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Yahoo
8 minutes ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
9 storylines to watch as MLB's second half begins: Aaron Judge vs. Cal Raleigh, Zack Wheeler for Cy Young, Mets vs. Phillies and more
There were plenty of major storylines throughout the first half of the 2025 MLB season. Whether it was the Rafael Devers trade, Clayton Kershaw's 3,000th strikeout or even Eugenio Suarez's four-homer game, there was plenty to talk about. So with the All-Star break about to wrap up, here are nine storylines to watch as baseball's second half begins on Friday. Aaron Judge vs. Cal Raleigh for AL MVP Early this season it looked like no one would be able to catch Aaron Judge in his quest for his second consecutive AL MVP Award. Judge put together a historic first two months, hitting almost .400 going into the month of June along with his usual epic power. But in the Pacific Northwest, Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh has been putting together a historic season of his own, crushing 38 home runs — the second-most before the All-Star break in MLB history — and captivating all of baseball. Judge still has the edge over Raleigh as the second half begins, and with him hitting a robust .355 with 35 homers and 81 RBI, it'll be difficult to wrest the award away from the Yankees' captain. But Raleigh has gained serious momentum, and between his monster first half and his victory in Monday's Home Run Derby, things are going his way. If Judge captain takes a step back in the second half and Raleigh continues his torrid pace, the race for AL MVP is going to be a memorable one. Can the Dodgers' pitching make it to October? The Dodgers won the World Series in 2024 with very little starting pitching. Then they made pitching depth a priority this past offseason, acquiring two-time Cy Young Award winner Blake Snell and international phenom Roki Sasaki to add to their rotation. But Los Angeles' pitching plans have still not gone the way they hoped. In what has become a theme for them over the past several seasons, much of their rotation has hit the injured list. Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin, Clayton Kershaw, Snell and Sasaki have all spent time on the IL. Shohei Ohtani didn't begin pitching in the big leagues until June. The one success story for L.A. has been right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto, who has been one of the best pitchers in baseball this season and given them the ace they need at the top of the rotation. At this point, the Dodgers are slowly getting healthy, with Glasnow back in the rotation, Snell on a rehab assignment and Ohtani up to three innings in his big-league outings. On paper, the Dodgers have more than enough starting pitching to be the NL's elite team down the stretch. But once again, health will be a critical variable for them over the season's final two months. Will the Red Sox shake up the AL East? Things looked bleak for the Boston Red Sox just about a month ago. Their roster was banged up and struggling, and after a months-long battle between superstar Rafael Devers and the team, the Red Sox shipped him to the Giants in a move that shocked baseball. On June 27, Boston was 40-43 and looking for any sign of life to stave off another lost season. It looks like they found it. Coming out of the break, Boston is riding a 10-game winning streak and just three games back in the AL East. After looking like a team that was destined to be a seller, the Red Sox instead hold the second wild card and are in position to add at the deadline. The questions for the Red Sox going forward are 1) how long can they keep playing at this level and 2) now that they've gotten themselves back in the postseason conversation, can they chase down the Blue Jays and Yankees to make this division a three-team race? Zack Wheeler's chase for his first Cy Young Award Since Zack Wheeler arrived in Philadelphia five years ago, the Phillies' right-hander has turned himself into one of the best pitchers in the game. Whether it's dominating in the regular season or being a shutdown Game 7 starter in the postseason, Wheeler has done everything you could ask of your ace. And after years of consistent dominance, Wheeler is putting together his best season yet. The Phillies' right-hander is 9-3 with a 2.36 ERA in 19 starts. He leads the National League in strikeouts, strikeouts per nine, batting average against and WHIP, and he's second to only Paul Skenes in ERA. Wheeler has finished as the runner-up twice in NL Cy Young Award voting, in 2022 and 2024. But this season, he appears to be the front-runner for the award, and if he can stay healthy, he'll finally get the hardware that has eluded him throughout his career. Can the 2025 Rockies avoid baseball infamy? It's been a miserable summer in Denver, as the Colorado Rockies' are chasing the shadow of the 2024 White Sox as they head toward the worst record in MLB history. Colorado has already fired longtime manager Bud Black, and the team won just nine games in the season's first two months. Things haven't exactly gotten better, but the Rockies did double their win total in the month of June, going 10-16, and as the second half