Category: Sports News

Randy Rodriguez, Dominic Smith lift still-fighting Giants past Mets in extras originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The final week of July was tough for the Giants.

Six straight home losses to dip below .500 for the first time all season, followed by the departure of three of the team’s longest-tenured players at the MLB trade deadline.

However, August started much differently for the Giants, who showed they haven’t given up on 2025 with a gritty 4-3 win over the New York Mets in 10 innings at Citi Field on Friday night.

“We talked before the game — what happened, happened. We got ourselves into this situation, but we still have the big pieces that we brought in,” starter Robbie Ray told reporters postgame. “The core group of guys are here still. We didn’t do a major overhaul, so this team is still good enough to win.

“To be able to come out after the rough homestand and win the first one here is big.”

It certainly wasn’t pretty, as San Francisco relinquished a 3-0 lead entering the bottom of the seventh. Ray didn’t earn a decision despite a commanding seven innings, only surrendering an impressive opposite-field homer to Mets slugger Pete Alonso.

Robbie Ray = really good 😤 pic.twitter.com/OoORbar8QH

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 2, 2025

In the eighth inning, Juan Soto grounded what was likely a would-be inning-ending double-play ball up the middle at shortstop Willy Adames. Instead, the ball kicked off pitcher Joey Lucchesi’s toe, over Adames’ head and into left field. The Mets tied it one batter later, and it felt like the Giants might never escape their summer slide.

But unlike the previous week, the Giants still grinded out a win. After going 0-for-23 with runners in scoring position during last weekend’s series against the same Mets team, pinch hitter Dominic Smith came through when his team badly needed it. With a runner on third and one out, the former Met knocked a line-drive single in the 10th inning for the eventual game-winning RBI.

Dom Smith gets the go-ahead RBI 💥 pic.twitter.com/TNgUronlnK

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 2, 2025

“We’ve been losing a lot of games because we haven’t been playing clean baseball,” Adames said postgame. “We know that we have to be better and play more games like that and try to execute. I feel like for us, today was a big game to start getting in a different mood, because it’s been tough. The boys are feeling it, and they knew that tonight we had to make an adjustment and go out there and try to win that game, no matter how. And it went our way. I mean, it almost didn’t — it was crazy. But we found a way to end up on top.”

One more hurdle remained, though. San Francisco had traded their typical eighth- and ninth-inning relievers, Tyler Rogers and Camilo Doval, to the Big Apple in the prior two days.

Hours after being named the Giants’ closer, Randy Rodriguez showed he’s ready for the big-city lights in New York. The 2025 MLB All-Star stranded the bases loaded in the bottom of the 10th, pumping 100 mph past Ronny Mauricio to earn the save.

Randy Rodriguez tosses 💯 to close it out 🔥 pic.twitter.com/v1l00Jorcg

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 2, 2025

Perhaps symbolically, within the hour, Doval blew the save in his first appearance for the Yankees down in Miami.

Back in Queens, Rodriguez’s effort in an unfamiliar spot didn’t go unnoticed by his teammates.

“Obviously, Randy coming in, in that situation, and shutting the door, that was amazing,” Adames stated. “That showed the courage that he has and the kind of pitcher he is.”

“For [Rodriguez] to be named the closer, and coming in the first game after being named the closer in a pressure situation — extra innings, up one — and being able to lock it down was huge,” Ray added.

Now, the Giants, who currently sit six games out of a playoff spot, hope this emphatic win can kickstart a timely resurgence. The team was vocal about still having their core pieces in place — Adames, Matt Chapman and still-new addition Rafael Devers, among others — and the belief they can salvage the season.

“I’ll tell you right now, you saw the fight in these boys,” Smith told NBC Sports Bay Area’s Laura Britt and Shawn Estes on “Giants Postgame Live.” “We don’t give up. We don’t quit. We still believe in this group. We still know we’ve got two months left, and we’re going to finish strong no matter where we’re at. So I just look forward to capitalizing and having fun with this win, but we’re not done.

“We’ve still got our core group of guys here, so just beware — that’s all I’m saying.”

"We don't give up. We don't quit. We still believe in this group."

Dom Smith still wants opponents to "beware" of the Giants 😈 pic.twitter.com/LARvXCo6RK

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) August 2, 2025

If the Giants can keep winning games like they did Friday, Smith’s assertive words might be proven correct.

Download and follow the Giants Talk Podcast

Phillies win a wild one to open August, top Tigers after Harper's ejection originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies packed plenty of drama into their first game after the trade deadline.

