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ARLINGTON, Texas (AP) Texas right-hander Jon Gray got into quite a groove after allowing an early run. He just kept throwing strikes and retiring batters. Gray pitched into the eighth inning while getting out the last 15 batters he faced as the Rangers beat the Chicago White Sox 3-2 on Tuesday night. Its been a long time since I felt that, Gray said. Ive been searching for that for a while. It does feel really good, and I think its something thats going to continue to get better. I really do. Gray (5-4) struck out five and walked none while throwing 63 of his Facundo Campazzo Jersey 80 pitches for strikes in his 7 2/3 innings. It was the deepest he had been in a game since April 30, and came four days after he threw a scorele s inning in relief against Baltimore. He had two starts the second half of June when he gave up at least eight runs. Sometimes a guy needs a reset ... and maybe just needs a break, manager Bruce Bochy said. It worked out well for him, somewhat of a break, just freshen the arm up a little bit. He just went out there with a sense of determination that you like. After Andrew Vaughns RBI single with two outs in the third inning, the White Sox didnt get another batter on base against Gray. The last was pinch-hitter Tommy Pham for the second out of the eighth, and was falling away from first base when he made a incredible throw. That was unbelievable. It really shocked me. I just thought that there was no chance at that one, Gray said. Really fired me up. The White Sox (27-76) have lost nine games in a row and 15 of 18. They are only the 12th team in MLB history with 76 lo ses in their first 103 games, and the first since the 1979 Oakland Athletics. All-Star closer Kirby Yates, who Monday night, got the final two outs for his 18th save in as many chances. Andrew Benintendi led off the ninth with a homer off Josh Sborz. Texas went ahead to stay with two runs in the first against (6-7). Robbie Gro sman and Josh Smith had back-to-back singles, and Adolis Garca had an RBI single before a double steal that included Smith swiping home for a 2-0 lead. Smith added an RBI double in the eighth. Crochet, a potential trade target for contending teams, has 157 strikeouts after fanning seven in four innings. The 25-year-old converted reliever already has thrown a career-high 113 1/3 innings in 21 starts. The White Sox have limited him to 10 innings in his three July starts, plus a scorele s inning in the All-Star Game in Texas a week ago. From the second inning on, I started commanding it a little bit better, said Crochet, who threw 49 of 74 pitches for strikes. I was aware before the game even started of my pitch count. So just one of those things, trying to economize pitches as best as po sible, but also trying to get outs. TRAINERS ROOM Rangers: RHP Jacob deGrom (right elbow surgery rehab) had a 40-pitch throwing se sion Tuesday, and will have another Friday. Manager Bruce Bochy said the two-time Cy Young Award winner looked good. Its pretty cool to watch how effortle s it is, hitting 94 or 95 mph, Bochy said. ... 3B Josh Jung (right wrist fracture) faced live pitching and had no pain. UP NEXT Texas RHP Nathan Eovaldi (6-4, 3.36 ERA) starts Wednesday with a streak of 116 consecutive batters faced without allowing a walk, including all 98 batters in his four starts in July. White Sox RHP Chris Flexen (2-9, 5.22) is 0-6 over his last 13 starts. Malik Beasley Jersey

The lo s of Jeff McNeil will lead to Mets decisions, both with second base and with a roster spot. After learning their second baseman had fractured his wrist, the Mets inserted Jose Iglesias at second and played Saturday shorthanded, unable to get a 28th player to Citi Field in time. The plan, which could change, was for DJ Stewart to be recalled for a team that is short on lefty bats. Jose Iglesias hits a single in the eighth inning of the Mets 4-0 win over the Reds on Sept. 7, 2024. Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images With Je se Winker playing right field Saturday, the Mets did not have a lefty swinger available off a bench that was composed of Starling Marte, Tyrone Taylor, Pablo Reyes and Luis Torrens. Stewart did not play Saturday for Triple-A Syracuse, another sign that he would be summoned. Explore More Batting atop Syracuses order was Luisangel Acua, who could factor into the plans eventually but likely not immediately. Iglesias, who has feasted against lefty pitching this season, will get most of the time at second but maybe not all of it. The same way weve been using him he plays a couple days, two, three Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Jersey days, and then he gets a couple of days off, manager Carlos Mendoza said before Iglesias went 2-for-4 with a double and a smoothly turned double play in . Hes been pretty succe sful with that. Reyes, a veteran utilityman, could get occasional looks at second after posting an .840 OPS with 10 home runs and 10 steals in 59 games with Syracuse. Perhaps Acua can at some point, too, but the top prospect and brother of the Braves superstar has had a poor season with Syracuse, owning a .668 OPS with little power and a .263 average in his first 125 games with the club. Jeff McNeil ended up being diagnosed with a fractured wrist after getting hit by a pitch in the Mets win over the Reds on Friday. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post Though he tallied 38 steals, he also had been thrown out 13 times. Mendoza said the Mets were still having discu sions about the call-up, but Acua at the least has become an option. Other eventual po sibilities with Syracuse include Luke Ritter, a righty who owned an .880 OPS in his first 121 games. Delivering insights on all things Amazins Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Francisco Lindor (0-for-3 with a walk and his 100th run scored of the season) extended his career-best on-base streak to 35 games, which ties David Wright for the third-longest streak in franchise history and is the longest in Mets history that spans one season. His 16-game hitting streak was snapped. Kodai Senga threw his second bullpen se sion since straining his calf. Senga had not yet finished the se sion as Mendoza spoke to reporters, but the expectation was for the righty to again throw 25 pitches. Stephanie Diller, the widow of slain NYPD Detective Jonathan Diller, threw out a ceremonial first pitch. As did the Rangers Adam Fox, Islanders Anders Lee and Devils Brett Pesce. Additional reporting by Joel Sherman Shaquille O'Neal Jersey

The Blue Jays announced this morning that theyve selected the contract of left-hander . Fellow southpaw was designated for a signment to make room for Fluharty on both the 40-man and active rosters. In addition, the Blue Jays announced that right-hander has cleared waivers and been a signed outright to Triple-A. Lovelady, 29, was a tenth-round pick by Kansas City back in 2016. He made his big league debut with the club during the 2019 season and spent parts of three seasons in the clubs bullpen. He struggled badly to a 7.71 ERA in 21 innings of work between 2019 and 2020, but in 2021 he Frank Ntilikina Jersey began to look like a valuable relief option with a 3.48 ERA, 3.85 FIP, and a 27.4% strikeout rate against a walk rate of just 7.1%. Unfortunately for the lefty, he would require Tommy John surgery near the end of the 2021 campaign and mi sed the entire 2022 season while rehabbing. He wouldnt get the chance to return to the mound in Kansas City, as he was dealt to Atlanta just before the 2023 campaign began. That stay was very brief, however, as he made just five appearance at Triple-A before being plucked off waivers by Oakland. He posted middling numbers in 23 1/3 innings of work for the As, with a 4.63 ERA and 4.54 FIP acro s 27 appearances before being shut down due to a forearm strain. Lovelady was eventually outrighted off the clubs roster and elected free agency, at which point he signed a minor league deal with the Cubs. Loveladys time in Chicago was brief, as he posted just 5 2/3 innings of work and was shelled to the tune of a 7.94 ERA during that limited time. He was DFAd in May of last year and shipped to the Rays shortly thereafter before enjoying a succe sful season in Tampa. Acro s 28 2/3 innings the rest of the way, Lovelady posted a solid 3.77 ERA with a 3.83 FIP. That didnt stop the Rays from non-tendering the southpaw back in November, however, which led him to join the Jays on a minor league deal back in January. He made the clubs Opening Day roster but walked two batters and hit another three in 1 2/3 innings before todays DFA. Going forward, the Jays will have one week to either work out a trade involving the southpaw or place him on waivers. Loveladys departure makes way for Fluharty, whose first appearance will be his big league debut. The Jays fifth rounder in 2022, the southpaw posted a decent 3.63 ERA with an excellent 27.4% strikeout rate in 67 innings of work at Triple-A last year. Solid as that performance was, Fluharty really made his case for a big league opportunity during Spring Training with a sterling 1.29 ERA and 11 strikeouts in just seven innings of work during camp. While the southpaw didnt quite make the clubs initial Opening Day roster, hes now poised to get the first big league opportunity of his career. As for Nance, the 34-year-old signed with the Cubs out of indy ball back in 2016 and made his big league debut in 2021. He struggled to a 7.22 ERA in that first cup of coffee, but hes looked like a solid middle reliever since then with a 4.25 ERA (97 ERA+) and a 3.80 FIP in 65 2/3 innings of work for the Marlins and Blue Jays since the start of the 2022 season. Hes struck out an impre sive 26.3% of opponents during that time while walking 10.4%. Nance now figures to remain at Triple-A Buffalo as non-roster depth for the Jays going forward. Immanuel Quickley Jersey

