MLB Baseball 8 Hours

Last updated: May 24, 2026, 11:50 AM ET

Pitching Resurgences

Yankees ace Gerrit Cole returned after 569 days off the injured list to throw six shutout innings in what felt like a seamless re-entry, while Guardians starter Gavin Williams matched Phillies ace Cristopher Sanchez with eight scoreless frames before Kyle Manzardo delivered a pinch-hit homer in the ninth to seal a 1-0 win. Over in Washington, Jake Irvin threw five hitless innings for his first win in nearly two months in a 2-0 shutout of the Braves, though he reported feeling some tightness in his final few pitches. The day belonged to pitchers who shrugged off lengthy absences or cold stretches, with Williams and Irvin each commanding games while Cole proved his elbow reconstruction is no longer a concern.

Power Hitters Steal the Show

Teoscar Hernández matched a career high with six RBIs and homered twice in the Dodgers' 11-3 rout of the Brewers, anchoring a night of offensive fireworks. George Springer hit his 65th career leadoff home run as the Blue Jays knocked Paul Skenes to his second straight loss, marking the first time the right-hander has dropped consecutive starts this season. Bryan Torres, who four years ago weighed retirement, homered in his emotional MLB debut at age 28 for the Cardinals in what has to be the feel-good story of the day.

Lineup Shuffles and Injuries

The Cubs moved Pete Crow-Armstrong to the leadoff spot with Ian Happ benched for Saturday's game against the Astros after a prolonged slump in left field. Houston's offense paid the price for the adjustment, as Yordan Alvarez left with back spasms in the sixth inning during what had been a 3-0 game, forcing the designated hitter to miss the series finale. With the Cubs already retooling their lineup and the Astros losing their most dangerous bat mid-contest, both teams enter Sunday facing roster decisions that could define the stretch run.