News broke last January about Kepler’s positive test for the PED known as Epitrenbolone, and with Kepler still on the free agent market, his camp and Major League Baseball worked out an agreement for Kepler to serve his 80-game suspension even if he didn’t land a new contract.  Since Kepler didn’t sign until now, he has been serving his 80-game suspension as if he was still a member of the Phillies (his former team).

Philadelphia played its 65th game of the season today, so the final 15 games of Kepler’s suspension presumably now adhere to the Diamondbacks’ schedule.  This makes June 25 the first day Kepler is eligible to take part in the 2026 season, so he’ll get a couple of weeks of ramp-up time in the minor leagues before making his D’Backs debut.

Financial terms of the signing weren’t revealed, but it can be assumed Kepler will be receiving a pretty small guaranteed salary prorated over the remainder of the 2026 campaign.  Even before the suspension, Kepler was likely facing a tough market given his lack of production with the Phillies last year.  He hit .216/.300/.391 with 18 home runs over 474 plate appearances, and even those modest numbers now come under the cloud of the PED suspension.

Kepler has provided almost exactly league-average offense over his 11 MLB seasons, as he had a 101 wRC+ from a career slash line of .235/.316/.425 over 1199 PA with the Twins and Phillies.  Kepler posted a 122 wRC+ in both 2019 and 2023 and a 109 wRC+ during the shortened 2020 season, but he has otherwise been a subpar hitter in his other eight seasons.

The left-handed hitter has struggled against southpaw pitching for much of his career, limiting Kepler’s effectiveness as a true everyday player.  Kepler has expressed some frustration over a platoon role in the past, such as last June when he said “I signed here [in Philadelphia] being told that I was going to be the starting everyday left fielder” after he wasn’t in the lineup for three straight games when the Phils faced left-handed starters.

While naturally more productive against right-handed pitching, Kepler hasn’t really been a righty-masher, as he has hit a respectable but uninspiring .240/.324/.446 over his career with the platoon advantage.  Most of Kepler’s success against righties came earlier in his career, as he has batted just .237/.315/.408 in 1436 PA against righties since Opening Day 2022.

Beyond the offense, Kepler also contributed outstanding right field defense during his prime years as a regular in the Twins lineup.  His defensive metrics, however, have dipped as he has battled knee problems in recent years, and the move to the seemingly easier left field position in Philadelphia resulted in +2 Defensive Runs Saved and 0 Outs Above Average over 773 1/3 innings (which represented the first time Kepler had ever played left in his career).

Corbin Carroll obviously has right field covered in Arizona, so Kepler will likely act as a left fielder and DH against right-handed pitching.  The Diamondbacks were known to be looking for left-handed hitting help, given that outfielders Lourdes Gurriel Jr., Jordan Lawlar, Ryan Waldschmidt, and Tommy Troy are all right-handed hitters.  By the time Kepler is eligible for reinstatement, Gurriel should be back from the hamstring strain that has sidelined him for last couple of weeks, and Lawlar (currently on a Triple-A rehab assignment) should be back from the broken wrist that has kept him on the IL for over two months.

It should be noted that Kepler’s salary is likely small enough that the D’Backs would feel comfortable releasing Kepler (or designating him for assignment) if he doesn’t produce.  This seems like purely a depth move for the Snakes as they continue to try and figure out two-thirds of their outfield picture, and a bit of a flier to see what Kepler might have in the tank in his age-33 season.  However Kepler might contribute to Arizona’s postseason chase, he is ineligible to participate in this year’s playoffs, as per the terms of PED suspensions.

The Rangers still owe Haggerty the remaining money on his $1.25MM deal. Another team can add him and pay him the prorated league minimum while he’s on the roster. That figure would be subtracted from Texas’ total.

The 32-year-old Haggerty slashed .159/.213/.182 in limited playing time this year. He’s typically punched out at a slightly above-average clip, but his strikeout rate has jumped to 34.0% in 2026. Haggerty’s two steals were largely the extent of his offensive contributions. He no longer has high-end wheels, though he still ranks in the 75th percentile for sprint speed.

