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Time of India
29-05-2025
- Sport
- Time of India
What Mark Leiter Jr. delivered to rescue the New York Yankees' bullpen against the Los Angeles Angels
What Mark Leiter Jr. delivered to rescue the New York Yankees' bullpen against the Los Angeles Angels (Image Source: Getty Images) Wednesday night's hero for the New York Yankees was Mark Leiter Jr., who came up big in the ninth to help the team win 1-0 against the Los Angeles Angels. When the Yankees' primary relievers took time off, the righty was called upon as closer, showing the level of talent that could carry the team in 2025. Because Luke Weaver and Devin Williams had already worked a lot, Manager Aaron Boone chose Mark Leiter Jr. for the game's most crucial moment, and he delivered his second save of the year. The win gave the New York Yankees a sweep of the three-game series. Mark Leiter Jr. rises to the occasion with an improved arsenal During the ninth inning, Mark Leiter Jr. stayed calm after Jo Adell hit his first pitch straight to Jorbit Vivas for the out. The 112.7 mph line drive might have shaken most pitchers, but Mark Leiter Jr. proved he has the mental toughness that matters most for the Yankees. Since joining the New York Yankees at last year's trade deadline, the former Chicago Cubs player has made big changes to his game. The improved speed on his sinker, which is 2-3 miles per hour faster this year, has made everything he throws more effective. Mark Leiter Jr. got Taylor Ward to strike out on three pitches, then walked Jorge Soler after a good at-bat. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Invest today with in Shriram's ULIP Shriram Life Insurance Undo With a winning run, Logan O'Hoppe at the plate and a dangerous hitter, Mark Leiter Jr. got two strikes on him and threw a curveball outside the plate, thanks in part to excellent framing by catcher J.C. Escarra. Yankees bullpen depth proves crucial in championship pursuit The New York Yankees' ability to win without their top relievers highlights the organisational depth that separates championship contenders from pretenders. Clarke Schmidt delivered six scoreless innings as the starter, while Ian Hamilton recorded five crucial outs and Tim Hill induced a ground ball from a left-handed batter on just one pitch. This collective effort allowed Mark Leiter Jr. to enter the save situation with confidence. According to Statcast metrics following Wednesday's performance, Mark Leiter Jr. ranks in the 94th percentile across multiple categories: exit velocity (85.5 mph), whiff percentage (34.5%), strikeout percentage (35.9%), and hard-hit percentage (28.8%). These numbers reflect his remarkable transformation since posting a 4.98 ERA in his initial 21 appearances with the New York Yankees last season. His postseason redemption story included a 1.69 ERA across six appearances, including six scoreless outs during the World Series. The New York Yankees' next series begins Friday against the Boston Red Sox at Yankee Stadium, with first pitch scheduled for 7:05 PM ET. Fans can watch the game on Apple TV+ or listen on WFAN 660 AM. This crucial American League East matchup will test whether the New York Yankees can maintain their momentum against their historic rivals. Also Read: Why David Ortiz's Barry Bonds comparison might change how you see Juan Soto's Mets struggles Mark Leiter Jr.'s clutch performance exemplifies how role players often play a crucial role in determining championship outcomes. With the New York Yankees building momentum through strategic roster management and player development, Wednesday's victory over the Los Angeles Angels represents more than just another win – it showcases the organisational depth necessary for October success. Get IPL 2025 match schedules , squads , points table , and live scores for CSK , MI , RCB , KKR , SRH , LSG , DC , GT , PBKS , and RR . Check the latest IPL Orange Cap and Purple Cap standings.
