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Rangers Option Josh Smith, Select Jarred Kelenic

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 20:05:22 +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.

More to come.

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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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

Ryne Nelson Reportedly Has Partially Torn Flexor

Darragh McDonald — Fri, 19 Jun 2026 19:19:40 +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.

More to come.

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

It's Miz Day!!

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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

Angels To Place Mike Trout On Injured List

Darragh McDonald — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 22:35:24 +0000

The Angels are going to place outfielder Mike Trout on the injured list with a hamstring injury, report Sam Blum and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Infielder Christian Moore will be recalled to take his place on the roster.

At this point, there are no details on the cause or the severity of Trout’s injury. He played in last night’s game and there wasn’t any indication that anything was amiss. Presumably, something popped up after the game or earlier today.

Regardless of the details, it’s a rough development for him and the team. The 34-year-old Trout continues to put up good numbers when on the field. He has been back in center field after mostly being a right fielder and designated hitter last year. He has 17 home runs. He is drawing walks at a massive 19.7% clip, one of the best such marks of his career. His 24.8% strikeout rate is above average but a nice improvement over last year, when that figure spiked to 32%. His .234/.394/.472 line leads to a 139 wRC+, indicating he has been 39% better than the league average hitter.

That will now be put on pause, which has become a common theme of Trout’s career as he has pushed into his 30s. Due to various injuries, he hasn’t played more than 130 games in a season since 2019. He has only twice topped 82 games in that span. He had stayed healthy this year until this point, appearing in 74 of the club’s 75 games. Unfortunately, he’s now going to be on the IL once more.

For the team, it’s a brutal blow, even if it’s a fairly minor injury. The Angels are 30-45 right now. The Rockies are the only team in the majors with a worse record. The Halos can’t really afford setbacks of any kind. Losing their best player for any amount of time only worsens their already-bleak prospects.

Without Trout, the Angels will probably have a regular outfield alignment of Jo Adell, Wade Meckler and Jose Siri. Moore has only played second base in his big league career but the Halos have started playing him in left field in the minors in recent weeks. Infielder Donovan Walton also has some outfield experience. It was reported a month ago that the club was doing some outfield work with Vaughn Grissom and Oswald Peraza but neither infielder has been sent to the grass in official game action yet.

Photo courtesy of Matt Kartozian, Imagn Images

Big Kid Adds (Week 12)

Jeff Zimmerman — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 22:30:08 +0000

Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images While the NFBC Main Event garners most of the attention, there are a handful of leagues with even larger entry fees ($2.5K to $15K). They are named Elite leagues (previously called High Stakes Leagues), and there are nine of them. With so much money on the line, these fantasy managers try to […]

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Dustin May Is Boosting His Free Agent Stock

Leo Morgenstern — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:50:32 +0000

On Monday night at Busch Stadium, Dustin May made the most impressive start of his major league career. The right-hander was perfect through six and finished with a one-hit, one-walk shutout. He threw 101 pitches. He struck out nine. If it weren’t for Jacob Misiorowski’s 15-strikeout tour de force last Friday, this might have been the best-pitched game of the season.

With that gem, May brought his ERA under 4.00 and moved into the NL’s top 10 in quality starts and FanGraphs WAR. He owns a 3.38 xERA and a 3.75 SIERA. Only two qualified pitchers in either league have a lower home run rate, a lower walk rate, and a higher strikeout rate this season: Cam Schlittler and Cristopher Sánchez.

A shutout will juice anyone’s numbers, and not everything May is doing right now is sustainable. His home run-to-fly-ball ratio won’t stay so low forever. It’s currently less than half his rate from 2019-25. At the same time, his BABIP is significantly higher than his career average, while his strand rate is markedly lower. That means he’s run into some bad luck to balance out his good fortune. The result is a matching 3.75 ERA and SIERA. Baseball Prospectus agrees that his “deserved ERA” is 3.77, while the ZiPS projection system forecasts a 3.78 mark for him over the rest of the season. The PitchingBot model suggests the quality of his arsenal translates to 3.85 earned runs per nine. All of those metrics use disparate methods to reach their conclusions, but when it comes to May, they end up at the same one: He has earned his success so far in 2026.

