SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - APRIL 28: Aaron Civale #45 of the Athletics pitches against the Kansas City Royals in the second inning at Sutter Health Park on April 28, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Happy Memorial Day everyone! The A’s are back at home and return to the friendly confines of Sutter Health Park still in first place in their division after a 4-3 road trip. Now the team will go head-to-head against the team that won the AL West last year and are hot on our heels this season in the Seattle Mariners. Tonight marks the opening of this three-game series that could have huge implications down the line at the end of the year.
Scheduled to get the ball tonight for the home team is veteran Aaron Civale. The right-hander has had a great season overall but got hit hard his last time on the mound. He surrendered five earned runs to the Angels in an eventual A’s win, getting bailed out by the offense down in Anaheim. He’ll carry a 3.31 ERA into tonight’s contest, a number he’ll be looking to lower and get closer to 3.
Here’s how the Athletics’ lineup looks for the series opener:
The A’s will welcome Brent Rooker back to the starting lineup after the DH got the series finale off yesterday. He’ll slide back into his usual cleanup spot behind Carlos Cortes, Nick Kurtz, and Shea Langeliers (who is back behind the plate tonight), with Tyler Soderstrom’s left-handed bat right behind him.
The back half of the lineup gets a little shuffle as center fielder Henry Bolte rises up to the sixth spot in the batting order. Jeff McNeil and Zack Gelof follow at second and third base, respectively, while Darell Hernaiz also returns to the starting lineup batting ninth after getting a breather yesterday as well.
For Seattle, they’re sending their own veteran to the mound in Luis Castillo. The 10-year vet has been a reliable arm atop the Mariners’ starting rotation for years now but is perhaps beginning to show signs of falling off. The righty is having by far his worst statistical season to date as he’s consistently gotten hit hard in all of his outings. That, plus the Mariners’ deep and young rotation options, caused the M’s to reconsider his stance as one of the team’s five starting pitchers but they’re planning to stick with him for a little while longer. The A’s could push up that decision up with a big showing on offense against Castillo.
The A’s maintain a 2.5 game lead over the Mariners in the AL West. One win guarantees us remaining there through the series but the team should be aiming higher for a series win or possible sweep. One game at a time though. Let’s go A’s!
MILWAUKEE, WI - MAY 23: Eric Lauer #33 of the Los Angeles Dodgers smiles on the field prior to the game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Milwaukee Brewers at American Family Field on Saturday, May 23, 2026 in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. (Photo by Aaron Gash/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
ARLINGTON, Texas — Texas Rangers shortstop Corey Seager still had not resumed actual baseball activities Monday, the day that he could have been eligible to return from the injured list because of lower back inflammation.
Manager Skip Schumaker said the two-time World Series MVP went through some drills before the series opener against Houston but was “still probably a few days away” from batting practice or taking groundballs. Seager was mired in a career-worst 0-for-27 slump when put on the 10-day IL.
Seager wasn’t in the Rangers clubhouse when it was opened to reporters before the game.
Third baseman Josh Jung was out of the starting lineup for the second game in a row since banging his left shoulder hard on a diving defensive play Saturday. An MRI on Monday showed no significant issues in his non-throwing shoulder.
Jung tore the labrum in that shoulder during a weightlifting session just before the start of spring training in February 2022, seven months before his big league debut. He said he hadn’t felt any pain in that shoulder since then, which is was what concerned him.
Jung took some swings off the tee and went through his usual defensive routine Monday.
“I had zero range of motion left when I tore my labrum the first time,” he said. “I couldn’t lift my arm. I have full range of motion, and strength has been pretty good.”
Seager’s scratch and slump
The Rangers scratched a planned live batting practice session for Seager on Saturday, a day after he had jogged on the field and hit in the cage.
“I don’t know if it’s a setback,” Schumaker said. “I just think it hasn’t recovered as fast as we hoped for it.”
The 32-year-old Seager started 42 of the Rangers’ first 43 games, and said before the IL stint that physically he felt “completely fine.” He was hitless over his last seven games while playing 24 in a row over 27 days after his only previous game off April 16.
“We were monitoring and talking with him every day. ... I don’t think that was part of the deal,” Schumaker said. “He’s trying to get out of the slump that he was in. So I think there’s a lot of swings, and a dive up the middle, and I think all of it just kind of caught up to him a little bit.”
Seager last played May 13 at home against Arizona. Texas then had an off day and Seager was getting an extended break not playing in the series opener at Houston on May 15 before waking up with back spasms.
“So ironic that it was literally on the off day in Houston, and then here we are,” Schumaker said.
Seager has seven homers and 20 RBIs while hitting .179 — that average ranked 165th out of 170 qualified MLB hitters going into Monday’s game. In the fifth season of a $325 million, 10-year deal, Seager has 28 hits, 22 walks and 50 strikeouts in 182 plate appearances.
Langford and Smith updates
Left fielder Wyatt Langford, out since April 22 because of a right forearm strain, took BP in the cage Monday. If he continues to progress without any issues, he could take live BP and run bases by Friday and potentially begin rehab games next weekend.
Second baseman Josh Smith, after being hospitalized to be treated for viral meningitis, could be back at the ballpark in the next couple of days, according to Schumaker.
