MLB ROUNDUP: JAYS TOP ANGELS IN 11TH FOR 7TH STRAIGHT WIN
Addison Barger hit an RBI single with two outs in the 11th inning and the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the visiting Los Angeles Angels 4-3 on Saturday afternoon.
Barger’s single to right against Ryan Zeferjahn (5-3) scored automatic runner Myles Straw, who reached third on a bunt single by Nathan Lukes and gave the Blue Jays their seventh straight win. Vladimir Guerrero Jr. had been intentionally walked with one out to load the bases.
Toronto has won the first two games of the three-game series, both in extra innings.
George Springer hit a two-run home run for Toronto.
Nolan Schanuel had a hit and an RBI for the Angels, and Jo Adell drove in a pair of runs.
Twins 6, Rays 5
Brooks Lee needed to see just one pitch in the bottom of the ninth inning, a four-seam fastball that Lee bunted up the first-base line to score Byron Buxton from third and earn Minnesota a victory over Tampa Bay in Minneapolis.
The walk-off squeeze bunt capped a comeback for the Twins, who trailed 5-1 before plating four runs in the sixth inning.
Kody Clemens belted a three-run homer for Minnesota, and Royce Lewis was 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Danny Jansen led Tampa Bay with a 3-for-3 day that included a double and an RBI, while Chandler Simpson added two hits and drove in a run.
Rangers 7, Padres 4
Kyle Higashioka homered and knocked in five runs as visiting Texas squared its weekend series with San Diego.
Higashioka added a pair of RBI singles and a sacrifice fly, finishing the game 3-for-3 to up his average to .232. Patrick Corbin (5-7) got the win, working six solid innings and permitting two runs off six hits.
Stephen Kolek (3-4) was tagged with the loss after yielding nine hits and six runs in 5 1/3 innings. Kolek walked one and fanned two in losing for the fourth time in five decisions.
Astros 6, Dodgers 4
Yainer Diaz hit a home run and Framber Valdez recovered from a wobbly start as Houston followed a blowout victory Friday with another win in Los Angeles.
Valdez (10-4) gave up four runs on seven hits over six innings with seven strikeouts to hold off the Dodgers, who lost consecutive games for the first time since June 6-7 after the Astros’ 18-1 win on Friday.
Shohei Ohtani made his fourth pitching start of the season for the Dodgers and went two scoreless innings on 31 pitches. Left-hander Justin Wrobleski (4-3) followed by allowing five runs (four earned) over 4 2/3 innings.
Cardinals 8, Cubs 6
Yohel Pozo connected on a pinch-hit, three-run homer to cap a five-run eighth inning and help St. Louis rally for a road victory over Chicago.
Nolan Gorman had two hits, including a homer, and drove in two runs for the Cardinals, who snapped a four-game losing skid with the win. Alec Burleson was 3-for-5 with a home run, while Thomas Saggese added two hits and two RBIs to end a 0-for-19 slump.
A day after erupting for three homers, Michael Busch added another on Saturday, one of three hits he recorded on the day. Carson Kelly also added a home run for Chicago, which saw its four-game winning streak come to a close.
Phillies 5, Reds 1
Edmundo Sosa, Alec Bohm and Kyle Schwarber each belted home runs to lead Philadelphia to a home win over Cincinnati.
Ranger Suarez struck out six and held the Reds to just one run on five hits over five innings for the Phillies, while Trea Turner doubled and singled.
Cincinnati’s lone run came in the fifth on a Will Benson home run. Santiago Espinal and Elly De La Cruz each had two hits for the Reds.
Red Sox 10, Nationals 3
Boston exploded for seven runs in the third inning to jump ahead 9-0 en route to a road rout of Washington.
Ceddanne Rafaela had two hits, including a two-run homer in the third and an RBI double in the eighth. Romy Gonzalez added three hits, including two doubles, and two RBIs while Roman Anthony singled twice and drove in a run.
Josh Bell recorded three hits for the Nationals, who have been outscored 21-5 in the first two of this three-game series. Nathaniel Lowe had two hits, including a triple, and scored twice.
Diamondbacks 7, Royals 1
Ryne Nelson retired the first 16 batters he faced and Randal Grichuk homered as host Arizona defeated Kansas City.
Nelson (5-2) allowed a run on four hits and no walks over seven innings. Freddy Fermin’s looping single to right center with one out in the sixth broke the spell. Three batters later, Bobby Witt Jr.’s run-scoring single accounted for the Royals’ lone run.
Kansas City starter and loser Michael Wacha gave up four runs on four hits and four walks in four-plus innings.
Marlins 4, Brewers 2
Rookie Agustin Ramirez belted a two-out, two-run single in the eighth inning to break a 2-2 tie and help Miami pick up a home win over Milwaukee.
