Parks & Trails New York commends Governor Hochul's proposed budget increases for parks and public lands
[Albany, NY] – Parks & Trails New York, the leading statewide advocate for parks, trails and public lands since 1985, commends the proposed investments in New York’s public lands announced by Governor Kathy Hochul yesterday in the FY2026 Executive Budget.
The Governor’s budget puts forward increases to critical programs that support visitation and activation of New York’s public lands, including increasing the Park & Trail Partnership Grant program by $500,000 to $2.5 million, and increasing the Connect Kids program by $500,000 to $3.5 million. Both of these programs ensure that New York’s rich, diverse parks, trails and open spaces are able to welcome and captivate a growing number of visitors each year.
The Park & Trail Partnership Grant program empowers grassroots nonprofit groups to enhance and sustain parks, trails, and outdoor spaces across the state. In recent grant cycles $5 million in requests went unmet. An increase to $4 million–$1.5 million more than proposed–would support additional shovel-ready projects and master plans, enhance public access to recreation, and upgrade infrastructure to meet growing visitation demands.
Connect Kids has introduced nearly 800,000 students to New York’s parks and historic sites since 2016. The program funds necessary transportation and outdoor education, but 250,000 students missed out on transformative outdoor experiences in 2024 due to lack of funding. A more substantial increase will come closer to meeting the tremendous demand for this program that allows students to participate in outdoor recreation and its educational and wellbeing benefits, creating more equality and access in New York’s public lands.
The budget proposal also maintains critical capital funding for the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation at $200 million per year and for the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation at $90 million per year. This funding would strengthen the nearly $2 billion already spent revitalizing New York’s public lands over the past decade. These critical investments have caused state visitation to nearly double over that time period. Despite record visitation and improved accessibility efforts, funding for the DEC has remained stagnant since before the pandemic. We look to the Governor to recognize the increasing popularity of the DEC’s sizable 5 million acres of land and accordingly allocate funds for the agency to meet its growing responsibilities.
Increased visitation and continued investment in our public lands directly strengthens local economies, with every $1 million invested generating $10 million in sales, $4 million in labor income, and $7 million in state GDP.
Funding for public spaces not only boosts local economies, it greatly improves the accessibility of outdoor recreation within neighboring communities and beyond. Public lands are for everyone, and with the right level of state investment, we can ensure they remain vital anchors of health, equity, and history for generations to come.
Parks & Trails New York Executive Director Paul Steely White said, “Though short of what we hope to win in the final version, we commend Governor Hochul for submitting a budget that gets us closer to realizing the full potential of our cherished public lands. Open spaces are essential to New York’s climate strategies, safeguarding critical habitats, enhancing local resilience, and improving quality of life for millions. It’s our responsibility to ensure these spaces remain welcoming, inclusive, and accessible for all who need them.”
About Parks & Trails New York
Parks & Trails New York (PTNY) is the state’s leading advocate for public lands. In the 40 years since our founding, we have been the leading statewide advocate for parks and trails, dedicated since 1985 to improving our health, economy, and quality of life through the use and enjoyment of green space. With thousands of members and supporters across the state, PTNY is a leading voice in the protection of New York’s magnificent state park system and the creation and promotion of more than 2,000 miles of greenways, bike paths, river walks, and trails. PTNY’s trail programs, which aim to transform unused transportation and other corridors into vibrant public places, have furthered dozens of trail projects and hundreds of miles of trail. For more information, visit www.ptny.org
Pitney Bowes Named Official Shipping Technology Partner of the New York Islanders and UBS Arena
- 3 Stars of the Game Sweepstakes: After every home game win, fans can enter to win a puck signed by one of the three players of the game, shipped to them no matter their location, using ShipAccel powered by Pitney Bowes.
- Mystery Mondays: Weekly giveaways offering fans the chance to win exciting prizes, from tickets and signed memorabilia to merchandise and gift cards, all shipped using ShipAccel powered by Pitney Bowes.
Stadium Update: Introducing City Square!
Today, New York City FC is excited to introduce to you City Square, a truly unique space in our stadium. Click here to see the new renderings!
City Square will be a flexible area both on matchdays and non-matchdays alike, located at street level at the south end of the stadium. On a matchday, fans with a ticket to the match will be able to access the area right as they enter our stadium through the iconic Cube entrance. On non-matchdays, the area will be open to the public and accessible via garage doors that open out onto the sidewalk.
Among its many functions, City Square will be home to the “Five Boroughs Food Hall.” We are passionate about and committed to bringing the diverse flavors of Queens – and all of New York City – to City Square, and we look forward to working with some of the best local vendors and suppliers from around the five boroughs as we get further along in the process to opening our stadium.
Our plan is for City Square to be a multi-functional space for both our fans and the local community. In addition to its matchday functions, City Square can hold events such as farmers’ markets and food festivals, community events, and even live music performances!
Be part of this exciting new era in NYC and Club history. Place your deposit now for a spot in the new stadium, for as low as $25.
JetBlue Soars into New Partnership with UBS Arena & the New York Islanders
of UBS Arena and the New York Islanders
and a ‘Light Up Long Island’ Activation
- John F. Kennedy Airport (JFK) Terminal 5 Takeover – Starting at 11 a.m., New York Islanders Legend and four-time Stanley Cup Champion Butch Goring along with the Islanders mascots Sparky and Nyles and the New York Islanders Hype Team will bring the energy of Islanders games and events at UBS Arena to JetBlue’s Terminal 5. Music, giveaways and special surprises are in store for JetBlue customers during their stopover at JFK on September 4.
- Light Up Long Island – At 7 p.m. EST on September 4, the UBS Arena lanterns and the Nassau County Executive & Legislative Building’s Dome will light up blue to welcome JetBlue to the New York Islanders’ home on Long Island.
Photo Credit: Dennis DaSilva/New York Islanders
Video Credit: New York Islanders & UBS Arena
Front Office Sports Announces Inaugural Most Sustainable List
leveraging their reach, influence, and resources to safeguard the planet
- GOAL (Green Operations & Advanced Leadership) (Other)
- UBS Arena (Venue)
- World Surf League (League)
- WM (Brand)
- Moda Center (Venue)
- Spectrum Center (Venue)
- Gillette Stadium (Venue)
- Liverpool FC (Team)
- SailGP (League)
- NC State Athletics (Team)
New York State Parks Encourages Empire Pass Holders to Renew their Pass for the 2025 Season Renew Online and Save for the Season
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation announced that online renewals for the 2025 Empire Pass are now available through March 31, 2025. By renewing online, customers can now enjoy greater convenience by keeping their card and will receive a special savings of $8 per card for the 2025 season.
The Empire Pass program provides unlimited day-use vehicle entry to New York State Parks, state boat launch sites, arboretums, park preserves and Department of Environmental Conservation Forest preserves. When renewing online, Empire Pass-holders will keep their existing physical card or digital pass and not have to wait for the pass to be mailed or wait in line to purchase a new pass during peak season.
“We continue to offer options that make it easier and quicker to connect with the outdoors,” said New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons. “Our goal is to encourage people to visit state parks, and opting to renew online or go digital provides for a savings and convenience for New Yorkers to take advantage of the Empire Pass and enjoy the parks next season.”
Existing passholders can now renew for next season at shop.parks.ny.gov/renew/, saving $8 off the standard price. The special renewal savings is good through March 31, 2025, and applies to the single-season pass, as well as three- and five-season passes. Cards become activated 24-48 hours after purchase.
New customers can purchase Empire Passes for $80 online at shop.parks.ny.gov/ or by phone 518.474.0458. Three- and five-season Empire Passes are available to new customers for $205 and $320 respectively. The Lifetime Empire Passport can be purchased for just $750. With no expiration date, people who love the outdoors can use the lifetime pass to enjoy the parks forever. There is also a digital version of the Empire Pass that is available to purchase at a discounted price. You can keep and use a digital copy of your pass in the wallet section of the NY State Parks Explorer App.
State Parks also encourages New York’s seniors age 62 and older to take advantage of the Golden Park Program, which provides them free entry into state parks on weekdays (Monday through Friday, excluding holidays) simply by showing their driver’s license or state-issued non-driver I.D. when they enter a park.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 84 million visits in 2023. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Join us in celebrating our Centennial throughout 2024, and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X (
New Installment of New York State Parks’ Interactive Digital Timeline Explores the Great Depression and Civilian Conservation Corps Era
Educational Tool Part of Multi-Faceted, Yearlong Centennial Celebration
New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation today announced the release of the third installment of the interactive, online timeline ‘Blazing a Trail: A History of New York State Parks and Historic Sites’ in celebration of New York State Parks’ Centennial. This project employs photographs, illustrations, paintings, documents, archival footage, maps and narrative to tell the story of the development of the New York State Parks system. The newest installment, “Depression and A New Deal,” is available here, along with previously released eras.
In the first two eras, users learned about the drive to conserve natural spaces during the rapid development of the late 1800s and the shift in focus from preservation to recreation. They met leaders who were instrumental in creating the system of parks and historic sites we know today and guiding its development. The third era, split in two parts, will take users into the Great Depression and New Deal years, exploring how this challenging time for the park system became a watershed moment with the creation of the Civilian Conservation Corps (CCC). More than 220,000 CCC members built key park infrastructure from bridges to cabins that is still in use today. At New York State Parks, an all-Black unit with Black leadership was deployed at Newtown Battlefield State Park, and a lesser-known women’s version, Camp Tera, was piloted at Bear Mountain State Park.
This era’s initial section explores the period between 1930 and 1945. The second section will cover 1940 to 1945 and will explore the effect of World War II on the park system. Additional eras launching throughout the year will cover the development of the system under the post-World War II Rockefeller administration, the creation of the modern Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP), efforts to expand the agency’s diverse portfolio of parks, and more. Future eras include 1945-1959, 1960-1971, 1972-1999, 2000-Today, and Tomorrow and Beyond. Each era includes the individual histories of the parks and sites added in the timeframe.
Commissioner Pro Tempore of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Randy Simons said, “An anniversary such as the Centennial is a time to recognize and appreciate our whole history, celebrate our people today and plan for the next 100 years. Like so many, the Great Depression was a moment of great adversity our young park system. It’s inspiring to learn how such difficult times produced such unity and determination, and sowed the seeds for the tremendous social change that was to come. All year long, we’ve been inviting each and every New Yorker to share their parks stories. We’re pleased to be sharing our own through this project.”
‘Blazing A Trail’ is one of several initiatives celebrating the Parks Centennial. Other initiatives include an exhibit in the New York State Capitol’s State Street Tunnel currently on view; the Share Your Story project, which invites people to tell their own stories relating to Parks and Sites; the Centennial Challenge, which encourages people to win prizes by participating in various activities at parks and sites; and the release of the Centennial Collection merchandise. Centennial events and exhibits will take place at individual parks all summer long, ranging from parties to special hikes and programs. Additional initiatives will be announced throughout 2024.
A Clean Sweep: New York Rangers Dominate the Washington Capitals to Advance in the Playoffs"
In an electrifying display of skill, strategy, and teamwork, the New York Rangers have swept the Washington Capitals in a 4-0 series victory, propelling them forward in the playoff rotation. This triumph not only showcases the Rangers’ prowess on the ice but also marks a significant milestone in their quest for the coveted Stanley Cup.
**The Road to Victory:**
The Rangers, known for their dynamic play and resilient spirit, entered the series against the Capitals with determination and focus. From the opening face-off of Game 1 to the final buzzer of Game 4, the Rangers dominated the ice, outplaying the Capitals in every aspect of the game.
**Impact on the Playoff Rotation:**
The Rangers’ triumph over the Capitals not only advances them in the playoff rotation but also sends a strong message to their upcoming opponents. With momentum on their side and a team that’s firing on all cylinders, the Rangers are a formidable force to be reckoned with.
**Looking Ahead:**
As the Rangers prepare for the next round, fans and analysts alike are buzzing with anticipation. Can they maintain their winning streak and edge closer to the Stanley Cup? Only time will tell, but one thing is for certain: the New York Rangers are a team united in their quest for glory, and they’ve just proven they have what it takes to go all the way.
The New York Rangers’ sweep of the Washington Capitals is more than just a series win; it’s a testament to the team’s talent, hard work, and determination. As they advance in the playoffs, the Rangers are not just playing for victory; they’re playing for history. And for Rangers fans everywhere, this is a journey they won’t want to miss.
"Shesterkin's Historic Deal: Becoming the NHL's Highest-Paid Goalie with the Rangers"
The New York Rangers have made a groundbreaking move by securing goalie Igor Shesterkin with an eight-year contract valued at $92 million, setting a new benchmark as the highest-paid goaltender in NHL history and surpassing Carey Price’s former record-setting contract.
At 28, Shesterkin is in the concluding year of a four-year agreement that had an average annual value (AAV) of $5.66 million. He was on track to become an unrestricted free agent by July 1, 2025.
After months of negotiations between Shesterkin’s representatives and the Rangers, an agreement was reached that positions Shesterkin just below Artemi Panarin as the team’s second-highest-paid player, with an annual average of $11.5 million.
Shesterkin, who clinched the Vezina Trophy in 2022, has shown commendable performance this season with a record of 9-9-1, a goals-against average (GAA) of 3.05, a save percentage of .908, and securing one shutout.
This announcement arrives amid a flurry of activity for the Rangers, including the trade of their captain, Jacob Trouba, to the Anaheim Ducks. Despite the Rangers holding a playoff spot and recently achieving a 6-0 victory over the Pittsburgh Penguins, the team has expressed dissatisfaction with their recent performances.
Jacob Trouba's Move to Anaheim: A Fresh Start with the Ducks
In a significant trade on Friday, the New York Rangers sent captain Jacob Trouba to the Anaheim Ducks, receiving defenseman Urho Vaakanainen and a fourth-round selection in the 2025 NHL Draft in return. This move came shortly after the Rangers declared Trouba would sit out their game against the Pittsburgh Penguins, hinting at a major change. Rangers coach Peter Laviolette emphasized the need for a new direction, praising Trouba’s contributions but acknowledging the necessity of change for the team’s progress.
Despite the bittersweet departure, Rangers’ management is taking its time to appoint a new captain, seeing this as an opportunity for other players to step up. Trouba, leaving with a year left on his contract, expressed excitement about joining the Ducks, citing the team’s potential and his connections within the squad as key factors in his enthusiasm for the move.
Trouba’s tenure with the Rangers was marked by leadership and memorable moments, including two conference finals appearances and a Presidents’ Trophy win. As he turns the page to start anew with the Ducks, both teams look forward to the impact of this trade on their futures.