They came back Friday night for a wild 5-4 win at Citizens Bank over the Tigers in their series opener, improving to 62-47 overall.

Ranger Suarez started for the Phils and pitched well, allowing three runs and four hits in seven innings. He struck out five Tigers and walked none.

Gleyber Torres tagged Suarez for a three-run home run in the third inning, bashing a cutter 404 feet. 

The Phillies’ efforts to hit Tigers starter Jack Flaherty were futile. Max Kepler flew out to the center-field warning track in the bottom of the third. With two outs in the fourth, Nick Castellanos fouled off a fastball and whiffed at a knuckle curveball. 

Edmundo Sosa picked up the Phils’ first knock, doubling off the top of the left-field wall with two outs in the fifth. He stayed on second base, though. The inning ended when Trea Turner popped up to shortstop.

Outside of the third inning, Suarez was highly effective and efficient. He reached seven innings pitched for the first time since June 29. 

Flaherty exited after the first batter of the seventh. Castellanos lined a leadoff single and lefty reliever Tyler Holton entered.

Otto Kemp pinch-hit for Brandon Marsh and flared a base hit to right field, moving Castellanos to third. That brought another pinch-hitter to the plate in Harrison Bader and the home crowd’s volume seriously jumped at the trade deadline addition’s Phillies debut. Bader continued the rally with a four-pitch walk. 

The Phils ultimately evened up the game. Bryson Stott produced a sacrifice fly and Turner’s single to right drove in Castellanos. Kyle Schwarber made it 3-all with a scorching single (113.7 mph exit velocity). 

Bryce Harper came to the plate, fell behind 0-2, and then watched three straight balls. He thought he saw a fourth, but third base umpire Vic Carapazza ruled that Harper swung on a low slider. 

The call outraged Harper, who removed his helmet, yelled at Carapazza and got ejected.

The sharp downturn in the Phils’ fortunes bled into the eighth inning. Wenceel Perez cleared the right-field fence for a go-ahead homer off of Orion Kerkering. 

The Phillies bounced right back. Castellanos singled and chugged home on a Kemp double down the left-field line.

Two infield singles gave the Phils an improbable lead. Sosa squibbed a ball in front of home plate and Brenan Hanifee’s wide throw to first base pulled Spencer Torkelson off the bag. Stott followed with a grounder to short and narrowly beat Javier Baez’s one-hop throw.

New closer Jhoan Duran was up next and made a fantastic first impression with a 1-2-3 save.

Game 2 of the series features a juicy pitching matchup. 

Zack Wheeler (9-4, 2.56 ERA) and Tarik Skubal (10-3, 2.09 ERA) are the scheduled starters on Saturday. Wheeler has 172 strikeouts this season, Skubal 171. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m. ET. 

Rollins and Wade go on the Wall 

The Phillies inducted former general manager Ed Wade and former star shortstop Jimmy Rollins into their Wall of Fame in a pregame ceremony. 

Ryan Howard spoke before Rollins, who he called his “little big bro.” Chase Utley unveiled the two new Wall of Fame plaques. 

Rollins wasn’t short on charisma and humor. Recalling the Phillies’ choice to pick him in the second round of the 1996 MLB draft, Rollins noted he was grateful to be listed at 5-foot-9 instead of his true 5-7.

“Ed, I think it was a good decision,” he said. 

You can watch Rollins’ full speech here.

Rehab updates 

Aaron Nola, Joe Ross and David Robertson all pitched Friday in the first game of Triple A Lehigh Valley’s doubleheader against the Worcester Red Sox.

Nola tossed three innings and threw 47 pitches in his rehab start, allowing no runs and three hits. Ross logged one scoreless inning. Robertson conceded three runs in one inning of work and took the loss. 

Alec Bohm fielded pregame grounders at Citizens Bank Park. He’s progressing well in his rehab from a fractured rib, according to Phillies manager Rob Thomson. 

“They’re going to increase the tee and toss today, so he’s going to get some more swings, see how he feels,” Thomson said. “He’s moving around pretty good right now.” 

Phillies win a wild one to open August, top Tigers after Harper's ejection originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

The Phillies packed plenty of drama into their first game after the trade deadline.

They came back Friday night for a wild 5-4 win at Citizens Bank Park over the Tigers in their series opener, improving to 62-47 overall.

Ranger Suarez started for the Phils and pitched well, allowing three runs and four hits in seven innings. He struck out five Tigers and walked none.