New York Times
29-05-2025
- Business
- New York Times
The key to Yankees' Mark Leiter Jr.'s dominant start? Work with his dad
ANAHEIM, Calif. — Mark Leiter Jr. started to walk off the mound, yelled and gave a slight fist pump. He didn't care if the pitch he had thrown was actually a strike. All that mattered to Leiter was that the umpire called the curveball strike three against Logan O'Hoppe even though it was well outside to give the New York Yankees a 1-0 win over the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium on Wednesday night. Advertisement 'That wasn't a strike?' Leiter asked after the game. Moments before, catcher J.C. Escarra gave his opinion. 'Oh,' he said, 'it was definitely a ball. It was way out there.' It earned Leiter his second save of what's been an impressive season for the New Jersey native. With his scoreless ninth inning, he improved his ERA to 2.28 over 26 games. He's struck out a whopping 35 hitters in 23 2/3 innings. His 34.5 percent whiff rate put him in the 94th percentile of pitchers, according to Statcast. He's also done an excellent job with his hard-hit rate (28.8 percent). Yankees reliever Mark Leiter Jr. so far this season. — Brendan Kuty 🧟♂️ (@BrendanKutyNJ) May 29, 2025 Leiter has been a crucial piece to the Yankees' bullpen, which didn't have closer Luke Weaver or Devin Williams available Wednesday night due to their recent workloads. 'He's super competitive,' manager Aaron Boone said. 'The bigger the spot, the more he thrives. Whether you get a result or not, he's fearless out there. Stuff has been good all year.' The performance came after starting pitcher Clarke Schmidt (2-2, 3.95 ERA) went six scoreless innings in maybe his best outing of the year, striking out four, walking one and giving up four hits. Ian Hamilton (1 2/3 innings) and Tim Hill (1/3 inning) also supported the shutout, which gave the Yankees a series sweep heading into Thursday's off day before they start a three-game set at the Los Angeles' Dodgers on Friday. The Yankees (35-20) lead the American League East by seven games and have won nine of their last 10. For Leiter, the key has been better sinker velocity, according to Boone. Leiter's sinker went into Wednesday averaging 94 mph this season. Last year, it was at 91.5 mph. He's also throwing it more. Entering Wednesday, he had thrown it 37.3 percent of the time. Last season, it comprised 28.6 percent of his offerings. Advertisement 'Right away we noticed this year that the stuff was crisper,' Boone said. 'More life to the sinker.' How did that happen? How did Leiter improve the pitch? He worked with his father, Mark Leiter Sr., who pitched parts of 11 seasons in the majors, including eight games with the Yankees in 1990 as a rookie. 'It's a lot of things, honestly,' Mark Leiter Jr. said. 'Just getting into some better principles with my delivery, something I worked hard at this winter going home with my dad and working on mechanics and stuff like that. Just kind of finding a little bit of different focus with how to generate more velocity.' How important has that been for Leiter, who also leans on a devastating splitter with a 52.3 percent whiff rate? 'It definitely helps if your stuff gets better,' he said. 'It definitely gives you a little uptick in everything you do.' Last season was tough on Leiter, who was traded from the Chicago Cubs to the Yankees at the deadline. He put up a 4.98 ERA in 21 games after the trade. But he also made four scoreless appearances for the Yankees in the World Series. 'Look,' Boone said, 'he ended up being really good for us in the biggest of moments last year. It was a little bit up and down in those final couple of months, but he had good moments in there and finished really strong in the postseason for us when he got on the roster.' Leiter didn't mind knowing that he was going to be used in the ninth inning. 'To be honest,' he said, 'it was kind of more calming because I knew when I was going to pitch. I kind of just knew I didn't have any chance of the phone ringing for me until the ninth. But we've all got a job to do. As relievers, we all try to do our best to remove ourselves from the emotion of the moment-to-moment of the game because somebody's got a job to do, good or bad.' Advertisement So far, Leiter has been doing his job for the Yankees, who are benefitting from his improved sinker velocity and the work he did with his father. 'Just a really good job by him,' Boone said. Jazz Chisholm Jr. (right oblique strain) was expected to begin his rehab assignment Thursday and play third base instead of second base, Boone said before Wednesday's victory. Chisholm has played only second base this season and in spring training, but the Yankees may be signaling their intention to keep DJ LeMahieu at second base when Chisholm returns from the injured list. Last season, the Yankees shifted Chisholm from center field to third base after they acquired him from the Miami Marlins at the trade deadline. Boone said Chisholm had actually asked him where he wanted him to play. 'He's been awesome,' Boone said of Chisholm. 'He came in last week and was just like, 'Where do you want me?' He just wants to win. He wants a ring. That's his focus. Same as we saw last year when he came over and he was playing the outfield … He took to (third base) right away. He's been a really good teammate in that regard, and (I'm) appreciative of him being willing to do whatever it takes.' Boone said he wasn't sure if LeMahieu would also practice at third base. He added that he wasn't committing to Chisholm becoming the Yankees' everyday third baseman just yet. 'I'm not even sure exactly how I want to go,' Boone said. 'It could be an evolving situation.' (Kirby Lee / Imagn Images)
