HOUSTON, TEXAS - MARCH 09: BJ Murray #7 of Team Great Britain hits a double in the fourth inning against Team Brazil during a 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool B game at Daikin Park on March 09, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Ty Blach started and got the win. Blach pitched five innings and gave up three runs on six hits. Blach walked four and struck out six.
Luis Peralta came on to get the save in the ninth and he gave up a solo home run to the first batter he faced. Then after one out, he hit a batter. But the final two batters went out meekly and Peralta got the save. He struck out two.
DH BJ Murray came a double shy of the cycle as he was 3 for 4 with a walk, a triple and a solo home run in the fourth inning. It was Murray’s 11th home run of the year. He had two total RBI and he scored twice.
Left fielder Brett Bateman went 2 for 4 with a walk and a steal. He added a needed insurance run in the top of the ninth with an RBI single.
Center fielder James Triantos was 2 for 4 with an RBI single in the sixth inning.
Murray’s home run. Murray leads the International League in batting average at .336 and is second in OBP at .433. He’s seventh in slugging.
Starter Dawson Netz allowed just two runs on four hits over five innings, but that was enough to give him the loss. Netz struck out four and walked no one.
First baseman Ariel Armas tripled in a run with one out in the bottom of the ninth to break up the shutout. Armas was 1 for 4.
Catcher Owen Ayers went 2 for 3 with a double and a walk.
South Bend Cubs
The South Bend Cubs were losing 1-0 after one inning when the game was suspended because of rain. They’ll try to finish the game tomorrow.
Jaxon Wiggins pitched the first inning of this game on a rehab assignment.
Starter Daniel Avita gave the Birds five scoreless innings, allowing just four hits. He struck out four, walked one and hit one batter as he picked up the win.
Hayden Frank threw the next three innings and gave up one run on one hit and one walk. He struck out five.
Sam Mettert pitched the ninth inning and collected the save. He did give up one run one one hit and one walk. He did not strike anyone out.
Three of the Pelicans runs came on a home run by center fielder Alexey Lumpuy in the third inning. It was Lumpuy’s fifth home run on the year. He was 1 for 3 with a walk.
Shortstop Alexis Hernandez was 3 for 4 with an RBI double in the fifth inning. Hernadez also scored a run and stole a base.
In a head-to-head matchup with Warriors No. 11 pick Yaxel Lendeborg, Carr held his own. The Lakers were defeated 104-72, but Carr was the lead man for LA, scoring 19 points on 7-for-15 field goal shooting, including 5-for-11 from 3-point land. He added a blocked shot, assist and a couple of rebounds in the Lakers' loss.
"I think it was a great moment. It was exciting, a blessing," Carr told reporters. "Like I've been saying, I've been preaching it: just the opportunity to get to step on the court with these dudes, and just learn the way, how they play and how we're coming together. And so it's taking it step by step and just enjoying the moment."
Cameron Carr was FEELIN' IT in his California Classic debut 👌
He added: "If I said I wasn't nervous, I'd be lying. I was probably nervous, excited. I just was ready, just for the first opportunity for the ball to go up in the air, and I just get to compete with these guys."
Carr was initially drafted by the New York Knicks with the 24th overall pick, but the Lakers traded the 25th overall pick and cash considerations to the Knicks to get Carr.
Carr plays guard and forward, standing 6-foot-5, 185 pounds. Last season at Baylor, Carr averaged 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists.
He was highly touted as an athletic, sharpshooting threat.
"I feel like the first possession is usually how you settle in," Carr said. "Just doing something like that can kind of take the anxiousness away. But just try to be in a moment, be where my feet are at: enjoy it, enjoy the moments like these."
Carr spent the first two years of his college career with the Tennessee Volunteers, playing in 18 games. He transferred to the Baylor Bears as a junior and was named a third-team All-Big 12 player. He is the son of former NBA player Chris Carr, who played for six different teams in six seasons.
Jul 3, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) hits a two-run home run against the Miami Marlins during the third inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | Dennis Lee-Imagn Images
The Athletics opened a three-game interleague series against the Miami Marlins on Friday night in West Sacramento. They could not overcome a 6-0 first inning deficit, allowing five home runs in a 12-5 loss.
Perkins’ Horrible Start
The A’s got off to a bad start, as the Marlins scored six runs in the first inning against A’s starting pitcher Jack Perkins. The first three batters of the game singled to load the bases. Perkins then walked Marlins’ second baseman Xavier Edwards to bring home the first run of the game. A second run scored on Athletics’ catcher Shea Langeliers sixth passed ball of the season.
The Marlins were not done. Left fielder Heriberto Hernandez hit his ninth home run of the season, a three-run shot to center. With two outs, center fielder Jakob Marsee slugged his fifth home run of the season, a solo shot to right field.
In the bottom of the first, the A’s put two runners on via singles from first baseman Nick Kurtz and right fielder Lawrence Butler, but Miami’s starter Tyler Phillips escaped the one-out, two-on jam unscathed.