Gleyber Torres tagged Suarez for a three-run home run in the third inning, bashing a cutter 404 feet. 

The Phillies’ efforts to hit Tigers starter Jack Flaherty were futile. Max Kepler flew out to the center-field warning track in the bottom of the third. With two outs in the fourth, Nick Castellanos fouled off a 3-1 fastball and whiffed at a knuckle curveball. 

Edmundo Sosa picked up the Phils’ first knock, doubling off the top of the left-field wall with two outs in the fifth. He stayed on second base, though. The inning ended when Trea Turner popped up to shortstop.

Outside of the third inning, Suarez was highly effective and efficient. He reached seven innings pitched for the first time since June 29. 

Flaherty exited after the first batter of the seventh. Castellanos lined a leadoff single and lefty reliever Tyler Holton entered.

Otto Kemp pinch-hit for Brandon Marsh and flared a base hit to right field, moving Castellanos to third. That brought another pinch-hitter to the plate in Harrison Bader and the home crowd’s volume seriously jumped at the trade deadline addition’s Phillies debut. Bader continued the rally with a four-pitch walk. 

The Phils ultimately evened up the game. Bryson Stott produced a sacrifice fly and Turner’s single to right drove in Castellanos. Kyle Schwarber made it 3-all with a scorching single (113.7 mph exit velocity). 

Bryce Harper came to the plate, fell behind 0-2, and then watched three straight balls. He thought he saw a fourth, but third base umpire Vic Carapazza ruled that Harper swung on a low slider. 

The call outraged Harper, who removed his helmet, yelled at Carapazza and got ejected.

Though Harper was obviously not near the same page on the swing call, he said postgame that he “can’t get thrown out in that situation, especially with the ninth inning possibly coming around an my at-at coming.”

He also didn’t see the ejection as hasty.

“I left the batter’s box coming toward him, so I think it was warranted,” Harper said.

The sharp downturn in the Phils’ fortunes bled into the eighth inning. Wenceel Perez cleared the right-field fence for a go-ahead homer off of Orion Kerkering. 

The Phillies bounced right back. Castellanos singled and chugged home on a Kemp double down the left-field line.

Two infield singles gave the Phils an improbable lead. Sosa squibbed a ball in front of home plate and Brenan Hanifee’s wide throw to first base pulled Spencer Torkelson off the bag. Stott followed with a grounder to short and narrowly beat Javier Baez’s one-hop throw.

New closer Jhoan Duran was up next and made a fantastic first impression with a 1-2-3 save.

Game 2 of the series features a juicy pitching matchup. 

Zack Wheeler (9-4, 2.56 ERA) and Tarik Skubal (10-3, 2.09 ERA) are the scheduled starters on Saturday. Wheeler has 172 strikeouts this season, Skubal 171. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m. ET. 

Rollins and Wade go on the Wall 

The Phillies inducted former general manager Ed Wade and former star shortstop Jimmy Rollins into their Wall of Fame in a pregame ceremony. 

Ryan Howard spoke before Rollins, who he called his “little big bro.” Chase Utley unveiled the two new Wall of Fame plaques. 

Rollins wasn’t short on charisma and humor. Recalling the Phillies’ choice to pick him in the second round of the 1996 MLB draft, Rollins noted he was grateful to be listed at 5-foot-9 instead of his true 5-7.

“Ed, I think it was a good decision,” he said. 

You can watch Rollins’ full speech here.

Rehab updates 

Aaron Nola, Joe Ross and David Robertson all pitched Friday in the first game of Triple A Lehigh Valley’s doubleheader against the Worcester Red Sox.

Nola tossed three innings and threw 47 pitches in his rehab start, allowing no runs and three hits. Ross logged one scoreless inning. Robertson conceded three runs in one inning of work and took the loss. 

Alec Bohm fielded pregame grounders at Citizens Bank Park. He’s progressing well in his rehab from a fractured rib, according to Phillies manager Rob Thomson. 

“They’re going to increase the tee and toss today, so he’s going to get some more swings, see how he feels,” Thomson said. “He’s moving around pretty good right now.” 

Cedric Mullins was the lone offensive player the Mets acquired before the trade deadline, but he fills a massive need for the team.

New York needed a left-handed outfielder with speed, defense and an improved bat, and that's exactly what Mullins gives the Mets. He also gives them plenty of other attributes that he listed while speaking with the New York media for the first time as a Met.

"[The Mets are] a good fit. For me, I’m just trying to be myself and bring the type of game I know I can bring," Mullins said before Friday's series opener against the Giants at Citi Field. "Bunch of different stuff, using my legs, running, stealing bases, playing solid defense, showing a little bit of power here and there, bunts, just a little bit of everything."