UBS Arena and New York Islanders Announce Landmark AI Technology Partnership with Viam
in Multi-Year Agreement Aimed at Enhancing Guest Experience
Solo Stove Fires Up Islanders Announcing a Milestone Partnership with the New York Islanders and UBS Arena
Ducks vs. Islanders: A Battle on Ice with Playoff Implications
Tonight’s NHL face-off is set to be an intriguing one, with the Anaheim Ducks squaring off against the New York Islanders. The Ducks are eager to snap a losing streak after dropping their last two games, while the Islanders aim to bounce back from a 6-3 defeat at the hands of the Florida Panthers. Offensively, the Ducks have struggled to make their mark, finding themselves in the lower echelons of the league across several key metrics including goals, shots on goal, power play efficiency, shooting percentage, and faceoff wins. Defensively, they’ve managed to keep their goals allowed per game within the top 10, but this stat masks underlying issues, such as their 29th rank in shots on goal allowed and a penalty kill percentage that leaves much to be desired.
On the flip side, the Islanders have showcased a solid defense early in the season, though their penalty kill could use some improvement. They’re bolstered by the stellar play of Ilya Sorokin, a Vezina Trophy contender, who’s been exceptional with a 1.74 goals against average. The Islanders’ defense, coupled with the Ducks’ offensive woes, suggests that any goals the Ducks manage might come through their struggling power play. While we might not be in for the most electrifying game, the Islanders, led by Sorokin’s goaltending prowess and the Ducks’ lackluster offense, are positioned to clinch a win by a comfortable margin.
Mets, Soto agree to record-breaking 15-yr, $765M deal (sources)
Anthony DiComo
DALLAS — Many folks around baseball were still arriving in Texas on Sunday evening when the news began rippling through the industry. Only two words mattered.
Soto. Mets.
The details emerged rapidly from there, filling in the gaps of a long-anticipated marriage between one of this generation’s finest hitters and perhaps the sport’s most eager team. The Mets on Sunday agreed to sign Juan Soto to a 15-year, $765 million contract, multiple sources said, by far the largest pact in Major League Baseball history.
Get your Mets tickets for 2025
The deal, which the Mets have not confirmed because it’s pending a physical, contains a full no-trade clause, a $75 million signing bonus, an opt-out after five seasons and no deferred money. The Mets will have the ability to void Soto’s opt-out clause after the 2029 season if they boost the average annual value of the final 10 years of his deal from $51 million to $55 million, according to a source. In that case, the overall deal would be for 15 years and $805 million — a $53.66 million AAV.
Coverage: Juan Soto, Mets strike record-setting deal
• Mets, Soto agree to record-breaking 15-yr, $765M deal (sources)
• 5 teams at a crossroads now that Soto is a Met
• Largest free-agent contracts in MLB history
• 13 amazing stats and facts about Juan Soto
• Each team’s biggest Winter Meetings move
• With Soto to Mets, what’s next on the free-agent front?
• Yankees shift focus after Soto moves on
• How will Blue Jays respond after missing out on Soto?
• Morosi breaks down Soto’s deal with Mets
• Sherman discusses Soto mega-deal from Winter Meetings
Mark Feinsand and Jon Heyman on Juan Soto signing
Dec 8, 2024 · 7:32
Mark Feinsand and Jon Heyman on Juan Soto signing
It is an historic commitment for a franchise seeking exactly that. For the better part of half a decade, owner Steve Cohen has worked to make the Mets the envy of Major League Baseball — a team that can not only be competitive on the field, but also for all the most significant players in the sport.
That pursuit has taken several forms, but most recently, Cohen has looked to Soto as the most obvious vehicle to transform the Mets into feared contenders. Even while practicing relative austerity last offseason, the Mets had one eye on Soto’s impending free agency. When Cohen’s club fell two games shy of a World Series berth in October, their attention turned immediately in his direction.
All of Juan Soto’s Citi Field home runs
Dec 8, 2024 · 1:38
All of Juan Soto’s Citi Field home runs
Over the next six weeks, as Soto’s price climbed higher and higher, Cohen did not blink; to the contrary, he emerged as the reason why the bidding was so feverish, pushing Soto’s price out of reach for the Dodgers, the Blue Jays, the Red Sox and, eventually, even his former team in the Bronx. The Yankees topped out at a 16-year, $760 million offer, according to a source, leaving the Mets alone in guaranteeing Soto $51 million per season — by far the largest average annual value in Major League history. (The crosstown foes will renew their rivalry, Soto front and center, on May 16, in the Bronx.)
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Although Shohei Ohtani signed a 10-year, $700 million contract with the Dodgers last offseason, 97 percent of that money was deferred, resulting in a real-world value of around $461 million. Soto’s contract dwarfs it — and every other deal in MLB history — by any measure imaginable. It more than doubles Francisco Lindor’s $341 million contract, which was previously the largest the Mets had ever given a player.
That the Mets were willing to give such a deal to Soto was a credit to everything he has accomplished over seven years in the Majors. At age 19, Soto debuted with the Nationals, hitting 22 home runs in 116 games. At age 20, he won a World Series, taking a part in three champagne celebrations before he was of legal drinking age. Over six full MLB seasons in Washington, San Diego and New York, Soto has five Top 10 MVP finishes. And he’s still just 26.
Juan Soto reportedly signs with the Mets
Dec 8, 2024 · 0:30
Juan Soto reportedly signs with the Mets
The latter number was what convinced the Mets to make their historic commitment. Halfway through his 15-year deal, Soto will only just be entering his mid-30s. Most players don’t hit the open market until the back ends of their primes. But because Soto debuted as a teenager, he became a free agent at a much earlier juncture.
There is reason to believe Soto will age well, considering his 160 career OPS+ ranks eighth in MLB history among players through their age-25 seasons (minimum 3,000 PA). The seven names in front of him are either inducted in Cooperstown or on their way toward enshrinement: Ty Cobb, Mickey Mantle, Mike Trout, Jimmie Foxx, Albert Pujols, Tris Speaker and Rogers Hornsby. Only Mantle and Foxx had a better career on-base percentage at that age than Soto, who boasts the highest career OBP of any active player. Over more than 4,000 plate appearances, he owns a .285/.421/.532 slash line.
2024 All-MLB 1st Team: Juan Soto
Nov 14, 2024 · 0:20
2024 All-MLB 1st Team: Juan Soto
Not counting his partial rookie season and the pandemic-shortened 2020 campaign, Soto has averaged 33 home runs and 130 walks per season. He has made four All-Star teams and won five Silver Sluggers, and he’s coming off a year that saw him club a career-high 41 homers with a .989 OPS for the Yankees.
Juan Soto wins Silver Slugger Award
Nov 12, 2024 · 0:51
Juan Soto wins Silver Slugger Award
Soto is, in short, the type of player accomplished enough and young enough to give the Mets instant credibility as perennial World Series contenders — the type of thing this franchise has struggled to achieve throughout its more than six-decade existence. More often than not, the opposite has been true. Less than a day before Soto agreed to terms, the Mets were the punchline of a joke on Saturday Night Live.
ALL 41 of Juan Soto’s Home Runs from 2024
Nov 14, 2024 · 24:07
ALL 41 of Juan Soto’s Home Runs from 2024
They are not a punchline anymore. Not with Soto joining a team that just came within two wins of the National League pennant and that intends to continue to invest, invest, invest until it reaches the ultimate goal. The Mets could still bring back Pete Alonso, who is a free agent, and they are certain to acquire additional pitching. While the NL East remains one of baseball’s most competitive divisions, the Mets did not acquire Soto to complete their roster. They acquired him to be the centerpiece of a team that will continue to add.
Tom Verducci on Juan Soto’s contract
Dec 9, 2024 · 6:04
Tom Verducci on Juan Soto’s contract
Shortly after Soto agreed to terms, the NBA star Donovan Mitchell, a lifelong Mets fan by virtue of his father’s employment with the team, posted a screenshot on X of a grinning Soto flashing a peace sign on a video call. Within minutes, thousands of likes and comments came streaming in.
No, the Mets are most certainly not a punchline anymore. Quite suddenly, they are a destination — the perfect marriage of a brilliant player in his prime and a billionaire owner who simply refused to be denied.
"Mets' Remarkable 2024 Season Ends in LA: A Valiant Battle in the National League Championship"
The Mets’ thrilling journey through the 2024 season came to a close in Los Angeles. Despite a hard-fought series, they fell to the Dodgers, 10-5, in Game 6 of the National League Championship, witnessed by 52,674 fans at a packed Dodger Stadium. What an inspiring season it was!
Mets hitters pull off playoff feat unseen since 2002 New York becomes 1st team since 2002 Angels to avoid striking out in a postseason game
Manny Randhawa
The Mets faced elimination on Friday night at Citi Field as they took on the Dodgers in Game 5 of the National League Championship Series. Not only did New York avoid an end to its exciting postseason run, but it did so in historic fashion.
NLCS Game 6, presented by loanDepot: Sunday, 8 p.m. ET/5 PT on FS1
By not striking out at all in their 44 plate appearances during a 12-6 win over Los Angeles, the Mets became the first team since the 2002 Angels and just the third team in the expansion era (since 1961), to avoid striking out in a postseason game. That Angels lineup from 22 years ago did not strike out in an 11-10 win over the Giants in Game 2 of the World Series.
The only other post-expansion club not to strike out in a playoff contest was the 1974 Pirates in Game 2 of their NLCS against the Dodgers, who won that game and the series. Including pre-expansion, the feat has been achieved just 11 times in the postseason overall.
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This was also just the third time in postseason history that a team scored 10-plus runs without striking out, joining those 2002 Angels and the 1960 Pirates, who did not strike out in their 10-9 Game 7 victory — won on Bill Mazeroski’s walk-off home run (Yankees hitters did not have a single strikeout in that game, either). The last time the Mets struck out zero times in a game came back in May of 2010 in a regular-season matchup against the Phillies.
For a team that had been limited to just two combined runs over the two previous games in the series, the Mets finally broke out of their offensive slump. Starling Marte led the way with four hits, including three doubles, and Pete Alonso crushed a three-run homer to center field in the first inning to open the scoring.
Pete Alonso talks Mets’ offense in Game 5 win
Oct 18, 2024 · 0:54
Pete Alonso talks Mets’ offense in Game 5 win
This year’s Mets will hope to follow in the 2002 Angels’ footsteps in more ways than one. That Angels club trailed San Francisco in the World Series, 3-2 — the same position in which the Mets find themselves as they head to Dodger Stadium for Game 6 of the NLCS on Sunday.
The 2002 Angels won Game 6 and Game 7. If the ’24 Mets can do the same, they’ll keep alive their dream of winning the franchise’s first World Series championship in 38 years.
Mets' bullpen 'savages' go extra mile to extend NLCS
Anthony DiComo
NEW YORK — National League Championship Series Game 5 was still in its infancy when those in the home bullpen began mentally piecing together the same puzzle as manager Carlos Mendoza. The Mets had already built a strong lead — that was good. But starting pitcher David Peterson was throwing a lot of pitches — that was bad.
NLCS Game 6, presented by loanDepot: Sunday, 8 p.m. ET/5 PT on FS1
“You’re doing the math,” said right-hander Phil Maton. “You’re running it down from nine innings, and you’re trying to figure out how we’re going to do it. And you know that somebody’s going to have to come up big.”
Those two somebodies, relievers Ryne Stanek and Edwin Díaz, combined on the final 13 outs of the Mets’ 12-6 win at Citi Field on Friday, which narrowed the Dodgers’ series lead to 3-2 and ensured the series will go back to Los Angeles. For Stanek, it was a career-high seven outs and the physical challenge of three “ups,” or times taking the mound. For Díaz, it was the final six outs of a game the Mets had to win at any cost.
“These guys are nails, man,” outfielder Jesse Winker said. “They’re ready to come in and get outs. They’re savages.”
How the heavy workloads of Stanek and Díaz will affect them later in this series remains to be seen; they’ll certainly be available for a potential Game 7, if not Game 6, but will they be as sharp? Will they be able to give the Mets as much?
Ryne Stanek strikes out four Dodgers
Oct 18, 2024 · 0:39
Ryne Stanek strikes out four Dodgers
For Mendoza, those are questions for the off-day on Saturday. Game 5 was about surviving, which the Mets did behind a Pete Alonso three-run homer in the first inning and a five-run rally against Jack Flaherty — the same Jack Flaherty who had blanked them over seven innings in Game 1 — in the third. At one point, the Mets held an eight-run cushion, which seemed like plenty. In postseason history, teams that had built a lead that large were 162-1.
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Curtain Call: Pete Alonso’s three-run home run
Oct 18, 2024 · 1:09
Curtain Call: Pete Alonso’s three-run home run
Yet as the Dodgers began rallying, Mendoza found himself with little choice but to begin burning his best relievers in rather extreme ways. With several other arms unavailable due to recent workloads, Mendoza asked Stanek — traditionally a one-inning reliever — for seven outs. The right-hander responded with seven big ones. In a five-run game, Mendoza turned from there to Díaz, who recorded the final six outs for the first time in his postseason career.
“Today was the day, like, we’ve got to go forward,” Díaz said.
Two high-wire acts by Mets arms in 1st, 4th frames flip momentum in Game 5
Edwin Díaz discusses Game 5 win, his scoreless outing
Oct 18, 2024 · 1:01
Edwin Díaz discusses Game 5 win, his scoreless outing
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Before Game 5, Mendoza told both Stanek and Díaz to be ready for multi-inning assignments. Although the Mets’ bullpen was not necessarily in dire shape, it was three-quarters of the way there, with Maton unavailable, Peterson starting the game, Kodai Senga proving untrustworthy and others either overworked, ineffective or both. A night earlier, in Game 4, Mendoza had ridden left-hander Danny Young for three “ups” to save the rest of the bullpen. So important was that assignment that Mendoza personally sought out Young after the game to thank him.
Mets break the game open with a five-run 3rd inning
Oct 18, 2024 · 1:50
Mets break the game open with a five-run 3rd inning
The next morning, Mendoza sounded almost envious when discussing the Dodgers’ ability to bring hard-throwing ace reliever Michael Kopech into the fifth inning of Game 3.
“I don’t know if we have that luxury,” Mendoza said, bemoaning the relative lack of depth in his bullpen. “That’s the reality.”
The Mets on Game 5 win, building momentum for Game 6
Oct 18, 2024 · 1:44
The Mets on Game 5 win, building momentum for Game 6
Understanding his team’s strengths and weaknesses, as well as the toll that three consecutive weeks of playoff-style baseball have taken, Mendoza has relied on pitchers like Young and Tylor Megill to ease the load on everyone else. But the load on everyone else has still been heavy. Although Díaz has appeared in only two of the first five NLCS games, he’s recorded 10 total outs and thrown 52 pitches in them, on the heels of heavy usage earlier in October. Stanek has given the Mets multiple “ups” in three consecutive playoff outings, after doing it only twice during the regular season.
Starling Marte collects four hits, plates three runs
Oct 18, 2024 · 1:38
Starling Marte collects four hits, plates three runs
In a single game, these are not extraordinary feats. Piled together, series after series, week after week, relievers begin doing the math on those numbers as well. Asked how much more difficult three “ups” are compared to two, Stanek hesitated, laughed and replied: “A lot.”
