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10 relievers Red Sox should target before trade deadline

10 relievers Red Sox should target before trade deadline originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Winners of 10 straight games heading into the All-Star break, the surging Boston Red Sox are poised to buy at the 2025 MLB trade deadline.

Chief baseball officer Craig Breslow has been open about his plan to pursue starting pitching, but he should also explore options to upgrade the bullpen. Reliable relief pitching is critical for a deep postseason run, and the Red Sox have a chance to make a serious playoff push in the wide-open American League.

Breslow made an effort to improve the bullpen last summer — his first as Boston’s front-office leader — by acquiring rental relievers Lucas Sims and Luis Garcia. Both were in the midst of solid seasons with their previous teams, but they struggled mightily over the final two months with the Red Sox.

This time, Breslow should shoot higher than Sims and Garcia types in his pursuit of bullpen upgrades. The relievers he targets should have a proven track record beyond just 2025, and he shouldn’t be afraid to pay up for an elite high-leverage option to pair with All-Star closer Aroldis Chapman.

Here are 10 relievers who should be on Breslow’s shortlist of trade targets:

Ryan Helsley, RHP, St. Louis Cardinals

ESPN’s Jeff Passan got the Helsley hype started by mentioning the Red Sox as the “best match” for the All-Star right-hander. In February, we actually had the Red Sox acquiring Helsley as one of our 2025 trade deadline predictions.

Helsley has been among MLB’s best relief pitchers for the last four seasons. The two-time All-Star even earned Cy Young votes after his outstanding 2022 and 2024 campaigns.

It has been sort of a “down” season by Helsley’s standards, but the 30-year-old is still sporting a 3.27 ERA over 33 appearances. He and Chapman would form one of the scariest and hardest-throwing setup-closer combinations in the game.

Helsley would be a rental as his contract is set to expire after this season.

Reid Detmers, LHP, Los Angeles Angels

Detmers converted to a relief role this season. It was a rough adjustment for the 26-year-old southpaw, but he has been exceptional over the last two months.

Since May 9, Detmers owns a 1.29 ERA wth 37 strikeouts and 13 walks in 28 innings. He went 22 consecutive outings without allowing an earned run before his most recent two appearances.

Making Detmers an even more attractive option for Breslow is that he’s under team control through 2028. Additionally, he’s capable of stepping up as a spot starter if necessary.

Jhoan Duran, RHP, Minnesota Twins

This one might be a pipe dream, but we had to include at least one long shot on the list.

Duran has some of the filthiest stuff in the league, and the Twins aren’t likely to move him this summer unless they get a significant haul in return. The 27-year-old is also under team control through 2027.

That said, Breslow should at least inquire about what it would take to pry him away from Minnesota. Duran has come up in trade rumors over the last couple of weeks, so why not check in on one of the nastiest closers in the league?

Duran has a 1.66 ERA and 1.13 WHIP with 49 strikeouts and 16 walks this season. Boston already has a dominant closer in Chapman, but the 37-year-old is playing on a one-year deal. Duran could take over as the Red Sox’ lights-out closer in 2027.

Griffin Jax, RHP, Minnesota Twins

Jax is the more realistic option if Breslow calls Minnesota’s front office for a potential deal. The 30-year-old shined as Duran’s set-up man in 2024, and although his numbers aren’t quite as impressive so far this season, he’d still be a major addition to Boston’s bullpen.

One encouraging number from this season: Jax’s 66 strikeouts. His 14.4 K/9 so far this year is a career-high.

David Bednar, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates

If Breslow is looking for a reliever with a proven track record, look no further than Bednar. The two-time All-Star struggled mightily in 2024 but has bounced back so far in 2025, posting a 2.53 ERA and 1.125 WHIP with 45 strikeouts and only nine walks in 36 appearances.

Bednar, 30, is also under team control through next season. The Pirates already are out of contention, so they should be motivated to sell off valuable pieces sooner rather than later.

Chris Martin, RHP, Texas Rangers

The ex-Red Sox reliever is still doing his thing at 39 years old. Is he destined to return to Boston?

In 37 appearances for Texas this season, Martin has a 2.20 ERA and 1.07 WHIP with 34 strikeouts and only five walks. He was one of the Red Sox’ few bright spots in 2023 and 2024, so Breslow should consider the possibility of bringing him back for the 2025 postseason push.

Kyle Finnegan, RHP, Washington Nationals

Finnegan represented the Nationals at the 2024 All-Star Game and has been even better so far in 2025. The 33-year-old has a 3.12 ERA and 1.18 WHIP over 35 outings.

While he may not move the needle like a Duran, Jax or Bednar, Finnegan is a rock-solid reliever who should be relatively affordable as a rental.

Steven Matz, LHP, St. Louis Cardinals

It feels like Matz’s name has been connected to the Red Sox in trade or free agency rumors several times throughout his 11-year career. Will he finally join Boston this summer?

Matz has become a full-time reliever this season with St. Louis, and he’s seen some solid results. In 28 outings (two starts), the 34-year-old has posted a 3.35 ERA and 1.14 WHIP.

Similar to Detmers, Matz’s history as a starter means he can be stretched multiple innings if needed. And as a rental, it shouldn’t take too much to acquire him if the price for his teammate Helsley is too steep.

Emilio Pagan, RHP, Cincinnati Reds

Pagan has enjoyed a solid nine-year career as a journeyman reliever. Will Boston mark his seventh team?

The 34-year-old has looked sharp in Cincinnati this season. In 40 appearances, he has posted a 2.93 ERA and 0.875 WHIP.

Pagan’s contract is set to expire after the 2025 season.

Tyler Rogers, RHP, San Francisco Giants

Another rental, Rogers has been nothing short of stellar since joining the Giants in 2018. The 34-year-old is a workhorse who has led the National League in appearances in three seasons, and he’s on pace to do the same this year with an MLB-leading 48 outings before the All-Star break.

This season has been Rogers’ best yet. The submariner has a 1.55 ERA and 0.78 WHIP with 34 strikeouts and only four walks.

Rogers would be a rental, so he’s among the most reliable and cost-effective options on this list.

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Warriors center Quinten Post details journey to becoming NBA chess champion

Warriors center Quinten Post details journey to becoming NBA chess champion originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

Every NBA rookie has his own path, and it isn’t always a soft landing. 

Quinten Post was thrown into the fire by the Warriors last season once he graduated from dominating the G League in Santa Cruz. The former No. 52 overall pick in last year’s NBA draft spent all of 2024 developing his game, but once he earned his promotion, Post was up for good.

Post played so well in his first five games of real minutes at the end of January, averaging 10.4 points on 39.3-percent shooting from three, coach Steve Kerr decided to give Post his first start in a Golden State jersey — against the eventual NBA champion Oklahoma City Thunder. 