Mullins arrived at Citi Field 15 minutes prior to speaking with the media in the home dugout. He took batting practice, met his new teammates and wanted to get used to his new environment. 

He described his last 24 hours as "hectic," as he tried to figure out the logistics of getting to Queens after the trade deadline. 

Mullins, who spent his entire eight-year career with Baltimore, even being drafted by them, said the whole trade process was hard to describe but he understood the business side of why the Orioles moved him. They were a below-.500 team and he was on an expiring contract.

"I’ve been in Baltimore my entire career, even since being drafted. That’s part of the business, but overall feeling is excitement," Mullins said.

He later added, "[The trade was] somewhat to be expected, just understanding the business side of the game. I just didn’t know where it might be. New York’s a great place to land."

The Mets also hope it's a great place for Mullins as he arrives, tearing it up offensively. Over his last 15 games, Mullins is slashing .306/.321/.531 with two home runs and eight RBI to go along with some highlight-reel catches in the outfield.

When he was asked what's been working for him lately, Mullins said it took some time, but he figured out certain moves he needed to make.

"Keying on a couple of adjustments I’ve been working on for a little bit," he said. "Sometimes it’s a challenge to figure out what to work on specifically. I think I found it, and it’s been giving me good results."

As for his role with the Mets, manager Carlos Mendoza intimated before the game that Mullins will see the bulk of the starts in center field. That's likely because the left-handed Mullins has hit southpaws very well this season. He's hitting .298 with three home runs and six doubles this season against lefties. 

The reason for that spike actually dates back to the offseason.

"Just seeing the ball better overall. I had issues picking up spins," he said. "Adjustments in the offseason helped with that."

Mullins hoped he could bring a championship to Baltimore, especially the last few seasons when the Orioles were at the top of the American League, but what does he hope to bring to a Mets team with similar championship aspirations?

"Bringing a ring back to the city, that’s what it’s all about," he said. "We go out there, have fun, but we want championships and this is a great opportunity to do so."

Mullins was activated for Friday's game but will be on the bench against the Giants. 

Cedric Mullins was the lone offensive player the Mets acquired before the trade deadline, but he fills a massive need for the team.

New York needed a left-handed outfielder with speed, defense and an improved bat, and that's exactly what Mullins gives the Mets. He also gives them plenty of other attributes that he listed while speaking with the New York media for the first time as a Met.

"[The Mets are] a good fit. For me, I’m just trying to be myself and bring the type of game I know I can bring," Mullins said before Friday's series opener against the Giants at Citi Field. "Bunch of different stuff, using my legs, running, stealing bases, playing solid defense, showing a little bit of power here and there, bunts, just a little bit of everything."

Mullins arrived at Citi Field 15 minutes prior to speaking with the media in the home dugout. He took batting practice, met his new teammates and wanted to get used to his new environment. 

He described his last 24 hours as "hectic," as he tried to figure out the logistics of getting to Queens after the trade deadline. 

Mullins, who spent his entire eight-year career with Baltimore, even being drafted by them, said the whole trade process was hard to describe but he understood the business side of why the Orioles moved him. They were a below-.500 team and he was on an expiring contract.

"I’ve been in Baltimore my entire career, even since being drafted. That’s part of the business, but overall feeling is excitement," Mullins said.

He later added, "[The trade was] somewhat to be expected, just understanding the business side of the game. I just didn’t know where it might be. New York’s a great place to land."

The Mets also hope it's a great place for Mullins as he arrives, tearing it up offensively. Over his last 15 games, Mullins is slashing .306/.321/.531 with two home runs and eight RBI to go along with some highlight-reel catches in the outfield.

When he was asked what's been working for him lately, Mullins said it took some time, but he figured out certain moves he needed to make.

"Keying on a couple of adjustments I’ve been working on for a little bit," he said. "Sometimes it’s a challenge to figure out what to work on specifically. I think I found it, and it’s been giving me good results."

As for his role with the Mets, manager Carlos Mendoza intimated before the game that Mullins will see the bulk of the starts in center field. That's likely because the left-handed Mullins has hit southpaws very well this season. He's hitting .298 with three home runs and six doubles this season against lefties. 

The reason for that spike actually dates back to the offseason.

"Just seeing the ball better overall. I had issues picking up spins," he said. "Adjustments in the offseason helped with that."

