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In a sport that thrives on unpredictability, Tuesday was as chalk as it gets. Leaving aside any betting odds, we saw 12 games in which the team that entered the day with a better record than its opponent ended up winning, with the Rangers over the Blue Jays and the Reds over the Royals being the only exceptions in the early slate, while Pittsburgh’s remarkable comeback from six runs down provided the only true upset of the day. Of course, it can all be considered a fluke, especially in a season with plenty of parity in the standings.
And in such a banner day for the favorites, some of the marquee names in the sport flexed their muscles. Shohei Ohtani became the first batter to reach 20 homers, while Seiya Suzuki marked his name as the lone representative of the 50-RBI club. Jose Altuve also had a memorable performance (4-for-4 with two homers), while Nolan Arenado provided a key homer to power another win for the red-hot Cardinals. Alas, it was not all rainbows and butterflies—just ask poor Ronny Simon or any Rockies fan.
Today’s Headlines
Twenty Homers (on the Road)
Reporting on Shohei Ohtani’s accomplishments and milestones has become almost a routine event in baseball, but it is nevertheless inevitable. The latest comes in the middle of a typical Ohtani power surge, as he homered for the third straight game en route to becoming the first MLB player to reach 20 dingers in 2025. The fourth-inning blast was part of a productive day for the Dodgers, as they clobbered three total homers and 13 hits to secure a big road win, 9-5 over the Guardians. Ohtani is now sporting a 1.053 OPS and aiming towards a return to the mound, which would practically guarantee him the fourth MVP award of his career. Even as these superlatives have become commonplace, let’s hope we never lose our sense of wonder when it comes to Shohei.
Sound up 🔊Shohei Ohtani's 20th homer of the season was loud!
Single-Digit Misery
As it has happened several times recently, the Colorado Rockies were competitive, only to again come out on the losing end. Despite carrying a 3-2 lead into the 11th inning and getting the first out of the frame without advancement from the ghost runner, reliever Tyler Kinley tired in his second inning of work, leading to three straight runners reaching base and giving the Cubs a walk-off win as rookie Matt Shaw delivered the winning hit. With the loss, Colorado again failed to finally reach 10 wins for the season, and have now set a dubious MLB record by losing their first 18 series of the year. This is now the seventh streak of at least three losses for the Rockies, as they appear dead serious in becoming the worst team of all time.
Look away Rockies fans 😬Colorado made the worst kind of MLB history after losing 4-3 to the Chicago Cubs tonight.
— The Athletic (@theathletic.bsky.social) 2025-05-28T03:31:02.216Z
Fish Out of Water
For a brief moment, it all looked perfect for the Marlins and rookie second baseman Ronny Simon. Playing in only his 19th career game, Simon drove in Miami’s fourth run in what would end up being a shocking six-run first inning. Despite being in the driver’s seat, the Marlins slowly started to fall apart, as the Padres chipped away at the lead, and they trailed only by one run in the third inning. Simon, who had already made an error in the second, committed two crucial mistakes to start the fourth, allowing San Diego to tie the game. An additional error was later rescinded by the official scorer, but the damage was already done, as an inconsolable Simon had to be subbed in the fifth following an emotional breakdown on the field. By that point, the Padres showed no mercy and completed the comeback, taking a 7-6 lead that would turn into an 8-6 final thanks to a late Jackson Merrill homer. Baseball can be a cruel sport sometimes.
Miami Marlins Ronny Simon was seen crying after making 3 errors in 4 innings. He was seen running to the dugout in between innings into the clubhouse where other Marlins players and coaches had to follow him.