The box score wasn’t pretty for Post in the Warriors’ seven-point win, yet he survived and started the next five games, too. Post started 14 regular-season games as a rookie, and another two in the NBA playoffs. He talked trash with Luka Dončić and LeBron James in LA.

None of those experiences can be compared to who Post sat across from Saturday night in Las Vegas, staring at their chess pieces. 

“It’s a completely different experience,” Post says, speaking to NBC Sports Bay Area exclusively over the phone. “As in, like, there’s no expectations obviously when I play chess against Magnus. There are expectations when I play on an NBA court against LeBron or whoever we face.” 

While the initial plan was for Post to play NBA Summer League games in Las Vegas, freestyle chess is what he dominated instead. Post over the weekend was part of Chesstival at the Wynn Las Vegas, an innovative pro-am tournament hosted by former NBA MVP Derrick Rose and chess grandmaster and current world champion Magnus Carlsen. Post came out a big winner, too. 

First, NBA players were paired with chess grandmasters for two-person teams in a head and hand tournament. The grandmaster called out a piece, and the NBA player had to make the move. Post and his partner Tania Sachdev of India made it all the way to the semifinals, losing to Tony Snell and Fabiano Caruana of Italy. Later in the night, Post got his revenge on Snell. 

The head and hand tournament was followed by a best of the best battle, NBA players going head-to-head in singles. Post met Snell in the third round and this time was victorious. The floor-stretching Warriors center checkmated Harrison Ingram in the finals, becoming the first ever Chesstival blitz tournament champion.

More than bragging rights were secured. Post won $25,000 to charity, which he’s giving to Reading Partners, a national nonprofit he previously partnered with earlier this year. 

“It’s an organization that helps kids who either struggle with reading or who are in a situation at home or at school where it’s hard for them to learn how to read,” Post said. “Just want to help these kids have a good foundation to set them up for the rest of their lives.” 

He and his chess grandmaster partner weren’t pitted against Carlsen and Rose in the tournament. Rather than let a lifetime opportunity pass him by, Post took his chance the night before at the event’s welcome dinner. 

It wasn’t confidence that oozed out of Post, it was living in the moment. He was in a place those who taught him the game couldn’t imagine. So, Post challenged Carlsen to a 1-on-1 game at dinner.

“My grandpa — both of them, actually — are into chess, so that’s kind of how I picked it up at a younger age,” Post revealed. “I was like, this is an opportunity for me to be able to tell my kids that I played a game against the world champion. He’s the best to ever do it, so I just took my chance to challenge him. 

“Yeah, I didn’t end up winning. It was a lot of fun.” 

Each player was given five minutes. Post took about four and a half minutes. Carlsen needed maybe 30 seconds to beat him, per Post’s estimation.

Like young basketball sensations, there have been numerous chess prodigies throughout the years. Carlsen is one of them. He’s a genius. He just might be the G.O.A.T. 

He also has been called eccentric, cocky and even arrogant for his unusual antics and tactics that don’t always align with chess and its culture. There’s an intimidation factor Carlsen brings to the sport. Post could have felt it, maybe he did. But he also had an easy in. 

“Magnus is actually a huge Warriors fan,” Post says. “He watches every single game, he told me. So that was an easy point of the conversation, and he seemed pretty well-versed in basketball. He’s a huge Steph [Curry] fan, too. 

“Super cool guy. We talked about chess, the lifestyle, basketball, and I told him if he’s ever in San Francisco he should come to a game.” 

The game of chess always has been a part of Post, and it always will be. His father, Arjen, plays but it’s his two grandfathers that he gives credit to. 

Post remembers learning chess around 6, 7 or 8 years old. His mother’s father Kess Toorenaar taught chess at a local elementary school and instilled the basics in Post. His grandpa on his father’s side, Harry Post, played chess at the local club. 

Now, it’s something he picks up recreationally in phases. Post has played against Warriors teammate Moses Moody and a handful of members on the coaching staff, and he hopes to play Draymond Green this season. Recently, Post really has delved back into it. 

Aside from Chesstival, Post this offseason went to the Mechanics’ Institute in San Francisco to play. Founded in 1854, the Mechanics’ Institute is the oldest chess club in the United States. 

“Really nice people. They hosted me very well,” Post said. “It’s cool to see. It’s actually a very famous club where a lot of people have come. It was cool to do that.” 

Shooting easily is Post’s biggest strength on a basketball court right now. It’s easy to describe him in a scouting report. The exercise was impossible to do for Post when it comes to chess. 

He couldn’t define himself quite yet, but did admit he’s an offensive type of player who likes to attack. Comparing and describing Carlsen’s game was much easier for Post. 

“Probably the greatest to ever do it,” he said. “Modern era, he’s like a Curry or like a LeBron of the chess world.” 

And Post is the Carlsen of the NBA world, at least for one weekend in terms of chess. 

“I would say so,” Post said when I asked if he’s the best chess player in the NBA. “I think I got a good shot at it. Maybe not everybody was there that plays. We’ll see. It’ll probably grow next year, and we’ll see.” 

His road to winning the blitz tournament began by beating former, and possibly future, Warriors teammate De’Anthony Melton. Wins then were secured against Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey, Snell, Grant Williams and Ingram. 

A precaution to an ankle issue kept Post from playing summer league this year. He’s still the Warriors’ biggest winner of Las Vegas, proudly wearing a new target on his back from the hoopers trying to get the privilege of boasting on a chessboard.

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Utah Jazz reportedly not looking to trade Lauri Markkanen

John Collins? Traded. Collin Sexton? Traded. Jordan Clarkson? Bought out.

Lauri Markkanen? It looks like the veteran forward is staying in Utah and will not be traded, Tim MacMahon reports at ESPN.

[Trading Markkanen] is not Utah's intention, sources told ESPN. It would be too much to describe Markkanen as untouchable, but the Jazz still project the All-Star forward as a key player in their future core.

While this is what a front office says when trying to gain leverage and drive up the price tag on a potential trade, in this case, there are reasons to believe Utah means it.

For one thing, even if Markkanen bounces back to the form of his first season in Utah — when he was an All-Star and won the Most Improved Player award — it's not going to disrupt the clear plan for next season, which is to, how should we put this, end up with excellent lottery odds. Secondly, his massive salary — his four-year, $195.9 million contract extension kicks in this season, starting at $46.4 million — makes finding a workable trade difficult. Finally, and tied to that contract, Markkanen struggled through an injury-plagued last season, averaging 19 points and 5.9 rebounds per game, but his shooting efficiency was down across the board, including 34.6% from 3-point range. Teams are going to want to see the 28-year-old regain his form.

