The San Francisco Giants pulled off a major comeback, walk-off win against the Washington Nationals after being down eight runs in the final two innings on Wednesday.
Giants' young prospect Bryce Eldridge was the man of the hour, putting the nail in the coffin with a triumphant walk-off grand slam in the bottom ninth inning, giving San Francisco an 11-10 victory.
Eldridge finished the game with a stat line of 1-for-4, including two runs and 4 RBIs. The 21-year-old rising star was the organization's top prospect in 2025, and he's proving why he was worthy of the ranking.
During the 2026 MLB season, Eldridge has steamed up a batting average of .298 with four home runs and 12 RBIs. His OPS is .907 through 28 games played.
Bryce Eldridge is the youngest player in MLB history to hit a walk-off grand slam. The previous youngest was Roberto Clemente.
There hasn't been much magic in San Francisco. The Giants offense has highs and lows. In some spurts, they can look like one of the best groups in baseball, but then they'll turn around and have a letdown.
Against the Nationals, all signs were pointing towards another letdown. Then the eighth inning happened.
San Francisco trailed 9-1 as they took bat in the bottom eighth. All it took was one inning for the team to catch a rhythm and crawl their way back into the game.
The trek for a comeback started with a solo homer from Matt Chapman that went yard 409-feet over center field. It was Chapman's second home run of the day.
Rafael Devers, who had been an inconsistent hitter so far through 2026, smacked a solo home run right after Chapman. Devers' went 408 feet to center. Daniel Susac registered an RBI that brought Jung Hoo Lee in for a run. Drew Gilbert was next after Susac, registering an RBI on a sacrifice ground ball that took Eldridge home. Susac scored stealing home after a wild pitch.
The Giants trailed 9-6 going into the final inning. San Francisco loaded the bases after Devers was walked and Lee singled to right.
It was the perfect position for Eldridge to have a fairytale ending to their game with the Nationals. He took bat at the plate, swung and sent it back 326 feet to right field as he reeled in Chapman, Devers and Lee before he rounded the bases back home.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs reacts during the fourth quarter against the New York Knicks in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
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What a difference a game makes! The Spurs went into the Garden on Monday night needing a win to stay alive in the series, because being down 3-0 in a seven game series in the NBA is a death sentence. The conventional wisdom was that the hostile and chaotic atmosphere of Madison Square Garden would throw the Spurs off balance and benefit the Knicks, when the reality was that the Silver and Black were the more poised team in Game 3. This team really showed that the are at their best when they have to perform by winning Game 7 against the Thunder in Oklahoma City to advance to the finals, and they delivered a similar performance in Game 3 of the Finals.
The Spurs turned things around because they went full Popovich in Game 3, and gave the Knicks some nasty, which the fans REALLY didnât appreciate. I had a discussion with a coworker this morning and we agreed that the Finals against the Knicks are not the most rigorous series that the Spurs have played in the postseason, because both the Minnesota and Thunder series were more physical. But it seems like hell to the Knicks fans, who danced through the first three rounds against feather-soft opponents. Theyâve cultivated a narrative where Victor Wembanyama is a diabolical combination of Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Jack the Ripper, because he threw a guy who was pulling on his jersey to the ground1. TO THE GROUND! Perhaps itâs not a coincidence that about half of the lyrics of the Talking Headsâ Psycho Killer2 are in French.
Stephon Castle did about the best job that anyone can do on Brunson. He got his points, but they were inefficient, and he didnât get anyone else involved in the offense. Dylan Harper had another fantastic outing for the Silver and Black, and Victor Wembanyama contributed magic from beginning to end. The Spurs are going to have to bring that kind of effort again tonight, because the Knicks are going to put together their best effort tonight. Devin Vassell was relatively quiet in Game 3, and a breakout game from him would be an asset for the road team.
A win tonight ties up the series, making a three game series with the Spurs having two at home. If the lose tonight, the Silver and Black need to win three games in a row to take home the trophy, which is a much tougher road. Itâs going to be the most pivotal game of the series, just like the last one was. GO SPURS GO!!
It should have been called a foul, but the refs missed it in real time. I thought it was possibly a Flagrant 1 foul, but the league office reviewed it the following day and ruled that it wasnât.
