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Bobby Witt Jr. Out Of Lineup With MCL Sprain

Anthony Franco — Sat, 20 Jun 2026 00:47:32 +0000

AL MVP candidate Bobby Witt Jr. is dealing with a Grade 1 sprain of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee. Witt is not available for tonight’s game against the Cardinals. There’s a rare Saturday off day tomorrow because Kansas City will host a World Cup match between Ecuador and Curacao in the evening.

Anne Rogers of MLB.com writes that Witt will be reevaluated before Sunday afternoon’s series finale. Manager Matt Quatraro tells Rogers there’s no fear the injury would require surgical repair, but an injured list stint may be necessary depending on the amount of inflammation.

Witt suffered the injury while making a diving stop on a ground-ball off the bat of Jordan Walker last night. He wheeled and tried to throw to second for a force out but tweaked his knee. Witt stayed in through the end of the defensive inning but was lifted for a pinch-hitter in the bottom half.

Kansas City is without their entire Opening Day infield for tonight’s game. Vinnie Pasquantino suffered a hamate fracture last week and will be out beyond the All-Star Break. Jonathan India underwent season-ending shoulder surgery in April. Witt and Maikel Garcia are both day to day, with the latter out since Tuesday due to a muscle strain in his left hand.

Jac Caglianone and Michael Massey are the regular duo on the right side of the infield. The day-to-day injuries on the left side draw Nick Loftin and Tyler Tolbert into tonight’s lineup at third base and shortstop, respectively. Isaac Collins can move into the infield on an emergency basis, but it’s certainly not ideal to only have Starling Marte and Kameron Misner available off the bench.

Injured list stints can be retroactive by a maximum of three days, so the Royals might make a decision on Garcia during the off day. They may wait until Monday to make that call on Witt, as they could backdate that placement to today.

Kansas City already has an uphill battle to pulling back into the Wild Card picture. They’re 14 games under .500 and fourth from the bottom in the American League. The Royals got Seth Lugo back from a brief stay on the concussion list tonight but are still down two of their top starters in Cole Ragans and Kris Bubic. They’ve been a slightly below-average offense despite Witt turning in a .294/.368/.465 line with 10 homers and MLB-high 28 stolen bases.

The Sleeper and the Bust Episode: 1517 – 2-Start Pitchers for Week 13

Paul Sporer — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 23:41:00 +0000

Paul and Jason review next week's two-start arms to find some potential gems

Source

Rockies Release Andrew Knizner

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 22:51:32 +0000

The Rockies have released catcher Andrew Knizner, according to his transactions tracker at MLB.com. He had been performing well, so it’s possible he triggered an opt-out. Either way, he’s a free agent and can now sign with any club.

Knizner, 31, signed a one-year, $1MM major league deal with the Mariners in the offseason. That club later pivoted to bringing back Mitch Garver to pair with Cal Raleigh behind the plate. Knizner was bumped off the roster before Opening Day, which led to his minor league deal with the Rockies.

Since signing the latter pact, he has been hitting quite well. He has taken 140 trips to the plate across 33 games for Triple-A Albuquerque and hit ten home runs. His 10.7% walk rate and 18.6% strikeout rate are both strong figures. Even in the hitter-friendly context of the Pacific Coast League, his .279/.371/.590 line in 24% better than average by measure of wRC+.

Knizner has never been an impact hitter in the big leagues. In 975 plate appearances across seven seasons, he has a .211/.281/.316 line and 68 wRC+. On the other side of the ball, Knizner hasn’t been graded as a strong framer in his career but he was worse earlier on. Each of FanGraphs, Statcast and Baseball Prospectus rank him as an above-average framer dating back to the start of 2024. The reviews on his throwing and blocking are more mixed.

Presumably, teams generally look positively on his overall work wearing the pads, whether that’s his actual defense or perhaps his ability to have a relationship with pitchers. As mentioned, he hasn’t hit much but has continued to get opportunities. The fact that he is hitting well this year perhaps helps him a bit as he now returns to free agency.

If he gets a major league opportunity somewhere, the signing club would only have to pay him the prorated league minimum for any time spent on the roster. The Mariners are currently on the hook for the aforementioned $1MM salary. If some club does give him a spot, the portion they pay him will be subtracted from what the Mariners have to cough up.

Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images

Mariners Designate Miles Mastrobuoni For Assignment, Select Weston Wilson

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 22:30:27 +0000

The Mariners have selected the contract of infielder/outfielder Weston Wilson. Fellow infielder/outfielder Miles Mastrobuoni has been designated in a corresponding move. Prior to the official announcement, Adam Jude of The Seattle Times noted Wilson was in the clubhouse. Daniel Kramer of MLB.com indicated Mastrobuoni would likely be designated for assignment to make room.

Kramer suggests the swap is related to the fact that the Mariners are slated to face a bunch of lefties. The Red Sox are scheduled to start southpaws Ranger Suárez, Connelly Early and Payton Tolle this weekend. Seattle’s regular lineup is mostly filled with lefty bats, including J.P. Crawford, Josh Naylor, Dominic Canzone, Luke Raley, Cole Young and Colt Emerson. Righties Connor Joe and Rob Refsnyder are on the bench but Joe has a .189/.302/.324 line this year while Refsnyder is at .143/.214/.242.

Mastrobuoni and Wilson are both multi-positional types but the former hits from the left side and the latter the right. The 31-year-old Wilson has a .240/.331/.413 line in 291 plate appearances from 2023 to 2026, a line that translates to a 108 wRC+. That breaks down as a .248/.351/.456 line and 124 wRC+ against southpaws compared to a .229/.302/.352 line and 83 wRC+ in the other half of the split.

Defensively, Wilson has big league experience at every position on the diamond except for shortstop and catcher. Though he’s never played short in the big leagues, he has spent a decent amount of time there in the minors. He should give manager Dan Wilson a good amount of flexibility in trying to get through this gauntlet of lefties. He was with the Orioles earlier this year but got bumped from that club’s roster, allowing Seattle to sign him to a minor league deal this week.

After this Boston series, the Mariners play the Pirates, who have an all-righty rotation. Wilson is out of options, so perhaps he is in line for a short stay on the roster if the M’s want to shuffle things up again in a few days. Then again, Joe is still optionable and has been struggling, so sending him down could be another possibility.

Optimizing the roster will cost Mastrobuoni his spot. The 30-year-old is in his fifth big league season, having previously spent time with the Rays and Cubs. He was acquired by the Mariners in a cash deal in February of 2025 after being designated for assignment by Chicago. He has generally been a serviceable but light-hitting bench guy. From 2022 to 2024, he hit .231/.296/.276 in 447 plate appearances but played all four infield positions and the outfield corners.

He has barely gotten going this year. He started the season on the 10-day injured list due to a right calf strain. He was later transferred to the 60-day IL. He was activated a little over a week ago. He has a .217/.269/.217 line in 27 plate appearances since then.

Mastrobuoni exhausted his final option year in 2025, leaving him now out of options. He might have started the season on the roster bubble but the IL placement allowed him to technically linger in the mix for almost half the season, but he has now been bumped off.

DFA limbo can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the M’s could take as long as five days to explore trade interest. If he were to clear waivers, he would stay in the system as non-roster depth. He doesn’t have a previous career outright and is shy of three years of service, so he wouldn’t have the right to reject an outright assignment in favor of free agency.

Photo courtesy of Rafael Suanes, Imagn Images

MLB Mailbag: Orioles, Peralta, Skubal, Braves, Brewers

Steve Adams — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:52:57 +0000

In this week’s MLB Mailbag, we’ll take questions about the Orioles’ deadline outlook, potential trade scenarios for Freddy Peralta and Tarik Skubal, Ha-Seong Kim‘s struggles in Atlanta and whether the Brewers should make a big win-now push.

Let’s get started!

Eric asks…

Do you think the Orioles will stick with the 3B combo of Coby Mayo/Blaze Alexander, or will they look to upgrade if they’re within striking distance of the wild card?

Phil asks…

Would you please name the top three (or five. Go nuts!) players the Orioles should trade for assuming they’re within shouting distance of a wild card spot in late July, and do the same for their top three pieces they should trade away if they aren’t. Thanks!

Since these questions are related not only in the fact that they’re both about the Orioles but also that the answers will dovetail to an extent, I’ll answer them together.