Kyle Stowers homered for the Marlins, who have won 10 of their past 12, while both Liam Hicks and Eric Wagaman doubled.
Jackson Chourio went 3-for-4 with a double for Milwaukee, Rhys Hoskins had an RBI triple, and William Contreras recorded a double.
Mets 12, Yankees 6
Pete Alonso had two home runs and five RBIs to help the Mets extend their winning streak to four games with a victory against the visiting Yankees.
The Mets took a 4-0 lead in the first when Brandon Nimmo mashed a grand slam into the bullpen in right-center field. Already leading by three in the fifth, the Mets built upon it after Francisco Lindor drew a walk and set the stage for Alonso’s 19th home run of the season to go ahead 7-2. Starter Frankie Montas (1-1) allowed four runs on five hits in 5 2/3 innings.
Starter Carlos Rodon (9-6) gave up seven runs (six earned) on five hits over five innings for the Yankees, who have lost a season-high six straight. Jazz Chisholm Jr., Anthony Volpe and Austin Wells all homered for the Bronx Bombers.
Orioles 9, Braves 6 (10 innings)
Ramon Laureano and Jacob Stallings delivered run-scoring doubles in the 10th inning as Baltimore defeated host Atlanta in extras after the game had four lead changes and three ties.
Laureano, who finished last season with the Braves, broke the tie with a double against reliever Rafael Montero that scored automatic runner Jordan Westburg. After Ryan O’Hearn was intentionally walked, Stallings drove in both runners with a double to left. Felix Bautista earned the win and Yennier Cano threw a perfect 10th to earn his first save.
The Orioles smacked three homers in the game. Tyler O’Neill crushed a solo shot in the third inning, his third of the year and first since April 13, and Jordan Westburg followed with a 461-foot two-run shot. Colton Cowser then hit his eighth homer of the year in the fourth. The Braves got home runs by Austin Riley and Matt Olson.
Tigers 1, Guardians 0
Spencer Torkelson hit a solo home run and Casey Mize pitched seven dominant innings in a combined four-hitter as Detroit edged host Cleveland.
Torkelson went deep in the second inning against Logan Allen, sending his 20th homer of the year into the seats in right field. Meanwhile, Mize (9-2) scattered four hits over a season-high 102 pitches, one short of his career high. The right-hander did not allow a runner to reach third base.
Allen worked six innings, giving up one run on two hits in losing his third straight start. The Guardians dropped their ninth in a row, matching their longest losing streak since 2021. Cleveland has been outscored 41-13 during the skid, being shut out five times.
White Sox 10, Rockies 3
Lenyn Sosa homered, finished a triple shy of the cycle and drove in four runs and Michael A. Taylor also went deep and doubled as Chicago beat host Colorado.
Highly touted prospect Colson Montgomery had three hits for the White Sox, including his first in the majors after debuting Friday. Mike Tauchman also had three hits and Brooks Baldwin contributed two hits, and Chicago starter Jonathan Cannon allowed two runs on eight hits in 5 1/3 innings to earn his first victory since May 2.
Brenton Doyle homered, Tyler Freeman had three hits to extend his on-base streak to 20 games and Yanquiel Fernandez had two hits for the Rockies. German Marquez allowed six runs on 11 hits in six innings.
Mariners 1, Pirates 0
Luis Castillo pitched seven scoreless innings and struck out a season-high eight as Seattle defeated visiting Pittsburgh.
Castillo (5-5) allowed just two hits — both to leadoff hitter Spencer Horwitz — and didn’t walk a batter. Of his 99 pitches, 67 were strikes. Ben Williamson drove in the game’s only run with an RBI double in the sixth. It was the second consecutive shutout for the Mariners, who improved to 4-2 on their seven-game homestand.
Pittsburgh starter Mike Burrows stranded seven runners over five scoreless innings. The right-hander allowed three hits, walked four and fanned six. The Pirates have lost two straight after a six-game winning streak.
Giants 7, Athletics 2
Willy Adames drove in four runs and Logan Webb pitched 6 2/3 solid innings to help San Francisco register a victory over the Athletics in West Sacramento, Calif.
Heliot Ramos homered, Adames had three hits and Brett Wisely had two hits and two RBIs for the Giants, who won for just the fourth time in the past 12 games. Webb (8-6) allowed two runs and seven hits, struck out six and walked three.
Nick Kurtz had two hits and an RBI for the Athletics, who had won four of their previous six games. Luis Severino (2-10) gave up five runs and five hits in 4 1/3 innings while continuing to struggle at home, where he is 0-8 with a 7.04 ERA in 11 home starts.