Haggerty has experience at all three outfield spots and every infield spot except shortstop. He’s only played center field and left field with the Rangers this season, but his versatility could attract another club. Haggerty was a league-average hitter as recently as last season. He delivered a 98 wRC+ in 64 games with Texas. The veteran chipped in a dozen stolen bases. The performance was enough to earn a seven-figure commitment from the Rangers over the winter.

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June 6: The Dodgers are trading left-hander Antoine Kelly to the Cubs, according to multiple reports, including from Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Kelly signed a minor league deal with Los Angeles in November.

The 26-year-old Kelly has put together some intriguing minor league seasons, but has yet to earn a crack in the big leagues. He possesses big-time strikeout potential and shaky control. Kelly scuffled to a 5.63 ERA in 34 games with Colorado’s Triple-A affiliate last season.

Kelly latched on with the Dodgers over the winter and received an invitation to Spring Training. The lefty fired 9 2/3 scoreless innings with a 34.2% strikeout rate in the spring. He hasn’t been able to keep up those results at Triple-A Oklahoma City. Kelly has punched out more than a batter per inning, though it’s come with a massive 18.1% walk rate. He’s posted a 5.16 xERA and a 6.38 xFIP with the Comets.

It’s unclear what exactly Chicago parted with to land Kelly, but it’s unlikely to be anything significant. The Cubs will take a flyer on a reliever who could potentially contribute in a bullpen hit hard by injuries. The team’s relievers have held it together with a 3.69 ERA, but a 4.51 xERA suggests they’ve been fortunate.

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Kochanowicz told reporters, including Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com, that his elbow has been bothering him in his past three starts. Kochanowicz tried to pitch through it, but he’ll now head to the IL in an attempt to fully recover. He will undergo an MRI tomorrow. Aldegheri is available out of the bullpen for now, per Bollinger, but he could slide into the rotation if needed. Caden Dana and George Klassen are other candidates for that spot.

Kochanowicz is having as good of a season as the Angels overall, which is to say not very good. The 6’7″ righty has covered 64 innings over 13 starts, recording a 6.05 ERA in the process. Kochanowicz has a 5.38 xERA, a 4.98 FIP, and a 5.00 SIERA, suggesting he’s been somewhat unlucky, but still ineffective. Indeed, manager Kurt Suzuki was non-committal about keeping Kochanowicz in the rotation before the IL placement was announced. “[We will] talk about it and see what our options are,” Suzuki told Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register. Fletcher also noted that Kochanowicz was experiencing mechanical issues, which can now be partly attributed to his injury.

The fact that Kochanowicz has held onto his spot for this long speaks to the Angels’ lack of rotation depth behind José Soriano and Reid Detmers. The former has cooled off after a hot start but still has a 2.72 ERA in 76 innings. Detmers has strong peripherals that suggest he’s due for improvement on his 4.26 ERA. Otherwise, rookie Walbert Ureña has a 2.68 ERA and an excellent 51.4% ground ball rate, but also a 4.53 SIERA thanks to a high walk rate. Grayson Rodriguez has allowed 19 earned runs in 18 innings since returning from injury.

Yusei Kikuchi is on the 60-day IL and won’t be back until late July at best, per the club’s official injury report. Dana and Klassen are both on the 40-man roster as depth options, and Dana was a Top-100 prospect last year according to MLB.com. However, neither Dana nor Klassen is performing well at Triple-A this year despite high ground ball rates.

Working in Kochanowicz’s favor are his own high ground ball rate (54.6% in 240 1/3 big league innings), 72nd-percentile fastball velocity, and much improved slider (-6 run value in 2025, +1 this year). Granted, the Angels are not contending and can afford to give the 25-year-old Kochanowicz plenty of leeway. Still, his ground ball rate and decent stuff are intriguing on their own, so it wouldn’t be unrealistic to see Kochanowicz back in the rotation when he returns. The Angels only have four starters at the moment per FanGraphs’ RosterResource tool, so Kochanowicz could reclaim his spot as the fifth starter.