Firstly, I don’t envision many clear upgrades at third base to be available this summer. The Giants are open to dealing Matt Chapman, but the Orioles aren’t going to be excited about taking on the remainder of his contract when he’s owed $100MM from 2027-30 — his age-34 through age-37 seasons. That’s not unique to the Orioles. Few teams are going to view that as a positive value. The Mets probably wouldn’t mind getting out from under the Bo Bichette contract, but he’s hitting .250/.295/.372 in his first season at third base in Queens. He’s been hot lately, but no club is going to be enthused about paying an underperforming player a $42MM annual salary — particularly on an opt-out-laden contract.

There are a handful of rental options who could be available, but none who are playing very well. Yoan Moncada is on the injured list again and hasn’t hit when healthy. Alec Bohm‘s bat is beginning to come around, but his overall batting line is well below average. Old friend Ramon Urias hasn’t played well with the Cardinals and, like Moncada, is on the injured list at the moment.

I doubt the O’s would want to pay a premium for a more controllable option. Jordan Westburg won’t play this season — a prominent reason for the team’s lackluster showing in 2026 — but will be recovered from his season-ending UCL repair by the time the 2027 campaign rolls around. He should reclaim his role at third base next year. The O’s could try for a multi-position player who’s comfortable at third base, but options there are limited, too. Buy-low options like Brett Baty and Nolan Gorman will almost certainly be available, but neither’s hitting well and either could be a non-tender candidate. If the Astros end up selling and listening on Isaac Paredes again, that’d be a reasonable fit, though Camden Yards is a poor fit for his right-handed, extreme-pull-side approach. Baltimore wouldn’t have a clear spot for Paredes in the 2027 lineup but could rent him this year and explore offseason trades.

The likelier and more prudent spots for Baltimore to upgrade, in my view, would be in the rotation and the bullpen. The Orioles will see three veteran starters become free agents: Trevor Rogers, Chris Bassitt and Zach Eflin (who’s out for the season). The names atop their 2027 rotation depth chart include Kyle Bradish, Shane Baz and Dean Kremer. Younger and/or less-proven options like Trey Gibson, Cade Povich, Brandon Young and Tyler Wells could feasibly enter the mix, but the O’s aren’t going to want to leave the rotation to chance. They’ll need to add arms this winter anyhow, and proactively getting some shopping done at the deadline makes good sense.

Adding a starting pitcher who’s controlled beyond 2026 should be something of a priority. It’ll come with a steep cost, but it’s one the O’s should be willing to pay. Paying for one-plus season of someone like Joe Ryan when Baltimore seems at best like a potential Wild Card club feels like a stretch, though. I’d zero in on players with multiple seasons remaining beyond the current one. That’s going to limit the number of options, but there are a few who come to mind.

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Cubs Outright Doug Nikhazy

Steve Adams — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:12:58 +0000

Left-hander Doug Nikhazy went unclaimed on waivers after being designated for assignment by the Cubs, per the transaction log at MLB.com. He’s been assigned outright to Triple-A Iowa. It’s the first outright of Nikhazy’s career. He won’t have the option to reject the assignment in favor of free agency.

Chicago designated Nikhazy for assignment earlier this week in order to create roster space for trade acquisition Yosver Zulueta. Nikhazy was a waiver claim out of the White Sox organization back in April. (The Sox had previously claimed him from the Guardians.) He hasn’t pitched for the Cubs’ big league club yet, instead spending his entire time with the club with their Triple-A squad in Des Moines.

Nikhazy, 26, was Cleveland’s second-round pick out of Ole Miss back in 2021. He’s pitched only six major league innings to date — four with the Guards, two with the Sox — and been tagged for seven runs on six hits and eight walks with six strikeouts.

From 2021-24, Nikhazy generally posted solid minor league numbers. Heading into the 2025 season, Baseball America ranked him 16th in a strong Cleveland farm system. He wound up taking a step back, however, logging a 5.02 ERA in 86 Triple-A frames. His performance this season has deteriorated even further. Nikhazy has logged an ERA north of 8.00 with the Triple-A affiliates for both Chicago organizations. Overall, he’s sitting on an 8.51 ERA in 37 frames. He’s walked 14% of his opponents against a 22.5% strikeout rate and been tagged for an alarming seven homers (1.70 HR/9) in this time.

It’s been a tough couple seasons for Nikhazy, but he’s not all that far removed from looking like a possible back-of-the-rotation starter. If he can get his command back on track, there’s still a path to him realizing that potential, or at least emerging as a possible swingman/middle reliever, but he has his work cut out for him at the moment.

Rangers Option Josh Smith, Select Jarred Kelenic

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 21:05:22 +0000

The Rangers announced that they have selected the contract of outfielder Jarred Kelenic. Infielder Josh Smith has been optioned to Triple-A Round Rock as the corresponding active roster move. Infielder/outfielder Michael Helman has been transferred to the 60-day injured list to open a 40-man spot.

Smith is optioned to the minors for the first time since 2022. He was a light-hitting utility player for the World Series-winning club in 2023. He secured a larger role in the past two years. Over 2024 and 2025, he slashed .254/.336/.380 for a wRC+ of 107 while playing every position on the diamond outside of the battery.

In the most recent offseason, the Rangers shipped second baseman Marcus Semien to the Mets in exchange for outfielder Brandon Nimmo. That created an opening for Smith to seize the second base job but that hasn’t happened. He made 108 plate appearances through the first week of May with a .217/.324/.239 line.

A glute strain then sent him to the injured list. While he was out, he dealt with some wrist soreness and then was hospitalized by viral meningitis. He finally returned a few days ago and he has hit .222/.222/.333 in his past three games, giving him a .218/.316/.248 line for the year.

The Rangers will try to get him back on track at the Triple-A level. While he was on the IL, they mostly used a combination of Nicky Lopez and Justin Foscue to cover the spot. Ezequiel Durán was also in the mix but he’s now covering shortstop while Corey Seager is on the IL.

Lopez is a strong defender but has a .246/.310/.312 batting line in his career. He has a better .313/.353/.396 line with the Rangers this year but in a tiny sample of 52 plate appearances, buoyed by a .368 batting average on balls in play. Foscue has good numbers on the year but he’s a limited player as he made some defensive miscues and has done all of his damage against lefties. Cody Freeman could also get some time at the keystone. If Seager gets healthy, he could bump Durán back to second base.

The Rangers could look to upgrade the position, or their general infield depth, ahead of the deadline. Their 35-39 record isn’t terribly inspiring but the weak American League field means that they are only 1.5 games back of a playoff spot at the moment.

Kelenic, 26, jumps into the outfield group. The Rangers signed him to a minor league deal earlier this month after he was bumped off the White Sox’ roster. He reported to Triple-A Round Rock and put up a huge .340/.431/.620 line in 13 games for the Express.

Minor league success is nothing new for Kelenic. He was once a top prospect, after being selected sixth overall in 2018 and then crushing his way through the minors. But he has now taken 1,547 big league plate appearances with Seattle, Atlanta and Chicago, producing a .211/.283/.374 in those. The Rangers will be the latest club to try to coax a big league breakout from him.

It’s unclear how much playing time he will get. Texas has Nimmo, Wyatt Langford and Alejandro Osuna in the lineup tonight. Joc Pederson is in the designated hitter spot most nights. He does need a platoon partner but he and Kelenic are both lefties. Osuna is hitting just .240/.352/.260 on the year so perhaps there’s a path for Kelenic to nab some playing time from him.

As for Helman, he was hit on the hand by a pitch last week, as seen in this clip from Baseball Savant. He was quickly diagnosed with multiple fractures, per Shawn McFarland of the Dallas Morning News. He was placed on the 10-day IL the next day. His exact timeline is unclear but this transaction indicates the Rangers expect him to be out until at least the middle of August.

Photo courtesy of Jerome Miron, Imagn Images

Ryne Nelson Reportedly Has Partially Torn Flexor

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 20:25:40 +0000

The Diamondbacks placed right-hander Ryne Nelson on the 15-day injured list today with a strained right elbow, retroactive to June 16th. Fellow righty Yilber Díaz has been recalled in his place. John Gambadoro of Arizona Sports 98.7 FM Phoenix reports that Nelson has a partially torn forearm flexor.

