Category: Baseball

The MLB All-Star Game has served disparate purposes over the years. It always has been a showcase for baseball's top talent. Once upon a time, the outcome determined home field advantage in the World Series. In recent years, it has been a fashion runway for ridiculous uniforms.

This year, it will be an incubator.

The Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) Challenge System will take its next measured step toward regular-season implementation when it is used in the All-Star Game on Tuesday in Atlanta.

Just as ABS was conducted during spring training, each team will get two challenges that can be made only by the pitcher, catcher or batter. Successful challenges are retained.

The player making a challenge taps his cap or helmet to let the plate umpire know that his ball or strike call will be reviewed. The ubiquitous Hawk-Eye system tracks the trajectory and location of the pitch and and a graphic of the pitch is displayed on the scoreboard while the call is being reviewed.

Read more:The Dodgers need a break, and a lot of help | Dodgers Debate

In the minor leagues, ABS has been tested since 2021 and the ABS challenge was implemented in 2022. Major leaguers got their first taste during spring training.

Result? Not much difference from the calls made by human umpires. Strikeouts were reduced slightly and walks increased a tick.

“We have made a lot of progress in the way the system works,” MLB vice president of on-field strategy Joe Martinez said at a media-demonstration session during spring training, “and also the way we weave the system into the game play. And we’re at a point in triple-A where we have a system that the players like, the coaches like, the umpires like and the fans like.”

The shape of a major league strike zone as called by umpires isn't the precise cube seen on television but takes a rounded form that bulges wider in the middle of the zone and tightens at the top and bottom.

Human umpires continue to improve, in no small part because pitch tracking puts every call under a microscope. MLB umpires have improved their accuracy in calling balls and strikes every year since pitch tracking technology was introduced in 2008, according to FanGraphs. Accuracy has spiked from 81.3% to 92.4%. Expressed another way, incorrect calls have been reduced by nearly 60% in 15 years.

Read more:Clayton Kershaw grateful for ‘weird but cool’ All-Star selection as ‘Legend Pick’

Major League Baseball negotiated a change with the umpires association last offseason in how home-plate umpires are evaluated, effectively tightening the strike zone. The change decreased the margin of error for umpires in their evaluations, resulting in fewer called strikes off the edges of the plate.

Still, a handful of calls are missed in nearly every game, and the all-stars will have an opportunity to tap their caps and challenge at least two calls per team. Should the experiment be a hit with participants and fans, the next step will be for the 11-person MLB competition committee to consider implementing the challenge system for the 2026 regular season.

All-Star notes

— All-Stars will wear what they wear during regular-season games, meaning those unsightly uniforms that were uniformly panned by players and fans the last several years will remain in a closet somewhere. This will be the first year since 2019 that players wear the regular-season uniforms of their teams.

— Department of serendipity: The All-Star Game will take place on Tuesday (7/15) in Atlanta, the number and location of Hank Aaron's historic home run in 1974 that vaulted him past Babe Ruth to become MLB's all-time leader at the time. Hammerin' Hank blasted No. 715 off the Dodgers' Al Downing at Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. The tribute will re-create the moment through the use of projection mapping and custom pyrotechnics at the end of the sixth inning.

— MLB All-Star week begins Saturday with the Futures Game. The MLB draft will be held Sunday, the Home Run Derby is scheduled for Monday with the All-Star Game taking place Tuesday.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Robbie Ray replaced on National League All-Star roster due to start vs. Dodgers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Robbie Ray earned his second MLB All-Star selection, but the Giants southpaw won’t be making an appearance in this season’s Midsummer Classic.

Ray is scheduled to start San Francisco’s matchup with the Los Angeles Dodgers on Sunday at Oracle Park, with the player and the club deciding to opt out of the former Cy Young winner making an appearance in the July 15 exhibition game.

Ray is being replaced on the National League’s roster by New York Mets pitcher David Peterson.

David Peterson has been added to the National League All-Star team 💪

He replaces Robbie Ray on the NL's active roster. pic.twitter.com/ng406EPxHE

— MLB (@MLB) July 10, 2025

MLB’s former rule stipulated that any pitchers making a start on the Sunday before the All-Star break would be deemed ineligible to appear in the Midsummer Classic. Now, both the team and player have the option to decide if they will appear in the All-Star Game.

