Category: Baseball

Good morning, Camden Chatters.

Stop me if you’ve heard this one before: the O’s just lost a series that they absolutely should have won, all because they did a whole lot of dumb stuff.

The Birds’ latest embarrassment came against their regional rival Nationals, who completed a season series win, four games to two. The O’s dropped yesterday’s rubber game because Kyle Bradish couldn’t throw strikes, Coby Mayo couldn’t throw the ball to first, and the Orioles couldn’t figure out how to hit a guy with a 5.40 ERA. Your 2026 Orioles, ladies and gentlemen. Alex Church recapped the fruitless O’s effort.

The O’s have won just one of their last seven series — against the Dodgers, oddly enough — and are 9-13 in that span. Their defeat yesterday clinched their third consecutive losing month. They’re one loss away from matching their season-low of eight games under .500. At 39-46, they’re also just two games better than the 2025 Orioles — the gold standard of underachieving O’s teams — were at the same point of the season. And the Orioles are 0-2 since Mike Elias told reporters that he intends for the team to be buyers at the trade deadline. He’s got a little over a month to change his mind.

Three months into the season, the Orioles haven’t gotten any better. Elias and the players continue to talk a big game about how a turnaround is just around the corner, how the team just needs more time for things to click, and they’ll soon become a force to be reckoned with. There is, unfortunately, no evidence that such a thing is ever going to happen. They haven’t cleaned up their sloppy play and poor fundamentals at all; if anything, they’ve only gotten worse throughout the season. And with each passing day, the Orioles’ chances of putting together an extended winning stretch are getting slimmer and slimmer. They’ve passed the halfway mark of the schedule and are only sinking deeper into quicksand.

Adding an extra layer of pain is watching the Orioles get passed in the standings by teams that weren’t even supposed to be contenders this year, like these Nationals. The Nats were thought to be a rebuilding club that was a year or two behind the Orioles’ progress; instead, they’re an above-.500 team that has thoroughly outclassed the Birds this year.

Then there’s the Orioles’ next opponent, the White Sox, who are coming off of three straight 100+ loss seasons, including a historically abysmal 41-121 just two years ago. This year the White Sox are the most out-of-nowhere success story in baseball, leading the AL Central with a 43-39 record, 5.5 games better than the Orioles. The White Sox had barely started to rebuild and are already an exciting, hungry team full of promising young players. The O’s, meanwhile, have completely flatlined in what was supposed to be their window of contention. It’s sad.

The Orioles are overdue for a brutally honest assessment of their organization and the many mistakes that have led to this point. That kind of thorough accounting might not take place until the offseason, which means we’re stuck watching this team in its current form for the next few months.

Lucky us.

Links

Orioles start fast and fade in 6-4 loss to Nationals, Bradish ties career high in walks (updated) – School of Roch

Remember the first inning? That was nice. Everything that happened afterwards, not so much.

Adley, Beavers activated as Orioles DFA Huff, option Jackson – MLB.com

I know that Jeremiah Jackson hasn’t hit much since his hot April, but what exactly is the thought process that leads the Orioles to send him down instead of a completely unnecessary third catcher?

Sail250 air show flies over Camden Yards during Orioles-Nationals game – The Baltimore Banner

Kudos to the Blue Angels for giving the Camden Yards crowd their only entertainment yesterday.

Orioles’ Gunnar Henderson on slump: ‘One of the most frustrating things’ – The Baltimore Sun

Says Gunnar: “It sucks. It’s baseball.” The motto of the 2026 Orioles, everyone!

Orioles birthdays and history

Is today your birthday? Happy birthday! And happy 25th birthday to Gunnar Henderson. The O’s shortstop has already racked up quite a few accolades in his young career, including AL Rookie of the Year in 2023 and fourth place in the MVP voting in 2024. His 2026 season, as we all know, hasn’t gone quite as well. But what better day than his birthday to start turning things around?

Former Orioles born on this day include infielder Emmanuel Rivera (30), left-hander Pedro Viola (43), and righties Travis Lakins Sr. (32) and the late Dizzy Trout (b. 1915, d. 1972).

On this date in 2007, the Orioles’ Aubrey Huff hit for the cycle in a 9-7 loss to the Angels. At the time he was just the third player in the 54-year history of the Orioles to accomplish the feat, but the O’s have since done it four more times.

And in 2013, Chris Davis bashed his league-leading 30th homer of the year in just his 82nd game, part of a two-dinger day against the Yankees. He ultimately finished the season with an MLB-best 53 home runs. Man, vintage Chris Davis was something else.

