Category: Baseball

Here are the most shocking trades in MLB history after Red Sox deal Devers originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

The baseball world has been rocked.

On Sunday evening, the Boston Red Sox made a stunning trade to send Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants with little-to-no warning signs.

The trade came out of nowhere, but it wasn’t the first time that a trade has shocked fans. Just months ago, the Los Angeles Lakers’ trade for Luka Doncic took over the NBA world. It’s not a one for one comparison, but baseball now has it’s own version.

With that in mind, here are 10 of the most surprising trades in MLB history:

Red Sox trade Babe Ruth to Yankees, 1919

Red Sox receive: $100,000

Yankees receive: Babe Ruth

It’s been more than 100 years, but the Babe Ruth trade remains a seminal moment in baseball lore. It sparked the Red Sox vs. Yankees rivalry and the Curse of the Bambino, an 86-year World Series drought for Boston.

Red Sox trade Mookie Betts to Dodgers, 2020

Red Sox receive: Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs, Connor Wong

Dodgers receive: Mookie Betts, David Price

Nearly 100 years later, the Red Sox once again traded their World Series-winning star — this time to Hollywood. Mookie Betts has already added two more rings to his fingers in Los Angeles, and none of the three returning players made an impact in Boston (only Connor Wong remains as a backup catcher).

Rangers trade Alex Rodriguez to Yankees, 2004

Rangers receive: Alfonso Soriano, Joaquín Arias

Yankees receive: Alex Rodriguez

The Red Sox had a deal for Alex Rodriguez … until they didn’t. The MLB Players Association vetoed the deal, and the Yankees swooped in months later to steal the star away — only after their third baseman (and future manager) Aaron Boone got injured in a pickup basketball game.

Mariners trade Ken Griffey Jr. to Reds, 2000

Mariners receive: Brett Tomko, Mike Cameron, Antonio Perez, Jake Meyer

Reds receive: Ken Griffey Jr.

Over 11 seasons in Seattle, Griffey was one of baseball’s brightest stars. But he quietly wanted to return home to Cincinnati, and his wish was granted in a February deal. Griffey never reached the same heights after the trade, though, and the Mariners won an MLB record-tying 116 games in 2001.

Red Sox trade Rafael Devers to Giants, 2025

Red Sox receive: Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, James Tibbs III, Jose Bello

Giants receive: Rafael Devers

The wound has just opened, but the return package for Devers appears underwhelming. The Red Sox, hours after sweeping the first-place Yankees, traded away another franchise cornerstone over disagreements between him and management over his position.

Dodgers trade Mike Piazza to Marlins, 1998

Dodgers receive: Gary Sheffield, Charles Johnson, Bobby Bonilla, Manuel Barrios, Jim Eisenreich

Marlins receive: Mike Piazza, Todd Zeile

When the Dodgers refused to give Mike Piazza a new contract, they waited a few months before sending him to the Marlins. Seven days later, the Marlins shipped Piazza to the New York Mets in a truly weird sequence of events — all in the name of cost-cutting, as most MLB trades are.

Marlins trade Miguel Cabrera to Tigers, 2007

Marlins receive: Andrew Miller, Dallas Trahern, Eulogio De La Cruz, Burke Badenhop, Cameron Maybin, Mike Rabelo

Tigers receive: Miguel Cabrera, Dontrelle Willis

Speaking of cost-cutting, here’s another Marlins example. Cabrera was in his mid-20s and only scratching the surface of his prime when Florida traded him to Detroit. While they received a number of players in return, the Marlins saw Cabrera become a Tigers icon with two MVPs and nearly 400 home runs over 16 seasons.

Mets trade Tom Seaver to Reds, 1977

Mets receive:  Pat Zachry, Steve Henderson, Doug Flynn, Dan Norman

Reds receive: Tom Seaver

Known as the “Midnight Massacre,” Tom Seaver was dealt to the Reds in a shocking move by the Mets. Seaver and the Mets had not been seeing eye to eye, so team chairman Donald Grant shipped their three-time Cy Young winner out of town.

Cleveland trades CC Sabathia to Brewers, 2008

Cleveland receives: Matt LaPorta, Zach Jackson, Rob Bryson, Michael Brantley

Brewers receive: CC Sabathia

With CC Sabathia just months away from free agency, Cleveland sent its homegrown star pitcher to … Milwaukee? It was a rare all-in move for the small market franchise, but he delivered the Brewers a playoff appearance for the first time since 1982 before signing with the Yankees that winter.