May was an honorable mention on MLBTR’s last Top 50 Free Agents ranking. The $12.5MM guarantee he secured from the Cardinals was surprisingly high to some, but it wasn’t a mistake to leave him off the top 50; in terms of total salary, his contract was the 51st largest of the offseason. This winter, May could be much higher on the list. Not only is he healthy and pitching well, but the 2026-27 free agent class is notably thin. It’s so thin that Michael Soroka was one of five players who just missed the top 10 on MLBTR’s latest Free Agent Power Rankings.

Soroka isn’t just catching strays here. I bring him up because he’s a shockingly apt comparison for May. Watch them pitch this year, and you won’t see many similarities between the two. May leads with a sinker that touches 99 against righties and a four-seam that touches 99 against lefties. Soroka’s max velocity is three ticks slower, and his primary pitch is an 80-mph slurve. Yet, the two right-handers, born 33 days apart in 1997, are more alike than you might realize.

Their stories are two chapters from the same book. Once star prospects, May and Soroka lived up to the hype in their debut seasons, only for a series of injuries to derail their careers. Finally, in 2025, they both made double-digit starts for the first time since their rookie campaigns. They proceeded to sign one-year contracts (with mutual options for 2027) in free agency. Here are the career numbers through 2025 that earned them those deals:

3.86 ERA, 4.25 SIERA, 21.9% K rate, 8.3% BB rate, 46.6% GB rate
3.85 ERA, 4.29 SIERA, 21.8% K rate, 8.0% BB rate, 47.1% GB rate

The first bullet point is May, and the second is Soroka, but I left them unlabelled to drive home the message. For all intents and purposes, the stats are identical. Soroka has thrown more innings in his career, but May has thrown more recently. And on a per-inning basis, these two were pretty much the same pitcher for the first six seasons of their respective careers.

Through their first 14 starts in 2026, May ranks ninth in the National League in FanGraphs WAR. Soroka is one spot ahead, with a lead so small that a rounding error could wipe it out. Soroka has the better ERA, but May has the edge in xERA. Soroka has the lower walk rate, but May has induced more ground balls. SIERA favors Soroka, but most of the major pitch models prefer what May brings to the table. ZiPS projects nearly identical performance from each of them for the rest of the season.

So, if Soroka is on track to be one of next winter’s top 20 free agents, May belongs in that conversation as well. Soroka is a bigger name, thanks to the All-Star appearance, Rookie of the Year runner-up finish, and down-ballot Cy Young votes on his resume. All of that is impressive, but all of that was seven years ago. If either of these two still has an All-Star ceiling, it might be May instead. He throws harder and boasts an even deeper arsenal, with six pitches that he throws at least 5% of the time. In 2026, only three starting pitchers (min. 50 IP) have thrown six different pitches at least that often with an average fastball harder than May’s: Dylan Cease, Sandy Alcantara, and Eury Pérez. There’s more to being an ace than high velocity and a diverse pitch mix, and Pérez is all the proof you need. Nonetheless, those are valuable traits – perhaps even valuable enough to engender a bidding war among teams that think they can get the most out of them. Just last winter, the Blue Jays gave Cease $210MM because they saw the blueprint for a more consistent ace. So far, it’s looking like they were right. May won’t command anything close to nine figures, but that only increases the number of teams that might be interested in his services.

It’s far too soon to start writing May’s blurb for the top 50 list. When the last Free Agent Power Rankings came out, he still had a 4.59 ERA. That was less than two weeks ago. Things can change quickly. May also has to stay healthy, which is far from a given. This is a pitcher who has already torn his UCL twice. The elbow neuritis he suffered last September proved to be minor, and the esophageal tear that ended his 2024 season had nothing to do with baseball activities. Still, he has never topped 24 starts or 150 innings in a season, at the major or minor league level. But this could be the year that changes.

All he needs to do is stay on the field and keep pitching the way he has. If he can pull that off, Dustin May will be a name to watch this winter. That might be an indication of a weak free agent class, but it would also be a huge accomplishment for a pitcher who has dealt with more than his fair share of setbacks. With every start he makes in 2026, May can boost his free agent stock.

Images courtesy of Jeff Curry, Imagn Images.