Random Orioles game of the day

On June 29, 1990, the Orioles defeated the Twins, 6-2, at the Metrodome. Baltimore’s own Dave Johnson earned the win with 6.2 innings of two-run ball, and Curt Schilling — yes, that one — finished things off with 2.1 scoreless frames to earn his first career save. The O’s offense collected 12 hits, including three by Ripken brothers Cal Jr. and Billy, and catcher Bob Melvin drove in two runs. Despite the win, the Orioles remained well under .500 at 33-41.

Imagine getting to 30 home runs before the calendar even flips to July? Kyle Schwarber just did that, becoming the fastest player in team history to do so.

It’s just so impressive how each season, he seems to be getting better. The strikeouts are high, but who really cares when he hits for this much power. I feel like another high finish in the MVP vote is in the offing.

On to the links.

Phillies news:

• The Phillies are getting more contributors to their wins these days, unlike days past when they had just a few ($).
• The team is in no rush to get Andrew Painter back to the major leagues. The goal for his minor league stint is “getting right” ($).

MLB news:

• The Angels have someone in charge now that might actually know what he is doing. Takeaways from John Mozeliak’s presser ($).
• The Royals have stunk something awful this year, so why not pile on more bad news for them with Cole Ragans needing elbow surgery.
• Hey, what do you know, Wyatt Langford is hurt again. He’s going on the injured list as Evan Carter comes back off of it.

That series sucked. The last time the Red Sox swept the Yankees in a four-game set was 2018, which was very annoying but in hindsight more understandable because that was legitimately the best team in Boston history (108 wins, 11-3 record in October). They were a powerhouse. These Red Sox doing it when they entered with–no joke–the worst record in the American League is appalling. Awful, awful.

Can’t dwell on it though. Spit it out like an awful drink, cleanse the palate, and move on with Detroit coming to town.

Today on the site, Estevão will preview the upcoming three-game set against the Tigers, Kevin tackles the Rivalry Roundup, and Jonathan celebrates the 138th birthday of a man who was actually a longtime Tiger but also became a Yankee near the end: Bobby Veach. Later, Jonathan will return to run through the Yankeees’ top Trade Deadline priorities as that aspect of the season heats up, Peter breaks down his At-Bat of the Week, and Madison issues the mailbag prompt.

Today’s Matchup:

New York Yankees vs. Detroit Tigers

Time: 7:05 p.m. EST

TV: YES Network, Detroit SportsNet

Venue: Yankee Stadium, Bronx, NY

Questions/Prompts:

1. Are there any Triple-A promotions you’d consider to try to jolt some life back into the Yankees’ lineup? Or is there so little there at the moment (especially with George Lombard Jr. hurt) that they’re probably best just riding it out at the moment?

2. Now that almost every team has hit the 81-game halfway point of the regular season, which do you think has been the biggest surprise?

Worcester Red Sox 3, Toledo Mud Hens 1 (box)

Toledo couldn’t finish off the sweep and dropped its first game in a week, 3-1, against Worcester on Sunday.

After 15 runs on Saturday, there wasn’t much offense to speak of for the Mud Hens in this one. Toledo had only five hits, none going for extra bases. Two of those came in the second inning from Eduardo Valencia and Brett Callahan. Tyler Gentry grounded into a double play for the only Mud Hens run of the day.

Callahan had the only multi-hit day, singling again in the fifth. Andrew Navigato hit safely in the eighth, and Max Anderson got his in the ninth. The WooSox only walked two batters, so it was a pretty boring day on that side of the ball.

It’s a shame because the pitching staff was solid for most of the afternoon. Troy Watson got the start, going five inning and allowing one run on two hits and a walk — a first inning homer was the only real issue. Watson struck out five and left with the score tied 1-1.

Ricky Vanasco took over in the sixth and gave up three singles to break the tie. The third drove in both runs and ricocheted off his foot. The training staff checked him out, but Vanasco stayed in the game.

Woo-Suk Go got the seventh and worked around a pair of singles. Jack Little went 1-2-3 in the eighth, but the bats couldn’t make it a competitive finish.

Anderson: 1-4, K

Callahan: 2-4, K

Valencia: 1-2, R, 2 BB

Watson: 5.0 IP, 2 H, R, ER, BB, 5 K,HR

Coming Up Next:The Mud Hens are at home next week against the Iowa Cubs, starting on Tuesdayat 12:05 p.m. ET.