Mullins hoped he could bring a championship to Baltimore, especially the last few seasons when the Orioles were at the top of the American League, but what does he hope to bring to a Mets team with similar championship aspirations?

"Bringing a ring back to the city, that’s what it’s all about," he said. "We go out there, have fun, but we want championships and this is a great opportunity to do so."

Mullins was activated for Friday's game but will be on the bench against the Giants. 

Ryan Helsley was fully aware of the trade rumors linking him to the Mets -- he just didn't understand the interest at first, considering the established hierarchy in the back-end of their bullpen.

But by the time the hard-throwing veteran was acquired in a deal with the Cardinals on Wednesday, just one day before MLB's annual trade deadline, he realized that all contending teams strive for a surplus of high-leverage relievers.

"I was kind of surprised when you have [Edwin] Diaz here. But in the playoffs, you'll take as many good arms as you can get," Helsley said on Friday, wearing new uniform colors. "I'm excited. I obviously spent 11 years with St. Louis in their organization, but I'm excited to be here and be with such a great team."

Helsley is joining a revamped Mets bullpen that should provide ample support for Diaz, who's still entrusted with closer duties. There's plenty of firepower, too, as the team added Tyler Rogers in a swap with the Giants on Thursday and obtained Gregory Soto from the Orioles last week.

While it's still unclear how the Mets will delegate, a late-inning role undoubtedly belongs to Helsley, who logged a 3.00 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 21 saves across 36 appearances for the Cardinals this season.

"I told [Carlos Mendoza] I'll be ready to pitch whenever he wants me to," Helsley said. "[Diaz] has the ninth and he's one of the best closers in the game. He's been one of the best for seven years, so he definitely deserves that role. So if I need to throw the sixth, seventh, eighth, I'll be glad to do so."

The 2025 campaign hasn't been blemish-free for Helsley, as he's already blown more saves (5) than he did last season and opponents are hitting a robust .406 against his fastball with a .522 slugging percentage. 

But the 31-year-old isn't fazed by ninth-inning pressure -- he logged a league-best 49 saves in 2024, and his 103 saves since 2022 rank fourth among all relievers.

"During the trade deadline, anybody that's looking at you, they're probably in the hunt for a playoff spot," Helsley said. "That's exciting. But looking at this team and how we competed against them this year, you know how strong they are, from top to bottom. The pitching staff as a whole too."

Helsley is slated to become a free agent this coming offseason. Whether or not he returns to the team in 2026, he's equipped to provide a tremendous boost to a championship contender that's in the thick of a division race.

Since the start of June, the Mets' bullpen owns a 4.87 ERA, the 25th-worst mark in the majors.

Ryan Helsley was fully aware of the trade rumors linking him to the Mets -- he just didn't understand the interest at first, considering the established hierarchy in the back-end of their bullpen.

But by the time the hard-throwing veteran was acquired in a deal with the Cardinals on Wednesday, just one day before MLB's annual trade deadline, he realized that all contending teams strive for a surplus of high-leverage relievers.

"I was kind of surprised when you have [Edwin] Diaz here. But in the playoffs, you'll take as many good arms as you can get," Helsley said on Friday, wearing new uniform colors. "I'm excited. I obviously spent 11 years with St. Louis in their organization, but I'm excited to be here and be with such a great team."

Helsley is joining a revamped Mets bullpen that should provide ample support for Diaz, who's still entrusted with closer duties. There's plenty of firepower, too, as the team added Tyler Rogers in a swap with the Giants on Thursday and obtained Gregory Soto from the Orioles last week.

While it's still unclear how the Mets will delegate, a late-inning role undoubtedly belongs to Helsley, who logged a 3.00 ERA with 41 strikeouts and 21 saves across 36 appearances for the Cardinals this season.

"I told [Carlos Mendoza] I'll be ready to pitch whenever he wants me to," Helsley said. "[Diaz] has the ninth and he's one of the best closers in the game. He's been one of the best for seven years, so he definitely deserves that role. So if I need to throw the sixth, seventh, eighth, I'll be glad to do so."

The 2025 campaign hasn't been blemish-free for Helsley, as he's already blown more saves (5) than he did last season and opponents are hitting a robust .406 against his fastball with a .522 slugging percentage. 

But the 31-year-old isn't fazed by ninth-inning pressure -- he logged a league-best 49 saves in 2024, and his 103 saves since 2022 rank fourth among all relievers.

"During the trade deadline, anybody that's looking at you, they're probably in the hunt for a playoff spot," Helsley said. "That's exciting. But looking at this team and how we competed against them this year, you know how strong they are, from top to bottom. The pitching staff as a whole too."

