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.
Out of all the potential issues the Mets could face, this wasn’t supposed to be one of them. Nolan McLean was their constant. Their ace who could stabilize, solve everything and stop losing streaks single-handedly during his starts.
In an ideal world for the Mets, Carlos Mendoza wouldn’t have needed to walk to the mound in the fourth inning Monday and pull McLean after just 78 pitches.
Access the Mets beat like never before
Join Post Sports+ for exciting subscriber-only features, including real-time texting with Mike Puma about the inside buzz on the Mets.
He wouldn’t have needed to turn to his bullpen that early. But after delivering the worst start of his career last week, McLean one-upped that on Memorial Day, lasting just 3 ¹/₃ innings in his shortest outing with the Mets, surrendering seven runs on five hits, walking two and hitting two more batters in the Mets’ 7-2 loss to the Reds at Citi Field.
“It’s just bad pitching, honestly,” McLean said, turning a question about his stretch and windup splits into a telling line that he hasn’t needed to utter much throughout his young career. “If I’m just gonna be straight up, I just haven’t been pitching my best, and I gotta be better.”
The usual issues appeared again for the Mets (22-32). They couldn’t manage to score more than two runs for the fifth consecutive game and now have their second four-game losing skid of the season. They made Reds starter Nick Lodolo, who entered with a 7.20 ERA, look like an All-Star. The boos at Citi Field were temporarily replaced by “Let’s go Knicks” chants.
Mets pitcher Nolan McLean (26) reacts after giving up a two-run RBI single to Cincinnati Reds left fielder Spencer Steer (7) in the fourth inning. Corey Sipkin for the NY POSTMets third baseman Bo Bichette (19) hits a single in the fifth inning. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
“I mean, they’re all frustrating,” manager Carlos Mendoza said when asked if this current stretch was more frustrating after the Mets appeared to turn a corner. “Especially when you’re not playing well. They’re all the same, to be honest with you. Yeah, it sucks.”
But around all that, McLean tossed what he called a second uncompetitive start in a row. The 24-year-old mostly breezed through opponents last season and at the start of 2026, too, and that’s exactly what happened Monday for his first 18 pitches.
McLean struck out the side in the first inning, but he quickly unraveled after hitting Reds third baseman Sal Stewart. He eventually loaded the bases and watched as Cincinnati scored its first two runs when Spencer Steer grounded into a fielder’s choice and McLean threw a wild pitch.
Mets second baseman Marcus Semien (10) is greeted by his teammates in the dugout after he scored on his solo home run in the sixth inning. Corey Sipkin for the NY POST
Then, JJ Bleday crushed a homer over the right-center field fence in the third, before Steer connected on a two-run single the following frame and Tyler Stephenson launched a two-run homer on the first pitch after a mound visit. McLean has allowed 16 runs, with 13 earned, across his last nine innings, walking four batters and hitting four others.
He has struggled to land his secondary pitches while also getting into bad counts, McLean and Mendoza agreed. McLean also admitted that he dealt with fatigue early Monday — perhaps trying to get “a little bit too much after it” to fix what went wrong after his start against the Nationals last week, he said. When he cruised through the opening frame, Mendoza thought, “Oh, he’s on today,” but everything unraveled from there.
And all it takes — with these Mets and this offense — is one bad inning to sink them, let alone three from their ace strung together. Marcus Semien homered in the sixth as part of a two-hit day to give a lineup missing Juan Soto (illness) for a second consecutive day a temporary jolt. Carson Benge added an RBI groundout the following frame to score Brett Baty.
But that was it. The Mets, as they’ve done all season, had other chances and failed to convert. They had runners on first and third with two outs in the third, but Mark Vientos rolled over a pitch and grounded out. They had the same situation again in the fifth inning, but this time, Vientos struck out on a curveball that hit him.
On most occasions, McLean could bail out the Mets. He could deliver a gem — or at least give them a chance to win. The last thing the Mets need is another rotation problem. Clay Holmes and Kodai Senga are already injured. Sean Manaea and David Peterson have already been demoted at different points, though Peterson is slowly working his way back. Freddy Peralta has mostly underwhelmed.
And now, at the very least, they have a worrying trend with McLean.