Catcher is interested in discu sing a long-term extension with the Mets, reports . The clubs new president of baseball operations David Stearns spoke positively about extensions of young players in a general sense but declined to speak about an lvarez extension specifically. It Andre Roberson Jersey s something that every organization has to explore and requires both sides to have interest, Stearns said. And certainly, as we go forward, hopefully well have a number of players in that second and third [year] where it makes sense to talk to them about it. lvarez, 22, has just over a year in the big leagues and has carried himself well. He has 26 home runs in 128 career games. His 26.1% strikeout rate is a tad high but hes also walked at a reasonable 8.2% clip. His .208/.284/.439 batting line amounts to a wRC+ of 98, indicating hes been just barely below the league average hitter overall, though thats better than par for a catcher. In addition to that solid performance at the plate, he was graded well behind it. Each of FanGraphs, Baseball Prospectus and Statcast considered him to be one of the top five pitch framers in the league this year. Defensive Runs Saved gave him a grade of +7 in 2023, a mark that only seven catchers bested that season. FanGraphs considered him to be worth 2.7 wins above replacement on the season overall. Since he debuted before his 21st birthday, lvarez is currently slated to reach free agency at a relatively young age. He has just over one year of service time at the moment, meaning he would hit the open market after 2028, his age-26 season. That will give him some leverage in contract talks, as he could simply go year-to-year and cash in at that point. But signing a deal now would allow him to lock in some life-changing money and avoid the risk of an injury sapping some of his earning power. As Healey points out, lvarez could give the Mets an extra couple of years of control and still become a free agent in his late 20s. The Mets have been one of the most aggre sive spenders in recent years, with owner Steve Cohen having shown little regard for the bottom line since purchasing the club. That presumably gives them the ability to lock in any player they decide they want to keep. They have some significant contracts on the books in the short term, some for players no longer on the roster, but extensions for young players generally ramp up over time, with smaller salaries in the early years. By 2028, only and have guaranteed contracts. Between now and then, significant deals for , , , , , , , and will have wrapped up. But if the club makes a bold move, such as signing or extending , then that would obviously change things. But given Cohens willingne s to spend when he decides its warranted, they should be able to make something work with lvarez if they consider him a core part of their next competitive window. Its been signalled that 2024 will be a bit of a transition year as the club targets another full throttle push in 2025 and beyond. lvarez is on pace to qualify for arbitration after that 2025 season so the club might like to get some cost certainty by agreeing to something earlier. Extensions for players early in their careers are becoming more common. , and got notable guarantees before even reaching the majors while players like , and got nine-figure guarantees with limited MLB experience. In terms of catchers, signed an extension with the Nationals in March. He secured a $50MM guarantee over eight years while also giving the Nats two club options. Like lvarez now, Ruiz was also between one and two years of service at that time but was a couple of years older, going into his age-24 campaign. His results prior to that deal were also bit below those of lvarez, both offensively and defensively, so the Mets would almost certainly have to beat that Ruiz deal to get something done with lvarez. Theres no real rush for the club, as lvarez isnt slated to qualify for arbitration until after 2025. Even if they want to get something done this winter, teams generally prefer to focus on acquisitions in the earlier parts of the offseason and leave extensions for rostered players until closer to Spring Training. Joe Harris Jersey

and the will meet and the on Sunday at Citizens Bank Park, at 7:10 PM ET. Bookmakers list the Phillies as -140 favorites on the moneyline, while giving the underdog Cardinals +119 moneyline odds. Philadelphia is the run-line favorite (-1.5). A 9.5-run total has been set in this matchup. Take a look at everything you need to know from a betting perspective on the Phillies-Cardinals game, regarding the run line, moneyline and total, plus expert picks. Bryce Harper clobbers a two-run home run to extend Phillies' lead over Cardinals Phillies vs. Cardinals Game Information & Odds When: Sunday, June 2, 2024 at 7:10 PM ET Where: Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania How to Watch on TV: ESPN Favorite Favorite Moneyline Underdog Moneyline Total Over Total Odds Under Total Odds Run Line Favorite Run Line Odds Underdog Run Line Odds Phillies -140 +119 9.5 -102 -118 -1.5 +138 -165 Phillies vs. Cardinals Prediction Score Prediction: Phillies 5, Cardinals 4 Total Prediction: Over 9.5 runs Win Probabilities: Phillies 58%, Cardinals 42% Phillies vs. Cardinals Betting Insights The Phillies have won 35, or 71.4%, of the 49 games they've played as favorites this season. This season Philadelphia has won 27 of its 38 games, or 71.1%, when favored by at least -140 on the moneyline. The Phillies have a 58.3% chance to win this game based on the implied probability of the moneyline. The Cardinals have been chosen as underdogs in 28 games this year and have walked away with the win 12 times (42.9%) in those games. This year, St. Louis has won three of 12 games when listed as at least +119 or worse on the moneyline. The moneyline set for this matchup implies the Cardinals have a 45.7% chance of walking away with the win. Phillies Recent Betting Performance The Phillies played as the moneyline favorite for nine of their last 10 Pete Maravich Jersey games, and finished 6-3 in those matchups. In their last 10 outings -- all had a set run total -- the Phillies and their opponents combined to hit the over on the total three times. The Phillies have gone 6-4-0 against the spread over their past 10 games. Phillies Recent Stats Stat Avg/Total Record 6-4 Runs Per Game 4.8 HR 13 ERA 2.42 K/9 9.3 Phillies Player Insights Alec Bohm comes into Sunday's game hitting .311 with 49 RBI, both team-leading marks for the Phillies. He has also connected on five round-trippers in 2024. In all of MLB, Bohm is 123rd in homers and fourth in RBI. Bohm brings a hitting streak of three games into this game. In his last five games he is batting .250 with two doubles, two walks and two RBI. Harper has put his power on display as he leads his team with 14 home runs. Including all major league hitters, Harper is eighth in home runs and sixth in RBI. Harper has three games in a row with at least one hit. In his last five games he is hitting .278 with a double, a home run, three walks and three RBI. is batting .239 with four doubles, 11 home runs and 44 walks. has five doubles, two triples, five home runs and 26 walks while batting .239. Cardinals Recent Betting Performance In seven games as underdogs over the last 10 matchups, the Cardinals have a record of 3-4. When it comes to hitting the over, the Cardinals and their opponents are 3-5-2 in their last 10 games with a total. Over their last 10 games, the Cardinals are 5-5-0 against the spread. Cardinals Recent Stats Stat Avg/Total Record 7-3 Runs Per Game 4.1 HR 12 ERA 2.38 K/9 8.3 Cardinals Player Insights Brendan Donovan is batting .245 with 14 doubles, a triple, four home runs and 18 walks, while getting on base at a rate of .326. In all of the big leagues, Donovan ranks 168th in homers and 82nd in RBI. Arenado has been productive as he leads his team with 26 runs batted in. Arenado is currently 123rd in home runs and 75th in RBI in the major leagues. leads the Cardinals with a team-best batting average of .301. is hitting .275 with six doubles, five home runs and seven walks. Cardinals vs. Phillies Highlights | MLB Rajon Rondo Jersey