Helsley is slated to become a free agent this coming offseason. Whether or not he returns to the team in 2026, he's equipped to provide a tremendous boost to a championship contender that's in the thick of a division race.

Since the start of June, the Mets' bullpen owns a 4.87 ERA, the 25th-worst mark in the majors.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza provided some updates prior to Friday's series opener against the Giants...

---

Juan Soto in the clear

As expected, Soto is back in the Mets’ lineup for Friday’s series opener. 

The outfielder was listed as day-to-day after suffering a foot contusion earlier this week. 

However, Mendoza told reporters prior to Wednesday’s series finale in San Diego that he was feeling better and was expected to be good to go when the club returned home.

Now, it is official.

“We knew the other day that we had a player,” the skipper said. “I checked with him yesterday and he had no issues, so he’s good to go.”

That is a huge sigh of relief for the Mets, who could ill-afford to lose Soto for any time. 

The plan for the bullpen 

The Mets have plenty of weapons in their bullpen after their deadline revamp.

All three arms they picked up -- Gregory Soto, Tyler Rogers, and Ryan Helsley -- come with plenty of experience pitching in the late innings of big ballgames.

Still, the team will lean on All-Star closer Edwin Diaz as their top option. 

That doesn’t come as a surprise with the type of campaign Diaz is putting together, but these three new pieces will allow Mendoza to be a bit more creative with when he decides to use his lockdown reliever. 

“We’ll continue using [Diaz] the way we’ve been using him,” he said. “If we feel like the best way to deploy him is in the eighth inning, we will do it and we’ll figure it out in the ninth. That’s how we’ve been doing it.

“Now figuring out that ninth, it could be Helsley, it could be Rogers, it could be a lot of different options. But in talking to Helsley, he’s willing to pitch in any situation needed. He’s here to help us win baseball games.”

The plan in CF

The Mets’ only other addition ahead of the deadline was center fielder Cedric Mullins. 

Mullins isn’t in the lineup for Friday’s matchup, as he arrived at the ballpark a little late. But Mendoza expects that he’ll play a lot down the stretch. 

Jeff McNeil and Tyrone Taylor will still see time out there, but certainly not as much. 

The skipper has seen plenty of Mullins over the years in the AL East, and he says there’s a lot to like.

“Defensively, offensively, whether it’s hitting for power or running the bases,” he said. “There’s a lot that doesn’t go into the box score -- running the bases, going first to third, getting a bunt down to get a runner over, cutting a ball in the outfield to keep the double play in order.

“Just another really good player we’re adding to a strong position player group.”

Though Taylor will be on the weaker-side of the platoon, he is still expected to be a big piece off the bench. 

“Obviously his time is going to go down a bit,” Mendoza said. “But he could come into the game and get the biggest at-bat, come off the bench to steal a base or for defense, he’s still an important part of this team.”

Francisco Alvarez good to go

Alvarez had a bit of a scare during Wednesday’s finale in San Diego.

The young backstop exited the game after taking a ball off the mask in the bottom of the fifth. 

He did clear concussion protocol, but suffered a head contusion on the play. 

While Alvarez is out of Friday's lineup, Mendoza said he should be a player off the bench. 

The team is just opting to give him an extra day as a precaution.

Mets manager Carlos Mendoza provided some updates prior to Friday's series opener against the Giants...

---

Juan Soto in the clear

As expected, Soto is back in the Mets’ lineup for Friday’s series opener. 

The outfielder was listed as day-to-day after suffering a foot contusion earlier this week. 

However, Mendoza told reporters prior to Wednesday’s series finale in San Diego that he was feeling better and was expected to be good to go when the club returned home.

Now, it is official.

“We knew the other day that we had a player,” the skipper said. “I checked with him yesterday and he had no issues, so he’s good to go.”

That is a huge sigh of relief for the Mets, who could ill-afford to lose Soto for any time. 

The plan for the bullpen 

The Mets have plenty of weapons in their bullpen after their deadline revamp.

All three arms they picked up -- Gregory Soto, Tyler Rogers, and Ryan Helsley -- come with plenty of experience pitching in the late innings of big ballgames.

Still, the team will lean on All-Star closer Edwin Diaz as their top option. 

That doesn’t come as a surprise with the type of campaign Diaz is putting together, but these three new pieces will allow Mendoza to be a bit more creative with when he decides to use his lockdown reliever. 

