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Schwarber hits his 42nd homer as Phillies rally past Reds

CINCINNATI — Kyle Schwarber hit his 42nd homer of the season, a two-run shot that highlighted a four-run eighth inning, as the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies rallied to beat the Cincinnati Reds 4-1 Monday night, extending their winning streak to four games.

Schwarber’s 42nd homer moved him past Shohei Ohtani and into the NL lead. The Dodgers faced the Angels later Monday night. Seattle’s Cal Raleigh leads the AL and MLB with 45 homers. Schwarber has 97 RBIs this season.

Reds left-hander Andrew Abbott (8-3) allowed only three hits through seven innings. But, with two outs in the eighth, he allowed RBI doubles by Weston Wilson and Trea Turner. Schwarber followed with a two-run shot off Tony Santillan to complete the rally.

Abbott bounced back after a rough outing on Wednesday when he allowed four earned runs and a pair of homers in a 6-1 loss to the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Against the Phillies, he retired the first 12 batters he faced before J.T. Realmuto doubled leading off the fifth.

The Reds went ahead 1-0 when TJ Friedl doubled and scored on Gavin Lux’s single in the first. It was the only run allowed by Phillies starter Taijuan Walker in his six innings.

Orion Kerkering retired the Reds in order in the ninth for his third save in seven chances. Jordan Romano (2-4) earned the victory for Philadelphia, which moved six games ahead of the idle New York Mets in the division.

Key moment

With one out in the seventh, Reds right fielder Noelvi Marte prevented the tying run from scoring when he threw out Bryce Harper attempting to score from third on Nick Castellano’s fly ball.

Key stat

Schwarber, who was born in nearby Middletown, Ohio, has 13 career home runs at Great American Ball Park, the most of any road ballpark.

Up next

Phillies LHP Ranger Suárez (8-5, 2.94 ERA) will face Reds RHP Brady Singer (9-9, 5.43 ERA) on Tuesday.

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Yankees ace Gerrit Cole throws off flat ground as he recovers from Tommy John surgery

NEW YORK — Yankees ace Gerrit Cole took another step in his recovery from Tommy John surgery on his right elbow by making 20 throws off flat ground on Monday.

“It felt really good today,” Cole said before New York opened a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins at Yankee Stadium. “I was fairly accurate and I had a good time.”

Cole began his throwing program five months after getting an internal brace inserted into his elbow in an operation by Los Angeles Dodgers head team physician Dr. Neal ElAttrache.

The normal rehabilitation time is about 14 months and Cole had been building up to getting off flat ground for the past few weeks. Cole said his initial progressing will last for a few months before he can off a mound, and then he will get shut down and expects a normal offseason.

“It’s a big one, first day throwing,” Cole said. “I’ve been building up to it for a few weeks. So It’s nice to get outside and get it accomplished and have it go well.”

A 34-year-old right-hander with a 153-80 career record and 3.18 ERA over 317 starts, Cole’s arm initially was in a cast following the surgery and then a brace. The brace was removed in mid-April and Cole had been undergoing about 90 minutes to two hours of rehab.

Cole has thrown 1,954 innings over 12 major league seasons, plus an additional 133 1/3 innings in 22 postseason starts. His procedure was reconstruction of the ligament with an internal brace, which is designed to promote stability.

Cole is signed to a $324 million, nine-year contract through 2028, and is in the dugout for home games. He also joined a YES Network broadcast for a few innings during a game against the Los Angeles Angels on June 17.

“Excited for him,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said. “He’s done a good job with the rehab and this is one of those cool markers along the way that is significant to hit. So excited for him.”

Cole’s 2024 season debut was delayed until June 19 because of nerve irritation and edema in his right elbow. He went 8-5 with a 3.41 ERA in 17 starts for New York and was 1-0 with a 2.17 ERA in five postseason starts.

Cole went for tests after allowing a pair of home runs in his second spring training start this year, against Minnesota on March 6.

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Yankees blast four home runs to beat Twins, 6-2

The Yankees bounced back after dropping their third series in a row over the weekend by beating the Minnesota Twins on Monday night, 6-2.