Red Sox trade Nomar Garciaparra to Cubs, 2004

Red Sox receive: Orlando Cabrera (from Expos), Doug Mientkiewicz (from Twins)

Cubs receive: Nomar Garciaparra (from Red Sox), Matt Murton (from Red Sox)

Expos receive: Brendan Harris (from Cubs), Alex Gonzalez (from Cubs), Francis Beltran (from Cubs)

Twins receive: Justin Jones (from Cubs)

Another Red Sox trade, why not? This one actually worked out for Boston, as much as it stung to trade away franchise icon Nomar Garciaparra mid-season. Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz were key contributors as the Red Sox finally reversed the curse to win the 2004 World Series, while Garciaparra was past his prime.

Posey admits external Giants factor played role in Devers trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

After numerous failed pursuits over the years, the Giants finally were able to land a superstar hitter.

San Francisco, by acquiring slugging infielder/designated hitter Rafael Devers from the Boston Red Sox on Sunday, added the caliber of player they long have sought in free agency, only for big names like Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani to sign elsewhere in recent years.

Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey, the man who pulled off the seismic trade, joined KNBR 680’s “Murph & Markus” on Monday morning and was asked if the trade for Devers was motivated by San Francisco’s struggles to recruit free-agent hitters.

“Yeah, it’s been tough to get free-agent hitters here,” Posey said. “No doubt. So that was part of the thought in this, and again, it’s a credit to our ownership group as far as seizing an opportunity to bring a big bat in and make such a commitment.

“I guess you never know. Long-term, the hope still is that we draft well, we develop great hitters. I still believe that’s the recipe for success. But when you have foundational pieces like we do right now as far as Devers and [Jung Hoo] Lee and [Matt] Chapman and [Willy] Adames and [Heliot] Ramos is coming on strong, you feel like you’re in a good position. Now it’s up to us as a group to get some of those homegrown players up here and continue to put great players out.”

Similarly to adding a superstar hitter in free agency, the Giants now are on the hook for an eye-popping contract, with Devers set to make roughly $250 million over the next eight-plus seasons after the 28-year-old originally signed a 10-year, $313.5 million extension with Boston in Jan. 2023.

However, the three-time MLB All-Star and two-time Silver Slugger could be worth every penny.

Devers has a career .850 OPS, and in 73 games with Boston this season, batted .272/.401/.504 with 15 home runs, 58 RBI and 56 walks in 334 plate appearances.

He now joins a Giants’ lineup that, despite significant moves for Adames, Chapman and Lee over the last two offseasons, still has felt one big bat short at times.

Not anymore.

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On the field, he’s produced the first 50-50 season in baseball history and won a World Series. Off it, he’s sold everything from unsweetened green tea to skin-care products.

As it was, it felt as if Shohei Ohtani was everywhere. In reality, this was just half of the package.

The Dodgers are finally about to have the complete version of Ohtani, the right-handed pitcher with a 100-mph fastball who also launches 470-foot homers as a left-handed hitter.

Two-Way Shohei is back.

Ohtani will pitch his first game for the Dodgers on Monday, the team naming him as its starter for the opening game of a four-game series against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium.

What was already a one-of-a-kind show will evolve into something that might never be seen again after Ohtani retires — not at Dodger Stadium, not at any other major league stadium, not anywhere in the world.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani to make his Dodgers pitching debut Monday vs. Padres

The news of Ohtani’s mound return became a source of anticipation in the Dodgers’ clubhouse, with Clayton Kershaw describing himself as “super excited.”

“I think we all are,” Kershaw said. “I think as fans of the game and just seeing him day in and day out get ready to pitch and do both, it’s going to be really fun, whether it’s one inning or whatever it is.”

The Dodgers plan to deploy Ohtani for an inning or two as an opener.

For most of this season, the Dodgers operated under the assumption that Ohtani wouldn’t pitch until after the All-Star break. The change of plans doesn’t represent a speeding up of a timeline as much as it does a modification of the route that will be taken to a final destination.

Ohtani last pitched in 2023 when he was still playing for the Angels, and he didn’t pitch in his first season for the Dodgers last year as he recovered from his second Tommy John surgery.

In recent weeks, he prepared for his mound return by pitching to hitters in live batting practice. He threw 44 pitches in three innings in his third and most recent session.

However, throwing live batting practice and taking four or five at-bats in an actual game as a designated hitter was like “playing a doubleheader for him,” Roberts said.