Yahoo
29-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Yankees have a busload of momentum heading into World Series rematch against Dodgers
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees will have a good head of steam as they bus 30 miles up the 5 Freeway for their World Series rematch against the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend. New York's 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night gave the AL East leaders 16 wins in 20 games. Clarke Schmidt continued a six-week stretch of superb starting pitching with six shutout innings, and Anthony Volpe drove in the only run with a first-inning sacrifice fly as the Yankees (35-20) completed a three-game sweep and sent the Angels (25-30) to their fifth straight loss. A Yankees rotation that lost ace Gerrit Cole to season-ending elbow surgery and has two other starters — Luis Gil and Marcus Stroman — on the injured list has a major league-best 2.54 ERA over the last 40 games and has limited opponents to one run or less in 22 of those starts. Left-hander Ryan Yarbrough allowed one run and two hits in six innings of Monday night's 5-1 win over the Angels, left-hander Carlos Rodon gave up five hits in seven scoreless innings of Tuesday's 3-2 win, and Schmidt, a right-hander, gave up four hits in his six shutout innings Wednesday night. Left-hander Max Fried, who is 7-0 with a 1.29 ERA in 11 starts, will pitch Friday night's series opener against the Dodgers, and right-hander Will Warren, who is 3-2 with a 4.09 ERA in 11 starts, is scheduled to pitch Saturday. 'They've given us a chance to win every single night,' said Yankees reliever Mark Leiter Jr., who notched his second save with a scoreless ninth inning Wednesday night. 'Each guy is going out there and doing it a little different way, putting their own spin on it, which is great for us, because it gives them a different look for six or seven innings, and we get to do our thing with a different look for the last couple innings. You're only as good as your starting pitching, generally, and they've been great.' The NL West-leading Dodgers (34-22) have three frontline starters — Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki — and four high-leverage relievers — Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech and Kirby Yates — on the injured list. But they still have plenty of star power, with Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, who have combined to win five MVP awards, plus Teoscar Hernández and Will Smith at the top of their lineup. 'Yeah, it will feel big,' Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of the matchup. 'Now, we won't go in treating it any differently, but we played the Subway Series (against the New York Mets) last week, and there was a lot of hype for that. I think these are good things for our guys to play in and experience.' The series will feature two of the best players in baseball in Judge and Ohtani, both coming off an MVP season. Judge, who has won two American League MVPs, leads the AL in batting average (.391), on-base percentage (.488), slugging percentage (.739), OPS (1.227) and hits (81). He is tied for third in the majors in home runs (18) and ranks fourth in RBIs (47). Ohtani, who has won three MVPs — his first two with the Angels in 2021 and 2023 — leads the major leagues with 20 homers and 59 runs and ranks third in OPS (1.042). He produced baseball's first 50-50 season with 54 homers and 59 stolen bases in 2024. The two-way star, who has a 38-19 record and 3.01 ERA in 86 starts over five seasons but did not pitch while recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2024, is also on track to return to the mound sometime after the All-Star break. 'I think Judge has been the best hitter in the sport now for a number of years, but what Shohei does with his speed and, when he's healthy, being an ace on the mound, and his ability to swing the bat … we haven't seen that,' Boone said. 