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New York Times
3 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Giants late-inning issues against Padres illustrate need for shutdown bullpen
SAN DIEGO — Carson Seymour had a decision to make in the sixth inning Tuesday night. The San Francisco Giants right-hander fielded a comebacker with one out and runners at the corners. If he had paused to check the San Diego Padres runner at third base, he would have seen that Elias Díaz, a catcher with 5th-percentile sprint speed, had committed to running home. But Seymour did not opt for the waddling bird in the hand. Instead, he whirled toward second base and made a wide throw. He was fortunate that infielder Christian Koss not only kept the ball from skipping into center field but also kept a toe on the bag. Advertisement The Giants only recorded one out. Díaz scored to give the Padres a 5-1 lead. Should Seymour have thrown to the plate? '(It's) probably the safest play at that point in time,' Giants manager Bob Melvin said. 'If he does make a good throw to second base, we might get the double play. So, you know, with the score of the game, maybe the easiest thing is to take the out at home.' When you play the Padres this season, any run they tack on is a lethal dose. Nick Pivetta threw high fastballs past the Giants for six innings and the Giants received no relief or reward to get him out of the game. Adrian Morejon, Jason Adam and Robert Suarez each tossed a scoreless inning, allowing one baserunner between them, while protecting the Padres' 5-1 victory and continuing what's been a suffocating run for San Diego relievers against their NL West opponent. The Giants haven't scored a run against San Diego's bullpen since June 4. The Padres' scoreless streak against the Giants is at 26 1/3 relief innings. And only two of those innings have been thrown by new acquisition Mason Miller, the All-Star former A's closer whose 103 mph fastball drew audible gasps from the crowd when it registered on the scoreboard last week in San Francisco. 'They've got good stuff and they throw a lot of strikes,' Giants catcher Patrick Bailey said. 'It's one of the hardest throwing bullpens in the league. They all got good heaters that are definitely verty, throwing in the upper 90s to 100, and they've all got pretty good offspeed pitches that they trust as well. They've got one of the best 'pens in the league and we've just got to do a better job one through nine sticking to our game plan.' When Bailey compliments Padres relievers on their 'verty' fastballs, he is speaking about induced vertical break — essentially, the amount of ride or late life that a pitcher creates independent of gravity. The Padres bullpen averages 17.7 inches of induced vertical break on fastballs, which is the most in the major leagues. The Los Angeles Dodgers are next with 17.1 inches. Advertisement The Giants are sixth at 16.3 inches, but only one current reliever in their group, closer Randy Rodriguez, has a fastball that exceeds that average. Another, Hayden Birdsong, pitched in relief earlier this season before transitioning to the rotation — and then back to Triple-A Sacramento when his command and confidence abandoned him. A bullpen does not need to be super verty to be effective. The Giants' core four relievers, vital to winning three World Series championships from 2010-14, were mostly spin doctors who succeeded by winning platoon matchups and preventing barreled contact. Then again, the three-batter minimum wasn't on the books back then. These days, the most certain way to shut the door is to slam it closed. And the Padres, after adding at the trade deadline, have their assortment of door slammers all locked up for the foreseeable future. Suarez is the only one of their core relievers who can become a free agent after this season, assuming he opts out of the two years and $16 million remaining on his contract. The Giants have far, far less certainty. They subtracted from their bullpen at the trade deadline, trading closer Camilo Doval and right-hander Tyler Rogers. Rogers is coming up on free agency and there's always a chance he re-signs with the Giants this winter. But for now, the Giants don't have relievers (other than Rodriguez and Ryan Walker) who they could consider locks to open the season in next year's bullpen. They also received more discouraging news about left-hander Erik Miller, who paused his rehab assignment because of recurring left elbow inflammation. Miller won't pick up a baseball for two weeks and it's looking less likely that he will ramp back up in time to pitch this season. 'It got back to the point where we have to be careful,' Melvin said of Miller. Advertisement The Giants have had to exercise caution all year with Rodriguez, too, after the right-hander missed five weeks with elbow inflammation last season. Rodriguez was unscored upon in 40 of his first 43 appearances and was a deserving addition to the NL All-Star team, but it's been a little spotty since he was elevated to replace Doval in the closer role. He's allowed runs in three of seven appearances and his fastball velocity has been down a touch. With the Giants constantly trailing on the past two homestands, Rodriguez went nine days in between appearances. Rodriguez's success is due in part to his judicious usage. He's made back-to-back appearances just six times this season and he hasn't appeared on three consecutive days. At some point, though, the Giants will have to find out how well Rodriguez can bounce back when pushed a little harder, as closers need to be from time to time — especially in the postseason. 