Angels Reportedly Receiving Early Interest In Reid Detmers

Steve Adams — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:42:05 +0000

The trade deadline is still more than six weeks away, but pitching-hungry clubs have already been checking in with Angels GM Perry Minasian about the potential availability of breakout lefty Reid Detmers, writes Bob Nightengale of USA Today. There’s no indication there have been any serious talks. To the contrary, Nightengale suggests that the Angels may be more inclined to hang onto the 26-year-old southpaw.

It’s a familiar refrain for Angels fans. Detmers is controlled only for two more seasons beyond the current campaign. The Angels, tied with the Royals for the American League’s worst record and sporting one of MLB’s weakest farm systems, aren’t going to be competitive in that time.

One could easily argue that Detmers ought to be an extension candidate. There’d be good sense in that for the Halos, but it doesn’t seem likely. The last time the Angels signed any player to an extension was more than four years ago, when catcher Max Stassi signed for three years and $17.5MM. A look at MLBTR’s Contract Tracker shows that since the hiring of GM Perry Minasian in Nov. 2020, Stassi and utilityman David Fletcher (five years, $26MM in 2021) are the only two players who have signed extensions buying out would-be free agent years.

Detmers, the No. 10 overall draft pick back in 2020, moved back to the rotation after a year spent in the bullpen in 2025. He’s out to an excellent start, sporting a 3.68 ERA through 88 innings across his first 15 turns back in the Angels’ rotation. His underlying rate stats are even better. Detmers has fanned 28.2% of opponents against a 6.8% walk rate. He’s touting better-than-average chase, contact and swinging-strike rates.

A significant amount of the damage against Detmers this season came in one lone start: an eight-run drubbing at the hands of the A’s back on May 19. Detmers responded to that outing by bouncing back with eight innings of one-run ball and a career-high 14 strikeouts. He hasn’t slowed down. In five starts since that Athletics hiccup, Detmers has pitched 33 innings, allowed five runs (1.36 ERA) on 12 hits and five walks. He’s set down 33.9% of his opponents on strikes in that span and only walked 4.3% of the batters he’s faced. Metrics like SIERA (3.33), FIP (2.81) and xERA (2.76) feel Detmers has performed far better than his already-solid earned run average might suggest.

Given his prospect pedigree, age, remaining club control and upward trendlines, Detmers would be one of the most sought-after trade pieces on the entire market. Any team acquiring him would be adding the southpaw for potentially three playoff races. He’s being paid just $2.625MM this season and will likely cost less than $20MM for his remaining two seasons of club control. He’d fit into any club’s playoff rotation, and organizations with a better track record of pitcher development might feel there’s another gear to be unlocked.

Trades of starters with two-plus seasons of left are rare at any point but especially midseason. The Marlins added four prospects from the Yankees in the trade sending Ryan Weathers to the Bronx and added a three-player package (headlined by consensus top-100 prospect Owen Caissie) when they traded Edward Cabrera to the Cubs. Both players had three full seasons of club control remaining, though Detmers is arguably more accomplished and more desirable than both former Fish hurlers. The White Sox picked up a pair of top-100 prospects (Kyle Teel, Braden Montgomery) plus a nearly MLB-ready infielder (Chase Meidroth) when trading two seasons of Garrett Crochet to the Red Sox.

Detmers is just one of several potential high-end trade chips the Angels possess. He, Jose Soriano and Zach Neto, in particular, could net the sort of trade deadline haul that would completely overhaul an Angels farm system that entered the year ranked 27th of 30 per ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel, 28th at Baseball America and at MLB.com, and 29th via The Athletic’s Keith Law.

As I recently explored in a piece for Trade Rumors Front Office subscribers, however, the Angels have repeatedly refused to acknowledge their bleak long-term outlook and held onto just this set of marketable asset until they either reached free agency or completely eroded their trade value. Only time will tell whether barreling toward a fifth straight season of at least 89 losses — they’re on pace to lose 97 games in 2026 — will prompt a philosophical change from owner Arte Moreno.

MLB Proposes Significant Changes To Amateur Draft

Darragh McDonald — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:35:21 +0000

Negotiations between Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association continue for the next collective bargaining agreement. Today, MLB proposed significant changes to the draft. J.J Cooper of Baseball America was among those to cover the developments.

The league’s proposed framework would be a significant drawdown of the way the draft has operated for years. High school players would no longer be eligible to be selected. In fact, anyone under 20 years old by September 1st of the draft year would not be eligible, so that would take many college and junior college players off the table as well.

