Soto's Return, Kurtz's Streak, Ohtani's Debut: MLB Fireworks

0:00It's April 22nd, I'm Corey with The Story. This is MLB News Today, driven by AI and Dill for baseball fans. The Mets are desperate for a spark as their losing streak hits 12 games, but Juan Soto is set to return tonight against the twins. The star-outfielder has been sidelined for nearly three weeks with a calf injury from early April 3rd. Meanwhile, Oakland's first baseman Nick Kurtz just tied a franchise mark with 12 straight games drawing a walk. And over in LA, Shohei Otani takes the mound against the Giants, though his spot in the batting order is up in the air. Soto left that Giants game early, but the Mets actually won the next three without him before this brutal skid kicked in. Now after last night's 5-3 loss, they've scored three runs or fewer in ten of those games. His bat was on fire before the injury, posting a 9-28-OPS over eight games. Fans and analysts are buzzing about the timing. People's return could jolt a lineup that's gone ice cold.

1:00The Mets need any edge they can get, especially with scoring so scarce during the streak. Kurtz grabbed his walk last night against Seattle's Luis Castillo, matching Ricky Henderson for 5th on the A's all-time list. The record sits at 15 straight, shared by Henderson and two others. Tonight he faces Logan Gilbert, who rarely issues free passes with a 4.3% walk reign. Otani's last dart was his first as a dodger without hitting. He sat his D.H. after a hit by pitch earlier in the week, while Dalton rushing crushed a, Homer instead. Robert's called it a smart move, and with rushing hot, L.A.'s lineup could shake things up big time. These returns and streaks have the league locked in should make for some fireworks under the lights.