat dominated the Nats over the first two innings, striking out three, but it started to unravel a bit in the third inning due to to bad fundies. After a leadoff walk, Jorge Alfaro hit a dribbler down the third base line that Sproat came off the mound to field, and the young right-hander probably should have held it, but tried to get the out at first and instead threw it into the outfield. Paul DeJong scampered all the way home as the Mets' fielders took a while to get the ball in. After a walk, Sproat got James Wood to hit into a much-needed double play to record the first two outs of the inning. Sproat was one strike away from getting out of the inning, but CJ Abrams' double put the Nats up 2-1. Josh Bell followed with a liner to left-center field that Jose Siri had a beat on, but the ball bounced out of his glove and Abrams came around to score on the double. Daylen Lile then hit it toward Siri in shallow center but he took a bad route on it and the ball skipped past him all the way to the wall as the fourth run of the inning for Washington scored on the triple.
Sproat bounced back, striking out two in a 1-2-3 fourth, but that was the end of the line for the youngster. Sproat tossed 71 pitches (42 strikes) in four innings, allowing four runs on four hits and two walks while striking out five batters.
-As for the Mets' offense, Pete Alonso was the catalyst for the team's first two runs. In the first, the slugger hit a bloop single down the right field line. Francisco Lindor, who hit a leadoff single, went first to third and came home on an error by right fielder Dylan Crews. In the third, Alonso hit a two-out single to drive in Lindor, who walked with two outs and advanced to third on a Soto single.
The Mets would get squared at 4-4 in the fourth thanks to back-to-back singles by Brandon Nimmo and Starling Marte to lead off the inning, followed by a two-run double from Francisco Alvarez. After a Brett Baty HBP and Siri struck out, Lindor picked up his second hit of the game to drive in Alvarez as he and Baty moved up base on Woods' error in left field, allowing the ball to trickle under his glove. Soto capped off the six-run inning with a three-run shot to put the Mets up 8-4. The ball went out 107 mph off the bat, 419 feet to dead center for his 42nd blast of the year, a new career high.
-Huascar Brazoban was the first arm out of the bullpen in relief of Sproat and he didn't have it. A leadoff single, then a one-out, two-run shot from Abrams cut the Mets' lead to 8-6 and Brazoban's night. After Brazoban, the Mets' bullpen was nails. The combination of Brooks Raley, Ryne Stanek, Ryan Helsley (yes, Helsley) and Tyler Rogers locked down the Nationals lineup before Chris Devenski, with a six-run lead, was asked to preserve the win. After allowing two one-out hits, Devenski struck out the last two batters he faced.
Here's how the Mets bullpen fared on Friday:
Brazoban: 0.1 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 1 K
Raley: 1.0 IP
Stanek: 0.2 IP, 1 K
Helsley: 1.0 IP, 1 K
Rogers: 1.0 IP
Devenski: 1.0 IP, 2 H, 2 K
-With the Mets only up 8-6, the team scratched across a crucial insurance run in the seventh. Jeff McNeil hit a leadoff single (pinch-hitting for Mark Vientos) before Luisangel Acuña pinch-ran and stole second. Nimmo moved Acuña to third on a groundball and Marte tacked on the run with a groundout of his own.
Acuña then walked on four pitches with the bases loaded in the eighth with two outs to push across the 10th run of the evening for the Mets. Nimmo followed with a two-run single to put the game out of hand.
-Siri, getting the start at CF against the southpaw with Tyrone Taylor on a rehab assignment, not only made two misplays in the outfield but also went hitless (0-3, 2K). His strikeout in the fourth as the Mets were making their comeback had Citi Field booing.
Game MVP: Francisco Lindor
Lindor went 3-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and three runs scored. His aggressiveness on the basepaths got the scoring going for the Mets and he was in the mix for all of the Mets' rallies.
Highlights
Francisco Lindor comes all the way home from first on Pete Alonso's base hit! pic.twitter.com/SllaZNbfJw
The Mets and Nationals continue their weekend series with a Saturday afternoon game. First pitch is set for 4:10 p.m.
Nolan McLean (4-1, 1.19 ERA) looks to continue his dominance since being called up, while the Nationals will send Cade Cavalli (3-1, 4.76 ERA) to the mound.
The Yankees were unable to narrow the gap in the AL East standings on Friday night, as they fell to the last place Orioles, 4-2, at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
Here are the takeaways...
-- Orioles starter Trevor Rogers entered Friday with a stellar 1.43 ERA through 16 starts this season, and it didn't take long to realize that the Yankees weren't picking up his stuff with ease. The left-hander retired the first eight batters faced, and while the Yankees managed to reach base three times on two walks and one hit-by-pitch through five innings, they failed to register a hit or orchestrate a rally. Giancarlo Stanton and Anthony Volpe came close to inflicting damage, but their 400-foot flyouts landed just short of the wall. Rogers logged seven strikeouts during this five-inning stretch.
-- All that the Yankees could ask from Will Warren was some quality length, and much to their delight, the rookie right-hander delivered it. He lowered a bloated first-inning ERA by retiring the Orioles in order with a pair of strikeouts, and while he served up a leadoff solo home run to Ryan Mountcastle in the second inning, he limited mistakes from there and sent down 12 of the next 15 batters with four punchouts. After five, the Yankees trailed, 1-0.