Here are the takeaways...

-All or nothing seemed to be the biggest theme in this one with five different players hitting five solo homers. Cody Bellinger got things started by hitting his 21st bomb of the season in the bottom of the first inning. The solo shot off Zebby Matthews was the first hit of the game and gave New York a 1-0 lead.

Matthews would allow two more home runs in his 5.2 innings of work -- back-to-back solo shots by Giancarlo Stanton and Ben Rice in the third. Stanton lifted his 11th of the season on the first pitch he saw while Rice crushed his 17th of the year on a 2-2 slider and sent it 415 feet to right field.

When Matthews wasn't letting up long balls, though, he was striking out New York's hitters, finishing with nine strikeouts to match his career high. His night was over after issuing his first walk of the game and throwing 99 pitches (68 strikes).

-On the other side was Will Warren who had a similar performance as Matthews. Like Matthews, Warren's night mostly consisted of strikeouts or solo home runs. To his credit, the rookie right-hander was slightly better than his competition and only allowed two solo shots -- one to Byron Buxton in the sixth and another to Trevor Larnach in the seventh -- in 6.2 innings. He also struck out seven while walking none on 85 pitches (60 strikes).

Warren left the game with a 3-2 lead and his outing was good enough to secure his seventh win of the season (7-5). It was also the fourth straight start where he's allowed two earned runs or fewer.

The offense relied less on the long ball in the bottom half of the seventh and strung together three hits and a walk against reliever Brooks Kriske, who got the final out of the sixth, to start the frame which resulted in two more runs. Ryan McMahon doubled to lead things off, Anthony Volpe walked (after a wild pitch advanced McMahon to third) followed by Trent Grisham and Aaron Judge singling them home.

-Jazz Chisholm Jr. ended the scoring with a bang by smacking another solo shot to lead off the eighth inning. It was the Bronx Bombers' fourth home run of the game and Chisholm's 20th of the season.

-The Yanks finished with 10 hits on the night with every player in the starting lineup besides Paul Goldschmidt getting at least one hit. Stanton and Rice each had two hits.

-Following Warren, Luke Weaver and David Bednar combined for 2.1 perfect innings while striking out four.

-Both teams combined for six home runs and 23 strikeouts.

Game MVP: Will Warren

The righty turned in another quality start and is pitching the best he has all season.

Highlights

What's next

The Yankees continue their series with the Twins on Tuesday night. First pitch is scheduled for 7:05 p.m.

LHP Carlos Rodón (11-7, 3.35 ERA) will go for New York while Minnesota has yet to announce a starter.

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Why Nathan Légaré Will Enter Devis Training Camp With New Mindset

 

Nathan Légaré made his NHL debut at Madison Square Garden, arguably the most famous arena in the world, in the winter of 2024. 

Besides the game itself, a 5-1 New Jersey victory, he remembers playing against one of his best buddies, New York Rangers forward Alexis Lafrenière, and a piece of advice his New Jersey Devils teammate Justin Dowling shared before his rookie lap. 

"He told me to not step on the puck on the ice," Légaré said during a phone interview with The Hockey News. "It would have been funny if I did."

The 24-year-old appeared in three games with the Devils before returning to the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League, where he spent the majority of the 2024-25 season. While it was a brief NHL stint, it provided a boost for Légaré. 

"There is more confidence about my game now," he explained. "Especially, now that I have played a couple of games in the NHL. That is a check mark, but the next one is to stay in the NHL and be a full-time NHLer. That is the mindset right now." 

The Devils acquired the versatile forward on March 11, 2024, from the Montreal Canadiens. In his first full season with the Comets, he earned a single-season career high of 25 points. 

In the AHL, Légaré found himself throughout Utica's lineup from top line to fourth, playing both wing and center. In the NHL, he considers himself a bottom-six player who can provide energy and kill penalties. 

For his call-up, he knew what could separate him and make an impression on the coaching staff in New Jersey. 

"For me, it is my physical presence," he shared. "I think in my first NHL game, I had five or six hits. That is part of my game, and when I am physical, that is when I play my best hockey. 

