Murakami, a first baseman/third baseman for the Yakult Swallows, could be a free agent this offseason -- making Stearns' presence at his game potentially highly notable.
And Murakami -- who has dealt with injuries this season that have limited him to 14 games to this point -- made a statement on Tuesday, smacking a walk-off home run.
Murakami, 25, has been a star during his eight seasons in NPB, slashing .273/.394/.543 with 246 home runs, 165 doubles, and 681 RBI.
His best power season came in 2022, when he smashed 56 homers and drove in 134.
The expectation is that Murakami will be posted this offseason. If so, he will be one of the most coveted free agents in a class that's a bit weak on the position-player side when it comes to MLB players. Kyle Tucker and Pete Alonso (who is expected to opt out of the final year of his two-year deal) are expected to headline that class.
In the event Alonso opts out and leaves as a free agent, it's conceivable Murakami could be his replacement at first base.
But the Mets would have to beat out a slew of interested teams, including the Dodgers. Los Angeles has had a stranglehold on the Japanese market for years, including recent signings of Roki Sasaki and Yoshinobu Yamamoto out of Japan, and the signing of Shohei Ohtani after he spent the first portion of his MLB career with the Angels.
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The night started as you might expect: A touching video tribute played on the Jumbotron at Daikin Park honoring Bregman’s many contributions to the Astros, including his key role in two World Series titles (2017 and 2022) over nine seasons with the franchise.
The Houston crowd gave Bregman a standing ovation, then delivered more warm cheers when Bregman came to bat in the first inning and tipped his cap to acknowledge the fans.
Bregman’s two-run home run — his 95th all-time at Houston’s stadium — gave the Red Sox an instant two-run lead, and served as a sudden reminder to Astros fans that he was now the enemy.
So, when the former Astros star stepped in for his second at-bat, they treated him as such by showering him with boos.
1st inning: Astros fans give Alex Bregman a standing ovation and he homers in his first at bat.
3rd inning: Astros fans boo Alex Bregman in his second at bat 😂
Bregman could be seen smiling in the dugout after his second at-bat, and after the game, he admitted he enjoyed the fans’ sudden change of heart.
“It was great. I loved it. I loved it,” Bregman said of the fans booing him, via MassLive’s Chris Cotillo. “I was hoping they would.”
Why exactly did Bregman love getting booed in his former MLB home?
“Just because it’s two good teams getting after it,” Bregman explained. “They want to win. You know what I mean? Like, both teams want to win really badly. It’s fun. It’s good. It’s good for the game.”
Houston fans booing Bregman was a sign of respect for the All-Star third baseman, who’s made a habit of delivering in big moments throughout his career and did so again Monday night. The Astros got the last laugh, however, holding on for a 7-6 win.
As Bregman intimated, the stakes were also high for Monday’s game: Boston now holds just a 1.5-game lead over the New York Yankees for the final American League Wild Card spot, while Houston remains one game ahead of the Seattle Mariners atop the AL West after the victory.
The Red Sox and Astros will meet twice more on Tuesday and Wednesday, and you can expect Houston fans to treat Bregman like the enemy — which is just the way he likes it.
It's Tuesday, August 12 and the Tigers (69-51) are in Chicago to take on the White Sox (43-76). Jack Flaherty is slated to take the mound for Detroit against Chicago.
Detroit took a nail biter of an opener, 2-1 as the Tigers look to get back on track. The Tigers are 3-1 in the last four games and things are looking up after they started the second half of the season on a 1-8 stretch.
The White Sox on the other hand are 1-7 in the previous eight games and have yet to announce its starting pitcher.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Tigers at White Sox
Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Time: 7:40PM EST
Site: Rate Field
City: Chicago, IL
Network/Streaming: FDSNDT, CHSN
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Odds for the Tigers at the White Sox
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Tigers (-172), White Sox (+144)
Spread: Tigers -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Tigers at White Sox
Pitching matchup for August 12, 2025: Jack Flaherty vs. TBA
Tigers: Jack Flaherty, (6-11, 4.56 ERA) Last outing: 9.64 ERA, 5 Earned Runs Allowed, 8 Hits Allowed, 1 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
White Sox: TBA
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Tigers and the White Sox
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday’s game between the Tigers and the White Sox:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Detroit Tigers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Chicago White Sox at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 8.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Tigers at White Sox
Detroit is 3-1 in the last 4 games
Chicago is 1-8 in the last 9 games
The Tigers have won 4 of 5 games at divisional opponents
The Tigers' last 4 matchups against divisional opponents have gone over the Total
The Tigers have failed to cover the Run Line in 3 straight road games against the White Sox
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It's Tuesday, August 12 and the Nationals (47-71) are in Kansas City to take on the Royals (59-60). Mitchell Parker is slated to take the mound for Washington against Michael Wacha for Kansas City.