(F/10) Erie SeaWolves 6, Binghamton Rumble Ponies 1 (box)

Erie won in walk-off fashion 6-5 in the 10th inning to finish the series with Binghamton 5-1.

Things got off to a rocky start with Lael Lockhart on the mound. The Rumble Ponies took the lead three batters in thanks to a leadoff double and single through the left side. Lockhart also balked in the first, but he didn’t give up any more runs.

The command was in and out for Lockhart. He plunked the leadoff man in the second, balked again and threw a wild pitch. Again, no runs scored, but it’s not a pretty inning by any means.

Binghamton got to him again in the third with a leadoff walk and an RBI double. Lockhart came back out for the fourth, but he finally got the hook after hitting another batter with two outs.

Fortunately, Chris Meyers tied the game up with a two-run homer. Thayron Liranzo drew the walk right before that.

Meyers had three of Erie’s nine hits on the day, including a go-ahead double in the fifth. This time, the bases were loaded, so Binghamton had to pitch to him. Credit to E.J. Exposito and Seth Stephenson for singling earlier in the inning. Liranzo was hit by a pitch for his second free pass of the day, loading the bags.

Yosber Sanchez and Johan Simon got the SeaWolves through the sixth, recording four and three outs, respectively. Both walked a batter, and Simon gave up a hit. Simon also had two strikeouts to Sanchez’s one, though.

Exposito homered in the sixth to give Erie some valuable insurance. Without that bomb, the SeaWolves don’t make it to extras.

Wandisson Charles got the seventh. He gave up a leadoff double, the runner stole third and Charles went too far inside for a wild pitch and an easy score. Charles was better in the eighth, striking out the side in order.

Tyler Owens couldn’t convert the save — his first blown save of the season. After the first out, Binghamton went single, walk, RBI single to make it a one-run game. Owens got a short chopper to third base, but Exposito didn’t have time for a play at home. He traded a run for an out instead. Tie game.

Erie had the winning run in scoring position in the ninth, but Stephenson and Peyton Graham couldn’t follow up on Joe Campagna’s one-out double.

Eric Silva took the mound in the 10th and almost gave up the go-ahead run, but a great throw from Meyers got to home plate in time for the tag.

Meyers basically won this one for Erie single-handedly. Of course, it was him who came up clutch in the bottom of the 10th with a one-out single to drive Graham in from third base. Walk-off wins are always sweet.

Meyers: 3-5, 2B (16), HR (5), R, 5 RBI, K

Exposito: 2-4, HR (11), R, RBI, K

Lockhart: 3.2 IP, 3 H, 2 R, 2 ER, BB, 4 K

Charles (H, 3): 2.0 IP, H, R, ER, BB, 5 K

Coming Up Next: The SeaWolves are on the road next week against the Akron RubberDucks, starting Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. ET.

Dayton Dragons 10, West Michigan Whitecaps 4 (box)

A rough day on the mound for West Michigan led to a lopsided 10-4 loss against Dayton on Sunday. The Whitecaps and Dragons end the series tied, 3-3.

The day started off nice, with Woody Hadeen walking and Bryce Rainer blasting a two-run homer. Clayton Campbell singled to give the Whitecaps three straight hits, but West Michigan only found four more hits the rest of the game.

Rayner Castillo didn’t have it today. He walked the first three batters he faced to load the bases, and that got the bullpen up and working. Castillo struck out a batter and induced a popout, but the decision was already made to pull him. Jalen Evans took over and immediately gave up a two-run single to tie the game.

Dayton took the lead in the second off Evans, who was arguably worse than Castillo. After getting the first out, Castillo allowed a single, walked two batters and gave up a two-run double. He walked one more before getting out of the inning.

Inohan Paniagua got the third. A bad pickoff attempt turned into a run, and a throwing error from the catcher made it 6-2.

Stephen Hrustich gave the Whitecaps new life in the fourth, hitting a two-run homer to cut the four-run deficit in half.

Eliseo Mota was next out of the bullpen. He worked around a two-out single in the fourth but gave up a leadoff homer int he fifth. Luke Stofel faced the minimum in the sixth, inducing an inning-ending double play to erase a single. He came back out for the seventh and worked around a two-out single, giving the best performance for any Whitecap pitcher on the day.

CJ weins had a rough ninth, walking the bases loaded before recording the first out. A pair of singles brought all three of those baserunners home, and the Whitecaps went down 1-2-3 in the top of the ninth.