To eliminate the exhausting cycle of warming up to throw, cooling down after, and warming up again to play a game, the Dodgers figured they could build up Ohtani’s arm in games. Whatever modest Ohtani’s contributions can make from the mound, the Dodgers will take them. With multiple starters on the injured list, the bullpen has shouldered a disproportionate share of the pitching load.

Because Ohtani wouldn’t take up an extra roster spot, Kershaw pointed out, “We don’t have to lose a pitcher or anything, so if he throws an inning a week, it’s great.”

Ohtani will likely pitch about once a week, with every start expected to be about an inning longer than the previous one. Theoretically, he could pitch four times before the All-Star break, which would stretch him out to be ready to pitch five innings when the Dodgers resume play.

While Ohtani remains in a ramp-up phase and his fastball has sat in the 94-95 mph range in his live bullpen sessions, still not at the 98-99 mph he once averaged. However, team officials believe he is ready to compete at the major league level because of the movement of his pitches.

Ohtani evidently thinks so as well.

“I think I’m approaching a level that is sufficient to pitch in games,” Ohtani said in Japanese on Saturday night.

His 25 homers are the most in the National League. He is also batting .297 with 41 runs batted in. The Dodgers’ leadoff hitter, he’s also stolen 11 bases.

Read more:After pregame trade disrupts Giants, Dodgers power their way to series victory

Ohtani said didn’t think his offensive production would be diminished by pitching.

“I played as just a DH last year,” he said, “but to do both at the same time is my usual style.”

Ohtani played six seasons with the Angels, and he was a two-way player in four of them. His last three seasons with them made up what was arguably the greatest three-year stretch in the history of the sport, as he won two MVP awards and would have won a third if not for a 62-home season by Aaron Judge.

He has an opportunity now to match, or even surpass, that. Only this time, he will do so on a team that has a chance to reward him for his unprecedented achievements with the postseason glory he craves.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Chaotic moments that unfolded after Giants' stunning Devers trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LOS ANGELES — About 30 minutes before the beginning of the game, Sean Hjelle was told that he would be making his first career start on Sunday Night Baseball at Dodger Stadium. Ten minutes later, he found out why.

Kyle Harrison had been in the bullpen getting ready for one of the biggest starts of his own career when he was called back into the clubhouse. Along with Jordan Hicks, he was traded to Boston for Rafael Devers, and as players prepared for the Dodgers, they also gave out hugs and said their goodbyes to the two pitchers. 

The Devers trade is a season-altering moment for the Giants, but as it happened, it also was pure chaos. 

Bob Melvin had known for a while that Buster Posey was on the prowl, but he didn’t hear that the deal was officially done until he was walking into the dugout for the start of the game. Willy Adames was so fired up that he forgot to stretch. Hjelle started his own warm-up routine as the national anthem was being performed. 

“It was a new experience for me,” Hjelle said. “I’ve never really been in the clubhouse when there’s a trade done, especially a so-called blockbuster trade like what happened today. It’s a little unfortunate that I didn’t get to give Harry and Jordan a fair goodbye and farewell, so I’ll be reaching out to those guys later.”

The news became public exactly 20 minutes before first pitch, and as reporters scrambled to get confirmations, it wasn’t hard to see that something was in the works. Hjelle easily is identifiable as he gets loose, even from 400 feet away, and he then went out and gave the Giants 3 2/3 innings a day after their bullpen had to soak up a heavy workload in a blowout. Hjelle said he told Melvin and pitching coach J.P. Martinez that he would “empty the tank.”

“Just run me,” he told them. “Squeeze me dry.”

Hjelle threw 54 pitches, his most in two years. Then, it got really strange. 

As he worked his way through the third inning, an unfamiliar face got up in the bullpen. The scoreboard at Dodger Stadium put up a graphic announcing that Joey Lucchesi — who hadn’t been announced as being on the roster, and wasn’t known to be on the 40-man roster — was warming up. Lucchesi was in big-league camp, but he had spent all season in Triple-A before quietly joining the Giants in Los Angeles as a member of the taxi squad. 

The Giants got all the necessary paperwork to MLB in time, but it was close. Lucchesi took Harrison’s roster spot before the deal was announced by both teams. 

“It was a lot, and it was late,” Melvin said, smiling. “You know what, to get it done, though, this is something we really needed.”

Melvin met with both departing pitchers, along with team leaders Matt Chapman and Adames. Word spread quickly through the clubhouse and on the field, where some position players were stretching. Adames at some point found a few moments to exchange texts with Devers, who told him he would fly to San Francisco on Monday.