"That was the big thing in Utica," he continued. "I was scoring goals at the end of the year, but I was also playing a physical game. I got in six fights, plus two in preseason. I think that is a good number for me. I am not looking for a fight, but when the situation is there, I think you have to do it. I know this year in the American League, teams are getting bigger, and we are going to need that physical presence. I am willing to do it. I am not going to say I am going to square off every night, but when the situation is there and my team needs me to fight, I am willing to do it."  

Légaré had a total of six hits in his NHL debut, which tied Paul Cotter for the most among Devils skaters that night. In three games, he logged 12 hits. 

New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) on XNew Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) on XANOTHA ONE. We have re-signed F Nathan Légaré to a one-year, two-way contract. 📰: https://t.co/h7tNfBiH9n

With so many depth players leaving the Devils in free agency, the Montreal native sees an opportunity in New Jersey, but has a practical perspective.

"Everybody wants to make the New Jersey Devils, but at the same time, I think you have to be realistic," he said. "It is not the end of the world if you go back to Utica. You work hard, and you never know what can happen."

During his time with the Devils organization, Légaré has seen that hard work will lead to positive outcomes. 

"That is what I like the most about the New Jersey Devils," he said, "They call the next guy up who deserves to get the call-up. You never know, it can be a guy on an AHL contract. I think about Samuel Laberge. Two years ago, he was on an AHL deal, signed a new deal, and got the call-up. It is pretty motivating for everybody in the organization. I think that is why all the guys arrive prepared for camp."

Seeing players' efforts being rewarded, coupled with a newfound confidence, Légaré admitted that his mindset has shifted as he prepares for training camp in one month. 

"Last year (at training camp), it was making a good first impression because I was traded (in March)," he said. "This year, they know what I can bring and they saw what I was able to do during the season. For me, it is more of a game-changer now, and hopefully, I can crack the lineup at camp.

"I don't want to look too much at the depth chart," he continued. "I just want to focus on my game. That is what I did last year, and it ended up working for me. That is how I want to go into camp. Like I said, you never know what can happen." 

Make sure you bookmark THN's New Jersey Devils site for THN's latest news, exclusive interviews, breakdowns, and so much more.

The Mental Side of the Game: Devils Players & Mental Skills Coach Andy Swärd Take You Behind the Scenes

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NHL Insider: Oilers Have Reached Out About Red Wings’ Goalie Prospect

Detroit Red Wings general manager Steve Yzerman has managed to assemble one of the deepest prospect pools in the National Hockey League, which includes two highly regarded goaltenders expected to develop into future starters. 

2023 First Round selection Sebastian Cossa and 2023 Second Round selection Trey Augustine are both considered to have tremendous potential and could form one of the league’s most formidable tandems in the coming seasons.

While Detroit’s championship window hasn’t realistically opened yet, a team that has lost back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals has reportedly contacted the Red Wings and expressed alleged interest in acquiring one of their goaltending prospects.

Bookmark The Hockey News Detroit Red Wings team site to stay connected to the latest news, game-day coverage, and player features. 

Appearing on The Sekeres & Price Show, League Insider Cam Robinson - Content Director and Director of Film Scouting for Elite Prospects - revealed that he’s been told the Oilers have reached out to Detroit about potentially acquiring Cossa to present to their fans as their goaltender of the future.

"I've heard that they're looking a little more long term, and their field of vision is a little wider here," Robinson said of the Oilers. "I've been told they've contacted Detroit, I believe the first person they asked about was Trey Augustine and think it was just a non-starter. Steve Yzerman and company really love that kid, and they should."

"But they have a 6'6", 6'7" former first rounder in Sebastian Cossa sitting there, who is slowly been progressing up the way, played a full season in the East Coast League," Robinson continued. "They're not soured on him by any means, but I think they're hoping that he'd be quicker along the path, and the fact that they have Augustine there in the Red Wings system potentially allows him to be an expendable chip." 