A flexor tear doesn’t necessarily indicate that Nelson is headed straight for surgery, though that’s a common outcome with this injury. He’ll be facing a lengthy absence regardless, and if surgery is the route Nelson takes, his season would surely be over. He’d be facing a monthslong recovery. Every injury and rehab process is unique unto itself, but we’ve seen flexor surgeries performed in midsummer sideline pitchers beyond Opening Day of the subsequent season.

Nelson hasn’t been having an amazing season, with a 4.97 earned run average across 15 starts. Regardless, the Snakes aren’t in a great position to weather the loss of more rotation depth. They were hoping to have Corbin Burnes back from last year’s Tommy John surgery around the All-Star break but he recently suffered a teres major strain and will likely be out until September. Cristian Mena underwent shoulder surgery earlier this month.

Despite the depth issues, the big league rotation has been fairly steady for a while. Merrill Kelly started the season on the IL but was reinstated in mid-April. Since then, every game has been started by the quintet of Kelly, Nelson, Zac Gallen, Michael Soroka and Eduardo Rodríguez. That will now be interrupted, forcing the club to bring someone else into the mix.

Brandon Pfaadt held a rotation spot for many years but he has struggled lately and got bumped to the bullpen when Kelly came off the IL. He wasn’t getting much use in that role, so the Snakes sent him down to the minors a couple of weeks ago with the plan of getting him stretched back out as a starter. That process began with him tossing three innings on June 9th and then 3 1/3 on June 14th. The latter contest saw him get up to 45 pitches. Presumably, the club would like him to keep building up before being recalled, though it’s possible they opt for him to get stretched out in big league games.

Kohl Drake, Mitch Bratt and Dylan Ray are also on the 40-man roster. Ray and Drake both have ERAs north of 6.00 this year. Bratt has a much better 2.84 ERA but just spent a couple of weeks on the minor league injured list. He returned on Wednesday and made a four-inning start. Non-roster options like Tommy Henry and Yu-Min Lin have ERAs above 5.00 this year, though Jose Cabrera has a solid 3.69 ERA. Today marks the beginning of 13 straight games for Arizona, so they’ll need some kind of plan to get through this stretch.

The overall group will be a situation to monitor going forward. General manager Mike Hazen has said he is planning on buying at the deadline but has also downplayed the need to add to the rotation. Perhaps this injury will change that calculus, especially if Pfaadt or someone else doesn’t come up and seize hold of a back-end job.

Turning back to Nelson, this injury is sure to have a negative impact on his earning power. He is in his first of three arbitration seasons and is making $3MM. He is due for two more raises before he hits free agency. This season’s poor numbers and a notable injury will hinder his ability to push up that salary next year. That, in turn, will impact his 2028 earnings.

Photo courtesy of Mark J. Rebilas, Imagn Images

Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat, Today 3pm CT

Steve Adams — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 19:55:56 +0000

MLBTR’s Steve Adams is hosting a live chat today at 3pm CT, exclusively for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers.

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Trade Rumors Front Office Subscriber Chat Transcript

Steve Adams — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 19:55:56 +0000

Steve Adams

Good afternoon! We’ll get going at 3pm CT, but feel free to start sending in questions now.
Hello!
Let’s begin

Cat_Herder

Harris/Greenburg/Hinch on the bubble after the way this season has gone? Or would you give them a pass with a whole starting lineup on the IL?

Steve Adams

Harris has been on the job for less than four calendar years. He inherited a last-place team with a middling farm and a bleak long-term outlook, and the Tigers have made the playoffs twice under him already. I understand frustration surrounding this season, but I don’t think he’s on the hot seat at all.

Arizona

Buyers?! Are they watching the same team everyone else is? Or is this a “hot seat GM” trying to protect his job?

Steve Adams

The D-backs have basically never rebuilt under the Hazen regime. Owner Ken Kendrick has said he has no appetite for a full rebuild in the past. The Snakes are always going to be in some form of win-now mode — or at worst maybe a short-term sell off in the summer when they’re way out of contention.They’re two games over .500, half a game back in the Wild Card. Zero of 30 baseball ops leaders in this situation — in mid-June, no less — would say anything other than they think they have a chance to win and are going to buy.

Giant’s Dugout

Devers, Arraez, Adames, Chapman, Ramos, Lee, Webb, Ray:

Steve Adams

I’d be shocked if anyone took Devers or Adames, and only slightly less shocked on Chapman. Can’t imagine them trading Webb.Arraez and Ray are gone, barring some huge winning streak. Lee, I lean toward staying because the contract isn’t great and the opt-out gums it up, but it’s plausible he moves.
Ramos isn’t all that exciting but if you need a RH bat to platoon in LF/at DH and pummel lefties, I could see some interest. Probably not a big return, though… feel like he’s a year or two from being a non-tender candidate. Low-OBP corner/DH bats on the short side of the platoon aren’t valued highly in the market.

Sam

Hey, Steve. How would you break down the odds that A) Joe Ryan gets traded, B) Joe Ryan gets extended, and C) Neither, he stays in Minnesota until he hits free agency?
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Justin Verlander To Miss Several Weeks With Hamstring Strain

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 19:35:56 +0000

It was reported earlier this week that right-hander Justin Verlander would be coming off the 60-day injured list to start Sunday’s game, with righty Keider Montero moved to the bullpen. That will no longer happen. Verlander suffered a left hamstring injury while throwing a bullpen on Wednesday and has now been diagnosed with a strain with will cost him several weeks, per Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic. Stavenhagen adds that Montero will start that game instead.

It’s yet another frustrating setback in the Verlander-Tigers reunion. Detroit signed him to a one-year deal in the offseason, a $13MM guarantee but with $11MM deferred. That was supposed to lengthen the rotation and give fans some excitement about the prospect of Verlander returning to Comerica Park in Tigers orange.

That still hasn’t happened yet. Verlander made one start on the road in Arizona before left hip inflammation sent him to the IL. Sunday was set to finally be his triumphant return to Detroit but that will now have to wait even longer.

The Detroit rotation has had a number of health issues all year long, though the past few weeks have been relatively stabilizing. Each of Tarik Skubal, Casey Mize and Troy Melton came off the IL in the past four weeks, joining Framber Valdez and Montero in the rotation. Jack Flaherty went on the IL a week ago, creating a bit of breathing room for those returns. As mentioned, Verlander’s return was going to push Montero to the bullpen but now Montero can just stay in his spot alongside Skubal, Mize, Valdez and Melton.

Montero has been having a decent year, with a 3.67 ERA, so the rotation will ideally be able to be in decent shape without Verlander. Still, it’s less than ideal to for the depth to be thinner for another few weeks. Flaherty can’t return until later this month. Reese Olson is done for the year. Jackson Jobe is still working back from last year’s Tommy John surgery.

Flaherty might be back fairly quickly, but for the time being, the club’s top depth options are Ty Madden, Sawyer Gipson-Long and Jake Miller. They also have Drew Anderson as a long man in the bullpen.

It’s possible there’s a big shakeup over the horizon. The trade deadline is August 3rd and the Tigers have a 30-44 record. They are technically only 6.5 games back in the weak American League playoff field but they probably need to show some life in order to avoid a sell-off. If they do end up selling, Skubal, Mize, Flaherty and Verlander are all impending free agents and would be natural trade candidates. Anderson is on a one-year deal with a club option.

Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images

Tigers Recall Trei Cruz For Major League Debut

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 19:30:00 +0000

June 19th: Cruz has now been officially recalled and Pérez is on the IL. The Tigers listed the Pérez injury as a left orbital fracture. His timeline is unclear.

June 18th: The Tigers are going to recall infielder/outfielder Trei Cruz, reports Ari Alexander of 7News Boston. He’ll be making his major league debut as soon as he gets into a game. He’ll take the spot of Wenceel Pérez, who is headed for the injured list, per Chris McCosky of Detroit News. The Tigers are off today, so the move might not be made official until tomorrow.

Cruz, 27, is the grandson of José Cruz and the son of José Cruz. Per Cody Stavenhagen of The Athletic, the Cruzes will soon become the fifth family with a grandfather, son and grandson all to have played in the major leagues. The other four are the Bells (Gus to Buddy to David and Mike), the Boones (Ray to Bob to Bret and Aaron), the Colemans (Joe to Joe to Casey) and the Hairstons (Sam to Jerry to Jerry and Scott).

