PITTSBURGH — The scuffling Philadelphia Phillies suffered a blow Saturday when they placed first baseman Bryce Harper on the 10-day injured list because of right wrist inflammation before their game against the Pirates.
Harper sat out Friday night’s 5-4 loss to Pittsburgh. The move is retroactive to Friday.
The two-time National League MVP and eight-time All-Star is hitting .258 with nine home runs, 34 RBIs and eight stolen bases in 57 games. He missed five games from May 26 to June 2 with a bruised right elbow after being hit by a pitch from Atlanta’s Spencer Strider.
“It’s been long enough,” Harper said when asked how long his wrist has been bothering him. “It’s got to the point where I can’t really function on a baseball field or anything like that. So, it’s a good time for me to take some time and get it right.”
Harper said he felt pain in the wrist during a large portion of last season, when he hit 30 homers while helping the Phillies win the NL East.
“It’s gotten progressively worse (this season),” Harper said. “I felt it early in the season, and I tried to play through it as long as I could.”
The Phillies do not have a timetable for when Harper might be able to return.
“I’m hoping it’s close to 10 days, but I really don’t know,” manager Rob Thomson said.
The Phillies are expected to play third baseman Alec Bohm at first while Harper is out, with utility player Edmundo Sosa taking over at third.
The Phillies have lost seven of their last eight games, going from leading the NL East by two games to trailing the New York Mets by 2 1/2 games entering Saturday. Philadelphia had won 11 of 12 games before the skid.
Infielder/outfielder Otto Kemp’s contract was purchased from Triple-A Lehigh Valley. The 25-year-old, who has yet to play in the majors, was hitting .317 with 14 homers, 55 RBIs and 11 steals in 57 games at Triple-A.
Kemp was the International Player of the Month in April. The right-handed hitter was set to start at third base on Saturday against left-hander Andrew Heaney.
The Phillies also recalled right-hander Daniel Robert from Lehigh Valley and optioned righty Alan Rangel. Rangel, 27, made his major league debut Friday night, allowing two runs in three innings of relief.
This will be Robert’s third stint of the season with the Phillies. The 30-year-old has given up one run in two-thirds of an inning over two games.
SAN FRANCISCO – Bob Melvin, without knowing it at the time, manifested what was to come from the Giants in their second game of a three-game set against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday.
While speaking with reporters in the dugout at Oracle Park two hours before first pitch, Melvin discussed how the past few games have come down to the wire for the Giants, both positively and negatively.
“It feels more dramatic because all of our games seem like they end on the last pitch of the game,” Melvin said.
A couple hours later, the game ended on … wait for it … the last pitch of the game.
Matt Chapman played hero after Heliot Ramos singled in the bottom of the ninth down one run, as the Giants third baseman walked it off in the bottom of the ninth to secure the comeback 3-2 win over Atlanta.
“Look, that’s why you keep playing. You keep fighting,” Melvin said postgame. “You get a guy on and all of a sudden you get a chance. One swing can do it, so you just keep battling to the end. We’ve seen it many times. What is that, our eighth walk-off? So we’re used to these kinds of games.
“It seems like as many as we’ve had like this, we’re battle-tested all the way to the end until that last out. We have a chance. This was obviously a sign of that.”
About 17 hours prior to Chapman’s walk-off, the Giants defeated the Braves 5-4 on a wild pitch walk-off in extra innings.
Saturday was San Francisco’s eighth walk-off this season, which leads all of MLB.
The down-to-the-final-pitch games haven’t always benefited the Giants, though, as most recently as Tuesday’s extra-innings loss to the San Diego Padres, San Francisco closer Camilo Doval, needing just one out to win the game, blew a save opportunity as San Diego won in the 10th.
But the Giants were on the right side of history Saturday, even if it comes with physical and mental pain.
“Torture. It’s torture baseball here,” Giants ace Logan Webb (6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 10 K) said postgame. “But that’s just the way we like it. We play a lot of close games, especially in this ballpark. We played great defense again today. And we’re going to try to come up with a big hit when we need to.
“ … It’s exciting. We just got to keep it going. We talked about my last [outing], asked me if this was a low point, it’s ebs and flows. You just got to keep going.”
After Webb’s last outing Monday against the Padres, an eight-inning shutout gem that received no run support amidst an offensive slump for the Giants, Webb was asked where the vibes ranked amongst other low points in his career.
Webb quickly corrected the reporter, stating it wasn’t a low point but rather just part of what comes with a 162-game season. He also was confident the guys were going to be able to turn things around, and to a certain degree, he was right.
San Francisco dropped the next game the following night, but hasn’t lost since. Saturday’s win extended the Giants’ win streak to four.
That also coincides with a flurry of drastic roster moves made by the organization on Wednesday, which included designating first baseman LaMonte Wade Jr., something the team isn’t shy to admit has led to a different vibe in the clubhouse.