'Ohtani, when you add in the pitching element, is just so unique, like nothing we've ever seen in this game.' Freeman, the Dodgers first baseman, hit four homers, including a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning of Game 1, and drove in 12 runs to earn World Series MVP honors last October. Freeman's two-run single also keyed a five-run rally in the fifth inning that helped the Dodgers overcome a 5-0 deficit in their series-clinching 7-6 victory in Game 5 at Yankee Stadium. The Dodgers held Ohtani to two hits in 19 at-bats (.105) and no RBIs in the World Series, but he played the final three games with a dislocated left shoulder that was surgically repaired after the season. 'You have to execute (pitches) at a high level against him, or we're backing up bases or getting a new ball,' Boone said. 'We did a pretty good job against him in the World Series last year, but he's also hit some big homers against us.' The Yankees will have a Dodgers nemesis that they didn't have last October in veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who signed a one-year, $12.5 million deal last winter and is batting .347 with an .899 OPS, five homers and 27 RBIs in his first 55 games with the Yankees. A former Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals slugger, Goldschmidt has a .283 average, .872 OPS, 35 homers and 109 RBIs in 163 career games against the Dodgers and a .308 average, .928 OPS, 19 homers and 50 RBIs in 77 games in Dodger Stadium. 'I would say he's more than an X-factor,' Boone said of Goldschmidt, who led off Wednesday night's game with a double and scored on Volpe's sacrifice fly. 'He's one of our dudes.' ___ AP MLB:
Associated Press
29-05-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Yankees have a busload of momentum heading into World Series rematch against Dodgers
ANAHEIM, Calif. (AP) — Aaron Judge and the New York Yankees will have a good head of steam as they bus 30 miles up the 5 Freeway for their World Series rematch against the Los Angeles Dodgers this weekend. New York's 1-0 victory over the Los Angeles Angels on Wednesday night gave the AL East leaders 16 wins in 20 games. Clarke Schmidt continued a six-week stretch of superb starting pitching with six shutout innings, and Anthony Volpe drove in the only run with a first-inning sacrifice fly as the Yankees (35-20) completed a three-game sweep and sent the Angels (25-30) to their fifth straight loss. A Yankees rotation that lost ace Gerrit Cole to season-ending elbow surgery and has two other starters — Luis Gil and Marcus Stroman — on the injured list has a major league-best 2.54 ERA over the last 40 games and has limited opponents to one run or less in 22 of those starts. Left-hander Ryan Yarbrough allowed one run and two hits in six innings of Monday night's 5-1 win over the Angels, left-hander Carlos Rodon gave up five hits in seven scoreless innings of Tuesday's 3-2 win, and Schmidt, a right-hander, gave up four hits in his six shutout innings Wednesday night. Left-hander Max Fried, who is 7-0 with a 1.29 ERA in 11 starts, will pitch Friday night's series opener against the Dodgers, and right-hander Will Warren, who is 3-2 with a 4.09 ERA in 11 starts, is scheduled to pitch Saturday. 'They've given us a chance to win every single night,' said Yankees reliever Mark Leiter Jr., who notched his second save with a scoreless ninth inning Wednesday night. 'Each guy is going out there and doing it a little different way, putting their own spin on it, which is great for us, because it gives them a different look for six or seven innings, and we get to do our thing with a different look for the last couple innings. You're only as good as your starting pitching, generally, and they've been great.' The NL West-leading Dodgers (34-22) have three frontline starters — Blake Snell, Tyler Glasnow and Roki Sasaki — and four high-leverage relievers — Blake Treinen, Evan Phillips, Michael Kopech and Kirby Yates — on the injured list. But they still have plenty of star power, with Shohei Ohtani, Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman, who have combined to win five MVP awards, plus Teoscar Hernández and Will Smith at the top of their lineup. 'Yeah, it will feel big,' Yankees manager Aaron Boone said of the matchup. 'Now, we won't go in treating it any differently, but we played the Subway Series (against the New York Mets) last week, and there was a lot of hype for that. I think these are good things for our guys to play in and experience.' The series will feature two of the best players in baseball in Judge and Ohtani, both coming off an MVP season. Judge, who has won two American League MVPs, leads the AL in batting average (.391), on-base percentage (.488), slugging percentage (.739), OPS (1.227) and hits (81). He is tied for third in the majors in home runs (18) and ranks fourth in RBIs (47). Ohtani, who has won three MVPs — his first two with the Angels in 2021 and 2023 — leads the major leagues with 20 homers and 59 runs and ranks third in OPS (1.042). He produced baseball's first 50-50 season with 54 homers and 59 stolen bases in 2024. The two-way star, who has a 38-19 record and 3.01 ERA in 86 starts over five seasons but did not pitch while recovering from Tommy John surgery in 2024, is also on track to return to the mound sometime after the All-Star break. 