Rainer: 1-3, HR (8), R, 2 RBI, BB, 2 K

Hrustich: 1-4, HR (3), R, 2 RBI

Campbell: 2-4, 2 K

Stofel: 2.0 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 0 BB, 3 K

Coming Up Next: The Whitecaps are at home next week against the Lake County Captains, starting Tuesday at 6:35 p.m. ET.

Lakeland Flying Tigers 3, Daytona Tortugas 1 (box)

Despite losing the series, 4-2, the Lakeland Flying Tigers ended the week in Daytona on a good note, with a 3-1 win over the Tortugas.

Connor Fenlong made his organizational debut after being signed on Friday out of the American Association Independent League. He previously pitched in the Kansas City farm system, making it up to High-A in 2024 before being released.

Fenlong gave Lakeland 4 2/3 innings of scoreless ball, working around five hits and a walk while striking out eight. It’s a shame he couldn’t get one more out to qualify for the win, but the numbers are solid.

The Flying Tigers only had one hit through the first three innings, but they broke through in the fourth to score all three of their runs. Edian Espinal led off with a single, Nick Dumesnil also singled and Hunter Dobbins crushed a three-run homer.

Xiomer Guacache finished out the fifth for Fenlong, stranding the bases loaded. Guacache worked around a two-out double in the sixth before turning it over Luke Hoskins in the seventh. Hoskins walked a batter, but there was no harm done.

Bryce Alewin went 1 2/3 innings, but Lakeland brought in Jan Caraballo with two on and two outs in the ninth. Caraballo gave up the first run of the day and walked a batter before getting the final out.

Great work from the bullpen today, but it was kind of a boring game. Still, a W is a W.

Yost: 0-4, BB, 2 K

Dobbins: 1-4, HR (5), R, 3 RBI, 2 K

Espinal: 2-4, R, K

Fenlong: 4.2 IP, 5 H, 0 R, BB, 8 K

Coming up Next: The Flying Tigers are at home next week against the Palm Beach Cardinals, starting Tuesday at 6:30 p.m. ET.

The Toronto Blue Jays are on the verge of a disastrous 10-game homestand, now losers of six in a row with old friend Bo Bichette and the directionless New York Mets coming to town.

Yet Vladimir Guerrero's failings at Rogers Centre have been a seasonlong affair.

With the season more than halfway over and the calendar flipping to July, Guerrero has yet to hit a home run at Rogers Centre this season - a span of 42 games and 181 plate appearances. His home slugging percentage is .300, down from .436 a year ago, while he's hit just seven home runs overall with an adjusted OPS of 94.

THE MIZ: Fastest pitches in MLB history – Where does Jacob Misiorowski rank?

And the Blue Jays - after finally reaching .500 following a month in the red - dipped right back underwater following a four-game sweep by the Texas Rangers - an outcome that may have significant ramifications come season's end.

"It's no secret we're going to need Vlad," Blue Jays manager John Schneider told reporters Sunday, June 28, "if we want to be good."

The defending division and AL champs are now 10 1/2 games behind East-leading Tampa Bay and 9 1/2 behind the Yankees. At 39-45, they are deep in the thicket of mediocrity in the AL - Texas passed them just this weekend - and tumbled four spots to No. 20 in USA TODAY Sports' power rankings.

A look at our updated rankings:

1. Los Angeles Dodgers (+2)

• Mookie Betts, officially back-back.

2. Milwaukee Brewers (+1)

• Jackson Chourio has hit nine homers in June.

3. Atlanta Braves (-2)

• Scored two or fewer runs in four games on 1-5 road trip.

4. Tampa Bay Rays (+1)

• Junior Caminero on track to once again threaten Carlos Peña's franchise record of 46 home runs.

5. New York Yankees (-1)

• Closer David Bednar hasn't allowed a run in five weeks.

6. Philadelphia Phillies (-)

• Now 38-18 under Don Mattingly - and just three games behind Atlanta.

7. Chicago Cubs (+3)

• David Peterson a winner in his Cubs debut.

8. St. Louis Cardinals (-1)

• Andre Pallante has shaved his ERA from 5.31 last year to 3.59 through 15 starts.

9. Cleveland Guardians (-1)

• Top 100 prospect Cooper Ingle called up, delivers key hit in second game.

10. San Diego Padres (+2)

• Randy Vasquez has given up seven runs in consecutive start/bulk appearances.

