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New York Times
4 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Giants takeaways: Ryan Walker gets there inch by inch, more bad luck for Jerar Encarnacion
PITTSBURGH — There are two types of feedback that are important to Ryan Walker. The primary source material is what happens in the batter's box. Did the hitter look uncomfortable? Was he enticed to make a bad swing decision? Was his timing sufficiently disrupted? The secondary stuff is what Walker gets after he makes a relief appearance for the San Francisco Giants. He's not the type to rush to the iPad and scope out every pitch movement profile as soon as he walks off the mound. He'll get his download from bullpen coach Garvin Alston and pitching coach J.P. Martinez. They'll let him know how his stuff graded out: how many inches of induced drop he got on his sinking fastball, how many inches of horizontal sweep he got on his slider. Advertisement Walker has been chasing last year's version of himself all season. He's finally starting to feel like his body is moving the way it needs to move on the mound. And while the movement on his pitches isn't as consistent as he'd like, the recent top-end results have been encouraging. 'Anywhere from 9 to 20, which is crazy,' said Walker, citing the inches of horizontal break on his slider while he threw a scoreless eighth inning Wednesday afternoon at PNC Park. 'I'd like to even that out. But the way I'm feeling now is night and day.' Randy Rodriguez is the new closer following last week's trades that sent Camilo Doval to the New York Yankees and Tyler Rogers to the New York Mets. So it was significant when Rodriguez rebounded from a blown save on Monday to seal a series win and shut the door on the Pittsburgh Pirates in Wednesday's 4-2 victory. But Walker's scoreless eighth inning was significant, too — especially because other National League contenders firmed up their bullpens while the Giants subtracted from theirs. If Walker can recapture last season's dominance, there's no question he would lessen the impact of those trades. It's been a struggle to return to last year's form. Walker began the season as the closer before losing the job to Doval in May. Now he'll step back into a high-leverage role. And because Rodriguez isn't often available on back-to-back days, it's a decent bet that Walker will be thrust back into some ninth-inning save situations, too. Walker hasn't dealt with any physical issues this season. He isn't trying to compete with a dip in velocity. His strikeout rate has dropped 8 percentage points from last year and it's added to his frustration that the extra balls in play, based on the quality of contact, have been unlucky on the whole. When he needs reassurance, which has been often this season, he reminds himself that he still has all the ingredients to be successful again. Advertisement It's true for everyone and especially so for late-inning relievers: It's not how you start but how you finish. (Although Walker was pretty good at the very start of the season, too.) Jerar Encarnacion returned from the injured list on Monday, started in right field on Tuesday and hit a home run that raised hopes he could be a high-impact power hitter down the stretch. Those hopes became even more gleeful in the fifth inning Wednesday when he circled the bases after mashing a 442-foot home run — the longest by a Giant not hit at Coors Field this season. Two innings later, he gripped the railing and hobbled on one leg down the dugout steps. Encarnacion strained his right hamstring while trying to beat out a groundball in the seventh inning. He'll undergo an MRI exam after the team returns to San Francisco. But based on his reaction and the initial report that manager Bob Melvin received from the training staff, Encarnacion will return to the injured list. 'You get hurt in spring training and you're playing catch-up all the time,' Melvin said of Encarnacion, who fractured his hand when hit by a pitch in the spring, didn't have his timing when he returned in June, and lasted just eight games on the active roster before he strained an oblique. 'Now he finally gets enough at-bats (in Triple-A Sacramento) and we're seeing what we wanted from him, especially against left-handed pitching. And he's going to be down for a while now, unfortunately. It ends up being a really tough year for him.' So the Giants are back to a right-field platoon, presumably with Luis Matos returning from Sacramento to pair with Grant McCray. If McCray struggles with contact issues, the Giants could call up Drew Gilbert, the former first-round pick whom they obtained from the Mets in the Rogers deal. Gilbert, a left-handed hitter, was 6-for-12 with two triples, a double and four walks in his first three games for Sacramento. Even though Gilbert struggled with injuries and performance last season, his career minor-league strikeout-to-walk ratio (218 strikeouts and 140 walks) suggests he wouldn't be overmatched against major-league pitching. Advertisement From the right side, though, there isn't a clear pivot if Matos continues to make unimpressively soft contact. Marco Luciano has a .936 OPS against left-handed pitching at Sacramento, but a defensive outfield with Heliot Ramos, Jung Hoo Lee and Luciano probably would not be suitable viewing for sensitive audiences. The Giants won consecutive road series to generate some positive energy, but momentum is only as good as tomorrow's starting pitcher. And the Giants are about to cycle back to the inexperienced back end of their rotation. They are TBA for Friday's homestand opener against the Washington Nationals but likely will use left-hander Matt Gage as an opener for Kai-Wei Teng. Then they'll see if Carson Whisenhunt can provide a solid follow-up to last Saturday's start in New York, when he earned his first major-league victory. Right-hander Landen Roupp will throw live to hitters in simulated game conditions on Tuesday. So