What we learned as Webb gem vs. Dodgers puts Giants in first place  originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

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LOS ANGELES — Three hours before Friday’s game, a very polite local reporter asked Giants manager Bob Melvin if he could talk about the game plan against Los Angeles Dodgers ace Yoshinobu Yamamoto. Melvin smiled and politely declined. 

The game plan was apparently a good one.

Casey Schmitt hit a grand slam in the third and the Giants knocked Yamamoto out in the fifth, rolling to a 6-2 win in their first meeting of the season with the Dodgers. With the victory, their eighth in their last nine games, the Giants moved into a tie atop the National League West. This is the first time since 2021 that they have held a share of the division lead this late in a season.

CASEY SCHMITT GRAND SLAM 💥 pic.twitter.com/rzg1Rxfb9u

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 14, 2025

Schmitt’s first career slam broke the game open, but Logan Webb didn’t need nearly that much help. Webb struck out Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts in the first and cruised from there, taking the lead through the seventh. He allowed just two runs and picked up his fifth career regular season win against the Dodgers. 

Schmitt Happened

After giving an update on his injured right hand Friday, Matt Chapman said the Giants were in good hands at third base and that Schmitt would be a big part of the team even after the starting third baseman returns. That proved to be wildly prophetic. 

By the time Schmitt stepped to the plate in the third, both teams were already fed up with home plate umpire Adam Beck, who had a tight zone and was prone to making delayed strike calls. Both Yamamoto and Webb bent over at the hips early on in frustration over calls, but the Dodger had a particularly hard time with the tight zone. He walked three in the third without looking particularly wild, and Schmitt made him pay. 

With two outs, Yamamoto threw a splitter at the bottom of the zone and Schmitt unloaded. His second homer of the year and road trip left the bat at 108.6 mph and traveled halfway up the bleachers in left. Schmitt knew right away that he had swung the game … 

Crank It Up

The return to Dodger Stadium seemed to bring a little extra out of Webb. He hit 95 mph three times in the first inning, including on a strikeout of Ohtani. Coming into the game, he had touched 95 just four times in 14 starts, although three of them were in his last start, so perhaps this was just a sign of how good he’s feeling three months into the season.

Webb developed his cutter last year in part because he needed another weapon against the Dodgers, and he threw it a career-high 29 times Friday. The pitch got him 22 strikes and six swinging strikes. 

The top of the order — Ohtani, Betts and Freddie Freeman — was 0-for-8 with a walk and four strikeouts against Webb, who kept his ERA at 2.58. He’s fifth in the NL in ERA, second in innings and third in strikeouts. Paul Skenes is the Cy Young frontrunner and the likely All-Star starter, but Webb is right in the mix for both after 15 starts. 

He Does It At Sea Level, Too

Melvin said before the game that Willy Adames’ recent surge wasn’t just a Coors Field thing. He is seeing a more relaxed version of the shortstop, and the Giants believe that will lead to big things in the weeks and months to come. On Friday, Adames looked like someone who really has turned the corner. 

The Giants got on the board first when Adames hit an opposite-field blast in the first inning, his eighth of the year and third of the road trip. He nearly did it again a few innings later, but his fly ball to deep center died on the track. 

Willy Adames stays HOT with an oppo homer 🔥 pic.twitter.com/RfRMS9lNLQ

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 14, 2025

Adames has raised his OPS to .635. It was .584 when the Giants arrived in Denver earlier this week.

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The Mets’ rotation suffered a big blow on Thursday, as Kodai Senga landed on the IL with a hamstring strain. 

Lucky for them, there are plenty of reinforcements on the way, as Paul Blackburn is set to rejoin the rotation on Tuesday while Frankie Montas and Sean Manaea are progressing well during their rehab assignments. 

New York also has some intriguing options stashed down in the minor leagues. 

Nolan McLean continues to dominate during his first full season as a pitcher, Brandon Sproat is finding his footing after a rough start to the year, and Jonah Tong has been cruising his way through Double-A.  

Blade Tidwell, who made his big-league debut earlier this season against the Cardinals, is also still down in Syracuse and possesses significant upside of his own. 

Though all of the young arms are starting to knock on the door, they seem to be a bit of an afterthought for the organization at the moment, with the amount of depth above them on the big-league roster.  

President of baseball operations David Stearns indicated that they would be considered for a call-up if they continue to dominate -- but they are facing a bit of an uphill battle.