The Tigers selected Trei with a third-round pick in 2020. He didn’t show too much in his first few seasons as a professional but burst onto the radar last year. Splitting his time between Double-A and Triple-A, he stepped to the plate 564 times in 2025. His home run tally of 13 was fairly modest but he drew walks at an exceptional 18.1% pace. That helped him produce a .279/.411/.456 slash line. The resulting 149 wRC+ indicated he was 49% better than league average. He got some help from a .349 batting average on balls in play but it would have been a nice showing even with some more neutral luck.

That prompted the Tigers to give him a roster spot in November, to keep him out of the Rule 5 draft. He can play all three outfield spots and the three infield spots to the left of first base. He can swipe a few bases, getting to 17 last year. Coming into 2026, Baseball America ranked him the #18 prospect in the system. FanGraphs was a bit more bearish putting him at #32, expressing some concern with the switch-hitter’s lack of power as a righty and his general propensity to struggle with breaking stuff.

Cruz hasn’t carried over that momentum into this year. He was on the minor league injured for over a month, starting about three weeks into April and going through most of May. Around that IL stint, he has a .225/.331/.326 line in 163 plate appearances this year.

Pérez injured himself in a freak accident this week when a plyo band snapped and hit him near his eye, per McCosky. The Tigers will give him some time to recuperate and add Cruz into an outfield mix that also includes Riley Greene, Kerry Carpenter, Zach McKinstry, James Outman, Jahmai Jones and Matt Vierling. Since Cruz can also play multiple infield spots, he’ll give Detroit some extra flexibility on the dirt as well. The infield group currently consists of Spencer Torkelson, Kevin McGonigle, Colt Keith, Hao-Yu Lee and McKinstry.

Photo courtesy of Junfu Han, Imagn Images

MLB Weekend Series Preview: NL Division Leaders Atlanta and Brewers Meet

Justin Alston — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 19:02:11 +0000

Atlanta hosts Milwaukee in a battle of division leaders.

The post MLB Weekend Series Preview: NL Division Leaders Atlanta and Brewers Meet appeared first on Pitcher List.

Drew Smith To Opt Out Of Deal With Twins

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:54:45 +0000

Right-hander Drew Smith is opting out of his minor league deal with the Twins, reports Robert Murray of FanSided. If Minnesota doesn’t give him a roster spot, he’ll become a free agent in the coming days.

Smith, 32, had a solid run with the Mets earlier in his career. From 2021 to 2024, he tossed 161 1/3 innings out of that club’s bullpen, allowing 3.35 earned runs per nine. He struck out 24.5% of batters faced, gave out walks at a 9.3% clip and induced grounders on 33% of balls in play.

Health intervened from there, as Smith required Tommy John surgery with an internal brace augmentation in the summer of 2024. That was very unfortunate timing, as he was a few months from free agency. Though he was slated to miss most or all of 2025, the Mets nonetheless re-signed him to a one-year deal worth $1MM with a $2MM club option for 2026. He ended up missing that entire season and the Mets didn’t pick up the option.

Coming into 2026, Smith signed a minor league deal with the Nationals but opted out of that deal before Opening Day and landed with the Twins. He has thrown 24 2/3 innings for Triple-A Saint Paul with a 4.74 ERA. His 17.4% strikeout rate is notably down from his big league work of a few years ago.

The Twins have one of the worst bullpens in the league. Their relief corps has a collective 5.12 earned run average on the year, last in the majors. Still, with Smith’s lackluster performance so far this year, it’s understandable if they don’t want to find a spot for him. Smith will see what other opportunities are available to him. In these cases, the player and team sometimes reunite on a new minor league deal, often with new opt-out chances for the player.

Photo courtesy of Jim Cowsert, Imagn Images

Pitcher Playing Time Changes: June 19, 2026

Jon Becker — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:30:09 +0000

A fortnight of projection changes for pitchers.

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Waiver Relief: Week 13

Alex Kamberis — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:30:06 +0000

The best RP pickups in fantasy baseball, every week, all season long.

The post Waiver Relief: Week 13 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Peter Strzelecki Opts Out Of Deal With Yankees

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:23:19 +0000

Right-hander Peter Strzelecki has opted out of his minor league deal with the Yankees, reports Jon Heyman of The New York Post. The righty is now a free agent and can be pursued by any team.

Strzelecki, 31, signed a minor league deal with the Yankees on May 23rd. Though that was almost a month ago, he has only made Triple-A six appearances since then, logging 4 2/3 innings. He allowed four earned runs in that tiny sample but struck out nine of the 22 batters he faced, a 40.9% rate, while only issuing one walk. He averaged around 92 miles per hour with his four-seamer and sinker, a normal range for him, while also throwing a slider and changeup.

That wasn’t enough for the Yankees to give him a roster spot, so he’ll test the open market. His major league track record consists of 83 2/3 innings with the Brewers, Diamondbacks and Guardians from 2022 to 2024. He posted a 3.44 earned run average in that time along with a 24% strikeout rate, 8.4% walk rate and 35.8% ground ball rate.

He spent 2025 in the minors with the Pirates and Rays but struggled, putting up a combined 9.41 ERA. He signed a minor league deal with the Brewers coming into 2026 and was briefly added to that club’s roster in May, though he was designated for assignment the next day without appearing in a game.

His minor league numbers this year don’t look great at first blush but things appear nicer under the hood. Between the systems of the Brewers and Yankees, he has logged 24 1/3 innings with a 4.81 ERA but his 28.2% strikeout rate, 4.9% walk rate and 45.3% ground ball rate are all strong figures. The ERA would be better if not for a .333 batting average on balls in play and 61.2% strand rate. Strzelecki will see if any other club is enticed by those numbers. If he eventually gets a roster spot somewhere, he is out of options.

Photo courtesy of Michael McLoone, Imagn Images

Rays Designate Austin Slater For Assignment

Steve Adams — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:22:16 +0000

The Rays have designated veteran outfielder Austin Slater for assignment, per a club announcement. His spot on the roster goes to fellow outfielder Jonny DeLuca, who’s been reinstated from the injured list after missing nearly a month due to a hamstring strain. Tampa Bay now has 39 players on its 40-man roster.

Slater only appeared in seven games with the Rays prior to being DFA. He hit well in a small sample of 25 trips to the plate, going 6-for-22 with a pair of doubles, three walks, three steals and six strikeouts. Tampa Bay is already his third team of the season and, more incredibly, his eighth major league club dating back to 2024.

Slater spent the first seven-plus seasons of his major league career with the Giants, who originally drafted him out of Stanford with their eighth-round pick back in 2014. After getting cut loose in the Bay, he’s since bounced to the Reds, Orioles, White Sox, Yankees, Marlins, Mets and now Rays. Slater had a decent run as a lefty-mashing utilityman in San Francisco from 2020-23, but his bat has witted in recent seasons. Dating back to 2024, Slater carries just a .215/.301/.308 batting line in 446 MLB plate appearances.

Slater’s best skill has always been his ability to hit lefties, but even that trait has dried up during this down phase. He’s a career .263/.353/.420 hitter when holding the platoon advantage but has authored a weak .205/.300/.305 output versus southpaws since 2024.

The Rays will have five days to trade Slater, place him on outright waivers or release him. He can reject an outright assignment even he goes unclaimed. Another team with a need for some right-handed help off the bench might take a look, but Slater has already cleared waivers twice this season. He elected free agency both times and would presumably do so once again if he’s not claimed this time around.

Fantasy Baseball Subscriber Chat With Nicklaus Gaut

Nicklaus Gaut — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:00:16 +0000

Nicklaus Gaut will be talking fantasy baseball with Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers today at 1 PM Central time. Get your question in early or participate in the live event at the link below!

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Is a Turnaround Coming Soon for Jackson Merrill?

Matthew Creally — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 18:00:06 +0000

The 23-year-old is at the forefront of San Diego's offensive troubles.

The post Is a Turnaround Coming Soon for Jackson Merrill? appeared first on Pitcher List.

Diamondbacks GM: “I’m Planning On Buying”

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 17:55:18 +0000

As the trade deadline draws nearer, teams are going to start shifting into the buyer or seller categories. The Giants are reportedly leaning towards the sell side. Their division rivals in Arizona are leaning the other way. “I’m planning on buying,” general manager Mike Hazen tells the Wolf & Luke show.

