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Giants option top pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt amid roster shuffle

Giants option top pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt amid roster shuffle originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — The Giants saw enough out of Kai-Wei Teng last Friday to give him another shot, and because the San Diego Padres are so balanced at the top of their lineup, they’ll let the right-hander start on Wednesday instead of following a left-handed opener. Two days later, Landen Roupp will return from an elbow scare. 

The rotation, at least for now, is full again, and on Tuesday that led to the Giants optioning top pitching prospect Carson Whisenhunt when they needed a roster spot for Tyler Fitzgerald. Whisenhunt had an up-and-down first stint in the big leagues, allowing eight runs in 14 1/3 innings, but also mixing in a strong start in New York against the Mets. 

Manager Bob Melvin said the three starts were a learning experience for the 24-year-old. 

“The first time at the big league level, you learn some things pretty quickly about yourself. It happens a little bit quicker here,” Melvin said. “He had a tough first inning and recovered in his first outing. Pitched pretty well after that and had a good start in New York and then had an on-and-off one (over the weekend). You realize kind of what plays here and whatnot. He’s going to be better for it when he goes down. 

“I think you trust your instincts a little bit more when you feel what happens here at the big league level. He’s going to be better for it. We’ll see him again at some point.”

The main lesson for the lefty involved the two pitches he used most often. Whisenhunt has an elite changeup, but it was inconsistent in the big leagues, and hitters were ready for it. There’s so much data and video now that prospects aren’t able to sneak up on anyone, and Whisenhunt allowed a .273 average on his changeup. 

He responded by leaning heavily on his sinker, which he commanded well in New York. When he left a few over the plate on Saturday against the Washington Nationals, he allowed three homers. 

Whisenhunt struck out 12 in his three starts but also walked seven. He allowed five homers, three on his sinker and two on his changeup. 

“I think he found out pretty quickly that he needs to be able to locate his fastball,” Melvin said. “And when he does, it makes his off-speed stuff — especially his changeup — that much better.”

The run in the big leagues was perhaps shorter than Whisenhunt hoped, but the Giants view him as a big part of their plans going forward. Melvin said they saw enough to be confident the lefty “can perform here.”

Company In Triple-A

Whisenhunt returns to a River Cats rotation that’s filled with pitchers waiting for a return to the big leagues. 

Hayden Birdsong has made three starts since being optioned and has shown improved command, walking four in 12 1/3 innings. He has allowed 17 hits and seven earned runs, but the Giants mostly wanted to see him get back in the strike zone and get some confidence back. They feel he’s headed in the right direction, although a return to the big leagues isn’t imminent. 

“He is throwing strikes,” Melvin said. “I know he gave up a few runs, but we’ll see where it goes.”

The Giants also are eager to take a look at right-hander Blade Tidwell, acquired in the Tyler Rogers deal. He has made two starts since the deadline and allowed just two earned runs, with 16 strikeouts in 10 innings. Tidwell has shown a nasty breaking ball and 98 mph fastball. He could be next in line when the Giants need another starter. 

One Is All It Takes

Dominic Smith got just one at-bat Tuesday, but he took advantage. Smith pulled a two-strike fastball from David Morgan into right field, loading the bases in the bottom of the sixth. He was hitting for Fitzgerald and he was immediately replaced by pinch-runner Drew Gilbert. 

The single extended Smith’s hitting streak to 15 games, and it was the third time that he kept the streak going as a pinch-hitter. According to Sportradar, Smith became just the second Giant to have three pinch-hits during a streak of at least 15 games. Hall of Famer Bill Terry had three pinch-hits during his own 15-game hitting streak for the New York Giants in 1936. 

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Walk-off loss to Angels puts Dodgers in first-place tie in NL West

ANAHEIM, CA -AUGUST 12, 2025: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Emmet Sheehan (80) sits in the dugout after giving up the go-ahead solo homer to Angeles outfielder Taylor Ward in the third inning at Angel Stadium on August 12, 2025 in Anaheim, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Emmet Sheehan sits in the dugout after a poor start for the Dodgers. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The Dodgers finally had their storybook moment.

Until the Angels rewrote it with a walk-off ending.

In the top of the ninth inning at Angel Stadium on Tuesday night, Shohei Ohtani lifted the Dodgers to the verge of a badly needed win, breaking a tie score with the kind of moment that could have jump-started the stretch run of their season.

With former Dodgers closer Kenley Jansen on the mound, and a split crowd in Anaheim rising to its feet, Ohtani blasted a go-ahead home run deep to right field. He flipped his bat. The Dodgers’ dugout went wild. After so many recent blown leads and late-game meltdowns in recent weeks, the team was three outs away from finally turning the tide.

Instead, the Dodgers found yet a new way to crumble.

Once again, they let a winnable game go meekly by the wayside.

In the bottom of the ninth, the Angels tied the score after Alex Vesia gave up a leadoff single, a walk and an eventual Nolan Schanuel sacrifice fly.

Read more:More bad news for Dodgers' bullpen: Brock Stewart goes on the IL

In the bottom of the 10th, they sealed their fifth-straight victory over the Dodgers this season on Jo Adell’s big-bouncing, walk-off RBI single.

