Category: Baseball

The Mets announced the their 2025 Player Development Awards on Monday afternoon, and outfielder Carson Benge and right-hander Jonah Tong were among those who earned honors.

Benge, the Mets’ first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, earned Player of the Year honors, while Tong took home the Pitcher of the Year Award.

Benge, 22, has been on a meteoric rise through the farm system, beginning the season with High-A Brooklyn and now playing with Triple-A Syracuse. While Benge is slashing .279/.380/.460 across all three levels this season, he was particularly great with Double-A Binghamton, where he slashed .317/.407/.571 with eight home runs and 23 RBI in 32 games, earning a quick promotion to the Triple-A level.

Benge, who ranks as Joe DeMayo’s No. 3 prospect in the Mets system, is likely to make his big league debut at some point in 2026.

As for Tong, he knows all about a quick ascension through the minors. A seventh-round pick of the Mets in 2022, Tong quickly went from a relatively unknown prospect to a major leaguer. He started the 2024 season with Low-A St. Lucie and was with Binghamton by the end of the year.

Tong’s 2025 minor league numbers are staggering. In 20 starts with Binghamton, Tong posted a 1.59 ERA with 162 strikeouts in 102.0 innings. After two scoreless appearances with Syracuse, Tong was called up to the bigs. While his numbers are skewed by a very rough outing against Texas in his latest start, Tong allowed just one earned run on six hits over 5.0 innings in his major league debut against the Marlins.

Additionally, infielder Elian Peña was named DR Academy Player of the Year and LHP Osiris Calvo was tabbed as the DR Academy Pitcher of the Year. Peña, just 17, hit.292/.421/.528 with nine home runs over 55 games in his first pro season. Calvo, who missed all of 2024 due to injury, pitched to a 2.51 ERA in 11 outings.

What prospect Bryce Eldridge's initial Giants role will be after MLB promotion originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Giants manager Bob Melvin told reporters that top prospect Bryce Eldridge will be the designated hitter in lineups against right-handed pitchers. 

“We just lost a lefty in Dom [Smith], and I think this was always kind of in the back of their minds, the front office minds, if there was a need for him, potentially this would happen,” Melvin explained, “He’s got some power … can hit some homers here [at Chase Field] too.” 

Eldridge, who was selected from Triple-A Monday, made his MLB debut as the Giants’ designated hitter in the lineup’s fifth spot Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks. 

“I’ll be DH-ing against the righty starters for the foreseeable future, and I’m going to go in and make the most of it,” Eldridge told reporters before Monday’s game. “I’m feeling good, I’m feeling confident. Everything’s in a good spot right now, and I’m ready to go.” 

The left-handed hitting prospect was riding a seven-game hitting streak when he got the call to join the team in Phoenix against the Diamondbacks. In 66 games played with Triple-A Sacramento this season, Eldridge hit .249 with 18 home runs and 63 RBI.

“All the reports are that he’s swinging the bat really well right now, and we’re looking to increase in production,” Melvin said. 

Eldridge’s slugging success has earned himself a spot in the lineup against right-handed pitching. Across all minor league levels this season, he has hit 21 home runs with a .848 OPS against right-handed pitchers. 

Although the 20-year-old prospect mainly will be used as a designated hitter for the foreseeable future, Eldridge is very confident in his fielding ability at first base as well. 

“I think I could go out and play above-average first base in the big leagues, that’s just how I feel,” Eldridge asserted. “I’ve just been working my tail off to get better every day and I think any of the coaches who I’ve been with this year would tell you that, is that I’ve played a good first [base] over there.” 

Melvin maintains that Eldridge will be used as a designated hitter but also wants to evaluate the prospect at the corner infield position. 

“My message to him is go up there and hit. Right now, it’s going to be DH, we’ll see where it goes.” Melvin detailed. “I want him to continue to play first base, take ground balls at first base, we’ll see where that goes.” 

Rafael Devers started at first base Monday in the first game of the series against the Diamondbacks, his 22nd game started at the position this season.  

Eldridge will be the youngest player to make his Giants debut since Madison Bumgarner in 2010. He is the Giants’ youngest position player since Jeff Ransom in 1981. 

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Bryce Eldridge reveals odd place he received Giants' phone call about promotion originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

In an airport, waiting to board a flight back to Sacramento, the last thing the Giants’ No. 1 prospect Bryce Eldridge was anticipating was the call.