Which is to say, the Jazz are going to wait, play Markannen with their young stars like the just-drafted Ace Bailey, Kyle Filipowski (who has looked fantastic at Summer League) and Walker Kessler, and see how things shake out. At the deadline, maybe the Jazz and another team out there will feel differently, maybe not, but for now expect Markkanen to stay in Utah. Where he has wanted to be.

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Manfred: Red Sox have ‘expressed interest' in hosting MLB All-Star Game

Manfred: Red Sox have ‘expressed interest' in hosting MLB All-Star Game originally appeared on NBC Sports Boston

Boston is the best sports city in America, but it has not played host to an NBA, MLB or NHL All-Star Game in a long time.

This city hosted four of the first 14 NBA All-Star Games, but the event hasn’t been back since 1964. The NHL All-Star Game last came to Boston in 1996 — the first year of the Fleet Center (now TD Garden).

And the MLB All-Star Game was most recently held in Boston in 1999, when Red Sox legend Ted Williams took part in the first pitch ceremony and Pedro Martinez gave an iconic performance by striking out five of the six batters he faced and winning MVP.

What are the chances Boston’s All-Star drought ends fairly soon?

MLB commissioner Rob Manfred told reporters, including Pete Abraham of The Boston Globe, ahead of Tuesday’s 2025 MLB All-Star Game in Atlanta that Fenway Park “would be a great venue” to host the Midsummer Classic again.

“Time is one issue. Level of interest of the club is another issue,” Manfred said, per Abraham. “The Red Sox have certainly expressed interest.”

The 2026 All-Star Game will be hosted by the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park.

There are seven teams, including the Red Sox, that haven’t hosted the MLB All-Star Game in this century:

  • Rays: Never hosted
  • Athletics: 1987
  • Cubs: 1990
  • Blue Jays: 1991
  • Orioles: 1993
  • Phillies: 1996 (hosting in 2026)
  • Red Sox: 1999

First pitch for this year’s All-Star game is scheduled for Tuesday at 8:10 p.m. ET. The Red Sox will be represented by closer Aroldis Chapman. Alex Bregman and Garrett Crochet were also selected but will not participate.

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The Chicago Blackhawks Could Get A Reality Check In Season Opener

The Chicago Blackhawks’ rebuilding squad will get quite the test on the opening night of the NHL regular season.

To kick off the tripleheader on Tuesday, Oct. 7, the Blackhawks are in Sunrise to take on the back-to-back defending Stanley Cup champions, the Florida Panthers. Chicago, meanwhile, finished second-last this past season.

One game won’t tell the whole story, but it will set a first impression of how close these rebuilding Blackhawks are to competing against teams of the Panthers’ caliber with the pieces each squad has. Suffice it to say, Chicago has a ways to go to end the rebuild as it develops its young talent.

The Panthers’ top two defense pairings can compete with that of any team, especially after they acquired Seth Jones from the Blackhawks around the 2025 trade deadline. It’s another story for the Blackhawks.

When their highest-scoring blueliner this past season is youngster Alex Vlasic, whose 30 points were a career high, they can’t expect any sufficient offensive production from the back end. As for Connor Murphy, whose 117 hits and 160 blocked shots led Hawks blueliners, he’s entering the final year of his contract and could be trade bait. Only the Anaheim Ducks allowed more high-danger chances against than Chicago this past season, according to naturalstattrick.com.

That’s not to say there isn’t some talent in the pipeline, as Chicago has youngsters including Kevin Korchinski, Artyom Levshunov and Sam Rinzel who can grow into important NHL roles.

NHL Prospect Pool Overview ’25-26: Chicago Blackhawks Brought In A Stellar Draft HaulNHL Prospect Pool Overview ’25-26: Chicago Blackhawks Brought In A Stellar Draft HaulThe Chicago Blackhawks are next up in Tony Ferrari's NHL prospect pool overview series.

Similarly, comparing the Hawks’ forwards with the Panthers’ forwards tells you how long their road to respectability truly is. 

Yes, the Blackhawks have cornerstone center Connor Bedard as their most important player and prospects Anton Frondell, Sacha Boisvert and Nick Lardis in the system. Teuvo Teravainen and Ryan Donato had 58 and 62 points this past season, while Frank Nazar, 21, established his spot in the NHL full-time.

They’ll need Bedard to continue to grow as a difference-maker with help from his supporting cast, but they’re still over a season away from the wave of prospects taking this team to the next level. Right now, they don’t have enough true needle-movers to be in the same breath as a legitimate Cup contender like the Panthers, which are very deep at every position.

Anton Lundell, Connor Bedard and Dmitry Kulikov (Jim Rassol-Imagn Images)

In net, the Hawks have a young goalie in Spencer Knight, who came over from Florida in the Jones trade, as well as veteran Laurent Brossoit. No goalie will be able to bail out the defensively lacking Blackhawks players in front of them. There may come a day when Knight can thrive between the pipes for Chicago, but that day isn’t likely going to come next season.

Chicago has about $22.3 million in salary cap space, and they used that room to acquire Andre Burakovsky from the Seattle Kraken for an upgrade on offense. But it’s unlikely they can weaponize much more of their cap space at this point to get the type of players that will make them beat teams like the Panthers more often than not. 

The truth is the Hawks are a dog’s breakfast of assets at this stage, and many of their current players include veterans past their prime, like captain Nick Foligno, and second-tier NHLers, such as Tyler Bertuzzi, Teravainen and Burakovsky. 

It’s clearly easy to see why the Hawks will be a long shot to play meaningful hockey down the stretch in 2025-26. The Panthers are likely to make it clear in Game 1 next year how far the Blackhawks have to go next season. After another year or two, the Blackhawks will be much better built to take the next step.

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Mets' top draft pick once mimicked snorting cocaine on field. 'This isn't an issue,' team says

Michigan's Mitch Voit looks determined as he runs the basesduring an NCAA baseball game
Former Michigan player Mitch Voit was selected by the New York Mets in the first round of the MLB draft on Sunday. (John McCoy / Associated Press)

Mitch Voit had plenty to celebrate on Sunday after being selected by the New York Mets in the first round of the 2025 MLB draft.

Chances are, that celebration did not resemble the now-infamous one the former Michigan infielder performed during a game against USC on March 16 in Ann Arbor.

With two outs in the bottom of the second inning, Voit ripped a hit into center field for a three-run triple that gave the Wolverines a 5-0 lead. While still on the ground after diving into third base, Voit decided to celebrate the feat in a rather curious manner.

He lowered his nose to the baseline chalk and appeared to mimic snorting cocaine.

Video of the bizarre celebration went viral, and Voit issued an apology in a statement posted on social media the next day.

Read more:Jacob Misiorowski is the talk of the All-Star Game. Why Dodgers are partially to thank

“I would like to apologize for my actions on third base yesterday,” Voit wrote. “I made an immature decision in the heat of the moment. The gesture I made does not reflect my character, the household I was raised in, or the block M that I represent in any kind of way. I take full responsibility for what I did, and I am truly sorry to all those who I have negatively impacted by doing this.”