A 7-6 loss for the Dodgers, that sent their spiraling season to a new dismal low.

Now, the Dodgers have lost three in a row and 20 of 32 since July 4. Now, what was once a nine-game lead in the National League West has been completely obliterated. The Dodgers and San Diego Padres are tied atop the standings. The Padres will come to Dodger Stadium this weekend with all the momentum, where a scuffling Dodgers club will await them.

Tuesday featured many more deflating subplots for the club.

Emmet Sheehan gave up five runs in a five-inning start. The team erased one early two-run deficit, only to go down two runs again. The lineup left the bases loaded with the score tied to end the top of the fifth inning. Ohtani lined into a soul-crushing triple-play with two aboard in the sixth.

But nothing will sting like the final two innings — when a potential turning-point moment instead resulted in more familiar heartache.

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This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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With Mets' rotation in flux, Clay Holmes struggles against Braves

It was a great win for the Mets on Tuesday night. Not only did they snap their seven-game losing streak, but Pete Alonsobroke the franchise home run record. However, it didn't turn into a laugher until after starter Clay Holmes was out of the game.

Holmes did not factor into the decision after going just 3.2 innings and allowing five runs, and that's after being staked to a 5-1 lead. It was going smoothly for Holmes at first, too. He allowed one run through the first three innings, but then he imploded in the fourth inning, and as quickly as the Citi Field crowd was excited for Alonso's record-breaking blast, they were silenced after the Braves scored four runs to tie the game.

"Fourth inning, a couple of guys got on, walk to load the bases. Just getting into bad counts," Holmes explained after the game. "The sinker had been working, got a couple of groundballs, and in a situation where you have to trust it. Probably starting getting a little too fine and [Nacho Alvarez Jr.] hit the double. Situations, looking back, I just have to keep going. If they want to hit five singles in a row, let them do it. Can’t put myself in bad counts and help them out. That inning, I wasn’t able to stop it because I was shying away from the contact."

Manager Carlos Mendoza acknowledged Holmes' struggles on Tuesday, saying the right-hander had trouble landing the sinker for strikes and missing pitches arm side, which the Braves took advantage of in the form of five walks allowed. 

For a team with World Series aspirations, the starting rotation continues to be a problem and Holmes perpetuated that on Tuesday. He continued the team's inability to get length from starters not named David Peterson and Holmes, who is a converted reliever, did not do his team any favors. Mendoza said when he pulled his starter in the fourth inning, he didn't know how he'd piece together the rest of the game because the team didn't have four arms in the bullpen because of their usage over the weekend in Milwaukee -- thankfully, Justin Hagenman provided four shutout innings to close the game.  

Holmes' performance put his team in a bad spot, and it's no surprise considering his recent downward trajectory.

He hasn't recorded an out in the sixth inning since mid-July and allowed 19 runs (16 earned) in 29.1 innings in July. So far in August, he's allowed seven earned runs in just 8.2 innings pitched. 

Could Holmes be hitting a wall with the number of innings he's pitched this season? Including Tuesday's start, Holmes has pitched 126 innings, almost doubling his previous career high of 70 innings back in 2021. 

When asked whether Holmes' workload is contributing to his recent performance, Mendoza couldn't say one way or the other.

"When you have a night like tonight, you will always start questioning," Mendoza said. "He’s coming off an outing where [he pitched] five innings, [threw] 75 [pitches]. Pitch-efficient. He keeps saying he’s fine and we see the sinker is 96 mph, we’re seeing the movement, he just had a hard time throwing that pitch for strikes. We’ll continue to check on him. We’ll continue to make sure we’re not missing anything, but he’s a big part of this team."

Before the trade deadline, the Mets didn't feel it necessary to move Holmes to the bullpen. Mendoza and president of baseball operations David Stearns have maintained that stance since, but changed course with another arm in the rotation.

The team decided to move Frankie Montas to the bullpen before Tuesday's game and could call up one of their pitching prospects (Nolan McLean/Brandon Sproat) to start on Saturday. Could the same happen with Holmes if his struggles continue? 

It's unclear, but it's a situation to monitor after every Holmes start from here on out.

 

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From the Pocket: it’s tempting to declare Collingwood too old but age isn’t their problem

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“An old man’s dream ended, a young man’s vision of the future opened wide,” the American sportswriter Red Smith wrote when 37-year-old Joe Louis was knocked out by Rocky Marciano. “Young men have visions, old men have dreams. But the place for old men to dream is beside the fire.”

It’s tempting to analogise this current Collingwood side, to pension them off, to declare them too old and too slow. When they lost to GWS in the opening game, the Age’s Jake Niall said they were shuffling around like Joe Biden. It’s tempting, when they field 11 players who are 30 or older, when a 35-year-old is knocked senseless in the opening seconds and when they’re run ragged by a comparatively young and superbly conditioned team, to say that the team is out of time.

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Japan boxing authorities toughen up safety measures after deaths of two fighters in two days

The Japan Boxing Commission will crack down on rapid dehydration to ‘make weight’, which experts say makes the brain susceptible to bleeding

Boxing authorities in Japan will introduce stricter safety measures after the sport was left in shock by the deaths this month of two boxers competing in the same event.