“He’s gonna get back on track,” Mendoza said. “He’s got too good of stuff for this to keep going. … It just sucks it happens on back-to-back outings, especially in the middle of this stretch.”
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).
For the first time since José Caballero came off the injured list, Volpe started at shortstop and ended up saving the day, delivering a two-run single in the top of the ninth to lift the Yankees to a 4-3 win over the Royals in a Memorial Day matinee at Kauffman Stadium.
After Bobby Witt Jr. had put the Royals ahead with a solo shot off Jake Bird in the bottom of the eighth, the Yankees (32-22) staged a one-out rally capped by Volpe, who has gone from October shoulder surgery to losing his job to being optioned to Triple-A to coming back up and now making a consistent impact through his first nine games.
“It just felt great to contribute and help the team win — that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do,” Volpe said. “That was all I wanted to do when I was working and grinding to come back.
“You do it for this, for the guys. Everyone in this clubhouse does absolutely everything they can to come through and help the team win. I just feel like I’m one of the guys and everyone pushes me the same way I hope I push everyone else to do the exact same thing.”
Yankees’ Anthony Volpe waits for the pitch before hitting a two-run single during the ninth inning of baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, May 25, 2026. AP Photo/Charlie RiedelYankees left fielder Cody Bellinger, center, runs home to score after hitting a solo home run during the second inning of a baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, May 25, 2026. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
After Volpe sat out the previous two games in favor of Caballero, they were both in Monday’s lineup against Royals righty Michael Wacha, who has reverse splits, with Caballero getting his first start at third base.
Sure enough, both played a key role in the win, with Caballero driving in Volpe on a single that made it a 2-0 game in the second inning and later ending the game with a strong play on a slow chopper to third base.
“I trust in both of those guys and who they are and their makeup and their toughness, that it doesn’t have to be one way or another in one game,” manager Aaron Boone said. “They were both in the middle of helping us win today.”
Fourteen straight Yankees had been retired before Paul Goldschmidt started the game-winning rally in the ninth with a broken-bat infield single off Royals closer Lucas Erceg. Jazz Chisholm Jr. came up next and roped a hustle double past the dive of first baseman Salvador Perez.
That set the stage for Volpe, and, with the infield in, he lofted a single over the head of Bobby Witt Jr. at shortstop to put the Yankees ahead.
Yankees pitcher Will Warren (29) pitches during the first inning against the Kansas City Royals at Kauffman Stadium. IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
David Bednar then closed it out in the bottom of the ninth, working around a two-out walk, as the Yankees took the series opener from the Royals (22-32).
“Honestly, it was time to win the game,” said Chisholm, who tweaked his right ankle rounding first but said he was OK. “End of the game, we never quit, we never give in. We needed to win that game, so we just came together and did it.”
Anthony Volpe, left, and Jazz Chisholm Jr. celebrate after their baseball game against the Kansas City Royals, Monday, May 25, 2026, in Kansas City, Mo. AP Photo/Charlie Riedel
Bird was called on to relieve Brent Headrick with two outs and a runner on third in the bottom of the seventh inning and got out of that jam. But Boone stuck with Bird to face the heart of the Royals lineup in the bottom of the eighth and he hung a curveball to Witt, who clobbered it 432 feet to break a 2-2 tie.
Boone said Fernando Cruz was available “in a role,” but wanted either Bird or Camilo Doval in that spot because of the matchups.
Yankees Merch Shop
WinCraft insulated can coolers
Team Effort driver head cover
47 Brand adjustable cap
Customizable jersey
Logo fleece blanket
14-ounce sculpted relief coffee mug
New York Post receives revenue from affiliate and advertising partnerships for sharing this content and when you make a purchase.
The bullpen had no margin for error, after another solid start from Will Warren (six innings, two runs), because the offense had trouble breaking out against Wacha. Cody Bellinger drilled a leadoff home run in the second inning before Caballero drove in Volpe for the two-run lead, but the Yankees stranded a runner at third base in each of the next two innings before getting shut down for a stretch.
That changed in the ninth, though, with Volpe playing hero and offering up his latest forget-me-not.
“He’s a dawg. He’s a gamer. He’s a tough kid,” Boone said. “Certainly [losing his job] isn’t the way he would draw it up or maybe even doesn’t feel that’s fair — whatever it may be — but the one thing he does is continue to work his tail off and play his tail off. He’s come up here and in his first several games back, he’s played really well.”