The 6-foot-7 slugger had only one thing in mind: getting through the airport’s security line. 

“It (phone) was literally in my bin, next to my bag, belt and whatever else was in there. It was faced up, and my buddy, Thomas Gavello, was standing there and saw it,” Eldridge told reporters on Monday.

What Eldridge didn’t know was that Sacramento River Cats manager David Brundage was about to deliver the highly touted 20-year-old the call. 

“He was like, ‘You should probably take that.’ I was like, ‘Oh, yeah.’ I’m just standing in the middle of security, and it’s like, I’m going to The Show. It was pretty cool,” Eldridge added. 

During the call, Eldridge was notified he was being promoted to the MLB ahead of San Francisco’s pivotal three-game series against the Diamondbacks in Arizona. 

After the news hit, the journey to Arizona began.

“I got out in the middle of the security line, and he was telling me that I was going to come down here,” Eldridge said.

“The rest is history. My flight got delayed until 11 p.m., so I got in at midnight. It was a long night but here we are. It’s time to go.” 

After being slotted into Monday’s lineup, Eldridge looks to join Madison Bumgarner and Matt as the only 20-year-olds to play for the Giants in the last 40 years. 

When he gets his first at-bat, Bryce Eldridge will join Madison Bumgarner and Matt Cain as the only 20-year-olds to play for the Giants in the last 40 years. He'll be their first 20-year-old position player since catcher Jeff Ransom in 1981.

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) September 15, 2025

Eldridge, however, won’t make his MLB debut wearing his preferred gear.

“My baseball gear is on the truck going to Sacramento,” Eldridge said. “Thankfully, my car is at the Papago Complex, and I got some cleats, some bats and batting gloves in there. We’re going to use those tonight and make do with what we got.” 

Eldridge, who batted .249 with an .836 OPS and recorded 18 home runs over 66 games with Triple-A Sacramento this year, added that initially Brundage played it off as if he were headed to Arizona a week early. 

In reality, he wasn’t going to be starting his offseason early at the organization’s complex. Eldridge was making a childhood dream come true. 

“He definitely soft-peddled it,” Eldridge said about his conversation with Brundage. “I was kind of standing awkwardly in the middle of security, so I was waiting around, trying to figure out what this was all about. 
“Obviously, I kind of started to pick up on it a little bit. They had told me the other day that I was going to come here after the season and work on my defense and be in the stay ready camp or whatever it is.

“He kind of played along with that: ‘We’re going to have you go there a week early, but you’re not going to [Papago], you’re going to Chase Field.’ That’s kind of how he did it.”

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Legendary Rangers goalie Eddie Giacomin has died at the age of 86.

Giacomin, the second Ranger to have his jersey number retired, had his No. 1 raised to the rafters in 1989.

He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1987.

"Eddie Giacomin was an integral member of the New York Rangers for a decade and personified what being a Ranger is all about, both to his teammates and the Blueshirts faithful," the Rangers said in a statement. "You cannot discuss the history of this organization and not immediately think of Eddie. The great Rod Gilbert called him the heart of their team, and we cannot think of a greater honor to bestow on one of the greatest goaltenders to ever play the game. Our thoughts are with Eddie's family, friends and teammates during this incredibly difficult time."

Giacomin debuted with the Rangers during the 1965-66 season and spent his first 10 1/2 seasons with New York before finishing his career with the Red Wings.

A six-time All-Star (all with the Rangers), he won the Vezina Trophy following the 1970-71 season, when he had a 2.07 GAA and led the league with eight shutouts.

During his career on Broadway, Giacomin went 267-172 with a 2.70 GAA and .905 save percentage. 

Don't be surprised if your Blueshirts find a diamond on their training camp ice. Granted, it's a longshot, but Vinnie Vegas will tell you that longshots do come in.

My personal favorite as the 14-carat gold find happens to be 22-year-old Scott Morrow from – coincidence-coincidence – Chris Drury's state, Connecticut. But The Maven will get to Morrow in a moment.

First I must tell you a quick story about how I – personally – discovered Hall of Famer Brad Park. Well, sort of "discovered" him.

This was Park's first training camp in September 1968 and he was so far from making the big club I'd say it was about 99-1 against him. I mean nobody knew this kid.