Officials from the Japan Boxing Commission (JBC) told reporters this week the changes would include pre-bout urine tests, tougher rules on rapid weight loss and improvements in ringside medical services.

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Angels turn triple play when Shohei Ohtani lines out to Zach Neto and 2 Dodgers are caught off base

ANAHEIM, Calif. — The Los Angeles Angels turned the eighth triple play in team history Tuesday night, with shortstop Zach Neto getting two putouts and an assist off a line drive by Dodgers slugger Shohei Ohtani.

Miguel Rojas was on second and Dalton Rushing was on first for the Dodgers in the sixth inning when Ohtani hit a drive right up the middle past reliever Brock Burke.

Neto caught Ohtani’s liner and stepped on second base in stride to get Rojas. Neto quickly threw to first, where Nolan Schanuel tagged out Rushing as the Dodgers rookie attempted to sneak back.

Rushing stepped awkwardly on first base and fell hard to the dirt after getting tagged, staying down for a long moment.

The Angels’ triple play was their first since Aug. 18, 2023.

It also preserved a 5-5 tie in the latest edition of the Freeway Series. The Angels have won the first four games this season against the Dodgers.

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Kyle Dubas Sings High Praise For Penguins' Star Veteran

Apr 13, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Evgeni Malkin (71) takes the ice against the Boston Bruins at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

For the past two decades, the Pittsburgh Penguins have been lucky enough to ice a living NHL legend in Sidney Crosby, who already has a one-way ticket to the Hall of Fame.

But - as has been the case for those two decades - another living NHL legend has been thriving in Crosby's shadow, and his GM made quite the statement on Tuesday.

On Tuesday's episode of the Cam & Strick Podcast, Penguins' GM and POHO Kyle Dubas - who was brought onboard with the Penguins during the summer of 2023 - used some of his airwaves to throw praise at veteran forward Evgeni Malkin, who is entering the final season of his current four-year contract at age 39.

And Dubas made quite the statement.

"He's probably the most underrated player, maybe, to ever play," Dubas said. "I think [it's] just because of the fact that he has always kind of been a little bit in the shadow of Sid, but - at his best - one of, if not the best, player in the league. He's won everything you can win, and he's way more competitive even at his age than I think most people would ever give him credit for, especially in those games when he gets a little heated... you see that kind of vintage form."

Malkin has helped Pittsburgh to three Stanley Cup Championships (2009, 2016, 2017) and has registered 514 goals and 1,346 points in 1,213 career games played. He won the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie in 2006-07, is a two-time Art Ross Trophy winner for the league scoring title (2009, 2012), and took home both the Ted Lindsay Award and the Hart Trophy for the 2011-12 season, when he put up 50 goals and 109 points. 

Where Does Evgeni Malkin Sit In All-Time Russian-Born NHL Ranks?Where Does Evgeni Malkin Sit In All-Time Russian-Born NHL Ranks?On Jul. 31, Pittsburgh Penguins' veteran forward Evgeni Malkin turned the ripe age of 39.

He was infamously omitted from the NHL's Top-100 players list in 2017, and he generally has not received the league-wide recognition that he has deserved throughout his career.

And even though he all-time great Russian forward may not be what he once was, but Dubas believes there's still a lot left in the tank.

"He just turned 39 a week ago, but he's still capable of some very special moments and still a very good player. He gets talked about the least - and he probably prefers it that way - but it's been special to be around him." 

Dubas said prior to free agency that the Penguins plan to revisit Malkin's contract situation - and plans for the 2026-26 season - around the Olympic break in February.

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Feature Image Credit: Megan Mendoza/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

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From The Archives: Red Hot Red Wings

The Hockey News has released its archive to all THN subscribers: 76 years of history, stories, and features.

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Red Hot Wings - December 7, 2001 - Vol. 55, Issue 14 - Mike Brophy

You could say the Calgary Flames are the story of the first quarter of the season and nobody would bat an eye.

The Flames, who have been inspired by Jarome Iginla’s scoring heroics and goalie Roman Turek’s nightly clinics, are challenging for top spot in the Western Conference and would easily be the biggest news of the first quarter, if not for…

The Chicago Blackhawks. They sign a No. 4 defenseman (Jon Klemm), an over-the-hill winger (Steve Thomas), one of last year’s big busts (Igor Korolev) and a coach who spent last winter at home on the farm (Brian Sutter). But all the moves have paid dividends. Going undefeated in their first 11 home games surely would make them the hot topic of the first quarter, except for…

The New York Islanders. GM Mike Milbury pulled the team out of the abyss he helped create by bringing in veterans Alexei Yashin, Michael Peca, Chris Osgood and Adrian Aucoin. A franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs since Wayne Gretzky captured his last scoring title is thriving again…finally.

And yet, even the Islanders aren’t the story of the first quarter.

No, the real story is the Detroit Red Wings. In the last 12 years, the Wings have won eight division titles and finished second four times. In two of the years they finished second, they won the Stanley Cup.