It’s not really a shocking position for Hazen to take. Even struggling teams usually delay the decision to sell as long as possible. For the Snakes, their hopes of contending are still very much alive. They are 38-36, putting them 9.5 back of the Dodgers in the West division but just half a game back of a Wild Card spot in a crowded National League race. The deadline isn’t until August 3rd, so there’s still time for things to change, but they are firmly in it now.

Hazen didn’t provide any details about what his targets might be but it’s already known that the club is looking for another lefty bat. Since that reporting, the club did sign Max Kepler, but he’s a big unknown after a couple of down seasons and a PED suspension. Even if he comes back from that suspension and returns to form, he wouldn’t be eligible to play in the postseason as part of that suspension.

There are many lefty bats who could theoretically be available in the coming weeks, depending on which teams end up selling ahead of the deadline. Luis Arraez, Jarren Duran, Trevor Larnach, Kody Clemens, Lars Nootbaar, Brett Baty, Jung Hoo Lee, Alec Burleson, Mickey Moniak, Nathaniel Lowe and JJ Bleday are just a few names who could speculatively be available. Some of those situations would be complicated for Arizona by the fact that they are playing within the division, while some of those clubs might play too well to sell at all.

CJ Abrams is another theoretical trade candidate but the Diamondbacks wouldn’t be a great fit for him unless they wanted to move him to the outfield. He is a natural shortstop but he’s not a great defender there and might end up moved to second or third. The Snakes have Geraldo Perdomo at short, Ketel Marte at second and Nolan Arenado at third.

On the pitching side, Hazen has suggested he’ll likely be more focused on the bullpen than the rotation. The starting group isn’t in amazing shape. Michael Soroka is having a great year but has a long injury track record. Nine more innings pitched and this will be his highest tally in a season since 2019. Eduardo Rodríguez is keeping runs off the board but with a lot of good luck. His 4.78 SIERA is almost double his 2.45 ERA. Ryne Nelson, Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly all have earned run averages of 4.97 or higher.

Despite the struggles, the Diamondbacks have committed a lot of resources to that group and may have trouble moving on from anywhere in there. Hazen has expressed hope that Brandon Pfaadt, recently optioned to get stretched out, could help the depth.

The bullpen is middle of the pack this year, with a collective 4.01 ERA, 15th in the majors. The club was hoping to get A.J. Puk and Justin Martínez back from last year’s surgeries but they are still waiting on that. Puk, working his way back from internal brace surgery, got an MRI related to shoulder discomfort last week. Martínez still has an uncertain timeline after undergoing Tommy John surgery in June of last year.

There are dozens of relief arms who could theoretically be available in the coming weeks, depending on the performances of various teams and individuals. Similar to Arizona’s deadline approach as a whole, a lot is still up in the air, but it’s notable that Hazen has gone on the record as hoping to do some buying.

Photo courtesy of Rob Schumacher, Imagn Images

Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 6/18

Rick Graham — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:51:25 +0000

A Review of Key Bullpen and Reliever Usage from Yesterday's Games

The post Fantasy Baseball Relief Pitcher Roundup: 6/18 appeared first on Pitcher List.

PPP 806 – Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitchers To Add And Drop – 6-19-26

Nick Pollack — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:38:10 +0000

Nick Pollack's latest episode of his SP focused Plus Pitch Podcast.

The post PPP 806 – Fantasy Baseball Starting Pitchers To Add And Drop – 6-19-26 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Top 25 Pitchers in the 2026 MLB Draft

Trevor Powers — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:30:08 +0000

A very early look at how the 2026 MLB draft might play out.

The post Top 25 Pitchers in the 2026 MLB Draft appeared first on Pitcher List.

Starting Pitcher Streamer Ranks Fantasy Baseball: 6/19 & 6/20 & 6/21

Nick Pollack — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:11:59 +0000

Best SP streamers and rankings for today & tomorrow & day after.

The post Starting Pitcher Streamer Ranks Fantasy Baseball: 6/19 & 6/20 & 6/21 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup 6/18: I’ve Got Manaea. You?

Nick Pollack — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:09:03 +0000

Nick Pollack reviews every starting pitcher performance from Thursday.

The post Fantasy Baseball SP Roundup 6/18: I’ve Got Manaea. You? appeared first on Pitcher List.

Is It Legit? 6/19/2026: Jac Caglianone, Dillon Dingler, Cody Bellinger

Ryan Clark — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 16:00:21 +0000

Are Jac Caglianone, Dillon Dingler, and Cody Bellinger for real?

The post Is It Legit? 6/19/2026: Jac Caglianone, Dillon Dingler, Cody Bellinger appeared first on Pitcher List.

Mets Outright Vidal Bruján

Steve Adams — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 15:49:20 +0000

Infielder/outfielder Vidal Bruján went unclaimed on waivers after being designated for assignment by the Mets, per Anthony DiComo of MLB.com. He’s been assigned outright to Triple-A Syracuse. Bruján has the right to reject the assignment in favor of free agency if he chooses. He seems quite likely to accept, given that he’s on a split big league deal and would forfeit any remaining guarantees and be subject to potentially lesser rates of pay on a new minor league deal elsewhere. He already accepted one outright assignment with the Mets earlier this season but was selected back to the roster last month.

Bruján appeared in nine games for the Mets this season but tallied only 13 plate appearances. He went 1-for-11 with a walk and a sacrifice bunt in that tiny sample. The former top prospect was acquired from the Twins in exchange for cash back in January, though he never actually appeared in a game with Minnesota (who’d previously picked him up off waivers). Bruján has now suited up for six teams across parts of six big league seasons.

Despite landing on nearly every top-100 prospect ranking from 2019-22 while in the Rays system, Bruján has yet to hit in the majors. He’s totaled 658 plate appearances but logged only a .197/.266/.272 slash in that time. Bruján carries a decent .270/.352/.438 line in 254 Triple-A games and is capable of playing all over the infield/outfield, but his poor MLB performance and lack of minor league options allowed him to pass through waivers.

Assuming Bruján accepts the outright assignment, he’ll stick with the Mets as non-roster depth for the time being. He’ll hope to hit his way back to the majors or perhaps get called up in the aftermath of a potential Mets deadline sale. If he’s not added back to the major league roster before season’s end, he’d have the right to become a free agent at season’s end, as is the case for all players who have three-plus years of big league service but have been outrighted off their team’s 40-man roster.

Streaky Freakies vs. Steady Eddies: Does Volatility Matter?

Jonathan Vander Lugt — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 15:30:23 +0000

Fret not, dear reader. This is not that kind of article. Introduction In Part 1 of my valuation series, I made a passing reference to player streakiness, stating that it mattered when distinguishing player value between head-to-head and roto leagues with the same categories. But does it? It seems intuitive enough. In a roto league, […]

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Yankees Hoping To Add Right-Handed-Hitting Catcher

Steve Adams — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 15:08:20 +0000

The Yankees have gotten a disappointing season out of catcher Austin Wells so far, and his struggles have the team interested in bringing in some catching help. Chris Kirschner of The Athletic reports that the Yanks would prefer to add a right-handed bat behind the plate and specifically lists Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers as a potential target. Jeffers knows Yankees director of catching Tanner Swanson quite well from Swanson’s days as the Twins’ catching coordinator from 2017-19.

Jeffers got out to a monster start this season — .295/.408/.541, seven homers, equal walk and strikeout rates (15.6%) — but suffered a fractured hamate last month that required surgery. He’ll be sidelined into July.

The arrows on Jeffers are all trending up this season, but he’s quietly been one of the game’s best-hitting catchers dating back to 2023. Over his past 1411 major league plate appearances, Jeffers touts a .258/.346/.445 batting line (121 wRC+). The former second-rounder out of UNC Wilmington ranks eighth among qualified catchers in batting average, sixth in on-base percentage and sixth in slugging percentage in that time. Jeffers swatted a career-high 21 homers back in 2024 and was on pace to trounce that mark this season.

Despite the Swanson/Jeffers connection, it should be noted that Jeffers is just one of several options GM Brian Cashman & Co. could consider. It’s not even a foregone conclusion that Jeffers will be moved. The Twins have been expected to function as sellers all season and likely still will, but they’re at 36-40 after four straight wins and currently sit just 1.5 games back in the wide-open AL Wild Card hunt. Jeffers is an impending free agent and arguably their most likely trade chip if they do sell, but between their recent play and the 29-year-old catcher’s current injury, a deal in the near future seems quite unlikely. He’s making $6.7MM this season, and the Yankees would have to pay a 110% tax on the remainder of that contract due to their luxury-tax status.