The Royals blasted their way to series opening victory over the Nationals, 7-4 on Monday. The Nationals are now 3-9 over the last 12 games and has struggled in the second half of the season with a 9-13 record.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Nationals at Royals
Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Time: 7:40PM EST
Site: Kauffman Stadium
City: Kansas City, MO
Network/Streaming: MASN2, FDSNKC
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Odds for the Nationals at the Royals
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Nationals (+143), Royals (-172)
Spread: Royals -1.5
Total: 8.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Nationals at Royals
Pitching matchup for August 12, 2025: Mitchell Parker vs. Michael Wacha
Royals: Michael Wacha, (6-9, 3.36 ERA) Last outing: 3.00 ERA, 2 Earned Runs Allowed, 5 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 3 Strikeouts
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Nationals and the Royals
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday’s game between the Nationals and the Royals:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Kansas City Royals on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Washington Nationals at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Game Total of 8.0.
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Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Nationals at Royals
Kansas City is 3-3 in the last 6 games
Kansas City is 1-0 against Washington this season
The Royals have won 5 of their last 7 games at home
The Under is 4-0-1 in the Nationals' last 5 games
The Nationals are 3-9 in the last 12 games
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The Giants made a seismic move in June by trading for star slugger Rafael Devers, who widely was regarded as one of the best players in MLB at the time.
However, the sentiment surrounding Devers appears to have changed.
Here are the two Giants players ESPN MLB experts have on the list:
38. Logan Webb
“Mr. Consistency is on track for a typical Logan Webb season, which means making every start and perhaps leading the NL in innings for the third straight season,” David Schoenfield wrote. “Though his ERA is right in line with his career numbers, he has significantly increased his strikeout rate. Signed for three more seasons, he remains the anchor of not just the pitching staff, but the team. That contract looks like one of the best deals in the game.”
50. Matt Chapman
“Chapman is enjoying another typical season for him, with above-average offense (thanks to his power and walk rate) and excellent third base defense,” Eric Karabell wrote. He missed most of June because of a hand injury, but then he produced a reasonable .739 OPS in July.”
Webb is one of the game’s most consistent and reliable starting pitchers, and in 25 starts this season, has posted a 3.34 ERA with 168 strikeouts to 35 walks in an MLB-most 153 2/3 innings pitched.
Chapman, who continues to be one of, if not the best defensive third baseman in baseball, is having a bit of a down year at the plate, batting just .231/.338/.427 with 16 home runs and 44 RBI in 399 plate appearances, but did miss nearly one month of the season after suffering a hand injury in June.
While both players certainly are deserving of league-wide recognition, perhaps Devers, who is batting .256/.381/.472 with a team-high 23 home runs, 81 RBI and a .853 OPS, might have just as strong a case to make the list.
It's Tuesday, August 12 and the Dodgers (68-51) are in Anaheim to take on the Angels (57-62). Emmet Sheehan is slated to take the mound for Los Angeles against Tyler Anderson for Los Angeles.
The Angels continue their reign over the Dodgers this season with another victory on Monday night, this time by a score of 7-4. The Angels are 4-0 against the Dodgers this year with two games remaining. The Halos have outscored their cross town rivals, 30-19 across four games.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Dodgers at Angels
Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Time: 9:38PM EST
Site: Angel Stadium
City: Anaheim, CA
Network/Streaming: SNLA, FDSNW
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Odds for the Dodgers at the Angels
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Dodgers (-177), Angels (+148)
Spread: Dodgers -1.5
Total: 9.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Dodgers at Angels
Pitching matchup for August 12, 2025: Emmet Sheehan vs. Tyler Anderson
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Dodgers and the Angels
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday’s game between the Dodgers and the Angels:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Los Angeles Dodgers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Los Angeles Angels at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 9.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Dodgers at Angels
The Angels are 4-0 against the Dodgers this season
The Dodgers are 0-2 in the last 2 games
The Angels re 7-7 in their last 14 home games
The Dodgers have won 8 of their last 10 games against teams with losing records
Tyler Anderson has an ERA of 6.43 in his last 5 starts on the mound
Betting the Angels on the Run Line with Tyler Anderson starting would have returned a 5.56-unit profit in 2025
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It's Tuesday, August 12 and the Pirates (51-69) are in Milwaukee to take on the Brewers (74-44). Paul Skenes is slated to take the mound for Pittsburgh against Freddy Peralta for Milwaukee.
