MLB Baseball 8 Hours

Last updated: May 22, 2026, 5:54 AM ET

Player Performances & Returns

Shohei Ohtani put on one of his finest outings in Dodgers colors, crushing a leadoff home run and following it with five scoreless innings against the Padres in his return to the lineup on his start day. Across the league, Tigers ace Tarik Skubal threw his third bullpen session since elbow surgery, with manager A.J. Hinch calling it a "great step" ahead of a still-undetermined return date. Meanwhile, this week's Power Rankings saw some of the highest marks in years for playoff hopefuls, reflecting the compressed nature of the race with elite arms like Ohtani and Skubal anchoring pennant drives.

Injuries & Defensive Struggles

The Braves lost Ronald Acuna Jr. to thumb pain when he was pulled from Thursday's game as a precaution, dealing a blow to one of baseball's most prolific leadoff hitters. A day earlier, Cubs center fielder Pete Crow-Armstrong called his two recent errors "genuinely laughable" after a ball scooted under his glove in a 5-0 loss to the Brewers, raising questions about his reliability in the postseason race. Both situations underscore how individual miscues continue to ripple through contending teams' odds.

Stadiums & Rules

Las Vegas officials confirmed the Athletics' $2 billion domed stadium remains on track to open before the 2028 season, with the lower bowl taking shape on the Strip. In a separate front, ESPN's early data on the automated ball-strike system is beginning to reveal how umpire calls have shifted in the system's first months, though full evaluation is still underway.