“My philosophy and my approach to the game is kind of, ‘Let it all hang, and go for as hard as I can and as long as I can,’” Stanek added.
Francisco Alvarez on Game 5 win, outing from bullpen
Oct 18, 2024 · 0:56
Francisco Alvarez on Game 5 win, outing from bullpen
Asked if he would be available in Game 6 on Sunday, Stanek hesitated again before saying he would. Relievers will always offer to pitch, Mendoza tends to say. The manager’s job is making sure he’s pushing them in ways that can result in success.
No matter how Stanek and Díaz recover, the Mets will be short-handed in Game 6. They’ll need starting pitcher Sean Manaea to go as deep as possible. Across the way, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts spoke about remaining “steadfast in how you use your pitchers, because ultimately, it’s about winning four games in a seven-game series.” The Dodgers may have lost Game 5, for example, but they leaned on Brent Honeywell for 4 2/3 innings and didn’t deploy any of their high-leverage relievers as a result.
Díaz strikes out Ohtani on 99.2 mph fastball
Oct 18, 2024 · 0:40
Díaz strikes out Ohtani on 99.2 mph fastball
Advantage Dodgers in Game 6 then?
The math, as it turns out, is not that simple.
“These are must-win baseball games,” Maton said. “If guys get into trouble, we’ve got to be all hands on deck. We’ve got to find ways to win these games and stay alive.”
Dodgers upend Yanks with historic comeback for 8th World Series title
Anthony Castrovince
NEW YORK – To win it all, the Dodgers had to give it all. Had to stare down an ugly early deficit. Had to empty their bullpen. Had to rally against Gerrit Cole and then against the Yankees’ best relievers. Had to get a World Series-clinching save from starter Walker Buehler, of all people.
With an unflappable team effort, the Dodgers claimed their second World Series title in the last five years and their first in a full season since 1988 by beating the Yankees in Game 5 on Wednesday night at Yankee Stadium.
Shop for Dodgers World Series champions gear
And in this 7-6 victory, the Dodgers ushered in their champagne celebration the hard way, becoming the first team in a World Series-clinching win to come back from down five or more runs. They also became the first team in MLB postseason history to fall behind by five-plus runs, erase that deficit, fall behind again and yet still win the game.
Talk about earning your ring.
“We’re obviously resilient, but there’s so much love in this clubhouse that won this game today,” Mookie Betts said on the field postgame. “That’s what it was. It was love. It was grit. It was just a beautiful thing. I’m just proud of us, and I’m just happy for us.”
Betts joins rare company with 3rd World Series title
Mookie Betts on Dodgers’ World Series victory
Oct 31, 2024 · 1:03
Mookie Betts on Dodgers’ World Series victory
The Dodgers trailed 5-0 against an unhittable Cole early, only to score five unearned runs by taking advantage of the Yankees’ many defensive miscues in the fifth. They got only 1 1/3 innings out of starter Jack Flaherty a night after a bullpen game, which meant deploying an army of arms to navigate a revived Yankee lineup. And they trailed again in the late innings, only to manufacture the tying and go-ahead runs off high-leverage relievers Tommy Kahnle and Luke Weaver.
A dozen eye-popping stats from a thriller of a Game 5 World Series clincher
In a World Series stocked with superstars and heavy on historical significance, the Dodgers proved themselves the deeper and more fundamentally sound club. And in hoisting the Commissioner’s Trophy on the heels of a 162-game season, they quieted anyone who claimed that their ongoing run of NL West dominance – including 11 division titles, 12 consecutive postseason appearances and five seasons with 100-plus wins dating back to 2013 – was marred by mostly empty Octobers, save for one burst of brilliance in the COVID-shortened 2020 season.
“Everybody talks [crap] about 2020 and whatever,” Buehler said. “But they can’t say a whole lot about it now.”
The Dodgers are champions now in a format that needs no additional explanation. En route to the franchise’s eighth title, they outlasted the division-rival Padres in a scintillating five-game Division Series, overwhelmed the Mets in the NLCS and humbled a Yankees team that had reached the Fall Classic for the first time since 2009 and had the raucous home crowds to prove it.
Dodgers are presented with the World Series trophy
Oct 31, 2024 · 4:38
Dodgers are presented with the World Series trophy
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L.A. was led by one of the greatest offensive performances in World Series history from Freddie Freeman, whose pair of RBIs in Game 5 gave him a Fall Classic record-tying 12 in only five games and the World Series MVP honors. But the Dodgers’ performance in the clincher was also evidence of how they don’t always need a gargantuan walk-off grand slam like the one Freeman provided in Game 1 – or, in fact, any balls over the wall – to piece together a postseason win.
And they absolutely ripped out the hearts of the Yankees and their home fans.
“This,” said Cole, “is as bad as it gets.”
Gerrit Cole on the Dodgers’ five-run 5th inning
Oct 31, 2024 · 2:17
Gerrit Cole on the Dodgers’ five-run 5th inning
An emotional Yankees manager Aaron Boone added: “I’m heartbroken. It doesn’t take away my pride of what that room means to me and what that group forged this year and what we’ve been through to get here. But I’m heartbroken. I’m heartbroken, and I’m heartbroken for those guys that poured so much into this. The ending is cruel. It always is.”
Left with bitter taste, five things Yanks need to do to get back here
Aaron Boone discusses WS Game 5 loss, end of season
Oct 31, 2024 · 5:52
Aaron Boone discusses WS Game 5 loss, end of season
The Dodgers won a Game 5 of wild extremes.
After going hitless in the first inning in each of the World Series’ first four games, the Bronx Bombers erupted in the first inning of this one. Facing Flaherty, Aaron Judge shook off his persistent postseason struggles with a 403-foot homer to the opposite field in right. And when Jazz Chisholm Jr. went back to back with a solo shot of his own to make it 3-0, Yankee Stadium was shaking.
Judge, Chisholm Jr. hit back-to-back homers
Oct 30, 2024 · 1:01
Judge, Chisholm Jr. hit back-to-back homers
Seemingly unlocked by Anthony Volpe’s Game 4 grand slam, the Yankee offense kept coming in the third, when Giancarlo Stanton obliterated Ryan Brasier’s elevated fastball for a solo blast – his seventh homer of this postseason.
Three innings, three dingers, and the Yankees were ahead, 5-0. The series, it appeared, would be heading back west.
Giancarlo Stanton’s solo home run
Oct 30, 2024 · 0:30
Giancarlo Stanton’s solo home run
But then came one of the most damaging defensive innings you’ll ever see.
It happened in the fifth. To that point, Cole had held the Dodgers hitless. But Kiké Hernández broke it up with a leadoff single. Tommy Edman then sent a fly ball Judge’s way in center field, but the ball kicked off Judge’s glove for his first error of 2024.
Tommy Edman reaches first base on an error
Oct 31, 2024 · 0:29
Tommy Edman reaches first base on an error
“I just didn’t make the play,” Judge said succinctly.
Aaron Judge on emotions of World Series loss, more
Oct 31, 2024 · 5:06
Aaron Judge on emotions of World Series loss, more
Will Smith then reached on a fielder’s choice when Volpe fielded a grounder to short and threw errantly to third on an attempted force play.
Thanks to the two errors, the Dodgers had the bases loaded. Cole settled down to strike out Gavin Lux and Shohei Ohtani. But then he made an inexplicable gaffe of his own when he didn’t cover first on a Betts grounder down the first-base line. First baseman Anthony Rizzo couldn’t beat Betts to the bag, Hernández scored, and the Dodgers were on the board.
“I took a bad angle to the ball,” Cole said. “I wasn’t sure how hard he hit it. By the time the ball got by me, I was not in a position to cover first. Neither of us were.”
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Mookie Betts’ RBI single
Oct 30, 2024 · 0:30
Mookie Betts’ RBI single
It only got worse for the Yankees from there. The unstoppable Freeman smacked a single to center to drive in a pair and make it 5-3. Then Teoscar Hernández lofted a long double off the wall in left-center to bring Betts and Freeman home to tie it at 5, with all the Dodgers’ runs in the inning unearned.
“We just took advantage of every mistake they made in that inning,” Teoscar Hernández said. “We put some good at-bats together. We put the ball in play. A lot of people say when you put the ball in play, things might happen. It happened to us in that inning, and we scored five runs.”
Ohtani caps remarkable season with first World Series ring
Dodgers score five runs to tie game in the 5th
Oct 30, 2024 · 2:52
Dodgers score five runs to tie game in the 5th
Now, Yankee Stadium was stunned. But when New York regained the lead on a Stanton sacrifice fly in the sixth, the anticipation of a Game 6 was in the air again.
The Dodgers, though, just wouldn’t go away.
After winning 2nd ring, reliever Hudson calls it a career after 15 seasons
Gavin Lux’s game-tying sac fly
Oct 30, 2024 · 0:24
Gavin Lux’s game-tying sac fly
In the eighth, they loaded the bases against Kahnle. The Yankees turned to Weaver, and Lux lifted a sac fly to center to bring in the tying run. A catcher’s interference called on Austin Wells on an Ohtani swing loaded the bases again, and Betts lifted another sac fly to center to make it 7-6.
“I had a little talk with Freddie right before that because I didn’t know what to do,” Betts said. “Freddie just said, ‘Trust your gut.’ So I went up there and just put it in play.”
Mookie Betts’ go-ahead sacrifice fly
Oct 30, 2024 · 0:29
Mookie Betts’ go-ahead sacrifice fly
After a one-out double from Judge in the eighth, Blake Treinen got some of the biggest outs of the evening when he got Stanton to fly out and Rizzo to strike out swinging. And with the ‘pen fully employed, manager Dave Roberts summoned his eighth pitcher of the evening – the most in a nine-inning World Series win. He went to Buehler, the winning pitcher in his Game 3 start on Monday and the guy who would have been in line to start a Game 7, for the final outs.
Radio call of Dodgers’ World Series victory
Oct 31, 2024 · 1:30
Radio call of Dodgers’ World Series victory
When Buehler finished a perfect inning by getting Alex Verdugo to swing through strike three, he raised his arms to his sides as the Dodgers sprinted toward the mound. With Frank Sinatra’s “New York, New York” nonetheless playing on the Yankee Stadium speakers, it was an odd end to an odd game. But this win was yet another example of the 2024 Dodgers having all the answers.
“This trophy belongs to everybody,” Roberts said. “Even when we were down 5-0, they persevered, kept fighting, and now we’re world champions.”
Dave Roberts on why the Dodgers won the World Series
Oct 31, 2024 · 1:21
Dave Roberts on why the Dodgers won the World Series
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Early slam sets tone as Yankees muscle up to stave off elimination
Anthony Castrovince
NEW YORK — Anthony Volpe’s wildest baseball dreams as a New Jersey lad didn’t end with his beloved Yankees getting swept in the World Series.
They ended with a moment like this. Bases loaded. Season on the line. And the kid who poured his heart into the pinstripes coming up clutch.
Volpe’s go-ahead grand slam off Dodgers reliever Daniel Hudson in the third inning of Game 4 on Tuesday night at Yankee Stadium was precisely the spark his Yanks needed to pull themselves off the mat in this matchup. It sparked a runaway 11-4 victory for the New Yorkers, who, while still trailing three games to one, have ace Gerrit Cole going at home in Game 5 on Wednesday and therefore still have a chance to make this a legit series.
20 postseason performances that saved a series
“We’ve been through so much the whole year,” said Volpe, who became the first player in World Series history to log four RBIs and two steals in a game. “We’re not going to go down easy at all.”
Anthony Volpe on his grand slam, Game 4 win
Oct 30, 2024 · 7:27
Anthony Volpe on his grand slam, Game 4 win
Faced with the prospect of becoming the first Yankees team to be swept in the World Series since 1976, the Bronx Bombers instead provided a needed reminder of why this Fall Classic featuring No. 1 seeds and iconic franchises attracted so many eyes and so much flowery coverage in the first place.
Get your postseason tickets!
The Volpe jolt, an effective evening for the bullpen and late-inning insurance that included long balls from Austin Wells and Gleyber Torres saved them and kept the Dodgers’ champagne on ice.
“You finally got to see,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone, “the top blow off Yankee Stadium in a World Series game.”
Aaron Boone on Game 4 win, bullpen performance
Oct 30, 2024 · 1:57
Aaron Boone on Game 4 win, bullpen performance
Of the 41 teams to fall behind 3-0 in a best-of-seven postseason series, the Yankees are only the 10th to even avoid a sweep. Of the previous nine to do so, four managed to force a Game 6 and two forced a Game 7, although neither example occurred in the World Series. One was the 2020 Astros, who lost Game 7 to the Rays in the ALCS, and one was the 2004 Red Sox, who famously came back to the beat the Yankees in the ALCS. The Yankees are the first team to force a Game 5 when down 3-0 in a World Series since the Reds in 1970 against the Orioles.
5 biggest storylines as Yanks try to keep chipping away in World Series G5
The Dodgers were unsuccessful in their effort to bullpen their way to a Game 4 celebration, but the silver lining to the loss was preserving their highest-leverage relievers for Game 5.
“I don’t think anyone expected [the Yankees] to lay down,” Dodgers skipper Dave Roberts said. “We had some at-bats that I thought could have been better, but we knew it was a bullpen game. As far as outcomes, to have six guys in your pen that are feeling good, rested, I feel good about that. And being up 3-1, yeah.”
Dodgers-Yankees World Series Game 5 FAQ
Dave Roberts on the Dodgers’ Game 4 loss
Oct 30, 2024 · 1:24
Dave Roberts on the Dodgers’ Game 4 loss
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Unbelievably and inconceivably, the scoring in Game 4 began with a Freddie Freeman home run.
Well, maybe that is believable and conceivable at this point, but there’s still no overstating how bonkers Freeman’s output on this series stage has been.
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Freddie Freeman’s two-run homer
Oct 29, 2024 · 0:29
Freddie Freeman’s two-run homer
When Freeman connected with a Luis Gil slider in the first and punched it to the short porch in right for the two-run shot that made it 2-0, it was his fourth homer in as many games this series. He joined the Astros’ George Springer (2017) as the only players to go deep four games in a row within a single World Series, and he extended his personal World Series homer streak to a record-setting six games, dating back to 2021 with the Braves.
Astonishing stats made Game 4 an historic offensive show
Freddie Freeman homers in six straight WS games
Oct 29, 2024 · 4:00
Freddie Freeman homers in six straight WS games
In that moment, with the Yankee Stadium crowd again silenced by Freeman’s first-inning fireworks, it appeared an apt time to start etching his name on the MVP trophy and to prepare the Dodgers’ postgame party. The Yankees, after all, had not led in a game since right before Freeman’s walk-off salami in Game 1, and they stranded two runners in the bottom of the first in this one to prolong their pain.
