After Wednesday's doubleheader, the Mets are reportedly calling up a reliever to help out their beleaguered bullpen.
According to MLB.com's Anthony DiComo, the Mets are set to call up veteran RHP Rico Garcia from Triple-A Syracuse on Thursday. Gracia, who signed a minor league deal with the team last November, last pitched in the majors in 2023 with the then-Oakland Athletics and Nationals. He appeared in 10 games, where he struggled to the tune of a 9.26 ERA. He spent last season on the Nationals' Triple-A team and pitched to a 6-3 record, a 3.94 ERA and a 1.25 WHIP across 55 games.
This season for the Syracuse Mets, Garcia has been solid. He's pitched to a 4.45 ERA and a 1.55 WHIP across 24 games (two starts) while striking out 37 batters over 30.1 innings. He's been great over his last two outings, pitching four shutout innings while allowing just three hits and striking out six batters.
With Garcia's reported promotion, the question then becomes whose spot will he take?
After Blade Tidwell's bulk outing -- where he picked up his first major league win -- he could be a candidate as his turn in the rotation won't arrive until late next week. The Mets will wrap up their three-game set with the Brewers at 7:10 p.m., so the move will become official ahead of first pitch.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw tips his cap while walking off the field after tossing the 3,000th strikeout of his career to end the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
The slider was sizzling. The hitter was frozen. The strikeout was roaring.
With an 84-mph pitch on the black in the sixth inning against the Chicago White Sox Wednesday at a rollicking Dodger Stadium, Clayton Kershaw struck out Vinny Capra looking to become the 20th player in baseball history to record 3,000 strikeouts.
As impressive as the pitch itself was the cementing of a truth that has been evident for several years.
Clayton Kershaw records his 3,000th career strikeout as the Dodgers take on the Chicago White Sox at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday. (Luke Johnson/Los Angeles Times)
How dare you diss our Sandy! Koufax won more championships! Koufax never choked in the postseason! Koufax was more dominant!
All true, as well as Koufax being a tremendous human being worthy of every syllable of praise. But as Wednesday so clearly proved in front of a history-thirsty crowd at Chavez Ravine, Kershaw has done something that any defense of Koufax can not equal.
He’s endured. He’s taken the ball far more than Koufax while outlasting him in virtually every impact pitching category.
Koufax was a meteor, streaking across the sky for the greatest five seasons of any pitcher in baseball history.
Kershaw, meanwhile, has become his own planet, looming above for 18 years with a permanent glow that is unmatched in Dodgers lore.
Koufax was an amazing flash. Kershaw has been an enduring flame.
“Obviously, Sandy is Sandy,” he said Wednesday. “You’re talking about 18 years, though, and the career of the body of work. It’s hard to not say Clayton, you know, is the greatest Dodger of all time.”
When one talks about the GOAT of various sports, indeed, a key element is always longevity. Tom Brady played 23 seasons, LeBron James has played 22 seasons, and Babe Ruth played 22 seasons.
One cannot ignore the fact that Kershaw, in his 18th season, has played six more seasons than Koufax while pitching 463 more regular season innings. With his 3,000 strikeouts he has also fanned 604 more batters than Koufax, the equivalent of 22 more games composed solely of strikeouts, an unreal edge.
In the great Koufax debate, Kershaw is clearly being punished for his postseason struggles, and indeed his 4.49 postseason ERA doesn’t compare to Koufax’ 0.95 ERA.
But look at the sample size. Kershaw has pitched in 39 postseason games while Koufax has appeared in just eight. Kershaw has had 13 postseason starts that have lasted past the sixth inning while Koufax has had five.
Kershaw has pitched in multiple playoff rounds in multiple seasons, while Koufax never pitched in more than one playoff round per season, greatly increasing Kershaw’s opportunity for failure.
Kershaw has indeed stunk up the joint in some of the most devastating postseason losses in Dodger history. But he has taken the mound for nearly five times as many big games as Koufax and, in the end, he has just one fewer World Series championship.
In the end, the strongest argument for Koufax supporters is the seemingly obvious answer to a question. If you had to win one game, would you start Koufax or Kershaw?
Of course you’d pitch Koufax … if your parameters were limited to five years. But if you wanted to pick a starter and you had to do it inside a two-decade window, you would take Kershaw.
