Sports
D-backs' Merrill Kelly strives to leave June swoon behind vs. Brewers
Jun 16, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Arizona Diamondbacks pitcher Merrill Kelly (29) throws on the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Chase Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Kartozian-Imagn Images June was not kind to Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Merrill Kelly.
He will aim to get off to a better start in July when he takes the mound on Saturday evening in the second game of a three-game series against the Milwaukee Brewers in Phoenix.
Kelly (5-8, 5.84 ERA) lost all five of his starts last month while posting a 7.31 ERA. Those results were in stark contrast to May, when he went 4-1 in with a 3.49 ERA.
“I’m starting to run out of words for how bad I’ve been this year,” he said. “Just keep pounding the pavement, keep going back to the drawing board, and keep working with the coaches, and trust that we’re going to figure something out to turn it around.”
The offense hasn’t helped much in the games Kelly pitched in June, combining for just four runs in his five starts.
Kelly most recently gave up five runs and eight hits in six innings of a 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays on Sunday. Arizona bounced back to win its next two games following that loss but still hasn’t won more than two in a row since a five-game winning streak May 23-27.
The Diamondbacks lost the series opener against the Brewers on Friday night, 7-4 in 11 innings.
“Obviously, we’re not playing up to our ability,” Kelly said. “Normally, I feel like I’ve prided myself on being the one who can stop a slide or get us moving in the right direction, and this year, I have not been able to do that.”
The Diamondbacks sent Kelly to the Texas Rangers at last season’s trade deadline and then re-signed him to a two-year, $40 million free-agent deal in the offseason.
Kelly said he feels he still has much to prove.
“I know we’ve still got half the season left, but as a whole on the year, definitely the most frustrating, the poorest results. [The] poorest I’ve felt, definitely, and the least I feel like I’m doing my job,” Kelly said. “The numbers are what they are, but not doing what the team needs me to do, what the team counts on me to do every fifth day.”
Kelly has had success against the Brewers in his career, going 5-3 with a 3.41 ERA in 11 starts. He lost to them on April 28 after surrendering five runs and six hits over five innings in a 13-2 defeat in Milwaukee.
The Brewers plan to start veteran right-hander Brandon Woodruff on Saturday.
Woodruff (2-1, 2.59 ERA) has been nearly flawless in his first two outings since missing nearly two months because of right shoulder inflammation.
In his first game back, the two-time All-Star blanked the Cincinnati Reds on one hit over six innings in his team’s 2-1 win in 10 innings on June 22. Woodruff followed that effort with a nearly identical outing, allowing just one hit over 5 2/3 shutout innings against the Chicago Cubs last Sunday.
He again was denied a win because the game went into extra innings, where the Brewers lost 4-3 in 10.
Woodruff has 16 strikeouts and just two walks in his past two games. He said he’s looking forward to taking the baton for a team that’s won four of its past five games and nine of 12.
“The pitching staff, we’ve got some big-time arms,” Woodruff said. “We’ve played some good baseball. We’ve got to keep steady, keep staying positive and be consistent.”
Woodruff has made nine appearances against Arizona in his career, including eight starts, and is 3-1 with a 4.65 ERA.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Teoscar Hernandez belts grand slam as Dodgers rally past Padres
Jul 3, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Diego Padres right fielder Fernando Tatis Jr. (23) scores a run past Los Angeles Dodgers catcher Dalton Rushing (68) during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jon Endow-Imagn Images Teoscar Hernandez hit a go-ahead grand slam in the seventh inning as the Los Angeles Dodgers rallied for a 4-3 victory Friday while sending the visiting San Diego Padres to a season-high seventh consecutive loss.
Shohei Ohtani struck out nine over six innings, while allowing three runs on seven hits, and Kyle Hurt (3-1) picked up the win with a scoreless inning as the Dodgers won for the ninth time in their past 11 games.
Tanner Scott pitched the ninth inning for his 12th save while Los Angeles improved to 6-2 against San Diego this season.
Jackson Merrill hit a home run for the Padres and Michael King dominated over six innings before he was chased from the game in the seventh. King gave up two runs (one earned) on three hits over six innings.
San Diego’s losing streak is its longest since a seven-game slide late in the 2021 season.
The Padres were in control early, taking a 1-0 lead in the first inning against Ohtani on a Gavin Sheets single. Merrill made it 2-0 in the fourth with a home run to center field, his 10th of the season and second in the series.
A Xander Bogaerts RBI double put San Diego up 3-0 in the sixth.
King was cruising after retiring the first 11 batters he faced while not allowing a baserunner until Freddie Freeman singled in with two outs in the fourth inning. He gave up two hits through six scoreless innings.
The Dodgers’ seventh-inning rally started with a Mookie Betts walk, while Max Muncy followed with a single to right field to end King’s night. Kyle Tucker appeared to hit a double-play grounder against Adrian Morejon, but second baseman Jake Cronenworth misplayed the ball for an error that loaded the bases.
