The Yankees picked Texas A&M shortstop Kaeden Kent with the 103rd overall selection in the third round of the 2025 MLB Draft.
Kent, the son of former big leaguer Jeff, played three seasons with the Aggies. In 56 games last year, he had 13 doubles, one triple, 13 home runs, and 49 RBI with a .279/.398/.544 slash for a .943 OPS while going down on strikes 35 times to 37 walks.
“He’s a left-handed hitter, athletic, and can really play shortstop, which he showed us this past year,” Damon Oppenheimer, Yankees vice president of domestic amateur scouting, said in a team release. “Growing up around his father, Kaeden has experienced elite baseball, so he knows what it takes and has seen what his dad had to do to be a successful ballplayer. For us, Kaeden has made a name for himself.”
The six-foot-two infielder has experience all over the diamond. While Kent appeared solely as a shortstop in 2025, he saw time at every infield position during the 2024 season, and played 11 of 28 games in the outfield in 2023.
In limited at-bats during the 2024 season, Kent had 36 hits in 110 times up (.327) with 10 extra-base hits (four home runs) and 28 RBI with a .905 OPS. He batted .265 with a .703 OPS in his first taste of collegiate action over 83 at-bats.
In six games during the 2024 College World Series, Kent went 10-for-24 (.417) with a home run and six RBI and was named to the CWS All-Tournament Team.
Kent spent two summers playing ball in the Cape Cod League, where he was a two-time All-Star and batted .299 with a .763 OPS in 254 at-bats. He had 15 extra-base his (three homers) and 35 RBI while striking out 44 times to 30 walks.
The No. 103 selection carries a slot value of $744,400. The Yanks entered the draft with the smallest bonus pool at just $5,383,600.
The Mets selected Central Florida shortstop Antonio Jimenez with the 102nd overall pick (Round 3) in the 2025 MLB Draft.
Jimenez, 21, played 55 games last season for UCF after transferring from Miami. The 6-foot-1 infielder had 14 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs, and 51 RBI while slashing .329/.407/.575 with a .982 OPS in 207 at-bats. He was struck out 46 times to 25 walks and added 11 steals on 14 attempts.
Mets director of amateur scouting Drew Toussaint said the club believes Jimenez has the “chance to be an above-average defender” and liked what they saw from his bat this past season.
“He has a couple of pluses,” Toussaint said in a news conference after the third round on Sunday. “Plus power, raw power, plus arm strength. He really improved offensively this year, made a ton of improvements making contact, and had a really good year overall.”
In his lone season with the Knights, the right-handed swinging shortstop had 18 multi-hit games and 14 multi-RBI games while posting a 24-game on-base streak and a 12-game hitting streak. Jimenez was named to the All-Big 12 Second Team.
The Hialeah native began his college career with the Hurricanes in 2024, appearing in 45 games, but struggled at the plate. Jimenez had just 18 hits in 99 at-bats (.182) with seven doubles and two home runs for a .313 slugging percentage and .613 OPS. That summer, he went to the Cape Cod League and in 39 games had 12 extra-base hits (five home runs) while batting .203 with a .705 OPS while striking out 38 times to 19 walks.
The No. 102 selection carries a slot value of $752,000. The Mets entered the draft with the second-lowest bonus pool in the sport at $5,465,900.
The Mets did not pick between the Competitive Balance Round A and late in the third round due to signing Juan Soto, who was a free agent who received a qualifying offer. (The signing also meant New York forfeited their second-and fifth-highest selections and $1 million from their 2026 international bonus pool.)
This move comes less than two weeks after the Penguins sent netminder Alex Nedeljkovic to the San Jose Sharks in a trade for a 2028 third-round pick. When that trade happened, it appeared that the Penguins were finally aiming to address their organizational goaltending logjam in order to give some younger guys their chance to stick on the NHL roster.
Now, the acquisition of Silovs - who is signed through the end of the 2025-26 season at $850,000 - once again, complicates things.
Silovs, 24, is still pretty young and relatively inexperienced at the NHL level. He appeared in 10 NHL games for Vancouver in 2024-25, posting an .861 save percentage and a 3.65 goals-against average. And, for his career, he is 8-8-2 in 19 appearances with an .880 save percentage and a 3.13 goals-against average.
While his NHL numbers might not jump out on the stats sheet, it’s his ability to step up in big games that has shone through. In the 2025 Calder Cup playoffs for the Abbotsford Canucks - Vancouver’s AHL affiliate - Silovs went 16-7-0 with five shutouts, a .931 save percentage, and 2.01 goals-against average, leading Abbotsford to its first-ever Calder Cup championship and taking home AHL playoff MVP honors at the end of it all.