“It just happened so quickly before the game and it just spread out quickly here in the clubhouse,” Adames said. “It was a mix of feelings in the clubhouse because some of the guys were getting ready to start the game and we just found out like that. Obviously it’s a mix of feelings for (Hicks and Harrison) … everybody was here, it was like 20 minutes before the game and everybody was about to go out and it was like, ‘Oh wait, Harrison is not pitching anymore. He got traded. Oh, what’s going on, for who?’ Everybody was all over the place but everybody got excited.”

A couple hours earlier, Melvin had sat in the dugout and given a coy answer when asked for his rotation for the upcoming series against the Cleveland Guardians. He said Robbie Ray would start Tuesday, but it was TBD after that. The Giants expect Justin Verlander back in the coming days, and there’s now no question about how they’ll open a rotation spot.

Harrison had hoped to pitch well enough Sunday that he would stay in the mix, but he’s now a member of a new organization. That spot goes back to Verlander, but for one night at least — and on national TV — it belonged to Hjelle, a last-minute fill-in who was drafted and developed as a starter but made his first 85 big-league appearances out of the bullpen. 

“Not what I had envisioned, no,” Hjelle said. “A few more kinks and hoops to jump through on the day as a whole team and organization. That was the first one down, and if it happens again, it happens again — great, my name is called and I’ll grab the ball, but it was cool that I got to have my first one. I got to have a start in the big leagues. That’s pretty awesome. Not everybody that plays this game can say that. I’ll take that, absolutely, and for that little small reason, it’s a special day.”

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Why it was time for Posey, Giants to strike with Devers trade originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

LOS ANGELES — The line was a smart one, and it’s what everyone will always remember about Buster Posey’s introduction as president of baseball operations for the Giants. 

“We’re in the memory making business,” Posey said last October, smiling as he looked out at cameras. 

What has gotten forgotten is what led to those words. Posey spoke for nearly two minutes about what that actually means, and at the start of that answer, he provided some insight into how he would help Giants fans make memories. He talked about what he had learned during his own playing career, which included three championship runs.

“I gained a pretty good sense of what it means to fans to have great players and have great teams,” he said that day. 

One comes with the other, which the Giants had at times forgotten in recent years. They were reminded of it Saturday, when Shohei Ohtani homered twice, Clayton Kershaw pitched a gem and the Giants got blown out. A day later, Posey added a superstar to his own lineup. 

The trade for Rafael Devers shook the baseball world, and in the end it came together so quickly that Sean Hjelle got only about 30 minutes’ notice that he would start on Sunday Night Baseball. It took 10 minutes after that for him to realize why it was happening. 

Kyle Harrison, the scheduled starter, is headed to Boston, along with Jordan Hicks and two prospects. Devers will be a Giant on Tuesday at Oracle Park, adding a star to a needy lineup after weeks of quiet negotiations. 

Posey said on Sunday that he first called Red Sox exec Craig Breslow a few weeks ago to discuss Devers, who had fallen out of favor in Boston and had grown equally frustrated with management. General manager Zack Minasian kept talks going with his counterparts in Boston, and ownership got involved in recent days, a requirement when swallowing nearly $260 million in future salary commitments. 

Posey at times felt trepidation. That’s a massive contract for a DH, and he had to part with Harrison, who is about 15 months removed from being the best left-handed pitching prospect in baseball. But this opportunity was too good to pass up.

“The bat is so special,” he said of the 28-year-old Devers. “It’s just really hard to acquire this type of talent at this point of his career. We’re obviously taking on a lot of money. We’re giving up some pitching, we’re giving up our first-round pick last year, so it didn’t come without a cost. It felt like this was a chance to take a shot.”

Posey spent most of his career lining singles softly into the outfield, but his most memorable moment as a hitter was a grand slam in the postseason. This is not an attempt at a single, but rather a swing for a slam. On their last day in Los Angeles, the Giants saw their expectations completely change.

They’ve been a nice story thus far, and a surprise. But now it would be a massive disappointment if they miss the postseason, and you can bet Posey hasn’t given up on a division crown. 

The Dodgers countered on Sunday by announcing that Ohtani is ready to return to their rotation. Tyler Glasnow and Blake Snell are on the way back, too, and they did take two of three this weekend, leaving with a two-game lead in the division. They’re still the heavy favorites to win the NL West, but on Friday night, Logan Webb showed how dangerous the Giants can be if they just get into October. 

Posey knows pitching wins championships, and he admitted Sunday that it was hard to part with Harrison given how committed the front office is to building around pitching. But the Giants needed someone like Devers to more easily reach October, and he has a history of performing on the biggest stages. In 26 postseason games, Devers — a champion in 2018 — has a .955 OPS.