Whether Jeffers or someone else, some form of catching upgrade would be prudent for the Yankees, whose backstops have combined for an awful .181/.271/.270 slash this season. The resulting 53 wRC+ indicates that Yankees catchers have been 47% worse than average at the plate, ranking them ahead of only the White Sox (who’ve been without starter Kyle Teel all season due to injury) and the Phillies.

Wells, currently on the injured list due to recurring cervical headaches, has been the primary culprit. After slashing .224/.294/.423 from 2023-25, he’s faceplanted with a .166/.278/.255 slash and career-worst 26.6% strikeout rate in 169 plate appearances this season. It’s plenty feasible that the ongoing neck/headache issues have dampened his production, but Wells’ struggles — and those of backups J.C. Escarra and Ali Sanchez — have been so pronounced that they leave the Yankees with little choice but to pursue an upgrade.

If not Jeffers, there are other righty-swinging backstops who’ll likely be available. Minnesota could conceivably make switch-hitting catcher Victor Caratini, whom they signed to a two-year $14MM deal this winter, available if they sell. The Red Sox are open to moving Connor Wong, though trade talks between the two parties are always complicated by their archrival status. Switch-hitting A’s backup Jonah Heim is a free agent at season’s end and would surely be available if they end up selling off some short-term pieces (though they’re currently in both the AL West and Wild Card races). The Rangers could be amenable to parting with old friend Kyle Higashioka (also an impending free agent), and the Rockies could have one of the more intriguing controllable trade chips on the market if they make slugging catcher Hunter Goodman (arb-eligible through 2029) available to other teams.

H&J 153 – A New Vargas Rule

Brett Ford — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 15:00:09 +0000

Brett and Scott talk through the best bats in fantasy baseball

The post H&J 153 – A New Vargas Rule appeared first on Pitcher List.

Cubs To Option Moisés Ballesteros

Steve Adams — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:55:36 +0000

The Cubs will option catcher/designated hitter Moisés Ballesteros to Triple-A Iowa today, as first indicated on the team’s transaction log at MLB.com. Michael Cerami of Bleacher Nation reports that outfielder Justin Dean will be recalled in his place.

Ballesteros, 23, was a consensus top prospect before arriving in the majors. He torched Triple-A pitching as a 22-year-old in 2025 (.316/.385/.473) and kept that momentum rolling in his first 66 big league plate appearances late last year (.298/.394/.474). “Mo Baller” raced out to a torrid start to begin his official rookie campaign in 2026, hitting .387/.435/.710 through April 27, but his bat has tanked since.

Over Ballesteros’ past 106 plate appearances, Ballesteros has slumped to a dismal .128/.217/.170 slash. He’s not striking out at an exorbitant level (22.6%) and is still drawing walks at a strong 10.4% clip, but Ballesteros has put 51% of his batted balls on the ground and popped up four times. He was sporting a 40.7% grounder rate and didn’t pop up once prior to this current slump.

The Cubs’ offensive woes extend well beyond Ballesteros’ suddenly frosty bat. Chicago ranks 26th in the majors with only 98 runs scored over the past 30 days. Nico Hoerner, Dansby Swanson, Carson Kelly and Michael Conforto have struggled just as much, if not more than Ballesteros in that time but can’t be sent down due to their veteran status. The Cubs will hope that a reset in Des Moines can get Ballesteros back on track and back to the form he showed through his first 130 big league plate appearances, dating back to last season.

Beyond getting Ballesteros back on track in the batter’s box, there are other potential development issues to consider. The Cubs have used the promising young slugger at designated hitter 47 times this season, compared to just eight games behind the plate. If the Cubs want Ballesteros to shoulder even a part-time load behind the dish in future seasons, it’d behoove them to get him more regular work at the position. A reset in Triple-A affords him that possibility, too.

There are potential service time ramifications, though they’re not likely to come into play. Ballesteros is currently 56 days shy of a full year of service. As long as he’s back in the majors for eight total weeks between now and season’s end, he’ll still reach a full year of service. It’s doubtful the Cubs plan to keep Ballesteros in the minors until mid-to-late August, but if he struggles considerably in Iowa or incurs an injury there, it’s at least possible this demotion could push his path to free agency back by a year.

Dean, 29, will be making his Cubs debut whenever he takes the field. Chicago claimed him off waivers from the Giants (who’d claimed him from the Dodgers) back in January. A former 17th-round pick, Dean is a fleet-footed fourth outfield type who draws plenty of walks but is light on power and typically runs high strikeout rates.

Dean isn’t going to take over regular DH work for Ballesteros and will probably serve as a conventional pinch-running/defensive replacement late in games while backing up Ian Happ, Pete Crow-Armstrong and Seiya Suzuki in the outfield. With Ballesteros being sent down, 22-year-old Pedro Ramirez could see an uptick in playing time. The Cubs could also look to give Conforto more frequent at-bats, hoping that consistent playing time will help him trend toward the .345/.456/.655 line he posted in 68 plate appearances through mid-May.

The Opener: Witt Jr., Red Sox, Soriano

Charlie Wright — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:33:31 +0000

Mets outfielder Juan Soto slugged a pair of home runs off Phillies righty Aaron Nola on Thursday. Soto now has five homers in his career vs. Nola, his most against any pitcher. Nola moved past Charlie Morton (four home runs allowed) on the list.

1. Witt leaves with knee injury

Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. went down awkwardly after sliding for a ground ball in the fourth inning on Thursday against the Cardinals (video link via Anne Rogers of MLB.com). He remained in the game for the final out of the inning, then was removed for a pinch hitter to lead off the bottom of the frame. The initial diagnosis from the team was right knee discomfort (h/t to Rogers). Witt was 2-for-2 with a home run before exiting the contest. The homer snapped a streak of 20 games without leaving the yard. Despite the lack of power, Witt is enjoying an excellent June. He’s hit .323 with a .429 OBP and 11 stolen bases in the month.

2. Red Sox swept by Blue Jays

Boston dropped all three games of a series against Toronto, capped off by a 4-3 loss on Thursday. The Red Sox scored three times across the seventh and eighth innings to tie the game, but closer Aroldis Chapman permitted a go-ahead RBI double in the ninth inning. It was the club’s fourth straight loss overall and seventh consecutive defeat against AL East foes. “It’s very frustrating, we’re not good,” right-hander Sonny Gray told reporters, including Jen McCaffrey of The Athletic. “We’re just not a good team right now. That’s just a fact.” Boston now heads to Seattle for a three-game set against the AL West-leading Mariners.

3. Soriano to start on Friday

Angels right-hander Jose Soriano is expected to get the ball tonight against the Athletics. He was initially in line to start on Thursday, but was scratched. Ryan Johnson wound up getting the nod in the first game of the series. Soriano was limited to five innings after being struck by a comebacker in his last outing. He also reported chest tightness and sore legs. Manager Kurt Suzuki told reporters that the team was looking to give Soriano an extra day of rest (h/t Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com). The righty has taken a step back after a tremendous start to the season. After posting an 0.84 ERA through April, Soriano put up a 5.34 mark in May. He’s generally kept runs off the board in three June starts, but he has 11 walks in 15 2/3 innings.

Photo courtesy of Peter Aiken, Imagn Images

Ottoneu Starting Pitching Planner: June 22–28

Jake Mailhot — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:30:54 +0000

Ottoneu Starting Pitcher sit/start recommendations for the week of June 22–28.

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MLB News & Moments: An Andrew Benintendi Slam Propels White Sox Past Yanks

Michael Hanlon — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:30:20 +0000

Plus injury news on multiple stars from around the league.

The post MLB News & Moments: An Andrew Benintendi Slam Propels White Sox Past Yanks appeared first on Pitcher List.

Relief Pitcher Streamer Rankings Fantasy Baseball: 6/19

Rick Graham — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:20:03 +0000

The Best Reliever Streamers for Today with Updated Bullpen Usage Charts

The post Relief Pitcher Streamer Rankings Fantasy Baseball: 6/19 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Mets Win Behind a Pair of Soto Shots – Fantasy Hitting Recap 06/18/26

Justin Havelock — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:00:49 +0000

Breaking down notable hitting performances from yesterday’s games.