Aldegheri returns to the Majors as a long reliever for now. He’s scattered three big league appearances around three recalls and options this year, with this move being his fourth recall. Aldegheri has a 7.24 ERA in 46 innings over nine starts at Triple-A in 2026. His big league track record consists of an uninspiring 5.26 ERA in 37 2/3 innings from 2024-26. It would not be surprising for Aldegheri to appear in one game then get optioned once again, with one of Dana or Klassen getting a temporary rotation spot with Kochanowicz out.

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June 4: The Blue Jays announced that they have selected the contract of right-hander Chad Dallas. Fellow righty Hayden Juenger has been optioned to Triple-A Buffalo in a corresponding active roster move. To open a 40-man spot, righty Tanner Andrews has been designated for assignment.

Dallas, 26 later this month, was a fourth-round pick of the Jays in 2021. He put himself on the prospect map with a strong 2023, making 23 starts between High-A and Double-A. He logged 123 1/3 innings, allowing 3.65 earned runs per nine. He struck out 27.9% of batters faced, walked 9.5% of opponents and induced grounders on 44.3% of balls in play.

Going into 2024, Baseball America ranked him the #14 prospect in the system. FanGraphs put him 16th. He could have been in line to make his major league debut that year but his health intervened. He struggled at Triple-A around a few stints on the injured list and eventually underwent Tommy John surgery in September. He missed the entire 2025 season. Here in 2026, he has been back on the mound and has logged 36 innings for Triple-A Buffalo with a 4.50 ERA, 24.1% strikeout rate, 8.2% walk rate and 41.7% ground ball rate.

In the long term, Dallas might end up as a reliever. His best pitch is his slider while he doesn’t have a great weapon against lefties. For now, he’s still stretched out and the Jays need the innings, as their rotation has been decimated by injuries this year. José Berríos, Cody Ponce and Bowden Francis are done for the season. Dylan Cease, Max Scherzer, Shane Bieber and Lazaro Estrada are also on the IL. Jake Bloss is still recovering from last year’s Tommy John surgery. Prospect Ricky Tiedemann is still in the injury wilderness.

Due to all those absences, the Jays have been rolling with a hollowed-out rotation. Kevin Gausman, Trey Yesavage and Patrick Corbin are the three traditional starters. The Jays have also been deploying frequent bullpen games with Rule 5 pick Spencer Miles working as a bulk guy in those. Until recently, they had Cease in the mix as well but his hamstring strain further cut into the group and has necessitated even more depth arms getting into the mix. Austin Voth was called up for an emergency bulk outing last week but was quickly bumped off the roster after.

Left-hander Mason Fluharty is technically starting tonight’s game but Dallas will probably be working bulk innings behind him. Since this is the first time Dallas has been called up to the majors, he has a full slate of options. He will likely be sent back to Buffalo after this. The Jays acquired Simeon Woods Richardson yesterday. He has not yet joined the active roster but could perhaps link up with the team in Toronto tomorrow. The Jays also might get Cease back soon. He is expected to make a rehab start tonight and might only need that one game before being activated next week. They also have Scherzer, Bieber, Estrada and Bloss out on rehab assignments at the moment.

Andrews is a 30-year-old minor league journeyman. He spent time in the farm systems of the Marlins, Giants and Twins before signing a minor league deal with the Jays coming into this year. The Jays added him to the roster when Cease hit the IL. He made two scoreless appearances before being optioned back down to Triple-A Buffalo.

He now heads into DFA limbo, which can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the Jays could take five days to explore trade interest, though they could also put him on waivers sooner than that. He posted a 6.02 ERA in the minors from 2023 to 2025 but has a 1.29 ERA in 21 innings this year. That’s thanks to a fortunate .220 batting average on balls in play and 94% strand rate. His 4.26 FIP suggests his results would be less impressive with more neutral luck.

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May 31: The Giants have designated left-hander Ryan Borucki for assignment and selected the contract of outfielder Jonah Cox from Double-A Richmond, according to the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser.  Outfielder Will Brennan has also been optioned to Triple-A, with righty Tristan Beck recalled in his place.

