Sports
Juan Soto’s Already Smashing Dingers—New York Yankees Fans Might Want to Look Away
If there is one common trait among baseball general managers who operate in markets with multiple teams, it is to avoid making blockbuster deals with the devil.
In most cases, that devil is the team that otherwise would be considered a neighbor. Intimacy breeds contempt, they say, and for baseball GMs, having too comfortable of a working relationship with the club nearest to you can affect perception.
So on the rare occasion that in-town or regional rivals do make deals, they are of a lower-impact variety. The nightmare comes when swaps are made at a higher level.
The most disastrous of deals among rivals went down in baseball lore when the Boston Red Sox sold Babe Ruth to the New York Yankees for $100,000 and additional perks in 1919.
While the Yankees reportedly placed a mortgage on Fenway Park, Ruth, as legend has it, put a curse on the Red Sox.
Deals of that magnitude among rivals are dinosaurs. The Los Angeles Angels never would have traded Shohei Ohtani to the Los Angeles Dodgers, and the Yankees certainly would not have shipped Juan Soto to the New York Mets under any circumstance.
Yet each player still managed to orchestrate their own deals to end up across town as free agents.
So eager to join the Dodgers and give himself a chance at a playoff appearance—not to mention a championship—Ohtani worked a $700 million deal by agreeing to have $680 million of it paid after the 10-year term ends.
The move not only allowed Ohtani to participate in a playoff game for the first time in his career, he played in 16 of them, five of which were in the World Series. And when Year 1 of a 10-year deal was complete, the Dodgers had the trophy they craved, and Ohtani had the ring he desired.
One season later, the scenario has again emerged. While Soto has already experienced World Series glory in 2019 with the Washington Nationals and played in another last season with the Yankees, his arrival with the Mets was simple economics.
Soto signed a 15-year, $765 million deal with the Mets as opposed to the Yankees’ best offer, which was reported at 16 years and $760 million. That amounts to a $3.5 million difference per year.
Like the Dodgers were last season, the Mets are now on championship watch. They went as far as the National League Championship Series last year, and Soto could be the impetus to the Mets’ first appearance in the Fall Classic since 2000. That World Series was against the Yankees.
A Mets-Yankees World Series this season would continue the buzz started when the Dodgers-Yankees matchup this past October pitted a pair of longtime MLB superpowers against each other.
Soto’s move to Queens didn’t need any extra juice, but it got it anyway when the 26-year-old hit a home run Saturday during his first spring at-bat in his new uniform. If Soto can take his game to an even higher level, like Ohtani did after signing his free-agent contract, then a summer of can’t-miss star power awaits.
“Everybody knows who you are and everything, but they’ve got to see it with their eyes,” Soto told reporters in Port St. Lucie after Saturday’s game.
Perhaps Soto’s strength is knowing that for all he has done at such a young age—with 201 home runs and a career .953 OPS—he needs to keep proving himself while playing for his fourth club in eight seasons.
“I try to bring the vibes and the good energy everywhere I go,” Soto said. “For me, if I hit a homer or not, it’s just how it looks inside, in the clubhouse and the dugout. That’s all it’s about.”
Last season, the Dodgers rode a top of the order that consisted of Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman all the way to a title. The Mets, on Saturday, had Francisco Lindor batting in front of Soto, who was followed by Pete Alonso.
So pull up a chair to see if 2025 can follow a similar path as 2024. The Mets and Yankees meet May 16-18 in a three-game series in the Bronx that will have all eyes on it. The series finale has already been selected for national television.
One week later, the Mets will be at home for a three-game series against the Dodgers. Once again, the series finale has already been selected for national television. And barely one week later, the Mets will be in Los Angeles for four against the Dodgers.
And if that isn’t enticing enough, Fourth of July weekend will consist of three more games against the Yankees in Queens.
Fireworks are coming. Simply tune in.
Sports
Another Tiger possibly on trade block, Casey Mize, faces Royals
Jul 19, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Detroit Tigers pitcher Casey Mize (12) pitches during the second inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images The possibility of Tarik Skubal getting traded has loomed over the Tigers all season. But another key Detroit starter and impending free agent, Casey Mize, also could swap out uniforms if the Tigers choose to sell before the Aug. 3 trade deadline.