Philadelphia Phillies (69-47, first in the NL East) vs. Arizona Diamondbacks (64-53, third in the NL West) Phoenix; Saturday, 8:10 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Phillies: Aaron Nola (11-5, 3.54 ERA, 1.10 WHIP, 134 strikeouts); Diamondbacks: Zac Gallen (9-5, 3.75 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, 96 strikeouts) : LINE Diamondbacks -114, Phillies -105; over/under is 8 1/2 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Arizona Diamondbacks host the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday. Arizona has a 64-53 record overall and a 32-26 record in home games. The Diamondbacks rank ninth in the majors with 141 total home runs, averaging 1.2 per game. Philadelphia has a 69-47 record overall and a 31-26 record on the road. The Phillies have hit 145 total home runs to rank third in the NL. The teams play Saturday for the sixth time this season. The Phillies lead the season series 3-2. TOP PERFORMERS: Ketel Marte has 20 doubles, two triples and 29 home runs for the Diamondbacks. Geraldo Perdomo is 15-for-36 with four doubles and Sindarius Thornwell Jersey a home run over the last 10 games. Alec Bohm has 42 doubles, two triples, 12 home runs and 78 RBI for the Phillies. Kyle Schwarber is 15-for-39 with three doubles, five home runs and 10 RBI over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Diamondbacks: 8-2, .297 batting average, 4.10 ERA, outscored opponents by 24 runs Phillies: 4-6, .259 batting average, 4.39 ERA, outscored opponents by three runs INJURIES: Diamondbacks: Bryce Jarvis: 60-Day IL (elbow), Gabriel Moreno: 10-Day IL (abductor), Christian Walker: 10-Day IL (oblique), Blake Walston: 15-Day IL (elbow), Merrill Kelly: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Kyle Nelson: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Drey Jameson: 60-Day IL (elbow) Phillies: Austin Hays: 10-Day IL (hamstring), Ranger Suarez: 15-Day IL (back), Luis Ortiz: 60-Day IL (ankle), Spencer Turnbull: 15-Day IL (back), Taijuan Walker: 15-Day IL (index finger), Dylan Covey: 60-Day IL (shoulder) The A sociated Pre s created this story using technology provided by and data from . Jahlil Okafor Jersey

Acce s the Yankees beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Greg Joyce about the inside buzz on the Yankees. Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt takes a swing at some Q&A with Post columnist Steve Serby. Q:. What do you like best about this team? A: We have a group of guys that are very hungry to win. I felt that in spring training after coming up a little short last year, there Shawn Kemp Jersey was a focus and an intensity here that they want to carry on the tradition thats been set here, the 27 world championships, want to be No. 28. I felt that right away. Theres very much a motivation and a hunger to win. Q: Can you imagine what this city would be like if the Yankees won a championship? A: No, no, I cant (smile). So hopefully, well get to see in person. Q: Q: How hungry are you to win a championship? You came close before the 2019 Cardinals were swept in NLCS by the Nationals. A: Yeah, not close enough. Back to as a kid, we wanted to win the Little League championship, or in college a conference championship and all that, and so yeah, it hasnt changed, and its something I havent been able to do, and to just watch on TV and see the joy in so many of the players faces and their families, coaches, and of course the fans and the organization Its my No. 1 motivation, and try to do everything po sible to make it happen. Explore More Q: Whats the best part of being a New York Yankee? A: I think definitely having an opportunity every day to go out and win, honestly win the game, win the World Series, those high expectations that this organization has, that this city has, that the fans have. Theres no meaningle s games, theres no meaningle s at-bats. Its just really fun every day showing up to the ballpark having a singular goal to win todays game and hopefully get a chance in the playoffs to continue that. Q: How would you describe the Yankee Way? A: No. 1 is expectation to win, to win every game, to win every night, to win the World Series at the end of the year, and I think with that being forefront, it trickles down to how you prepare, how you play the game, the type of competitors that you need about not taking pitches off, not taking games off because theyre all so important. You know the tradition here, you know the past champions, the past players. I think everyone wants to kinda carry that on. You want to be the team that wins another championship, brings another one here and plays at that really high level. Paul Goldschmidt of the Yankees hits an RBI single during the eighth inning against the Mets on Sunday, May 18, 2025 at Yankee Stadium in the Bronx, Robert Sabo for NY Post Q: Is there an aura around the Yankees? A: I can say this cause I played against them for a long time: I think there is. Theyre not the only team out there that has it, this isnt the only stadium, but theres definitely some teams that have a history, a tradition, maybe you watched em on TV, maybe its the players they currently have or had in the past some of the older stadiums have it, too. Theres definitely something when you come to play the Yankees or a handful of other teams, organizations, that is a little different. Q: What is the biggest obstacle or adversity youve had to overcome? A: Probably just failures. Theres just times where this game just beats you down and you feel like, I dont know if I can make it whether its in the minor leagues or you get to the big leagues and youre struggling. Why does it feel like I cant hit right now? But I think just dealing with those, those also make you stronger. I can think back on every failure Ive had almost, or especially the big ones, and its been a learning experience. You dont love going through it at the time, but you can look back and say, Hey, that helped me deal with this next year. Or, This helped me years down this road or the next time I struggled. Q: What was the most temporarily demoralizing failure? A: The two worst ones I had in the big leagues, I started off the season, 2018, just really, really bad. I was hitting like under .200 the first couple of months. I feel like I knew what adjustment to make to kind of help, but had the worst month of my career in May and then had the best month of my career in June, so you never know whats gonna happen. I think last year, too, with St. Louis, the first half for sure and up until really the last five or six weeks just never was consistent, which was hard because thats what I was trying to do. Same thing, kind of feeling like Ive been working hard for so long and youre not really seeing the payoff. But then one day I was able to start playing well. Again, hated going through it at the time, but learned a lot and definitely helped me throughout the rest of my career. Q: Your Major League dream began when? A: I can remember going to my first Little League practice at about 5 years old and getting in my moms minivan and saying, Mom, I love baseball. Thats when I kind of say its crazy that I still get to play now at 37. This is beyond my wildest dreams, but also have that responsibility because I enjoy it so much to go out there and give everything I have. Yankees first baseman Paul Goldschmidt (48) puts a tag onTampa Bay Rays outfielder Jos Caballero (77). Robert Sabo for NY Post Q: Describe your on-field mentality. A: No. 1, focused. I take the game very serious. I love the game, I love to have fun, but I dont want to look back and say, I had fun and my performance slipped, or I had fun and I didnt make that play. Q: What drives you? A: In a negative way, you say you dont want to let your teammates down. In a positive way, you want to do your job. You want to be that guy that your teammates can count on and you want to be out there playing and performing, and I know the rest of the guys want to do the same way. Q: You used to recite quotes to yourself from Billy Madison in the dugout for 20 minutes. A: Yeah, that maybe happened a few times. It was just something I read that when youre in a good mood, there was some study where you see the ball, your eyes work better, so then I was just kind of like, well, thats obviously important for hitting, so I was just kind of joking around for a few days or week or whatever whenever make myself laugh. But yeah, Happy Gilmore, Billy Madison comedies are definitely my favorite movies, so maybe Ill have to try that again (smile). Q: Whats your definition of a profe sional? A: Probably someone who just shows up every day, does their job, just works really hard and tries to do their job to the best of their ability. Q: That sounds like you. A: Thats what I try to do. Obviously, this games really hard, and theres a lot of ups and downs, but yeah, I try to put basically all of my stock into everything that I can control, try to be very consistent, show up every day, prepare to be ready and then go out there and play as hard as I can. And then, even if you do that every day, the results can be up and down, but its a lot easier to live with, and that way not looking back having regrets, like, Ah, I wish I wouldve done this or that. Just continue to try to do that every day, and figure it gives me the best chance to succeed. Q: A Tony La Ru sa quote about you: For a while now, profe sional players have been distracted by fame and fortune. When you see a guy that has just exemplary drive, it stands out. Goldy, he cant be better than he is. A: Obviously, its high praise from one of the great baseball people of all time. I learned a lot from Tony when he was in charge over there in Arizona, even the last few years hed be around a little bit in St. Louis. For me, it probably started at an early age from my parents, my dad [David] specifically. Theres a certain way that he expected me and my brothers to act and to play baseball and to do everything in life, and I think theres always that voice in the back of my head, my dads voice. Whether I was 10 or 12 years old, or now 37 playing in front of tens of thousands of people, that hasnt changed, and do everything in my power not to let that change. Q: You were an eighth-round pick in 2009. A: Its all relative. To some people, eighth round may seem not very good, but theres a lot of people that would have loved to have been drafted in the eighth round, or even getting an opportunity to play at Texas State. That was Collin Sexton Jersey