“It sends a message — we want to win,” said Willy Adames, who had the previous largest contract in franchise history. “(Posey) is going to do whatever it takes to put the best team out there for us to go out there and compete.”

That was the theme in the clubhouse late Sunday. The players have all the trust in the world in Posey, but just as importantly, ownership does, too. Posey is part of that group, of course, and that made it easier to push things along on the heels of committing nine-figure deals to Matt Chapman and Adames. The Giants are on the hook for a massive sum through 2033 with Devers, but it’ll be worth it if he lives up to expectations. 

Posey credited Greg Johnson and the rest of the ownership group for approving the deal. What started as a long-shot idea gained momentum in recent weeks, and on Sunday, as he returned to the Bay Area to see his four kids, Posey crossed the finish line with Minasian, who became a father last year. 

It was a Father’s Day neither will forget. They’re hopeful their players feel the same way, that this unexpected jolt will lead to plenty of memories in October and for years to come. Ten weeks into the first season of the second Posey Era, everything seems to have changed. 

“People that don’t know Buster, you should realize that the only thing he wants to do is win, plain and simple,” team ace Logan Webb said. “I think a guy like (Devers) is a win-now move. You guys saw (Posey’s) comments when we were losing a little bit and he said it’s time to go, it’s go time. He means it. This goes to show that he means it.”

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Here are the most shocking trades in MLB history after Red Sox deal Devers originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The baseball world has been rocked.

On Sunday evening, the Boston Red Sox made a stunning trade to send Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants with little-to-no warning signs.

The trade came out of nowhere, but it wasn’t the first time that a trade has shocked fans. Just months ago, the Los Angeles Lakers’ trade for Luka Doncic took over the NBA world. It’s not a one for one comparison, but baseball now has it’s own version.

With that in mind, here are 10 of the most surprising trades in MLB history:

Red Sox trade Babe Ruth to Yankees, 1919

Red Sox receive: $100,000

Yankees receive: Babe Ruth

It’s been more than 100 years, but the Babe Ruth trade remains a seminal moment in baseball lore. It sparked the Red Sox vs. Yankees rivalry and the Curse of the Bambino, an 86-year World Series drought for Boston.

Red Sox trade Mookie Betts to Dodgers, 2020

Red Sox receive: Alex Verdugo, Jeter Downs, Connor Wong

Dodgers receive: Mookie Betts, David Price

Nearly 100 years later, the Red Sox once again traded their World Series-winning star — this time to Hollywood. Mookie Betts has already added two more rings to his fingers in Los Angeles, and none of the three returning players made an impact in Boston (only Connor Wong remains as a backup catcher).

Rangers trade Alex Rodriguez to Yankees, 2004

Rangers receive: Alfonso Soriano, Joaquín Arias

Yankees receive: Alex Rodriguez

The Red Sox had a deal for Alex Rodriguez … until they didn’t. The MLB Players Association vetoed the deal, and the Yankees swooped in months later to steal the star away — only after their third baseman (and future manager) Aaron Boone got injured in a pickup basketball game.

Mariners trade Ken Griffey Jr. to Reds, 2000

Mariners receive: Brett Tomko, Mike Cameron, Antonio Perez, Jake Meyer

Reds receive: Ken Griffey Jr.

Over 11 seasons in Seattle, Griffey was one of baseball’s brightest stars. But he quietly wanted to return home to Cincinnati, and his wish was granted in a February deal. Griffey never reached the same heights after the trade, though, and the Mariners won an MLB record-tying 116 games in 2001.

Red Sox trade Rafael Devers to Giants, 2025

Red Sox receive: Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, James Tibbs III, Jose Bello

Giants receive: Rafael Devers

The wound has just opened, but the return package for Devers appears underwhelming. The Red Sox, hours after sweeping the first-place Yankees, traded away another franchise cornerstone over disagreements between him and management over his position.

Dodgers trade Mike Piazza to Marlins, 1998

Dodgers receive: Gary Sheffield, Charles Johnson, Bobby Bonilla, Manuel Barrios, Jim Eisenreich

Marlins receive: Mike Piazza, Todd Zeile

When the Dodgers refused to give Mike Piazza a new contract, they waited a few months before sending him to the Marlins. Seven days later, the Marlins shipped Piazza to the New York Mets in a truly weird sequence of events — all in the name of cost-cutting, as most MLB trades are.