In other words, the Penguins acquired a young goaltender much like some of the prospects they already have in their system in Joel Blomqvist, Taylor Gauthier, Filip Larsson, and Sergei Murashov: a netminder with potential that has seen stretches of inconsistency but could be a big part of the NHL roster looking ahead.
While more goaltending depth certainly isn’t a bad thing for the Penguins - as they have struggled in that department for the better part of the last decade - it also raises questions about what their plan between the pipes is heading into the 2025-26 season.
Although the Penguins carried three goaltenders for a near-month-long stretch early last season, it’s unlikely that will be the case barring injury concerns. Gauthier, 24, and Larsson, 26, are both signed to AHL contracts, while Blomqvist, 23, and Murashov, 21, are both signed to their entry-level contracts.
The latter two are the two goaltending prospects with the most promise for the Penguins, but both Larsson and Gauthier have shown flashes of brilliance in the Penguins’ system. Larsson started last season in Wilkes-Barre/Scranton on a high note, but an injury in the back half of the season set him back, and he struggled in the games to follow. Gauthier took home ECHL Goaltender of the Year honors in 2023-24 with a .923 save percentage and 2.23 goals-against average only to best those numbers last season, as he finished with a .928 save percentage and a 2.06 goals-against average.
Gauthier was rewarded with an AHL contract for the 2025-26 season, and Larsson has one year remaining on his two-way contract. Blomqvist will be an RFA following the 2025-26 season, and Murashov is signed through 2026-27.
And all of the conjecture concerning prospects doesn’t even account for Tristan Jarry, who is still committed to the Penguins for three more years at $5.375 million and who has struggled to find consistency over the last two seasons for Pittsburgh.
BREAKING: Abbotsford Canucks Win 2025 Calder Cup After a magical playoff run filled with standout performances, the Abbotsford Canucks have officially won the 2025 Calder Cup. This is Abbotsford’s first Calder Cup win in franchise history and their first time making it out of the second round since their inaugural season in 2021. They clinched the Calder Cup after a 3–2 Game 6 win against the Charlotte Checkers in the Calder Cup Finals. The last time the Vancouver Canucks’ AHL affiliate made it to the Calder Cup Finals was when the Utica Comets did so in 2015.
So, Silovs’s acquisition begs the question of whether or not the Penguins have another move up their sleeve.
Of course, Silovs is - by no means - a negative acquisition. He has upside, and he should have a chance to prove he belongs at the NHL level. But his presence also creates a logjam at the AHL level, as all four of the aforementioned goaltenders should probably be playing against AHL-level competition instead of getting buried in the ECHL.
Unless the Penguins either plan to move on from Jarry at some point before the season starts or package one of their young goaltending prospects in a potential trade, this move doesn’t seem to make much sense. While a good, low-risk move in terms of value, it will only risk stunting the development of four other goaltending prospects if a subsequent move isn’t made to clear that logjam again.
There is a lot of trade speculation surrounding three Penguins in Erik Karlsson, Rickard Rakell, and Bryan Rust. It’s conceivable to think that the Penguins could package one of their young goaltenders in a larger trade involving one of those players to net a higher return - and, possibly, net a young NHL player in return, which is what GM and POHO Kyle Dubas has suggested is a priority.
Or, maybe, a team like the Edmonton Oilers would poke around at Jarry for the right price, and the Penguins are exploring that option.
Whatever the case may be, if the Penguins truly want to look ahead to the next generation and the future of this franchise, they would be wise not to hold back any of their young goaltenders from playing at the level they should be playing at. There was a path to that happening prior to the Silovs trade.
Now, the path just got a bit murkier. And it’s up to Dubas and the Penguins to navigate that path forward for the 2025-26 season.
The Montreal Canadiens have several promising young players in their system. Oliver Kapanen is undoubtedly among them, as the young forward has the tools to blossom into an impactful player for the Canadiens as he continues to adjust to the NHL level.
Kapanen played in his first 18 NHL regular-season games this past season with the Canadiens, where he posted two assists. He also played in three playoff games for Montreal this spring, posting one assist and an even plus/minus rating. Overall, it was a bit of a quiet start to his NHL career, but he also demonstrated promise.
Kapanen spent most of this season with Timra IK of the Swedish Hockey League (SHL), as he played with the SHL squad from November to early April after being loaned there by the Canadiens. He would later be returned to the Canadiens on April 2 for the final portion of the year.
