MLB Baseball 8 Hours

Last updated: May 26, 2026, 2:57 PM ET

Awards & Prospect Call-Ups

With Memorial Day weekend in the rearview mirror, early MVP and Cy Young rankings have taken shape, and Shohei Ohtani is generating serious buzz in both conversations. The two-way star's dominant start has voters contemplating whether he could replicate his 2021 MVP campaign while also making a pitch for hardware on the mound. Meanwhile, the Athletics are calling up left-handed prospect Gage Jump from Triple-A, where the hard-thrower compiled 56 strikeouts across 38 innings this season. Jump, widely regarded as one of baseball's best southpaw pitching prospects, will get his chance to prove he belongs in a major league rotation.

Clubhouse Culture & Fantasy Focus

Inside MLB clubhouses, the hobby of collecting has exploded beyond traditional memorabilia. Players are building Pokémon card collections in their lockers, hunting for rare finds alongside custom gloves and autographed cards—a phenomenon mirroring the broader trading card boom among fans. For fantasy managers looking to gain an edge, NL Central rookies are leading this week's waiver wire recommendations, with several young players from Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Milwaukee and Chicago positioned to provide immediate value as the season enters its critical summer stretch.

International Scene

In Japan, Shinnosuke Abe has resigned as manager of the Yomiuri Giants following his arrest for the alleged assault of his teenage daughter. The storied franchise now begins a search for new leadership as the scandal continues to reverberate through Japanese baseball.