August 2025

There were 1,614 posts published in August 2025 (this is page 76 of 162).

Aaron Nola rocked for 6 runs by Nationals in return from IL, but Phillies bail him out with 11 runs

Aaron Nola returned to the Philadelphia Phillies‘ rotation on Sunday after a three-month absence and was greeted rudely by the Washington Nationals. Fortunately, Philadelphia’s potent lineup provided plenty of run support in an 11-9 victory.

Nola, 32, was roughed up for six runs and seven hits in 2 1/3 innings. He got through his first two innings smoothly, allowing only one hit. However, the Nationals began a hit parade in the third. 

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After Nola struck out Brady House to begin the frame, the next seven Washington batters reached base on three consecutive singles, a walk, another single and two straight doubles. CJ Abrams drove in a run during the barrage, while Daylen Lile and Dylan Crews each got two-RBI hits and José Tena knocked in the Nationals’ sixth run of the inning. 

Just like that, a 6-0 lead for the Phillies was gone. Alec Bohm hit a three-run homer in the second inning to build that six-run lead. He also returned to the Philadelphia lineup after missing 26 games, going on the IL with a fractured rib on July 19.

Nationals starter Mitchell Parker lasted 1 2/3 innings, giving up five earned runs on four hits and three walks. Washington’s lineup took him off the hook for a loss, but couldn’t quite match the Phillies’ run production on Sunday. 

Philadelphia regained the lead in the fourth on a two-run single by left fielder Weston Wilson and Nick Castellanos followed with a solo homer in the sixth. The Phillies added two more runs in the eighth on an RBI single from Bryce Harper and a Harrison Bader sacrifice fly, building an 11-6 lead.

The Nationals closed to within two runs in the bottom of the ninth on a three-run homer from Paul DeJong off Phillies reliever Max Lazar. Lazar left a 94.7 mph fastball in the upper middle of the strike zone and DeJong lifted into the left-field seats. 

That was followed up by a double by Lile, forcing the Phillies to bring in Jhoan Duran when using their closer didn’t seem necessary when the inning began. Lazar allowed four hits in 1 1/3 innings, but Duran got Crews to ground out and struck out pinch-hitter James Wood to end the game. 

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said he intended to use a six-man starting staff with Nola’s return. However, Zack Wheeler going on the IL with a blood clot near his right shoulder means that will only apply for one turn through the rotation. Nola’s performance still has to be a concern. The six runs allowed in 2 1/3 innings increased Nola’s ERA to 6.92 this season. 

Pending the New York Mets‘ result vs. with the Seattle Mariners in Sunday night’s MLB Little League Classic, the Phillies (71-53) could build their first-place lead in the NL East back up to six games. 

Aaron Nola rocked for 6 runs by Nationals in return from IL, but Phillies bail him out with 11 runs

Aaron Nola returned to the Philadelphia Phillies‘ rotation on Sunday after a three-month absence and was greeted rudely by the Washington Nationals. Fortunately, Philadelphia’s potent lineup provided plenty of run support in an 11-9 victory.

Nola, 32, was roughed up for six runs and seven hits in 2 1/3 innings. He got through his first two innings smoothly, allowing only one hit. However, the Nationals began a hit parade in the third. 

[Join or create a Yahoo Fantasy Football league for the 2025 NFL season]

After Nola struck out Brady House to begin the frame, the next seven Washington batters reached base on three consecutive singles, a walk, another single and two straight doubles. CJ Abrams drove in a run during the barrage, while Daylen Lile and Dylan Crews each got two-RBI hits and José Tena knocked in the Nationals’ sixth run of the inning. 

Just like that, a 6-0 lead for the Phillies was gone. Alec Bohm hit a three-run homer in the second inning to build that six-run lead. He also returned to the Philadelphia lineup after missing 26 games, going on the IL with a fractured rib on July 19.

Nationals starter Mitchell Parker lasted 1 2/3 innings, giving up five earned runs on four hits and three walks. Washington’s lineup took him off the hook for a loss, but couldn’t quite match the Phillies’ run production on Sunday. 

Philadelphia regained the lead in the fourth on a two-run single by left fielder Weston Wilson and Nick Castellanos followed with a solo homer in the sixth. The Phillies added two more runs in the eighth on an RBI single from Bryce Harper and a Harrison Bader sacrifice fly, building an 11-6 lead.

The Nationals closed to within two runs in the bottom of the ninth on a three-run homer from Paul DeJong off Phillies reliever Max Lazar. Lazar left a 94.7 mph fastball in the upper middle of the strike zone and DeJong lifted into the left-field seats. 

That was followed up by a double by Lile, forcing the Phillies to bring in Jhoan Duran when using their closer didn’t seem necessary when the inning began. Lazar allowed four hits in 1 1/3 innings, but Duran got Crews to ground out and struck out pinch-hitter James Wood to end the game. 

Phillies manager Rob Thomson said he intended to use a six-man starting staff with Nola’s return. However, Zack Wheeler going on the IL with a blood clot near his right shoulder means that will only apply for one turn through the rotation. Nola’s performance still has to be a concern. The six runs allowed in 2 1/3 innings increased Nola’s ERA to 6.92 this season. 

Pending the New York Mets‘ result vs. with the Seattle Mariners in Sunday night’s MLB Little League Classic, the Phillies (71-53) could build their first-place lead in the NL East back up to six games. 

Mets’ Tylor Megill strikes out nine in second rehab start at Double-A Binghamton

Tylor Megill had another impressive rehab outing as he looks to get back to bolster the Mets‘ pitching ranks.