While with Timra IK, Kapanen showed off his high potential, recording 15 goals and 35 points in 36 games. Overall, it was a strong season overseas for the 2021 second-round pick, and it is hard not to feel optimistic about him heading into 2025-26 because of it.
With how well Kapanen performed this season in the SHL, he is certainly standing out as a prime breakout candidate for the Canadiens. The potential for the young forward to emerge as a key forward on Montreal's roster is there, and it would not be surprising in the slightest if he takes a notable step forward next season with the Original Six club. It will be fascinating to see if he does just that from here.
UC Santa Barbara starting pitcher Tyler Bremner throws against Loyola Marymount in March 2023. (Kyusung Gong / Associated Press)
The name was a surprise, but the pick should not have been.
The bromide about teams picking the best available player rather than drafting for need does not apply to the Angels, at least not in the Perry Minasian era. The Angels’ front office must try to win now, with an ownership that does not believe in rebuilding, and without huge investments in major league free agency, international scouting or player development.
The Angels needed pitching. They drafted a college pitcher Sunday, in line with their no-margin-for-error strategy of selecting top college players and pushing them into the major leagues.
It’s been an emotional year for Bremner, who lost his mother to breast cancer in June.
On the day after she died, he saluted her in a long Instagram post that started this way: “Saying goodbye to you has been the hardest thing I have had to go through in my life. Why did this evil disease have to come into the life of such a pure hearted soul. Somehow through all this pain, darkness, and suffering there is light.”
The last four words: “rest easy my angel”
When his name was called Sunday, Bremner thought of his mother.
“I went to the Angels,” he said. “It’s weird how life works.”
The Angels invited him to Anaheim for a private workout last week. In a draft in which the hype around college pitchers focused on three left-handers from the Southeastern Conference, Bremner said his advisers told him about an hour before the draft started that the Angels might pick him.
And, after the Washington Nationals took high school shortstop Eli Willits — the son of former Angels outfielder Reggie Willits — with the No. 1 pick, the Angels were on the clock.
They had their pick of any pitcher in the country. They could have grabbed one of the SEC pitchers, or Corona High phenom Seth Hernandez. They went with the big right-hander from the Big West, with a fastball and a changeup that might already be ready for Anaheim.
The immediate expectation was that the Angels would cut a discount deal with Bremner, enabling him to collect a seven-figure bonus while enabling them to allocate more of their draft pool to swipe talented lower-round players away from college commitments. Bremner and Tim McIlvaine, the Angels’ scouting director, danced around that topic on Sunday.
But, if you’re the Angels, none of that scheming really matters if you don’t hit on the second overall pick of the draft.
McIlvaine said Bremner’s changeup gives him a go-to pitch, with a slider under development and a body that has yet to fill out.
“There’s a lot you can really dream on,” McIlvaine said.
The Angels need him to be right, and they need Bremner as a starter. A two-pitch pitcher would make a fine major league reliever, and don’t be surprised to see the Angels consider launching his major league career in that role later this season, if they stay afloat in the wild-card race. That could give them nine of their first-round picks on their active roster.
But you don’t use a first-round pick on a setup man. The Angels drafted two other pitchers among the top 10 overall picks within the past five years, and Reid Detmers and Sam Bachman now are setup men. Under Minasian, who was hired after the 2020 season, the Angels have drafted one pitcher that has delivered more than 1.0 WAR: Ben Joyce, a potential closer but now an injured setup man.
And the Angels’ second-round pick Sunday: an actual reliever, from the SEC. He is Chase Shores, who closed the College World Series clincher for Louisiana State and threw 47 pitches clocked at 100 mph or harder during the NCAA tournament.
As Bremner said, life works in weird ways.
“If you look at his second half of the year,” McIlvaine said, “I’d put it up against anybody in the country.”
In the second half of the season, his mother was dying.
“She came out to all the games,” he said, “all the way to the point where her body wouldn’t let her any more.”
In his last two games, weeks before she died, he gave up one run in 13-⅓ innings, walking two and striking out 23. That resilience was not lost on the Angels.
“I think, funny enough, as she got worse, that’s when I got stronger on the field,” Bremner said. “I feel I did a very good job of using that kind of negative energy and challenging it into pitching.
“Pitching angry, or pitching for her, or pitching for something bigger than myself, I feel like, in a way, it helped me on the field. But it’s not easy mentally to wrap my head around what’s going on off the field while trying to compete at a high level.”
That made Sunday a very different, and entirely memorable, mother’s day.