Smith was recovering from a right glute strain when he started feeling ill and was hospitalized. He hasn’t be around the team in nearly two weeks.
DENVER, CO - MAY 19: Tanner Gordon #29 of the Colorado Rockies pitches during the game between the Texas Rangers and the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field on Tuesday, May 19, 2026 in Denver, Colorado. (Photo by Ray Bahner/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
Tanner Gordon will be looking to help the Rockies break a two-game losing streak and perform better than the last time he faced the Dodgers when he takes the mound for Colorado in the series-opening game in Los Angeles tonight.
After a solid 2026 debut, when he threw four scoreless innings against the Astros on April 15, Gordon has struggled. His second game came against the Dodgers when he gave up six runs on seven hits, including three homers, in four innings in a 12-3 loss on April 20 at Coors Field.
In seven starts, Gordon is 0-0 with a 6.59 ERA in 27.1 innings with 30 strikeouts, six walks and six homers. With Jose Quintana forced to leave Sunday’s game after 1.1 innings with elbow soreness and with him now headed to the IL, the Rockies could use a longer start from Gordon to give some relief to the bullpen.
The Rockies (20-34) are going through a rough May where they have put up a 6-16 record, including dropping five of their last six games. In their only showdowns with the Dodgers this season, Colorado split a four-game series against L.A. at Coors Field in April.
The Dodgers (33-20) are returning to Dodger Stadium after going 7-2 on their latest road trip against the Brewers, Padres and Angels. Emmet Sheehan (3-1, 4.93 ERA) will be on the mound for L.A. The 26-year-old RHP has given up nine home runs and 13 walks with 51 strikeouts in 45.2 innings in nine starts.
The Rockies faced Sheehan on April 18. In a 4-3 Rockies victory, Sheehan earned a no-decision when he surrendered two runs on four hits with four strikeouts and two walks in five innings.
First Pitch: 7:10 p.m. MDT
TV: Rockies.TV
Radio: 850 AM/94.1 FM KOA Rockies Radio Network; KNRV 1150 AM (Spanish)
The Los Angeles Dodgers activated the fan favorite utilityman from the 60-day injured list on Monday, May 25 after Hernández missed the first 53 games of the season while recovering from offseason elbow surgery. Hernández is in the starting lineup and will make his 2026 debut against the Colorado Rockies.
Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment in a corresponding move, the Dodgers announced. Hernández will bat ninth in the order and gets the start at third base in place of Max Muncy, who was hit by a pitch on his right wrist in the Dodgers' 5-1 loss to the Milwaukee Brewers on Friday, May 22 and has missed the last two games.
"He'll bounce around, which he has the ability to do," manager Dave Roberts told reporters. "He'll play some third. He'll play some second. If there's an opportunity to spell somebody out there in the outfield, he might do that, too. He'll be available off the bench in pinch-hitting spots, but some of it depends on Max, how Max is feeling, and see how that goes."
Monday will mark Hernández's 10th season with the Dodgers in his 12-year big league career. Last October, he became the franchise's all-time leader in postseason appearances (92) as he hit .250 with nine runs, one home run and seven RBI in 17 playoff games as the Dodgers won their second consecutive World Series title.
"October Kiké" made arguably the biggest play of the season in the ninth inning of Game 6 of the Fall Classic when, with the tying runs in scoring position for the Toronto Blue Jays, he ran full sprint into shallow left field to snag a line drive from Andrés Giménez and immediately fired a dart to Miguel Rojas at second base, who scooped it for a game-ending double play to force a Game 7.
And, as everyone wouldn't find out until he announced it later on his Instagram, Hernández did it all on a torn muscle/extensor tendon in his left elbow.
"He's a tough competitor, tough player," Roberts told reporters. "And I don't think anyone appreciated just how severely injured he was. He was not gonna come out of the lineup and gave himself every opportunity to play, and then the pain that he was going through. That's kind of what makes him special."
Hernández, a free agent for most of the offseason, didn't re-sign with the Dodgers until Feb. 12 so that he could immediately be placed on the IL and not take up a spot on the 40-man roster. During that time in contract limbo, he played a key role in bringing closing pitcher Edwin Díaz to LA. Now, Hernández gets his chance to contribute on the field again.
"I know, just talking to him, he's excited to be back -- number one -- but also to be back healthy and be back competing again, playing again, getting active," Roberts told reporters. "Just getting his energy back, it's gonna be good for our group."
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - MAY 25: Nick Lodolo #40 of the Cincinnati Reds pitches during the third inning against the New York Mets at Citi Field on May 25, 2026 in the Queens borough of New York City. (Photo by Ishika Samant/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Cincinnati Reds looked perfectly miserable against New York Mets rookie Nolan McLean, at least in the Top of the 1st inning in the series opener at Citi Field. McLean breezed through the top of the Reds lineup by striking out the side to begin, with none of Blake Dunn, Elly De La Cruz, or JJ Bleday looking comfortable at all in the batter’s box.
Perhaps the Reds just needed to shake off some quick rust after being idle for three of the previous four days. Whatever it was, they flipped the switch shortly thereafter and eventually blasted the Mets prized rookie and the rest of their roster in a 7-2 win to begin their road trip.