his return is close but not imminent. Catcher Patrick Bailey is likely to win his second consecutive Gold Glove this season. His framing numbers are even better than last year's league-leading totals. There isn't an area of the strike zone and its periphery that he isn't getting an above-average amount of called strikes. Bailey is especially important to a young pitcher like Whisenhunt, who doesn't generate many whiffs on his fastball and must rely on precision to create the count leverage he needs to use his plus changeup. But over long stretches when the Giants struggled to score runs, it was hard to ignore the glacial season Bailey was having with the bat. It probably won't be long before Jesus Rodriguez, the offensive catcher who was part of the prospect package the Giants received from the Yankees for Doval, finds his way onto the major-league roster. An automatic strike zone challenge system is likely arriving next year, which would not crush Bailey's framing value but could mitigate its impact. Amid this backdrop, here's the important part: Bailey is starting to come around at the plate. He hit a pinch single to start the eighth inning and scored the tying run on Matt Chapman's sacrifice fly. Then he contributed an RBI single in the ninth after consecutive doubles from Jung Hoo Lee and Dom Smith. Bailey was 6-for-18 on the trip and drove in six runs. Melvin's take: Bailey stopped worrying about his offensive numbers once he realized they were beyond rescuing. Advertisement 'I think he's just gotten some hits and feels more comfortable,' Melvin said. 'You get to this time of year, and if you're chasing numbers, it becomes 'just play.' … The offensive numbers aren't where they are. But right now, he's just going up there taking good at-bats. He's had some success recently, and I think he's playing off that.' (Top photo of Ryan Walker: Charles LeClaire / Imagn Images) Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Play today's puzzle
Yahoo
02-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Willy Adames breaks down Giants' 4-3 win against Mets, praises Randy Rodríguez
Giants shortstop Willy Adames speaks to reporters after San Francisco's 4-3 extra-inning win over the New York Mets on Friday at Citi Field. Willy Adames breaks down Giants' 4-3 win against Mets, praises Randy Rodríguez originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Yahoo
01-08-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Fantasy Baseball Winners and Losers from MLB Trade Deadline: Risers and fallers after wave of deals
The 2025 Major League Baseball trade deadline has come and gone, leaving many changes in fantasy values in its wake. This article will focus purely on the players whose fantasy values have taken a major turn in one direction or another. Players to add Randy Rodríguez, RP, San Francisco Giants (rostered in 34% of Yahoo leagues) If there is one player to add right now, especially in roto leagues, it's Rodríguez. With a 1.20 ERA, a 0.84 WHIP and a 62:9 K:BB ratio, the right-hander has been arguably the best reliever in baseball this year. The trade of Camilo Doval to the Yankees opens the closer's role in San Francisco, and even though Ryan Walker is still part of the relief corps, he has already lost the job once this year and can't match Rodríguez in terms of 2025 skills. Rodríguez could be a top-5 reliever down the stretch. Shane Bieber, SP, Toronto Blue Jays (46% rostered) Bieber may be the best pitcher to stash right now. The right-hander has looked great in four rehab outings, posting a 21:1 K:BB ratio. His long-awaited return from Tommy John surgery should occur by in the next two weeks, at which point he will join a team that leads their division with a 62-46 record. He will also benefit from working in front of a Toronto defensive group that ranks first in baseball in Fielding Run Value, per Statcast. Luke Keaschall, 1B/2B/OF, Minnesota Twins (25% rostered) The departure of Carlos Correa should cause Brooks Lee to slide to shortstop, which opens up second base for Keaschall, who will soon come of the 60-day IL. The prospect has flashed solid plate skills and plus speed, and in this writer's opinion he is more a more appealing option than the other young hitters in this article. [Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season] Tyler Locklear, 1B, Arizona Diamondbacks (5% rostered) Locklear has mashed in Triple-A this year, hitting .316 with 19 homers and a .943 OPS in 98 games. And with 18 steals, the slugger has shown a speed component to his game that fantasy managers will appreciate. Pavin Smith will soon return from the IL, but he shouldn't impact the playing time of Locklear, who is five years younger and much more likely to be part of the team's future. I would add Lockler in 15-team leagues now and keep an eye on him in 12-team formats. Jordan Lawlar, SS, Arizona Diamondbacks (8% rostered) Lawlar is working his way back from a hamstring injury and will likely be Arizona's starting third baseman as soon as he is ready. The 23-year-old had struggled to find a spot within the D-backs effective infield group, but there is now a clear vacancy at third base. And after hitting .319 with a .993 OPS in Triple-A this year, this speedy prospect has clearly shown that he's wasting his time in the minors. Lawlar is a great stash for those fantasy managers who have IL space. Coby Mayo, 1B/3B, Baltimore Orioles (10% rostered) Is it finally time for Mayo to emerge as a fantasy asset? He will certainly get an opportunity to make it happen now that Ryan O'Hearn has been traded to the Padres. I wouldn't add Mayo in standard leagues right now, but he's someone to keep an eye on. Michael Soroka, SP, Chicago Cubs (11% rostered) Soroka could be an interesting starter to add in deeper formats if he gets a spot in the Cubs rotation. The right-hander owns an ugly 4.87 ERA that has been impacted by one of the lowest strand rates in baseball (68.4%). His 3.32 xERA paints an optimistic