When minor-league reliever Matt Sauer showed up in the Dodgers clubhouse Wednesday afternoon, it was a sign that something was amiss.

In the middle of the first inning of the team’s 10-1 win against the Miami Marlins, the reason for his arrival finally became clear.

In yet another blow to their increasingly banged-up pitching staff, the Dodgers placed right-handed reliever Evan Phillips on the injured list with forearm discomfort, leaving an already overworked bullpen without one of its most trusted arms.

Phillips missed most of the first month of the season while recovering from a tear in his rotator cuff he suffered during last year’s postseason. He hadn’t given up a run in seven outings since coming back, but had been dealing with the discomfort in recent days.

The good news for the Dodgers: Neither he nor the team believe the injury to be serious. Phillips and Roberts described his IL stint as a “precautionary move.” They said they expected him to return once his minimum 15 days are up.

“I do feel like I can still contribute,” Phillips said, “but I think what it comes down to is we don't want to mess around with something in early May.”

On Wednesday, Phillips’ absence didn’t harm the team either. In fact, in the team’s ninth win out of its last 11 games, it was Sauer who got some of the biggest outs in a rubber match at loanDepot Park.

With the Dodgers protecting a 1-0 lead in the sixth, right-hander Landon Knack got the hook after back-to-back leadoff singles, ending his spot start after five scoreless innings. Sauer was then summoned, making his first appearance since an important five-inning relief outing against the Marlins (14-22) in Los Angeles last week.

This time, Sauer played the role of high-leverage reliever, getting a double-play and strikeout to extinguish the threat.

“I just want to come in and throw as many strikes as I can,” he said. “Eat up innings and get the outs.”

The next time he took the mound, the Dodgers (25-12) had broken the game open, exploding for a six-run rally in the seventh.

Read more:Dodgers' bullpen fatigue leads to extra-innings loss to Marlins

After a one-out pinch-hit walk from James Outman and a single from Kiké Hernández, Hyeseong Kim rolled an RBI single through the right side of the infield, part of a two-hit day that has him batting five-for-12 since being called up last week.

Shohei Ohtani, who helped the Dodgers get on the board in the sixth with a triple, came up next but was intentionally walked by Marlins manager — and former Dodgers first-base coach — Clayton McCullough with first base open, leaving the bases loaded for Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman.

They each promptly took advantage, with Betts drawing a run-scoring walk before Freeman cleared the bags with a three-run triple. Freeman finished his day three-for-four with four RBIs, extending a 12-game hitting streak and raising his early-season batting average to .362, trailing only Aaron Judge (.412) among MLB hitters with 90 at-bats.

“Obviously, I feel good,” Freeman said. “The swing’s going up through the middle. Kind of been looking for this swing for a long time, and finally found it.”

Outman later added a three-run insurance homer, his first long ball in the majors since July 28 of last year. Sauer remained in the game, too, pitching the rest of the way for a four-inning save.

“This was the perfect outcome for us,” Roberts said, relieved he was able to give the rest of his weary, shorthanded bullpen a much-needed break. 

Teoscar Hernández’s timeline

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts had a more encouraging update Wednesday on injured outfielder Teoscar Hernández, saying the veteran slugger could return from his groin strain in as little as two weeks if he progresses well.

“That’s my hope, and that’s his hope,” Roberts said. “But obviously we’re not going to activate him until he’s good and ready to get back and stay healthy.”

Though Roberts didn’t offer a timeline on Hernández’s injury — which he suffered running down a fly ball in right field Monday night — he had said on Tuesday that the MLB’s RBI leader would be “inactive for a while.”

By Wednesday, however, Roberts said Hernández told him he was already feeling better, raising hopes that his absence will ultimately be on the shorter side.

Clayton Kershaw’s return

The Dodgers have only four true starting pitchers in their rotation right now. But in a couple more weeks, that could finally change.

Clayton Kershaw is eligible to come off the 60-day injured list on May 18. And Roberts said the future Hall of Fame left-hander is on track to be ready when that date arrives, showing more progress in his return from offseason toe and knee surgeries on Tuesday with six no-hit innings in a rehab start in the Arizona Complex League.

Read more:Dodgers place Teoscar Hernández on IL with groin injury, call up James Outman

Kershaw is expected to make one last rehab outing with triple-A Oklahoma on Sunday, Roberts said. After that, the 37-year-old left-hander should be ready to make his return to the majors.

In the meantime, the Dodgers will probably keep swingman Ben Casparius stretched out to pitch bulk innings every time the open spot in the rotation is up.