CHICAGO Luis Severino has plenty of experience facing Boston over the years in the heated context of the Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. In that regard, his Monday start at Citi Field will be somewhat different, bordering on just another game. But since the Mets right-hander is treating each start these days regardle s of the opponent as almost a playoff game, he realizes there is little room for letdown. From now on, its a must-win series for us, Severino said Sunday before the at Guaranteed Rate Field. We have to win every series if we want to stay in the playoff conversation. In 16 career starts against the Red Sox, hes 5-7 with a 4.06 ERA. He last faced them in June of last year, when he allowed three earned runs Kris Dunn Jersey over five innings in a lo s at Fenway Park. New York Mets pitcher Luis Severino (40) pitches in the first inning when the New York Mets played the Miami Marlins Saturday, August 17, 2024. Robert Sabo for NY Post Severino took a line drive off the top of his right foot in his last start on Wednesday that might have contributed to his mediocre outing against the Diamondbacks in which he allowed four earned runs over 4 / innings. Explore More But Severino threw a normal bullpen se sion over the weekend and said he doesnt anticipate the foot will be an i sue. Right now, its normal, Severino said. Hopefully, they dont hit me there anymore. Edwin Diaz struck out the side in the ninth for his 16th save. It was his fourth appearance in five days. That is why we protected him for the whole year, manager Carlos Mendoza said. Even when he was down, coming off a year he was off the whole year, the way he is throwing the ball and bouncing back, there was a reason we [limited him] early on and now its go time. New York Mets relief pitcher Edwin Diaz reacts after a fly out against the Baltimore Orioles in the ninth inning at Citi field in Queens, New York. JASON SZENES FOR THE NEW YORK POST Delivering insights on all things Amazins Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Diaz pitched three straight days (the first time this season he had that kind of workload) beginning on Wednesday. Reed Garrett gave the Mets a fifth straight scorele s appearance by pitching a perfect eighth with one strikeout. Hes throwing strikes, that is what it comes down to, Mendoza said. Not only getting ahead, but limiting the 3-2 counts just putting hitters away earlier in the count. When he gets in trouble, its usually deep in counts, the walks. Its good to see him execute pitches in a one-run game. Toni Kukoc Jersey

The Diamondbacks officially announced their signing of infielder , which was . In corresponding moves, they optioned infielder and designated right-hander for a signment. Hollowell, 26, has never pitched for the Dbacks at the big league level. He had spent his entire career with the Rockies until they put him on waivers in June. The Snakes claimed him at that time but mostly have Terence Davis Jersey kept him on optional a signment since then. He was briefly recalled at the start of July but was optioned back down to Triple-A Reno a day later without getting into a game. The Snakes were likely intrigued by his big strikeout numbers in the minors. Those have sometimes come with plenty of walks, which was certainly the case after switching organizations. In 17 1/3 Triple-A innings since coming to the Diamondbacks, he has a 3.63 earned run average and 30.4% strikeout rate but a huge walk rate of 16.5%. Combined with his time in the Rockies system earlier this year, his 2024 season consists of 23 2/3 minor league innings with a 5.70 ERA, 29.5% strikeout rate and 16.1% walk rate. Those control i sues werent as bad in previous seasons. He to sed 96 minor league innings over the 2021 to 2023 period with an even 3.00 ERA, 32% strikeout rate and 8% walk rate. He also to sed 40 2/3 major league innings for the Rockies with a 6.20 ERA, 21.5% strikeout rate and 11.8% walk rate. Hes now been squeezed off Arizonas roster. With the trade deadline in the rear-view mirror, they will have to put him on waivers in the coming days. Though the control hasnt been there this year, his strikeout stuff could intrigue some clubs around the league. If he is claimed, he will still have an option year remaining after this campaign, giving him some future roster flexibility. He also has le s than a year of major league service time, meaning a claiming team could control him well into the future. Damon Stoudamire Jersey

Outfielder has chosen to become a free agent rather than accept an outright a signment to the Nationals Triple-A affiliate, the club announced. The free agent route was available to the 27-year-old Blankenhorn because has previously been outrighted earlier in his career. After signing a minor Wes Iwundu Jersey league deal with the Nats last winter, Blankenhorn spent much of his season at Triple-A Rochester before his contract was selected to the big league roster at the start of September. Blankenhorn appeared in 10 games, but a case of plantar fasciitis sent him to the 10-day injured list and prematurely ended his season. Blankenhorn has appeared in each of the last four MLB seasons, though he played in just a single big league game in both 2020 and 2022. In total, the outfielder has a .581 OPS over the small sample size of 68 career plate appearances, though his Triple-A numbers are much stronger. Blankenhorn has a .261/.353/.485 slash line and 48 home runs over 1053 PA at the top minor league level, playing with five different organizations Triple-A affiliates over the last three seasons. With that kind of offensive production and experience at first base, second base, and both corner outfield positions, it isnt surprising that so many teams have taken an interest in Blankenhorn, even if he has been through the grind of moving from organization to organization with only a few cups of coffee at the MLB level. Hell now test free agency yet again, and the complication of lingering foot pain due to his plantar fasciitis could certainly be a concern for Blankenhorns chances of quickly landing another minor league contract. Justin Jackson Jersey