The Marlins added the extra point in the second, courtesy of Edwards’ sacrifice fly.
Big Amish!
Perkins pitched a scoreless third inning, striking out the side. The A’s offense responded in the bottom of that inning. Shortstop Alika Williams led off with a double and scored on first baseman Nick Kurtz’s 20th home run of the season, a 457-foot shot to center field.
A’s left-handed reliever Jose Suarez replaced Perkins with the bases loaded and two outs in the fourth inning. Perkins allowed seven runs on seven hits and four walks in 3 2/3 innings pitched, but he recorded eight strikeouts, showcasing his appealing stuff. Suarez stranded the bases loaded by getting Marlins’ right fielder Griffin Conine to hit a line drive to Kurtz, who made a nice run-saving catch.
A’s Comeback Continues
In the last of the fourth, the Athletics loaded the bases with zero outs. Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and Carlos Cortes singled before Phillips walked Henry Bolte. Jeff McNeil hit a bases-clearing double to the left-center gap, trimming the A’s deficit to two runs.
A few batters later, Miami replaced Phillips with right-handed reliever Michael Petersen. Phillips allowed five runs on seven hits in 3 1/3 innings. Langeliers exited the game with a left thumb injury. Peterson retired pinch-hitter Jonah Heim and then Colby Thomas to end the bases-loaded threat and persevere Miami’s lead.
After striking out with the bases loaded and two outs, Thomas responded with a diving catch in left field, helping Suarez pitch a scoreless fifth inning.
In the fifth, Cortes and Bolte hit two straight singles with one out against Marlins reliever Tyler Zuber. The rally ended there as the A’s failed to capitalize on a runners-in-scoring-position opportunity for the second consecutive inning.
Trying to halt the A’s comeback, the Marlins increased their lead in the sixth inning. Facing A’s reliever Justin Sterner, first baseman Kyle Stowers hit a solo home run to right field, his ninth of the season.
Stowers was not done punishing A’s pitchers. He collected his fourth hit and second home run of the game with one out in the eighth inning, connecting off Athletics’ reliever Mason Barnett to extend Miami’s lead to 10-5. Marlins’ designated hitter Owen Caissie made it 12-5 with a two-run home run off Barnett in the ninth, his 11th of the season.
The Marlins bullpen held the A’s scoreless over the final three innings after the visitors hit three more home runs, securing the series-opening victory. The Athletics will try to even the series tomorrow night behind starter Aaron Civale, who is seeking his first victory since returning from the injured list. The Marlins will counter with right-hander Sandy Alcantara, who is 9-4 with a 4.20 ERA in 18 starts this season.
Jul 3, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (27) celebrates at first base after hitting a RBI-single during the third inning against the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images | Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images
Blue Jays 2 Mariners 0
The bad news? We only scored 2 runs, which is pretty normal.
The good news? They didn’t score 2 runs.
We got both our runs in the third inning. Sean Keys started it with a single. Andrés Giménez doubled him home. John had Nathan Lukes bunt Giménez to third. IN THE THIRD INNING. When he was already in scoring position. Nathan Lukes, the one guy in the lineup who has been hitting (well, not the one guy, but hyperbola works when ranting). Vlad Guerrero singled Andrés home (he would have scored from second too). Kazuma Okamoto singled, but Daulton Varsho lined out and Alejandro Kirk ground out.
We only had six hits on the day (four of them in the third inning). Sean Keys had two hits. Lukes, Varsho, Kirk, and Ernie Clement had 0 fors.
It wasn’t a great offensive showing. Luis Castillo pitched a very good game.
Dylan Cease pitched a better game. Seven innings, just three hits, one walk and nine strikeouts.
He was helped out by Randy Arozarena, who, in the second at bat of the game, challenged two pitches and was wrong on both. He used both their challenges in one at bat. And they were easily strikes. That was a turning point in the game.
Jeff Hoffman pitched the eighth, allowing a walk, while getting two strikeouts. He was great. That’s hold #9 for Jeff.
And Louis Varland, giving up just a single, got the save (18th). He was helped by a very nice play by Vlad at first. He knocked knocked down a hard hit ground ball, picked it up and beat Arozarena to the bag for the first out.
Jays of the Day: Clease (0.40 WPA) and Giménez (0.13). And let’s give Honourable Mention to Hoffman and Varland.
No one got the ‘Other Award’. Kirk had the low mark, -0.08. But then, he did a great job with Cease and the relievers.
Tomorrow it is a 4:00 Eastern start time. Shane Bieber (0-0, 6.00) vs. Logan Gilbert (6-5, 3.42).
It was very nice to give most of the bullpen the day off (after yesterday’s day off). Hoffman threw 24 pitches and Varland 16.
Lakers rookie Cameron Carr celebrates after making a three-pointer against Golden State in an NBA summer league game on Friday night. (Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
He needed one shot to warm up. Then almost nothing could stop Cameron Carr.