picture that Soroka has been victimized by the Nats poor defense group. He joins a Cubs team that plays great defense and scores plenty of runs, which will at least make him a streamer in standard formats. Kevin Ginkel, RP, Arizona Diamondbacks (9% rostered) By trading Shelby Miller to the Brewers, the D-backs cemented Ginkel as their stretch run closer. And even though Arizona stripped their roster of a few key players, they still have enough talent to be a respectable team and provide Ginkel with a handful of save chances. Cole Sands, RP, Minnesota Twins (3% rostered) Sands is the last man standing after the Twins dealt most of their key relievers. The right-hander hasn't been special this year (4.11 ERA, 1.22 WHIP), but he is the only obvious fit for ninth inning opportunities. Jose A. Ferrer, RP, Washington Nationals (4% rostered) In deep leagues, Ferrer is worth a shot for those who need saves. The lefty has 19 holds this year, which is 12 more than any other Washington reliever. Based on his high-leverage usage, Ferrer is the most likely candidate to take over the closer's role from Kyle Finnegan. Dennis Santana, RP, Pittsburgh Pirates (27% rostered) Santana has been great this year (1.36 ERA, 0.82 WHIP) and leads the Pirates in holds. He should take over the closer's role from David Bednar, and I would add him over the three relievers who precede him on this list. Players to drop Ryan Helsley, RP, New York Mets Helsley will likely help the Mets in the postseason, but his chances of getting more than a couple stretch run saves are slim now that he is the setup man for established closer Edwin Díaz. Helsley hasn't helped fantasy teams with their ratios this year (3.00 ERA, 1.39 WHIP) and his 10.3 K/9 rate is not special for a reliever. He can be dropped in virtually all mixed leagues. Kyle Finnegan, RP, Detroit Tigers Although he may get some ninth inning opportunities, Finnegan is unlikely to be a full-time closer in a Detroit bullpen that has better relievers. Managers can find a better potential saves source than Finnegan, who poor ratios (4.38 ERA, 1.28 WHIP) this year. Camilo Doval, RP, New York Yankees Doval is yet another closer who lost his ninth inning role by being traded to a contending team. The right-hander has not shown special skills this year (3.09 ERA, 1.20 WHIP, 50:24 K:BB ratio) and could be as low as fourth on the Yankees relief depth chart. [Smarter waivers, better trades, optimized lineups — Yahoo Fantasy Plus unlocks it all] David Bednar, RP, New York Yankees Bednar may get save chances before Doval, but he's still waiver wire fodder in most leagues now that he is the setup man for Devin Williams. It's worth noting that Williams blew his last save chance and allowed runs in four of his past six appearances, but he was given a vote of support by manager Aaron Boone. Even if Williams falters, Boone could turn to Luke Weaver or Doval before Bednar. Robert Suárez, RP, San Diego Padres The arrival of Mason Miller to the Padres should push Suárez to a setup role, which takes away most of his fantasy value. It wouldn't be shocking for the Padres to sometimes use Miller in a high-leverage eighth inning role against the heart of a lineup, but the odds are high that Suárez will get fewer than five more saves this season. Value up Jhoan Duran, RP, Philadelphia Phillies Any uptick for Duran will be a small one, but it's worth noting that he switched to a superior team when traded from the Twins to the Phillies. The hard-throwing righty could pick up more stretch run saves thanks to being involved in yesterday's trade, which cements his status as a top-10 reliever. Mason Miller, RP, San Diego Padres Miller is in a similar situation as Duran, as he was already an elite closer but should have more games to save down the stretch now that he is part of a contending team. Carlos Correa, SS, Houston Astros Being traded to Houston isn't a big upgrade for Correa, as the Astros have outscored the Twins by just 22 runs this year. But it's always better for a player to spend the stretch run on a team that is heading to the postseason rather than one that's rebuilding. Value down Eugenio Suárez, 3B, Seatle Mariners I don't want to get carried away with the one, as Suárez will likely be fine at T-Mobile Park. But we know that the venue doesn't always play well for power hitters and didn't bring out the best in Suárez when he was a member of the Mariners in 2023. Still, the Mariners have amassed a potentially excellent lineup with Julio Rodríguez, Cal Raleigh, Suárez and Josh Naylor. I wouldn't panic on Suárez, even though I wish he had been traded to a team that plays their home games in a bandbox. Zack Littell, SP, Cincinnati Reds I wouldn't drop Littell right away, but I'm worried about the combination of his propensity for allowing homers and the hitter-friendly nature of Great American Ball Park. The righty has allowed more long balls (26) than any other pitcher, and just eight of those round-trippers were hit when he was working at home. He has made one career start in Cincinnati and the Reds took him deep three times in that game. It's not a great fit for someone who was already a fringe option in standard leagues. Will Vest, RP, Detroit Tigers I wouldn't drop Vest just yet, as he could maintain a primary saves role over Finnegan. Still, the arrival of someone with ninth inning experience is bad news for Vest, who was already sharing some save chances with Tommy Kahnle. I would keep Vest for now with an eye toward sending him to waivers in 12-team leagues if Finnegan receives save chances. Cedric Mullins, OF, New York Mets Mullins will likely still matter in leagues where he already mattered. But the Mets have more outfield options than the Orioles, which could reduce Mullins playing time down the stretch. Even if Mullins plays regularly, there is no advantage of this trade for him, as the Mets have been outscored by the Orioles this year and call home to a pitcher-friendly venue.