'Walker's closed really well too,' Melvin said. 'Every year is not going to look the same. Randy is still kind of transitioning to the closer role as well. But they're both really talented guys who should be pitching at the back end of the bullpen.' How the Giants go about constructing the rest of that bullpen is an open question. There will be high-profile choices in free agency other than (possibly) Suarez and Rogers; Mets closer Edwin Díaz can opt out of his contract and Aroldis Chapman will be on the open market. But from Armando Benitez to Mark Melancon to smaller bets like Luke Jackson that turned messy, the Giants' recent investments in free-agent relievers would've turned out better if they'd put the money in a meme stock. This hasn't been the kind of problem that they have solved by throwing money at it. Perhaps Birdsong finds a permanent home for his 'verty' fastball in the bullpen. Perhaps Jose Buttó can elevate his profile from the back-end role he filled with the Mets. Perhaps Keaton Winn can stay healthy and have success as a two-pitch guy in a relief role. Perhaps right-hander Trent Harris, a 26-year-old who was hurtling toward the big leagues before hitting a rough patch at Triple-A Sacramento, will reemerge as the next Ryan Walker type. Perhaps some of the lower-level arms in the system can advance quickly, but don't count on it. For all the rise in the prospect rankings the Giants have made this season, there isn't a lot of pitching in the pipeline. Eight of their nine top prospects are position players, according to and the lone pitcher, Carson Whisenhunt, was way too hittable in his first foray against big-league hitters. Giants president Buster Posey will try to find a way to solve the team's lineup problem against fastballs and surround their core with scrappy hitters who put the ball in play. He'll have to determine how much of next year's rotation can be filled in-house. They still want to blueprint winning with pitching and defense, especially at their waterfront ballpark, where they've had the antithesis of a home-field advantage since the All-Star break. But even if they accomplish all of those goals in a satisfactory way, they still need to slam the door. And compared to some of their NL West adversaries, they have a lot of work to do. (Top photo of Ramon Laureano and Patrick Bailey: Denis Poroy / Imagn Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Reds' Nick Martinez gets standing ovation after failed no-hitter bid
The post Reds' Nick Martinez gets standing ovation after failed no-hitter bid appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Cincinnati Reds right-hander Nick Martinez came within three outs of making history Friday night at Great American Ball Park. Facing his former team, the San Diego Padres, Martinez carried a no-hitter into the ninth inning before surrendering a double to Elias Díaz that ended the bid. Despite falling short of a no-hitter, Martinez walked off to a standing ovation from the crowd of 26,746 after delivering a career performance in the Reds' 8-1 win. Advertisement Martinez threw 112 pitches over eight-plus innings, tying a career high. He allowed just one hit, two walks, and struck out six batters. The 34-year-old faced 30 batters, only three more than the minimum, with his only blemishes before the ninth being walks to Jackson Merrill in the first and Trenton Brooks to open the ninth. Díaz's double to deep left-center ended his attempt at recording the 18th no-hitter in Reds history and the first since Wade Miley accomplished the feat in 2021. The Reds called on reliever Taylor Rogers after the double, and one of the two inherited runners eventually scored, preventing Martinez from securing even a shutout. Rogers retired three of the next four batters to finish the game. This was Martinez's first start back in the rotation after being briefly moved to the bullpen following a disastrous outing against the Twins on June 19, where he allowed seven runs in 2 2/3 innings. Entering Friday's contest, Martinez carried a 4.40 ERA across 15 starts and two relief appearances. His previous two relief appearances totaled three scoreless innings. The near no-hitter capped a remarkable journey for Martinez, who had spent four seasons in Japan before returning to MLB in 2022. He pitched for the Padres in 2022 and 2023, primarily in relief, before joining the Reds in 2024. Advertisement While Martinez flirted with history on the mound, Spencer Steer dominated at the plate. The Reds' first baseman went 3-for-4 with three home runs and four RBIs, becoming the first Reds player with a three-homer game since Jesse Winker in 2021. Steer hit home runs in the second (382 feet), fourth (403 feet), and fifth innings and narrowly missed a fourth in the eighth, striking out to end his bid. It was the 40th three-homer game in franchise history. The Reds' offense provided early and consistent support. Cincinnati took a 2-0 lead in the first via an Elly De La Cruz RBI groundout and a passed ball by Díaz. Austin Hays, returning from the injured list, contributed a double and scored in the fifth. With the win, the Reds improved to 43-29, having won 13 of their last 19 games. They sit just 2.5 games back of the third National League wild-card spot. Despite the heartbreak of a lost no-hitter, Nick Martinez's dominance and Steer's power helped the Reds start their series against the Padres emphatically. Related: Reds' Spencer Steer blasts insane 3 HRs vs. Padres Related: Reds' Elly De La Cruz makes Home Run Derby decision