But Detroit is coming off a disappointing 2000-01 campaign. After winning the Central Division last season, the Wings were upset in the first round of the playoffs by the upstart Los Angeles Kings. So what did the aging team do? Dump their veterans in favor of a youth movement? Uh, no. Rather, they imported three oldies-but-goodies in 36-year-old netminder Dominik Hasek and veteran snipers Brett Hull, 37, and Luc Robitaille, 35.

But that’s not all. Dissatisfied with their production while playing 5-on-5, the Red Wings have loosened the reins on their left wingers, who had been confined to a defensive role even when they were in the offensive zone. The result? Through the first quarter, Detroit ranked first in scoring, averaging 3.52 goals per game, and at 19-3-0-1 was on pace to set NHL single-season records for wins and points. The Wings already hold the mark for victories (62 in 1995-96), while the Montreal Canadiens amassed the highest number of points-132-in 1976-77.

The Red Wings’ goals-against average (2.28) was in the top 10 in the league. When you score as often as they do-and when you have Hasek in net-the wins pile up quickly. It also helps that Detroit is willing to open up its defensive strategy.

“We still do it at times,” said left winger Brendan Shanahan of the left-wing lock,”but we used to do it all the time, in all three zones. We still play a disciplined system, but it’s not always down to the left winger to be responsible defensively.

Now if you get the step on a guy, you go. You can be active in the offensive zone instead of always being back on your heels.”

There’s no denying the Red Wings have the horses.

Captain Steve Yzerman remains one of the best two-way forces in the league; Nicklas Lidstrom is on track for a second straight Norris Trophy; Sergei Fedorov is a dominant offensive threat again; Shanahan is challenging for the league lead in goals; and Chris Chelios is rejuvenated and injury-free. Twelve different Red Wings scored a game-winning goal in the first quarter. No other team could come close to that claim.

If Hasek hasn’t been Superman this year, it’s only because he hasn’t had to be.

“I have friends in the league who tell me that they can’t believe how much talent we have,” said Wings’ left winger Kirk Maltby. “All I know is, the expectations are very high in our dressing room. The expectations of management are high. Same with the fans.”

Not to mention Scotty Bowman. He’d love nothing more than to add a ninth Stanley Cup ring-as a head coach-to his collection, which would break the record he shares with legendary Montreal bench boss Toe Blake. Bowman knows he’s close, but he’s a realist.

“It’s early,” said Bowman, who points to a tough stretch in the second half of Detroit’s schedule in which the Wings play 21 of their final 34 games on the road.

“We’ve played very well, but I’m not sure our defense is as strong as it needs to be. We had a good young defenseman (Jesse Wallin) who had a good camp, but he had abdominal surgery and hasn’t played. I think we need to add to our blueline.”

Other teams, with far greater problems, can only shake their collective heads in wonder.

“Everyone keeps saying they’re old and that the wheels will fall off,” said one team’s pro scout, who has watched the Wings play.

“But they’re getting better. They have flow and the support they give each other is getting better. I don’t know who’s going to come along and beat them. They are so smart, so composed and so responsible in their own end.

And they work hard every game.” OK, so maybe everybody isn’t talking about the Red Wings. Maybe they’re not as sexy a story as the Flames, Hawks or Isles. Shanahan doesn’t care.

“A history has been established here,” Shanahan said. “There is a certain level of play that is expected. It doesn’t guarantee wins, but it’s a pretty good recipe for wins.” ■

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Pete Alonso breaks Darryl Strawberry’s Mets franchise home run record

NEW YORK — New York Mets slugger Pete Alonso hit his 253rd career homer on Tuesday night, breaking the franchise record held by Darryl Strawberry for 37 years.

The 30-year-old Alonso drove a 95.1 mph fastball from Atlanta Braves right-hander Spencer Strider just over the wall in right-center for a two-run shot in the third inning. Alonso’s 27th homer of the season lifted the Mets to a 5-1 lead.

Alonso went deep again in the sixth, connecting for a solo shot off Austin Cox. It was his franchise-record 25th multi-homer game, three more than Strawberry.

The Mets celebrated the record-breaking homer with a scoreboard graphic with the number 253 alongside pictures of Alonso and polar bears in honor of the slugger’s nickname. Alonso embraced Brandon Nimmo, who scored ahead of him, and another longtime teammate, on-deck hitter Jeff McNeil, before doffing his cap and blowing kisses to a near-sellout crowd that included New York owner Steve Cohen.

Led by manager Carlos Mendoza, the Mets poured out of the dugout to exchange embraces with Alonso as the crowd chanted his name. Alonso emerged for another curtain call during McNeil’s at-bat.

Following the inning, the Mets played the theme from “The Natural” and Alonso again doffed his cap as the camera lingered on Strawberry’s No. 18 hanging above foul territory in left field at Citi Field.

Alonso has six homers in 10 games this month — one more than he hit in 43 games from June 10 through July 30. He tied Strawberry’s record by going deep against the Milwaukee Brewers on Saturday.

The only other active players who lead their current franchise in home runs are Manny Machado (Padres) and Mike Trout (Angels).

Giancarlo Stanton, now with the New York Yankees, holds the Miami mark with 267 for the Marlins.

