MLB Players of the Day
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July 6, 2025 MLB Players of the Day
Philadelphia's Zack Wheeler took a perfect game into the 5th inning, gave up a leadoff home run to Austin Hays and proceeded to put down the next 15 batters in a row for the complete game, one-hit 3-1 win over visiting Cincinnati Sunday.
Wheeler issued no walks, struck out 12 and faced one over the minimum, getting first strikes on 22 of the 28 batters he faced. The Phillies' ace improved to 9-3 with a 2.17 ERA, throwing 74 of 108 pitches for strikes. Wheeler hasn't allowed an earned run in his last 29 innings. His 148 strikeouts leads the National League.
With the win, the Phillies remained in first place and advanced to a 1 1/2 game lead over the Mets, who lost to the Yankees, 6-4, on Sunday. The Phillies travel to San Francisco and then, San Diego, for a pair of three-game series before breaking for the All-Star Game. The Reds remain in fourth place in the NL Central, seven games off the pace set by the Cubs, and begin a seven-game home stand Monday with four against Miami and three versus Colorado.
NL Streaks: Phillies, Giants, won 2; Braves, lost 4.
Michael Lorenzen held the Diamondbacks scoreless over seven innings, allowing just two hits while fanning seven in
Kansas City's 4-0 win at Arizona Sunday.
Lorenzen (5-8, 4.61) struck out the side in the first inning, walked one and had no-hitter going until Randal Grichuk's two-out double in the 5th. The 6'3" right threw 82 pitches, 56 for strikes, getting first pitch strikes on 17 of the 24 batters he faced.
The Royals, third in the AL Central, 14 behind Detroit, took two of three from the Diamondbacks and will close out the first half at home, with three games against the Pirates and three with the Mets. Arizona, fourth in the NL West, trails the Dodgers by 11 1/2 games and hits the road Monday for four games at San Diego and three in Los Angeles with the Angels before the break.
AL Streaks: Blue Jays, won 8; Guardians, lost 10.
July 5, 2025 MLB Players of the Day
Seattle's Luis Castillo (5-5, 3.31) shut out the Pirates over seven innings, and Andres Munoz earned his 20th save with a hitless 9th inning as the Mariners held on for a 1-0 win over Pittsburgh, Saturday at home.
Castillo had his best outing of the year and needed it, given the Mariner's inability to push across more than just a single run. The 32-year old righty threw 67 of 99 pitches for strikes, fanning eight without missing any walks. Castillo set down the first nine batters in order, allowed only a leadoff single in the 4th and a two out single in the 6th - both by Spencer Horwitz - and finished his stint with a pair of Ks. No baserunner advanced past first.
Matt Brash pitched a hitless 8th prior to Munoz's three-out save. The win kept the Mariners in second place, seven games behind AL West-leading Houston, 6-4 winners over the Dodgers Saturday night. Pittsburgh strengthened its hold on last place in the NL Central.
The series concludes Sunday in Seattle.
AL Streaks: Blue Jays, won 7; Guardians, lost 9.
Brandon Nimmo got the Mets off to a flying start in the first inning with his third grand slam of the season, and Pete Alonso piled on with a pair of home runs and five RBI as the Mets doubled up the Yankees, 12-6, taking their second straight in the crosstown series, Saturday at Citi Field.
Alonso stroked a two-run homer to right in the 5th inning and added a three-run shot in the 7th for good measure, his 19th and 20th of the year. Alonso's five RBI gave him 73 on the year, tying him with Arizona's Eugenio Suarez, both two behind the Cubs' Seiya Suzuki, who leads the NL and the majors with 75. The Yankees also hit three home runs in the game, though they were all solo shots.
The win was the Mets' fourth straight, leaving them 1/2-game behind Philly in the NL East. They Yankees lost their sixth straight and are now tied with Tampa Bay, three games behind AL East leader, Toronto. The subway series concludes Sunday.
NL Streaks: Mets, won 4; Braves, lost 3.
July 4, 2025 MLB Players of the Day
Offensive fireworks were in ample supply at ballparks across American on the 4th of July.