Cossa has already begun his professional career in the American Hockey League after having played for the WHL's Edmonton Oil Kings and the ECHL's Toledo Walleye. This past season with the Grand Rapids Griffins, Cossa amassed a record of 21-15-5 while posting a 2.45 goals-against average. 

But Cossa's numbers weren't as strong down the final stretch of the regular season, and he faltered during the Calder Cup Playoffs, finding himself benched after surrendering nine goals in just two games. 

Meanwhile, Augustine has thrived not only with the Michigan State Spartans but with the United States in international play. 

"If Edmonton does want to get themselves someone that they can tag as like, 'Here's our goalie of the future that's maybe only a year or two years away', he'd be a great bet to go on," Robinson concluded. 

Unless the Oilers were to present Yzerman with a Godfather-style offer he couldn’t refuse, the chances of Detroit trading Cossa are remote. At the same time, Yzerman did not sound optimistic about Cossa seeing NHL action in the 2025-26 season.

"Today, I’m not prepared to say he’s going to play in the NHL next year," Yzerman said on April 29 of Cossa. "He’s got to do more." 

If the Oilers want to acquire a young goaltender with a high ceiling, they’ll have to find a deal elsewhere, as the Red Wings aren’t going to be parting ways with either Cossa or Augustine. 

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Correa plays 1st game in Houston since trade as Bregman visits for 1st time since joining Red Sox

HOUSTON — Carlos Correa and Alex Bregman were back at Daikin Park on Monday.

But while Correa was making his triumphant return home after the recent blockbuster trade that brought him back to the Houston Astros from the Minnesota Twins, Bregman was in the ballpark for the first time as a visitor after signing with the Boston Red Sox this offseason. Monday is the opener of a three-game series between the teams.

“That adds an extra little bit of what it’s going to mean for our fans,” Houston manager Joe Espada said. “Both players, what they’ve done for this organization, it’s incredible, right? Bregman, he’s one of the best players that ever wore this uniform, and now we get Carlos back, coming in here and (helping) us win the division. It’s going to be electric here.”

Bregman, drafted second overall by the Astros in 2015, spent his first nine seasons in Houston where he helped the team to eight playoff berths, including seven trips to the AL Championship Series, four World Series appearances and two championships. The third baseman was named an All-Star twice in Houston, won a Gold Glove last season and a Silver Slugger Award in 2019 when he came in second in AL MVP voting.

Bregman was asked about the timing of them both returning to Houston on the same day.

“I was shocked at the news during the trade deadline and it was awesome and it looks like he’s fit right back in,” Bregman said. “He’s a great player, a leader, great teammate. It’s always difficult to compete against him because he’s such a good competitor, but we’re gonna give it our best shot today.”

Correa, who waived his no-trade clause to return to Houston, is back after playing for the Twins since 2022. The top pick in the 2012 draft, he spent his first eight seasons with the Astros, pairing with Bregman for many of those years to transform the Astros from league laughingstock to perennial contender. He’s been great in the nine games since the trade and entered Monday batting .405 with 15 hits, including two homers and six RBIs.

He said returning to the team where his career began after being gone for four years is surreal.

“It’s a second chance to come back here and put on this uniform and it’s a chance that I will never take for granted,” he said. “I’m gonna go out there and give it my best every single day I go out there.”

Correa, who has been slowed by injuries in recent years, said he’s feeling rejuvenated since rejoining the Astros and moving to third base after spending his entire career playing shortstop.

“Being at third base I don’t get as tired, so I feel like my legs are a lot fresher,” he said.

Bregman, who spent years playing third base in Houston while Correa was at shortstop, has no doubt that he’ll excel at his new position.

“He’s going to do great over there,” Bregman said. “He’s got an incredible arm. We always used to say if he catches the ball, the guy is out because of how good the arm is and he’s going to make the transition great. He’s a Platinum Glove winner at shortstop, so third base should be pretty easy for him.”

Though Bregman faced the Astros recently in Boston when the Red Sox swept a three-game series, he admitted that Monday would be emotional because of all the memories he made here. He spoke of what stuck out to him the most from his time in Houston.