Sportsnet: Let’s start with the worst news. Prior to Sunday’s series finale against Boston, manager Aaron Boone revealed there is no timetable for re-imaging injured slugger and three-time AL MVP Aaron Judge’s ribs. I guess the good news is that Boone mentioned Judge is doing some work in the weight room and has ramped from when he initially went on the IL in early June. Having Judge nowhere near returning is less than ideal. Entering Sunday night, the offense had thrice managed at least four runs in its last 10 games, winning all of them. They lost each of the other seven. With last night in the books, we can also note that they’ve been no-hit through four in each of the last three games (with Sonny Gray going 7.1 hitless last night).

Come back healthy, Cap. We need ya.

New York Post | Greg Joyce: Speaking of offensive ineptitude, Ben Rice is going through it the last little while. In his last six contests prior to Sunday night, Rice was 2-for-23 with a .174 OPS. Those figures only got worse with an 0-for-4 as the Red Sox finished their four-game sweep. Boone noted that Rice is pressing at the plate, saying “No doubt he’s grinding a little bit right now… there’s going to be weeks where it’s not easy, where you go through it a little bit.”

Baseball is hard, so it shouldn’t be a shock that even someone as good as Rice is slumping. Hopefully he figures it out sooner rather than later.

The Athletic | Chris Kirschner ($): Austin Wells has not figured it out. On the eve of Sunday’s finale against Boston, the Yankee backstop is, by one measure (wRC+), the worst qualified hitter in all of baseball. His .510 OPS is the worst by a Yankee since 1975. But, if you want reason to hope, Wells and the Yankees think it is there. Wells noted he felt more comfortable in the batter’s box Saturday than he has in a while. Moreover, in June, his groundball rate is decreasing, perhaps indicating desired contact. Gerrit Cole also spoke to what Wells bring as a defensive-minded backstop. With Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Trent Grisham all hurt and Rice scuffling, Wells being even a league-average hitter would be a giant boost to the offense.

BOSTON — For the first time since a gruesome ankle injury last May, Oswaldo Cabrera was back in a big league lineup Sunday night.

It did not go as well as he had hoped, though, with a crucial fielding error giving way to a pair of runs early on the way to the Yankees’ crushing 5-4, 10-inning loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park.

Cabrera went 0-for-3 while laying down a sacrifice bunt that keyed the Yankees’ two-run top of the 10th.

But his fielding error at third base loomed large in the fourth inning.

With a runner on first and one out in a scoreless game, Carlos Rodón got Willson Contreras to hit a hard grounder to third. Cabrera bobbled it and by the time he threw over to first, it was too late.

One out later, the Yankees should have been out of the inning, but instead Caleb Durbin came up next and hit a two-run single in what became a 37-pitch inning for Rodón, a big reason why he only lasted five innings.

The Yankees defense had let them down Thursday night, committing four errors, and then came back to bite them again Sunday.

“When we’re not scoring, we just didn’t play clean enough here this weekend,” manager Aaron Boone said.

Cabrera was making his season debut after being called up from Triple-A on Wednesday as an injury replacement for Ryan McMahon.

It was his first major league game since fracturing his left ankle and sustaining ligament damage on an awkward slide home in a brutal scene in Seattle.

“He’s worked incredibly hard to overcome a really tough injury,” Boone said before the game. “He’s done it with grace and class and hard work, all while being Oswaldo, which is one of those people that makes the room better when he’s around.”

Longtime lefty killer Amed Rosario was in the lineup Sunday against righty Sonny Gray — breaking up his no-hitter in the eighth inning — putting a spotlight on his platoon splits that are the reverse of what he has done for his career.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS

Entering Sunday, the right-handed-hitting Rosario was batting .280 with an .842 OPS in 53 plate appearances against righties and .218 with a .665 OPS in 86 plate appearances against lefties.

For his career, he was batting .263 with a .671 OPS against righties and .293 with a .791 OPS against lefties.

“Small sample, that’s what I make of it,” Boone said. “He’s going to kill lefties, I feel like.”

If we played it out another thousand at-bats, I think that would show itself. That said, I think he more than holds his own against righties, too. I feel like he’s a good hitter.”

Trent Grisham (right hamstring strain) is likely to start a rehab assignment Tuesday, which could last only one or two games before he rejoins the Yankees during this upcoming homestand.

He ran the bases again before Sunday’s game at Fenway Park, completing a weekend full of baseball activities.

BOSTON — There’s still no date set for Aaron Judge to get his fractured right rib imaged again, according to Aaron Boone, which means the Yankees can’t begin to point to a day when their best player might be back in the lineup.