David Byrne was extremely prescient when he wrote that song in 1974. Victor hates people when theyâre not polite. Maybe the Knicks should fa-fa-fa-fa run away âŠ
Game Prediction:
KAT gets in a fight with Brunson because Jalen never passes the ball to him.
San Antonio Spurs at New York Knicks, NBA Finals, Game 4 June 10, 2026 | 7:30 PM CT Streaming: ESPN TV: ABC Reminder: It is against site policy to post links to illegal streams in the comments.
When Shohei Ohtani is pitching â as he is against the Pittsburgh Pirates Wednesday, June 10 â it's simply mano a mano, Ohtani vs. the batter, with Ohtani prevailing the vast majority of the time.
This time, though, the Dodgers are also letting him serve as designated hitter, which means Ohtani vs. the opposing pitcher â along with eight other defensive players.
And on this night one of them thwarted him.
Pirates left fielder Bryan Reynolds robbed Ohtani of his 12th home run, ranging to his right and hopping above the short left field wall to snag the ball before it could land among a group of sun-splashed patrons.
Ohtani drove a Jared Jones full-count 99 mph fastball the opposite way, 101.7 mph off the bat. According to Statcast, the 383-foot drive would have been a home run in 25 of 30 parks.
Well, probably 26 of 30, were it not for Reynoldsâ well-coordinated leap to keep this game scoreless.
Ohtani did hit a two-run home run in the ninth, but it was not quite enough as the Dodgers lost 9-8.
ANAHEIM, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 3: Michael Lorenzen #24 of the Colorado Rockies pitches against the Los Angeles Angels during the second inning of a game at Angel Stadium of Anaheim on June 3, 2026 in Anaheim, California. (Photo by Scott Strazzante/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Colorado Rockiesâ series opener victory against the Chicago Cubs was a resounding success. They got pitching and hitting, and played an overall great game to shake off the mess of the Milwaukee Brewers series. Granted, the Cubs are not in the best of places at the moment, but victories like that have hopefully set the stage for the Rockies to secure another series victory.
Michael Lorenzen (2-8, 8.01 ERA) continues his quest for answers in 2026 for the Rockies. Lorenzen once again struggled in his last outing against the Los Angeles Angels, as he allowed eight runs on 10 hits over 3.1 innings of work. The majority of damage came in the second inning, where he just couldnât throw strikes, and the Angels were punishing mistakes over the plate. He has been left floundering, trying to tweak mechanics and get comfortable on the mound, but those answers have eluded him thus far. The key for Lorenzen seems to be finding a way to mitigate the âone bad inningâ trope that has plagued many Rockies pitchers, and a great way to do that is by throwing quality strikes and establishing his command early.
Unfortunately, Lorenzen has a 9.67 ERA at home this year hanging over his head as well as a career 7.36 ERA against the Cubs. However, he Will tonight be a moment that Lorenzen can start to change the narrative of his season?
Meanwhile, the Cubs will send out Shota Imanaga (4-6, 4.74 ERA) to make the start. The Japanese veteran has been reliable since making his MLB debut with the Cubs in 2024, where me posted a 2.91 ERA. 2025 wasnât as crisp, but he still managed a sub-4.00 ERA and decided to accept a qualifying offer from the Cubs for this season. His third big league season has been a little tougher, but Imanaga is still a quality pitcher not to be taken lightly. He has recorded six quality starts and will attack the zone with a current tally of 74 strikeouts against 19 walks. Heâs more prone to give up the long ball, having allowed 17 this season after allowing 31 last year. He was roughed up by the Athletics at Wrigley Field in his last start, giving up six runs on six hits, including four home runs, over six innings.
In his lone career start against the Rockies, Imanaga fired six shutout innings, allowing just two hits. This will be his first start at Coors Field.
Former Atlanta Braves player John Smoltz stands in the dugout after the game against the Detroit Tigers at Turner Field on October 2, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia.
Like many others in the baseball world, Hall of Famer John Smoltz is concerned about the possibility of an MLB lockout.
The current collective bargaining agreement between the league and the MLB Players Association will expire after the 2026 season, setting up a long-anticipated negotiating period, with the prospect of a work stoppage looming.