Marlins trade Miguel Cabrera to Tigers, 2007

Marlins receive: Andrew Miller, Dallas Trahern, Eulogio De La Cruz, Burke Badenhop, Cameron Maybin, Mike Rabelo

Tigers receive: Miguel Cabrera, Dontrelle Willis

Speaking of cost-cutting, here’s another Marlins example. Cabrera was in his mid-20s and only scratching the surface of his prime when Florida traded him to Detroit. While they received a number of players in return, the Marlins saw Cabrera become a Tigers icon with two MVPs and nearly 400 home runs over 16 seasons.

Mets trade Tom Seaver to Reds, 1977

Mets receive:  Pat Zachry, Steve Henderson, Doug Flynn, Dan Norman

Reds receive: Tom Seaver

Known as the “Midnight Massacre,” Tom Seaver was dealt to the Reds in a shocking move by the Mets. Seaver and the Mets had not been seeing eye to eye, so team chairman Donald Grant shipped their three-time Cy Young winner out of town.

Cleveland trades CC Sabathia to Brewers, 2008

Cleveland receives: Matt LaPorta, Zach Jackson, Rob Bryson, Michael Brantley

Brewers receive: CC Sabathia

With CC Sabathia just months away from free agency, Cleveland sent its homegrown star pitcher to … Milwaukee? It was a rare all-in move for the small market franchise, but he delivered the Brewers a playoff appearance for the first time since 1982 before signing with the Yankees that winter.

Red Sox trade Nomar Garciaparra to Cubs, 2004

Red Sox receive: Orlando Cabrera (from Expos), Doug Mientkiewicz (from Twins)

Cubs receive: Nomar Garciaparra (from Red Sox), Matt Murton (from Red Sox)

Expos receive: Brendan Harris (from Cubs), Alex Gonzalez (from Cubs), Francis Beltran (from Cubs)

Twins receive: Justin Jones (from Cubs)

Another Red Sox trade, why not? This one actually worked out for Boston, as much as it stung to trade away franchise icon Nomar Garciaparra mid-season. Orlando Cabrera and Doug Mientkiewicz were key contributors as the Red Sox finally reversed the curse to win the 2004 World Series, while Garciaparra was past his prime.

After last weekend's 1-2 series in New York, the Yankees' three-game rematch from Friday through Sunday at the Boston Red Sox was worse.

Sunday's 2-0 loss saw the Red Sox (37-36) return above .500 for the first time since May 24 while the Yankees (42-28) continue to struggle against Boston.

"Coming here, obviously, you want to win," said New York ace Max Fried (9-2, 1.89 ERA), whose seven-inning gem -- two runs allowed on six hits while striking out nine and walking two -- went to waste. "So, obviously, we're disappointed and definitely wish the outcomes were different."

The Yankees remain atop the AL East, leading by 3.5 games after the Tampa Bay Rays improved to 39-32 with a three-game sweep of the Mets, but New York is now 1-5 against Boston and 8-11 in the division this season.

"Concerning? I mean, I wouldn't put it that way," said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. "I would just say you always want to -- especially when you're playing the Red Sox, you always want to put your best foot forward. And they took us down this weekend, and back-to-back weekends, so you hate that.

"But we have a really good club, and just didn't play our best here this weekend -- obviously had a hard time putting runs on the board. Overall, I thought we pitched pretty well and did enough run prevention-wise to keep them in check to hopefully win some games. But we just didn't get much going."

The latest Red Sox series included a 1-for-12 showing from captain Aaron Judge, who hit his MLB-lead-tying 26th home run of the season late in this past Friday's 2-1 (10-inning) loss but was bottled up otherwise.

"Move past it, learn from it, get ready for the next series -- and we've got a big one with the Angels coming in for four," said Judge, who is slashing .378.473.756 with 60 RBI through 70 games.

As Judge referenced, a four-game set against the Los Angeles Angels (33-37) -- starting with Monday's 7:05 p.m. series opener -- brings the Yankees back to the Bronx for a seven-game homestand that includes the Baltimore Orioles (30-40) this coming Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

"It's 162, man," Boone said. "It sucks, losing to the Red Sox. We never like that, right? But it's why teams don't win 120 games.

"Like, we're really good -- I think that's going to continue to show itself -- but tough weekend and, frankly, had a chance to potentially win all the games, even back home against 'em.

"So, credit to them. They were a little bit better than us this weekend. So, look forward to turning the page and getting after it (Monday)."

The long-anticipated wait is over — Shohei Ohtani is ready to pitch.

