Category: Sports News

The season-long Statcast hitting percentiles for Juan Soto have patently shown an atypical stretch of bad luck at the plate, and the Mets' new superstar made this point even more clear to his doubters on Sunday afternoon by achieving a feat he'd never reached before.

While the Mets relied on home runs -- six in total and two from Pete Alonso, who made some more franchise history -- to complete a convincing sweep of the lowly Rockies at Coors Field, there wasn't anyone in the lineup who came close to matching Soto's day in the batter's box. The lefty slugger reached base a career-high six times, logging three singles and three walks to raise his on-base percentage to .384. He also scored three runs.

Soto drove an 0-1 fastball to left in the first inning, a 3-2 fastball to right in the third, and a 1-2 fastball to center in the fourth. Those knocks bumped his season average to .244. He worked the count full during the sixth, eighth, and ninth innings, and wound up strolling to first base on balls each time.

The Mets aren't paying Soto record-breaking money to deliver record-breaking power. He's a generational talent because of his on-base skills and keen eye -- home runs should be viewed as a welcome bonus.

After the win, Soto was asked if he's felt differently at the plate in recent games. He said no. He's stayed true to the approach that's long made him successful.

"It's always a good feeling to get on base, try to help the team in any way," Soto said. "Even if I take a walk or hit the ball hard, I just try to help the team... It's just the same thing [at the plate]. I'm just finding more gaps, more holes. Finally landing some pitches and making some good swings and decisions. Just finding some holes."

Soto has resembled his old, dominant self over the last week-plus, and looked far more comfortable playing in a Mets uniform. Since the start of June, he's slashing .346/.564/.615 with two homers, a double, and 12 walks across 39 plate appearances. In the last 15 games, his on-base mark is .435 -- much closer to his career average of .418.

If the skeptics still aren't convinced of a Soto breakout, they should trust the Statcast metrics. His expected batting average (xBA) is currently .298, which ranks in the 91st percentile among MLB hitters. His walk (18.1) and chase (14.8) rates are elite, in the 100th percentile. His hard-hit percentage (54.0) ranks third-best in his career, and he's well on pace to become the second Met ever to register 100-plus walks in a single season.

"That's who he is, another great hitter we've got in our lineup," Mets manager Carlos Mendoza said of Soto. "Three singles and three walks, not easy to do at the big league level. Good to see him do that, and again, finally getting some results. But I feel like the at-bat quality has been there throughout."

Juan Soto reached base six times today (three singles, three walks).

It's the first time he's reached base six times in a game in his MLB career 💪 pic.twitter.com/b8n8MLId9X

— SNY Mets (@SNY_Mets) June 8, 2025

Everyone on the New York Rangers roster is open to being traded except for three players.

According to Arthur Staple of The Athletic, Igor Shesterkin, Artemi Panarin, and Adam Fox are the only untouchables for the Rangers in trade talks. 

The Rangers Are Reportedly Looking To Target Vladislav Gavrikov During Offseason The New York Rangers reportedly have their eyes on a specific defenseman once the free agency period officially begins on July 1. 

Shesterkin and Fox are under contract for multiple more seasons while Panarin is set to become an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2026. 

Staple also reports that the Rangers are one of the teams, including the Buffalo Sabres, Utah Mammoth, and Seattle Kraken, looking to shake up their roster soon.

Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury sent out a league-wide memo early on in the 2024-25 season that he’s interested in making moves to shake up the roster. 

After missing the playoffs, Drury appears to be in a similar mindset, with major changes on the horizon.

The Rangers already made a coaching change and multiple players have been the subject of trade rumors including Chris Kreider and K’Andre Miller.

Now, we’ll have to see if all of these rumors lead to action from Drury.

The Mets enjoyed a bright and warm Sunday afternoon at Coors Field in style, with a cool and refreshing six-pack. No, not that type of six-pack.

There was no shortage of power from the Mets' bats in their series finale with the lowly Rockies, as they smacked six homers in a game for the first time since 2021 en route to a 13-5 win and convincing road sweep. New York is now a season-high 18 games over the .500 mark, with a 4.5-game lead in the NL East.