Mize could be making his last appearance with the club when the Tigers host the Kansas City Royals on Saturday afternoon.
The 29-year-old right-hander has battled groin tightness at various times this season, but when he’s been on the mound, he has delivered quality innings. Mize (4-6, 2.79 ERA) has allowed two or fewer runs in 11 of his 15 starts.
Mize had his latest start, his first after the All-Star break, cut short when a comebacker from Los Angeles Angels’ Jo Adell struck his left wrist. He exited after 3 1/3 innings but didn’t have any lingering effects from the injury.
“I’m good,” Mize said, according to the Detroit News. “I (am) looking forward to Saturday. We’ve been checking all the boxes that we need to and I’m feeling good.”
Mize, who gave up one run and five hits and a walk with five strikeouts in Anaheim, Calif., is not dwelling on the trade speculation.
“Where we are as a team makes that more simple (to deal with),” Mize said. “There are so many unknowns. We’re in a 10-game sprint right now, and it takes tons of focus on what we’re doing here and now, day to day. That’s kind of how I’ve always played, so that makes it pretty easy to focus on that instead of the other stuff. I’m just leaning on that and really caring about what we’re doing right now.”
Mize hasn’t faced the Royals this season, but he has made more career starts against them than any other club. He is 3-2 with a 4.97 ERA in 13 starts vs. Kansas City. Royals catcher Salvador Perez has a .424 average with five extra-base hits against him in 33 at-bats.
Michael Wacha (5-7, 3.66) will start for the Royals. Wacha was sharp in his first start after his All-Star appearance, holding San Francisco to one run and three hits in six innings on Monday.
The 35-year-old right-hander had one of his best outings of the season against the Tigers on May 9, tossing seven scoreless innings. He only allowed two hits and two walks while striking out six.
In 11 career starts against Detroit, he is 3-3 with a 2.95 ERA.
Like Mize, Wacha is a potential trade candidate, as is another veteran Royals starter, Seth Lugo. Wacha is signed through next season with a club option for 2028.
“We’ll be open-minded to anything,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said. “But we have to be very, very pointed on what we want to get out of any one of those two. And it’s also, they made a commitment to us, and that’s big. And I think that’s important to the morale of the team.”
The Tigers have won three straight, including the first two games of the current four-game series. Skubal struck out 12 in 7 1/3 innings of one-run ball during the Tigers’ 2-1 victory on Friday.
Kansas City had won three straight prior to visiting Detroit, while the Tigers have won three in a row.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Nationals All-Star Foster Griffin aims to level series vs. D-backs
Jul 19, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Washington Nationals pitcher Foster Griffin (22) throws to an Athletics batter during the first inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images Washington left-hander Foster Griffin looks to continue his stellar rookie season and help the Nationals gain in the National League wild-card race when the club hosts the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.
Arizona took the series opener 3-2 on Friday and has won four straight and six of seven.
Griffin (11-2, 2.69 ERA) has made eight consecutive starts without allowing more than one run, a franchise record. The 30-year-old All-Star has won three straight starts and has not taken a loss since May 14.
Washington is 16-4 in his starts this year, 10-1 in his past 11 outings. Included in that run was his lone career outing vs. the Diamondbacks. Griffin threw five innings of one-run ball for a 14-1 victory in Phoenix on June 5.
Last time out, Griffin allowed a run on eight hits over seven innings during a 5-2 win against the Athletics on Sunday.
Griffin, who spent the previous three seasons in Japan, is a free agent after this season and could be making his final start for the Nationals if they opt to trade him before the Aug. 3 deadline.
“I’ve really enjoyed my time here, enjoyed the clubhouse, the staff and front office,” he said, according to the Baltimore Banner. “The pitching staff, specifically, I feel like we’ve gotten along great, so we’ll see what happens.”
Arizona rookie left-hander Mitch Bratt (0-0, 5.06) opposes Griffin in his fourth major league start. Last time out, he gave up two runs on eight hits over 4 2/3 innings during a no-decision against the Athletics on Monday.
Eduardo Rodriguez pitched six strong innings on Friday and the Diamondbacks scored the go-ahead run on Gabriel Moreno’s seventh-inning sacrifice fly.