Voit was not punished by the Wolverines.

“Mitch is a great young man and immediately apologized for his actions in the heat of the moment," Michigan Athletics spokesperson David Ablauf told The Athletic in a March 18 email. "As an athletic department, we did not feel that it was necessary to issue any discipline.”

Speaking to reporters on Monday, Mets vice president of amateur scouting Kris Gross said the organization did its due diligence on the matter leading up to the draft.

Read more:Shohei Ohtani has top-selling MLB jersey so far this season. Two other Dodgers rank in top four

“We spoke to him earlier in the spring and at the combine about it," Gross said. "And basically, you know, he’s a young guy, it’s a heat of passion, it’s a big game. He made a big play for his team and made a mistake. And he’s made an apology for it and owned up to it, handled it with class.

"We did a ton of research after the fact with multiple sources about his makeup. We know this isn’t an issue and we feel comfortable with Mitch moving forward.”

Voit was a two-way player during his first two seasons at Michigan, before undergoing internal brace surgery on his right elbow in spring 2024. As the Wolverines' starting second baseman in all 56 games this season, Voit hit .346 with 14 home runs and 60 RBIs, with more walks (40) than strikeouts (34).

“He made a lot of strides, this being his first year to focus on hitting,” Gross told reporters Sunday.

“When you’re scouting him, you sit there and you start to check all the boxes. He checked them all.”

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Mock trades for Mets ahead of 2025 deadline — and prospects who could get deals done

When the Mets return from the All-Star break, they will be under two weeks from the July 31 trade deadline, and there are plenty areas of need they'll have to add reinforcements to as they push for the National League East title and a deep playoff run.

As SNY’s Andy Martino has reported, the Mets are likely to be looking for both starting pitching and relief help, as well as a potential upgrade in center field. I would argue that they should at least consider an upgrade at DH, too. But from a roster construction standpoint it would be difficult pull off adding while also having Jesse Winker, Starling Marte, and Mark Vientos on the roster.

Marte and Winker are currently injured, but they could potentially return not long after the break.

The early feeling is that while there will be activity at the deadline as always, there may not be many top-end players on the move. It’s possible the best player traded this season was already moved with the Red Sox shipping Rafael Devers to the Giants a few weeks ago.

The team to watch over the next couple of weeks is the Diamondbacks, who could shake up the trade market in a significant way if they elect to sell.

I am often asked -- whether in the mailbag segment of The Mets Pod or in my mentions on X (@PSLToFlushing) -- about which prospects the Mets could look to move at the deadline, or more importantly who they shouldn’t move.

Given the expected available inventory, I think David Stearns would be unlikely to trade from the very top of the farm system. As much as winning now is of most importance -- and I believe Stearns will be more aggressive than he was last year -- he will always make sure to keep an eye on the long-term. That's a difficult needle to thread, but it's one of the reasons the Mets hired him -- the whole idea of sustained success.

Names like Jett Williams, Nolan McLean, Jonah Tong, and Carson Benge stand out to me as prospects that I believe the Mets would be reluctant to move, especially for rental players. I would keep an eye on the pitching depth of the system being the spot where New York is most active in discussions with other clubs.

There will come a time that Stearns and the Mets will end up moving top prospects to get an impact player. Just think back to when Stearns acquired Christian Yelich from the Marlins when he was with the Brewers.

The question: Is this month the time that happens? Only time will tell.

Below are a few mock trades at different acquisition cost levels that could fill some of the Mets' needs. For clarity, I am not saying the Mets would do all of the below deals, but I tried to find fits for the team's top needs.

Jarren Duran
Jarren Duran / Imagn Images/Envato Elements/SNY Treated Image

Mets acquire OF Jarren Duran from the Red Sox for RHP Brandon Sproat (preseason No. 1 prospect), 1B Ryan Clifford (preseason No. 4 prospect), RHP Blade Tidwell (preseason No. 12 prospect) 

This one may be unlikely given the Red Sox rallied off 10 consecutive wins heading into the break and look more like a playoff team now than they did a few weeks ago.

That could lead to them hanging onto Duran at least until the offseason. But with an excess of talent in the outfield, they could look to move him for controllable, near big-league ready pitching.

Clifford could potentially be Boston's long-term solution at first base.

The Mets would have probably the best outfield in baseball with Brandon Nimmo in left, Duran in center and Juan Soto in right. Duran is having a somewhat down year by his standards, with a .749 OPS. But he does have 25 doubles, 10 triples, eight home runs and 16 stolen bases at the All-Star break.

Duran is also under team control through the 2028 season.

Sproat has turned his season around lately, pitching with conviction. He has 18.0 straight scoreless innings and his stuff has ticked up. His fastball is back into the upper 90s, touching 100. And he has further emphasized his curveball and changeup. Sproat looks to be on the precipice of being big-league ready.

Clifford is having a strong year with Double-A Binghamton, with an .814 OPS and Eastern League leading 17 home runs and 54 RBI. His strikeout rate is down a little from last year but still a little higher than you’d like it to be at 27 percent.

Tidwell has gotten looks at the big league level with inconsistent results thus far. He has good stuff and has missed bats at the Triple-A level, but there are questions regarding if he projects as a starter or reliever long-term. 

Jun 18, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins (31) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the second inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field.
Jun 18, 2025; Tampa, Florida, USA; Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins (31) runs the bases after hitting a home run against the Tampa Bay Rays in the second inning at George M. Steinbrenner Field. / Nathan Ray Seebeck - Imagn Images

Mets acquire OF Cedric Mullins and LHP Gregory Soto from the Orioles for RHP Nate Dohm (preseason No. 20 prospect) and RHP Jack Wenninger (preseason No. 27 prospect)

Center field? Check. A reliever? Check. The Orioles could be a great trading partner for the Mets this month as they have options at every position of need for New York.

Mullins is hitting .218 with a .713 OPS while hitting 13 home runs and stealing 13 bases. 

Last year, Mullins had a down first half as well (.621 OPS), but he had a massive second half (.831 OPS). And the Mets would be buying him as at minimum a platoon partner for Tyrone Taylor -- and like Taylor, he is a plus defender in center. 

Soto has a 3.74 ERA in 42 games spanning 33.2 innings with 40 strikeouts. He averages 96.7 mph on his fastball and has a well above average 27.4 percent strikeout rate. He can at times have his control come and go, but Soto could combine with Brooks Raley to give the Mets two impactful lefties in the pen in the second half.

Both Mullins and Soto are free agents at the end of the season.

The Orioles would get two intriguing arms having strong seasons in Dohm (3.12 ERA with 71 strikeouts in 57.2 innings split between Low-A St. Lucie and High-A Brooklyn) and Wenninger (3.01 ERA with 107 strikeouts in 86.2 innings for Double-A Binghamton).