After being cut by the White Sox near the end of Spring Training, Borucki quickly caught on with the Giants on a big league contract.  The results haven’t been there for Borucki in his ninth MLB season, as the southpaw has a 4.94 ERA, 14.4% strikeout rate, and 8.7% walk rate across 23 2/3 relief innings.  Just when it seemed like Borucki was getting on track after a shaky start to the season, he gave up five earned runs over his last three outings and 5 1/3 innings of work.

As usual, Borucki has drastic splits, as left-handed batters have only a .550 OPS against him this season (while righty batters have a whopping 1.085 OPS).  A team in need of southpaw relief help could be inclined to claim Borucki off San Francisco’s waiver wire, but the likelier scenario is that he’ll clear waivers and then be outrighted to Triple-A.  Borucki has been outrighted in the past, so he can elect free agency rather than accept that assignment.

The 24-year-old Cox will be making his Major League debut whenever he appears in a game, and Cox will get his first taste of the Show before even getting a look at the Triple-A level.  It seems like Cox’s superb performance in Richmond couldn’t be ignored, as Cox is hitting .400/.453/.644 with six home runs and 27 steals (in 34 attempts) over 183 Double-A plate appearances.

Cox has never posted anything close to these numbers in his previous three minor league seasons, and he is surely getting a lot of help from an eye-opening .464 BABIP.  That said, Cox’s elite speed has helped him generate large BABIPs in the past, and he has drastically cut back on his strikeout rate to 16.9% in Double-A ball.

The bat has been the only question mark about Cox’s game, as his defense and speed were already seen as ready for primetime.  Those plus skills alone make Cox a viable bench piece for the Giants and perhaps a platoon partner for Drew Gilbert in center field, even if there’s bound to be a learning curve as Cox makes the big jump from facing Double-A pitching to big league arms.  The Giants rank last in baseball in stolen bases, so Cox should provide an immediate boost on the basepaths.

Baseball America ranks Cox 21st on their list of Giants prospects.  Cox was a sixth-round pick for the Athletics in the 2023 draft, and he was dealt to San Francisco in the February 2024 trade that sent Ross Stripling to the A’s.

Wendzel signed a minor league contract with Pittsburgh in December and was a non-roster invite to spring training. In 211 plate appearances at Triple-A this year, he’s batting .246/.360/.491 with nine home runs and a 123 wRC+. That continues a run of decent minor league hitting for Wendzel, as he’s been average or better at Triple-A since 2024. Wendzel’s track record in the Majors is much thinner. He appeared in 27 games for the Rangers in 2024, managing just six hits in 49 plate appearances.

Wendzel typically plays third base or shortstop, though he’s unlikely to get much time at the hot corner. Nick Gonzales has a 115 wRC+ in 238 plate appearances as the Pirates’ main third baseman. Wendzel is more likely to see time at shortstop, if only a little. Jared Triolo is covering for the injured Konnor Griffin at the moment. Triolo has a 57 wRC+ this year that is virtually unplayable, and while he’s a good defender at second and third, he’s been worth -6 Defensive Runs Saved in 588 2/3 career innings at short. At the same time, Wendzel is entirely unproven in the Majors, so his selection is more about giving the Pirates a second backup infielder (Tyler Callihan being more of a utility type) than seriously challenging for playing time.

Devenski’s move to the 60-day IL clears a roster spot for Wendzel and puts Devenski out until early July. The right-hander went on the 15-day IL on May 7th after serving a two-game suspension for intentionally throwing at the Reds’ Sal Stewart a few days earlier. Devenski’s injury was undisclosed at the time, and that remains the case one month later. His transfer to the 60-day IL is backdated to the original placement, so Devenski can return during the July 7-9 home series against the Braves if he is ready.

As for Garcia, he heads down to Triple-A after a roughly three-week stint in the Majors. The 23-year-old got into 13 games since being recalled on May 19th. He batted .200/.243/.229 in 37 plate appearances, which amounts to just a 32 wRC+. Garcia hasn’t played much in the minors this year thanks to a back injury in mid-April, which sidelined him for a month. Still, Garcia is a former Top-100 prospect and ranks No. 4 in the Pirates’ Top-30, according to MLB.com. He’ll get regular work at Triple-A for the time being and will surely get called up again at some point.