In his unofficial NBA debut, the first-round draft pick flashed the type of three-point shooting that could turn him into a valuable player for the Lakers, scoring 19 points on seven-for-15 shooting in their 104-72 summer league loss to the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.
Ten days after walking across the stage at Brooklyn’s Barclays Center as the 24th pick in the NBA draft, Carr still could barely wrap his mind around his new job. The 21-year-old was nervous and excited putting on the Lakers’ gold jersey Friday at Chase Center. His nerves didn’t settle until the ball was in the air for the opening tip, he said.
Carr knocked down a three on an offensive rebound for the Lakers’ first summer league points. He dished an assist to second-year forward Adou Thiero on the next possession, then knocked down his next shot, another three-pointer. He held his thumb and forefinger in a circle over his eye in celebration.
“It was a great moment,” Carr said of his summer league debut. “It was exciting, a blessing, like I’ve been saying. I’ve been preaching it: just the opportunity to get to step on the court with these dudes, and just learn the way and how they play and how we’re coming together.”
The Lakers spent the first days of free agency addressing their shooting deficiencies. While Luke Kennard signed a two-year contract with Phoenix, the Lakers reloaded with guards Quentin Grimes and Collin Sexton and versatile power forward Sandro Mamukelashvili. The three free-agent additions came in a flurry Wednesday after the Lakers pulled off an aggressive trade for center Walker Kessler.
The moves were meant to reshape the roster to maximize superstar Luka Doncic, who will take the reins with the departure of LeBron James.
Lakers rookie Cameron Carr shoots a three-pointer over Golden State's Lachlan Olbrich during the first half of the California Classic on Friday. (Thearon W. Henderson / Getty Images)
After leading the offense at Baylor, Carr knows his assignment supporting Doncic with the Lakers will be simpler: cut, run and dunk, he said at his introductory news conference.
And, for the guard who shot 37.4% from three-point range at Baylor last season, his job is also to knock down shots.
“If you can shoot the ball,” Carr said with a slight smile in New York the day before the draft, “you’re wanted by a lot of people.”
The Lakers wanted the 6-foot-5 guard so badly that they executed a draft-day pick swap with the New York Knicks. Carr was projected to be a mid-first-round pick but slipped in what many considered to be the deepest draft in a generation.
Any of the consensus top three picks — AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson and Carlos Boozer — could have been No. 1, analysts predicted. Eleven guards were taken before Carr, who was named third-team All-Big 12 last season after averaging 18.9 points, 5.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists with 45 blocks.
ESPN analyst Fran Fraschilla estimated that Carr could be the best athlete out of the entire draft class.
His 7-foot wingspan was the best among guards at the NBA combine, and his 38-inch standing vertical and 10.46-second lane agility test ranked first for his position.
The length and athleticism make Carr the type of rookie who could make an immediate impact on defense, Lakers summer league coach Ty Abbott said.
“He’s got an ability to read the game,” Abbott said. “He’s not out there and completely lost. He kind of understands, and if he does make a mistake, he recognizes it pretty early. ... So for him, it’ll just be about probably adding some strength, maybe some weight, and then just getting the reps. ... You just got to go out there and do it. There’s no better way to learn how to guard good players than to guard good players.”
Carr said his top objective is to put on weight. Weighing 184 pounds at the combine, Carr would have been the third-lightest 6-5 player in the league last year, ahead of only Sacramento’s Nique Clifford (175 pounds) and Dallas’ AJ Johnson (160 pounds). Carr may be joining the Lakers at the exact right moment as the team — with the investment and guidance from big brother organization the Dodgers — will expand weight room, treatment and sports science resources in its facility. Carr plans to make the weight room his new home.
Building up his strength to handle the NBA will be critical for Carr as he hopes to show “that I’m the best defender here,” he told reporters last week. Adding another defender became even more important after guard Marcus Smart signed with Western Conference rival Houston.
The Lakers, after agreeing to trade center Deandre Ayton to Washington for guard Jaden Hardy and two second-round draft picks on Friday, could look for a backup center and wing defender to round out their roster, which stands at 13.
“I’ll be honest,” Carr said with a bashful smile. “It still doesn’t feel real.”
Lakers re-sign Chris Mañon
The Lakers re-signed guard Chris Mañon to a two-way contract. The second-year guard appeared in nine games for them last season and also played 33 G League games for the South Bay Lakers, averaging 10.3 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists. With a team-high 1.9 steals per game, Mañon was named to the G League all-defensive team and finished second in defensive player of the year voting.
Dodgers pitcher Shohei Ohtani, left, gets a fist bump from catcher Dalton Rushing during the first inning of a 4-3 win over the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing tapped Shohei Ohtani from behind with his glove, as he passed the two-way superstar putting on his hitting guards at the entrance to the dugout.
By the time of that brief exchange in the fourth inning, the battery was already looking, if not completely dominant, at least more in sync Friday, setting up their team for a 4-3 win against the Padres highlighted by Teoscar Hernández‘s grand slam in the seventh.