Rangers GM Emile (The Cat) Francis had his heart set on a tall defenseman Al Hamilon who seemingly had a job locked up.

Meanwhile, I was sitting in the stands with a husband and wife with their son who was wearing  a light blue sweater. It happened to be Mr and Mrs. Park of Toronto and their son Douglas Bradford. That's how I "discovered" Brad Park -- sitting in the stands.

We three schmoozed a little and then Brad excused himself to suit up for the workout. An hour

of watching left me shaking my head; Mr. and Mrs. Park's son was the best darn D-man on the ice. (And I don't mean maybe either!) Much better – I might add – than that big Hamilton guy.

When camp finally ended, Cat was so set on Hamilton making the team, he foolishly dispatched Park to Buffalo and kept Big Al except that – after a while – Francis realized that he was in error and promoted Douglas Bradford Park to the big club, alias the Rangers.

Forgotten-Unsung Heroes From The Rangers PastThe Garden's diligent historians are working full-tilt to mark the

You know the rest. Brad emerged as the best Rangers defenseman since Harry Howell and better for sure on offense. Hamilton bounced around but never came near All-Star calibre as Francis had hoped.

If Sir Park could excuse himself from his parents to begin a Hall of Fame career, who's to say Scott Morrow of Darien, Conncticut won't fool everyone – especially the Carolina Hurricanes who dumped Morrow on Chris Drury's lap – and become a latter-day Park.

Hey, it could happen. And if you don't believe The Maven, the estimable, worthy and personable Brad Park will gladly underline my point.

Here are five things to watch and predictions as the Mets and Padres play a three-game series at Citi Field starting on Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

5 things to watch

Get on my back for a piggyback ride

On Tuesday night, the Mets are going to do something that has been bandied about for a while.

Clay Holmes will get the start, with Sean Manaea expected to piggyback him.

With Holmes -- who is well past his previous high for innings in a season -- having pitched more than 5.0 innings just once in his last nine starts, using him as an opener of sorts makes all the sense in the world.

As far as Manaea, having him be the pitcher who comes on in relief is sensible since he has experience pitching out of the bullpen and has fared well his first time through the order this season -- holding the opposition to a .703 OPS (that OPS rises to .811 the second time through and 1.071 the third time through).

With Holmes and Manaea pitching on the same day, the Mets could either go to a five-man rotation of sorts (with David Peterson, Jonah Tong, Brandon Sproat, and Nolan McLean following) or possibly insert Kodai Senga back in the next time through. Senga was strong in his first start for Triple-A Syracuse on Friday.

The offense is still searching for it

While the Mets won on Sunday, snapping their losing streak in the process, the offense was still largely absent.

They mustered just two runs over the first eight innings, with Pete Alonso's walk-off homer accounting for three runs in the ninth.

But there were some good signs over the weekend, including Francisco Alvarez's big series (four hits, including a homer), Francisco Lindor reaching base five times, and Brandon Nimmo smacking a homer on Sunday.

Meanwhile, Juan Soto continued to mash, crushing his 40th homer of the season.

New York will not have an easy assignment against the Padres' starting pitching, with San Diego sending out Michael King on Tuesday, Nick Pivetta on Wednesday, and Randy Vasquez on Thursday.

How will Jonah Tong bounce back?

It was a start to forget for Tong this past Friday, when he allowed six runs on four hits and three walks while failing to escape the first inning.

While Tong had serious issues with his control on Friday, he was also very unfortunate with the balls that were put in play.

That included the soft single that kept the inning going with two outs when he was one strike away from escaping unscathed. 

Unlike his first and second starts, things snowballed for Tong on Friday. And for the first time, he looked a bit out of sorts.

He is expected to get the ball in Thursday's series finale. 

The out of town scoreboard

With 12 games remaining in the regular season, the Mets enter Monday's day off with a 1.5 game lead over the Giants for the third and final Wild Card spot in the National League.

New York is 2.0 games up on the Diamondbacks, and 2.5 games ahead of the Reds.

The Mets hold the tiebreaker over the Giants by virtue of winning the season series, while the Reds hold the tiebreaker over the 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.

As the Mets face the Padres this week, the Giants and D-backs play eachother in Arizona while the Reds travel to St. Louis to play the Cardinals. 