“It was a good ballgame,” Roberts said of the Dodgers’ feelings, “until it wasn’t.”
Freddie Freeman on his two-run homer, Dodgers’ loss
Oct 30, 2024 · 0:44
Freddie Freeman on his two-run homer, Dodgers’ loss
The game began to turn in the bottom of the second.
Volpe drew a walk off Ben Casparius and stole second before Wells doubled to the center-field wall. Volpe should have scored easily on the play but mistakenly hung close to second to ensure the ball was not caught. He advanced only to third. Regardless, Alex Verdugo got him home on a groundout to make it 2-1.
Alex Verdugo plates run with groundout
Oct 29, 2024 · 0:29
Alex Verdugo plates run with groundout
The following inning, Volpe more than made up for his baserunning gaffe. With Hudson on the hill, Aaron Judge was hit by a pitch. Jazz Chisholm Jr. singled to put runners on the corners, then swiped second. Giancarlo Stanton walked. The bases were loaded for Volpe, who idolized Derek Jeter growing up and now had his own opportunity to make like Captain Clutch. And on Hudson’s first pitch, Volpe delivered a no-doubt-about-it grand slam over the left-field wall to light up the Bronx and give the Yankees a 5-2 edge.
“I think I pretty much blacked out,” said Volpe, “as soon as I saw it go over the fence.”
All Calls: Anthony Volpe’s Game 4 grand slam
Oct 30, 2024 · 5:06
All Calls: Anthony Volpe’s Game 4 grand slam
But as we saw in Game 1, the Dodgers don’t die easily. Catcher Will Smith smacked a leadoff homer off Gil in the fifth, then Tommy Edman drew a walk. The Yankees went to their ‘pen, with ground-ball lefty Tim Hill summoned. The Dodgers put runners on the corners with one out and Freeman up to bat. Hill got the ground ball he wanted, but second baseman Torres’ toss to Volpe at the second-base bag to try to start a potential double play was a little high, and though Volpe’s subsequent throw to first was initially ruled to have beaten Freeman to the bag for the inning-ending DP, a replay review overturned it.
Edman safely scored from third to make it a one-run game at 5-4.
Freddie Freeman safe at first following review
Oct 29, 2024 · 0:37
Freddie Freeman safe at first following review
That’s how it remained until Wells sent a Landon Knack fastball over the right-field wall for a sixth-inning solo shot. And in the eighth, against Brent Honeywell, the Yankees got a lot more insurance when, with two runners in scoring position, Verdugo grounded to second, where Gavin Lux’s throw home was not in time to retire the streaking, sliding Volpe. Torres then stepped up and smacked a three-run shot to right-center, and, after a Juan Soto double, the slumping Judge got the lift he needed when he lined an RBI single to left.
Yankees plate five runs in the bottom of the 8th
Oct 29, 2024 · 1:23
Yankees plate five runs in the bottom of the 8th
“I feel like it really just takes one big swing, and I feel like that was Volpe’s big swing there,” Wells said. “It allowed everyone to take a deep breath and have fun. I think also the situation we were in, I think that we just needed to say, ‘Screw it,’ and go after it and have fun, because some guys may never come back to the World Series again.”
Austin Wells’ solo home run
Oct 29, 2024 · 0:29
Austin Wells’ solo home run
So on a day when the Dodgers tried to mix and match their way to a title with an all-relief effort, the Yankees adjusted to the assemblage of arms, got big outs from their own relievers (none bigger than Mark Leiter Jr. striking out Shohei Ohtani and Luke Weaver K’ing Mookie Betts with a runner at second in the seventh) and kept their season alive.
“It was just a big game,” Volpe said. “We just wanted to go 1-0 today and win today and see where it took us.”
In blockbuster WS showdown, Dodgers on cusp of Hollywood ending
Anthony Castrovince
Anthony Castrovince
@castrovince
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NEW YORK – They crammed in crowded 4 and D trains, packed the Bronx’s sports bars and streamed through the Yankee Stadium gates, ready to lend their voices to the comeback cause. But it took all of three batters for those pinstripe-clad fans to be quieted, all of three batters for the seemingly unstoppable Dodgers to assert themselves in one of the most intimidating road environments in sports.
World Series Game 4, presented by Capital One: Tonight, 8 ET/5 PT on FOX
Sparked by – stop us if you’ve heard this one – a Freddie Freeman home run and steered by an exceptional outing from Walker Buehler, the Dodgers’ 4-2 triumph over the Yankees in Game 3 on Monday night put them on the verge of a World Series sweep.
How’d the Dodgers win this one? Well, they hit better, pitched better, ran the bases better and caught the ball better.
Any questions?
“I think this team is just different than the teams we’ve had before,” said Buehler, “in terms of the way we operate in there with the 26 guys that are active that day. There’s this bond that’s kind of different. We play for each other.”
Get your postseason tickets!
Walker Buehler on Game 3 start, mix of pitches
Oct 29, 2024 · 4:59
Walker Buehler on Game 3 start, mix of pitches
Though they didn’t capitalize on opportunities to turn it into a blowout and the Yankees got some late life from Alex Verdugo’s two-run homer off Michael Kopech in the ninth, the Dodgers were in control early and often and are now just a win away from their second World Series title in five years and their first in a full season since 1988.
Game 4 will be back in Yankee Stadium on Tuesday night, and the Yankees can’t let it go the way this one did.
Dodgers-Yankees World Series Game 4 FAQ
“Hopefully we can go be this amazing story and shock the world,” manager Aaron Boone said. “But right now it’s about trying to get a lead, trying to grab a game, and force another one, and then on from there.”
Aaron Boone on the Yankees’ missed opportunities
Oct 29, 2024 · 1:37
Aaron Boone on the Yankees’ missed opportunities
In all best-of-seven postseason series, teams taking a 3-0 lead have gone on to win the series 39 of 40 times (98%), including 31 sweeps. Just two teams down 3-0 have even forced a Game 7: The 2020 Astros, who lost to the Rays in the ALCS, and the 2004 Red Sox, who famously beat the Yankees in the ALCS.
5 questions for World Series Game 4 with Dodgers on verge of sweep
Boone, Roberts on teams coming back from down 3-0
Oct 29, 2024 · 1:47
Boone, Roberts on teams coming back from down 3-0
The Dodgers’ 3-0 series lead felt like a foregone conclusion early in this one.
Following two days of conversation over whether Shohei Ohtani would be able to swing a bat after popping his left shoulder out of its socket late in Game 2, Ohtani didn’t need to swing at all to reach base out of the leadoff spot in the first. Yankees starter Clarke Schmidt walked him on four pitches. And one out later, Freeman, whose Game 1 walk-off grand slam and important insurance swat in Game 2 already had him in pole position for the World Series MVP honor, connected on a cutter upstairs to send it over the short porch in right field and quickly give the Dodgers a 2-0 edge.
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Freddie Freeman’s two-run home run
Oct 28, 2024 · 0:29
Freddie Freeman’s two-run home run
Freeman has now homered in each of his last five World Series games, dating back to his time with the Braves in 2021. His three dingers in this series have come while nursing a sprained right ankle.
“Like I’ve been saying the last few days, those days off [between rounds] were huge for me,” Freeman said. “I got my ankle in a spot where every single game afterwards, it’s not as it was in the NLCS and NLDS. … I got my ankle in a spot where I could work on my swing, and I got it into a good spot, thankfully, going into the series.”
Eight mind-boggling stats on display in World Series Game 3
Freddie Freeman homers in five straight WS games
Oct 28, 2024 · 3:35
Freddie Freeman homers in five straight WS games
Another run came in the third, when NLCS MVP Tommy Edman drew a walk, advanced to second on an Ohtani groundout and then made a great read on Mookie Betts’ opposite-field single to right to motor home and make it 3-0. The Dodgers could have broken the game open that inning after they loaded the bases and compelled Boone to go to his bullpen by bringing in Mark Leiter Jr. with two outs. But Will Smith grounded out to end the threat.
Mookie Betts’ RBI single
Oct 28, 2024 · 0:29
Mookie Betts’ RBI single
The Dodgers stranded two more runners in the fourth, but they manufactured another insurance run in the sixth when Gavin Lux got hit by a pitch, swiped second and scored on a Kiké Hernández single.
Those Dodgers runs quieted the crowd, and Buehler silenced the Yankees’ bats.
“Walker has been pitching big games for a long time, pretty much his whole career, even in college, when he was with Vanderbilt,” Freeman said. “So these lights aren’t too big for him.”
Freddie Freeman on his hot streak, Walker Buehler
Oct 29, 2024 · 1:08
Freddie Freeman on his hot streak, Walker Buehler
Despite his big-game reputation, Buehler had an uncharacteristically difficult year in his first season back from Tommy John surgery. But in five scoreless innings in which he allowed just a pair of hits with two walks and five strikeouts, Buehler looked like his old self, with nice life on his fastball. He now has a 0.50 ERA in 18 career World Series innings.
“We play professional baseball for a living,” Buehler said. “When it’s going good, there’s not much else you’d rather do on this earth.”
Diving into Walker Buehler’s great Game 3 performance
Oct 29, 2024 · 1:53
Diving into Walker Buehler’s great Game 3 performance
The only time the Yankees got a runner to second base against Buehler came when Giancarlo Stanton doubled in the fourth. But when Anthony Volpe singled to shallow left with two outs, Yankees third-base coach Luis Rojas aggressively sent Stanton home, and the imposing DH was cut down by a perfect throw from Teoscar Hernández.
That the Yankees sent Stanton there speaks to how desperate they’ve been to get something going.
“We’re going to challenge Teoscar there a little bit, especially when he’s moving to the right,” Boone said. “Credit to him, he had a good throw.”
Teoscar Hernández nabs Stanton at home plate
Oct 28, 2024 · 0:30
Teoscar Hernández nabs Stanton at home plate
This was another ineffective evening for the Yankees’ captain Aaron Judge, another night when they struggled to get help from the bottom half of their lineup (when they had two aboard and two out with Anthony Banda on the mound for L.A. in the seventh, Gleyber Torres was called out looking for strike three), another night when their starter didn’t have it. Though Verdugo’s two-out, two-run homer in the ninth put a late jolt into the building, it was too late to spark a real rally.
Alex Verdugo’s two-run home run
Oct 28, 2024 · 0:35
Alex Verdugo’s two-run home run
To think, the Yankees were once one out from a 1-0 lead in this Series. Everything changed when Freeman connected with a Nestor Cortes fastball and limped his way into the history books.
Looking at Freddie Freeman’s recent success
Oct 29, 2024 · 2:01
Looking at Freddie Freeman’s recent success
“You know, this year, we’ve battled, we’ve faced adversity, and we just keep coming back and punching back,” Freeman said. “And it’s just a credit to our guys, our staff, everyone in this organization, we believe in ourselves, and we’ve been doing it so far.”
Now, if the Yanks don’t respond and start doing their own impression of the 2004 Red Sox, the Dodgers are dangerously close to turning this blockbuster battle of iconic franchises and signature stars into a matchup of minimum length.
Cole to undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery
Bryan Hoch
TAMPA, Fla. – The Yankees are swiftly adjusting to the reality that they will be without Gerrit Cole for the entire 2025 season, as the club announced that the ace right-hander is scheduled to undergo Tommy John surgery on Tuesday in Los Angeles.
Cashman: Yanks need pitching, but ‘very little is available’
Cole traveled to the West Coast to be examined at Cedars-Sinai Kerlan-Jobe Institute by Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who has been selected to perform the procedure. The Yankees did not provide an expected timetable for Cole’s return, but pitchers generally need 12 to 18 months for a full recovery.
Brian Cashman on Gerrit Cole getting Tommy John
Mar 11, 2025 · 1:19
Brian Cashman on Gerrit Cole getting Tommy John
“From the time I first dreamed of wearing the Yankees uniform, my goal has always been to help bring a World Series championship to New York,” Cole said on Instagram. “That dream hasn’t changed – I still believe in it, and I’m more determined than ever to achieve it.
“Today, the most respected medical experts in the field recommend that I undergo Tommy John surgery. This isn’t the news any athlete wants to hear, but it’s the necessary next step for my career.”
A six-time All-Star who won the 2023 American League Cy Young Award, the 34-year-old Cole experienced discomfort following a rocky Grapefruit League start on Thursday, when he allowed six runs in 2 2/3 innings to the Twins. That prompted an initial round of diagnostic imaging, which Cole said left him “concerned.”
It marked the second consecutive spring with an injury issue for Cole, who was sidelined last March by right elbow inflammation and edema that delayed his regular-season debut until June.
Clarke Schmidt on Gerrit Cole having Tommy John
Mar 11, 2025 · 0:53
Clarke Schmidt on Gerrit Cole having Tommy John
“We knew where he was at the end of the year; I think we even MRIed him [after the World Series] and were in a really good spot,” manager Aaron Boone said earlier Monday. “His winter program, his throwing program ramp-up, it all went well.
“You understand, especially the mileage he has on and what he went through last year, there’s always that risk.”
Gerrit Cole to undergo Tommy John surgery
Mar 10, 2025 · 0:18
Gerrit Cole to undergo Tommy John surgery
Cole has four years and $144 million remaining on his contract with the Yankees. He opted out shortly after the World Series, but he and the club soon agreed to continue with the contract as initially signed prior to the 2020 season.
“I have a lot left to give, and I’m fully committed to the work ahead,” Cole wrote in his post. “I’ll attack my rehab every day and support the 2025 Yankees each step of the way. I love this game, I love competing, and I can’t wait to be back on the mound – stronger than ever. See you soon.”
The Yanks have been slammed by injuries this spring. The rotation has also lost AL Rookie of the Year Luis Gil, who is expected to miss at least three months with a right lat strain.
Designated hitter Giancarlo Stanton and infielder DJ LeMahieu are among the position players expected to begin the season on the injured list.
With Cole shelved, New York’s other starters include Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Marcus Stroman and Clarke Schmidt. Rookie right-hander Will Warren is a leading candidate to draw starts at the back of the rotation.
Will Warren fans four over three innings pitched
Mar 4, 2025 · 0:27
Will Warren fans four over three innings pitched
The 25-year-old Warren has pitched to a 1.54 ERA across 11 2/3 innings this spring. He was 0-3 with a 10.32 ERA in six games (five starts) at the big league level last season. Non-roster invitees Carlos Carrasco and Allan Winans are also in the mix.
“Look, there’s no sugarcoating with Gerrit Cole – we all understand who he is to our team and how important he is to our club,” Boone said. “Unfortunately, sometimes it’s part of the game.
“We missed him for the first couple of months last year [at] this time of year. It created opportunities that guys stepped up in. Whatever happens, whatever it is, we’re going to support our guy and try to get him right and be there for him. It doesn’t change the expectations of the group.”