Then there are those rarely recited stats that further the argument for Kershaw over Koufax: Kershaw has a better career ERA, 2.51 to 2.76. Kershaw has a better winning percentage, .697 to .655. And despite playing in an era where individual pitching wins are greatly cheapened, Kershaw has 51 more wins than Koufax.
How rare is 3,000 strikeouts? Fewer pitchers have won 300 games. Only three other pitchers have done so left-handed. Only two pitchers in the last 100 years have done it with one team.
Now for the intangibles. If this is indeed the golden age of Dodger baseball — as Andrew Friedman so deftly described it — then the guardian of the era has been Kershaw.
The clubhouse culture is borne of his constantly present professionalism. The work ethic starts with him. The accountability is a reflection of him. For 18 years, through injury and embarrassment as well as fame and fortune, he has never complained, never blamed, never pointed fingers, never brought distraction.
And he always shows up for work. Every day. Every game. Every season. Clayton Kershaw has always been there, which is why he will be there forever on a statue that will surely be erected in the center field plaza next to the bronze figures of Jackie Robinson and, yes, of course, Sandy Koufax.
It is unlikely the Dodgers would ever script the words, “The greatest Dodger pitcher” on the base of his statue. They are understandably sensitive to Koufax and his legacy and importance to a legion of longtime fans.
But they know, just as those fans lucky enough to be at Dodger Stadium Wednesday know it.
They weren’t just watching greatness. They were watching The Greatest.
Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw tips his cap while walking off the field after getting his 3,000th strikeout. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers' Clayton Kershaw's road to 3,000 strikeouts started in his very first game, when he struck out Skip Schumaker of the St. Louis Cardinals on May 25, 2008. His illustrious career reached another peak in 2015 when he became one of only 19 pitchers in baseball history to reach 300 strikeouts in a season.
(Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)
Clayton Kershaw made his major league debut and pitched six innings against the St. Louis Cardinals at Dodger Stadium on May 25, 2008, striking out seven.
(Wilfredo Lee / Associated Press)
Clayton Kershaw delivers a pitch during the first inning against the Marlins on May 17, 2009, in Miami. Kershaw struck out nine in seven innings.
Chris Carlson / Associated PressChris Carlson / Associated Press
Kershaw celebrates his no-hitter with his teammates against the Rockies on June 18, 2014. Kershaw struck out a career-high 15 batters.
(Mark J. Terrill / Associated Press)
Clayton Kershaw tips his cap to fans after being taken out in the fourth inning against the Padres on Oct. 4, 2015. Kershaw reached 300 strikeouts in a season during the third inning.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
Clayton Kershaw drops to the ground after giving up a home run to the Cubs' Anthony Rizzo in the fifth inning of Game 6 of the NLCS at Wrigley Field on Oct. 22, 2016.
Clayton Kershaw comes into the game for a relief appearance against the Astros in Game 7 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium on November 1, 2017
Wally Skalij / Los Angeles TimesClayton Kershaw (22) throws a strike against Astros second baseman Jose Altuve (27) in the fourth inning of Game 1 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 24, 2017.
Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles TimesClayton Kershaw strikes out Yuli Gurriel to end the third inning for the Astros in Game 7 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium on November 1, 2017.
Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)Dodger fans cheer as pitcher Clayton Kershaw gets a strikeout against the Astros in the first inning in Game 1 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium on October 24, 2017.
Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times
Kershaw wasn't able to lift the Dodgers past the Astros in the 2017 World Series. It was later discovered the Astros were cheating.
(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
Clayton Kershaw celebrates after striking out the Washington Nationals' Adam Eaton in relief to end the seventh inning in Game 5 of the NLDS at Dodger Stadium on Oct. 9, 2019.
(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)(Wally Skalij/Los Angeles Times)
Clayton Kershaw throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the sixth inning in Game 5 of the World Series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas, on Oct. 25, 2020.
Clayton Kershaw throws a strike to the White Sox's Vinny Capra for his 3,000th strikeout during the sixth inning at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday night.
Clayton Kershaw acknowledges the fans while walking off the field after his 3,000th strikeout. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
When Clayton Kershaw made his major league debut as a gangly 20-year-old with a devastating curveball, he was considered a one-in-a-million talent.
On Wednesday he entered a much smaller club, becoming the 20th pitcher in history to strike out 3,000 batters. The milestone came in the sixth inning on his 100th pitch of the night, a 1-and-2 slider to the Chicago White Sox’ Vinny Capra for a called strike.