As Ohtani held the Padres to three runs through six innings, the battery had a much smoother ride than the previous week.
Ohtani took his at-bat in the sixth but was replaced by pinch-hitter Miguel Rojas in the seventh after feeling something in his right biceps during his final at-bat. He told reporters the move was “precautionary” and that he felt something in the same spot a couple months ago that cleared up relatively quickly.
The last time Rushing caught Ohtani, the pitcher took over pitch-calling after a disastrous second inning against the Twins last week.
“I just overthought last time,” Rushing said in a conversation with The Times on Thursday night. “I was trying to be perfect, and with a guy like that, you don’t have to be perfect. You just need to call the right pitches at the right time and allow his stuff to just beat them naturally. And that’s the plan [Friday]. Whether I call the pitch, he calls the pitch. I want to make sure we’re both convicted in what we’re throwing, and we can execute it to the best of our ability.”
On Friday, Ohtani handed back over pitch-calling duties, communicating with head shakes and nods instead of the PitchCom buttons on his arm.
Ohtani walked the first two batters he faced. But then he struck out three of the next four, escaping the jam down just 1-0, courtesy of an RBI single from Gavin Sheets.
That started a streak of 10 batters who Ohtani retired in order, fanning six of them.
“The best way that I can describe it is, if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” Rushing said when asked what he’d learned from following along last week. “That’s the way he pitches. ... Trust what you do, trust how good his stuff is, and just go from there.”
Ohtani’s back-to-back strikeouts to end the second inning were a good example. Against left-handed hitting Sung-Mun Song, he threw mostly four-seam fastballs and splitters, finishing off the six-pitch at-bat with a sweeper, according to Statcast.
Against right-handed hitting Rodolfo Durán, Ohtani threw mostly sinkers and sweepers, with one four-seamer mixed in out of seven pitches.
Ohtani eventually relented a second run with two outs in the fourth inning. He fell behind 0-2 in the count to Jackson Merrill, who flipped a strike call with an ABS challenge. Then Merrill hammered a fastball over the plate for a solo homer.
Ohtani successfully navigated traffic to throw a scoreless fifth, but Xander Bogaerts tagged him for an RBI double in the sixth.
Ohtani gave up seven hits for a quality start that wasn’t his cleanest but was enough for the Dodgers to win after Hernández’s blast.
The Dodgers struggled to get anything going against Padres starter Michael King. But he turned the game over to reliever Adrian Morejon with two runners on and no outs in the seventh. Two batters later, Hernández ambushed a first-pitch slider.
Teoscar Hernández hits a grand slam in the seventh inning of the Dodgers' 4-3 win over the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium on Friday night. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Hernández drifted up the first-base line as he watched the ball fly. When it landed, he launched his bat back toward the dugout, and it made it halfway there.
The home run helped dissolve any lingering worries about Rushing and Ohtani’s pairing.
Rushing has been the Dodgers’ primary catcher since June 6, when a neck injury sidelined Will Smith. The Dodgers initially expected the problem to resolve with a day or two of rest. But after stalled progress and an injection to address it, Smith is not expected to return from the injured list until after the All-Star break.
He’s at least progressing through baseball activities. Smith has resumed throwing and took swings on Thursday, Roberts said.
The Dodgers pushed back Ohtani’s start this week from Wednesday against the A’s to Friday against a division rival. The change in schedule likely means he won’t pitch in the All-Star Game.
“If you just kind of do the math it would be hard to imagine,” said Roberts, who will also manage the NL All-Star team. “But I don’t have to make that decision quite yet.”
Ohtani is lined up to pitch again next Friday against the Diamondbacks, four days before the All-Star Game. The break from pitching could also benefit his left knee, a problem that seems to have been aggravated by pitching.
“The knee feels as good as it’s felt in quite some time,” Roberts said before the game Friday, “so that’s encouraging for tonight.”
CLEVELAND, OHIO - JULY 03: Kahlil Watson #31 of the Cleveland Guardians hits a walk-off single during the tenth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Progressive Field on July 03, 2026 in Cleveland, Ohio. The Guardians defeated the White Sox 4-3 in 10 innings. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) | Getty Images
On another hot day in Cleveland, the game today started as a pitchers’ duel. The Big Rig and Anthony Kay got off to blazing starts, and it was Anthony Kay who would blink first. After retiring the first 6 hitters in a row to start the game, Gabriel Arias and Austin Hedges would draw back to back walks to start the 3rd inning. Kwan would sacrifice them both to 3rd with a bunt, and an RBI single from Travis Bazzana would plate the first run of the game for the Guards. That would be all they got in the inning, as David Fry would ground into a double play.
Gavin Williams would get into a little trouble in the 4th, as the White Sox would get 2 runners on with only one out. He was able to work out of it with a strikeout and a weak grounder to end the inning. The Big Rig would get into trouble again in the 5th. After back to back singles and a sacrifice, the White Sox would get both runners into scoring position with only 1 out. Gavin got a weak ground ball that was unable to score the run from 3rd for the second out of the inning. Unfortunately the Big Rig wouldn’t be able to escape this jam. As the wind began to pick up and blow debris all around the field, and after a hard fought 10 pitch battle with Miguel Vargas, it would be Vargas who would emerge victorious, clobbering a 3 run homer down the left field line. Immediately after, the umpiring crew would call for the tarp, and we would head into a weather delay.
