MLB Baseball 24 Hours

Last updated: May 26, 2026, 8:57 PM ET

Mourning & Milestones

The baseball world lost a franchise icon on Tuesday as former Braves slugger Bob Horner, who hit a home run in his big-league debut after bypassing the minor leagues as the No. 1 overall pick in 1978, died at 68. His death capped a somber stretch for the sport that also saw Japan's Yomiuri Giants manager Shinnosuke Abe resign after being arrested on charges of assaulting his teenage daughter, raising fresh questions about off-field conduct in professional baseball worldwide. Across the Pacific, Colton Cowser delivered one of the most dramatic stretches in recent memory, hitting walk-off home runs on consecutive days to carry the Baltimore Orioles to a 13-inning, 9-7 victory over the Rays — one he called "one of my favorite complete team wins."

Dominant Pitching

Astros pitching stole the spotlight Monday night when right-hander Tatsuya Imai and relievers Steven Okert and Alimber Santa combined for a no-hitter in a 9-0 rout of the Rangers, marking the first no-hitter of the 2025 season. That came on the heels of a remarkable outing from Milwaukee's Jacob Misiorowski, who struck out 12 batters while carrying a no-hitter into the sixth inning and touching 100 mph on more than half his pitches in Monday's win over the Cardinals. The Astros' feat was also confirmed by a separate report noting it was the team's first no-hitter of the season. Meanwhile, Hunter Greene took another step in his return, tossing 15 to 20 pitches in a side session as he works back from elbow surgery with the Cincinnati Reds.

Injuries & Roster Shuffling

Multiple teams juggled their rosters as the season wore on. The Chicago White Sox placed left-hander Noah Schultz on the 15-day IL with right knee patellar tendinitis and recalled right-hander David Sandlin from Triple-A Charlotte. The Mets saw a wave of returns as Juan Soto, A.J. Minter and Jared Young came off the injured list, though the club's depth was tested again when Tyrone Taylor was placed on the IL. Milwaukee placed pitcher Logan Henderson on the injured list with a lower back strain one day after he threw five shutout innings in a 5-1 win over the Dodgers. Corey Seager remained sidelined with the Rangers, still not having resumed baseball activities, while Colorado's TJ Rumfield exited Monday's game with a right hand contusion after being hit by a pitch. The Mets' pitching woes deepened when Nolan McLean allowed a career-worst seven runs in 3 1/3 innings, pushing his ERA to 4.40, and Taylor's absence left the club 10 games under .500.

Transactions & Bullpen Moves

The Rays addressed their bullpen depth by signing veteran right-hander Craig Kimbrel to a major league contract on Tuesday. Los Angeles welcomed back utilityman Kike Hernandez, who went 2 for 2 with an RBI double in his season debut as the Dodgers rallied for a 5-3 win over the Rockies. Oakland promoted one of baseball's most promising left-handed arms in Gage Jump, who has amassed 56 strikeouts in 38 innings at Triple-A. The Athletics' move signals a longer-term investment in their rotation pipeline as the trade deadline approaches.

Standings & Award Races

Memorial Day weekend offered a natural checkpoint for league standings and award races. ESPN's standings analysis flagged several teams as overperforming or underperforming relative to their talent, while early MVP and Cy Young rankings placed Shohei Ohtani at the top of both conversations. The Cubs continued their freefall, dropping to nine straight losses after a 2-1 defeat to the Pirates — becoming just the second expansion-era team, alongside the 2017 Dodgers, to post multiple 10-game winning streaks and then lose nine in a row. Prospect rankings also shifted, with a major shake-up at the top reflecting how quickly the talent hierarchy is evolving.

Culture & Fantasy

Inside clubhouses, a different kind of competition has taken hold as MLB's biggest stars trade Pokémon cards in search of rare finds, a phenomenon ESPN examined in a feature on how collecting culture has infiltrated the sport. For fantasy players, waiver wire pickups have been dominated by NL Central rookies emerging as roster options, while the Cubs' struggles and Mets' pitching instability make several names must-add assets this week.