The Giants pushed for Tyler Rogers to replace Ray, with the submariner posting All-Star-caliber numbers with a 1.62 ERA in 44 innings pitched during the 2025 MLB season. Ultimately, MLB opted to go with Peterson instead.

Giants have had Ray lined up for this start for a few days. It means he can't pitch in the All-Star Game, and they're pushing to have Tyler Rogers get that spot (it may be difficult since they've already had three pitchers selected). https://t.co/8sBcqH7ZrY

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) July 9, 2025

Ray has been one of the NL’s best starting pitchers this season, posting a 9-3 record with a 2.63 ERA in 19 starts. While Ray won’t pitch in the Midsummer Classic, the All-Star selection still remains on his resume, forever highlighting his stellar first half.

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Mets designated hitter Jesse Winker could be heading back to the IL just a few days after returning from an extended absence.

Winker, who exited Thursday's game against the Orioles after just one at-bat due to back tightness, is being sent back to New York for an MRI, manager Carlos Mendoza said after the game.

Mendoza noted that an IL stint is a possibility.

If Winker lands on the IL, the Mets will essentially be without a regular DH until after the All-Star break, which begins for them after Sunday's game in Kansas City.

Starling Marte landed on the IL on Tuesday, retroactive to July 7. The expectation is that he'll be able to return right after the break, with the Mets beginning the second half against the Reds on July 18 at Citi Field.

On the at-bat before he came out, Winker popped out to end the first inning. He was pinch-hit for in the fourth inning by Mark Vientos.

The 31-year-old was playing in just his second game since May 4 after returning from the injured list on Tuesday after working his way back from an oblique injury.

Winker was hitting .239 with a .739 OPS (112 OPS+) prior to his oblique injury, totaling just one home run and 10 RBI.

The lefty hit .286 with two home runs, a double, seven RBI, and five walks over five games in the minor leagues during his rehab assignment.

There's no need for us to get into an argument over this. The season is over and even the glass-bangers are sorry they made fools of themselves.

But it suddenly dawned on The Maven that I should have put together a "My Rangers Most Valuable Player List."

MY MVPS:

1. WILL CUYLLE: He sets the best example with all-round hustle and goals.

2. ARTEMI PANARIN: The Breadman is so far ahead of the other scorers, it's scary.

3. BRADEN SCHNEIDER:  Growing by the season, he's the best blue liner. (And don't tell me that's not saying much.

4. VINNIE TROCHECK: He's the best go-to guy for a post-game quote. 

MLB insider doubles down on Jarren Duran-to-Padres possibility originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox’ outfield logjam is the elephant in the room with the 2025 MLB trade deadline approaching.

Even if they’re technically buyers ahead of the deadline, the Red Sox are expected to part ways with at least one member of their crowded outfield. The emergence of top prospect Roman Anthony has resulted in Jarren Duran and Wilyer Abreu being mentioned in trade rumors as Boston prioritizes pitching help.

Duran has been linked to the San Diego Padres since early June, when The Athletic reported the 2024 All-Star Game MVP was on their list of trade targets. Their interest comes as little surprise given their glaring weakness in left field.

ESPN’s Jeff Passan listed the Padres as one of Duran’s “best fits” last month, and he doubled down on that assertion Thursday by naming him as the “best match” for San Diego.

“No player and team have been linked as strongly as Duran and the Padres — and that’s without any knowledge of how the Red Sox intend to handle the deadline,” Passan wrote. “Roman Anthony’s emergence has put Boston in a position to float Duran and Wilyer Abreu in trade discussions, and whether it’s now or over the winter, Boston wants to use its surplus of bats to fill voids elsewhere.

“Left field in San Diego is among the biggest voids in the game. The Padres have tried eight players in left this season, and collectively they’re barely have an OPS of over .600. A Duran-Jackson Merrill-Fernando Tatis Jr. outfield would be a factory of dynamism that would be under team control through the end of the 2028 season.

“The Padres might need to get creative — beyond shortstop Leo De Vries (who’s believed to be off-limits) and catcher Ethan Salas, their farm system is middling — but nobody does creativity like GM A.J. Preller. And whether that means facilitating a deal through a third team or including one of their high-leverage relievers such as closer Robert Suárez, San Diego is willing to go places most other organizations would never consider.”