Bleday later homered off McLean, Tyler Stephenson did, too, and that was more than enough to back the best start of Nick Lodolo’s blister-delayed 2026 season. The latter fired 6.0 IP of 6 H, ER, 0 BB, 7 K ball on 98 pitches, keeping New York’s offense completely off the board until a solo homer by Marcus Semien in the Bottom of the 6th.
For that, Lodolo takes home this game’s Joe Nuxhall Memorial Honorary Star of the Game award, something I certainly hope he does again another two-dozen times before the season’s end.
While Dunn and Elly struggled (0 for 9, 5 K) atop the order, it was the middle-back of the lineup that carried the offense on the day. Bleday homered, Eugenio Suarez went 2 for 3 with a walk, a double, and 2 runs scored, Nate Lowe walked twice, poked a soft double down the RF line, and scored, and Spencer Steer came up large with a key hit and drove in 3 on the day. That, of course, came before Stephenson in a Reds lineup that increasingly looks potent again with Ke’Bryan Hayes on the IL and TJ Friedl on the back of milk cartons all over the tri-state area.
It was an all-around excellent win, the Reds feasting on the Mets on a day when so much of Cincinnati spends feasting on metts. And the Reds now get to hand the ball to Chase Burns tomorrow in the second game of the series. That will commence at 7:10 PM ET, with the Reds with the serious upper-hand on paper.
The Mets lost their fourth straight game, falling to the Cincinnati Reds on Memorial Day, 7-2.
Here are the takeaways...
-- Nolan McLean came out firing and struck out the side in the first inning, but it was all downhill from there. The righty ended up allowing seven runs on five hits, including two home runs, with six strikeouts over 78 pitches into the fourth inning. His season ERA is now up to 4.40 after allowing 13 earned runs over his last two outings.
He hit Sal Stewart in the rib on an 88 mph changeup in the second inning and then loaded the bases on a single and walk. A run scored on a forceout as Bo Bichette's slow glove flip to second base caused a late throw to first. McLean then threw a wild pitch as the Reds took a 2-0 lead.
McLean nearly escape the third inning unscathed, but let up a solo home run to JJ Bleday with two outs that made it a 3-0 game. The right-hander allowed two more runs in the top of the fourth on Spencer Steer's single up the middle and then gave up a two-run homer to Tyler Stephenson as the Reds went up 7-0. McLean stayed in and plunked his second batter of the day before getting pulled from the game after 3.1 IP.
-- New York's hitting woes continued, failing to take advantage of runners in scoring position. Carson Benge was left stranded on second base in the second inning and Mark Vientos grounded out to end the third inning with runners on the corners.
The Mets found themselves in the same situation in the fifth inning and came up empty again, as Vientos struck out swinging on a ball that hit his leg. Overall, NY left eight on base and went 0-for-6 with RISP.
-- RHP Austin Warren cleaned up the mess in the fourth inning, getting the final two outs of the frame. He stayed in the game and tossed a scoreless fifth inning. Jonathan Pintaro entered in the sixth and made quick work of the Reds, retiring six straight through the seventh inning.
-- Marcus Semien got the Mets on the board with a solo home run in the sixth inning, cutting the deficit to 7-1. Brett Baty led off the bottom of the seventh inning with a double and scored on Benge's groundout, making it a 7-2 game.
-- Tyrone Taylor appeared to injure his right leg running out of the batter's box on a groundout in the sixth inning. He was replaced on defense in the seventh by MJ Melendez, who took over in LF with Nick Morabito moving to RF. The team later said Taylor left with right hip pain.
-- Bichette had three of the Mets' nine hits, going 3-for-4.
Game MVP: Nick Lodolo
The Reds' left-hander kept New York's bats quiet, tossing six strong innings. He allowed one run on six hits and struck out seven with no walks.
Los Angeles, CA - April 01: Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Enrique Hernández (8) warms up prior to the start of a MLB game between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Cleveland Guardians at Dodger Stadium on Wednesday, April 1, 2026 in Los Angeles, CA. (Ronaldo Bolaños / Los Angeles Times via Getty Images)
The Dodgers activated infielder/outfielder Kiké Hernández off the 60-day injured list as expected on Monday, and he starts at third base in the series opener against the Colorado Rockies at Dodger Stadium. Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment, which created room on both the active and 40-man rosters for Hernández.
Espinal, signed to provide a right-handed bat off the bench who could play around the infield, started five games at third base and four games at second base. He played in 26 total games and batted 44 times, hitting .220/.238/.366 with three doubles and a home run.
He became a bit redundant with Hernández getting activated. The Dodgers could have also optioned the Hyeseong Kim, who has six hits in his last 40 at-bats with 16 strikeouts and four walks over his last 14 games. But instead they kept Kim around as an extra left-handed bat with excellent defense and plus-speed.
Nov 1, 2025; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; A detailed view of a Toronto Blue Jays hat in the sixth inning for game seven of the 2025 MLB World Series at Rogers Centre. Mandatory Credit: Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images | Nick Turchiaro-Imagn Images
I’m sure you’ve heard the news:
Nathan Lukes back.
Davis Schneider to Buffalo.