Strawberry broke the previous Mets record with his 155th home run on May 3, 1988, passing Dave Kingman. The sweet-swinging outfielder hit 252 in 1,109 games for New York during his first eight major league seasons from 1983-90. He later played for the Dodgers, Giants and Yankees, finishing his 17-year career with 335 homers.

Alonso played his 965th regular-season game Tuesday. The durable first baseman has played in 372 straight, a team record.

The Diamondbacks and Padres are the lone major league teams who haven’t had a player hit more than 252 homers for them. Luis Gonzalez holds the Arizona record with 224, and Machado entered Tuesday with 187 for San Diego.

A homegrown star, Alonso broke into the big leagues with a bang in 2019, hitting 53 home runs to set a major league rookie record and establish a franchise high for a single season.

The five-time All-Star has reached 40 two other times and been one of the most consistent sluggers in baseball since his arrival. After a protracted negotiation, he returned to the Mets as a free agent in February on a $54 million, two-year contract that includes a $24 million player option for 2026 which Alonso likely will decline.

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Parker Wotherspoon Looking To Build Upon Last Year For 2025-26 Season

Pittsburgh Penguins general manager and president Kyle Dubas repeatedly stated how much he wanted to revamp the left side of the defense heading into free agency. 

He wasn’t lying when he said that and added multiple players when free agency opened, including Alexander Alexeyev, Caleb Jones, and Parker Wotherspoon. Wotherspoon has the best chance of being an every-night player out of those three free-agent signings, and it's due to the season he had last year. He scored his first NHL goal and compiled six assists for seven points in 55 games. It’s the most games he has played in a season since breaking into the league in 2022. The New York Islanders originally picked him in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Draft. 

Besides a little bit of offense, Wotherspoon has demonstrated his ability to shut down opponents in the defensive zone and on the penalty kill. His combined 155:20 on the PK over the last two seasons attests to his defensive acumen, and he is eager to bring this momentum to his first season with the Penguins. 

“Obviously, was building pretty good last year. It was kinda a tough season. Obviously, we didn’t make the playoffs or where we wanted to be, but with the extra playing time, I felt like I was growing every game, playing more and more, especially when I got the bigger roles with the PK (penalty kill) and stuff,” Wotherspoon said to Penguins team reporter Michelle Crechiolo on Monday.

73 of those 155 combined PK minutes over the last two seasons were last season, and the PK is an area where the Penguins want to be better for the 2025-26 season. They finished last season with a 77.8% PK rate, good for 18th in the league. It was a step down from the 2023-24 season when the Penguins finished with the No. 11 PK in the league. 

Mike Vellucci was running the show on the PK for the last few seasons before taking an assistant coaching gig with the Chicago Blackhawks. It came about a month after the Penguins parted ways with former head coach Mike Sullivan after 10 seasons. There’s now a new coaching staff in place, led by Dan Muse, and one of their tasks will be to bring fresh and innovative ideas to the PK to improve it. 

Wotherspoon also brings a physical element to his game and isn’t afraid to stand up for his teammates. He’ll lay the boom and also step in if another player tries to take a run at someone. A fair amount of Penguins fans haven’t been happy with how “soft” the team has looked, and Wotherspoon will undoubtedly try to help change that.

Apr 13, 2025; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Penguins center Sidney Crosby (87) skates with the puck against Boston Bruins defenseman Parker Wotherspoon (29) during the third period at PPG Paints Arena. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images

In a perfect world, he’s a third-pairing defenseman on a Stanley Cup contender, but that is not this Penguins team. They're a team in transition, and due to that, there’s a good chance he will find himself playing top-four minutes with Kris Letang or Erik Karlsson (if he doesn’t get traded) this year. The Penguins are trying to return to contention as urgently as possible but want to do it right.

He might be a good fit for either Letang or Karlsson since he's responsible in his own end and can cover if one of them makes a mistake. Wotherspoon ranked in the 86th percentile for 5v5 defense last season and was an overall analytics darling. 

Both Letang and Karlsson love pushing the play and driving offense, but they need someone to do some of the defensive work in the Penguins’ zone. Brian Dumoulin was that player for the Penguins on the left side with Letang when he was in his prime before his game went downhill. He left the Penguins following the 2022-23 season and is about to be on his fourth team in the last three seasons. 

Former Penguins Defenseman Announces Retirement From NHLFormer Penguins Defenseman Announces Retirement From NHLFormer Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Chad Ruhwedel has announced his retirement from the NHL.

The Penguins thought they were getting Dumoulin’s replacement in Ryan Graves when they signed him in 2023, but it hasn’t worked out the way they envisioned. He’s endured two brutal seasons but will still be competing for a spot in the everyday lineup this upcoming season. 

Wotherspoon won’t be trying to replace Dumoulin per se, but he will try to give the Penguins some hard-fought minutes during the next two seasons. If he can bring even a little bit of stability to part of the left side of the Penguins’ defense, it will be considered a win after how rough it was the previous two years. 