begins, the Rockies have a 22-74 record, which puts them just a few games behind where the White Sox were at the same point last season (27-71). Colorado will absolutely be at a talent deficit on a nightly basis over the final two months of the season, and they face an uphill battle, particularly in the NL West. At the same time, they've shown at points this season that they can still win some games and even a series, as the Marlins and Nationals found out. But can the Rockies win enough games to keep themselves out of the record books? Only time will tell. Will the Cubs hold on in the NL Central? The Chicago Cubs are back. They've been on a roll all season, with much of their success thanks to a high-octane offense that is top five in MLB in nearly every major offensive category. On an individual basis, they're getting huge seasons from Kyle Tucker, Michael Busch, Seiya Suzuki and likely NL MVP finalist Pete Crow-Armstrong. But for as well as the Cubs (57-39) played in the first half, the Milwaukee Brewers haven't gone anywhere. In fact, since May 1, the Brewers have the best record in baseball, and they're just one game behind the Cubs in the Central. The Cardinals and Reds are also not far behind, so this division is far from a done deal. Chicago's one weak point is the starting rotation. Even with Shoto Imanaga and Matthew Boyd pitching at high level, the Cubs desperately need one more rotation arm to go with what could be a World Series-caliber offense. And with this division anything but guaranteed, the Cubs have even more incentive to be aggressive at the trade deadline. Which trade deadline acquisition will shock baseball? Speaking of which, the MLB trade deadline is only two weeks away on July 31, but this year could be a slow one. There are a lot more buyers than sellers, with 10 teams within 5.5 games of a playoff spot, in addition to the 12 currently in playoff position. The big question this deadline: Which team will address their need for starting pitching the best? Nearly every postseason contender needs a starting pitcher, with a few actually needing more than one. But unlike in other seasons, a frontline starter or ace type who can carry a team for two months just isn't available this year. The closest to that is Sandy Alcántara, who is a few years removed from being the best pitcher in the world and the NL Cy Young winner in 2022. The first half wasn't the prettiest for Alcántara, but his numbers have trended up in recent weeks. The fact that he's under club control for the next three seasons could make him the crown jewel of a weaker trade market. This is likely to be a year when teams have to pay a premium for middle-of-the-rotation arms due to the lack of elite starters available. It'll be interesting to see who does it anyway. Can the Tigers get the AL's No. 1 seed? The Detroit Tigers were the best team in the American League for nearly the entirety of the first half. With a combination of strong pitching and timely hitting, they've shown that last season was no fluke by running circles around the rest of the AL. As the second half begins, it seems like they have the AL Central locked up, so the next question for the Tigers is can they secure the No. 1 seed in the American League playoffs? Early this season, it looked like the Yankees were the front-runners for the top seed this year, but the Houston Astros were lurking in the background, and in recent weeks, they quietly crept within three games of the Tigers for the AL's top spot. Now securely atop the AL West, it's clear that even without slugger Yordan Álvarez, the Astros are once again among the American League's elite. The Tigers are still well positioned to cruise to home-field advantage through the AL postseason, but Houston has shown that after significant roster changes in the offseason, they're still right there. Expect a battle between Detroit and Houston the rest of the way. Mets vs. Phillies in the NL East Everything was going the New York Mets' way early in the first half. Slugger Pete Alonso was carrying the offense while looking as good as he ever had in a Mets uniform, and the team's starting pitching was among the best in baseball. But as the calendar turned to June, things changed. The Mets' elite starting pitching got banged up, including breakout star Griffin Canning rupturing his Achilles tendon after being a big part of the team's pitching success, and the offense cooled off. Meanwhile, the Phillies slowly got back to being one of the National League's best, and with the Mets' June swoon, the Phils jumped New York as the division's leader. Wheeler, as noted above, is at the peak of his powers leading the rotation, and both Ranger Suárez and Cristopher Sánchez have pitched at an All-Star level. With two-time MVP Bryce Harper healthy once again, the Mets will be fighting for a wild card unless they can get back on track and keep pace with the Phillies. If the Mets need a silver lining to their recent stumbles, it's that their $765 million man, Juan Soto, has gotten back to his MVP-caliber ways at the plate lately. We know Soto has the ability to carry a team for weeks at a time, and as the Mets begin their second half in XX, it looks like they're going to need it.