“I’d say the championships and just seeing how resilient the city is and how it comes together when times are tough,” he said. “And the people are great, my teammates, the coaches, everything, all the memories in the clubhouse, busting our tail trying to find a way to win a baseball game every single day, the everyday grind of it, it was fun for us.”

As for Correa, he’s soaking up every minute of being back with the team. The best part, he said, is reuniting with close friend and second baseman Jose Altuve.

“As soon as I got to Boston, I gave him a big hug and I told him I missed him,” Correa said. “He’s an unbelievable player, but the human side of it, I get to hang out with him after the games, we get to go eat after the games (and) we just talk shop. It’s something that I definitely missed a lot and I get to do it again so I’m not gonna take it for granted.”

Altuve shares his sentiments.

“I’m really excited he’s back,” he said. “I really enjoyed my time playing with him and I’m going to enjoy playing with him again and we’re all excited about him.”

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Yankees not yet sure when Aaron Judge will return to outfield

Aaron Judge continues to work towards a return to right field, but the Yankees do not yet know if he will be able to man the position this weekend in St. Louis.

Before Monday’s game, manager Aaron Boone ruled out Judge for the outfield during this week’s series at home against Minnesota.

Ever since Judge hit the injured list last month with a right flexor strain, the team has been optimistic that he would return to the field before long. “Sooner rather than later” continues to be the public messaging.

But privately, the team is genuinely unsure when it might happen. The timing is important because as long as Judge is limited to designated hitter duties, right field is Giancarlo Stanton’s only path to playing time. The reeling Yankees are hardly in a position to sit Stanton, one of their best hitters.

The location of the Yankees’ next series could create extra incentive for Judge to return this weekend.

Right field at Yankee Stadium is relatively small, which is suited to Stanton’s current level of speed and range. Busch Stadium in St. Louis presents far more ground to cover.

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Former Met Johan Santana named Team Venezuela's pitching coach for 2026 World Baseball Classic

Former Met Johan Santana is joining Team Venezuela's coaching staff as their pitching coach for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

Santana, who pitched for the Mets from 2008-2012, is a two-time Cy Young award winner and four-time All-Star. He won both of his Cy Young awards with the Minnesota Twins where he began his career and spent eight seasons.

In his first season in New York, the left-hander led MLB with his 2.53 ERA and led the NL with 34 starts and 234.1 innings pitched. Santana went on to go 46-34 during his career with the Mets and pitched to a 3.18 ERA. He also threw the first no-hitter in franchise history on June 1, 2012 against the St. Louis Cardinals.

Now 46 years old, this will be Santana's first opportunity as a coach for professional players. And although rosters have not been released yet, some possible pitchers that will play for manager Omar Lopez and Team Venezuela include starters Pablo Lopez, Ranger Suarez, Eduardo Rodriguez and Martin Perez, as well as relievers Jose Alvarado, Robert Suarez, Jose Buttó and Brusdar Graterol.

With a lineup that could feature players such as Ronald Acuña Jr., Jose Altuve, Salvador Perez, Eugenio Suarez and more like Francisco Alvarez and Luisangel Acuña, Team Venezuela will likely be a formidable team in the tournament.

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Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Will Mammoth Maul Buffalo As Utah Seeks First Playoff Appearance?

Ian Cole (left); Alex Tuch (right) -- (Rob Gray, USA TODAY Images)

The NHL's off-season rolls on, and every day brings with it more hockey talk. And in this ongoing THN.com series, we here at the Sabres site are focusing on the Buffalo Sabres' 2025-26 regular-season schedule -- and specifically, Sabres opponents who could get in the way of Buffalo's Stanley Cup playoff aspirations.

We started this series looking at the Sabres' Atlantic Division rivals, followed by the Metropolitan Division's teams. In recent days, we've been breaking down Buffalo's Central Division rivals. And today, we're focused on the Utah Mammoth.

