Dodgers’ Blake Snell Set for Elbow Surgery, Expected Back Later this Season

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Blake Snell will undergo surgery to remove loose bodies from his left elbow, and the Los Angeles Dodgers expect the two-time Cy Young Award winner to return this season.

Snell made his season debut last weekend, giving up four earned runs in three innings after missing the start of the season with left shoulder fatigue and inflammation, and the left-hander was scratched from his scheduled start on Friday against the Los Angeles Angels. 

The surgery is scheduled for Tuesday.

“It’s going to be to take out those loose bodies, and it’s supposed to be a lot quicker recovery, so we’re encouraged about that,” manager Dave Roberts said Saturday before the second game of the three-game Freeway Series at Angel Stadium.

Snell missed most of the 2025 regular season because of a shoulder injury, which limited him to 11 starts, but he was able to make six appearances in the playoffs. Snell had a 3-2 record in the postseason to help the Dodgers to a second consecutive World Series title.

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Snell’s latest injury was discovered on Thursday, and Roberts indicated the 33-year-old could undergo a similar procedure to what Detroit Tigers ace Tarik Skubal recently had in an effort to expedite his recovery. Skubal had a more aggressive type of minimally invasive surgery on May 6, which allowed him to resume playing catch and soft tossing just over a week later.

Roberts indicated it was too early to have a timetable for Snell’s return to baseball activities, but “I think just with the MRI, the scans and everything, we feel good about getting back to play sooner than later,” he said.

The Dodgers are already without closer Edwin Diaz, who had surgery to remove loose bodies from his right elbow in April, and starter Tyler Glasnow is on the injured list because of back spasms.

Reporting by the Associated Press. 

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Cristopher Sánchez Strikes Out a Career-High 13, Phillies Beat Pirates 6-0

Cristopher Sánchez struck out a career-high 13 while picking up the second shutout of his career as the Philadelphia Phillies drilled the Pittsburgh Pirates 6-0 on Saturday.

Sánchez (5-2), the National League Cy Young runner-up a year ago, allowed five hits and didn’t issue a walk while extending his scoreless streak to 29 2/3 innings, dropping his ERA to 1.82.

Bryce Harper smashed a 457-foot three-run homer off the batter’s eye in the first inning off Bubba Chandler (1-5). Trea Turner and Alec Bohm had two hits apiece. Kyle Schwarber, baseball’s leading home run hitter, added an RBI single as the Phillies gave Sanchez an early five-run lead and cruised.

Philadelphia improved to 14-4 over its last 18 games to return to .500 (23-23) and made bench coach Dusty Wathan a winner during his managerial debut. Wathan filled in for Don Mattingly while Mattingly attended his son’s college graduation.

One night after the Phillies rallied from six down to stun Pittsburgh in extra innings, Sanchez made sure no comeback was needed. He retired the first 11 batters he faced and never really ran into trouble until the ninth inning, when the Pirates put runners on first and third with one out.

With a reliever warming up in the bullpen, Sanchez struck out Marcell Ozuna to reach 13 strikeouts for the first time and then retired Nick Yorke on a groundball to end it.

While Sanchez was crisp, Chandler was not. The hard-throwing 23-year-old, considered an important part of Pittsburgh’s future, continued to struggle with his command. Chandler issued four walks in his three innings of work, pushing his total on the season to a major league-leading 31.

And when Chandler did find the strike zone, Schwarber and Harper made him pay.

It took Philadelphia all of three batters to take control. Turner led off with a single. Schwarber walked, and Harper followed with his 11th homer of the season, a monster shot that made the significant chunk of the PNC Park crowd who made the five-hour drive across the state roar with approval.

Up next

The series wraps up on Sunday when reigning NL Cy Young winner Paul Skenes (6-2, 1.98 ERA) starts for Pittsburgh against Philadelphia’s Zack Wheeler (2-0, 2.55).

Reporting by the Associated Press.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Last Night In Baseball: Pirates Implode Against Phillies

There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to follow themselves.

Don’t worry, we’re here to help you by figuring out what you missed but shouldn’t have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball:

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Philadelphia Phillies Roar Back

This one stings for the Pittsburgh Pirates.

The Pirates put six runs on the board in the bottom of the sixth against the Philadelphia Phillies, with center fielder Oneil Cruz hitting a two-run single and both second baseman Brandon Lowe and designated hitter Marcell Ozuna hitting two-run home runs.

Philadelphia got on the board with a sacrifice fly in the top of the fourth and later got a two-run home run from designated hitter Kyle Schwarber in the fifth, but Pittsburgh got one of those runs back on a solo homer from Lowe in the bottom of the fifth and another run back on an infield error in the sixth. In the top half of the seventh, Schwarber got the Phillies back within three runs (8-5) on a two-run home run, his second long ball of the game and MLB-high 20th of the year.

The Pirates entered the ninth inning with a three-run lead, but then the Phillies evened the score. After Schwarber walked in a run, first baseman Bryce Harper — who had a game-high four hits — hit a game-tying, two-run double off the right-center field wall. The game went to extra innings, where the Phillies built a lead to last.

Outfielder Brandon Marsh led off the top of the 10th with an RBI double. Two batters later, pinch hitter Rafael Marchán had a two-run single, which would help Philadelphia win, 11-9.

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Mason Miller Action

With two runners on the basepath, two outs in the bottom of the eighth and trying to keep a 2-0 lead, the San Diego Padres called on Mason Miller to get a four-out save against the Seattle Mariners. Did he make things interesting? You bet! But the hard-throwing right-hander got the job done.