From top to bottom, the Mets' lineup produced some pop. The homer barrage began in the second inning, when Jeff McNeil won a 10-pitch at-bat against Rockies starter Chase Dollander by smacking a fastball to the right-field bullpen for a solo shot. Then, in the third, Pete Alonso flaunted his muscle with a two-run blast that tied him with David Wright for second place on the franchise's all-time homers list (242).

McNeil and Alonso were thirsty for another round. The veteran utilityman crushed his second homer in the fourth -- a towering three-run shot to the right-field seats -- that pushed the Mets' lead to a comfortable 8-0. Alonso then matched that dinger in the eighth with a two-run tank to left -- his 17th of the season -- that made the score 12-3 and gave him sole possesion of second place on the Mets' list.

The other two homers -- delivered by Bretty Baty in the seventh and Francisco Alvarez in the ninth -- capped off a stellar weekend of offense for the Mets. They tallied 17 hits on Sunday, 39 across the three-game set, and reaffirmed their league status among the haves and the Rockies' among the have-nots.

"He's just swinging the bat well. He's connecting on quality pitches in the zone and that allows him to hit the ball pull-side in the air," Alonso said of McNeil's power surge after the win. "It's really cool [to surpass Wright], and for me, I just want to help the team win every single chance I get.

"My game is just driving the ball, doing what I can to score guys... Very blessed to do, but I really don't think that's going to settle in... We're still in the middle of a season. Right now, it's just focused on winning. But I don't think [the record is] going to settle in until later on."

McNeil, who collected three extra-base hits and logged the third multi-homer game of his career, also had some kind words for Alonso. And he couldn't help but amusingly ask reporters how far away he is from catching up to Alonso in the race for the Mets' power crown.

The exact number is 169. So, not close. But if McNeil is only concerned with the 2025 tally, he's trailing Alonso by a more-reachable 11.

"He's been pretty incredible this year. Locked-in every single at-bat," McNeil said of Alonso. "Just seems like in big situations, he's going to do some damage. ... He's been here his entire career. He set the rookie home run record, he's closing in on the Mets' all-time record. ... Can't wait to see him on top. ... How many am I away? Well, maybe one day. It's fun to watch. I feel like he's putting on a show every time he's at the ballpark."

Surprisingly, the Mets' offensive explosion didn't include contributions from everyone. Francisco Lindor was the only one to go hitless (0-for-5), and right underneath him, Brandon Nimmo finished 1-for-6. Juan Soto didn't follow their lead, however -- he actually reached base a career-high six times with three singles and walks apiece.

The Mets wrapped up their week-long road trip on a high note, sweeping the lowly Colorado Rockies with a power-packed 13-5 win on Sunday afternoon at Coors Field.

Here are the takeaways...

-- New York drew first blood just five batters in, as Jeff McNeil won a 10-pitch at-bat against Rockies starter Chase Dollander by crushing a fastball into the right-field bullpen for a solo home run in the second inning. The 411-foot blast was McNeil's fifth long ball this season, and he entered Sunday seeing an average 3.65 pitches per plate appearance, a career-high mark. After a single from Ronny Mauricio and a walk from Tyrone Taylor, the Mets bumped their lead to 2-0 with a one-out RBI single from Francisco Alvarez. Dollander simply labored, needing 38 pitches to complete the inning.

-- The Mets inflicted further damage on Dollander with a three-run third. After a leadoff single from Juan Soto, who proceeded to reach second on a wild pick-off throw, Pete Alonso once again flaunted his power with a two-run homer to left-center. The 416-foot shot bumped Alonso's season RBI total to an MLB-best 59, and he's now tied with David Wright for second on the franchise's all-time homers list (242). Moments later, Mauricio singled, stole second, and then scored on a double to left from Taylor.

-- The Rockies didn't allow Dollander to come back out for the fourth, but the pitching change didn't upset the Mets. They tacked on another three runs against reliever Juan Mejia when McNeil launched his second homer of the game -- a towering shot to right -- to make it 8-0. The rally was sparked by Soto's third hit of the day and Alonso's second. Through four innings, the Mets registered 11 hits.