Milwaukee dominated the series opener, 7-1, and extend its winning streak to an MLB-best 10 consecutive games. The Brewers are rolling and have the best record in baseball at 74-44 — 5.0 games ahead of the Phillies and 5.5 ahead of the Blue Jays — just like we all expected.
Pittsburgh has dropped three straight games, but have Skenes on the mound, which has been good luck lately with three wins in the past four starts. Milwaukee is 5-3 against Pittsburgh this season (5 games remaining).
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Pirates at Brewers
Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Time: 7:40PM EST
Site: American Family Field
City: Milwaukee, WI
Network/Streaming: SNP, FDSNWI
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Odds for the Pirates at the Brewers
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Pirates (+105), Brewers (-125)
Spread: Brewers 1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Pirates at Brewers
Pitching matchup for August 12, 2025: Paul Skenes vs. Freddy Peralta
Pirates: Paul Skenes, (7-8, 1.94 ERA) Last outing: 0.00 ERA, 0 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 8 Strikeouts
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Pirates and the Brewers
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday’s game between the Pirates and the Brewers:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the Milwaukee Brewers on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Pittsburgh Pirates at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Pirates at Brewers
Milwaukee is 10-0 in the last 10 games
Pittsburgh is 0-3 in the last 3 games
Pittsburgh is 1-3 in the last 4 road games
Pittsburgh is 3-1 in the last 4 Skenes' starts
The Brewers have 4 straight home wins over the Pirates with Freddy Peralta as the opener
8 of the Brewers' last 9 games have gone over the Total with Freddy Peralta as the opener
The Brewers have covered the Run Line in 5 of their last 7 home matchups against the Pirates
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It's Tuesday, August 12 and the Padres (67-52) are in San Francisco to take on the Giants (59-60). Nestor Cortes is slated to take the mound for San Diego against Robbie Ray for San Francisco.
The Padres won the series opener over the Giants to extend its winning streak to three games, while San Francisco extended its losing streak to three games.
San Diego is now 12-3 over the last 15 games and heating up the NL West standings at 1.0 game behind the Dodgers. With last night's loss, the Giants are now below .500 and 9.0 games back of the division.
Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We’ve got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch first pitch, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts.
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Game details & how to watch Padres at Giants
Date: Tuesday, August 12, 2025
Time: 9:45PM EST
Site: Oracle Park
City: San Francisco, CA
Network/Streaming: SDPA, NBCSBA
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Odds for the Padres at the Giants
The latest odds as of Tuesday:
Moneyline: Padres (+110), Giants (-131)
Spread: Giants -1.5
Total: 7.0 runs
Probable starting pitchers for Padres at Giants
Pitching matchup for August 12, 2025: Nestor Cortes vs. Robbie Ray
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Expert picks & predictions for tonight’s game between the Padres and the Giants
Rotoworld Best Bet
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Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information and weather forecasts.
Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager.
Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Tuesday’s game between the Padres and the Giants:
Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is staying away from a play on the Moneyline.
Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the San Diego Padres at +1.5.
Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0.
Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC.
Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Padres at Giants
San Diego is 5-1 in the last 6 games and 3-0 in the past 3
San Diego is 12-3 in the past 15 games
San Francisco is 3-3 in the last 6 games and 0-3 in the past 3
The Padres have won 5 of their last 7 games, while the Giants have lost 11 in 13 at home
The Padres' last 3 games have gone over the Total
The Giants have failed to cover the Run Line in 16 of their last 20 home games
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The Yankees entered Monday's series opener against the Minnesota Twins in a bit of a tailspin and in danger of falling into a tie with the Cleveland Guardians for the final Wild Card spot with a loss.
So, having yet to win a series during the month of August with a 2-7 record over its last nine games, New York needed a spark in the worst way.