“I know she is watching over me,” he said, “and I know she is so proud of me.”
His mother, Jen, was born in Canada. The Canadians already are calling for him to represent her home country in the World Baseball Classic next spring, to honor her memory after losing her to cancer. Another pretty good ballplayer plays for Team Canada for the same reason, so you never know: Bremner could be teammates with Freddie Freeman next spring and Mike Trout next summer.
The Yankees selected shortstop Dax Kilby with the No. 39 overall pick in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft.
Kilby, 18, is No. 62 in MLB.com's prospect rankings after he hit .495 with 11 doubles, four triples, five home runs and 42 RBI as a senior at Newnan High School in Georgia. He led Newman to the Class 5A championship, the school's first since 1991, and was named tournament MVP.
“Dax is a strong-bodied and athletic left-handed hitting shortstop,” Damon Oppenheimer, Yankees vice president of domestic amateur scouting, said in a team release. “We really like his potential and ability to swing the bat, plus, he’s an excellent runner.
"As a high schooler, Dax has already shown an accomplished bat, a great feel to hit, and on top of that, some pop, which is exciting for us.”
At June's MLB Draft Combine, he was clocked at 3.55 in the 30-yard dash, good for the fourth-fastest time.
Kilby signed with Clemson University's 2025 recruiting class before the Yanks took him with their first selection of the draft in the Competitive Balance Round A. The 103rd pick carries a $2,509,500 slot value. New York entered the draft with the smallest bonus pool at $5,383,600.
At 6-foot-2, 190 pounds, he was described as one of the more polished high school bats in the draft.
"Kilby has a track record of producing against quality competition on the showcase circuit," said MLB.com's scouting report of Kilby. "There are questions about his long-term defensive home, but his hitting ability could land him as high as the second round if he's signable away from a Clemson commitment.
"... Kilby has a quick and relatively compact left-handed stroke and a mature approach. He doesn't stray from the strike zone too often and makes consistent contact while looking to drive the ball from gap to gap. He has plenty of room to add strength to his projectable 6-foot-2 frame and should grow into at least average power.
"Though Kilby has plus straight-line speed, he plays as more of an average to solid runner. Bothered by shoulder issues early in his high school career, he has a funky arm action and can't make all the throws necessary from shortstop. He'll get a look at second base and also could wind up in left field, though he still may provide enough offense to profile at the less challenging position."
The Mets have selected two-way player Mitch Voit with the 38th overall pick in the 2025 MLB Draft.
Voit, 20, pitched and played second base for three years with the Big Ten school, but he didn't pitch last season after undergoing internal brace surgery on his throwing arm in July 2024.
In 56 games last season with the Wolverines, Voit had 17 doubles, four triples, 14 home runs, and 60 RBI with a .346/.471/.668 slash line for a 1.140 OPS. He walked 40 times to 34 strikeouts.
In 2024, his last year pitching and hitting, the right-hander had a 5.49 ERA and 1.412 WHIP in 62.1 innings over 10 starts, with 41 strikeouts to 16 walks. That year at the plate, he had 20 doubles, two triples, 14 home runs with 46 RBI and a .292/.373/.572 slash line with a .945 OPS. He struck out 61 times to 23 walks.
Overall, Voit batted .303 with a .962 OPS in 631 at-bats over 169 games with Michigan with 46 doubles, seven triples, 35 home runs, and 138 RBI. He also spent time all around the diamond during his time in college, playing 51 games at third base in 2023, 33 games at first, and 22 in the outfield in 2024, before appearing in 56 games at second in his final season.
As a pitcher, he posted a 4.67 ERA and 1.332 WHIP over 98.1 innings and 29 games (11 starts) with 66 strikeouts to 28 walks.
There are questions about whether Voit will continue pitching in the big league ranks, but he was announced as a two-way player. Of course, when the Mets selected Carson Benge in last year's draft, he was announced as a two-way player, but the 19th overall pick has been converted to just a position player.
New York's first pick came at No. 38 in the Competitive Balance Round A, as their first selection dropped 10 spots due to exceeding the luxury tax threshold by $40 million or more last season, picking ahead of the Yankees (No. 39) and Dodgers (No. 40), who fell that far for the same reason.
The Mets don't pick again until No. 102 due to signing Juan Soto, who was a free agent who received a qualifying offer. (The signing also meant New York forfeited their second-and fifth-highest selections and $1 million from their 2026 international bonus pool.)
Joe DeMayo's Reaction...