-- While the Mets' offense stole the spotlight early on, Tylor Megill was equally as dominant. The right-hander attacked the Rockies with relative ease, striking out the side in the first inning and retiring 12 of the first 14 batters faced without allowing a hit. But his no-hit bid ended in the fifth on a leadoff double from Sam Hilliard, and he ultimately allowed two runs on three knocks and one walk in the frame that required 29 pitches. The Mets decided five innings were enough for Megill, who struck out five across 82 pitches (51 strikes) and lowered his ERA to 3.76.

-- A six-run cushion wasn't satisfying to the Mets. They pushed the lead back to eight in the seventh, when a leadoff double from McNeil -- his third extra-base hit of the day -- was followed by a two-run homer to right from Brett Baty, who stepped up to the plate with a measly .103 average across his previous 29 at-bats.

-- In the eighth, Alonso claimed sole possesion of second place on the Mets' homers list with a 372-foot two-run shot to left that increased the lead to 12-3. The dinger also pushed him ahead of Daryl Strawberry -- who remains the franchise's home run king -- for the most multi-homer games in Mets history. Then, in the ninth, Alvarez gave the Mets their sixth homer of the day, a mammoth 450-foot shot to dead center, that made the score 13-3.

-- Paul Blackburn took over for Megill in the sixth, making his fifth-career relief appearance, and he accomplished an unusual feat. He technically recorded a four-inning save by completing the game, despite allowing three runs on seven hits and a walk. It was the Mets' first save of the kind since 2008.

-- Soto's afternoon at the plate was subtly terrific. He reached base a career-high six times with three singles and three walks, boosting his season on-base percentage to .384. Oddly enough, the 1-2 punch of Francisco Lindor (0-for-5)and Brandon Nimmo (1-for-6) atop the order produced only one of the team's 17 total hits. Lindor was the only starter who didn't join the hit parade.

Game MVPs: Pete Alonso and Jeff McNeil

Alonso made some more franchise history, surpassing Wright for second on the Mets' all-time homers list, while McNeil showed off some muscle with the third multi-homer game of his career.

Highlights

Tylor Megill strikes out the side in the first! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/Ax4jsrJ4Cp

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 8, 2025

WE HAVE LIFTOFF!

Another home run for Jeff McNeil! pic.twitter.com/83BPiLvLeZ

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 8, 2025

Francisco Alvarez brings home Ronny Mauricio with an RBI single! pic.twitter.com/rBCLDVYGIB

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 8, 2025

PETE ALONSO LAUNCHES HIS 16TH HOME OF THE YEAR! pic.twitter.com/n5k4qvCzcZ

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 8, 2025

Tyrone Taylor rips an RBI double and brings home Ronny Mauricio! pic.twitter.com/zXjVHS2R7L

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 8, 2025

A three-hit game for Juan Soto! pic.twitter.com/9S88E8qGn7

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 8, 2025

JEFF MCNEIL'S SECOND HOME RUN OF THE GAME! pic.twitter.com/3qXNG2Z5qn

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 8, 2025

Jeff McNeil's third extra-base hit of the day is a double! pic.twitter.com/W3XGSJrq1a

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 8, 2025

PETE ALONSO PASSES DAVID WRIGHT FOR SECOND ON THE METS' ALL-TIME HOME RUN LIST! pic.twitter.com/e3St8vxjbm

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 8, 2025

FRANCISCO ALVAREZ HOMERS TO CENTER! pic.twitter.com/1nSIjyxod3

— SNY (@SNYtv) June 8, 2025

What's next

The Mets (42-24) will take Monday off and begin a six-game homestand on Tuesday night, with the first of three against the division-rival Washington Nationals. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m. on SNY.

Griffin Canning (6-2, 2.90 ERA) is slated to take the mound, opposite lefty MacKenzie Gore (3-5, 2.87 ERA), who currently leads the NL in strikeouts.