After giving up a single to load the bases, Miller got pinch hitter Connor Joe to strikeout looking to end the eighth. Then, Seattle got two of the first three batters on-base in the bottom of the ninth, but Miller responded by striking out both Mitch Garver and Brendan Donovan to end the game. Each of the four outs that Miller recorded were strikeouts.

Across 21.0 innings pitched (20 appearances), Miller, a 2024 All-Star, has posted an 0.86 ERA, an 0.76 WHIP, 44 strikeouts, a 483 ERA+ and 1.3 wins above replacement. He leads MLB with 14 saves and is yet to blow a save opportunity.

Prior to Miller entering the game, San Diego got six shutout innings from Randy Vásquez, a scoreless inning from Adrian Morejon and Jason Adam got the first two outs in the eighth. The Padres got their two runs on an RBI double from designated hitter Miguel Andújar — who was one of four San Diego players to log two hits — in the top of the fourth and an RBI ground out from second baseman Sung-Mun Song in the seventh.

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8th-Inning Lead Change

The Minnesota Twins took a 2-1 lead into the eighth inning, but then the Milwaukee Brewers flipped the script.

Milwaukee led off the top half of the inning with back-to-back singles from center fielder Jackson Chourio and second baseman Brice Turang. Then, catcher William Contreras — who had an RBI single in the top of the first — brought home a run on a force-out, which first baseman Jake Bauers followed with a go-ahead, RBI double. Granted, the Brewers stranded two runners in scoring position with nobody out.

Minnesota put two runners on the basepath in the bottom half of the inning, but reliever Abner Uribe induced a double-play to end the inning, and Trevor Megill pitched a one-two-three ninth to give Milwaukee a 3-2 road victory.

The Brewers are figuring it out. After a rough start that saw it be last in the National League Central, Milwaukee has won seven of its last eight games, improving to 25-17 and second place in the division.

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Ben Rice, Cam Schlittler Lead The Way

The New York Yankees got a convincing Game 1 win over the New York Mets in Act 1 of this year’s Subway Series.

In the top of the third, Yankees left fielder Cody Bellinger had an RBI double, which second baseman Jazz Chisholm Jr. followed with a two-run double. Later, designated hitter Spencer Jones singled in a run in the fifth and first baseman Ben Rice gave the Yankees more wiggle room with a solo home run in the ninth, helping them get a 5-2 win. The Mets, who had just five hits, got their two runs on a seventh-inning solo home run from left fielder Juan Soto and an RBI single from third baseman Brett Baty in the bottom of the ninth.

Rice and Chisholm each had a game-high three hits for the Yankees, who got 6 â…” innings from starter Cam Schlittler; the right-hander posted nine strikeouts and surrendered just one run and four baserunners (two hits and two walks).

On the season, Rice has totaled 14 home runs and 30 RBIs, while boasting a .314/.418/.686 slash line. Rice leads the American League with a .686 slugging percentage, a 1.104 OPS and a 204 OPS+. Meanwhile, Schlittler, who’s averaging six innings per start, leads the AL with a 1.35 ERA, an 0.78 WHIP, six wins, a 310 ERA+ and 2.8 wins above replacement among pitchers.

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etroit Tigers Walk It Off

Losing eight of their last nine games, the Detroit Tigers needed a win — and they got one.

With a runner on first and two outs in the bottom of the ninth in what was a 2-2 game, the Toronto Blue Jays decided to intentionally walk Tigers right fielder Zach McKinstry, and first baseman Spencer Torkelson made them pay, hitting a walk-off single to right-center field.

Detroit scored its other two runs on a wild pitch in the bottom of the third and an RBI double from left fielder Riley Greene in the sixth, while Toronto got its two runs on a two-run double from shortstop Andrés Giménez in the top of the second.

The Tigers rolled with a bullpen day, as six pitchers (Brenan Hanifee, Brant Hurter, Ty Madden, Burch Smith, Drew Anderson and Kenley Jansen) combined to give up just five hits and two walks.

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Redbirds Walk It Off, Too

One day after scoring two runs in the top of the ninth to take the lead and beat the Athletics, the St. Louis Cardinals walked off the Kansas City Royals.

After trading runs in the 10th inning, St. Louis kept Kansas City off the board in the top of the 11th, and with two outs in the bottom half of the inning, pinch hitter Yohel Pozo sent everybody home on a walk-off single to right field.

Elsewhere for the Cardinals, right fielder Jordan Walker hit a two-run home run in the bottom of the fourth and had a game-high three hits; catcher Pedro Pagés hit a solo homer in the fifth; first baseman Alec Burleson singled home the ghost runner in the 10th; right-hander Dustin May gave up three runs through six innings.

St. Louis has won three of its last four games.

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Get Out The Weedwacker

Spencer Arrighetti is the story of the night in H-Town.

The Houston Astros’ right-hander carried a no-hitter into the top of the eighth and was promptly relieved, thereafter. Bryan King picked up where Arrighetti left off, pitching 1 â…” shutout innings and finishing off a 2-0 win for the Astros over the Texas Rangers. Through his first six starts (Arrighetti began the 2026 season in Triple A), Arrighetti has posted a 1.50 ERA, a 1.19 WHIP, a 280 ERA+ and 1.6 wins above replacement across 36.0 innings pitched.

As for the slim offense in this matchup, the Astros got a solo home run from third baseman Isaac Paredes in the bottom of the third and an RBI single from infielder Braden Shewmake — who’s batting .366 with three home runs and seven RBIs across 41 at-bats — in the eighth.

Want some bizarre history? The Astros and Rangers are now 150-150 against each other all time, according to MLB Stats.