Voit, a former two-way player, is likely to be deployed as just a hitter in pro ball. He has excellent bat speed and in-zone contact rates. His swing is natural at lofting the ball in the air, with a preference to the pull side, where he posts above-average exit velocities.
He is a plus athlete who acclimated himself well to second base, but with a healthy arm after he underwent internal brace surgery as a sophomore, Voit should have enough arm strength for third base if the Mets want to try him there.
I look at Voit as more of a high-floor type of player rather than a big ceiling. As a college junior, he has a chance to be a relatively quick riser through the minors.
The Buffalo Sabres should be in the market for an impact top-six forward after dealing winger JJ Peterka to the Utah Mammoth for defenseman Michael Kesselring and winger Josh Doan, but the opening weeks of free agency did not provide GM Kevyn Adams with an opportunity to replace Peterka’s production, either in a swap for defenseman Bowen Byram, or for a package of younger players, prospects, and/or draft picks.
Adams may be relying on the return for Byram to bring back the replacement for Peterka, but if the Sabres choose to keep the restricted free agent blueliner, can they put together a deal for the player they need that would be attractive to another club?
Two-time Stanley Cup winner Bryan Rust is likely to be one of the next victims of Pittsburgh GM Kyle Dubas’ purge of the Penguins to improve their chances to finish dead last and have the best chance of winning the lottery and selecting presumptive top pick Gavin McKenna next June. Dubas is expected to try moving out forward Rickard Rakell as well, potentially Sidney Crosby, and what is left of the Penguins championship core group.
The 33-year-old winger has spent all 11 seasons with the Penguins, and posted a career-high in goals (31) and points (65) last season. The two aspects that have to make Rust an extremely enticing target for Adams is the three years in term remaining at an AAV of $5.125 million, and that he does not have any no-trade protection. Unlike the Dallas Stars, who are undoubtedly looking for NHL players in return for winger Jason Robertson, the Penguins would be looking for young prospects for Rust. That makes the Sabres and Pittsburgh an excellent fit for a potential trade.
What Would It Cost?
The issue for Adams is not a lack of attractive pieces that Dubas would be interested in, it will be that half the league will be in competition with him for Rust. Youngsters like Zach Benson or Jack Quinn, who have two or more years of NHL experience under their belt would have to be part of the package, along with a secondary prospect like Isak Rosen or Noah Ostlund, or a lottery-protected first round pick.
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The Knicks dropped to 0-2 on Sunday evening, losing another blowout thanks to an uninspired offense, this time to the Boston Celtics, 94-81, in NBA Summer League action. Leading the way for New York was Kevin McCullar Jr. with 30 points and two steals on 10-for-15 shooting from the field.
Ariel Hukporti scored nine points, corralled 13 rebounds and swatted three shots in a strong effort. Pacome Dadiet had seven points and six rebounds on 3-11 shooting, while Mohamed Diawara and Dink Pate contributed off the bench with five points each and three combined steals.
Tyler Kolek had a nightmare game with 1-for-13 shooting and four turnovers. The New York offense once again came out flat and never fully recovered.
Boston got a big night from center Charles Bassey, who put up 22 points, 13 rebounds and three blocks on 8-for-12 shooting from the field, dominating the Knicks on lob after lob to lead the way. Jalen Bridges, Baylor Scheierman, Jordan Walsh and Kendall Brown put up 15, 13, 13 and 11 points, respectively.
New York’s offensive struggles from their first game carried over in the early minutes of this one as they trailed 15-4 out of the gates. They committed seven turnovers as a team in the opening period, once again looking flummoxed in the halfcourt.
Boston took advantage, as Scheierman racked up seven points, three assists and three steals in the first ten minutes. Going into the second, the Celtics led 27-18.
Dadiet had a strong drive to his left for the finish to try and spur things midway through the second, one of his pro-level moves early in this Summer League. He hit a three late in the quarter for New York’s second of the night, out of 20 attempts.
The Celtics had better luck from deep and forced another seven turnovers, though the Knicks didn’t succumb to any large runs. Boston led going into halftime 42-30, behind a balanced team scoring effort.
McCullar Jr., the Knicks' primary source of offense in the first half, kept aggressively attacking the basket in the third, converting some inside buckets. The guard play was still a step behind as Kolek really struggled to get anything going out of the pick and roll.
Meanwhile, Boston started racking up the free throws in the paint, led by Walsh and his takes. New York pared down on their turnovers, limiting themselves to only six this frame, as they lagged 71-53 after three.
The Knicks made some big plays in the fourth, getting out in transition, a three and a dunk from McCullar Jr., but it wasn’t enough. Boston continually had an answer, never getting within single digits and cruising to victory.