“We’ll continue using [Diaz] the way we’ve been using him,” he said. “If we feel like the best way to deploy him is in the eighth inning, we will do it and we’ll figure it out in the ninth. That’s how we’ve been doing it.

“Now figuring out that ninth, it could be Helsley, it could be Rogers, it could be a lot of different options. But in talking to Helsley, he’s willing to pitch in any situation needed. He’s here to help us win baseball games.”

The plan in CF

The Mets’ only other addition ahead of the deadline was center fielder Cedric Mullins. 

Mullins isn’t in the lineup for Friday’s matchup, as he arrived at the ballpark a little late. But Mendoza expects that he’ll play a lot down the stretch. 

Jeff McNeil and Tyrone Taylor will still see time out there, but certainly not as much. 

The skipper has seen plenty of Mullins over the years in the AL East, and he says there’s a lot to like.

“Defensively, offensively, whether it’s hitting for power or running the bases,” he said. “There’s a lot that doesn’t go into the box score -- running the bases, going first to third, getting a bunt down to get a runner over, cutting a ball in the outfield to keep the double play in order.

“Just another really good player we’re adding to a strong position player group.”

Though Taylor will be on the weaker-side of the platoon, he is still expected to be a big piece off the bench. 

“Obviously his time is going to go down a bit,” Mendoza said. “But he could come into the game and get the biggest at-bat, come off the bench to steal a base or for defense, he’s still an important part of this team.”

Francisco Alvarez good to go

Alvarez had a bit of a scare during Wednesday’s finale in San Diego.

The young backstop exited the game after taking a ball off the mask in the bottom of the fifth. 

He did clear concussion protocol, but suffered a head contusion on the play. 

While Alvarez is out of Friday's lineup, Mendoza said he should be a player off the bench. 

The team is just opting to give him an extra day as a precaution.

Some MLB teams make trades. This one dealt nearly half its roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

A month and a half into this season, the hottest team in Major League Baseball played in Minnesota.

When the standings closed on May 17, the Twins had won 13 consecutive games to sit second in their division. It was the franchise’s longest winning streak in 34 years, and the longest in all of MLB since 2022. Minnesota had one of baseball’s best staff of relief pitchers and an All-Star outfielder in Byron Buxton. Suddenly, a spring training declaration by the team’s top baseball executive, Derek Falvey, that reaching the World Series “has to be the mission from Day One,” sounded more like a possibility.

By this week’s trade deadline, that mission had changed dramatically.

No longer ascending in the standings, the Twins had moved from a buyer looking to bolster its lineup ahead of a playoff run into a seller trying to extract some value from a lost season — the kind of shift in thinking that happens to numerous teams across all professional sports.

Yet the scope of the Twins sell-off Thursday, in the final hours before the deadline, was anything but typical. Many teams out of playoff contention sell off key parts; the Twins, however, took it to an extreme. Over nine trades, they dealt away 11 players from a 26-man roster.

When Falvey sent a signed message to fans late Thursday, he wrote that “this wasn’t about patchwork or small adjustments.”

That was an understatement.

“We had been hovering around or under .500 for a period of time and just couldn’t quite get things going in the right direction, and we’ve got to find a new way to do it,” Falvey told reporters.

Falvey framed the roster reset as a baseball decision for the future of a team that had gone from six games above .500 on May 17 tosix games under. But along with bringing back a collection of prospects, the trades also accomplished slashing its payroll, and making it less expensive to operate. The trade of the highest-paid Twin, shortstop Carlos Correa, was effectively to ensure that another team, Houston, would foot the bill for more than $70 million of his remaining salary.

The Twins have historically never been among the top-spending teams, and their decline since May had only further disincentivized adding costs to a team whose ownership has been publicly looking to get out of the baseball business since late last year, when the Pohlad family — which has owned the franchise since 1984 — announced it was looking sell the team.

“The sale process continues to be an ongoing reality for our organization and something that we will work through at the right time,” Falvey said.

The intention to sell was announced at a time when labor peace between players and the league, and the attractiveness of owning a franchise in a smaller market, have come under question. Six teams last season had a payroll of $102 million or less, according to Spotrac, less than the amount the Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly paid in taxes alone.

The average MLB team valuation at the season’s start was $2.62 billion, per CNBC. Minnesota’s $1.6 billion valuation ranked 22nd out of 30 teams.

The few remaining holdovers include pitcher Joe Ryan and Buxton, who only two weeks earlier had noted the security provided by his no-trade clause.