Smoltz said it wonât be a good look if things canât be worked out between the two sides.
âWe know that if they donât get this worked out, baseball will suffer. They cannot afford to have a stoppage with all the good that has been done and all the great games that have been played lately with the World Series,â Smoltz told Fox News Digital.
Former Atlanta Braves player John Smoltz stands in the dugout after the game against the Detroit Tigers at Turner Field on October 2, 2016 in Atlanta, Georgia. Getty Images
MLB made clear it didnât agree with the MLBPAâs first proposal, which did not call for any sort of spending cap.
âThe MLBPAâs proposal would reduce the amount [of money] transferred to lower-revenue Clubs, weaken the Competitive Balance Tax, and lead to even more payroll disparity than exists today,â MLB said in a statement after it released its own proposal.
âFor example, under the Unionâs proposal, the Dodgers would pay less in luxury tax payments, giving them an additional $70 million to spend on payroll.â
Smoltz spoke to what he believes is a competitive balance issue across the league, which is a factor in these CBA negotiations.
âThereâs a competition issue within baseball that some system is claiming that itâs going to fix. I question that big time,â Smoltz added. âUntil you have teams and owners that want to put the best product they can on the field in their market, itâs hard for me to be able to tell somebody what they can and canât spend in a free market world.â
Yankees manager Aaron Boone (17) speaks with Rob Manfred, the commissioner of the MLB, in March. Charles Wenzelberg/New York Post
Baseball has certainly achieved momentum in the American consciousness as of late. The league shared in early May that viewership is up 44 percent compared to the 2025 season for exclusive national games, the best number in the past nine seasons. The excitement brought on by the 2025 World Series certainly helped with that; Game 7 averaged a combined 51 million viewers across the United States, Canada and Japan.
Kings new head coach Peter Laviolette tours the locker room at the team's training facility in El Segundo. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
When Kingsâ new head coach Peter Laviolette took a tour around the Los Angeles area, he thought he was only going to get a one-bedroom home with a view of the water. His children, though, piped in: âMake sure you get a four-bedroom,â Laviolette remembered his three children saying.
During Lavioletteâs time away from the sport, the 61-year-old traveled to Scotland and watched his son play in the East Coast Hockey League. The time away has given Laviolette time to rethink his coaching, and after 30 years of coaching, including 23 as a head coach in the NHL, heâs bringing a trident approach to reshape culture and win games. Centering a hockey family is one part.
âFor me, thereâs three real important pieces,â Laviolette said. âFirst, build a family inside the locker room, inside the organization. Secondly, to really work to try and build the culture to get players and organizations to think about the choices they make and how that can affect the culture. And then the third part is the actual game on the ice, just making sure that every day from the start of training camp we work at the game.â
Los Angeles hired Laviolette to a three-year contract after he spent a year away from the sport. Lavioletteâs coaching experience stretches 1,594 games, the ninth-highest career total, with six teams: the Capitals, Flyers, Islanders, Hurricanes and Predators. Most recently, he was fired by the Rangers in 2025 after two years with the team.
His postseason success might be the biggest draw for the Kings, who have seen middling success in the years since their second Stanley Cup title in 2014. Los Angeles made the playoffs each year since the 2021-22 season, but the team did not advance past the first round.
Meanwhile, Laviolette is only the fourth coach in hockey to lead three teams to the Stanley Cup Final. He last won with Carolina in 2006, but he earned two Presidentâs Trophies in 2017-18 and 2023-24 with the Predators and the Rangers.
Kings general manager Ken Holland, left, and Peter Laviolette pose for a photo during the new coach's introductory news conference Wednesday at the team's training facility in El Segundo. (Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
Still, Laviolette, despite his track record of first-year turnarounds, is joining a team in flux. The Kings fired coach Jim Hiller after the Olympic break. Interim coach D.J Smith helped guide the team to an 11-6-6 finish, aided in part by a trade for Rangers winger Artemi Panarin, whom Laviolette has also coached.