One fun bright spot? Yudai Baba, the29-year-old deep reserve, got in late and scored a bucket, leading to an eruption from Knicks fans.
While we're still approximately two months away from the start of Training Camp for the upcoming 2025-26 NHL season, there remain several free agents in all three position groups who are still waiting for a call for a contract.
Among the players that are hoping to land a new deal are several former Red Wings who suited up as recently as this past season, or who departed from the team in recent years.
Perhaps the most noteworthy figure that Red Wings fans are still well familiar with is Robby Fabbri, who played last season with the Anaheim Ducks after being traded by Detroit last July in exchange for goaltender Gage Alexander and a conditional 2025 fourth-round pick; his three-year, $12 million contract that he signed in 2022 expired this offseason.
As has unfortunately been the case for much of his NHL career, injuries limited Fabbri's availability with the Ducks. He played in just 44 games, scoring eight goals with eight assists. In November, he underwent arthroscopic knee surgery, while he was later placed on Injured Reserve with an upper-body ailment in February.
Fabbri was an underrated addition to the Red Wings by GM Steve Yzerman during their rough 2019-20 season, acquired from the St. Louis Blues in November 2019 for checker Jacob de la Rose; his 14 goals were fourth-most on the team.
Among the other players who are still looking for their next contracts that played for the Red Wings this most recent season are forwards Tyler Motte and Craig Smith, the latter of which was acquired in March (along with Petr Mrazek) from Chicago in the Joe Veleno deal.
Motte, who was signed to a one-year contract, scored four goals with five assists in 55 games played, while Smith registered two assists in the 19 games he played after being acquired.
Daniel Sprong, who scored 18 goals for the Red Wings in 2023-24, was well traveled last season. He began the season with the Vancouver Canucks, but was traded after only nine games to the Seattle Kraken, where he had previously played before signing with Detroit. After being waived by the Kraken and playing in the American Hockey League, he was eventually traded to the New Jersey Devils.
Sprong ultimately played in only 30 combined NHL games in 2024-25, but scored only twice while adding five assists.
Luke Glendening, who is now 36 years old and played the first eight seasons of his NHL career with the Red Wings, has since split his time between the Dallas Stars and Tampa Bay Lightning. Last season in Tampa Bay, he scored four goals with three assists in 77 games.
Additional former Red Wings players that fans are still familiar with include Brendan Smith, Jakub Vrana, and Klim Kostin.
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Third Test, day two: Australia 225 and 99-6; West Indies 143 at stumps
No 3 batter hits 42 not out after Sam Konstas falls for a duck
Australia’s selectors have four Sheffield Shield matches to sort their openers for the Ashes, after the team’s top order crumbled under lights in Jamaica.
The tourists went to stumps on night two at Sabina Park at 99-6 in their second innings, leading West Indies by 181 but with the game firmly in the balance.
Dodgers pitcher Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivers during the first inning of a 5-2 win in 11 innings over the San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park on Sunday. (Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)
They’ve underperformed relative to preseason expectations, but worked around serious roster limitations.
They’ve wowed with an undefeated 8-0 start, a star-studded offense that tops the majors in scoring, and a comfortable division lead in a competitive National League West. And yet, they’ve left so much to still be desired, both on the mound from their injury-plagued pitching staff and at the plate amid uncharacteristic slumps from several veteran stars.
No, the Dodgers have not played like "The Greatest Team Ever" in the first half of the season. Their record-setting $400-million payroll is not bidding for any all-time wins mark.
But, after grinding out a 5-2 extra-innings win over the San Francisco Giants on Sunday to enter the All-Star break with a key divisional series victory, their first half has been a quiet success nonetheless, concluding with the Dodgers (58-39) holding a 5 ½-game lead in the NL West, the top record in the NL and still the best odds of being baseball’s first repeat champion in a quarter-century.
“I think the win-loss, the standings are great,” manager Dave Roberts said. “But I think there’s just a lot of improvement that we need to do, we need to be better at.”
Indeed, Sunday epitomized the duality of the Dodgers’ first 97 games.
Their starting pitcher, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, completed his stellar start to the season with a seven-inning gem, keeping the Giants (52-45) off the scoreboard while giving up three hits, two walks and striking out seven batters.
If the Dodgers were to pick a first-half MVP, perhaps only Shohei Ohtani would outpace Yamamoto, who enters the break as a first-time All-Star thanks to his 9-7 record, 2.59 earned-run average and six separate outings of six or more scoreless innings (tied for second-most such starts in the majors this year, behind only Tarik Skubal).