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Los Angeles Dodgers’ Pitching DOMINATES

Last year, the Los Angeles Angels went 6-0 against the Los Angeles Dodgers. That will NOT happen this season, as the Dodgers, ironically, defeated the Angels in Angel Stadium, 6-0.

The bulk of the Dodgers’ offense came in the top of the fourth, as center fielder Andy Pages hit a three-run home run, which was followed by third baseman Max Muncy hitting a solo shot. Left fielder Teoscar Hernández joined the long-ball party in the sixth with a two-run homer. 

Muncy and Hernández each had two hits for the Dodgers, who used a whopping eight pitchers (left-hander Blake Snell was scratched from his outing) and held the Angels to just two hits. Angels shortstop Zach Neto was the only player for Mickey Mouse’s favorite team (one would hope, at least) who made some hay, as he singled and drew two walks.

Pages is tied with Miami Marlins catcher Liam Hicks for the MLB lead in RBIs (38), while Muncy leads the Dodgers with 12 home runs and Hernández has driven in 20 runs, which is good for a three-way tie for second on the team.

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The Rocky Mountain Slayer

Merrill Kelly posted a 9.95 ERA and gave up six home runs over his first four starts. Over his last two outings, Kelly has been exceptional.

The Arizona Diamondbacks’ right-hander went the distance on the road against the Colorado Rockies on Friday night, giving up just one run and four baserunners (four hits) and throwing 100 pitches over nine innings in an overwhelming, 9-1 victory. He has given up just two runs over his last two starts, combining to throw 16.0 innings. Moreover, this marked Kelly’s seventh consecutive quality start (giving up no more than three earned runs over at least six innings) at Coors Field, which is an MLB record, according to MLB Stats.

The Rockies’ one run came on a first-inning solo home run from catcher Hunter Goodman. What happened in the top half of the inning? The Diamondbacks scored six runs: an RBI single from first baseman Ildemaro Vargas, a two-run single from catcher Gabriel Moreno, an RBI double from designated hitter José Fernández and a two-run single from center fielder Ryan Waldschmidt.

Vargas, who finished with a game-high four hits, had another RBI single in the fourth and scored two runs in the eighth on a Lourdes Gurriel Jr. sacrifice fly and an RBI double from Moreno.

Braves

They Each Played In Boston

The Atlanta Braves, who were originally the Reds at their 1876 induction, played in Boston before the Red Sox, who were founded as the Boston Americans in 1901. Its relevance to the Friday night game between the two teams? Minimal, if any, but it was an exciting game.

After keeping Boston off the board in the top of the 10th, the Braves walked off the Red Sox in the first at-bat of the bottom half of the inning, with outfielder Mike Yastrzemski lacing a walk-off double to left-center field for a 3-2 win.

Designated hitter Drake Baldwin got the Braves on the board in the bottom of the first with a solo home run, which was his 12th homer of the year, with center fielder Michael Harris II, who sports a .308 batting average and a .510 slugging percentage, hitting a solo home run of his own in the fourth. Boston’s two runs came on a sixth-inning RBI single from designated hitter Mickey Gasper and a solo home run from second baseman Marcelo Mayer in the seventh.

The Braves have won five of their last six games.

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THAT’s How You Close Out A Game

The Cincinnati Reds led the Cleveland Guardians 6-1 entering the bottom of the eighth, but then the latter struck for five runs over the next two innings. Granted, the Reds scored a needed run in the top of the ninth.

Nevertheless, Cincinnati escaped Progressive Field with a one-run victory after second baseman Matt McLain made a diving stop on a ground ball hit by Guardians rookie Travis Bazzana in the outfield grass, got to his feet and just made the throw to first base to end the game.

McLain reached base safely three times (two hits and one walk) and drove in a game-high three runs, highlighted by a two-run home run in the top of the eighth. Reds left fielder JJ Bleday had a team-high three hits, while right fielder Spencer Steer tallied two hits.

After left-hander Andrew Abbott pitched five innings, the Reds used five relievers to get a 7-6 win.

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‘One of the Greatest Leaders’: How Bobby Cox Left a Lasting Impression on His Players

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LOS ANGELES — On Sept. 1, 2010, Freddie Freeman saw his name in the Braves lineup, batting sixth, and almost threw up. It was the 20-year-old’s first game as a big-leaguer, and he was sitting at his locker, staring forward, nervous as could be. 

Bobby Cox, who was in the last of his 29 seasons as a Hall of Fame manager, walked by with a few words to ease the tension and calm the rookie down.

“He goes, ‘Gosh dang it, Free, what took you so long to get here to the big leagues?’” Freeman recalled Saturday before facing his former team, reflecting on the life of his first Major League manager. “He said some other choice words, but all the nerves immediately went away, just because of how he went about it.”

Cox, who died Saturday at the age of 84, leaves a legacy not only as one of baseball’s most successful managers — he won the fourth-most games in MLB history and 14 straight division titles with the Braves — but also as a galvanizing force who always had his players’ backs. 

“He was one of the greatest leaders I’d ever been around,” said Braves manager Walt Weiss, who played for Cox in the late 90s. “He was the best I’d ever been around at creating loyalty amongst the group. It was the way he treated people, the way he encouraged guys. Bobby always made you feel like you were playing better than you actually were.”

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(Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Weiss, who was an All-Star player in his first year with the Braves in 1998, will also never forget how Cox let him take as much time as he needed that season when his son was suddenly hospitalized with a life-threatening bacterial infection. 

“Bobby told me to go be with my family and come back wherever I wanted,” Weiss told me in the Braves’ dugout. “There was never any pressure to come back. I think I was gone for about a week or so. Bobby was always looking out for you. It always felt like he was in your corner.” 

That remained the case decades later. 