It can’t come soon enough.

For a third straight game, the Yankees were held without a hit until at least the fifth inning.

And in Sunday’s 5-4, 10-inning loss that finished off a nightmarish weekend at Fenway Park, the Yankees didn’t get a hit against ex-Yankee Sonny Gray until the eighth.

Aaron Boone called it “a terrible weekend” made worse by Sunday’s performance.

“Overall, we’re not swinging the bats great this weekend,’’ Boone said. “We had some pitches to hit [and] just missed a couple of them.”

Clearly, they’re not very intimidating without Judge.

“Certainly, having Aaron Judge in the lineup changes our team in a profound way,’’ Boone said before the game.

They had scored just five runs over the first three games of the series and didn’t break through Sunday until Boston’s defense collapsed in the top of the ninth.

And in clutch situations, they’ve been especially bad, as they’re 7-for-72 with runners in scoring position since June 18.

“Give them credit, they threw the ball well,’’ hitting coach James Rowson said of Boston’s pitchers. “It was a tough couple of games, but in the grand scheme of things, I feel good about our guys and have confidence in them. You’re gonna have tough series and this, obviously, was one.”

Ben Rice has been especially impacted.

The first baseman had an OPS of 1.056 in 54 games before Judge went out with the rib fracture and entered Sunday with a .686 OPS in 23 games since then.

He went hitless Sunday.

Boone said Rice was fine at the plate without Judge before the last week, when the manager believes Rice has struggled.

He’s in a 2-for-28 slump, as the combination of not having Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Trent Grisham available has taken a toll.

“We’re going through it a little bit on the injury front, which gives you opportunities to find out about depth [and] who’s gonna be part of having a meaningful role moving forward.”

The Yankees will count on Rice the rest of the way, with or without Judge.

• CHECK OUT THE LATEST MLB STANDINGS AND YANKEES STATS

“I don’t see guys pressing, including Ben,’’ Rowson said. “When you miss that caliber of hitter Judge is, it’s an adjustment period for everyone. Guys have done a good job stepping up without Judge, and you’re gonna have stretches like this.”

Including Rice.

“Ben is already a threat in this league, with or without Judge,’’ Rowson said. “Pitchers gameplan against Ben Rice. Maybe it’s tougher for him now, but he’s capable and ready for it. We’ve got to bounce back.”

But this was seen as a bit of a test for Rice, who has spent much of the first half of the season in the American League MVP race, typically hitting directly in front of or behind Judge.

The last few weeks have shown again how vital Judge is to their offense.

Boone said Judge was doing some upper-body work but was unclear what those workouts entailed.

Sunday marked four weeks since Judge last played in a game.

The Yankees are 12-12 in that stretch and after leading the league in homers and ranking second in OPS and fourth in runs with Judge, the Yankees are tied for sixth in homers but 19th in runs scored and 22nd in OPS since June 1.

Boone called his team an “incomplete [and] unfinished product” Sunday.

That’s especially true without Judge.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone stated the obvious after his side let a two-run lead slip away in a 5-4 loss in 10 innings on Sunday as the Boston Red Sox completed a four-game sweep at Fenway Park.

“Obviously, a terrible weekend for us,” Boone said after losing an eighth game in the last 11.

“It’s one of those crap moments of the season, crap times of the season, where you have a really rough weekend against a division rival,” the skipper said later. “But you gotta get over it quickly, and understand we got a homestand starting tomorrow. Pick ourselves up.”

How does the manager not let the rough weekend keep snowballing? 

“That’s what we do, baby,” Boone answered with a wry smile. 

“You gotta love this stuff. You gotta eat this stuff up. It’s a sickness. That’s what the grind is,” he continued. “We got a really good freakin team. We played crappy on this trip, kinda. Feels bad. Kinda pisseed off, right? But it’s what we do. 

“It’s what you signed up for. We’ll dig ourselves out of it and get it going here in short order.” 

The game slipped away in the 10th when Fernando Cruz, who had been masterful with his splitter, was only able to retire one of the four batters he faced in the three-run inning as the splitter stayed up in the zone.

“Cruzer had a tough one, left some pitches up for ‘em,” Boone said, adding he didn’t think there were any issues for the reliever other than locating his best pitch. “Credit to them, couple good swings against him. Obviously, trust Cruzer there in that situation all the time.

“They got to him today, and that’s part of it.”