Once we finally got back to action, both offenses would stay silent until the bottom half of the 7th inning. The Guards would get 2 runners on base with walks from Hoskins and Rocchio. Then with 2 outs, Austin Hedges would come through with an infield single on a ball in the hole between the SS and 3rd base, and Hoskins would score after the ball was booted a little bit by Colson Montgomery. Next, Steven Kwan would come to the plate with the score now 3-2. Kwan was able to get a soft liner down the left field line to drive in the tying run. That was all for the Guards in the 7th, as Bryan Hudson was able to strike out Travis Bazzana to end the inning.
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 4, 2026
After the Guardians tied the game, both Colin Holderman and Cade Smith would throw 1-2-3 8th and 9th innings. But despite getting a runner on base in each inning, the Guards couldn’t scratch a run across, and we were headed to extras.
The Guardians would send Erik Sabrowski out for the 10th. He would strike out the first two hitters and retire the last on a flyout to right field, preserving the 3-3 tie and giving the Guards offense a chance to win if they could get the free baserunner home in the bottom half of the inning. It was Travis Bazzana to lead it off with Steven Kwan on as the free baserunner. He would single on a hard ground ball to left, but the left fielder was playing in, so Kwan could only get to 3rd. It was down to Khalil Watson, who, with the infield in, smashed a ground ball right back up the middle. For the second night in a row, the Guardians would walk off the White Sox and take back sole possession of 1st place in the Central Division!
— Cleveland Guardians (@CleGuardians) July 4, 2026
The Guards look to clinch a win in the 4 game series Saturday night at 7:10. It’ll be Parker Messick on the mound for the Guardians up against Sean Burke for the White Sox.
Jul 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers left fielder Teoscar Hernandez (37) hits a grand slam in the bottom of the seventh inning against the San Diego Padres at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jon Endow-Imagn Images | Jon Endow-Imagn Images
Teoscar Hernández capitalized off an error and launched a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning to lead the Dodgers (58-31) to a 4-3 comeback win over the Padres (43-44) Friday night at Dodger Stadium. The dramatic blast was Hernandez’s eighth home run of the season, erasing a 3-0 deficit and securing the win.
It was an uncharacteristic shaky start for Shohei Ohtani on the mound. A four-pitch walk to Tatis Jr. started the game for Ohtani who missed the strike zone with his first six pitches of the game. Another walk to Jake Cronenworth immediately gave the Padres the opportunity to get on the board quickly.
The Padres, once again, scored early. Gavin Sheets smacked a high sweeper to right field for a RBI single. Ohtani ended up striking out three in the first inning, but the Padres took an early 1-0 lead.
Ohtani and Dalton Rushing settled down nicely and had collected seven strikeouts through the first three innings.
Michael King was perfect through three innings, using his sinker and changeup to fool batters.
Jackson Merrill took advantage of an overturned strike call and homered against Ohtani with two outs in the fourth to make it 2-0 Padres.
Freddie Freeman’s two-out single in the bottom of the fourth was the first hit the Dodgers mustered off King. The Dodgers got nothing to show for it after Mookie Betts flied out to end the inning and erase the base runner.
Max Muncy snagged a Machado grounder at third to get the final out in the fifth after the Padres had runners at the corners with two outs.
The Dodgers got the tying run to the plate against King in the bottom of the sixth, but Freeman grounded out to end the inning and strand another two base runners.
Kyle Hurt took over for Ohtani in the seventh, and a double play helped the reliever escape without allowing a run. Ohtani wasn’t involved in the decision with a line of: 6 IP, 3 R, 7 H, 2 BB, 9 K (110 pitches).
The Dodgers adjusted at the plate against King and got their first two men aboard in the bottom of the seventh to chase the Padres ace from the game. Things unraveled for the Friars after they took out King. Adrian Morejon, who had been lights out coming into the game, got ambushed by the Dodgers offense.
Coming off a four-hit game, Tucker looked to get that big hit the Dodgers needed all night. Betts walked, and Muncy singled. The Dodgers got a lucky break when Tucker reached safely on a bumbling error by Cronenworth which ended up to be very costly.
Hernández brought the early 4th of July fireworks to Chavez Ravine with a monstrous grand slam to give the Dodgers a 4-3 lead. It was the first home run for Hernandez since returning to action after missing a month with a hamstring injury.
Edgardo Henriquez pitched a 1-2-3 eighth to keep it a one-run game. Henriquez has been a key part of this Dodgers bullpen that has been particularly effective of late. Opposing hitters had a .154 batting average against him in June.