Weiss, who’s in his first season as Braves manager, was the Rockies’ skipper from 2013 to 2016 before joining Atlanta as Brian Snitker’s bench coach in 2018. 

It was Cox who brought Weiss’ name up to Snitker. 

“I’m forever grateful to Bobby,” Weiss said.

The devotion Cox felt toward his players is perhaps evidenced most by his 162 career ejections, the most in MLB history. Atlanta first baseman Matt Olson, who grew up in Georgia watching the Braves, remembered those well. 

“As a kid going to a baseball game, it gets the crowd going,” Olson, 32, said from the Braves’ clubhouse. “I’d always be there rooting him on to go out.”

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(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Dodgers first-base coach Chris Woodward was on the field for one such occasion. 

Woodward only played one season for the Braves in 2007, but even in that short time felt Cox’s unwavering support. He shared a story with Freeman about a time when he turned a double play, but the umpire called the runner safe at second. Cox ran onto the field and quickly asked Woodward if he touched second base. 

“Woody goes, ‘Yes, I did,’” Freeman relayed. “So, we all knew what Bobby did after that.”

After finding out the news of Cox’s passing, tributes flooded in from his former players. Andruw Jones even referred to Cox as a second father. 

Freeman reached out to Snitker, asking his old Braves manager to pass on to Cox’s family how he was thinking of them. Freeman only played one season for Cox, but in the years that followed, he often heard from coaches and writers about how much Cox cared about him and believed in him. He saw it, too, based on the copious number of at-bats Cox gave him in his first big-league spring training. 

“He cared about a 19-year-old and a 40-year-old the exact same way,” Freeman said. “That’s what’s special, and that’s why everyone loved him.” 

Through Cox, Freeman learned quickly about “The Braves Way.” Even after his 12 years in Atlanta, it’s still engraved in him.

“You’re wearing your uniform to batting practice, buttoned down, hat’s always forward,” Freeman explained.

In Atlanta, he would wear the sunglasses on the back of his hat because he was proud of the “A” on the front and didn’t want to block it. Now with the Dodgers, he won’t wear his glasses over the “LA” on his hat. 

“That’s Bobby,” Freeman said. “Bobby’s still in me. Just a wonderful man that teaches you lessons, teaches you camaraderie, unity, doing things as a unit, no one’s different. That’s how I came up, and that’s what Bobby taught over there, and I appreciate it still to this day.”

When Cox’s tenure as Braves manager ended, he remained in an advisory role in the seasons to follow. Weiss felt fortunate that he got to see Cox several times over the last few years, going to the Hall of Famer’s house along with Snitker. 

“He’d continue to watch us every night,” Weiss said. “And he was well aware of what was going on. His mind was still sharp.” 

Cox won five National League pennants with the Braves and a World Series title in 1995. He was a four-time Manager of the Year and also spent time as the Braves’ general manager, helping lay the groundwork for the team’s tremendous success in the late 90s and early 2000s. 

But what Freeman takes most from Cox has nothing to do with the baseball field.

“It didn’t matter who you were, he knew your name,” Freeman said. “I think that’s what left the impact on so many people, is genuine care. If you guys know me, I’m big person to person. I like to be genuine and real and make you feel like I care because I do. And that’s a Bobby thing.

“And I think of why so many people love Bobby, too, is he was always right next to the camera. You could hear him cheering on his teammates. He was in every pitch. He wanted to win just as much as you did. Braves country could hear him cheering for his guys because he was sitting right next to that camera well, and you could hear the speakers.”

Freeman went hitless in his first career game and went 4-for-24 in his rookie year in 2010. Still, Cox always believed in him. 

Sixteen years later, Freeman entered Saturday with 2,471 hits for his career, the most of any active player. Hanging on a wall at his house in Atlanta is a Braves jersey autographed by Cox. It reads: “To Freddie. Keep on hitting.” 

“I bet you if I wanted to get tossed out that first game, he would’ve gotten tossed out with me,” Freeman said. “That’s just who he was.”

Rowan Kavner is an MLB writer for FOX Sports. He previously covered the L.A. Dodgers, LA Clippers and Dallas Cowboys. An LSU grad, Rowan was born in California, grew up in Texas, then moved back to the West Coast in 2014. Follow him on X at @RowanKavner.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

MLB on Mother’s Day: Best Moments on Mother’s Day Since 2000

Sunday is Mom’s day to shine, and Major League Baseball sure knows that. 

Once again, numerous players on all 30 teams are wearing or using pink gear in honor of Mother’s Day. Some players are using pink bats, like New York Yankees star Aaron Judge. In fact, Judge hit his 16th home run of the season, using a pink bat to send a pitch off Milwaukee Brewers starter Logan Henderson into the bleachers. That home run put Judge in a tie with Philadelphia Phillies star Kyle Schwarber for the most in baseball this season, while Bryce Harper also hit a home run with a pink bat on Sunday.

As Judge, Harper and others bring some golden memories for moms on this Mother’s Day, let’s take a look at some of the other top Mother’s Day moments in recent MLB history.

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Bill Hall’s Walk-Off Home Run

In a way, Bill Hall’s mom helped power the Brewers to a walk-off win over the New York Mets on Mother’s Day in 2006. Hall hit a walk-off home run in the Brewers’ Mother’s Day win over the Mets that year, using a pink at-bat with his mother’s name (Vergie Hall) engraved in it as she watched from the stands. 

The bat was later auctioned to help raise money for breast cancer research. Brewers owner Mark Attanasio later obtained the bat and gifted it to Vergie Hall. As for the auction, the bat went for $25,000. 