Padres are in a comfortable spot

San Diego enters this series trailing the Dodgers by 2.5 games (three in the loss column) for first place in the NL West, while holding the second Wild Card spot.

The Padres are 5.0 games ahead of the Mets for the third Wild Card, and 3.5 games (four losses) behind the Cubs for the first Wild Card.

So the very likely scenario is that they stay right where they are, which would mean getting the No. 5 seed in the playoffs and traveling to Chicago for the three-game Wild Card series.

How that motivates them for the remainder of the regular season remains to be seen.

San Diego is 6-4 over its last 10 games, which has all but cemented their playoff spot. 

Predictions

Who will the MVP of the series be?

Juan Soto

Soto has been carrying the Mets for over a month

Which Mets pitcher will have the best start?

David Peterson

Peterson was solid his last time out, limiting the Phillies to three runs in 5.0 innings while striking out eight

Which Padres player will be a thorn in the Mets' side?

Luis Arraez

The pesky Arraez has six hits in his last 13 at-bats

Giants notes: How Bob Melvin's managing rotation options during MLB playoff push originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — Before Sunday’s game, Giants manager Bob Melvin said they’re “TBA” for Tuesday’s matchup at Chase Field. During the ensuing blowout loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers, Melvin tried to make sure he will at least have a few more options. 

Spencer Bivens, one of several long reliever types in the bullpen, was limited to one inning Sunday and JT Brubaker was pulled after two. On Saturday, Tristan Beck was pulled after two innings in a lopsided game. Melvin said the staff tried to save some arms so they can possibly come back to help out Monday or Tuesday, but they also don’t know what kind of length they’ll receive from rookie Kai-Wei Teng in the opener at Chase Field. 

“It all depends on how much we get out of Teng tomorrow,” Melvin said of the plan for the next couple of days. 

It’s not a comfortable place to be this time of year, but reinforcements might be on the way. Lefty Carson Whisenhunt will make a rehab start for the Sacramento River Cats on Tuesday and could return from his back strain after that. Whisenhunt could be an option next Sunday at Dodger Stadium.

If the Giants can survive that series and sneak into the playoffs, they could at some point get another big boost. Landen Roupp, their No. 3 starter for most of the year, threw a 25-pitch bullpen session on Friday and has not been ruled out if the team makes the postseason. 

When Roupp hurt his knee in San Diego last month, it looked like the Giants would be eliminated long before he could face hitters. But Roupp’s rehab has gone well and the team climbed back in the race, giving him a chance to return in October. Melvin said the plan all along was for Roupp to at least throw a bullpen session before the end of the season. 

“We wanted him to get on the mound and feel good about himself going forward,” Melvin said. “If there’s more time (in October), we’ll see where it goes … first and foremost (this was about) him getting on the mound and feeling good after what he has been through.”

If Roupp does return, it likely would be as a reliever. But right now, the Giants will take anything they can get. The pitching staff gave up 23 runs over the final two games against the Dodgers, and the next week won’t be any easier. They have three at Chase Field before four more against the Dodgers, who seem to have finally flipped the switch offensively. 

Help For The ‘Pen, Too?

Lefty Erik Miller threw a fastball-only bullpen session over the weekend and came out of it well. The plan is to throw a couple more bullpen sessions this week and then see where he’s at. A lot of this will also depend on where the Giants stand as he continues to rehab.

The hope is that the lefty can be back on the field at the very end of the season or in October, but given how much time he has missed with an elbow sprain, the Giants won’t push it if Miller isn’t needed. Miller hasn’t pitched in a big league game since July 2 but had a 1.50 ERA before going down. 

More Bad Luck

Under Farhan Zaidi, the Giants took two-way players in back-to-back drafts. While Bryce Eldridge will make his MLB debut this week, the other one continues to struggle with bad injury luck in his own bid to reach the big leagues. 

Left-hander Reggie Crawford had a second shoulder surgery recently, per team sources, pushing his return to the mound back to next summer. Crawford had labrum surgery last September and had been doing well in his rehab, but another issue popped up after he started throwing off a bullpen mound. 

The Giants took Crawford with the 30th overall pick in the 2022 draft and initially let him compete both ways. They ultimately settled on pitching and he made 14 appearances in Double-A and Triple-A last season before undergoing the first shoulder procedure. 

