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Not knowing he would make his MLB debut until the night before he was scheduled to pitch for the Mets, Justin Hagenman pitched admirably in 3.1 innings against the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday, with the experience going about as well as he could've hoped for.

"It was fun. It was everything you hope for and more," he said. "Just glad I was able to settle in and kind of treat it like a game and do kind of what I’m used to."

The 28-year-old born in Voorhees, N.J., got the call out of Triple-A because scheduled starter Griffin Canning was under the weather and couldn't go. So, Hagenman made his way to the Twin Cities from Syracuse, and after Huascar Brazoban pitched a scoreless opening inning before walking the leadoff man in the second, Hagenman entered the game for his MLB debut.

Already dealing with a runner on base out of the gates, Hagenman did well by striking out the first batter he faced.

"After you get the first out under your belt, it’s like ‘alright, now we go,’ so it was a good feeling," he said.

Hagenman followed up the strikeout with a flyout before striking out a second batter to end the inning.

In the third, the right-hander froze DaShawn Keirsey Jr. with an outside sinker with the count full, but got into some trouble after a single and double put runners on second and third. However, the Twins failed to score in the inning after the Mets threw out a runner at home on a fielder's choice for the second out and Hagenman ended the threat with his fourth strikeout of the afternoon.

"The beginning, you know first batter, you get up there and it’s just different. I don’t even know how to describe it, but just a little different," Hagenman said. "But felt like I was able to settle in and do what I do best and attack and [got] pretty good results."

"I thought he was really good," said manager Carlos Mendoza. "Threw strikes, mixed well, used all of his pitches. I liked the tempo, he worked quick. I thought he gave us what we were asking of him."

With his family in the stands, able to travel on short notice, Hagenman pitched into the fifth inning and left with a runner on second base after 3.1 innings and 50 pitches (32 strikes) thrown.

A run charged to Hagenman came around to score in the frame after Jose Butto allowed a single to former Met Harrison Bader.

"Super grateful that they were able to make it out," Hagenman said about his family. "You never know and this is a one-time opportunity so super happy that they were able to make it and it was a good time."

After the game, New York announced that Canning will start on Thursday in the Mets' series opener against the St. Louis Cardinals at Citi Field. David Peterson will then start on Friday.

Therefore, Hagenman will most likely be sent back down to Triple-A, but not before completing his dream of pitching in the majors. He'll also have a few souvenirs from the game, including the ball he threw for his first pitch and for his first strikeout.

And despite a rough start for the Syracuse Mets in three games so far, the journeyman with a 3.95 career ERA in the minors may have just bought himself a few more spot starts in case of emergency this season with his outing.

"Taking it all in still, but it’s been good," he said.

Nola struggles again, fastball barely above 90 mph in loss originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Aaron Nola said after his last start on Friday in St. Louis that he needed to get back to throwing strike one and recording out one. He had been falling behind too many hitters and at Busch Stadium he was in the stretch repeatedly from putting the leadoff man on base in four of five innings.

Nola threw a higher rate of first-pitch strikes on Wednesday night but nothing else was improved as he walked four, allowed seven runs over 5⅓ innings and fell to 0-4 with a 6.65 ERA. Nola had never been 0-3 before, much less 0-4.

His fastball velocity was down even farther to 90.4 mph. Nola’s season average is 91.4 and his career average is 92.8. There’s a big difference between sitting 89-91 and sitting 92-94. Granted, it was a frigid night at Citizens Bank Park, neither starting pitcher seemed to have a feel for the ball early and Nola’s velocity has always increased as temperatures have warmed, but this has to be a growing concern for the Phillies. Nola is under contract through the end of 2030, making just over $24.5 million annually. It’s too early to be worrying about a potential decline phase setting in.

“Definitely the worst start (to a season) I’ve ever had by far,” Nola said. “All I can do is keep working and keep trying to have good weeks and compete.”

As most baseball fans know and dislike being reminded, it’s still early. Nola struggled in April in 2017, 2019 and 2023 and was much better the rest of the way all three years. His fastball velocity last April was similar to what it has been this April and he averaged 92.8 after May 1. The Phillies are certainly hoping history repeats itself in that regard.

The Giants jumped Nola for four runs in the top of the first. He walked in one of the runs and left-hander Robbie Ray returned the favor by walking in two himself. The Phillies made Ray throw nearly 40 pitches in the bottom of the first but managed just those two runs.

This was the second consecutive start Nola walked in a run. He’d done it just once in his career prior.

“It drives me crazy,” he said. “It’s unacceptable. Three times in my career I’ve done that and two times in the past two games. I’ve just got to get ahead better. Too many free passes and usually those runs have been scoring. Just making it harder on myself in those situations. Eight walks in two games, it’s not good. I’ll clean it up.”

They scored twice more on a two-run homer in the fourth inning from Bryce Harper but that was it. The Phillies had another brutal night with runners in scoring position going 1-for-9 in the 11-4 loss. They’re 7-for-59 with RISP over their last seven games, a .119 batting average.

