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In a day when most games were close and low-scoring, we saw the Giants deliver a nine-run inning (in extras, no less), only to be one-upped by the Yankees and their greedy ten-run frame. These offensive explosions provided some of the most important highlights of the day, though we also had our fair share of web gems and unintentional humor, creating an excellent Tuesday around baseball.
Don’t tell that to Paul Skenes, though, who must be thinking about how he can solve those pesky Cardinals!
Today’s Headlines
David Beats Goliath
According to Spotrac, the Dodgers’ payroll allocation is more than $260 million over the Marlins’, creating one of the biggest salary mismatches in baseball history. This being baseball, though, there is always a chance that the mighty will fall, just as it happened in walk-off fashion today. Despite a solid start from Tony Gonsolin and mammoth homers from Shohei Ohtani and Freddie Freeman, the Marlins kept the game close with eleven hits and five walks, which led to a 4-4 tie entering the tenth inning. While Jesús Tinoco navigated the extra frame with only an intentional walk and no runs allowed, LA’s J.P. Feyereisen was not as lucky, allowing a walk and a single that loaded the bases. Jesus Sanchez, hitting cleanup despite a .230 average, took care of business with a walk-off single to stun the Dodgers.
The @Marlins #walkoff the Dodgers 😤
verlaNDer
With 262 career wins under his name, Justin Verlander has been pretty vocal about his desire to reach 300, but the baseball gods may be laughing at his plans so far in 2025. Despite playing for the surprising 23-win Giants, Verlander is still searching for his first win of the season, as the bullpen failed him yet again after being in line for the W. Verlander battled through five innings of three-run ball against the Cubs, only to see closer Ryan Walker blow the save in the ninth, leading to the sixth no-decision in eight starts for the future Hall of Famer. Walker’s implosion at least led to a historic stat line in extra innings, as both teams traded scoreless tenth innings, leading to a Giants offensive explosion in the 11th, as San Francisco scored nine times to earn a very weird victory. The nine runs scored were the most ever for the Giants in an extra-innings frame, while also being the most ever scored in the same circumstance in the history of Wrigley Field. Meanwhile, Verlander will wait for that kind of run support his next time around.
The @SFGiants explode for a 9-run 11th inning to get the victory.(MLB x GEICO)
Double-Digit Bombing
Following Monday’s tough loss that provided plenty of tabloid fodder, the Yankees’ bullpen was close to letting another game go by the wayside. After Fernando Tatis Jr. delivered a clutch two-out double in the seventh to give San Diego a 3-2 lead, it looked as if the Padres’ dominant bullpen would take over. Instead, the Yankees delivered a statement. The first three batters of the bottom of the inning reached and tied the game, and after Oswaldo Cabrera failed at a bunt attempt, a patient New York lineup worked two walks to take the lead and set up the table for a big frame. Ben Rice created some ground with a two-run double, followed by RBI hits from Cody Bellinger and Anthony Volpe to create a comfortable 8-3 advantage. However, Austin Wells still delivered the exclamation point with his first career grand slam, capping off a 10-run seventh that gave the Yankees a return to the win column.
Austin Wells' first career grand slam caps off the @Yankees 10-run inning 😳
Snakebitten
The Mets have been one of the best teams in baseball, having many breaks go their way in very un-Mets-like fashion. For a game, regression hit them hard, as the Diamondbacks showed how dominant they can be. Despite an early 1-0 deficit, Arizona battled and cruised to a 5-1 win on the back of a vintage Zac Gallen performance and the hitting prowess of Lourdes Gurriel Jr. Gallen, who had scuffled for most of the season, pitched seven strong innings of one-run ball, striking out six. Meanwhile, Gurriel also had his best game of the season, hitting a double and a homer in the middle of a 3-for-4 day that included two RBI. With the victory, Arizona improved to 19-17 and are on the verge of becoming the fourth NL West team with 20 wins.
Lourdes Gurriel Jr. goes 3-for-4 with a home run and the @Dbacks even the series!
Best Moments From Yesterday
Joshing Around
After making his mark as a multi-positional wonder since his 2022 debut, Texas’ Josh Smith has started playing first base in 2025, again highlighting his versatility. But if Moneyball taught us anything, playing first is incredibly hard, starting with the different glove you need to use to catch those pesky tough-hop throws. In his third career game manning first, the new glove played a bit with Smith, who somehow missed the fact that he caught a line drive cleanly and had to do a 360 before figuring it out. The nifty catch was part of an all-smiles day for the Rangers, as Nathan Eovaldi was dominant through six innings while they cruised to a 6-1 win over the Red Sox.
Never a doubt 😅
Dad Power
In the middle of an at-bat between Paul Skenes and Nolan Arenado, a routine foul ball became a web gem, as a dad in the stands nonchalantly caught a ball while holding his daughter—without even having to jump for it. The remarkable catch was also a symbol for how the St. Louis Cardinals have easily handled the mighty Skenes in his young career. Despite only allowing two runs over six innings, the phenom was bested by fellow ace Matthew Liberatore, who limited the Pirates to a run over seven frames. This means that Skenes now has seven career losses, and four of them have come against St. Louis.
You know dad made the grab 👏
Magic Turner
Justin Turner is not getting a lot of playing time in his age-40 season, being limited to only 58 plate appearances so far. However, his presence appears to be invaluable to the division-leading Cubs, providing a ton of veteran leadership and mentorship. It appears he is also some sort of prankster/magician, as evidenced by this video. Levity is a big factor during a 162-game season, and Turner was able to keep some of his teammates and even his manager stupefied for a moment with this trick. As long as they keep winning, a bit of confusion will not matter for these Cubs.
This is awesome 😂
Justin Turner pranks his Cubs teammates and reveals the trick at the end.
— Ben Verlander (@BenVerlander) May 6, 2025
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ The Dodgers have placed outfielder Teoscar Hernández on the 10-day IL with a grade 1 adductor strain. The veteran has been one of LA’s top hitters, carrying a .933 OPS with nine homers, making his production hard to replace. While there is no clear timetable for his return, he is expected to miss a significant amount of time.
⚾ Veteran pitcher Carlos Carrasco has been designated for assignment by the Yankees. Pressed into action due to New York’s numerous pitching injuries, Carrasco was mostly ineffective during his brief stint, with a 2-2 record and 5.91 ERA. At age 38, it is unlikely he will catch on quickly with another MLB organization.
⚾ After being on the IL for a month, Jackson Merrill was activated by the Padres, going 2-for-4 in his return. San Diego was cautious with the young outfielder, but now he should be available on a daily basis and have no lingering effects from his injury.
Articles You Should Read
Analytics and How they Impact a GM’s Job — David Laurila, Fangraphs
Examining Pete Alonso’s Picking Prowess — Anthony DiComo, MLB.com
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