“Not being able to pick up my guys is most impacting me,” Cruz said after the loss. “The best teams go through stretches like this, and champions and great teams in history go through stretches like this, and especially games like this. For me, it's a formation. It's something that is forming me into a better athlete and a better pitcher, and I'm gonna be better next time."

But the reliever’s extra-inning wobble was hardly the lone issue. After being held hitless through the first 7.1 innings against Sonny Gray on Sunday, that meant the last three Red Sox starters combined for 17.1 innings before allowing a hit, following good outings from Payton Tolle on Friday and Jake Bennett on Saturday.

"I think, overall, not swinging the bats great this weekend," the skipper said. "I felt like we got some pitches to hit, some in the center of the plate where [Gray] was coming after us. And maybe just missed a couple of 'em or just didn't put 'em in play with enough authority."

The positives came in not going down meekly. Against Aroldis Chapman in the ninth, the Yankees rallied for two runs to tie the score and two more in the 10th to grab a lead against Justin Slaten.

“Love the fight, the comeback there, pressure them in the ninth and the 10th,” Boone said, adding that, “We did a good job of pitching for the most part today.”

And that was another positive. Starter Carlos Rodon was sharp early and gutted through five innings before Paul Blackburn and David Bednar put up zeros, meaning through nine innings the Yankee arms had not been charged with an earned run.

But that is where silver linings only go so far when the sky is full of clouds over Beantown: The Yanks did not get enough hits – just nine total over the final three games – or timely ones – 1-for-13 with RISP – and gave away outs and runs – committing five errors over in the first and final game, accounting for seven unearned runs.

“The bottom line is, we gotta get it going offensively, and when we’re not scoring, we just didn’t play clean enough here,” Boone said.

Rodon, who surrendered two unearned runs on one hit and four walks with six strikeouts, said it simply: “Winning cures everything, so that’s the goal."

Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts is closing in on his 1,000th managerial career victory.

Roberts earned his 998th victory as the Dodgers beat the San Diego Padres, 4-2, on Sunday, June 28.

Roberts will start the week just two wins shy of the milestone, with the chance to accomplish the feat on Tuesday in the second game of a three-game series against the Athletics in Sacramento.

Roberts has earned every one of his managerial victories while with the Dodgers, despite starting his managerial career with a single game for the Padres.

He served as interim manager for the Padres on June 15, 2015, following San Diego's firing of Bud Black. The Padres suffered a 9-1 loss to the then-Oakland Athletics at Petco Park. Pat Murphy was hired to take over as interim manager for the rest of that season.

Roberts would start his tenure with Los Angeles in 2016, finishing the season as the Manager of the Year after leading the Dodgers to a 91-71 record.

He’s won three World Series titles and five National League pennants with the Dodgers.

When do Dodgers play next?

The Dodgers will play the first game of a three-game series against the Athletics on Monday, June 29. The game will start at 6:40 p.m. PT.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: LA Dodgers' Dave Roberts closes in on managerial milestone

Baseball fans were not happy with NBC’s decision to stick with golf over the broadcast of the Yankees-Red Sox game on Sunday night. 

The final round of the Travelers Championship was delayed for nearly 90 minutes due to rain at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Conn., pushing the PGA Tour event into the baseball timeslot and forcing execs to only air the baseball game on Peacock and NBCSN at first. 

The decision enraged baseball fans, who took to social media to air their grievances as they turned on NBC only to see golf on and not the rivalry baseball game. 

“Can I just ask @nbc why golf is being aired over the Yankees Vs. Red Sox Game? This is un-American,” one disgruntled viewer wrote on X. 

“So #nbc acquires the rights to #Yankees v Redsox so we can tune into golf?” another person wrote. 

“Would be nice to watch the Yankees game if NBC actually cared to get boring ass golf off our TV screens,” one user on X chimed in. 

“@nbc nobody in the NY area gives a flying you know what about a non major golf ending right now. Give us Yankees-Red Sox as promised,” someone else said on X. 

“Yankees/Sox being preempted by NBC in favor of a non major PGA tournament shows how unserious they are about MLB as a product,” a fan complained. 

To add to the situation, the Travelers Championship didn’t even end on Sunday. 

Due to Scottie Scheffler making a putt on the 18th hole, he forced a playoff against Viktor Hovland that will now take place on Monday morning at 9 a.m. 

That will air on Golf Channel. 

After all was said and done, Yankee fans may have wished NBC aired anything but the game, because when they did finally join the baseball game in progress around 8:30 p.m, the Red Sox’s Caleb Durbin was hitting a two-run single to give Boston a 2-0 lead.