The post Mets Win Behind a Pair of Soto Shots – Fantasy Hitting Recap 06/18/26 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Picks: 6/19/26

Scott McDermott — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 13:00:08 +0000

Leading off for the Royals, Carter Jensen!

The post Fantasy Baseball Waiver Wire Picks: 6/19/26 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Starts and Sits - All Starting Pitcher Matchups for Fantasy Baseball (June 15 - June 21)

Nick Mariano — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 12:22:02 +0000

Limber up that arm and get ready to dominate with some updated starting pitcher starts/sits for fantasy baseball for the week ahead - Monday, June 15 through Sunday, June 21. We'll tell you who is pitching, their opponent, and a confidence/startability score based on our winning tools. This is all built to provide you with […]

Roto Riteup: June 19, 2026

Vlad Sedler — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 11:30:37 +0000

Let's get ready for the weekend with the Roto Riteup!

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The Shallows EP 019 – Goin’ Fishin’

Erik Hinrichsen — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 11:00:53 +0000

Injuries, replacements, notable performances, mailbag, & goin' fishin'

The post The Shallows EP 019 – Goin’ Fishin’ appeared first on Pitcher List.

Daily Fantasy Baseball News and Notes | First Pitch 6/19/26

Carson Picard — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 11:00:51 +0000

Everything you need to know to win your fantasy baseball league, daily

The post Daily Fantasy Baseball News and Notes | First Pitch 6/19/26 appeared first on Pitcher List.

Braves, Pirates Swap Joey Bart For Hunter Stratton

Anthony Franco — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 04:59:49 +0000

The Braves announced they’ve traded reliever Hunter Stratton to the Pirates for catcher Joey Bart. Atlanta designated backup catcher Sandy León for assignment to open a spot on the 40-man roster. The Braves had designated Stratton for assignment yesterday. He’ll replace Bart on Pittsburgh’s 40-man but won’t join the MLB team, as the Bucs optioned him to Triple-A Indianapolis.

Bart is on the 10-day injured list working back from an infection in his left foot. He hasn’t played an MLB game since May 9 but has been on a minor league rehab assignment for the past week. Atlanta will presumably activate him directly onto the big league roster, as they optioned third catcher Jair Camargo back to Triple-A Gwinnett this afternoon.

It’s a homecoming for the 29-year-old Bart, who grew up less than an hour from Atlanta and played his college ball at Georgia Tech. He was part of a run of high-end catchers for the Yellow Jackets over the past couple decades, spanning from Matt Wieters to potential #1 overall pick Vahn Lackey. Bart went second overall to the Giants in 2018, making him the highest drafted player in school history to date.

The draft pedigree certainly makes him the more well known of the two players in today’s trade. Bart hasn’t developed into the franchise backstop many scouts expected, however. He hit .219/.288/.335 over parts of four seasons in San Francisco. Between that lackluster production and Patrick Bailey’s emergence into a Gold Glove caliber defender, the Giants traded him to Pittsburgh at the beginning of the 2024 season.

That change of scenery initially seemed to spark Bart’s career. He hit .265/.337/.462 over 80 games and opened the next season as Pittsburgh’s starting catcher. His numbers backed up slightly the following year, as he posted a .249/.355/.340 line across a career-high 332 plate appearances. Bart opened this season in a split behind the plate with former first overall pick Henry Davis. The Bucs promoted Endy Rodríguez from Triple-A when Bart went on the injured list five weeks ago.

Rodríguez, himself a formerly touted young talent who lost most of the previous two seasons to injury, has seized the primary catcher role. He’s hitting .267/.413/.467 with three home runs through 76 plate appearances. The Pirates could’ve optioned Davis, who has a .138/.242/.285 line across 150 trips.

Davis’ results at the plate have been terrible, but he has hit the ball harder and showed stronger plate discipline in May than he had previously in his MLB career. It seems the Pirates expect that to translate into better numbers over time and didn’t feel he’d gain much out of going back to Triple-A. Even more importantly, Davis has developed a strong rapport with Paul Skenes and has caught all 15 of the ace’s starts this year. They clearly didn’t want to disrupt that routine.

Bart, who hit .259/.290/.379 in 21 games before the injury, is out of options and couldn’t be sent down without going through waivers. The Bucs are already burning a bench spot on a player with no defensive value in keeping Marcell Ozuna on the roster. They could’ve optioned Billy Cook and gone with three catchers, but they’d have left skipper Don Kelly with very limited positional flexibility.

They instead choose to swap Bart to an Atlanta team that has cycled through backup catchers since Sean Murphy broke his finger five weeks ago. They were also without Drake Baldwin for a few weeks but welcomed him back on Monday. It’ll be a Baldwin-Bart catching duo for the foreseeable future.

Pittsburgh is in desperate need of bullpen help, especially from the right side. Stratton isn’t a huge fix but provides a depth arm who can bounce between PNC Park and Indianapolis for the next couple seasons. He’ll be a familiar name to some Bucs fans, as the 29-year-old spent nearly a decade in the organization.

The Pirates drafted him in the 16th round back in 2017. Stratton debuted six years later and posted a 4.30 earned run average across 52 1/3 innings over parts of three seasons. Pittsburgh designated him for assignment last July and traded him to Atlanta for minor league outfielder Titus Dumitru and cash considerations. The Braves cycled him up and down from Gwinnett in the second half last year.

Stratton has spent all but two days in the minors this season. He has a 4.38 ERA while walking more than 14% of opposing hitters across 21 2/3 innings. Stratton has shown better control at the MLB level, where he has a 3.75 ERA over 60 career appearances. He’s working in the 96 mph range with his fastball while throwing a low-90s cutter and mid-80s slider — more or less the same repertoire he had during his first run with Pittsburgh.

Atlanta also takes some money off Pittsburgh’s books. Stratton has yet to qualify for arbitration and would make around the league minimum for any time he spends on the MLB roster (less while in Triple-A). Bart is making $2.53MM, around $1.3MM of which is owed through season’s end. The Braves take that on, plus a 20% overage fee because they’re above the luxury tax line. Bart will be eligible for arbitration for a final time next offseason.

The trade pushes the veteran León off the roster after a six-week stint. He’ll go on waivers in the next couple days, where he’ll presumably clear and be released. León has appeared in 21 games this year and has four hits, all singles, while striking out 18 times in 44 plate appearances. He’s a respected defender and game manager but provides so little offensively that he has been an organizational depth player for the past few seasons.

Image courtesy of Scott Galvin, Imagn Images.

Starting Pitcher Chart – June 19th, 2026

Paul Sporer — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 04:58:48 +0000

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Al Worthington Passes Away

Anthony Franco — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 04:48:06 +0000

The Twins announced the passing of longtime MLB reliever Al Worthington on Thursday evening. He was 97.

Worthington, a product of the University of Alabama, signed with the Cubs to begin his professional career in 1951. Chicago traded him to the then New York Giants after one minor league season. The 6’2″ righty broke into MLB as a starter with New York in 1953, firing consecutive complete game shutouts in his first two appearances.

Worthington finished his rookie season with a 3.44 earned run average but spent the next couple years in the minors. He made 10 regular season appearances for the ’54 team that swept Cleveland to win the World Series behind an MVP season from Willie Mays. Worthington was on the playoff roster but didn’t make an appearance in a series most famous for Mays’ iconic basket catch at the Polo Grounds in Game 1.

Called back up in 1956, he pitched a couple seasons in a swing role. He was a member of the inaugural San Francisco team when the Giants relocated for the ’58 campaign. Worthington had moved mostly to relief by that point. He played in San Francisco until 1960. Worthington had brief stints with the White Sox, Red Sox and Reds after that. Those were probably most memorable for his outspoken opposition to his teams stealing signs, which he opposed on religious grounds.

Worthington landed with the Twins at the end of the 1964 season. He had the best run of his career with Minnesota in his late 30s, reeling off four straight sub-3.00 ERA campaigns. He allowed one unearned run over four innings in a World Series defeat at the hands of the Dodgers in 1965 and made one appearance in the ’69 AL Championship Series during his age-40 season.

Over parts of 14 MLB campaigns, Worthington managed a 3.39 earned run average. He struck out 834 batters in more than 1200 innings and finished more than half of his 602 career appearances. Although MLB didn’t officially recognize the save statistic until his final season, Worthington was retroactively credited with over 100 career saves. After the end of his playing career, he coached and served as the athletic director at Liberty University. MLBTR sends condolences to Worthington’s family, friends and loved ones.