-- The Yankees' luck against Rogers slightly turned in the sixth, as Austin Wells broke up the no-hitter with a single to center. But the leadoff knock was all for naught, as Orioles outfielder Dylan Beavers crushed any chance of a momentum shift by robbing Paul Goldschmidt of a two-run homer (or extra bases) and Aaron Judge of a single. The first web gem required a decent leap at the left-center field wall, while the latter demanded a head-first slide and snowcone catch. Rogers then induced a groundout of Cody Bellinger to complete the inning at 106 total pitches.
-- The Yankees' missed opportunities at the plate came back to bite Warren shortly thereafter. He allowed the leadoff man, Jordan Westburg, to reach first on a fielding error, and then one pitch later, Jazz Chisholm Jr. botched a shovel throw to first on a grounder that went past Goldschmidt and put a pair of Orioles in scoring position. Warren's night didn't last much longer -- a sac fly extended Baltimore's lead to 2-0, and he then walked Beavers on four pitches. Fernando Cruz took over with one out, allowing a walk and an RBI groundout before escaping the jam. Still, a decent outing from Warren.
-- Chisholm made up for his defensive blunder in the seventh. With two outs and a runner on first, he cut the Yankees' deficit back to one with a timely two-run homer to right. The 388-foot blast was also memorable, as Chisholm became just the third player in franchise history to produce a campaign with 30 homers and 30 stolen bases. The other two members of the exclusive club? Bobby Bonds (1975) and Alfonso Soriano (2002, 2003).
-- Cruz returned for the seventh, striking out the leadoff hitter, but further work wasn't requested. Tim Hill entered with one out, and the lefty-on-lefty strategy backfired. While the veteran southpaw induced a grounder for the second out, he gave up a single to Westburg and then a double to Gunnar Henderson that bumped the Orioles' lead to 4-2. Camilo Doval was tasked with logging the third out, and he did just that by getting Mountcastle to fly out.
-- The Yankees were given a crack at a late-inning rally, as a one-out, pinch-hit walk from Ben Rice, a bloop single from Judge, and a soft groundout from Bellinger set Stanton up with the tying run at second. But the moment didn't overwhelm Orioles reliever Rico Garcia, who managed to induce an inning-ending groundout to third. The ninth inning belonged to Keegan Akin, who needed only nine pitches to record his eighth save this season.
Game MVP: Trevor Rogers
Rogers kept the Yankees off balance for much of the night, and while he needed a season-high 106 pitches to complete six innings, he gave the home crowd a shutout performance worthy of cheers.
PHOENIX – The big picture for the Phillies as they wind down this regular season is to make sure a first-round bye is secured by either being the first or second seed in the National League.
The smaller one is for manager Rob Thomson to tweak and shuffle and have his players in just the right frame of mind heading into the postseason.
Friday night at Chase Field, the Phillies checked both those boxes with an 8-2 thumping of the Arizona Diamondbacks.
With the Milwaukee Brewers losing to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Phillies are now two games back in their quest for that No. 1 seed. The Phillies have now won 12 of their past 16 games and improved to 92-62 on the season.
Thomson designed for Friday to be a pitchers’ piggyback game with Taijuan Walker getting the start and Walker Buehler scheduled to replace him during a clean inning. If he could have gotten eight innings or so out of the duo, the manager deemed before the game that it would be ideal. He pretty much got it.
After giving up two runs in the first, Walker didn’t allow another during his four innings before giving way to Buehler, who was nothing short of terrific in his 3 2/3 innings of work.
Buehler, whose fastball got as high as 96 MPH and hovered around 94 during his stint, was in complete control during most of his 60-pitch outing. He did load the bases in the eighth on a single and two walks, but Tanner Banks came in and got pinch-hitter Jordan Lawlor to pop out to short to end the threat. For the night, Buehler allowed two hits, two walks and struck out three.
The Phillies got their first run on the board in the second when Brandon Marsh got a one-out single and scored on a double to right-center by Alec Bohm, who was making his first start since September 7th after coming off the IL earlier in the day.
A two-out home run to left by Harrison Bader in the fifth tied the game before the Phillies took the lead in the sixth inning.
Marsh led off with a single and stole second with two outs. Weston Wilson then brought him home with a single to left for a 3-2 lead.
Marsh had a chance to do more damage in the seventh when he came up with the bases loaded and two outs. But lefthander Philip Abner, making his major league debut, got Marsh looking with a fastball. It really didn’t matter, though, as the Phillies combined to score five more times in the eighth and ninth.
Nick Castellanos, who put on a home run hitting show in batting practice before the game, drilled a two-run shot to left off Jake Woodford in the eighth for a 5-2 lead. Castellanos entered the game in the sixth when he pinch-hit for Max Kepler against lefthander Jalen Beeks. He stayed in the game and provided those huge insurance runs for the Phillies.
It was a positive return for Bohm, who saw eight pitches before delivering his RBI double the opposite way to open the scoring for Philadelphia. He also made a spectacular play at third in the fourth, diving towards the line to get a ground ball by Tim Tawa. He reached base in the eighth on an error by third baseman Blaze Alexander and scored ahead of Castellanos on his homer and drove in a pair in the ninth with a bases-loaded single to center. Castellanos then drove in his third run of the game with a single to center to drive in Marsh and the route was complete.