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Red Sox Complete Mother’s Day Miracle Comeback

The Boston Red Sox needed a miracle and then some to take down the Baltimore Orioles on Mother’s Day in 2007. Facing a 5-0 deficit in the bottom of the ninth inning, the Red Sox rallied and scored six runs to get a walk-off victory. The Orioles committed a few self-inflicted errors to allow the Red Sox to win the game, though. An infield pop-up fell for a hit, while three walks allowed the Red Sox to make a one-run game.

It appeared the Orioles had the game sealed when Julio Lugo hit a ground ball to Orioles first baseman Kevin Millar. However, Millar’s toss to Orioles closer Chris Ray went off the pitcher’s glove, allowing the Red Sox to score the game-tying and game-winning runs. 

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Fred Lewis Hits for Cycle

Fred Lewis was only a few days into his second MLB stint when he achieved one of the toughest accomplishments in baseball on Mother’s Day in 2007. The then-San Francisco Giants outfielder hit for the cycle in his team’s 15-2 win over the Colorado Rockies. He went 5-for-6 at the plate, with his home run that day doubling as his first MLB home run. 

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Dallas Braden Throws Perfect Game

Dallas Braden joined an elite class of pitchers on Mother’s Day in 2010. He threw the 19th perfect game in MLB history in the Oakland Athletics’ 4-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays. 

The Rays nearly avoided being on the wrong side of history, though. With two outs in the ninth, Rays outfielder Gabe Kapler chased at Braden’s fastball outside the zone on a 3-1 count, hitting into the final out of the game. Had Kapler looked at the pitch, he likely would’ve walked. Adding to the drama, Braden actually thought it was a 2-2 count when he threw the final pitch, later saying that he would’ve thrown a changeup had he known it was a 3-1 count. 

Beyond the perfect game, the day had significant meaning for Braden. Braden’s mom passed away years prior from cancer, leading to him sharing an emotional moment with his grandmother. 

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Joey Votto Hits 3 Homers, Including a Walk-Off Grand Slam

2012: Joey Votto Hits 3 Homers, Including a Walk-Off Grand Slam

Not many people want to spend their Mother’s Day weathering a three-hour rain delay. However, Joey Votto made it worthwhile for Cincinnati Reds fans in 2012. The franchise icon hit three home runs against the Washington Nationals on Mother’s Day in 2012, saving his best for last that day. Facing a 6-5 deficit in the bottom of the ninth, Votto belted a ball to straightaway center for a walk-off grand slam. 

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Felix Hernandez Records 2,000th Career Strikeout

Feloix Hernandez joined a rare group of pitchers on Mother’s Day in 2015. The Seattle Mariners’ ace struck out six hitters that day in a 4-3 win over the Athletics, logging his 2,000th career strikeout. He became the fourth-youngest pitcher in MLB history to log 2,000 career strikeouts. 

“This is Mother’s Day, so it’s pretty special for me,” Hernandez told reporters after the game. “My mom’s in Venezuela and I miss her so much. I just want to go out there and keep trying to help the team to win. Just dedicated this game to my mom and my wife.”

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Jahmai Jones hits first career home run

Jahmai Jones began his MLB career by going on a pretty long homer-less streak, failing to go yard in his first 46 career games. That changed on Mother’s Day in 2024, though. Playing in his 11th game for the New York Yankees, Jones hit his first career home run in a 10-6 win over the Rays on Mother’s Day that year. Jones dedicated the moment to his mom, as she had to raise him and his five siblings alone following his father’s death in 2011. 

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2026 MLB Trade Deadline Rumors Tracker: SF Giants Shopping High-Priced Core

The early-season dust has settled, but the trade market is already heating up as front offices across the league begin to separate the contenders from the sellers.

Here are the latest whispers and trade rumors currently shaping the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline.

May 10

Astros

Giants exploring trades for multiple high-priced veterans

The San Francisco Giants could be headed toward a fire sale after a sluggish 16-24 start that has them sitting fourth in the National League West. The Giants are exploring ways to move several major contracts as they look toward the future, according to USA Today.

That includes the remaining money owed to Jung Hoo Lee ($85 million), Willy Adames ($161 million), Rafael Devers ($226 million) and Matt Chapman ($125 million). If they are able to unload those contracts, it would mark a dramatic shift toward a long-term rebuild.

The San Francisco Giants are expected to make pitcher Robbie Ray their biggest trade chip at the deadline, while several executives told USA Today that the club could also listen to offers for ace Logan Webb.

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2026 MLB Power Rankings: Who is Each Team’s Early Season Standout Starter?

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Before last weekend, the fastest pitch from a starter in the pitch-tracking era (since 2008) belonged to Jordan Hicks at 103.2 mph. 

On Friday night, Jacob Misiorowski set that record ablaze. 

The Brewers’ 24-year-old flamethrower introduced himself to the Yankees by striking out 11 batters over six scoreless innings while maxing out at 103.6 mph three times in a 6-0 win. Misiorowski threw 10 pitches at 103 mph or faster and is now responsible for 16 of the 18 fastest pitches from a starting pitcher in the pitch-tracking era. 

“Miz” has only allowed two hits in 11.1 innings this month, and he’s the MLB leader in strikeouts (70) despite ranking outside the top 45 in innings pitched. In honor of Misiorowski’s record-setting performance, this week’s power rankings include every team’s standout starter to begin the year. 

Chase Dollander’s role has varied, but he has started in two of his last three appearances and has nearly twice as many strikeouts (47) as the next closest pitcher on the team (Kyle Freeland: 28). Dollander’s missing a lot more bats to start his second season, which is an encouraging sign under new pitching coach Alon Leichman. 