Gambling content 21+. The New York Post may receive an affiliate commi sion if you sign up through our links. Read our for more information. Tucupita Marcano not only lost his wagers on baseball, hes now lost his career. The Padres infielder was officially banned from Major League Baseball for life on Tuesday for betting on Pirates games while he was a member of the team last season. Marcano was found to have bet on 25 Pirates games while he was on their injured list, but did not appear in any of them . Tucupita Marcano was given a lifetime ban for betting on the Pirates while he was on the IL. Getty Images In total, he placed 387 bets from 2022-23, 231 of them MLB-related, the league revealed. He wagered $150,000 in total, with over $87,000 on MLB-related bets, most of them parlays, and winning just 4.3 percent of them. Nikola Vucevic Jersey Four other players As pitcher Michael Kelly, Diamondbacks pitcher Andrew Saalfrank, Padres pitcher Jay Groome and Phillies infielder Jose Rodriguez received one-year suspensions for betting on other teams. The strict enforcement of Major League Baseballs rules and policies governing gambling conduct is a critical component of upholding our most important priority: protecting the integrity of our games for the fans, commi sioner Rob Manfred said in a statement. The longstanding prohibition against betting on Major League Baseball games by those in the sport has been a bedrock principle for over a century. We have been clear that the privilege of playing in baseball comes with a responsibility to refrain from engaging in certain types of behavior that are legal for other people. Explore More The 24-year-old Marcano, whom Spotrac projects to have made $2.7 million during his baseball career, has a career .217 average and .589 OPS in 149 games. Marcano was signed as a 16-year-old out of Venezuela in 2016 by the Padres before being traded to the Pirates in 2021. Michael Kelly, 31, was having a career year in Oakland. Getty Images He last played in a big-league game in July 2023, when he tore his ACL while running the bases. We are extremely disappointed in Tucupitas actions and are fully supportive of Major League Baseballs ruling, the Pirates said in a statement. Kelly, 31, is in his first season with the Athletics after pitching for the Guardians last year and the Phillies in 2022. Andrew Saalfrank was an important contributor for the Diamondbacks in their World Series run. Getty Images He has a 2.59 ERA in 28 appearances this season. Saalfrank, 26, spent parts of the last two seasons with the Diamondbacks, last giving up four runs in inning on April 29 before being demoted to Triple-A Reno on May 1. The lefty specialist played a rather important role with the club during their surprise World Series run last fall, giving up three runs (two earned) in 5 innings acro s 11 appearances, including Games 2, 3 and 4 of the World Series. Phillies infielder Jose Rodriguez playing for the White Sox last year. Icon Sportswire via Getty Images Padres pitcher Jay Groome Diamond Images/Getty Images that Saalfrank made $361,341 in his playing career up until this point, but signed a fully guaranteed one-year $740,000 deal this past offseason. As for the two minor leaguers, Jay Groome and Jose Rodriguez did not make it to the big leagues at any point and their career earnings seem to be unknown according to Spotrac. Its another ma sive blow to baseball, which has been embroiled in gambling scandals this season. Ippei Mizuhara, the former interpreter to Shohei Ohtani, and admitted to stealing over $17 million from the Dodgers superstar to pay off sports gambling debts on Tuesday. Ohtanis ex-Angels teammate David Fletcher is also under investigation by MLB for allegedly placing bets through the same illegal bookmaker used by Mizuhara. Fletcher, who was a member of the Angels last season, was residing in California, which does not have legal sports betting. Tucupita Marcano bet on the Pirates while he was on the IL. Getty Images According to regarding misconduct: Any player, umpire, or Club or League official or employee, who shall bet any sum whatsoever upon any baseball game in connection with which the bettor has a duty to perform, shall be declared permanently ineligible. Players are allowed to bet legally on every sport except baseball. Betting on other teams will land a player a one-year suspension, but betting on his own team results in the same lifetime ban Marcano received. Pete Rose received a lifetime ban in 1989 after he was found to have placed bets on the Reds to win from 1985-87 while playing for and managing the team. The NBA in April for providing inside information to bettors and manipulating his playing time to impact bets. Michael Carter-Williams Jersey

PHOENIX (AP) Zac Gallen won his third straight start, Ryan Thompson Max Strus Jersey got out of a one-out, bases-loaded jam in the ninth inning, and the Arizona Diamondbacks earned a three-game sweep by beating the Washington Nationals 5-4 on Wednesday. Arizona has won five straight series, but this was the Diamondbacks' first sweep in that stretch. Washington took an 8-2 lead in the series opener Monday before Arizona rallied to win 9-8 and outscored the Nats 29-4 over the rest of the series. It's important to not get complacent with just winning a series, especially when you win the first two, outfielder Jake McCarthy said. It can't hurt to keep the foot on the gas pedal. The Nationals have lost four straight and seven of nine. Washington trailed 5-2 entering the ninth. CJ Abrams hit a one-out double off closer Paul Sewald that made it 5-3 and then the Nationals loaded the bases. Manager Torey Lovullo pulled Sewald whose job could be in jeopardy after four blown saves in July and brought in Thompson. Thompson struck out Harold Ramrez and Jos Herrera's pa sed ball allowed Washington to close within a run. The sidearmer coaxed a game-ending groundout by Riley Adams. Even though we have a good idea what to expect, the unexpected doesn't throw us for a loop," Thompson said. There was a number of us ready when the phone rang in the ninth. Sewald faced five batters, walking three in a game for the second time in his career and first since he was a rookie in 2017. Arizona manager Torey Lovullo said he had a lot to think about over the next several hours. Right now, my top priority with Paul is that there's a delivery i sue, Lovullo said. It's not allowing him to throw the ball where he wants to, have the finish on the ball and make the pitches he normally makes. Gallen (9-5) gave up one run, six hits and a walk in six innings, striking out six. Arizona made its offensive push in the sixth, scoring four runs. Pavin Smith hit a slow groundout that hugged the first-base line, allowing Eugenio Surez to score for a 2-1 lead. Pinch-hitter Geraldo Perdomo and Corbin Carroll followed with back-to-back RBI singles and 4-1. Herrera hit an RBI double into the right-center gap, making it 5-1. The surging Diamondbacks look like playoff contender after finishing 17-8 in July. They added first baseman Josh Bell at the trade deadline along with relievers A.J. Puk and Dylan Floro. Puk pitched a scorele s seventh on Wednesday. Washington's McKenzie Gore (6-9) pitched well until the sixth. The lefty gave up three runs on eight hits and a walk over 5 1/3 innings. His fastball velocity averaged 94.8 mph, down from 96.3 mph for the season. Still, manager Dave Martinez was pleased with Gore's outing. He was a lot more efficient, the manager said. Got us into the sixth. He was much better today. Arizona went ahead in the third after McCarthy tripled and then scored on a wild pitch. McCarthy is 12 of 22 at the plate over his past five games. Ramrez hit an RBI double in the fourth. James Wood and Riley Adams finished with two hits. Luis Garcia Jr. had an RBI single in the eighth. They fought to the end, Martinez said. Fell a little short. UP NEXT Nationals: RHP Jake Irvin (8-8, 3.44) starts Friday at home in a series opener against Milwaukee as RHP Frankie Montas (4-8, 5.01) makes his Brewers debut after he was acquired from Cincinnati. Diamondbacks: RHP Brandon Pfaadt (5-6, 3.92) starts Friday's series opener at Pittsburgh. Maurice Harkless Jersey