Dave Roberts gave Tanner Scott the ball in the top of the ninth. Tanner struck out Samad Taylor, Miguel Andujar, and Tatis Jr. to slam the door on the Padres who have now lost seven straight.
Friday particulars
Home runs: Jackson Merrill (10); Teoscar Hernandez (8)
LP — Adrian Morejon (6-2): 1 IP, 2 hits, 2 runs, 2, walks, no strikeouts
S — Tanner Scott (12): Struck out the side in the top of the 9th
Up next
Fireworks are sure to explode during the third of four games between the NL West rivals on 4th of July (7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA), with Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-5, 2.67 ERA, 0.89 WHIP) on the mound for the Dodgers and Griffin Canning (1-5, 7.09 ERA, 1.66 WHIP) for the Padres.
SEATTLE, WASHINGTON - JULY 03: Randy Arozarena #56 of the Seattle Mariners reacts after striking out during the sixth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays at T-Mobile Park on July 03, 2026 in Seattle, Washington. (Photo by Olivia Vanni/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Blue Jays 2, Mariners 0
Christmas Beef Wellington: Víctor Robles, +0.11 WPA American attempts at poutine: Colt Emerson, -0.21 WPA
Jul 3, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Aroldis Chapman (44) celebrates the victory against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images
Besides all that, it’s the start of the holiday weekend. But for all the night owls who tuned in, it was a thoroughly enjoyable game!
Jake Bennett proved he belongs and Romy González showed he’s back. Bennett quickly got out to a confident start, with a 1-2-3 first inning; he repeated that feat in each frame through the fourth, not allowing a hit until the fifth and never giving up a walk. I was surprised that Chad Tracy brought him out for the eighth, not because he was struggling—he most definitely wasn’t—but because he’d never gone that deep in a game before. Sure enough, he was a little gassed and began to falter, giving up a home run, a single, a wild pitch, then another single. Two runs scored in the inning but this wasn’t indicative of his night.
In the ninth, Aroldis Chapman broke Hoyt Wilhelm’s record for most strikeouts by a reliever—not a closer, but all relievers.
As for the offense, the Sox hitters were as confident as their pitchers, with nearly everyone getting at least one hit. Rafaela, Abreu, Contreras, Durbin, and Duran were on the basepaths multiple times. Though Duran didn’t have a hit, he had a nice sac fly, laid down a sacrifice bunt, and advanced on a fielding error.
Fire up the grill, get the drinks on ice, and stay cool over the weekend; the Sox are doing their part to give us something to celebrate.
Studs
Aroldis Chapman
Chapman went into the record books for most strikeouts by a reliever, besting Hoyt Wilhelm with #1,364. He even grinned for the occasion. Nice work.
Jake Bennett
He held the Angels hitless until the fifth. With a lot of first-pitch strikes, soft contact, and short at-bats, he cruised through seven. Good for him, good for us, good for the bullpen. His final line doesn’t quite do justice to how good he looked out there tonight. 7.2 IP, 5H, 2R, 6K, 1 BB.
Romy González
The guy we’ve been pining for all season has arrived. He announced himself with a triple in the first inning and overall went 3-4 with 2 RBI.
Caleb Durbin
He went 1-3 with a home run, and scored another run after getting on base with a walk. He had the Defensive Play of the Game too. Nice night.
Dud
Nate Eaton
Hey, it happens. He was the only hitter to not reach base, going 0-5 with 3 K’s.
Play of the Game
In 2026, we haven’t often been able to consider several potential Plays of the Game; it’s been sparse all season long. Tonight I considered a few different candidates, including Durbin’s homer, but I’m going with Romy’s triple that put the Sox on the board in the second. Romy showed he was back, and said he’s feeling good. Here’s hoping it’s the first of many notable plays that he’ll record for the Sox for the rest of the way.
SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 03: Cameron Carr #43 of the Los Angeles Lakers shoots a three-point shot over Malevy Leons #33 of the Golden State Warriors during the first half in the California Classic a NBA Summer League game at Chase Center on July 03, 2026 in San Francisco, California. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Lakers struggled in their first game of the California Classic, losing 104-72 to the Golden State Warriors on Friday night.
LA’s newest rookie, Cameron Carr, was off to a hot start for the team, scoring six points off two 3-pointers. Los Angeles’ other notable name, Adou Thiero, was 1-2 from the field, but looked solid and was moving very well. Golden State’s rookie Yaxel Lendeborg also had six points off two triples.
The Lakers were down by five at the end of the first. Carr ended the quarter with eight points. Arthur Kaluma had five points off the bench.
Pull up curl off the HORNS action. Sticks out how fluid of an athlete he is.
Carr’s excellent play continued into the second period as he knocked down another 3-pointer, giving him 11 for the night so far. Lendeborg was 4-4 from behind the arc for the Warriors and had 14 points.
Will Richard and Lendeborg combined for 32 points in the half and were also a combined 8-9 from behind the arc. Carr drained another triple for LA, giving him 14 points. Los Angeles was down 24 at the half.
