MLB Week in Review (May 4–10, 2026): Cubs, Rays, and a 103.6 mph Statcast Shock
The Cubs ripped off a second 10-game winning streak (their first such double since 1935), the Rays pushed to 26-13 atop the AL East, and Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski set seven Statcast velocity records by topping out at 103.6 mph in a 6-0 shutout of the Yankees.
The week of May 4–10, 2026 belonged to the front-runners. The Chicago Cubs (27-14) reached double-digit wins for the second time in 23 games — the first Cubs team to bookend two 10-game streaks before its 40th decision since 1935. Atlanta (28-13) pushed its NL East lead to nine games. Tampa Bay (26-13) held off the Yankees in the AL East. And in the loudest single-game story of the week, Brewers rookie Jacob Misiorowski threw the seven hardest fastballs ever tracked from a starter and shut out New York 6-0 on May 8.
The Week at a Glance
The hottest team of the week was the Chicago Cubs, who went 6-1 and stretched their second 10-game winning streak of 2026 before Texas snapped it with a shutout on Friday. The coldest was the Houston Astros, who fell to 16-25 and dropped 5.5 games back in the AL West. The Athletics — yes, Sacramento — sit in first place in the AL West at 21-19, the most surprising standings line in baseball.
Wild card movement: the Yankees (26-15) and Cubs (27-14) lock down the top two NL/AL byes if the season ended today. The Brewers swept New York at American Family Field, capped by a Brice Turang walk-off homer on May 10, and jumped to 22-16 — the second-best run differential in the NL Central at +52. The Padres and Dodgers remain deadlocked at 24-16 in the NL West.
Dominant storyline of the week: pitching velocity is rewriting the Statcast era, and Misiorowski's 103.6 mph evening against the Yankees may be the single most data-rich start any rookie has ever thrown.
AL Division Standings (May 10, 2026)
| AL East | W-L | GB | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tampa Bay Rays | 26-13 | — | — |
| New York Yankees | 26-15 | 1.0 | ↓ 1 |
| Toronto Blue Jays | 18-22 | 8.5 | ↓ 1 |
| Baltimore Orioles | 18-23 | 9.0 | flat |
| Boston Red Sox | 17-23 | 9.5 | ↑ 0.5 |
| AL Central | W-L | GB | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Guardians | 21-21 | — | — |
| Chicago White Sox | 19-21 | 1.0 | ↑ 1 |
| Detroit Tigers | 19-22 | 1.5 | flat |
| Kansas City Royals | 19-22 | 1.5 | flat |
| Minnesota Twins | 18-23 | 2.5 | ↓ 1 |
| AL West | W-L | GB | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Athletics | 21-19 | — | — |
| Texas Rangers | 19-21 | 2.0 | ↑ 2 |
| Seattle Mariners | 19-22 | 2.5 | ↓ 0.5 |
| Houston Astros | 16-25 | 5.5 | ↓ 2 |
| Los Angeles Angels | 16-25 | 5.5 | flat |
NL Division Standings (May 10, 2026)
| NL East | W-L | GB | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Braves | 28-13 | — | — |
| Philadelphia Phillies | 19-22 | 9.0 | ↑ 1 |
| Miami Marlins | 19-22 | 9.0 | flat |
| Washington Nationals | 19-22 | 9.0 | ↓ 1 |
| New York Mets | 15-25 | 12.5 | ↓ 2 |
| NL Central | W-L | GB | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chicago Cubs | 27-14 | — | — |
| St. Louis Cardinals | 23-17 | 3.5 | ↓ 1 |
| Milwaukee Brewers | 22-16 | 3.5 | ↑ 1 |
| Pittsburgh Pirates | 22-19 | 5.0 | flat |
| Cincinnati Reds | 22-19 | 5.0 | flat |
| NL West | W-L | GB | Trend |
|---|---|---|---|
| San Diego Padres | 24-16 | — | — |
| Los Angeles Dodgers | 24-16 | — | — |
| Arizona Diamondbacks | 19-20 | 4.5 | flat |
| San Francisco Giants | 16-24 | 8.0 | ↓ 1 |
| Colorado Rockies | 16-25 | 8.5 | ↓ 1 |
Biggest MLB Stories This Week
Kyle Schwarber went supernova in Philadelphia. Schwarber hit five home runs in his last four games of the week, including a two-homer Mother's Day game against Colorado on May 10 to push his season total to 16 — tying Aaron Judge for the MLB lead. It was the second four-game homer streak of his career. Schwarber's 16th was also the 200th of his Phillies tenure.
Aaron Judge stayed on a 61-homer pace. Judge took New York to 26-15 with home run No. 16 on May 10, slashing .273/.398/.631 with 28 RBIs, 34 runs, and five steals through 41 games. The Yankees lineup ranks second in MLB in OPS (.794) and first in walk rate (11.9%), but they were swept by the Brewers in the back half of the week.