“We get a little different flavor in here, and to this point, it’s worked,” Melvin said.
The Giants don’t want to get too ahead of themselves, and they won’t. While they’ll take any win any way they can, they understand the issue that still lies. And while a one-run win is still a win, they hope to reach a point where they can create a little more space.
“I wouldn’t love to play them [close games] every single day,” Chapman said. “It’s going to serve us because we know how to play those games, we know what it takes to come out on top when the pressure is on and you got to make a play. Everything’s heightened in those moments, so I think it’s good for us to get that experience.
“But it seems like we’ve played for three weeks straight, one-run games every single day. Everyone would prefer to probably score some more runs. But it’s nice that we’re coming out on top.”
The Giants improved to 37-28, just a half-game behind the Padres and 1.0 games back of the first-place Los Angeles Dodgers.
They head into Sunday’s series finale against the Braves with a guaranteed win before heading to Colorado to face the worst team in baseball in the Rockies.
They still have confidence the offense will reach a consistent groove, but for now, the Comeback Kids will continue to live up to their name.
“It says a lot,” Chapman said when asked what another walk-off win says about the team’s fight. “That’s kind of how we were playing at the beginning of the year when we were really rolling. It’s good that we can get back to doing it. I think it could’ve been very easy for us to roll over after losing the first two games to the Padres, being down 5-0, but we came back, rattled off a few wins in a row.
“So it just shows this team’s not going to quit. And that’s going to serve us going forward.”
SAN FRANCISCO – Matt Chapman played hero with a walk-off home run to lift the Giants over the Atlanta Braves in a thrilling 3-2 win Saturday afternoon at Oracle Park.
Outside a fourth-inning Wilmer Flores homer, the Giants’ wobbly offense struggled through most of the game. And it appeared that another Logan Webb gem was going to be wasted.
But as we’ve seen so often with this team, it ain’t over until it’s over.
Saturday marked San Francisco’s eighth walk-off win of the 2025 MLB season season, which leads all of baseball.
The always consistent Webb was dominant through six innings, but outside of Flores, he received no run support from the Giants’ struggling offense once again.
Meanwhile, Braves righty Bryce Elder recorded a career-high 11 strikeouts against San Francisco.
The Giants improved to 37-28 on the season.
Here are the takeaways from the win:
Another Walk-Off Wonder
Just hours removed from a wild pitch walk-off win over the Braves in the series opener Friday night, the Giants did it again.
This time it was Chapman, who approached the plate 0-for-3 and with all eyes on him.
He took an 88-mph curveball 365 feet to left to seal the deal and pull out yet another one-run victory for the Giants.
The last time Webb toed the rubber, the Giants’ struggling offense wasted another one of his gems in a 1-0 loss to the San Diego Padres. He tossed eight shutout innings in that game, scattering six hits and breezing through one of baseball’s best lineups with seven strikeouts.
Five days later, it was another Webb masterclass. He had nine strikeouts through four innings, and his final line was: 6 IP, 6 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 BB, 10 K.
Webb also limited damage in a sixth-inning, bases-loaded jam with no outs and facing the middle of Atlanta’s order. The Braves scored just one run.
Down to the final at-bat, Chapman salvaged Webb’s outing.
Offense Struggles … Again
And just like that, the Giants were brought back down to earth. Sure, they found a way to get the victory and that’s what matters in the end, but it’s definitely not something that will get swept under the rug.
The Giants, coming off a wild walk-off win Friday night, seemed to have rejuvenated their slumping offense amid a three-game win streak.
But outside of Flores’ fourth-inning homer, the offense struggled again.
PITTSBURGH — Bryce Harper has played 57 of the Phillies’ 63 games, feeling pain in his right wrist with nearly every swing he’s taken.
Harper was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday with right wrist inflammation. It’s not the first time he’s experienced this. Last August, Harper revealed that he’d been playing through wrist pain for three months.
“It’s similar. It’s definitely similar,” he said Saturday from the visiting clubhouse at PNC Park.
The wrist pain went away during the offseason, Harper said, and he didn’t feel it again until early this season. It reached a level where he no longer thought it made sense to try to play through.
“It’s been long enough. It got to the point where I can’t really function on the baseball field or hit a baseball,” he said. “Just a good time for me to take some time and get it right. Felt it early in the season and tried to play through it as long as I could.”
The injury was initially caused by a wrist contusion, though it’s not clear when that took place. The pain has progressively worsened.
Harper is unsure whether he will be back on June 16 when first eligible to return. Manager Rob Thomson is hopeful. It will depend on how Harper’s wrist responds to treatment. He won’t be swinging for at least a few days.
“Just try to get through the treatment phase and see what I can do,” Harper said. “We’ve got to get it to calm down and get out there when I can.”