–Field Level Media
WHITE SOX ICON BOBBY JENKS PASSES AWAY AT AGE 44
Bobby Jenks, a member of the 2005 Chicago White Sox World Series championship team, died after a battle with Stage 4 adenocarcinoma, a form of stomach cancer, on Friday, July 4 in Sintra, Portugal.
Jenks, a flame-throwing reliever who appeared in the 2006 and 2007 All-Star Games, was 44 years old.
“We have lost an iconic member of the White Sox family today,” said White Sox Chairman Jerry Reinsdorf. “None of us will ever forget that ninth inning of Game 4 in Houston, all that Bobby did for the 2005 World Series champions and for the entire Sox organization during his time in Chicago. He and his family knew cancer would be his toughest battle, and he will be missed as a husband, father, friend and teammate. He will forever hold a special place in all our hearts.”
In just six seasons (2005-2010) with Chicago, Jenks posted 173 saves and 334 strikeouts in 341 2/3 innings pitched. He stands second in team history in saves, behind only Bobby Thigpen’s 201.
Jenks is also sixth in appearances (329) and seventh in strikeouts for White Sox relief pitchers.
Jenks was originally drafted by the Angels in 2000, but was a December 2004 waiver claim by Chicago. He was called up mid-season in 2005 and made his Major League debut on July 6. Jenks took over the closer’s role and earned six saves during the regular season, then appeared in six playoff games. He recorded saves in the series-clinching win over Boston in the ALDS and closed the door on Houston in the final game (Game 4) of the 2005 World Series.
Jenks recorded 41 saves in 2006 and 40 more in 2007, earning All-Star nods in both seasons. He tied a major league record in 2007, retiring 41 consecutive hitters. At 26 years old, he was the second-youngest reliever to record back-to-back 40-save seasons.
He left Chicago after a 27-save season in 2010 and completed his career in Boston the following year. He appeared in 19 games with the Red Sox, but did not add to his saves total.
For his career, Jenks posted a record of 16-20 with a 3.53 ERA and ranks 75th on the MLB all-time saves list.
After a long absence from professional baseball, the Mission Hills, Calif., native was hired as a pitching coach for the Grand Junction Rockies, an MLB Partner League club. He was promoted to manager in 2022 and earned the league’s Manager of the Year award as the Rockies (now Jackalopes) won the league title.
Jenks and his wife, Eleni Tzitzivacos, moved to Portugal in October 2024. Not long after they relocated, he was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis in his right calf and later dealt with multiple blood clots in his lungs. Early in 2025, he noticed that his energy level was decreasing, and after testing at a local hospital, it was discovered that a tumor had formed in his chest.
Jenks is survived by his wife, their two children, and four children from a previous marriage.
–Field Level Media
TIGERS ALL-STAR 2B GLEYBER TORRES (NECK) EXITS VS. GUARDIANS
Detroit Tigers All-Star second baseman Gleyber Torres left Saturday’s game against the Cleveland Guardians in the first inning due to a neck contusion.
Torres was injured on a force play at second base to end the inning off a grounder hit by teammate Riley Greene. Cleveland shortstop Brayan Rocchio had to lunge to grab a flip from second baseman Johnathan Rodriguez and Rocchio’s elbow connected with the sliding Torres.
Torres stopped on the ground before the bag and was attended to for a few minutes before exiting the field.
Javier Baez moved from shortstop to second base in the bottom of the first and Mark Sweeney entered to play shortstop.
Torres, 28, walked in the first inning to extend his on-base streak to 18 games. The All-Star starter is batting .279 with nine homers and 44 RBIs in 77 games.
YANKEES’ SCHMIDT EXPECTED TO REQUIRE TOMMY JOHN SURGERY
New York Yankees right-hander Clarke Schmidt will likely require season-ending Tommy John surgery, manager Aaron Boone said Saturday.
“He’s kind of getting second opinions now but not great news on that front,” Boone told the media after he was asked bout Schmidt’s imaging results. “We will see what goes on here in the next couple of days.”
Schmidt departed Thursday’s start with tightness in his right forearm. He was subsequently placed on the injured list Friday.
The 29-year-old could also potentially miss the entire 2026 campaign following the procedure. The typical recovery time is 12-to-18 months but may vary if he gets an internal brace in his elbow.
Schmidt authored a 3.32 ERA with 1.09 WHIP and 73 strikeouts over 78 2/3 innings (14 starts) in 2025.
DIAMONDBACKS REINSTATE OF CORBIN CARROLL FROM IL
The Arizona Diamondbacks reinstated right fielder Corbin Carroll from the 10-day injured list on Saturday.
Carroll, 24, had been sidelined with a chip fracture in his left wrist after being hit by a pitch on June 18 at Toronto.