Kershaw then walked off the mound alone before being mobbed by his teammates on the warning track in front of the Dodgers dugout. A video of Kershaw’s career highlights then aired on the video boards above the outfielder pavilions.
After the video, Kershaw stepped out of the far end of the dugout and doffed his cap to the crowd before the game resumed with the White Sox leading 4-2.
“It's the last box for Clayton to check in his tremendous career,” said Dodger manager Dave Roberts, who doubted many more pitchers will reach the 3,000K club, before the game. “You’ve got to stay healthy, you’ve got to be good early in your career, you’ve got to be good for a long time,” he said. “I'm a fan first and I've kind of appreciated longevity and moments like that, as opposed to one moment in time. The consistency is something that should be valued.”
Roberts said before the game he would manage differently as Kershaw approached the milestone and he did, allowing him to start the sixth inning despite having made 92 pitches, the most he’s thrown in a game in more than two years.
Kershaw was greeted by a loud ovation when he stepped out of the dugout to stretch about 40 minutes before game time. Fans also roared every time Kershaw got the count to two strikes, trying to will their way to history.
How elite is the club Kershaw just joined? More people have flown to the moon than have struck out 3,000 major league hitters. He’s just the fourth left-hander to do it and the second in the last century to do it pitching for the same club.
Strikeout No. 3,000!
Clayton Kershaw becomes the 20th pitcher in Major League Baseball history to record 3,000 career strikeouts. pic.twitter.com/mD7tM1POJC
Kershaw struck out the first batter he faced in his debut 18 years ago, getting the Cardinals’ Skip Schumaker to wave at a 1-and-2 pitch. It was the first of three strikeouts he would record in his first big-league inning. So even from the start, the K — the scorebook symbol for a strikeout — in Kershaw stood out more than than the rest of the name.
Notes: Before Wednesday’s game pitchers Blake Snell and Blake Treinen threw to hitters for the first time since going on the injured list in April. Snell, a two-time Cy Young winner, has been on the injured list with shoulder inflammation since April 6, while Treinen has been sidelined with forearm tightness since April 19. “They'll go again in a couple days,” Roberts said. “But both guys looked really good.” Right-hander Tyler Glasnow, also out since April shoulder inflammation, is scheduled to make his third minor league rehab start for Oklahoma City on Thursday.
Staff writer Ira Gorawara contributed to this report.
With a thin rotation and an overworked bullpen, the Mets needed Blade Tidwell to pitch deep into the second game of their doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers.
After Huascar Brazoban pitched a scoreless first inning, Tidwell entered the game and did not disappoint.
The 24-year-old making his Citi Field debut did exactly what New York had hoped, pitching 4.1 innings and looking sharp along the way. After the game, Tidwell said that "it was awesome" pitching in front of the home fans for the first time.
Even better for the right-hander? He was immediately handed a 5-0 lead after his offense took advantage of some good fortune, hitting back-to-back home runs, including a grand slam.
"It was awesome. The environment was electric and it was really cool," Tidwell said. "It was a little different than on the road because you have your home fans behind you, but it was awesome. Couldn’t have asked for more."
With a big lead so early in the game, it was imperative that Tidwell make it stick considering the state of the Mets, losers of 14 of their last 17 entering Game 2 of the doubleheader while spinning in circles.
And so he did, a 24-year-old acting as the stopper for a team full of veterans and earning his first career win in the process.
"It feels great," Tidwell said about the win. "It’s something you dream about your whole life and to go out there and do it is an unbelievable feeling."
For manager Carlos Mendoza, the game went exactly as planned -- get through five innings and figure out the rest later. Thanks to Tidwell (and Brazoban), New York got through 5.1 innings before calling on the bullpen to finish the job.
"That was kind of how we mapped it out today," Mendoza said. "Going with an opener and trying to get five or six out of Tidwell there and then just trying to piece it together. But he was huge.
"I thought the fastball had life, I thought the secondary, the slider, the sweeper (were good). (He) threw strikes and when he got behind, he came back and made pitches when he needed, so I thought he was really good for us today."
Overall, Tidwell allowed three earned runs over 4.1 innings -- the longest outing of his major league career. He gave up five hits and two walks and struck out three on 80 pitches (51 strikes). Entering the sixth inning, he had held Milwaukee's red-hot offense scoreless.
He also outpitched fellow rookie Jacob Misiorowski, who entered the game 3-0 with a 1.13 ERA in his first three career starts.