Just wow. pic.twitter.com/dcEmdLKrlm
— js9innings (@js9inningsmedia) May 28, 2025
Cruz Missile(s)
Despite heightened preseason expectations, the Cincinnati Reds have failed to launch this season, mostly hovering around .500 in a crowded NL Central. They still employ the ever-exciting Elly de la Cruz, and that tends to make them watchable at the least, and when he is on, they become almost must-see TV. The 7-2 road win over the Royals gave us Elly at his game-changing best, as his pair of solo homers managed to turn an early 2-1 deficit into a tie and then a lead. The second one was the most impressive, as the 450-foot blast cleared the first level of Kauffman’s fountains and ended up floating calmly in the pool. The power display was enough run support for a solid Brady Singer, who limited the Royals to two runs over seven innings, earning his sixth win of 2025. Fittingly, the Reds are now 28-28.
ANOTHER ONE FOR ELLY DE LA CRUZ, AND THIS TIME HE PUT IT INTO THE FOUNTAIN 🤯
Best Moments From Yesterday
Riley…from the dugout!
After an uneven start to his career, Atlanta’s Austin Riley has settled as one of the best third basemen in the game, mixing both offensive prowess with stellar defense. While 2025 has not been his best season at the plate, he still has been able to flash the leather, as shown in this play against the Phillies. With all of Riley’s momentum pushing him towards foul ground, he had the accuracy and arm strength to nail Nick Castellanos at first, in a play that can be best described as Brooks Robinson-esque. Unfortunately for Riley and Atlanta, the play came as part of a losing effort, as Ranger Suárez bested fellow ace Spencer Strider, guiding Philadelphia to a 2-0 win over their rivals. Atlanta is now 10.5 games back of first place in the NL East.
Austin Riley … WOW 🤯
Not Ready for this Yelich
Red Sox manager Alex Cora had masterfully handled a designed bullpen game, using five pitchers to blank the Milwaukee Brewers through eight innings. While the Brewers staff had been similarly stingy, a lone sixth-inning run appeared to be enough to give Boston the win. However, Milwaukee finally broke through in the ninth, scoring off closer Aroldis Chapman to tie the game. Christian Yelich was instrumental in this development, doubling, stealing a base, and finally scoring the tying run. His efforts would be further recognized an inning later, as he stepped up to the plate with the bases loaded in what was still a 1-1 contest. While a sacrifice fly was enough to win it, Yelich decided to add some flair, clubbing his first career walk-off homer via a grand slam that gave Milwaukee a 5-1 victory. It couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy, as they say.
Christian Yelich called game for the @Brewers with a GRAND SLAM!(MLB x @DairyQueen)
Getting Squirrelly
Unsuspecting animal friends have long been part of baseball lore. From the ever-popular Bark at the Park games, to the black cat tormenting the Cubs, and the once-annoying Rally Monkey, our wild cohorts have found ways to earn a spot in our game. During the first inning of last night’s game in Detroit, the cameras caught a squirrel jogging around left field, first encountering a bewildered Riley Greene and then becoming a source of anxiety for reliever Tyler Holton, as the intrepid rodent found its way to the Tigers’ bullpen. In any case, the furry friend might have worked as a good-luck charm, as the home team took a 3-1 victory over the Giants, with Greene driving in two runs to help his team.
SQUIRREL!
Injuries and Other Moves
⚾ Bryce Harper left last night’s game against Atlanta after being hit by a Spencer Strider pitch on his right elbow. While X-rays came back negative, Harper could be out for a few days for the division-leading Phillies. He will be evaluated day-to-day to determine if an IL stint is necessary.
⚾ Rangers’ ace Nathan Eovaldi was pulled from last night’s start after just two innings. His early exit came due to right triceps fatigue and was considered precautionary, but the situation merits monitoring in the upcoming days. Despite Eovaldi’s departure, Texas’s staff was able to keep the Blue Jays off the board, ultimately winning 2-0.
⚾ The Tigers have placed Matt Vierling on the 10-day IL with right shoulder inflammation. The ten days may be just a euphemism, though, as Vierling has suffered from shoulder issues for a long time and could now miss an extended period. He had just been reinstated last week due to this injury, and Detroit is likely to be cautious with this latest setback.
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