Samwise MLB Newsletter
Sunday, May 24, 2026
Hernandez Matches Career High With 6 RBI as Dodgers Rout Brewers 11-3
Teoscar Hernandez matched a career high with six RBI as the Los Angeles Dodgers erased an early three-run deficit to beat the Milwaukee Brewers 11-3 Saturday night. Hernandez hit a three-run homer in the fourth inning to put Los Angeles ahead, then added an RBI single in the eighth and a two-run single in the ninth. Starter Roki Sasaki surrendered the early lead before exiting. The Dodgers bullpen extended its consecutive scoreless innings streak to 36, the longest by any major league bullpen since Cleveland threw 39 straight shutout frames in September 2017. Brewers pitchers issued a season-high 11 walks. Los Angeles snapped Milwaukee's four-game winning streak.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports
Wheeler Pitches Six Shutout Innings, Phillies Silence Guardians 3-0 and End 7-Game Win Streak
Zack Wheeler pitched six shutout innings and Bryson Stott delivered a two-run single to lift the Philadelphia Phillies past the Cleveland Guardians 3-0 Saturday, ending Cleveland's seven-game winning streak. Wheeler, improving to 4-0, allowed just two hits, struck out six and ran his personal scoreless streak to 13 innings by mixing 23 splitters—a career high—to generate six whiffs. Stott's go-ahead single came in the fourth after Bryce Harper scored; Harper went 3-for-4, his sixth three-hit game of the season. Three Philadelphia relievers closed it out, with Jhoan Duran recording his ninth save as the Phillies snapped their own three-game skid.
Sources: CBS Sports, Associated Press
Steer's Headfirst Slide in 11th Lifts Reds Past Cardinals 7-6 to Split Doubleheader
Spencer Steer scored the winning run on a headfirst slide in the 11th inning as the Cincinnati Reds rallied past the St. Louis Cardinals 7-6 to split Saturday's doubleheader. Elly De La Cruz hit a three-run homer and Nathaniel Lowe added a two-run shot to build a 5-1 lead, but Jordan Walker's three-run homer sparked the Cardinals' comeback and a two-out RBI single tied it in the ninth. Pierce Johnson earned the win with two perfect relief innings. The Cardinals had taken Game 1, 8-1, with Bryan Torres hitting a two-run homer in his major league debut and Andre Pallante allowing just one run in six innings.
Sources: ESPN, Sports Illustrated
Walker Homers Twice, Astros Blank Cubs 3-0 as Chicago Losing Streak Reaches Seven
Christian Walker hit two home runs and Kai-Wei Teng allowed just two hits over six innings as the Houston Astros defeated the Chicago Cubs 3-0 Saturday, extending Chicago's losing streak to seven games. Walker connected on a two-run shot in the first and his 13th homer in the fourth, both against Colin Rea. Teng struck out six and walked three. Bryan King worked around a ninth-inning single for his sixth save. Astros slugger Yordan Alvarez exited in the sixth with a back spasm and will miss Sunday as a precaution; he is hitting .300 with 15 home runs and 31 RBI this season.
Sources: ESPN, CBS Sports
Paul Skenes Allows Career-High 9 Hits as Blue Jays Beat Pirates 5-2
Paul Skenes allowed a career-high nine hits and four runs over five-plus innings as the Toronto Blue Jays defeated the Pittsburgh Pirates 5-2 Saturday, handing the reigning NL Cy Young Award winner consecutive losses for the first time this season. George Springer led off with his 65th career leadoff homer and Yohendrick Piñango added a two-run hit during a three-run third. Blue Jays starter Patrick Corbin scattered five hits and one run over six innings, striking out a season-high seven. Toronto has won four straight and seven of its last ten. Skenes departed after surrendering four consecutive hits to open the sixth inning.
Sources: CBS Sports, MLB.com
Bader Hits Second Grand Slam in Six Days as Giants Rout White Sox 10-3
Harrison Bader hit a grand slam for the second time in six days and the San Francisco Giants snapped a four-game losing streak with a 10-3 victory over the Chicago White Sox on Saturday. Bader's third career slam highlighted a six-run fifth inning. Casey Schmitt homered and drove in three runs, while Willy Adames also went deep and Luis Arraez, Matt Chapman and Daniel Susac each collected two hits. White Sox reliever Erick Fedde took the loss after allowing eight runs and 10 hits in three-plus innings. Four Giants pitchers combined for the win, with Matt Gage striking out all four batters he faced in relief.