The wrist pain helps explain why Harper hasn’t performed up to his standard. He’s been a well-above-average everyday player this season, hitting .258 with an .814 OPS, but it hasn’t been MVP-caliber Bryce Harper.
“Every swing,” he said. “It’s tough. Obviously, I want to be out there. It’s frustrating. I never want to not be playing. It just wasn’t good for me to keep going out there. Didn’t want to get three, four, five weeks down the road and sit there.
“It was definitely a hard decision for me. I’ve played through pain in my career and did last year. I did it for most of this year but just don’t want to do it anymore.”
The timing isn’t ideal with the Phillies having lost seven of their last eight games. But the timing would have been worse if Harper had to miss games in September or October after playing through a wrist injury for five months.
“I don’t think getting hit in the elbow (last week) has helped it, just the drainage with all the fluid coming out,” he said. “Just try to get through it as best I can. It’s gonna take some time, obviously.”
The Phillies replaced Harper on the active roster by calling up prospect Otto Kemp, who has been on a tear all season at Triple A. Kemp was in the lineup right away Saturday, batting seventh and playing third base with Alec Bohm across the diamond at first.
Mike Krukow believes slumping shortstop Willy Adames could use some support from Giants fans.
With some social media posts suggesting, perhaps jokingly, that a standing ovation would take place during Adames’ first at-bat in San Francisco’s game against the Atlanta Braves on Saturday at Oracle Park, the Giants broadcaster was in favor of the idea.
“I think it’s great,” Krukow told Carlos Ramirez and Rich Aurilia on “Giants Pregame Live.” “I mean, he is a really, really sensitive human being. He plugs in energy every time he’s in the ballpark. He’s a giver. And when he’s going through a rough time, to me, he wears it, he takes it home with him. He cannot leave it.
“He needs confirmation, he needs love, and I think it’s a great thing and I hope they do. Today I hope the fans stand up and give a standing ovation to let him know that they believe in him. I think it’s very important to him.”
Adames, who entered Saturday’s game hitting just .195 with five home runs, 26 RBI and a .591 OPS through 64 games, could benefit from the Trea Turner treatment as he struggles to find his swing. The Philadelphia Phillies shortstop received standing ovations during all four of his at-bats on Aug. 4, 2023, as he hit .236 with 10 home runs, 35 RBI and a .656 OPS.
That season, Turner had just signed an 11-year, $300 million contract with the Phillies after proving himself as one of MLB’s best players with the Washington Nationals and Los Angeles Dodgers, only to underproduce early in Philadelphia.
Similarly, Adames enjoyed plenty of success with the Milwaukee Brewers before signing a franchise-record seven-year, $182 million contract with the Giants this past offseason. As the shortstop attempts to get back on track in San Francisco, Giants president of baseball operations Buster Posey still has as much faith in him as he did when he recruited Adames to the Bay.
“For this guy to show up and be the same each and every day, it’s pretty remarkable,” Posey told KNBR on May 30. “He’s truly a leader, and I’ve got belief that offensively he’s going to find his groove here. He’s always been a bit of a streaky hitter, so hoping that hot stretch is right around the corner.”
After the support from Phillies fans, Turner went on to finish the season batting .266 with 26 home runs. He was an MLB All-Star in 2024 and so far in 2025 is slashing .306/.360/.452. The fan-led campaign even is chronicled in a Netflix documentary called “The Turnaround” that was released last October.
While Adames’ first at-bat came and went without a standing ovation on Saturday, perhaps he still can stage a turnaround of his own — with or without some help from Giants fans.
The Mets continue a three-game series with the Rockies in Colorado on Saturday at 9:40 p.m. on SNY.
Here's what to know about the game and how to watch...
Mets Notes
Clay Holmes (6-3, 3.07 ERA) has held opposing batters to a .143 average with runners in scoring position, tied for the fourth-best mark in the National League and tied for the seventh-best mark in the majors (min. 50 at-bats w/RISP)
Despite a broken toe, Francisco Lindor delivered a clutch ninth-inning double on Friday night to boost his slash line to .400/.483/.920 over his last seven games. He is back in the starting lineup after not starting the previous two days
Juan Soto celebrates a milestone, appearing in his 1,000th career game. He is 6-for-19 (.316) with six runs, one double, two homers, four RBI, eight walks for a .536 OBP and .684 slugging through six games in June
Pete Alonso is riding a 15-game on-base streak, batting .310 in that span with four doubles, six homers, 20 RBI, and three walks
The Mets (40-24) own the majors' best team ERA at 2.84 and are sixth with 573 strikeouts. The starting staff has posted a 2.86 ERA this year, the best in the majors, while the bullpen has posted a 2.81 ERA, ranking second.
