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Yahoo
8 hours ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Cardinals vs. Guardians Highlights
Giants lean on Webb, long ball to take series opener vs. Dodgers 6-2 The San Francisco Giants leaned on another strong Logan Webb outing and home runs from Willy Adames, Casey Schmitt and Andrew Knizner to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-2 on Friday night at Dodger lean on Webb, long ball to take series opener vs. Dodgers 6-2 originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area 3:01 Now Playing Paused Ad Playing
New York Times
17 hours ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Jung Hoo Lee's slump is a symptom of the type of hitter he is — and is likely temporary
The Giants have played .500 ball over their last 73 games. The fast start was a lot of fun, but it wasn't very sustainable, as it turns out. Robbie Ray won't finish with a 20-0 record. Wilmer Flores will fall short of 150 RBIs. A lot of the magic from the first couple weeks was temporary, and that's OK. Even the most optimistic Giants fans knew there were corrections and regressions coming. Advertisement The hope, then, was that there would be enough sustainable brilliance to keep them afloat. Logan Webb would have to keep acing (check). Heliot Ramos would have to hit like 2024 first-half Heliot instead of 2024 second-half Heliot (check). And, of course, Jung Hoo Lee would have to maintain his superstar trajectory. Which he was obviously going to do. You know what happened next: Seasoned consumers of nerd stats know which column is going to get the most attention, and we'll get there. But if it's felt like Lee has been hitting like a sub-Mendoza line hitter over the last month, that's because he has been. He's been a contributor in the field and on the bases, but his slump is one of the biggest reasons the Giants are struggling to score runs. It might be the biggest reason. There's no sense saving his low batting average on balls in play (BABIP) as some sort of twist for the end of the article. It's a part of the story, and it might actually be the entire story. Blaming BABIP is the sabermetric equivalent of entering a baking soda volcano into a science fair, so get your third-place ribbons ready, but sometimes it's the obvious answer because it's the correct one. Lee has had two consecutive months where he didn't get nearly as many hits as expected. And that's just comparing Lee to the average player. A player with his speed should have a resting BABIP a little higher than the league average (.291). Hitting the ball and running fast is a time-honored baseball strategy, and it shows up in the BABIPs of faster players. Lee's BABIP right now would only make sense if he ran like a Molina brother carrying another Molina brother. Everything we know about batting average and balls in play suggests this is just a hiccup. The hits will start falling, and the world will make sense again. The good news is that Lee isn't the kind of hitter who will hit like this for very long. The bad news is that he's exactly the kind of hitter who will have long stretches like this at some point. If the question is 'Is Lee as good as he was in April, or is he as bad as he's been in June?', the answer is 'yes.' He's both. Call it the Juan Pierre Paradox or the Steven Kwan Conundrum: High-contact, low-power players will forever be terrorized by the BABIPdook. They live by the ball in play, and they die by the ball in play. Advertisement In the first month of the season, Lee sprayed balls over the short Yankee Stadium porch and led the league in doubles, suggesting above-average power that was both welcome and unexpected. A player with Lee's skill set and 25-homer power is the type of player who gets MVP votes at the end of the season. It feels safe to put that dream to rest, though. He's almost certainly a known quantity now, a member of the predictably unpredictable group of high-contact, low-power players. This both is and isn't the kind of hitter you should expect from now on. By law, I'm required to mention Steven Kwan several more times in an article like this. Some counties require Luis Arráez references, too. That's because they're exactly the kind of hitters Lee should be compared to. They're the obvious comps because they're the correct ones. When you go to Lee's Baseball Savant page, you'll see a lot of blue (bad) and red (good). It's the exact same profile that you'll find on Kwan's page and Arráez's. Lots of squared-up contact, without any exciting exit velocities. Is Kwan the kind of player who will hit .374/.436/.582 for a month, or is he the kind of player who will hit .207/.313/.297 for a month? The answer is yes. He's both, with those numbers representing his slash lines from last June and August, respectively. Month-by-month splits for Arráez will make you just as seasick. These guys are either the greatest hitters in the world or the worst hitters in the league for long stretches at a time. That's the kind of player you should expect Lee to be, and you'll have no warning which version is going to show up in any given month. Some hitters with this profile will have entire seasons that go in just one direction, making it seem like they've hit some sort of sustainable high or ominous low for their career. They'll almost invariably return to their predictably unpredictable ways the next season. Lee might make an entire season out of Aprils one of these years, but he'll always be the kind of hitter with a June lurking around the corner. The reverse is also true, for better or worse. They're maddening players, these high-contact, low-power types. But it's so fun when it works. The good news is that Lee's defensive profile and baserunning make him a helpful player, even when he's not doing much at the plate. His slumps are costing his team runs, but he's finding them in other places. Compare that to Arráez, who's worth just 0.2 WAR while hitting .288/.317/.397 for the Padres this year. He can't hit like a regular schmoe and still help his team win. Lee can, which is more than a minor consolation prize. Advertisement If there's a red flag in Lee's profile, it's that he's been consistently weaker against fastballs in his career, which might help explain why he's done less damage on pitches down the middle than the average hitter. That's bad news, considering they aren't making fastballs any slower these days. If Lee has to cheat to catch up with velocity, it'll expose him to breaking balls and make him take ugly swings. That's less of a hypothetical and more of a description of his last two months at the plate. It's possible that he'll adjust as he gets more exposure to MLB fastballs, or that he'll never adjust, and his struggles with velocity will always keep him from the highest highs of players like Kwan or Arráez. If he can't do more damage on fastballs, he'll start to get a 'poor man's' label slapped on before the comparisons. He might be in the same genre of player, but we don't know if he's at their level yet. In the meantime, rest assured. The hits will start falling in for Jung Hoo Lee any day now. Aaaaaaaaany day now. It'll be fun while it lasts, but never forget that the BABIPdook is always hiding under the bed. That's the uncomfortable bargain these kinds of hitters have made.
