MLB Baseball 24 Hours

Last updated: May 25, 2026, 8:58 AM ET

Return of the Aces

Yankees fans got a reason to believe this week after Gerrit Cole tossed six shutout innings in his first start since elbow ligament reconstruction, ending a 569-day absence that marked the longest layoff of his career. Cole looked sharp through 96 pitches, retiring 16 of 18 batters while allowing just two hits. That outing followed the club's late-inning heroics on Sunday, when Aaron Judge broke an 11-game RBI drought with a two-run walk-off homer against the Rays. The swing has been significant for the Yankees' offense, which had stalled with Judge unable to drive in a run for over a stretch that had drawn sharp criticism around the lineup. Meanwhile, the Red Sox ace Garrett Crochet is ramping up his return, scheduled to throw batting practice at Fenway Park on Tuesday after dealing with shoulder inflammation. Crochet has been cautious with his workload, but manager Alex Cora expressed optimism that the left-hander is nearing game action.

Angels Strike Out the Competition

On Sunday night, Reid Detmers was nearly unhittable, retiring 24 of 25 batters over eight innings while striking out a career-high 14 to lead the Angels past the Rangers 2-1. The only earned run came on a throwing error by Justin Foscue in the ninth inning, which the Angels capitalized on to seal the sweep. Detmers' outing was the defining performance of the weekend for the Angels, whose pitching staff has emerged as the team's greatest strength. Across the AL, Gavin Williams matched Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez with eight scoreless innings before Kyle Manzardo delivered a pinch-hit homer in the ninth to give the Guardians a 1-0 win. Williams struck out 11 batters in a career-best start that silenced any doubts about his rotation spot after a rocky spring.

Injury Troubles Mount Across the League

The injury report grew longer heading into Memorial Day, with multiple teams losing key contributors. Jose Quintana exited his start against the Diamondbacks in the second inning with left elbow discomfort, raising immediate concerns about the Rockies' already thin rotation. In Toronto, Dylan Cease left in the fifth with left hamstring tightness and Vladimir Guerrero Jr. exited after being hit in the elbow by a pitch, compounding the Blue Jays' offensive struggles. The Jays had already sent Paul Skenes to back-to-back losses on Saturday, when George Springer hit his 65th career leadoff home run and the starter fell for the second consecutive time this season. On the Mets' side, Juan Soto was a late scratch against the Marlins due to illness, a blow to a lineup that has leaned heavily on his bat this season. The Rays placed Jonny DeLuca on the 10-day IL with a right hamstring strain, and the Astros lost Yordan Alvarez to a back spasm in the sixth inning, forcing him to miss the series finale against Chicago. In Washington, Jake Irvin pitched five hitless innings for his first win in two months, but a tightness in his shoulder led to his placement on the 15-day IL the following day. Irvin himself called the move "positive," suggesting the issue was caught early. The Tigers dealt with their own setbacks, with Gleyber Torres pausing his batting to recover from a left oblique strain and reliever Brant Hurter placed on the 15-day IL with lumbar spine inflammation.

New Faces and Early Surprises

Several teams welcomed notable players back or saw unexpected debuts. Kiké Hernández is expected to be activated in time for his season debut Monday after elbow surgery, giving the Dodgers a versatile utility option who can play multiple positions. In St. Louis, Bryan Torres homered in his MLB debut at age 28, four years removed from a point where he considered retirement, marking one of the more heartwarming storylines of the weekend. The Brewers optioned Robert Gasser back to Triple-A after he blew an early lead against the Dodgers, with manager Pat Murphy suggesting the lefty may have been tipping his pitches to hitter. On the offensive side, the Cubs rested Ian Happ and moved Pete Crow-Armstrong to the leadoff spot against the Astros, a tactical shift that underscored how far Happ has fallen in the pecking order.

Standings Snapshot

As teams head into the Memorial Day weekend, the playoff picture is taking shape with clear division leaders and a handful of teams on the periphery. Experts weighed the best and worst of the season to date and offered predictions on which clubs will control the second half, with the Yankees, Guardians, and Dodgers among the favorites after recent momentum swings.