Dylan Cease to IL.
Vlad day to day. Hoping he is back in the lineup tomorrow (but I wouldn’t be the house on it).
OTTAWA, CANADA - APRIL 15: Max Domi #11 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates against the Ottawa Senators on April 15, 2026 at Canadian Tire Centre in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. (Photo by André Ringuette/NHLI via Getty Images)
NHLI via Getty Images
TORONTO — The Toronto Maple Leafs say forward Max Domi will be out indefinitely after offseason surgery for an undisclosed issue.
The team said Monday the 31-year-old experienced complications following the procedure after playing through the injury during the 2025-26 season.
Toronto said Domi will continue working with the club’s medical staff and will be reevaluated at the start of training camp.
The Winnipeg-born forward had 36 points (12 goals, 24 assists) and 95 penalty minutes in 80 regular-season games last season.
Domi signed a four-year, $15 million contract extension with Toronto in June 2024.
Selected 12th overall by the Phoenix Coyotes in the 2013 NHL draft, Domi has 486 points (150 goals, 336 assists) in 815 career regular-season games with Arizona, Montreal, Columbus, Carolina, Chicago, Dallas and Toronto.
PITTSBURGH — The Chicago Cubs spent the first six weeks of the season threatening to run away with the NL Central.
A pair of 10-game winning streaks will do that.
It’s taken just over two weeks for a big chunk of all that hard work to disappear.
A skid that earned the Cubs a share of some unwanted big league history will do that.
Chicago’s 2-1 loss to Pittsburgh on Monday marked its ninth straight defeat, joining the 2017 Los Angeles Dodgers as the only two teams in the expansion era to have multiple 10-game winning streaks and a nine-game skid in the same season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.
“We got to play better,” manager Craig Counsell said after watching his team lose for the 13th time in 15 games.
“We’ve got to swing the bats better. We’ve got to pitch better. We need more guys contributing to good stuff, and as a coaching staff we’ve got to figure out a way to get the players there.”
The Cubs’ current slide is the franchise’s longest since a 10-game winless drought in 2022. Back then, the franchise was firmly in a rebuilding phase. Expectations are much higher nowadays, and while the Cubs still sit somewhat comfortably over .500 at 29-25, that’s just good enough for third in a division where all five teams started Memorial Day over .500.
It’s hardly time to panic. Yet fresh off a winless six-game homestand that began with getting swept by NL Central-leading Milwaukee and ended with three losses to mediocre Houston, it looked like more of the same against the improved Pirates.
Michael Busch provided the only offense with a solo home run in the fifth that tied the game. The Cubs managed just five other hits the rest of the way, going 0 for 2 with runners in scoring position and leaving seven runners on base.
“Offensively, we are equipped to be way more consistent than this and way better than this, and we need to show it,” Counsell said.
Monday’s loss marked the ninth time in 15 games the Cubs have scored two runs or fewer. And after making Pirates starter Carmen Mdlozinski work through five innings, they went down meekly late.
Pittsburgh relievers Wilber Dotel and Gregory Soto combined to retire the last 10 Chicago hitters in order. Dotel earned the first victory of his career by working three scoreless innings. Soto worked a perfect ninth for his sixth save.
Counsell experimented in the ninth, sending right-handed batters Nico Hoerner, Seiya Suzuki and Carson Kelly to the plate as pinch hitters against the left-handed Soto. It didn’t work. Hoerner grounded out to first, and Suzuki followed by striking out looking on a 3-2 slider.
The Japanese slugger appealed strike three, but Soto’s 84 mph offering scraped the bottom of the strike zone upon review. Kelly then hit a routine grounder to second and the Cubs’ miserable May continued.
“It’s pretty challenging,” Busch said. “It’s hard to see the bright spots in it. Just trying to do anything we can to scrape across a W.”
The loss marred another excellent start by Ben Brown. The 26-year-old right-hander limited the Pirates to one run and four hits in six innings with two walks and seven strikeouts while dropping his ERA to 2.01.
It just wasn’t enough. Pittsburgh catcher Henry Davis turned on a Trent Thornton offering in the seventh and sent it 427 feet over the wall in left field to give the Pirates the lead for good and eventually send the Cubs back to another quiet clubhouse.
“The guys are working hard,” Brown said. “We’re just not winning baseball games. That doesn’t take away from how talented this group is, and the characters in this room that are pushing each other. We all love each other. The reality of baseball is it can really be tough.”
Jun 11, 2025; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; New York Yankees shortstop Anthony Volpe (11) celebrates in the dugout after scoring during the second inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-Imagn Images | William Purnell-Imagn Images
The Yankees hadn’t lost to the Royals in 11 consecutive games, dating back to Game 2 of the 2024 ALDS. That almost changed this Memorial Day afternoon.
After grabbing a pair of early runs, the Yankee offense appeared to rest on their laurels, watching passively as the Royals battled back to take a 3-2 lead in the home half of the eighth. But the Bombers mustered the fight they needed. Anthony Volpe’s go-ahead two-run single with two outs to go turned what would have been another enervating defeat into a much-needed, well-deserved 4-3 victory at Kauffman Stadium. Will Warren registered a quality start on the mound to keep the game winnable, and Volpe’s heroics stood up. The Yankees now have a winning streak.