BUFFALO SABRES VS. UTAH MAMMOTH

NEW MAMMOTH PLAYERS: J.J. Peterka, LW; Brandon Tanev, LW; Nate Schmidt, D; Vitek Vanecek, G

2024-25 SERIES: Sabres 0-2-0, Utah 2-0-0

2025-26 GAMES AGAINST EACH OTHER:  November 4 at Buffalo; November 12 at Utah 

CAN THE SABRES BEAT THIS TEAM?  For a few reasons, the Sabres/Mammoth rivalry has the potential for some good times, as both teams are connected to each other for different reasons. For starters, Utah's logo is rather similar to one of Buffalo's old logos. More importantly, one of the biggest trades of the summer saw Utah acquire Peterka from Buffalo -- and Peterka is just what the Mammoth need to get to that next competitive level.

If that trade had been all of what Utah GM Bill Armstrong did this summer, you'd still say the Mammoth had a solid off-season. But he also signed former Winnipeg Jets winger Tanev to improve his team's fourth line, and he signed Stanley Cup-winner Schmidt away from the Florida Panthers to bolster Utah's third defense pairing. 

(Armstrong also signed veteran goalie Vanecek, who will begin the year as Utah's third goalie. If he's needed, something has gone horribly awry for the Mammoth.)

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Are Boosted Blues Bound To Beat Buffalo?Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Are Boosted Blues Bound To Beat Buffalo?The Buffalo Sabres are facing enormous pressure to end their 14-year Stanley Cup playoff drought next season, and it's not hyperbole to say that the Sabres can't afford so much as a single off-night if they're going to be a playoff team. Every game really counts, and Buffalo needs to beat many above-average squads if they're going to earn a playoff berth in the highly-competitive Atlantic Division.

All-in-all, the Mammoth have to be considered a better team than they were last season. And that's bad news if Buffalo doesn't have its ducks in a row when the two teams square off against each other twice in little more than a single week in early November.

Indeed, if Utah comes out of the gate and stuns the Sabres in their first game November 4 in Buffalo, the Sabres will have only have eight days to figure out how to fight back for Round 2, as the Mammoth get a home game against Buffalo to finish up the series. That's somewhat of a shame, as it would've been fun to have at least one game between them near the end of the season, when it's likely that both Utah and the Sabres will be fighting for a wild card berth in their respective conferences.

Still, it's going to be intriguing to see how that first game plays out. Last season, Utah won both games handily against the Sabres, beating Buffalo by a 5-2 score in both games. And the second game in the series came March 20, when both teams should've been in hot pursuit of a playoff spot. Instead, the Sabres were well out of playoff contention by then, and Utah wound up missing a playoff berth by eight standings points. So it was more misery for franchises accustomed to it.

Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Will Buffalo Sweep Series Vs. Sub-Par Nashville Predators Next Season?Know Your Enemy, Sabres Central Edition: Will Buffalo Sweep Series Vs. Sub-Par Nashville Predators Next Season?The NHL's 2025-26 schedule has been out for a while now, and THN.com's Buffalo Sabres site has been analyzing every team the Sabres will take on next season. We've worked our way through the Eastern Conference teams, and we're currently focusing on the Central Division teams. And in today's file, we're turning our attention to the Nashville Predators.

It hasn't been easy for either of these teams to put memorable seasons together, and that's another reason why we see a link between the Mammoth and Sabres. They've languished and labored time and again, but as is custom at this time of year, hope springs eternal, and who knows -- there might be a world in which both Buffalo and Utah are both playing playoff games in the same season.

The Sabres can't afford to lose both games to the Mammoth this year. A split would be acceptable, and anything more than that would be a positive. But if Buffalo plays with an urgency to their game, they have the manpower to answer back for last season's failures and shock the Mammoth into submission.

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Giants' offense once again lacks energy as team's Oracle Park skid continues

Giants' offense once again lacks energy as team's Oracle Park skid continues originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

SAN FRANCISCO — As Drew Gilbert’s floater to left field dropped softly onto the grass on Monday night, members of his family started to rise. They weren’t alone. 

The Giants prospect got a nice ovation after picking up his first big league hit in the third inning, but he didn’t let any big-picture thoughts creep into his head. Gilbert said afterward that he immediately went into baserunner mode. He didn’t spend much time soaking up the cheers or the applause coming from his dugout. 