âI had a really good relationship with Artemi in New York,â Laviolette said. âHeâs one of the most talented players Iâve ever coached, and Iâm really happy to get to work with him again. Heâs an amazing talent.â
Using the winger to go on the prowl is one of the small changes Laviolette plans to bring. The Kings have historically prioritized defense in a league that has shifted to attacking. Los Angeles fell to 30th in goals per game last season (2.68), the first time the Kings averaged fewer than three goals since the 2021-22 season. The team was also 28th in power-play percentage at 17%. Laviolette acknowledged that Los Angeles needed to change, highlighting that an attack-forward mindset has been a keystone of his coaching.
âI donât think it should be irresponsible to defense,â he said. âBut through my experiences, and even just watching the playoffs right now, this is an attack-oriented game, and you have to be willing to move.â
Where does Panarin fit?
âHe has the ability to be a game-breaker and a difference-maker,â Laviolette said. âHeâs not just a goal scorer. Heâs not just a playmaker. Heâs elusive. Heâs shifty.â
The goal for next season is to score 250 times, according to Kingsâ vice president and general manager Ken Holland. The team scored 220 last season.
âWeâve got to get back to scoring more goals,â Holland said. âPart of thatâs going to be personnel driven, part of thatâs going to be probably styleâofâplay driven, mentality, and certainly the head coach has a lot to do with it.â
As Laviolette meets current staffers and decides whom to bring in, Holland is managing the phones to reach out to assistant coaches and players. Smith has definitively moved on. Phil Housley, whom Laviolette described as an âexcellent coach,â could be another potential candidate. Housley worked with Laviolette as one of the Rangersâ assistant coaches between 2023 and 2025.
Still, itâs hard to say the Kings will be a Cup contender with Laviolette. His teams tend to dramatically decline two or three seasons after his hiring. He struggles to develop younger players, instead relying on veterans to carry the weight. Laviolette will have to amplify players like Quinton Byfield and Brandt Clarke, each a talented 23-year-old with high ceilings.
The Kingsâ success will rest in how well Los Angeles adapts to Lavioletteâs coaching trident. The veteran coach, to his credit, projected confidence.
âWhen you put those three things together,â he said. âYou can really become an unstoppable force.â
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 08: Victor Wembanyama #1 of the San Antonio Spurs and Karl-Anthony Towns #32 of the New York Knicks battle for position during the fourth quarter in Game Three of the 2026 NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on June 08, 2026 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) | Getty Images
We have ourselves a series. Down 2-0 with their backs against the wall going into Madison Square Garden, the young Spurs came up with a huge 115-111 win in Game 3.
Plenty changed in the Spursâ favor for them to take the series to 2-1 and give themselves a real chance to get back into these Finals. Victor Wembanyama, of course, led the way. San Antonio made a clear effort to increasingly get him the ball near the rim and throw up high passes for him to catch lobs, or simply rise above defenders for good interior positioning and find easier chances to set up and finish. For the first time in the series, he attempted more layups and dunks than jumpers. Wemby was more impactful on defense too, and put together a dominant night with 32 points on 11-of-18 shooting, eight rebounds, six assists, two steals and three blocks.
Along with others like Julian Champagnie (12 points with three triples), Devin Vassell (11 points with 3-of-4 three-point shooting) and Stephon Castle (23 points on 8-of-14 shooting, plus his usual physical defense) remaining effective to round out the offense, the Spurs did what they needed to take care of business in Game 3.
Meanwhile for the Knicks, Karl-Anthony Towns continued to compete quite well on defense but quietened down offensively, scoring just 11 points on 4-of-10 shooting. If Wemby continues to thrive in the paint and outmatch Towns again in Game 4, thatâll be a big factor in the Spursâ favor.
That wasnât the only problem for the Knicks. Apart from issues like having a harder time containing Wemby inside, losing the free throw battle (22 attempts compared to the Spursâ 32), and having 13 turnovers to the Spursâ eight, Jalen Brunson struggled. Even though he led the Knicks in scoring again with 32 points and obviously remains the primary concern for San Antonio, Brunson finished Game 3 shooting a fairly cool 11-of-25 â taking him to just 39.0 percent shooting on two-pointers and 31.8 percent from three for the Finals so far. Along with over dribbling the ball, which helped cause the offense to stagnate on too many possessions, the Spurs were able to pull ahead of a Knicks offense that wasnât at its best.