"To be able to beat an arm like that, that’s pretty electric right there," Mendoza said about Misiorowski. "It’s 100 (mph), it’s a 96 mph slider and a 92 (mph) changeup, like you don’t see that."
So what was the difference for Tidwell, who entered the game with a 10.13 ERA across 10.2 innings? Execution.
"I think just executing pitches a lot better than I had previous outings," he said. "Just get ahead and attack the other team. We had a five-run lead because our offense came through so it was just get ahead of guys."
Finally being able to get a little more comfortable in the big leagues has also helped the talented youngster learn a few things during his time in the majors.
"It all starts with strike one and if you don’t execute up here usually you get punished," Tidwell said. "... It’s definitely helped being up here for a few days, getting my routine down and everything and seeing how everybody goes about their business. It just helps with the fluidity of everything."
The Yankees were down eight runs but stormed all the way back to tie the game, but Devin Williams allowed two runs as New York lost 11-9 on Wednesday night in Toronto.
With the score tied 9-9 in the bottom of the eighth, the Jays had second and third with two outs on Williams. With a base open, manager Aaron Boone decided to pitch to Addison Barger. Williams yanked a changeup that Ben Rice -- starting at catcher -- couldn't get in front of to allow the go-ahead run. Barger would then single to give the Jays an insurance run.
Rice came up as the tying run with two outs in the ninth but popped up to end the game.
The Yankees (48-38) have now lost three straight and are tied with the Blue Jays (48-38) atop the AL East.
Here are the takeaways...
-Will Warren came into the start with a 4.24 ERA in the first inning this season and he struggled early on Wednesday. Toronto loaded the bases thanks to two singles and a walk with no outs. After a mound visit, Alejandro Kirk laced a single down the right field line on a pitch that was way above the zone to drive in two. The next pitch,Barger homered to give the Blue Jays a 5-0 lead.
Warren would get an out before a walk and a Davis Schneider two-run shot put the Jays up 7-0. Warren would mercifully get through the inning after throwing 36 pitches (25 strikes).
Boone would let Warren wear this game, letting his young right-hander grind through four innings, allowing eight runs on 10 hits and four walks while striking out four batters. He wound up throwing 99 pitches (57 strikes). His ERA jumped to 5.02 this season.
-The offense was non-existent until the fifth when they led with four straight singles to drive in two runs, one by DJ LeMahieu and the other byRice. Aaron Judge followed with a double that just barely missed going over the wall, to drive in another run. After Cody Bellinger lined out, Giancarlo Stanton launched his first homer of the season to cut the Blue Jays' lead to 8-6.
It's the 18th inning of five-plus runs by the Yankees this season -- the most in MLB.
Stanton's blast went 415 feet off a hanging slurve from Jose Berrios, knocking the Toronto starter out of the game. Stanton's blast came in his 13th game and 50th plate appearance.
-In the sixth, the Yankees would threaten with bases loaded and one out after Judge was intentionally walked. Bellinger grounded into a potential double play but beat out the throw on first to drive in a run. Stanton came up with the chance to tie or put the Yanks ahead but flew out to end the inning.
In the seventh, Anthony Volpe came up with runners on first and second and one out, but grounded into an inning-ending double play.
But Judge would get the Yankees even with a two-run blast in the eighth, launching his homer 440 feet on a hanging sweeper. The Yankees were 4-for-12 with runners in scoring position and left 10 on base.
-The Yankees bullpen was doing a great job after Warren's clunker. Ian Hamilton allowed just one hit over 1.2 scoreless innings and Tim Hill was cruising until Schneider took him deep with two outs in the seventh to put the Jays up 9-7 at the time. Despite that hiccup, they got the ball to Williams in the eighth.
-With the team's defensive issues of late, Jazz Chisholm Jr. and LeMahieu remained at third and second, respectively, on Wednesday. Chisholm made a throwing error, his seventh error of the season. He went 1-for-4 with a walk and two strikeouts. LeMahieu went 1-for-2 with a walk before he was pulled for a pinch-hitter.
Trent Grisham was that pinch-hitter and went 1-for-2. He also played the field, which is a good sign after he left Monday's game early with a hamstring strain that made him unavailable in Tuesday's contest. Austin Wells, who hasn't played in a few games due to circulation issues in his catching hand, pinch-ran for Stanton.
The Mets ended their four-game losing streak by taking the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers by a score of 7-3.
Here are the takeaways...