He no longer looks like the best pitcher in the league, but the fact we were talking about José Soriano that way through the end of April is a testament to his sensational start. He had an ERA under 1.00 through his first seven starts and still ranks in the top three in the category among qualified starters (1.66). 

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(Photo by Caean Couto/Getty Images)

The offense is still a mess — the Mets rank last in every slash line category — but Nolan McLean gives the team a chance every time he’s on the mound. He has held his opponent to three runs or fewer in each of his eight starts and ranks fourth among all qualified starters in strikeout rate. Opponents are hitting .038 with 19 strikeouts against his curveball.  

It’s been an uphill battle all year for their shorthanded rotation, which ranks 29th in ERA and is still missing its most important pieces, but Peter Lambert has done his best to assist. The 29-year-old never had an ERA under 5.00 or a strikeout rate over 19% in any of his four seasons in Colorado; he has a 2.42 ERA and a 24.7 K% in four starts in Houston this year. He hasn’t allowed a home run, and opponents are hitting just .125 against his four-seamer. 

Landen Roupp not only has seen his strikeout rate rise 7% from last year, he also has the lowest hard-hit rate of any qualified MLB starter. In eight starts, he hasn’t allowed a single barreled ball. It’ll be interesting to see how the pitching staff handles the departure of defensive whiz Patrick Bailey, who was traded to Cleveland. 

With Taj Bradley the latest Twins starter to hit the injured list, we’ll highlight Joe Ryan. It looked like he, too, might be lost for a while. But after leaving his May 3 start with elbow soreness, Ryan returned Saturday and fired six innings of one-run ball on 107 pitches. His ERA this year (3.43) is nearly identical to what it was last year (3.42), but it’s worth noting that his velocity and whiff rate are both down a tick. 

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(Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

After an inauspicious start to his Boston tenure, Ranger Suárez has a 1.17 ERA over his last five starts and held his opponent scoreless in four of them. He left his last start early with hamstring tightness but appears to be fine.

Returning stateside after three years in Japan, Foster Griffin (2.12) has a nearly identical ERA to Cristopher Sánchez (2.11) and the same WHIP as Joe Ryan (1.03). He has allowed one earned run in 20 innings over his last three starts. 

From Tommy John surgery in 2022 to season-ending hip surgery last July, staying on the field hasn’t been easy for 2020 first-round pick Max Meyer. Through eight starts this year, though, he has a career-best 2.79 ERA. His sweeper has been a difference-maker, and his .197 opponents’ batting average ranks in the top 20 among qualified starters. 

Trevor Rogers has a 4.75 ERA, and that’s the best mark of any Orioles pitcher with at least five starts this year. Baltimore starters have allowed more runs than any rotation in MLB, and the Orioles have lost eight of their last 11 games. 

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(Photo by Michael Hirschuber/Getty Images)

It’s not an exaggeration to say that Davis Martin has been one of the best pitchers in the sport this season. Among qualified MLB starters, the 29-year-old has the second-lowest ERA (1.62) and fifth-lowest walk rate (4.7%). The White Sox have won seven of his eight starts this year. 

Dylan Cease has given the Blue Jays all they could have asked for when they gave him $210 million this offseason. He ranks third in MLB in strikeouts and has the highest whiff rate among qualified AL starters. His 34.6% strikeout rate is the highest of his career. 

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(Photo by Steven King/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Woof. Between Tarik Skubal undergoing an elbow procedure and Framber Valdez unraveling and getting suspended, it was a brutal week in Detroit. Skubal, Casey Mize, Justin Verlander and Troy Melton are all sidelined (not to mention Jackson Jobe and Reese Olson, who haven’t pitched all year), but at least it sounds like Skubal could return sooner than many anticipated. He is, obviously, the Tigers’ standout. Keider Montero has allowed one run in each of his last two starts, and they’ll need him to help keep the ship afloat. 

Michael Wacha leads the Royals in wins (four) and ERA (2.63). He has gone seven innings in each of his first two starts of May, allowing a combined two runs over those appearances. Opponents are hitting just .164 against his four-seamer and .136 against his changeup. He’s helping the Royals crawl back toward AL Central relevance (it doesn’t take much). 

Prior to his five-run outing against the White Sox over the weekend, Emerson Hancock was coming off a 14-strikeout performance against the Royals. The difficult outing Friday brought his ERA up over 3.00 for the first time all year, but he has been an important cog for a Mariners rotation that hasn’t dominated the way many expected. 

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(Photo by Stacy Revere/Getty Images)

After the Rangers lost four straight series, Jacob deGrom put an end to the skid by striking out 10 Cubs batters in seven scoreless innings Sunday. The two-time Cy Young Award winner has a 2.62 ERA with 57 strikeouts and eight walks in 44.2 innings, but no one else in the Rangers rotation has an ERA under 4.00. This feels like a team that’s just going to hover around .500 all year…but maybe that isn’t the worst thing in the American League? 

Cristopher Sánchez’s ERA is down to 2.11 after throwing eight scoreless innings on May 5 against the Athletics and then adding seven more scoreless frames Sunday against the Rockies, moving the Phillies to 10-3 in the Don Mattingly era. After finishing as the Cy Young runner-up last year, Sánchez should be in the mix for the award again. 

Eduardo Rodriguez is 4-0 with a 2.25 ERA after coming two outs short of a complete game Sunday against the Mets. It has been a bounceback year for the veteran lefty, who had an ERA over 5.00 in each of his first two seasons in Arizona. 

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(Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)

He’ll be a longshot considering the strength of this year’s rookie class, but Parker Messick has to at least be in the American League Rookie of the Year conversation. Among qualified AL starters, the 25-year-old lefty ranks fifth in ERA (2.30) and WHIP (0.98) and has the lowest hard-hit rate. 