“For maybe, like, a second,” he said.

The ovation came a day after Giants fans showered Justin Verlander with love following his 3,500th strikeout. This is a fan base that is desperate for something to cheer for, and once again, the Giants gave them very few reasons to get on their feet. 

Rafael Devers brought some juice with a solo homer, but other than that and the Gilbert single, there was nothing. The Giants lost 4-1 to the San Diego Padres, striking out 10 times while losing for the 11th time in their last 12 games at Oracle Park. 

A team that had eight walk-off wins through June 7 all of a sudden is incapable of bringing life to a ballpark that has seen a notable attendance boost this season. The Giants have scored three total runs in their last three home games and 23 runs over the 1-11 stretch. 

“Giants fans are one of the best and they’ve been showing up for us and we just haven’t been doing a good job,” staff ace Logan Webb said. “We score a run today and tie the game and I go back out for the seventh and the momentum shift — it’s just bad. It’s kind of the way it’s going.”

Webb gave up three runs right after the Devers homer and took that hard, although he probably shouldn’t have. After throwing 219 pitches in his two previous starts, he was sent back out for the seventh with 88 on his line. The inning unraveled quickly, with a Freddy Fermin homer putting the game away.

The Giants always have pushed Webb, and perhaps they felt getting seven strong out of him on Monday was the only way. They certainly weren’t going to win a battle of the bullpens. 

That wasn’t the case in the first half, when they seemingly came back every time they fell behind at home. The deficits are the same, but the comebacks have dried up, and with Monday’s loss, they fell to .500 at Oracle Park this season. 

Manager Bob Melvin was asked about the home skid before the game and said it’s hard to figure out what’s going on. Players have said the same, but they need to put it together quickly. The first half built momentum and attendance surged, but Monday’s crowd of 30,018 was the smallest at Oracle Park since June 13. It was 5,000 less than what the Giants drew two weeks earlier on a Monday night against the last-place Pittsburgh Pirates. 

It was an energetic crowd early on, though. At least until the lack of offense sucked the life out of the ballpark. Even Gilbert, who should have been celebrating, found reasons for frustration.

“I know I’m a rookie, but I want to win,” he said. “Hits are awesome, but wins are better.”

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Kings reportedly will begin 2025-26 NBA season with road matchup against Suns

Kings reportedly will begin 2025-26 NBA season with road matchup against Suns originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area

The Kings don’t know how their 2025-26 NBA season will end, but the beginning of their journey has been revealed.

Sacramento will kick off their regular season on the road against the Phoenix Suns on Oct. 22, KCRA’s Sean Cunningham reported Monday, citing sources.

Cunningham also reported that Sacramento’s home opener will be against the Utah Jazz on Oct. 24, followed by another game at Golden 1 Center against the Los Angeles Lakers on Oct. 26.

ESPN Sacramento’s Damien Barling also reported that former coach Mike Brown’s return to Sacramento will be on Jan. 14, when the Kings host his new team, the New York Knicks.

Brown coached the Kings for nearly three seasons before being fired in Dec. 2024 after Sacramento began last season with a 13-18 record. Brown famously coached the beloved “Beam Team,” which broke Sacramento’s 16-year playoff drought by earning the Western Conference’s No. 3 seed during the 2022-23 NBA season.

After losing in the NBA play-in tournament in back-to-back seasons, the Kings are seeking a better result in the upcoming campaign, Sacramento’s first with coach Doug Christie serving in a full-time capacity.

It all begins with an October trip to the desert.

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Phils make quick work of Reds to win fourth straight, climb 20 games over .500

Phils make quick work of Reds to win fourth straight, climb 20 games over .500 originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia

CINCINNATI — While the collective musical preference of the Phillies and Cincinnati Reds isn’t known, the two teams played with a quickness Monday as if they were huge Snoop Dogg fans.

Fo shizzle.

The immensely popular entertainer performed following the game at Great American Ballpark, and you had to wonder if the players wanted to get to it as quick as possible. A quick game of two hours and 20 minutes and a concert are much better if a win is attached, and the Phillies got that with a 4-1 triumph over the Reds.