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Lewis’ ugly .163/.261/.279 slash line over his first 119 plate appearances of the season was enough to convince the Twins that the former first overall pick needed a tune-up, so Lewis was optioned to St. Paul on May 19.  The move has apparently worked, as Lewis’ bat has come to life against minor league pitching.  Between the 13 games since his demotion and two rehab games earlier this season, Lewis has hit .333/.403/.900 in 67 PA at the Triple-A level, with a whopping 10 homers in that small sample size.

Obviously this kind of Ruthian production isn’t going to continue against MLB pitching, yet it does indicate that Lewis may have at least regained some confidence at the plate, in addition to any mechanical changes worked out with the Triple-A coaching staff.  While injuries have been the dominant storyline of Lewis’ Major League career, he hasn’t been a particularly effective hitter since what seemed to be a breakout 2023 season, as Lewis has hit just .225/.285/.398 over 847 PA since Opening Day 2024.

The other interesting element to Lewis’ time in the minors has been some time spent at first and second base, in addition to his usual third base spot.  It remains to be seen where Lewis will play upon his return to the majors, as Brooks Lee was moved from shortstop to third base in Lewis’ absence, with Tristan Gray getting most of the looks at shortstop.

Neither player is hitting well enough to have laid a real claim to either position, so it could be that Gray is returned to bench duty and the Twins revert to their normal infield alignment.  Outman’s DFA leaves utilitymen Kody Clemens and Ryan Kreidler as the backup outfield options on the 26-man roster, so Clemens could get more time in the outfield if Lewis gets some looks as a first baseman.

Minnesota acquired Outman from the Dodgers for Brock Stewart at last year’s trade deadline, and the change of scenery didn’t help Outman regain any of the hitting prowess he showed early in his big league career.  Outman hit .248/.353/.437 with 23 home runs for the Dodgers over 567 PA in 2023, but he has since batted .144/.235/.284 over his last 374 PA against MLB pitching.  Those lowly numbers include a .156/.229/.250 slash in 70 PA this season as a backup outfielder.

This is the first time Outman has been designated for assignment, and he has less than three years of MLB service time.  As such, he will have to accept an outright assignment to Triple-A if he clears waivers or isn’t traded since the DFA period.  Outman has some speed and he can play all three outfield positions, yet his offense has been so lackluster that he’ll probably clear waivers and remain in Minnesota’s organization.

This is Salazar’s second trip through the DFA process this season. The previous outright gave him the option to reject the assignment this time around. Instead, he’ll stick with the only organization he’s known as a pro.

The 30-year-old Salazar has appeared in parts of four seasons with the Astros. He’s slashed .189/.295/.216 in 45 games as a big leaguer. Salazar has been the guy Houston has called on when they need a stopgap behind the plate. He joined the club in May after Yainer Diaz went down with an oblique injury. Salazar went 1-for-18 while splitting the gig with Christian Vazquez. The Astros opted to replace him with Collin Price.

Salazar is out of minor league options. Since he accepted the assignment, Houston can stash him at Triple-A as catching depth. Salazar will likely get the call if Vasquez or Price needs to be replaced.

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The 31-year-old Kuhnel was one of manager Mark Kotsay‘s top options in the ninth inning early in the season. He picked up four saves in his first seven appearances. Kuhnel remained in the high-leverage mix through May, but struggled to close the month, permitting three earned runs over his final two outings.

The final blow came on Thursday against the Cubs. Kuhnel was called upon to preserve a three-run lead in the ninth inning. He gave up four earned runs on five hits while recording just two outs. Righty Luis Medina was unable to put out Kuhnel’s fire, allowing a pair of hits, including a walk-off single to Pete Crow-Armstrong. The disastrous outing raised Kuhnel’s ERA from 2.88 to 4.21.

Kuhnel has pitched for four teams across parts of six big-league seasons. He spent all of 2025 at Triple-A in the Yankees’ and Phillies’ systems. The veteran righty came to the A’s on a minor league deal in December. He didn’t break camp with the team, but reached the majors after just two minor league outings.