Brunson and others (Mikal Bridges and Landry Shamet also had cold scoring nights on Monday) will need to bounce back and rediscover more fluid ball movement and varied offense to turn things around in Game 4.
So, whatâs your Game 4 prediction? Do the Spurs tie things up at 2-2 and head back to San Antonio with a chance to take a series lead? Do the Knicks counter again with their own adjustments and a stronger showing from Brunson to go up 3-1? Letâs discuss in the comments and follow along with all the action.
Game Details
When: June 10, 8:30 p.m. ET Where: Madison Square Garden Watch: ABC Radio: ESPN Radio Follow:@LibertyBallers
SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 10: Fernando Tatis Jr. #23 of the San Diego Padres hits a walk-off solo home run against the Cincinnati Reds at Petco Park on June 10, 2026 in San Diego, California. (Photo by Orlando Ramirez/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Two of the big boppers on whom the Cincinnati Reds are depending with Elly De La Cruz sidelined stepped up late and did their parts in big, big ways, respectively. JJ Bleday, who deserves to be on the National League All Star team at this juncture, smashed a 391 foot solo homer off San Diego Padres starter Michael King in the Top of the 7th to give the Reds a 3-2 lead, and Eugenio Suarez followed with a 365 foot sand wedge into the seats beyond left field to give Cincinnati an insurance run at 4-2 in the Top of the 8th.
All that remained to be taken care of was holding on to a 2-run lead for the gameâs final pair of innings. You know, the classic task asked of bullpen arms all over the sport.
Unfortunately, this is the Cincinnati Reds bullpen we are talking about, or at least what remains of it.
Caleb Ferguson was wholly unable to retire the left-handed bats the Padres sent up to face him in the Bottom of the 8th, and Tony Santillan couldnât bail him out of the jame heâd created. That sent the game to the 9th with the game tied at 4, and though the Reds got a leadoff single from Matt McLain and a later walk from Sal Stewart, the Reds couldnât find a way to score a run to take the lead.
Devoid of other fresh options, Terry Francona turned to the recently recalled Chase Petty, who was just brought back to the team after Zach McCambley was optioned on the back of his 30+ pitch outing earlier in the series. Thatâs Chase Petty the starter, who was tasked with pitching in an extremely high-leverage relief role thatâs almost completely unheard of for him at this juncture of his career.
He looked mostly fine out there, to his credit. He pounded the zone. He threw strikes. The problem is, though, that despite the walk problems that have plagued the entire pitching staff over the course of this borderline-miserable season, this was an instance where he might well have been better off nibbling than humming balls right over the plate to some of San Diegoâs best hitters.
One of those, of course, is Fernando Tatis, Jr. Heâs found his swing again after a mammoth gap between homers, socking his first of the year earlier in the week and posting a 4-hit game earlier this series. So, when Petty spun an 89 mph slider right into the middle of the strike zone to the Padres star, it was hard to envision anything other than what happened.
That laser from Tatis just cleared the LF wall, and that was that. Cincinnati hemorrhaged yet another late lead, lost their fourth straight series, and sunk to just 32-35 on the season overall. Theyâll have Thursday off to think about it while traveling back across the country to think about it, and on Friday theyâll welcome the Arizona Diamondbacks to Great American Ball Park.
What a brutal game. What a brutal month. What a brutal, brutal sport.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson #11 goes up for a shot against San Antonio Spurs #5 during Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals.
The NBA league office must be salivating over the TV ratings for the NBA Finals.
Mondayâs Game 3 broadcast between the Knicks and the Spurs was the most-watched NBA Finals Game 3 in nearly three decades, averaging 23.8 million viewers, data released by Nelsen showed on Wednesday.
Viewership for the game peaked late in the fourth quarter with 26.3 million people tuning in.
New York Knicks guard Jalen Brunson #11 goes up for a shot against San Antonio Spurs #5 during Game 3 of the 2026 NBA Finals. Charles Wenzelberg / New York Post
The last time that more people tuned in for a Game 3 in the NBA Finals was in 1998, when the Michael Jordan-era Chicago Bulls were closing in on a second three-peat.