The Dodgers have sent Clayton Kershaw to the mound to give a slumping team a lift countless times during his 18-year career. And they’ve rarely been disappointed.

They did it again on a sultry Sunday afternoon in St. Louis and once again Kershaw delivered, earning his first win of the season in a 7-3 victory over the Cardinals that broke a two-game losing streak and ended a slide that had seen the Dodgers lose five of their last seven.

“He's been a stopper for many years. He's been a staff ace for many years. He's going to the Hall of Fame,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said before the game. “So he understands. And he's going to be prepared.”

Especially after the Cardinals picked at an old wound just before the first pitch, using the massive scoreboard facing the Dodgers' dugout to replay video of an angry Kershaw, hands on knees and staring at the ground after giving up a series-winning home run to Matt Adams in Game 4 of the 2014 National League Division Series.

“It's a little bush league, but I don't expect anything less from these guys,” Kershaw said. “So it's no worries. No problem.”

Maybe. But Kershaw pitched like he had something to prove, giving up just a run on six hits over five innings. He struck out seven, the most he’s had in a game in exactly two years, leaving him just 17 strikeouts shy of 3,000 for his career. And more importantly, he did not issue a walk for the first time in five starts.

It was his best performance of his injury-delayed season.

“The results haven't always been there, but I feel like there's been a little bit of progress in each [start],” he said. “Probably the biggest thing, I had a little bit better command.

“I felt like I had an idea where the ball was going. When it was going bad, I didn't really know how to correct it. [Today] when I threw a bad one, I had some ideas on how to fix it with the next pitch. Pitching is just making the adjustment as quick as you can. It wasn't perfect, but it’s getting better.”

Read more:Dodgers place starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin on the injured list

An effective Kershaw could help stabilize a Dodger rotation that has once again been scrambled ahead of the team’s three-game series with the Padres, which begins Monday. Right-hander Tony Gonsolin returned to the injured list Saturday with discomfort in his surgically repaired elbow, leaving the Dodgers with 14 pitchers on the IL and without a starter for Tuesday’s game in San Diego.

A scan of Gonsolin’s elbow on Saturday showed no structural damage, which was good news, as was Michael Kopech’s scoreless inning of relief in his first appearance of the season. Kopech was activated from the injured list when Gonsolin went down.

“He was fantastic. Clearly his best outing yet,” Roberts said of Kershaw. “I really didn't feel like he was laboring trying to find something. He’s kind of back to who he is. It’s much needed.”

The left-hander hit 91.5 mph with his fastball Sunday and averaged 89.6 mph. He also had a good curve and a decent slider.

“I felt like every once in a while I would reach back and had a little bit extra,” Kershaw said of his velocity. “It's not going to be amazing or anything, but I think at times it's getting a little bit of life on it, making making guys foul some pitches get jammed a little bit.”

Kershaw also became the first Dodger pitcher in the series to get some help from his offense, which scored four times in the first four innings and seven times in the game, the most runs the team has scored in a game this month.

The Dodgers, who stranded 21 baserunners while going one for 25 with runners in scoring position in the first two games in St. Louis, took their first lead of the series in the second inning when Max Muncy, Will Smith and former Cardinal Tommy Edman all singled to center ahead of Hyeseong Kim’s two-run triple to right.

They never looked back after that, with a leadoff triple by Smith and a one-out double from Edman making it 4-0 in the fourth. Mookie Betts lined a two-out drive just over the wall in left in the seventh for his first homer since May 19 before the Dodgers closed out the scoring with two runs in a sloppy eighth inning that featured a single, two walks, two batters hit by pitches, a passed ball and a sacrifice fly from Edman, who was playing his first series in St. Louis since being traded to Los Angeles in July.

Now the Dodgers move on to San Diego and their first series of the year with the Padres, who are just a game back in the NL West.

“We're excited to play them,” said Edman, who had his first multi-hit game in June, driving in three runs. “It's kind of weird that we've gotten to this point without playing them or the Giants. We've got a lot of lot of games against those guys coming up. So we’re excited to get at it.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.