New York Times
03-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
Phillies takeaways: Mick Abel's place in rotation, outfield slugging, Seth Johnson impresses
PHILADELPHIA — There were no runs on the scoreboard, two outs, and Mick Abel had San Diego's No. 9 hitter in an 0-2 count. It was the second inning in the first game of Wednesday's doubleheader. He threw Padres catcher Elias Díaz an elevated fastball for ball one. He bounced a curveball. He fired a slider that was a ball out of hand. He countered with a fastball that was even higher than the one before it. Advertisement That was the beginning of the end. 'I got in some leverage counts and was trying too hard to make the pitches, if that makes sense,' Abel said. 'Just not naturally letting it happen.' Two more walks and a double later, the 23-year-old rookie righty had experienced his harshest big-league lesson yet. Abel is the fifth starter in a rotation that has carried the Phillies to the Fourth of July. The Phillies have seen some good — against Pittsburgh, Toronto and Miami — and some bad against tougher lineups. But, before Wednesday's 6-4 loss, Abel was at least attacking hitters. He did not walk a batter in his first two big-league starts. He wasn't missing as many bats in recent outings, but at least he was competitive. Five walks in 1 2/3 innings — the first Phillies starter to do that since Garrett Stephenson in 1998 — will only prompt larger questions about where Abel fits. The Phillies expect Aaron Nola to return in August, with the possibility of him throwing from a mound as early as this weekend. They have always targeted 'July-ish' for top prospect Andrew Painter, but have indicated they would rather wait until after the All-Star break. The Phillies need one more start from the No. 5 slot before the break (Tuesday at San Francisco). They could give it to Abel. They could replace him on the roster with a reliever, go with a bigger bullpen until the break, and do a bullpen game in San Francisco. Or they could summon another starter. Maybe the Painter plans change. Probably not. 'We'll talk about it,' Phillies manager Rob Thomson said when asked about Abel's next start. At times in the minors, Abel had trouble preventing the big inning. Things spiraled too fast. He could not avoid it against San Diego. 'He was kind of missing all over the place,' catcher J.T. Realmuto said. Thomson needed to cover 18 innings Wednesday, so he let Abel go a batter or two longer than he normally might have. Advertisement 'It's not easy,' Realmuto said. 'I mean, there's a lot of pressure in that situation. So you just try to calm them down and slow things down for them a little bit. Mick's obviously got great stuff. But sometimes it's not easy to come into this scenario and be successful right away. He's done a great job for us. That's just part of the growing pains of being a young pitcher.' All of that will factor into the club's decision about next week. Moments after the first game ended, Thomson pulled Brandon Marsh aside for a dugout chat. Marsh explained why he risked making the game's 27th out at third base with the potential winning run coming to the plate in Kyle Schwarber. He knew his run didn't matter, so he figured he could go first to third because center fielder Jackson Merrill would lob the ball to second base to prevent Trea Turner, the tying run, from zooming into scoring position. It was sound thinking — except Marsh had to know there wouldn't be a play at third. He miscalculated. Merrill made a strong throw. Marsh was called out, but a replay review showed he beat the tag. Barely. 'Probably wasn't the best decision to go there, to be honest,' Marsh said. 'But I got away with it.' In the end, the play didn't matter. Schwarber struck out. A lesson, maybe, for Marsh. He started in the second game, a 5-1 Phillies win, and launched a solo homer to center. He's raised his season slash line to .262/.333/.384. 'I like the way that I'm attacking,' Marsh said. 