The Red Sox’ primary outfield currently consists of Duran in left, Ceddanne Rafaela in center, and Abreu in right. Anthony has spent 19 games in right and nine as the designated hitter, though his recent switch to left field suggests Boston is preparing to make it his primary position.

Theoretically, the Red Sox could take advantage of Rafaela’s versatility and move him to second base, with Duran sliding to center and Anthony sticking in left. But Rafaela is arguably the best defensive center fielder in the game, and moving him to second would give top infield prospect Marcelo Mayer no clear path to consistent playing time when third baseman Alex Bregman returns from injury.

It’s a complicated situation for chief baseball officer Craig Breslow, but he told WEEI on Thursday that trading one of his outfielders isn’t a necessity.

“It’s something that you would have to consider if there was an opportunity to improve the team elsewhere,” Breslow said on The Greg Hill Show. “But I think it’s really important to point out that we don’t have to trade one of the outfielders simply because we have more guys that are capable of contributing than can start every night.”

Duran is slashing .262/.318/.438 with an MLB-leading 10 triples, eight homers, and 50 RBI in 93 games. He has caught fire in July, posting a 1.154 OPS with 11 RBI in eight games.

Riding a six-game win streak, the Red Sox will wrap up their first half with a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park.

Elite Cardinals closer linked to Red Sox as potential trade target originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox are trending toward being buyers ahead of the 2025 MLB trade deadline. If they do make moves to strengthen their roster, pitching should be the priority.

Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow echoed that sentiment on Thursday, telling WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show that the club would likely focus on improving the starting rotation. However, bolstering the bullpen should also be a point of focus for Boston’s front office.

A strong bullpen is often the key to postseason success. As great as veteran closer Aroldis Chapman has been this season, the Red Sox could use another reliable arm to stabilize the back end.

So, who should be on Breslow’s radar?

ESPN’s Jeff Passan named an intriguing option as the “best match” for Boston with the deadline looming: St. Louis Cardinals closer Ryan Helsley.

“Red Sox relievers walk too many hitters and don’t strike out enough. Take away Aroldis Chapman — the best reliever in the AL this season — and the Red Sox have a middle-of-the-pack bullpen,” Passan wrote.

“Getting Helsley from St. Louis would give Boston arguably the top setup-closer combination in baseball and go a long way toward supporting a rotation that has been among the game’s best over the past month.”

Helsley, who turns 31 later this month, has been among MLB’s best relievers for the last four years. The hard-throwing right-hander is a two-time All-Star who received Cy Young votes last season and in 2022.

While he hasn’t been as dominant this year (3.19 ERA, 1.39 WHIP in 31 appearances), Helsley would pair perfectly with Chapman and take pressure off overworked Red Sox relievers Greg Weissert, Garrett Whitlock, and Brennan Bernardino. He’d also be a rental, so Boston may be able to pry Helsley from St. Louis for a relatively affordable price if he and the Cardinals can’t come to terms on an extension this month.

Passan believes adding a Helsley-like reliever and a starter before the deadline would make the Red Sox legitimate contenders.

“Boston has the makings of a very good team in the second half,” he added. “…Everyone is contributing. A reliever or two and another starter would make the Red Sox the sort of contender they envisioned being at the beginning of the season.”

The Red Sox have also recently been linked to Minnesota Twins starter Joe Ryan, though it will likely take a significant haul to acquire the All-Star righty. Ryan, who’s in the midst of his best statistical season, is under team control through 2027.

The 2025 MLB trade deadline is set for 6 p.m. ET on July 31.

Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker to compete in 2025 MLB Home Run Derby originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Brent Rooker had mentioned he’d be open to competing in the 2025 MLB Home Run Derby for some time, and on Thursday, the Athletics star’s wish came true.

The 30-year-old enters Thursday’s game against the Atlanta Braves with 19 home runs this year and is on pace to have 30-plus home runs for the third consecutive season – he’d be just the third A’s batter, along with Khris Davis (2016-18) and Jason Giambi (1999-2001), to accomplish the feat since 1999.