Soto fitting in just fine: 'It feels like he's been here a while'
Mark Feinsand
JUPITER, Fla. — Spring Training is less than a month old, yet for the Mets, it feels like Juan Soto has been around for years.
The superstar is in his first season with the Mets, who signed him to a record-setting 15-year, $765 million contract in December. Soto arrived at camp on Feb. 16, but those three weeks have been more than enough time for him to feel like Port St. Lucie has been his home for far longer.
“I didn’t think [the adjustment] was going to be this quick, to be honest with you,” manager Carlos Mendoza said of Soto, who is with his fourth team since 2022. “I thought it was going to take a little bit longer, but he fit right in. As soon as the position players reported, within a couple of days you could see him laughing, making jokes, especially with some of the Latin players. That was really good to see.
“When you watch him in the weight room and you watch him in the cages, guys are asking him questions; how open he is to share his knowledge. Some of the things that he does in the batter’s box or when he’s preparing, just watching him go about it, he’s very humble and very open.”
See Juan Soto and the Mets in 2025: Single game tickets on sale now
President of baseball operations David Stearns has been pleasantly surprised by Soto’s sense of humor, one that trends in the opposite direction from the intense focus he displays between the lines.
“He likes to have fun; he’s a funny guy,” Stearns said. “I think when you watch him across the field, he takes his craft so seriously, and that’s also what came across in our meetings with him, is how seriously he takes his craft, how much he thinks about hitting. Seeing him interact with his teammates on a daily basis, interact with the staff on a daily basis, it’s business when it’s in the cage, and it’s business when it’s [on the field], and then when it’s [in the clubhouse], it’s fun and it’s humor, smiling. That’s cool to see.”
Given the spotlight that has shined on Soto during his career — and specifically during his free-agent sweepstakes — it wouldn’t have been surprising for him to take some time adapting to his new surroundings. That hasn’t been the case.
Jesse Winker on Mets’ clubhouse, Carlos Mendoza
Mar 6, 2025 · 4:31
Jesse Winker on Mets’ clubhouse, Carlos Mendoza
“It feels like he’s been here a while; it doesn’t feel like his first three weeks,” lefty David Peterson said. “It’s personality. He’s tried to get to know all the guys and tried to do everything to get himself acclimated. He’s been awesome to have around in the clubhouse.”
Soto’s personality has made for a seamless transition, where despite his massive contract and star power, he’s been able to fall in as just another one of the guys.
David Peterson on his outing, Juan Soto fitting in
Mar 8, 2025 · 0:33
David Peterson on his outing, Juan Soto fitting in
“He has great personality; very humble and he cares about people,” Mendoza said. “I think you have to give credit to the guys in that locker room that made him feel that way, as well. He’s making a big transition; everything that happened in the offseason with his contract, to see him just being the same guy, being relaxed, it seems like he’s been here for quite a bit now.”
Nimmo still sidelined
Brandon Nimmo hasn’t played since making his spring debut on Feb. 28, after which he experienced soreness in his right knee. An MRI taken earlier this week revealed no structural damage, so Nimmo has been taking live at-bats as he tries to work through the issue. When he tried to ramp up his running to 100% on Friday, he was only able to get to about 85%, according to Mendoza.
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Nimmo received a gel injection in his knee later that day, shutting him down from baseball activities for 48-72 hours.
“We’re still shooting for Opening Day,” Mendoza said. “We feel like we have enough time here for him to get plenty of at-bats.”
Nimmo battled pain in his left foot associated with plantar fasciitis during the postseason, and while the injury lingered into the spring, it wasn’t expected to keep him from playing. Now the opposite knee has become an issue, but the Mets are hoping the injection will help him move past the problem and have him ready for the season.
“Once we get closer to Opening Day, whether he’s not running 100 percent, he’s not getting at-bats or he’s not doing any baseball activity, then we’ll probably have to start having some of those conversations,” Mendoza said. “That’s not the case as we sit here.”
Mets catcher Alvarez to miss 6-8 weeks with fractured left hand
Mark Feinsand
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — The Mets’ lineup was dealt a blow this weekend, as Francisco Alvarez suffered a fractured hamate bone in his left hand, an injury that will require surgery.
Alvarez is expected to miss 6-8 weeks, though given that the injury is to his receiving hand, the catcher’s absence will likely stretch to the longer end of that estimate.
See Juan Soto and the Mets in 2025: Single game tickets on sale now
“I think that’s probably where we set our expectations,” president of baseball operations David Stearns said. “But we would expect him back in Major League competition at that point.”
This marks the second straight year that a fluky left hand injury has sidelined Alvarez, who missed nearly eight weeks last season with a torn ligament in his left thumb, which he suffered after slipping on the basepath during a game on April 19.
“He’s down, obviously, but it’s not the first time,” manager Carlos Mendoza said. “It sucks for him. He takes it personal and he takes it hard; he cares. We’ll do everything that we can in our power to stay positive with him and get him back on the field as soon as possible.”
This latest injury took place while Alvarez was taking live at-bats at the Mets’ complex on Saturday. He felt something after taking a swing during his second at-bat, immediately retreating to the trainers’ room. An X-ray later revealed the fracture, for which the 23-year-old will undergo surgery on Monday.
“It’s always tough when one of your guys goes down like that,” Mendoza said. “We’ve got to keep going. Nobody’s going to feel sorry for us. Everybody deals with injuries. We’ll get him back.”
Luis Torrens will assume starting catching duties in Alvarez’s absence, while Hayden Senger, Jakson Reetz and Chris Williams will be candidates to serve as the backup.
“It’s an opportunity for someone else to step up,” Mendoza said. “There’s a reason why they’re here. Senger is a really good defensive catcher, Reetzy has got some big league experience. These guys can handle a pitching staff, they can receive, so we feel good.”
Reetz made his case in a big way on Sunday, crushing a grand slam in the first inning of the Mets’ 7-6 win over the Nationals.
Jakson Reetz’s grand slam
Mar 9, 2025 · 0:27
Jakson Reetz’s grand slam
Stearns said the Mets could look outside the organization for catching help, as well, though he believes there is enough depth to carry the load while Alvarez is out.
“I think we feel good about the guys we have in camp,” Stearns said. “Any time you have an injury to a regular player, you’re going to see what’s out there; but we don’t anticipate this being an extremely lengthy injury.”
The Mets have already dealt with other injuries this spring, the two most notable being starting pitchers Sean Manaea (strained right oblique) and Frankie Montas (right lat strain), who will both open the season on the injured list.
Brandon Nimmo has been battling right knee soreness that required a gel injection on Friday, though he is expected to resume baseball activities early this week. Starling Marte is also dealing with a knee issue of his own, one that has kept him from playing in games to this point in the spring. Marte has been taking live at-bats, but is still likely a few days away from making his spring debut.
While Nimmo and Marte remain hopeful that they will be ready for Opening Day, Alvarez’s injury will keep him out of action for at least the first month of the regular season.
“He’s a team leader, so any length of absence is unfortunate,” Stearns said. “We also know he’s going to be back; this is a relatively standard injury. We’ve gone through these before here, so we’ll be able to weather it.”
With injuries altering equation, here's Mets' projected Opening Day roster
Anthony DiComo
PORT ST. LUCIE, Fla. — Things have certainly changed since the Mets opened camp one month ago. A pair of pitching injuries to Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas has upended the rotation. Infielder Nick Madrigal also went down early in Grapefruit League play, and now catcher Francisco Alvarez will be sidelined 6-8 weeks. All but Madrigal were set to play integral roles on the Opening Day roster, and even he was a solid bet to be there as well.
See Juan Soto and the Mets in 2025: Single game tickets on sale now
While this is an obviously weakened group, the Mets remain confident in their ability to overcome such losses. Here’s how the projected roster looks with two weeks left in camp:
Catcher (2): Luis Torrens, Jakson Reetz
Alvarez’s injury hurts, plain and simple. The obvious next man up is Torrens, who will become New York’s starting catcher for the first few weeks of the season. Less obvious is who will be his backup. Reetz may be the only other catcher in camp featuring big league experience, but Hayden Senger and Chris Williams are also viable candidates for the job. Or, the Mets could dip into a free-agent pool that still includes veterans Yasmani Grandal and James McCann.
Luis Torrens’ two-run home run
Mar 10, 2025 · 0:29
Luis Torrens’ two-run home run
First basemen (1): Pete Alonso
The Mets’ corner infield situation looked a whole lot messier until Alonso re-signed around a week before the start of Spring Training. Fresh off a season in which he appeared in every game, Alonso will reprise his role as the starter. His long history of durability indicates he shouldn’t need much help at the position.
Second basemen (2): Jeff McNeil, Brett Baty
McNeil is the clear starter here, and right now, Baty is beginning to look like the obvious choice to back him up. While veterans Donovan Walton and Luis De Los Santos have failed to distinguish themselves through the first two weeks of Grapefruit League games, Baty has swung a hot bat and received defensive reps at second. At this point, he fits best as the Mets’ final bench player, assuming they’re willing to proceed without a true backup shortstop.
Brett Baty’s two-run double
Mar 8, 2025 · 0:17
Brett Baty’s two-run double
Shortstop (1): Francisco Lindor
No surprises here, as Lindor will reprise his role at short and — if he can maintain his health — play pretty much every inning of every game. The Mets may need him to. Although Baty has been taking ground balls at shortstop on the back fields, he’s never played the position in a professional game.
Speedy Lindor sets sights on ‘95% of stolen bases’ in 2025
Third basemen (1): Mark Vientos
So long as Vientos even resembles the player he was a year ago, he’ll play nearly every day at third. The Mets are counting on his breakout being real.
Outfielders (6): Juan Soto, Brandon Nimmo, Tyrone Taylor, Jose Siri, Jesse Winker, Starling Marte
Soto will start most days in right, with Nimmo in left and a combination of Taylor and Siri in center. Winker figures to receive plenty of work at designated hitter, as does Marte. Both are outfielders by trade and could see time at the corners, but they’re more likely ticketed for a DH platoon — assuming Marte, who’s been dealing with ongoing knee soreness, will be ready for the opener. On the off chance Marte can’t make it, trade acquisition Alexander Canario would.
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Juan Soto’s solo home run
Mar 10, 2025 · 0:27
Juan Soto’s solo home run
Starting pitchers (5): Kodai Senga, Clay Holmes, David Peterson, Griffin Canning, Tylor Megill
Injuries to Manaea and Montas have upended this situation. With those two set to miss Opening Day, the Mets have three remaining candidates for two spots: Canning, Paul Blackburn and Megill. It’s possible all three could make the team, with one in a swingman role. Notably, Megill has an accessible Minor League option, while Canning and Blackburn do not. But Mets officials have long been tantalized by the quality of Megill’s stuff. This competition remains an intriguing one, largely for that reason.
Relief pitchers (8): Edwin Díaz, A.J. Minter, Ryne Stanek, Reed Garrett, Jose Butto, Danny Young, Max Kranick, Paul Blackburn
Díaz, Minter and Stanek will serve as Mendoza’s top three relievers, assuming Minter is healthy enough to be there following a September hip surgery. After that, the situation grows murkier. Dedniel Núñez is a lock if healthy, but he’s progressing slowly on his road back from a right flexor tendon injury. While team officials don’t consider Núñez a rehabbing player, they acknowledge he might not be ready by Opening Day. Until he actually appears in a Grapefruit League game or two, it’s difficult to project him onto the roster.
Garrett, Buttó and Young are surer things given last year’s flashes of excellence. Sean Reid-Foley is essentially out of the picture after the Mets outrighted him off the 40-man roster, leaving a spot for Kranick, who’s been a spring revelation. There’s also an opening here for the loser of the fifth starter’s job, at least to begin the season. Blackburn, who has struggled in two of his three spring outings so far, could assume that role.
Others still in camp include José Ureña (who has a late March opt-out in his contract, which sometimes matters in these types of decisions), Huascar Brazobán, Tyler Zuber, Génesis Cabrera, Anthony Gose and Chris Devenski. Most of them will begin the season at Triple-A Syracuse, but there’s room for one or two to sneak onto the big league club.
New York State Parks Announces Resources, Exhibitions, and Events to Honor Black History Month
Capitol Exhibits Invite Visitors to Learn About New Interpretive Initiative, ‘Enslavement to Freedom: 1627-1827-2027’
Updated Black History Webpage, Digital Content, and Events Showcase Multi-Century Enslavement Stories Linked to State Parks and Historic Sites
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) today announced a range of resources, exhibitions, and events to celebrate Black History month in February. In addition to unveiling significant updates to the agency’s Black History webpage, OPRHP is sharing two exhibitions in the Concourse at the Empire State Plaza in Albany for the month of February to introduce new interpretive Black History initiative, Enslavement to Freedom, slated to expand through 2027. Black History events at state parks and historic sites are also being held throughout February, and the OPRHP blog, social media channels and Parks Explorer App will elevate Black stories and voices linked to OPRHP facilities all month long.
To serve as a more comprehensive resource for park and historic site visitors, OPRHP’s Black History webpage has been revamped, now including an interactive story map where users can learn about various state parks and historic sites that hold historical significance to slavery between the Colonial and New Nation periods in the 17th, 18th, and 19th centuries. The page now showcases four OPRHP facilities that honor Black Americans who have shaped the United States through their contributions to our military, politics, and social movements. These include the Fort Ontario State Historic Site in Oswego, National Purple Heart Hall of Honor in New Windsor, and Marsha P. Johnson State Park and Shirley Chisholm State Park, both in Brooklyn.
To honor Black History Month, the Office of General Services (OGS) will host two OPRHP traveling banner exhibitions from the new interpretive Black History initiative, ‘Enslavement to Freedom: 1627-1827-2027,’ in the Concourse at the Empire State Plaza in Albany. The first exhibit is a re-formatted copy of Redefining The Family: One Descendant’s Journey Into History that debuted at Clermont State Historic Site in July 2024, and the second is a new exhibit called Poisonous Seeds: The Dutch and the Institution of Slavery in Early New Netherland/New York, highlighting the latest research, and the arrival date of the first enslaved in New York.
“In anticipation of Black History month this year, New York State Parks is proud to offer a wide array of events, educational resources and digital content for people to honor and learn about the Black community in early New York and their impact on the facilities we care for around the state,” said New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons. “Our Division for Historic Preservation’s interpretive staff have worked hard to bring two signficiant Capitol exhibits to life. Through the exhibits, we look forward to unveiling the new interpretive Black History initiative, ‘Enslavement to Freedom: 1627-1827-2027′ and continue telling our state’s whole history, inclusive of those vital voices who’ve, to our detriment, been omitted in the past.”
Throughout the month of February, OPRHP interpretive staff and environment educators will facilitate educational events and programming covering Black scientists and space explorers, untold stories of the enslaved who staffed New York families at facilities now run by ORPHP centuries later, and some of the ways the institution of slavery played out in New York. People who would like to register for the of events and activities hosted at New York’s state parks and historic sites may do so through the OPRHP event calendar.