Newsweek
an hour ago
- Sport
- Newsweek
Dodgers Should Officially Cut Ties With Struggling $17 Million Outfielder
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The Los Angeles Dodgers know moves need to be made in pursuit of back-to-back World Series championships. It won't be an easy task, but that's the goal. Trade deadline moves are made to better the team, but one way they can improve the roster is by cutting ties with outfielder Michael Conforto. Conforto has received 261 at-bats so far this season, and he's currently hitting just .184 with a slash line of .184/.298/.322. The 32-year-old outfielder has just eight home runs and 23 RBI. SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 11: Michael Conforto #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a two-run home run against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the six inning at Oracle Park on... SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 11: Michael Conforto #23 of the Los Angeles Dodgers hits a two-run home run against the San Francisco Giants in the top of the six inning at Oracle Park on July 11, 2025 in San Francisco, California. More Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images Let's not act like 261 at-bats is a small sample size either. If this was May, and he had 100 at-bats, there would be some optimism that he could turn things around. However, it's now the middle of July. His batting average isn't shooting up any time soon. Whether the Dodgers dump him in a trade with a high-profile prospect or simply designate him for assignment, a move has to be made sooner rather than later. This type of move would essentially be addition by subtraction as Conforto is hurting the team more than he's helping at this point. In the short term, Dave Roberts would have to do some major reshuffling without Conforto. Hyeseong Kim would have to take over at second base while Tommy Edman would need to return to the outfield. It would be a little unorthodox, but the Dodgers could make do until a true outfielder is brought in. Once this move is made, the Dodgers could then go on to pursue a new left fielder such as Guardians outfielder Steven Kwan or even Ryan O'Hearn from the Baltimore Orioles. One thing for certain though is that the team must rid itself of Conforto and admit that was a bad decision from the offseason. More MLB: Yankees Legend Alex Rodriguez Issues Shocking Statement on Rob Manfred
Yahoo
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
The late Hank Aaron provided one of MLB All-Star Game's most memorable moments
The 2025 MLB All-Star Game had plenty of big moments, as the National League let a six-run lead slip away in the late innings but emerged victorious after a home run 'swing-off' determined the outcome of the 95th annual event for the first time. One of the biggest moments from the game, however, actually occurred 51 years, three months and one week earlier. That's when the legendary Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's longstanding MLB record with his 715th home run — a milestone event that was re-created in dramatic fashion after the sixth inning Tuesday night (July 15, a.k.a, 7/15) at Truist Park in Atlanta. Read more: 'It was awesome.' Clayton Kershaw is the All-Star among All-Stars as NL defeats AL The actual milestone event took place about 10 miles from there on April 8, 1974, when Aaron and the Atlanta Braves hosted the Dodgers at the since-demolished Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. A crowd of 53,775 was on hand, with millions more watching on national TV, when Aaron launched a fourth-inning pitch by Al Downing over the left-center-field wall to make baseball history. This week, a crowd of 41,176 — again with millions more watching on TV or streaming — witnessed the moment come back to life through video and audio clips (yep, that's legendary Dodgers announcer Vin Scully you hear, along with Braves announcer Milo Hamilton), pyrotechnics and lots of modern technology. It was really a sight to behold as Aaron and the others somehow appeared on the field as the events unfolded just like they did more than a half-century ago. A firework was launched from home plate and scorched through the air marking the trajectory of Aaron's landmark blast. Lighted footprints traced the Hall of Famer's every step around the basepath. The tribute included part of Scully's call from that day. "What a marvelous moment for baseball," he said, "what a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia, what a marvelous moment for the country and the world." (Although it wasn't included in the tribute, Scully went on to explain one of the reasons the moment was so significant: "A Black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. And it is a great moment for all of us, and particularly for Henry Aaron.') Aaron died in 2021 at age 86, but his wife Billye Aaron was on hand for the festivities. "I think people can look at me and say, 'He was a great baseball player, but he was even a greater human being,'" Aaron said in a clip that played at the end of the tribute. Get the best, most interesting and strangest stories of the day from the L.A. sports scene and beyond from our newsletter The Sports Report. This story originally appeared in Los Angeles Times.