-Facing rookie phenom Jacob Misiorowski, who entered the game with a 3-0 record and a 1.13 ERA in his first three MLB starts, it looked like it could be another tough game offensively for New York. But desperate for a spark, the Mets got it in the second inning.
-With two outs and the bottom third of the lineup coming up, back-to-back walks by Brett Baty and Ronny Mauricio got the wheels in motion for New York. Backup catcher Hayden Senger, making just his third start since getting called up on June 22, hit a hard chopper back to the pitcher, which deflected off Misiorowski's glove and seemed destined to ricochet right to Brice Turang who was standing on second base ready for the force out.
However, the ball took a funky hop and never reached Turang, which loaded the bases for Brandon Nimmo, who was batting leadoff after manager Carlos Mendoza flip-flopped Nimmo and the struggling Francisco Lindor in the batting order. Handed a fortunate gift, Nimmo crushed the first pitch he saw into the right-field stands for a grand slam -- the Mets' first big hit in what seemed like an eternity.
-In his own right, Lindor, who was named the starting shortstop for the NL All-Stars right before game time, followed suit with a solo shot -- right on cue -- to go back-to-back with Nimmo and give New York a quick 5-0 lead.
-Ironically, after being selected as the starting shortstop in the All-Star Game, Lindor was DHing in the second game of the doubleheader and with his home run, Lindor has now hit eight home runs in 17 career games as the DH. Lindor finished the night 3-for-4, adding an RBI single in the sixth and an RBI double in the eighth.
-Lindor and Nimmo went 5-for-9 and drove in all seven Met runs in their role reversal.
-On the mound, after Huascar Brazoban got through the first inning, Blade Tidwell came in as the bulk reliever and did a great job in just his fourth MLB appearance. The right-hander didn’t allow a hit until two outs in the fourth inning when Rhys Hoskins ripped a double down the left field line, but Tidwell left him stranded to keep the Brewers off the board.
-After handling Milwaukee’s lineup for most of the night, Tidwell’s outing took a turn in the sixth when Christian Yelich and Jackson Chourio tagged him for back-to-back solo home runs. Following a strikeout, Hoskins was credited for a single on a sharply hit ball toMauricio, playing shortstop in place of Lindor, who couldn’t secure the hot shot.
-That would be all for Tidwell afterMendoza went to Dedniel Nuñez out of the bullpen to try and get out of the inning. Nuñez allowed a single to Anthony Seigler, his first career hit, and an RBI groundout by Joey Ortiz to cut New York’s lead to 5-3 and put a cap on Tidwell’s night.
It was the longest outing of the 24-year-old’s career as he went 4.1 innings and gave up three earned runs on five hits. He also walked two and struck out three while throwing 80 pitches (51 strikes).
-Nuñez would get the final out of the sixth by striking out Eric Haase.
-Richard Lovelady pitched a scoreless seventh inning and Ryne Stanek got two outs in the eighth but needed Edwin Diaz to get the last out of the frame, which he did by striking out Jake Bauers. Diaz went back out to close the door in the ninth and had a 1-2-3 inning with two strikeouts for his 17th save of the season.
Game MVP: Brandon Nimmo
Nimmo's grand slam in the second inning was as big of a hit for the Mets as they've had this season, coming at just the right time and setting the tone for an inspired win.
NEW YORK (AP) — The Los Angeles Dodgers will have three fan-elected starters in the All-Star Game, with first baseman Freddie Freeman and catcher Will Smith joining designated hitter Shohei Ohtani as winners in final ballot totals announced Wednesday.
Detroit will have three fan-picked starters for the first time since 2007 after second baseman Gleyber Torres along with outfielders Riley Greene and Javier Báez were voted in at their positions for the July 15 game at Atlanta’s Truist Park.
Pete Crow-Armstrong and Kyle Tucker of the Chicago Cubs were picked for the NL outfield along with Ronald Acuña Jr. of the host Braves.
Arizona second baseman Ketel Marte, New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor and San Diego third baseman Manny Machado also were voted NL starters.
Seattle catcher Cal Raleigh, Toronto first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson. Cleveland third baseman José Ramírez and Baltimore designated hitter Ryan O’Hearn were picked as AL starters.
Wilson edged Kansas City’s Bobby Witt Jr. 52% to 48% and will become just the second rookie shortstop to start an All-Star Game after Baltimore’s Ron Hansen, who started both games in 1960. Wilson’s father, Jack, was an All-Star for Pittsburgh in 2004.