METS
ROCKIES
Francisco Lindor, SS
Jordan Beck, DH
Brandon Nimmo, LF
Thairo Estrada, 2B
Juan Soto, RF
Hunter Goodman, C
Pete Alonso, 1B
Ryan McMahon, 3B
Jeff McNeil, CF
Ryan Ritter, SS
Luis Torrens, C
Brenton Doyle, CF
Brett Baty, 2B
Sam Hilliard, LF
Jared Young, DH
Kyle Farmer, 1B
Ronny Mauricio, 3B
Tyler Freeman, RF
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When asked for an update on the situation by NBC Sports Bay Area’s Tristi Rodriguez before the second game of the series on Saturday, manager Bob Melvin relayed that the person wasn’t caught.
“I heard they didn’t get it, that it came out of the upper deck and the cameras weren’t shooting that high,” Melvin told reporters. “Hope it doesn’t happen again.”
The incident, described after the game by Giants infielder Tyler Fitzgerald as “dangerous,” occurred in the top of the fourth inning with the Braves up to bat. As right fielder Mike Yastrzemski threw the ball home on a Sean Murphy sacrifice fly, another baseball bounced onto the infield from the upper deck.
Giants broadcaster Mike Krukow described whoever threw the ball as a “clown,” and San Francisco players were visibly confused. The run scored, however, and play continued as usual following a brief meeting between the umpires.
Melvin didn’t disclose whether or not the Giants are investigating further. But as of right now, it looks like whoever threw the ball might get away with an offense that could have gotten them banned from Oracle Park.
PITTSBURGH — Bryce Harper was placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday and Phillies prospect Otto Kemp, who has raked all season at Triple A, was called up to take his place on the active roster.
Harper is dealing with right wrist inflammation. It was revealed Friday by manager Rob Thomson that Harper has been playing through soreness in the wrist for “a little while,” and that it was likely caused by swinging rather than a specific event.
The Phillies avoided the injured list with Harper last week when he missed five games after being hit in the surgically repaired right elbow by a 95 mph fastball. They hoped to do the same this time with his wrist but sitting Harper for 10 days to help it clear up was determined to be the right move. He is first eligible to return on June 16 in Miami.
The other half of Saturday’s transaction was one Phillies fans have been calling for. The right-handed Kemp impressed in spring training and never stopped hitting once the IronPigs’ season began. He’s hit .313/.416/.594 and leads the International League with 14 homers and 55 RBI.
With Lehigh Valley this season, Kemp has started 33 games at third base, 10 at second, seven at first and seven in left field. The Phils could play him at either infield corner with Alec Bohm on the other side.
The Phillies originally signed Kemp, 25, as an undrafted free agent in 2022 out of Point Loma Nazarene University in San Diego. He put together a strong 2024, rising from Single A all the way to Triple A, and has been a major difference-maker with the bat this season at the minors’ highest level.
Injured Dodgers pitcher Tyler Glasnow throws in the outfield at Dodger Stadium before a game against the New York Mets on June 4. (Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)
The Dodgers now have 15 pitchers on the injured list. This team, with all of its talent, is going nowhere without frontline pitching. Andrew Friedman realized this when he emptied Fort Knox during the offseason. But, like previous seasons, they are dropping like flies, with shoulder and forearm issues.
Other MLB teams don't seem to have these issues, at least not to this degree.
At what point do we begin to look at the training staff, starting with pitching coach Mark Prior? What is it that he's asking (and teaching) these guys to do with their arms, to get that extra 'something' out of them? Too often that extra something becomes nothing at all.
Rodger Howard Westlake Village
The underperforming, injury-plagued — and very well-paid — Dodger pitching staff illustrates the true financial advantage of big-market teams willing and able to spend. Yes, the Dodgers can afford to sign and pay frontline players, but, just as important, they can also afford to set aside or simply eat the contracts of those expensive players if they become hurt or ineffective, and replace them with additional highly (over)paid players. It’s almost a lock that, if their staff isn’t healthier and more reliable come August, the Dodgers will probably trade for pitching help and take on even more salary. Small-market teams such as the Reds, Guardians and Pirates can’t sign many top-tier players in the first place, let alone replace them if they don’t pan out.
John Merryman Redondo Beach
Instead of spending hundreds of millions on pitchers to sit on the injury list for the majority of every year, I recommend the Dodgers instead allocate those funds to put nine All-Star offensive players in the lineup. Then just do what the team always winds up doing anyway — rely on inexpensive, lower-tier and journeyman pitchers for the season.
Jerry Leibowitz Culver City
Time to say goodbye
It's about time that the Dodgers separate from Clayton Kershaw. Yes he has been with them forever, and was very good. But that was then, not now. The Dodgers separated from Chris Taylor, and Austin Barnes, long-term team members, now it's time to do the same with Kershaw.