Answering the call, Cody Bellinger hit a solo homer in the first inning to get the Bronx Bombers out to an early lead. After that, starter Will Warren took things from there and delivered one of the best outings his manager has seen out of him during his young career.
"Big performance," Aaron Boone said about Warren. "That’s what it’s supposed to look like right there when you get deep into the game."
With the Yankees in need of length from their starters after relying so heavily on their bullpen recently, Warren pitched into the seventh inning for just the third time this season (and his career), finishing his night after 6.2 innings and allowing two earned runs (two solo shots) on three hits, no walks and seven strikeouts.
The 26-year-old only needed 85 pitches and notched his seventh win of the season, lowering his season ERA to 4.34. It was exactly what New York needed as the rookie continues to impress in his first full season while gaining more and more confidence along the way.
"It was a really complete game I thought. Starting with the starting pitcher," Boone said. "Just a really clean game all around."
But it wasn't just Warren who helped the Yankees win their first series opener since July 11 against the Chicago Cubs -- exactly one month ago.
Along with Bellinger's long ball, Giancarlo Stanton, Ben Rice and Jazz Chisholm Jr. each hit solo shots of their own with Stanton and Rice going back-to-back in the third inning. Trent Grisham and Aaron Judge also had run-scoring hits as New York banged out six runs on 10 hits in a "good team win."
"I think we’ve been needing that spark," Warren said. "We’ve been playing flat I feel like and tonight we jumped out there with the Bellinger home run and then obviously we went back-to-back.
"I don’t know, we got a spark of energy and it was like ‘alright, this is how we’re supposed to play baseball’ like the past month hadn’t been like we’re supposed to play baseball. We’ve had a gut punch lately and it was nice to get out there and play baseball the way we’re supposed to."
With how poorly the Yankees were playing, hosting the Twins couldn't have come at a better time. Not only did Minnesota have a fire sale at the trade deadline and entered Monday's game with a 56-61 record, New York has completely dominated the franchise for more than 20 years.
Since 2002, the Yanks are 124-44 against the Twins. That's a .738 winning percentage.
Boone was asked if he can explain the sustained dominance over another team and the skipper didn't have an answer.
"Not really. We’re 1-0 against them this year," he said.
Whatever the reasoning, New York will certainly take it and hope it continues for the next two games and hopefully beyond that. After all, with the Boston Red Sox losing, the Yanks are only 1.5 GB of their division rivals for the second Wild Card spot and 6.0 GB of the Toronto Blue Jays for the AL East title.
With over 40 games remaining in the regular season, the Yankees still have plenty of time to make up the ground they've lost in the standings. But it'll take similar performances like the ones they got on Monday night to do it. Luckily for them, they're up for the challenge.
"Buncha guys were all putting in the work today and it’s always nice when the results show," Bellinger said.
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto walks off the field during the fifth inning of a 7-4 loss to the Angels at Angel Stadium on Monday night. Yamamoto gave up six runs and six hits in 4⅔ innings. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
On the first day of spring training, at a Camelback Ranch facility adorned with ever-present reminders of the team’s 2024 World Series title, a Dodgers staff member took in the scene, then chuckled while reflecting on the club’s trek to a championship.
“Last year was not a fun year,” the staff member said. “At least, not until the end.”
Indeed, in the afterglow of the franchise’s first full-season title in more than three decades, the turbulent path getting there became easy to forget.
Last season’s Dodgers dealt with a wave of injuries to the pitching staff, inconsistencies in the lineup, and the club’s lowest full regular-season win total (98) in six years.
Fast-forward six months, and this year’s Dodgers find themselves in a similar place.
They are again navigating absences on the mound and in the bullpen over the last several weeks. Their offense has gone from leading the majors in scoring over the first half of the season, to suddenly sputtering over the last month and a half.
And after a 7-4 loss to the Angels on Monday, in the opener of a three-game Freeway Series at Angel Stadium, they are on pace for only 92 victories with a 68-51 record, clinging to what has dwindled to just a one-game lead in the National League West over the San Diego Padres.
Little fun. Lots of frustration.
"It's not going well for us right now,” third baseman Max Muncy said. “We got to find a way to snap out of it. No one's going to feel sorry for us. So it's on us to find our way out of it, and we need to do it."
Monday’s game was a lost cause from the start.
Despite getting an extra day of rest this week, after flipping places in the rotation with Tyler Glasnow for Sunday’s loss against the Toronto Blue Jays, Yoshinobu Yamamoto turned in one of his worst starts in the majors.