Roberts said the team’s other injured starters, Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, are scheduled to begin throwing by the end of this week, an important step in their recoveries from similar shoulder inflammation injuries.

Sign up for more Dodgers news with Dodgers Dugout. Delivered at the start of each series.

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

USWNT star forward Mallory Swanson and her husband, Chicago Cubs shortstop Dansby Swanson, are expecting their first child. The couple announced the news in posts on their personal Instagram accounts on Wednesday.

The update brings closure to what had become one of the biggest mysteries in American soccer. Mallory Swanson, who scored the winning goal in the gold medal game of the 2024 Olympics, had not played for the USWNT or the Chicago Stars in 2025. She hadn’t acknowledged the reason for her months-long absence. Dansby Swanson has been an everyday starter for the Cubs, playing all but one of their first 38 games.

 

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When fielding questions about her absence, the Stars and the USWNT said it was her “personal matter” to share. Chicago stated that it was “fully supportive of her decision” ahead of their 2025 opener, with the winger having signed a contract extension through 2028 before the start of last year. The extension came a year after Dansby Swanson signed a seven-year deal with the Cubs, bringing the couple to the same market after he spent his first six big league seasons with the Atlanta Braves.

Mallory Swanson’s absence has made this a bit of a rebuilding year for Chicago. The team (then known as the Red Stars) narrowly claimed the final spot in last year’s playoff field largely on the back of her brilliance, but now sits at the bottom of the 14-team NWSL table. In her absence, the attack has been headlined by Ally Schlegel and Brazil international Ludmila. The club was the first team to make a coaching change this season, dismissing Lorne Donaldson — who had previously worked with Swanson during her youth club days in Colorado — after 26 regular season games on the job.

USWNT coach Emma Hayes has experimented with a host of new options amongst her player pool, minimizing the absence of Swanson and other key players. Swanson is the second player from last summer’s vaunted USWNT attack, nicknamed “Triple Espresso,” to expect a child. Portland Thorns striker Sophia Wilson (née Smith) has also missed all of 2025 and announced her pregnancy in March. The third member, Trinity Rodman, is also absent from the NWSL season as she hopes to address her ongoing back issues.

This article originally appeared in The Athletic.

Chicago Cubs, Chicago Red Stars, NWSL

2025 The Athletic Media Company

Walker's eye-popping success in bullpen debut gives Thomson something to think about originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

TAMPA, Fla. — Taijuan Walker probably didn’t expect his first bullpen outing of the season to go like this. Who would have?

Walker didn’t just pitch the final three innings of the Phillies’ 7-0 win over the Rays on Wednesday night, he struck out the first five batters he faced and seven in total over three scoreless innings.

It was low leverage but it was an eye-popping night from a right-hander who has been far from a strikeout pitcher as a Phillie.

“To not even just give the bullpen a rest but dominate, it was really good to see,” said Trea Turner, who hit his second home run of the season to start the scoring. “It felt like he was locating everything, velo was there. I’m happy for him.”

Walker’s stuff played up. He exceeded 94 mph with his fastball several times, which would have sounded unthinkable last summer when he was struggling and throwing 88-89. But he worked tirelessly last summer to increase his velocity and then barely took any time off during the offseason.

It’s worked.

“I just felt good, I knew I had at the most three innings so I just went out there and attacked,” he said. “I was a little more aggressive than usual. I felt like I could empty the tank out knowing that it was three innings max. I just let it rip and threw all my pitches.

“That was fun. Body felt good, refreshed.”

Walker was thrust into starting duty when Ranger Suarez went down with a back injury in early March and gave the Phillies a 2.54 ERA over six starts. Suarez returned on Sunday and Walker transitioned to the bullpen, where he’ll serve as a long man or multi-inning reliever.

He could have a chance to pitch his way into more important situations if the stuff from Wednesday night sticks.

“Unbelievable, unbelievable,” manager Rob Thomson said. “The stuff jumped up. A lot of swing-and-miss, obviously. He pounded the zone. That was really impressive.

“Now you start thinking about different things, you know? But you still want to keep his pitch count up because we might go to a six-man rotation at some point. But, jeez, that looks pretty good for one inning, too. If that guy can dial it up for an inning or two, that’s really something.”

The Phillies could sure use the right-handed relief help. It’s one of their thinnest areas, especially after the early-season shakiness of Orion Kerkering and Jordan Romano. Leverage situations for Walker are likely a ways away if they happen at all, but having one more option can’t hurt.