Chase Burns ranks third among qualified NL starters with a 2.11 ERA; every other Cincinnati starter’s ERA is more than double that total. The 23-year-old has the fifth-highest whiff rate among all qualified MLB starters, and he has a 1.47 ERA over his last five starts. His slider is a serious weapon. 

The decision to add Aaron Civale in February was a prudent one; the veteran righty leads the team in wins (four) and ERA (2.59). He has surrendered just one run over his last three starts. 

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(Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)

If you were worried about Paul Skenes after his first start of the year, don’t be. Since that blow-up outing to start the season, he has a 1.31 ERA with 45 strikeouts and five walks over his last seven starts. He has held his opponent to one or no runs in six of his last seven starts, and he leads all qualified starters in WHIP (0.71) and opponents’ average (.156). 

The only qualified MLB starters with a lower WHIP than Michael McGreevy (0.86) are Paul Skenes (0.71) and Cam Schlittler (0.81). McGreevy has a 2.18 ERA on the year and held the Dodgers and Padres scoreless over six innings in his last two starts. 

Scroll back to the top for more on Misiorowski, who has a 39.5 strikeout rate. That’s the highest mark among MLB starters and would be the highest mark of any starter in a full season since Gerrit Cole in 2019 (39.9%). Jackson Chourio and Andrew Vaughn are back, and the Brewers are picking up steam after an impressive weekend sweep of the Yankees. 

With Nick Pivetta sidelined, the Padres need Michael King to carry the load. He’s doing his best, holding his opponent to two runs or fewer in six of his eight starts this year. King’s .182 opponents’ batting average ranks in the top 10 among qualified MLB starters. 

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 (Photo by Grace Hoppel/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

We’re far enough into the year that it’s time to talk about the Rays. They’re 14-2 over their last 16 games, and their starters have the third-lowest ERA in MLB. Veteran Nick Martinez ranks fourth among MLB starters with a 1.70 ERA and hasn’t allowed more than two runs in any of his eight starts. 

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(Photo by Leslie Plaza Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

The Dodgers could really use Shohei Ohtani’s bat to start heating up. Since jumping out to a 15-4 record, they’ve lost 12 of their last 21 games. Over that 9-12 stretch, Ohtani is hitting .219 with one home run. On the mound, however, he is thriving. Ohtani is the only pitcher who has thrown at least 30 innings with an ERA under 1.00 this year.  

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(Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

The Yankees were swept this weekend by the Brewers despite Cam Schlittler holding Milwaukee scoreless for six innings Saturday. His 1.35 ERA is the best mark of any qualified starter, and he has only surrendered one homer in 53.1 innings. By fWAR, he has been the most valuable pitcher in MLB. 

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(Photo by Matt Dirksen/Chicago Cubs/Getty Images)

Shota Imanaga has the highest chase rate among all qualified MLB starters and ranks in the top 10 in WHIP (0.93) and opponents’ average (.179). His work is vital as the Cubs deal with a plethora of pitching injuries, though they still managed to win 10 games in a row before dropping their series this weekend in Texas. They’re 18-5 at home this year. 

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(Photo by Jessie Alcheh/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

The Braves maintain top billing after taking the series this weekend in Los Angeles thanks to 5.2 scoreless innings Sunday from Bryce Elder, whose magical season continues. Elder’s 1.81 ERA ranks fifth among qualified MLB starters.  

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

Big Bets Report: Bettor Banks Close to $1 Million With Unique Strategy

Over the past two weeks in the NBA playoffs, a BetMGM customer has used an interesting strategy to rack up massive wins.

As in, nearly $1 million in profit at one point, before the Spurs’ Sunday night loss finally slowed down the bettor. 

And the net total is still more than $900,000.

More on the ladder-wager bettor, two notable hits from UFC 328 — including a six-figure payday on ostensibly a free bet — and some interesting MLB winners, as we recap the week that was in sports betting.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Climbing the Ladder

Betting the point spread is quite a common move. Not quite as common, but certainly not unusual, is betting alternate point spreads.

Less common: Betting several alternate point spreads on one game, for huge money.

Ever since Timberwolves-Nuggets Game 5, though, a BetMGM customer has employed that strategy to incredible success. In that game, the bettor placed $375,000 in straight bets across seven different point spreads.

Those bets went 6-1, and the customer bagged $196,500 in profit.

Since then, the bettor has fired in similar fashion on a handful of NBA playoff games. That included $250,000 in Sunday wagers on Knicks-76ers Game 4:

  • $100,000 Knicks +5.5 (-225)
  • $75,000 Knicks +4.5 (-190)
  • $35,000 Knicks +3.5 (-170)
  • $20,000 Knicks +2.5 (-150)
  • $10,000 Knicks +1.5 (-135)
  • $10,000 Knicks -1.5 (-105)

New York then absolutely plastered Philadelphia 144-114 to complete a 4-0 sweep in the series. Obviously, all six bets were winners, for a net profit of $134,770 (total payout $384,770).

That took the bettor’s winnings over the past two weeks to a whopping $996,770, knocking on the door of a million bucks.

Finally, in Sunday night’s Spurs-Timberwolves Game 4, the winning run ended. The customer had $75,000 across five wagers on San Antonio, and went oh-fer as Minnesota won 114-109.

Still, even after that $75,000 fallout, the bettor is up more than $920,000. And they will probably be back for more, perhaps as soon as Monday night.

Fight Night

It’s a great feeling to win a bet with your own hard-earned money. But it’s pretty nice to win it with someone else’s money, too.

