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It’s July 4th! I hope everyone has a fantastic holiday weekend with friends and family. Don’t forget that the first game of the day takes place at our nation’s capital in Washington between the Red Sox and Nationals at 11:05 AM ET. I know it’s an early start, but for those daily fantasy leaguers out there who have to have their lineups set before the first contest of the day, let this serve as a reminder.
Before we get to Friday’s games, let’s recap the headlines and best moments from Thursday.
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Today’s Headlines
Springer’s Big Series Helps Jays Sweep Yanks
Vintage George Springer, please. In what’s been a turn-back-the-clock start to July against the New York Yankees, Toronto’s 35-year-old outfielder carried his team to a 4-0 series sweep at Rogers Centre with an 8-5 victory. Sure, leadoff man Nathan Lukes and right fielder Addison Barger both collected three knocks, but the talk of the town will be the incredible offensive display by Springer, not only in Thursday’s contest, but for the entire series as well. Springer hit an opposite-field two-run homer in the third frame to break a 1-1 tie, and added the final touches with an insurance two-run tater in the eighth.
Springer collected three knocks in the game and reached base four times to help Toronto claim its 49th win and sole possession of the top spot in the AL East for the first time this late in a campaign since 2016. For the series, Springer went 8-for-14 with four long balls, seven runs scored, and 11 RBI. Springer’s batting average was .265 heading into the series, and it increased to .281 at its conclusion. The former World Series MVP has 15 homers and 51 RBI over 81 games played this season. Springer looks well on his way to reaching the 25-homer plateau for only the second time since 2019.
Chris Bassitt earned his eighth win after yielding three runs over 5.2 innings. Bassitt struck out nine Yankees and walked three. Toronto is 19-10 since the start of June and is on a current five-game winning streak. They’ll welcome the Angels to town on Friday. New York and Tampa Bay are one game back of the Jays in the AL East.
Ray’s Second Career Complete Game Comes at Good Time
Speaking of turning back the clock. San Francisco’s Robbie Ray had his best pitching performance in quite a while after the oft-injured southpaw went the distance in Arizona with a nine-inning complete game. With San Fran in dire need of a series split to draw even with San Diego for second place in the NL West, Ray put the Giants on his shoulders to earn his ninth W of ’25. Ray struck out seven and allowed only two solo homers in the game, courtesy of Eugenio Suárez’s 27th tater in the fourth, and a meaningless one-out long ball in the ninth by Ketel Marte with the Giants up 7-1. Ray had great efficiency in his 18th start of the year, tossing 102 pitches (69 for strikes) and walking only one.
Offensively, San Francisco collected 12 hits, including three apiece by Mike Yastrzemski and Willy Adames. DH Rafael Devers drove in three runs, two of which came by way of a seventh-inning single.
The Giants enter July 4 in a three-way tie with St. Louis and San Diego for the third NL wild card spot.
Mets Take Rubber Game Over Brewers in Dramatic Finish
The Mets’ scoring began with a Brandon Nimmo solo homer in the second inning off Milwaukee’s Jose Quintana, and ended with a two-run sixth inning highlighted by a go-ahead RBI single courtesy of Juan Soto to break a 1-1 tie, followed by a Pete Alonso double to center to give the road team a 3-1 lead.
Milwaukee got one run back on an Andruw Monasterio solo blast in the seventh, but that was all starting pitcher David Peterson and the bullpen surrendered for the remainder of Thursday’s rubber game.
There was some late-game drama, however, after Milwaukee’s Christian Yelich had a pinch-hit single with one out in the ninth off Mets closer Edwin Diaz. Yelich proceeded to steal second base, but upon a New York challenge claiming he was tagged by shortstop Francisco Lindor on a headfirst slide, the call was overturned.
I’m not sure if that should have been reversed, but Diaz proceeded to strike out Brice Turang to end the contest, giving New York a 3-2 victory and a series win.
Make it Seven Straight Losses for Cleveland
It’s been an ugly summer for the Cleveland Guardians so far in 2025. Despite five pitchers holding the Chicago Cubs scoreless over nine frames, Cleveland was unable to score a run in a contest they desperately needed before the start of a crucial three-game series at home with the AL Central-leading Detroit Tigers. With the game still 0-0 in the 10th, reliever Chris Flexen tossed a perfect frame to set up his team for a walk-off victory in the bottom half. After Cleveland’s closer Emmanuel Clase kept the Cubs off the scoreboard with a scoreless ninth, the right-hander was asked to do the same in the 10th. However, after a Michael Busch grounder moved the automatic ghost runner, Nico Hoerner, to third for the first out, Matt Shaw hit a 1-0 100 mph fastball to center for a walk-off sac fly. Final Score, 1-0.