A couple more threes by Cameron Carr, and it’ll be time to start designing the statue.
Chris Mañon started the offense off for LA in the third period. Carr missed four shots before draining his fifth triple of the night. Adou finally put some more points on the board, converting on a three-point play.
Golden State, though, had built a big lead that the Lakers just couldn’t cut into. They were shooting 65% from the field.
LA was shooting 37% from the field. Their shot selection was rough and messy. At the end of the third, the purple and gold were down by 34.
I don’t want to make mountains out of molehills, but it’d be nice to see some positive Adou Thiero minutes during this game.
The Lakers started the final frame on a positive note, scoring nine points in a row. Graham Ike put a stop to the run with a layup. The rest of the quarter was essentially garbage time as teams just exchanged baskets until the buzzer sounded.
Key Player Stats
Carr finished with 19 points and two rebounds. Thiero ended with nine points, four rebounds, two assists and two steals. Kaluma had 12 points and six rebounds. Anton Watson scored nine points with three rebounds.
Mañon logged eight points with three rebounds. Zhaire Smith and AK Okereke combined for 11 points off the bench.
The next California Classic game will be against the Miami Heat on Sunday at 1:30 PM PT.
Amid absolute pandemonium at Dodger Stadium on Friday night, an unexpected cause for concern arose in the home dugout.
Shortly after completing a six-inning, three-run start as a pitcher against the San Diego Padres, Shohei Ohtani was removed from the game as a hitter in the bottom of the seventh, when Miguel Rojas pinch-hit for him shortly after a go-ahead grand slam from Teoscar Hernández in the Dodgers’ come-from-behind 4-3 win.
The reason for Ohtani’s removal: Tightness in his right bicep he had felt during his final at-bat as a hitter in the game.
“Just kinda tightened up on him,” manager Dave Roberts said.
On the bright side, both Ohtani and Roberts described the superstar’s exit as a “precautionary” decision, and downplayed the potential severity of the injury.
However, Roberts said Ohtani would still be out of the lineup on Saturday, to “give him a day to fully recover, treat it up.”
“We’ll just go from there,” the skipper added.
Shohei Ohtani exited early on Friday night. Getty Images
Ohtani did not appear to be laboring physically in his two-way performance Friday, even as he grinded through an 110-pitch effort –– which included nine strikeouts, but also nine baserunners allowed (seven hits, two walks), to leave him with a 1.79 ERA on the season and a mediocre 4.38 ERA over his last four starts.
However, during his final at-bat in the bottom of the sixth, he said in Japanese that there “was something that concerned me a little with my biceps” after lifting a flyout to right field.
He said it only impacted his swing, and that he felt no problem while pitching.
Ohtani later revealed that he had dealt with similar discomfort in batting practice earlier this season, but noted “it got better relatively quickly then, so I think that will be the case again this time.”
“You know what, [that instance] was so benign, that I didn’t hear about it until tonight,” Roberts added when asked about Ohtani’s previous bicep issue. “It didn’t take him out of playing.”
Ohtani’s absence didn’t put a damper on the Dodgers’ comeback Friday, when they overcame a 3-0 deficit in the bottom of the seventh.
After six dominant innings from Padres ace Michael King to start the night, the Dodgers finally knocked him out of the game on a leadoff walk from Mookie Betts and single from Max Muncy. Then, they got a fortuitous break to load the bases against reliever Adrian Morejon, with Kyle Tucker’s would-be double-play grounder getting booted by Jake Cronenworth at second base.
Just like that, Hernández stepped up representing the go-ahead run.
And on the first pitch he saw –– a hanging slider over the plate –– the veteran slugger blasted a grand slam that unleashed perhaps the loudest reaction from the crowd all season.
Hernández chucked his bat with an emphatic flip, then rounded the bases as Chavez Ravine shook in celebration, helping the Dodgers –– even without Ohtani at the end –– extend their division lead over the Padres to 14 games.
“We believe in each other, we know what we can do, we know the players that we have, and we’re never out of the game,” Hernández said, after keying the Dodgers’ second stunning comeback against San Diego in as many nights. “That’s our mentality every day that we go into the field. It happens to keep showing every single day.”
What it means
The initial belief might be that Ohtani’s injury is nothing to worry about.
But it is yet another reminder of the toll that comes with his two-way workload.
Roberts acknowledged that fact, and even left the door open to not having Ohtani make his final pitching start before the All-Star break, which is scheduled for next Friday against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
“I do think that for us to read and react and hear what his body is telling him is really important,” Roberts said, “given the toll it takes on his body to be a two-way player.”
Still, Roberts also called Ohtani a “quick healer” who “finds a way to get back.”
And though Ohtani will get the day off on Saturday, he already felt on Friday night that he would be able to take the field if the team wanted.
“It’s not as if you can be in perfect condition every time you play,” he said.
Who’s hot
Ohtani’s injury aside, the moment of the night was Hernández’s go-ahead blast in the seventh.
The homer was Hernández’s first since returning from a month-long hamstring injury earlier this week.