It also holds the distinction of being the most-watched television program on broadcast TV since the Super Bowl in February, when the Seahawks defeated the Patriots.
The NBA Finals are averaging 19.1 million viewers through the first three games of the series, which makes it the second-most-watched following ABC/ESPN taking over coverage of the championship round in 2003.
The ratings also represent a massive increase from last yearâs finals between the Thunder and Pacers, seeing a 114% uptick in viewership this year.
The massive ratings shouldnât be a surprise with the Knicks back in the NBA Finals for the first time since 1999 and the Spurs having the biggest name â literally and figuratively â in Victor Wembanyama.
Game 4 on Wednesday night will surely draw more big numbers for broadcasters with the Spurs eying a chance to even the series up before it shifts back to San Antonio, and the Knicks looking to put their Western Conference foe on the ropes.
SAN FRANCISCO â The towering pop-up off Bryce Eldridgeâs bat had no business leaving the ballpark, a fitting end to a game the Giants had no business winning.
He stood there, watching its trajectory, an absurd 44 degrees.
He waited until it barely crossed the plane of the brick wall in right field, only 326 feet in total.
The Giants rallied with 10 runs over the final two innings, highlighted by a walk-off grand slam from Bryce Eldridge to stun the Nationals 11-10 on Wednesday. Getty Images
And then he sent his bat airborne so high it practically caught the apex of the ball.
âIâm just walking, watching, hoping itâs gonna go out,â Eldridge said. âIâm just glad it did. I barely remember what happened after that.â
Hereâs the gist: When the ball landed, the Giants had completed the unlikeliest of comebacks, down eight the previous inning, and Eldridge had become the youngest player in MLB history to end a game with a grand slam, just 21 years, 233 days.
Final score: Giants 11, Nationals 10.
âI was just screaming,â Eldridge said of his reaction as he rounded the bases behind Matt Chapman, Rafael Devers and Jung Hoo Lee, all of whom reached without making an out after Luis Arraez started the ninth-inning rally with a double down the right field line.
It was Chapman who started the improbable comeback an inning earlier, with the Giants trailing 9-1, with his second solo shot of the afternoon. Devers went back-to-back to cut the deficit to 9-3, and the Giants rallied for three more in the eighth off Paxton Schultz to make it 9-6.
Reiver Sanmartin, in his season debut, allowed a solo home run in the top of the ninth that gave the Giants another run they needed to make up and put himself in line for the win in the process.
Everything, it turned out, was just setting the table for what promises to be the first of many heroics in Eldridgeâs promising young career.
âMan, what a crazy game,â mused Robbie Ray, who was bailed out of taking the loss by the grand slam after allowing five runs over 5 â innings in his deepest start since May 8.
âIt kind of felt like he was going to do something like that.â
Giants teammates mob Bryce Eldridge after he smashed a walk-over grand slam Wednesday. AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn
It might have felt that way because Eldridge has been one of the Giantsâ most-hyped hitting prospects in recent memory who has looked like he belonged from his first big-league at-bat.
Or maybe, itâs because Eldridge had been envisioning an opportunity just like this.
âI always want to be the guy in that situation,â Eldridge said.
He had a chance to be the guy just two days earlier but struck out against Gus Varland to end the Giantsâ 4-3 loss Monday. He represented the winning run but chased a fastball above the letters to end the game.
âThe only thing I could think about the last two days was Monday and how I just wasnât pleased with how I ended the game,â Eldridge said. âI was talking with a lot of people about that. I wanted that opportunity back. I donât know if Iâm going to get that opportunity again for a while. And then, like two days later, I got the same opportunity.â
As the Giants started to rally in the eighth, Eldridge began to do the math in the batting cage behind the dugout. He would get his chance at redemption. It looked like it would come against the same pitcher, too, until Varland failed to retire any of the first three batters of the ninth.
Instead, Eldridge was the second batter to step to the plate against Mitchell Parker. This time, he didnât chase a fastball. He looked at two off-speeds out of the zone and before he got a slider he liked. The pitch broke at his belt and caught the inner-third of the plate.
Eldridge made sure it didnât travel any farther in his direction.