On OPRHP’s blog, a post will share informative video clips from last November’s successful Making History symposium at Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site. Social media content throughout February will feature under-told Black stories linked to state parks and historic sites. You can follow along on State Parks’ Facebook, Instagram, X, and LinkedIn accounts. The Parks Explorer app will also showcase Black History Month content.
New York State Office of General Services Commissioner Jeanette Moy said, “Every February, OGS observes Black History Month by working with our state agency partners and community organizations to host exhibitions at the Empire State Plaza that highlight the history, struggles, and pioneering achievements of African Americans in New York. I encourage everyone to visit the Plaza during Black History Month to see and experience the informative exhibits created by the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, OGS, and African American organizations.”
Lavada Nahon, Interpreter of African American History at OPRHP said, “This is a great time to learn our state’s unique story as we commemorate significant historic anniversaries over the next several years. For the first time the presence of all the people that were here, including thousands of Blacks, enslaved and free will be shared.”
More about ‘Enslavement to Freedom: 1627-1827-2027′
In 2027, New York State will recognize the 200th anniversary of the end of legalized slavery in the state (1827) and the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the first Africans enslaved in the former New Netherland colony (1627). In anticipation of this significant commemorative year, OPRHP is implementing a multi-year interpretive initiative called ‘Enslavement to Freedom: 1627-1827-2027.’ With ‘Enslavement to Freedom,’ OPRHP and relevant state historic sites will develop exhibits, public programs, and other educational resources to explore New York’s history with slavery and a pivotal period of transition for the Black community in early New York, which gives better context and understanding for later historic movements, like Abolition and the Underground Railroad.
The two exhibitions featured at the Concourse at the Empire State Plaza in February:
Poisonous Seeds: The Dutch and the Institution of Slavery in New York
In 2024-2025, New York State commemorates the founding of the colony of New Netherland. This seven-panel exhibit explores the path the Dutch West India Company took to lay the foundation of the institution of slavery, both the people enslaved, and the economic links to the trade that remained active in New York for the next 200 years.
With New Installment, New York State Parks’ Interactive Digital Timeline Closes Out Late Twentieth Century
New Era Of ‘Blazing A Trail’ Covers Expanded Approach to Parkland and Historic Preservation from 1974-1999
Educational Tool Launched During Centennial Celebration
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation today announced the release of a new installment of the interactive, online timeline ‘Blazing a Trail: A History of New York State Parks and Historic Sites’. This project employs photographs, illustrations, paintings, documents, archival footage, maps, and narrative to tell the story of the development of the New York State Parks system.
This era, titled “Late 20th Century,” examines the period from 1974 to 1999, which saw New York State Parks open in New York City and the launch of the Empire State Games. As with previous eras, changes in society are mirrored by changes in New York State Parks and Historic Sites. With the recession of the 1970s, the agency’s focus shifted from expansion of parkland to rehabilitation of existing facilities. The celebration of the American Bicentennial sparked a renewed commitment to historic preservation. The newest installment, “Late 20th Century,” is available here, along with previously released eras.
“In this installment of ‘Blazing A Trail,’ we see moments met, challenges overcome, and innovations brought to life. Between our agency’s 50th anniversary in 1974 and the close of the twentieth century, we weathered a recession, established parks in New York City, and made significant strides in historic preservation. Six of the state’s 18 golf courses were created during this period, providing daily enjoyment to New Yorkers and the opportunity for world-class events such as the U.S. Open, PGA Championship, and soon, the Ryder Cup,” said Commissioner Pro Tempore of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Randy Simons. “This installment of ‘Blazing A Trail’ celebrates the accomplishments of those who worked for OPRHP during this era – some of whom remain on the job today.”
In the first eras, users learned about the drive to conserve natural spaces during the rapid development of the late 1800s and the shift in focus from preservation to recreation. They met leaders who created the system of parks and historic sites we know today and guided its development. The third era took users into the Great Depression and New Deal years and examined the role of the park system during World War II. In the fourth era, users got a look at the post-war period through the lens of the park system. The fifth era explored leadership changes and park expansion during the Rockefeller years of the 1960s. The next two eras of ‘Blazing A Trail’ will cover the twenty-first century and the future of parks and historic sites.
‘Blazing A Trail’ was created in celebration of the Parks Centennial in 2024. The yearlong statewide celebration included special events and exhibits held at parks, historic sites and partnering agencies and organizations throughout the year; the public engagement project Share Your Story, which collected and shared memories from staff, elected officials and the public; the Centennial Challenge, which encouraged visitation by inviting the public to complete various activities at parks and sites; and the documentary “From Land To Legacy,” produced by PBS affiliate WMHT, which premiered in September 2024 and continues to air on PBS affiliates statewide.
State Parks Debuts Trail Etiquette Initiative to Enhance Public Safety on Empire State Trail and Others This Fall
Online Messaging Campaign Features Trail Tips to Help Visitors Prevent Accidents and Navigate Busy Trails with Greater Awareness
The Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) today announced a new trail etiquette initiative launching to ensure public safety on the agency’s over 2,000 miles of trails statewide, including the 750-mile Empire State Trail and the many locally-managed trails it encompasses. The initiative offers New York residents and visitors contemporary, common-sense tips to safely navigate busy trails being aware of the wide variety of trail users and occasional intersections.
“Regardless of whether you walk, run, ride a bike, operate a wheelchair, walk a leashed pet, push a stroller, or cross-country ski, New York State Parks wants to ensure all trailgoers are aware of their surroundings and share our beloved trails with courtesy and safety in mind,” said New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons. “We all want to get outside and enjoy all that New York has to offer, and small actions can mean the difference between a memorable fall day on the trail or a trip to urgent care.”
State Parks’ new trail etiquette initiative consists of four main principles:
Wear a helmet: All cyclists should wear a properly sized bike helmet, with the strap buckled. Under New York State law, those under age 14 are required to wear an appropriate helmet
Be courteous and aware: Because the trail is enjoyed by a variety of users, ages and abilities, visitors should be aware of the activity around them.
All users, especially groups and those with children, should stay to the right and maintain a clear path for passing.
Cyclists must slow down for other trail users, use a bell or call out to alert others, and pass safely on the left.
When stopping or taking a break, move to the side and avoid blocking the trail.
Leashed dogs can make sudden movements and startle other trail users. Dog walkers must keep their pet under control at all times.
See and be seen: Cyclists are encouraged to ride defensively. Stopping at all intersections to check for oncoming traffic before safely crossing is advised.
Follow electric bike rules: Electric-assist bicycles, or e-bikes, are legal to use across the state. However, government entities and trail owners can place restrictions on the types and places they may be used. In most locations e-scooters, one-wheels, and higher-speed e-bikes are prohibited. On road, Class I and Class II e-bikes are permitted where the posted speed is 30 mph or less. It is the responsibility of the rider to know where and what types of e-bikes are allowed and to operate them in a safe manner.
The Empire Trail welcomes bicyclists and walkers of all ages and abilities to experience the Empire State’s urban centers, village main streets, rural communities, and diverse history, from New York City through the Hudson River Valley, west to Buffalo along the Erie Canal, and north to the Champlain Valley and Adirondacks.
New York State Canal Corporation Director Brian U. Stratton said, “The Erie and Champlain Canalway Trails are multi-use trails that offer walkers, joggers, and cyclists an incredible way to exercise and recreate across the Upstate New York. For the safety of all trail users, I encourage everyone to follow the guiding principles set forth in this new initiative as it will ensure a more enjoyable experience for all.”
Parks & Trails New York Executive Director Paul Steely White said, “We need your help keeping greenway trails safe and accessible for all New Yorkers–cyclists and pedestrians alike. Safe trails require more than just clear pathways and signage, they are built on the cooperation and understanding of each and every individual on the trail. Stay safe and keep others safe by following trailway rules and always yielding to those around you.”
“Making History” Symposium to Be Held at Philipse Manor Hall
Panel Discussions to Highlight New York State’s Vital Role in American Revolution, Historic Efforts to End Slavery, and Important Work to Preserve State History Through the National Register | |
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) is pleased to announce, “Making History: Revolution, Abolition, and Preservation in New York State,” an all-day symposium held on Saturday, November 16, 2024, from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. at Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site (29 Warburton Ave., Yonkers, NY) and simulcast online. This program will highlight the work of the Division for Historic Preservation, including New York State Historic Sites, the Bureau of Historic Sites, and the State Historic Preservation Office on New York State’s Our Whole History initiative. The symposium will include panel discussions on the state’s research and plans for the 250th anniversary of the Revolutionary War; the 400th anniversary of the first enslaved people in New York (1626-2026) and the 200th anniversary of the abolition of legal slavery in New York State (1827-2027); and community preservation services and opportunities, including information on the State and National Registers of Historic Places. “Making History” is part of the New York State Parks Centennial celebrations. “Those invested in New York State history, interpretation and museum studies, and community preservation should not miss ‘Making History,’ a day of education and discussion curated by State Parks’ phenomenal Division for Historic Preservation staff,” said New York State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons. “Our 2024 Centennial year marks the beginning of a new era of New York State Parks where we look to the future and ensure that we support the next generation of park and historic site staff and visitors. Events like this are fully aligned with that mission.” The panel “Revolution & Our Whole History” will discuss state plans for the 250th anniversary and highlight new research and perspectives from state historic sites around the state. Speakers include Sarah Wassberg Johnson of Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site, who will discuss the Philipsburgh Proclamation, Black Loyalists, and the Westchester neutral zone; and Ian Mumpton of Johnson Hall State Historic Site, who will discuss the role of Sir William Johnson and the Brant family in the Revolution. The panel “Abolition & Our Whole History” will discuss slavery in colonial New York, gradual emancipation and the 1827 abolition of legal slavery in New York, and statewide projects surrounding the anniversary. Speakers include Michael Lord of Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site, who will discuss slavery and slave laws in colonial New York; Jessica Serfilippi of Schuyler Mansion State Historic Site, who will discuss recent research on slavery at Schuyler Mansion; and Lavada Nahon, Interpreter of African American History for New York State, who will discuss legislation leading up to and the impact of abolition in New York as well as Our Whole History projects around Abolition throughout the state. For “Preservation & Our Whole History,” Cordell Reaves, Historic Preservation Programs Coordinator, and Leslie Krupa, Historic Preservation Program Analyst, will discuss efforts to reassess old and assess new National Register nominations as part of the Our Whole History initiative, as well as community programs of the State Historic Preservation Office. Each panel discussion will include time for audience Q&A. The symposium will end with a special tour, “Our Whole History & Philipse Manor Hall,” where attendees can tour the museum exhibits and discuss with staff the thought process, research, and design process behind the new exhibits, programs, and interpretation at Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site. “Making History: Revolution, Abolition, and Preservation in New York State” is open to the public. In-person seating is limited, and tickets are required. Tickets are $40 per person and include refreshments and lunch as well as admission to Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site. “Making History” will be simulcast via WebEx. Virtual access is free, but registration is required. To learn more, and to register, visit www.philipsemanorhall.com/ About Our Whole History The Our Whole History initiative seeks to reveal and share historically undertold stories of ordinary and extraordinary New Yorkers across the state. By providing multiple perspectives on historic places and events, New York State Historic Sites and Parks encourage the general public to take a deeper look at our state’s history, learn more about the people who got us where we are today, and embrace the heritage of all New Yorkers. The Our Whole History initiative dates back as early as the 1980s, when the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) sought to expand and deepen the public’s understanding of New York State history, including the construction and opening of Ganondagan State Historic Site. Codified in a State of the State address in 2020, Our Whole History has since been the driving force behind several recent and upcoming projects for OPRHP, including the renovation of Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site, which reopened in 2022; the opening of new exhibits at Washington’s Headquarters State Historic Site, Clermont State Historic Site, and Crailo State Historic Site; the acquisition and opening of new state parks, including Sojourner Truth State Park; the renovation of existing state parks, such as the Shirley Chisholm State Park and Marsha P. Johnson State Park; and statewide endeavors like the Revolutionary War 250 kiosk project. About Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site, located at 29 Warburton Ave., Yonkers, NY, 10701, is open for tours Wednesdays through Sundays, 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Dating back to the 1680s, Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site sits near the confluence of the Nepperhan (Saw Mill) and Hudson Rivers, the site of a Munsee Lunaape village. Used by four generations of the Philipse family and worked by the people they enslaved as well as European tenant farmers, the Philipse Manor was once over 200,000 acres and helped make the Philipse family the richest in New York. Loyalists during the American Revolution, they fled to England and the Hall was owned by several individuals before becoming the Yonkers Village Hall and later Yonkers City Hall. When a new City Hall was built in the early 20th century, the house was preserved through the generosity of Eva Smith Cochran and donated to New York State to serve as a historic site. Today, Philipse Manor Hall State Historic Site provides visitors with a balanced approach to interpreting the lives of Indigenous, European, and African people to understand the complex relationships that took place at the Manor from the earliest days of the Dutch Colony of New Netherland to the American Revolution and beyond. Learn more at Philipse Manor Hall’s Virtual Wing at www.philipsemanorhall.com. The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 84 million visits in 2023. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer app or call 518.474.0456. Join us in celebrating our Centennial throughout 2024, and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X (formerly Twitter), and the OPRHP Blog. |
New York State Lights Landmarks and Bridges to Mark Year-Out Celebration for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage State Park
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation today announced that New York State bridges and landmarks will be lit in red, white and blue on Tuesday evening, October 8, to mark the year-out celebration to the 2025 Ryder Cup. The matches between Team USA and Team Europe will be played at Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale on Long Island September 23-28, 2025.
“New York State is proudly counting down to the 45th Ryder Cup matches set to take place at Bethpage State Park’s renowned Black Course,” said State Parks Commissioner Pro Tempore Randy Simons. “It is a true honor for us to host the 2025 Ryder Cup and the tens of thousands of fans expected to attend from around the world. Our hardworking and talented Parks team has been collaborating closely with the PGA of America to ensure that ‘The People’s Country Club’ shines on the world stage. This will undoubtedly be the largest event in the history of golf, and we are committed to showcasing the very best of our state park as the global spotlight turns to Bethpage Black over the next year.”
Empire State Development President, CEO and Commissioner Hope Knight said, “The Black Course at Bethpage State Park has long been one of golf’s toughest tests, and the 2025 Ryder Cup will be no exception. New York State will be ready as golf fans from across America and around the world descend on Long Island, while millions more at home watch world-class golf competition, coupled with the bucolic sights and sounds from the surrounding communities. We’re excited to start the countdown and welcome a global audience as only New York State can.”
PGA of America President John Lindert said, “All of us at the PGA of America could not be more excited for the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage State Park. The combination of golf’s greatest team event and the world-renowned Black course will undoubtedly produce one of the greatest weeks in the history of our game. We are deeply appreciative to New York State and New York State Parks for their ongoing support as we prepare for next September.”
