Sports
Yankees in big hole entering Game 3 vs. Dodgers, Shohei Ohtani
Oct 26, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; New York Yankees outfielder Juan Soto (22) reacts after hitting a home run against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the third inning for game two of the 2024 MLB World Series at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images NEW YORK — In the opening two games of their first World Series appearance since 2009, the New York Yankees were close to at least exiting Dodger Stadium with a split and possibly two wins.
Instead, the Los Angeles Dodgers were productive enough and even with Shohei Ohtani off to a quiet start and sustaining a partially dislocated left shoulder, the best team during the regular season is halfway to a title.
While Ohtani is slated to play and attempt to help the Dodgers inch closer to their eighth title, the Yankees hope returning home can aid them in getting back into the series when the Fall Classic shifts to Yankee Stadium on Monday.
After the Dodgers won games started by Jack Flaherty and Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Walker Buehler gets the nod for Game 3. Following losses in games started by Gerrit Cole and Carlos Rodon, Clarke Schmidt gets the ball for New York in a matchup of former first-round picks.
The Dodgers are attempting to win their first title in a 162-game season since beating the Oakland Athletics in five games in 1988. Like that series, Los Angeles won the opening two games at home and the Dodgers are seeking a three games to none lead for the first time since 1963 when they swept the Yankees.
Los Angeles held serve by earning a 6-3 victory in the opener and following it up with a 4-2 win in Game 2 on Saturday. Freddie Freeman hit the game-ending grand slam with two outs in the 10th inning off Nestor Cortes in the opener, and homered again Saturday before Alex Vesia needed one pitch to escape a bases-loaded jam after the Yankees scored their second run.
Vesia’s escape occurred after Ohtani hurt his shoulder attempting to steal second in the seventh inning. Ohtani is 1-for-8 in the series and manager Dave Roberts said the superstar felt good Sunday morning, flew separately from the team and was able to participate in their workout.
“If (Ohtani) feels good enough to go, I see no reason why he wouldn’t be in there,” Roberts said of the starting lineup before the Dodgers worked out.
The Yankees are hoping to get some better clutch hitting after going 2-for-14 with runners in scoring position in Los Angeles. Juan Soto homered in Game 2 but Aaron Judge went 1-for-9 with six strikeouts and is 6-for-40 with 19 strikeouts during the postseason.
“Just expanding the zone. That’s what it really comes down to,” Judge said. “I think it’s trying to make things happen instead of letting the game come to you. Plain and simple, I’ve got to start swinging at strikes.”
Judge is struggling while hitting between Soto and Giancarlo Stanton, who are hitting a combined .313 (26-for-83) with 10 homers and 23 RBIs in the postseason.
“We’ve been through a lot of tough moments throughout the year. So I think we’ve been there,” Soto said. “We know how (to take) a couple punches in the face and just keep battling and keep going. We can go home and do our thing.”
The Yankees are facing a 2-0 deficit for the first time since dropping the first two against the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2001 in a series that reached Game 7. New York is facing a two games to none World Series deficit for the ninth time and rallied to win a title in 1996 against the Atlanta Braves, 1978 against the Dodgers, 1958 against the Milwaukee Braves and 1956 against the Brooklyn Dodgers.
Under the World Series’ current 2-3-2 format, the team winning the opening two games has won 45 out of 56 times. The last team to overcome a two games to none deficit was the Yankees, who are the only team to do so since the 1986 New York Mets.
Schmidt, who has a pair of no-decisions in the postseason, will pitch in Game 3 for the third straight time. Schmidt is pitching for the first time since allowing two runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings in Cleveland in Game 3 of the ALCS on Oct. 17.
“I’m obviously very excited to get out there, but I know I have a job to do. We’re trying to win this World Series,” Schmidt said before Game 2. “I think for me I’m just trying to go out there and execute and do my job.”
Buehler is 0-1 with a 6.00 ERA in a pair of postseason starts. He was tagged for six runs in five innings in Game 3 of the Division Series at San Diego and allowed three hits in four innings during an 8-0 win over the Mets in Game 3 of the NLCS on Oct. 16.
Buehler is 1-0 with an 0.69 ERA in a pair of World Series Starts which occurred in Games 3 in 2018 against the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay two years later.
“We love Walker in big games,” Roberts said. “The road isn’t going to faze him. It also allows him potentially to be available for a Game 7 too.”
–Larry Fleisher, Field Level Media
Sports
Yankees send Gerrit Cole, Max Fried vs. Pirates in split DH
Jul 17, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; New York Yankees starting pitcher Gerrit Cole (45) pitches against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images Gerrit Cole and Max Fried have been teammates since last season but never in the New York Yankees’ rotation at the same time because of injuries.
That changes Wednesday when Cole and Fried start for New York in its day-night doubleheader with the visiting Pittsburgh Pirates.
