Stay updated on everything baseball with our morning MLB News & Moments articles. We’ve got you covered to keep you in the know.
Today’s Headlines
Holiday Festivities
Monday was Memorial Day, and you know what that means: sunburns, barbecue, and afternoon baseball. Six games got started before 5 o’clock yesterday, giving fans some quality content to fill their day-off leisure. Among those contests was the Cubs and Brewers, who kicked off a double-header at Wrigley Field by honoring the troops:
#MemorialDay at the Friendly Confines. 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/a6FJTgeomB
— Chicago Cubs (@Cubs) May 30, 2022
Around the sport, every team celebrated the holiday with commemorative poppy flower patches on their jerseys. It marked the third time since 2019 that the patches have been adopted, and I gotta say, they’re pretty sweet:
Today we honor and remember those who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country. #MemorialDay | #SFGiants pic.twitter.com/rEgjfNMMDr
— SFGiants (@SFGiants) May 30, 2022
The moment even inspired Giants manager Gabe Kapler to suspend his national anthem protest out of respect for military members. Check out his full statement:
On his blog, Gabe Kapler writes that he will be outside for the anthem today since it’s Memorial Day: pic.twitter.com/llgpTIqeMh
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) May 30, 2022
Rockie Mountain (496 ft.) High
The Marlins and Rockies got in on the afternoon action as well, tipping off their series-opener at Coors Field. The matchup may not have drawn many eyeballs on paper, but it certainly raised eyebrows after this second-inning slam by Jesús Sánchez:
496 FT.
😳😳😳😳😳😳😳 pic.twitter.com/j98o5L8Mbk
— Miami Marlins (@Marlins) May 30, 2022
No, that isn’t a typo. That ball would have cleared the Great Pyramid of Giza with over 40 feet to spare. Easily the longest homer of 2022, it also puts Sánchez in rare company:
Jesus Sanchez's 496-foot BLAST lands him among the 5 longest home runs since 2015 💥 pic.twitter.com/sMdVYMWWXU
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 30, 2022
Coors Field is the gift that just keeps on giving.
Give and Take
Outside of that historic moonshot, the highlight of the night came in Arlington—roughly 5,400 feet closer to sea level. Shoutout to Eli White for scaling the fence to bring back this catch of the year candidate:
Halfway up the wall?! This was an ELIte catch! pic.twitter.com/q4MRtD4pxC
— MLB (@MLB) May 31, 2022
Ji-Man Choi’s reaction sums it up pretty well…
Ji Man Choi’s face after being robbed of a homerun gives off major “oh yeah I’m happy for you” vibes. #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/jxWG28woj9
— Jameus Mooney (@TheJameus) May 31, 2022
But, just for good measure, White decided to do a little more. Brett Phillips made his best effort to exert revenge, but came up just short on the hop:
Eli White so far tonight:
Rob a home run ✔️
Hit a home run ✔️ pic.twitter.com/a7sALl04bl— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) May 31, 2022
All in a (holi)day’s work?
Best Moments from Yesterday
B-day Brett
Speaking of Phillips—and you know we love to—Monday was the ebullient utilityman’s 28th birthday. It’s enough to make you wonder what the real holiday was to begin with, right?
birthday boy brett phillips is a vibe ✌️ pic.twitter.com/o9YPmjyRzj
— Cut4 (@Cut4) May 30, 2022
It wasn’t a day to remember for Phillips at the plate, going 0-4 with a pair of strikeouts. But I’m willing to give the guy a break, especially after he made this fan’s day on Sunday:
@Brett_Phillips8 Thanks again for taking the time to take this picture. This made my stepdaughter’s night. She said that you’re one of her favorites now. I hope you have a great birthday! #RaysUp pic.twitter.com/RAfPL6K4Tb
— Sarah (@sew1028) May 29, 2022
Outfield Shenanigans
Don’t look now, but the San Diego Padre pitchers are being weird again. Actually, do look now. That’s the point of this. A few weeks after following Yu Darvish around like a mother duck, they gave the same treatment to Sean Manaea:
Let's play a game of Sean says… 🤣 pic.twitter.com/Gz0cr9YVoo
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) May 30, 2022
More of this, please. I would like to see more!
Glovin’ Guillorme
His beard may not be what it once was, but Luis Guillorme still has a comfortable place in our hearts. Plays like this remind us why:
.@lguillorme13 is an absolute joy to watch. pic.twitter.com/UyUQJpRFT9
— MLB (@MLB) May 31, 2022
Oh, and plays like this, too:
an insane angle to throw a baseball 😱 pic.twitter.com/b2hRpQbBp6
— Cut4 (@Cut4) May 31, 2022
Take notes, kids. This is what peak athletic performance looks like.
Injuries
Brandon Woodruff and Zack Greinke both landed on the IL Monday, with an sprained ankle and flexor strain, respectively. Woodruff will be out at least 15 days, while Greinke received a 10-day designation. Thankfully, neither injury is expected to be serious.
The Cubs got several doses of bad news on the injury front, starting with Seiya Suzuki hitting the 10-day IL for a sprained finger. Even worse, Jonathan Villar joined him after suffering one of the most bizarre injuries of 2022: a snapped exercise band resulting in a need for “serious dental work.” Ouch.
Also of note, the White Sox placed Kendall Graveman and Dylan Cease on the restricted list ahead of this week’s series in Toronto. Jeez, real mystery there.
Articles You Should Read
10 years later, the oral history of Johan Santana’s no-hitter – Anthony DiComo, MLB.com
To Change Baseball, an Ace Needs a New Title – Andrea Williams, The New York Times
This former screwballer has found his second act – Michael Clair, MLB.com
Fantasy Baseball Coverage
Featured image by Justin Paradis (@JustParaDesigns on Twitter)