There’s more work to be done for the Penguins' defensive core as a whole, but Wotherspoon is ready to hit the ground running. Fortunately for him, he won’t have to wait too much longer since training camp is coming up in a little over a month. Wotherspoon will then make his Penguins’ regular-season debut on October 7 against the New York Rangers. 

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Featured Image Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images

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Carlos Rodon goes seven strong, Yankees blast three homers in 9-1 win over Twins

Carlos Rodon bounced back from a rough first inning to give the Yankees seven innings and the offense launched three homers in their 9-1 win over the Twins on Tuesday night.

With the win, the Yankees clinched a series win after losing five of their last six series.

Here are the takeaways...

- It was a rough start for Rodon. The first pitch he threw, his spikes got stuck on the mound and he looked uncomfortable ever since. A hit, walk and HBP loaded the bases with no outs for rookie Luke Keaschall. The second baseman struck out swinging and got Royce Lewis to ground into a fielder's choice after beating out the double play attempt, which pushed across a run, and then struck out Kody Clemens to get out, just allowing one run, but he threw 31 pitches.

The southpaw would settle down in a big way, retiring 16 straight Twins at one point and pitching seven innings. Rodon is the first Yankee starter to go at least seven since he pitched eight innings against the Cubs on July 11. 

Rodon threw 96 pitches (61 strikes) through seven innings, allowing one run on one hit, two walks and striking out five batters.

- Aaron Judge hit his first home run since returning from the IL, his 38th homer of the season and got the Yankees even. Anthony Volpe will put the Yankees in front in the second with a three-run shot. It's the shortstop's eighth home run since the All-Star break.

Giancarlo Stanton launched a 447-foot blast to left-center field to put the Yanks up 5-1. It's Stanton's 441st career home run, surpassing Jason Giambi for 44th all-time. It's Stanton's 12th home run since July 2; only Kyle Schwarber has more.

- The Yankees continued to put pressure on the Twins throughout. They loaded the bases with one out in the third inning and forced starter Travis Adams out of the game. Paul Goldschmidt struck out and Ryan McMahon grounded out to end the threat. It was a recurring theme for the Yankees on this night, they were 1-for-11 with 10 left on base in the seventh when Cody Bellinger walked with the bases loaded before Stanton lined a two-run single to put the Yanks up 8-1. 

J.C. Escarra hit a single to drive in Jazz Chisholm Jr. -- who led off the inning with a triple -- to cap off the offensive onslaught. The Yankees finished 3-for-14 with RISP and left 12 on base.

Not only did Stanton finish 4-for-5 -- his first four-hit game since 2023 -- with three RBI, he also played a competent right field. He pushed his batting average to .300 on the season.

- The combination of Tim Hill and Yerry De Los Santos struck out three batters in the final two innings.

Game MVP: Carlos Rodon

The offense (and Stanton especially) were great, but if Rodon implodes in the first inning, it could have been a very different game.

Highlights

What's next

The Yanekes and Twins complete their three-game series on Wednesday night. First pitch is for 7:05 p.m.

Cam Schlittler (1-2, 4.38 ERA) takes the mound with Joe Ryan (11-5, 2.79 ERA) on the bump for the Twins.

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Pete Alonso breaks team's home run record — now make him a forever Met

Pete Alonso and the Mets should savor this, the longball that put the Polar Bear atop the Mets' all-time homer list. Alonso has broken Darryl Strawberry’s club record with his 253rd career blast, and it’s a grand accomplishment for a remarkable Met, one of the best in franchise history.

The big blow came in the bottom of the third on Tuesday night, as Alonso crushed a 95 mph first pitch fastball from Braves right-hander Spencer Strider 394 feet the other way into the bullpen.

Amidst relishing Alonso’s milestone, however, it’s hard not to think about his future in Flushing, too. He can opt out of the two-year, $54-million deal he signed before spring training this year and take what should be a more satisfying swig from the free agent chalice than last winter, when he lingered on the market.

The Mets shouldn’t let that happen. This record has only strengthened already-deep bonds between Alonso, the Mets, and Mets fans and the club should do what it takes to keep Alonso in Queens long-term.

Make him a Forever Met.

There is something about nurturing a franchise icon. The Mets’ past is littered with divorces from their boldface names, including the previous record-holder in home runs, Strawberry. Tom Seaver should never have worn another uniform. Ever. The club got it right with David Wright and the Mets enjoyed a great feel-good day last month when Wright’s No. 5 was retired and that was just a slice of what Wright being an Only Met brings the franchise.

Alonso deserves something similar. If he sticks around for the rest of his playing career, he’ll probably put the franchise’s homer mark out of reach for everyone, maybe even Juan Soto, who’s going to be around for another 14 years.  

Alonso’s power credentials are impeccable. It’s only right that he holds the career home run record for the Mets, since he has many of their other big fly marks, too.

Most in a single season? Yep – he hit 53 in 2019 to set the club record and the MLB record for home runs by a rookie. Mets to homer in the All-Star Game? Check – Alonso did it this year in Atlanta to join Lee Mazzilli (1979) and Wright (2006) as the only Mets to homer in the Midsummer Classic.

He’s the first Met to have five 30-homer seasons. Every single season he’s completed as a Met, Alonso has led the team in home runs. In his six full seasons prior to this one, here are his ranks among the National League home run leaders: first, third, third, second, third, fifth.