Arizona recorded its first run on a safety squeeze and its second when Ketel Marte got down the line in time to beat the potential double-play relay. Paul Sewald pitched the ninth for his 24th save.
“I thought we did a lot of little things right,” Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo said. “It all added up and it was a great win. The bullpen went lights out, they executed. Paul got that big save.”
Moreno had two hits and reached base in his 40th straight start, moving into sole possession of the second-longest such streak in team history behind Corbin Carroll’s 44-game run in 2024.
Moreno has reached base two or more times in 12 of his past 15 games.
“It seems like he’s on base with every at-bat,” Lovullo said. “He spoils us with a really good approach. There’s just an ease to his game and he’s kind of in the middle of everything.”
The Nationals, who were opening a six-game homestand and had won three of four, got a two-run homer and a single from Dylan Crews. He is 6-for-21 (.286) in his past six games with two home runs, five RBIs and five runs.
CJ Abrams had two hits and is 11-for-21 (.524) in his past five games with two doubles, four home runs, eight RBIs and six runs.
Washington trails Arizona by three games for the third NL wild-card spot.
“We’re treating this like a playoff series,” Nationals manager Blake Butera said. “… Do whatever we have to do to come out of these with a win because we know how important it is against these guys.”
–Field Level Media
Sports
Rookie RHP Ryan Johnson, Angels attempt to level series vs. Giants
Jul 19, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels pitcher Ryan Johnson (32) pitches during the second inning against the Detroit Tigers at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images Two teams that have struggled in close games would like nothing better than to be on the winning end of a one-sided affair Saturday afternoon when the Los Angeles Angels and the host San Francisco Giants continue their three-game interleague series.
Nine innings weren’t enough to determine a winner in the opener on Friday. The Giants emerged with a 7-6 win when Rafael Devers delivered a bases-loaded, walk-off single with one out in the bottom of the 10th.
The teams left the field with the scoreboard showing 8-6, the result of Devers’ long fly to left field having bounced over the fence. It initially was ruled a ground-rule double, with two runs scoring, even though only one was needed to end the game.
The Elias Sports Bureau, the official statisticians for Major League Baseball, reviewed the play shortly thereafter and the hit was changed to a single, producing one run. That made the official final score 7-6 and dropped Devers’ RBI total for the game from four to three.
The confusion was appropriate for teams that have struggled to record one-run wins this season. The Angels lead the majors with 19 one-run defeats, while the Giants have 16, tied with the St. Louis Cardinals and San Diego Padres for second most in the National League.
Having watched his team fail far more than succeed in tight games, Giants manager Tony Vitello had an unusual reaction to watching his club blow a late 6-4 lead before recovering.
“It made for a better win to be honest with you — more exciting, more memorable for the guys,” he said. “A moment, hopefully, they can build confidence on, that we can come back if things don’t go perfect.”
Giants left-hander Robbie Ray (8-6, 3.33 ERA), who started a one-run loss against the Colorado Rockies in his most recent home outing, will take the mound on Saturday.
Ray is 3-1 with a 2.53 ERA in five career starts against the Angels, with the .750 winning percentage equaling his second best against any opponent. With a win on Saturday, Ray would match his mark against the Chicago Cubs, 4-1.
Ray got a no-decision on Sunday after yielding three runs (one earned) on seven hits in four-plus innings against the Seattle Mariners.
The Angels will send out rookie right-hander Ryan Johnson (2-4, 6.10 ERA) to oppose Ray, 34.
Johnson, 23, faced four batters in relief and retired them all in his only previous meeting with the Giants, on April 19, 2025. In his latest outing, Johnson threw five innings of one-run ball in a 3-2 win over the Detroit Tigers on Sunday.
While many Angels might be wondering where they will be after the upcoming trade deadline, Johnson, one of the franchise’s top prospects, has only pondered how he can be most effective the rest of this season and moving forward.
“I don’t know if there’s any specific goals other than just keep competing and getting a feel for being in the rotation week to week,” Johnson said following his Sunday outing. “I feel like I’ve been able to get into a good routine and figure out what I want to do in between starts that makes me feel good.”
–Field Level Media
Another Tiger possibly on trade block, Casey Mize, faces Royals
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