Deborah R. Ishida Beverly Hills
Dear Clayton,
It's time to say goodbye. Injuries have taken their toll. Don't ruin what has been a first-ballot Hall of Fame career by performing at a level that is a shadow of yourself. It's been a great run, but you are hurting the team. Announce that you're leaving so the fans can give you the send-off you deserve. Please don't hang around and make us watch you continue to pad the worst stats of your career.
Geno Apicella Placentia
At 37 and having pitched more than 3,000 innings, there’s no doubt Clayton Kershaw still has the smarts if not the scintillating fastball of days gone by to help the Dodgers race toward another World Series appearance. Manager Dave Roberts says he trusts him to keep taking the mound, and so do I. Like the headline reads, “History says don’t count out Kershaw.”
Marty Zweben Palos Verdes Estates
Max retention
While we all lament and understand the need to move on from fan favorites, thank goodness the Dodgers resisted the urge to go the youth route with Max Muncy. And it's not his glasses. Have you seen his swing of late? Probably not — it's too fast for the naked eye.
Robert Gary Westlake Village
Too much Ohtani praise?
Look, I get it. Ohtani is great. Amazing. Remarkable. Fill-in-the-blank with any superlative.
But it seems like every week Dylan Hernández writes the exact same column, praising Ohtani for his greatness and saying how important he is to the Dodgers. And it was the same when he was on the Angels.
Everyone knows that. I'd like to see Dylan mix it up with his critique and commentary a bit more.
Greg Wagner Huntington Beach
It looks like "Plaschkeitis" has spread to another LAT sportswriter. In his report of the Dodgers' 18-2 win over the Yankees, Jack Harris writes, "It was a statement, a reminder and a warning all wrapped into one." It was also just one game, and 24 hours later, the Dodgers lost to the Yankees.
Try to hold it down fellas; you're giving everybody whiplash.
Ralph Martinez Arcadia
Don't run from rivalry
An easier path to the playoffs is no reason to cancel the most storied intersectional rivalry in sports. If USC cannot defeat Notre Dame, USC does not belong in the playoffs. Recruit and coach a team to beat them. Don’t look for a way to claim success by running away from them.
Jay McConnell Los Angeles
USC football coach Lincoln Riley makes excuses why his team can't or won't play Notre Dame. I think the truth is he's scared to play Notre Dame because he feels overmatched. USC lost to Notre Dame in 2023 and 2024, and Riley can't handle another loss.
Neil Snow Manhattan Beach
Verdict on Bauer
There are two subjects I hope never to read about again in The Times' Sports section:
Got an unused night light? Send it to Mookie Betts.
Mike Eberts Los Feliz
The Los Angeles Times welcomes expressions of all views. Letters should be brief and become the property of The Times. They may be edited and republished in any format. Each must include a valid mailing address and telephone number. Pseudonyms will not be used.
When Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said that Francisco Lindor could be available in Friday's series opener against the Rockies after keeping him out of the starting lineup for the second straight game, you just knew what eventually happened was a possibility.
In the ninth inning with the score tied 2-2 and runners in scoring position with two outs, the Mets skipper called upon his shortstop -- hobbled by a fractured pinky toe -- to try and push across the go-ahead run.
Mendoza needed something; the Mets outside of Pete Alonso-- whose two-run double in the seventh put them ahead temporarily -- have struggled mightily this season with runners in scoring position. Entering Friday, Lindor was hitting only .189 with RISP, but the Mets needed their de facto captain and he came through, broken toe and all.
Lindor pulled a sweeper into right field to score two runs to lift the Mets to a 4-2 win.
FRANCISCO LINDOR PINCH-HIT 2-RUN DOUBLE!!!!!!!!!!!!
"Special player, I’ve been saying it. Special talent. We’re watching greatness," Mendoza said of Lindor after the game. "Continues to do what All-Stars do. Continues to show up in big situations on a day when he was in the dugout with a bat in his hand since the fifth inning, finally gets his chance and comes through for us."
Mendoza said that right before the game, when Lindor came away from hitting in the batting cages feeling ok, he knew he could use him. Ideally, Mendoza wanted to stay away from Lindor, especially knowing that it would have been a two-player move to replace him in the field for the bottom of the ninth, but as the game went on the second-year manager told Lindor in the eighth inning that if Tyrone Taylor's turn at-bat came up in the ninth, he was going to him.
"For me and for a lot of people, we are spoiled," Alonso said of Lindor. "With him, he’s a guy who is ready to strap on regardless... I see him do stuff like this all the time. I know it’s hard to do. Battling through physical stuff, there’s limitations. I have nothing but the utmost respect. He’s a true pro and he embodies that."
"It illustrates what type of person Francisco Lindor is," Kodai Senga, who allowed just one run over six innings on Friday, said through an interpreter. "A leader. He's just a superstar."
So, how did Lindor prepare for his pinch-hit opportunity? The shortstop said he was ready because he discussed the possibility with Mendoza before the game and the team's trainers got him ready.