The 2024 Silver Slugger Award winner is having himself quite a week after also being named to his second All-Star Game on Sunday as an American League reserve. Along with the 19 long balls, the designated hitter also has a .270 batting average and 50 RBI this season.

Rooker will be the first player to represent the Green and Gold in the Home Run Derby since Matt Olson competed in 2021 and he’ll look to be the first Athletics batter to win the event since Yoenis Cespedes won back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014. Cespedes and Mark McGwire are the only A’s players to win the event.

The other competitors already announced for the event include Cal Raleigh, James Wood, Byron Buxton, Oneil Cruz, Junior Caminero and Ronald Acuña Jr.

It won’t be much of an All-Star “break” for Rooker, but it’ll definitely be one to remember for the A’s slugger.

How Roman Anthony is helping fuel Red Sox' resurgence originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox are red hot. They’ve won six straight games and eight of their last 10. With a 49-45 record, they are four games above .500 for the first time all season.

They entered Thursday tied with the Seattle Mariners for the third and final wild card playoff spot in the American League. Playing meaningful baseball in October is a real possibility for the franchise.

What’s fueling Boston’s recent resurgence? A couple things.

The starting pitching has improved. Garrett Crochet has been an ace all season, but now other pitchers like Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello are giving quality starts more consistently. The schedule also has been quite favorable for the Red Sox. Their last nine games have come against the Cincinnati Reds, Washington Nationals and the Colorado Rockies. The Rockies might not even win 40 games this season.

In fairness to the Red Sox, you have to take care of business regardless of the opponent, and they’ve taken advantage of this opportunity in their schedule.

One player who’s taken full advantage of the schedule is Roman Anthony. The No. 1 ranked prospect in baseball is finding his groove at the plate, and he’s been a major catalyst for Boston’s recent success.

Anthony made his Red Sox debut June 9 against the Tampa Bay Rays. It took him a while to get acclimated to the majors. He tallied just two hits and struck out eight times in his first 27 at-bats.

But in July, Anthony has been on a tear offensively. He has almost matched his June hits total in 29 fewer at-bats.

Anthony has collected at least one hit in seven of his eight games played in July. He currently has a six-game hit streak with 11 total hits and four multi-hit games during that stretch.

Anthony is seeing the ball at the plate at such an impressive level right now. The ball is exploding off his bat, evidenced by his average exit velocity of 94.7 mph, which is the second-highest of any Red Sox player this season, per Baseball Savant. His average exit velocity is also the fourth-highest of any player in the majors. Anthony’s hard-hit rate (percentage of batted balls hit with an exit velocity of 95 mph or higher) of 55.1 is the second-highest on the team.

Anthony’s plate discipline has gotten better, too. His chase percentage — which measures how often a batter swings at pitches outside the strike zone — is 19.6, which is below the MLB average of 28.6 percent.

What has Red Sox manager Alex Cora seen from Anthony during this uptick in performance?

“Obviously getting hits helps, but I think the process and the quality of at bats has been there since Day 1,” Cora told the WEEI Afternoons show on Wednesday. “The kid — he controls the strike zone, he hits the ball hard, he doesn’t deviate from his plan, and kind of like (Jackson) Merrill last year in San Diego, right?

“They took him overseas in the opening series — I think it was Japan — and they didn’t expect him to be part of the roster, and all of the sudden he became a force for them. This kid is becoming a force for us. And I was kind of stupid pinch hitting (for) him in his first big league start. We’re not doing that anymore. Now he’s hitting second, he’s hitting third, he’s playing good defense in right field.

“(Wednesday) he’s going to play left field. And we keep challenging him. He’s a big part of what we’re trying to accomplish now and in the future. And we’re very happy with the progress.”

Anthony is already playing a prominent role in the lineup — 78 of his 95 at-bats have come as the No. 2 or No. 3 hitter. Add in his quality defense, and Anthony has quickly become a player the Red Sox need to have in the lineup every single game, regardless of whether the opponent is starting a lefty or a righty.

If the Red Sox are going to reach the postseason for the first time since 2021, they’ll need Anthony to continue to be a force at the plate. It’s a lot to ask of a kid who just turned 21, but he’s shown an ability to make adjustments as needed.