and the will attempt to knock off Bobby Witt Jr. and the when the teams meet on Monday at 8:10 PM ET. The Royals have been listed as -156 moneyline favorites for this matchup with the Diamondbacks (+131). Kansas City is a 1.5-run favorite (at +134 odds). An 8.5-run total has been listed for this matchup. Here's everything you need to know from a betting perspective on the Royals-Diamondbacks game, regarding the run line, moneyline and total, plus expert picks. Diamondbacks vs. Cubs Highlights | MLB Royals vs. Diamondbacks Game Information & Odds When: Monday, July 22, 2024 at 8:10 PM ET Where: Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Mi souri How to Watch on TV: BSKC Favorite Favorite Moneyline Underdog Moneyline Total Over Total Odds Under Total Odds Run Line Favorite Run Line Odds Underdog Run Line Odds Royals -156 +131 8.5 -101 -119 -1.5 +134 -159 Royals vs. Diamondbacks Prediction Score Prediction: Royals 5, Diamondbacks 4 Total Prediction: Under 8.5 runs Win Probabilities: Royals 54%, Diamondbacks 46% Royals vs. Diamondbacks Betting Insights This season, the Royals have been favored 39 times and won 27, or 69.2%, of those games. Kansas City has a record of 14-6 in games when bookmakers favor them by at least -156 on the moneyline. The Royals have a 60.9% chance to win this game based on the implied probability of the moneyline. The Diamondbacks have been victorious in 23, or 43.4%, of the 53 contests they have been chosen as underdogs in this season. This season, Arizona has come away with a win four times in 13 chances when named as an underdog of at least +131 or longer on the moneyline. The moneyline set for this matchup implies the Diamondbacks have a 43.3% chance of coming away with a victory in the contest. Royals Recent Betting Performance The Royals went 5-1 acro s the six games they were favored on the moneyline in their last 10 matchups. In their last 10 outings (all 10 of them had set totals), the Royals and their opponents combined to hit the over three times. The Royals have gone 8-2-0 against the spread over their past 10 games. Royals Recent Stats Stat Avg/Total Record 7-3 Runs Per Game 5.2 HR 13 ERA 2.59 K/9 9.1 Royals Player Insights Witt leads the Royals in home runs (17), runs batted in (66) and Robert Covington Jersey has accumulated a team-high batting average of .337. Witt's home runs place him 28th in MLB, and he is 11th in RBI. Witt has collected a hit in four straight games. In his last five games he is hitting .526 with a double, a home run, a walk and three RBI. has 22 doubles, two triples, 11 home runs and 32 walks while batting .247. Including all major league hitters, Pasquantino is 95th in home runs and 15th in RBI. Pasquantino enters this game looking for his third game in a row with a hit. In his last five games he is batting .211 with an RBI. has 16 doubles, five triples, six home runs and 29 walks while batting .234. Garcia has at least one base hit in three games in a row. In his last five games he is hitting .333 with a double, a walk and an RBI. has hit 17 home runs to lead his team. Royals Team Props Hits O/U Total Bases O/U HR O/U RBI O/U 0.5 (-215) 1.5 (+150) 0.5 (+800) 0.5 (+205) 0.5 (-230) 1.5 (+125) 0.5 (+550) 0.5 (+170) Bobby Witt Jr. 1.5 (+120) 1.5 (-140) 0.5 (+450) 0.5 (+140) Maikel Garcia 0.5 (-240) 1.5 (+160) 0.5 (+1100) 0.5 (+215) Vinnie Pasquantino 0.5 (-245) 1.5 (+115) 0.5 (+475) 0.5 (+140) Diamondbacks Recent Betting Performance In five games over the last 10 matchups when set as underdogs by sportsbooks, the Diamondbacks had a record of 2-3. When it comes to hitting the over, the Diamondbacks and their opponents are 5-4-1 in their last 10 games with a total. The Diamondbacks have a record of 7-3-0 ATS over their last 10 games. Diamondbacks Recent Stats Stat Avg/Total Record 6-4 Runs Per Game 4.7 HR 10 ERA 2.74 K/9 7.7 Diamondbacks Player Insights Marte paces the Diamondbacks with a team-high batting average of .289. Marte's home run total places him 16th in the majors, and he ranks 30th in RBI. Christian Walker has been a reliable source of runs this year, leading the lineup with 22 home runs and 68 RBI. Among all major league hitters, Walker ranks ninth in home runs and eighth in RBI. is hitting .211 with 16 doubles, six triples, six home runs and 42 walks. Jr. is batting .260 with 15 doubles, a triple, 13 home runs and 14 walks. Diamondbacks Team Props Hits O/U Total Bases O/U HR O/U RBI O/U 0.5 (-240) 1.5 (+145) 0.5 (+850) 0.5 (+220) Lourdes Gurriel Jr. 0.5 (-265) 1.5 (+130) 0.5 (+700) 0.5 (+185) Ketel Marte 0.5 () 1.5 (+110) 0.5 (+500) 0.5 (+185) 0.5 (-155) 0.5 (-155) 0.5 (+1200) 0.5 (+260) Corbin Carroll 0.5 (-195) 0.5 (-195) 0.5 (+1100) 0.5 (+265) Diamondbacks vs. Cubs Highlights | MLB Jusuf Nurkic Jersey

Astros right-hander is a few weeks behind his normal Spring Training schedule due to a shoulder i sue. He spoke to members of the media about it today, with Brian McTaggart of MLB.com relaying of the veteran discu sing the situation. General manager Dana Brown also relayed that righty is dealing with shoulder inflammation, though Brown isnt especially worried since both pitchers are playing catch. If they were shut down, it would be more concerning, Brown said, per . Im a little bit behind schedule right now, had a little hiccup early on thats resolved itself but I have to be really cautious with how Im building up, Verlander said. I gue s my body doesnt respond the same at 40 as it does at 25. So, you know, Im a couple weeks behind. When asked to elaborate on the hiccup, he continued: When I first started playing catch, I usually shut it down for a while. This time, when I shut it down and picked the ball back up, my shoulder didnt feel so great, so kind of had to take a step back and kind of just really be diligent about my buildup. When asked about Opening Day, he said it would depend on how things go in the next few weeks. It seems like the concern is fairly minor at this point, though its le s than ideal for the club that a couple members of its rotation mix are already dealing with i sues just as camp is opening. The Astros are already set to open the season with and on the injured list, with both of Justin Anderson Jersey those pitchers having undergone significant surgeries last year. Brown told MLB Network Radio earlier this week that those two guys are on track for returns in the second half, per . Without McCullers or Garca, Houstons rotation mix would project to be Verlander, , and , with one spot available for someone like France, or . If Verlander and/or France end up requiring a stint on the injured list to start the year, everyone would be moved up a peg or two on the chart. Verlander, who turns 41 next week, also dealt with a shoulder i sue last spring while with the Mets. At the end of March, he was placed on the IL with a teres major strain and didnt make his season debut until May. He was ultimately able to make 27 starts on the year between the Mets and Astros after a midseason trade, but with diminished stuff from his 2022 Cy Young-winning year. His ERA went from 1.75 to 3.22 and his strikeout rate dropped from 27.8% to 21.5% with the velo on all his pitches slightly lower as well. He did seem to get better as the season went along, however, with a 3.60 ERA and 19.7% strikeout rate in the first half compared to a 2.92 ERA and 23% strikeout rate in the second. France, 29 in April, to sed 136 1/3 innings last year with a 3.83 ERA, 17.4% strikeout rate, 8.1% walk rate and 42.8% ground ball rate. Hes obviously le s e sential to the clubs rotation than Verlander, not even guaranteed a roster spot since he has options. But every club has to deal with injuries and reach into their depth at some point during the year. He would have been a candidate to step up if Verlander needed to mi s time but that could be in jeopardy if France is himself delayed. Brown has frequently stated that hes always looking to add pitching and made similar comments today, with relayed by McTaggart. Im always in the busine s of trying to add starter depth. I think the season, like I said before, its 162 games. If you get a situation where you can trade for a starter or if you can sign a starter, I think you should do it if it makes sense budget wise and all that. But at the end of the day, Im always in the market for pitching. Ive said that since day one. I dont think you can have enough pitching in 162 games. The Astros are in unprecedented territory in terms of their payroll. Per , their highest Opening Day payroll was $188MM in 2021. pegs them at $240MM for this year and also has their competitive balance tax figure at $255MM. They have never paid the tax before, as they only time they went over was in 2020, when the payments were waived in the shortened season. This years line is $237MM, so theyre already well over. If the club decides they need reinforcements, there are plenty of names still available in free agency. That includes marquee guys like and but also more affordable names like , and many more. Given the clubs payroll and the minor nature of the injuries, it doesnt seem likely that the club will suddenly go out and splurge, but it will be a situation worth monitoring if another pitcher suffers an injury or a setback is suffered by Verlander or France. Despite Browns a sertion that hes always looking for starting depth, they havent signed any veterans to minor league deals so could perhaps look to add some non-roster guys in the coming days. Zhaire Smith Jersey