The Yankees ended up losing the game 5-4 in 10 innings.

Kodai Senga took a step back into the bullpen and took a step forward in performance.

In his first major league outing as a reliever, Senga was much sharper than he had looked as a failed starter, even if the home run he served up to Kyle Schwarber became the difference in a 5-4 loss to the Phillies at Citi Field on Sunday.

“He was really good today,” interim manager Andy Green said after Senga allowed two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out four in five innings.

The 2023 All-Star and 2024-26 mystery had fallen out of the rotation after seven games in which he owned a 10.08 ERA.

But Senga — who was needed on an afternoon the Mets essentially threw a bullpen game while four of their relievers were not available because of recent workload — entered in the fifth without complaint, saying the Mets afforded him plenty of time to warm up for a job that “I haven’t done” often.

He had no issues with Trea Turner, Schwarber and Bryce Harper and looked as if he had rediscovered his forkball.

He encountered trouble in the sixth, walking Alec Bohm before a Brandon Marsh double, but Senga used forkballs to strike out J.T. Realmuto and Derek Hill, sandwiched between a Bryson Stott groundout.

Senga remained for the seventh, when he faced the top of the Phillies order for a second time because Green had no other reliever to turn to.

Senga got ahead of Schwarber 1-2 before missing down the middle with a fastball that was demolished for a game-swinging two-run homer.

Senga acknowledged that he could have chosen a different pitch or at least hit his spot better, trying to throw the fastball up and out of the zone.

“You get to 1-2 on one of the best hitters on the planet, you want to locate better,” Green said. “I don’t want to take anything away from his outing — he came out of the bullpen, he gave five really strong innings.”

The Mets, who are using four starting pitchers and have an off-day Thursday that delays the need for a fifth, very much could use a reemergence from Senga, but that hope has dwindled.

Senga said his role is ultimately “up to me” because his performance will dictate how he is used.

“If I can’t compete and be in the zone … then I don’t deserve a spot in the rotation,” Senga said through interpreter Hiro Fujiwara. “But on the flip side, if I am able to compete, I do feel like I can throw in the rotation.”

The Mariners have made the first move in what’s sure to be a rip-roaring Trade Deadline season, acquiring INF Buddy Kennedy from the Giants in exchange for cash considerations.

Kennedy was designated for assignment by San Francisco earlier this morning as outfielder Heliot Ramos returned from the Injured List.

The 5’10” infielder has spent most of the season with Triple-A Sacramento, hitting well, even for the PCL. He’s in the 78th percentile for xWOBA, has a nearly identical K% and BB% (12.6%/12.1%) and rarely whiffs. This all has come out to a .322 batting average and a 152 wRC+. He’s made just a minimal impression in the bigs this season, with 8 plate appearances in 7 games, and zero hits.

Kennedy is likely to head to Tacoma. He can play 3B and 2B in a pinch, and will likely backfill Patrick Wisdom’s role if Wisdom is called up to take over right-handed pinch hitting duties from the currently-employed Rob Refsnyder.

The 27-year-old has not found much traction in the five years since his debut with Arizona in 2022. He’s amassed less than 200 plate appearances across 74 games, with a career 50 wRC+. On the mound, Kennedy has made one appearance this season, pitching one inning and giving up four runs, all earned.

There will be plenty of buzz around the Mets’ managerial opening leading up to this offseason. 

Albert Pujolsconfirmed during an MLB Network appearance earlier this week that he’d have interest in the job if the team decided to move on from Carlos Mendoza, as they did. 

Now, another free agent skipper is throwing his name into the ring. 

David Ross told Dan Martin of the NY Post prior to Sunday Night Baseball that he’d love to get a shot at the gig. 

“I hope they call,” he said. “It would be nice. It would be cool."

Ross now works for ESPN, but he was previously the head man for the Cubs.  

He led them to a first-place finish during the COVID-shortened season, but they were quickly sent packing as the Marlins swept them in two games in the Wild Card series. 

Chicago failed to reach the playoffs each of the next three years. 

After back-to-back seasons finishing under the .500 mark, Ross led them to 83 wins in 2023, which left them just one game shy of another Wild Card berth. 

That offseason, the organization decided to move on from him so they could bring in Craig Counsell on a five-year deal.

Ross’ Cubs went 262-284 over that four-year span. 

His bench coach during that time was none other than Mets interim manager Andy Green.

Ross told Martin that he didn't receive any interest for managerial openings this past offseason, but he'd certainly be up to the task if the Mets come calling.