'I think Judge has been the best hitter in the sport now for a number of years, but what Shohei does with his speed and, when he's healthy, being an ace on the mound, and his ability to swing the bat … we haven't seen that,' Boone said. 'Ohtani, when you add in the pitching element, is just so unique, like nothing we've ever seen in this game.' Freeman, the Dodgers first baseman, hit four homers, including a walk-off grand slam in the 10th inning of Game 1, and drove in 12 runs to earn World Series MVP honors last October. Freeman's two-run single also keyed a five-run rally in the fifth inning that helped the Dodgers overcome a 5-0 deficit in their series-clinching 7-6 victory in Game 5 at Yankee Stadium. The Dodgers held Ohtani to two hits in 19 at-bats (.105) and no RBIs in the World Series, but he played the final three games with a dislocated left shoulder that was surgically repaired after the season. 'You have to execute (pitches) at a high level against him, or we're backing up bases or getting a new ball,' Boone said. 'We did a pretty good job against him in the World Series last year, but he's also hit some big homers against us.' The Yankees will have a Dodgers nemesis that they didn't have last October in veteran first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, who signed a one-year, $12.5 million deal last winter and is batting .347 with an .899 OPS, five homers and 27 RBIs in his first 55 games with the Yankees. A former Arizona Diamondbacks and St. Louis Cardinals slugger, Goldschmidt has a .283 average, .872 OPS, 35 homers and 109 RBIs in 163 career games against the Dodgers and a .308 average, .928 OPS, 19 homers and 50 RBIs in 77 games in Dodger Stadium. 'I would say he's more than an X-factor,' Boone said of Goldschmidt, who led off Wednesday night's game with a double and scored on Volpe's sacrifice fly. 'He's one of our dudes.' ___ AP MLB:
Yahoo
08-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Yankees' rehabbing reliever moves one step closer to the majors
The New York Yankees bullpen in 2025 has been a bit like a patchwork quilt—some seams holding strong, others fraying under pressure. While the spotlight has shone harshly on Devin Williams, who has struggled to find his rhythm this season, the rest of the relief corps has quietly held the line. Arms like Luke Weaver, Mark Leiter Jr., Fernando Cruz, Ian Hamilton, and Tim Hill have all chipped in, offering reliability in spurts. But let's not sugarcoat it: reinforcements are still very much needed. Enter Jonathan Loaisiga. Think of him as the secret ingredient in the Yankees' bullpen recipe—out of sight since April of last year after undergoing an internal brace procedure on his right elbow, but certainly not out of mind. He's been grinding his way back, pitch by pitch, through the often grueling process of rehabilitation. An Encouraging Promotion 'Today, the Yankees transferred the rehab assignment of RHP Jonathan Loáisiga from Single-A Tampa to Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre,' the team announced Wednesday via X (formerly Twitter). That may not sound earth-shattering, but for a pitcher clawing his way back from elbow surgery, it's like reaching the summit of a long, steep climb and seeing a new path open ahead. Loaisiga has pitched 3.1 innings with the Tampa Tarpons, posting a respectable 2.70 ERA and racking up seven strikeouts—evidence that the zip and movement on his pitches may be coming back to life. His most recent outing, a 1.1-inning stint where he allowed one run, showed he's getting sharper and more confident but still has work to do. Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images Next Stop: Scranton Now that he's graduated from the warm Florida sun to the cooler, more competitive air of Triple-A, Loaisiga will get the chance to test his stuff against hitters just a phone call away from the big leagues. It's the baseball equivalent of a dress rehearsal before opening night. And if he nails it—command locked in, velocity ticking up, maybe even proving he can handle back-to-back outings—then Yankee Stadium could soon be calling his name again. Advertisement Though the team recently suggested he was still 'weeks away' from a major league return, this latest move speeds up the timeline. If all goes according to plan, Loaisiga could be donning pinstripes again before the calendar flips to June. A Swiss Army Knife for the Bullpen Loaisiga, with his career 3.44 ERA, brings more than just numbers. He brings versatility. The Yankees can deploy him as a one-inning stopper or a multi-frame fireman, depending on the moment. His heavy sinker and calm presence on the mound are just what the team needs to balance the bullpen equation. Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images As the Yankees look to tighten the screws on their postseason hopes, Loaisiga's return could be the boost that turns the pen from decent to dangerous. Advertisement Related Headlines