Cole (3-5, 3.93 ERA) will start the opener on Wednesday afternoon against fellow right-hander Mitch Keller (6-7, 5.14). Fried (4-3, 3.21), a left-hander, will return from a bone bruise in his left elbow for his first start since May 13 when he faces righty Bubba Chandler (3-8, 4.77) in the second game.
Cole was recovering from Tommy John surgery on his elbow last season when Fried was 19-5 with a 2.86 ERA in the first year of an eight-year deal. They were set to be on the roster at the same time May 22 when Cole made his season debut but Fried went on the injured list on May 14 after his velocity diminished in a three-inning start at Baltimore one day earlier.
Cole is 1-4 with a 5.33 ERA in his past five starts and pitched six scoreless innings before Max Muncy hit a slider for a go-ahead two-run homer two batters into the seventh inning of Friday’s 2-1 loss to the Dodgers.
Fried threw 52 pitches in his first rehab start for Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre and was slated for another before the Yankees decided to activate after Tuesday’s game was rained out. In the start before getting hurt, Fried allowed five runs on six hits in six innings during a loss at Milwaukee on May 8.
Cole is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA in a pair of starts against Pittsburgh, which drafted him first overall in 2011. Fried is 4-1 with a 3.94 ERA in eight career starts against the Pirates.
The duo is pitching in New York’s second doubleheader in four days after the Yankees opened the series with Monday’s 8-5 victory. Jazz Chisholm is hitting .368 (7-for-19) in his past five games after homering twice and driving in five runs.
“He’s capable of that,” Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of Chisholm, who batted .177 in 25 games last month and is hitting .228 overall. “When he gets it rolling, he’s capable of big things.”
The Pirates are playing their third doubleheader this month. Pittsburgh earned a pair of one-run victories when it swept a doubleheader from visiting Milwaukee on July 11 and split two games in Cleveland on Saturday.
Pittsburgh is 8-4 in its past 12 and has scored at least five runs in nine of those games.
Rookie Esmerlyn Valdez hit a two-run homer, has an RBI in eight straight games and is the first Pirate with an RBI and an extra-base hit in eight games in a row since Hall of Famer Willie Stargell in 1971.
He also is hitting .369 with 11 of his 13 homers and 29 RBIs over his past 23 games since June 19.
“It’s a product of my preparation during the offseason,” Valdez said through an interpreter. “Hopefully, that’s not the only achievement I’m going to do. I’m going to do hopefully more in a Pirates uniform.”
After getting a short outing from Braxton Ashcraft on Monday, the Pirates hope Keller starts reversing his recent struggles. After allowing three runs in three innings during a 10-5 loss to Atlanta on July 9, Keller is 1-5 with a 7.61 ERA in his past eight starts.
Keller is 0-2 with a 10.24 ERA in two career starts against the Yankees.
Chandler, who is 2-2 with a 4.68 ERA in his past starts, will make his first appearance against the Yankees. In his most recent start, the right-hander allowed two runs on five hits in 4 2/3 innings while throwing 97 pitches in a no-decision during the Pirates’ 3-2 home win over the Brewers on July 11.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Red Sox eye record win streak in doubleheader vs. Orioles
Jul 17, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Boston Red Sox pitcher Jake Bennett (64) pitches during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images The Boston Red Sox will have an opportunity to make history when they play two games against the visiting Baltimore Orioles on Wednesday.
Boston, which has won 14 consecutive games, had a chance to tie the club record for consecutive victories when it was scheduled to play Baltimore on Tuesday, but that game was postponed by rain and rescheduled as part of a day-night doubleheader. If the Red Sox win both games Wednesday, they will break the team record of 15 consecutive victories set in 1946 (April 25-May 10).
“You try not to (think about it), but I want it,” Boston third baseman Caleb Durbin said. “I can’t speak for anyone else because we haven’t really talked about it, but shoot, yeah, I want to make history here.
“A lot of really good ballclubs that have come through here, too. When it’s all said and done — and hopefully it’s not done for a little while — we’ll look back on it and look at how cool of a run it was.”
Boston’s 14-game winning streak is the longest in Major League Baseball this season and is tied for the longest winning streak in the American League since Seattle won 14 in a row in 2022.
“It would mean a lot, for sure,” Boston first baseman Willson Contreras said. “We are trying to play the same way every day. We are thriving and trying to win as much as we can because we know we have to take advantage of anything.
“We are relentless. We are resilient. We’re looking forward to keep going this way. … If it happens it would be great for us and we’ll have to celebrate that. If it doesn’t, we have to keep going.”
The Orioles are thin at the catching position. Rookie Samuel Basallo didn’t play in Monday’s loss to Boston because of a sore right shoulder, and he wasn’t scheduled to start Tuesday’s game. Adley Rutschman, Baltimore’s starting catcher, was placed on the 10-day injured list Monday with wrist inflammation.