There will be nine first-time starters for the second time in three years. Wilson will be joined by Greene, O’Hearn, Raleigh and Torres in the AL lineup and Crow-Armstrong, Lindor, Smith and Tucker in the NL lineup.
Báez edged the Los Angeles Angels’ Mike Trout 26% to 24% in the closest vote, winning the third AL outfield slot.
New York Yankees outfielder Aaron Judge earned a starting spot last week as the top vote-getter in the first round, when Ohtani was picked as NL DH with the top total in his league. Under rules that began in 2022, voting is split into two stages, and the second phase ran from Monday to Thursday.
Detroit’s three elected starters for the 2007 game at San Francisco were catcher Iván Rodríguez, left fielder Magglio Ordóñez and second baseman Plácido Polanco.
Freeman is the senior All-Star, picked for the ninth time and his fifth as a starter. He will return to Atlanta, where he starred from 2010-21.
Machado and Judge were both selected for the seventh time — Judge all as a starter.
Guerrero, Judge, Marte, Ohtani and Ramírez were holdovers from last year’s elected starters.
The 37-year-old Kershaw entered the game just three strikeouts away from the milestone, and is now the 20th pitcher to reach the mark. He’s also the third active player in that category alongside two other all-time greats.
Here is the full list of MLB pitchers who have thrown 3,000 strikeouts or more:
Who has the most strikeouts in MLB history?
Nolan Ryan has the most strikeouts in MLB history with 5,714 tallied across 27 seasons. He played for the New York Mets, Houston Astros, the then-California Angels and Texas Rangers.
Which MLB pitchers are in the 3,000-strikeouts club?
Here’s the list of the pitchers above 3,000 strikeouts in chronological order (year achieved in parentheses):
The 37-year-old Kershaw entered the game just three strikeouts away from the milestone, and is now the 20th pitcher to reach the mark. He’s also the third active player in that category alongside two other all-time greats.
Here is the full list of MLB pitchers who have thrown 3,000 strikeouts or more:
Who has the most strikeouts in MLB history?
Nolan Ryan has the most strikeouts in MLB history with 5,714 tallied across 27 seasons. He played for the New York Mets, Houston Astros, the then-California Angels and Texas Rangers.
Which MLB pitchers are in the 3,000-strikeouts club?
Here’s the list of the pitchers above 3,000 strikeouts in chronological order (year achieved in parentheses):
From left, Dodgers Shohei Ohtani, Freddie Freeman and Will Smith were voted to start in this year's MLB All-Star Game. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Poised to set a record for player popularity and elite production, the Dodgers had eight finalists for the National League starting lineup in the 2025 All-Star Game as voted by fans.
Voters had 48 hours to choose between the two players at each position who had accumulated the most votes over the last month in what MLB called Phase 1. Dodgers designated hitter Shohei Ohtani already was in the starting lineup because he led NL players in Phase 1 votes.
The record of five starting players held by the 1976 Cincinnati Reds, the 1956 and 1957 Cincinnati Redlegs, and the 1939 New York Yankees still stands. The Dodgers fell short, despite the bevy of finalists.
It is the ninth All-Star berth for Freeman, who is batting .308 with 21 doubles, and the third for Smith, who leads the NL with a .320 batting average and .419 on-base percentage. Both players have 10 home runs.
Eleven-time All-Star Mike Trout was the only Angels player among the American League finalists, and he did not finish among the top three outfielders in Phase 2. Thousand Oaks High product and Athletics rookie Jacob Wilson was voted the AL starter at shortstop, beating out Bobby Witt Jr.
Finalists not voted as starters have no guarantee of making the All-Star Game as a reserve. Pitchers and reserves for the 32-man rosters will be determined by a vote of MLB players and the commissioner’s office.
Complete rosters of 20 position players and 12 pitchers will be announced at 2 p.m. PDT Sunday on ESPN. The All-Star Game will take place July 15 at Truist Park in Atlanta. Managers Dave Roberts of the Dodgers and Aaron Boone of the Yankees have no say in the selections.
Before the Dodgers faced the Chicago White Sox on Wednesday night, Roberts did say he hoped the number of All-Stars from his team would increase.
"I think they've all had great first halves, and it's great to know that three guys are starting," he said. "And so hopefully we get a couple, two or three more. Really, good, really good."
The teams that boasted a record five starters included Hall of Famers and also lesser-known players.