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MLB playoff picture: Can Red Sox catch Yankees in Wild Card race? originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

There was a playoff atmosphere at Fenway Park this weekend as the Boston Red Sox hosted the rival New York Yankees in a three-game series with significant standings implications.

But the chances of that atmosphere being recreated in October have decreased significantly.

After dropping two of three to their American League East nemesis, the Red Sox (82-68) are now 1.5 games behind the Yankees (83-66), who currently own the top AL Wild Card spot and thus home-field advantage in a playoff series with the No. 2 Wild Card team — which is currently the Red Sox.

So, if the season ended Monday, the Red Sox would have to travel to Yankee Stadium for a three-game Wild Card series, while the No. 3 Wild Card team (the Houston Astros) would face the AL division winner with the worst record (the Seattle Mariners).

Here’s a look at the current Wild Card standings:

And here’s a more in-depth look at what’s at stake for the Red Sox entering their final 12 games:

AL East crown (essentially) out of reach

The Toronto Blue Jays have the AL East virtually locked up with a 5.5-game lead over Boston and a four-game lead over New York. Toronto has a 95 percent chance of winning the division, per Baseball Reference, while the Red Sox’ chances of winning the East are 1 percent.

The Red Sox do play a three-game series against Toronto from Sept. 23-25, but there’s a very good chance the Blue Jays have locked up their first division pennant since 2015 by then.

Catching Yankees will be a tall task

A 1.5-game deficit certainly isn’t insurmountable, but the schedule doesn’t do the Red Sox any favors. According to Tankathon, Boston has the seventh-most difficult schedule in MLB down the stretch, while New York has the easiest. Here are each team’s final series:

• Red Sox: vs. Athletics, at Tampa Bay Rays, at Blue Jays, vs. Detroit Tigers
• Yankees: at Minnesota Twins, at Baltimore Orioles, vs. Chicago White Sox, at Orioles

Even if the Red Sox take care of business against the A’s and Rays (who both have losing records), they finish with back-to-back series against the AL’s two best teams in the Blue Jays and Tigers.

The Yankees, meanwhile, will face three of the AL’s four worst teams in the 69-win Twins, the 65-win Orioles (twice) and 57-win White Sox.

So, unless New York stumbles against the AL’s cellar dwellers, Aaron Boone’s club should have the inside track on the No. 1 Wild Card spot.

Keep an eye on the AL West

While the Astros are in the third Wild Card spot, they’re just one game behind the AL West-leading Seattle Mariners, who have the same record as Boston entering Monday.

If Houston overtakes Seattle, the Mariners would be back in the Wild Card mix, and both teams don’t have particularly challenging schedules down the stretch. (The Astros rank 15th in strength of schedule, while the Mariners have the fifth-easiest schedule based on opponent win percentage.)

If Boston drops to the third Wild Card spot, it would have to travel to either Houston or Seattle for that series.

One thing we do know? The Wild Card round is set for Sep. 30 through Oct. 2. It’s up to the Red Sox to determine where they play it.

With 12 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. 15...

Mets: 77-73, 1.5 games up on Giants for third Wild Card

Next up: vs. Padres, Tuesday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY (Clay Holmes vs. Michael King)
Latest result: 5-2 win over Rangers on Sunday
Remaining schedule: 3 vs. SD, 3 vs. WSH, 3 @ CHC, 3 @ MIA
Odds to make playoffs: 80.4 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

Giants: 75-74, 1.5 games back of Mets 

Next up: @ Diamondbacks, Monday at 9:40 p.m.(Kai-Wei Teng vs. Zac Gallen)
Latest result: 10-2 loss to Dodgers on Sunday
Remaining schedule: 3 @ ARI, 4 @ LAD, 3 vs. STL, 3 vs. COL
Odds to make playoffs: 9.6 percent

Diamondbacks: 75-75, 2.0 games back of Mets

Next up: vs. Giants, Monday at 9:40 p.m. (Zac Gallen vs. Kai-Wei Teng)
Latest result: 6-4 win over Twins on Sunday
Remaining schedule: 3 vs. SF, 3 vs. PHI, 3 vs. LAD, 3 @ SD
Odds to make playoffs: 4.9 percent

Reds: 74-75, 2.5 games back of Mets

Next up: @ Cardinals, Monday at 7:45 p.m. (Zack Littell vs. Matthew Liberatore)
Latest result: 7-4 loss to Athletics on Sunday
Remaining schedule: 3 @ STL, 4 vs. CHC, 3 vs. PIT, 3 @ MIL
Odds to make playoffs: 4.9 percent

On the same day Corona Centennial was playing Mater Dei in football, the sounds of baseballs coming off aluminum bats could be heard from the Centennial batting cage. Only in sunny Southern California does baseball keep going month after month. On this occasion, the Huskies are trying to keep up in the talent-laden Big VIII League that includes powerhouses Corona and Norco.

