MLB Baseball 3h Briefing
×Last updated: May 23, 2026, 11:42 PM ET
Lineup Moves & Injuries
The Chicago Cubs shuffled their batting order Saturday, giving slumping left fielder Ian Happ the day off while promoting center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong to the leadoff spot against Houston. Meanwhile, Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez exited in the sixth inning with back spasms and will miss Sunday's series finale, a significant blow to Houston's lineup as they pursue the AL West lead.
Pitching Performances
Washington right-hander Jake Irvin delivered five hitless innings for his first victory in nearly two months, anchoring a 2-0 shutout of Atlanta despite feeling tightness on his final pitches in the fifth. The performance came as MLB's new Automated Ball-Strike system continues gathering early data, with initial reviews focusing on consistency improvements over traditional umpiring.