“(Basallo is) dealing with it, maintaining it,” Baltimore manager Craig Albernaz said in his pregame media conference Tuesday. “He’s feeling a little bit better today. We’re very hopeful with him. We’re going to support him and make sure he gets the treatment he needs and see where he’s at each day.”
Boston will send left-hander rookie Jake Bennett (5-3, 2.35 ERA) to the mound in Game 1 on Wednesday. It’ll be his first career appearance against the Orioles.
Right-hander Dean Kremer (1-2, 4.15) is scheduled to start for Baltimore. Kremer is 3-4 with a 5.04 ERA in 10 career starts against Boston.
Righty Kyle Bradish (6-9, 3.61) is slated to start the nightcap for Baltimore, per MLB.com. In 10 starts against Boston, Bradish is 1-6 with a 6.75 ERA. He is coming off an impressive 6-1 home win over the Kansas City Royals, giving up just one run on two hits over 6 2/3 innings on July 11.
Boston had not named a Game 2 starter as of late Tuesday night.
Following Monday’s 6-5 victory, Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy said lefty Ranger Suarez (4-3, 3.15 ERA) would be activated and start Tuesday’s game, but that plan was scrapped and the team planned to start rookie lefty Eduardo Rivera on Tuesday instead.
Suarez hasn’t pitched since July 5 because of a groin strain, but Tracy said the All-Star could be activated and start Wednesday’s second game.
“We’ve just gotta wait and see how he feels tomorrow,” Tracy said.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Seth Lugo's durability on display as Royals aim to sweep Giants
Jul 17, 2026; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Seth Lugo (67) throws a pitch in the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Peter Aiken-Imagn Images Amid all the health issues within Kansas City’s rotation, Seth Lugo continues to grind.
Looking for another strong home start, the veteran right-hander also tries to continue his recent starting dominance over San Francisco as the Royals aim for a three-game sweep of the Giants on Wednesday.
Lugo (3-6, 4.39 ERA) could be headed toward a first losing record in his five seasons serving primarily as a starter. However, the 36-year-old is scheduled to make his team-leading 21st start, and seven of his 11 quality starts have come through 11 home appearances.
That makes him a potentially enticing trade option. However, the Royals’ front office noted it won’t actively shop Lugo or fellow veteran hurler Michael Wacha, but will listen to offers presented as Kansas City sits last in the American League Central.
“I think the general thought is it’s going to have to be very enticing for us, because (Lugo and Wacha), we’re going to count on,” Royals general manager J.J. Picollo said.
Five of Lugo’s quality starts have come while going 2-2 with a 2.94 ERA in his last six outings at home. The only non-quality start during that stretch came June 10, when he left in the fourth against Texas after taking a line drive to the forehead.
On Friday, Lugo allowed two runs (one earned) over six innings of Kansas City’s 7-6, 10-inning home victory over San Diego.
Since returning to a full-time starter role in 2023, Lugo is 2-1 with a 1.01 ERA in four starts against the Giants. The most recent outing came in 2024 at Kansas City, where he yielded two runs over seven innings.
Following back-to-back one-run victories, with quality starts from Wacha and Luinder Avila, the Royals are 4-1 on a post-All-Star break six-game homestand.
“We got an opportunity for a sweep,” Vinnie Pasquantino, who had two hits with an RBI during the 3-2 win Tuesday, told Royals.TV.
“Gotta try to take it the best we can.”
San Francisco, meanwhile, has totaled 11 runs, 23 hits and gone 4-of-25 with runners in scoring position while losing four straight on a six-game trip.
“You got to control what you can control,” Giants manager Tony Vitello said.
Among the major league leaders in batting average at .323, the Giants’ Luis Arraez is likely to rejoin the lineup after being rested Tuesday. He’s 1-for-5 all-time versus Lugo.
Teammate Rafael Devers is 4-for-8 with two homers against Lugo.
Scheduled San Francisco starter Landen Roupp (7-8, 3.98) has recorded four quality starts in his last five, and allowed one run and five hits over 15 innings while going 2-0 in July.
On Friday, the right-hander gave up two of those hits through seven innings during the Giants’ 7-0 victory at Seattle. Roupp’s only previous start against the Royals came in 2024, when he allowed three hits and three walks over five innings of San Francisco’s 9-0 win at Kansas City.
While Royals star Bobby Witt Jr. could miss a second straight game with back tightness, teammate Jac Caglianone might also sit after he exited Tuesday’s contest with a sore right shoulder.
“Just landed hard,” Caglianone told reporters, “but I should be good.”
Salvador Perez, 0-for-2 versus Roupp, remains one shy of tying George Brett’s franchise-record 317 homers. He was hit on the wrist with a pitch Tuesday but stayed in the game.
–Field Level Media
Yankees send Gerrit Cole, Max Fried vs. Pirates in split DH
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