The '39 Yankees had All-Star starters Joe DiMaggio, George Selkirk, Bill Dickey, Red Rolfe and Joe Gordon. Red Ruffing was named the starting pitcher by manager Joe McCarthy, making the '39 Yankees the only team with six starting players.
The most recent team to land five All-Star starters was the '76 Cincinnati Reds, known as the Big Red Machine, led by future Hall of Famers Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan. Pete Rose, Dave Concepción and George Foster also started.
The Reds were called the Redlegs from 1953 to 1959 because of a period of intense anti-communism in the U.S. To distance themselves from the Red Scare, the Reds temporarily changed their name.
Cincinnati fans loved their team by any name, casting a deluge of last-minute votes two years in a row that eventually required intervention from MLB commissioner Ford Frick and caused MLB to eliminate fan voting for more than a decade.
Frick stood by the voting in '56 despite complaints that five Redlegs were voted in, saying, "Everybody had a chance to vote, so there should be no squawks.”
A year later he changed his tune when last-minute voting — remember, all votes were handwritten and manually tabulated — resulted in an all-Redlegs lineup. Frick swiftly stepped in and replaced three Redlegs with future Hall of Famers Stan Musial, Willie Mays and Hank Aaron.
Redlegs fans were incensed, some making an effigy of the commissioner and driving it through Cincinnati tied to a truck. The reaction from players was more muted, with Redlegs center fielder Gus Bell saying, "I’m not exactly burned up about being replaced by Willie."
Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-6, 2.51 earned-run average) of the Dodgers is a strong candidate to make the NL pitching staff. At least one Angels player must be chosen as a reserve or pitcher, and the nod could go to Trout, who has 13 home runs but is batting .230.
Other possibilities for the resurgent Angels are catcher Logan O'Hoppe (17 home runs), shortstop Zach Neto (12 home runs, team-high 2.7 WAR), outfielder Jo Adell (18 homers, 44 runs batted in) and starting pitcher Yusei Kikuchi (2.79 ERA in 96.2 innings).
MLB All-Star Starting Lineups
National League C: Will Smith, Dodgers 1B: Freddie Freeman, Dodgers 2B: Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks SS: Francisco Lindor, Mets 3B: Manny Machado, Padres OF: Pete Crow-Armstrong, Cubs OF: Kyle Tucker, Cubs OF: Ronald Acuña Jr., Atlanta Braves DH: Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers
American League C: Cal Raleigh, Mariners 1B: Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays 2B: Gleyber Torres, Tigers SS: Jacob Wilson, Athletics 3B: Jose Ramirez, Guardians OF: Aaron Judge, Yankees OF: Riley Greene, Tigers OF: Javier Baez, Tigers DH: Ryan O'Hearn, Orioles
Times staff writer Kevin Baxter contributed to this story.
NEW YORK — Francisco Lindor was dropped from the leadoff spot Wednesday night with the New York Mets in a major tailspin.
After making 191 consecutive starts at the top of the lineup, Lindor was listed in the No. 2 hole as the designated hitter for the second game of a day-night doubleheader against the Milwaukee Brewers and their rookie sensation, hard-throwing right-hander Jacob Misiorowski.
The slumping Lindor went 0 for 4 as New York mustered only two hits during a 7-2 loss in the opener, leaving him 2 for 29 with one walk in his past seven games. He is 8 for 60 (.133) in 15 games since June 15 and his batting average has plummeted from .289 with an .858 OPS on June 7 to .255 with a .766 OPS through Game 1 of the twinbill.
Brandon Nimmo was bumped up to leadoff, a role he was accustomed to before Mets manager Carlos Mendoza moved Lindor from third in the order to first in May 2024, citing the success the switch-hitter enjoyed atop the lineup earlier in his career with Cleveland.
The move led to Lindor breaking out of a prolonged slump and the Mets taking off following a miserable start. The star shortstop finished runner-up to Shohei Ohtani for NL MVP last year, and New York made a surprise playoff run before losing to the Los Angeles Dodgers in the National League Championship Series.
Lindor and the Mets both got out of the gate much better this season, but New York (48-38) had lost four straight and 14 of 17 heading into the second game of Wednesday’s doubleheader.
Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor is going to Atlanta. No, not to take on the Braves but to participate in the All-Star Game.
Lindor was named the starting shortstop for the National League All-Star team on Wednesday, an honor determined by fan voting. This is the fifth time Lindor has been named to the Midsummer Classic, but it's the first as a starter and as a member of the Mets.