It was also the best sign yet that he hasn’t lost the hot swing he’d found before going on the IL, having hit .325 with 14 RBIs in his final 24 games before getting hurt.
“It’s just a little bit of everything,” Hernández explained of his emotional reaction to Friday’s big fly, which continued with a string of high-fives and fist pumps on his way back to the dugout, plus a sunflower seed shower from teammate and mentee Andy Pages.
“I’m just trying to find the same swing that I had before I got hurt, and at the same time, just do something for the team,” Hernández added. “It happened to be a big swing.”
Who’s not
Even before his biceps injury, Friday hadn’t been Ohtani’s most convincing performance.
His pitching outing was a “quality start” only in the most literal sense of the term –– marred by a pair of leadoff walks that led to a run in the first, a home run to Jackson Merrill on a center-cut fastball in the fourth, and a two-out, run-scoring rally he yielded in the sixth that nearly put the Padres’ lead too far out of reach.
“Good outing,” Roberts called it. “But I think, again, with Shohei, the stuff that he has, he’s just got to be more efficient to get into that seventh inning. And the last few starts, he just hasn’t given himself a chance.”
Ohtani’s bat has quietly cooled off in recent days too, with his 0-for-3 performance on Friday dropping him to 2-for-16 over the last four games.
At the very least, he and catcher Dalton Rushing found better chemistry as batterymates, getting on the same page with their pitch calling (the majority of which was done by Rushing) after their glaring miscommunication in Minnesota last week.
Also, as Ohtani noted, he still “left the game in a place in which we could still hope to win.”
And even without him at the end, Hernández made sure the Dodgers did.
Up next
The Dodgers will try to clinch this four-game series, and grow their monstrous lead in the division even further, in a Fourth of July game on Saturday. Yoshinobu Yamamoto (8-5, 2.67 ERA) faces Padres right-hander Griffin Canning (1-5, 7.09 ERA).
The 23-year-old won’t throw for approximately six weeks — well after the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
So instead of potentially joining the bullpen in The Bronx in the coming weeks, Lagrange will be shut down indefinitely, knocking the hard-throwing righty off the list of possible upgrades.
Before the game, Aaron Boone said it altered the team’s plans “certainly for the short term.”
Carlos Lagrange throws a pitch during the Yankees’ Feb. 21 game in spring training. Charles Wenzelberg
Lagrange opened eyes in the spring with his ability to throw 100 mph consistently and the Yankees continue to view him as a starter in the future, but hoped to move him to the pen for the rest of this season as a nasty bullpen arm.
That process began in early June, with a possible second half promotion to the majors.
That’s now on hold, very possibly for the rest of the season.
Lagrange last appeared in a game with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre on Sunday. He pitched on two days’ rest and had his worst outing as a reliever, allowing five runs on four hits, as well as a pair of walks, in just two-thirds of an inning. Lagrange averaged 98.8 mph with his fastball and hit 100.9.
It was Lagrange’s seventh appearance out of the bullpen and second time pitching on two days’ rest.
Naturally, questions arose about whether the switch led to the shoulder woes.
“It’s impossible to answer that for sure,’’ Boone said. “We were pretty disciplined and methodical with how we took him into that role. I feel like we were careful with it, but you never know for certain why [it] happens.”
It’s no secret why the Yankees were looking to get some help from Lagrange.
Two of last year’s trade deadline acquisitions who were expected to aid the pen, Camilo Doval and Jake Bird, have been huge disappointments, while David Bednar has mostly been solid as closer.
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And if the season had gone according to plan, the Yankees would consider Ryan Weathers as another left-handed option since there would be no room for him in the rotation.
But they’re waiting for Max Fried to get back from a left elbow bone bruise and now have Carlos Rodón on the IL with left elbow inflammation.
There was also belief that Luis Gil might thrive out of the pen, but he last pitched on April 26 with the Yankees and then was shut down with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in early May with a shoulder injury.
He’s resumed throwing, but is a long way from being considered for a role in The Bronx.
That could leave the Yankees looking for at least a pair of relievers in the next month, and as they proved last year, that’s no easy feat.
"You talk about the toughest job, manager of the New York Mets is the toughest job in baseball right now," Martinez, who cited his "freedom" and work-life balance in explaining the outlook on managing before Friday's 5-3 loss at the Atlanta Braves. "Managing is tough. You have to know how to maneuver pieces, how to handle pitching staffs, all that. I pride myself on the offensive side of things."
The Mets hired Martinez, 38, as a special advisor to baseball operations in March.
"It's a really good group," Martinez said in early April when asked about this year's Mets. "I played with and against a lot of these guys. I have a ton of respect for them."
A six-time All-Star, Martinez ended his career with the Mets. He slashed .235/.320/.406 with 16 home runs and 69 RBI in 120 games.
"Every time he speaks I listen -- he has great advice and we relate, so it’s great to have him around and see a familiar face," Mark Vientostold SNY'sSteve Gelbsin early April.