The bridges and landmarks to be lit in recognition of Team USA and the Ryder Cup Year-Out Celebration include:
One World Trade Center
Governor Mario M. Cuomo Bridge
Kosciuszko Bridge
The H. Carl McCall SUNY Building
State Education Building
Alfred E. Smith State Office Building
Empire State Plaza
State Fairgrounds – Main Gate & Expo Center
The “Franklin D. Roosevelt” Mid-Hudson Bridge
Albany International Airport Gateway
MTA LIRR – East End Gateway at Penn Station
Moynihan Train Hall
Walkway Over the Hudson State Historic Park
Niagara Falls State Park
The Ryder Cup is a globally televised event, consisting of five matches contested over three days between two 12-member teams from the United States and Europe. The competition alternates host sites every two years between American and European venues.
The Black Course, one of five 18-hole courses now at Bethpage State Park, opened for play in 1936. It was designed by legendary architect A.W. Tillinghast, who was a guest at an exploratory meeting of The PGA of America in January 1916 in New York City. Bethpage Black will host the Ryder Cup for the very first time in 2025 joining Oak Hill Country Club as the only New York courses to host a Ryder Cup.
New Tool for Local Trail Advocates Will Help Expand New York’s Growing Greenway Trail Network
Parks & Trails New York (PTNY) and the NYS Office of Parks, Recreation, and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) release a new handbook to guide grassroots advocates through the steps to take the vision for a new multi-use path from concept to reality.
ALBANY, NY (Jan. 16) – PTNY and OPRHP today announced the release of the Trails Across New York: A Grassroots Guide to Developing Greenway Trails. The new resource provides detailed information to support Greenway trails development in communities around the state. The steps outlined in the guide provide a high-level overview of the various aspects of trail development from initial concept to construction, as well as how participation from a broad range of individuals, agencies, organizations, and landowners will factor in throughout the process.
Greenway trails are shared-use paths that can be used by persons of all ages for healthy, fun recreation. As long linear corridors, they also provide unique transportation opportunities. Often born from old rail lines and canal towpaths, greenway trails are popular local resources and provide essential public health infrastructure for active recreation and connection to nature. Greenway trails are also valuable tourism generators, attracting thousands of new visitors to New York State each year, especially since the opening of the increasingly popular 750-mile Empire State Trail.
Already home to over two thousand miles of greenway trails, New York State has the potential to nearly double its greenway trail network, thereby expanding opportunities for outdoor recreation and active transportation to millions of New Yorkers. These trails, however, will only come to fruition with the vision and dedication of local advocates, municipal leaders, and planners who recognize the benefits of developing a trail in their community and work devotedly to make it happen.
The trail development process can be challenging even for the most experienced community organizers. The 2021 Statewide Greenway Trails Plan identified the need to provide resources for local advocates to navigate the process for future trail development opportunities. To address this gap, Trails Across New York: A Grassroots Guide to Developing Greenway Trails aims to inspire creativity and enthusiasm among various stakeholder groups about the important role that local residents and stakeholders can play in this process.
The new guide walks advocates and trail planners through the steps needed to see a greenway trail to completion. The first section outlines the necessary steps to get a project started: from identifying the corridor to cultivating a vision that will help inspire engagement and public support, eventually leading to buy-in from state and/or local government. The second section walks through the trail planning and development process, including conducting a feasibility study for a trail, securing the corridor through purchase or easements, identifying grant funding opportunities, and finally getting the project designed, permitted and built. Finally, the guide provides guidance for maximizing the ongoing visitation and value of local trails once they are built.
The full Trails Across New York: A Grassroots Guide to Developing Greenway Trails can be found at ptny.org/greenwaytrails.
“Greenway trails have the power to transform our environment, economy, and communities. We hope that this guide makes the greenway trail development process more transparent so that local advocates have a clear path to follow. Whether it’s an abandoned railroad, canal towpath, neglected waterfront or highway shoulder, we hope for more advocates to be ready to transform these corridors into beloved community assets.” said Paul Steely White, Executive Director of Parks & Trails New York.
“Greenway Trails offer New York residents and visitors the opportunity to explore our state’s incredible scenery and diverse communities. There’s great potential to expand our greenway recreational network throughout New York with the help of community advocates and grassroots partners. I’m excited to make this guide available to help navigate the development process and make more greenway trails a reality,” said State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid.
New York State Parks Celebrates Native American Heritage Month with New Staff Initiatives and Special Programming
Kim Hill, New OPRHP Interpreter of Native American History, has been Integral in Identifying and Activating Opportunities for Agency’s Our Whole History Initiative
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (OPRHP) is pleased to announce that environmental educator and interpreter Yehehnakwáhstha? (pronounced yeh-heh-naw-gwaw-staw) Kim Hill has joined the Bureau of Historic Sites staff as Interpreter of Native American History. Hill, Tuscarora Beaver Clan, is from the Tuscarora Nation, near Niagara Falls, New York.
Since her arrival in late 2022, Ms. Hill has worked closely with staff throughout the agency to establish a framework for incorporating Indigenous stories into historic interpretation and contemporary programming by initiating educational opportunities, providing guidance on projects, and creating a network of content experts. From reviewing and writing materials for exhibitions to hosting workshops and working with Indigenous artists to create interpretive illustrations, she is helping projects of all sizes reflect Our Whole History priorities and building the groundwork for sustainable successes.
Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said, “As we continue to activate the agency’s Our Whole History initiative, it is essential that we develop authentic ways to incorporate Indigenous stories into the interpretive work happening at our historic sites and parks. Kim has already been a tremendous resource and we value the passion and perspective she brings to all her projects.”
“I am excited to have the opportunity to be the representation I wish I had as a child growing up on the reservation,” Native American History interpreter Kim Hill said. “I also look forward to illuminating the vast Indigenous perspectives and ways of knowing at all our historic sites and parks.”
- Hill’s passion for interpretation, parks, and increasing the visibility of Native American communities and cultures through representation and education will support OPRHP efforts to share a more complete and inclusive history with the public through the agency’s Our Whole History initiative. Her priorities will focus on creating Indigenous educational guides, developing interpretive materials, and providing guidelines around Indigenous resources, perspectives, and consultations. Hill has already made an impact system-wide, by connecting Parks staff with local Indigenous speakers and performers in their regions. Some of her current projects include facilitating the first Indigenous Cultural Awareness Workshops across the state and Johnson Hall State Historic Site’s new visitor center exhibit.
More about Kim Hill: Hill brings a decade of experience of work and thought on the intersections of park systems, education, and Indigeneity. She is a graduate in Natural Resources Management from the SUNY College of Environmental Science and Forestry, where she was a Fellow in the Indigenous Environmental Leaders for the Future program. She also completed the Doris Duke Conservation Scholars Program at Northern Arizona University. During her studies, she had the opportunity to study, work, and lead with Indigenous scholars and mentors. Prior to joining OPRHP, Hill traveled throughout New York as an Environmental Educator with the Student Conservation Association. She taught at state parks and Department of Environmental Conservation campgrounds and she was later headquartered at Saratoga Spa State Park. Throughout her career, Hill has continued to learn and share her culture, history, and traditions both on and off the reservation.
More about Ganondagan State Historic Site: Spanning 569 acres, Ganondagan (ga·NON·da·gan) is the original site of a 17th century Seneca town, that existed there peacefully more than 350 years ago. The culture, art, agriculture, and government of the Seneca people influenced our modern understanding of equality, democratic government, women’s rights, ecology and natural foods. Ganondagan’s full-size, Seneca Bark Longhouse is fully furnished to reflect a typical Seneca family from the late 1600’s, complete with reproductions of 17th century Seneca objects and colonial-era trade goods. The Seneca Art & Culture Center is a 17,300-square-foot center that tells the story of Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) contributions to art, culture, and society. The grounds surrounding the center include two signed interpretive trails that educate visitors about the significance of plant life, Haudenosaunee culture, and history.
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation oversees more than 250 parks, historic sites, recreational trails, golf courses, boat launches and more, which saw a record 79.5 million visits in 2022. For more information on any of these recreation areas, visit parks.ny.gov, download the free NY State Parks Explorer mobile app or call 518.474.0456. Joins us in celebrating our Centennial throughout 2024, and connect with us on Facebook, Instagram, X, and the OPRHP Blog.
State Parks Seeks Partnerships to Renew York Hall in Nissequogue River State Park
Preservation and new programing sought for historic theater building
The New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation (State Parks) today issued a request for proposals (RFP) seeking a potential private and/or not-for-profit partner to rehabilitate, restore and operate the historic York Hall in Nissequogue River State Park as a performance space or similar park-appropriate venue.
“There is potential for a unique artistic and cultural partnership to create vital community space at Nissequogue River State Park,” State Parks Commissioner Erik Kulleseid said. “State Parks is seeking creative ideas to bring new life to York Hall.”
The RFP seeks proposals for private capital investment and preferred end uses for York Hall to include performing arts, community theater, and related programming consistent with the Suffolk County park’s setting and the park master plan. The scope of this opportunity includes a private partner’s operation and maintenance of York Hall and management of a compatible program. Proposals must demonstrate a respondent’s relevant experience, expertise, program alignment, and the financial resources necessary to fund the design, preservation, rehabilitation, and construction, and to successfully operate the venue in collaboration with State Parks.
Proposals are due by December 20, 2023 at 3:00 p.m. The RFP will be available on the New York State Contract Reporter website. Visit https://www.nyscr.ny.gov and search for X001461.
State Parks would award a lease or license to the business or organization that would provide the greatest public benefit and financial value to the park. State Parks has authority to contract for a term up to 40 years, in consideration of a private capital investment exceeding $1 million provided it is sufficient to comply with the terms of the RFP and complete and operate the improvements.
Built between 1930 and 1932, the Colonial Revival-style theatre building was conceived to function as a mixed-use facility providing theatre, auditorium, sports, and social space for the Kings Park Psychiatric Center and those it served. The building was also used by the outlying Kings Park community throughout the course of its active life.
Nissequogue River State Park is located on the north shore of Long Island on the former campus of the Kings Park Psychiatric Center. It features variety of habitats including tidal and freshwater wetlands and hardwood forests provide habitat to a variety of shore birds, reptiles, and amphibians. The Greenbelt Trail, for walking and hiking, parallels the Nissequogue River and provides scenic views of the river and the Long Island Sound from the top of the bluffs. The park also has athletic fields, a canoe and kayak launch, fishing, bird watching, and environmental education programs.
Third Annual ‘City of Forest Day’ Encourages New Yorkers to Appreciate, Enjoy, and Care for Trees in NYC
With over 80 events, this city-wide day of action, education and fun celebrates and stewards our city’s vital trees across all five boroughs
New York, NY – Today, Forest for All NYC, in partnership with Parks and Open Space Partners NYC and the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, celebrates the third-annual City of Forest Day. Today’s day of action and celebration brings New Yorkers together across all five boroughs to learn about the benefits of our urban forest and encourages participation in the ongoing stewardship of trees across the city. Event hosts have put together engaging programs that invite New Yorkers to learn about, care for, and celebrate trees and their role as the “lungs” of our city.
This year, there are more than 80 events across all five boroughs, including street tree care and a sunrise hike on Staten Island, tree planting at the New York Botanical Garden, forest restoration at Ewen Park in the Bronx and Idlewild Park in Queens, a guided tree and urban design walk in downtown Brooklyn, and collaborations with different library branches across the city. Additionally, events are being held in Polish, Bangla, Urdu, and Spanish and over 40 are family-friendly!
In the past two years since the inaugural City of Forest Day, New Yorkers have seen a wave of support for the maintenance and investment in our tree canopy, equitably. Last fall, the NYC Council unanimously passed two vital pieces of legislation that collectively will contribute to a greener, healthier, more just, resilient New York City. Local Law 148 mandated New York City’s first citywide urban forest plan as well as ongoing tree canopy monitoring. Planning for the urban forest plan is underway by the Adams administration with a final plan due by summer 2025. Local Law 135 amended the City Charter to include the long overdue consideration of trees and tree canopy in the City’s long-term planning. These notable achievements will continue to equitably improve and expand the NYC urban forest.
“What a thrill to see City of Forest Day grow with each year,” said Bill Ulfelder, New York Executive Director for The Nature Conservancy, Lead Convener of Forest for All NYC. “This citywide day of celebration reminds us that the urban forest is more than just the trees, it also includes everything that supports them, from street tree beds to the workers and volunteers that help keep it in good condition. Whether you are getting your hands dirty with some tree care or connecting with the forest through other activities, City of Forest Day reminds us that planting new trees is important, but so is caring for them over time. Stewardship and public engagement, in combination with municipal resources and planning, help ensure the future of the urban forest.”
“Fostering stewardship in New York City’s urban forest is an essential part of creating a vibrant and thriving urban park system,” said NYC Department of Parks & Recreation Commissioner Sue Donoghue. “This City of Forest Day, we invite New Yorkers to come out and participate in the vital work of caring for this part of our city’s living infrastructure. With hikes and walks in every borough, as well as forest restoration workshops and plant life identification courses, there are so many ways to get involved in this exciting day of stewardship. NYC Parks is proud to partner with Forest For All NYC to spread awareness and take action to keep New York City healthier, safer, and more resilient.”
“City of Forest Day continues to be a staple within New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) and complements Governor Kathy Hochul’s 25 million tree planting goal campaign which encourages New Yorkers to join the state in planting trees to support the climate,” said DEC Acting Regional Director Rodney Rivera. “Thanks to the dedication of DEC’s Environmental Educators, New York City residents will learn about the importance of our urban forest, while participating in crafting, invasive plant removal and educational hikes. We hope to see you at 1 of the 5 different events team DEC will be hosting in the Bronx, Queens, Brooklyn and Staten Island.”
“New York City’s urban forest, including Prospect Park’s 30,000 trees, is an essential community resource and vital habitat for wildlife,” says Prospect Park Alliance President, Morgan Monaco. “In the face of climate change, it is more essential than ever to both celebrate our urban forest and do our part to sustain our hardworking city trees, which improve our air quality, cool our earth and make our communities happier and healthier. Prospect Park Alliance is excited to take part in the third annual City of Forest Day with volunteer opportunities, woodland walks, a tour of Brooklyn’s last remaining forest and family-friendly nature activities for our community.”
“Our urban tree canopy plays a huge part in making New York City cooler, cleaner, and more livable for people and wildlife alike. But not every neighborhood has equitable access to the benefits that trees provide. That’s why Trees New York is especially proud this year to be supporting partner groups in designated Environmental Justice Communities with tools, mulch, and other supplies to steward trees on City of Forest Day. We are thrilled to join so many Forest For All NYC members in caring for trees across all five boroughs on City of Forest Day!” says Nelson Villarrubia, Executive Director of Trees New York.