The Mets shortstop has had a solid year. He entered the second game of Wednesday's doubleheader slashing .255/.324/.442 with an OPS of .766 with 16 home runs and 43 RBI as the team's leadoff man. Lindor beat out Dodgers shortstop Mookie Betts for the honor.
Wednesday's announcement feels like a long time coming for Lindor. In 2023, he infamously missed out on being a reserve when his peers selected the Diamondbacks' Geraldo Perdomo for that spot. Last season, Trea Turner won the starting gig with CJ Abrams, Elly De La Cruz and Betts being named reserves. Lindor went on to be named runner-up for the NL MVP award that year.
Mets first baseman Pete Alonso was a finalist this year but was beat out by the Dodgers' Freddie Freeman.
ATLANTA — Braves right-hander Spencer Schwellenbach broke his right elbow during a start last weekend and was placed on the 15-day injured list Wednesday as left fielder Jurickson Profar returned from an 80-game drug suspension and slumping outfielder Alex Verdugo was designated for assignment.
Schwellenbach said he felt tightness while pitching for Atlanta against Philadelphia on Saturday, when he threw 90 pitches. He allowed one run and three hits over seven innings.
He felt sore the following day and imaging Monday revealed a small fracture at the top of the elbow. Schwellenbach said he was told this was a freak accident and said he hopes to be back this season.
A 25-year-old in his second big league season, Schwellenbach is 7-4 with a 3.09 ERA and leads the Braves in wins, WHIP (0.967) and innings (110 2/3). He has won six of his last seven decisions.
Atlanta's rotation already was missing Chris Sale (broken rib), AJ Smith-Shawver (Tommy John surgery) and Reynaldo Lopez (shoulder surgery).
"We’re pushing young guys all the time, and may end up that we have to do it again," Braves manager Brian Snitker said.
Schwellenbach was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to Sunday.
Right-hander Daysbel Hernández, sidelined from the Braves since June 4 by right forearm inflammation, finished his rehab assignment with Triple-A Gwinnett and was activated from the 15-day IL. Left-hander Austin Cox was recalled from the Stripers and right-hander Kevin Herget optioned to Gwinnett.
Profar returned after an 80-game suspension announced March 31 following a positive test for Chorionic Gonadotrophin (hCG) in violation of the league’s joint drug prevention and treatment program. He missed 93 days, causing him to lose exactly half his $12 million salary. He is ineligible for the postseason.
“I’m responsible,” said Profar, who addressed his teammates Wednesday. “There’s there’s no excuses. I’m responsible for what goes into my body.”
The 32-year-old was an All-Star and won a Silver Slugger last season when he batted .280 and set career highs with 24 homers and 85 RBIs for San Diego. He signed a three-year, $42 million contract with the Braves in the offseason.
In his absence, Braves left fielders entered Wednesday last in the major leagues with two home runs and a .523 OPS.
Verdugo agreed to a $1.5 million, one-year contract late in spring training. The 29-year-old made his big league season debut on April 18 and hit .239 with no homers and 12 RBIs in 56 games.
It came a day later than scheduled, butSean Manaea was back on the mound in another rehab start for Double-A Binghamton on Wednesday.
The Mets' southpaw tossed three-plus innings, allowing three runs (two earned) on six hits, one walk and striking out three batters. Manaea allowed a run in the first off a Kyle Karros single, then a Nic Kent single in the second inning that was aided by a throwing error by Jett Williams. The third run came in the third after a leadoff triple was brought in on a one-out single by Charlie Condon.
Manaea came out to start the fourth inning but walked the leadoff man on seven pitches before he was pulled.
Mets skipper Carlos Mendoza said that they expected Manaea to throw 45-50 pitches and the left-hander eclipsed that, tossing 60 pitches (39 strikes) against the Hartford Yard Goats. The extra length is likely due to Manaea's originally scheduled Tuesday start being postponed due to weather.
Mendoza confirmed that Manaea's next rehab start will be next Tuesday, in what is likely to be his final outing in the minors before being called up to join the Mets rotation.
Although Manaea's start on Wednesday wasn't perfect, it's encouraging to see him on the mound. This was his first rehab start since an elbow issue forced the pitcher to receive a cortisone shot.
Sean Manaea went three-plus innings and threw 60 pitches in a rehab outing for Double-A Binghamton today.