Centennial, which finished in third place last season, has three sophomores who started and performed well as freshmen: Infielder Ethan Miller (.298 batting average), infelder Ethan Lebreton (.304) and outfielder Jesse Mendoza (.314).

Read more:Prep talk: Glendale turns to sophomore running back Arman Papazyan

It was an Ethan-to-Ethan double play combination at shortstop and second base for much of the year. All that experience hitting against the likes of Seth Hernandez and facing a Corona team that had three first-round draft picks should pay off in the spring.

@LennyIbarra28
I love this pic. Be great at @ArmyWP_Football@latsondheimer@ocvarsityguy@ocvarsity@LosAlFootball@GregBigginspic.twitter.com/167xycWWww

— Braiden McKenna (@MckennaBraiden) September 15, 2025

One baseball player absent was the starting center fielder, Jaden Walk-Green, who was busy on the football field getting two interceptions and kicking two field goals in a 43-36 upset of Mater Dei.

"I'm everything. I'm the utility player," Walk-Green said.

This is a daily look at the positive happenings in high school sports. To submit any news, please email eric.sondheimer@latimes.com.

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.

Cal Raleigh hit his major league-leading 54th home run of the season, tying Mickey Mantle’s record for a switch hitter set in 1961, as the Seattle Mariners took sole possession of first place in the American League West with an 11-2 victory against the visiting Los Angeles Angels on Sunday afternoon.

Jorge Polanco tied a franchise record with three doubles and Julio Rodriguez added two more with two runs and two RBIs as the Mariners (82-68) won their ninth game in a row.

Randy Arozarena led off the bottom of the first with a single and Raleigh hit the next pitch from Kyle Hendricks, a sinker on the outside corner, 409ft into the Seattle bullpen in left-center field.

Related: The myth of the Big Dumper: how Cal Raleigh became a Seattle folk hero

Raleigh said he had talked about the record with his father. “I remember him talking about [Mantle] like he was a god. Which he was,” Raleigh said of visiting Yankee Stadium with his father when he was younger. “It’s kind of cool to think about that.”

Mariners manager Dan Wilson paid tribute to Raleigh’s attitude. “To do what he has done offensively, to do what he does defensively, to do what he does with our pitching staff, you just marvel at all the things that he’s accomplishing,” Wilson said. “On top of that, making history, and just in a very humble way, that’s the kind of guy he is. He just wants to win, and that’s where it all comes from. That’s the driver.”

The Mariners’ last division title came in 2001, when they won 116 games. Raleigh said he is concentrating on helping his team end their drought.

“You know, in today’s age it’s hard not to go on your phone and people are talking about it, texting you about it,” Raleigh said. “I’m trying to do my best to block that out. I’m glad that we have something bigger to work towards.”

Will Warren allowed five straight hits to begin the game in a six-run first inning, putting the Yankees in a hole they couldn’t climb out of in a 6-4 loss to the Boston Red Sox on Sunday night at Fenway Park.

New York smacked three home runs and had a chance with the tying run at the plate with nobody out in the eighth, but couldn't complete the three-game sweep. The Yanks leave Beantown with an 83-66 record. Boston improved to 82-68, to move to 1.5 games behind for the top AL Wild Card spot. With Toronto completing a three-game sweep of Baltimore on Sunday, the Yankees are now 4.0 games behind the Jays for first in the AL East.

Here are the takeaways...

- Giancarlo Stanton made his second start of the series in left field and made a hash of things immediately, overrunning a flyball as it fell short of the Green Monster, resulting in a leadoff triple for Jarren Duran in the home half of the first. 

Boston made Warren pay for Stanton’s blunder: Alex Bregman took a fastball on the inside corner up the middle for an RBI single, Trevor Story sharply slapped single through the right side of the infield, Nathaniel Lowe got jammed but muscled a soft liner through the right side to plate another run, and Romy Gonzalez drove an RBI double to right to put two in scoring position and pitching coach Matt Blake was out for a visit after five straight hits on the first 14 pitches of the night.  