Pittsburgh Pirates (58-66, fifth in the NL Central) vs. Texas Rangers (58-68, third in the AL West) Arlington, Texas; Tuesday, 8:05 p.m. EDT PITCHING PROBABLES: Pirates: Mitch Keller (10-7, 3.95 ERA, 1.25 WHIP, 125 strikeouts); Rangers: Cody Bradford (4-0, 3.50 ERA, 1.00 WHIP, 33 strikeouts) : LINE Rangers -152, Pirates +127 Trevor Ariza Jersey ; over/under is 8 runs BOTTOM LINE: The Pittsburgh Pirates will look to end an eight-game road slide when they visit the Texas Rangers. Texas is 58-68 overall and 33-30 in home games. The Rangers have gone 41-24 in games when they record eight or more hits. Pittsburgh is 58-66 overall and 29-34 on the road. The Pirates have a 22-10 record in games when they hit at least two home runs. Tuesday's game is the second meeting between these teams this season. TOP PERFORMERS: Marcus Semien has 24 doubles, two triples and 18 home runs for the Rangers. Corey Seager is 11-for-41 with two doubles, four home runs and 11 RBI over the past 10 games. Bryan Reynolds has a .281 batting average to lead the Pirates, and has 23 doubles, three triples and 19 home runs. Joey Bart is 14-for-41 with four home runs and nine RBI over the past 10 games. LAST 10 GAMES: Rangers: 4-6, .265 batting average, 4.99 ERA, outscored by three runs Pirates: 2-8, .238 batting average, 4.92 ERA, outscored by 19 runs INJURIES: Rangers: Josh Sborz: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Jake Latz: 15-Day IL (forearm), Max Scherzer: 15-Day IL (shoulder), Evan Carter: 60-Day IL (lumbar), Jon Gray: 15-Day IL (groin), Cole Winn: 60-Day IL (shoulder), Jacob deGrom: 60-Day IL (elbow), Carson Coleman: 60-Day IL (elbow) Pirates: Ke'Bryan Hayes: 10-Day IL (herniated disc), Andrew McCutchen: 10-Day IL (knee), Marco Gonzales: 60-Day IL (forearm), Colin Holderman: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Daulton Jefferies: 60-Day IL (elbow), Carmen Mlodzinski: 15-Day IL (undisclosed), Nick Gonzales: 10-Day IL (undisclosed), Jared Jones: 15-Day IL (lat), Ryan Borucki: 60-Day IL (tricep), Dauri Moreta: 60-Day IL (elbow), Endy Rodriguez: 60-Day IL (elbow), Johan Oviedo: 60-Day IL (elbow) The A sociated Pre s created this story using technology provided by and data from . Corey Brewer Jersey

The Orioles announced Monday that theyve designated outfielder for a signment. His spot on the roster will go to veteran , who has been reinstated from the 10-day injured list after mi sing about three weeks with a strained calf. Its the second bit of outfield shuffling by the Os today. Baltimore to Triple-A Norfolk in Kyle Korver Jersey favor of . McKenna, 27, was only selected back to the 40-man roster for a second stint with the Orioles on April 26. He appeared in nine games and went 3-for-8 at the plate, popping a pair of home runs in his brief look with the club. Despite that productive cup of coffee, he wont stick around on the big league roster. McKenna is out of minor league options, so the Os had little choice but to designate him for a signment once things reached a point where they needed to open his roster spot back up. In all likelihood, McKenna knew itd be a short stay on the active roster. A fourth-round selection by the Os in the 2015 draft, McKenna has now appeared in parts of four seasons with the MLB club. Despite the big showing in this years tiny sample, he struggled extensively from 2021-23, hitting just .222/.299/.318 in 508 plate appearances acro s that three-year span. He owns a productive .261/.359/.561 output in 274 Triple-A plate appearances but also a .234/.327/.357 slash in a much larger sample of 817 Double-A plate appearances. Baltimore is stacked with outfield talent and with position players in general leaving little room for McKenna to wrest everyday at-bats from the teams other outfield options. , , and the now-reinstated Hays are all in the mix for at-bats, as is the aforementioned Stowers, whos joining the club for his 2024 debut after smacking 11 Triple-A homers in his first 165 plate appearances there this season. Mullins has been in a deep slump of late, and Hays struggled a good bit before landing on the injured list himself. However, both veterans have lengthy track records of production that date back several years. Neither was going to be displaced because of a brief hot streak from McKenna. The Orioles have a week to trade McKenna or else place him on outright waivers or release waivers. He went unclaimed on outright waivers at the end of March, and in doing so gained the right to reject any additional outright a signments for the remainder of his career. As such, if he clears waivers, hell have the right to reject a minor league a signment in favor of free agency. Given the glut of outfield talent on the Baltimore roster, its po sible hed prefer to latch on with another organization that has far le s depth and thus a better opportunity for him to get an earnest look at the big league level. John Stockton Jersey

Hello, friends. It's a wonderful time Jason Kidd Jersey of year, with buckets of April showers now forcing a bevy of flowers to bloom at our house, whilst tricking any pa serby into thinking master gardeners must live there. In reality, we just bought our house from an old woman who really (really!) liked to garden and had virtually everything automated/dummy-proofed. I'm not even kidding - only a bare minimum of maintenance is required and we spend a couple of months drowning in flowers -- but those silly, pa sersby don't need to know that, do they? Ruse! April also brought us new showers of power for fantasy baseball; some old faces, some new. I bet you can't gue s who is currently leading the league in home-run rate? P st...It rhymes with " ". With every flip of the calendar, our sample sizes to separate the useful wheat from the confusing chaff of statistical noise grow ever larger. Particularly in the land of power, as many batted-ball statistics don't require monster pools of data before we can start naming them po sibly significant. Unlock Subscriber-Exclusive Articles Like This One With a Trade Rumors Front Office Subscription BENEFITS Acce s weekly subscriber-only articles by Tim Dierkes, Steve Adams, and Anthony Franco. Join exclusive weekly live chats with Anthony. Remove ads and support our writers. Acce s GM-caliber tools like our MLB Contract Tracker Julius Erving Jersey

Former big leaguer has returned to Japan. He signed with the Yokohama DeNA BayStars of Nippon Profe sional Baseball, the team . The hard-throwing righty was released from a minor league deal with the Mariners last month. This probably marks the end of Fujinamis two and a half seasons in affiliated ball. The 66 righty has an upper-90s fastball but hasnt been able to harne s his stuff. The rebuilding As took a one-year, $3.25MM flier on Fujinami in advance of the 2023 season. They initially gave him a rotation opportunity, but he struggled mightily in seven Marcus Morris Sr. Jersey starts and quickly moved to the bullpen. While Fujinami had an 8.57 ERA in 34 appearances with the As, they managed to flip him to the Orioles at the trade deadline. He tallied 29 2/3 frames of 4.85 ERA ball for Baltimore. Fujinami secured a big league split deal from the Mets in his return to free agency. He never made an MLB appearance with New York, spending time on the injured list before being designated for a signment. Fujinami pitched in Puerto Rico over the winter to land another affiliated opportunity. He secured a minor league contract with Seattle in January but struggled to a 5.79 ERA with 26 walks in 18 2/3 Triple-A innings. Hell now head back to NPB, where he owns a 3.41 earned run average in parts of 10 seasons. Jay Scrubb Jersey