Cubs starting pitcher Cade Horton was great over seven scoreless frames. The right-hander struck out five in the no-decision.
The Cubs improved to 52-35 with the three-game sweep at Wrigley Field, and increased their NL Central lead to four games over Milwaukee. Meanwhile, the Guardians have lost seven straight and saw their record drop to 40-45.
Best Moments From Yesterday
Wood Delivers Big Time on Day of Home Run Derby Announcement
James Wood is having a stellar season for the last-place Washington Nationals. On Thursday, the 22-year-old outfielder officially announced his participation in the 2025 T-Mobile Home Run Derby in Atlanta before facing the Detroit Tigers. Following the announcement, the budding star came through in Washington’s impressive 11-7 rubber game victory over the American League’s top squad. Wood went 5-for-5 at the plate, including an opposite-field solo homer in the second off Tigers lefty Dietrich Enns.
Talk about justifying your Home Run Derby announcement. Wood enters Friday’s action with a .294 batting average, 23 homers, and 67 RBI.
monitoring a situation pic.twitter.com/a1QZnzx6Gr
— Washington Nationals (@Nationals) July 3, 2025
Marlins Keep on Rolling
We haven’t talked often about the Miami Marlins‘ winning ways on Pitcher List after their 100-loss campaign in 2024. However, following a 4-1 victory over the struggling Twins on Thursday (Miami’s ninth win in 10 tries), they’ve earned some positive ink. Behind Eury Perez’s first W of the season and first since 2023 (missed 2024 after TJ surgery), the Marlins’ victory gave them their fourth consecutive series win. Perez struck out seven and allowed only one hit over six shutout frames. The Marlins improved to 39-46 and are alone in third place in the NL East.
Caught the Gus Bus en route to a 4th straight series win 🥵 pic.twitter.com/ReRwXwyxnh
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) July 3, 2025
A Helluva Slide by Witt Jr.
It’s been an enigmatic season so far for the Kansas City Royals, who entered Thursday 14 games behind in the AL Central. However, they still have one of the best players in the sport named Bobby Witt Jr. With the Mariners ahead 1-0 in the seventh and looking for a 3-1 series win, Witt Jr. delivered a game-tying RBI single followed by an incredible body-adjusting slide to avoid the tag at home. Here’s a look at Witt’s game-tying knock, followed by the incredible feet-first slide to give KC a 3-1 lead.
The Mariners got one back in the ninth courtesy of a Dominic Canzone solo homer, but ultimately lost 3-2 for a series split.
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ The Guardians placed Luis L. Ortiz on the restricted list because of an ongoing investigation by MLB. The betting-integrity firm IC360 opened the investigation after two of Ortiz’s first pitches of innings on June 15 against the Mariners and June 27 against the Cardinals were flagged after unusual gambling activity. Ortiz will remain on paid leave until after the All-Star break, and could be extended if the investigation continues. Ortiz was supposed to start on Thursday versus the Cubs.
⚾ Angels rookie Christian Moore was placed on the 10-day IL with a right thumb sprain. Over 53 at-bats, Moore is hitting .189 with three homers and eight RBI. There is no timetable for his return.
⚾ Dodgers infielder Max Muncy was placed on the 10-day IL with a bone bruise in his left knee after leaving in the sixth inning of Wednesday’s contest versus the White Sox. An MRI revealed no structural damage, but Los Angeles will be without their third baseman for at least six weeks. Muncy was hitting .250 with 13 home runs and 55 RBI before the injury.
⚾ The Tampa Bay Rays activated infielder Ha-Seong Kim from the 60-day IL (right shoulder surgery) five months after signing the former Padre to a two-year, $29 million contract in February.
Articles You Should Read
12 facts behind Kershaw’s march to 3,000 strikeouts — Sarah Langs, MLB.com
Justin Verlander’s outlook, Royals eye Bryan Reynolds and more notes: Rosenthal — Ken Rosenthal, The Athletic
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