Milwaukee is missing several key pieces in the bullpen. Offseason trade acquisition Angel Zerpa was lost to Tommy John surgery. Lefty DL Hall just went down with a pectoral injury. Veterans Jared Koenig and Rob Zastryzny have missed the majority of the season. Kuhnel, being a righty, wouldn’t necessarily alleviate those absences, but he could provide value in a lower-leverage role.

Priester is dealing with symptoms related to thoracic outlet syndrome. He has avoided surgery up to this point. The righty recently had his rehab assignment bumped to Rookie ball after a stretch of poor performances. Priester has 19 walks in 13 1/3 innings across seven minor league outings. Manager Pat Murphy recently said Priester could need another month of rehab.

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Glasnow hit the 15-day IL on May 8 due to lower back spasms. He was removed from a start against the Astros on June 6 after one inning. The big righty has yet to resume throwing, relays Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic. Given where he’s at in his recovery, it’s unsurprising to see Glasnow shifted to the 60-day IL. He’ll be eligible to return in early July, but that seems like a stretch at this point. The Dodgers will likely bring Glasnow along slowly with his extensive injury history.

Frasso exercised an upward mobility clause in his contract, per Ardaya. The righty will remain at Triple-A, but he’s now on the 40-man. The move allows the club to keep him in the organization.

The Dodgers originally acquired Frasso along with lefty Moises Brito in an August 2022 trade that sent righty Mitch White and second baseman Alex De Jesus to the Blue Jays. Frasso pitched well in the minors, reaching Triple-A by 2023. He was sidelined for all of 2024 after shoulder surgery. Frasso had some prospect pedigree as recently as last season, with MLB Pipeline ranking him at No. 13 in the Dodgers system. He scuffled to a 5.49 ERA in 77 innings with Oklahoma City in 2025 and slipped off most prospect rankings.

Frasso tested free agency in November, but ultimately landed back with the Dodgers. The 27-year-old will now have a better chance to get a look with the big-league club now that he’s on the 40-man roster. The righty was exclusively a starter in LA’s organization until last year, when he mostly pitched out of the bullpen. Frasso has a 4.85 ERA in 11 minor league appearances this year. He’s spiked a 38.7% strikeout rate, but it’s come with a career-worst 16.1% walk rate.

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The Soler move is retroactive to June 4. He was scratched on Friday with what was initially believed to be a hip injury. Instead, it’s an oblique issue. Soler has been mediocre at the plate through 58 games. The veteran has a 95 wRC+ across 243 plate appearances. Soler struggled mightily in May, posting a .571 OPS. He was off to a strong start in June, going 4-for-11 with two extra-base hits in a series against the Rockies.

Schanuel had slightly more than a minimum stay on the IL with an ankle injury. He should step back in as the club’s everyday first baseman. Schanuel hasn’t shown the on-base skills he’s had in previous seasons, walking at a career-low 6.3% clip. His .313 OBP is more than 30 points below his career mark.

Vaughn Grissom has stepped in at first base in Schanuel’s stead and played well. The former big-name prospect has slashed a respectable .246/.325/.410 in 40 games. He’s striking out just 11% of the time, while walking at a 9% rate. Grissom has been particularly effective in games he’s played first base, delivering a .988 OPS in 62 plate appearances. Grissom has also played second and third base this year. He might not have a permanent defensive position, but he’s earned regular playing time.

Campero has spent the entire season at Double-A. He went to the minor league injured list on June 1 with a fractured right hand. Jeff Fletcher of the Orange County Register reported that Campero had an opt-out clause in his deal. Adding him to the 40-man roster allows the Angels to keep him in the organization. The 28-year-old outfielder has scuffled to a 74 wRC+ in parts of two seasons with the big-league club, but he was performing well in the minors this year. Campero had an .830 OPS with six homers and 11 steals with Rocket City before his injury.

After seven seasons in the minors with the Yankees, Martinez joined the Angels on a minor league deal. He earned his first MLB shot in early May after Travis d’Arnaud went down with plantar fasciitis. Regular starter Logan O’Hoppe was already out with a broken wrist. Martinez briefly tag-teamed the catching duties with Sebastian Rivero. The 24-year-old mostly appeared on defense. He had three plate appearances in five games, going 1-for-3.

