HOME
What’s Happening in Baseball Today
The First Pitch: May 16, 2026
We’re halfway through the month of May, and Kyle Schwarber already has 20 home runs. The Phillies slugger continues his power binge with a pair of two-run homers to help dig Philadelphia out of an early 6-0 deficit at Pittsburgh; his bases-loaded walk in the ninth figures in a three-run rally to tie the game, before the Phillies add three more in the 10th to pull away, 11-9.
No other major leaguer has hit 20 homers on an earlier date—though it should be noted that the 2026 regular season started a good three weeks earlier than it once used to. In terms of games played to start a season, only seven other players have hit 20 within their first 45 games, including one Philadelphia Phillie of lore: Cy Williams, in 1923. (Williams finished that season with 41.)
The Phillies’ win brings them to within a game of the .500 mark; they’re 13-4 since Don Mattingly took over as manager for the fired Rob Thomson on April 27.
At Colorado’s mile-high Coors Field, Arizona’s Merrill Kelly becomes the oldest player since 39-year-old Connie Marrero in 1950 to throw his first MLB complete game, going the distance on exactly 100 pitches in a 9-1 victory against the Rockies. The only run allowed by the 37-year-old Kelly comes when Hunter Goodman goes deep in the first inning.
Kelly has achieved quality starts (at least six innings with no more than three runs allowed) in seven straight appearances at Coors, the longest streak at the ballpark by a visiting pitcher. Only Ian Kennedy has a lower career ERA among visitors at Coors in more innings than Kelly (3.68 over 63.2 frames).
Just hours before only his second start of the season, the Dodgers’ Blake Snell is scratched and later determined to have loose bodies in his elbow, which could result in surgery. It’s a similar injury to that of Detroit ace Tarik Skubal, who just 11 days after undergoing his own surgery is already doing light tosses with a baseball—so Snell’s absence may not as long as some might fear.
Without Snell, the Dodgers go the bullpen route and use eight relievers to shut down the Angels, 6-0, in the year’s first meeting between the two Southland rivals. The Angels can only muster two singles and strike out 11 times against the Dodgers’ pen.
Houston pitcher Spencer Arrighetti takes a no-hitter into the eighth and loses the bid on a one-out single from Texas rookie Justin Foscue. The Astros remove Arrighetti after the hit, but he still gets the win, 2-0 over the Rangers. In six starts since rejoining the Astros from Triple-A on April 15, Arrighetti is 5-1 with a 1.50 ERA—not bad for a pitcher who in two previous seasons had accumulated an 8-18 record with a 4.69 ERA.
Milwaukee’s Aaron Ashby leads the majors with eight wins—each of them earned as a reliever. The left-handed pitcher enters in the sixth inning at Minnesota and gets three outs facing two batters, but gets slighted with a blown save because a double-play grounder yields the Twins’ tying run (charged to Brewers starter Coleman Crow). Ashby will concede a go-ahead run in the seventh, but the Brewers will bounce back with a pair of runs in the eighth, helping to cement a 3-2 win with Ashby the pitcher of record.
This is the first time that a relief pitcher has two more wins than any starter, at any point of a season. Ashby’s eight wins already represent a career high; his previous personal best was five, from last season.
Congrats, Your Box Score Line Was the Best (Hitters Edition)
5-2-3-5—Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia
Here’s one more fun fact about Schwarber during his latest power display; it’s the second time that he’s clubbed nine home runs over an eight-game stretch. Albert Belle is the only other major leaguer who can claim that feat.
Congrats, Your Box Score Line Was the Best (Pitchers Edition)
9-4-1-1-0-3—Merrill Kelly, Arizona
We noted above that Kelly’s impressive gem, thrown in the thin Colorado air, was the first complete game of his MLB career in 178 starts. However, he did go the distance one other time in his professional career, during his rejuvenation tenure for Korea’s SK Wyverns in 2015.
It Was Whatever-Something Years Ago Today
1933: Getting off to the right start of a 12-year career in which he’ll bat .314, Washington’s Cecil Travis collects a major league-record five hits in his first game against Cleveland. Travis hits safely in his first five at-bats before being retired in his final two times up during the Senators’ 12-inning, 11-10 victory.
1939: After resisting night ball in the four years since Cincinnati inaugurated the concept in the National League, the American League finally allows its teams to play under the lights. The Philadelphia Athletics host the first AL night game on May 16 before a Shibe Park crowd of 15,109, losing to Cleveland in 10 innings, 8-3. The Indians and White Sox will also host their first night games later in the season.
1998: Mark McGwire’s 16th home run, in a year in which he’ll hit a record 70, is a monster. His 545-foot shot against the Marlins’ Livan Hernandez is the longest ever hit at Busch Memorial Stadium, and the longest of his career.
You Say It’s Your Birthday
Happy birthday to:
Washington infielder Luis Garcia Jr. (26)
Hall-of-Fame pitcher Jack Morris (71), five-time All-Star; member of three World Series-winning teams (1984 Tigers, 1991 Twins, 1992 Blue Jays); threw 1984 no-hitter, 10-inning shutout in 1991 World Series Game Seven; career 3.90 ERA is the highest among all pitchers enshrined at Cooperstown
Rick Rhoden (73), winner of 151 games over 16 seasons; two-time All-Star; three-time recipient of Silver Slugger as pitcher; top NL pitcher of 1984
Rick Reuschel (77), portly pitcher who threw past age of 40 and won 214 games; three-time All-Star and two-time Gold Glove recipient
Born on this date:
Billy Martin (1928), volcanic second baseman of the 1950s, gifted manager who wore out his welcome despite excellent results; hired and fired five times by the Yankees, overseeing turbulent 1977 world champion team; confirmed reputation as brawler off the field
Dave Philley (1920), accumulator of 1,700 hits over 18 years for eight teams—including, of course, the Phillies; shares MLB record with a hit in nine consecutive pinch-hit at-bats; TGG interview subject
Watty Clark (1902), underrated pitcher of Live Ball Era who peaked with Brooklyn Robins from 1928-32
Jim Brown (1892), catcher for Negro League’s Chicago American Giants from 1920-31
Shameless Link of the Day
So, you want to know more about Cy Williams, the other Phillie who hit 20 homers within the first 45 games of a season? Find out here.
Join Us on X and BlueSky
Besides our growing and active presence on X, TGG has spread its social media wings to BlueSky for those who’ve found the X culture too toxic. For those who are wondering, we provide the same posts on both platforms, and they’re non-political. We’re just talking baseball.
Meanwhile, we’ve given up our fight trying to reactivate our Facebook page, which was hacked last year. The page remains up but is frozen in time, as we are unable to access it—and Facebook, in all its infinite lack of wisdom, continues to provide absolutely no customer support in the matter as they literally have none. All the more reason to join us on X and BlueSky.
To Whom It May Concern
We are proud of what we have built at This Great Game, but we also admit it is not perfect. Occasionally, fans from all walks of life check in and point out errors, and we are grateful to these external editors. Our site is all the better because of you.
Also, we have had many folks chime in on our various lists in the Lists and Teams sections, many of them disagreeing with some of our choices. Since all lists are made to be argued, this is to be expected. If your arguments are respectful, we will respond in kind and join in a civilized debate—and we’ll often see your viewpoints, since no list should qualify as The Gospel. But if your responses contain the sort of vitriol found so often these days in social media circles, you’re going to get ignored. So please, respond respectfully, engage in polite conversation with us, and enjoy the site!