At New York's Citi Field, Aaron Judge cracked his 32nd home run, though the Yankees still managed to lose their fifth straight, to the Mets, 6-5. Seattle's Cal Raleigh smashed two home runs, his major-league-leading 34th and 35th, in the Mariners' 6-0 win over Pittsburgh.
In Los Angeles, however, Jose Altuve, all 5'6" of him, blew the roof off, going 3-for-3 with two walks, whacking two home runs and a double, driving in five runs and scoring four times, as the Astros ravaged the Dodgers, 18-1.
Victor Caratini added a grand slam in Houston's 10-run 6th inning as the Astros opened the three-game series with a very loud bang and 20 hits. The Astros continue to lead the AL West by seven games over the Mariners, while the Dodgers maintain an eight-game lead in the NL West over the Padres, despite the loss. The series continues Saturday.
AL Streaks: Blue Jays, won 6; Guardians, lost 8.
The Cubs weren't exactly the most gracious holiday hosts as they entertained their long-standing rivals from St. Louis at Wrigley Field by socking a franchise record eight home runs in a 11-3 slaughter.
Chicago batters were especially unkind to Cardinal starter, Miles Mikolas, who surrendered six home runs and eight earned runs. Pete Crow-Armstrong hit two off the St. Louis hurler, as did first baseman Michael Busch (.288, 17, 55), who saved a third dinger for reliever John King.
Busch went 4-for-4 with three homers and a single, scored three runs and drove in five, helping send the Cardinals to their fourth straight loss, leaving them in third place, 6 1/2 out. The Cubs lead the Brewers by four games in the NL Central. The three-game series with St. Louis continues Saturday, concludes Sunday.
NL Streaks: Cubs, won 4; Cardinals, lost 4.
July 3, 2025 MLB Players of the Day
The Toronto Blue Jays completed a four-game sweep of the visiting Yankees with an
8-4 win Thursday, taking over first place in the AL East, a game up on the Yanks and Tampa Bay Rays.
George Springer was once again in the middle of Toronto's attack, socking a pair of home runs, singled, scoring three times and driving in four runs.
Springer absolutely wrecked Yankee pitching during the series. After going 0-for-2 in the first game, the 35-year-old outfielder went a combined 8-for-12 over the next three games with four home runs and 11 RBI. In Tuesday's 12-5 romp, Springer had a solo shot, a grand slam, and drove in two runs with a bases-loaded single, setting a career mark with seven RBI. In Wednesday's 11-9 victory, he went 2-for-4 and scored twice.
The Blue Jays remain home for the holiday weekend, opening a three-game series with the Angels Friday, July 4. The Yankees, losers of seven of their last 10, open a subway series with the Mets at Citi field Friday.
AL Streaks: Blue Jays, won 5; Guardians, lost 7.
James Wood became the youngest player in Nationals' history to have a five hit game, going 5-for-5 in Washington's 11-7 win over Detroit. The Nationals took the final two games of the three-game series in Washington.
Wood drilled four singles and socked his 23rd home run of the season, scoring three times and driving in a pair of runs. The 22-year-old rising star is batting a solid .294, has driven in 67 runs - tied with Pete Alonso for third in the NL - and has 12 stolen bases. He is second league-wide in total bases with 184 behind LA's Shohei Ohtani, with 212.
Washington, last in the NL East, hosts Boston for three games starting Friday, while the Tigers, who still have a 12 1/2 game lead over the Twins and Guardians in the AL Central, play three at Cleveland.
NL Streaks: Pirates, won 6; Cardinals, lost 3.
July 2, 2025 MLB Players of the Day
Headed to the All-Star game in two weeks, Riley Greene padded his resume with a pair of three-run home runs Wednesday as the Tigers ripped the Nationals, 11-2, in the first of two at Washington.
Greene's homers were his 20th and 21st. His six RBI gave him 69, two behind Seattle's Cal Raleigh, who leads the AL, and one behind New York's Aaron Judge.
The Nationals turned the tables on Detroit in the nightcap with a 9-4 win. The series concludes Thursday. Detroit leads the Twins and Guardians by 12 1/2 in the AL Central, the largest bulge in the majors. The Nationals remain in last in the NL East.