"Mendy had a great game plan from the beginning of the day, he told me what was in his mind. It was just a matter of the trainers," Lindor said. "They did a fantastic job, they prepped me the right way. They did everything in their power to get me on the field. Around the fourth or fifth inning, Mendy asked me if I was available to hit and I said yeah."
This isn't the first time Lindor, who usually plays just about every game, has come up with heroics while not at 100 percent as a Met. Last season saw him overcome the flu to deliver a game-winning hit, and when last year's back issues first popped up, he delivered down the stretch, including help the team clutch a playoff berth.
Lindor said he can feel he's not 100 percent at the plate, but knows he's not the only big league player playing through injury. So when he's good enough to play and help the team, he'll be ready.
"The Lord has blessed me to play this game and stay on the field. When I’m not on the field, the trainers do a fantastic job. You see the results, but they are the one putting in the time to get me right and on the field. This training staff is one of the best, if not the best. Once it comes to those moments, I’m just there to make something happen. Just get a good pitch, and what happens happens. Don't let the moment get too big."
Lindor hopes he's in the lineup on Saturday, but knows that he needs to see how he feels tomorrow and speak to Mendoza and the trainers. But even if Mendoza wants to give his shortstop another day off, he knows he can use him again when he needs a big hit.
There’s something special brewing with Pete Alonso this year.
The Mets slugger is having the best start of his career. Entering Friday’s game against the Rockies, Alonso was batting .298 with 15 home runs and 55 RBI to go along with a .972 OPS. He leads the team in all those categories and they needed that production against Colorado in the series opener.
Down 1-0 in the seventh inning, the Mets had already squandered multiple chances to put up runs. No matter how many batters were on base, the clutch hit would not come, but Alonso provided the first with a two-run double that put the Mets in front.
Before that hit, the Mets were 0-for-8 with runners in scoring position in the game.
“We didn’t have good at-bats for the first 6-7 innings before Pete finally got that two-run double,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of the team’s struggles after the game. “Our at-bats with runners in scoring position weren’t good.”
Mendoza said his players were “in between” at the plate and just need to continue to work to break out of their collective slump.
But that slump hasn’t hit Alonso much this year. After he went into his first downturn in May, Alonso has turned it on in June, driving in 14 runs in six games this month. With his two-run double, his batting average with RISP rose to .358 while the rest of the team, at that point, was just .194 on the season.
When asked how he has seemingly stayed “immune” to the RISP slump of his teammates, Alonso downplayed what he's done.
“No one is immune to anything. This is the big leagues," he said. "For me, this is one of the things, I just want to win and stick to my plan, that’s really it. Stay disciplined in that because when guys are on base, pitchers are going to try and find another level, go to a dark place and do whatever they can to get a guy out. Whoever is at the dish, whether it’s me or other people.
"For me, I want to combat that with owning my strikezone, owning my process and holding on to my mechanics as much as I possibly can.”
But Alonso showed how much he’s meant to the 2025 Mets on Friday and not just at the plate. His throw home to gun down the runner when the score was still 1-0 was crucial for the Mets’ comeback, and his base-running to score from first on Francisco Lindor’s pinch-hit double in the ninth, while also sliding around catcher Hunter Goodman’s tag, helped lift the Mets to their 40th win of the season.
“Pete has meant a lot,” Lindor said. “Leading the team in batting average, OPS, he’s been tremendous for us. He makes us all better. He’s special. The defensive play he made today, running the bases the right way. He’s turning himself into a well-rounded player. He’s a very special player and we’re glad he’s on our team.”
After Friday’s performance, Alonso has added to his league-lead in doubles (20) and RBI (57) while continuing to lead the team in just about every offensive category. Lindor was asked if he's seen a season like this from Alonso before, and the shortstop said he hasn't.
"I think this is going to be the best year of his career, God willing," he said. "He’s going to keep up doing what he’s doing, I think he’s going to end up with one of the best Mets seasons ever, probably."
Angels starting pitcher Kyle Hendricks delivers during the first inning of a 5-4 win over the Seattle Mariners at Angel Stadium on Friday night. (Eric Thayer / Associated Press)
When Angels closer Kenley Jansen induced a groundout from J.P. Crawford to end Friday night’s contest, he made sure to keep the ball.
In the Angels' clubhouse after a 5-4 win over the Seattle Mariners, Jansen handed the ball to Kyle Hendricks. It was Hendricks' to keep after he earned his 100th career victory.
Hendricks didn't pitch his best game. The right-hander gave up eight hits and four earned runs along with two strikeouts and two walks over six innings. Still, his milestone capped one of the Angels' better wins — an all-around team effort spearheaded by veteran players.