He gave up a home run to Zach Neto on his first pitch of the night, and another run later in the first inning after two walks (one of them on a missed third strike call from home plate umpire Dan Iassogna) and a Yoán Moncada single.
Then, in the fifth, his outing completely fell apart. Five of the first seven batters of the inning reached base (four singles and a hit by pitch). Four runs crossed the plate (including two on a Mike Trout single). And after Yamamoto walked his fifth batter with two outs, manager Dave Roberts was forced into an early hook, removing Yamamoto after 4⅔ innings and six runs (the most Yamamoto has yielded in his 41-game MLB career).
“[The early runs] kind of threw me off rhythm,” Yamamoto, whose earned-run average rose to a season-high 2.84, through interpreter Yoshihiro Sonoda. “As the game went on, I was trying to make a few adjustments. But unfortunately, I didn't make them."
The Dodgers’ lineup didn’t do much better.
Over the first six innings, they failed to figure out Angels right-hander José Soriano and his upper-90s mph sinker, managing just two hits while striking out six times.
Angels shortstop Zach Neto celebrates with teammates after hitting a home run in the sixth inning Monday against the Dodgers. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
By the time they finally put a runner in scoring position in the seventh, the deficit had grown to 7-0 on Neto’s second home run of the night (this time off Alexis Diaz). And even then, they came up empty, with Alex Freeland grounding into an inning-ending double-play against former Dodgers reliever Luis García with the bases loaded.
Eighth-inning home runs from Shohei Ohtani (his 42nd of the season, and the 100th of his career at his old home stadium in Anaheim) and Muncy (a three-run drive inside the right-field foul pole) put the Dodgers on the board at long last.
But it was far too little, much too late — allowing the Angels (57-62) to improve to 4-0 against the Dodgers this season after sweeping a series at Chavez Ravine back in May.
“This was a bad loss for us,” Muncy said. “There's not really a way of getting around that.”
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts walks off the field after pulling Yoshinobu Yamamoto from the game in the fifth inning Monday. (Carlin Stiehl / Los Angeles Times)
When coupled with Sunday’s maddening defeat to Toronto (a defeat that left Roberts outwardly perturbed in his postgame news conference), the last 48 hours have represented another backward step in a Dodgers’ campaign that is quickly growing full of them.
It has zapped whatever momentum was building after the team’s two series-opening victories against the AL East-leading Blue Jays last weekend. It has dropped the club to 12-19 since the Fourth of July, the fifth-worst record in the majors over that span. And, most consequentially, it has opened the door for the Padres (who were 8½ games back of the Dodgers as recently as July 2) to inch closer to the division lead ahead of their visit to Dodger Stadium on Friday.
“You hate to say that yesterday's loss carried over to tonight, and you got to give credit to Soriano and the way he threw the baseball,” Roberts said. “But, yeah, I mean, you win yesterday, and you feel even better about coming into today. But now you're looking at losing two games in a row.
“There definitely has to be some urgency. I don’t think anyone is blind to the fact that the standings are the standings. It’s gotten a lot more interesting. So we’ve got to go out there and play good baseball. I definitely feel that our guys are starting to feel that urgency. It’s been long enough of middling baseball — as far as overall team wins and losses.”
The only silver lining: The Dodgers overcame similar struggles last year, doing just enough down the stretch to win the division and march all the way to an unlikely championship.
But they were hoping to avoid such headaches this year, and mount a more enjoyable title defense.
With less than two months remaining in the season, that dream has come and gone.
The Dodgers can still win another World Series. But the road to this point has been anything but a breeze.
CINCINNATI — Kyle Schwarber hit his 42nd homer of the season, a two-run shot that highlighted a four-run eighth inning, as the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-1 Monday night, extending their winning streak to four games.
Schwarber’s 42nd homer moved him past Shohei Ohtani and into the NL lead. The Dodgers faced the Angels later Monday night. Seattle’s Cal Raleigh leads the AL and MLB with 45 homers. Schwarber has 97 RBIs this season.
Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott (8-3) allowed only three hits through seven innings. But, with two outs in the eighth, he allowed RBI doubles by Weston Wilson and Trea Turner. Schwarber followed with a two-run shot off Tony Santillan to complete the rally.