AL Streaks: Blue Jays, won 4; Guardians, lost 6.
Down 3-0 after six innings and facing being swept at Boston's Fenway Park, the Reds loaded the bases in the 7th and Christian Encarnacion-Strand cleared them with a grand slam, putting the Reds ahead, 4-3.
Cincinnati scored again in the inning, and Encarnacion-Strand singled and scored in the 8th as the Reds added three more runs for an 8-4 victory over the Red Sox.
The result left the Reds 6 1/2 out in the NL Central and Boston down six in the tightened AL East race, where the Blue Jays tied the Yankees for first place with their third straight win over New York, 11-9, Wednesday in Toronto. Tampa Bay trails the co-leaders by 1/2-game.
The Reds get a day off Thursday in advance of a three-game weekend set in Philadelphia. The Red Sox open a three-game series at Washington Friday.
NL Streaks: Pirates, won 6; Cardinals, lost 3.
July 1, 2025 MLB Players of the Day
The Blue Jays have taken two straight from the Yankees after Tuesday's 12-5 beatdown courtesy of Toronto's veteran outfielder, 35 year-old George Springer, who belted a pair of home runs - one a grand slam - and drove in a career-high seven runs.
The Yankees scored two runs in the first, but Springer's solo shot in the 4th inning got Toronto to within a run. The two teams traded scores into the seventh, Toronto leading 5-4, when Springer came to the plate with the bases full and launched his second dinger into the stands in left center for a 9-4 advantage.
In the 8th, Springer feasted on Yankee pitching again, driving in two more runs with a bases-loaded single. A parade of five Yankee pitchers yielded eight hits and six walks as the Blue Jays reached second place, passing by Tampa Bay, losers of three straight, and are now within one game of the first place Yankees.
The series resumes Wednesday with game four Thursday. The Blue Jays could take sole possession of first place in the AL East with two more wins.
AL Streaks: Blue Jays, won 3; Guardians, lost 5
The Miami Marlins have taken over third place in the NL East with their 8th straight win, as Edward Cabrera limited the visiting Twins to two hits over seven innings in a 2-0 win.
Cabrera (3-2, 3.41), who walked one and struck out six, allowed only a 3rd inning double and an infield single in the 7th, in between setting down 12 straight Twins batters. He got the final two outs in the 7th with swinging strikeouts.
At 38-45, the Marlins aren't exactly threatening the top two in the division where the Phillies lead the Mets by two games. Miami is 11 back, but they are improving and will likely be a team to keep an eye on after the All-Star break. They are 14-5 since June 9. Minnesota is third in the AL Central, 13 games behind the Tigers. The series continues Wednesday.
NL Streaks: Marlins, won 8; Giants, lost 4
June 30, 2025 MLB Players of the Day
Wilyer Abreu drove in five runs with an inside-the-park home run and an 8th-inning grand slam, leading the Red Sox to a 13-6 win over Cincinnati in the opener of a three-game series at Boston's Fenway Park.
After the Red Sox scored seven 1st inning runs, the Reds came back with four of their own. Abreu's race around the bases made it 7-4 and his 8th-inning slam left no doubt about the game's final outcome.
Boston picked up a game on the Yankees, 5-4 losers to Toronto Monday. The Reds dropped a half game to the idle Cubs in the NL Central. They are 5 1/2 back, but the Brewers are just two down and the Cardinals are three out.
AL Streaks: Blue Jays, Orioles, Tigers, White Sox, Mariners, won 2; Guardians, lost 4
The Phillies padded their NL East lead over the idle Mets Monday as Zack Wheeler blanked San Diego over eight innings for a 4-0 Phillies win in the opener of a three-game series at Philadelphia's Citizens Bank Park.
Wheeler allowed six hits and walked none, striking out 10 to improve his record to 8-3 on the season. Wheeler's 2.27 ERA is among the best in the majors, and his 136 strikeouts leads the National League.
Philly is two games up on the Mets in the East while the Padres slipped a half game and trail the Dodgers by 7 1/2. The series continues Tuesday.
NL Streaks: Marlins, won 7; Mets, Giants, lost 3.
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