Mets acquire RHP David Bednar from the Pirates for OF Drew Gilbert (preseason No. 10 prospect) and C/1B/OF Chris Suero (preseason No. 25 prospect)

The Mets could use a reliever they can rely on to be the setup man for Edwin Diaz, essentially forming a two-headed monster at the back end of games.

Bednar is under team control through 2026, with one more year of arbitration remaining.

In 2025 he's posted a 2.53 ERA in 32 innings with 45 strikeouts. His fastball is averaging 97.1 mph and he is in the 96th percentile in strikeout rate.

Being able to shift down the roles of the likes of Reed Garrett, Ryne Stanek and Huascar Brazoban would only make the Mets' bullpen even more dangerous down the stretch.

The Pirates need bats, and Gilbert is a player that they could call up and give a shot to play right field nearly right away to join an outfield with Bryan Reynolds and Oneil Cruz. Dating back to June 11, Gilbert is hitting .284/.368/.569 (.936 OPS) with seven home runs and 22 RBI in 28 games for Triple-A Syracuse. 

Suero is a good athlete who has spent time behind the plate, at first base, and in left field this year for Brooklyn. The 21-year-old is hitting .240/.382/.455 with 13 home runs, 51 RBI and 25 stolen bases.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park
Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Zac Gallen (23) throws against the Atlanta Braves in the first inning at Truist Park / Brett Davis - Imagn Images

Mets acquire RHP Zac Gallen from the Diamondbacks for INF Jesus Baez (preseason No. 6 prospect) and LHP Zach Thornton (not ranked in preseason top 30)

The Mets received encouraging performances from Kodai Senga and Sean Manaea over the weekend before the break. But with Senga struggling to stay healthy consistently, Manaea pitching through a loose body in his elbow, and a question of how long Clay Holmes will remain a starter this year, they need to add here. 

Gallen is having a down year with a 5.40 ERA, but this is a former Cy Young candidate who has been better in July -- with a 3.50 ERA over three starts. One of the biggest differences is that his knuckle curve was one of the best pitches in baseball in 2024, and it has not been nearly as effective in 2025.

If you put him with Jeremy Hefner and this Mets' pitching apparatus during a pennant race, you may get the best of him as he heads into free agency this winter -- an improved Gallen surely could be a playoff starter for the Mets.

I think Gallen will be a popular trade candidate if available, so the price will not be cheap.

Baez is an infielder who has played second, third, and shortstop. He is slashing .251/.343/.398 with nine home runs and 41 RBI across 71 games between St. Lucie and Brooklyn. He shows a propensity to hit the ball hard with natural loft in his swing and has a good plan at the plate, where he has a low strikeout rate to go with an above average walk rate. Baez would be an upside buy for Arizona.

Thornton was one of the best performers in the Mets' minors prior to an oblique injury that will keep him out into the second half.

He has a 1.98 ERA in 14 starts between Brooklyn and Double-A Binghamton, with 78 strikeouts and a minuscule 11 walks in 72.2 innings. He’s not going to blow anyone away with his stuff, but it’s a fastball in the 91-94 mph range, a gyro slider, curve and changeup. He projects as a potential back end starter.

Whether it's any of the above trades or not, Stearns and the Mets are in a position where there are holes to be filled on this club. And in the next couple of weeks they'll have decisions on their hands and a duty to improve the roster in pursuit of their first World Series championship since 1986.

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Mets, Yankees among teams that have recently 'looked into' free agent David Robertson: report

Proven high-leverage relievers are hard to find, but it seems the Mets and Yankees are at least considering a reunion with an old friend.

According to Will Sammon of The Athletic, the Mets and Yanks are among several teams that have “at least recently looked into” signing veteran David Robertson, who is yet to join a club and pitch this season.

Per Sammon, Robertson will hold throwing sessions for interested teams within the next week.

The 40-year-old right-hander most recently pitched with the Texas Rangers in 2024, appearing in 68 games while posting a 3.00 ERA. While he’s been well-traveled during his 16-year big league career, Robertson has spent the bulk of it with the Yankees, posting a 2.75 ERA in 501 regular season games in pinstripes while serving primarily as a setup man.

Robertson has experience pitching in Queens as well, as he signed with the Mets ahead of the 2023 season and posted a 2.05 ERA in 40 games before being traded to the Miami Marlins ahead of the deadline.

A fresh Robertson would obviously be a boon for the Mets, Yankees, or any club looking to add a bullpen arm in hopes of winning a World Series. And he can be had without trading away any prospects, which could make the veteran an especially intriguing option.

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Which City Will Host The European Group Of The 2028 World Cup Of Hockey?

In late June, the NHL announced the beginning of the selection process for determining the two host cities of the next World Cup of Hockey, which is scheduled to take place in February 2028.

According to the press release, the eight-team tournament will be split into two groups of four, with one group playing at venue in North America and the other at an international venue – almost certainly in Europe. In all probability, each venue would host six group-stage games and two quarterfinals, with the North American venue also hosting the two semifinals and the final.

The deadline for submissions is Friday, July 18, 2025, for North American cities and Wednesday, July 30, 2025, for international cities. The final selection of host cities is expected to take place sometime in early 2026.

North American entries will surely be current NHL arenas. Which one will be selected is anyone’s guess, but there are far fewer venues in Europe that the NHL is likely to view as suitable. First of all, the timeline of the selection almost certainly rules out the possibility of any Russian city hosting. Even if Russia does play in the tournament, it’s far more likely to play in the North American group than in Europe, where their presence could be more controversial.

Here are seven venues in European countries that have a strong possibility to host, ranked from most likely to least likely to be chosen.

Hockey Slovakia President Miroslav Šatan Reveals Formats Being Considered For 2028 World Cup Of HockeyHockey Slovakia President Miroslav Šatan Reveals Formats Being Considered For 2028 World Cup Of Hockey Ever since the NHL and NHLPA announced that the World Cup of Hockey would return in February 2028 with at least eight teams, there has been much speculation about where the games will take place and who will participate, including some wild suggestions.

1. O2 Arena, Prague
Opened: 2004
Capacity: 17,383

When the facility then called Sazka Arena opened in Prague in 2004, it was fully up to NHL standards of the day with a capacity of over 17,000, club seats, luxury boxes and everything else. That year, it was the main venue for the IIHF World Championship and also hosted a game in the World Cup of Hockey. More than 20 years later, it is still one of only two hockey venues within the European Union that could reasonably be considered up to current NHL standards in terms of capacity and amenities.

In addition, Czech fans always tend to come out to support their team in big numbers, and Prague is centrally located in Europe, easily accessible from all corners of the continent by air and rail. It’s a popular destination for travelling fans, which is shown every time it hosts a major hockey event, meaning that all games could be well-attended, not only the ones that the host team is playing in.