In just his 38th game, he lived out the exact scenario he played out in his backyard growing up, even when he was still playing both ways through the end of his high school career.
âThat was always what I wanted to do â I wanted to have the big home run,â Eldridge said. âThat was something I thought about more than having the big strikeout.â
Chapman spoke it into existence when he got back to the dugout from his first home run trot that got the Giants on the board and made it 6-1 in the sixth.
âChappy stated it as soon as he hit his first home run,â manager Tony Vitello said. âStranger things have happened.â
But not much stranger.
Giants fans celebrate during the victory Wednesday. AP Photo/Jed Jacobsohn
What it means
The Giants had been 0-34 when trailing after the eighth inning this season, and they picked a heck of a way to earn their first ninth-inning comeback.
Only six teams since 1969 have come back to win when trailing by eight or more in the eighth inning or later, and just once before by a Giants team â in 1947.
It hadnât been done by any team in the majors since Cleveland on May 25, 2009.
Whoâs hot
Consider it the official arrival of the Eldridge era in San Francisco.
âI think about it every day,â Eldridge said. âThat Iâm just gonna keep working hard because I want to be the face of this franchise.â
Here he is, the face of the franchise: Over his past 13 games, dating back to the start of the Giantsâ last road trip, Eldridge is batting .426 (20-for-47) with three homers, seven doubles and eight walks to only 10 strikeouts â good for a 1.266 OPS.
He was batting .170 with a .541 OPS when the Giants hit the road May 29. His average is up to .296, and his OPS has crossed .900.
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Ray took advantage of an aggressive Nationals lineup to not issue a walk for only the third time in 14 starts this season. He had walked 22 total, at least two per outing, over his past six starts.
But the comeback was almost too far out of reach by the time it began thanks to a relief corps that allowed the Nats to score both of Rayâs runners it inherited with two outs in the sixth, plus four more before the Giants came to the plate for the final time.
Up next
The Giants enjoy their first day off since May 28 before regrouping to host the Cubs for three games to finish a brief homestand. San Francisco hopes to have shortstop Willy Adames back in the lineup to begin the series Friday after getting him his second day off this season Wednesday to nurse discomfort in his upper leg.
Jun 8, 2026; New York, New York, USA; San Antonio Spurs forward Victor Wembanyama (1) shoots the ball against New York Knicks center Karl-Anthony Towns (32), guard Landry Shamet (44) and forward OG Anunoby (8) during game three of the 2026 NBA Finals in the fourth quarter at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images | Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images
Today is Game 4 of the 2026 NBA Finals. The San Antonio Spurs are at New York Knicks. Watch at 8:30 p.m. ET on ABC, or WJLA-TV here in the DMV.
The Knicks lead 2-1. New York won Games 1 and 2 in San Antonio, and the Spurs took Game 3 at Madison Square Garden, 115-111. If the Knicks win tonight, theyâre one win away from winning their first Finals Game in 53 years. Otherwise, weâll see this series go to at least six games.
CHICAGO, IL - JUNE 09: Matt Olson #28 of the Atlanta Braves rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run in the first inning during the game between the Atlanta Braves and the Chicago White Sox at Rate Field on Tuesday, June 9, 2026 in Chicago, Illinois. (Photo by Kyle Sheridan/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images
The Dugout Radar is not looking fantastic for tonightâs start time of 7:40 pm ET⊠weâve dealt with so much weather lately.
Television analyst and hall of fame basketball player Shaquille O'Neal walks on the court before game three of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden.
Shaquille OâNeal has joined a growing list of former athletes taking GLP-1 drugs.
The Hall of Famer revealed he started taking Zepbound to combat obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), something he was diagnosed with in 2011, shortly after retiring from the NBA.
The medications, initially primarily used to treat Type 2 diabetes and OSA, have gained popularity for their use as weight-loss drugs.
âYou know, I chose to share my experience because OSA is a serious but often overlooked condition,â OâNeal told GQ in an interview published Wednesday. âI want to help people if I can, because I can remember, especially when I stopped playing, the snoring, the daytime tiredness, a lot of fatigue, and being unable to focus. So this is very personal to me.â
Television analyst and hall of fame basketball player Shaquille OâNeal walks on the court before game three of the 2026 NBA Finals between the San Antonio Spurs and New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Geoff Burke-Imagn Images
The 54-year-old said he also took the drug to improve his energy and sleep as well as to sharpen his mind in retirement.