The only real delay in the game came in the top of the eighth when the Reds decided to challenge whether Kyle Schwarber’s monster two-run homer was fair or foul. The call stood as fair and Schwarber’s 42nd home run of the season gave the Phillies a 4-1 lead.

Phillies starter Taijuan Walker struggled in the first inning as he allowed a run on three hits while throwing 27 pitches. The big right-hander found a groove, however, and didn’t allow another run during his six innings of work in which he allowed six hits, just that run, a walk and struck out two while throwing a manageable 93 pitches in his duel with Reds starter Andrew Abbott.

“I started getting quick outs, a lot of ground ball outs today, which was key,” Walker, who now sports a 3.39 ERA this season, said. “The biggest thing is just keeping the team in the game. That first inning could have got away but only let up the one run and after that just kind of got into a little groove and started being aggressive and just started pounding the zone.

“I said before, I busted my butt in the offseason. I wanted to come back this year and show them that I worked hard and I was ready to get back into the rotation. I think I proved that and especially going back and forth staying calm and under control and within myself and going out to do whatever they want me to do. I’m comfortable as a starter and I’ve done it for a long time, so hopefully keep going.”

Abbott was lights out against the Phillies for seven innings and began the eighth by striking out Harrison Bader and Otto Kemp. As has been the norm for the Phillies on this road trip, the offense did what it needed to do to secure the team’s eighth win in the past 10 games. The Phillies are now 69-49, their first time to 20 games over .500 this season. They lead the idle New York Mets by six games in the National League East.

Edmundo Sosa got a two-out single in the eighth and then Weston Wilson, one of the plethora of platoon outfielders manager Rob Thomson has at his disposal, lined a double down the left-field line that bounced around for a bit, allowing Sosa to score from first and tie the game at one. Sosa then scored on a single by Trea Turner and then Schwarber hit that monster shot to right, just inside the foul pole.

It was the second game in a row that Wilson came up big at the plate. His single in the fifth Sunday gave the Phillies a 3-2 lead in an eventual 4-2 win over the Rangers. Monday, he did it again.

“It’s something I’ve been accustomed to the last couple of years,” Wilson said of platooning. “That’s my role, playing against lefties and just doing the same thing that I’ve been doing, getting prepared in the cage. Trying to simulate reaction time with heaters and everything. I think when game time rolls around you kind of just go compete.

“It’s huge. I have confidence in myself and I think everybody has confidence in each other. Just being able to come up big in those moments has been awesome. Being able to take some pressure off the top of the lineup and the bottom is doing it as well now.”

With the luxury of his bullpen pitching so well of late, the game seems to get shorter and shorter for Thomson. Although closing sensation Jhoan Duran was unavailable Monday after having had saves the previous two games against the Rangers, the trio of Jordan Romano, David Robertson and Orion Kerkering brought it home as they combined to allow just one hit, walked one and struck out three in their three innings. The bullpen has now allowed just one earned run over the last 23 2/3 innings.

“Romano hasn’t had a full inning in a long time. He came in and threw strikes,” Thomson said. “His stuff was really good, sharp slider. D-Rob getting his feet wet in pretty high-leverage, I guess. Walked the leadoff hitter on four pitches but then he settled in and pitched great and Kerkering was fantastic. Sometimes you’re forced into it (putting in pitchers in high-leverage situations) and you can’t do anything about it. I would have liked to put [Robertson] into a little easier spot.”

Before his collapse in the eighth, Abbott had allowed just three hits to the Phillies. Oddly, all three hits, including doubles by J.T. Realmuto and Bryce Harper, led off innings, but the left-hander worked out of trouble each time.

“His pitch count was getting up there so maybe he wasn’t quite as sharp,” Thomson said of Abbott. “I think this club is so resilient, they never believe they are out of a game, they just keep fighting and that’s what I love about them.”

Thomson ended the postgame talk yelling “Snoop.” Asked if he was going to watch the concert, the manager said, “No, I’m going home and watching TV.”

There was plenty of time for that, too.