He was the fifth player in MLB history to have three 40-homer seasons in the first five years of his career, joining Ralph Kiner, Ryan Howard, Albert Pujols and Eddie Mathews.

Any list he’s on is a who’s who of brawn. After his second season – remember, 2020 was shortened by the pandemic – he had 69 career home runs. Only five players had more after their first two seasons and all of them played many more games than Alonso in that span. The players? Four Hall-of-Famers (Joe DiMaggio, Kiner, Mathews and Pujols) and a former MVP (Ryan Braun).

Alonso has always seemed to “get” New York. He’s embraced being a Met and embraced the city, from his goofy phrasemaking – “The boys are hot” – to his 9/11 cleats. It hasn’t all been perfect, nothing is. He even fell out of favor with some Met fans toward the end of last season, which was not his most productive campaign. Some were anticipating him going elsewhere in free agency and were fine with it.

Then he crushed the Brewers’ souls with that dramatic home run in the finale of the Wild Card Series in Milwaukee. It’s one of the biggest hacks in franchise history and it was the calling card of a big postseason in which Alonso had a .999 OPS, four home runs and 10 RBI in 13 games. Fans who were ambivalent about Alonso warmed up to a return.

The real conversations about Alonso’s future may not take place until the winter. Hopefully, Alonso, the Boras Corporation and the Mets can work it out. Both sides have to want it.

But, from the Mets’ standpoint, this should not be about “winning” the transaction. This is not about roster construction or siphoning value out of an under-appreciated part of the player market.

Yes, Alonso is on the wrong side of 30 (he’ll be 31 in December) and he is not the kind of versatile, athletic, youthful player that makes front offices swoon nowadays. So what? There are qualities beyond value that can bolster an organization. The Steve Cohen Mets have the kind of money and the willingness to spend it that they can gamble on Alonso wanting to be great into his mid-30s. And maybe beyond.

Barely anyone in the Majors has the kind of power Alonso does. Only Aaron Judge (269 home runs entering play Aug. 5) and Kyle Schwarber (252 entering play Aug. 5) have hit more home runs since Alonso entered the majors.

And give Alonso credit for something else he’s done this year – in a season where few Mets are producing with runners in scoring position, which has held the team back, he is batting .328 with a 1.164 OPS in such situations (entering play Aug. 5).

Alonso has been a great Met for years and him grabbing Strawberry’s record is a reminder that there’s a looming decision for Alonso, for both sides. A new deal in Queens would not just be paying him for what he’s done in the past. Power can age well, too. What if Alonso has five more 40-homer seasons in his bat?

There’s plenty of value in retaining a franchise icon. Historically, the Mets have missed some big chances. They’ve got an opportunity now to keep one in Alonso.

Do it.

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More bad news for Dodgers' bullpen: Brock Stewart goes on the IL

LOS ANGELES, CA - AUGUST 6, 2025: Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Brock Stewart (41) pitches against the St. Louis Cardinals in the ninth inning at Dodger Stadium on August 6, 2025 in Los Angeles, California.(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
Brock Stewart goes on the IL with a shoulder injury. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

The Dodgers announced that starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin underwent season-ending elbow surgery on Tuesday — and that wasn’t even the most troubling injury update of the day.

Instead, in what manager Dave Roberts described as the latest “big blow” to the club’s reeling bullpen, right-hander Brock Stewart was placed on the injured list with what Roberts said was shoulder inflammation.

The Dodgers are hopeful that they caught Stewart’s injury early. Both Roberts and president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman expressed confidence he would be back for the stretch run of the season.

Still, Stewart was acquired at the trade deadline less than two weeks ago in order to bolster a struggling relief corps already missing Michael Kopech, Tanner Scott, Kirby Yates and Brusdar Graterol. Now, just four outings into his return to the organization, Stewart represents yet another question mark for a team that has been short on answers amid a recent 12-19 skid.

“Obviously, he’s a big part of what we’re trying to do,” Roberts said. “So to not have him available hurts.”

According to Roberts, Stewart had been dealing with shoulder soreness over the last four days, coinciding with his most recent outing last Saturday against the Toronto Blue Jays.

Read more:Dodgers welcome deadline additions, hopeful arrival ‘raises the floor for our ballclub’

Stewart is scheduled to be more thoroughly examined Wednesday, but Friedman noted that initial manual testing on his shoulder was encouraging.

"Sounds like we caught it at the very front end,” Friedman said. “So from our standpoint, we felt like, let's be smart here, take him off line. We're optimistic that he'll be back.”

Hard-throwing right-hander Edgardo Henriquez was called up in Stewart’s place.

Stewart, who began his career as a starting pitcher with the Dodgers from 2016-2019 before reinventing himself as a hard-throwing reliever with the Minnesota Twins over the last three years, represented the Dodgers’ only bullpen upgrade at the deadline.

At the time, the lack of further action felt like a risk for a club that ranks 21st in the majors in reliever ERA this season (4.23).