'Definitely can improve a lot more on a lot of things. But, for what it's worth, I like where I'm at personally.' The Phillies are off Thursday, then will face a lefty starter Friday and Saturday. Marsh probably won't play. Neither will Max Kepler, who also homered in Wednesday's nightcap. Got the Maximum height on this one — Philadelphia Phillies (@Phillies) July 2, 2025 It marked the first time the Phillies had two homers from their outfield in a game since March 31 — the fourth game of the season. This homer was Kepler's first extra-base hit in 50 plate appearances (since June 16). He should have had one earlier in the week, but Merrill made a spectacular catch to rob him of a three-run homer. Advertisement That was the second time this season a center fielder has taken back a potential Kepler three-run homer. Without those plays, he'd have a .718 OPS for the season instead of his .685. Either way, the Phillies need more from Kepler, who hasn't had a consistent power stroke. He's hit the ball harder than last season and doubled his walk rate. However, many of the underlying metrics are unfavorable to Kepler. The Phillies will see it through, for now. This was Seth Johnson's third big-league appearance, and he's had a large gap between each one. So, when he caught Trenton Brooks looking, on a curveball, for his first strikeout in the majors, he did not think to throw the baseball out of play to preserve the keepsake. 'I forgot,' Johnson said. The rookie was just happy for another chance to make an impression. It was a good one. He was summoned for a day as the 27th man permitted in doubleheader rules. He tossed two scoreless innings in Wednesday's first game with two strikeouts. His fastball almost touched 100 mph. He threw some decent curveballs and changeups along with his slider. 'He was really good,' Thomson said. 'I mean, really good. Throwing strikes. He broke out that curveball, and it's sharp. It's a swing-and-miss pitch. So there's a lot of things we have to talk about.' It didn't take the Phillies long; they sent Johnson back to Triple A after the doubleheader ended. The Phillies' search for competent relief continues; more swing-and-miss stuff would help. They entered Wednesday's doubleheader with one reliever among the top 50 (of 174 qualified relievers) in strikeout rate. That was Jordan Romano at 27.3 percent. Matt Strahm ranked 58th, Tanner Banks 73rd and Orion Kerkering 107th. Last season, the Phillies had two relievers — Strahm and Jeff Hoffman — who ranked in the top 15 in strikeout rate. Kerkering was 32nd. Advertisement They are desperate for some whiffs. Johnson didn't exactly feature that; he had only three swings-and-misses in his 33 pitches. San Diego did not swing-and-miss at any of the 18 fastballs he fired, although the pitch sat 98.6 mph and topped at 99.8 mph. Maybe that's why the Phillies opted not to keep him around. 'That's actually the first time I've gotten to catch him,' Realmuto said. 'I was impressed with his stuff. It was really good.' As far as stuff goes, Kerkering showed some of his best in Wednesday's second game. He struck out two Padres in a scoreless inning. His four-seam fastball averaged 98.8 mph — the hardest it's been in an outing all season. Kerkering has allowed one earned run over his last 22 appearances, dating back to May 9.
Washington Post
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Washington Post
Reds' Martinez takes no-hit bid into 9th, Steer hits 3 homers in 8-1 win over Padres
CINCINNATI — Nick Martinez took a no-hit bid into the ninth inning before allowing pinch-hitter Elias Díaz's double and Spencer Steer hit three home runs, leading the Cincinnati Reds over the San Diego Padres 8-1 on Friday night. Martinez (5-8) walked his third batter, Jackson Merrill, on a low full-count sinker, then retired 22 consecutive hitters before walking rookie Trenton Brooks starting the ninth. Díaz then drove an 0-1 changeup off the base of the wall in left-center on Martinez's 112th and final pitch, which tied his career high.
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Reds pitcher Nick Martinez nearly throws first no-hitter of 2025 in 8-1 win over Padres
It was close, but MLB will have to wait a little bit longer for the first no-hitter of the 2025 season. On Friday, Cincinnati Reds pitcher Nick Martinez nearly earned that honor, throwing eight hitless innings in the Reds' 8-1 win over the San Diego Padres. But in the top of the ninth, with Martinez three outs away from making history, Padres catcher Elias Díaz hit a double to break up Martinez's no-hit bid. Even with the hit, Martinez had a career night on Friday: The 34-year-old threw six strikeouts, two walks and one hit in 112 pitches. One of those strikeouts came at the end of the eighth, as Padres second baseman Jake Cronenworth struck out swinging to end the inning. But then, in the ninth, fatigue began to creep in for Martinez, who threw a walk just before Díaz hit his double. Taylor Rogers came in to relieve Martinez, but allowed two walks to give the Padres their sole run before Rogers was able to close out the game. Advertisement However, the Reds pulled off a win thanks to three home runs from first baseman Spencer Steer, who homered in the second, fourth and fifth innings to buoy Cincinnati's seven-run win. Martinez becomes the latest pitcher to fall just short of a no-hitter this season, with a few attempts taking place this week. On Wednesday, Texas Rangers' Jacob DeGrom threw seven no-hit innings in a great win over the Baltimore Orioles, before giving up a leadoff single in the eighth. Earlier this week, Milwaukee Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski threw six perfect innings before exiting. If he had pulled it off, Martinez would have joined Cincinnati's long and storied history of hitless games. The Reds have recorded 15 no-hitters in the modern era; most recently, Wade Miley threw a no-no in 2021, recording one walk and eight strikeouts in nine innings.