Sources: NBC Sports, CBS Sports
Yordan Alvarez Exits Astros Win With Back Spasm, Set to Miss Sunday Series Finale
Houston Astros designated hitter Yordan Alvarez exited Saturday's win over the Chicago Cubs during a sixth-inning at-bat with a back spasm and is expected to miss Sunday's series finale at minimum. Alvarez said he felt tightness in his right scapula earlier in the day and suffered another spasm while preparing to swing. The move is precautionary; Alvarez has already appeared in five more games in 2026 than in his injury-shortened 2025 season. Through Saturday, he is hitting .300 with a .415 on-base percentage, a .595 slugging mark, 15 home runs and 31 RBI, leading Houston's offense through the first third of the season.
Sources: CBS Sports, NBC Sports
Tampa Bay Rays Own MLB's Best Record at 34-15 Despite Saturday's Rainout
The Tampa Bay Rays enter Sunday with the best record in Major League Baseball at 34-15, having gone 15-3 since May 1 despite Saturday's scheduled game against the New York Yankees being washed out. Tampa Bay's rotation leads all of baseball with a 3.03 collective ERA, anchored by Drew Rasmussen, Shane McClanahan and Nick Martinez. Jonathan Aranda paces the American League with 35 RBI. The Rays entered the season as near-unanimous last-place predictions in the AL East but have outpaced the Atlanta Braves in winning percentage since May 1 and hold a 5.5-game lead over the New York Yankees in the division.
Sources: Sports Illustrated, Sports Illustrated
NL West Race Tightens: Dodgers Lead Padres by Half a Game After San Diego's 2-0 Win
The NL West has become the tightest division race in baseball entering Sunday. The Los Angeles Dodgers lead at 32-20, with the San Diego Padres right behind at 31-20 after blanking the Oakland Athletics 2-0 Saturday behind Lucas Giolito. The Dodgers have won eight of their last ten despite operating without injured starters Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow, relying on an historically effective bullpen. The Arizona Diamondbacks at 27-24 sit 4.5 games back and remain in contention. San Diego has won seven of its last ten games, making this the most closely contested division in the National League heading into late May.
Sources: CBS Sports, Sports Illustrated
What's Trending in MLB Baseball
Detroit Tigers' Season-Long Slide Deepens — Detroit sits at 20-32 on a seven-game losing streak, among the sharpest falls from 2024's division-winning roster, and now trails the AL Central leader by 10 full games.
Braves' Runaway NL East Lead — Atlanta stands at 36-17, a full 9.5 games ahead of second-place Philadelphia, pacing one of the most dominant division leads in the majors heading into late May 2026.
Paul Skenes Cy Young Defense Wobbling — The reigning NL Cy Young winner has now lost back-to-back starts for the first time this season, raising early questions about Pittsburgh's ace as the team sits at .500 entering summer.
American League
AL East
1. Tampa Bay Rays — 34–15, —
2. New York Yankees — 30–22, 5.5
3. Toronto Blue Jays — 25–27, 10.5
4. Boston Red Sox — 22–29, 13.0
5. Baltimore Orioles — 22–29, 13.0
AL Central
1. Cleveland Guardians — 31–23, —
2. Chicago White Sox — 26–25, 3.5
3. Minnesota Twins — 25–27, 5.0
4. Kansas City Royals — 21–31, 9.0
5. Detroit Tigers — 20–32, 10.0
AL West
1. Athletics — 26–26, —
2. Seattle Mariners — 25–28, 1.5
3. Texas Rangers — 24–27, 1.5
4. Houston Astros — 22–31, 4.5
5. Los Angeles Angels — 19–34, 7.5
National League
NL East
1. Atlanta Braves — 36–17, —
2. Philadelphia Phillies — 26–26, 9.5
3. Washington Nationals — 26–27, 10.0
4. Miami Marlins — 24–29, 12.0
5. New York Mets — 22–30, 13.5
NL Central
1. Milwaukee Brewers — 30–19, —
2. St. Louis Cardinals — 29–22, 2.0
3. Chicago Cubs — 29–23, 2.5
4. Cincinnati Reds — 27–25, 4.5
5. Pittsburgh Pirates — 26–26, 5.5
NL West
1. Los Angeles Dodgers — 32–20, —
2. San Diego Padres — 31–20, 0.5
3. Arizona Diamondbacks — 27–24, 4.5
4. San Francisco Giants — 21–31, 11.0
5. Colorado Rockies — 20–33, 12.5
Curated by JD · samwise.agency
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