New York Times
2 days ago
- Sport
- New York Times
Giants' Hayden Birdsong plunks Otto Lopez in finale of combative series against Marlins
SAN FRANCISCO — Right-hander Logan Webb hinted Wednesday night that Giants pitchers were prepared to enforce frontier justice after watching their teammates get hit by a spate of inside pitches. It didn't take long for Hayden Birdsong to sound a gavel. Birdsong threw a first-pitch fastball that hit Miami Marlins No. 3 batter Otto Lopez with two outs in the first inning Thursday afternoon. Umpires converged and issued warnings to both benches. That apparently wasn't good enough for Marlins manager Clayton McCullough, who argued until he was ejected by plate umpire Alfonso Márquez. The Marlins did not retaliate in the bottom of the first inning; they'd already gotten the sweetest revenge against Birdsong. Agustín Ramírez followed Lopez's plunking with a double and Kyle Stowers hit a home run to give the Marlins a quick 3-0 lead. It would be difficult for the Giants to argue that Birdsong's pitch lacked intent. A night earlier, several Giants players expressed frustration with what's become a concentration of hit batters on this nine-game homestand. Hot-hitting third baseman Casey Schmitt, who was struck on the left hand by Marlins closer Calvin Faucher in the ninth inning Wednesday night, was not in the lineup Thursday. Although initial X-rays did not conclusively show a fracture, the Giants sent Schmitt for a CT scan and will reevaluate him. Advertisement Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos, who was hit twice in 600 major league plate appearances entering this year, has been struck by pitches three times on this homestand and 10 times this season. 'I feel like the game finds a way to even itself out. And it will,' Webb said after Wednesday's game. 'It's starting to get frustrating (with) how many guys are getting hit. As pitchers, we've got to do a better job protecting those guys.' How would the pitchers respond? 'Baseball finds a way of working something out,' Webb said. 'Hopefully there's a little bit of edge tomorrow because of some of the stuff that happened today. Hope we come out with a lot of energy.' If the umpiring crew was aware of Webb's comments, they weren't proactive about Thursday. No warnings were issued prior to the game when Webb represented the Giants by taking out the lineup card.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Lopez's RBI single sparks Marlins' 4-run 10th as Miami upends the Giants 8-5
San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb stands on the mound during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Miami Marlins' Edward Cabrera pitches to a San Francisco Giants batter during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Miami Marlins' Otto Lopez hits a two-run double during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) San Francisco Giants' Jung Hoo Lee, right, is congratulated by Mike Yastrzemski after scoring against the Miami Marlins on Christian Koss' sacrifice fly during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) San Francisco Giants' Jung Hoo Lee, right, is congratulated by Mike Yastrzemski after scoring against the Miami Marlins on Christian Koss' sacrifice fly during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) San Francisco Giants pitcher Logan Webb stands on the mound during the fifth inning of a baseball game against the Miami Marlins, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Miami Marlins' Edward Cabrera pitches to a San Francisco Giants batter during the fourth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) Miami Marlins' Otto Lopez hits a two-run double during the fourth inning of a baseball game against the San Francisco Giants, Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) San Francisco Giants' Jung Hoo Lee, right, is congratulated by Mike Yastrzemski after scoring against the Miami Marlins on Christian Koss' sacrifice fly during the fifth inning of a baseball game Wednesday, June 25, 2025, in San Francisco. (AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez) SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Otto Lopez hit the go-ahead RBI single in a four-run 10th inning and the Miami Marlins knocked off the San Francisco Giants 8-5 on Wednesday night to win consecutive series for the first time this season. Lopez's hit off Camilo Doval (3-2) with one out gave the Marlins a 5-4 lead. Heriberto Hernández followed with a two-run double to left-center and he advanced to third on the throw to the plate. Connor Norby's sacrifice fly capped the inning for Miami, which has won three straight. Advertisement Miami closer Calvin Faucher (3-2) inherited a 4-2 lead in the ninth. Two hit batters and a walk loaded the bases before Willy Adames hit a sacrifice fly to deep left to make it 4-3. Patrick Bailey followed with a single to left to bring home Casey Schmitt with the tying run, but Jung Hoo Lee was cut down at the plate on a throw from Kyle Stowers to Nick Fortes, keeping the game 