Martinez will now head through the DFA process. The Angels can look for a trade partner before placing him on waivers. Martinez is still in his first minor league option year, which could intrigue teams in need of catching depth. If he clears waivers, he’ll head back to Triple-A Salt Lake and wait for his next big-league opportunity.

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Rom last pitched in the big leagues with the Cardinals in 2023. He struggled to an 8.02 ERA over eight starts. The 26-year-old lefty didn’t pitch in 2024 due to a biceps injury. Additional health issues limited him to seven minor league appearances last season. Rom latched on with the Brewers as a minor league free agent in December.

The results in the minors for Rom have typically been unremarkable, outside of a few solid strikeout seasons. He transitioned to a full-time relief role this year, with excellent returns. Rom has pitched to a 3.04 ERA across 22 appearances with Triple-A Nashville. He has a career-high 33.9% strikeout rate.

Rom’s four-seamer barely cracked 90 mph during his MLB stint with St. Louis. He’s added a couple of ticks with the Sounds, averaging 92.5 mph on the heater. The lefty is also throwing a much harder sweeper. The pitch averaged 79.4 mph in 2023, but it’s been up at 83.1 mph at Triple-A this year.

Fitzpatrick has pitched well in his first taste of the majors. He’s allowed just one earned run across 6 2/3 innings out of Milwaukee’s bullpen. The lefty was optioned in mid-May and had only recently rejoined the big-league squad. Fitzpatrick tossed a perfect inning on Friday against Colorado before going down with the elbow injury.

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June 5: The Rangers are in agreement on a major league deal with veteran catcher Elias Díaz, reports Daniel Álvarez-Montes of El Extrabase. The ACES client recently became a free agent after being waived by the Royals.

Texas designated Sam Haggerty for assignment on Friday afternoon, so they have an opening on the 40-man roster. They’ll need to clear an active roster spot once Díaz reports to the team. Texas has a veteran catching tandem of Danny Jansen and Kyle Higashioka.

Higashioka has earned the recent playing time with hits in four straight games, including a home run off Parker Messick in tonight’s 3-2 win over the Guardians. Jansen has had a tough year, batting .171/.277/.309 across 142 plate appearances. He’s a couple months into a two-year, $14.5MM free agent contract. Jansen doesn’t figure to be in jeopardy of losing his roster spot at this point.

That seemingly points to a three-catcher arrangement for the time being. Texas just activated Corey Seager and Wyatt Langford from the injured list to put their lineup pretty close to full strength. Ezequiel Duran can move back from shortstop to second base, pushing Nicky Lopez to a bench role. He and Jansen have five-plus service years and cannot be sent to the minors without their consent. Michael Helman and Justin Foscue each can be optioned. Foscue’s start at designated hitter tonight was his first time in the lineup since May 27.

Díaz will be accustomed to a depth role. He spent more than a month on Kansas City’s roster as a third catcher behind Salvador Perez and Carter Jensen. He started seven of 10 games and tallied 23 plate appearances. Díaz popped a couple home runs and doubles apiece. He’s coming off a .204/.270/.337 season over a much bigger body of work with the Padres.

The 35-year-old is best known for his surprise All-Star Game MVP win as a member of the Rockies back in 2023, but he has been more of a backup over the past few seasons. He has a good arm and has graded as a solid receiving catcher in recent years after struggling with pitch framing early in his career.

Over 22 relief innings at Triple-A Sugar Land, Maldonado posted a 2.87 ERA with only one home run allowed.  This ability to keep the ball in the park is a marked improvement after Maldonado struggled with homers during his previous two minor league seasons, yet a .200 BABIP is the larger reason for Maldonado’s impressive ERA.  A garish 17.4% walk rate is the larger issue, and the righty’s 21.7% strikeout rate is also far below Maldonado’s previous K-rates at the Triple-A level.

Maldonado made his MLB debut with Miami in 2024, and he has a 7.20 ERA over 25 career innings in the Show with the Marlins and Athletics.  The West Sacramento team outrighted Maldonado after last season and he elected free agency, as was his right as a player who had previously been outrighted in his career.