Hernandez’s grand slam came on the first pitch from Morejon (6-2) and was his eighth home run of the season and first since returning Monday from a month away because of a hamstring injury.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Dylan Cease, Blue Jays shut out Mariners to begin ALCS rematch
Jul 3, 2026; Seattle, Washington, USA; Toronto Blue Jays shortstop Andres Gimenez (0), left, turns a double play after forcing out Seattle Mariners centerfielder Victor Robles (10) at second base during the third inning at T-Mobile Park. Mandatory Credit: Stephen Brashear-Imagn Images Dylan Cease pitched seven sharp innings as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the host Seattle Mariners 2-0 on Friday in the opener of a three-game series between the teams that met in the 2025 American League Championship Series.
It was the third victory in the past four games for the Blue Jays following a six-game skid.
The Mariners saw their three-game winning streak end, and they fell out of a first-place tie with the idle Texas Rangers in the AL West.
Cease (5-4) allowed only three hits — singles by Cole Young and Victor Robles to open the bottom of the third and a one-out double by J.P. Crawford in the sixth. The right-hander walked one and struck out nine.
Blue Jays reliever Jeff Hoffman fanned two in a hitless eighth. Closer Louis Varland worked around a one-out single by Dominic Canzone in the ninth to log his 18th save in as many chances this season.
The Blue Jays scored both of their runs in the third against Mariners starter Luis Castillo (3-7). Rookie Sean Keys led off by grounding a single to center, and he came home on Andres Gimenez’s double to left-center. Nathan Lukes laid down a sacrifice bunt to move Gimenez to third, and Vladimir Guerrero lined a single to right to make it 2-0.
The Mariners threatened in the bottom of the inning following the two singles, but Cease got rookie Colt Emerson to ground into a double play. After issuing his lone walk to Crawford, putting runners at the corners, Cease induced Randy Arozarena to ground out to second.
Castillo went six innings and allowed two runs on five hits. The right-hander walked one and struck out four.
The Mariners were without standout center fielder Julio Rodriguez, who was placed on the seven-day concussion injured list earlier in the day. Rodriguez was hit in the back of the helmet by an errant throw while running the bases Thursday in Seattle’s 1-0 victory against the Los Angeles Angels.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Six-run first propels Marlins to runaway defeat of A's
Jul 3, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Miami Marlins first baseman Kyle Stowers (28) acknowledges the dugout while running the bases after hitting a two-run home run against the Athletics during the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images Heriberto Hernandez hit a three-run homer and Jakob Marsee added a solo shot during a six-run first inning to help the Miami Marlins post a 12-5 victory over the Athletics on Friday night at West Sacramento, Calif.
Kyle Stowers went 4-for-5 with two homers, three RBIs and three runs for the Marlins, who halted a two-game slide. Owen Caissie added a solo shot as Miami matched its season high with five homers.
Major league batting leader Otto Lopez had two hits to raise his average to .337 and Liam Hicks scored three times for the Marlins.
Nick Kurtz hit a two-run homer and Jeff McNeil had a three-run double for the Athletics, who lost for the ninth time in 12 games.
The Athletics’ Jack Perkins (2-4) was torched for seven runs and seven hits in 3 2/3 innings. He matched his career high of eight strikeouts and walked four.
Lake Bachar (1-0) retired six straight batters over the seventh and eighth innings and was credited with the victory for the Marlins. He was one of five relievers who combined to allow just two hits over 5 2/3 innings.
Miami starter Tyler Phillips gave up five runs and seven hits over 3 1/3 innings. He struck out two and walked two.
Hicks, Stowers and Lopez opened the game with singles off Perkins and Xavier Edwards walked to force in the first run. Stowers then scored on a passed ball by A’s catcher Shea Langeliers to make it 2-0.
Hernandez then swatted a three-run blast to center to make it 5-0. Perkins retired the next two batters before Marsee drilled a homer to right to cap the six-run explosion.
Miami tacked on another run in the second on a sacrifice fly by Edwards.
The Athletics displayed life in the bottom of the third as Alika Williams doubled and Kurtz slugged a mammoth 457-foot, two-run homer to center, his 20th of the season.
The A’s loaded the bases in the fourth on singles by Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and Carlos Cortes and a walk to Henry Bolte. McNeil followed with a bases-clearing two-bagger into the gap in left-center to pull the Athletics within 7-5.
Stowers led off the sixth with his first homer, a shot to right off Justin Sterner. In the eighth, Hicks drew a one-out walk before Stowers hit a two-run blast to right-center off Mason Barnett to give the Marlins a 10-5 lead.
Hernandez singled to lead off the ninth against Barnett. One out later, Caissie hit a two-run homer to left-center to make it a seven-run margin.
–Field Media Level
Teoscar Hernandez belts grand slam as Dodgers rally past Padres
Dylan Cease, Blue Jays shut out Mariners to begin ALCS rematch
