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The First Pitch: May 9, 2026
It’s the Yankees and Brewers at Milwaukee, the possible second coming of Aaron Judge is unveiled—and Jacob Misiorowski apparently gorges on Wheaties before the game. The 24-year-old Misiorowski, already known for a 100-MPH+ fastball, ramps it up against the Yankees—throwing the six fastest pitches by a starting pitcher since MLB officially began tracking velocities in 2008. Three of those reach 103.6 on the radar; seven other tosses are also over 103. In all, 41 of Misiorowski’s 95 pitches are served up at over 100, as he departs the Brewers’ 6-0 win with six shutout innings, allowing two hits and two walks while racking up 11 strikeouts.
The victim of one of Misiorowski’s strikeouts—but also the recipient of one of his walks—is the 24-year-old Jones, who at 6’7” and 240 pounds resembles a slightly lighter version of Judge. Listed #7 among top Yankee prospects, Jones was batting .258 in 33 games at the Triple-A level with 11 home runs, 41 RBIs and seven steals. Jones’ presence on the Yankees, along with that of Judge, makes the duo the first ever within any MLB roster to stand 6’7” or higher.
Brewers left fielder Brandon Lockridge, who knocks out a pair of RBI singles early in the game, departs the game midway through the sixth after a violent collision with the side wall along the left-field line while chasing a Cody Bellinger pop fly. Despite the ugly optics, Lockridge somehow avoids a fracture of his right kneecap, but will still miss time with a deep laceration. Yet the incident leaves us to ask: Why pad the walls but not the lower, recessed concrete portion, roughly one foot in height? Even a minor cushion could have spared Lockridge all that pain.
The Cubs take their winning ways on the road and pick up a 7-1 victory over the Rangers at Arlington, extending their win streak to 10 games. It’s already the second 10-game streak for the Cubs this year; only four other teams have enjoyed multiple streaks of 10 or more straight wins within the first 40 games of a season, the last being the 1955 Dodgers—on their way to their lone World Series title in Brooklyn.
The start of the game is delayed as Texas starter Kumar Rocker is told to remove a long-sleeved white shirt that’s under his short-sleeved red jersey, a violation of MLB uniform policy. The long-sleeved whites are barred because they can help “hide” the ball from hitters.
If it’s a series opener involving the White Sox, you can bet that Munetaka Murakami will be around to send a baseball over the fence. The first-year Chicago slugger goes deep in the first inning against the visiting Mariners, making it the eighth straight series opener in which he’s belted a home run—something no other major leaguer has ever done. Murakami’s homer, his 15h of the year to tie Aaron Judge for tops in MLB, isn’t enough as the Mariners outlast the White Sox, 12-8, behind a pair of homers and seven RBIs from Luke Raley (see below).
Fernando Tatis Jr. (zero homers in 38 games) isn’t off to a great start offensively for the Padres—and his typically sterling defense isn’t up to par against the visiting Cardinals. The two-time Platinum Glove outfielder charges a base hit from JJ Wetherholt in the fifth inning, but the ball goes under his glove and rolls all the way to the right-field wall; Wetherholt will round the bases, following three baserunners, for a single/three-base error grand slam. It’s the defining moment in the Cardinals’ 6-0 win, their ninth victory in their last 11 tries.
Congrats, Your Box Score Line Was the Best (Hitters Edition)
5-2-2-7—Luke Raley, Seattle
The third-year Mariners outfielder had never driven in more than three runs in any of his previous 416 games, but he notched four with one swing of the bat for a second-inning grand slam at Chicago. Five innings later, he added three more ribbies on his second homer of the game. The two round-trippers were not his only opportunities; he left four other potential RBIs on the basepaths in his three other at-bats. Raley’s big night helped propel the Mariners to a 12-8 victory over the White Sox.
Congrats, Your Box Score Line Was the Best (Pitchers Edition)
7-5-0-0-0-10—Dylan Cease, Toronto
Jacob Misiorowski understandably got all the press, but Cease was the beast of MLB pitchers on Friday. In a 2-0 victory over the visiting Angels, Cease achieved his 28th-career start with 10+ strikeouts; his three this season tops all major league pitchers. The performance improves Cease’s season record to 3-1 with a 2.58 ERA; his 66 strikeouts currently lead the AL.
It Was Whatever-Something Years Ago Today
2010: Dallas Braden throws the second perfect game in A’s history, retiring all 27 Tampa Bay batters he faces in a 4-0 win at Oakland. It’s one of just 26 career wins for the colorful Braden, who after his playing days will move into the A’s broadcast booth to provide color analysis.
You Say It’s Your Birthday
Happy birthday to:
Cleveland reliever Cade Smith (27)
Dodgers utility guy Tommy Edman (31); 2024 NLCS MVP
Chase Headley (42), 12-year third baseman with 1,337 career hits; 2012 All-Star
Prince Fielder (42), relatively short (5’11”) but powerful slugger who bashed 319 home runs over 12 years; six-time All-Star; knocked in 100+ runs six times, including MLB-leading 141 in 2009; two-time winner of Home Run Derby; forced to quit at age 32 due to herniated disk
Brandon Webb (47), three-time All-Star and 2006 NL Cy Young winner whose career was also curtailed (at age 29) by persistent shoulder issues; built up two streaks of at least 30 consecutive scoreless innings
Aaron Harang (48), 14-year pitcher who compiled 128-143 career record; 2006 NL leader in wins and complete games
Born on this date:
Tony Gwynn (1960), Hall-of-Fame hit machine with eight batting titles; career .338 batting average on 3,141 hits, all of them while playing for the Padres; 15-time All-Star; lively pursuit of .400 season cut short by 1994 work stoppage; recipient of five Gold Gloves
Billy Jurges (1908), 17-year shortstop with three All-Star roster spots; survived 1932 shooting by rabid female fan, inspiring plot point in The Natural
Buck O’Brien (1882), 20-game winner for 1912 Red Sox—but eight victories over just two other major league seasons pitched
Shameless Link of the Day
Will Jacob Misiorowski eventually crack our list of the Brewers’ five greatest pitchers? See who’s on the list now.
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