Masataka Yoshida notched a sacrifice fly to center (one pitch after the Yanks failed to come up with a pop fly in foul territory down the right field line) and a Rob Refsnyder grounder to second, trading two more runs for the first two outs. But Warren fell behind 2-1 to Carlos Narvaez, who demolished a high, 95 mph fastball to centerfield for a 403-foot home run to round out the six-run first.

The Yankee righty settled in the second before a swinging bunt and walk put two on with two outs. It took Austin Slater making a diving catch after a long run on a ball to shallow right to keep Boston off the board in the second. He got six of the next seven Sox batters, allowing only a leadoff single in the third.

Warren was in a spot of bother with one out in the fifth after back-to-back singles, but he froze Refsnyder with a sweeper and got Narvaez to ground out to short. After the first, Warren stranded five runners and held Boston to 0-for-3 with RISP. His final line: 5.0 innings, six runs on 10 hits and a walk with two strikeouts on 89 pitches (59 strikes).

- Aaron Judge swung through a pair of fastballs before chasing a breaking pitch low and away to go down swinging in his first at-bat against Boston ace Garrett Crochet. Judge swung through a two fastball his second time up to again fall behind 1-2 with two outs and a runner on second base in the third, this time he worked the count full, but again went down swinging on a breaking pitch in the dirt. 

With two outs in the fifth, the reigning AL MVP won the third matchup, smacking a first-pitch fastball up and away 400 feet into Boston’s bullpen in right for a solo home run. It was Judge’s 48th long ball of the year (112.7 mph off the bat) for his 102nd RBI to cut the deficit to three runs.

He rocketed a single in the eighth (113.5 mph) to finish the day 2-for-4. 

- The Yanks first got to Crochet in the fourth as Stanton smashed a 110.9 mph single with one out and Amed Rosario got a sweeper down and clocked it just over the Monster for a two-run shot. Paul Goldschmidt, who walked his first time up, singled, but the three straight hits were all the Bombers could muster. Goldschmidt finished the day 1-for-3 with a walk. 

- The Yanks were glad to see Crochet exit in the sixth and Jose Caballero, who struck out twice off the starter, got a 1-0 sinker right over the plate from reliver Steven Matz and hit it out of the stadium over the Monster in left, 423 feet (108.1 mph). The one-out homer made it four unanswered for the visitors after they fell behind by a half dozen in the first.

- Out of the bullpen, Camilo Doval picked up two strikeouts in a clean sixth, Mark Leiter Jr. worked around a one-out single with a double play in a scoreless seventh, and Paul Blackburn got around a one-out single in eighth, thanks to a really fine play by Caballero up the middle for the final out.

- After Judge’s leadoff single in the eighth off reliever Garrett Whitlock, the Yanks had the tying run at the plate, but Cody Bellinger went down looking, Stanton looking, and pinch-hitter Trent Grisham swinging.

Bellinger finished hitless in four at-bats with two strikeouts. Stanton finished the day 1-for-4 with three strikeouts.

Arroldis Chapman made no mistakes in the ninth, throwing 10 strikes on 11 pitches with a couple of groundouts and a strikeout swinging on a 101.5 mph fastball past Caballero to end it.

Game MVP: Garrett Crochet

Crochet, who is tough against everybody, was tough on the Yanks. Aside from the two dingers, the left-hander racked up 12 strikeouts, getting Slater three times, Judge, Stanton, and Caballero twice each, as well as Rosario, Bellinger, and Jazz Chisholm Jr.

The Sox southpaw got 23 whiffs on 52 swings (44 percent) and another 14 called strikes, en route to needing 99 pitches to get 18 outs.

Highlights

Amed Rosario's first home run as a Yankee puts the Yanks on the board pic.twitter.com/g6b7HeKopz

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 15, 2025

Aaron Judge takes Garrett Crochet deep for home run No. 48 and it's a 6-3 game! pic.twitter.com/OTrIR7q12m

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 15, 2025

Jose Caballero hits a ball OUT of Fenway Park and makes it 6-4 pic.twitter.com/viNy4EFTqV

— Talkin' Yanks (@TalkinYanks) September 15, 2025

What's next

The Yankees head to Minnesota for a three-game series against the Twins, starting on Monday night with a 7:40 p.m. first pitch as MLB celebrates Roberto Clemente Day. 