But in Stewart, who was acquired at a relatively low cost, with only outfielder James Outman going back to Minnesota in return, the Dodgers’ hoped they’d not only found a right-handed replacement for Evan Phillips, who is out for the season because of a Tommy John surgery, but someone capable of shoring up one of the biggest weak spots on the roster.

"I think so much of this is about knowing the person you're acquiring,” Friedman said. “And the history we had with Brock, obviously, was really helpful with that.”

Read more:Dodgers place starting pitcher Tony Gonsolin on the injured list

However, Stewart took a loss in his second game with the team, giving up a tie-breaking run in the ninth against the St. Louis Cardinals last week. He was tagged for another run his next time out. And though he bounced back with a scoreless inning against the Blue Jays over the weekend, his shoulder flared up, marking the third time since the start of last year that shoulder troubles have forced him onto the injured list (he twice went on the 60-day IL last year because of shoulder injuries).

“From our standpoint, we felt like the upside, and hopefully we still have the chance to realize that, far outweighed the risk,” Friedman said when asked how much concern the team had over Stewart’s injury history before acquiring him. “But yeah, definitely came with some risk. That's where betting on the person helps. It doesn't guarantee an outcome, but it at least increases your chances. We're optimistic we'll still get there."

Indeed, the Dodgers are expecting Stewart, Kopech (who is eligible to return from the 60-day IL in about two weeks), Yates (who will throw a live batting practice Wednesday), Scott (who will throw a live BP on Thursday) and Graterol (who is still expected back from offseason shoulder surgery in September) will all be back before the end of the season.

But having so many guys battling injuries, Roberts conceded, is “an added layer of uncertainty.”

Stewart’s arrival was supposed to help quell concerns. Now, his injury has only added to their troubles.

Gonsolin out for year

In the other big injury news Tuesday, Friedman said that Gonsolin underwent an internal brace and flexor tendon surgery that will sideline him for at least the next eight to 10 months.

Out since early June because of elbow discomfort, Gonsolin was already a long shot to return this season. And given the relative health of the current rotation (as well as Roki Sasaki’s impending return from a shoulder injury), he was unlikely to factor heavily into their postseason plans.

Still, it represents yet another setback for the former All-Star right-hander, who missed the end of 2023 and all of last season with a Tommy John surgery.

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

This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.

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Pete Alonso makes history, lifts two of Mets’ six homers in skid-snapping 13-5 win over Braves

The Mets snapped their losing streak with a 13-5 win over the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday night at Citi Field.

Here are some takeaways...

- The Mets' offense absolutely exploded to end the losing skid at seven games. They chased Braves starter Spencer Strider after just four innings and then forced them to turn to a position player on the mound in the bottom of the seventh inning -- scoring 13 runs on 16 hits and six homers.

- The biggest blast of the night came in the bottom of the third when Pete Alonso crushed a first-pitch fastball from Strider over the right-center fence for a two-run shot, giving him 253 for his career and officially passing Darryl Strawberry's franchise record.  

It didn't take the big man very long to extend that record, as he lifted a solo shot for No. 254 in the sixth -- Alonso has now gone deep three times over the last three games, and he's tied for the team lead with 28 long balls on the year. 

- Alonso wasn't the only Met to enjoy a multi-homer night, Francisco Alvarez did as well. He had an opposite-field two-run shot in the second and then a solo shot to deep right in the sixth, the latter of which Brett Baty followed with an oppo blast of his own.  

Alvarez also had a run-scoring double, giving him three hits and four RBI on the night. 

- The other homer was a much-needed big hit delivered by Brandon Nimmo. The Braves rallied to even things up in the fourth, but in the bottom half of the inning, Francisco Lindor beat out a bunt single and Juan Soto drew a walk, before the slugger lifted a three-run shot to put the Mets in front for good.

Nimmo had two hits -- both he (0-for-20) and Lindor (0-for-21) snapped dreadful stretches.

- Clay Holmes struggled with his command as he worked through another up-and-down outing. He escaped a second and third nobody out jam in the first, allowing just one run to score, and then worked around two second-inning hits thanks to a 4-6-3 double play. 

Holmes issued a leadoff walk in the third, and this time was helped out by some bad fundies on the bases. Things caved in on him in the fourth, though, as Atlanta broke through for four runs to tie things up and chase him from the ballgame. 

Holmes finished with a final line of five runs on six hits and five walks while striking out four in 4.2 innings, bringing his ERA up to 3.71 for the year.

- Behind him, Gregory Soto stranded a pair in a scoreless inning of work, then with the game out of hand Justin Hagenman did a tremendous job of eating the final four innings, allowing just one baserunner.  

- Cedric Mullins put together a big night at the ballpark with a single, double, and two runs scored. After a bit of a slow start following the trade from the Orioles, he now has five hits and three RBI over his last three games.

- New York scored all 13 of their runs with two outs on the night. 

Game MVP: Pete Alonso

There were plenty of MVPs in this one, but it's hard not to pick the record-breaker. 

Highlights

What's next

David Peterson (7-5, 2.98 ERA) takes the ball against old friend Carlos Carrasco (2-2, 6.18 ERA) as the Mets and Braves continue their series at Citi Field at 7:10 p.m.