The Dodgers announced after Sunday’s 5-4 win over the Giants that Ohtani will make his Dodgers pitching debut Monday against the San Diego Padres. He will start, but he likely will pitch only an inning or two.

“It's very exciting,” said Dodgers manager Dave Roberts before the team announced Ohtani's start. “I think that for me, I'm still a baseball fan first. I really am. The anticipation here for the game is, man, it's going to be bananas when it happens. There's been a lot of anticipation. I think we've done it the right way as far as kind of our process.”

For Ohtani, it’s been a long road back to pitching. He signed with the Dodgers on a 10-year, $700-million contract before the 2024 season — a value representing not just his MVP-level bat, but his potential Cy Young Award-level pitching.

He underwent Tommy John surgery in September 2023, only hitting in his first season with the Dodgers. He tallied unprecedented numbers at the plate (.310 batting average, league-high 54 home runs, 130 RBI and 59 stolen bases). In recent weeks, Ohtani ramped up his throwing program, facing live hitters a handful of times.

Roberts said Ohtani let the team — and its training staff — know he was ready to pitch in games again.

“Just kind of talking to [pitching coach Mark Prior] and [president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman] and the doctors and medical and just kind of saying, 'OK, we've done the three-inning live, it's a little taxing or more taxing on my body,'" Roberts said. “You're at a point of, I don't know if it's diminishing returns. But he's ready to pitch in a major league game. He let us know that."

Ohtani had been brilliant for the Angels, going 38-19 with a 3.01 earned-run average over 86 starts since coming over from Japan before the 2018 season. In 2022, Ohtani posted his best pitching numbers in the majors, with a 15-9 record, a 2.33 earned-run average and 219 strikeouts over 166 innings en route to placing fourth in AL Cy Young Award voting.

It’ll likely be an incremental start for Ohtani as he looks to add more pitches and innings in the weeks ahead.

“He's getting very eager, getting very excited,” Roberts said before Sunday's game. “I think that there's a point where, in hearing from Shohei, that the effort that it takes to throw lives and things like that, [rather] than to play a game, then let's use those bullets in a game. He's getting very excited."

Now those proverbial “bullets” will be used Monday night at Dodger Stadium.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Fifteen minutes before first pitch on Sunday, Giants catcher Logan Porter trotted in from the visitor’s bullpen. He’d usually be accompanied by the starting pitcher, which was set to be left-hander Kyle Harrison.

Instead, Porter stood on the first-base line for the national anthem, turned to his left and whispered to his teammates. As they all received the information from Porter — reminiscent of the children’s game “Telephone” — other Giants teammates likely learned one-by-one that Harrison had been traded.

The odd scene at Dodger Stadium was because of a reported blockbuster trade that involved the Boston Red Sox sending infielder Rafael Devers to the Giants in exchange for Harrison, right-hander Jordan Hicks and two prospects — a move that further bolsters the talent in the L.A.-San Francisco rivalry.

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San Francisco manager Bob Melvin turned to long reliever Sean Hjelle, who rapidly warmed up for the last-minute start, against a Dodgers offense that had scored 11 runs Saturday night.

It was more of the same from the Dodgers in a 5-4 victory Sunday. The top of the order manufactured a run via an Andy Pages sacrifice fly in the first inning. Tommy Edman hit a solo home run — his 10th — in the second. Pages put a cherry on top in the fifth after Shohei Ohtani (three for three, one walk) and Mookie Betts set the table with singles.

The Cuban slugger’s three-run home run helped the Dodgers (43-29) outmaneuver a Giants (41-31) team to take the series.

On the mound, Dustin May was looking to get back on track.

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May's recent starts left more to be desired from the former top prospect who had been struggling with his command and not tallying many swinging strikes. He had struck out just six batters across his last 11 innings — striking out just one in his last outing.

Although May couldn’t find his strikeout pitch, his start Sunday was the sixth time he had pitched through the sixth inning in 2025. He walked four batters for the second time in as many starts — the only time he’s issued at least four free passes in back-to-back games in his career — and struck out three batters. He didn’t have his best stuff, but showed his mettle in the fifth inning.

Whereas he crumbled in the fourth, giving up a two-RBI triple to Jung Hoo Lee to give the Giants a 3-2 lead, he battled out of a bases-loaded jam to keep San Francisco at bay, inducing Porter into an inning-ending groundout.