For all those reasons, O2 Arena in Prague is the most likely European host, but it’s not a slam dunk.

Prague's O2 Arena hosting a Euro Hockey Tour game in 2017.

2. Avicii Arena, Stockholm
Opened: 2004 (Renovated: 2025)
Capacity: 13,850

Stockholm is every bit of a hockey city as Prague is, and the facility formerly known as The Globe has also hosted numerous high-profile hockey events over the years, including World Championships, World Cups and NHL regular-season games.

Avicii Arena, however, opened in 1989 and is significantly older than O2 Arena, and despite extensive renovations ahead of this year’s World Championship, it still seats less than 14,000 for hockey. Also, while Stockholm is almost as accessible as Prague for visitors from elsewhere in Europe, it’s a considerably more expensive city to visit.

Still, the NHL considers Stockholm and Sweden an important market, as shown by how frequently they place events there, so Avicii Arena is very much in play for the World Cup.

3. Helsinki Arena
Opened: 1997 (reopening in 2025)
Capacity: 13,349

Between its opening in 1997 and 2022, this arena was the premier hockey venue in Finland and one of the top ones in Europe, hosting four World Championships, two World Juniors, three games at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and seven NHL games. However, it’s been closed since early 2022 – you can read more about that here.

The good news is, the arena will apparently return to operation this September. There are, however, recent reports from Finland that the building’s new operator is balking at reactivating the ice plant. If it’s fully hockey functional – and it’s given the green light before the NHL makes its decision – Helsinki has a chance.

Closed For 3 Years, Helsinki’s Largest Arena To Reopen With New NameClosed For 3 Years, Helsinki’s Largest Arena To Reopen With New Name From its opening in 1997 until March 2022, the building then known as Hartwall Arena hosted four IIHF World Championships, two World Junior Championships, three games in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and seven NHL regular-season games. It was the home rink to Jokerit, which played in the KHL. It was Finland’s premier hockey venue.

4. Lanxess Arena, Cologne
Opened: 1996
Capacity: 18,500

The largest full-time hockey venue within the European Union is in Cologne, Germany. Since its opening in 1996, Lanxess Arena has hosted three World Championships and drawn very strong attendance. The NHL also put one game here in the 2004 World Cup.

Cologne is also the hometown of Leon Draisaitl, which would make this arena a great place to showcase probably the greatest German hockey player ever and, possibly, the greatest German hockey team ever, in a best-on-best tournament.

If there’s a drawback, it’s that the NHL still hasn’t announced the format, and it’s not known yet whether Germany will be part of an eight-team tournament or have to qualify ahead of time. In the latter case, it’s highly unlikely that Germany would get to host the European group.

5. Uber Arena, Berlin
Opened: 2008
Capacity: 14,200

Or if the NHL wanted to go to Germany, would they pick Berlin instead? It’s definitely a larger and more accessible city. The NHL also put a preseason game there in 2019 when the Chicago Blackhawks visited Eisbären Berlin.

However, the same question marks surrounding Cologne apply to Berlin as well – it’ll only happen if Germany qualifies directly as one of the eight initial teams.

2026 Olympics will see best German team ever2026 Olympics will see best German team everThe Germans have had some very good results internationally in recent years, including a silver medal at the 2018 Winter Olympics and another silver at the 2023 IIHF World Championship. They’ve had some very good young talent to work with but they haven’t had a chance to put all of their best players together on one team since the 2010 Winter Olympics. They’ve improved a lot since then. In fact, it’s no stretch to say the 2026 Winter Olympics will feature the greatest German ice hockey team ever assembled.

6. Nokia Arena, Tampere
Opened: 2021
Capacity: 13,455

Tampere’s Nokia Arena has become Finland’s premier hockey venue in the last few years. Like Helsinki and Stockholm, the smaller capacity is a bit of a drawback, and it’s a much less accessible city than those other two – Tampere has only a minor airport, with Helsinki’s international airport a two-hour drive away.

Nokia Arena would be further up the list if Helsinki weren’t back in play. Even without Helsinki, though, this one feels like a long shot with some of the other choices available.

7. Swiss Life Arena, Zurich
Opened: 2022
Capacity: 11,157

The NHL and the IIHF recently came to an agreement to send NHL players to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy and possibly 2030 in France. As good as relations seem to be right now, the IIHF has been vocal about its opposition to a major international non-Olympic hockey tournament in Europe in February. Putting the European group in the city where the IIHF’s head offices are located feels like something unlikely to happen.

NHL Players Can Officially Play In 2026 Olympics. What About 2030?NHL Players Can Officially Play In 2026 Olympics. What About 2030?The IIHF, NHL and NHLPA all signed an agreement to officially allow NHL players to participate in the 2026 Olympics – and potentially the 2030 edition.
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Former Braves players Freddie Freeman and Max Fried are making their return to Atlanta as All-Stars

ATLANTA — Four years of return visits to Atlanta has prepared Freddie Freeman for another, this time as the starting first baseman for the National League in the All-Star Game.

Freeman, now in his fourth season with the Los Angeles Dodgers, played his first 12 seasons in Atlanta. He makes no effort to hide his emotions when he returns and says he won’t be surprised if another warm reception from Atlanta fans creates another emotional response.

“Now that I’m here, I think it’s going to be special,” Freeman said before the Home Run Derby. “For the last four years, every time I come back, the fans, they’ve given me such great big, standing ovations, so I don’t expect anything.

“I’m just happy to be back and play in front of these fans again. So if they give me one, believe me, I’ll take it all in. I think you guys know, whatever I feel on the field, I let it come out. So we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”

Freeman won’t be the only former Atlanta star making his return. Max Fried, who leads the American League and is tied for the MLB lead with 11 wins in his first season with the New York Yankees, returns following eight seasons with the Braves. Both players still have homes in Atlanta and get to sleep in their own beds this week.

Fried won’t be able to participate in the game due to a blister on his left index finger.

Fried left Atlanta to sign an eight-year, $218 million contract with the Yankees in December.

Freeman said he was “so happy” Fried landed the big contract.

“I think we all know Max and how wonderful a person he is,” Freeman said. “And to see him get that contract rightfully, he deserves. He’s, you know, a big-game pitcher pitching on the biggest stage. ... And it’s really hard in your first year of a new contract, new team. ... And for him to go out there and have (success), it’s awesome. Especially in pinstripes in the Bronx, when there’s a lot of pressure on you.”

Fried was replaced on the All-Star roster by Yankees teammate Carlos Rodón but is still attending the festivities in Atlanta. The Yankees may start Fried in a three-game series at AL East-leading Toronto on July 21-23 after opening the second half by visiting the Braves.

Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said it was clear how much it meant to Freeman to return to Atlanta as an All-Star.

“It’s something that I know once they announced that it was going to be held here, it was marked on his calendar,” Roberts said. “And then that was kind of his goal, was to get back here and get in front of the Braves’ faithful that cheered him on for, what, 11, 12 years. So he’s sleeping in his own bed for a couple nights.”

Freeman said he has visited with Braves manager Brian Snitker and some former teammates but spent more time relishing his relationship with the Atlanta fans.

“It’s special,” he said. “I think every time I come back, I try to portray what Atlanta means to me. Oh, it’s special every time I come back and the receptions they’ve given me the last four years. So I spent a lot of wonderful years here. ... I’m excited to be back.”

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NBA Summer League Day 5: Johnny Furphy's legendary dunk, Kyle Filipowski, Jazz put on a show

We're into the second phase of Summer League, with a lot of the stars done, but not all. And those stars showed out on Monday.

Johnny Furphy’s legendary dunk

This whole game was fun. The Bulls and the Pacers combined for the most entertaining game of the Summer League so far.

However, it was the Pacers' Johnny Furphy who stole the show with a legendary dunk.

Poor Noa Essengue is about to be a meme.

To be fair, Essengue scored 21 points, while Matas Buzelis showed why he is too good to still be playing in Summer League, scoring 28 points. It wasn't just those buckets; it was that the Bulls were getting theirs with flair in an up-and-down, fast-paced game. —Kurt Helin

Spurs and Jazz put on a show

The matchup between the Spurs and Jazz ended up being one of the best games of Summer League so far.

Kyle Filipowski dominated early and often, knocking down three triples in the first four minutes of the game and finishing with 35 points, 11 rebounds and five three-pointers. He had a layup to give Utah a late lead before Dylan Harper tied it up to force overtime, and Filipowski also had a dunk with two seconds left in overtime to tie the game before Riley Minix nailed the game-winning shot at the buzzer.

Filipowski has been fantastic through Summer League in both Utah and Las Vegas, and it wouldn't be shocking if they opted to shut him down for the remainder of the summer. With John Collins now in Los Angeles, Filipowski should be a key contributor for the Jazz this season.

John Tonje made his Summer League debut for Utah and finished with 16 points and four three-pointers. The 24-year-old rookie shined at Wisconsin last season and could be an NBA-ready scoring option for the Jazz this year, though the amount of depth Utah has will make it difficult for him to earn minutes.

Carter Bryant continued to play high-level defense, and Dylan Harper was solid despite not being quite as good as he was against Dallas, but David Jones-Garcia was the star once again. He dropped 28 points in the win, which was his fifth-straight game scoring at least 20 points this summer. The only time he didn't reach 20, he finished with 18 points. Jones-Garcia has certainly played his way into at least a two-way contract, especially if he keeps this up. —Noah Rubin

Other notes from Summer League

• Kel'el Ware responds after Spoelstra's criticism. In his first game at the Las Vegas Summer League, Miami's promising young big man Kel'el Ware was uninspiring, scoring 10 points with six boards and kind of coasting through the game (it's a concerning sign when a guy who got so much run as a rookie does not dominate in Summer League). The next day, Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra showed up at Summer League practice and had some pointed words for Ware:

"A big part of this is he has to really embrace and improve his professionalism, his consistency, his approach every single day. He has to get better with that. It's learning how to become a pro. I understand it. He was 20 last year, and he's 21. We have bigger expectations...

"The professionalism and consistency has to improve, and it is. Our standards are not going to change, and our expectations and how fast we want that to improve for him are not going to change. But he has to get better at it, he has to take ownership of it, and the other stuff will come along with that."

Ware got the message. He was much more intense and focused against the Cavaliers on Sunday, scoring 21 points on 8-of-14 shots, including 2-of-3 from beyond the arc. On Sunday, Ware had another strong game with 21 points and 15 boards against Boston. —Helin

• Kon Knueppel looks better. Kon Knueppel struggled in his Summer League debut on Friday and then sat out on Saturday. However, he was finally able to get things going against the Mavericks. He made an impact in a variety of ways, finishing with 16 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and three three-pointers. He was solid on defense, created shots for his teammates and had a double-double after not recording one during his lone season at Duke. Oh yeah, and he can shoot too. —Rubin

• Așa Newell's 3-point shot. Asa Newell hit four three-pointers on Sunday, which was an encouraging sign for his development. Deep-range shooting will be a huge swing skill for his future in the NBA.

On Monday, he only hit one, but it was clear the defense respected his shot. Early in the first quarter, he got his defender to jump on a pump fake, which set up a strong drive to the basket and a pair of free throws. Newell doesn't need to be an elite stretch big for the Hawks; they have Kristaps Porzingis for that. However, if he can at least space the floor enough for the defense to respect his shot, Trae Young and Jalen Johnson won't have any issues getting to the rim when Newell is in the game.

Newell's lone shot from deep came late in the game to tie things up at 99, and he followed that up with a Euro step layup in transition to give Atlanta the lead. He finished with 14 points and six rebounds in the overtime victory. —Rubin

• The highs and lows of Kobe Bufkin. Sure, there were plenty of mistakes, especially early, but Kobe Bufkin still had some positive aspects to his performance. He scored a game-high 25 points, including five of Atlanta's seven in overtime. However, he turned it over nine times and committed seven fouls. Yikes. Not what you want to see out of a first-round pick entering his third season. Bufkin would probably benefit from some extra games this summer. —Rubin

• Kennedy Chandler looking good. Kennedy Chandler continued to shine for the Rockets. He finished with 22 points, seven assists, and three steals and is now averaging 19 points, 4.3 assists, and 2.0 steals per game this summer. He had the ball in his hands a little extra with Reed Sheppard shut down for the rest of Summer League. Whether or not it's with Houston, Chandler has made a case to earn a two-way contract next season. —Rubin

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Canadiens' AHL Affiliate Signs New Defenseman

The Montreal Canadiens' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Laval Rocket, have added to their defensive depth.

Laval has announced that they have signed defenseman Charles Martin to a one-year, two-way contract for the 2025-26 season. 

Martin spent this past season split between the ECHL and AHL. In 40 ECHL games with the Rapid City Rush, the 6-foot defenseman recorded three goals, 18 assists, 21 points, and 40 penalty minutes. He also played in four AHL contests with the Calgary Wranglers in 2024-25, posting zero points and a minus-1 rating. 

At this point in his professional career, Martin has spent most of his time at the ECHL level. In 101 career ECHL games, he has recorded seven goals, 48 assists, and 54 points. Overall, the Quebec native has shown that he can produce solid offense from the point and be solid defensively at the ECHL level.

With this signing, the Rocket will now have another defenseman to consider using in their lineup. However, at a minimum, he should be a solid addition to the Canadiens' ECHL affiliate, the Trois-Rivieres Lions. 