The first inning flew by in an eyeblink, setting the stage for a far more eventful second inning, for better and worse. The better part came first, on a Belli Bomb to lead off the frame. Cody Bellinger’s seventh home run of the season traveled 403 feet out to right and gave New York the early lead against Michael Wacha.
However, that lead only stood up in the short term thanks to the contributions of the bottom of the order. With two outs, Volpe worked a walk and J.C. Escarra slashed an opposite-field single to put runners on the corners for José Caballero. Despite getting an automatic strike called on him before he even reached the plate because he lost track of his batting helmet, Caballero lined a base hit to the right-center gap to plate Volpe and make it 2-0.
The worst part for Warren came when he walked the bases loaded to give the light-hitting Royals lineup a chance to claw back. They got halfway, thanks to a Michael Massey sac fly, but the 26-year-old righty was able to hold it to the lone run. He found his command again in the third, working around a Vinnie Pasquantino double with two outs to post a scoreless frame.
From that point forward, Warren really started to flummox Kansas City hitters, starting a string of six-straight harmless fly outs before a two-out single from Maikel Garcia gave a big opportunity to franchise face Bobby Witt Jr. Undaunted, Warren went right after the star shortstop and struck him out on three pitches to end the fifth inning.
Unfortunately, the Royals would finally tie the score in the sixth. Warren’s trend of getting outs through the air continued, but opposing captain Salvador Perez finally timed him up in his third at-bat, scorching a two-seamer deep out to left for an equalizing homer.
The Yankees wasted a double of their own from Aaron Judge in the top of the third, then a double play quashed a first-and-third threat in the fourth. Those missed opportunities allowed Wacha, always effective against New York, to settle into the game. The veteran retired nine Yankees in a row for a perfect third time through the order. He completed seven full innings for the fifth time in eleven starts. That’s not what New York was looking for after making him work hard earlier in the afternoon.
Then came the home eighth. Daniel Lynch IV dispatched the top of the Yankee order very quickly to bring up the Royals’ team MVP. Witt greeted Jake Bird with a big fly down the left field line toward the Royals’ Hall of Fame building that he might one day inhabit, putting Kansas City ahead for the first time and causing a wave of exasperated sighs across the Tri-State area.
It’s been a while since the last inspiring Yankees comeback. Could we get one this Memorial Day? After a first-pitch out from Bellinger, a rally began to take shape.
It started with a broken-bat infield single from Paul Goldschmidt; the ball deadened so much on impact with the ground that not even Witt could make a play on it. Then came Jazz Chisholm Jr., and he slapped a groundball past the second-base hole for a hit. He raced to second and reached safely with a double, perhaps thanks to an ill-advised cutoff from Nick Loftin. Jazz then got a visit from the trainer before staying in the game, as Volpe took a consequential plate appearance.
The Fox delivered. Volpe fell behind in the count 1-2, but closer Lucas Erceg’s slider caught too much of the plate. No. 11 made him pay with a two-run single to catapult the Yankees back ahead, 4-3. While Volpe was caught in a rundown after the runs scored, the damage had been done. It was up to David Bednar to make the result stand up.
Bednar faced the bottom of the Royals’ lineup, and wasted little time getting the first two outs before entering a drawn-out battle with ninth-place hitter Lane Thomas, who had entered off the bench. He ultimately walked Thomas to bring up the top of Kansas City’s order, but it was water under the bridge; Garcia bounced out to third to end the game, and the Yankees won 4-3.
Thanks to a truly wild walk-off victory for the Orioles over the Rays in Baltimore, the Yankees gained another game on Tampa Bay in the standings. Their AL East lead is down to 3.5 games. Positive momentum for multiple days in a row—when’s the last time that happened?
Cam Schlittler will get the ball for his 12th start of the season tomorrow evening as the Yankees look to continue their recent dominance at The K. He’ll most likely face an opener for the Royals, the identity of which is yet to be announced by the team. First pitch is scheduled for 7:40 pm EST, which coverage thankfully returning to YES.
KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — Anthony Volpe answered Bobby Witt Jr.'s go-ahead homer in the eighth with a two-run single in the ninth for New York, sending the Yankees to a 4-3 victory over the Kansas City Royals on Monday and extending their winning streak to 12 in the series.
Jake Bird nearly squandered a strong start by Will Warren when he gave up Witt’s tiebreaking shot inside the left-field foul pole leading off the eighth inning.
But the Yankees promptly rallied off Lucas Erceg (3-2), starting with Paul Goldschmidt’s broken-bat hit and Jazz Chisholm Jr.'s one-out double before Volpe’s timely single to left field.
Tim Hill (2-2) earned the win while David Bednar worked around a two-out walk in the ninth to earn his 12th save of the season.
It was Erceg who wound up wasting a strong start by the Royals’ Michael Wacha, and an even more effective inning from Daniel Lynch IV, who had set down the top of the New York lineup in the eighth to turn a 3-2 lead over to the Kansas City closer.
Cody Bellinger homered earlier in the game for the Yankees, who have not lost to the Royals since Sept. 10, 2024. That streak includes the past 11 regular-season meetings and the clinching game of the 2024 AL Divisional Series.