“We're going to make those decisions based exclusively on who and what group of players gives us the best chance to win," Stearns said. "If we have a prospect that we believe gives us the best chance over someone else, we are going to strongly consider that.

“That being said, the volume of established major league pitchers we have makes that a steep hill to climb. We have pitchers at the majors we really believe in, who have proven to pitch at a high level. For a prospect to jump that, especially in a pennant race, is a high bar.”

McLean seems to be the closest to taking that leap with his stretch of dominance.

Sproat is working his way back into the mix after a rough start to the season. He's put together four straight starts with three or less earned runs to bring his ERA down to 5.31 for the year. Still not where it needs to be, but a step in the right direction. 

“He’s getting back to doing some of the things he did well while in Double-A,” Stearns said of Sproat. “He’s attacking hitters and he’s using the entirety of his arsenal pretty well. We saw the curveball come out a little bit more last night, which is important.

“At the appropriate time, he’s leaning on the changeup when that is the needed pitch. He’s not just trying to blow the fastball by guys. This is a talented guy with weapons, and sometimes you just need to learn again and again that you need to lean on your whole arsenal.”

While the Mets are expecting the luxury of reinforcements to their starting rotation in the near future, it appears they'll need to wait even longer for a pair of injured outfielders to return to uniform.

During his latest homestand press conference, Mets president of baseball operations David Stearns revealed Friday that bench players Jesse Winker and Jose Siri are currently on different ends of the recovery spectrum. And the positive update was given to Winker, not Siri.

In regard to Winker, who landed on the injured list in early May with a right oblique strain, Stearns said he's progressing in ramp-up activities but still "multiple weeks" away from beginning a rehab assignment. The timetable checks out, considering that Winker was initially projected to miss 6-8 weeks. Only time will tell how long his eventual rehab stint lasts.

As for Siri, the news was far less encouraging. Stearns said he recently suffered "a little bit of a setback" in his recovery from a fractured left tibia, as imaging showed the bone hadn't healed to the Mets' liking. He's now shut down from all baseball activities. Siri fouled a ball off his shin on April 12, and had yet to return to the field for any drills or workouts. His intial recovery window was 8-12 weeks.

Meanwhile, on the bullpen front, reliever Brooks Raley is close to taking another step forward in his long journey back to the mound. Stearns said the veteran lefty could start a rehab assignment as early as next week, with a full ramp-up period that could last 30 days. The Mets signed Raley in late April, nearly a year after he underwent Tommy John surgery.

Suarez and Schwarber thriving in contract years, price tags increasing originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

With every performance like this, the price tags of two of the Phillies’ three most important free-agents-to-be continue to increase.

Ranger Suarez made a seventh straight excellent start, beating the Blue Jays with seven scoreless innings and walking off the mound at Citizens Bank Park to a standing ovation.

Since May 10, Suarez is 5-1 with a 1.16 ERA. His average start over that span has been less than one run over seven innings on an efficient 96 pitches.

“When he puts somebody on, it seems like he gets the double play every time. Weak contact, just vintage Ranger,” Trea Turner said.

Kyle Schwarber homered for a second straight game, changing the night with one swing in the bottom of the second. It was his 22nd of the season and one of his most impactful as 17 have been solos. This one was a three-run shot.

Suarez and Schwarber are both in their walk years. Suarez hired agent Scott Boras in December, so it’s unlikely he’ll give the Phillies a hometown discount. This is his primary chance for a payday that will affect future generations of the Suarez family and it makes sense to maximize every dollar.

The 29-year-old lefty has a 2.32 ERA through eight starts. If he can maintain anything close to this level of production over a full season, he could be looking at a contract approaching or exceeding $100 million, given the scarcity of high-level starting pitching and his resume in both the regular season and playoffs. The deepest part of the Phillies’ roster is their rotation and they have other needs, so Suarez seems at best 50-50 to return in free agency.

“It’s just sneaky, it’s all about deception, it’s not necessarily velo,” Turner said of what makes Suarez so successful. “Deceptive with multiple pitches, different arm angles. He’s tough on lefties and righties, which is a big deal. Changes speeds, throws anything in any count, really just a true pitcher. 