In their latest roster crunch, the Dodgers made the expected move Monday.
With Kiké Hernández returning from the injured list, veteran utility man Santiago Espinal was designated for assignment.
Dodgers utilityman Santiago Espinal was DFA’d on Monday as Los Angeles is adding World Series hero Kiké Hernández to the active roster. Getty Images
Espinal being the odd man out for Hernández’s activation was no surprise. Ever since the former All-Star made the team coming out of spring training, he seemed like a de facto place-holder until Hernández returned from offseason elbow surgery.
“We were very forthright up front about the expectations, so I think he respected that,” manager Dave Roberts said. “[He’s] a complete pro.”
Leading up to Hernández’s scheduled activation on Monday, however, intrigue had nonetheless intensified over what the team’s corresponding move would be.
Espinal himself hadn’t done much to change the calculus, batting just .220 in extremely limited playing time this year.
But amid a recent slump from Hyeseong Kim, the Dodgers suddenly had another option to contemplate.
It was only a couple weeks ago, remember, that Kim survived the first roster crunch of this Dodgers’ season –– staying on the MLB roster over Alex Freeland when Mookie Betts returned from a month-long oblique injury.
At that time, Kim kept his spot because of how well he was playing. After beginning the year in the minors, he had hit .314 with only 14 strikeouts over his first 26 games back in the majors.
“When he plays,” Roberts said of Kim last month, “he always does something to help the team win.”
For the second time this season, Dodgers Hyeseong Kim has survived roster changes and remains on the active roster. AP Photo/Tony Ding
Alas, that has not remained the case lately.
Going back to May 8, the second-year South Korean import has struggled mightily, entering Monday a woeful 6-for-his-last-40 with 16 strikeouts and no extra-base hits.
He acknowledged he hasn’t felt great with his swing, which in turn has led to worse swing decisions as well.
“I recognize what I need to work on,” he said through an interpreter.
Still, the slump was bad enough that, when Roberts was asked about the team’s upcoming roster decision on Sunday afternoon, he acknowledged Kim was in the conversation for getting sent down.
“He’s passive when he shouldn’t be, and then he’s getting into bad counts. I don’t know if it’s a mechanical thing, but he’s been grinding the last – quite honestly, the last month it’s been kind of tough for him.”
Roberts also pointed to Kim’s positive attributes: A plus infielder defensively, the kind of left-handed hitter that better suits the current construction of the club’s roster, and a well-liked teammate who is always “preparing and competing.”
“But right now, it’s just not working,” Roberts acknowledged. “We’ve got to have a tough conversation.”
After undergoing offseason elbow surgery, Hernandez will join the active roster on Monday and give the Dodgers a much-needed boost in depth.
Ultimately, Kim once again skirted such bad news.
The Dodgers stuck with their plan to cut Espinal, who would have been redundant upon Hernández’s return as a fellow right-handed-hitting utility bat. Kim, meanwhile, was back in the lineup for Monday night’s series opener against the Colorado Rockies, continuing on in his platoon role at second base against right-handed pitching.
“[I want] Hyeseong just playing and freeing himself up and not worrying about kind of who’s coming, who’s not coming,” Roberts said. “Just kind of get back to being who he is as a ball player.”
That doesn’t mean Kim has a prolonged runway for continued playing time.
With Tommy Edman set to begin a minor-league rehab stint with triple-A Oklahoma City this week, another roster crunch is looming, as Edman will likely take over everyday duties at second base when eventually returns from an offseason ankle injury that has sidelined him to start the year.
That means, while Kim is safe for now, he is officially on the clock to turn things around.
The fact that he was under consideration at all for Monday’s roster cut only underscored his precarious situation.
“It’s my job to produce, so I’m always focused on producing numbers,” Kim said. “Given the [roster] situation, I’m not trying to think about it too much. Just keep working hard, and keep producing as best I can.”
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!
Mets outfielder Tyrone Taylor left the team’s game in the bottom of the sixth inning this afternoon with what looked pretty clearly like a leg injury. It had looked like something was off earlier in the game, but he was very clearly unable to run all the way to first base on a ground ball he hit to third base.
