MLB Baseball 3 Days

Last updated: May 21, 2026, 8:51 PM ET

Stars Shine in Dual Roles and Historic Innings

Shohei Ohtani delivered one of the most memorable performances of the young season on Wednesday, cracking a leadoff home run before pitching five scoreless innings as the Dodgers cruised past the Padres. Across the league, Freddie Freeman watched in awe as teammate Andy Pages drove in the eventual winning run with a plate appearance Freeman called "one of the greatest at-bats I've ever seen in person" against Padres closer Mason Miller in the ninth inning. The Mets kept pace with their own spectacle on Monday, erupting for a historic 10-run 12th inning in a 16-7 rout of the Nationals — the first time any NL team has plated a double-digit score in a single extra frame, with Carson Benge collecting an RBI single and a two-run double in that chaotic half-inning. Washington's James Wood also reminded the league he belongs with the majors by hitting the season's first inside-the-park grand slam against the Mets on Tuesday, a feat that had not been accomplished since 2022. Meanwhile, Chase Burns silenced the ballpark and the stat sheet alike, striking out nine over six shutout frames in a 4-1 win while a 108.8 mph liner off Bryce Harper bounced off his backside. At the plate, Jazz Chisholm Jr. broke out of a prolonged slump by wearing borrowed pants from Giancarlo Stanton — seven inches and 61 pounds larger than his own — and the gambit clearly worked.

Injuries Pile Up, Returns Remain Uncertain

The injury carousel continued to spin across multiple clubs. Athletics outfielder Denzel Clarke will miss at least until after the All-Star break after suffering a significant left hamstring strain, while teammate right-hander Gunnar Hoglund underwent hip surgery and is out for the entire 2026 season after posting a 6.40 ERA in six starts as a rookie. Blue Jays veteran José Berríos went under the knife for Tommy John surgery on his right elbow on Wednesday, ending his season and costing the club well into 2027. On the upside, Yankees center fielder Trent Grisham received encouraging news when tests revealed no structural damage to his left knee a day after he exited in the fifth inning, and Mets starter Kodai Senga is slated to begin a minor league rehab assignment on Friday as he recovers from lower back pain. Tigers ace Tarik Skubal, meanwhile, threw his third bullpen session since elbow surgery with manager A.J. Hinch calling it a "great step," though his return timeline remains undefined. Skubal says he has been symptom-free since the procedure, tossing freely in recent sessions, but Dodgers ace Blake Snell is heading in the opposite direction — he will undergo the same Nano Scope elbow procedure that Skubal recently received — and Tyler Glasnow was shut down from his throwing program after a flare-up. The pitching health landscape for 2026 looks increasingly fragile.

Positional Shuffles and Late-Season Buzz

Several teams are reshaping their rosters as the trade deadline approaches. The Mariners activated right-handed reliever Matt Brash from the IL while optioning lefty Robinson Ortiz to Triple-A, and manager Dan Wilson confirmed that shortstop J.P. Crawford has discussed the possibility of shifting to third base with rookie Colt Emerson now in the majors after a Triple-A promotion. The Pirates recalled outfielder Jhostynxon Garcia from Triple-A Indianapolis to bolster their outfield depth, and Washington outfielder Dylan Crews returned to the majors less than two months after a surprise demotion near the end of spring training. The Cubs, meanwhile, activated reliever Caleb Thielbar from the 15-day IL after he recovered from a hamstring injury, giving their depleted bullpen a much-needed infusion. On the free-agent front, top prospects Bolte and Emerson lead the list of most appealing waiver-wire pickups this week in fantasy circles. The Mariners remain a hot trade target despite underperforming expectations, with Tristan Cockcroft pointing to potential league-winning acquisitions Seattle could make at the deadline.

Off-Field Issues and Surprising Teams

Off the field, the Nationals banned a spectator after a white nationalist banner was displayed in the crowd during Sunday's game. Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong apologized Monday for his "choice of words" in a heated exchange with a fan during Sunday's loss to the White Sox after calling his pair of errors over the past two games "laughable" following a ball slipping under his glove in the second inning of a 5-0 defeat to the Brewers. The Marlins are drawing attention not for their play but for their radical front-office experiments — from calling pitches from the dugout to overhauling batting practice routines. Meanwhile, MLB's early-season surprises are taking shape; almost two months in, several teams have exceeded expectations while others have cratered. The Twins sent former No. 1 overall pick Royce Lewis to the minors after he batted .132 with one home run and 25 strikeouts in 68 plate appearances since returning from a previous demotion, and Phillies slugger Kyle Schwarber is on pace for a historic home run total, with early-season numbers pointing to a potential 60-homer season. Catcher Drake Baldwin, the reigning NL Rookie of the Year, was placed on the 10-day IL with a strained right oblique, and Cardinals shortstop Masyn Winn underwent an MRI on his left knee and sat out Tuesday's game against the Pirates. Plate umpire Alfonso Márquez was forced to leave a Braves-Marlins game after being struck in the mask by a foul ball in the second inning, and Braves right fielder Ronald Acuña Jr. was activated from the IL ahead of Monday's series opener against the Marlins but did not start.