A Hard Rock Bet customer did that on Saturday’s UFC 328 card. The bettor utilized a $250 bonus bet, ostensibly a free ride, on a six-leg parlay.

Now, to be clear, earning such bonus bets means you’ve probably lost a fair amount of money along the way. Sportsbooks aren’t just handing those out like candy on Halloween.

Still, a long-shot parlay isn’t a bad way to utilize such a free play. In this case, the odds were a hefty +40742, or just beyond 407/1.

And it wasn’t on just any six fights from the 13-bout card. It was on six consecutive fights. Plus, the last leg was a big underdog, King Green +1200 to win by submission vs. Jeremy Stephens.

But King did just that, finishing off Stephens with 40 seconds left in the first round. The $250 free ride became $101,604.17 in real money.

Also on the UFC 328 card, a FanDuel Sportsbook customer perfectly predicted the five-bout main card. The bettor put a modest $25 on a parlay across all five contests.

All five fighters won, and at odds of +6286 (about 63/1), the bettor’s modest wager turned into $1,596.53.

It’s not a six-figure payout, but neither is it a bad evening’s work. I’d take that ROI all day, every day.

MLB Money

Ahead of Thursday’s afternoon slate of MLB games, a Fanatics customer put $750 on a five-leg parlay involving three matchups. The bettor mixed in a moneyline, a couple runlines and a couple totals.

All five legs got there relatively easily. The biggest sweat was on the two Twins-Nationals legs.

Washington won 7-5, with the game’s final two runs coming in the bottom of the seventh inning. That clinched the legs of Nationals -1.5 and Over 10 runs.

The odds were +3300, which would’ve netted a fine profit of almost $25,000. But the bettor also utilized a 33% profit boost, hiking the odds to +4340.

That bumped the profit to $32,548, for a total payout of $33,298.

A Rory Story

Some bettors, particularly sharp ones, find value in taking the No on Yes/No prop bets. But most sportsbooks don’t offer Yes/No on props, at least not with any regularity. Perhaps on the Super Bowl and such.

So generally, you only have one option, betting on something to happen. You don’t get the option of betting on something not to happen.

Prediction markets, however, give traders that option. And a ProphetX customer made the most of it in the PGA Tour’s Truist Championship.

In the Yes/No on Rory McIlroy winning the tournament, No was -650. That meant it would take a $650 play to win $100.

To make it far more worthwhile, the trader decided to bump it up to $100,000. And after McIlroy stumbled to a 4-over 75 in the third round, the deal was pretty much sealed.

McIlroy tied for 19th, 10 shots behind surprise winner Kristoffer Reitan. So the ProphetX trader banked $15,384 profit (total payout $115,384).

Missed It By That Much

As is often noted in these articles: Parlays are a bookmaker’s best friend. Nothing pleases a sportsbook risk room more than when the public betting masses play five- or 10- or 15-leg parlays.

The house advantage goes way up with each leg added. No matter how well you do, all it takes is one leg to blow the whole thing up.

A FanDuel Sportsbook customer learned that in Wednesday’s Game 2 of the 76ers-Knicks series. But the bettor at least did the smart thing by utilizing a $500 bonus bet — rather than the patron’s own money — on an 11-leg same-game parlay.

Each leg was on the Over/Under for a player’s total points.

With 22 seconds remaining, 10 legs were in, and Miles McBride stepped to the free-throw line with a chance to bring that 11th leg home. McBride had three points; two more would reach his total of five points or more.

He hit the first free throw, then missed the second. Four points. Parlay dies. One charity-stripe miss away from a $12,256 payday.

That’s parlays in a nutshell.

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports

2026 MLB Odds: Dodgers Favored to Win Most; Rockies, the Least

In sports, there are winners and losers. 

And then there are big winners and even bigger losers. 

Let’s check out the odds for which MLB team will have the best record in baseball and who will have the fewest, at DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 7.

This page may contain affiliate links to legal sports betting partners. If you sign up or place a wager, FOX Sports may be compensated. Read more about Sports Betting on FOX Sports.

Most MLB regular-season wins

Dodgers: -105 (bet $10 to win $19.52 total)
Yankees: +310 (bet $10 to win $41 total)
Cubs: +390 (bet $10 to win $5549total)
Braves: +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)
Rays: +1600 (bet $10 to win $170 total)
Mariners: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Padres: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Phillies: +4500 (bet $10 to win $460 total)

What to know: Of course, the Dodgers are favored to win the most games during the regular season, and they are also favored to win the World Series for the third straight year. As of May 7, the Dodgers are first in the AL West, and have the fifth-most wins in baseball (23). The current wins leaders are the Braves (26), Yankees (25) and Cubs (25). The Brewers led MLB in wins last season with 97, preceded by the Dodgers in 2024 (98), the Braves in 2023 (104), the Dodgers in 2022 (111), the Giants in 2021 (107) and the Dodgers in the COVID-shortened 2020 season (43). Dating back to 2013, L.A. has won at least 90 games every season (outside of the COVID year). 

Fewest MLB regular-season wins

Rockies: -155 (bet $10 to win $16.45 total)
White Sox: +450 (bet $10 to win $55 total)
Nationals: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
Angels: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Marlins: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Twins: +2500 (bet $10 to win $260 total)
Giants: +2800 (bet $10 to win $290 total)
Astros: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)

What to know: The Rockies are tied for the fewest wins in baseball as of May 7 (14). Last season, they had the fewest wins in baseball with 43, 17 fewer than the closest team — the White Sox, with 60. In 2024, Colorado had the second-fewest wins (61) and the third-fewest in 2023 (59). 

Link to Original Article - on Fox Sports