Abbott bounced back after a rough outing on Wednesday when he allowed four earned runs and a pair of homers in a 6-1 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Against the Phillies, he retired the first 12 batters he faced before J.T. Realmuto doubled leading off the fifth.
The Reds went ahead 1-0 when TJ Friedl doubled and scored on Gavin Lux’s single in the first. It was the only run allowed by Phillies starter Taijuan Walker in his six innings.
Orion Kerkering retired the Reds in order in the ninth for his third save in seven chances. Jordan Romano (2-4) earned the victory for Philadelphia, which moved six games ahead of the idle New York Mets in the division.
Key moment
With one out in the seventh, Reds right fielder Noelvi Marte prevented the tying run from scoring when he threw out Bryce Harper attempting to score from third on Nick Castellano’s fly ball.
Key stat
Schwarber, who was born in nearby Middletown, Ohio, has 13 career home runs at Great American Ball Park, the most of any road ballpark.
Up next
Phillies LHP Ranger Suárez (8-5, 2.94 ERA) will face Reds RHP Brady Singer (9-9, 5.43 ERA) on Tuesday.
NEW YORK — Yankees ace Gerrit Cole took another step in his recovery from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow by making 20 throws off flat ground on Monday.
“It felt really good today,” Cole said before New York opened a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium. “I was fairly accurate and I had a good time.”
Cole began his throwing program five months after getting an internal brace inserted into his elbow in an operation by Los Angeles Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache.
The normal rehabilitation time is about 14 months and Cole had been building up to getting off flat ground for the past few weeks. Cole said his initial progressing will last for a few months before he can off a mound, and then he will get shut down and expects a normal offseason.
“It’s a big one, first day throwing,” Cole said. “I’ve been building up to it for a few weeks. So It’s nice to get outside and get it accomplished and have it go well.”
A 34-year-old right-hander with a 153-80 career record and 3.18 ERA over 317 starts, Cole’s arm initially was in a cast following the surgery and then a brace. The brace was removed in mid-April and Cole had been undergoing about 90 minutes to two hours of rehab.
Cole has thrown 1,954 innings over 12 major league seasons, plus an additional 133 1/3 innings in 22 postseason starts. His procedure was reconstruction of the ligament with an internal brace, which is designed to promote stability.
Cole is signed to a $324 million, nine-year contract through 2028, and is in the dugout for home games. He also joined a YES Network broadcast for a few innings during a game against the Los Angeles Angels on June 17.
“Excited for him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s done a good job with the rehab and this is one of those cool markers along the way that is significant to hit. So excited for him.”
Cole’s 2024 season debut was delayed until June 19 because of nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow. He went 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts for New York and was 1-0 with a 2.17 ERA in five postseason starts.
Cole went for tests after allowing a pair of home runs in his second spring training start this year, against Minnesota on March 6.
The Yankees bounced back after dropping their third series in a row over the weekend by beating the Minnesota Twins on Monday night, 6-2.
Here are the takeaways...
-All or nothing seemed to be the biggest theme in this one with five different players hitting five solo homers. Cody Bellinger got things started by hitting his 21st bomb of the season in the bottom of the first inning. The solo shot off Zebby Matthews was the first hit of the game and gave New York a 1-0 lead.
Matthews would allow two more home runs in his 5.2 innings of work -- back-to-back solo shots by Giancarlo Stanton and Ben Rice in the third. Stanton lifted his 11th of the season on the first pitch he saw while Rice crushed his 17th of the year on a 2-2 slider and sent it 415 feet to right field.
When Matthews wasn't letting up long balls, though, he was striking out New York's hitters, finishing with nine strikeouts to match his career high. His night was over after issuing his first walk of the game and throwing 99 pitches (68 strikes).
-On the other side was Will Warren who had a similar performance as Matthews. Like Matthews, Warren's night mostly consisted of strikeouts or solo home runs. To his credit, the rookie right-hander was slightly better than his competition and only allowed two solo shots -- one to Byron Buxton in the sixth and another to Trevor Larnach in the seventh -- in 6.2 innings. He also struck out seven while walking none on 85 pitches (60 strikes).
Warren left the game with a 3-2 lead and his outing was good enough to secure his seventh win of the season (7-5). It was also the fourth straight start where he's allowed two earned runs or fewer.