“I’m a Minnesota Twin for the rest of my life,” Buxton said at the All-Star game. “So, that’s the best feeling in the world.”

The Twins woke up to a different feeling Friday. To fill out their roster for their first game after the deadline, the Twins were forced to call up eight players from the minor leagues. Gone are five relievers from a bullpen that had shined during the team’s winning streak, including top closer Jhoan Duran. Players on longer contracts, such as Correa, and others expiring at the end of the season were dealt with equal measure.

On Reddit, one user noted that the roster upheaval had turned the Twins’ official Instagram account into a series of graphics announcing either a “trade alert” or a “thank you” to a departed player.

The extreme teardown took place less than two years after Minnesota won its division and made the postseason for the first time in three years.

“I had some conversations with the front office in Minnesota and we were not moving in the direction that I thought we were after [making] the playoffs [in 2023], and they agreed with me that it was time to move me,” Correa told MLB.com.

And 10 others, too.

Some MLB teams make trades. This one dealt nearly half its roster originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

A month and a half into this season, the hottest team in Major League Baseball played in Minnesota.

When the standings closed on May 17, the Twins had won 13 consecutive games to sit second in their division. It was the franchise’s longest winning streak in 34 years, and the longest in all of MLB since 2022. Minnesota had one of baseball’s best staff of relief pitchers and an All-Star outfielder in Byron Buxton. Suddenly, a spring training declaration by the team’s top baseball executive, Derek Falvey, that reaching the World Series “has to be the mission from Day One,” sounded more like a possibility.

By this week’s trade deadline, that mission had changed dramatically.

No longer ascending in the standings, the Twins had moved from a buyer looking to bolster its lineup ahead of a playoff run into a seller trying to extract some value from a lost season — the kind of shift in thinking that happens to numerous teams across all professional sports.

Yet the scope of the Twins sell-off Thursday, in the final hours before the deadline, was anything but typical. Many teams out of playoff contention sell off key parts; the Twins, however, took it to an extreme. Over nine trades, they dealt away 11 players from a 26-man roster.

When Falvey sent a signed message to fans late Thursday, he wrote that “this wasn’t about patchwork or small adjustments.”

That was an understatement.

“We had been hovering around or under .500 for a period of time and just couldn’t quite get things going in the right direction, and we’ve got to find a new way to do it,” Falvey told reporters.

Falvey framed the roster reset as a baseball decision for the future of a team that had gone from six games above .500 on May 17 tosix games under. But along with bringing back a collection of prospects, the trades also accomplished slashing its payroll, and making it less expensive to operate. The trade of the highest-paid Twin, shortstop Carlos Correa, was effectively to ensure that another team, Houston, would foot the bill for more than $70 million of his remaining salary.

The Twins have historically never been among the top-spending teams, and their decline since May had only further disincentivized adding costs to a team whose ownership has been publicly looking to get out of the baseball business since late last year, when the Pohlad family — which has owned the franchise since 1984 — announced it was looking sell the team.

“The sale process continues to be an ongoing reality for our organization and something that we will work through at the right time,” Falvey said.

The intention to sell was announced at a time when labor peace between players and the league, and the attractiveness of owning a franchise in a smaller market, have come under question. Six teams last season had a payroll of $102 million or less, according to Spotrac, less than the amount the Los Angeles Dodgers reportedly paid in taxes alone.

The average MLB team valuation at the season’s start was $2.62 billion, per CNBC. Minnesota’s $1.6 billion valuation ranked 22nd out of 30 teams.

The few remaining holdovers include pitcher Joe Ryan and Buxton, who only two weeks earlier had noted the security provided by his no-trade clause.

“I’m a Minnesota Twin for the rest of my life,” Buxton said at the All-Star game. “So, that’s the best feeling in the world.”

The Twins woke up to a different feeling Friday. To fill out their roster for their first game after the deadline, the Twins were forced to call up eight players from the minor leagues. Gone are five relievers from a bullpen that had shined during the team’s winning streak, including top closer Jhoan Duran. Players on longer contracts, such as Correa, and others expiring at the end of the season were dealt with equal measure.

On Reddit, one user noted that the roster upheaval had turned the Twins’ official Instagram account into a series of graphics announcing either a “trade alert” or a “thank you” to a departed player.

The extreme teardown took place less than two years after Minnesota won its division and made the postseason for the first time in three years.

“I had some conversations with the front office in Minnesota and we were not moving in the direction that I thought we were after [making] the playoffs [in 2023], and they agreed with me that it was time to move me,” Correa told MLB.com.

And 10 others, too.