Shohei Ohtani crushed a 424-foot leadoff homer to center in the first inning, then blanked the Rockies for six hitless frames — seven strikeouts, four walks, 99 pitches — before turning it over to the pen in a 4–1 Dodgers victory. It is the second consecutive pitching start in which Ohtani homered from the leadoff spot, an unprecedented feat in MLB history. His ERA sits at 0.82 through nine starts.
Jansen exited Wednesday's game vs. the Angels after two outs in the ninth inning and was placed on the 15-day IL — his second stint in 2026 for a groin/pelvic issue. Detroit recalled LHP Drew Sommers from Triple-A Toledo in the corresponding move. Kyle Finnegan and Drew Anderson have both recorded saves during Jansen's first absence this season.
What was a DTD oblique issue on May 26 became a confirmed 6–8 week absence after an MRI showed a significant left oblique tear, per Dave Roberts. Hernández had returned from left elbow surgery just four at-bats earlier — he went 2-for-2 with a homer and double before the injury. Alex Freeland was recalled from Triple-A OKC in the corresponding move.
Called up after Noah Schultz hit the IL, Sandlin retired 18 straight after a leadoff Buxton homer and tossed six innings in a 15–2 blowout over Minnesota. His fastball averaged 97.7 mph with a 100 mph peak, paired with an effective curveball and sweeper. He had posted a 0.55 ERA across six Triple-A starts before the promotion.
Who's Hot This Week
MLB Pipeline's No. 36 overall prospect for 2026 (Mets No. 2), Tong debuted May 22 with three spotless innings — zero runs, zero hits, 98.5 mph fastball, 28 pitches. His Triple-A ERA was inflated at 5.68 across nine starts, but the raw stuff grades as legitimate: fastball/slider combo with front-of-rotation projection. The Mets are currently using him as a bulk/hybrid arm with usage that could evolve toward a true starting role by July. Stash in 14+ team leagues with a bench or IL spot.
Worth Reading
Amore highlights David Sandlin's historic White Sox debut, Michael Soroka's under-the-radar SP value (3.25 ERA, 7 wins), and Curtis Mead's elite walk/K profile in Washington's top-4 offense. Essential reading before Sunday FAAB locks.
Weekend add/drop guide covering seven must-add players still available in 50%+ of Yahoo leagues, with FAAB bid suggestions for competitive formats. Covers the Week 9–10 transition priorities.
Three-day streaming SP rankings with start/sit grades, K-upside tiers, and matchup context by league size. Includes tonight's Dodgers–Phillies slate and the weekend's full pitching landscape.
Pelvic inflammation forced Jansen off the mound after two outs in the ninth inning vs. the Angels on May 28 — his second IL stint in 2026 for a groin/abdomen issue. No return timeline beyond the 15-day minimum. He has two blown saves on the season.
Significant left oblique tear confirmed by MRI on May 28, per Dave Roberts. Hernández had just returned from left elbow surgery after missing 53 games and suffered the new injury in his first four at-bats back. Earliest return is mid-to-late July.
Left ankle inflammation, placed on the IL retroactive to May 24. Initially reported as a calf issue. Expected to miss until at least early June. Nick Madrigal was recalled from the minors in the corresponding move.
Right groin tightness forced Mize from Wednesday's start after 4 IP (2 H, 6 K, 1 BB). He acknowledged a similarity to a previous groin IL stint. An official IL placement had not been announced as of Thursday morning — monitor for the transaction before starting any Tigers pitchers this week.
When Cristopher Sánchez took the mound against San Diego on May 27, he surpassed Hall of Famer Grover Cleveland Alexander's franchise record of 41 consecutive scoreless innings — set as a rookie in 1911. Sánchez's streak reached 44⅔, placing him seventh all-time in the Live Ball Era. The only bar remaining is Orel Hershiser's all-time record of 59 innings from 1988. Tonight, he faces Shohei Ohtani and the Dodgers in a marquee matchup that will provide the stiffest test of the streak yet.
The 2026 line is historic across every dimension: 6-2 with a 1.47 ERA, 1.12 WHIP, and a 95:16 K:BB ratio (nearly 6:1) across 79 innings. He leads MLB in both bWAR (3.7) and innings pitched. Unlike his 2025 breakout — which some skeptics attributed partly to strand-rate luck — the underlying mechanics have held: three plus pitches with a 1.48 FIP against lefties and 2.08 against righties. There is no platoon split to attack.
For fantasy managers, the start-sit math is easy: Sánchez is an SP1 in every format, full stop. Tonight's Dodgers matchup (fourth in team wRC+) is the marquee streaming decision of the week. Facing the best two-way player in baseball only adds to the spectacle. If you can acquire Sánchez in a trade, pay the market rate — a 115-year franchise record is not a fluky BABIP.
The May 28 Leverage Ledger covered a volatile Wednesday in save situations. Cade Smith recorded Cleveland's MLB-leading 19th save despite allowing consecutive singles and a sac fly before finishing on strikeouts. Trevor Megill earned his sixth save for Milwaukee in the committee role. The big headline: Kenley Jansen's exit from the ninth inning without a save opp preceded his immediate IL placement — opening Detroit's closer job for the first time since April.
Read the full Ledger →| Closer | Team | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kyle Finnegan | DET | 🟡 Watch | Elevated to primary save opps after Jansen's May 28 IL-15 placement (pelvic inflammation). Finnegan has prior closes in 2026 during Jansen's first absence. Drew Anderson is the secondary option. Add immediately in all formats — the job is his until Jansen returns. |
| Trevor Megill | MIL | 🔴 Committee | Pat Murphy has never named a formal closer. Megill leads with 6 saves but Abner Uribe and Angel Zerpa both see ninth-inning work. The committee has been functional — Megill is the streaming target of the three, but roster him knowing the role can shift any night. |
| Grant Taylor | CWS | 🔴 Committee | Named closer Seranthony Dominguez is badly underperforming (4.82 ERA, 5 HR in 18.2 IP). Taylor (1.78 ERA, 38 K in 25.1 IP) has earned saves and is forcing the conversation. At 4.4% ownership, he's the most overlooked closer add of the week. |
| Tanner Scott | LAD | 🟡 Watch | Scott has posted a 0.67 ERA with three May saves in 20 appearances while filling Edwin Díaz's role (out with elbow surgery until at least the second half). No official closer title, but he's getting the ninth-inning calls. Monitor when Díaz's return timeline hardens. |
Official MLB channel highlights of Shohei Ohtani's historic May 28 performance against Colorado — a 424-foot leadoff homer in the first inning followed by six no-hit innings (7 K, 99 pitches) in the Dodgers' 4–1 win. The second consecutive start in which Ohtani homered while also pitching.
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