In his second start with Double-A Binghamton as he works his way back from an elbow strain, the right-hander allowed one hit over 3.1 innings while striking out nine and walking none on 55 pitches (39 strikes, with 12 whiffs).

Megill had to settle in as he allowed a leadoff single on an 0-2 pitch before needing five pitches to get the next two outs. With two down in the home half of the first, Megill uncorked a pair of wild pitches to allow the runner to reach third before getting a swinging strikeout, his second of the inning, on a 3-2 pitch.

After that, Megill retired the next seven straight batters with six going down on strikes. With one out in the third, the righty recorded his ninth strikeout of the day, but a passed ball saw the batter reach to end his day with a runner on first base.

In his first outing at Double-A earlier this week, Megill allowed three hits and a walk while striking out four over 1.2 innings, throwing 41 pitches (27 strikes).

In 14 starts with the Mets this year, the 30-year-old has pitched to a 3.95 ERA and 1.361 WHIP in 68.1 innings with 89 strikeouts to 33 walks. He made his last appearance on June 14 before landing on the IL.

Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer to have season-ending right wrist surgery

BOSTON (AP) — Boston Red Sox infielder Marcelo Mayer said Sunday that he’ll have season-ending surgery on his right wrist.

The 22-year-old Mayer injured the wrist in late July, got an injection to try and come back, but decided to have surgery. He said he has a tear that hadn’t improved with the anti-inflammatory injection.

“I knew definitely that it was going to be on the table,” he said, sitting in the Red Sox dugout at Fenway Park before they faced Miami in the series finale.

“As an athlete and somebody that loves this game so much, all I want to do is play and be out there every single day, especially when you’re in the big leagues and the playoffs are so important,” he said. “The way that my wrist is right now, there’s just no way to come back and play. It made the decision pretty easy to have the surgery.”

Drafted fourth overall in 2021, Mayer was called up in late May. A natural shortstop, he played mostly third base, batting .228 with four homers and 10 RBIs in 44 games.

“The shot wasn’t working. It’s a three-month recovery, He should be fine if everything goes well for spring training,” Red Sox manager Alex Cora said. “He’s a big part of the future of this organization, just get him right, get him ready and see what happens in the future.”

Cora said he knew things weren’t going well after Mayer played catch on Thursday’s day off.

“He didn’t sound too positive about it. ‘My swing is not right,’’’ Cora said Mayer told him.

Mayer also knew that surgery was the best option.

“Yeah, gave it my all. Obviously with options given, I could have had surgery when I first injured it or get the shot,” he said. “I tried everything I could with the slight chance to come back and play.”

He also missed the final two months in the minors last season with a shoulder injury and didn’t play after July 31.

Orioles promote top prospect Samuel Basallo for MLB debut

HOUSTON (AP) — Baltimore’s top prospect Samuel Basallo will make his MLB debut Sunday after the Orioles selected his contract from Triple-A Norfolk.

Basallo, rated Baltimore’s No. 1 prospect and the No. 8 prospect in baseball by MLB.com, is a catcher and first baseman, but was batting sixth and serving as the team’s designated hitter Sunday in the series finale against the Astros.

“This is the first big Latin American signing that we’ve had that shows up and it’s a really good one,” Baltimore interim manager Tony Mansolino said. “So we’re excited about him. We expect him to be competitive and do well.”

His promotion comes a day after the team brought up No. 3 prospect outfielder Dylan Beavers.

Basallo, a 21-year-old from the Dominican Republic, hit .270 with 23 homers and 67 RBIs in 76 games for Norfolk this season. He will be the team’s backup catcher behind star Adley Rutschman and get work at first base.

“Adley will function as our No. 1 catcher because that’s what he is,” Mansolino said. “He’s a really good catcher. Basollo will function as the No. 2 catcher, catch day games, Adley won’t catch four in a row, things like that.”

Mansolino added that Basollo would start at catcher Monday night at Boston and that he’d get him in the lineup at first base during the team’s next homestand.

Also on Sunday, the Orioles reinstated OF Colton Cowser from the 7-day concussion list and optioned OF Daniel Johnson and 1B/OF Ryan Noda to Norfolk. They also transferred right-hander Zach Eflin (low back discomfort) to the 60-day injured list.

Astros’ Yordan Alvarez to start rehab assignment at Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday

HOUSTON (AP) Houston Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez will begin a rehabilitation assignment at Double-A Corpus Christi on Tuesday, moving him closer to a return after sitting out for more than three months.

“It’s really good news,” manager Joe Espada said. “The fact that he’s feeling better and we’re getting to a point where we can see him back is awesome.”

Alvarez has been out since May 3 with a small fracture in his right hand that was initially diagnosed as a muscle strain.

Alvarez was in Houston on Sunday before the team’s series finale against Baltimore after returning from the Astros’ spring training facility in Florida, giving Espada a chance to talk with him.

“He is feeling better,” Espada said. “Good enough to start a rehabilitation assignment.”

Espada said Alvarez would need “a few games before joining our club” but when pressed about exactly how many games or at-bats the left-hander would need, he declined to give further details.

“We’re going to start with Tuesday and then we’ll go from there,” he said.

Espada said Alvarez would serve as the team’s designated hitter Tuesday.

The return of Alvarez would be a major boost to the Astros as the postseason approaches after he led the team in batting average (.308), home runs (35) and RBIs (86) last season. Houston entered Sunday leading the AL West with a 1 1/2-game lead over the Mariners.

The 28-year-old Alvarez hit .210 with three homers and 18 RBIs in 29 games this season before his injury.