“I hate it being about me, so I appreciated keeping [the postgame celebration] short,” said Hendricks, who won 97 of his 100 games with the Chicago Cubs. [Manager Ron Washington] just said a couple words, and the guys pointed out Kenley keeping the last ball for me, handing it over. Just really cool and hugs all around.”
Clyde Wright, ninth on the Angels' all-time wins list and Hendricks' pitching coach during his teenage years in South Orange County, was at Angel Stadium on Friday. Wright, who ended his career with 100 wins, congratulated Hendricks in the clubhouse.
“I told him, I only took 23 years after our first lesson — 12-year-old, first lesson — and now, finally tied him,” Hendricks said.
Hendricks said he has built a solid bond with battery mate Travis d’Arnaud in recent starts.
“Really catching a groove, really learned me, and it's just making things so much easier for me,” Hendricks said of d'Arnaud. “So I can't thank him enough.”
Being part of Hendricks' 100th win was "very special" for d'Arnaud, who also caught Charlie Morton's 100th win with Atlanta in 2021.
“I'm very thankful and grateful that I was a part of it, and not only to be a part of it behind the plate, but also to help contribute at the plate,” d’Arnaud said.
Offensively, it was one of the newest Angels who helped lead them to victory.
Chris Taylor hadn’t done much at the plate since the Angels signed him nearly two weeks ago. Friday night at Angel Stadium, the former Dodgers utilityman put together his best game for the Angels so far — going two for three with a tying RBI double in his first multi-hit performance of the season (his first in the regular season since Sept. 28).
“That's obviously the best game I've had in a minute,” Taylor said. “Just to hit the ball hard and drive in a run — do some things to help a team win, felt good.”
Angels second baseman Chris Taylor throws to first base after forcing out a Mariners runner at second in the first inning Friday. (Eric Thayer / Associated Press)
Taylor also scored the decisive run in the fifth inning on a single from Nolan Schanuel. Even Taylor’s one out was loud. In the bottom of the sixth, Seattle center fielder Julio Rodríguez robbed Taylor of a two-run home run to dead center field.
In his first plate appearance in the third, Taylor scored on a single from Zach Neto to tie the score 1-1. After the Mariners retook the lead in the fourth, d'Arnaud tied the game again with a two-run home run in the bottom of the inning.
The Angels put together one of their better performances at the plate. They combined for seven hits and struck out just seven times. With their third win in four games, the Angels (29-33) are three games back of second-place Seattle (32-30) and 5½ games behind AL West-leading Houston (35-28).
Ryan Zeferjahn and Reid Detmers pitched a scoreless seventh and eighth, respectively, and Jansen tossed a scoreless ninth for his 13th save. Detmers hasn’t given up a run — across eight appearances — since May 17.
For Washington, Hendricks getting his 100th win was the cherry on top of a win over a division rival.
“I talk about two things, presence and performance,” Washington said. “[Hendricks'] presence is always around. And when he's performing, you see him giving everything he has. Well deserved.”
Jazz Chisholm Jr.returned from a month on the shelf in a new position in the Yankees' infield. But while he had to find his footing at third base, he has had no trouble raking in the batter's box.
What’s been working for him? “Seventy percent,” Chisholm said. “Just go at 70 percent, that’s what’s been working for me.”
“I don’t know, it works,” he said with a shrug of his shoulders and a laugh. “I don’t know what to tell you. To play at 70 percent: defense, offense, running, everything. Stay healthy. You don’t overswing, you don’t swing and miss as much, you’re a great player at 70 percent.”
Chisholm said that the suggestion came from hitting coach Pat Roessler and that he was hitting .171 at 100 percent, “so we’re gonna take 70 percent.”
“I’ve really heard that all my life I need to tone down on the way I play,” he said. “Because it’s really over… It’s electric, but it’s like you can be electric while being in control at the same time.”
But taking his foot off the gas is “super challenging" for the 27-year-old. “The only thing I knew is how to go fast,” Chisholm said. “Basically, I was Ricky Bobby growing up. And that’s all I knew was just play at 100 percent, go at 100 percent, swing at 100 percent, throw at 100 percent.
“Even if you’re being flashy or anything like that. In order for you to be a flashy player, you gotta be able to go at 100 percent. You just can’t be out there being lackadaisical and be flashy because and then you’re never gonna make any of the plays, you gotta be at top peak to make those plays.”
It is about staying fundamentally sound at 70 percent, a level he still feels he can be a pretty good baseball player. And part of that is taking a basehit up the middle on a changeup, which he did his second time up Friday, a pitch he likely would have pulled foul trying to hit a home run on earlier in the year.
"It's really a mindset thing," Chisholm said. "Even on the home run, I was trying to hit a line drive to center field base hit. I wasn't even trying to hit a home run. I was really trying to dunk one into center field. And it ended up shooting off my bat and getting over the fence, that's why I was so hyped coming around first base. It really hit me, like 70 percent really is enough to be a great baseball player here."