The pitching matchups for the series: Carlos Rodon vs. Simeon Woods Richardson, Cam Schlittler vs. Zebby Matthews, and Luis Gil vs. Taj Bradley.

This is the time to bring on the rivals. The Dodgers are used to taking on challengers down the pennant stretch: the San Francisco Giants and San Diego Padres — and, in a previous version of the National League West, the Atlanta Braves and Cincinnati Reds.

The final two weeks of the regular season are upon us. The Dodgers have one remaining head-to-head matchup that really matters — and that series starts Monday at Dodger Stadium, against the Philadelphia Phillies.

The Phillies?

The Phillies have not been realigned into the NL West. However, although the three division champions automatically qualify for the playoffs, the two with the best records earn a bye into the division series. The division champion with the third-best record — right now, that would be the Dodgers — must play in the first round.

Read more:Another offensive outburst carries Dodgers to series win over Giants

The Milwaukee Brewers, the presumed champions of the NL Central, boast the best record in baseball. The Phillies, the presumed champions of the NL East, lead the Dodgers by 4 ½ games. The Dodgers have 13 games to play.

The Dodgers got a bye and lost in the division series in 2022. They got a bye and lost in the division series in 2023. They got a bye and came within one game of elimination in the division series in 2024. Would they be better off not getting a bye and playing in the first round?

“There is not a question in my mind that that does not make sense,” Andrew Friedman, the Dodgers’ president of baseball operations, told me last week. “It is better for your World Series odds to not play those three games.”

The five days off that come with a bye can disrupt the timing of hitters. They also can allow time for injured and weary players to recover — that could be critical for Dodgers catcher Will Smith, in particular — and for the Dodgers to arrange their starting rotation just the way they might like it. And, of course, you can’t be eliminated in the first round if you don’t play in it.

“We have made our life more difficult to this point,” Friedman said, “but I still think we have a really good run in us, and we’ll make it competitive. So obviously these three games against Philly are really important in that.”

What if the three games against the Phillies go poorly?

Even if they don’t, the Dodgers might not win the division. The Padres are closer to the Dodgers than the Dodgers are to the Phillies.

San Diego trails the Dodgers by 2½ games in the NL West.

If the Padres win the NL West, how much would that hurt the Dodgers’ chances of a lengthy postseason run?

Not much, if at all. Both teams almost certainly would end up in the wild-card round.

The NL West champion would play the last team into the NL field, most likely the Giants or New York Mets and maybe even the Reds or Arizona Diamondbacks, with the chance the opponent exhausted its pitching just to get into the playoffs. The other team would play the Chicago Cubs, and would avoid the possibility of facing the surging Phillies until the NLCS.

If the NL West comes down to the last day or two, the Dodgers would have to determine whether to use their best starters on that final weekend or line them up for the wild-card series.

In that scenario, what might be the decisive factor in the Dodgers’ calculus?

The NL West champion would play all three games of the wild-card round at home; the runner-up likely would play all three games on the road. The Dodgers are 48-26 at home, 36-39 on the road. (The Padres are 47-28 at home, 35-40 on the road.)

Would there be any precedent for the Dodgers not minding if the Padres won the NL West?

In 1996, the Dodgers and Padres were tied for the NL West lead heading into the final day of the regular season, with the two teams facing one another. Both teams were guaranteed a playoff spot.

In Game 162, the Dodgers started Ramon Martinez — undefeated in his previous nine starts — then removed him after one inning.

The Padres won the game, and with it the division. The Dodgers started Martinez in their playoff opener three days later. They lost that game, and they were swept in the series by the Braves. The winning pitchers in that series, in order: John Smoltz, Greg Maddux and Tom Glavine.

How many games are the Dodgers on pace to win?

Read more:Shaikin: Why Andrew Friedman's October test is looming with Dodgers

Ninety-one.

In Friedman’s previous 10 seasons running the Dodgers, what is the fewest number of games they have won?

Ninety-one, in 2016.

How did the Dodgers do that October?

They earned a bye into the division series, in which they beat the Washington Nationals. They lost to the Chicago Cubs in the league championship series.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.