The offense relied less on the long ball in the bottom half of the seventh and strung together three hits and a walk against reliever Brooks Kriske, who got the final out of the sixth, to start the frame which resulted in two more runs. Ryan McMahon doubled to lead things off, Anthony Volpe walked (after a wild pitch advanced McMahon to third) followed by Trent Grisham and Aaron Judge singling them home.
-Jazz Chisholm Jr. ended the scoring with a bang by smacking another solo shot to lead off the eighth inning. It was the Bronx Bombers' fourth home run of the game and Chisholm's 20th of the season.
-The Yanks finished with 10 hits on the night with every player in the starting lineup besides Paul Goldschmidt getting at least one hit. Stanton and Rice each had two hits.
-Following Warren, Luke Weaver and David Bednar combined for 2.1 perfect innings while striking out four.
-Both teams combined for six home runs and 23 strikeouts.
Game MVP: Will Warren
The righty turned in another quality start and is pitching the best he has all season.
HOUSTON — Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman were back at Daikin Park on Monday.
But while Correa was making his triumphant return home after the recent blockbuster trade that brought him back to the Houston Astros from the Minnesota Twins, Bregman was in the ballpark for the first time as a visitor after signing with the Boston Red Sox this offseason. Monday is the opener of a three-game series between the teams.
“That adds an extra little bit of what it’s going to mean for our fans,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “Both players, what they’ve done for this organization, it’s incredible, right? Bregman, he’s one of the best players that ever wore this uniform, and now we get Carlos back, coming in here and (helping) us win the division. It’s going to be electric here.”
Bregman, drafted second overall by the Astros in 2015, spent his first nine seasons in Houston where he helped the team to eight playoff berths, including seven trips to the AL Championship Series, four World Series appearances and two championships. The third baseman was named an All-Star twice in Houston, won a Gold Glove last season and a Silver Slugger Award in 2019 when he came in second in AL MVP voting.
Bregman was asked about the timing of them both returning to Houston on the same day.
“I was shocked at the news during the trade deadline and it was awesome and it looks like he’s fit right back in,” Bregman said. “He’s a great player, a leader, great teammate. It’s always difficult to compete against him because he’s such a good competitor, but we’re gonna give it our best shot today.”
Correa, who waived his no-trade clause to return to Houston, is back after playing for the Twins since 2022. The top pick in the 2012 draft, he spent his first eight seasons with the Astros, pairing with Bregman for many of those years to transform the Astros from league laughingstock to perennial contender. He’s been great in the nine games since the trade and entered Monday batting .405 with 15 hits, including two homers and six RBIs.
He said returning to the team where his career began after being gone for four years is surreal.
“It’s a second chance to come back here and put on this uniform and it’s a chance that I will never take for granted,” he said. “I’m gonna go out there and give it my best every single day I go out there.”
Correa, who has been slowed by injuries in recent years, said he’s feeling rejuvenated since rejoining the Astros and moving to third base after spending his entire career playing shortstop.
“Being at third base I don’t get as tired, so I feel like my legs are a lot fresher,” he said.
Bregman, who spent years playing third base in Houston while Correa was at shortstop, has no doubt that he’ll excel at his new position.
“He’s going to do great over there,” Bregman said. “He’s got an incredible arm. We always used to say if he catches the ball, the guy is out because of how good the arm is and he’s going to make the transition great. He’s a Platinum Glove winner at shortstop, so third base should be pretty easy for him.”
Though Bregman faced the Astros recently in Boston when the Red Sox swept a three-game series, he admitted that Monday would be emotional because of all the memories he made here. He spoke of what stuck out to him the most from his time in Houston.
“I’d say the championships and just seeing how resilient the city is and how it comes together when times are tough,” he said. “And the people are great, my teammates, the coaches, everything, all the memories in the clubhouse, busting our tail trying to find a way to win a baseball game every single day, the everyday grind of it, it was fun for us.”
As for Correa, he’s soaking up every minute of being back with the team. The best part, he said, is reuniting with close friend and second baseman Jose Altuve.
“As soon as I got to Boston, I gave him a big hug and I told him I missed him,” Correa said. “He’s an unbelievable player, but the human side of it, I get to hang out with him after the games, we get to go eat after the games (and) we just talk shop. It’s something that I definitely missed a lot and I get to do it again so I’m not gonna take it for granted.”
Altuve shares his sentiments.
“I’m really excited he’s back,” he said. “I really enjoyed my time playing with him and I’m going to enjoy playing with him again and we’re all excited about him.”