Now that Anthony is getting hot at the plate, the next challenge for him is keeping it up against better competition. The next four series for the Red Sox are against playoff-caliber teams in the Tampa Bay Rays, Chicago Cubs, Philadelphia Phillies and Los Angeles Dodgers.

Luisangel Acuñais returning to the Mets ahead of Thursday's doubleheader against the Orioles in Baltimore.

Travis Jankowski was designated for assignment to make room on the roster.

Acuña replacing Jankowski makes sense, since the two have a similar skill set.

While Acuña is a natural infielder, he's gotten exposure in center field and played one game there for the Mets earlier this season. And manager Carlos Mendoza said on Thursday that Acuña will be relied on in center when needed.

"From the very beginning when we sent him down to Triple-A, we knew we were looking at somewhere between 40-to-50 plate appearances," Mendoza explained. "Got up to 53, got consistent playing time. And we knew how important he is to this ball club -- the versatility, the speed. So there's a lot of upside there.

"He was a big part of this team the first couple of months. We got to a point where we felt like 'Hey, let's get him some everyday playing time.' And now it's time for him to be back up here and continue to help us win baseball games. Got exposure in center field as well, and that'll be kind of like his role here, too. Playing everywhere, speed. He's a big part of this team."

In 158 plate appearances over 65 games for the Mets this year, Acuña has hit .241/.293/.283 with 11 stolen bases, six doubles, and 23 runs scored while getting playing time at second base, third base, shortstop, and center field.

In an additional move, the Mets added right-handed pitcher Austin Warren as the 27th man for Thursday's games.

Craig Breslow reveals Red Sox' priority at MLB trade deadline originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The Boston Red Sox are right in the middle of the American League playoff race with the July 31 MLB trade deadline approaching.

The Red Sox have won six straight games and eight of their last 10, moving them into a tie with the Seattle Mariners for the third and final wild card spot entering Thursday. With a 49-45 record, Boston is four games over .500 for the first time all season.

The Red Sox need to capitalize on the recent improvement and give the clubhouse a jolt by being buyers at the trade deadline.

What might the Red Sox prioritize adding at the deadline? Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig Breslow was asked that question during an interview with WEEI’s The Greg Hill Show on Thursday.

“It kinda depends on where we are, so we have to zoom out a little bit and try to figure out who we are, what do we have coming back and what do we think is sustainable,” Breslow said. “A month and a half ago, we would have talked a ton about starting pitching and getting more consistency and finding someone who slots in toward the top of the rotation behind Garrett (Crochet).

“And then you look at what Lucas and Brayan have done over the last month and a half, and you start to feel confident in the way the starting pitching is coming together.

“That said, you can never have too much (starting pitching), so I think that’s probably what we would prioritize. But we’ve seen what (Richard) Fitts has done, (Hunter) Dobbins is getting healthy, (Tanner) Houck is getting healthy. We have some depth, but I think if there’s the opportunity to provide some impact starting pitching, and add that to the group, that’s probably where we’d focus.”

Red Sox starters have a 4.18 ERA this season, which ranks 10th out of 15 AL teams. Boston starters also have allowed the third-most hits, fourth-most runs and the fourth-most walks among AL teams.

Walker Buehler, who the Red Sox signed in free agency last offseason, has been a major disappointment. Tanner Houck has struggled, too, after being an All-Star in 2024.

On the bright side for the Red Sox, recent outings from Lucas Giolito and Brayan Bello have been encouraging. However, a good portion of that success has come against lackluster opponents. It remains to be seen whether those two starters can pitch at this level on a consistent basis.

Even if they do maintain that level of performance, the Red Sox still need another ace in their rotation to go along with Crochet. MLB Network’s Jon Morosi reported this week that the Red Sox are among the teams “monitoring” Minnesota Twins right-hander Joe Ryan as a potential trade candidate.

Ryan would not be a rental because he’s under team control through 2027, which makes him an ideal trade target. Crochet and Ryan would be a formidable 1-2 punch.

Whether it’s Ryan or a similar player, the Red Sox must prioritize another impact starting pitcher — not only to compete for the playoffs this year but also in future seasons. So if that kind of pitcher is available in the coming weeks, the Red Sox need to be bold and make an aggressive push.