September 7 : The Diamondbacks have now made Lawlars promotion official, announced that move and Ahmeds DFA today. They also activated catcher , claimed off Eric Bledsoe Jersey waivers this week, and recalled right-hander . Catcher and right-hander were optioned in corresponding moves for Zavala and Nelson. September 6 : The Diamondbacks are calling up top infield prospect , reports Nick Piecoro of the Arizona Republic ( ). Theyll presumably make the move official tomorrow in advance of a pivotal four-game series against the Cubs. Arizona is for a signment in a corresponding move. Lawlar seems likely to take over as the primary third baseman. Piecoro wrote that the Snakes were considering him as an option at the hot corner. Lawlar made his first profe sional start there with Triple-A Reno last night. Thats obviously a very limited look, but teams generally feel comfortable moving shortstops to other infield positions. A Dallas native, Lawlar was regarded as one of the top prospects in the 2021 draft cla s coming out of high school. He somewhat surprisingly lasted until the sixth pick, though Arizona went above slot with the third-highest signing bonus to add him to the system. Lawlars draft season was cut short by an injury to his left shoulder, which required surgery. He didnt show any signs of rust the following year, though. The right-handed hitter put together a .303/.401/.509 batting line in his first full profe sional season. He reached Double-A Amarillo late last year, an impre sive achievement for a player who had just turned 20 years old. That huge showing cemented Lawlars status as one of the sports most talented prospects. Arizona a signed him back to Amarillo to begin the 2023 campaign. He started relatively slowly but has caught fire since the weather warmed up. Lawlar has an OPS north of .900 in the minors for each month since June. He hit .263/.366/.474 in 410 Double-A plate appearances overall to earn a bump to Reno in mid-August. Lawlar has only appeared in 16 games there, mashing at a .358/.438/.612 clip. While hes had the benefit of playing in favorable hitting environments, Lawlars cumulative .278/.378/.496 line on the year is strong. Hes walking at a quality 11.4% clip against a decent 20.6% strikeout rate. He has popped 20 homers, 23 doubles and four triples and gone 36-41 in stolen base attempts. recently slotted Lawlar as the sports #9 overall prospect, while placed him 25th. As his numbers indicate, hes generally viewed as a well-rounded player with solid tools acro s the board. McDaniel suggests that a lack of a standout carrying tool could keep Lawlar more as a quality regular than a true star. Even if Lawlar doesnt have quite the same upside as some top prospects, most evaluators seem confident in him being a productive everyday player at the major league level. Whether thatll be the case immediately could have an impact on this years playoff picture. Arizona beat Colorado this afternoon and remains tied with Miami, half a game behind the Reds for the final NL Wild Card spot. The Cubs occupy the second Wild Card position, so Arizona has a chance to directly make up ground when they head to Wrigley. Theres risk with any prospect, particularly one who only has a year and a half of minor league reps under his belt. Yet Lawlar brings more offensive upside than Arizonas current third base mix. The Snakes have used a combination of , and occasionally at the hot corner. While Rivera had played reasonably well early in the season, theyve gotten almost nothing out of the position lately. Arizona third basemen are hitting .195/.298/.305 since the All-Star Break. has also cooled off at shortstop after an All-Star first half. Yet hes playing well enough overall to keep the hold onto that job, seemingly pushing Lawlar to the other left side infield position for now. It stands to reason Arizona still views Lawlar as a shortstop option if Perdomo gets injured or goes through an extended slump. Hell retain his rookie eligibility going into next season. If the D-Backs carry him for a full service year, Lawlar could net them an extra draft choice if he plays well enough to win Rookie of the Year or finish top three in MVP balloting during his pre-arbitration seasons. Thats a much further off po sibility. For now, his focus will be on trying to help a young and increasingly exciting Arizona team to the postseason. Image courtesy of USA Today Sports. Donte DiVincenzo Jersey

Acce s the Mets beat like never before Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets. These are mostly fun times for the Mets lineup. Yes, there have been Richard Urena Jersey occasional games in the past 2 weeks in which the unit has stalled and frustration ensued. But the teams succe s at the plate is starting to outweigh such lapses. Monday night, with the NL Easts top dog in the house, the bottom of the batting order took charge and led a 13-3 smackdown of the Phillies at Citi Field. It was a third victory in four games for the Mets, who still trail the Phillies by six games. The Reds, who began the night behind the Mets by 1 games for the NLs third and final wild card, played a later game against the Dodgers. Luis Torrens homers during the Mets Aug. 25 win over the Phillies. Charles Wenzelberg Explore More After scoring 21 runs combined in their two victories in Atlanta over the weekend, the Mets again busted out. This time they scored 13 unanswered runs. I think were doing what we expect ourselves to do, Mark Vientos said. One through nine were a great lineup. Luis Torrens, the No. 9 hitter in the order, delivered the dagger with a three-run homer in the seventh after earlier contributing an RBI double. He also drove in another run later with a single to finish with a career-high five RBIs. Jeff McNeil, batting eighth, was 2-for-4 with three RBIs. And from the No. 7 hole, light-hitting Tyrone Taylor was 3-for-4 with an RBI. All told that was an 8-for-13 night with nine RBIs for the bottom three hitters in the order. They needed that, manager Carlos Mendoza said. [Taylor] has been a lot better the last couple of days, but for [Torrens] for both of them, its been a grind. Its been a struggle. But we know they are good players. When you get your bottom of the lineup doing things like that, it makes for a tough, pretty good offense. Starling Marte hits a single during the Mets Aug. 25 win over the Phillies. Charles Wenzelberg Further up in the lineup, Vientos continued his sizzling play with two doubles and two RBIs, including the go-ahead hit in the fifth inning after the Mets had fallen into a 3-0 hole early. I was glad I was up to bat in those situations, Vientos said. Kodai Senga, pitching on normal rest for the fourth time in his career the Mets have regularly allowed him to pitch every sixth or seventh day instead of on the fifth slogged through four innings. Overall, he surrendered three earned runs on six hits with three walks and four strikeouts over 93 pitches. Mark Vientos celebrates after hitting a double during the Mets Aug. 25 win. Charles Wenzelberg He departed in the fifth after drilling J.T. Realmuto to start the inning. On regular rest during his career, hes pitched to a 5.09 ERA. In all other instances, Senga has pitched to a 2.74 ERA. Its been a struggle for Senga since he returned from the injured list on July 11. He was asked his confidence level that he can revert to previous form before this season concludes. CHECK OUT THE AND Its not so much a level of confidence, its something I have to do, Senga said through his interpreter. If I am not able to do that, I am going to pull the team down. Senga surrendered a triple to Trea Turner leading off the game and watched the Phillies go ahead 1-0 on Kyle Schwarbers RBI groundout. Alec Bohm stroked a two-run single in the third that increased the Mets deficit to 3-0. Schwarber walked to begin the rally and Bryce Harper singled, advancing to second as Juan Soto unsucce sfully attempted to throw out the lead runner at third. Luis Torrens rounds the bases after hitting a home run Aug. 25. Charles Wenzelberg After Bohm delivered, Brandon Marsh doubled before Senga escaped the second-and-third jam by retiring Max Kepler. The Mets tied it against Cristopher Snchez with three runs in the fourth. Vientos, who entered with five homers in seven games, hit an RBI double before Brandon Nimmos single pulled the Mets to within a run. Taylor walked to extend the inning before McNeils RBI single tied it 3-3. Delivering insights on all things Amazins Sign up for Inside the Mets by Mike Puma, exclusively on Sports+ Thank you By clicking above you agree to the and . Enjoy this Post Sports+ exclusive newsletter! Vientos slashed a go-ahead RBI double in the fifth after the Phillies failed to execute a pickoff play. Soto, in an attempted steal, was safe at second on the play after Bryson Stott dropped the throw while attempting a swipe tag. Snchez had stepped off and thrown to first base, where Harper received the throw before firing to second. Kodai Senga throws a pitch during his start for the Mets on Aug. 25. Charles Wenzelberg After Taylor stroked a leadoff double in the sixth, Torrens doubled to right-center, giving the Mets a 5-3 lead. Snchez was removed at that point. David Robertson surrendered an RBI single to Starling Marte after walking Soto with two outs. With Torrens three-run blast in the seventh, the rout was on for the Mets, who finished 11-for-19 with runners in scoring position. It was the teams highest hit total in that category since 2017. The Mets overall lead the NL this month with a .351 batting average with runners in scoring position. Thats been the biggest key, Mendoza said, referring to the teams surge offensively. Cavan Biggio Jersey