After the Yankees jumped to a 2-0 lead on Bellinger’s homer and an RBI single by Jose Caballero, the Royals clawed back in the bottom of the second. Salvador Perez, Jac Caglianone and Isaac Collins walked and Michael Massey hit a sacrifice fly to make it 2-1.
That score remained until Perez’s tying homer in the sixth. It was his 136th home run at Kauffman Stadium, tying George Brett’s stadium record, and it moved the Royals captain to within five of the Hall of Famer’s overall club record of 317 homers.
Up next
RHP Cam Schlittler (6-2, 1.50 ERA) starts Tuesday night for the Yankees. The Royals are likely to use their bullpen to start the game.
HOUSTON, TEXAS - MAY 16: Christian Walker #8 of the Houston Astros bats in the sixth inning against the Texas Rangers at Daikin Park on May 16, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) | Getty Images
TONIGHT’S GAME: The Houston Astros (23-31) and Texas Rangers (24-28) begin a 4-game series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, TX.
RHP Tatsuya Imai (1-2. 8.31 ERA) will start for the Astros vs. Rangers RHP Kumar Rocker (2-4, 3.60 ERA). Tonight will be Imai’s 1st career appearance vs. the Rangers.
ABOUT IMAI: RHP Tatsuya Imai will make his sixth start tonight and the first of his career vs. the Rangers.
Imai started the 1st game of this current road trip on May 18 at MIN, in which his outing was cut short due to a lengthy rain delay. Prior to the delay, he had hurled 4.2 innings, allowing 3 earned runs with no walks and 5 strikeouts.
Earlier this season, Imai missed 26 games while on the Injured List (arm fatigue).
In January, the Astros signed Imai as a free agent to a three-year deal. In 2025, he was an All-Star for the Seibu Lions in the NPB in Japan, where he went 10-5 with a 1.92 ERA (35ER/163.2IP) in 24 games.
THE SILVER BOOT SERIES: The Astros took 2 out of 3 from Rangers, May 15-17 at Daikin Park.
Even Series: The two clubs have played each other 295 times in the regular season in their franchise histories, with the Astros holding a slight advantage, 148-147.
Recently, the Astros have had the upper hand, winning or splitting nine straight season series, going 95-52 against the Rangers since the start of the 2017 season.
Note: The Silver Boot Trophy, which the Astros have held onto since 2017, is on display in the Centerfield Team Store at Daikin Park.
BACK INTO THE NIGHT: Tonight will be the Astros first night game since Tues. night at MIN. Since that game, they have played 4 consecutive day games, Wed. at MIN and all 3 games over the weekend vs. the Cubs at Wrigley Field.
Prior to last week, the last time that the Astros had played 4 consecutive day games was April 2-6 of last season (source: Elias).
SWEEPSTAKES: The 3-game sweep of the Cubs over the weekend was the Astros 1st series sweep on the road in 2026 and their 2nd series sweep overall this season. Their other sweep in 2026 came March 30-April 1 vs. BOS at Daikin Park.
At Wrigley: Prior to over the weekend, the last time that the Astros swept the Cubs at Wrigley Field was in a 3-game series, May 30-June 1, 2011.
FOR STARTERS: Astros starters have a combined ERA of 2.84 (13ER/45.2IP) over the last 9 games.
Saturday was the 3rd time in the last 5 games that an Astros starter did not allow a run in his start.
Additionally, Astros starters have allowed no runs 4 times in the last 9 games.
WALKER, TEXAS HAMMER: 1B Christian Walker had a productive series over the weekend at Wrigley Field, going 5×12 (.417) with 3 HR and 6 RBI. For the season, he has been one of the top hitting 1st basemen in the AL.
Overall, he currently ranksT2nd in the AL in RBI (37) and 6th in TB (104), HR (14) and SLG (.531).
AL RBI Leaders
J. Aranda: 38 T2. C. Walker: 37 T2. N. Kurtz: 37
SPENCER’S GIFTS: Since making his season debut on April 15, RHP Spencer Arrighetti has been one of the top starters in the Majors…with Friday’s win at CHC, he is now 6-1 in just 7 starts with a 1.32 ERA (6ER/41IP) and a miniscule .169 batting avg. (24 H allowed in 41.0 IP).
Since April 15, Arrighetti’s 6 wins are tops in the AL in that span.
Model of Consistency: Arrighetti has allowed 1 ER or less in 6 of his 7 starts and 2 ER or less in all 7 starts. In May, Arrighetti is 3-1 in 4 starts with an 0.78 ERA (2ER/23IP).
RECENT STROS: The Astros have won 3 straight, 4 of their last 5 and are 6-3 in their last 9 games and 7-4 in their last 11 games.
CLOSE CALLS: With yesterday’s 4-2 win, the Astros are now 10-8 in 2-run games and 4-2 in 1-run games.
THROWING SOME LEATHER: The Astros 19 errors as a club are tied for the fewest in the AL, along with KC and ATH. The Astros had the fewest errors in the AL prior to committing 2 errors in Friday’s 4-2 win.
PEN PALS: As a group, the Astros bullpen has had a decent run of success recently.