Coming off a tough 2025 season, Taylor has struggled mightily thus far in 2026. In 104 plate appearances, he’s hit .186/.210/.320 with a 48 wRC+, and coming into the game this afternoon, he was at -0.6 fWAR.
Assuming he’ll be out for a while, the Mets figure to to continue playing their trio of young outfielders—Nick Morabito, A.J. Ewing, and Carson Benge—pretty regularly. And Juan Soto will get his starts in left field, too, of course, while the team will obviously call up someone from the minors to take Taylor’s place on the active roster once he hits the injured list.
KANSAS CITY, MO - MAY 25: New York Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger (35) celebrates in the dugout after hitting a homer run against the Kansas City Royals on May 25th, 2026 at Kauffman Stadium in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by William Purnell/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images) | Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
Another ninth-inning meltdown wasted a great start from Michael Wacha in a 4-3 loss to the Yankees. This is just brutal to watch. It’s infuriating. The Royals held a 3-2 lead going into the 9th inning, which currently belongs to Lucas Erceg. I’m not sure it will for much longer.
In that inning, Salvador Perez was playing first base because Quatraro pinch-ran for Pasquantino earlier. Paul Goldschmidt hit a little pop-dribbler hybrid thing that Bobby Witt could not get to in time. With one out and a runner on first, Perez was hugging the line to protect against the grounder-down-the-line double. Unfortunately, Jazz Chisholm hit a line drive exactly to where a first baseman would normally be standing, but Perez could not reach it. With Tyler Tolbert in RF instead of Jac Caglianone, Chisholm hustled for a double. With one out and runners on second and third, Anthony Volpe singled to left field to bring both runners in. That put the Yankees ahead 4-3, and it felt like it was over with the bottom of the lineup coming in for the bottom of the ninth. The Royals got one guy on but could do nothing with him.
This hurts. Wacha threw yet another quality start – 7 IP, 5 H, 2 R, 2 BB, 5 K. The offense sputtered but put together enough runs to have a lead in the ninth. In the second inning, Perez led off with an ABS challenge to get a walk. He’s pretty good at ABS. Jac Caglianone went down 0-2 and then worked a walk. Isaac Collins went down 1-2 and also worked a walk to load the bases. Massey hit a lazy fly ball deep enough in the left-center field gap to bring in Perez on a sac fly. In the bottom of the 6th, Salvador Perez got a meatball that he hit almost into the fountains to tie the game 2-2. It was his 9th of the season. Bobby Witt Jr took a slider well beyond the left field fence in the 8th inning for a go-ahead solo homer to make it 3-2. It was Witt’s 8th homer of the season.
In the 7th inning, the Royals almost plated another run. Would have helped. Nick Loftin hustle-doubled a pop fly that CF Trent Grisham got a poor read on off the bat. He went backwards first and then sorta jogged for a sec before he made an attempt to charge in for the short fly ball. It dropped between three fielders and Loftin barely beat the tag at second. He advanced to third on a deep fly ball to left-center field. Garcia hit a weak grounder to the shortstop, but not weak enough to make it close at first base. The Royals were unable to score.
It wasn’t just the pitching either. The Royals flashed some leather too. Bobby Witt robbed a line drive up the middle from Ben Rice with a jumping, reaching catch. A double play got Wacha out of a jam in the third inning. Massey ranged to his right and threw on the run moving away from first base to get Jazz Chisholm out. Wacha was able to use his defense to work around runners on base in the third and fourth. He got a lot of quick outs and was at 93 pitches in the 7th inning. He was efficient and effective. His primary mistake was just a happy-zone four-seam fastball to Cody Bellinger that he blasted into the right-field bullpen. The Yankees put across another run with a walk and two singles.
Overall, it felt like a close game that the Royals had a real chance to win even with the relatively low offensive output. Just, once again, they cannot rely on anyone to close the game out with any sort of confidence. Erceg almost blew the game yesterday too.
The Royals are in a deep hole with the Guardians playing well above them as well as the upstart Chicago White Sox (??? How?). They cannot keep doing this and expect the season to end well.
The Royals move to 22-32. The Yankees move to 32-22. They play again tomorrow at 6:40pm US Central.