Shinnosuke Ogasawara Signs With NPB’s Yomiuri Giants

Anthony Franco — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 02:45:05 +0000

Left-hander Shinnosuke Ogasawara officially signed with the Yomiuri Giants of Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball on Thursday. He’d been in Double-A with the Nationals but was granted his release on Monday.

Ogasawara signed a two-year, $3.5MM free agent contract with the Nats over the 2024-25 offseason. The southpaw was coming off a 3.12 ERA across 144 1/3 innings for the Chunichi Dragons in his home country. He was young enough to command a multi-year deal but at a modest price, as MLB teams were skeptical about how his low-strikeout arsenal would play at this level.

The signing didn’t work out. Ogasawara was unable to secure a spot at the back of Washington’s rotation out of camp. The Nats brought him up for his MLB debut in July and used him in mostly low-leverage relief. Ogasawara allowed nearly seven earned runs per nine across 38 2/3 innings and was outrighted off the 40-man roster at the end of the season.

Washington kept the 28-year-old in the upper minors to begin this season. He pitched well in Double-A but struggled over a trio of Triple-A starts. It was apparent he wasn’t going to be much of a factor for the MLB team this year, so it’s understandable he preferred to go back to pitching in Japan’s top league.

Angels Announce Seven Roster Moves

Anthony Franco — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 01:29:50 +0000

The Angels announced seven roster moves before tonight’s series opener in West Sacramento. MLBTR already covered the most notable, with Mike Trout heading to the injured list due to a right hamstring strain and Christian Moore being recalled from Triple-A. Los Angeles also recalled righty Ryan Johnson from Double-A Rocket City to start tonight and activated recently acquired catcher Tyler Heineman. They optioned righty Brett Kerry and catcher Logan Porter in corresponding moves.

Finally, the Halos also released veteran reliever Drew Pomeranz. He’d been designated for assignment on Monday and never seemed likely to attract much trade interest. That made a release all but inevitable, and the 37-year-old southpaw can now look for another opportunity.

Moore makes his first MLB start in left field tonight. The 2024 eighth overall pick was exclusively a second baseman during his rookie campaign. The Angels have gotten him work at third base and his first nine left field starts in Triple-A this season. He has shredded minor league pitching at a .333/.468/.585 clip with almost as many walks as strikeouts.

Johnson, the Halos’ second-round pick in the same ’24 draft, also comes back to the Majors. The Dallas Baptist product will make his second career start and his first MLB appearance in a month. Johnson has been knocked around in his limited big league work but has carved up Double-A opposition this year. He could join Sam Aldegheri in the final two rotation spots after the Angels lost Jack Kochanowicz and Grayson Rodriguez to injuries over the past couple weeks.

The Angels will remain on the hook for the rest of Pomeranz’s $4MM salary. Any other team can add him for the prorated $780K minimum for however long he spends on their MLB roster. Pomeranz had a 5.01 ERA across 23 1/3 innings this season. He allowed five homers, matching his total from last year in more than twice the workload, while walking almost as many batters as he struck out. Pomeranz had posted a 2.17 ERA in nearly 50 frames for the Cubs a year ago.

Buxton On Trade Speculation: “I’m A Twin”

Anthony Franco — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 01:06:47 +0000

As trade deadline season draws closer, Twins star Byron Buxton again looked to shoot down early speculation about his availability. Buxton, who has full no-trade rights and said multiple times last summer that he’s not interested in leaving Minnesota, doubled down on that this evening.

“I don’t give a f—,” Buxton told Dan Hayes of The Athletic when asked about being in trade rumors. “End of the day, nobody’s in my shoes. Nobody can say anything about what I’m going to do. I know what I’m doing. The only way I’m getting out of here — they’re going to have to come talk to me and tell me something else. Simple as that. … I ain’t said nothing about leaving, nor will I. I’m a Twin.”

The Twins completed a resounding three-game sweep of the Rangers this afternoon. They’ve taken four straight since dropping a season-worst eight games below .500 over the weekend. The Twins are back within a game and half in an AL Wild Card picture in which every team is within seven games. Minnesota sits 4.5 back of the Guardians atop the AL Central, putting them third in the division behind Cleveland and the White Sox.

It hasn’t been a great season, but Minnesota has been more competitive than most outside observers probably anticipated as we near the halfway point. Buxton has been arguably the biggest factor in keeping them in the hunt. He has avoided the injured list and already has 23 home runs, putting him on track to surpass last year’s career-high 35 longballs. He’s hitting .270/.330/.589 across 288 plate appearances. Only Kyle Schwarber and Yordan Alvarez have more home runs, while he trails just Alvarez and Ben Rice in slugging percentage.

FanGraphs and Baseball Reference each have Buxton as the Twins’ most valuable player this season, narrowly above staff ace Joe Ryan. By measure of FanGraphs WAR, only Pete Crow-Armstrong is having a better season among center fielders. Buxton is fourth at the position by B-Ref WAR behind Crow-Armstrong, Andy Pages and Ceddanne Rafaela. He’s on track to start in the All-Star Game, as he was fourth among AL outfielders in fan voting at last check. Aaron Judge, Mike Trout and Cody Bellinger were above him. Judge will miss the All-Star Game, and Trout just landed on the injured list with a hamstring strain.

Buxton is signed through the 2028 season. He’s making a $15MM base salary but can earn up to $2.5MM annually in plate appearance incentives and has a significant MVP bonus. He’d earn $8MM if he wins MVP, $7MM for a runner-up finish, $6MM for third, $5MM for fourth, $4MM for fifth, or $3MM for landing in the back half of the top 10. Buxton narrowly missed the cutoff last year, landing in 11th place for the highest finish of his career — though he did collect a $1MM bonus for reaching 542 plate appearances. He’s trending toward a top 10 finish and potentially top five this season if he stays healthy.

There’s been some thought that Buxton could reconsider his no-trade stance if the Twins go on a scorched earth rebuild. He’ll be 33 in December and has only appeared in four career postseason games between injuries and the team’s inconsistency. Perhaps that’s what he alluded to with his comment about being told “something else,” but ownership seemed uninterested in stripping the roster all the way down last winter regardless. They didn’t make much of an effort to contend either, entering the season with one of the worst bullpens in the league and a top-heavy lineup. Still, they’ve hung close enough to the playoff picture that they probably don’t feel the need to go in that direction.

It will set up an interesting call on what to do with Joe Ryan and catcher Ryan Jeffers. The former is under arbitration control for one year after this and would command a substantial return — likely one similar to when they landed two Top 100 prospects (Austin Martin and Simeon Woods Richardson) for José Berríos at the 2021 deadline. Jeffers is an impending free agent and would be the best catcher available. He’s on the injured list after undergoing hamate surgery last month but could be back before the end of July.

Santiago Espinal Elects Free Agency

Anthony Franco — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 23:46:19 +0000

Santiago Espinal has cleared waivers and elected free agency, according to the MLB.com transaction log. The Dodgers designated the veteran infielder for assignment on Tuesday when Tommy Edman returned from injury.

Espinal has been outrighted twice this season. The first came when Kiké Hernández returned from the injured list. Hernández quickly went back down with injury, so the Dodgers re-signed Espinal as soon he cleared waivers. The roster fit is tougher with Edman back, as it’d probably require the utilityman accepting a minor league deal and reporting to Triple-A Oklahoma City.

A glove-first infielder, Espinal impressed the Dodgers on a non-roster invite to Spring Training. He hit .268 in 36 games this year but only walked once and recorded four extra-base hits. Espinal had a couple league average offensive seasons with the Blue Jays from 2021-22. He’s a .247/.296/.328 hitter in more than 1000 trips to the plate over the past four seasons.

Tigers To Recall Trei Cruz For Major League Debut

Darragh McDonald — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 22:58:00 +0000

The Tigers are going to recall infielder/outfielder Trei Cruz, reports Ari Alexander of 7News Boston. He’ll be making his major league debut as soon as he gets into a game. He’ll take the spot of Wenceel Pérez, who is headed for the injured list, per Chris McCosky of Detroit News. The Tigers are off today, so the move might not be made official until tomorrow.

Photo courtesy of Junfu Han, Imagn Images