“I mean, it’s something I feel like you have to work toward,” Walker said. “I do see myself as a starter still, but at the end of the day, whatever I can do to help the team win, whether it’s three innings, four innings, early in the game or late in the game. I’m always ready to pitch.”

He’s keeping the ball. Only 651 more to catch Mariano Rivera.

“Absolutely keeping the ball,” he said. “I didn’t ever think I would have a career save in my life so just to add that to my resume, it’s pretty cool for me, I like it.”

The Mets can't afford to have another injury to an everyday player, so when Jeff McNeil seemingly hurt his hamstring and was pulled in Wednesday's 7-1 win over the Diamondbacks, there was some worry.

Luckily for the Mets, it seems McNeil came out of the game relatively unscathed.

"Felt like a cramp in the left hamstring, but he’s fine," Carlos Mendoza said. "I was going to be aggressive anyway with [Jose] Azocar there. Trainers took a look at him, he's fine. Nothing to worry about."

McNeil was pulled in the seventh inning when he stretched a double into a triple and appeared to slow down before sliding into third base. He could be seen grimacing as he rounded second and grabbed at his left hamstring before he gestured to his dugout.

Mendoza pinch-ran Azocar for McNeil while the Diamondbacks were making a pitching change.

McNeil has had a stop-and-go start to the 2025 season. He began the year on the IL with a right oblique strain he suffered in spring training being being activated in late April. Wednesday was McNeil's 10th game this season and he's hitting .229 with a home run and five RBI while playing second base and in the outfield.

It looks like McNeil will just need rest and with the off-day Thursday, McNeil could be ready for the start of the Mets' weekend series against the Chicago Cubs at Citi Field.

New York is already dealing with a rash of injuries so McNeil coming out of the game relatively ok is great for the team. Left-handers Danny Young and A.J. Minter are undergoing season-ending surgeries while Jesse Winker was placed on the IL this week due to an oblique strain. Brandon Nimmo"dodged a bullet" after hyperextending his knee in Tuesday's win and was in the lineup as the team's DH on Wednesday.

Jeff McNeil appeared to hurt himself going from second to third base on his triple pic.twitter.com/sFVwjVU54X

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 7, 2025

The Mets wrapped up their six-game road trip on a high note, as Juan Soto clubbed a pair of home runs in a 7-1 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday afternoon at Chase Field.

Here are the takeaways...

-- Kodai Senga struggled with command from the get-go, walking five of the first 10 batters he faced. But his jams in the first three innings were bailed out by strong defense from his teammates. In the first, catcher Luis Torrens gunned down Corbin Carroll trying to steal second base, and then one inning later, Eugenio Suárez was nailed at home on a perfectly executed relay between Tyrone Taylor and Francisco Lindor in left-center on a double from Alek Thomas.

Senga fell into more trouble in the third, allowing the first two batters to reach base on balls. But a poor bunt attempt from Geraldo Perdomo allowed Torrens to throw down to Brett Baty at third for the forceout, and then Pavin Smith grounded into a 4-6-3 double play to end the threat. The right-hander settled down from there, facing the minimum in the fourth and fifth innings. It was also the first time a Mets starter walked five of the first 10 batters faced since 2013.

In the sixth, Senga maintained composure against the top of the Diamondbacks' order. While he gave up a leadoff single to Carroll (just his second of the game), he then induced a flyout, strikeout, and popout to walk off the mound unscathed once again. It wasn't a pretty performance -- Senga's five walks matched a career high -- but he ultimately struck out four across 89 pitches and lowered his ERA to a stellar 1.16.

-- Diamondbacks starter Merrill Kelly was far more effective than Senga -- he retired nine straight at one point and didn't allow a walk through five scoreless frames. But the veteran right-hander made the first costly mistake in the sixth, as Soto broke the ice with a towering solo home run over the elevated center field wall to give the Mets a 1-0 lead. The 427-foot blast was Soto's sixth of the year.

-- Arizona allowed Kelly to begin the seventh, and that decision immediately backfired. He gave up a deep leadoff double to Torrens, who then scored on a one-out RBI single from Luisangel Acuña. The Mets produced their league-leading 10th triple of the season, as Jeff McNeil laced a ball into the right-center gap to bump the lead to 3-0. The three-bagger came at a price, however -- McNeil winced while approaching third base and the Mets quickly sent out José Azócar to serve as a pinch runner.