Harper is locked in, at least. He said Sunday in St. Louis that a week earlier, he told hitting coach Kevin Long to give him 10 days and he’d be where he needed to be at the plate. Harper narrowly missed a bomb to left-center field that afternoon at Busch Stadium, hitting a ball 394 feet that would have been out in nine of 30 stadiums. It was a flyout to the warning track and the Phillies went homerless in the series.

Wednesday night was the 10th day, and on the 10th day, Harper delivered — not that he hadn’t along the way. He walked twice, hit a game-tying homer in the fourth and singled to bring up the tying run in the sixth.

Other Phillies highlights were few and far between. It always feels uglier when you walk the yard and the Phils walked nine Giants. Joe Ross was hit hard in the seventh inning, allowing four runs as his ERA ballooned to 9.39. Carlos Hernandez walked three, threw 41 pitches in the eighth and ninth and might be a roster casualty Thursday if the Phillies need a fresh arm.

The Phils are 10-8 and have lost six of nine games. They need a win on Thursday afternoon to avoid dropping their third consecutive series and turn to Cristopher Sanchez, who was a double-play machine his last time out.

Suarez makes second rehab start, getting closer to returning to Phillies originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

Ranger Suarez is getting closer, literally and figuratively.

Suarez is expected to move on to Triple A Lehigh Valley or Double A Reading for his next rehab start after pitching four innings on Wednesday night with Single A Clearwater.

Wednesday was the second start of Suarez’ rehab assignment with the Threshers. He threw 54 pitches and allowed a run, striking out seven. His sinker was in the standard 91-92 mph range throughout the entire outing.

Phillies manager Rob Thomson has said that ideally, Suarez would be built up to 100 pitches before joining the Phillies’ rotation. Suarez made only one start in the Grapefruit League before experiencing low back stiffness so he’s needed another spring training or something close to it.

The 100-pitch mark isn’t necessarily a strict limit Suarez must clear, though. He will likely extend to five innings and 75 pitches in his next rehab start, which would put him on track for 90 pitches the next time out. That 90-pitch outing might end up coming with the Phillies. So it could be two more rehab starts, it could be one more. This is all provided that Suarez checks out OK on Thursday.

Taijuan Walker has filled Suarez’ rotation spot in the interim and made three starts. He was stingy the first time out and avoided damage the second, beginning with 10⅔ scoreless innings. Walker was hit harder on Monday by the Giants, allowing six runs (four earned) and a pair of homers over five innings.

It is unclear what will happen with Walker once Suarez returns. A six-man rotation is a possibility but only if Walker is pitching well enough to make it worthwhile. Teams usually have a pitcher in the bullpen who can be optioned to Triple A for flexibility purposes but the Phillies do not. Their only relievers with minor-league options remaining are Orion Kerkering and Tanner Banks and they wouldn’t send down either pitcher.

If everyone is healthy when Suarez returns, the likeliest arm the Phillies would remove from the active roster could be Carlos Hernandez, who they’d have to designate for assignment.

These things have a way of working themselves out, as managers and general managers always say. The Phillies might need to figure out a way to gain that flexibility in the bullpen before Suarez even returns so Hernandez’ leash could be short. In the meantime, it’s a good sign for the Phillies that Suarez appears to be only a couple of weeks away from contributing in the majors.

Yankees manager Aaron Boone provided a few injury updates prior to Wednesday’s series finale against the Kansas City Royals.

Here’s what the skipper had to say regarding some key members of the pitching staff, as well as slugger Giancarlo Stanton:

Luis Gil

The reigning AL Rookie of the Year was scheduled to resume throwing this week as he recovers from a lat strain, but after undergoing another MRI, the Yankees decided to push his timeline back another 10 days.

According to Boone, Gil’s rehab is going “fine,” but the right-hander hasn’t quite reached the level of healing needed to resume throwing. 

“It’s just the level of healing. So it’s got to get to, I don’t know, 80 percent,” Boone explained. “When they start, there are checkmarks of when you start the throwing program. It’s going how it should, it’s just we need another 10 days.”

Jonathan Loaisiga

After missing almost all of the 2024 season due to an internal brace procedure to repair the UCL in his pitching elbow, Loaisiga continues to move in the right direction.

“Lo’s in a good spot,” Boone said. “[He threw] his second live. I think he’s got a couple more before he starts his rehab. He’ll travel with us to Tampa so he’ll throw another live this weekend and then one early next week and then be ready to start a rehab assignment. But he’s been a in a good place now for a while. Excited about where he’s at.”

Giancarlo Stanton

Stanton, who has not played this season due to tendinitis in both elbows, will also travel with the club to Tampa, and he is getting closer to taking live at-bats, though Boone said the Yankees don’t have a specific date in mind for when those live Abs might begin.

Jake Cousins

Cousins, who has not pitched yet this season due to a right forearm strain, won’t throw live batting practice for another “couple of weeks,” per Boone, but he will soon begin throwing side sessions.