Other notable athletes promoting the use of GLP-1s include Serena Williams and OâNealâs âInside the NBAâ panelist, Charles Barkley.
Williams, who recently returned to the professional tennis tour after four years at age 44, cited her GLP-1 treatment as significant for relieving the joint pain she experienced after giving birth to her daughter Olympia in 2017. She frequently appears in commercials for Ro.
Shaquille OâNeal speaks onstage during the Warner Bros. Discovery Upfront 2026 at The Theater at Madison Square Garden on May 13, 2026 in New York City. Getty Images for Warner Bros. Discovery
Along with Zepbound, OâNeal said heâs made other lifestyle adjustments. Heâs âeating right and staying active with a lot of walking,â he told GQ.
While currently occupied with the NBA Finals, which continue with Game 4 on Wednesday night, OâNeal remains focused on keeping himself healthy.
Jun 9, 2026; Summerlin, Nevada, USA; Milwaukee Brewers second baseman Brice Turang (2) throws to first during the eighth inning of the game against the Athletics at Las Vegas Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Jeffery Bennett-Imagn Images | Jeffery Bennett-Imagn Images
After a late-night/early-morning victory on Monday night, the Brewers lost the second game of their series against the Athletics in Las Vegas on Tuesday, meaning Wednesday nightâs game is a rubber match.
On the mound for the series finale is Brandon Sproat, who continues to struggle to put together multiple consistent innings. Sproat, 25, is now 16 appearances (14 starts) into his MLB career, and he sports a 5.79 ERA, 4.85 FIP, 71 strikeouts, and 11 homers allowed over 74 2/3 innings. Heâs allowed at least three runs in five consecutive appearances, allowing a homer in four of those five games. He went five innings against the Rockies on Friday night, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks, striking out two in a no-decision as the Brewers came back to win in extras.
Opposite Sproat is 26-year-old righty Jack Perkins, a fifth-round pick out of Indiana in 2022. Perkins, in his second major league season, made his first 17 appearances this season out of the bullpen, but is coming off his first start of the year. Across those 18 appearances, he has a 6.19 ERA but a 2.88 FIP, as heâs struck out 39 over 32 innings. In his lone start, which came on Friday in Houston, he allowed five runs on five hits and two walks, striking out six over four innings in a 5-1 loss.
With those two guys on the mound, Iâd expect another high-scoring, homer-filled night â the current over/under in this game is a whopping 14.5 runs.
Christian Yelich leads off for Milwaukee as todayâs DH, followed by Jackson Chourio, Brice Turang, and Andrew Vaughn. Jake Bauers bats fifth and starts in left, with Gary SĂĄnchez batting sixth and starting behind the plate. Sal Frelick, David Hamilton, and Joey Ortiz round out the bottom third of the order.
While no major league roster moves were made today, the Brewers did make a minor league trade, as they sent right-handed pitcher Jacob Waguespack to the Tigers for cash considerations. Waguespack, who appeared in major league camp this spring, has spent the entire 2026 season with Triple-A Nashville.
Correction: The Brewers traded Triple-A right-hander Jacob Waguespack to the Tigers for cash. He was in big league camp and had a 1.66 ERA for Nashville in 16 relief appearances.
Additionally, Brandon Woodruff is expected to rejoin the team this weekend in Milwaukee, with a potential return in next weekâs series against the Guardians.
Brandon Woodruff is rejoining the Brewers in Milwaukee later this week. Nothing set in stone, but it sounds like he could be a candidate to start next week against the Guardians.
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - MAY 12: Andre Pallante #53 of the St. Louis Cardinals pitches against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on May 12, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The St. Louis Cardinals will try to win the series against the New York Mets Wednesday night as Andre Pallante takes the mound for St. Louis. The Mets will ask Christian Scott to try and stop the Cardinals. Good luck with that, Mr. Scott. Youâll need it. First pitch is set for 6:10pm central time as the game broadcast will be handled by Cardinals.tv.