-- Soto's first multi-homer game of 2025 came against Arizona last week, and his second of the kind was solidified in the eighth, as he took lefty reliever Jalen Beeks deep to left for another solo shot. It was the 25th career multi-homer game for the superstar slugger.

-- Max Kranick took over in the seventh and needed only six pitches to register two outs. But the inning was anything but smooth, as he allowed a pair of singles before getting pinch-hitter Ketel Marte to ground out to second. Kranick then relinquished the shutout in the eighth by giving up a leadoff homer to Carroll, and Huascar Brazobán was called upon to register the final two outs in the inning. He did just that, inducing a flyout and strikeout.

-- The Mets had Edwin Díaz warm up in the ninth with the save opportunity in place, but they didn't need his services by the time the inning ended. The offense tacked on three more runs, as walks from Azócar and Taylor preceded a two-run double from Lindor. After the shortstop stole third base against a napping D-Backs defense, Soto drove him in on a sac fly to left.

Ryne Stanek then took the mound with a six-run lead and retired the D-backs in order.

-- Pete Alonso entered Wednesday with an 18-game on-base streak, and it almost seemed as if Suarez knew the story. While manning the hot corner, he robbed the Mets' slugger of two extra-base hits down the left-field line with stellar glove work and accurate bang-bang throws across the diamond. Alonso grounded out and struck out twice in his final three at-bats, finishing the day 0-for-5.

-- Brandon Nimmo was limited to DH duties after hyperextending his knee in Tuesday's loss, but the veteran outfielder didn't seem too bothered by any discomfort at the plate. He led off the second inning with a stand-up double to left-center, snapping an 0-for-14 slide. There was a noticeable hitch in Nimmo's step while rounding first, but it's possible he was deliberately running at three-quarter speed.

Game MVP: Juan Soto

Soto silenced his critics in the rubber game with two impactful homers, and he's now slashing .261/.385/.478 with seven long balls and 17 RBI through 38 games.

Highlights

Luis Torrens gets Corbin Carroll stealing! 🎯 pic.twitter.com/HUI3iD4fOB

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 7, 2025

FRANCISCO LINDOR WITH THE PERFECT RELAY THROW HOME! pic.twitter.com/ZkVWMexnM3

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 7, 2025

The Mets escape the third inning unscathed pic.twitter.com/qScTW6JgMK

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 7, 2025

JUAN SOTO TO DEAD CENTER! pic.twitter.com/5AvK8KVbwp

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 7, 2025

Luisangel Acuña drives in Luis Torrens to make it 2-0! pic.twitter.com/mYmie0BjLo

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 7, 2025

JEFF MCNEIL RBI TRIPLE! pic.twitter.com/233Wa2qbGY

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 7, 2025

Juan Soto with his second two-homer game of the season vs. Arizona! pic.twitter.com/mHJl8XdHbs

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 7, 2025

Huascar Brazobán gets the K to end the 8th!

His season ERA is 1.21 🔥 pic.twitter.com/4umjcMX6Lq

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 7, 2025

A 2-run double for Francisco Lindor makes it 6-1! pic.twitter.com/08Qhm0pR2T

— SNY (@SNYtv) May 7, 2025

What's next

The Mets (24-14) will fly back east and begin a six-game homestand on Friday night, with the first of three against the Chicago Cubs. First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.

Clay Holmes (4-1, 2.95 ERA) is slated to take the mound, opposite veteran righty Jameson Taillon (2-1, 3.86 ERA).

Phillies continue to mash, reach season-best six games over .500 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

TAMPA, Fla. — It took a month, but this is the Phillies lineup that was advertised.

The Phils pounded the Rays, 7-0, on Wednesday night at Steinbrenner Field to win their fourth straight series and eighth game in their last 10.

They chased Tampa Bay’s best starter, Shane Baz, with one in the fourth inning after forcing him to throw 83 pitches, so many of them stressful. A main theme of the series has been the Phillies’ ability to grind out at-bats up and down the lineup. On Tuesday night, Drew Rasmussen needed 58 pitches to get through the second and third innings and was out by the fifth.

“We’re seeing a lot of pitches,” manager Rob Thomson said. “We’re really working on the starter, getting his pitch count up and getting him out. We’re using the entire field. The fourth inning, we had four opposite-field hits. We’re controlling the strike zone and that’s what you’ve got to do.”

The Phillies haven’t been putting runners on base and leaving them there, either. They’ve scored 66 runs in those 10 games with seven-plus runs in seven of them. On Wednesday, they scored in every way — with power, by stringing hits together and even a little small ball.