The draft itself would be dropped from 20 rounds to 12. The current 20-round format is already a significant reduction, as the draft has been much longer in the past. It was 50 rounds through 2011, when it was dropped to 40. That length lasted through 2019. Another notable element of the proposal is hard draft slots, meaning a drafted player would have no ability to negotiate his signing bonus.

Teams would also have more freedom to trade picks. Currently, only the Competitive Balance Round picks can be traded. Under this proposal, all picks could be traded, with a few restrictions. A pick could not be traded until the prior draft has taken place, so picks can’t be traded years in advance. A team would not be allowed to trade a first-round pick two years in a row. A team could not add more than three picks in the first three rounds of any individual draft. Trades while the draft is actually taking place can only be made until the first round has been completed.

The Competitive Balance Round picks would be eliminated. That aligns with the league’s salary cap and floor proposal with shared league revenues. Those picks currently exist to provide a boost to the lower-spending clubs. Since the goal of the cap-and-floor system is to eliminate financial imbalances between clubs, the need for those picks would theoretically be eliminated as well. The lottery would also be altered as there are different rules for revenue-sharing payors versus payees.

A common theme of the proposed changes is cutting costs for big league clubs. In terms of costs directly associated with the draft, fewer rounds means fewer signing bonus to pay. The hard slot values also provide the teams with cost certainty.

Less directly, the rules would limit the upside of certain players, as it would become harder to approach or reach free agency at a young age. For instance, Konnor Griffin was drafted out of high school at the age of 18. He made it to the majors prior to his 20th birthday and would have been on a path for free agency in his mid-20s. That would not be possible under this current system. The trajectory gave Griffin enough leverage to secure a nine-year extension worth $140MM, a record deal for a player with just a handful of days in the majors. (Though Kevin McGonigle would get to $150MM one week later.) Cooper lists Mike Trout, Álex Rodríguez, Mickey Mantle, Ken Griffey Jr., Bryce Harper and Johnny Bench as other examples from the past of guys rising to the majors as teenagers.

It would also probably lead to other indirect cost savings. The proposed setup would effectively outsource player development of younger players to colleges. That means big league teams would probably dedicate fewer resources to staffing at the lower levels. Teams cut also cut corners when it comes to scouts, as scouring the continent to see high school players would no longer be as important.

The proposal would also include an international draft, which is something not currently in existence. Players from outside the United States, Canada and U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico are currently free to sign with any club if they are going to be 17 years old by September 1st of the signing year. Each team has a hard-capped spending pool in the range of $5MM to $9MM, so no one gets more than a few million.

Under today’s proposal, players would not be eligible for selection until one year later, the year in which they are 18 prior to September 1st. An international draft was discussed as part of the last round of CBA negotiations but ultimately didn’t get agreed to, so the pool system stayed in place. In previous proposals, the international draft had significantly smaller pools than the domestic draft. This proposal would see them lined up, though that would be done by reducing the domestic pools.

Given that the measures would cut the amount of spending going to players, the MLBPA is unsurprisingly opposed. The union released a statement saying that the new rules would lead to a $400MM drop in player compensation just when comparing the 2026 draft/pool systems to what the league is proposing for 2027, as well as a loss of over a billion over the next five years.

As with all proposals made this early in the process, it’s worth pointing out that there’s still a long way to go and most things that hit the table won’t come to fruition. The current CBA runs through December 1st. When the last CBA expired, MLB locked out the players. That lockout lasted over three months, going over a week into March. This far out, both sides are going to stake out positions that they know the other won’t accept. Over time, the sides will each back off some demands as the negotiating process plays out.

Photo courtesy of Kirby Lee, Imagn Images

Rookie Check In: Get a Jump Start on These Four Deep-League Starting Pitchers

Corbin Young — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:30:49 +0000

Should we buy, sell, or hold these four starting pitchers in deep-league keeper and dynasty formats?

Source

Top 150 Hitters for Fantasy Baseball 2026 – Week 12

Scott Chu — Thu, 18 Jun 2026 21:00:24 +0000

Scott Chu updates his top 150 hitters for fantasy baseball.

The post Top 150 Hitters for Fantasy Baseball 2026 – Week 12 appeared first on Pitcher List.