New York Post
3 hours ago
- Entertainment
- New York Post
Chelsea Freeman becomes Livvy Dunne's ‘new bestie' in behind-the-scene All-Star Game pics
The 2025 MLB All-Star Game allowed Livvy Dunne and Chelsea Freeman to have their 'Step Brothers' best friends moment. Dunne and Freeman each posted a photo to their respective Instagram Stories of them sharing a smile before Tuesday's game, with Freeman captioning the photo, 'New Bestie,' with two heart emojis. The 22-year-old Dunne, the girlfriend of NL starter Paul Skenes, took her fans behind the scenes of Tuesday's festivities in Atlanta. Advertisement 3 Chelsea Freeman (l) and Livvy Dunne (r). @chelseafreeman5/Instagram The All-Star Game allows the players to bring their families and partners, and at some point she linked up with Freeman, the wife of Dodgers star and World Series MVP Freddie Freeman. And, yes, please remember this photo when Paul Skenes becomes a free agent and the Dodgers — since they seemingly sign everyone — attempt to sign him. Advertisement With Skenes being the Pirates' only representative, it left plenty of time for Dunne and Skenes to mingle with stars from the other teams. Dunne also showcased other scenes from the red carpet and from the game itself. She posted photos of the front and back of her blue dress to her Instagram Story, along with videos of her and Skenes walking and Skenes helping tie her heel. 3 Dunne models her dress. @livvydunne/Instagram Advertisement Dunne also revealed she had field-level seats to watch her boyfriend post a perfect first inning, including a clip from the game-opening strikeout of ex-Yankees second baseman Gleyber Torres. 'Welcome to the paul-star game,' she wrote alongside a star. 3 Dunne and Paul Skenes. @livvydunne/Instagram Advertisement She provided a second fawning tweet that featured the camera view of Skenes striking out Tigers outfielder Riley Greene with the caption: 'Boom shakalaka.' In an ironic yet all too familiar twist, the NL team blew the rare run support that Skenes received before securing the walk-off win in the home-run swing-off. Skenes is 4-8 despite posting a 2.01 ERA and having allowed two earned runs or less in 17 of his 20 starts. He is 0-3 with a 1.77 ERA in eight starts since his last win on May 28. The Pirates open the second half at home against the White Sox on Friday.
Los Angeles Times
3 hours ago
- Sport
- Los Angeles Times
The late Hank Aaron provided one of MLB All-Star Game's most memorable moments
The 2025 MLB All-Star Game had plenty of big moments, as the National League let a six-run lead slip away in the late innings but emerged victorious after a home run 'swing-off' determined the outcome of the 95th annual event for the first time. One of the biggest moments from the game, however, actually occurred 51 years, three months and one week earlier. That's when the legendary Hank Aaron broke Babe Ruth's longstanding MLB record with his 715th home run — a milestone event that was recreated in dramatic fashion after the sixth inning Tuesday night (July 15, a.k.a, 7/15) at Truist Park in Atlanta. The actual milestone event took place about 10 miles from there on April 8, 1974, when Aaron and the Atlanta Braves hosted the Dodgers at the since-demolished Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium. A crowd of 53,775 was on hand, with millions more watching on national TV, when Aaron launched a fourth-inning pitch by Al Downing over the left-center field wall to make baseball history. This week, a crowd of 41,176 — again with millions more watching on TV or streaming — witnessed the moment come back to life through video and audio clips (yep, that's legendary Dodgers announcer Vin Scully you hear, along with Braves announcer Milo Hamilton), pyrotechnics and lots of modern technology. It was really a sight to behold as Aaron and the others somehow appeared on the field as the events unfolded just like they did more than a half-century ago. A firework was launched from home plate and scorched through the air marking the trajectory of Aaron's landmark blast. Lighted footprints traced the Hall of Famer's every step around the basepath. The tribute included part of Scully's call from that day. 'What a marvelous moment for baseball,' he said, 'what a marvelous moment for Atlanta and the state of Georgia, what a marvelous moment for the country and the world.' (Although it wasn't included in the tribute, Scully went on to explain one of the reasons the moment was so significant: 'A Black man is getting a standing ovation in the Deep South for breaking a record of an all-time baseball idol. And it is a great moment for all of us, and particularly for Henry Aaron.') Aaron died in 2021 at age 86, but his wife Billye Aaron was on hand for the festivities. 'I think people can look at me and say, 'He was a great baseball player, but he was even a greater human being,'' Aaron said in a clip that played at the end of the tribute.