“It just feels like everybody’s doing something, which is always nice,” Trea Turner said. “Moving runners but we’re also driving the ball again. Just the total package.”

Turner, hitting .397 over his last 16 games, pulled a 90 mph, middle-in slider that barely moved for a solo home run in the top of the third, his second of the season.

“The thing that was really impressive was that after the home run, he still got a base-hit to right field later in the game,” Thomson said. “That tells me he’s staying with that approach.”

The approach Thomson is referring to is the one he discussed with Turner before the season. The manager’s message was: Don’t worry about home runs. I want a .380 on-base percentage, 100 runs scored and 40 stolen bases, and everything else should take care of itself.

“It’s kind’ve always been my game and who I am but I think the walks have helped with that,” Turner said. “I’ve been walking, at least early on I was walking quite a bit. Lately, not as much but I think that comes with putting the ball in play and making good contact, you walk less.

“Just having that high on-base percentage is nice. If you hit .300, you should be getting on base higher than what I have in the past. That’s where I feel like I’m seeing the difference — controlling the zone and taking my walks.

“I just think it’s hard to do for me, personally. I make contact, so in the past, even if I swing at a bad pitch, I put it in play. And everywhere I’ve hit, I’ve been in lineups where there’s usually someone bigger and scarier behind me so I kinda feel like I’m ready to hit, they’re gonna attack me.”

The Phillies piled on five more runs in the fourth with six of seven hitters reaching before the second out was made.

One of the biggest plays in the five-run fourth was a safety squeeze bunt laid down by Johan Rojas with one out and runners on the corners before the Phillies had scored in the inning. Baz tried to flip to the plate but was unsuccessful, letting in a run and putting two men back on base for the top of the order. Bryson Stott and Turner followed with RBI singles and Bryce Harper drove in both with a double to the gap in left-center.

Harper has been frustrated over a two-week stretch during which he’s hit .200 on the nose, but he’s shown signs of coming out of it in recent days. He homered and smoked a single on Sunday. He has seen the lowest rate of pitches inside the strike zone of any hitter in all of baseball but has, for the most part, avoided getting too antsy. One of Harper’s many positive attributes is still finding ways on base during a slump.

Rojas found various ways to contribute to Wednesday’s win. After bunting his way aboard and scoring in the fourth, he singled, stole second and scored again in the sixth. Rojas is hitting .303 in 73 plate appearances this season. The bunts haven’t been perfect but they’re getting better. With his speed and defense, it’s hard to sit him when he’s playing like this. Thomson said pregame Wednesday that he called Rojas and Brandon Marsh into his office after the series opener to lay out the plans for playing time over the next nine days as the Phillies face a slew of right-handed starting pitchers.

Cristopher Sanchez had far from his best control yet made it work over six scoreless innings against the Rays’ weak offense. He walked three but allowed just one hit, a single to the third batter of the game. At one point in the sixth inning, Sanchez had thrown 39 strikes and 36 balls, but he made pitches when they counted. He didn’t want to make excuses but said postgame that there was a difference between the mounds in the bullpen and on the field at Steinbrenner Field which forced an adjustment.

Sanchez is 4-1 with a 2.89 ERA through seven starts. He’s allowed one run in 18 career innings against the Rays, the team that traded him to the Phillies in November 2019 for Curtis Mead, who started at first base Wednesday and went 0-for-4.

“I thought his command and control was off a bit tonight,” Thomson said. “He was searching for his secondary pitches early in the game. The velocity fluctuated a little bit. But I thought he got better as the game went on, finally found his changeup and started to command the strike zone.

“But that’s the difference between Sanchy now and Sanchy a couple years ago. That could have just flailed. But he’s matured, he’s got some experience now, he trusts himself, he believes in himself and he keeps battling.”

Taijuan Walker pitched the final three innings for the first save of his career in his first bullpen appearance of 2025. His outing began with five straight strikeouts and he whiffed seven total. This was the perfect sort of confidence-building outing as Walker transitions to the ‘pen with Ranger Suarez healthy.

The Phils removed J.T. Realmuto in the bottom of the seventh, up seven, with a left foot contusion after he fouled a pitch off it in the top half. He was walking aroud fine after the game, Thomson said, and the Phillies did not send him for X-rays. They’ll check on him early tomorrow afternoon.

The Phillies are a season-best 21-15. They’re 8-3-1 in 12 series, the best series record of any National League team. Only the Mariners (9-2-1) have won more.