DEC REMINDS OUTDOOR ENTHUSIASTS TO SHARE THE WOODS SAFELY THIS SEASON
New York City FC can today confirm that their final two home matches of the MLS Regular Season are scheduled to take place at Red Bull Arena. Due to the MLB Playoffs schedule, both Yankee Stadium and Citi Field are currently unavailable.
Additionally, New York City FC’s match against Nashville SC, originally scheduled for Saturday, October 5, has been moved to Sunday, October 6 at 4pm ET.
In the event Citi Field or Yankee Stadium become available, the Club will make every effort to play these matches at one of these two venues.
Wednesday, October 2
New York City FC vs. FC Cincinnati
Red Bull Arena
7:30pm ET kickoff
Sunday, October 6
New York City FC vs. Nashville SC
Red Bull Arena
4pm ET kickoff
Save the Date!
Stadium Update: “The Cube,” Coming 2027
New York City FC is excited to share new renderings and a short fly-through video of the main entrance for our proposed stadium project in Queens! We believe our stadium’s entrance, “The Cube,” will be the most dynamic entrance of any MLS stadium. Click here to see the new renderings and video! As the main entrance to our stadium and the first thing you’ll see as you arrive at the stadium from the south, The Cube will be integral to the matchday experience. We’re confident that it will give our fans a real sense of pride and its uniqueness will naturally draw people in. The Cube also serves as a symbol, representing two things. First, the cube represents stability and permanence; this is our home and we’re here to stay. Second, its equal dimensions will represent equality and fair play – two values that are at the heart of our club. Standing at over 7 stories high, The Cube will be an immersive experience, lined with 11,000+ square feet of LEDs. It will be an everlasting, experiential installation capable of projecting incredible video, photography, and graphic elements. To secure your spot in New York City FC’s new proposed stadium, sign up for a membership today! |
arlier today, New York City FC’s stadium project reached a significant milestone: the New York City Council voted to approve the construction of the next phase of the Willets Point development project, including our stadium! Following today’s vote, the only step left to complete the ULURP process is for Mayor Adams to review and sign off on the project, which is expected in the coming days.
This is a long-awaited moment in our club’s history. New York City FC’s new stadium will be the first-ever soccer-specific stadium in New York City, opening in 2027 in Willets Point, Queens. Click here to sign up to get the latest news about New York City’s new stadium and to find out how to become a member and gain priority to reserve your seat in the future!
New York City FC
| New York City Football Club fans, the first look at your new planned STADIUM is finally here. Yesterday, NYCFC presented early renderings of the proposed Willets Point project. Inclusive of that project is what one day will be the best soccer-specific stadium in North America. This public-private partnership with the City of New York will not only include New York City’s first-ever soccer-specific stadium, but it will also feature:
Click here to become a member and secure your spot in NYCFC’s new planned stadium! |
Trend of weekday games starting and finishing earlier continues into '25
The team from each division with the most on the line in 2025
Will Leitch
The Dodgers and Cubs will open the 2025 season with the two-game Tokyo Series on March 18-19. We’ll be counting down to that date with our annual preview series, with each story looking ahead to the coming season by breaking down a particular topic, division by division.
Previously: Each division’s most bitter rivalry entering 2025
Today: The team facing the highest stakes in each division
Every team, regardless of what we might call its “competitive window,” wants to win the World Series every year. But there are some years when the stakes are particularly high.
Get tickets for the 2025 season
This is when a team reaches a certain put-up-or-shut-up point, when years of frustration or a specific addition or investment in that team make it clear that success needs to come immediately … or else. Maybe it’s a World Series win, maybe it’s a playoff series victory, maybe it’s just a winning season. But some teams simply can’t afford a step backward — not at this moment.
Thus we take a look at the team in each division that has the highest stakes this season, a team that needs to break through or potentially face some dramatic changes … and perhaps the wrath of its own fanbase.
AL West: Mariners
When the Mariners ended their 20-season playoff drought in 2022 and celebrated with a Wild Card Series sweep over the Blue Jays, it sure felt like a breakthrough, didn’t it? They had terrific young pitching, an ambitious front office, a fanbase that was over the moon in love with that team and, of course, a young, charismatic, five-tool superstar in Julio Rodríguez who was the envy of every other franchise in the sport. That’s the sort of guy everyone wants to build around.
But since then … well, nothing has really happened. The pitching has still been good, but the bottom has fallen out of the offense and, it has to be said, Julio still hasn’t put together a season as good as the one he had as a rookie. Despite all the talk that this division would someday soon belong to the M’s, it’s the Astros (the team that knocked them out of those playoffs in 2022) who keep winning it every year. Another division rival, the Rangers, went out and won their first World Series title – the one Mariners fans are so desperate to taste.
The Mariners have strung together four straight winning seasons but only have that lone postseason appearance to show for it, and they don’t seem to have solved most of the issues they were dealing with last year. Seattle fans waited a long time for a playoff appearance. They might not be so willing to wait nearly as long this time.
Danny Farquhar on Mariner pitching staff, philosophy
Jan 15, 2025 · 1:46
Danny Farquhar on Mariner pitching staff, philosophy
AL Central: Twins
In 2023, the Twins, at last, won a postseason game for the first time since 2004, after losing 18 in a row. That made Twins fans very happy, in no small part because it meant people would stop bringing it up. But then they went down in four games to the Astros and, in 2024, missed the postseason entirely despite three other teams in their division making it to October. A 12-27 finish was the culprit, dropping Minnesota out of a Wild Card spot.
Royce Lewis on optimism for Twins’ 2025 season
Jan 28, 2025 · 1:32
Royce Lewis on optimism for Twins’ 2025 season
That speaks to the overall issue here: The Twins can’t stay healthy and upright enough to rule this division the way their fanbase believes they should. That looks like the issue once again in 2025. If Carlos Correa, Byron Buxton and Royce Lewis can’t stay on the field, it’s going to be difficult for this team to win, especially given its lack of significant offseason additions.
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Busy winter of conditioning has pain-free Correa optimistic
Keeping those three healthy is going to get more difficult, not less; remember, Correa and Buxton are now in their 30s, if you can believe that. With that core aging, you have to wonder if the Twins need to win now, while they still can. The rest of this division is building something. It is starting to feel like the Twins are just trying to hold on.
The impact of a healthy Carlos Correa for the Twins
Jan 27, 2025 · 5:51
The impact of a healthy Carlos Correa for the Twins
AL East: Orioles
You could make an argument that the Blue Jays should be the pick here. Their resistance to dealing away Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette at the Trade Deadline last year put a ton of pressure on the 2025 season (particularly the season’s first three months) for everyone involved.
But still: The clock is starting to tick loudly on these Orioles. They still have a ton of young talent — more young talent, arguably, than any team in the Majors — but 2024 nonetheless felt like a regression. While there were plenty of positives (Gunnar Henderson and Colton Cowser, for example), a lot of those young players either struggled to adjust to the Majors (Jackson Holliday), took worrisome steps backward (Adley Rutschman) or were shipped out in trades (Joey Ortiz).
Where do O’s rank among AL East teams this offseason?
Top 10 Shortstops Right Now: Gunnar Henderson
Jan 22, 2025 · 0:22
Top 10 Shortstops Right Now: Gunnar Henderson
All of that wouldn’t have been that big a deal, except the team almost entirely ran out of gas down the stretch and got itself swept out of the postseason for the second straight year. Since then, they lost the ace they brought in last season (Corbin Burnes) as well as a key cog in their lineup (Anthony Santander). The Orioles are still stacked with hitters. But those hitters are getting older, and more expensive, and the front office still hasn’t added much to help them out.
The Orioles should be ascending right now. Instead, they appear to be hovering.
How will the Orioles do in 2025?
Jan 8, 2025 · 4:27
How will the Orioles do in 2025?
NL West: Giants
Three years of frustration after the 107-win season of 2021 culminated in the firing of Farhan Zaidi and the hiring of Giants legend Buster Posey to run baseball operations. The vibes may be a lot better in San Francisco — having a smiling certain Hall of Famer who is adored by the fanbase tends to help — but one can’t help but wonder if the leash is going to be just as short for Posey as it was for Zaidi.
Verlander, Posey on the righty signing with Giants
Jan 13, 2025 · 2:29
Verlander, Posey on the righty signing with Giants
Posey seems to have much of the same issue getting superstars to take the Giants’ money as Zaidi did, and the additions he has brought in, Willy Adames and Justin Verlander, seem more like supporting pieces at this point of their career than stars. The biggest problem is that the rest of this division has powered up: The Padres were the best team in the NL down the stretch, the Diamondbacks are excellent and added Burnes, and the Dodgers are, well, the Dodgers. Bringing in Posey adds an expectation that this team is going to try to win right now. But, well, look at this roster, and look at the rosters of those three division rivals. Does this look like a team that is going to win now?
NL Central: Cubs
The good news is that the Cubs traded for one year of Kyle Tucker. The bad news is that they’re guaranteed only one year of Kyle Tucker. The new Cubs right fielder is instantly the best player this roster has featured since its World Series title in 2016, and with him comes heightened expectations right out of the gate.
Kyle Tucker on joining the Cubs, more
Jan 18, 2025 · 2:01
Kyle Tucker on joining the Cubs, more
The Cubs would seem to be the favorites in this division, but they are far from a lock. The frequently overperforming Brewers aren’t going anywhere; the Reds are loaded with young talent and have a new World Series-winning manager in Terry Francona; the Pirates have Paul Skenes and an excellent rotation around him; even the Cardinals, as idle as they’ve been this winter, are coming off a winning season.
If the Cubs don’t win right now with Tucker on the roster — assuming they don’t sign him to an extension before or during the season, something widely seen as unlikely — and go two straight years under manager Craig Counsell missing the postseason … well, what exactly are we doing here? The Cubs haven’t won a postseason game since 2017, something that (quite understandably) perturbs their fans. They now have a superstar on the roster. They better do something with him while they can.
Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins on notable additions
Jan 18, 2025 · 1:59
Jed Hoyer and Carter Hawkins on notable additions
NL East: Phillies
Want to put the Mets here, because of all the money they spent on Juan Soto? How about the Braves, who were ravaged by injuries last year? If you feel so inclined, sure. But no team has gone more all-in than the Phillies. No team has more accomplished veterans desperately trying to win a World Series than the Phillies.
Chasing Greatness: The 2024 Phillies Video Yearbook
Jan 8, 2025 · 1:22:02
Chasing Greatness: The 2024 Phillies Video Yearbook
This team is jam-packed with aging stars who want to bring that championship trophy back to Philly, led of course by Bryce Harper, the two-time MVP and likely Hall of Famer who is missing only that one huge line from his resume. And yet, even as the Phillies have gotten better over the past three years (increasing their regular-season win total each time), they have gotten further away in the postseason (going from the World Series to the NLCS to the NLDS).
They will likely have no better shot at turning that trend around than they do this year. The 2025 Phillies have to play like there’s no tomorrow.
One last toast to the ‘OMG’ Mets
Anthony DiComo
This story was excerpted from Anthony DiComo’s Mets Beat newsletter.
NEW YORK — It’s time to close the book on the “OMG” Mets.
Saturday at the Baseball Writers’ Association of America’s New York Chapter dinner, the 2024 Mets stole one last show. In addition to starting pitcher Sean Manaea, who received the chapter’s Good Guy Award for his friendliness to the media, and manager Carlos Mendoza, who sat on the dais as a representative of the team, a trio of Mets arrived in a clamor from Madison Square Garden, where owner Steve Cohen had purchased a suite for them to watch the Knicks game. That group included Brandon Nimmo, Jesse Winker and Reed Garrett, all of whom had spent the afternoon at Citi Field repping the club during its Amazin’ Day fanfest. It was a long day. At the end of it, the Mets were feted once more.
Get Mets tickets for the 2025 season
This was the last time the 2024 Mets — the “OMG” Mets — will be recognized in such a formal way; even Grimace showed up for the occasion. Time stops for no one and in two weeks, the 2025 Mets — doubtless a promising group, but one without such a clearly earned identity — will begin to gather in Port St. Lucie, Fla.
A common sentiment among players, which Nimmo shared Saturday, is that every baseball season is different. Players come and go. The fun moments that defined the “OMG” Mets, Winker added, were special because they were organic. Trying to force something like an “OMG” sign or special eye black for pitchers tends not to work. The most memorable moments occur naturally over the course of a successful summer.
Sean Manaea earns the BBWAA ‘Good Guy’ Award
Jan 26, 2025 · 1:46
Sean Manaea earns the BBWAA ‘Good Guy’ Award
Those requiring further proof that times are changing need look no further than Cohen, who spent time Saturday throwing cold water on the proposition of Pete Alonso’s return to Flushing.
Even if Alonso does make an unexpected 11th-hour return, 2025 will be different. Almost certainly gone is Jose Iglesias, who gave the Mets their “OMG” identity but doesn’t appear to be in their 2025 plans. Juan Soto is here and will command an outsized share of attention no matter how he fares on the diamond. The pitching staff is full of new faces.
Mets players and staff speak at Amazin’ Day
Jan 25, 2025 · 5:40
Mets players and staff speak at Amazin’ Day
That doesn’t mean 2025 will be better or worse, just that it will be different. Cohen’s comments on Saturday underscored all that, before the BBWAA dinner gave fans one last chance to pay their respects to the “OMG” Mets.
“I said at the end of the year that if you wrote it as a movie, you wouldn’t believe it,” Nimmo said. “I think that explains it best. This team saw special moment after special moment, came together, and … played the game like a group of 12-year-olds. We got back to having fun. … I’m just glad that you enjoyed it as much as we did, because we had an absolute blast with it.”
BYLINE: By Ryan A. Berenz
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1. The Varsity Match, first played in 1872, is an annual rugby union fixture played between what two English universities?
2. What Hockey Hall of Fame defenseman won Stanley Cups with the New Jersey Devils (1995, 2000, 2003) and Anaheim Ducks (2007)?
3. Whose permanent residence was a three-room suite at Salt Lake City’s University Park Hotel during his tenure as head coach of the Utah Utes men’s basketball team from 1989 to 2004?
4. Who had more NFL regular-season head-to-head victories between the Green Bay Packers’ Curly Lambeau and the Chicago Bears’ George Halas?
5. Pitcher Gus “Cannonball” Weyhing, who played from 1887-1901, holds what dubious Major League Baseball career record?
6. The mashie-niblick, cleek, jigger and baffing spoon are obsolete types of what sports equipment?
7. First overall NBA Draft picks Victor Wembanyama (2023) and Zaccharie Risacher (2024) both hail from what country?
Sports Quiz Answer
Answers
1. Oxford and Cambridge.
2. Scott Niedermayer.
3. Rick Majerus.
4. Halas went 32-18-4 vs. Lambeau.
5. Most batters hit, with 277.
6. Golf clubs.
7. France.