Ex-Canadiens Goalie Signed NHL's Most Unique Off-Season DealEx-Canadiens Goalie Signed NHL's Most Unique Off-Season DealHeading into July 1, former Montreal Canadien Jake Allen was the clear top pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) goalie who could hit the market. Due to this, there was expected to be a ton of interest in the 34-year-old, and he was in a position to land a high average annual value (AAV) had he tested the market.

Photo Credit:  © David Kirouac-Imagn Images

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Robot umpires to make All-Star Game debut, another step toward possible regular-season use in 2026

ATLANTA — Tarik Skubal views the strike zone differently than robot umpires.

“I have this thing where I think everything is a strike until the umpire calls it a ball,” Detroit’s AL Cy Young Award winner said ahead of his start for the American League in the All-Star Game.

MLB has been experimenting with the automated ball-strike system in the minor leagues since 2019 and will use it in an All-Star Game for the first time this summer. Each team gets two challenges and retains the challenge if it is successful.

“Pitchers think everything is a strike. Then you go back and look at it, and it’s two, three balls off,” Pittsburgh’s Paul Skenes, starting his second straight All-Star Game for the National League, said. “We should not be the ones that are challenging it.”

MLB sets the top of the automated strike zone at 53.5% of a batter’s height and the bottom at 27%, basing the decision on the midpoint of the plate, 8 1/2 inches from the front and 8 1/2 inches from the back. That contrasts with the rule book zone called by umpires, which says the zone is a cube.

“I did a few rehabs starts with it. I’m OK with it. I think it works,” said three-time Cy Young Award winner Clayton Kershaw of the Dodgers. “Aaron Judge and Jose Altuve should have different sized boxes. They’ve obviously thought about that. As long as that gets figured out, I think it’ll be fine.”

Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred anticipates the system will be considered by the sport’s 11-man competition committee, which includes six management representatives.

Many pitchers have gravitated to letting their catchers and managers trigger ball/strike appeals. Teams won 52.2% of their challenges during the spring training test. Batters won exactly 50% of their 596 challenges and the defense 54%, with catchers successful 56% of the time and pitchers 41%.

Hall of Famer Joe Torre, an honorary AL coach, favors the system. After his managing career, he worked for MLB and helped supervised expanded video review in 2014.

“You couldn’t ignore it with all the technology out there,” he said. “You couldn’t sit and make an excuse for, ‘Look at what really happened’ the next day.”

Now 84, Torre recalled how his Yankees teams benefitted at least twice from blown calls in the postseason, including one involving the strike zone.

With the 1998 World Series opener tied and the bases loaded with two outs in the seventh inning, Tino Martinez took a 2-2 pitch from San Diego’s Mark Langston that appeared to be a strike but was called a ball by Richie Garcia. Martinez hit a grand slam on the next pitch for a 9-5 lead, and the Yankees went on to a four-game sweep.

Asked whether he was happy there was no robot umpire then, Torre grinned and said: “Possibly.”

Then he added without a prompt: “Well, not to mention the home run that Jeter hit.”

His reference was to Derek Jeter’s home run in the 1996 AL Championship Series opener, when 12-year-old fan Jeffrey Maier reached over the wall to snatch the ball above the glove over Baltimore right fielder Tony Tarasco.

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Dave Roberts defends Jacob Misiorowski’s All-Star selection as an ‘easy answer’

ATLANTA — National League All-Star manager Dave Roberts said including Milwaukee rookie right-hander Jacob Misiorowski on his team was “an easy answer” despite complaints from some players over his inclusion after just five big league appearances.

“If it brings excitement, attention to our game, then I’m all about it,” Roberts said before the Home Run Derby.

“I think for me, kind of my North Star is the All-Star Game should be the game’s best players,” the Los Angeles Dodgers manager added before also addressing the other side of the argument by adding “It’s about the fans and what the fans want to see.”

Misiorowski has pitched in only five games, a record low for an All-Star, creating a debate between those who say the game is for the most deserving players and those who say the game is for the fans.

The 23-year-old created an instant stir when he threw a 100.5 mph fastball for his first pitch in the big leagues. Oh, and for good measure, he opened that debut on June 12 against St. Louis by throwing five no-hit innings before leaving with cramping in the Brewers’ 6-0 win.

The 6-foot-7 rookie is 4-1 with a 2.81 ERA and has 33 strikeouts with only 12 hits allowed in 25 2/3 innings. It’s an impressive debut, but some players still believe the right-hander hasn’t been in the game long enough to merit All-Star consideration over more established players.

Philadelphia’s Trea Turner was outspoken in his criticism of the decision to add Misiorowski to the team when Phillies’ left-hander Cristopher Sánchez, who is 8-2 with a 2.50 ERA, didn’t make the team. The Phillies also lobbied for left-hander Ranger Suárez (7-3, 1.94).

“What a joke,” Turner told reporters.

Misiorowski said he wasn’t offended.

“They’re not upset with me,” he said, adding he is as surprised as anyone to find himself in Atlanta for the game.

“The last five weeks have been insane,” Misiorowski said. “I thought the All-Star break would be a chance to sit down and reflect. Now we’re here.”

Turner’s teammate, All-Star Kyle Schwarber, said the attempt by Phillies players to speak up for Sánchez and Suárez “was not an attack at Misiorowski by any means. It’s an honor for him that he’s here and it should be an honor for him. It’s not his fault that he’s only pitched five games and he got named.”

Schwarber said Misiorowski could be an All-Star “every year that he pitches. It’s just more of the fact of our guys were having some really good years and some pretty good every day starts and numbers. You want them to feel like they’re gonna get represented the way that they should be.”

Schwarber added that he would likely talk to Misiorowski during All-Star week and would tell him “he’s doing a great job at what he’s doing and he’s going to be a perennial All-Star for years to come.”

Roberts said he plans to bring Misiorowski into the game as early as the fifth inning. “And it’s going to be electric,” Roberts said. “So the fans, the media, you’re going to love it.”

Dodgers left-hander Clayton Kershaw, 37, is on his 11th All-Star roster, this time as a legend pick by commissioner Rob Manfred. When asked about the conflicting opinions about Misiorowski, Kershaw said “I don’t think it’s conflicting. I think everybody wants the best players here.”

San Francisco right-hander Robbie Ray, 33, said Misiorowski has “an electric arm. He’s a special talent and I’m excited to watch him pitch.”

Atlanta Braves manager Brian Snitker, who is serving on Roberts’ staff and has experience selecting an All-Star roster, said there’s room for a player as inexperienced as Misiorowski to find a spot in the showcase.

“You know what? It’s an exhibition game,” Snitker said. “He’s another great talent. ... There are some guys that are very deserving. It is what it is.”