Jacob Misiorowski rewrote the Statcast velocity book. On May 8 in Milwaukee, the rookie right-hander faced the Yankees for the first time and threw the seven fastest fastballs ever tracked from a starter (since 2008). He topped out at 103.6 mph, sat at 101.1 mph average (a record for any starter throwing 40+ pitches), threw 22 pitches at 102.0+ mph, and struck out 11 over six scoreless. Milwaukee won 6-0.
The Cubs' second 10-game streak ended at Texas. Chicago became the fifth team in MLB history with two 10-game streaks before its 40th decision (joining the 1955 Dodgers, 1941 Cardinals, 1889 Browns, and 1880 White Stockings). Ben Brown made his first start of 2026 on May 8 and threw four no-hit innings against the Rangers; the streak was snapped the next night in a Rangers shutout.
Shohei Ohtani kept dominating from the mound, fading at the plate. Newly named NL Pitcher of the Month, Ohtani threw seven innings, struck out eight, and allowed his first home runs of 2026 (solo shots to Christian Walker and Braden Shewmake on 98.7 mph fastballs) in a 2-1 Dodgers loss. His season ERA stands at 0.97. At the plate, he hit .129 in May with one home run in 106 at-bats — Dave Roberts gave him days off both pitching appearances to reset.
Brice Turang walked off the Yankees. With Milwaukee already up 2-1 in the season series, Turang's walk-off homer on May 10 sealed a sweep, dropped New York from first in the AL East, and lifted the Brewers to 22-16.
Adley Rutschman returned to the Orioles. Baltimore reinstated its franchise catcher from the IL on Tuesday before a series against Kansas City. Rutschman is the highest-leverage IL return of the week for fantasy managers.
Statcast Standouts of the Week
- Fastest pitch: Jacob Misiorowski, 103.6 mph fastball, May 8 vs. NYY — the fastest pitch ever tracked from a starter in the Statcast era.
- Highest single-game average velocity by a starter: Misiorowski, 101.1 mph average over 40+ pitches — also a Statcast era record.
- Longest home run of 2026 (still standing): Cam Smith, Houston, 462 feet at Coors Field on April 7. No May 4–10 blast surpassed it.
- Hardest-hit reference shot: Cleveland's Kyle Manzardo continues to anchor the exit-velocity leaderboard with a 454-foot, 108.4 mph blast earlier in the season.
- Velocity records concentrated in one game: Misiorowski threw 10 pitches at 103.0+ mph (record), 22 at 102.0+ (record), and recorded four strikeouts on pitches at 102.0+ (record).
Trades, Transactions, and Fantasy-Relevant Moves
- Max Scherzer (TOR) → 15-day IL with right forearm tendinitis and left ankle inflammation, retroactive to May 9. Toronto recalled RHP Chase Lee from Triple-A Buffalo. Scherzer joins Shane Bieber, Bowden Francis, and Jose Berrios on the Blue Jays' shelf — the AL East's worst rotation injury list.
- Adley Rutschman (BAL) reinstated from the 10-day IL ahead of Tuesday's game in Kansas City.
- Carlos Rodón (NYY) made his 2026 debut on May 10 in Milwaukee — a major rotation reinforcement after a delayed spring.
- Addison Barger (TOR) activated from the 10-day IL, with OF Yohendrick Pinango optioned to Triple-A Buffalo.
- Diamondbacks 1B Santana placed on the 10-day IL with a right adductor strain.
- Tigers OF Parker Meadows was hospitalized overnight after a head-to-head collision with Riley Greene; status pending.
- Patrick Bailey (SF) was involved in a May 9 trade alongside RHP Matt Wilkinson — a notable midweek catcher move.
- Mets signed RHP Xzavion Curry to a minor-league deal on May 9.
Week Ahead in MLB (May 11–17, 2026)
- Monday's headline matchups: Kevin Gausman vs. Tampa Bay opens the week, with George Kirby continuing a strong stretch for Seattle and Nathan Eovaldi anchoring Texas after the Cubs' streak-ender.
- Rivalry Weekend (May 15–17): 11 interleague rivalry series, including Yankees-Mets, Cubs-White Sox, Dodgers-Angels, and Cardinals-Royals — the highest-leverage weekend slate of the early season.
- Watch the Brewers ride the wave: Milwaukee follows up its Yankees sweep with a softer slate, and Misiorowski lines up to start again midweek — must-watch TV with Statcast fully dialed in.
- Phillies-Cubs collision course: both teams enter the week within striking distance of league-best records; their rotations (Cristopher Sánchez, Justin Steele, Shota Imanaga) will set the tone.
- Carlos Rodón's first home start for the Yankees should land midweek in the Bronx — a fantasy and DFS pivot point.
- Astros and Angels reset: both 16-25 squads need a shock-to-the-system week to avoid being out of the AL West race before Memorial Day. Houston's NL slate is the most favorable spot to launch a run.
The next week tells us whether the Cubs and Rays separate from the pack, whether Schwarber and Judge keep trading the home-run lead in real time, and whether anyone in baseball can match what Jacob Misiorowski just did to a radar gun.