“He’s been really good,” Roberts said before the game, wholly convinced the 26-year-old Japanese right-hander would bounce back from his ugly five-run first inning in Milwaukee last week. “He’s just to the point where he knows he’s a really good pitcher, he’s an All-Star and he has high expectations for himself. He’s just been very valuable.”
However, the back end of the bullpen remained a problem, with closer Tanner Scott blowing a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the ninth by giving up a two-run home run to pinch-hitter Luis Matos on a hanging slider at the knees.
Scott, a $72-million signing this offseason, has converted only 19 of his 26 save opportunities this year. He has a 4.09 ERA and eight home runs given up. And his struggles have made the bullpen a prime area of need for the Dodgers entering the trade deadline.
“[He’s] just in-zone too much,” Roberts said, “and getting beat by [the slider] or getting beat by the fastball in similar locations.”
The Dodgers’ offense has been equally quixotic.
Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman both hit the midway point mired in extended slumps — though Freeman made a couple key contributions Sunday, lining an RBI double in the fourth inning before putting the Dodgers back in front in the 11th with a bloop single that dropped in center.
“It's just good to actually hit a couple balls,” Freeman deadpanned postgame. “That's been the hardest thing the last couple months.”
Freddie Freeman hits a run-scoring single in the 11th inning Sunday against the Giants. (Jeff Chiu / Associated Press)
Meanwhile, Ohtani has pitched superbly in his limited action on the mound, but his offense has declined since resuming a two-way role. When he singled in the fifth inning Sunday, it marked his first hit this year to come on the day immediately following one of his pitching starts.
“When you’re starting to try to break it down, I think you can cut it any way you want,” Roberts said when asked about Ohtani’s increasingly noticeable dip in production. “But when he’s in the lineup, he makes the lineup better.”
And though catcher Will Smith has a healthy lead for the NL batting title, earning his third-straight All-Star nod with a .323 mark, others toward the bottom of the lineup have been cold, from Teoscar Hernández (who is hitting barely .200 since returning from an adductor injury in May; though he added an infield single in Sunday’s 11th inning rally) to Andy Pages (whose All-Star candidacy fizzled with a .220 average in his last 16 games, despite also chipping in with an RBI single in the 11th) to Tommy Edman (whose defensive versatility has been valuable, but finished the first half in an 0-for-23 slump).
“I always expect more from our guys,” Roberts said, sounding less than satisfied with the state of his club at the midseason marker. “And they expect the same thing.”
Such struggles, after all, are reminders of how the Dodgers remain fallible in their pursuit of another World Series.
Their banged-up pitching staff remains another wild card in their pressure-packed title defense (though Tyler Glasnow has already returned, Blake Snell and Blake Treinen should be back shortly after the All-Star break, and Roki Sasaki is on track for a late August return after throwing a long-awaited bullpen session this week).
And for large swaths of the first half of the season, it all made the Dodgers look exceedingly mortal; none more so than during the seven-game losing streak that preceded their back-to-back wins against the Giants to close out this weekend’s series.
"I mean, obviously, we didn't want to lose nine in a row going into the break,” Freeman said. “So getting a couple of wins and ending it on a good note after a really good first half that we played, that was big today."
However, their issues have still done little to no damage to the team’s long-term chances, with a frustrating but fruitful opening act to this campaign leaving the Dodgers right where they want to be — even if, as Sunday epitomized, they haven’t gotten there the way they would have hoped.
“First place is first place,” Freeman said. “I think we're OK with where we're at.”
In his first outing of the year, making a return from the 60-day injured list after a late-March oblique strain initially sidelined him, he struck out seven -- including five straight -- while scattering five hits.
The relief outing, which followed starting right-hander Clay Holmes' five innings of two-run ball, saw Manaea toss a scoreless three frames before returning for the ninth after New York's game-tying rally.
"Obviously, it sucks, losing," said Manaea, who threw 44 strikes on 65 pitches in 3.1 IP. "You never want to do that. But for me, personally, it just feels good to be healthy, back on the mound. It's a very weird juxtaposition."
Manaea's ninth inning started by striking out Salvador Perez before back-to-back singles from Tyler Tolbert, who stole second base, and Nick Loftin lifted the Royals (47-50) past the Mets (55-42).
"Not only (was Manaea rolling into the ninth), we needed that fourth up for him and that was his last batter anyway because he was on a pitch count and he was 60, 65 and he got to 65 there," said manager Carlos Mendoza. "So, regardless of the outcome there -- and the way he was throwing the ball, he was pretty, pretty dominant. Couple of singles there at the end, but I thought he was pretty good overall."