CBS News
07-07-2025
- Sport
- CBS News
Giants' Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Randy Rodriguez named National League All-Stars
Three San Francisco Giants pitchers will be heading to Atlanta for the 2025 MLB All-Star Game on July 15. Starters Logan Webb and Robbie Ray and reliever Randy Rodriguez were selected to the National League All-Star team. Webb, 28, is 8-6 with a 2.62 ERA over 120 1/3 innings, which is the most innings pitched in the NL as of Sunday. He is second in the NL with 133 strikeouts. Webb appeared in the All-Star Game in 2024, making this his second selection. Ray, 33, is 9-3 with a 2.68 ERA over 107 1/3 innings this season. It's his second All-Star selection, with the only other coming in 2017. He won the American League Cy Young in 2021 with the Toronto Blue Jays, but was not selected to the All-Star game. This will be Rodriguez's first All-Star Game. The 25-year-old has posted a 0.71 ERA in 38 innings.
Yahoo
12-05-2025
- Yahoo
DUI suspect charged with hitting patrol car, chase
MEMPHIS, Tenn. — A man is now facing a long list of charges claiming he was 'very intoxicated' after ramming his car into a patrol vehicle before leading troopers on a chase in the Bartlett area Sunday. Randy Rodriguez, 24, is charged with aggravated assault law enforecement/first responder, speeding, reckless driving, opposing traffic, disobedience to traffic control, possession of a prohibited weapon, intentionally evading arrest in auto, reckless endangerment with a deadly weapon, manufacture/deliver/sell controlled substance, leaving the scene of an accident, open container law, possession of drug paraphernalia, and driving under the influence/ intoxication/drugs. Gun pulled during fight at J. Alexander's restaurant: police On May 11, around 2:45 a.m., troopers said they saw a gray Hyundai Genesis Coupe driving 30 miles over the speed limit on Kirby Whitten Road and Summer Avenue. When the trooper attempted to initiate a traffic stop, the Hyundai sped off. However, the trooper says they were able to get the tag number from the temporary tag on the back of the car. The trooper says that when they were headed to the owner's listed address, they saw the Hyundai again in the area of Reese Road and Whitten Road. This time, the temporary tag was removed. MPD: Child shot in the head at Binghampton apartment Another traffic stop was initiated when the Hyundai made a U-turn to go back the other way. The driver is accused of going through a traffic stop and driving into oncoming traffic. The trooper says they positioned their vehicle with lights and sirens in front of the Hyundai to prevent the driver from proceeding through oncoming traffic. The Hyundai continued, striking the patrol vehicle before making another U-turn and speeding off. At that time, a chase was initiated. The suspect is accused of driving 100 miles per hour on Interstate 40 before getting off, disregarding multiple red lights. His vehicle stopped west of Sycamore View Road, where he was taken into custody. The driver was identified as Randy Rodriguez. He allegedly told the trooper he was 'very intoxicated' after the trooper spotted an open Corona Beer bottle in plain view in the center cupholder. 'I'm afraid': 2 men hospitalized after Mother's Day shootings A pair of brass knuckles, along with three small bags filled with marijuana, 10 wrapped and labeled pre-rolled marijuana cigars, 20 wrapped and labeled THC vapor/wax pens, three labeled small jars of pre-rolled marijuana cigars, a scale, a grinder, and empty plastic bags were also found in the Hyundai. Both the trooper's vehicle and the Hyundai were heavily damaged. Randy Rodriguez is currently held in jail on a $90,000 bond. He is due in court on Monday morning. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