Since May 8, they have a combined ERA of 3.44 (20ER/52.1IP).
Individually, several relievers are currently pitching well: –RHP Bryan Abreu: 0.00 ERA in last 8 outings (7.2 IP, 0 R). –RHP AJ Blubaugh: 3.14 ERA in last 9 outings (14.1 IP, 5 ER). –LHP Bryan King: 1.42 ERA in last 10 outings (12.2 IP, 2 ER) –LHP Steven Okert: 8 K’s in his last 4.2 IP (5 apps.)…3.24 ERA in his last 9 outings (8.1 IP, 3 ER).
ROAD WARRIORS: The Astros have been one of the AL’s top hitting teams on the road in 2026. Entering today’s game, HOU leads the AL in road batting avg. (.264) and ranks 2nd in OBP (.334), SLG (.415) and OPS (.749).
TODAY IN ASTROS HISTORY: 1975 – In the Dome, the Astros rally back from a 6-0 deficit to defeat the Expos, 8-7, in 12 innings. A clutch, solo HR in the bottom of the 9th by Cesar Cedeno ties the game at 6-6. With the Astros trailing. 7-6, in the bottom of the 12th, Enos Cabell’s RBI-double ties it and then Milt May singles home the game-winner for the Astros walk-off win.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Monday, May 25, 6:05 p.m. CT
Location: Globe Life Field, Arlington, TX
TV: Space City Home Network
Streaming: SCHN+
Radio: KTRH 740 AM, KBME 790 AM & 94.5 FM HD2; TUDN 102.9 FM HD2 (Spanish)
May 25, 2026; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles outfielder Colton Cowser (17) celebrates with teammates at home plate after hitting the game-winning two run home run against Tampa Bay Rays pitcher Jesse Scholtens (not pictured) during the thirteenth inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images | Mitch Stringer-Imagn Images
Folks. What was this baseball game???
I cannot believe what I just saw. The Orioles just won a game against the best team in baseball in which they were shut out until the seventh inning, then trailed by two runs in the 11th inning, then trailed by a run in the 12th, then trailed by two runs again in the 13th.
It was without question the gutsiest victory of the year for the Orioles, who badly needed one. At every turn, the O’s could have packed it in and accepted defeat. Instead they pulled out every trick in the book, battling back from every disadvantage — with help, admittedly, from a Rays team that couldn’t play defense — to scrape and claw their way back into the game. And Colton Cowser, for the second straight day, provided the decisive blow with a walkoff home run, finally bringing this roller coaster of a game to a close after 13 innings and 4 hours, 12 minutes of utter madness.
I suppose we’ll start at the beginning, but keep reading for all the fun stuff later on. Though both starters were long gone by the time this game ended, Kyle Bradish and Shane McClanahan were equally dominant today. Bradish showed a knack for making big pitches to get out of jams. In the third, with two on and two out, Bradish blew away Jonathan Aranda on a 3-2 fastball. A similar situation played out two innings later when the Rays put a runner at second before Bradish fanned the dangerous Junior Caminero on a 3-2 pitch, this time a nasty slider. If it hasn’t been said already, Kyle Bradish is so back.
The Orioles’ offense, though, had all sorts of trouble with McClanahan, and they didn’t do themselves any favors with dreadful baserunning. They were picked off not once but twice in the first six innings, starting with Blaze Alexander in the third. Later, in the sixth, with two on and one out, Gunnar Henderson drifted too far off second base. McClanahan fired to the bag and caught Henderson in a rundown, where he was eventually tagged out. Oh, come on, Gunnar. Pinch-hitter Samuel Basallo grounded out to end the threat, and the O’s had blundered themselves out of a great scoring opportunity.
As the scoreless duel entered the sixth inning, the only question was which pitcher would make a mistake first. Unfortunately, the answer was Bradish, who hung a slider to Aranda that he crushed into the right-field seats for his ninth home run. Sigh. One bad pitch amidst an otherwise great effort. Bradish ultimately worked six strong innings, giving up just one run. He struck out three and walked two, both of which were Cedric Mullins, who received a nice ovation from the Camden Yards crowd in his return to Baltimore as a visitor.
Happily, the bottom of the seventh also featured some baserunning adventures that turned out much better for the Birds, with help from terrible Rays defense. Leody Taveras led off with a walk and stole second base. With Alexander at the plate, reliever Hunter Bigge whirled around and tried to pick off Taveras — and truthfully, he would’ve had him out, for the Orioles’ third picked off runner of the day, if shortstop Taylor Walls had been able to catch the ball cleanly. But he didn’t, and it rolled into center field, allowing Taveras to scramble to third.
The O’s took full advantage of the lucky break. On the next pitch, Alexander laced a single to left to plate Taveras with the tying run, finally giving the Camden Yards crowd something to cheer about. But the fun didn’t stop there. With two outs, Taylor Ward roped a single to right. Alexander aggressively tried to get to third, and again a good throw would’ve gotten him, but Victor Mesa Jr. airmailed the ball so wildly that it sailed out of play, automatically awarding Alexander home plate. That’s a heck of a way to score the go-ahead run. I’ll gladly take it. The Orioles have been on the wrong end of shoddy defensive plays many times this year, so it’s nice when it happens to the other team.