Manaea relieved Holmes (8-4, 3.31 ERA) to start the sixth inning and, after Bobby Witt Jr.'s leadoff single, retired the next six batters in a row. The stretch started on Vinnie Pasquantino's ground out to first base and followed with five straight strikeouts.
"Typical Sean Manaea," Mendoza said. "Fastball playing at the top of the zone, he's getting swings and misses, the sweeper was really good -- we saw that the whole year, and it was good to see it today, attacking, throwing strikes and with those pitches are going, pitching from that slot, he's pretty effective and we saw it today."
The second half of the Mets' season starts Friday at 7:10 p.m. on SNY with New York's three-game series against the Cincinnati Reds, and Manaea figures to be a factor as the stretch run begins.
"I felt great out there," Manaea said. "I feel like, if I can keep doing that, I'll have a successful second half."
Seth Hernandez has imagined his name being announced for years at the MLB amateur draft. It finally happened Sunday. The Gatorade national player of the year and two-time L.A. Times player of the year from Corona High School was chosen No. 6 overall by the Pittsburgh Pirates. T
The Pirates have been successful with Southern California pitchers, having drafted Gerrit Cole (Orange Lutheran), Paul Skenes (El Toro) and Jared Jones (La Mirada) in the past. And they took Warren pitcher Angel Cervantes in the second round on Sunday.
It was an historic opening draft for Corona High, because for the first time, a single high school produced three first-round draft picks. Shortstop Billy Carlson went No. 10 to the Chicago White Sox and third baseman Brady Ebel went No. 32 to the Milwaukee Brewers in joining Hernandez.
"It's nuts," said Corona coach Andy Wise, who went to gatherings at the Hernandez and Carlson houses. "It's an absolute honor to have those kids in our program and I couldn't be happier for their families."
Hernandez was considered the best right-handed high school pitcher in the draft after a sensational senior season in which he struck out 105 batters in 53 1/3 innings while walking only seven using a 99-mph fastball. His ERA was 0.39.
Wise said he has coached no one better. Hernandez missed his first two years of high school being home schooled. The last two seasons his pitching record was 18-1. He has a very good slider and changeup. He's uniquely ready for the pressure and exposure ahead, having been watched closely for years by scouts and interviewed over and over.
Shortstop Gavin Fien from Great Oak was taken No. 12 by the Chicago White Sox.
High school shortstop Eli Willits from Oklahoma was taken No. 1 by the Washington Nationals.
ATLANTA — The Washington Nationals selected Oklahoma high school shortstop Eli Willits on Sunday night with the No. 1 pick in Major League Baseball’s amateur draft in a selection seen by some as a surprise.
The 17-year-old Willits is the youngest player ever taken No. 1 overall. He’s the son of ex-big leaguer Reggie Willits, who played six seasons with the Los Angeles Angels and also coached with the New York Yankees.
Willits, from Fort Cobb-Broxton High School, is a switch-hitter who is expected to develop a power swing.
“I feel like I have good hitability and I’m going to take that to the next level,” Willits said when asked about his strengths. “And I feel like my power is up and coming, but I needed to get into an organization like the Nationals that can help develop that and take that to the next level.
The draft came one week after the Nationals fired longtime general manager Mike Rizzo and manager Dave Martinez. The timing of the moves added more uncertainty to a draft that might be one of the most unpredictable in recent years, including the choice of the No. 1 pick.
The Los Angeles Angels added another surprise with the No. 2 pick by selecting UC-Santa Barbara right-hander Tyler Bremner. Seattle followed by taking LSU lefty Kade Anderson.
The Colorado Rockies picked shortstop Ethan Holliday at No. 4, landing the son of longtime Rockies star Matt Holliday. Ethan, from Stillwater, Oklahoma, was a candidate to go first overall, just like brother Jackson Holliday with did with Baltimore in 2022. They would have been the first brothers to be drafted with the first overall pick.
Baseball commissioner Rob Manfred was greeted with boos by fans at the draft held at the Roxy Theater at The Battery, adjacent to the Braves’ Truist Park two days before MLB’s All-Star Game. Manfred noted the Braves chose eventual Hall of Famer Chipper Jones with the No. 1 overall pick and said this draft is “a chance for a team to make a franchise-altering selection like the Braves made in 1990.”
The first three rounds were scheduled for Sunday night, with the remainder of the draft to follow on Monday.