Carroll leads the majors with nine triples and is batting .255 with 20 homers and 44 RBIs in 72 games.
Named an All-Star and the National League Rookie of the Year in 2023, Carroll has a .257 batting average with 71 home runs, 35 triples, 208 RBIs and 101 stolen bases in 417 games. He led the NL in triples in each of the previous two seasons.
The Diamondbacks optioned infielder Tim Tawa to Triple-A Reno following Friday night’s 9-3 home loss against the Kansas City Royals.
Tawa, 26, made his major league debut on April 5 and is batting .200 with six homers, 14 RBIs and 47 strikeouts in 59 games this season.
BLUE JAYS PLACE RHP YIMI GARCIA (ANKLE) IN 15-DAY IL
The Toronto Blue Jays placed right-hander Yimi Garcia on the 15-day injured list with a sprained left ankle and recalled right-hander Robinson Pina from Triple-A Buffalo on Saturday.
Garcia, 34, is 1-2 with a 3.86 ERA in 22 relief appearances for the Blue Jays. In 11 seasons with five different clubs, including his first five with the Los Angeles Dodgers, Garcia is 23-31 with a 3.61 ERA in 436 appearances (one start).
Pina, 26, made his major league debut June 20 as a member of the Miami Marlins and went one inning in his only outing, giving up a home run to the Atlanta Braves’ Austin Riley. Pina was traded to the Blue Jays on June 24.
REPORT: ASTROS SIGN RHP HECTOR NERIS
The Houston Astros signed right-hander Hector Neris, according to multiple reports.
Neris is a familiar name for the Astros, as he pitched three seasons in H-Town from 2022 to 2024. In 157 games with the franchise, he posted a 2.90 ERA and 174 strikeouts.
The 36-year-old veteran began the 2025 season with the Atlanta Braves. In two appearances, he allowed five runs in one combined inning and was designated for assignment in March.
Then, Neris signed a contract with the Los Angeles Angels in April. The veteran appeared in 21 games, recording a 5.14 ERA and 19 strikeouts across 14 innings. He was released on July 3rd.
REPORT: OF ALEX VERDUGO CLEARS WAIVERS, RELEASED BY BRAVES
Former Atlanta Braves outfielder Alex Verdugo cleared waivers Saturday and was officially released by the club, The Athletic reported, three days after he was designated for assignment.
Verdugo was removed from the active roster to open a spot for the return of outfielder Jurickson Profar, who came back Wednesday from an 80-day suspension when he tested positive for performance-enhancing substances.
Verdugo batted .239 with no home runs and 12 RBIs in 56 games in his first season with the Braves. He signed a one-year deal for $1.5 million in March.
METS SIGNING ITALIAN TEENAGER IN FRANCHISE FIRST
The New York Mets are signing Italian pitcher Matteo Marelli, the first European amateur signing in team history.
The 19-year-old right-hander was scheduled to have a signing ceremony on Saturday in Rovigo, Italy.
“What I’m most proud about is the Mets are expanding their global footprint,” Mets scout Rosario Chiovaro said, per the team’s website. “I want the Mets to be a global brand.”
Chiovaro began scouting Marelli two years ago in Major League Baseball’s European Development Tournament in London. When he saw Marelli again three months ago in the same tournament in Barcelona, his fastball had risen from the mid-80s to the mid-90s.
The fastball is one of five distinct pitches in Marelli’s arsenal, including a “kick change” he perfected by studying clips on social media.
“It’s easy to see when somebody’s different from other people, from other players,” said Francisco Cervelli, a longtime big-league catcher and current head coach of Italy’s national teams, including Marelli’s U-23 squad. “You see a future. It’s a very interesting player. And the arm … (Once he starts) training every day, you’re going to see results very quickly.”
GUARDIANS ACTIVATE RELIEVER PAUL SEWALD FROM IL
The Cleveland Guardians activated Paul Sewald from the injured list and the veteran appeared in relief in Saturday’s game vs. the Detroit Tigers, pitching a perfect eighth inning with one strikeout.
In a corresponding move, the Guardians optioned lefty Doug Nikhazy to Triple-A Columbus.
Sewald pitched in 14 games for his new club before landing on the IL with a right shoulder strain on April 29. He had struggled, allowing eight earned runs in 11 2/3 innings of work (6.17 ERA). On a positive note, the right-hander had walked just two hitters while fanning 15.
Sewald saved 82 games from 2021-24 for the Seattle Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks. He recorded six saves in 10 appearances for the Diamondbacks in their 2023 run to the World Series.
Sewald was expected to fill a setup role in Cleveland in front of All-Star closer Emmanuel Clase.