“There’s some guys who throw 100 (mph) and you see the ball good and some guys who throw 90 and you don’t see the ball well. You watch on TV and it doesn’t make sense. He’s just one of those guys where everything looks the same out of his hand, it takes you a little longer to pick things up and by the time you make your decision, it’s too late.”

This is the fourth straight year he’s put together at least one spectacular run. He’s done it early, he’s done it late, Suarez just hasn’t done it for a full season. He’s never been more incentivized than he is now, and the Phillies are hopeful this is the year it all comes together for him consistently because they know they’ll be without Aaron Nola for some time.

“Primarily, it’s being healthy,” Suarez said. “I know what I’m capable of when I’m healthy and I’m capable of doing great things.”

Schwarber has been the Phillies’ offensive hero so often in 2025. He went through a two-week slump from May 25 through June 10, hitting just .211 with two homers and 27 strikeouts in 64 plate appearances, but he appears to be breaking out of it. He’s had back-to-back games with a homer and walk.

The Phillies need Schwarber’s power more than ever with Bryce Harper out of the lineup. Alec Bohm isn’t a home-run hitter, Trea Turner has altered his approach to trade off power for more base-hits, and Nick Castellanos said recently that he’s trying to find the balance of being a tougher out while still selling out for extra-base hits when he gets a cookie.

It’s still five months away but Schwarber’s free agency will be fascinating. This is his age-32 season. He is a designated hitter. Yet his market could still include two-thirds of the league because of his difference-making power, an improving offensive profile, his postseason success and ability to lead a clubhouse of veterans or youngsters. Kyle Tucker will be a free agent and Pete Alonso is likely to opt out and become one, but Schwarber would be the next-best bat on the market.

These are important decisions the Phillies will face with Suarez, Schwarber and J.T. Realmuto, who is also in a contract year. They’d love to lock Schwarber up today, but if you’re him, why put pen to paper now when 20 more teams might be interested in a few months?

The Phillies’ front office would be OK with Schwarber and Suarez further bolstering their free-agent value because it would mean they continued to produce. Free agency begins five days after the World Series ends, so until then, the main focus will be on that night’s game. Friday was a big win for the Phillies, who are trying to get back on track after losing nine of 10. They’ve won three of four since.

The Phils are 40-29 with Cristopher Sanchez and Zack Wheeler starting the next two afternoons. One more victory would make it a winning homestand and two more would help offset their recent doldrums.

It’s always a plus for manager Rob Thomson when he can win a game without using his top three relievers: Jordan Romano, Matt Strahm and Orion Kerkering. Joe Ross pitched the eighth inning of the 8-0 win over Toronto and Taijuan Walker had the ninth. None of Romano, Strahm or Kerkering pitched Wednesday and the team was off Thursday, so the bullpen will be well-rested heading into Saturday.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza confirmed before Friday's game against the Tampa Bay Rays that Paul Blackburn will get the start on Wednesday against the Atlanta Braves in place of the injured Kodai Senga.

Blackburn is still available out of the bullpen in the series opener.

"We’re gonna take it day-by-day, turn-by-turn, but Blackburn will take that spot on Wednesday against the Braves," Mendoza said. "He’s available today out of the bullpen. See where we’re at after the game today, but as of right now, the plan is for him to start on Wednesday."

If Blackburn doesn't pitch on Friday, he could still be available out of the bullpen on Saturday, although in a shorter capacity.

"We’ll see what happens today," Mendoza said. "If we don’t pitch him today, he could be available on a short [outing on Saturday], it wouldn’t be anything – because then he’ll have three days before he has to make a start."

Blackburn made his season debut against the Los Angeles Dodgers on June 2 after going nearly a full year without pitching in the majors due to multiple injuries. After going five scoreless innings in that outing, he was sent to the bullpen and pitched four innings in relief on June 8 against the Colorado Rockies, giving up three earned runs on seven hits at Coors Field.

With the loss of Senga, Blackburn will once again be an important piece for New York.

"It definitely helps," the skipper said. "Important to have guys like that and we’ve been talking about our depth, and here we are again getting tested. There’s a reason why we built him up as a starter...

"We see it every time, injuries are a part of this game. Every team will go through it, but I feel like we’re equipped to handle [it]. And obviously we got a guy like that already on the active roster and we got some more guys that are getting close to joining the team."

Of course, Frankie Montas, who is making another rehab start on Friday, and Sean Manaea, who pitches on Saturday, are also waiting in the wings.