He means no disrespect or to give the impression he is coasting, but just calming himself down.
But even at that level, his play is noticeable. “Electric. I think that’s the only way to describe Jazz,” Friday’s starting pitcher, Will Warren, said.
“He’s squaring balls up,” manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s got so much talent and power, and he doesn’t have to go reach for it. That kinda wiry thing inside him, he doesn’t have to work too hard to generate it.
“So, nice and easy is always good for Jazz.”
Chisholm said that they were looking at his swing during his minor league rehab assignment and seeing it as “so effortless.” When they asked him how it felt when he was having success, he said it felt just like that.
“It felt like I was hitting home runs effortlessly, and I was hitting doubles and swinging as effortlessly as I could,” he said. “First game back, I think I got one fastball all game and, effortless swing, hit a homer. Came in [Thursday], did the same thing, three hits. Just keep on doing it.”
He added: “When you believe in something and it feels so right, you can’t go wrong with it.”
Dodgers pitcher Justin Wrobleski, right, forces out St. Louis batter Lars Nootbaar at first base during the first inning of the Dodgers' 5-0 loss Friday night. (Joe Puetz / Associated Press)
The revolving door on the pitcher’s mound continues to spin for the Dodgers, who called Justin Wrobleski up from the minors to start Friday’s game against the St. Louis Cardinals.
There’s a good chance Wrobleski will be on his way back to the minors by the start of Saturday’s game.
In between he pitched six innings in a 5-0 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals, the Dodgers’ fourth loss in six games and their 11th loss in 20 games dating to May 16.
“I wouldn’t say, a problem,” manager Dave Roberts, who has used 13 different starting pitchers through 64 games, said of the revolving door. “It's certainly not ideal.”
Nor is it unusual for the Dodgers, who used 17 starters and 40 pitchers overall last season when they won the World Series. But that door is certainly spinning faster than it did last year with the Dodgers using 11 different starters before May 1.
The Dodgers’ bullpen leads the majors in innings pitched while their starters have thrown the second-fewest innings because of injuries.
The Dodgers have 15 pitchers on the injured list, among them Blake Snell, Roki Sasaki and Tyler Glasnow. Including bonuses, the Dodgers will pay the three pitchers more than $100 million combined this season. So far, that has bought them 15 starts.
In their absence, Wrobleski, Landon Knack and Jack Dreyer have made a combined 12 starts; none of them will make more than $800,000.
And it’s not just pitchers: The Dodgers have made 18 transactions in June and the month is just a week old, creating a constant shuffle between the majors and triple-A Oklahoma City that could disrupt Dodgers’ locker room chemistry.
“It's part of the culture nowadays in the major leagues, as far as kind of having optionable players and kind of having guys in and out of clubhouses,” he said. ”For our particular club, the core is still the core. But certainly on the periphery or the ancillary players that kind of go up and down, they're kind of in and out, which is not easy for them.”
To combat that, Roberts said his coaches try to make sure the players feel comfortable during their stays, which can sometimes last less than 24 hours.
“It's still not easy when you're here for a couple days and then you're out, then you're back,” Roberts said.
Wrobleski (1-2), who made his second start of the season, agreed.
“Obviously, it's a challenge,” he said. “But at the end of the day, I kind of know how this works and I know that my next start is not guaranteed to always be in one place or another. I wouldn't say it's an excuse. I haven't pitched great up here.
“It's definitely hard. But at the end of the day, you have to be ready to pitch whenever you're called upon, no matter where you're at. That's kind of my mentality and wherever I'm at, I'm just going to continue to try to get better and continue improving.”
In a game delayed 77 minutes by rain, Wrobleski was undone by a pair of two-out pitches. The first was hit into the left-field stands by Pedro Pages for a two-run home run in the second inning. Brendan Donovan lined the other up the middle in the fifth to score two runners, both of whom reached on walks.
Willson Contreras accounted for the final run with an eighth-inning solo homer off reliever Chris Stratton.
But if injuries have crippled the Dodgers’ pitching, the offense simply crumbled Friday. They stranded nine runners, were one for 13 with runners in scoring position and struck out nine times. So while they lead the majors in runs, batting average and homer runs, they’re hitting just .228 in June.
All of which makes the absence of infielder Hyeseong Kim from the starting lineup all the more baffling. Kim, who is hitting .404/.436/.558 in 24 games, has just seven at-bats in June.
“I wish every time somebody got on base, we could get a hit and score,” said Mookie Betts, who had three of the Dodgers’ 10 hits. “I really wish every time runners are in scoring position, we could get those timely hits. But that's not how the game works.
“The game is going to go through its ebbs and flows. You have to just kind of ride the wave. You can't jump off.”
But you can’t get stuck in a revolving door either.