After Pages further strengthened his All-Star case with his 13th home run, the Dodgers' bullpen took care of business. Alex Vesia tossed a shutout seventh, while Kirby Yates (one run) and Tanner Scott (zero runs and struck out the side) finished it off in the eighth and ninth, respectively.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

Sunday's 9-0 loss to the Rays was a rock-bottom point of the weekend for the Mets, who lost all three games against Tampa Bay (39-32) by a combined 24-9 margin, but National League-leading New York (45-27) is not dwelling on its season-first sweep as it prepares for this week's series at the Atlanta Braves.

"You hate to get swept here at home, but you've got to move on," said Carlos Mendoza. "You've got to turn the page. We've got an off day. And then we've got a stretch here where we're playing the Braves, we're playing the (Philadelphia) Phillies, we've got the Braves again.

"So, again, it's 162 (games) -- you're going to go through stretches where this is going to happen. Obviously, we've got to play better. We didn't execute, we didn't play clean baseball and they made us pay. So, like I said, we've got to turn the page and start -- be ready to go Tuesday."

The sweep marks just the second time this season where the Mets have lost three straight games, with the first and only other instance coming May 18-20 at the Yankees (one) and Boston Red Sox (two).

"I think there are things you take away from it," said Brandon Nimmo, whose first-inning single was the first of only five hits by the Mets in Sunday's shutout. "You try and take it for a learning moment. People will look at this series and see if there's a recipe on how to beat us. And so, I definitely think there's something to learn from it.

"But at the same time, you try and not make it bigger than it is. We've been very good to this point, so you try and build on that. But there's always something to learn, so we will go ahead and look at those small things and learn from that and take 'em into the Atlanta series."

New York enters Atlanta with the Braves (31-39) under .500 since May 22 and fresh off Sunday's 10-1 loss to the MLB-worst Colorado Rockies (14-57).

"We know, when you look at that team on paper, that's a really good team," Mendoza said. "Obviously, they have some struggles. And then the three guys that we're facing, they're elite pitchers. And then you look at their lineup, they're healthy.

"So, yeah -- from the beginning, before the year started, we knew there were some good teams, really good teams in our division and the National League overall and here we are. We've got to get ready and the next 10 days are -- we've got to play well."

After the 7:15 p.m. starts on SNY across Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday in Atlanta, the Mets' three-game series at the Phillies (42-29) opens Friday.

"Just take it one day at a time," Nimmo said. "The Braves are a very good team -- I don't care what their record says -- very good team that can play very good baseball, pitch very well, hit very well, especially in their home ballpark, so we're going to be going in there expecting a bulldog fight, be ready for Game 1.

"Same thing with Philadelphia -- we know they're an extremely talented team, very, very good, very dangerous at home, great pitching staff. So, tough stretch coming up and we're just going to have to take it one game at a time."

Mets right-hander Griffin Canning allowed a season-high six runs and five walks in Sunday's 9-0 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays.

While the Rays (39-32) made timely plays, Canning's 50 strikes on 89 pitches over 4.1 IP put New York (45-27) in a tough spot.

"You've got to give them credit," Mendoza said of Tampa Bay, which went on the road and won all three games against the team with the National League's best record and gave the Mets their season-first sweep. "But at the same time, we're giving them too many free passes and we gave them extra outs -- and they're going to make you pay.

"That's a team that I've been saying it -- they're going to put the ball in play, they play the small ball and today was a perfect example. Walks -- they get bunt down, we don't make a play. Before you know it, we're down three. So, yeah, we just didn't play well."

Canning, who is 6-3 in 14 starts with a 3.80 ERA and 1.40 WHIP in 68.2 IP, was direct about the struggles.

"Just falling behind guys, walking guys," Canning said. "Probably shying away from contact a little too much, but it's a good lineup with a hot team right now.

"Just can't give them free bases."

Mendoza delved deeper into Canning's issues.

"Ability to throw strikes," Mendoza said. "The walks, we saw it again today -- a lot of arm-side misses with the breaking ball, the fastball, then he gets behind and, when he comes in, they're going to make him pay. So I think it's just strike-throwing ability.

"When he's been on ... he's giving us a chance and giving us solid outings, he's on the attack and staying on the attack with all of his pitches. And I feel like, right now -- we saw it today -- like I said, a lot of arm-side (misses), and the walks are hurting him."

While Canning has been on a downward trend over the totality of his past five starts, he did just throw six scoreless innings of three-hit ball June 4 at the Los Angeles Dodgers in a 6-1 win -- not by coincidence, he walked only one batter while striking out seven and scattering three hits.

"I've just go to get back to trusting my stuff in the zone," Canning said. "My changeup felt pretty good (Sunday). But yeah, just getting back to what makes me good and just trusting it."