The Orioles had taken an improbable lead and the ballpark was rocking, but the O’s immediately blew it. Manager Craig Albernaz made the curious decision to replace Yennier Cano (ERA: 1.40) with Anthony Nunez (ERA: 4.94), even though Cano had thrown just six pitches and faced one batter in the seventh. Make it make sense. Sure enough, Nunez coughed up a double and an RBI single, and with that the game was tied again.
Rico Garcia did his darnedest to keep the game tied, pitching both the ninth and tenth innings and throwing a season-high 32 pitches. Garcia pulled off a great escape in the 10th with the bases loaded and one out, striking out Richie Palacios before a Mullins sizzling liner was nabbed by Alonso at first. Again, the Orioles were fired up, the crowd was alive, and the O’s had every opportunity to win the game.
And again, they blew it, even with a free runner on second to start the bottom of the 10th. Colton Cowser tried to bunt Jackson Holliday to third, but his bunt landed so close to pitcher Ian Seymour that Holliday held at second, thinking it would be caught. So it just ended up as a useless out at first base. Come on, guys! Then the Rays elected to intentionally walk Ward to purposely face Gunnar Henderson with the winning run at second. How far Gunnar’s stature has fallen. Even worse: it worked, as Henderson flailed at an outside pitch for a strikeout, and Rutschman grounded out to send the game to the 11th.
The air had deflated from the Orioles’ balloon, and when Mesa led off the top of the 11th with a two-run homer off Tyler Wells, it looked like the Birds were cooked. But the game took another ridiculous turn in the bottom half of the inning. Alonso smacked a leadoff single to left. Rutschman, the automatic runner, was bizarrely waved to the plate, even though the O’s were down by two runs. I don’t know why Buck Britton sent him there, but it worked out, as Chandler Simpson’s throw was so off-line that Alonso got to second on the play.
The next batter, Jeremiah Jackson, ripped a shot off the glove of the third baseman and into shallow left. Once again Britton aggressively challenged Simpson’s weak arm. The throw to the plate beat Alonso, but catcher Nick Fortes couldn’t hang on, and Alonso slid in safely. WE ARE TIED! Unbelievable! What is this game??
The O’s had a chance to win it right there, as Taveras bunted Jackson to third with one out, but they couldn’t advance him the final 90 feet. The southpaw Seymour racked up a huge strikeout of Holliday and retired Cowser on a flyout to leave Jackson stranded. Spoiler: Colton would redeem himself later.
Right away, the Rays went back ahead in the 12th when long flyouts from Caminero and Aranda moved the automatic runner, Simpson, to third and then home. Again the O’s faced a deficit, 5-4. But again, they came rallying back. A Ward flyout moved Cowser, the Manfred Man, to third base with one out, giving Henderson a chance to redeem himself from his 10th-inning failure.
He did! …Sort of. Henderson smacked a hard shot to first, with Aranda making a quick-reflexed stop. He immediately fired home to Fortes, who tagged the sliding Cowser at the plate. Umpire Ryan Additon called Cowser out, but the O’s immediately challenged. Replay appeared to show that Cowser got his left hand in before the tag from Fortes, but since it didn’t seem 100% conclusive, I assumed they’d uphold the call. I’m happy to report that I was wrong. The call was reversed, Cowser was safe, and we were tied again. Holy moley. This became just the second MLB game this year to go to the 13th inning.
The Rays’ offense just kept coming. With Dietrich Enns on the mound in the 13th, Palacios reached on a bunt single and Mullins beat his former team with a soft RBI single to left. A Fortes sac fly later in the inning made it a 7-5 game, and this time, for sure, the Orioles were cooked. Right? …Right?
WRONG! The Orioles had one more, magical comeback left in them against Rays righty Jesse Scholtens. Taveras roped a double into the corner to lead off the 13th, scoring the free runner, and Alexander’s single to center set up runners at the corners with nobody out. Oh my gosh, are we doing this again? You bet we are. Holliday came through with a productive out, a sac fly to center to bring home Taveras. We are tied again, 7-7. This is insane.
It was about time for somebody to step up and win this game, and look no further than the guy who did exactly that just one day earlier, Cowser. On a 2-1 pitch — on a slider! — Cowser clobbered one to deep center field. He’s done it again! It sailed into the bleachers not far from where his Sunday walkoff landed. Home run. Orioles win, 9-7. The Orioles erupted out of the dugout with high-fives and hugs and Gatorade baths for the hero, in disbelief at the game they’d just played.
What. A. Win. The atmosphere at Oriole Park after the walkoff was electric, and that included the Orioles players, who celebrated on the field with the kind of childlike enthusiasm and sheer joy that we’ve so rarely gotten to see this season. This was the kind of game that the 2023 Orioles would’ve won, and I really hope it can spark some inspired, energetic, winning baseball from the O’s going forward. (I don’t want to hear that it’s unrealistic. Let me have my moment.)
Well, folks. Have you decompressed from this one yet? Who gets your vote for Most Birdland Player if not Cowser? Pete Alonso for his three clutch hits? Kyle Bradish for his impressive start? Rico Garcia for his two gutsy innings of relief? Let us know in the comments!