4-4. Mike Yastrzemski led off the Giants' half of the first inning with a home run off the right-field foul pole. Yastrzemski's seventh homer of the season was one of three hits allowed by Edward Cabrera in 5 1/3 innings. Lopez hit a two-run double in the third, the only runs starter Logan Webb allowed in his six innings. The right-hander gave up six hits and three walks, striking out six. Advertisement Key moment With Bailey at second and two outs in the ninth, third baseman Norby speared Christian Koss' line drive, sending the game to extra innings. Key stat The Giants went 2 for 9 with runners in scoring position and are 8 for 59 (.136) in those at-bats in their past eight games. Up next Miami RHP Janson Junk (2-0, 2.60 ERA) faces San Francisco RHP Hayden Birdsong (3-1, 3.25) on Thursday. ___ AP MLB:
NBC Sports
3 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
Marlins at Giants Prediction: Odds, expert picks, starting pitchers, betting trends, and stats for June 25
It's Wednesday, June 25 and the Marlins (32-45) are in San Francisco to take on the Giants (44-35). Edward Cabrera is slated to take the mound for Miami against Logan Webb for San Francisco. The Marlins picked up the win in the first game of the series making it back-to-back wins and three of their last four. Let's dive into the matchup and find a sweat or two. We've got all the info and analysis you need to know ahead of the game, including the latest info on how to catch tipoff, odds, recent team performance, player stats, and of course, our predictions, picks & best bets for the game from our modeling tools and staff of experts. Follow Rotoworld Player News for the latest fantasy and betting player news and analysis all season long. Game details & how to watch Marlins at Giants Date: Wednesday, June 25, 2025 Time: 9:45PM EST Site: Oracle Park City: San Francisco, CA Network/Streaming: NBCS BA, FanDuel Sports Network Florida Never miss a second of the action and stay up-to-date with all the latest team stats and player news. Check out our day-by-day MLB schedule page, along with detailed matchup pages that update live in-game with every out. Odds for the Marlins at the Giants The latest odds as of Wednesday: Moneyline: Marlins (+183), Giants (-222) Spread: Giants -1.5 Total: 7.0 runs Probable starting pitchers for Marlins at Giants Pitching matchup for June 25, 2025: Edward Cabrera vs. Logan Webb Marlins: Edward Cabrera, (2-2, 3.81 ERA) Last outing (Philadelphia Phillies, 6/19): 6.1 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 5 StrikeoutsGiants: Logan Webb, (7-5, 2.49 ERA) Last outing (Cleveland Guardians, 6/19): 7.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 9 Strikeouts Marlins: Edward Cabrera, (2-2, 3.81 ERA) Last outing (Philadelphia Phillies, 6/19): 6.1 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 2 Hits Allowed, 3 Walks, and 5 Strikeouts Giants: Logan Webb, (7-5, 2.49 ERA) Last outing (Cleveland Guardians, 6/19): 7.0 Innings Pitched, 1 Earned Runs Allowed, 7 Hits Allowed, 0 Walks, and 9 Strikeouts Rotoworld still has you covered with all the latest MLB player news for all 30 teams. Check out the feed page right here on NBC Sports for headlines, injuries, and transactions where you can filter by league, team, positions, and news type! Top betting trends & insights to know ahead of Marlins at Giants The Giants have won 3 straight games with Logan Webb starting The Giants' last 3 home games with Logan Webb as their starting pitcher have gone under the Total The Marlins have covered in 4 of their last 5 games for a profit of 2.00 units If you're looking for more key trends and stats around the spread, moneyline and total for every single game on the schedule today, check out our MLB Top Trends tool on NBC Sports! Expert picks & predictions for tonight's game between the Marlins and the Giants Please bet responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call the National Gambling Helpline at 1-800-522-4700. Our model calculates projections around each moneyline, spread, and over/under bet for every game on the MLB calendar based on data points like past performance, player matchups, ballpark information, and weather forecasts. Once the model is finished running, we put its projection next to the latest betting lines for the game to arrive at a relative confidence level for each wager. Here are the best bets our model is projecting for Wednesday's game between the Marlins and the Giants: Moneyline: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the San Francisco Giants on the Moneyline. Spread: NBC Sports Bet is leaning towards a play ATS on the Miami Marlins at +1.5. Total: NBC Sports Bet is recommending a play on the over on the Game Total of 7.0. Want even more MLB best bets and predictions from our expert staff & tools? Check out the Expert MLB Predictions page from NBC Follow our experts on socials to keep up with all the latest content from the staff: Jay Croucher (@croucherJD) Drew Dinsick (@whale_capper) Vaughn Dalzell (@VmoneySports) Brad Thomas (@MrBradThomas)
